Kami DeSoras “D-do you know what IndieVidFx.com is?” Kami stopped what she was doing and looked at Cody. "No, I don't think I do. I've never heard of it." She was glad Cody was finally talking. It had been weird with it so quiet in the room, especially after Mr. Walker left. Where was the idiot anyway? She wanted to go home, and they were almost done cleaning up. "Well, I... got a message, here..." He handed her his phone. She took it, reading the message. It was telling Cody to go to the website. "Well," she said, handing the phone back to him. "Let's check it out then." She walked over to the computer behind Mr. Walker's desk and sat down, crossing her legs as she turned on the screen. While the computer booted up, she took a small brush out of her pocket and did her hair. After the computer loaded up, a password screen opened. "Shoot, password protected... I don't suppose you know anything about hacking?" Cody just shrugged. Quiet again?, Kami thought. Well, she'd just have to do it her way. It would be a little gross, but she'd get it. Kami laid her hands down on the keyboard, tapping her right pointer finger. "What would a teacher like Walker make as his password," she said out loud, trying to make it seem like she was thinking. Then, she snapped her fingers. "I've got it." She typed in a few letters and hit enter. The screen disappeared and Kami smiled. "He's too obvious," she said, telling Cody the password. She hopped onto the internet and typed in the website. It appeared with a dark background with tiny white spots to seem like a night sky. A few videos appeared, ready to play once she clicked the right button. She chose one, and she and Cody watched a girl breathe fire from her mouth. A cheap trick really, Kami decided. It was easily just the girl spraying something flammable into a match. Kami clicked on another video. This time, a different girl was running across a field. Within seconds, the girl was gone, melded into and replaced by a horse. Kami couldn't think of anything but video editing. And... well, maybe there were others like her.
Cheyenne Fear Cheyenne ran blindly toward a patch of houses, when she felt something pluck her off her course. She was spun around to face a scary looking tattooed woman with short black hair. Her tablet had fallen from her pouch, and lay several feet away, past her reach. She struggled, but the woman's grip was rock solid. “Whoa, easy there, shorty,” She said, staring her in the eyes. “What happened? Somebody fucked with you?” Cheyenne fought desperately to break free of the woman's grip, reaching her hand out as far as it would go toward her tablet. It looked cracked. She looked between the woman and the tablet, mouthing helplessly, but no sound escaped from her mouth. Cheyenne let her feet fall out from under her, and fell out of the woman's grasp, running to retrieve her tablet before she could make another move. *Stop.* She typed, as she made for the alleys. She tripped and fell hard, curling into a sniveling ball. *Stop. Stop. Stop.*
Alexander Butler Alexander had turned into the school yard before realising his mistake. He glanced at his watch again to confirm, and frowned. He hadn’t been enrolled in any sort of school for years now, and he had forgotten how early they ended. He cursed under his breath, and ridiculed himself for forgetting such a simple fact. There was no turning back now. Besides, it wasn’t too long after the end of school; some secretaries or late-working students may still be present. Alexander checked behind his shoulder and noticed that the man stood just outside school property. He seemed unsure of himself, and hesitantly paced along the edge of the yard. Sticking to his original plan, Alexander decided he would see if he could lure the man into the school with him. At the very worst, simply getting the man detained would prevent any future conflicts. Alexander stopped at the school’s front doors and pulled the door handle, pretending it was locked. He stooped over and started fiddling with the handle, watching the man out of his peripherals at the same time. The man seemed to take notice, but didn’t move any closer. Alexander scowled. This guy would need a little bit more convincing. He stuck his hands nonchalantly into his black jean pockets, and started to head back outwards, looking for another entrance inside. Then without any warning, the man bolted into an alarmingly fast sprint, directly towards Alexander. On the spur of moment, Alexander raced back towards the front doors, and yanked them open. He didn’t bother checking on the man as he ran down the nearest hallway. The first classroom door he tried was locked, but the second swung open, and Alexander darted inside. He slammed the door closed, flipped the lock, and then leaned his ear against it. Alexander could hear a set of footsteps making its way down the hall. They weren’t running anymore, but they were certainly approaching the room. He had to do something. Fast. I could use it. It should work. Alexander placed his back against the door and closed his eyes, focusing only on himself. He slowed down his breathing and felt a strange sensation wash over him, slowly but surely. He didn’t know if others could perceive it the same way he did, but he knew that it was worth a shot. Alexander opened his eyes and looked down at his hands as they gradually started to fade away. He knew that the rest of his body – along with his clothes were also disappearing. Soon, he would be completely transparent. Then he looked up and noticed for the first time that two students were sitting across the room, staring at him with their jaws hanging open.
Ivanna Testarossa The girl squirmed like a trapped animal. But, instead of an explanation, there was only silence. Her mouth was moving, but no sound came forth. Was she a mute? So, that scream earlier... it couldn’t have been, Ivanna thought. The girl’s hand was stretched out, desperately reaching for something on the ground. It took Ivanna a moment to notice the electronic tablet lying there. When she did, she immediately released the girl. It all made sense. Ivanna nearly apologized, but apologies weren’t really her thing. She was used to bar fights and brawling in the streets. The concept of ’gentleness’ was completely lost on her. Consider yourself lucky, she thought as she watched the girl scramble for the tablet. I could’ve just tackled you to the ground instead. She thought the girl might type out an explanation once she retrieved the tablet, but no such thing happened. The moment the girl had it, she began running again, only now her little fingers were hurriedly typing out messages as she went. ”Stop,” the device said, in a dry monotone voice. “No, you stop! Damn,” Ivan said as she gave chase. The girl had a head start, but Ivan closed the distance fairly easily thanks to her longer stride. Not that it mattered: the girl tripped over her own feet and slammed hard. The chase was over before it truly began. She curled up as if she might cry, but continued typing on her pad: “Stop. Stop. Stop.” Ivanna stood over her for a moment, looking down at the pathetic creature. She couldn’t just leave her. She ran a hand through her own hair, somehow making it even messier than it usually was, and shifted her feet, as if considering walking away. But, eventually, she decided to just help the poor thing. “C’mon. Get up,” she said, offering her hand. “You look stupid, lying there on the ground.” “And I look stupid standing here with you,” she muttered in Russian. “Tell me what happened. What are you running from?”
