Rising Phoenix

"You know, all the bureaucratic bullshit here makes me miss the simple days of bondage and torture," Miri said, while throwing a few hard punches towards Liam.

After escaping from those black ops guys, it was nothing short of amazing that Miri was able to connect with FoRP's emergency support. They smuggled her out of North America to one of the European chapter houses. Funny to be smuggled out of America, but they are facing global enemies and so safety is relative. Finding Liam there warmed her heart, though it forced her to acknowledge that the rest of their cell had died.

"Take it easy Miri. You know the organization doesn't run like a ghost cell at all levels, that would be crazy," Liam said with a smile.

"Sure, I knew that. Still, I had no idea that while we were out there dying the big chapterhouses are run like a government department with delusions of grandeur. When did chapterhouse heads start calling themselves 'Magus'? Its confusing to have Zen hierarchy and this... what is wrong with Dai-Osho?" Miri punched a few more times, hard. "Magus Blake needs a kick in the ass, or at least a tour of duty outside of here. Do you know he suggested it was too bad I made it back alive, since now I'd have to deal with the shame of my failure? I almost puched him in front of the directors."

"Actually, Magus Blake is a level 3 on the transcendence scale. He has telekinesis! Magus refers to his power level, so using that title gives this Chapterhouse more prestige." Liam said, how impressed he was coming through his voice. That stopped Miri for a moment. One of FoRP's central tenants was humans were capable of tremendous growth, and following the mystic teachings they had gathered from across the globe could propel a person through the transcendence scale. It was supposed to be a measure of a person's attunement to the greater Meta-Verse they were striving for.

"Woah, that ass-hat is a level 3? If that doesn't show our system is flawed, I don't know what can. There are only a handful of level 1's in the entire organization, Blake is the first level 3 I've even heard of. He is not Transcendent... not even close." Miri was more annoyed than amazed. Though, yeah, telekinesis was a pretty big deal.

"We have a few more transcendents in the organization than you think, but it is probably under a 100. We try to keep everything quiet, especially about our trump cards. You know that the high Phoenix of FoRP is supposedly a level 8?" Again, Liam looked like he was talking about a movie star.

"You're such a fan girl Liam," Miri said, a smile finally coming to her lips. "All I'm saying is that Blake seems more worried about meetings, paperwork, and trying to look good to the higer ups. He hasn't listened to a word I've said about Ethan..." her face crumpled a little after saying his name. "His talents, his return from the dead!! That is momentous information. We didn't make up that the talisman lead us to him. Blake told me stop dwelling on my failure, but Ethan's coming is a sign... he was a kid with no training exhibiting traits we don't even have on the Transcendence scale."

Liam pulled her into a hug. "I miss the brat too. You're right, he meant something, and that means we have to keep doing our job and finding other signs. Ethan's coming means we need to be vigilant. Magus Blake is a Bureacrat, he's more interested in the organization than it's mission. That is what us grunts are here for," Liam said, still smiling. Liam was a believer, but also a realist. His background was from the military, so he understood that politics and infighting existed in every large organization, and that the people who played that game well were the ones who aimed the organization at its objectives. There was an unspoken symbiosis between the tools, and the people who chose which projects the tools would be used on.

The door to the training room opened then and the room filled with 6 armed acolytes. Each was armed with something that looked like a metal tonfa, and armour that looked like a mix between a samurai and an infantry trooper (tactical vest and straps over a suit covered in light plates, wearing a half helmet with a phoenix fire motif). They lined up on either side of the door.

"Zagen Miri Shelton, your presence is being requested by Zuise Cameron. Please come with us now."

"Sure, just give me a few minutes to change. I am not presentable enough to speak with a Zuise right now." Miri was a little surprised. She knew that there weren't a lot of mid class FoRP members at this location, but for someone below Osho (priest) level to be commanding troops seemed a little strange. But then, they weren't really a Zen organization, so who knows what the rankings really meant here. She suspected rank was important in this chapterhouse, from her meeting with Magus Blake, but, in the field, she lead an entire cell without any of these trappings.

"I'm afraid he needs you immediately Zagen," the man said. He was polite, but firm.

"Well, ok then," she said and put her sweatshirt back on over her sports bra. "Lead the way."

