7

General Kwar, Sarkon, Dr. Qworm, cookie: the four beings were facing once again. They had known each other since ancestral times: between them, alliances had sealed and unsealed, done and undone; they had thwarted and warped each other, countered and encountered. They knew each other but too well. The Dictator, the Prophet, the Mad Scientist, the harlequin: motionless, they peered each other into the black of the eyes. Far above, lightning bolts thundering through the clouds revealed the density and incredible power the four minds had accumulated, a power they were preparing to unleash on each other... But the equilibrium was too perfect: the slightest offensive of one would have drawn the wrath of the other three on him like a lightning rod, and in spite of their unlimited confidence in their huge power, no one seemed to want to take the chance. Actually, they mutually and completely neutralized in a deadlock, a stalemate. However, a spark would have been enough to... Suddenly, their attention was drawn by a clumsy movement in their vision field - a newcomer. This distracted them only slightly, but it was enough to mess up the arguments they were preparing, to shatter the gloomy atmosphere and thus to bring back the sunny weather. "An intruder," whispered Dr. Qworm, gritting his teeth. "Let's get rid of him!" And for the first time, all of them agreed. Do you rather want to be sent away by cookie (go to 19), by Sarkon (23), by Kwar (20), or by Qworm (24)?