Archive Mutants & Masterminds: Future Imperfect - Chapter 4: Silent Lucidity

[Joani]

Six was still close to Juno and followed the conversation as good as he could.

"Guys... I think this war is far from over. You definitely dealt them a crippling blow but from what I picked up they are still in control of at least 2 countries and the moon. Those government types really treated us very good - I could get used to living in a first class hotel.", Six smiled and winked at Adrian.

"News is full of reports about how the war efforts are going - they even established some kind of military union consisting of the US, the Brits, the French the Russians and the Asians. Its fucking huge... you know - like bigger than the United Nations and stuff. There are no more MICs...", Six looked at the floor as if that was bad news.

"There are very little mutants left they say...", he looked at the others and sighed. Six wasn't a good liar.

-----------

Outside

The secretary of State nodded at her goons and took the cellphone back. "We can provide you with that easily. Are you sure you want to do this?", She also looked at Ronnie.

"However - remember that my offer - which means the offer of the President of the United States still stands.", she handed Travis a card with her number.

"Call me - anytime", then she excused herself and re-entered the room where the others were discussing.

One of the men in black asked them to wait a moment and came back with the requested clothes handing Travis an elegent white suit with matching shoes and Ronnie the BDUs and pants she wanted paired with combat boots.

"I wish good luck - you'll need it.", he simply said and resumed his position to guard the door.

[SalmonMax]

Juno was lying back, covering her eyes and trying to focus through the sick haze that draped over her. There was a lot to do, it sounded like, but first things first.

She reached out to take hold of Becca's hand and squeezed it.

"I owe you," Juno told Adrian's sister. "I owe you big."

With that she let go of Becca's hand and focused on Adrian. "As for what next...it sounds to me like we're not done with these aliens yet. These things went after my family. I don't mean to stop with just one good kick. I'm gonna keep kicking them when they're down, until there's just goop on the ground. And then? I'll stomp on it."

She glances at the door to the hospital room.

"If that means working with the government, fine. Doesn't mean I trust them, or I expect much from them."

Juno closed her eyes and asked what she'd been avoiding.

"Six. What happened to my dad?"

[Stargaizer]

Kevin continued checking over Sly, waiting for a response as he threw his own two cents into the conversation.

"This fight isn't over yet. We can kick them off this planet, we can kick them off the moon, but if we don't deal a decisive blow to them in their entirety, they may get the notion that they can do this again... when we're not hear to stop them. Who knows, maybe they've done this to others who couldn't defend themselves...

The fact that those two deserted us doesn't mean that we don't still have a fight ahead of ourselves. We weren't able to pick who got thrown into this fray with us, but we kicked butt anyways. Their services may be missed, but we still have more than enough ability and drive to finish this."

They'll be sorely missed... Travis, stuck-up as he was, was our heaviest hitter... and at a distance at that... Oh well, we knew he was going to flake out on us sooner or later, or at least I did...

It was then that he realized Ms. Storm had re-entered the room. His address to her was direct and formal. "Ms. Storm, first things first, I do believe that we all would like something to wear besides paper, however comfortable it is. And after that, I do believe that several of us have made requests that have not yet been fulfilled. After that, we can sit down and talk about what exactly it is that you want, ok?

And yes, our friend is out of his comatose state."

Kevin was very polite, almost jovial as he said it, though his mind was already planning how to fill in the gap that the loss of Travis and Ronnie left.

[Travis Kincaid]

"I'm sure I want to find out who I am ... or I guess who I was. I think I know who I am now. And yes, maybe I will decide to give you folks a hand, but things were pretty bad for a while for mutants, and being nice to us now doesn't erase that. It won't be enough for a while." Travis accepted the suit and raised and them looked at his pale skin, "I'm going to look like a ghost. Oddly appropriate now that I think about it."

He located a men's room just off the hall and quickly dressed. Despite the stretching he found his muscles and joints were sore and stiff. He even noted that the little poltergeists that bled off of his telekinetic control seemed even more erratic and random, as though the virus was making it worse. He looked in the mirror and while the suit fit he found he needed a tan and a haircut badly.

He shrugged out of the jacket and suit and gave his greasy hair a quick wash in the sink, drying it by squeezing the water out. Now clean and slicked back his hair looked passable. He put the shirt and jacket back on and wandered back to the ICU.

