Baley "No," Ina croaked, her bottled emotions leaking through the cracks in her demeanor. She took another sip of water, "I-I don't want to go. I can't go home though! W-what if they follow me there? I don't know what to do, Baley!" Baley's brow creased as she watched Ina crumble under her own doubts. She knew exactly how Ina felt; she too could easily fall beneath the weight of the worries and fear. She'd never thought about the enemy following...what if her family was in danger too? What if her life as she knew it was over, gone forever? Baley swallowed down a hard lump, but for Ina's sake she'd have to put those thoughts aside. In an act of friendship, Baley laid a gloved hand on Ina's trembling shoulder. She couldn't remember the last time she'd touched someone intentionally. "It'll be alright, Ina," she said, looking into her eyes. "You got us...well, at least ya got me. I get where your comin' from, we can get through this together." Baley groaned inwardly at the sappy crap she was pulling, but she continued. "Maybe you're right that goin' home isn't the best idea...but where else can we go? Surely, we can't stay here with these folks. And I got other responsibilities; I can't just up and leave Grygla!" She took her hand off Ina's shoulder to rake her fingers through her hair. "I mean, what the heck do those men expect us to do? To give up our lives for an unknown enemy? They're askin' too much, too soon. It's all too soon!" Baley sighed, shaking her bangs back into her eyes.
Liriope Liriope coudln't help but overhear Ina's fretful cries and Baley's doubts. He nibbled one last piece of lettuce from the counter and went over to them. Man, these guys are really cramping my style, he thought mournfully. He was thinking of the days when he only thought about himself and would never leave a sexy guy like Gabe to console some silly emotional chicks. But these two weren't just chicks, they were fellow Exceptionals. More than that, they were his friends. "Don't fret, Ina", Liriope said comfortingly, but sternly. "You either, Baley. We have each other. Just look around you--Ina, do you really think any of us would let a little waif like you get hurt? All our powers together could probably take down the US government!" He stopped to crack a crooked smile and pat Ina's narrow shoulder. "We got your back, little chickadee, you're absolutely safe with us. And I've told you before, I'm not so sure your living situation is all perfect, so I think it'd be best if you stayed with us anyway. Leave to me to handle your caretaker when all is said and done, I have a feeling we'll have a real heart to heart. In the meantime, make sur eyou get some food in you, alright?" Then he turned to Baley. "Now, you're a bit older, so I won't coddle you, Baley. You know it wouldn't be safe to go home. You also know that you can't ignore whats been happening to your fellow Exceptionals all around the world. You're a smart and passionate girl, you know what it means if the enemy is building an army of bioengineered Exceptionals, it could mean Armageddon. Your parents will just have to understand that you have things to take care of. People to take care of." He slid a meaningful glance at Ina. "So, what do you say, ladies? Still going home, or what?"
Ben and Camille: Elephant "So...Ina, about this talk of city hoppin'. I take it that ya don't wanna go either? What are your thoughts about...all this?" Baley asked, a hint of concern in her voice. "I'd kinda like to know." Camille shoved Ben's phone back into the pocket of the borrowed jacket. "Dad said he and Mom will take Radish for a while. They're on their way to get him right now." Ben looked at her sharply. "Did they recognize the number?" "No. Dad seemed surprised to hear from me." "What did you tell them?" He asked, pulling her close. "Just that an emergency had come up and I would be out of town for a bit." She replied, her voice weighted. Her dark blue eyes were suddenly full of hurt. "What?" Ben pressed softly, catching her face between his hands. "The tone of his voice," She said, "it was like he knew why I was leaving. It's my freshman year all over again. He's pissed." He kept his eyes locked with hers. "He wasn't the only one who was pissed off when you lit out for England, Camille Perrie." He said, his tone hushed but harsh. Ben knew he was being a selfish bastard. He should be trying to ease the fears of the younger group members, but Liriope seemed to have picked up that job. The guy was an odd duck, but he had a heart, despite the lazy attitude. So Ben left him to it and seized his chance. His gaze never left Camille's. "You left without a word to anyone, Cam." "You knew I would be going." She remonstrated. "You were the first one I told when that application came through that Christmas." She dropped her eyes, studying her bare toes. "I'm not letting you out of this, Camille." Ben said gently, as he plucked her up. "We're taking this outside."