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The room they took Miri too was pretty deep within the building, definitely not an area she was familiar with. When she entered though, it gave the impression of a combination office and meditation space. There was an antique writing desk, and bookcases with a small seating area in one half, and a small, but exquisite, rock garden in the rest. Two people were already drinking tea when she arrived.

"Sarah! Oh my god, you're here! How is this possible, I've been here for so long and didn't know!" Miri said in delighted surprise, basically running over.

The woman was beautiful, with warm brown hair and deep topaz eyes that complimented the simple yellow dress she wore. Sarah was clearly older than Miri, but it was hard to guess how much.

"Miri. Oh my love, I just arrived to the Chapterhouse today. You would have been the first person I saw if I knew you were here. Cameron told me, and we immediately sent for you." She pulled Miri close in a strong embrace, highlighting Sarah's height and Miri's deceptively strong build.

"Ahem," Zuise Cameron said. He couldn't help noticing how... familiar they were in that embrace. It was leading his mind down some paths that could prove distracting.

"Yes. Miri, it is amazing luck, in a way, that we are all here at the same time. I think it is important you meet Zuise Cameron. Not only is he a dear friend of mine, but he is a rising star in FoRP's philosophical and management circles.... and not in the assinine way that 'Magus' Blake pretends to," Sarah said with a wink. She had released Sarah from the hug, but she still traced lazy circles on Miri's thigh while they stood next to each other. Cameron couldn't look at anything else.

He shook his head, "Please, come and sit. Sarah was telling me all about you. I must confess, you have been quite the topic since your arrival here, but I now suspect it isn't all accurate. Among the management and higher ranks in the Chapterhouse, you're being portrayed as either an attention seeking failure at best, or a deluded incompetent. I read all your reports, but heard from the Magus himself to pay you no mind...." he paused then and looked at Sarah... and her hand. "but in short order, Sarah has convinced me that neither of those scenarios makes sense. I need to understand why the higer levels are ignoring you..."

Miri broke into his thought, "They are afraid of the implications raised by Ethan. My cell was lead to a genuine Meta infused human, and his powers weren't even on the transcendence scale. We had only just started to explore them when we were discovered.... and he ultimately died." She looked distraught, and Sarah pulled her close again.

'Just how close are they,' Wondered Cameron. "As interesting as this Ethan seemed, I disagree. Maybe if he were still around, but having non-transendence powers should be viewed as furthering our cause, even by the most plodding of bureaucrats or priests. No. I think why your story has been met with skepticism, and you with ostracism, is your escape." He looked at her directly. "You've been in a cell, a field team, for over a year, and a lot has happened. A lot of our field teams have been uncovered or neutralized in the last months, and it is making a lot of the higher ups withdraw to our strongholds to lay low, plan, and meditate. Which is code for being scared and playing politics."

"It's true," Sarah said in her low voice. "That's why I was sent here from an outpost office. Partly to get out of danger, and also to devote time to training more of the priest class in the mysteries. We are trying to cultivate more meta, transcendent, super, whatever you want to call it, but more power."

"Yes, exactly!" Cameron said, a fire in his eyes. "and then, unknowingly, a jr disciple comes into the Chapterhouse of an ambitions Dai-Osho with a story of mystery, heroism, and a high level transcendental experience.... Miri, you claim to have phase shifted out of captivity. To transcend your physical existence completely enough to pass through walls. And the craziest part is that to you, that is the least important part of your story", Cameron said, his intensity rising by the end.

Then he chuckled and said, "I wish I had met this Ethan boy, he must have been amazing."

"Miri. The organization is focusing on powers right now. Blake is a rising star, he's even taken on the title of Magus. Do you think he wants someone credible talking about their amazing power while he is trying to leverage his party trick for higher posts?" Sarah looked very earnest. She was a true believer, and was a rising star in their theology and philosophy research branch of FoRP. The origin and pillar of the group.

"Well, I wouldn't call it a party trick. I've seen him move weapons with his power. I do agree that he's capitalizing on this new power focus to break above being a Chapterhouse Abbot and start influencing the entire organization. You can see his type in every group or company, he sees power as the end goal, not FoRP's true purpose." Cameron stopped, took a deep breath, "Which is why we are going to try and get you elected into the Governing Class."

"Wait, what?" Miri said.