Thriller The Reckoning

Matt Andrews
Office in the The White House, Washington D.C.

Matt stared at her for a long moment. This girl was too smart for her own good. She had just asked the big question.

"Actually I met him and we two have something in common. When you met him he asked you to kill him and he asked me to do the same." Matt leaned against his desk. "In your case he needed to die so we believed he was dead. My Sebastian though had no such plan. He had won. The President was dead, his great enemy he had killed himself. He wanted to die because he was scared I believe. Scared of his power." Matt shrugged. "You know why I left him alive? Because he was scared. Because I wanted to have at least one of these Gifted who had a conscience. I left him alive because he was a good man, I believe." Matt nodded. "If he is behind this, we need to know why. We need to talk." Matt folded his arms.

"There is a worse scenario though. What if it is someone like Gamma? She was the woman who had caused the crisis in 2017. She was manipulative, powerful and showed no sign of a conscience. What if we have another one of them gaining this level of power and it is not someone who is reasonable?"

Matt looked at her. "That is why I need TARC. We need our own response force to such a threat. We need someone who can fight them. Because one day there will be someone we need to fight." He waited for a long moment before continuing. "What do you think TARC is? You think I want to harvest the power of these people to help out the CIA? That is preparation at best. TARC is our best chance to win, if we ever go to war with one of the Gifted. This is essential. Because this battle we might face could be one for the fate of humanity. So be ready, Ms. Liang. If this happens, you and your colleagues will probably be our first, last and only line of defense."

With a nod he declared the conversation to be over and turned back to his desk. "My security will see you out discreetly."


He waited until Professor Cale and him were alone and turned to hinsollest ally. "She is right. Isn't she? So what do you think? Please share your thoughts with me." He gave the man the thin lipped smile that showed no humor at all. "As I know you, you have a lot of thoughts on this."

Tag: @HanSolo29, @TheSithGirly

 

IC: Kawin Muthurangu
Getting his foot in the door.

He had to grin slightly at his associates introduction of her badge and the faltered smile of the young woman in front of them. Really she was just a child, and with that thought he once more felt that familiar pang he often did on these visits. He felt old.

"Oh so it is right! The Government is hunting LEGO because you are afraid of what he is doing! Oh my, that is ... terrible! I don't know where he is! If I knew I would never tell you! Am I arrested? I want a lawyer!"

He couldn't hold back a smile as she went off. A young girl all full of bluster, ah to not have to fear that you were about to be murdered in a situation like this. Kids had it so easy these days. When she stepped aside to let them enter anyway he was rather surprised and went about reaching down to unlock his braces knee joints for normal walking again. "I am Anna, by the way." She said to which he merely nodded. "Coffee? Shall I pack a bag? You can sit down in the living room if you want." She sighed then. "Am I talking too much?"

"Yes, but that is perfectly normal. How about we sit down and talk this out. As for LEGO, lets just say in a way I was a part of the end of his US tour. If you knew where he was I would merely want to thank him in person again." Walking forward he leaned heavily on the cane as he shuffle stepped into the house.

"I have some news for you. You get to change your life, how and why are up to you. But as I said, not expanding your mind is not an option. By that one piece of art you my dear have been marked as special, and that comes with opportunity and choices." Looking for where to sit he nodded. "Coffee would be wonderful, eh?" he looked at the agent that was with him trying to subtly motion her to go with the girl to get it while he had a seat. Best to give this to her in a bit of manageable chunks.

TAG: @RachelTyrell , @SirakRomar , @HanSolo29

 

Laura Changte
House of the Talbott's, D.C.

Laura raised a brow at Kawin suggesting she helped with the coffee, but this was his show. If he believed it made this girl a bit more comfortable, she would help with the coffee. With a sigh she smiled at the girl.

"I will help you, Anna. I am Laura by the way. Please lead the way."

She said and followed her to the kitchen. She stayed behind her. The girl seemed harmless enough, but she had probably powers beyond Laura's and her own comprehension. Anna had just met Kawin and that would have been her "Crossing", as they called it. Her dormant powers were now active. Laura would never be comfortable around her until she knew her a lot better. Kawin and Chaz she had learned to trust. Slowly she was getting there with some of the others. But it was always a struggle. She had heard stories about the Gifted, of course. About the man who had hurt Kawin so badly. About some who could read the future and of course about Lego. The Gifted who seemed so powerful the Government itself feared him. Rumors had it he appeared in the president's office once to have a chat. Other rumors said he could travel through time. The thought even made you go crazy. There was no way of knowing what he might have changed and in what manner her reality might have been adjusted by him. So any of them had to be considered a threat and a potential ally. And the Lego she had heard so much about had lead them right here. Through a graffiti he had sprayed at some house somewhere on the other side of the ocean he had made them come here. Why? Anna could not tell them, Laura understood that. They would have to find out, while trying to explain the girl what she had become without driving her crazy. Quite a mission for a day like this.

"A wonderful house you got here." She began to make small talk to relax the girl as she followed her to the kitchen.

Tag: @HanSolo29, @Mitth_Fisto, @RachelTyrell

ooc: Change posting order with Rachel's approval.

