You guys have no *idea* how hard it is to write this chapter and the ones to come. I've been thinking about them for so very long that actually writing them is a bit of a shock.

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Anne stood outside the building that she was certain Ace was in and tried very hard to not snarl. The impulse was there, but she didn't want to look like she was losing her temper in front of everyone. It was bad enough that she had an audience. She had a suspicion that the humiliation she was about to bestow on Ace would only be greater because humans were going to be there to watch, but at the moment she was only concerned with the fact that her ill temper was making her look bad in front of her friends. Appearances were important, especially now, especially in front of her friends who were still her enemies. Dwelling on that concept didn't improve her mood any.

Her eyes narrowed as she looked that the mildly dilapidated structure. They had started at the front and walked around the entire place, but at no point was there an obvious place to enter. She knew that Ace was behind these walls, could sense it with her entire being but could not get to her. Having resolved to fight she was eager to get started, to get it over with, and yes, to enjoy the thrill of putting that chit in her place. It was about time that someone did, and who was it hurting if she took some enjoyment in her work? Lost in thoughts of retribution and getting to release some of the stress that had been plaguing her on a legitimate target, minutes slipped by. She heard Effie shift her weight from one foot to the other behind her, and the sound brought her out of her reverie and back to the problem of getting into the building.

"Are you sure we're in the right place?" she asked timidly after Anne didn't respond to the more subtle clue.

"Yes," she snapped, then colored and turned to apologize with her eyes. Incipient combat always brought out the inner bitch, but Effie didn't deserve to bear the brunt of it. "I know she's in there, but unfortunately knowing that she's behind those walls doesn't instantly lend me the knowledge of how to join her."

"Oh. Sorry." Effie's eyes darted from hers to rest on the building again and Anne knew that her apology hadn't been enough.

She tried to get a firmer grip on her temper. "Nothing to be sorry about. I'm just a bit pissed right now, and the fact that I'm not sure how to get in there isn't helping matters any." She left out the bit about getting excited to fight. Effie wouldn't understand, and though Mark might, he wouldn't need to hear her say the words to know what she was going through.

She turned back to look at the building and sighed. This planet could be so aggravating at times. Back on earth people would just board up the windows and doors, and wood is easy enough to destroy or pry off the walls. But here, where wood was one of the most highly prized substances around, the obvious entrances had been bricked up, mortared and blocked better than she would have liked. Her battle lay behind those obdurate bricks and she couldn't concentrate on anything other than the fight long enough to take car of them.

"Can't you just… force your way in," offered Mark cautiously.

Anne threw her hands up and bitched, "Oh, sure, if you want to announce to the whole neighborhood that there's something interesting going on in the old abandoned warehouse. I thought you guys were concerned with secrecy and all that, but if you aren't…" She let her voice trail off and brought her hands together like she was cupping something between them, the focal point aimed at the door.

"Fine, blow the place up," he said sarcastically. "You're the one the mob is going to want to kill."

Anne dropped her pose as she whirled around, eyes flashing as her mouth opened to let out a scathing retort, but Knives had beat her to the chastising. His hand rested deceptively lightly on Mark's shoulder, but by the lack of color in his face the pressure applied was significant. "We should not be arguing out here," he said mildly.

"You shouldn't be here at all," pointed out Effie unkindly. "I don't think anyone wants you here."

"Pity." Knives dropped his hand and Mark took a deep breath, though he waited a moment to massage his shoulder. "So I suppose it's just irony that I'm the only one who's thought of doing this." He walked up to the blocked off main door and ran his hands over the surface. The three left behind his exchanged dry glances before they moved up behind him. Anne figured out his plan in a few moments but in a fit of pique decided that she wouldn't help. She might need to conserve her strength or something equally ridiculous.

"You might want to step back now," he said and they complied. Knives rested his hands on the wall and pressed gently. The bricks dissolved under his hands, a wave of grains cascading down and piling over the tops of his shoes. He worked at the hole until it approximated a door, running his hands around the sides as it grew until what was left looked like an arch, despite the fact that the bricks themselves were cut in the middle to achieve the effect. The line was smooth, smoother than Anne would have bothered with but she didn't make fun of him for being a bit of a perfectionist. Merely a thought sufficed for Knives to sweep the pile of dust at his feet away to either side of the door, making a clear trail into the building.

With a bow he gestured for the others to enter. Anne stood back a moment then clapped slowly, near silent sarcasm. The entire endeavor had taken maybe four minutes and was done with no more noise than the sound of dust on the wind.

"You have been learning," she said sourly as she walked past him.

"I had good lessons," he replied.