Aberrant: Dead Rising - Chapter 12d: The Box

[Karren Gaunt]

Sarah had been enjoying the flow of conversation, perfectly content for the moment to sit in her corner of the conversing group while Galahad revealed that although he might of looked too good to be real that he was as prone to running off at the mouth as anyone their age group. She smiled understandingly at him, clearly amused in a good way.

And then the second impossibly-beautiful person she had met that day walked in and Sarah's mouth dropped open before she looked away. The doctor dropping the woman's name sent alarm bells ringing through her mind and disapating the incipient feelings of... Well, the megamorph wasn't exactly comfortable calling them what she thought they might be. "So that's Jules meant," she breathed out through her nose and rallied her willpower.

[SalmonMax]

She's gone, Myfwany realized. I lost her.

She shook her head, feeling an odd resigned sadness fall across her shoulders. It was the same feeling she had when a patient succumbed to their illness or injuries. Intellectually she knew she couldn't save everyone, but that didn't make losing someone easy.

"It can wait, Violet. You came here for Dan...something tells me that's more important for now. I just wanted to talk to you about the nurse position and some changes coming to the clinic...but, well like I said, we can discuss it later."

She looked at Ger and nodded. "And you're right, I apologize. It's not really about sickness anymore. It's about fairness. I can wait a day."

[Venus]

Venus eyed Myfany with some suspicion noticing the slight fall of her shoulders and the sadness that followed which reflected briefly in her eyes. She should know better that I can easily tell she's hiding something.

With a small shift of her stance Venus searched for Myf's eyes and carefully asked, "Are you sure about that, Myf - you know I can see and feel that you are not being entirely honest. You were happy and relieved when you saw me first - what made you change your mind so fast?", of course Venus already guessed what the answer was but if it wasn't Myf she probably wouldn't have cared much. People were always trying to hide the whole truth, she could see it in their eyes or their bodylanguage. Her perception was so attuned that even the best liar couldn't keep a secret from her for long. Myf's reaction was so natural, it was something she really cared about.

"I'll gladly take my time for you, Myfwany. My time may be limited but what you hinted at sounds important, too. I owe you this much courtesy at least.", Venus' words were genuine and her voice got a lot softer and comforting as she offered Myfwany her valuable time.

[SalmonMax]

"I'm being honest, Vi," Myf replied, feeling tiredness creep up on her as well, and frustration. "It's not dishonest not to share every emotional undercurrent one feels. If you really want to know the whole story, it's that I can tell you've changed. Not physically, but emotionally." She shakes her head. "It's not the change I wanted for you. But I suppose it was never really my choice to make."

"I don't know what happened to you while you were gone...what you experienced. Why you chose this. I just wish I could still help you."

[Venus]

"You are right, it certainly doesn't belong here but we can talk about it in private if you want. I thank you for what you've done for me and if you need my help I will answer your call.", Venus sighed sensing the creeping frustration in Myf and she really didn't want her to feel bad about this - there was no real reason aside from what she said next.

"Unfortunately I won't be able to work at the hospital anymore since I'm not staying in this Refuge.", her unnatural glowing eyes wandered over the crowd of people which have by now stopped their own conversations and stared at Venus as if she was an envoy from a distant exotic star.

"I can tell you will probably need my help here and I promise to return swiftly until the new arrivals have been taken care of. I assume that none of the team was hurt badly?", Venus tried to make Myf feel better by offering her help. Han would surely understand and it would be a taken as a sign of good will to establish a peaceful arrangement between Olympus and Fox's Refuge. It would also make it appear less like a kidnapping of Venus...

[LydaLynn]

Olivia was quickly overwhelmed. She didn't even try to respond to anyone and was relieved when attention was drawn away from her. She did make a note, both mental and physical, to talk to Robert about his programs. She was fairly certain one of the drones they had used in the arctic had some kind of gps remote control. It wasn't her area, so she never really bothered to find out what he was using. But it was possible he had what Galahad was talking about, or something similar. Of course, Robert was still back with the rest of the convoy.