 

IC: Jane
Black Rock Desert, near Empire, Nevada

Her gaze never left the two men walking around her truck. One was quiet and a stern look on his face. The other looked like every other spec ops wannabe, backwards cap, shades and beard. Holding his weapon like he has some training across his bulletproof vest and his sleeveless shirt. A tattoo running down his left arm just completed the look. He might of had some military training but, he wasn't what he was pretending to be.

The wannabe waited for a moment looking to his silent partner. The tension held for just a moment. Did they not discuss who would be talking first? It was a rather poor start.

The wannabe spoke up with a drawl and toothy grin. When he lifted his sunglasses she couldn't miss the pause and the slight change in his smile. When most people heard the name 'Freelancer' and read what was available, they expected a grizzled veteran with stony features and a scar across his cheek. Not her, a shorter, lithe, woman.

"I believe this is the end of the line for you, friend," His countenance didn't change, the same lecherous smile remained as he back away from the driver side door. "Do you mind stepping outta the vehicle? Let me get a nice, good look at ya…"

Her eyes rolled behind her darkened shades. In this male dominated and testosterone fueled field come ons were a fact of life for her. Jane wasn't pretty, didn't look like a model but, she was probably the first woman he'd seen in a long time, at this point even she was something to look at. Didn't mean she had to take it with a smile and a wink. She was a professional she could just let it wash off her but, didn't want to get started with looking like a doormat.

"Sure," She said grabbing her pistol off the center and putting it into her holster. Opening the door she stepped out into the sun. "Just make it quick," she continued looking him dead in the eye. "We've got places to be right?" her voice was cold, unfeeling, unaffected, by the leering stare from the bearded man. If she let the littlest thing get under her skin she'd be constantly fighting, not that she wasn't already. There was a line to ride, not letting them get away with it but, not blowing up at everything.

She readied herself for the pat down putting her arms out to the side but, not turning her back on him.

She would remember this man, remember his actions, there would be consequences.

TAG: @HanSolo29 @Master Vo'Un'Var

 

Maria Liang
White House, Office of Matthew Andrews

She stared at the Vice President of the United States of America and then silently nodded in agreement.

She wondered what he had seen in Antville back then. What threat Sebastian had stopped this day? Whatever it was, it had lead one of the most powerful men of the world to prepare for a war. A war fought not by soldiers, but by people with power over time itself.

"Yes, Sir. We will be ready." She only said, nodded to the Professor and then left. On her way out she realized the look of this man would haunt her for the rest of her days. He was afraid. He was a brave man, but deep down he was afraid. Yet, he was not a man giving in to fear. He prepared for a war he knew was coming and he prepared to defend those who could not defend themselves. She wondered if anybody in the United States knew what kind of man was watching over them.

Maria knew as she passed through the literal corridors of power, that she would help him. If there had ever been a man she wanted to help it was Matthew Andrews.


As the security guard told her to call the director she just nodded and left the building. Getting out her secured phone she dialed her superior's number.

"Yes?" Was all she said when he finally picked up.

Tag: @LordTroepfchen, @HanSolo29

 

Anna Talbott
At home


[combined with Sirak, GM approved]

Kawin's answer was a surprise.

"Yes, but that is perfectly normal. How about we sit down and talk this out. Asfor LEGO, lets just say in a way I was a part of the end of his US tour. If you knew where he was I would merely want to thank him in person again." Walking forward he leaned heavily on the cane as he shuffle stepped into the house. Anna watched him and wondered what had happened to him. "Awesome." She could just reply and tried to keep herself from asking if the knew who the inklusive street artist really was. His identity was a secret and oh how she loved that. But this man had seen him and obviously talked to him in a way.

"I have some news for you. You get to change your life, how and why are up to you. But as I said, not expanding your mind is not an option. By that one piece of art you my dear have been marked as special, and that comes with opportunity and choices." Looking for where to sit he nodded. "Coffee would be wonderful, eh?"

Change her life? That sounded a bit more serious than she had planned her afternoon to be. Yet, she was curious what two Government agents wanted from her. She felt they were absolutely not threatening. The female agent even offered help with the coffee. "The kitchen is over here." Anna declared and lead the way. The Agent followed her and complimented the house.

"Thank you." Anna only replied about the comment on the house and lead the exotic looking woman ... Laura ... to the kitchen, activating the Jura coffee machine there. It began it's warming up cycle.

"Am I in trouble?" Anna could not help, the question burst out of her.

Laura gave her a smile. "Not in the way you might think." The woman answered and Anna was not calmed by that answer. "You did nothing wrong." The woman then added and that gave her some relief. It left her with the question what the hell was going on. Had she met Lego? At a club maybe? God, Saturday? Saturday was a bit fuzzy. She would never forgive herself if she had forgotten him. Taking cubs from the cupboard Anna stayed silent as the machine did it's work. Then she remembered there were people taking sugar into their coffee and milk. She went over to the fridge and checked the milk. It was still good. She put it in a plate and started looking for the sugar.

"You are not FBI." She began to probe the woman. Again a polite and patient smile that gave Anna the feeling the question was stupid.

"No we are not." She simply replied and the Agent called Laura took the cubs. "None for you?" She asked Anna and Anna smiled back and got a can of Red Bull from the fridge. "I go with something stronger."

Again this smile, this time it was a bit amused. Anna stood there for a moment and just looked at her.

"Is it true what he says? About him changing my life?" She asked, taking the sugar, milk and Red Bull.

