<i><b>The Story So Far</b>

Methodical. By the book. If you looked in the Federal
Agent's handbook, you'd find a picture of Roland
Banks next to those sections. At least, if it had any
pictures, you would.

Where other agents found the rules restricting and
annoying, Roland took comfort in procedure. It was
a relief to have guidelines to follow in any given
situation. Well, at least until this latest case.

Try as he might, Roland could find no mention in the
handbook of what to do when confronted with strange
creatures, gates through time and space, or magic
spells. This case was rapidly escalating into a fiasco,
and if he dropped the ball, losing his job was the least
of his worries.

Sitting outside the Asylum after an interview with yet
another demented witness, Roland dropped his battered
Agent's handbook back into his briefcase and sighed. At
least the agency was sending him some backup. Maybe
they could help him make some sense out of this mess.</i>