But the obvious tension that entered with the divinely beautiful woman was almost overwhelming. Olivia retreated into her notebook, scratching out her thought and observations and recording the parts of the conversation she found worthy of noting. For now, that was all she could do, keeping her brain functioning around all the beautiful people here was difficult, but Olivia was a scientist and no matter how hard it was, she would act as such.

[Krysti-Lynn Magnussen]

Originally Posted By: Adam

"Oh, thank goodness. There's a few people here that need it, and some are waiting to take a shower because they don't have clothes."

Kristin gave Adam a quick nod and a tight, faint grin, glad for a distraction from the too-attractive man, as she moved toward the various cells and their occupants. "That's what I brought them for."

The infected and the possibly infected made her a little uneasy and a little melancholy. It wasn't that she feared they could hurt her, rather, she was thinking of her brother, the one she had slain with her own hands as he turned. She never wanted to witness such a thing again.

Her movements were stiff as she restrained an instinctive urge to prevent seeing the people from Vegas turn by ending them now. Though she smiled and handed out the clothes freely, they couldn't help but notice the tautness of the girl-woman's muscular figure, murmuring their thanks before withdrawing quickly.

Kristin was in a cell in a far corner, showing what she had left to a pair of the children - though they really weren't much younger than her, when she heard Violet's unmistakably voice enter the Box. Instantly, she flushed with need, nipples straining at her tight, black shirt, and pressed her forehead against the wall as she tried to control herself, her breathing a ragged gasp. Maybe it was the sight of the infected reminding her of her brother, maybe it was a growing stubbornness warring with the need for a quick fix, or even recalling that asshole James walking off with her, but Kristin slowly calmed down. The desire was still there, but it was tramped down in a corner of her will... for now.

Kristin rejoined the rest of the supers crowding around the super tall woman's cell, her arms folded tightly around her torso. To Myfwany's eyes, the slightly rounder shape to Kristin's face, the thin layer of soft fat coating her extraordinary physique and the engorged veins rising closer to the surface, and most obviously, the faintly protruding stomach where before she had had a sharply defined six-pack were all sure signs of the teen nearing the end of her first Trimester, as were the fewer bouts of nausea and morning sickness.

"Dr. Shattuck," Kristin said in greeting, giving Myfwany a polite nod, though her jade eyes never left Violet. Her lips were parted as she looked way up at the other woman, a questioning furrow appearing between her fair brows as she heard her last few words.

"I'm gonna go check around the Refuge for someplace to start a new field, maybe more natural and organic methods will work - wild stuff was growing fine in Hawaii - and go look for a friend Ashley made here who's gone missing while I was at it. But is sounds like you're gonna be gone for longer. Where are you going?"

Kristin's lips tightened at the soft note of yearning and need that escaped, but she kept her eyes firmly on Violet's... and her arms firmly around herself, hands tucked up into her armpits.

[Dan Hawkins]

Dan nodded to Adam. "About four hundred and seventy though i could be off a few either way."

He looked to Galahad, "I've looked around and we just haven't had the capability to move them or they were in horrible condition. I can make them run, but getting them here's been the issue."

He had been in the back during the exchange, talking and listening to the others. When he finally turned around at the sound of Violet's voice, he was abit unprepared.

"I told you we'd all come back Violet. Those who are hurt have healed, at least among the supers." he smiled, his eyes noticing subtle changes in her posture, how she carried herself, even the tone of her voice. Something felt decidedly off.

Hearing her conversation with Myfwany, his steel-grey gaze fell upon her. "And where exactly are you planning to go Violet?" There was a tinge of ice in his voice, since this was certainly news to him.