[z-May Allman]

Ronnie just laughed at his ghost comment. It was way too true. She'd retained her color a lot better, mostly because it wasn't a true skin tone; she set it when she shifted. Three months in this shape, she realized, staring startled in the mirror. Wonder if I shifted around while out. The thought was scary, but not one she could dwell on. Get Travis settled first, then deal with her shit.

Ronnie quickly dressed in the ladies bathroom. The clothes were wonderful, comfortable and well-fitting. She wondered if they'd had clothes waiting for them; how else would they fit so well? Another thought to worry about later. She finger-combed her hair, then pulled it into a ponytail. That was as good as she was getting; even with just having come out of a coma, she still looked good.

She came out of the bathroom stretching to return the limberness to her limbs, looking for Travis. While she didn't think he was going to leave without her, he'd done dumb things before.

[Adrian Moss]

"Okay Juno. We fight until it's done then plan for the future. Okay."

Watching Travis come into the room then start cleaning up, Adrian could figure out what was going on. When Ms. Storm came back in,

"I'll second the clothes thing. These aren't exactly fun." This time his voice had calmed down and even had a freindly tenor to it. For now, he had to accept the government and his family were friends. He couldn't afford to keep thinking of them as traitors and enemies.

Upon seeing Travis again,

"Travis, you need more back-up? I'm sure Ronnie's got your back, but I'm almost ready and willing no matter were you are going."

He was still holding his sister tight, but was deadly serious. Travis knew what he was doing and if anyone could get to the bottome of what was really going on it was those two. Even if he had to leave Rebecca in Juno's care, he wanted to be there. All he need now was some jeans, sneakers, and a T-shirt.

[SalmonMax]

"Goes for me too," Juno said staunchly, ignoring her body's illness and unwittingly popping a cap into Adrian's idea of her babysitting his sister. "If there's going to be action, I want in on it."

[Travis Kincaid]

"Backup? For what?" He looked at the two kids, they were four really, Rebecca and Six seemed part of the package with those two. "Listen, I've finally got a chance to learn a little about myself. That's all. Seems our own damn government doesn't even know who I am, but somebody does, somebody with clearance so red that your eyes bleed just from seeing it. So right now I'm playing their game and going for a little car ride, a visit with the people who can hopefully fill in the blanks."

He scrubbed his face with his hands, eddies of TK swirling out ruffled his hair as though there were a light breeze in the room. Likewise his suit fluttered fitfully. "I don't know what I'm going to find. Hopefully answers but very possibly questions too. I'm only letting Ronnie tag along cause she's too much a pain to argue with." He heard her scoff behind him, and he turned, "Figured you'd hear that." He turned back to the young mutants, "I don't plan on disappearing, maybe we'll meet again, but for now I suggest you take care of you and yours. Milk these fed bastards for everything you can, cause you'd better believe that if they think sacrificing you will help them repel those aliens, they sure as hell won't hesitate."

[Adrian Moss]

"Well, I guess while we are waiting we can get a move on and get our lives back in some sort of order. We have people that are missing and others than need to be healed up."

"Doc ... General, I don't think you understand what desertion means. My country deserted me when I was five years old and they told me I had no rights outside of a MIC. Now Travis and Ronnie are going to look into his identity, which you would have known if you had bothered to ask him and not assumed. Take care of Captian Hatchins, because even though he was in the Army, he was a good man."

"But please don't judge any of us just because you were able to pass for normal human. Other mutants couldn't and now they are dead because we built collection facilities for the aliens to use as a larder for their technology."

"Damn, wasn't storming into the guts of the space ship enough to buy a little trust?"

Adrian shakes his head. He looks to Juno and shrugs.

"Let's get dressed, meant the president, and ask him about your Dad. Sound good?"

Loudly, he projects,

"Everyone, let's go meet the President. We can roll Sly in on a wheelchair if we have to. What do you say?"

To Travis, he adds,

"I figure you and Ronnie will prefer some back room meeting as opposed to the media affair our meeting is probably going to be."

[z-May Allman]

"You thought we were deserting you? Jesus, glad I didn't try to step out to have my nails done," Ronnie sneered. "Might've written me off as dead.