Martin Wheeler The wheels on the cart squeaked furiously. There was no where to hide. The alley just kept going without any twists or turns. Marty spared a glance over his shoulder as his worn sneakers pounded against the ground. Behind him, the big dog was closing the gap, barking up a storm as it ran. Marty snatched another can out of his cart and chucked it backwards. It flew wide. Ahead of him, the end of the alley was growing closer at a dangerously slow rate. If he could just make it to the street. He could feel the muscles in his legs screaming. Desperately he hurled more projectiles over his shoulder, but the slobbering beast just kept on coming. "All that glitters," Marty scolded himself. His curiosity had gotten him in to plenty of pickles before, but this was insane, even for him. After leaving the library, Marty had started meandering again. No destination in mind, just taking in the sights and sounds of his town. Things were pretty slow this time of day, business would pick up again in the evening. In the mean time there was no harm in simply enjoying the day. Eventually his wanderings brought him full circle. He was back in the neighborhood of the Speedy Trip. He had just decided to head in that direction when he saw it, something shiny flashing in a patch of tall, thick grass in an empty lot. He couldn't make out what it was, but the way it reflected the light of the afternoon sun was enthralling. Perhaps it was something valuable, a gold watch maybe. He looked around to make sure no one was watching then knelt down and reached a hand gingerly into the jungle of weeds. His fingers brushed something metallic and pointy, several of them, all in a row. They were attached to a strip of something smooth. It felt a bit like leather. Not sure what he had, Marty gave the thing a tug and was rewarded with an angry snarl. The startled dog exploded out of the grass with Marty's hand still gripping it's black, studded collar. Seconds later Marty was dashing down the alley with the furry monster hot on his heels. The dog was faster and given enough time would have caught up. Fortunately Marty's luck hadn't run out just yet. He pushed himself as fast as he could go and made it to the street. He shot around the corner and immediately came to a sudden stop. He bent over his shopping cart, chest heaving and tried to listen over the sound of his own breathing. The barking had stopped. After catching his breath, Marty peeked back into the alley. The dog was already wandering back in the direction it had come. Marty did a little dance and waved the studded collar which had pulled free in the struggle. "To the victor go the spoils," he called after the retreating canine, laughing. He turned back toward his cart and froze. Standing there, right in front of him, was a young woman with dreadlocks and an armful of fabric. Marty felt heat creep into his cheeks. Had she been there the whole time? Not that it really mattered, most people expected crazy out of the homeless. Still, there she was, might as well take advantage of it. Marty managed a weak smile, tilted his head and extended a hand, palm up. "Spare change, pretty lady?" He asked. One thing he had learned from life on the streets: a little flattery never hurt.
Adelaide Reynolds Adelaide swaggered up the street holding her newly purchased fabrics in her arms, balancing a carton of chicken noodle soup atop them. She had just came out of the Speedy Trip and was ready to make her way home. Suddenly, a deep and slightly coarse voice made her stop in her tracks. "To the victor go the spoils." A slightly worn and scraggly looking man with a hunch was standing in front of her, with a large shopping cart filled to the brim with food and other necessities. Turning around, small pieces of dirt whisked from his beard, and his dark eyes stared at Adelaide, with a dazed expression. His cheeks started to flare a bright pinkish-red color. His arm extended out towards Adelaide, his palm-up in a dainty way. "Spare change, pretty lady?" he asked in a sweet tone. Adelaide found the compliment to her liking, holstering the fabrics and the carton higher up so she could easily reach her purse. A stray dread lock had peaked out from beneath her colorful beaded band, and she gave a smile to the man. She took out a five pound note and handed it to the man, making contact with his eyes and his hand for that matter. It was warm to the touch, even if slightly grimy. "Take good care of yourself, okay?" Adelaide said, her fabrics wobbling around in her arms as she zipped her purse back up. The man looked at the fiver with extreme delight, thanking Adelaide over and over again. "It's uh, no problem sir." she commented, obviously flattered by the kind gesture. Adelaide spent a while talking to the man before deciding to continue her journey back to the house. But as she turned up the sidewalk and towards the housing estate, a feeling like never before crossed her mind. That man.. that warm feeling.. is he.. one of us? No.. that can't be. There has to be some logical explanation.. Adelaide thought to herself. But then she looked down at the bundle of fabrics she was carrying. "Let's get you guys home and get you to work." she cooed to the fabrics. The fabrics shook slightly in reply. She smiled and started humming a tune while she made her way to the front door of her house.
