Ha ha ha! I procrastinate so much I didn't answer your insightful comments until over a month later! I am the God of procrastination!
...seriously though, sorry for the late response. A combination of work, class, and my own terrible procrastination habits has really delayed me.
The idea behind my "reading Old Lace's mind" thing is actually related to something I've been knocking around in my head for a while now; you remember how, at the very end of Wheadon's run, Nico somehow knew that the Yorks' were back, and it was never explained how she knew that? Well, I took that little thing (which, along with Nico's levitation power, seems to have dissipated into the either) and turned it into another new power for Nico. In my version, Nico has the power to pick up what people know - not what they think, what they know. For example, if Chase knows that he had a cheeseburger and a salad (Karolina, or perhaps Klara, made him eat something healthy) for dinner, then Nico can pick it up, because Chase knows it, and it's a fact. If, on the other hand, Molly knows that Victor is a stupid jerk-face because he ate all her Jelly Bellies, then Nico can't pick it up, because that's an opinion, not a fact. Also, if the person in question is trying to keep what he or she knows a secret, then Nico doesn't pick up on it.
Basically, the idea was that Chase and the others who were Zombiefied would reluctantly be keeping it a secret (not willingly, and they would be trying to drop hints, but the intent would still be there) so Nico doesn't pick up on it at first. But Old Lace quickly understands what's going on, and even though Chase tries to knock her out, Nico eventually picks it up from Old Lace.
Like I said, I didn't particularly like this idea, and have thought about revising it. Perhaps instead of some kind of Zombie juice Val would put a spell in his song that would influence other people into doing what he says. They would become his slaves and they would never even realize it. Chase falls under this too, and the Runners have to free Chase and save LA without falling under the spell themselves.
You think that you procrastinate?
...seriously though, sorry for the late response. A combination of work, class, and my own terrible procrastination habits has really delayed me.
The idea behind my "reading Old Lace's mind" thing is actually related to something I've been knocking around in my head for a while now; you remember how, at the very end of Wheadon's run, Nico somehow knew that the Yorks' were back, and it was never explained how she knew that? Well, I took that little thing (which, along with Nico's levitation power, seems to have dissipated into the either) and turned it into another new power for Nico. In my version, Nico has the power to pick up what people know - not what they think, what they know. For example, if Chase knows that he had a cheeseburger and a salad (Karolina, or perhaps Klara, made him eat something healthy) for dinner, then Nico can pick it up, because Chase knows it, and it's a fact. If, on the other hand, Molly knows that Victor is a stupid jerk-face because he ate all her Jelly Bellies, then Nico can't pick it up, because that's an opinion, not a fact. Also, if the person in question is trying to keep what he or she knows a secret, then Nico doesn't pick up on it.
Basically, the idea was that Chase and the others who were Zombiefied would reluctantly be keeping it a secret (not willingly, and they would be trying to drop hints, but the intent would still be there) so Nico doesn't pick up on it at first. But Old Lace quickly understands what's going on, and even though Chase tries to knock her out, Nico eventually picks it up from Old Lace.
Like I said, I didn't particularly like this idea, and have thought about revising it. Perhaps instead of some kind of Zombie juice Val would put a spell in his song that would influence other people into doing what he says. They would become his slaves and they would never even realize it. Chase falls under this too, and the Runners have to free Chase and save LA without falling under the spell themselves.