Gabreil Reeve "Don't fret, Ina", Liriope said comfortingly, but sternly. "You either, Baley. We have each other. Just look around you--Ina, do you really think any of us would let a little waif like you get hurt? All our powers together could probably take down the US government!" "You might want to think a little smaller than that Lir, but yeah we could take down a lot of threats if we worked together." Gabe corrected him, "Hmmm . . . I've been in hiding a lot -so my apartment might be a good spot to stay if this end up extending more more than one day. I guess i know why i payed for two extra bedrooms now." Gabe smiled, embarassed as he rubbed at the back of his head. "Ina, how about you call your parents on my cell? If they try to get to the police they'll find out my number isn't in the grid, so they can't track me. I used to be a real nerd in college -but it comes in handy sometimes."
Camille and Ben: The Lighter Camille flinched back as they passed the doorway to the living room. For the first time, she got a clear view of the mysterious She. Doctor Albrite didn't seem to have a problem with the entity, but it was still a little too much for her. Ben's hold tightened on her, as he reined in his own fear and uncertainty. His years in the Marines, had him steeling his spine and seeming indifference written across his face. He had dealt with death, he could deal with this. But unlike the last time, he wasn't running to escape a torrent of emotions. He was marching into the heart of the fray, ready to fight for his cause. He reached for the front door and pulled it open. Moonlight flooded in, banishing the shadows. Teddy had been right about that much, at least. It was a prefect night. Even in the muted, silvery light Camille's hair was as vibrant as a living flame. Several long strides brought them back to the parked Jetta. Ben set Camille down on the hood of the car, before turning back to face the house. He parked a booted foot on the bumper and folded his arms across his chest. "The elephant?" Camille asked with a feeble attempt at a smile. "The elephant." Ben agreed as he settled next to her. "You never said goodbye, Cam. You just left. There one day and gone the next." "I had my reasons, Ben." She said gently. "Yeah! Reasons you didn't see fit to share with anyone!" He snapped. Restlessly he plowed a hand through his hair. "Christ, Cam...You were sixteen years old. What was so damned earth shattering that you couldn't come talk to me about it? You never kept secrets from me before." She looked up at him, her eyes spitting fire. "I was dealing with a demon that made me a hazard to everyone around me. I needed help and I knew I wouldn't find it here." "Help with your water abilities?" He pressed, convinced he was missing a vital piece of the puzzle. "Those aren't so bad." Camille looked away, nervously pleating her skirt into neat folds. "There is more to it than that. My water abilities, I've always had. The manifestations intensified as I grew, but there is another side to my skill set. It is something that didn't appear until I was fifteen, and even then it was terrifying. I didn't have any control over it." Ben waited, hoping she would trust him. A deep silver light flickered in his eyes. Camille blinked, wondering if it was a play of the light. Guilt swamped her, as it had the day she bolted. She just packed up and left, leaving too many loose ends. Ben had been her biggest regret. And now fickle fate had given her a second chance to set the record straight. For eight years they had danced around the issue. Neither of them was quite so young and utterly foolish anymore. Life had stepped in with some harsh lessons. He had shipped out to Afghanistan and she had gone to England. The passage of years had left an indelible mark, but it hadn't broken the bonds they shared. There was no one she trusted more than Ben. He seemed to know her almost better than she knew herself. It was time. Reaching into the pocket of her sundress, Camille pulled out a small silver object and handed it to Ben. "A lighter?" He observed, confusion creasing his brow. "It belonged to my Grandfather McKay." She said. "I thought your mom said he died before you were born." Ben replied, still completely at sea. "What does a lighter have to do with any of this?" "Mom lied. Gram, too." Camille explained, her voice void of emotion. "My grandfather is alive and living in England. He left so they wouldn't get hurt. They lied to protect him."