"Look, Doc, and anyone else who's mentally giving us shit, we're going to get Trav his information. This is vital," Ronnie said, "because someone's been fuckin' around in his head, and giving him the information of who he is will give him weapons with which to fight back until it is fixed all permanent-like. I know we still really don't know one another, but if we were going to abandon you, I would have done it when Juno got her ass caught by the military, and Travis and I would have done it before putting ourselves in mortal danger and a three-month nap. Now I don't know about you folks, but where I come from, actions speak really fuckin' loud. I'd like to think that our actions have shown that we're not fly-by-night shit-heads who like to play pretend-fighty."

She moved and stood square in front of Kevin. "Do you have a problem with Travis and I, or the duty we've done to this point? If so, let's work this shit out now. I'm willing to help out, but if you want to whitewash me as a coward or a deserter or whatever, then I can find another way to help where I don't have to take whatever you're shoveling. Because that's bullshit, especially after putting my hot little ass on the line."

[Travis Kincaid]

Travis' shook his head and looked at Adrian, "He really said we deserted you all?" The Kid nodded and Travis scowled "I'll keep that in mind next time you're in a tube full of goo," He said to the General. Travis opened his mouth as if to say more but instead it clicked shut and he turned on his heel. "Come on Ronnie, I think maybe its time we go. I'm sure our ride is waiting and at this point I'd rather learn something about myself than about our new friends." He passed by Adrian and Juno's beds and gave each a quick fist bump, "We'll be back ... I think."

[SalmonMax]

"Hey don't look at me," Juno said to Ronnie's outburst. "I wanted to come with you because I figure I owe you and Travis a big one. Maybe more than one. So if I can help Trav get his memory back, I'll do it. If not, well..."

She shrugged. "Just let me know, that's all I'm saying."

When Travis jabbed his fist, she caught it on her own and grinned at him.

"Watch yourself out there. I can't save you all the time you know."

[Stargaizer]

Kevin kept his tone even, though just barely. His words were formal and proper and his British accent came through prominently. He spoke directly to Ronnie, and no one else. "The two of you spoke about 'taking your victory and leaving' versus 'staying'. When the both of you left without so much as a word or a glance back, I thought that your decision had been made. I apologize for jumping to conclusions.

Ronnie, Travis, quite frankly, yes, I do have some things that I would like to sort out between the three of us, but I think that that is something better done in private. Now, if you could spare a few minutes before your car ride while Ms. Storm gets the rest of us some clothes, then we should be able to hash this out; however if you have to leave immediately, I'll offer my apologies and we can sort this out when you get back... provided we're not, again, in the middle of a life threatening situation."

Kevin held his ground against Ronnie's stare, and did his best to look non-threatening while holding every last inch of his ground.

[z-May Allman]

"Then we'll sort it when I get back," Ronnie said evenly. "Sounds like our ride is waiting for us." And she would be back, at least for long enough to see what could be done about Kevin. If she couldn't work with him, she'd find another way to help, a way that got her the fuck away from Kevin. He didn't seem willing to bend, she knew Trav bend about as well as a steel rod and she'd never had anyone claim she 'worked well and played well with others'.

Turning, she stalked out of the room, following Travis. It seemed like she did that a lot, but honestly, she had little choice. He was her friend and her partner. She loved him. Whether his path led to the future, the past or Hell, she would follow him.

[Tim Wiley]

Maybe he's too tired to hear me? Tim thought to himself as he shut off the telepathic link.

Then he heard Ronnie bray on about being a hero and risking her life for everyone else. And what did we do? Play Halo? Then she went on about how her ass was hot and she risked it

"The only time your ass is hot, is from the friction of the cheeks when they rub together." Tim grumbled inaudibly to himself. Is this chick serious? I mean she is hot, but.. shit girl, show some fucking humility. He had finally figured out why the two of them were together. She honestly thought she was better than everyone else, and was defensive about it. He seemed to be a the doormat for her ego.

"All I want is some clothes and a list of the injured." Tim was finally moving around again.

Sticking his thumb out in the direction that Ronnie went. "What the fuck is her problem? She acts like we sat back and did nothing."

[SalmonMax]

Juno watched Ronnie and Travis go, wishing she could go with them.

"Yeah. So. Anyway."

Thoroughly deflated she gave Adrian and Six a wan smile to try to pass the whole thing off.

[Grav]

Grav watches everything go on and starts to chuckle. This was all so wild. She wanted nothing more than to vanish from the hospital and return to her classroom, but there was something that made her stay.

