Inescapable Ghosts (Solo)

Present Day, New York

Outside a newly repaired window, Tses gazed at the familiar face of a half moon glimmering in the sky. It's silvery sheen played across the curves of her face, and it's energy flowed through her arms and into her body. The moonlight was always comforting, and during the rare occasions she could bask in it, she felt the most alive. The moon was a friend few could compare to. Fickle, only available half the time, it still managed to give much and take little in return, and maybe that was why she loved it so much.

On every dark night in the streets of Chicago, Tses would look up to the sky, hoping to see the guardian orb in the sky. Sometimes she only found starlight, but others, there it would be, smiling down on her with a Cheshire cat grin. It had a strange little personality she had come to know living under the starlight, and together, they made it through thick and thin.

It was only fair it would be there watching tonight.

She heard the footsteps coming down the hallway, and didn't try to hide. She just turned and faced the door, like a soldier going into battle. There was a knock, polite, and she moved forward slowly, undoing the deadbolt and several other links before gazing at the face on the other side. It was like staring at a ghost from the past; it was a man she had longed to never see again.

"I see you are well, Tses. Wonderful to hear considering recent events. May I come in?"

Tses just stared back at the man, before allowing the door to slip further open and he walked inside. He had a bowler hat on, and as he removed it his bald head was touched by the light from overhead. He had wrinkles, and a bit of age on his body, but underneath the heavy jacket he wore he was still lithe and strong in build. When she first came to New York, she had challenged him to a fist fight. The scars on her knuckle was a reminder never to try that again.

"What do you want." She whispered, and he gave a small smirk, shrugging his shoulders.

"It's been nearly a year, and this is how you treat me? No 'here, have a seat'; no 'want something to drink'? Dear me, I thought we taught you better manners than that Tses. Tsk tsk tsk. You know, you came to this city, what was it, four years ago? Skinny little street kid with no real talent. And we took you in. Taught you to work, made you useful, and you were good at it. Then you just try to cut us loose, go on your own way. Oh, it happens to most of your kind eventually, so I wasn't surprised. Your 'guilt' kicks in, and you can't handle the idea of working against your own kind. But you know, just because you stop now doesn't mean you can erase all those things you did before."

Tses didn't move as he made a slow arching curve across her apartment. He stopped at the coffee table, where a tiny stuffed tiger sat, and he grinned at her over his shoulder. "Perhaps it is a someone that got to you rather than a something though. I can tell. You've met someone, you've met people that make you want to change. Do they know who you've been though, Tses? Do they know who you still are?"

"I'm not your pawn anymore, Kystler. That's in the past, and I plan to leave it there. So you can either cut to the chase or get out of my house." She snarled, staring powerfully at his smug expression. He shrugged against, but reached down and collected the little animal in his hands. Tses felt her body tense, but she made no move to grab it.

"Very well. I've come about a job we had you do. The Holmes project. Do you recall that one?" He said slowly, and Tses struggled to keep her expression blank.

"Of course I remember that one... It was an utter disaster. The body guards, the shooting... We called off the whole project because of it, remember? What could you possibly want with it now." Tses said quietly, dread filling her gut.

"What I want is still the same thing I've always wanted: the girl. the Holmes Project was shelves, true, but with recent events, we are hoping to pursue it once more. And we'd like your help. We trained you in this type of data retrieval, and if you go along with it, we'll make it worth your while. What is it you need? Better housing? Money? Or maybe... we can clear a few things off that extensive little record you've built for yourself. I hear you have a court date coming up. Wouldn't you like to have someone on your side to make that all go away... Or would you rather just sit behind bars."

He folded his hands over the tiny tiger like a mock cage. The moon powered mutant refused to give him the satisfaction of her fear though. "You have until the full moon to consider it, my dear. Since I know that is when you seem to work best. You can consider the proposition, and in the meantime, we'll keep the cops off your back. You do as we want, we'll clear your record. But, I should warn you, you say no...." He held up the tiny tiger, and pulled out a knife from his pocket. Before she could move, he stabbed the stuffed animal, and she cried out in surprise. With a flick, he tossed the animal onto the couch, and little fluffs of stuffing hit the couch like drops of blood. Slowly, he moved back towards the door, and placed his hat back on his head. With a smirk, he put his hand on the door handle, and tilted his hat. "Just remember: there are things more irreplaceable than stuffed animals. People don't sew up quite as easily. The full moon, Tses. Remember that." And with that, he was gone, like a shadow from the past leaving a wake behind him.

Tses locked the door tightly, then rushed to the couch, examining the damage to her Christmas gift. The deep gash could be sewed, but he threat still carried. Before, she only had her to worry about, but now, there was someone else to keep safe. She glanced towards the window where the moon glimmered, and suddenly, her constant companion seemed like a clock, slowly ticking away.

The full moon would be coming, and when it got here, she would have to make a choice she thought she escaped.