[Alpha]

"Darn, well, one can always hope." She was dancing around that. The way she made the dismiss of the shooting star set off warning signals in Theron's head. I definitely need to keep an eye on her. "Water will do just fine. Thank you Doctor." He took up the normal bottle of water, checking quickly that the seal was still intact. You could never be too careful when it came to suspects, especially when they were hiding something. He then broke the seal and took a gulp of the water. Nothing to worry about so far, no strong taste. "So, you call them Smiths since you know their names, but are shuffled around so much that it doesn't really matter if you use them. Interesting." He feigned writing down some notes, making sure that it was out of sight, then he noticed Dr. Pascal, or Ari as he had thought of her a few times, staring off into the distance. "Is there something wrong Dr. Pascal?" He turned his head and noticed a black dot hovering there. He assumed that was what she was staring at. Could that be the object that he was after? Or was it one of the Agency's drones keeping an eye on things?

[Tiva]

"Too high up to be a heli, to low to be a satellite. Probably some government thing watching us, Japan sent one when we were up in their area. They think that we are stealing their soldiers bodies to desecrate even after all these years." She pulled up her hair playing with the tail and looking at him hooding her eyes, she was still kind of tired.... "So, you are from what contract group? L3, Trinity, Blackhawk? Those are the big ones with contracts in the DOD." She was ignoring most of his statements to just be bullshit, she was getting the feeling that he wasn't what he said and there for what he said was bullshit... no worse than a Smith. Sighing she noticed smoke coming out of her mouth and was quick to shut it. That damn dragon had something to do with this.....

Artemis was curled up on Ari's cot munching on jerky purring, she was content and happy but her master was outside with something... It reeked of death, more so than the other cot's owner... but until she protested Artemis would be a good dragon and eat her rat and steal Ari's jerky.

[Alpha]

Damn, don't tell me they are spying on me now. C'mon, after all I've done they are pulling this crap? They could jeopardize it all! "Well, no telling from this distance. Could even be one of our own just doing some area surveying. Who knows?" He would have to bring this up with his superiors, because this was just complete and utter shit.

"Well, I'm with no particular contract group since they have me employed as a government agent. I work directly for the Joint Chiefs of Staff to report on various projects as tasked. In fact, I was just over in Europe with another recovery project not even a week ago. Trying to identify some remains left over from the World Wars, and the week before that over in Korea. It is definitely draining, but as long as I make sure no stone is left unturned in my evaluation of each project's effectiveness and worth I am satisfied." He was surprised at how easily this was coming to him. That time looking over information on the flight here had actually paid off. Hell, he was fairly certain he could list of the heads of each project and the other experts working under them.

As he leaned in to grab the bottle again he noticed what looked like a small puff of smoke coming out of Ari's mouth. Interesting....could this have something to do with the object? "So, where do they have you going after this then Dr. Pascal? Or may I be a little less formal and call you Ari?"

[Tiva]

She narrowed her eyes at him "Doctor Pascal is fine, only my coworkers call me Ari. My given name is Ariella, but I had that changed years ago because of the singing mermaid. She ruined the name to be called a Lion of God." Her eyes got a bit more heavy, either the shock was finally setting in or someone had spiked her Mio.... Ari shook her head and tried to stretch a bit wondering where the other Smith was. "If you are done with me... I would like to leave... apparently the shock is setting in.." She went to stand only to not feel her legs, and caught the table with a yelp to stop her imminent fall. Something was wrong. "Are you feeling numb? Because I can't feel my legs... and I got the water from the same pack."

Artemis looked up, mistress had yelped.... this wasn't good. Wiggling out of the bed the young dragon stuck her head out to look at her, she was gripping the table like it was a life line. Oh, no... this wasn't good Momma was hurt.

[Alpha]

Something's not right here. I had the suspicion of the water being spiked, but I'm not feeling anything. Oh gods....the bastards sent someone else in as well. At least he hoped that was what it was, because the alternative wasn't nearly as nice. If that wasn't the case then it meant there was some other agency or government with someone out here. Maybe the Japanese? As Ari fell he reached out to catch her and his watch kept sending a signal to his ear mike. He tuned it out, realizing that she had had some exposure to the object. Right now he didn't care. "Are you alright Doctor?" He helped support her and then realized that there was a guard missing. How could he have missed that? "Is there someone or somewhere that would be able to help? A medic, medical doctor, anything?" He could easily do what he could, but it would arouse suspicion and he would rather not do that unless he absolutely had to. It would give him away as more than a government lackey, someone who did little more than paperwork and evaluations.

He continued to look around and saw a medkit inside one of the tents. He set Ari down and sprinted to grab it. He opened it up and decided that he would have to improvise, since Ari seemed to be a bit in shock from whatever had hit her system. He pulled out a syringe of what appeared to be an anti-toxin and decided that if she didn't respond soon he would have to use it along with anything else he could find, especially not knowing what had been put into her drink.