She spoke up softly. "We need to finish this war, then we can go back to our normal lives."

She looks to Tim. "Let them go, they have their own issues. We all need to get over the lingering effects fthe virus so we can get back out there helping where we can."

She sighs.

"If that means we have to fight again, so be it, but I'm in this till the end."

She looks over to Tom. "Preferrably with the rest of you all there too. We accomplished something amazing with just our group and pretty much not really knowing each other. That has to count for something."

[Joani]

"Allright", Ms Storm spoke out trying to assume some control of the situation and avoid any escalation that may result out of hurt pride or whatever these mutants had going.

"Clothes will be provided and are ready for you. The nurses are on their way. I'd still like to know if you are willing to take the offer I spoke about earlier or not. I don't have to whole day to just wait, the President is expecting answers - even if they are negative. It is critical for the future of our country to know what you will do next. I can only hope you make the right decision.", she took a deep breath to continue her speech, "As for the list of casualties - I have requested it and I'm expecting results within the next 30 minutes. Maybe if you gave me some names I could have them looked up by my people - that should save us some time."

She then turned to Kevin and raised an eyebrow, "You mentioned something about being able to help Captain Hicks? If that is still on the table I let Dr. Spyder arrange a transport to the Military Hospital where he is in recovering from his injuries."

The time for Travis 'escort' was getting closer and with a brief nod he excused himself and left with Ronnie. Who knew if they saw them again...

(ooc: Travis and Ronnie's story will be continued in its own thread coming soon)

[Stargaizer]

Kevin, much softer and friendly turned from watching Ronnie and Travis leave and looked at the group. His response was first to Grav's comment, and actually seemed upbeat... in light of what had just transpired. "You're right. In this 'till the end. And your point was what I was trying to say earlier; we got thrown into this, and our off-the-cuff offensive dealt a major blow, allowing the rest of the world to liberate themselves and push the aliens back to just two areas in the world. With backing, organization, intel and experience, we can should be able to push them all the way back to where they came from."

That speech given, he turned back to Ms. Storm, his tone staying light but taking an undercurrent of professionalism. "As you can probably tell, most of us in this room are at least willing to favorably listen to the offer that you have to make. However, as you've also noticed, two of our number have just left. As a group, we can't make a decision unless we're all here. So let us listen to your proposal, and provided that those two return before whatever deadline you and the President set, we'll decide together. If not, then those of us here will decide.

However, I, personally, will need that phone call before I can decide.

And yes, the offer to help still stands. And besides Captain Hicks, I would also like a list of the most critical and seriously wounded patients in the hospital, starting with amputees and others who have missing or non-functioning parts. I will help them while arrangements are being made."

[Adrian Moss]

"Tim, everyone knows that Ronnie runs with Travis first and foremost. She doesn't mean anything about it, but to her, we are just civvies caught up in a struggle. They are the professionals."

"Of course they couldn't have won without us. She knows that. This is just her way - partner first."

To Kevin,

"Doc, don't kill yourself out there. As you said, this fight isn't over."

"Everyone, are we going to fight as a group again? Tim are you in? Simon and Savannah, we haven't heard form you yet. What do you see yourselves getting out of this? Speak up. This is your future too."

"I'm going to fight because my friends are. I'm going to fight what they did to mutants all over the globe. They must be avenged. I'm going to fight because I know what they will do to me if they win. Hell, I'm even going to fight because my Homeland wants me to because ... because ... because that is something my father would have wanted me to do."

"Come on. We can do this."

[Savannah Tanner]

Savannah listened silently to the young man's speech. Her lips pressed together silently, and as he actually addressed her - That's one of the few times they've ever bothered to talk to us directly, except for "What can we do".. - she turned to her brother, and they shared a silent look. Then Savannah turned back to the woman who claimed to be from the President.

"I think we'd like to see a list of the casualties from Las Vegas, please."

[Mr Fox]

Even after awaking and being healed of the virus damage from his effort at trying to get free it took him a good fifteen minutes to fully readjust to perceiving the real world. Those dreams he'd been having were too real. There was something in them that was more than just his subconscious talking. He had those visions of aliens. Sure he'd seen them in Travis and the twin's minds, but some of what was in the dreams went beyond what he'd learned from them, the question was were the visions real, or manufactured by his own brain. His gut was telling him they were real.

