#bergen_county

"Ok, that works too...." at Dirk' s effort.

And Bitches be Freezing.

Looks like 4 there frozen against the leaves of the bushes

"Nice shot, Dags" DIrk says approvingly "These things like drink memories."

Now that they've got a strategy that seems to be working, Sylvi abandons the Veil and stabs one of the frozen things.

"Okay, proof of concept. Dagmar can freeze them, Dirk can intimidate them, and they're attracted to people thinking or concentrating."

"So we use Adam as bait. I'm good with that" Dirk says

"...sure."

"So we need to clear out the last of these out here...and I think I have an idea for how to get the ones that are attached to people inside." A nod towards the home, and then she stabs another.

And Dirk..well, rampages. It would be comical, unless you actually saw a redcap rampage. It's all funny to joke about him snorting and snarling.. but if he were baring down in you with teeth that seemed to glisten with sharpness and the smell of his hot breath echoing raw meat meals of the past... you might wisely wet yourself. So more bugs rise up! They fling towrds Adam and his 'happy thoughts' whatever he is thinking of, it must be a POWERFUL memory

This allows Dagmar a chance to cold shock again

Adam licks his lips and concentrates on his memories....

"walking in a winter wonderland..." she croons as she thorws another blast at the new swarm.

Sylvi 's spear work is good, and she's got some stunned or half dead targets to try on

"Oh, crap!" She stabs at some, whacks others with the butt of the spear if they're still in the air.

Flyswatter can likely... well... swat some out of the air.

Soon, the yard is finished... "Shame I can't just burn em" Dirk says "Be fun"

"I kinda wish you could," Sylvi says. "Bleh." Full-body shudder. "We released all the memories here?"

memories are flowing

Brow-furrow. "Hey, Sylvi?"

"Yeah?"

"Dirk might be on to something there..."

"Nah... she won't let me weird the flames" A sigh

"Like, you know how they smoke out bees?"

"We can't burn down the old-age home and the people inside just to get...." A blink. "Oh. Hey, right!"

"And if it's chimerical smoke, the old folks wouldn't notice it."

"Dirk, can you do that? Chimerical smoke?"

Adam opens one eye and checks to see if his memories are intact.

"Wel.. yeah.. I got primal... not a lot but the Hearth and Storm both is teaching stuff and it's an easy one to do.."

Yup. Still visions of happy joy in his head

"But I can produce flame... or water... it's kind of lame I know to do the water.. but one time, " He laughs "One time Piper was like looking so happy to go outside into a sunny day, I just had rain fall out her window and she was like mouthing 'the fuck?!!' it was hilarious"

"You are kinda a jerk that way, Dirk," Sylvi says, but she's grinning. "Okay, how can we help?"

"Oh.. uhm. I don't know? Where you want the smoke?" He asks

"So - inside? To drive the bugs out here?"

"It needs to get all through the house. Um...they probably have some kind of central air thing, but chimerical smoke might not survive a trip through that, I don't know. I guess we've got to get in there?" She looks at the door.

"I could stay put here and draw them out while Dirk smokes them out from inside?"

Dirk ponders "I got an idea... but it's gonna like probably get me on the run from like security. Can you guys get the bugs out of the heads and shit without me?"

The phrase 'I got an idea' when spoken by any redcap can be a dubious thing. Spoken by Dirk , who is not the brightest bulb but has a certain low cunning? well

"They're going to need healing. I bled all over the place. And these people are old."

"Uhhhh, Dirk, hang on. I want to hear your idea, but I have one, too. If we can get the loose ones out here and dead, then we only need to go after the ones that are attached in there, and less chance that they'll take a jump at us. So we need a reason to get inside...and I've got one: Connor. Or actually, Buddy."

"..like, service dog visit?"

Dirk says "I was just gonna set myself on fire, break in, an smoke em out.. well, nto ME, but my voile.. chimerical smoke.. I race through... and that would drive the bugs out here"

"Um..."

"Uhhhh, I think that would panic them. They might get more hurt. Maybe not RACING through, but...yeah, a service dog visit, a pet-the-pup rehab thing, right? And then Dirk can come in with us, do the smoke thing, but without a lot of running around, right?"

"Connor's little, though."

"Connor's a childling, but if we keep it from being too scary..."

"I mean, there's also Oak and Edie."

"It's got bugs. That dive into your head." Dirk says

Sylvi frowns and nods. "You're right. Okay. Well...Dirk, could you give me something burning to carry in? I can usually smile my way out of trouble with security." And she turns on her cheerleader face, earnest, sincere, helpful!

"Yeah, YOU can. Should I stay out here to freeze things?"