Laura sighed and nodded to the living room. "You will find out yourself."

Anna realized only now the woman was waiting for her to lead the way. She nodded and began moving back to the living room. Putting the milk and sugar before the man with the stick, she thought for a moment where to sit and then settled for the big chesterfield chair her Das was so proud of. She pushed her legs up, slipping out of her shoes. A habit really. Then she waited for the Agent to sit, which she did not. She put the coffee right in front of her colleague and leaned against the door leading to the front door with her own mug of coffee.

"Okay." Anna said, she did not know what else to say. With a hiss she opened her can of Red Bull forgot to drink. This was all very confusing. What she really meant was, that she was ready. But she would not say that, because it would have been a lie. She had the growing feeling nothing could prepare her for what was coming.

Tag: @SirakRomar, @Mitth_Fisto, @HanSolo29

 

IC: Jason

The elevator door opened with their usual ding, and the doctor, almost passive aggressively, nudged by Jason. From his behavior on the trip, and the constant displeased glances whenever he was in the doctor's presence, it was pretty obvious Bhandari did not like Jason being there. It was a mutual feeling, and Jason was sure Bhandari picked up on it. Jason tended to be very straightforward, and he still didn't know if the doctor admired it or disapproved.

Lost in thought, Jason immediately snapped out of it. Focus, He told himself. He looked op from the carpeted elevator and his jaw dropped. Now, Jason had never gone to a football game, as he wasn't much interested in it; however, if he had gone, he suspected the stadium would be just like what he was seeing. People mobbed against the glass, like some sort of human wave. They were pouring into the forum of the hotel.

The hotel security took a valiant stand at the door, attempting to ward off the horde. Some were reporters, brandishing their microphones and cameras like weapons, and surging forward for the Doctor on a warpath. Others held Greenpeace signs and many other environmental insignia painted or printed on signs. But there efforts were in vain. The mob, spearheaded by representatives from various news corporations, rushed for the doctor and trampled the guards.

The Doctor shrunk into the corner of the elevator. For the first time, he spoke. " I do believe this was a mistake." Jason had to agree. "Stay back, Doctor," He told Bhandari, and he stepped forward. With a meager amount of guards remaining, he his men prepared to grit their teeth and hold the line. He pointed to two of the guards. "Go cover the stairs, make sure no one gets up there. The rest of you, attempt to shut down the lobby. I'll accompany the Doctor."

The lobby was turning into chaos, as furniture was insignificant to the force of protesters. The guards tried their best to hold, but even still, streams of people were headed for the doctor. he could hear yells of, "Doctor! Doctor! What are your thoughts on..." One protester broke through, and was headed for the doctor. Jason gave him a shove, and retreated into the elevator. He pressed to button to floor of the Doctor's room. He looked up. The horde was advancing quickly, and breaking the stout resistance. Jason jammed the close button. Over the commotion, he could hear sirens.

He hoped they would arrive in time.

 

ooc: LordT asked me to post this for him, as he forgot and can't post right now. Written by T. I am just the massenger.

Matt Andrews
Office in the The White House, Washington D.C.

Matt gave the picture a long look. It was creepy. More creepy than LEGO used to be. "A Reckoning, hm?" He looked at Cale. "Yes, you should indeed have informed me the moment this came to your attention."

Matt sighed and leaned back. "But it makes no sense still. If Sebastian Klein wanted to harm us, he would have unlimited possibilities to do so." He took his glasses from his nose and began to clean them. "Except this is not about us. He attacked Mansfield. He might have a reason for that. What are they doing with the power Mulligan gave them? Hard to believe they did not research the Gifted once they knew they were a side-product of their experiments with this time reactors."

Shaking his head he realized how unprepared they were to take this to a global scale. "We need Liang there asap. Tell Paul please to arrange accordingly." Matt put his glasses back on. "Right after our meeting with the President." He took his phone and called the office of the Chief-of-Staff. Good thing about the White House was there was always a secretary. "Hello, I need to see him. It is urgent." Turning in his chair he exhaled. "Tell him it is a matter of national security and the circumstances are special. He will understand."

Tag: @HanSolo29

 

IC: Kawin Muthurangu
Getting off his feet.

Taking a brief look around he had to appreciate the way the living room was laid out. It was all rather nice. A beautiful sheen and vanire that hid one important fact, this girl was alone, practically living alone. Nodding he accepted the coffee and leaned back after adding a drop of cream, "Thanks." he simply stated as he blew on it a few times. Setting his cane by his side he waited as he looked at his coffee for the girl to get comfortable.

She seemed to think for a moment where to sit before getting settled in the big chesterfield chair. A nice choice as she pushed her legs up, slipping out of her shoes. Kids. The fellow agent moved to cover the exit, leaning against the door leading to the front door with her own mug of coffee.

"Okay." Anna said. With a hiss she opened her can of Red Bull but forgot to drink, or perhaps was merely trying to pretend as a good host. She was so young.

"We believe that you are gifted. Not in your instagrammer or fashion sense, which are top shelf I am led to understand. We believe you might be gifted in a different nature. Gifted like Se-. . .Lego and myself are. What we are is. . .well it is rather hard to explain." Raising his cup he took a sip of the burning liquid and then made a moment of jumping slightly, his hands opening wide and letting the cup fall and splash hot coffee all over the place. "Bloody h-hammers!" he shouted at the heat as he just took a moment to look at the mess he had made.

