Twenty-Two.

“So, Sylver... do you suppose this giant metal tree is the treasure?”

“I don't think it is.”

They were waiting for the others to arrive. There wasn't much else to look at, so they were looking at the tree itself – a shiny metal contraption covered in chrome, about two meters of it sticking out of the snow. By the look of it, it was vaguely conical.

“The snow must be very deep here,” Selma commented. “I have a feeling the tree is pretty big.”

“I expect it is. Hm. I wonder what purpose it serves?”

Sylver got up from where she was sitting, and walked over to it. Neither of them had touched it up until now, but presently she put on a black rubber glove and poked it. Nothing happened. She waved Selma over.

“Could you touch it?”

“Why?”

“Just touch it.”

Selma reached out a hand to touch the tree with her bare hand. There was a bright flash – moments later, Selma was lying in a crater in the snow, smoking slightly.

“Hah! Just as I suspected – it's a Tesla tree! The entire thing conducts electricity! It must be some sort of security mechanism.”

“Thank you for sharing that information.” said Selma as she got to her feet. “I think I'm okay though, that hurt less than you'd-”

Here she stopped speaking, because she was suddenly ninja kicked in the chest. Sylver looked rather surprised at this turn of events, and looked quizzically at the woman who was standing on top of her assistant – a short-haired, black-clad woman. Sylver was about to comment on this peculiar way of introducing oneself, when a voice rang out.

“Love! That's enough.”

The voice belonged to a tall, blond woman that Sylver recognized from pictures: Consul Danielle Ash. Another voice answered her: It was Andromeda.

“You bet it is.”