To Be or Not To Be - Stolen!

[Heridfel]

The Ghost can detect a standard pressure seal on the glass, which will send a silent (or audible) alarm out if the glass is cracked. There's also the tell-tale sign of some sort of force field projector behind the glass. Whether this force field is attached to another alarm or something more powerful can't be determined simply by looking at it. However, it's safe to guess that there's more holding him back than just the glass. Even a fairly weak superhuman would be able to get through safety glass, and the museum has been robbed enough in recent months that the museum has clearly invested in upgrading their security.

[MBCE]

The Ghost smiled and rubbed his hands together in delight. 'Ah, pressure plate and something a little more challenging I would guess. Now, how to proceed?'

Ghost opened his backpakc more and looked inside at the tools that were carefully strapped inside to keep them from making too much noise while moving. Pressure plates were nothing new to the thief. He had just the tools for the job. What was going to cause him problems was figuring out the force field. If it was anything like the one surrounding the building, Ghost knew he could easily move his hand through it, but he wouldn't be in a position to negate the pressure plate. 'Besides, it wouldn't be good professional manner to not do things the old fashion way. Lady Fortune might just turn her back on me.'

Ghost thought about the latest technology that might be powering the force field and the best way to disarm it before going for the pressure plate. 'Got to deal with the field first. Then it shoudl be clear sailing for the plate and the diamonds!'

[Heridfel]

The Ghost doesn't see any heavy power cables around the floor. Even if he sticks his head into it, nothing jumps out at him. When he peers through the case, however, a great deal of electronic circuit boards and power supplies are visible. Pulling his head back out, the question becomes how to get access to the innards of the display case. There has to be some way to do it - they need to be able to update the display, after all - but the mechanism isn't clear.

[MBCE]

'Damn it!' the Ghost thought as he pulled out of the display case. 'This is going to be harder than it looks. I'm going to have to give it a try anyway. Might as well get on with it.'

Ghost looke about the display area for a moment wondering how to best deal with the problem. The case had a number of electronic boards that he could interface but how to get to them. Most likely, he could easily pass through the casing, but that didn't sound right. The typical workers had to be able to open up the case somehow to make changes to the system so an access panel had to be located somewhere.

The Ghost placed his gloved hand against the case and began slowly passing his hand around the base. A hidden catch or some such had to be there to reveal the circuitry beneath. Once he found the catch, he'll worry about opening it later.

[Heridfel]

His fingers feel a slight indentation about halfway down the pedestal. The exterior of the pedestal does not appear any different at that point, though, and it doesn't feel as though there is a catch.

Suddenly, it adds up. The pedestal's insides looked similar to a computer's, including a flashing light that was like a wireless router. The pedestal probably opens in response to a particular wireless signal. It makes sense, but there's also no way for the Ghost to guess what sort of signal would open it up. If he wants to get in, he'll either have to open it with brute force or come at it from another angle.

[MBCE]

'A wireless system. Damn they keep getting more sophisticated every year. Soon they're going to force us honest crooks out of business.' The Ghost sat back on his hunches and thought about the problem.

'If I knew the signal, I could easily pop open the latch and get inside this little baby. Of course, I don't have it and wasn't expecting there to be a need to have wireless device that could send an interrupt signal. I doubt it would work in any case as most electronical things don't seem to work around me anyway. So, Sammy, what are you going to do about this?'

The Ghost took a moment to look behind him to make sure that no guards had snuck up on him yet. Time really wasn't on his side and there was no telling what the others were doing or how long they would be able to keep the guards busy. He had to get the job done now or it would never get done.

The Ghost turned back to the display case. 'Sort it out, man! There's always a way out of things especially if there's a little luck invovled. Blasting the display case would only set off the alarm and that is something I don't want to do. I simply want to disable it. Maybe if I get a hold of one of the computers here? Perhaps use of the materials to do the job? Naw, no time for that. I need something else.'

The Ghost thought for a moment while looking at the display case. He looked down at his hands and then back at the display case. 'If I could only make the whole display's system not function, I could easily grab the diamonds. Just simply exert a little extra of Lady Fortune's blessing onto the display case and watch it malfunction.'