"Hate it when that happens. I'll take care of it." he said with a waving hand for her to stay back as he focused. Taking out a little glass vial he popped it in his mouth after unscrewing the stopper, and let death embrace him. It took merely a few seconds as he focused on the moment before he slumped over.

****
Looking at the cup half raised to his mouth, and still full without ever being spilled he looked at the still seated youth. "Sorry about that. Where was I?"

Tag: @SirakRomar, @RachelTyrell , @HanSolo29

 

Deklan Casey
Skid Row - Los Angeles, California

"Yeah, they've got people working on it all right," Deklan mutters bitterly, his eyes drifting skyward as he squints at the white vapor trails criss-crossing the blue sky, "I'm sure the government is all over that as the next future attempt at population control. Just like all that crap in the sky there. You know those aren't vapor trails from planes, right?"

Deklan has seen enough to know the government is nothing to trust. Where it used to be run of the people, by the people, and for the people, now it is run by a select few who specialize in the art of leading sheep to slaughter. He wishes he didn't know half of the things he knew; perhaps he wouldn't carry that underlying burden of grief he hides behind his cynicism. He is drawn from his thoughts as Bill produces a wad of crinkled green that smells strongly of old cigarettes.

"Bill, I don't want to take your money. I can get food for both of us with this old standby most of the time," he smiles sadly, producing a beat up piece of cardboard that simply states "WILL WORK FOR FOOD" in black marker, "You should save it; build on it. You'll eventually have enough to buy yourself a ticket out of here, I promise."

He hides his anger well. Not at Bill; not at anyone here. No honest citizen should have to live like any of these people do on Skid Row. While it's one of the better homeless communities, it's still squalor; still a slum. Deklan has many times managed to obtain enough food to feed a handful of people in the past just by sweeping out somebody's garage or cleaning restrooms in local gas stations. He would pull double shifts if people would let him just to see that everyone got something. Unfortunately, not everyone trusts a vagrant in grubby old army clothes.

"You know what hurts us?" he says at length, "Those two stupid kids a couple blocks down that act like they're homeless with their beggar signs just freeloading off people. One of these days, man, I just might have to have a chat."

Tag: @HanSolo29

 

IC: Jane
Black Rock Desert, near Empire, Nevada

Jane's skin crawled as his touched her. His pat down was more an assault than a security measure. Her teeth gritted as he continued well past the point he should have. She could feel his grimy fingers all over her, his leering gaze everywhere his hands weren't. It was uncomfortable to say the least, an experience not made better by the blazing sun still beating down on them. He finally stopped and with a huff she took up her duffle bag and shouldered it. She would carry her own load, even in this heat.

As she passed him, the 'Security Officer', she met his gaze with a withering look.

"Buy me dinner next time." Her tone wasn't jovial, or joking it was harsh and biting, letting him know he'd gone too far. She felt like she needed a shower, not just from the sweat darkening her shirt and wetting her hair but, from the slimy man that was pretending to be a soldier.

He pulled back not moving forward the intent was clear. "Oh...Ladies first, how chivalrous." She marched on the two men following behind. The man over her left was still silent just letting his partner do what he wished. Was he new and just not wanting to raise a fuss or did he approve of this kind of treatment? The hair on the back of her neck was standing on end feeling his, the wannabe's, gaze wandering all over her. She could almost read his mind, it was as if he didn't notice the gun on her hip, the knife in the small of her back. Did he think these were just for show? He would find out very quickly, they weren't.

The sun continued to bake her and her 'Escorts' as they marched, a mile maybe two. The rough terrain mixed with the heat made everything even more unbearable. The sickening weight of before they entered what was once a thriving town, now just an empty shell. Empty warehouses, and rusted cars striped of whatever was useful, there was nothing left, save a gas station at the end of a dusty road. All she heard was the sound of their boots against the rocky soil and the slight hum of a generator. Her eyes narrowed looking around her vision sharp for the glint of a sniper's scope, or signs of movement.

There was nothing, and no one, just her and two men walking through a dead town.

It would be peaceful if it wasn't for her company, the letch and the mute. She was almost calm for a moment when a hand course and firm gripped her shoulder guiding her towards the still somewhat intact gas station up ahead. She didn't like were this was going,

"Hold on a sec, we’re making a brief pitstop…" The Letch said to his partner, his tone made her even more ill at ease. "Go around back, will ya? I’ll be there in a sec." Her face only held contempt. "Hold down the fort...I’ll be right back." She knew what was happening, her a weak little woman, behind a building with no one else around. It didn't take a genius to figure it out. She might have let the pat down slide, the dirty looks at her while he walked behind her but, this...what was happening here was too far.

She played along going to the water pump bringing up some water. As his shadow loomed closer she pumped the handle once, nothing came up, a couple more and she heard the rush of water coming. Looking to the side she saw the man loosen his flak vest stalking forward.

"Afraid it'll get in the way big guy." she remarked.

The water started to fall from the spicket, then slowed, like molasses from a jar it almost seemed to hang in the air. Jane moved with all the speed and quickness she could muster. The man was still moving forward an off putting glint in his eyes. His motions were slow, as if someone had just turned the speed of the world to a crawl.