Baley: Mental Breakdown Baley glared at Liriope as he listed off reasons why she should go along with the crowd, be a hero. Well, what if she didn't want to be one? "Liriope, I get that folks are in danger and I get that I obviously can't go home..." Baley's voice shifted into a hollow tone once again. "But, what I don't get is ya'lls thinkin' process. Yeah, we got facts, but how do we know it's the truth? What if that lightning jokester is right? What if we're bein' played? What if this is all a set-up to analyze us? Are ya'll just gonna waltz into a blind deal, not carin' about the consequences? Just because you wanna be heroes?" Leaving her spot by Ina, Baley paced around the kitchen. "I'm sure ya'll can put your lives on hold for a 'worthy' cause, but not me. I have stuff I gotta do; family depending on me. They probably think I ran away! And now I can't go home because of all this." Baley outstretched her arms for emphasis. "And I'm not even suitable for the problem. Sure, I could kill people but it's just...it's not right. Nothin' is goin' right around here." Baley spun on her heel to face Liriope. She could feel her anger rising with every word. Hot tears stung at her eyes, but no way was she going to cry in front of these folks. "Anyway, ya'll go save the world, I'm not stoppin' ya..." Baley bumped against Gabe's shoulder as she bolted out of the room, heading down the hallway. Her life was spiraling into a chaotic mess. It's like the tornado all over again, Baley thought as she slammed the bathroom door behind her.
Camille and Ben: Adage "Mom lied. Gram, too." Camille explained, her voice void of emotion. "My grandfather is alive and living in England. He left so they wouldn't get hurt. They lied to protect him." Ben held up a placating hand. "Wait, Cami. You're getting ahead of yourself here. Protect him from what?" The hair on the back of his neck was on end. Damned history adage. Camille shrugged. "I don't think even Gram knew who or what was after Da, but someone was. The fire that claimed Da was no accident. It was a smokescreen, if you'll pardon the pun. He faked his own death." Realization dawned in Ben's eyes. "He was an Exceptional, too." Camille nodded, tears springing to her eyes. "He's the one who arranged for my trip to England. I left because my talent was becoming a major threat to those I love." He flipped the lighter open and clicked it. A flickering tongue of orange danced to life. Camille reached out a slender hand, plucking the flame free of the lighter. Cupping her hands together, she let the flame spread, stretching and weaving. Ben stared transfixed. "Holy shit." Carefully he cupped Camille's small hands in his. The flame flared higher, nearly doubting its size. Ben's eyes shone silver in the uneven light. Camille released a watery giggle. "That's what I said the first time, too." "You're a dual weaver. Fire and Water, both?" He asked, more than a little awed. She nodded as she snuffed the little flame. "The fire I got from Da's family, the water from Gram's side. Can you understand why I left, now? I was a dumb kid, sixteen and scared shitless."
Sheena didn't say anything when the food was brought, but sure enough her plate was empty in a matter of moments. Having eaten she waltzes around the complex keeping with her own thoughts when she over heard the Camille's story. "A danger to those you love? ahh, but you still have people who love you. Still, she is more like me than I realized." Sheena mumbled to herself.