Kami DeSoras Kami and Cody had been sitting there in the classroom, watching some of the videos on IndieVidFx, trying to figure out if they were real or not. Some of them definitely looked real, and others were plainly staged, altered, and even just plain stupid. Some of the people who had posted videos acted with the skill of a two year old. But some of the videos.. She couldn't be so sure about. Maybe there were other people out there with abilities. She couldn't be the only one, she knew that. While in the middle of a video, the door to the classroom suddenly flew open and shut, a man, or perhaps a student, had come rushing in. At first Kami had thought it to be Mr. Walker, and she'd closed the website. The man was leaning against the door, listening to something. He looked scared, Kami could see that. Then, he closed his eyes and looked a bit more calm. To Kami's astonishment, and Cody's as well, she could see his surprise, the man started vanishing. His hands started becoming invisible, and his feet. The vanishing act started climbing up his arms and legs, and he opened his eyes, and found them staring at him, mouths hanging open. "You... you've got an ability like I do." Kami put her hand over her mouth the instant she said it. "You've got an ability too," Cody asked her. "I... wait, you do?" This was weird. Three of them in the same place? It was a little too much. If this guy, whoever he was, was running from someone, perhaps it was because of his ability. If that was the case, then she and Cody were in danger too. "What are you running from," Kami asked, standing up.
Avery Funkhouser "That will be $6.75." the waitress told her, giving her a bright smile. Avery was taken aback, she wasn't used to strangers being so nice. She really admired the lady's attitude, she couldn't imagine the stress of having to work at such a place. While still steadying herself with one hand, Avery reached into the kangaroo pocket of her hoodie for her money. Almost 7 pounds was more than she would have spent for a gallon at Greenstan, but it was worth it. She would pay 100 pounds for all she cared. All she wanted was to feel normal again. Her sickness reminded her of the past; of the frustration and pain, and the power she was inflicted with. No matter how hard Avery tried to forget, on her rare sick days, it just wasn't possible. As soon as Avery brought out a few of the crisp paper notes, she felt like something was wrong. Casually she glanced down, and tried not to panic when she saw faint wisps of smoke. She reacted quickly by tossing the notes; their edges slightly black, at the waitress. Get your juice and get out! The thought pounded madly in her head. She wasn’t safe here, and if she stayed for much longer, no one would be. "Not to be rude, but could you hurry?" Avery whispered nervously to the waitress, sad to see her pretty smile fade.
Cody Deluca [HR][/HR] "What... how... he's disappearing? I'm imagining this. It's a delusion. It can't be like..." Cody thought to himself, watching the man becoming invisible, Cody stared in disbelief, and his hands began to shake. "He's the guy from the courtyard... and the videos... they have to be fake. Why did I get the message? Why send it? And now this? What's going on here...?" "You... you've got an ability like I do." said Kami covering her mouth the instant she said it. Cody stepped back from the computer, his eyes wide, "Her too? What's happening... I... It's not just me... "You've got an ability too," he mumbled, looking down at the ground, slowly backing away. "I... don't want this... what am I supposed to do..." Cody backed up to the window, his hair covering his eyes. "I... wait, you do?" said Kami, astonished. "It wasn't just me... but... I hurt people... I am a problem... what does that make them... she was nice but what can she do? What has she done? And he was being followed by someone. Is it because he hurt people too?" "What are you running from," Kami asked the stranger, standing up. Cody reached for the window latch, his hand still trembling.
Rebecca Woods The girl tossed the notes at Rebecca hurridly and she noticed that the edges were smoking a little and had turned black. Rebecca's eyes widned and her smiled dissapeared. "No way! She just burnt those with her hand!" Rebecca thought to herself. "Not to be rude, but could you hurry?" She heard the customer whisper. Rebecca touched the notes gingerly as if they were the most precious items on earth. "You're like me!" Rebecca whispered, making eye contact. Rebecca smiled brightly and tears started coming to her eyes. She wasn't alone! Was it possible? She didn't just envinsion it did she? "Please tell me, you just did that!" Rebecca whispered, pointing excitedly to the blackened notes. Just then Eric set the 3 orange jucies on the counter beside her. It was then Rebecca noticed that the girl looked like she was going to pass out.
Cheyenne Fear Cheyenne lay sniffing on the ground, while the tattooed woman stood over her, shifting her stance. Finally she spoke. “C’mon. Get up,” She said, holding out a hand, "You look stupid, lying there on the ground." She muttered something under her breath in a different language that Cheyenne could not understand. “Tell me what happened. What are you running from?” Cheyenne rubbed her eyes with the palm of her hand, then sat up. Hesitantly, she put out her hand, then gingerly took the woman's. Suddenly, she found herself on her feet. Still shaking like a leaf, she began typing on her tablet. *I was with my parents. Something happened. I got scared. I did something. I think I hurt them. I don't think he's my dad.* "Excuse me," Cheyenne jumped, then turned to face an angry looking bearded man, wearing a red scarf. "I need you to go with me to the van." The man's voice was raspy and hoarse, he peered past Cheyenne to glare at the tattooed woman behind her. "You should come too, I know who you are, I'd like to talk to you." He made a move to catch Cheyenne's arm, but she scurried back, and hid behind the woman. *Don't hurt me.* "I'm not going to hurt you," The man threw up his hands, "But I need you- both of you, to get in the van."
