"The X-Advisors..."

"The X-Advisors..." Part XLVIII...

Part XLVIII...

U Austin Physics Department...Parking lot by the main labs' loading dock...

Dr. Stein waiting by his car to guard against either prying eyes or genuine threat, eyed the returning Kripke and young Sheldon bearing boxes.

"Gentlemen, you look like you're planning to build a new wormhole generator...Or a fusion reactor. Is that one of the pulse lasers, Mr. Kripke?"

"Just a few spawre pawrts we found lying awround that might pwrove useful, Doctowr. Come on, Sheldon. Just one mowre load."

"I see..." Stein nodded.

Young Sheldon groaning slightly as he set his box into the open trunk.

"So, love is hard." he eyed Stein who nodded.

"Afraid so, young Cooper." Sheldon nodding and trudging off after Kripke.

Well, Kripke did pledge to defend the boy...Stein eyed the boxes. And I know the young Kripke is indeed a genius. Best to leave it to his counterpart.

Heck, Xavier and I did some of our best work with "spare parts lying around"...Smile.

"Damn, you Xavier...What has happened to you?" he addressed the stars. "This isn't you. Hell, it's not even me, at my worst and most insensitive."

Well...All I can do is try to help these kids...And see Susan safe. At least, whatever happens I now have knowledge I didn't have and I can try to help her before it's too late. But first, do what I can here, for these poor children and whatever my poor daughter has become... Given I can now change her future, perhaps even save her from herself, I owe them that much.

Crash of a large box down the stairs from the lab loading dock... "Sowrry! We'wre fine!"

...

"Well?"

"Patience..." Sheldon put forefinger up, stern look to Amy's questioning one. "To penetrate the realm, one must first understand the layout and the castle defenses...Firstly, note the guardian at the gate." He indicated a large nurse at wide booth along the hallway to the CCU.

"Back..." he leaned back into the waiting room entrance, Amy just behind him, pulling back.

"Fortunately, the other nurses are thinned in rank and those remaining now occupied with patients seeking care...Meals, meds, back rubs, proper spot positioning..."

"Right...Do we?"

"Et, et, ah...Just a minute. The guardian is toughest of them all, a bulldog worth three of the rest. Plus, the CCU door is locked and alarmed, however primitive the 1996 technology."

"Right...So?"

"First, we establish the schedule...Which I've already done. In two minutes, thirty seconds, with allowance for aching feet, complaints, and comradely idle chit-chat, the CCU primary nurse will unlock and open the door, in the course of her rounds. Based on my study of the said rounds for this cycle she will then spend approximately ten minutes checking instrumentation, ten minutes dispensing meds, and no less than five minutes in patient-comforting if idle chit-chat...We must be there..."

"Ok..."

"Ennt! Hold it there, my over-eager padawan..." he put up hand to stop her. "Remember the bulldog." He noted the nurse at booth.

"Well, how do we...?" Amy, frowning.

"Come...And follow my lead..." he stepped out cautiously, Amy following.