Institute of Biology

[Maria]

Maria listened to the conversation carefully. They needed her, for what? Even if she had found herself able to walk well enough without her cane, she wasn't good for running, so what was she to do? But Maria kept this all inside and focused on making few things sure.
" Hmm, what fate will wait these animals if our plans are to be succesful?" She whispered, smiling as sincerely as she could.
"Also, what part shall I perform?" Maria added.

[Shehrazad]

"We've got a van, we'll take them somewhere safe," Christine said.
"It's more about making a statement, really," Rafael said. "That we won't stand by idly while they torture these animals."

He paused, and looked at the others briefly before turning back to Maria. He looked uncertain.
"They know our faces," he said. "We're students here, and we've been harassing them for the better part of a year. But you're new, nobody's ever seen you around here before. You can get inside."

"Once you're inside," Richard cut in. "Get the fire alarm so we can get in through the fire escape. By the time everyone's figured out there's no fire, we're all in and we've got the animals."

"This needs to be done after hours, so the personnel is minimal," Rafael said. "So what do you say? Are you in?"

[Maria]

Maria nodded, this sounded like a sensible plan. Or, as sensible as she could expect from bunch of students. But there were some holes here and there.
" Sounds good, but how can I avoid being seen while putting the alarm on? As you said, I am new, which is good in a sense but would they trust somebody looking like me to wander around the place?" Maria said, thinking hard.
" And won't the animals be noisy? Suddenly moving them might scare them, let alone the alarm. And, how do you know the laboratory won't try to tract them and get them back from your safe place?" Maria asked. Then she realised that maybe a bit encouragement would be good too.
"But, other than those small details, I like the plan and am willing to help" she said, smiling.

[Shehrazad]

"Don't worry, we'll make sure no one knows where to find them," Dominic said grimly.

"How to avoid being seen?" Rafael shrugged. "I'm sure you will think of something. Blend in with the crowd, pretend you're looking for a bathroom..."

"Start an actual fire," Richard suggested. The others laughed.

"The alarm will distract them enough for us to at least be able to sneak in," Rafael said. "Once that's done, the boys and I will move the animals while Christine keeps the van ready."

[Maria]

Dominic's comment made Maria wince a bit, but as much as she wanted to start asking too many questions, she didn't want to sound suspicious.

"All right, you can count on me!" Maria said, enthusiasticly and smiling very widely. She would follow these people to their safe place and make sure not a hair would be harmed of the animals.

[Shehrazad]

Rafael grinned.
"Good, so we'll meet tomorrow night, five o'clock. That's when the labs start closing," he said. "Let me buy you drink."

He called the waitress and ordered another round of beers.

"We'll drink to their freedom," he said. "And to making a difference."

[Maria]

"Yes, for freedom" Maria said, lifting her hand halfway up. She decided that one drink wouldn't hurt her, maybe two. As she thought about the plan and the results it would have, she also felt a slight guilt in her body. Maybe alcohol would make her feel better.

((yeah, I think I'm ready to skip to the hesit itself, if that's okay?))

[Shehrazad]

(The Next Evening. If you want, we can assume she returned in the meantime, got some sleep, and retrieved her cane?)

Maria waited at the designated spot. Soon enough, a blue van arrived, and Maria recognised the driver as Christine. The van stopped and the door opened.

"We'll be parked around back," he said. "The engine will be running, as soon as we hear the alarm, we'll come running in. Good Luck."

He closed the door again, and the van drove off, leaving Maria alone outside the university building.

[Maria]

(( I think she simply went to get her cane and then went to the nearest hotel and took a nap, I don't think she would feel right returning 'home' just yet. But I think she did buy matches AND some paper. ))

As the van arrived, Maria lifted her hand up as a greeting to her 'team' for now.

Maria sighed deeply as she looked at the building. This was it, this was the true test of her character, her spirit and her powers. Maria began limping towards the the building. The plans raced throught her mind as she arrived at the door.

And, this was a true test of her acting skills. Maria took a deep breath and tried to open the door to the building.

[Shehrazad]

(All right. Sounds good.)

The front door into the building was locked. This wasn't a surprise, as it probably held some expensive laboratory equipment. But this was probably just a matter of protocol, since nobody was expecting anyone to walk out with giant beakers or electrodes. Workers came and went, so the doors opened every few minutes, especially since the work day was drawing to a close, and people were heading home.

Maria had no problem grabbing the door before it closed after them, and slipping inside.

[Maria]

As she entered inside the belly of the beast, Maria took a careful look at the layout of the building. When she was to start the chaos, she needed to know where to go exactly.

Maria kept limping around the front part of the building, trying to locate the three most important things: a) the washrooms distance from the fire-alarm, b) the fire alarm, c) the fire exits.

[Shehrazad]

Luckily, it takes Maria very little time to find the ground floor fire exit, which has a fire alarm placed conveniently next to it. The door won't open unless the alarm is sounded.
The bathrooms, on the other hand, are one floor down, in the basement.
Maria can't tell where the animals are being held, unless she actually starts going into the labs, but then that wasn't part of her job.

[Maria]

This throws a minor wrench to Maria's plan, thought not a big one. The fang looks at the fire alarm and the door next to it, thinking about just how idiotic it is to place those two things so near each other. Maria thinks about what to do next, she cannot possibly start a fire in the bathrooms and run upstrairs and push the fire alarm. Then again, with the alarm and door so near to each other, she could easily escape.

Finally, Maria sighs and hits the fire alarm with her cane, hoping it is hard enough to break it and sound the alarm, and then begins to tug at the door.

[Shehrazad]

The fire alarm did not incite mass panic. In fact, the general reaction was rather boring. One person poked their head out an office and looked annoyed. But that was it.

The door opened of its own accord when the fire alarm went off, and it wasn't long before three of Maria's partner's in crime showed up. They were dressed in black, with ski masks covering their faces. The tallest one, who Maria was sure was Rafael, was carrying a doggie-basket.
"Quick, no time," he said. "Third floor, follow us."

[Maria]

Maria placed herself as close to the wall as she could as the alarm rang. Then...nothing. Just utter silence as the alarm rang.

As her 'gang' arrived, Maria almost laughed out loud. As she nodded to the order and began following the trio the best she could, she wondered how she would tell about this to the lion. But the general apathy almost made her feel a bit vary. That was some weaver heavy reaction there.
" Good you brought carriers" Maria whispered to Rafael as she climbed up the stairs the best she could.