There was an advantage to being alone with someone, she didn't have to hold back.

She stepped behind him her pistol clearing its holster in the same motion. She slammed the barrel of her pistol against the back of his head, keeping it only a hair's breadth away from his skull.

The water hit the trough with a splash, the man breathed again, and Jane was right behind him.

"I don't know if this is how you say hello where you're from or what but, I don't care for it. Look at me again, touch me again, and I won't hesitate to blow that dirty brain out of your head." She tightened her grip ever so slightly, "Understand."

TAG: @HanSolo29 @Master Vo'Un'Var

 

IC: Mira Morton-Kai
Black Star nightclub, Las Vegas, Nevada


Las Vegas.

Sin City. City of Lights. ‘What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas’.

To an outsider it was a fantasy world. The casinos, shows, shopping, eating, drinking, and everything much darker and sordid in between… almost any desire or vice could be satisfied no matter the time of day. It was a place to escape mundane life and a chance to “live it up”, go crazy for a finite amount of time in the country’s most well-known adult playground. Forgoing your morals and behaving not how you regularly would was completely acceptable here of course, because there was always a way out and a responsibility to return to the real world, to go back to normal.

For a young girl with danger in her eyes and not a care in the world, someone like Mira Morton-Kai who had run straight into the arms of the Strip and initially relished its embrace, there was no way out. There would be no escape because for her, the city refused to let her go.

Her prison - partially of her own making - was Black Star, a nightclub that was more for show than anything fancy enough to consistently pull in high-paying clientele. Not truly needing to work due to her husband’s already… healthy income, this was how she was expected to pull her own weight; pouring watered-down drinks for over-served drunks, dealing with handsy frat boy types, and occasionally taking one of the small podiums that outlined the dancefloor and losing herself to the music. It was a job she loathed but tolerated, being the type that would absolutely lose their mind if it wasn’t stimulated in some way on a regular basis. Even when it nearly ran her into the ground and burnt her out, once recovered she would dust herself off and jump right back in.

It was a never-ending cycle, something that felt more like a trap over time than a lifestyle she actually wanted. She survived though. She had to, for Ava Jean, her daughter.

Currently in the throes of one of those ‘cycles’ at the early morning end of a shift, Mira yawned loudly, using the heel of her palm to rub at her heavy eyes. Returning that hand to the dirty rag she had been using to clean, she glanced at the glittery-black smudge upon her tanned skin, to which she was certain indicated her eye makeup now made her look like a wild – possibly rabid - raccoon. Considering the hour, she didn’t care in the least and lazily wiped the smear on the side of her dress, the dark stain mixing with various others that dotted the hot-pink spandex; a result of an exhaustingly eventful night as a cocktail waitress in this town.

She shuffled around the empty venue in heels she wanted nothing more than to remove and shove into a meat grinder, going about her side work; rearranging stools and chairs, washing used glasses, sanitizing sticky surfaces, and tossing empty beer bottles into the garbage. None of it required much thought and she moved through the motions in a haze, feeling as she’d imagine a zombie must feel.

Finally wiping down her last table, she meandered behind the bar and eagerly lit a cigarette, allowing herself a pause as she took a long, much needed drag. The customary deep bass that normally pulsed through every inch of Black Star was nonexistent, thank Jesus, her throbbing head welcoming the silence. The ever-present ache behind her eyes was beginning to grow in intensity, signaling she was coming down the other side of the ‘mountain’, so-to-speak.

A loud sniffing sound pierced the rare stillness and startled her, turning her head towards the noise a tad too fast. She cringed against the slight spin to the room, spotting Rhonda a ways down the midnight-black bar top. She had almost forgotten her coworker was here as well, a nice enough girl but one Mira wouldn’t call a friend. She moved closer to her fellow waitress who was bent over the counter, face close to the surface for a moment before she threw her head back to rub harshly at her nose. She sniffled some more, meeting her gaze and holding up a small vial, its contents white as snow.

“Pick-me-up?” she offered with a wink.

“I’ve had enough,” Mira responded following a small hesitation. She knew she could certainly use a bit more energy to finish up, but she was also aware that what she had already consumed over the past seven or so hours had been more than her usual. So, no. She refused to be strung out when she was with her daughter, whom she would be seeing very soon before the child headed off to school.

Grabbing her cellphone from a beneath a register, she checked the time.

“****,” she mumbled, stamping her cigarette out in an ashtray. She was running behind, searching desperately for some strength and motivation to be done with this hell hole for the day.

“He’s been in there a while. Any idea what it is this time?” Rhonda continued, sliding next to Mira to vigorously scrub at a spot on the bar that was already clean. She knew what the other girl was referring to, not having to look towards the back to where Damian had been holed up for the last hour or so. This type of question was nothing new, the club staff always attempting to stick their noses where they didn’t belong.

Mira looked up and raised a brow, opening her mouth to respond with some choice words about minding her own business but she wouldn’t get the chance. The main door flew open suddenly and blinded her into silence, flooding the dimly lit space with a tunnel of bright light. Both women shrunk away at first as a man entered, shielding their eyes until the door shut again and the room returned to its darkened state. They straightened to watch the well-dressed stranger cross the floor with a smile and make his way straight to a table at the back. Scrutinizing him as he passed, Mira tried to figure out if she knew him as an associate of Damian’s or if he was just a dumb tourist who couldn’t realize they were shut down for the day.