Ivanna Testarossa Once the girl was on her feet, she started typing again. The tablet relayed her words: “I was with my parents. Something happened,” she explained. “I got scared. I did something. I think I hurt them. I don't think he's my dad.” What? Hurt them? Ivan moved back half a step. The last thing she needed was to get mixed up in a murder case or get caught up protecting a girl who was guilty of assaulting her own parents. On the other hand, she could definitely relate to being a kid with father issues... Beyond the girl, Ivan noticed a man in a red scarf approaching them. She figured he was just a passerby. Her eyes ever left him for a second, as he came closer. Unfortunately, he didn’t pass by. "Excuse me," the man said. The girl jumped, but Ivan didn’t flinch. She continued watching him with the same cold calmness. "I need you to go with me to the van," the man said, in a hoarse, raspy voice. "You should come too, I know who you are, I'd like to talk to you." ”Like hell you do.” He moved to take the girl’s arm, but the girl quickly moved away, into position behind her new protector. It wasn’t a role Ivan liked to play, but she was no stranger to kicking ass on someone else’s behalf. She’d gladly take care of this loser. ”Don't hurt me,” the girl typed out. "Oh, he won't," Ivan said, with her fists clenched at her sides. "I'm not going to hurt you," the man said, throwing his hands up in frustration. "But I need you - both of you - to get in the van." "I don't care what you need," Ivan said. And then she thought for a moment. He didn’t seem startled or bothered about the girl’s muteness or the way she had to type out messages. That suggested he knew her. Was he her father? No, the girl said her father was hurt. This guy didn’t look injured at all. "Go," she said gesturing for him to start walking. "We'll be right behind you. Don't do nothin' funny."
Avery Funkhouser Great, just great. The waitress seemed frozen to the spot, mesmerized by the scorched notes. She had seen. Avery watched the waitress carefully, hoping she wouldn't shout out her secret. But, to her surprise the waitress' smile returned, and her eyes were watery. "You're like me!" she exclaimed in a whisper, looking into Avery’s sunglasses. She couldn't be... Avery's head was swimming. This was more than she had asked for. "Please tell me, you just did that!" the waitress whispered again, pointing to the notes, and acting like she had just seen a miracle. If she thought this was cool, Avery didn't want to show her more. Avery licked her dry, parched lips, feeling like she could topple over any minute. “I-" Avery began, but just then a short man brushed past the waitress, setting three orange juices on the counter. Avery grabbed for one, gulping down the tangy juice as fast as she could. Once she finished it, she threw down the slightly melted Styrofoam cup, and sucked down the second. She'd save the third for later. The orange juice was quickly doing its work, and she felt much better, at least for the time being. She peered down at her wristwatch, a little emoticon smile now next to her fluid level. When she looked up she saw that the waitress was still staring at her with wide eyes. Avery sighed, unsure of what to do. She knew she could easily lie and walk away, act like nothing had happened. But, as she looked into the waitress’ kind face, something pricked at her heart. If she really was someone like her…was that even possible? Avery knew she couldn’t walk away from this; she needed to find out. Avery leaned across the counter and whispered, "I did, but can you stop looking at me like that?"
Adelaide Reynolds Slamming the door shut and sliding the metal latch across, Adelaide sighed in relief. She finally made it home and in good time to start on her newest creation. She was halfway up the staircase when her mother's voice called from the kitchen. "Love.. did you get the soup for me? I hope.. you didn't forget.." Adelaide sighed and hopped back down the stairs, two steps at a time. She marched into the kitchen and set down the noodle carton with a thump. "There you go, seeing as you're finally up, you can do it yourself." Adelaide bit her lip and turned on her heel. "Oh! I.. uh.." her mother blushed, looking like a chipmunk with her large blanket over her head and wrapped around her shoulders. Adelaide gave a slight wave and went off down the hall, chuckling a bit as she did. She crossed the hall and turned the doorknob with a firm grasp. "Home sweet home," she giggled to herself. Setting the fabrics and her purse aside onto a spare table, she jumped into her swivel-chair and pulled out a piece of paper. She had decided on her next masterpiece and she was going to design it after African culture. Picking up the sewing kit, she slowly applied the thread to her forefinger and began to- SWOOSH. Adelaide jumped out of her seat in fright. What the hell.. was that? she whispered to herself, flicking a deadlock away from her forehead. Adelaide turned around and was shocked to see the piece of fabric twirling itself around the half-broken mannequin. This was no time to make a joke, she was serious. She made a mad lunge for the piece of cloth, and tugged it harshly. The piece of fabric landed back on the bed, writhing and shaking. What.. is going on.. Adelaide shook her head side to side. She reached for her purse, but as she did so, the piece of fabric flicked itself into the air and landed on her head. "St-STOOOOP!" she screeched. The veil stopped moving and drifted it's way into the hands of Adelaide. Bewildered, she raised an eyebrow. That man.. it MUST be that man.. the one.. wait, what am I talking about? I didn't meet anyone.. I must be delusional.. Adelaide looked around the room. She needed some fresh air and something to eat. She'd ditch the chicken noodle soup and go straight to Mac's.. that was the right thing to do.
Rebecca Woods Rebecca watched in amazement and the girl chugged down two of the orange juices. She then looked down at her watch and looked back up giving a slight sigh. She studied Rebecca as if she was deciding wether or not to trust her. Finally she leaned over the counter and said, "I did, but can you stop looking at me like that?" Rebecca blushed as she realiezed she had been gawking at the poor girl. Rebecca rubbed her gloved hands her apron self-consiously and then replied in a soft voice, "Take your juice to that empty corner table over there." She guestured with her head. "I get off on break in a few minutes." The girl hesitated a moment then walked over to the booth she had suggested and sat down. Someone like her! It was almost to good be true. A sharp tingle went up thumb into the rest of her hand. Rebecca glanced over at the grey suit who was watching intently. He quickly glanced down began typing on a laptop she hadn't seen before. A little warning light went off in Rebecca's head. He was dangerous. She didn't know how...but she just knew. Trisha tapped on Rebecca's shoulder breaking her out of her thoughts. "You can go take a break now." Her breath reeked of cigerrate smoke. "Thanks." Rebecca grimiced trying not to cough. She quickly removed her apron and walked over to the booth that the girl sat in out of sight of the grey suited man. She took a seat oppisite of her and said, "First, things first. I'm Rebecca. And I have abilities too." She pulled down her right glove half way down her hand. It glowed with a soft blue light and the veins her wrist were clearly visible with the same blue light though more dull since they were under her skin. Rebecca quickly pulled the glove back up again and looked around to make sure no one saw.