After he had readjusted and started paying attention again he spent another few minutes getting caught up to speed on what had been going on that the others had already come to terms with. By then Ronnie and Travis had wandered off to learn about who he was. That seemed like a dangerous thing to do, but to each his own. He wondered why Travis hadn't just asked him to try and recover his memories for him. Wouldn't actually remembering be better than being told what you couldn't remember? He shrugged, but sent a thought to Travis, "Buddy, go talk to the mysterious organization if you want, but I'll check up on you now and then to make sure you are ok unless you don't want me to. Hey, and if you want I could try and dig into your brain and see what info is actually there or if it's gone for good."

Like it or not Sly was going to check up on Travis, not just for his own good but so that he could find out who was behind the super secret agency was. Knowledge was power and Travis' boss was bound to be positively full of it.

Sly had gone quiet after recovering and people were not paying much attention to him when he suddenly cried out in pain as the virus did yet more damage as he stretched his mental muscles using his full ability again.

[Tim Wiley]

"You would think she'd be a liitle grateful for our help." Tim responded to Travis. "And yeah, I would like to get back at the aliens. My life is already screwed up enough. What the hell do I have to lose."

Tim's head spun around as Sly screamed out in pain. Oh crap! Don't make me have to go back in there. He remembered what he saw inside Tim's mind and decided he would speak to him later. The guy's mind is probably halfway cooked anyways.

[Adrian Moss]

Adrian didn't know if Sly was dying or not, but it sure looked like the virus to him. Something had to be done and despite the vast risk to his sister's life and survival, he had to.

In a desperate whisper,

"Becca, Becca you need to hug him and wish him to be better and whole. I think you can banish the virus. You did it in me and you have to try now. Sly's life could depend on it. We can't keep letting this happening. I know its risky for you, but you've got to try."

[Joani]

"Here, you can use my phone.", Ms. Storm said handing it over to Kevin.

"As for that list - I just need a bit more time. Like I said earlier, if you want my people to search for names they can do that. I suppose it'll be easier that way and would save us a lot of time.", Ms. Storm tried to look at every Mutant that had requested to see a list of survivors.

Then Sly "came back" from the dead and started rattling and coughing blood. Rebecca looked scared at her brother not sure what she was supposed to do but she nodded faithfully at him anyway.

The young girl walked over to Sly and hugged him like a sister would her brother. For a short moment she just hugged him but then there was a blue glow emanating from her and it seemed to enter Sly. Sly felt instantly better, as if the virus was gone and looked surprised at Adrians sister who smiled weakly back and then collapsed in his arms.

"What the?", Ms. Storm said and looked at Adrian. "Your sister is a Mutant?"

[Adrian Moss]

Cradling his sister in his arms, his face a mask of concern, Adrian turned to Mrs. Storm,

"I don't suppose me telling you to tell no one would do any good, would it?"

"I can promise you that the first person to poke her or prod her I will personally break."

He looked down on his siter,

"Sorry Becca, I've probably ruined your life."

[SalmonMax]

Juno got up out of bed painfully and stiffly hobbled over to where Adrian was. She put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it, but didn't say anything at first.

Instead she said to Storm, "Look up Hector Reyes. He was at the clinic in the first attack. I don't know what happened to him after that. They took me."

Then to Adrian she says, "Times are changing, man. Don't be so hard on yourself."

[Grav]

Grav makes her way out of bed and lays a hand on Adrian's shoulder. "I've got your back there." She smiled reaasuringly to Rebecca, the same smile the young teacher had bestowed on students who showed great promise.

"Adrian I don't think you've ruined her life, but you have definitely changed things for all of us."

Inwardly she wonders if it can really be that easy.

[Mr Fox]

Sly was absolutely stunned, but had the presence of mind to catch the girl before she could fall. After a second he did what he had never done in his entire life. He hugged someone. Pulling her back into the hug and helping hold her steady at the same time, "Thank you, thank you sooo much," he whispered in her ear. It felt really good to be without the debilitating effects of the virus for the first time in ages.

To Adrian, "I think it worked. Won't know for sure until we see if it comes back, but I think I'm better. Don't worry, I will do everything I can to protect your sister.

