Nico's apartment.

::Nico walks in and locks the door behind herself. Of course she has an apartment here. Did you really think she wouldn't? It's practically in the same location as the old one and she has a funny feeling magical people will flock here, just like they did the last place. This time she's done some research, though. She carries a large black bag to the hallway.::

::The dark Frenchwoman returns only seconds later and walks over to the desk she's set up for work. She opens her laptop bag on the floor and extracts her computer, placing it neatly on the surface. She presses it on then lets it start up while she connects it to the wall, then inserts various USB and other devices until it's got everything she needs to do her research. Nico smiles and picks up the black bag again. She pats the laptop.::

"You and I, we will crack this thing, non?"

::Smiling, she walks back to the hallway.::

::Nico lets herself back in and jogs over to her computer. Her eyes sparkle when she sees four windows on the screen, each detailing the view from the four webcams she set up. Two in the hallway, two in the basement. The hallway cameras are black and white. The basement pair have the green tinge of night vision. Her little heart flutters with pleasure. She will prove it. She will.

She picks up her phone and dials a number.::

"Yes, hallo, this is Nico Dupont."

::She turns to observe herself in a full length mirror. She moves closer to it and straightens some loose hair, then smiles saucily at herself.::

"Yes, I am in the city."

::Grinning, she hangs up after giving an address then goes through to the kitchen to put the kettle on and make some real coffee. While the water is boiling, the journalist walks into the bathroom and turns on the taps for a long, luxurious bath. This is going to be a good project this time. She can feel it.::

::Colin, Kirsten, Paul and Linda stop outside. Col puts down one of his silver metal suitcases and knocks loudly on the door.::

::Dressed and made up now, Nico walks into the main room and over to the door.::

"Who is it?"

::Colin grins at the others.::

"Cute accent. Wonder if she's hot."

::He raises his voice to reply.::

"It's Colin Bradshaw."

::Nico smiles and opens the door. Her eyes flicker over their faces, then she steps aside.::

"Come in."

::That's exactly what they do.::

::Nico closes the door behind them, then turns to survey her guests.::

"You are all younger than I thought."

"I'm twenty-four."

"... yes. You are all younger than I thought."

(Well you're *hotter* than I thought.)

::Colin smiles.::

"I'm Colin. This is Paul, Kirsten and Linda. It's great to finally meet you."

::He shakes Nico's hand.::

"And you. Our communication over the past months has filled me with hope."

::Nico goes down the line shaking hands.::

"Would you like some coffee?"

::Colin shrugs.::

"Love some. Been on the road for a while."

"Do you have any herbal tea? Caffeine interferes with my work."

(I actually hate you.)

"Allow me to help, Ms Dupont."

::With a friendly smile, Kirsten walks Nico through to the kitchen.::

"We're really appreciative of you inviting us here, you know. It's an exciting opportunity. We're very grateful."

"You are welcome. And please, call me Nico."

::Nico makes the coffee and some whatever gross flavour of tea.::

::While the girls are gone, Paul notices the laptop against the wall. His interest peaked, he walks over and his eyes flash when he sees what's on the screen. He leans his hands on the desk, getting close and staring.::

"Look. Cameras. Two hallway outside - she probably saw us coming - and two nightshot in... maybe the basement."

::Colin walks over to join his friend, gazing at the screen.::

"Basement's where we're heading."

::Nods.::

"I'm gonna go down now and set up base."

::He pulls off the laptop bag that had been slung over his shoulder and clears some space beside Nico's computer, beginning to set it up. Their computer is older, chunkier and a lot less sleeker than the journalist's slinky, TFT monitored number. But it does what they want it to. The young man begins to connect various items of equipment to the laptop and controls them via the machine.::

"I'll come with you. Maybe I'll get an interesting reading."

::Paul grits his teeth and bites back his bile. He turns and gives Linda a tiny smile.::

"As cool as that would be, you know we can't risk disrupting our preliminary data. Even I'm gonna create an anomaly with my temp and EF, so we'll wait til we have a solid base, yeah?"

::Linda sighs grumpily.::

(Read my mind: you're an ass.)

::Paul gathers everything together and walks from the apartment to the hallway.::

"Hah!"

::Colin laughs gleefully as Paul's image appears on Nico's computer screen, walking away on one of the windows, coming towards on the other.::

"Look!"

::Back in the kitchen, Kirsten is helping Nico arrange the drinks and digging for information.::

"So... you've seen a lot around here, yeah?"

::Still watching the screen, Colin is now staring at Velma.::

"Who's the dark chick?"

::Linda shrieks, banshee. They just watched Velma literally walk through her door.::

"Did you see that!? I knew there was something in this building! I felt it the minute we pulled up outside and I felt the presence of an authoritarian man looming over me!"

::Kirsten glances up sharply.::

(What is it NOW?)

"Mon dieu!"

::Surprised at the yelling, Nico and Kirsten quickly hurry through.::

"What is all the commotion about?"

"We just saw..."

(Hold onto your hats, ladies.)

"A ghost."

"Yeah rr..."

::Kirsten's voice trails off when she sees Velma appear once more on the screen.::

"Holy crap. Come on!"

::She grabs a video camera and a digital camera, thrusting the former into Colin's hands.::

"Let's go!"

::The two of them run into the hallway.::

::Colin and Kirsten return only a few minutes later.::

"We lost her."

"Followed her into the stairway but there was nothing there when we arrived."

::The girl sighs quietly.::

"Damn."

"Do not worry. It will not be long before..."

::Nico gestures with her hands: there'll be an explosion of activity.::

"Here's hoping."

::Kirsten smiles sadly at the Frenchwoman. She'd been so excited.::

"So what is Paul doing downstairs?"

::Nico is looking at the computer screens now, seeing him wandering around the basement.::

"He's taking preliminary readings of EMF and placing trigger objects before we all go down later. We might leave them with the cameras rolling for tonight and come back tomorrow. Linda, what's the moon phase?"

::Kirsten quietly sighs.::

(Insignificant?)