“Who’s that? You know him?” Rhonda quickly pressed in a whisper.

Mira shrugged, scowling. “You know how to lock the damn door?” she snapped, anger and annoyance quickly surpassing her exhaustion. Sweeping a few stray locks of bleached hair behind an ear, she marched over to the man with intent to kick him out. There was no time for this, screw it if he had ‘business’ to conduct.

Coming to a halt at his side, she eyed the occupied back room once, knowing if she called for help she wouldn’t have an issue finding it. “In case you weren’t aware, it’s morning,” she began tersely, momentarily taken aback by his startling blue eyes and attractive features.

“We’re closed.”

TAGS: @HanSolo29 @DarkLordoftheFins

 

Anna Talbott
At home

She sat there, looking at Laura and then at Kawin. The man finally began to speak.

"We believe that you are gifted. Not in your instagrammer or fashion sense, which are top shelf I am led to understand. We believe you might be gifted in a different nature. Gifted like Se-. . .Lego and myself are. What we are is. . .well it is rather hard to explain."

She smiled at the Instagram comment. But the rest was no less confusing than the rest of the day.

What did he mean? Was he some sort of artist? Did they think she had that talent? Why was a US agency looking for artists?

Raising his cup he took a sip and spilled the coffee. He told her to stay back as she had just jumped up and he took a vial out. Slowly she sat back into the Chesterfield and watched him drink ... the ... he began to spasm. "Wait! No!" She jumped up to help him, but he already collapsed.

---

She found herself back sitting in the chair and he was sitting opposite. His coffee had not been spilled. "Sorry about that. Where was I?" He asked. She was disoriented for a moment. Had she just ...

"What did you do? This is ... impossible." She felt her jaw drop. Had they just jumped back in time? How did he do that? By dying?

"How did you do that?" Was that what he meant by special? Was he ... having the power to revert time? She felt how she straightened herself and stared at him in disbelief. "Impossible." She just repeated.

Tag: @SirakRomar, @Mitth_Fisto, @HanSolo29

 

Maria Liang
Car to TARC Center

Another Gifted? Who had already crossed? Which meant there was a third out there? They would soon run out of capacity to pick them up if it continued like that. "On it. The Veep brought up another situation in Europe we need to ..

Her words and thoughts were disturbed by the lax comment of Paul he was followed. She heard him tense and load his gun through. "Be careful." She managed to say before the line was killed.

Turning to Jacob, her driver, she tended herself. "Make sure we are not followed and inform TARC the director needs reinforcement immediately. They shall locate his mobile and send a team right away!"

She took her own gun and checked it. Who would follow Paul? And why? What was he actually doing anyway? Go back to central? Did someone try to find their location?

"Make extra sure we are not followed actually." Paul could watch after himself. She was more worried about TARC and everyone else.

Opening her laptop she prepared to check on Bruce Farmer. But she knew she would not find the concentration to do so before they got safely to TARC.

Tag: @HanSolo29

 

Matt Andrews
Office in the The White House, Washington D.C. and beyond ...

Matt gave Cale a long look, as he questioned his authority to order an investigation. "TARC has a mandate, like any other agency." Was all he said and he gave the man a look that hopefully made clear enough how stupid his comment had been. He sometimes wondered on whose side he really was.

Anyway, he turned his attention to the more pressing matter at hand. Gates and his appointment with the U.S. President. He knew he had an enemy in Gates and he sometimes wondered how Mayers and Taylor would have dealt with him. Regrettably he had a very good idea. He had found hundreds of accidential deaths and surprising scandals and he assumed most of them had been initiated and arranged by Antville and their secret Queen of Fate.

As expected Gates played hardball. As always Matt Andrews stayed calm and friendly. One day he might tell him he would like nothing better than to hand his job to someone else. There just wasn't anyone taking over. But he understood the man actually. Chief-of-staff of an unelected President who also was keeping the biggest secret in human history from his people, not talking about the fate of his predecessor. If the public ever found out Kurt Roland was murdered, it would not be a Vice President or a Chief-of-Staff being held responsible though. It would be the President. Gates had not an easy job. Because chief-of-staffs usually went down with their Presidents. At least if they had no secret knowledge of super-powered individuals.

When Gates suggested he should give him a message, Matt gave him a thin lipped smile and adjusted his glasses. "Certainly, Ben." He said, sounding as polite as possible while disrespecting the man by using his first name. "We had a Gifted terror attack in Berlin. Probably the Germans will go public about it any minute." He gave him another smile. "That might solve the whole re-election problem then." He added, just imagining what would happen if the existence of Gifted came out while elections were running. There would be questions. Nasty questions. "Nothing that deserves the attention of the President, I assume. Oh and an old friend of ours might be involved. A German street artist. Good luck with security." He turned to leave, knowing Benjamin Gates had just allowed him to dump this nightmare on him. If LEGO was behind this, he could probably walk into Oval Office any time. They still had not found any way to stop him he assumed, they actually did not fully understand how he did this.

"We can discuss this whenever the President finds time in his busy schedule." He added on his way out of the office, giving Gates enough time to stop him. "Professor, we won't need you today obviously." He commented into Cale's direction.