With that he turned his eyes to the one nurse still in the room and in only a moment she had a different set of memories. In her mind Sly had screamed in agony as the virus hit him and the retired general had come over and healed him of the damage again, but he still had the virus just like everyone else Adrian included. Looking at Ms. Storm who had moved closer, "Can we trust that you will never reveal this new development?"

Morgan will read the truth of it in her mind and if she thinks about telling anyone else or has dishonest thoughts he will do the same treatment on her. Unfortunately Travis would have to wait a moment, and hopefully he'd be safe.

Click to reveal..

1st die mega. Not holding back in order to see if he's effected by the virus.

(10:48:35) ChatBot: (Sly) rolls 10d10 and gets 7,8,8,7,10,6,4,8,9,4.

8 successes

On reading/altering Ms. Storm: he is also going to check her intentions toward the group while he's in there.

(10:49:44) ChatBot: (Sly) rolls 10d10 and gets 8,8,4,2,4,7,8,3,3,7.

6 successes

Does she know of any recording devices that have captured what has happened? If so who is in charge of them?

[Joani]

The secretary of state hesitated and thought about her options. Slowly she gave in. "I... of course. But this revelation is amazing. A cure... that's godsend!"

She tried to hide her excitement but her eyes betrayed her. "We will of course respect any decision you make... but I must insist - please give our scientists at least a chance to study this phenomenon and see if we can find a way how your sister cured you."

Juno's request seemed forgotten for the moment and it took Ms. Storm quite a while to regain her composure. Then she produced a PDA out of her blazer and took notes.

"Hector Reyes... who else?", she looked at the others who had voiced similar requests.

[SalmonMax]

Juno's eyes widened.

"A cure?! Becca?!" She jerked her hand off Adrian's shoulder.

"You knew about this?"

[Mr Fox]

Sly sighed. Of course it was too good to be true.

He raised his voice just a bit to get everyone's attention, "I'm not cured. I can still feel the virus, but Becca has healed the damage it did to me and I think as long as I stay close to her it won't come back. I'm not sure I can put it into words better than that." He hesitated then added, "I just stretched myself a bit power wise after I thought I was cured and I could feel some traces of the virus lingering in the wings, but the symptoms didn't return."

Sly gave Becca a grateful smile, "I hope you don't mind but I think you are my new best friend." He chuckled and squeezed her shoulder.

[Adrian Moss]

Adrian turns to Juno,

"I - just - found out ... about a minute ago when she hugged me and wanted me to feel better. Then, the virus was gone. I've never felt so much better and I know instinctively what she'd done. She didn't though."

"I didn't shout this to the heavens or drag her around to the rest of you because I don't went them," motioning to the government folks, "to take her apart to figure out how this works. I'd have told you as soon as I felt it was safe. I trust you. Do you trust me?"

The Kid breaths in deeply and lets out a sigh,

"I just didn't want Sly to die, so I asked her to do it again, and look what's happened."

"Juno, I don't know what to do. I figure she can cure us all, but it will take some time - maybe once a day. Man, I wish Travis was here - Travis and Ronnie. He'd have a plan."

"Juno, help me protect Rebecca. I don't want her disappearing."

It was clear he was a long way from trusting 'normal' humanity.

[z025]

Simon untangled himself from his sister, making unstead steps over to where the others had gathered around Sly and Adrian and Becca. He put a hand on Adrian's shoulder and said with serious eyes, "My mother once said that mutants exist because humanity is still evolving, still responding to the world around us. Maybe she's our answer to something that's killing us off, or at least a first attempt. Either way, she deserves to be protected; to have her freedom protected, too. None of us wanted to be locked up and she shouldn't be either, no matter how precious we might think she is."

He smiled down at the girl still in Sly's arms. "She's our hope. If you need, or want, I will help protect her as well. She should have a chance at the life she wants, at getting to grow up without being afraid or being locked up." He glanced over at Savi in commemeration, then back to Adrian to see what his response would be.

[Stargaizer]

Kevin took the phone Ms. Storm offered. He was about to step just outside the door when everything went down with Sly and Becca.

At first, Kevin was as hopeful as everybody, though there was still a part of him that 'knew' it was too good to be true. Then, Sly announced that it was, and his fears were realized.

When Adrian started going all paranoid, Kevin stepped back in. "Ok, ok, just calm down, please. She's not a cure, per-se, but she could most definitely be a treatment. Though, by the looks of the side effects on her, one that we should use only in the most dire of circumstances. However, trust is built slowly, and mistrust lingers long. That being said, you're probably correct, she does need protection. If not from the government proper, then from anybody who would think to profit from her.