[Karren Gaunt]

Sarah didn't need to be psychic to pick up that *something* more than merely sharing the same Enclave was going on between Violet and Dan, and she had no desire to be anywhere in the flashzone of this clash while this... impossible woman spilled their possible dirty laundry to everyone here without any respect to other's needs. THAT was just *rude*.

"If you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to give you some space to work this out without quite as many ears to overhear it who don't need to," apolgized the blonde megamorph to the group, "do keep an eye on my things, please."

She rose to her feet, intending to carefully work her way out of the bustle and into the open air, 6'10 of athletic female metahuman that was quite plainly unimpressed with Venus's poor judgement in choosing her arena for what was aparently a delicate revelation.

[BlueNinja]

Originally Posted By: Dan Hawkins

Dan nodded to Adam. "About four hundred and seventy though i could be off a few either way."

"Heh, funny, the place looks a lot bigger from in here."

Quote:

He looked to Galahad, "I've looked around and we just haven't had the capability to move them or they were in horrible condition. I can make them run, but getting them here's been the issue."

Adam waves a hand in dismissal. "I used to be a tow truck driver and auto mechanic. If we have to, I can take them apart and air lift them back for reassembly."

As Violet appears, his eyes (and other parts of his anatomy) instantly give her their full attention. Not until Sarah breaks his line of sight with her exit is he able to pull his gaze away. He turns to whisper something to Julia, only to find her as enraptured as he in. Frowning, he puts a hand over her eyes. "Earth to Julia, come in Julia," he says quietly to her.

"Huh? Um, sorry, uncle Adam." She makes an effort to look at his face, though her eyes keep darting off to the side.

"Just because I'm not the only super person around," he teases her wryly, "doesn't mean you can ignore me."

[Dan Hawkins]

Sensing the mood of the others, and the distraction Violet caused, he shook his head.

"If you'll all excuse us I think Violet and I need to talk for a bit."

he looked to Myfwany and nodded. "I'll be back and we can continue looking at ways to make some real improvements here equipmentwise."

He turned to Violet and nodded. "Follow me please."

His tone showed he wasn't happy, and he waited for her to follow before turning to her, now that they were alone.

[Venus]

"No, I won't.", the tall unearthly beauty said defiantly crossing her arms under her mighty assets attracting even more looks than before.

Her eyes burned brighter with amethyst fire her facial expression though remained a perfectly friendly facade. Underneath Venus was boiling with anger. How dare you, Dan!

"The Refuge has been so kind to me in the past, I prefer everyone knows why I'm leaving instead of getting second or third hand news through the rumor mill.", her voice was tinted with bittersweet sarcasm.

"I'm tired of this charade and I'm tired of this place. I don't belong here and you know that.", even though she really wanted to escalate this just because his audacity infuriated her she decided to be blunt and tell the truth.

Trying to establish a friendly alliance with the Refuge could proof more difficult now, maybe she could convince Jules that it would benefit both communities? Venus had placed her hands on her hips again and wasn't intimidated at all. If Dan had given her a chance to do things her way then he would've had a chance to decide how the news would be spread - that option was void now.

Click to reveal..

She is NOT following him, just fyi

[SalmonMax]

"Violet," Myfwany said, feeling a stab of pain on Dan's behalf. She went to Vi's side and said very softly, "This isn't about the Refuge right now. It's about your relationship with Dan, and what's going to happen to it. If you have any respect for him at all, you should give him that news in private. He deserves that much."

"Once that's done, come back and make your public announcement."

[LydaLynn]

Olivia sat, nearly motionless, the tip of her pencil hovering just over the page. In all her life Olivia had been careful to avoid emotionally charged situations. Her parents had been almost clinically detached. Her friendships were limited to one, in college, and a few friendly associations otherwise. Olivia had never really gone to parties or gatherings, and those she had attended had been easy to escape.

Now, she was trapped, sitting in a cell just a few short feet away from the angry and mind-numbingly beautiful woman. The emotional tension of everyone in this place was heightened before she entered, waiting, wondering. Those who were infected were the worst, but Olivia could observe them clinically, convincing herself that it was a scientific exercise.