Liriope Lirope's face contorted with confusion as Baley fled. Somehow he had upset her. "I was only trying to help...", he murmured, his eyes filling with tears. He was hurt that he had cause Baley distress. He wiped away his tears roughly and tried to compose himself. "And nobody asked her to kill nobody, how many times do I have to tell her she could just use her power to help protect herself. I mean, not to be a butt hole, but she needs to see the facts. Going home could be a death sentence for her family...she just needs to face reality." He could compose himself anymore. His shoulders were shaking and his throat was clogged. "I have to go", he choked out before dashing out like Baley had. He ran down the hall into an empty parlor and stopped, panting uncontrollably, and stared out a window into the black night. A fat tear rolled down his cheek. "Oh, honey....don't cry, my dearie!" Fuschia sparkles rained around him, whirling into a mini-cyclone. He coudl smell the cloying scent of lavender perfume, Aunt Nixes' signature smell. "I want to be alone, if you don't mind", he said a little more roughly than he intended. He coudln't explain it in words, but he somehow felt Aunt Nixes nod in an understanding way and the sparkles faded into nothing. He was alone for the second time, the first time being when his band abandoned him. Completely alone.
Gabreil Reeve Gabe slipped out after Liriope, knowing Baley was okay inside the bathroom near the others, but Liriope had gone away -where they couldn't help him if he ran into trouble. Personal experience told Gabe that nothing good would come of being exposed to an enemie's attack. "Liriope!" Gabe called, his eyes scanning the darkness. "Lir -where are-" he stopped and his eyes widened as he caught sight of a tiny red dot on the other man's shoulder. "Get Down!" he shouted and tackled Lir as something shattered the window. Pain blasted through his right shoulder when they hit the floor, and Gabriel saw stars for a moment. Not caring even as he felt something hot and sticky drip down his arm, he pulled Lir into a corner away from the window. "You really don't know what can . . . happen . . ." Gabe shook his head as his vision started to swim. Blinking, he looked down at his hands as crimson dripped between his fingers and to the floor. "Crap . . ."
Camille and Ben: Silence is Golden She nodded as she snuffed the little flame. "The fire I got from Da's family, the water from Gram's side. Can you understand why I left, now? I was a dumb kid, sixteen and scared shitless." Ben pulled Camille around until she faced him, and kissed her nose. "So you do know what fear is. I was really beginning to wonder about that." He said with a chuckle. Camille pulled back, her expression mutinous. Ben went with instinct and silenced her the best way he knew how. He kissed her. Eight years of pent up emotions came pouring out, as he pulled her close. She leaned into his warmth, her fury forgotten. Tentatively, Camille's hands crept up his neck to tangle in his thick hair. She kissed him right back, and for a moment, everything in her world was just about perfect. The shattering of glass and a sudden shout splintered the spell. Reality returned with a horrendous thump. Ben yanked Camille off the hood of the car. They hit the ground with muffled thump, Ben's lean bulk shielding Camille's small form. "What the hell was that?" He growled. "Your guess is as good as mine." She hissed back.
Baley: Destructive With a flick of her wrist, Baley locked the door and slumped to the hard floor. Tears trailed down her cheeks as her small body shook under the pressure of the day. How did she get caught up in this? Why did she have to be an 'Exceptional'? She hated the word. Her power wasn't ‘exceptional’; it was irritating, inconvenient, annoying, and painful. Baley raised her head to scowl at her leather gloves. Anger pulsed with every heartbeat; the anger that she never gave into. Gritting her teeth, Baley rose to her feet, eyes shifting around the vintage bathroom. Her frustration had reached its limit. None too carefully, she threw open the drawers of the sink, pulling out random objects. Intense hatred clouded her perception as she shook off her gloves. With a struggled breath, she had her first temper tantrum in years. Dust and dirt flew every which way as she dug her nails into the bar of soap, the washcloth by the sink, the plunger, the shower curtains, anything loose that she could get her hands on; she destroyed. Baley felt a surge of power leave her body, but not a second later a shot of pain sent her a reminder of the consequences. She looked down to see her hands covered in dark bruises, the flesh beneath barely visible. “Darn it all!” Baley muttered as she kicked the toilet. “Now, I gotta real mess…” Biting back the pain, Baley brought herself low to the floor to slip on her gloves. She frowned as she surveyed the damage. Disintegrated particles floated lazily through the air. Dirt was littered on the floor. The bathroom looked like a pack of wet dogs had stormed through. Baley rolled her eyes at her stupidity. And she knew there was only one thing she could do to fix this. Clean…
Ben and Camille: Shadows Slowly Ben rose to a crouch, pulling Camille with him. The shadows were deepening as the moon rose higher into the sky. They were on the driver's side of the Jetta, closer to the back door than the front. Even in the broken light, Ben was able to tell that it was a front window that had been shattered. Hopefully they hadn't been seen by whoever broke it. He motioned for the back door. Camille clung to the shadows, keeping low. Her sandals were silent on the grass as she sprinted for the house, Ben on her heels. Sheena was no longer on the porch as she bolted passed and into the warmth of the nearly deserted kitchen. Ben doused the lights as soon as he made it through the door, tucking Camille back into a blind spot, away from the windows. "Everybody all right?" He called out. Glancing over at Camille, his face was bleak. "Like it or not, we're all in this for the long haul."