Adrian, I promise you, and I promise you all, that no one will get hurt so long as I have a say in it. I will expend every last resource that I have and every last breath in my body protecting each and every one of you. That goes for you, as well as those not with us, and those without abilities." With that last statement he glanced over his shoulder at Ms. Storm.

Addressing the group again, "Now, I will be back shortly. I'll be just outside these doors if anyone needs me. And Adrian, I'll check in on Becca as soon as I get back; if her condition changes, come get me, ASAP. OK?"

He waited for an affirmative reaction from Adrian before stepping outside the doorway and leaning against the wall, just on the other side of the hinges. He opened up the borrowed cellphone and dialed the router that he could use to check his messages; the one that he used when he didn't want the direct number being able to be tracked.

Three months and a lot of stuff hitting the fan... no telling how many messages he had... or from whom. Silently he prayed, to no one in particular, that the Queen was alright. He didn't know what he would do if she had succumb to injuries that he could've healed.

[Joani]

Kevin dialed his router and after the familiar 3 rings the voicebox activated. He punched in his code and waited for the machine to start its recordings.

There was only one message which got repeated over and over again. Kevin was supposed to go back to HQ in London ASAP and report to the authorities.

It would take him at least 10 hours to get there... and then he would abandon the kids. Decisions had to be made but what had priority?

[Savannah Tanner]

Savannah nodded quietly, suppressing her concerns as her brother spoke. Simon knew what was best, and if he wanted to promise their protection to this girl, then that's what they'd do. She'd be damned if they were just going to hand over their names to the government though, not when they'd worked so hard to conceal them. Her eyes flickered over to her brother and Sly, before moving on to rest on Ms. Storm.

"Of course, we'll be willing to help you. But if you'll pardon any inconvenience, ma'am.. we'd still prefer to just see a list. Last names starting with "R", if that helps you narrow it down enough to speed things up."

[Tim Wiley]

I'd like to get her in a lab! Tim thought excitedly, as he envisioned developing and selling a cure for the virus. Tim was good at science, but not spectacular. He was more the brainy bookworm type.

"I can see that we are going to have to wait on those casualty lists." Tim said with a sigh. He had already assumed that Rosa was dead. There was no sense in getting his hopes up at this point. Maybe they destroyed the casinos. He thought wisfully. For as much as he hated his mom, he wished she was not inside one when it was destroyed.

Tim grabbed the clothes that had been offered and began to get dressed.

[Joani]

If Ms. Storm was offended by Savannah's near tantrum it didn't show. Instead she nodded at the twins and sighed.

"I understand your grudges against the Government for what has been done to Mutantkind, I really do. My sister was one of the first to get interned in one of the MICs here in Washington D.C. We know today that the alien invaders are to blame for that. They are to blame for a lot that happened to both Human- and Mutantkind."

The secretary of State tried to find the proper words but found that she was incapable of saying anything that could excuse the past terrible years. She looked defeated to the floor and shook her head.

"Listen - you don't have to make a decision as group. If any of you don't want to accept this offer you don't have to. The President will still hold you in high regards and make sure you're future will be safe and secured as far as he is able to guarantee that. You shall not suffer anymore and the nation owes you more than any material compensation can provide."

She made another note on her PDA and looked at the others, expecting to be asked to leave the room.

[Adrian Moss]

"I don't trust you, but I don't have a choice, do I? If I want to defeat the aliens the easiest path lies through working with you. You have to fight them too because if you don't drive them out you know they won't lose a second time."

He starts getting dressed in front of her without shame.

"Those of us who want to continue the fight will see the president. We'll hear what you want us to do and decide how close to suicidal it is. None of us have any delusions how tough the aliens remain."

"I don't imagine you are stupid, so we'll probably agree. We'll want assurances that those who don't want to continue are well taken care of for all they've risked so far. Us mutants have to look out for one another because ... well, forget that for now."

"Ms. Storm, I think you doing your best and telling us the truth as you know it. Thanks."

He tucks his shirt in. He goes over to Sly and takes up his sister.

"Were can I put Rebecca were she'll be safe. Maybe she can meet the president next time. I'd also like to be back before she wakes up, if possible."

"