But this, this was horrible. The beautiful woman adamant, creating a scene for no more apparent reason than to make others uncomfortable. The vindictive venom she directed towards Dan made no sense to Olivia. Sure she didn't know anything about them, but he had seemed nice and helpful and was apparently trying to diffuse the situation.

If she thought she could escape, Olivia would have scurried away. If there had been someplace to hide, she'd be cowering in the dark. Instead, she did the only thing she knew how. Frozen like a rabbit under the eye of a hawk, Olivia sat, hoping to go unnoticed.

[Venus]

Originally Posted By: SalmonMax

"Violet," Myfwany said, feeling a stab of pain on Dan's behalf. She went to Vi's side and said very softly, "This isn't about the Refuge right now. It's about your relationship with Dan, and what's going to happen to it. If you have any respect for him at all, you should give him that news in private. He deserves that much."

"Once that's done, come back and make your public announcement."

Venus relaxed a little when Myfwany spoke to her and after a long moment she finally nodded to her.

"Fine...", she said reluctantly and started following Dan. Her eyes glanced one last time back to the crowd and found Kristin which made her stop in her initial impulse to follow Dan. Her eyes flared briefly and it seemed Venus knew what was going on with Kristin. She nodded at her with an enamored smile and winked at her.

"I won't take long, honey.", Venus words tasted like ambrosia and made her heart jump in anticipation.

Dan led her inside one of the examination rooms making sure they were alone to talk and stared at her and then repeated his initial question, "You are leaving?"

Venus sighed and smiled at him. He was after all the father of her unborn children but she was disappointed of how he treated her.

"Why did you say no?", she answered his question with a question and while she looked like Violet Dan could sense that she wasn't the same woman he fell in love with.

[Jordan]

Originally Posted By: Kristin Mackenzie

Kristin's eyes narrowed suspiciously as she glanced at Jordan's hand, then him again, sure this was just a trick to get her to drop her guard. But his eyes and smile were unwavering, without the forced fixedness she saw all too often. It really looked like he saw her rather than a piece of he wanted to fuck or was already imagining fucking.

Kristin's fair brows crinkled, a tentative smile growing on her face as she reached out and gave his hand a quick shake, her grip surprisingly strong, even for someone with her obvious vigor. Her hand held an odd blend of youthful, feminine softness and unyielding resilience.

"Hello. I'm Kristin," she replied with more genuine politeness then most men ever got from her, though she seemed unaware that she wiped her hand on her jeans. "Um, er, yeah, I saw that you're fine - I mean..." a faint blush rose in her cheeks, "... that, I'll go see if anyone inside needs anything."

She held the bags up at Jordan and Jules as if she needed to prove that was the reason, then hustled towards the Box. Kristin rapped perfunctorily on the door, then paused to take a deep breath - it was a confined space that was meant for... confining - then peeked in, holding the bags of clothes before her.

"It's nice to meet you," Jordan said with he same neutral smile. He kept the smile wam and neutral as she fumbled with the bag before rushing off of the building. He knew if she though he was mocking her, she'd shut down and he didn't want to alienate any potential customers, or a potential neighbour.

"So..." Jordan started, turning back to Jules, but trailed off as the voluptuous woman in silk walked through the quarentine area to enter on of the buildings. jordan couldn't tear his eyes off her. It wasn't lust, so much as facination. How the hell did she stay standing with boobs that big! "I, uh, I guess that's your stripper or madam or whatever?"

[z-Jules WhiteElk]

Jules waved to Kristin but was otherwise silent, watching her interaction with Jordan. Thankfully, it was a positive interaction with a man, something the girl needed. So Jules sat back and let it happen.

As Violet stalked across the yard, Jules's relaxed attitude changed. That looks like trouble, she thought, not that she could have said why. Something about Violet radiated change, a very radical alternation from yesterday. And in Jules's experience sudden changes to the enclave's super-human beauty was rife with issues.

