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Psions Unite! : Chapter 2.1 - The Taylor's


Rorx

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Leaving the First Class Lounge, the group head down the corridor and out on to the concourse, passing a couple of guys heading back in towards the Lounge. The better dressed of the two seemed to recognise Viktor and to get a bit of a shock about seeing him there as well.

 

As they walked besides the shops, trying to find the way from the departure side to the arrival side and hence the baggage claim area, Viktor says to Zoe

"I gather this will be a trying time for you with whatever changes there have been to you or abilities given to you so I don't want you to be worried about work at a time like this. You look after yourself and Tempest, I'll get someone from the London office to cover for you until we return to America. We may stop here longer than originally planned and I might take a detour to check on my family in German before we head back."

 

As they stop briefly in a WH Smiths Zoe and the two men are all slightly bemused by the huge stack of glossy magazines that Temp picks up, although Cookie less so than the others. As the other two turn more to there own choices - Viktor the business, science and technology, Zoe the sports/workout/health sections, Cookie leans over to Temp and whispers.

"I can guess what your doing, you got the shifter stuff as well didn't you? Yeah, so did I. If you wanna chat about it sometime just give me a call or an IM." So saying he slips a business card to her before drifting towards the history section.

 

A few minutes later as people are taking their choices to the till the four bodyguards that Viktor had on the plane arrive with his and the Taylors carry on luggage, laptops etc. Josh hands Zoe's things over to her with a smile then announces that the way to Baggage Claim is down the 2nd corridor on the right, down a flight of stairs then 1st left.

 

New purchases and hand luggage in hand, or towed as the case may be the enlarged group sets off and soon reaches the Baggage area which is eerily empty but for the one carousel with people from your flight collecting their bags as they go around.

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Tempest looked up at Cookie in surprise, her huge, cyan eyes wide. Calling on her sense of the dense mass of stars in her mind, she narrowed her focus until she was able to see and hear just one, the one belonging to the man standing just in front of her. His star-song sounded like a triumphant march with a mischievous counter-melody. She hadn't noticed at first, but now that she was looking for it, she could tell Cookie was definitely like her and her mother - a psychic.

 

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tempest claimed with a sniff as she glanced away from Cookie, but the way she tried to hide her purchases under her arm and the blush that came to her naturally golden-bronze tanned cheeks gave away the lie. Still, she looked at Cookie from the corner of her eye as she tucked his business card into one of her glossy magazines. "I can just sense emotions and seem able to use ESP or something, and sense, like, every psychic on the planet and in orbit... and make Wolverine claws," she added in a mumble. "What else can you do?"

 

Only able to get a few of her magazines in her carry-on and laptop bag, she used the straps on the outside to hold the rest of her magazines, keeping one in hand while towing her luggage to Baggage Claim. Tempest had been through airports enough times with her mother to find the stillness and few people in Baggage Claim eerie and uncanny.

 

"I can do it," Tempest said, gaving Zoe, than Cookie, a scowl when they started to move to help her with her luggage. She was short and very skinny - if not quite as skinny as she used to be - and resented it, but didn't like being treated as an invalid. Though she was puffing a bit, she managed to collect her suitcases herself and drag them off the carousel and hook them together to she wheel them around together.

 

Tempest sat on her main suitcase, its internal frame strong enough to support her slight wait and began perusing her magazine, which had a picture of Scarlett Johannson on the cover. There was an article in the magazine talking to her about the new solo Black Widow movie, but Tempest just skimmed it, far more interested in the photos accompanying the article.

 

Without being aware of it at first, Tempest scratched herself absently, beginning to feel an itch, a prickling sensation, like the pins-and-needles feeling to you get when a limb is falling asleep, but without the accompanying numbness. Her clothes began to feel just the tiniest bit more binding, tight. The itch grew stronger, mostly on her scalp, and Tempest growled as she scratched her head the brushed her hair back which was getting in her face, obscuring her vision.

 

Then she pulled a lock of hair back and stared at it intently. It was still red, but a darker, more natural looking red than what she had dyed it last. The blonde highlights and streaks were much more subtle and subdued, more sophisticated. Her hair was also had more wave to it and seemed to reach down to her shoulder blades now. It looked a great deal like Scarlett Johannson's hair in the photo-spread in fact.

 

Awesome! If nothing else, I'll never had to go out to get my hair done again! I can style and dye it whenever and however I want. Tempest smiled privately, her smile widening when she saw her mother looking over at her from where she was talking with Viktor, an arch to Zoe's brow as she noticed something was different about her daughter, but not immediately picking up on what. On, man! When I get back to school, the Pink Slips are going to be soooo jealous!

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Zoe looked at Viktor with a thankful smile. She was always there for him ever since she got on him. Every day for the past few years she was doing something for Omni Black Industries. It would be quite different. Still a vacation would be nice, however short. She remembered that even on her vacations she was on call. She shook his hand professionally and then gave him a friendly peck on the cheek, "Mr Black, I thank you for this time off. I know the world just did a massive change. And Tempest well, Tempest." She looked over to her daughter talking to Viktor's head of security and sighed. She looked back to Viktor with a wan smile, "the time with my daughter would be appreciated."

When they went back to get their stuff, she had a small conversation with Josh. He was toned and well muscled, two of Zoe's favorite physical traits. Since she was off for a while, they talked about busting out some gym time when he had an off shift. She knew that Viktor's place had a private place they could use. Not like hers, but serviceable enough to get things done. They traded numbers and went about their business.

Finally she caught up with Tempest. She was playing with her hair, making it different colors. It seemed natural to her baby girl. So much that she didn't even seem to notice. Or maybe she was just playing around. Zoe clapped appreciatively. "It looks good on you, dear."

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"What can you do?" Temp had asked and Cookie obliged her with a slight nod.

"Well, apart from the shifting stuff, I got a little bit of Telekinesis and a Danger Sense that saved me from getting run over by an electric car on the way here this morning."

Having had he say, he drifted off amongst the magazines resuming his watch on everyone outside the group in the shop and concourse.

 

In the meantime Viktor simply acknowledged Zoe's thanks for the time off with a smile and, 

"Time with the family is always precious I know."

 

Josh seemed happy to spend some time with Zoe when he can.

 

In the Baggage hall the group meet back up with the rest of the executives and assorted wives and PA's who had travelled to London with them but are a little stunned to learn that one of the wives and a PA who were sisters died in their cocoons. Looking around the other passengers from your flight you can spot a number of other grieving or distraught people.

 

Once everyone has their luggage Cookie leads the way out and you quickly pass through customs into the main arrivals hall where there are a few cafes and restaurants, and several other small shops. Viktor is eager to get out of there though and Cookie summons a few other security and driver types to assist people into a group of waiting vehicles.

 

Zoe and Temp are in the same car with Viktor and Cookie and another of the British security as a driver. The rest of Victors security is split into a lead and a chase car while the others are taken off to their hotels in a couple of mini-buses. The drive to Viktor's London house is uneventful though the driver does comment on the lower than normal level of traffic, which surprises Zoe and Temp as it still takes the best part of an hour in traffic jams to make it the 10 miles or so to the house.

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