A/N: Be happy. I order you to. And REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"I must be insane," I mutter darkly.

"This was your idea," Holly points out.

"Yeah, but still, you're trusting me."

"Good point. Foaly, should we do this?"

"It has a good chance of succeeding. Lyra, are you in the outfit?" Foaly asks, referring to the outfit picked to attract attention. It was a black and gray knee-length skirt and charcoal gray jacket, the uniform of Holy Trinity, a nearby private school. A black tee shirt with "Rock and Roll Warrior" written in gold, bright blue and gold knee socks, and beat up decorated sneakers completed the look. Don't laugh, Foaly picked it out. He's a dead centaur walking.

"Yes, Foaly. I'm not stupid."

"You sure about that?"

"Holly, would you like to be vivisected alive?"

"Not really."

"Then shut up."

"Well, Foaly, this is fun." I mutter.

"Isn't it?"

"Foaly, I was being sarcastic."

"I know."

"I'm gonna find a place to unshield, all right?" I duck behind an empty desk and unshield. I slip away, towards the taped off area. Two security guards, numbskulls, obviously, saw me and leered. I wonder if I should run.

"How old are you?" One sneers.

"S-sixteen," I stutter, every inch the terrified teen.

"Name?"

"L-Lyra Rivers."

"Are you a guest of the hotel?"

"N-no."

"Do you know our policy for taking care of stray minors, Miss Rivers?"

"N-no."

"You get taken by Child Services. But due to an unfortunate- thing, you will be taken by the police over there."

They drag me towards three... CSIs, right?

"This child was found near the casino entrance. As her parents are not guests of the hotel, she normally would be sent to Child Services. As they are too busy, protocol says we must turn her over to you." The speech was obviously well rehearsed.

"All right. Can she wait here while we finish processing the scene?" a blonde woman asks.

"Of course."

Step A of the plan is complete.

A/N: Sorry it's short, but next chapter we get to the real plot! What, did you think this whole story was about Lyra getting her sketches back? (grins evilly)