Alexander Butler The students appeared to be around his age; one girl and one boy. They had been sitting around a small computer, but rose to their feet when Alexander entered the room. When the initial shock passed, they immediately started blabbering to each other. Then the girl turned to face him. “What are you running from?” “Quiet!” He hissed, waving his hand for silence. As his body faded back into view, he placed his ear against the door again. The man’s footsteps stopped right outside, and the doorknob jerked abruptly beside his head. Too late. The man had heard them. The door was locked, but would that hold him out? Suddenly, the door gave a shutter as the man presumably slammed himself against it. Alexander took a jump back, and the other two kids snapped their heads to face the door. “No time for pleasantries,” said Alexander in a hushed tone, “I was followed. There’s a killer out there.” A white lie. But he had to get these two on his side. Besides, a mugger wasn’t any better. Alexander moved to the side of the room where the light switch was located, and flicked off the lights. “Shut off that computer,” he said to the girl. The boy was already unlatching the window and pulling it open. Alexander examined the room to see if there was anything he could utilize. It seemed to be a crudely constructed school laboratory. A line of chemistry and physics related posters hung from the walls, and a half erased diagram of atomic structures was drawn on the blackboard. His observations were interrupted by another bash against the door. It had begun to splinter near the hinges. Alexander ran down to the back of the room where multiple gas valves, most likely for science experiments, were located, and turned them all up to their highest output. Foul smelling methane gas poured out from the valves as Alexander turned back to the window. The boy who had been at the window only moments ago was now gone, and the window was open. The girl was approaching the window, with a confused expression. She seemed to notice the smell of the gas, and looked at Alexander questioningly. “Just in case,” he said with a wolfish grin, “Now quick, let’s get out of here.” She hesitated for a moment before sliding through the open window. Alexander watched as the door started to split from the middle. The man must have been hitting it with some sort of blunt object. As soon as the girl was through, Alexander jumped through the window, landing on the grass on the other side. Then he pulled a pack of matches out from his pocket. Just as he struck a match, the door gave away from its hinges and fell to the side, revealing the large grey-suited man. Alexander waved mockingly. “Think fast,” he called, as he flung the match in through the window. The room burst into flames, catching the man as he ran towards them. Within seconds, smoke clouded up the glass and started pouring out of the opening. Alexander reached over and shut the window. That should stop him. He thought to himself. It probably wasn’t enough fire to kill the man, but he shouldn’t be thinking of going after them anymore. Alexander turned around to see the girl gawking at him. “What did you do? Are you insane?!” she yelled. Alexander put away his matchbox and smiled. “Your friend appears to be getting away,” he remarked. The girl glared at him for a good few seconds, then turned around and jogged off. Alexander considered taking his own route out, but he remembered the students’ reactions when he tried to use his “ability”. They knew something about it. Something that he didn’t know. Alexander tagged after the girl, and out of the courtyard.
Kami DeSoras Kami couldn't believe the guy had just lit up her school. Maybe the man who was chasing him was right to. He was nuts. "Your friend appears to be getting away. Kami turned, seeing Cody turn a corner nearly a block away. Shoot, why'd he run off, she wondered to herself, running in the same direction. As she ran to catch up to Cody, she noticed the man was following her. "Look pal," she said, stopping and turning around. "I don't want to have to hurt you. You just destroyed my school, as bad as it is sometimes. Stay away from me!" The man looked... well, he didn't look anything. Not sad, or angry, confused, nothing. He just stood there and stared at Kami. Taking it as a hint, she ran off, and the man stopped following her. Unfortunately, she found she'd lost Cody as well. Taking a moment, Kami sat down on the sidewalk, and realized all of her things were in the school, in the science room, probably incinerated by now. Her parents would buy her some new stuff, especially after they learned that some psycho had torched it all. Unsure of what to do next, she decided to go home. Walking towards East Coventry, she finally came to the section of Coventry where the houses were further away from another and everyone had privacy. She saw that her parents weren't yet home, as the driveway was empty. Going up to the front gate, she opened it up, went through, and turned around to shut it. When she did, she saw a man in a grey suit standing against a tree in her neighbor's yard. He was watching her, she knew. He was making it painfully obvious. "Kami DeSoras?" She backed up a little, and he stayed where he was. "Relax, I just have a few questions for you." "Like what," she asked, deciding to walk towards the waist-high brick wall that blocked the front of her yard. She leaned on it, but was still scared of the man. "Are your parents home? Perhaps it would be better if they were here while I asked my questions." Kami took a deep breath. "I'm sure you realize how stupid of a question that is." He smiled. "I do, and I'm sure you realize what that means." He moved away from the tree, walking towards her. "Stay away from me, or I'll call the police." "With what? I just have a few questions. Like, what happened at the school?" "I don't know." "Please Kami," he said, stopping about ten feet from the wall she was leaning on. "You've been involved with fire before. We know that." "We?" He smiled, and Kami didn't like the look of it. "You, me, the rest of us. We all know. Did you kill my partner?" "I didn't set the fire." He rolled his eyes. "Please, I'm sure you didn't. But," he said, taking out a cell phone. "I'm sure the police will want to know, since you were the last student in the building. You and Cody." He knew about Cody? How? He said he had a partner, but if he died, how did this guy get the information. "Hello, police, I'd like to report a suspicious activity. Yes, I just saw a girl in Easy Coventry who had burn marks on her, running away from the school. Yes," he said, telling them the name of Kami's street. "Thank you." Kami laughed as he hung up. "Well, there goes your credibility." She motioned her hands down her body. "Clearly, I have no burn marks." The man smiled again, taking something out of his pocket. He flicked the lighter, and took a cigarette out of his jacket pocket. "I know," he said, lighting it.