Tag: @HanSolo29, @TheSithGirly

 

Simon
Black Star, Vegas

The Club was a bit too much as expected. A run-down crap-hole in the God forsaken city of disappointments called Las Vegas. Once the shiny lights went out and everybody got home less rich than they had come it was a dirty rundown place with too many people out of luck. This place fit that idea perfectly well.


He had a quick look around, but was not too interested in the details of the Club. Business hours were over obviously. He did not mind that.

Taking out his pack of Davidoff cigarettes and his matches he patiently waited for a waitress to make her way to him and lighted a cigarette. Two were present. The tattooed one looked much more interesting, while the other one was bland and generic and therefore expandable. The thought he might not be allowed to smoke did not even cross his mind. He laughed at himself, how cliché this all was. Always a disappointment when reality could not outshine your own imagination.

The tattooed one came over, coming
to a halt at his side. She looked at a door and he took a deep breath of his cigarette and turned to the door for a second. That was the rathole. That was where the rats were probably hiding. “In case you weren’t aware, it’s morning,” she began tersely and he turned his attention towards her. "We are closed."

"You must be mistaken." He smiled at the young woman. It was one of these smiles that seemed not that friendly he had been told. Simon made no attempt to hide his British accent. "I am afraid there is a big blinking sign out there claiming this ... Club ... is still open." He inhaled another breath from his cigarette and gave her a cold but polite smile. "But I would not keep two ladies from ending what was certainly an exquisite shift in this fine establishment. Give me what I want and I shall be on my way."

Passing her he walked over to the bar and grabbed an ashtray. "Coffee. Black." He put out the cigarette and then turned around to face the young tattooed woman again. "Please."

Tag: @QueenSabe7

ooc: Simon is a GM character I play as Co-GM so I will have no CS for him.

 

Laura Changte
House of the Talbott's, D.C.

Laura smiled as he did the coffee trick, knowing what was coming and allowing him to get out his little suicide equipment. Always the fastest way to explain this.

...

Seeing Anna's reaction she knew what Kawin had just done.

"Oh, he did it again?" Laura almost laughed, as she realized Kawin had probably reversed time by suicide once again. It had lost the spooky effect it originally had.

Laura felt the vibration of her mobile and looked at the message of Chaz. A situation? What kind of situation? Press? No, he would have said it was press.

"I need to check on something. You will be fine with Kawin." She went back to the door and took out her gun, making sure Anna did not see it, before putting it under her leather jacket and stepping out.

Immediately she saw the two men approaching. Years of training had given her an eye for that. She gave Chaz a nod and stepped to the side to provide them with a second firing angle if this turned out to be what it seemed. She felt adrenaline rush into her body. Her mind prepared for combat, calculating her next move.

How had they found them and who were these men?

"Hello there." She threw the words over to the two "suspects" and readied herself to draw and shoot if necessary. Under her jacket she put her finger on the trigger and deactivated the security of the gun.

They all were without cover, so this was about drawing fast. They were probably quicker than Chaz. She would see if they were quicker than her.

Tag: @HanSolo29, @Mitth_Fisto, @RachelTyrell

 

IC: Kawin Muthurangu
Getting time back and the conversation started.

He smiled as he heard her reaction as he set down his coffee cup.

"What did you do? This is ... impossible." her jaw had dropped and he smiled all the more as he simply nodded.

"How did you do that?" she asked, he knew it would take time. Always give it a few moments. "Impossible." She just repeated.

"Oh, he did it again?" Laura almost laughed, as she realized Kawin had probably reversed time by suicide once again. He shrugged his shoulders to her before something caught his eyes at what Laura did. She checked her phone for a message. .

"I need to check on something. You will be fine with Kawin." She went back to the door and took out her gun, making sure Anna and he did not see it, but he knew the motions. He kept his smile on but it was a bit more forced. Check on something was code for we might have a situation. Not to mention anyone saying they were safe with him was always a trigger for him. The last time anyone had tried to be safe because of him they had all died. True Sebastian had gotten better, and he was pretty sure he had unleashed an ultra fem fatal upon the world, but everyone else had died. Gifted or not. Speaking of which he needed to stop a notion in this young girls head. Now. Especially if danger was going to happen shortly.

"Alright." he simply nodded before looking at the girl in the chair. "You my dear have been 'awakened', and you remembering what I did means you are gifted. Just like any gift everybody doesn't get the same thing. Mine is mostly what you just saw, some can see the future. Some can freeze or slow time. Usually we are 'immune' to each others gifts." he actually did air quotes around 'immune' but it seemed to be good for people. "That's why you remember, and Laura does not." he simply stated with a nod.

Rubbing his hands together he nodded at her, "Most gifts are by trying. Figuring out what your trigger is. Learning it takes time. One of the quickest ways is stress, but we have a facility where you can learn at. Discover what you can do, and possibly give you a new purpose helping others with your gift. Whatever it might be." He was trying to keep it light. Keep it friendly, despite whatever may be coming. Hopefully nothing.

TAG: @SirakRomar , @RachelTyrell , @HanSolo29

 

Anna Talbott
At home

She listened to the man with the walking stick and could hardly keep herself from bursting into hysterical laughter.