Liriope "Help, heeelp! SOMEBODY HELP ME SAVE HIM!", Liriope hollered at the top of his lungs. He leaned over Gabe, his eyes wide with shock and his hands shaking with fear, fear that Gabe was going to die. But then he heard the telltale jingle that his Aunt was near. Sure enough, when he looked up he could see the pink-purple sparkles landing through the ceiling and transforming into the form of a little old lady. "Don't get your knickers in a bunch", Nixes grumbled as she leaned over Gabe. She muttered under her breath as she waved her hands over his wound. A bright pink light shined from her palm over his bleeding spot. "I'm doing my best", Nixes said, gritting her teeth. "This is going to take a lot of my energy. Now Liriope, what did I tell you us Vangeorge's are good at, huh?" Liriope suddenly stopped shaking and became as still as anything. "Vangeorge's get even", Liriope stated in a strong voice. He stood and walked over the window as calm as a storm before it breaks. When he reached the shattered glass pane, he stretched out his long, elegant hands and shouted, "Take this, bastards!", his colorful eyes turning deep-sea blue. There was a thunderous roar as a ruby purple shield blasted from his body, takign down most of the wall and surging out into the night. As the shield moved it grew in size till it was as wide as the sid eof the house and as high as a watertower. If anything was out there, it would definitely get pummeled.
Gabriel Reeve "Huh -what -who-" Gabe stammered and skittered back against the wall as a bunch of sparkles turned into a lady. Dizziness washed over him and he slid to the floor though, and his head lolled back, eyes shut tight, "Okay -this dose is higher than the last time. Hallucinations within thirty seconds?" he rasped, trying to sit up but falling back to the floor again with a grunt. "Leave it to them to find another guy who can condense tranquilizers . . ." Gabe shot up as soon as he heard the wall being torn out and his eyes widened as he saw Liriope send a massive shield over towards where the sniper had fired from. There was a confused shout, and he glimsped a shadow leaping off of the building before a chunk of the roof was taken out and the shield vanished. Then colors started poppping up in random places in his vision and Gabe laid back on the floor as the bullet took its effect, Bullet lodged in bone . . . tendon okay . . . artery unsure . . ." he muttered, remembering extremes that needed to remain whole should you be injured from his anatomy classes.
Camille: Facets "Help, heeelp! SOMEBODY HELP ME SAVE HIM!", Liriope hollered at the top of his lungs. Camille broke free of Ben's shielding hold and sprinted across the hall. She dropped down next to the apparitioned form of Nixes. This was either real or a very, very screwed up mass hallucination. "I'm doing my best", Nixes said, gritting her teeth. "Let me give you a hand." She said. "I can stem the nicked artery, if you can take care of the tissue damage. Fifty-fifty split." Ben came up with the first aid kit. "You might still have need of this." Knowing it wouldn't be a huge help, but still better than nothing, he pulled out his Glock and took position behind a crumbling portion of the outside wall. He might not be an Exceptional, but he was a damned good shot. "Liriope." Ben called, "See if you guys can at least get him moved into the hall. Go."