Cody Deluca [HR][/HR] Cody sprinted through the streets, his grey hair blowing back with the autumn wind. He looked paler than usual. “What do I do? What am I supposed to do? This shouldn’t be happening; none of this. That guy caused that explosion… He tried to kill the guy in the grey suit. And Kami…” Cody was breathing heavy; his dark green eyes were slowly turning into a lighter colour. “No… not again! Not now…” Cody slowed down, covering his face with his left hand. He continued jogging until he reached the corner. He was covered in sweat; a tingling sensation spreading from his fingertips. A few people stopped, looking at him with concern. “What’s wrong with him?” “Should we call an ambulance?” “Are you alright kid?” asked a woman, reaching out to touch his shoulder. Cody stepped back, avoiding contact, “Stay back!” He looked up, glancing at the faces of the people in front of him. “I need them now… I need them…” He turned and quickly ran from the small crowd. Cody reached into his pockets, desperately feeling around for his supplements. He stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widening. He remembered bumping into the guy with the leather jacket at school earlier in the day. “No… I… I must’ve dropped them when I fell. This isn’t good… Shit! H-how could I be so stupid? Why is everything going wrong? The message… Kami and the other guy... They’ve got abilities too… but that explosion… he tried to kill that man… I-I won’t hurt anyone again. I’ve still got time and I’ve got more supplements at home. I can still make it."
Martin Wheeler "Take good care of yourself okay?" That seemed a strange thing to say to a homeless man. Marty blinked at the note in his hand, delighted and a little astonished. Generosity like that was hard to come by. The moment of marvel passed and the note disappeared into a dirty pocket. "Too kind, too kind," Marty said, smiling wide. That's what she expected, no doubt. He turned to move on, but the young woman stayed and kept talking to him. Unusual. He tried to listen, but was fidgeting before too long. It had been a while since anyone actually stopped to have a real conversation with him. To be honest it was a little unnerving. Finally his chatty new friend said goodbye and went on her way. She had seemed genuinely friendly in her talking and definitely generous with her money. It was shame she wouldn't be able to enjoy the memory of either very long. "No use crying," Marty said with a shrug continued on his own way, wherever that was. He still hadn't decided on a destination. The distant wail of a siren caught his attention. A firetruck by the sound of it, hurrying off to some emergency. Marty wasn't feeling particularly curious after the incident with the dog, but it seemed as good a direction as any at the moment. With a shrug he turned towards the sound and headed off. He turned a corner to find a small crowd of people gathered together down the street. They all seemed to be fussy over something he couldn't see. He stopped and watched them mill about. Then a tall, teenage boy pushed his way out of the crowd and made a run for it, though he didn't get too far. He came to a stop a few yards away and started frantically searching in his pockets. He looked rather distressed about something. Marty tilted his head to one side, trying to determine the problem. A thought came to him, or rather a memory. He had been a teenager once and remembered always being hungry around that age. He would eat up everything in sight and be looking for more. Of course, that had to be the young man's problem. Marty reached into his cart and pulled out a cream-filled snack cake in a plastic wrapper. He had plenty more for now, and besides, his encounter with the young woman left him feeling generous himself. He wheeled the cart closer to the boy. As he did he heard a metallic rattling sound coming from his cart as if some his treasures were shifting about on their own. That was strange, but he'd seen much stranger. He held the snack cake out. "On the house," he said, smirking at his own joke.