[Tiva]

Ari tossed and turned, the feeling was slowly spreading up her legs and the world was going hazy. Her tongue felt like a thousand pounds, and she tried saying something but nothing came out. Where was Smith 2... he was the medic qualified on the team... Her brain just started to haze over, body seizing she tried to turn over but couldn't. Where was that damn ass liar. "Nerr" That was about all that came out before she puked heaving heavily and turning her head to the side so she didn't choke. Seeing nothing but that red water and bile she realized something, Smith 2 had drugged her, that fucking thing of Mio he had given her after she had run out last night. He had probably hoped that she would grab a drink after the range and use her favorite little bottle. That bastard.

Artemis heard her Mistress's thought and growled before stalking out of her tent and went in search of a soon to be dead human, no one hurt her Momma. She went out laying low to the ground away from Ari, the disk would take care of her, flush the toxin out of her system. Sniffing the ground she found the man not far off from the range doing things that he shouldn't be. Spitting a bit of fire she scared him before frying him alive. No one hurt her Momma.

[Alpha]

Theron was a bit panicked. Then he thought back and bit. Given the symptoms it wasn't anything serious. In fact, it seemed surprisingly like something he remembered from his sexual harassment training. Something about a "date rape drug" rang a bell and he realized that whoever this "Smith 2" was likely had something to do about it. From Ari's first reaction to his appearance, or rather what she said, he sounded like a bit of a horn-dog who was trying to get in her pants. Bastard, scum, and a lot of other names came to mind for someone like that, especially if they were willing to go this far. He decided to tone down the anti-toxin and mixed up a quick syringe that would flush her system. It wasn't anything a doctor would recommend, but it would flush whatever it was from her system. He was trying to decide whether or not to inject her now or after she finished puking. It was entirely possible the puking would flush enough from her system so his little cocktail wouldn't do much but make her tired from the rapid detox. "Ma'am? Doctor Pascal, are you alright? Can you tell me what is happening to you? Is anything numb? What can you tell me?"

[Tiva]

Ari tried to glare at him but the burning pain in her back stopped her. The disk was burning her horribly but she had finished vomiting for the moment. "Fu..ck... you.. men.." She closed her eyes and tried to move her hand, her fingers twitched and her arm protested but it moved to prop her up. "Water, yours not mine, give" She wasn't in the mood for this, it wasn't the first time someone had tried to assault her but it was the first time they had used drugs on her. The burning feeling in her back was still there but it seemed that the disk was calming down the more she pushed out of her system. She still couldn't feel her legs but those had gone first, made since that they would take longer.

Artemis was struggling to pull this man away from were she had killed him, but the 2 foot long dragon wasn't getting much luck. Flapping her wings she took off dragging the shoulder of the charred man away, towards the ocean so no one would find him. Finding a cliff Artemis looked between the water and the charred body, he had tried to hurt Momma. Momma was suppose to protect her until she got big and then she could protect Momma but the rolls seemed very reversed right now. Flapping her wings she dragged the body mostly over before letting it go and watching it fall into the ocean.

[Alpha]

He quickly handed Dr. Pascal his water, realizing that he his last conclusion was probably right. Now to find that bastard and teach him a bit of a lesson. He wasn't overly protective of normal people -- particularly civilians -- but he hated seeing scum try something like this. Especially when they were members of the military that were trying this. He would most definitely be having a nice little "chat" with the scum. In the mean time, he had to make sure Ari was alright since so far she was his only lead on whatever it was the Agency was after.

All of a sudden he heard a bit of commotion coming from the direction of the range. It seemed like something was going on over there. Maybe they had found "Smith 2" and were taking it out on him. Wait, no one else knew to suspect him....at least he didn't think they did. Maybe something else? Only way to find out would be to check it out himself. "Are you going to be okay Dr. Pascal?"

[Tiva]

Shaking her head she tried to hand up again after chugging the water "No, I am going to be charged with murder." shaking as she stood Ari stumbled moving in the direction of her tent. "You need to stay with me until Smith 1... I mean Kerrin returns. Safety protocol, everyone has to be with someone with a gun. So come on. I am getting back to my tent and changing this shirt." Ari staggered towards her tent, the transport would be at least another 20 minutes and she was tired. All she wanted was to pull off her shirt and put a wet cloth on her back to cool it.

Artemis sat in the brush licking off the smell of ash, they needed to leave this place soon... it was going to be time to open her metaphorical mouth and state it to her.

[Alpha]

Theron was a bit ticked that he had to stay with Ari until the MP got back. Unfortunately he needed to maintain his cover and not do anything suspicious. "Very well. Which way to your tent?" He reached out a hand to help her but she had already gotten up and was staggering towards what was presumably her tent. "I'm guessing I will need to stay outside since you will be changing?" Theron had to resist the urge to laugh a bit since he really didn't care. He admitted she was attractive, but since she was a target he couldn't afford to let that get the better of him. He had a job to do, and he was here to do it. He would just have to find out what the commotion had been about later on.