Liriope Liriope gave Ben a blank look. It was as if he wasn't there. His eyes were so pale blue, he looked blind. A single white curl of hair fell in front of his eyes where his hair had once been dark. His ashy pale lips were cracked and bleeding, but he didn't lick them. "I...I have to see if I killed him", Liriope said. His voice was shaky, but determined. He stumbled toward the broken wall like a rag doll and stepped out into the chilly night air. A good, strong breeze would probably topple him over. "Where are you? How dare you shoot at him! WHERE ARE YOU?!?!" Liriope spun in circles, letting off random spurts of shields that sailed into the shadows, flattening grass into a green smear and knocking over tree saplings. "Come out and face me!" He didn't sound like himself at all, every word was a harsh croak and he flung out his arms like they were devoid of bones. Aunt Nixes did not notice, she was too busy lost in her murmurings. "There, I've done my part", Nixes said, sitting back on her ghost bottom. Her form was fizzing at the dges and she was shooting off pink sparkles, as if she was too tired to keep her shape together. "It's mostly healed, but Gabe still needs rest and healthy food. And...uh...where's my boy, Liriope?" She gazed around through her horned glasses, confused.
Ben and Camille: Questions "It's mostly healed, but Gabe still needs rest and healthy food. And...uh...where's my boy, Liriope?" She gazed around through her horned glasses, confused. Ben hooked his arms beneath Gabe's shoulders and lugged the dead weight out of the parlor into the relative safety of the hall. Camille followed, as she called over her shoulder to Nixes. "He's in the front yard freaking out. I don't think he can hear us. See if you can get him back in here." Propping Gabe against the wall, Ben scowled. "What the hell happened? How did a sniper find us?" Camille looked up, her eyes dark with fear. "We need to get out of here, the sooner the better." Leaving Gabe leaning against the wall, Ben made his way back to the den area. "There's a problem." He stated flatly. "Someone found us." Camille, meanwhile, had sprinted up the steps. Reaching the bathroom door, she brought the flat of her palm down hard on the wooden panels. "Baley! Come on. We need to get a move on." She yelled down the stairs. "Ina, Shy get away from the windows. We have company."
Gabreil Reeve Gabe managed to sit up, his gaze following after where Liriope went, "Idiot -they never come without backup!" he rasped, then spotted an owl in the tree nearby. Somehow it hadn't been scared off by the wall being torn out. A weak smile crossed his face as he recognized it as the one he had controlled before. "You gonna help me again?" he asked, and the owl hooted, blinking large yellow eyes. Gabe nodded once and looked at Camille, "I'll be right back, so you can do anything you need to that would be painful while I'm gone." then he looked again at the owl, his eyes glowed, and he was flying after Liriope. You'd think he wouldn't react so strongly to just a flesh wound. Wonder what he'd say if he knew that id' been carved out before . . . Gabe shook his head and wheeled around mid-air in front of Lir after he spotted him. Hooting, he batted at the man's face with his wings, aiming to startle him out of the state he was in. He looked as if consumed by rage -Gabe had to get his head straight before he got hurt. Landing on Liriope's shoulder, Gabe buried his head against the crook of the other's neck, making silvery sounds to try and calm him down. Need to get him inside. The first guy commited suicide i think -but that doesn't mean the others aren't still around.