"Yeah, that's Violet," Jules said. "She was going to start a brothel, then she wasn't. Then a strip club, now she's not. I think she's going for restaurant though I wouldn't be surprised if that changed again.

"Don't get me wrong," Jules added, giving him a smile, "she's pretty nice, fairly generous. She's also sex-crazed and temperamental. It can make her a little trying, but she's still our Violet. She is attempting to help - she's learning medicine with Myf and she's expecting babies, so that's great." For a moment, there was a hint of jealousy in her tone. Just a flash and then the native was all casual smiles again. "So she's a bit complex. And honestly, all of our whores are in the red tent. If you have a condom and a can of food, you can get some company."

[Karren Gaunt]

Not a minute after Violet strode into the building, Sarah strode out in her socking feet, clearly masking a measure of upset and just as clearly not caring that her socks were getting filthy outside without shoes on. The towering blonde exhaled and leaned against the wall, composing herself and breathing in and out through her nose, not quite notiscing the conversing duo imediately.

She blinked and smiled down at the two when she did notice, "Oh. Hi. Don't mind me. Just need to clear my head. My name's Sarah if you care."

[Jordan]

Jordan laughed at Jules red tent comment. "No , I have no interest in visiting a place like that," He said. "But it looks like where ever she's going, there's going to be drama."

When the new woman exited, Jordan muttered. "Yep, Drama," but remained smiling ats the nearly seven foot tall woman introduced herself.

"My name is Jordan," he said casually, shaking the woman's hand. "My friends over by the trucks are Jessica and Royce. So, um, I don't want seem rude or anything but you seem to have lost your shoes. Is everything okay?"

[Karren Gaunt]

"A pleasure to meet you, Jordan, much as you seem to have kidnapped Jules," the megamorph answers, geniunely meaning it as she's taken in by his general level of non-threatening pleasantness, "As for shoes, I know where my boots are, they're just covered in congealed Zed gore, and the Quarantine is short on boiling water with which to clean them and some of my other clothing."

She laughed ruefully, "I let someone's rudeness get to me so I stormed out here to get away from them before I said or did something I regret. Well, any more than storming out here in my socks. So what do you and your friends do to get by, if you don't mind my asking?"

[Jordan]

"Not at all. We are merchants, or at least Jessica is. I'm mostly her errand boy and manual labourer." There isn't any hint of bitterness or resentment in his statements and in fact, Sarah and Jules detect an almost playful tone in his voice. "Mostly we travel around, looking for things that might be needed or of intrest to people in settlements like this. If it's too dangerous for normal people to go, then I usually go in alone. Sometimes we encounter a place that's just too dangerous for even a single super person, so we make a note of it or a map back to it and move on. It's not a bad life, really."

[LydaLynn]

Olivia breathed again, the tension of the area lessening with exit of the overly beautiful woman and Dan. Her hand shook, ever so slightly, but she stayed otherwise still for a while longer.

A deep breath, another, and she was able to see the paper under her pencil. Flipping to a fresh page, Olivia started frantically writing, wanting document the experience while it was still fresh. That the woman had an aura of sex and desire that was overwhelming was actually somewhat fascinating, now that she wasn't in the same room.

[z-Jules WhiteElk]

"Give me the safety of a sanctuary," Jules replied easily. "The time I spent on the road looking for a place to stay taught me that once you find a good group, you stay."

"And this was the first good stop?" Sarah asked.

"No, I found a place in New Mexico where people were living together. Small but nice." Jules shifted from one foot to the other. "It was overrun after I'd been there a couple of months. So this was number two, and so far, it's worked well."

[Karren Gaunt]

Sarah nodded thoughtfully, arms crossed over her chest, "I know what you mean, Jules. I spent the first few months after Z-day on my own, escorting foragers in and out of dangerous areas for a percentage, moving on as soon as I was paid. Then I found a place to protect and be protected by, far better than anything I could do alone. If not for the request of Mr. Shelldon, the leader of my enclave, I would still be there and never leave."