Cheyenne Fear "Go," The woman now guarding Cheyenne said, "We'll be right behind you. Don't do nothin' funny." The man's brow furrowed, and he pointed a finger, "You-" He was immediately cut off by a ringing in his pockets. Hissing in exasperation, he pulled a small phone from his pocket, glaring at the pair as he flipped it open. "What?" His gaze darkened, as he stood perfectly still, not taking his eyes off the two of them for a second. Maybe they should run? Cheyenne took a step back, and the man's eyes snapped to glare directly at her. She stopped in her tracks, unnerved by the man's stare. "Fine, send someone to check on Gary." The man hung up the phone, then turned to look at the old trailer in the distance. The van had disappeared. He then approached the two women, ignoring any protests, "Well, I've been called elsewhere; seems the men in grey are on the prowl," His eyes turned to stare at the tattooed woman, and he cocked his head, "We could use someone like you, Ivanna. I know what you're capable of, you're welcome to join me right now if you wish." The man scratched his nose, then folded his arms waiting for an answer. "My name's-" He added as an afterthought, glared around the area to make sure no one else was listening, "Dirk." The man named Dirk turned to face Cheyenne, "We found your file, I could have sworn Gary hadn't had children," He shook his head, "You're damn lucky they don't know who you are. I suggest you keep it that way; go back to your parents." Cheyenne shook her head. The thought of the cage... And "we"? "they"? What was he talking about? Dirk peered at his watch, then back to the tattooed woman. "Out of time." He said. He began retreating into one of the alleys. Cheyenne stared at the man as he left. He was casting two shadows. *Hello?* She typed timidly, the words loud and un-frightened blaring to the tattooed woman. She wanted to know if her parents were okay, but didn't want to go into the trailer alone, *Will you come with me?*
Avery Funkhouser "First, things first. I'm Rebecca. And I have abilities too." The waitress said after sliding into the opposite booth seat. She watched as Rebecca quickly pulled down one of her gloves, revealing her wrist. Avery gasped, seeing it cast off an eerie blue glow, like she had no blood circulation. Her veins had the same blue hue, though not quite as bright. She wondered what the ability was used for, and how it effected her. If someone touched her what would happen? Avery's scientific brain churned out question after question. Could she emit light beams, throw out a force field, hypnotize people? Did she have a positive or negative charge? Neutral? What about pain; did she feel any? Avery snapped back to reality, when Rebecca pulled her glove back around her wrist, and looked around cautiously. There was just one word to describe all of this. "Wow," Avery said in amazement. She'd have to save all of her questions for later. She expected Rebecca probably wanted to know more about her. "Well, Rebecca, I'm Avery, and I guess you sorta already saw some of my ability. Curse is more like it," Avery paused to take a sip of her third juice, "I don't try to use it, but today I can barely stop. My body's kinetic energy gets so high, that I generate too much heat. I get that way several times a year, but I haven't figured out why. The only way I don't burn everything in sight, is by drinking fluids or sleeping. At least I'm not coughing up fireballs like last time. Yeah, that was an experience." Avery pushed back her colorful hoodie sleeve, revealing the deadly white burn scars winding their way up the rest of her covered arm. She'd never showed anyone them before, and felt as if small weight had been lifted from her. Finally there was someone to relate to, someone to sympathize with. Avery pulled her sleeve down again to cover up the past, and adjusted her sunglasses. "It will probably wear off soon, I hope. So, how did you find out your 'curse'?" Avery laughed, smiling for the first time that day.
Adelaide Reynolds Stepping outside, Adelaide inhaled some of the crisp afternoon air into her lungs. What had happened in the designing room was.. strange to say the least. Adelaide's head swarmed with questions. Who? Why? How? She didn't know and would've rather cared not to. She was going to go to Mac's, get something to eat and forget about the whole situation. Wrapping a brightly colored scarf around her dreadlocks, which were piled on top of her head, she walked down the pathway and descended down the flight of steps leading to the gate. Adelaide opened the gate and preceded down the street, taking it in her stride to forget about the incident. She hummed a tune and played around with a stray dread-lock hanging across her face. She had crossed the street and was walking towards Mac's when she could hear something. Something loud and wailing. Sirens..? Are those fire sirens? Adelaide wondered turning towards a large crowd of people. The crowd had strange expressions, some of them as white as ghosts. Curious, Adelaide approached the crowd slowly, and looked up towards the skyline. Smoke.. it must be a fire. But where could the fire be... A loud voice snapped her out of her thoughts. A fire, in the school! Some sort of chemical leak I'd say. The.. the school? Chemical leak? Strange.. hopefully it isn't anything to do with the strange going-ons.. Adelaide tucked the dread-lock underneath the head-scarf and decided to drown her sorrows in a coke. Turning towards Mac's she walked vigorously out of the crowd.. and right into the arms of a stranger coming out of the doorway. Adelaide's headscarf undone itself and curled around her shoulders in some sort of weird, protective way. She looked up at the broad man with a slight smile.. though it soon faded. The man was wearing a grey suit much like the chubbier man at the fabric store. Strange coincidence. she muttered under her breath. "Excuse my manners young lady, I didn't see you there." the man's bright and cheerful smile was quite adorable. Adelaide could feel her cheeks flare. "It's fine. It was my fault for not looking where I was going." Adelaide replied, playing with the buttons of her cardigan. "I'll see you around." the man hushed and disappeared into the crowd of strangers behind her. S-see you around? Does he know me? Adelaide wondered. She dismissed these thoughts and pushed open the doors. She went up to the counter, "One coke, please." she said. "Wah? Oh, okay." the cashier mumbled, his freckled face and red hair was a sure fire way to know he hadn't been doing this for years, that's for sure. Adelaide gave a weak smile, and turned to look for somewhere to sit. Filled up, as per usual. Whenever I look in here, it's always so packed. she thought to herself. She spotted a free seat within a booth in the corner. The boy had already poured out her drink. She flicked the money onto the counter, grabbed the drink between her fingers and approached the two girls. "Mind if I sit here?" Adelaide asked. The girl gave her a distant look and nodded. Adelaide sat down, placed the drink on a coaster and gave a grin to the girl sitting opposite them. Adelaide hadn't even noticed the scarf was still laying across her shoulders. She couldn't even see that the fabric was seeping color into her floral print. It went from a reddish-orange to a bright yellow and white flowered print. The two girls sitting in the same booth looked at Adelaide with a weird expression. She just sat there sipping her drink.