Commander Albrite, reporting for duty There was much fussing, stomping, and slamming of doors. Eva didn’t particularly mind any of that. But when people started shattering windows and shouting for help, she took offense. Gehenna’s horned head perked up. Eva’s gaze hadn’t left She’s hollowed eyes for one moment, but now she looked to her guardian. “Go,” she said to the beast and he immediately melted into the shadows. “It was foolish of me to have him here,” she commented, mostly to herself. “Gehenna should’ve been outside all along. Anyway, we’ll have to do this some other time,” the doctor added as she stood up, drew the pistol from her coat pocket, and thumbed off the safety, just as Officer Hanson stormed in. She gave one last glance to Lawrence, Roland, and thier mistress: “But let’s be clear, I do want my questions answered, sooner than later.” "There's a problem," Ben stated flatly. "Someone found us." “I’ve already got someone working on that,” Eva said as she moved past him and into the hall, where she could hear Camille calling out to everyone in the house. “No one’s going anywhere until we secure the perimeter… and even then, it might be safer to hole up here. Let’s figure out what we’re dealing with first. And for Christ’s sake, tell Perrie to stop calling out our names at the top of her lungs. She is simultaneously giving away our numbers and locations every time she opens her mouth.”
Liriope It took Liriope a moment to realise something was on his shoulder. It took him another moment to realize it was an owl, and that it was cuddling up to him and trying to calm him down. "G...Gabe?", Liriope panted, staring blindly at the owl with filmy white eyes. His skin was deathly pale and he was slick with sweat from head to toe. The white curl of hair that hung over his face stood out starkly against the dark backdrop of the night. "You'r eokay? Thats...uh, that's great." He sounded relieved and scatterbrained at the same time. It was all he could do to remember his own name. "What was I doing out here?", Liriope said vaguely, looking around. "I guess I'll just head inside..." Liriope stumbled back through the crumbled wall that he'd knocked over and asked Gabe, "Who are those people anyway?"
Sheena tapped Eva on the shoulder. She didn't seem bothered by the turn of events in fact she was calm, Very calm. "I can kill the sniper if you can at least figure out his location. The plan is simple Shyla will warp me to his very position, I will take care of the rest." She pulled out two black daggers for emphasis. "Where is he?"
Camille and Ben: Use “I’ve already got someone working on that,” Eva said as she moved past him and into the hall, where she could hear Camille calling out to everyone in the house. “No one’s going anywhere until we secure the perimeter… and even then, it might be safer to hole up here. Let’s figure out what we’re dealing with first. And for Christ’s sake, tell Perrie to stop calling out our names at the top of her lungs. She is simultaneously giving away our numbers and locations every time she opens her mouth.” Ben clenched his jaw in frustration. This woman was a functioning sociopath. Camille had never been in a combat situation before. She was more worried about the safety of those around her. All heart and no sense. Sighing, he stepped over Gabe's legs and took the stairs two at a time. "Hush, Cam." He murmured coming up behind her. She nodded, plopping down on the floor outside the door. "Do you really think they can hear us?" "I don't know, but I don't want to risk it." Ben replied. "Thermal imaging would be seem more likely." Camille grimaced. "I heard Dr. Albrite. She really don't like me, does she?" Ben smothered a laugh. "Don't take it personally. I don't think she likes anyone beyond their capacity to be of use. You have a compassionate heart, a big mouth, and no sense. Not a good combination to have in a hot zone..."