She grinned, "Which isn't to say you're doing anything wrong by bringing back trade, Jordan, far from it. With your two friends, you're in a lot better place than I was after Z-day. God, I was a cold-hearted bitch, half-crazy with numbness and pain, ya know?"

[Dan Hawkins]

He didn't say anything when she defied him, though he wondered what had happened.

When they were finally alone, and she asked he looked at her. "Which time?"

"The first time we were alone? because you were still with James, because I felt uncomfortable."

He shook his head. "Or are we talking about when you asked to form a connection like you and James shared? If you refer to that, it's because I like my privacy."

He stood there, like a marble statue and waited. "what brought all this on Violet?"

[Venus]

Venus showed him only a slight frown and hid her real emotions and thoughts behind a the facade of her perfect face. I'm wasting my time here...

"Oh Dan - my proposal of course!", she answered pitching her voice just enough to show him her disappointment.

"While you may think such a decision requires time and careful planning I would agree if you were dealing with any other average woman. BUT - you - are - not. Your hesitation showed me one thing, it revealed the truth. You don't love me.", You love Alicia

The statuesque Goddess straightened herself up showing her defensive stance with her bodylanguage. There was a soft shimmer in her eyes, almost as if tears had welled up but been swallowed down before they were released.

"There isn't much holding me here, Dan. I hate this place and you very much know that I don't really belong here. I'd love to take you with me but I highly doubt you like the alternative I'm entertaining. Even though this may seem sudden I've been having these thoughts for quite some time now and I only recently found a place I can call home.", the last part she said sounded particularly honest and sincere which reflected in a somber tone of her enchanting voice.

Click to reveal..

Manipulation+Subterfuge, first two dice are Megas. (10d10.hitsopen(7,10)=4) that's a total of 7 suxx. This roll is only provided to reflect Venus hiding her true thoughts and feelings from Dan and appear genuine with everything she said.

[Dan Hawkins]

"How can you say that?"

She'd slapped him in the face, verbally if not physically. "I've stood by you through everything Violet. If you've had these thoughts, you've never shared them with me, though we share nearly everything else."

"What of our children? It very much sounds as though you plan to leave whether I agree to go or not. Do you think so little of me as to think I'd abandon our children?"

He was getting mad, her insinuations, said and unsaid, riled him. The sheer gall she had, it had even his stony facade threatening to crack.

[Venus]

"I won't deny you to see my children - you're their father after all and that's something that bonds us forever.", she could tell he was getting angry although she couldn't feel it and thus gauge how much or at what. He had his emotions so perfectly under control that almost nothing seeped through and the little that did was even for her enhanced perception virtually invisible.

"You are right, my mind is set. I will leave. I won't raise my children here, it is not safe enough for them and I don't trust the people of this community. I do thank you for your support although I fear your efforts were wasted on the wrong person. You loved Jennifer more than who I am - you won't see her again."

The hypocrisy sickens me

Her stance relaxed a little and openly showed that she wasn't here to fight. Her indifference, though was surely infuriating, especially if someone was emotionally attached to her.

"I never said you'd abandon your children, Dan. But you turned my proposal down. I don't know what that means to you but to me it means you are just the father, you have no say whatsoever about my life and my children."

[Dan Hawkins]

He heard the scorn in her voice and looked at her. "OUR children Violet. It takes two, a mother and a father."

"At the time it didn't include children, and you know your religious beliefs are not mine. I like to think I was amenable to things, I tried to understand. I let you do things to me that still feel wrong."

"I've kept quiet because I wanted our relationship to work, but if you're so set on this, so be it."

He paused. "Just remember this Violet, when everyone else saw you as an object of desire, something to have, I saw you as a person, I treated you as a person."

