When last we saw our heroes, they were about to be set upon by some nefarious folks…

CUT SCENE:

Desert, nighttime. Five men sit around a fire pit. One is a European (white suit, hat) but seems comfortable in the environment.

Man in the White Suit (MitWS): “The reason I’ve called this meeting, is that we need some local assistance.” He speaks with a British accent (and requisite disdain). “What can you tell me of this object and the legends surrounding it?”

“There are many legends.”

Ukul, the wiseman/dervish: “The legends must be treated with respect.”

MitWS gets very curt. “I was told you were a difficult people to speak with.”

“MY grandmother told me the best way to pay respect is with blood.”

MitWS: “This does not surprise me, nor should it be a problem. Can you provide men and of what quality?”

“I can provide as many men as you need. Strong backs.”

MitWS: “You can provide two dozen men within the week?”

“Of course.”

MitWS: “You can take care of the local folk and their superstitions around the legends?”

Ukul: “It shall be done.”

After some additional questions and arrangements, and the agreement that the gentlemen would meet again at this location in one week’s time. Then the MitWS walks out of the firelight and into a whirlwind/dust devil and seems to disappear…

Meanwhile, back in the marketplace…

Rex uses his Electro Spanner to pull an awning down on three of the men whirling staves. The fourth starts trying to get the awning off his fellows. Two other men without weapons, start making synchronized wavy hand-gestures.

Clara shoots at one of them and the bullet is deflected off of his GLOWING HAND.

Alex grabs one of the downed staves and swings it at the remaining staff-wielder, hitting him.

Molly, who recognizes the men as an obscure sect of Assassins™, decides to shoot at the mystic hand-wavers and notes they have a phylactery, which she aims at. The bullet strikes it, but ricochets into the one guys leg.

The mystic assassins coordinate their hand movements and send a blast of mental force at Molly (who has shown herself to be the greatest threat). She sees it just in time, and dives low just as the wave is smashing her downwards.

Rex punches the remaining staff-wielder, who in turn, redoubles his efforts to get the awning off of his fellows.

A seventh guy (very Jafar-looking) walks around from the other side of the truck. He coordinates his movements with the other mystic hand-wavers and a blast rolls out hitting everyone. Molly is knocked out. Clara and Alex are knocked down and are having nightmarish visions. Rex says, “What is your bidding, My Master?”

Thus begins the intra-group fight/everyone tries to snap out of it portion of our fight. The Assassin mystics, meanwhile, are trying to make a glowing, magic triangle to some nefarious purpose. Rex is beating on Alex, who has snapped out of her nightmare visions and is trying to ward him off with a staff.

The other staff-wielders are freed from the awning and take up positions around the mystic, glowing triangle.

Clara shoots Jafar. Rex and Alex do a coordinated attack on Jafar and crack him in the skull, but at that same instant he completes his incantation. Giant glowing triangle now envelopes the Intrepids. It’s shrinking.

Molly tries to teach everyone the counter-chant. Rex is skeptical. The Assassins toss bricks and rocks in at the group. Rex helps Alex vault over the wall (she does not land as well as she could.) Molly continues to try the counter-charm.

Rex realizes that the energy field is reminiscent of some experiment that Papa Tesla did and it reminds Rex that sound frequencies may be involved. Rex and Molly and Clara redouble their efforts to hit the right frequency. Rex cycles through the frequencies on the Electro-spanner. Clara hears him hit the right frequency and with pitch-perfect recollection recites the counter-charm and the triangle evaporates.

Alex, meanwhile, has been beset the three staff-wielders. She takes down one of them but then gets hit in the stomach and doubles over. She then jumps up and cracks one of them into the other, knocking them both out of it.

Clara shoots at one of the mystic hand-wavers. Jafar takes this opportunity to exit, Stage smoke puff. Molly shoots at one of the hand wavers. They opt to surrender.

The group takes the two prisoners, securely bound, and uses their truck to drive to the Century Club for a session of Interrogation and Cocktails.

Interrogating the prisoners yields some info. Jafar is a person of some power (terrestrial and not) and he likely desires the same thing/object that we do and he thinks we’re not working at cross-purposes.

Then Jafar remotely blows up their heads before we learn anything else. We have Rama take care of the bodies.