Ghost looked at the display case again, sweat starting to bead upon his forehead as he thought of refining his unusual gifts to cause a different effect than damaging the display. No, he wanted to disable it and only then could he safely remove the diamonds. 'Just...a little... refining.'

His body temperature began to rise as he exerted his will towards changing things in his favor. He never thought he could something like this but slowly, he felt a change in the area around him. 'Disable it....don't sestroy it.'

The effort began to take its toll. His heartbeat sped up and a cramp entered his legs as he continued to focus his attention on the problem at hand.

Suddenly, he felt a change within himself and he blinked in surprise. 'Did....did I do it?'

[MBCE]

The Ghost reached out and touched the panel on to feel it still in place. He frowned but then noticed that there was no force field on the dispaly at all. 'Well, I'll be. Seems my luck's changed after all!'

Ghost reached into his pack and removed his glass cutter and quickly cut his way through the glass. He smiled as the diamonds were exposed to his easy reach. Quickly, he reached in and removed the diamonds. They ranged in sizes about as much as they did in color.He quickly dumped them into his pack, making sure they were secured enough to avoid moving too much.

Once the Aurora Diamonds were secured and cleared from the displays, the Ghost stood up and dusted off his knees. 'Now all I have to do is get out of here before any supers come around. Since I did all the work, the others can forget about their share.'

[MBCE]

The Ghost took one more look about the display area to make sure he didn't leave a diamond behind. He smiled as he turned away and began moving towards the stairs and freedom.

As he moved down the stairs, the sounds of battle outside altered him to the presence of the supers outside. 'Hmm, it seems the others actually did help with something after all. Well, maybe I'll be willing to give them a little bit afterwards.'

Ghost moved quickly towards the back entrance far from the noise of battle. Once he reached the back area, he place his hands against the wall and began the slow process of moving through the wall. Again he felt the tingling sensation caused by whatever field they ahd placed to stop teleportors from easily entering the building.

Once outside, the Ghost moved quickly to the monorail. If luck was still on his side, he'd manage to catch the next rail before any of the heroes realized that the diamonds were taken. The path to the station had a few places to hide as he moved along. Just as he was about to leave the last bit of cover granted by a large tree, Ghost noticed the cop in front of the station.

'Woah. That would have been bad if I stepped out there! He would have seen me for sure and I most likely would have been busted. The police must be very alert now that there's fighting going on over by the museum.' Ghost watched the cop for a few moments as he pondered his various options. A) He could try walking right into the station and hope that his luck holds. He could turn his luck onto the cop and knock him out. That of course would draw unwanted attention later. C) He could look for a different way to leave the scene since his original plan of escape, Red Queen, had decided to depart a lot sooner. The prosepect of footing his way back to a safe location did not sit well with the thief though. Even he didn't want to put his luck to that kind of a test.

To make the situation worst, he still felt tired from the exertion of his powers. The mental strain as well as the physical one, ahd taken its toll upon the Ghost. There had to be a way to leave the scene before either more supers arrived or the ones already on the scene beat the information of his invovlement out of the others. Ghost looked back towards the museum as he tried to decide what to do next.

[Heridfel]

The policeman starts to walk toward Ghost. For a second, it's not clear whether he's been spotted, but then Ghost can tell that the policeman is just moving to keep his legs from getting stiff. That said, the officer might have a better chance of seeing him from a closer position. He will have to make a move quickly, or at least find some cover to hide behind.

[MBCE]

The Ghost knew that he had little time to make a decision. Seeing a near by bush, the theif quickly hid behind it, trusting that his luck would hold out and the officer would pass him by.

Teh hidding place wasn'T the best of locations, but it was the only one he had within reach. Teh officer moved closer and closer to his location and Ghost began to sweat. The officer's planned route would put him within a few feet of Ghost's location and that would mean almost certain detection. Ghost held his breath, ready to make a dash for safety.

Suddenly, the officer began stopped as he listened to a report on his walkie talkie. News of the fight at the museum had reached the normal police. He began running towards the museum, leaving the Ghost's path to fredom clear.

'Ah, Lady thank you again,' Ghost pryaed as he moved quickly to the monorail and made his escape.