Where these people crazy? They did not seem crazy. Where the frauds? If they had faked the thing with the coffee cup suicide she had no idea how. So where they serious?

She barely recognized Laura leaving. "You mean ... what you are talking about ... I mean ..." Laura did not remember the results but she did because she was immune ... which meant she was one of the people ...

"Superpowers? Are you saying I have superpowers?" Now she laughed. "Seriously?"

One always imagined something like this was awesome. Like it was in the movies. Who had not imagined being a superhero? Hell, for Halloween she always jumped into a cat-woman costume. But now that someone seriously told her she had superpowers it was really scary. It scared the hell out of her. What did that mean? What would happen with her now? What did she have to do?

"I am nothing special, I am just a ... girl." She said and somehow she had the feeling that had nothing to do with it.

Tag: @SirakRomar, @Mitth_Fisto, @HanSolo29

 

Deklan Casey
Skid Row - Los Angeles, California

Deklan had been about to relinquish his argument with Bill over using his money to buy some food when the commotion on the corner brings everything else to a standstill. The young army captain can only stare in mortified shock as the inexplicable unfolds. At the same time, a barrage of fragmented flashbacks strike Deklan’s mind, but he cannot place whether these flashbacks are images he had really seen or just something of a dream; maybe even a hallucination from a prescription medication one of the shrinks had put him on in the past.

“Get out of here, Bill,” he mutters urgently, his hand reflexively wrapping around the stock of the Sig Sauer nestled in the deep pocket of his leather coat, “Go. Fast as you can. Just try not to make a scene.”

Deklan calmly positions himself between Bill and the advancing stranger, backing in the same direction he has told Bill to go, but never taking his eyes off the man who had apparently just murdered two people without ever laying a hand on them. He tries to appear calm and unintimidated as his mind scrambles for a way to protect Bill without this getting violent. He will shoot to kill if necessary, but after seeing what this man has done by seemingly supernatural means, is it even possible to kill him?

“No one is going to believe this,” he mutters to himself, “No cop is going to believe a pile of dust on the corner of the street used to be two rabble-rousing kids...”

Tag: @HanSolo29

 

Laura Changte
House of the Talbott's, D.C.

She drew her gun and fired in one fluent move ... she did not wait for them to draw, but when she saw the movement of their arm she simply reacted.

One shot for each, then returning the gun to her closest target she began moving sideways. She went for their heads, as she expected them to wear wests, which made the chance to miss higher. If any of them was standing in a second she would unload her magazine on him, twelve of the remaining fourteen shots. The final two were for the mercy shot. If both survived she was probably dead, if Chaz was not faster than she expected him to be.

She had done this before, she had trained and she had killed. It was something that came naturally to her. Two enemies who wanted to kill her. She would kill them or die trying. It was that simple. Combat knew no second chances or regret. Certainly it knew no mercy. It was the art of killing.

Tag: @HanSolo29, @Mitth_Fisto, @RachelTyrell

 

IC: Jane
Black Rock Desert, near Empire, Nevada

The wannabe fell to his knees but, Jane kept her weapon trained on him. She wasn't stupid, even a weakened opponent could be dangerous. Her guard remained up as he spoke a little fear in his voice though he was trying to hide it.

"This was a mistake, you worthless--" She tightened up on the trigger ready to end him as soon as he finished that sentence. It was clear that he wasn't going to be bent by her threats and power.

"Straying on the job, Davis?" Jane's head turned at the new voice, calm and lilting, her weapon not moving from Davis's head. The new arrival seemed to come out of nowhere, like he just appeared. She'd met someone once that could do that. He ended up escaping her, and her uncle.

This man was the opposite of the brash and coarse escort she'd had until this point. His beaming smile and force of personality was apparent. What got her attention was his eyes. Not her cold eyes of a killer but, of a man willing and ready to kill, the kind that would enjoy the act...far too much. She noted no weapons on his person though he still dressed in a military style, was this the leader or just a higher up?

"I think you and your friend better reconsider your position," The mute that was just to the left of the man was forced to his knees. But, not by anyone, an ethereal grip seemed to make him kneel. Jane only quirked her eyebrow. That was new. She was used to people with powers by this point so that wasn't surprising what was, was the power on display. Telekinesis wasn't one she'd seen before. The ones she'd seen all had to do with time, stopping it, slowing it reversing it. This was something new. She wondered if she would be immune to this power as well.

"I must say, that was a magnificent trick, my dear. Bravo." He brought his hands together in a mocking applause. "I saw the whole thing, and I’m quite impressed." Her eyes narrowed as his gaze fell heavy on her. This was all a test, a show so he could see her full potential. She disliked being tricked, and this particular one. Her grey eyes looked to Davis frozen on the ground. This one was across the line.

"I do apologize for the inconvenience, but it was all necessary. You will find out soon enough." He held out his hand as casually as one would do at a business meeting. "You may call me Malcolm."

She held his gaze not fully buying his 'it was all necessary' BS. There were other ways. Now three people knew about of her abilities, one of them clearly a gifted, someone immune to her powers. That would make things difficult if something were to go wrong. Thankfully she'd learned from her first encounter with other gifted. That was why she kept her knife on her. After a moment's thought she holstered her weapon and took his hand in a shake.

"You can call me Jane."

TAG: @HanSolo29 @Master Vo'Un'Var