Ivanna Testarossa The man suddenly became angry again and pointed a finger at Ivanna. He was about to say something, but was cut short by the ringing of his phone. Lucky for you, Ivanna thought. Pointing was rude. Do that again and I’ll break that finger off and shove it up your- "What?" the man barked into his phone. Was he always this high-strung? "Fine, send someone to check on Gary." He remained silent while the person on the other end kept talking. Ivan couldn’t make out what was being said. When he finally hung up, he looked up the street, toward where the van had been. It was gone again. Ivan’s eyes narrowed on the man. Something fishy was going on here. I thought I said no funny stuff, she thought. "Well, I've been called elsewhere; seems the men in grey are on the prowl," the man said. “We could use someone like you, Ivanna.” “Don’t talk to me like you know me,” she interrupted. “I know what you're capable of, you're welcome to join me right now if you wish." the man said and folded his arms to await an answer. ”I’m not your attack dog,” Ivanna fired back, folding her arms as well. “You think you can just sic me on them, like some kind of mutt?” If there were gray suits out there, she would hunt them down… but not with this loser. She didn’t like him. "My name's…" he glanced around, to ensure no one was watching, "Dirk." Ivan emitted a small grunt. She didn’t care about his name, and she doubted anyone else did either. "We found your file, I could have sworn Gary hadn't had children," Dirk said to the girl. "You're damn lucky they don't know who you are. I suggest you keep it that way; go back to your parents." The girl shook her head. She was still frightened. As much as Ivan disliked the man, he seemed to have a point. If there were gray suits about and this girl was… special… the safest place for her was with her parents, in that armored van. The armored van which can ‘disappear,’ Ivan added. Probably the safest place in town right now. "Out of time," the man said after peering at his watch and headed into one of the alleys. Twin shadows trailed at his feet. Both women watched him until he was gone, leaving them alone again. ”Hello?” the girl typed out on her tablet. “Will you come with me?” “I… umm…” Ivanna looked to where the man had gone, then toward the empty spot where the van had been… or still was, if it was invisible. She indecisively ran a hand through her hair. That was strange, she usually ran off to fight without thinking twice. Eventually she knelt, putting herself at eye level with the girl. “Okay, look,” she said, placing one hand behind her back. “I really gotta go take care of this, for both of our sake. That man’s a ---,” she said something in Russian, and it didn’t sound like a compliment, “but he’s probably right. You’re safer with your parents. Her hand came from behind her back with a crystal rose. The amount of detail she had put into it was staggering. Every little petal and thorn was perfect, as if it had been sculpted by a master artisan. “I’ll be back to check on you, okay,” she said as she gently tucked the diamond flower into the pouch on the girl’s hoodie. It was a tender moment, very sweet… until she punched the girl in the arm. “Stay strong! Don’t be anybody’s bitch, until I get back, okay.” She stood and slowly backed away with a smile. “’Bye,” she said in her native tongue before heading into the alley after the man. It seemed a cruel thing to do, giving her that flower. It was going to vanish the moment Ivanna was out of range. But she didn’t care. Girls don’t need silly things like flowers…
Alexander Butler Alexander scoffed as the girl ran off in a different direction. Destroyed her school? He might have just saved their lives. That grey-suited man tried to break down a door in a public area, most likely filled with video cameras. He was looking for more than money. Besides, weren’t science laboratories like those designed to resist accidental fires? “People are just so expressive,” he muttered to himself. He never understood how emotions could get in the way of someone’s logic. If that happened to him, it would drive him crazy. So the girl was gone. It wouldn’t do any good to follow her; she would probably report him to the local authorities. But the boy was still out there somewhere. If he knew anything about Alexander’s abilities, he had to find him. Alexander made his way around the road, so it looked like he wasn’t coming from the school’s direction. Just as he crossed, a fire engine whizzed by with its sirens blaring. He noticed that a group of people had already seen the smoke coming from the school, and had gathered a small crowd near the edge of the school yard. Alexander plastered a false worried expression on his face as he approached a man standing at the side. The man seemed to be filming the school with a hand-held camera. “Excuse me, sir, do you know what happened?” asked Alexander. The man turned to look at him. “I don’t know. Are you from that school? Jesus Christ, thank goodness school had ended,” he said. “I don’t attend the school myself, but my friend does. He told me to meet me here. Did you happen to see him? He’s tall, with a dark hooded sweater. He’s in Year twelve,” replied Alexander. The man shrugged, “I’m not too sure. I think there was a kid that came running from the school. He didn’t stop, just barged right through. I think he went that way,” said the man, pointing down the street. Alexander thanked him quickly and set off, hoping the information was sound.
Joe Williams Beep! Joe was jalted from his sleep as the alarm went off. He sat up groggily as he check the time. "Urgh, I better get to work." Joe muttered getting out of bed. Fifteen minutes later he was sitting in front of the TV with a few bagels and a map of coventry spread infront of him. He had marked the houses already hit the month with red, those he was going to hit were in blue, and tonight target was marked with a gold star. He'd passed the house a few times to check it out. It had a walkway leading up to the house but everything else was obscured by large hedges. He was going to have to do this one blind, not that it mattered. The cat stood on the wall outside the manor. It stood still as if unaffected by the wind. Silently it leapt to the ground and started heading towards the house. In a few minutes it stood looking up at a set or large oak doors. They didn't stop him, he slowly slid through the gap underneath until he was inside the entrance hall. It was a large spacious room with a staircase to one side. Through a hallway opposite he could smell food cooking. Moving quickly he headed up the stairs and towards where he expected the bedrooms to be. He skipped the first room he found, doubting anything valuable would be kept in a bathroom. The second room loocked a bit more promising. It looked like a boys room, probably in his teens. The cats form flickered, elongating and stretching up. Soon Joe stood in the room. He wasted no time searching through the rooms contents. It was a disappointing search. All he had found was a bunch of iron pills and a large piece of metal under the bed. He dropped the metal onto the bed before creeping back out into the hallway and towards the room at the end. This one looked like an adults room. A kingsize bed sat opposite the door freshly made, pillows pilled on top. Joe smiled as he headed towards the dresser and began his search. Jackpot! He though happily to himself.
