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[mr-bes.insanejournal.com]

Most persistent spam ever I'm assuming that this isn't for a Viagra support group How the hell do you do this?

Hello. I got tired of deleting the email from my inbox and this seemed to be the only way to get it to stop. I'm not entirely sure what comes next but I hope it doesn't result in more random emails from mysterious sources. Is there a next step to this or am I free to reclaim my internet connection again?

Comments

[mr-bes.insanejournal.com]

Was Meriset one of those children born a few weeks ago? I bet she's something else, a firecracker. That's the only possibility with her naming herself something like that.

[guardienne.insanejournal.com]

She is, on both counts. Very much a product of her parents. Very smart. She lives in New York with them. Often plays with the little Lovelace girl, I hear--less so with the boy, but he's a son of Poseidon. Can't blame them there.

Me, I'm in Las Vegas. Just down the street from our center.

[mr-bes.insanejournal.com]

I'm in NYC, too. That should make meeting her and her parents easy enough, I guess. Since I assume they're like us?

Our center? I'm sorry. I got lost again.

[guardienne.insanejournal.com]

More or less, yes.

Oh, that's right. You haven't been told about our little missions yet. We have to seek out our old places of power again. I'm fairly sure I'm found ours, but... Getting in is a whole different ball of wax.

[mr-bes.insanejournal.com]

Alright. That sounds like something not too crazy. Is the getting there hard because of distance or just the place itself? We're not going to have to go to Egypt, right? My passport expired last year and I haven't gotten it renewed.

What can I do to help?

[guardienne.insanejournal.com]

We've already been to Egypt. I don't know if we'll have to go back or not. I miss the place where I was born sometimes, but, with the political climate, probably best to not go too often.

[Filter: Bes]

Ok. So. We all have these places of power. Ours is conveniently hidden in plain sight right here in Las Vegas. The Luxor is here for a reason. But I can't figure out how to get inside. There's something there beyond the hotel facade--someplace that mortals aren't supposed to penetrate. But it's resisting all my attempts to bypass security and get inside.

[mr-bes.insanejournal.com]

Wow. You were born in Egypt? That must have been really interesting. In doing some research, I found some travel sites, too. I think I might have the kids do a segment on ancient Egypt next month. It could be fun.

[Filter: Bastet]

Somehow the idea that it's the Luxor is the thing that surprises and bothers me the least out of all this. I mean, it makes a warped kind of sense, doesn't it? I've never been to Vegas myself, though.

[guardienne.insanejournal.com]

I was. My father is an Egyptologist, currently employed at Brown University. I came to America to do my graduate studies at Columbia, but I can't say the New York climate agreed with me. I much prefer the desert.

[Filter]
I think it was here before Las Vegas became what it is. Mortals might not be able to penetrate, but it doesn't mean they're completely oblivious. I doubt it's simple coincidence. Of course, I work as the security director at the MGM Grand, so my poking around the Luxor is bound to rouse suspicion at some point.

[mr-bes.insanejournal.com]

New York does have its own special environment, yeah. I like it, though. I like cities.

[Filter]

So do you think it would be better if someone who doesn't work there went and poked around? Not that I would know what I'm looking for but maybe someone else might. I can't imagine how you would begin to sneak around a casino. The cameras must be everywhere.

[guardienne.insanejournal.com]

Cities are nice. And you don't get much more urban than Sin City itself.

[Filter]
That all depends on your cover story. You'd be surprised the places a VIP guest can go--and how easily low-level employees can penetrate the building. Believe me, I've spent years purposely exploiting and exploring security systems and their weaknesses. I can break into any casino/hotel in this city and have no one be the wiser. But this one has me stumped. It's sealed tight and guarded--at least, against the outside.

Did I mention I've done moonlighting as a cat burglar?

[mr-bes.insanejournal.com]

I'll take your word for it. At the rate this crazy train is moving, I suspect I will see it for myself before too long. It seems like we all should be getting frequent flier miles. Karma would have been nicer to put us in the same state at least.

[Filter]
No, that must have slipped your mind. I thought you were involved in security. I must have gotten confused.

It feels ironically stupid to be asking this but - are the security systems more than technical? Magic?

[guardienne.insanejournal.com]

They did pretty well with us. You all concentrated in New York, and me right where the action is.

[Filter]
Two halves of the coin. Part of being security is knowing where the flaws are. No better way to test a system than to try to best it, you know?

As for this thing... Hm. Does the term Duat mean anything to you?

[mr-bes.insanejournal.com]

It is pretty convenient. It almost makes you believe in some kind of master plan.

[Filter]
Not a thing. It looks like I have a lot more research to do.

[guardienne.insanejournal.com]

Could be.

[Filter]
The Duat is... sort of like an Underworld River. Ra traveled it every night. Big. Strong. Gives power to us... and to various nasties.

[mr-bes.insanejournal.com]

[Filter]
Alright, I follow. The Greeks had the Styx and we had the Duat. Is this what is guarding our whatever it is? Like a magical moat?

[Filter]

[guardienne.insanejournal.com]

No... I don't think the Duat itself is guarding anything. But I think whatever is draws power from it.

[Filter]

[mr-bes.insanejournal.com]

That sounds dangerous. Would there be a way to damn the Duat or reroute it to our own banks?

[Filter]

[guardienne.insanejournal.com]

I doubt it. And certainly not from the mortal side of things.

[Filter]

[mr-bes.insanejournal.com]

And I assume that we all are mostly mortal? Shouldn't we have magic powers, though, as ourselves? Tara said I had something to do with defense.

[Filter]

[guardienne.insanejournal.com]

We can die, if that's what you mean. And I am nearly certain I do not have nine lives. But, I do have the senses and reflexes of a true cat, even in this body.

[Filter]

[mr-bes.insanejournal.com]

I wish I could offer something of use but I'm still learning things here. I don't know if I can do anything or be anything that would help you get into the epicenter.

[Filter]

[guardienne.insanejournal.com]

Every little bit helps. We'll figure it out.

You have a cat, you said, right?

[Filter]

[mr-bes.insanejournal.com]

We don't have much of a choice otherwise it sounds like. But I'm in for it, whatever it is.

I do, my boy Simba. He was living in the alley next to my apartment building when I moved in and I made friends with him. Then he adopted me.

Come to think of it, with you being you, he might try to follow you home next.

[Filter]

[guardienne.insanejournal.com]

Oh, no, no need for that. But I can communicate with him directly. So. If you can't reach me, tell him, and he'll tell me.

[Filter]

[mr-bes.insanejournal.com]

That's amazing. Thanks for the tip. And don't believe anything he tells you about me, okay? I hope it never gets that desperate.