"It was always more than mere lust with me, and for you to question that, to question my committment, I don't think you could insult me any worse."

"You say you won't deny the right to see them, but you haven't even told me where you're going. I don't know what's brought all this on and how you found somewhere else so fast, and I'd like to. we weren't gone that long."

[Venus]

"A father can be easily found.", Venus commented flatly knowing this would anger him even more but she was also getting angry herself although she exerted a self-control never seen before.

She sighed because she sensed the futility of this conversation and things would only get worse the more they spoke. This whole thing was personal, how could it not get out of hand in a matter of seconds?

Ignoring his comment about having insulted him she decided to answer those questions that would move this discussion forward. "I'm joining the Pantheon of Olympus. I've spent my time there while you were away. Enough time to know I belong there.", her words lingered for a moment in the air before she added, "And stop calling me Violet."

[Dan Hawkins]

"Why, what should I call you?"

His voice was cold and emotionless, as he waited to hear it, with what he knew was a near certain finality.

[Venus]

"Venus, I am Venus.", she pronounced eyes flashing with power and a palpable aura of entitlement.

"I cannot tell you where Olympus is located but if you want to join me I'll arrange your transportation - for now I have to gather my belongings and talk to Jules or Captain Fox before I leave.", she reached for the door but didn't open it raising an eyebrow at him if he wanted to add anything or would surprise her by accepting her offer.

[Dan Hawkins]

"You think you're a goddess?" His voice betrayed his disgust.

"Someone may have told you that, and that therein lies the problem. No deity I ever heard of needed another to tell them as much."

His disdainful gaze carried much of the hurt his features did not display. "The only reason I would go is to see where you would raise our children, So that I can find my way there to see them."

He looked at her hard, and it was a look she'd never seen on his face. I wanted it to work, but this is beyond all reason Violet. You say a father can be found, and that's as much as an admission that you have already done so. Not only do you do this, but you betray me as well?"

"I should have known better, everyone said I was a fool, but still I gave you a chance. I listened to my heart. You've put everything I feel to lie, made a fool of me, and shown your true nature."

[Venus]

Venus turned her back to him and exited through the door considering this discussion over once and for all. It went worse and better than she thought but she would have to report to the Pantheon about this. Dan could be a potential threat but she didn't want him to get hurt - not physically.

In the box her eyes searched for Kristin and found the gorgeous girl with little effort. Her beauty was so immaculate and perfect that she stood out from the average crowd. Venus ignored the stares and she showed nothing of the discussion she just had with Dan. Actually she didn't seem to be bothered at all, her facial expression was perfect as ever.

"See, I'm back as promised, Kristin. I told you it wouldn't take long.", Venus' voice was enticing and seductive and her eyes admired the young girl's amazing figure. The mixture of physical power and motherly aura was thrilling. Kristin should come with her to Olympus, she would put some of the Gods and Goddesses she saw there to shame with her immaculate appearance.

[Krysti-Lynn Magnussen]

Everyone and everything faded away under the sound of Violet's honey-sweet voice and the sight of her divine beauty. Thoughts of men staring at her, Galahad making her want him, the infected in their cells, and those waiting to see if they'll, all it seemed far away, of little importance compared to this vibrant, sensual, unearthly woman. She was enticing and terrible at the same time.

Forcefully keeping her arms around herself, Kristin couldn't stop from leaning into Violet's hand as the tall seductress cupped her cheek. She told herself she didn't need a taste of Violet's blissful touch, but couldn't refrain from basking in the seductive, tingling caress, nor glow under her luminous, purple-eyed regard. See that James! She likes me more than you!

"You did, and you weren't," Kristin agreed, breathing in her scent. "I... I had an... I thought I saw... Hornsbeck again, but it was only a zombie that was talking to me until I cut his head off. I thought... I needed," you, "but I'm okay now, really."

She looked up at Violet, pulling back slightly so she could see her face past her Brobdingnagian bustline, and gave her a tremulous smile. "But seeing you again helps. Just seeing you..."