Mr. Sniper, having a bad day The man groaned in pain as he tried to lift himself to his knees. One side of his face was bruised, with an eye swollen half-shut where the purple… something had smacked him silly. The grass around him lay flat as a freshly-paved road. This place was a deathtrap. Thankfully, the guy who did this had turned back before finishing the job. Muttering curses under his breath, he searched the underbrush for his rifle, which had gone flying when the purple steamroller passed through. A glint caught his eye. Reaching through the prickly branches and wincing at the pain shooting up his arm, he parted the leaves, revealing a shattered scope and the mangled remains of his gun. “Son of a bitch…” the man said, admitting defeat. The boss would have his head for this. He began the long task of limping back to where he’d parked his car, somewhere deep in the woods off highway 89. From his pocket, he drew out a cell phone, pondered it for a moment, then decided he wasn’t ready to break the news to his boss. He kept walking, undecided. Behind him, the man’s shadow lengthened, as if something far larger than he were trying to wriggle through, but having little success. Sensing something behind him, the man suddenly wheeled around and shined the phone’s light every which way… but nothing was there. Just moonlight and his own shadow, scattering when the light hit it. He began to walk again, faster this time, and stayed away from the trees and their long eerie shadows, like claws reaching for his feet. This place is giving me the creeps, the man thought, as sweat rolled down his brow. He reached his car, shoved the phone into his pocket, and fumbled for his keys, and shoved them into the lock. He snatched the door open, but the car was immediately torn away from him as something erupted from beneath. Two black claws reached out from the shadows beneath the parked car and swiped at his feet. The man was thrown back as a winged beast crawled out from beneath the car, tipping it up on two wheels. “Holy sh-!” He was cut short as the chimera pounced and everything went black. * * * * * * * "I can kill the sniper if you can at least figure out his location,” Sheena said. “The plan is simple Shyla will warp me to his very position, I will take care of the rest." She pulled out two black daggers for emphasis. "Where is he?" “I think it would be safer for us all to remain inside,” Eva replied. “And Shyla should refrain from using her ability unless absolutely necessary. We all should. I’ll take care of the sniper; just be patient.” Her tone softened near the end. She knew ‘be patient’ isn’t what anyone wanted to hear after being shot at… The doctor moved toward the room where she’d heard the glass shatter, but she stopped when she found Gabe and Liriope in the hall. The former had bloodstains on his clothing, but the latter looked like hell. One glance at the hole in the wall of the parlor gave her a pretty good idea how Lirope had gotten so worn out. Eva merely sighed in disappointment as she knelt by them with the gun in her hands, in case someone out there decided the busted wall would make a perfect entry point. A minute later, there came a loud scratching sound from a dark corner of the room. Eva promptly stood up as Gehenna crawled out of the shadows on the floor. His mane of serpents was coiled around the neck of a man, who appeared to be dead. The horned lion prowled into the middle of the room and dropped his prey at his mistresses feet. Eva stood over the sniper, who she quickly discovered wasn’t dead at all. His eyes were wide with a blank stare, and he was shivering. His face was pale blue, and ice crystals had formed on the tip of his nose and in his hair, as if he were in the early stages of frostbite. The moment Gehenna released him, the man curled up in a ball and rocked back and forth, muttering without words. He was alive, but mentally broken. “Well done,” Eva said, looking to her pet. “But he’s no use to us now. Go find another, if there are more. And don’t drag them through the shadow realm next time.” The beast obediently turned and melted back into the shadows. He loved the hunt; there were some orders she knew he would always obey.
Baley: Consequence No...no...no... Time seemed to stop as Baley watched muddied water gush over the toilet, landing on the white title. Flecks of soil floated to the top as the puddle spread, swallowing up the mess. Not a good idea...really not a good idea... Baley backed up near the tub, eyes wide at what she'd done. Frantic yells and shouts could be heard through the thin walls, but Baley paid no attention. She continued to stand petrified as the water continued, threatening to take over; to drown her in her own rash decision. Until a sudden pounding at the door knocked into her consciousness. "Baley! Come on. We need to get a move on." Camille. Baley swallowed hard as reality set in. This was real. This was happening. Quickly, she rushed through the inch of standing water. When she reached the door, she put an ear to it. "I heard Dr. Albrite. She really don't like me, does she?" "Don't take it personally. I don't think she likes anyone beyond their capacity to be of use. You have a compassionate heart, a big mouth, and no sense. Not a good combination to have in a hot zone..." Camille and Ben. They were right outside. Baley took a glance over her shoulder at the mess before facing the door again. She waited for a few seconds debating on what to do, but she couldn't stay here forever... With a shaking hand, she turned the lock and opened the door a tiny crack. It was just enough to peek though and see Camille a few inches away. Of course, Ben wasn't far behind. "Oh...hey guys. What's goin' on?" Baley said casually.