He waited calmly outside of Ari's tent. Wondering how long it could really take to change a damn shirt. She was female after all, and civilian females did typically take a bit longer than was necessary for most task. Be that as it may, Ari had seemed a bit off. Her recovery also seemed a bit too fast even for those whose healing abilities were accelerated like Theron's own. "Dr. Pascal, are you alright in there?"

[Tiva]

That damn thing was burning, a lot, not to mention the mess that the dragon had made digging into her jerky... Throwing off her shirt she pulled on a tank top and wiped at her back with a clean part of her own shirt before sitting down and cracking open an bottle of water and covering a rag in it placing on her back behind her hair. "Done, and I am fine... just tired and still dizzy."
She waved him in and started munching on the jerky that was still on her bed. "So lets not tell anyone about this? Because I will deny it passionately and if I get my way you won't ever find Smith 2's body.... He won't even get off the island." She smiled evilly a slight bit of passion showing in her eyes before she moved the rag, a bit of blood had apparently been on her back that she hadn't gotten in her shower. "So for now... got any more questions on things that you obviously don't care about?"

Artemis started crawling back to camp noticing that Momma and the death smelling man were no longer at the table. Sticking her nose in the tent she smelled him... nope not going in there.... Artemis went in the direction of the men's tent. It was nap time.

[Alpha]

Theron walked into the tent and noticed that Ari seemed to be quite drained. Whatever Smith 2 had given her -- he still wasn't sure how he had done it, maybe that little bit of additive Ari had put into her water -- seemed to have had a serious impact on her. She would probably only need time in order to recover and be back to what was her normal self. Even now she seemed to still not believe his cover; was he just that rusty or bad at this? "Hmmm, well, I would keep this incident off the record, but this is the sort of thing I need to be documenting and reporting to my superiors. Though if Smith 2 has disappeared, that certainly wouldn't be reflected on any individual here." He was trying to seem realistic in how he was acting. Personally he wanted nothing more than to be right beside Ari as she made him disappear. "As for questions, none at the moment. If there is anything you can think of do share. Anything at all such as people acting strangely or weird objects."

[Tiva]

Ari plopped down on her cot taking a closer look at this mister Nero Hartan... he wasn't what he seemed to be, he seemed too shallow. "Well then, can I pose you a question or two? Where did you serve? Because your stance says military but you didn't mention it... No one doesn't mention it here it is an instant in with this crowd. As for your question... I answered it earlier, pay more attention." Her disc was cooling down, that was a relief she had been afraid that she would end up setting her shirt on fire. Being on fire once had been enough for her, she didn't feel like repeating the experience.
Artemis rolled around in one of the men's cot, she was going to be getting comfy for now Momma was safe. She has done a good job at protecting Momma, and even if it wasn't sun bathing Artemis deserved a nap.

[Alpha]

"Well ma'am, I think that's hardly any of your concern. Besides, it was a brief tour, just long enough for them to pay off my college loans. I found it all rather...distasteful." He was lying...and it was killing him. He was proud of his service...damn this woman! She was so irritating. She's hiding something...she's entirely too defensive to not be. Perhaps this was just the way she was though...after all, the science-y types often loved to lord their knowledge and superiority over those who they consider their inferiors. The watch was still giving off an annoying persistent beep, but it was faint. It was probably just leftover radiation from when the object had been here. He sighed, "Well, unless you have any further questions, I must be off. Need to inspect everything before you move and ensure all work has been to regulation standard. Good day Dr. Pascal." He turned to walk away, hoping this would all be over soon.

[Tiva]

She snorted watching him walk out of her tent, not even bothering to care about the fact that he was suppose to stay with her until the others came back. Ari was tired, and pissed, that man was hiding something.... but it didn't matter to her. "He isn't my damn fucking problem..... he is the MPs. I am done with my tour tomorrow.. then the states." She dreamed of a long hot bath, bubbles & candles, eating good pasta... god her condo in DC was calling to her. Ari sat up in her cot remembering that one little problem... the dragon.... god where in the hell was that little beast? Hartan, or who ever he was, was not going to take kindly to a two foot long mythical reptile jumping out at him from the bushes.
This unfortunately meant that she had three options, hope to god that the hatchling stayed away from where ever Nero was, let it get caught and hope that no one realized the connection to her, or going after that damned beast.... And the last option wasn't really an option with how drained she was currently. She wished that Smith 2, whatever he was doing currently, would feel the fires of rage and burn for all eternity for putting her in this situation. Whistling Ari hoped that the dragon was at least somewhat like a dog and can back when called before collapsing on her cot again trying to figure out how she was going to get a live animal through airport security on her flight from San Fran to DC