[Dan Hawkins]

She had discarded him. One could almost see his heart harden like stone, and freeze over with ice as his blood ran cold. They'd truly lost her now, and someone else would have her. He and Fox had discussed this, but he wasn't willing to go there. Those discussions had not ended well. Instead, he drew himself up to his full height, and left the small room, heading back to the others.

She could live in her delusion, unlike her, he had work to do, and the real world needed him. He still had his Duty. First things would have to come first, Fox and Jules needed to know.

He made his way to where Jules and Sarah were standing outside with another man and dialed the private channel for Fox they'd used. "Fox, come to the quarrantine zone, we've got something big to talk about." He didn't use the line often, and hoped it would press matters home.

While he awaited a response, he looked to the two women and Jordan. I'm sorry to interrupt, but I need to talk to you."

Without further preamble he began. "Jules, something big happened while we're gone. I've already called Fox over, but Violet is evidently leaving. She's going to some encampment called Olympus. She's calling herself Venus now."

The fact he was disgusted and thought she was insane was transmitted in his tone. "We need to take care so she doesn't walk off with anyone else."

His duty was clear, protect the refuge. much as he wanted to go back to Olivia, Galahad, and Adam, he needed to talk with people in charge, they couldn't let this situation get any worse.

[BlueNinja]

Once V has gone outside, and Adam's attention span is back to normal (well, mostly), he looks past Galahad to Myfwany. "Thanks, we'll stop by once you've cleared Dave and Wei through quarantine. Are all the rest of the super women here so, ah, tall?" He's still shaking the stars from his eyes when V comes back inside. "My kingdom for a video camera," he mutters under his breath.

[Courier]

Violet's trail headed for Quarantine. Myfwany had said she'd go there, and Dan was there to play executioner. And... almost Violet was about to dump Dan. The father of her children.

Ouch. And he thought his breakup with V had been painful. How would he have reacted if V had been carrying his children?

James stared at the building uneasily. No one was being thrown through walls. Maybe he should go in? How would he have reacted if Dan had been in the room when V had broken up with him?

V had several trails. She might have entered and then left. Or entered twice, once for Dan, once for Myf. Or done something else.

James approached the building, looked around, and asked, "Hey, is Violet here?"

[z-Jules WhiteElk]

"Dan, we can't make anyone stay if they don't want to," Jules said, missing the obvious ramifications that he was referencing. Then a beat later, she realized exactly what that meant. "Oh, shit." Another beat and she sighed, "Anyone who wants to leave gets scanned by Myf. That's my suggestion. I can't think of any other way to figure out who's leaving because they want to, and who's leaving because Vi... Venus? Really?" At Dan's nod, the woman sighed. She'd been afraid of this day for a long time.

James's approach cut off further commentary. "James, I thought with your nose, you could smell the trail of burnt hearts," Jules said, her voice both bitter and annoyed. Violet had found a good man and had thrown him away. Worse, she'd denied her children the chance to grow up with their father. Jules was a little angry because Violet had gotten exactly what Jules had wanted and was now crushing it under her heel for some reason that probably only made sense to Violet. "Violet's in Quarantine."

Something was now nagging at her; something that she couldn't put her finger on. An idea was clawing at her brain, demanding her attention, but she couldn't remember it to save her life. Hoping it came to her in time, Jules put a hand on Dan's shoulder in a silent gesture of sympathy.

[SalmonMax]

Myfwany shook her head ruefully. "Not most of them. Sometimes the physical augmentation that's commonplace in supers is accompanied by a kind of benign gigantism...that seems unusual though."

From how she kept glancing over at Violet and Kristin, she seemed deeply unsettled by something.

"Adam." Myf looked at him. "I'm going to check on Dan. When I get back, if you want to talk more about the super-zombie, we can do that."

She headed outside towards the little cluster of people forming around Jules.