Having to have a chaperone outside of the Haven facility was starting to chafe Noel.

She was feeling quite recovered physically, but she hadn't figured out where she fit into society as far as jobs and usefulness went. She was toying with the idea of security again. Protecting people, instead of ending them, seemed more in line with the kind of person she wanted to be.

While she puzzled it through, Noel needed some distance.

She ended up pestering Haley to go with her for some tea. Though at first, they hadn't seen eye-to-eye, it was impossible for the two psychics to miss out on being friends after they'd worked out how their powers interacted.

Haley could hold information in Noel's head. No matter how hard she tried, Noel couldn't seem to erase what Haley put there. Whatever Hadden was using her for, Noel didn't quite care once she'd learned about that little trick because now there was no way she was forgetting a baseline of her own identity. It was iron-clad unforgettable.

Funny, how much of a relief that was.

Noel sipped her tea from a mug that read Don't Chai Wish Your Boyfriend Was Hot Like Me? at the window bar and watched the people of New York hustle around sort of like a reverse zoo exhibit. People were fascinating. Haley'd grown bored and picked up one of the shop's books to skim through and the pair sat in amicable silence.

That is, until Noel spotted a familiar face.

"Two minutes. I'll be right back."

Haley used her finger to mark her spot and raised an eyebrow, but Noel was already hustling.

Was she crazy? Was it really him?

Noel shouldered her way between two professionals and reached up to wave over the lunchtime crowd so that he'd have a chance of spotting her back. "Hades!"

Hades sat in a coffee shop, and sipped his tea, lost in thought, reflecting on the past eight months. He had been on a mission for Ragnarok when his plane was downed over Siberia. Stripped of his mutant powers he then escaped on foot and, well, essentially turned feral. He shed his civility and became a man of the wilds. He hunted with bow and arrow with slingshot and spear as he played hide and seek with his hunters. He ended up having to follow an old Indian hunting route, all the way to the Bering straight. He barely made the crossing and was rescued by a dinosaur/shape shifting mutant. He returned to New York to find Rangarok effectively null and void. Its once charismatic leader distant.

The months in the wild without powers had reminded Hades of his mortality. It was sobering to realize that there was not a living person who actually knew his real name, or his history, or indeed anything much about himself. He was feeling.... morose. The two people closes to him that were alive, as far as he knew at least, were one his student Alex, and two Noel. Noel was.... He was not sure what she was, but he would settle for friend right now. He would most gladly settle for friend. He wondered what else he had missed by being away for 8 months. Other than perhaps the fact that Noel had claimed/revealed three of his safe houses, rendering them useless. He was not sure how he felt on that matter. Too many things to consider, he was still processing, re-centering himself.

"Hades"

Hades was jerked out of his reverie by who else. Noel.
Expressive as always he raised an eyebrow as she seemed to be hopping? up and down and waving in a rather comical fashion. The corners of Hades mouth twitched upward slightly. He inclined his head, an invitation to come and sit with him. This should be an interesting conversation.

"Noel" He greeted her.

The last mission they'd embarked on together had been strictly business. With that as a buffer between the craziness of her helping him connect some lost memories, she was pretty sure they'd be okay. Nothing would get too awkward unless he let that terrible passion out from behind his control.

And he seemed quite controlled with only a nod to invite her inside.

Noel slipped past the line and took a hurried seat next to her old... comrade. Work associate? Crazymaker? Nepotic patron? That last one had to be from Max's private tutor background. She took a second to look him over and had to be satisfied that nothing obvious was wrong.

He was gone for so long, she'd started to worry a little.

"I'm so sorry. I have, like, 1 minute at most." She glanced back through the window to Haley, but couldn't quite meet her eyes with the crowd passing between the two rival tea shops. "There's too much--" Where did she even start? "Come back with me? Just across the street. My- er- chaperone is there."

Hades watched as Noel slipped beside him. She could have sat opposite him and made things easy, but no, beside.
Hades almost completely suppressed a slight wince as he turned to face her. He was not yet fully recovered. Still very much lethal if provoked but still recovering. The healer had managed to purge whatever mutation suppressor he had been injected then fainted. So his wounds were healing the old fashioned way.

>>"I'm so sorry. I have, like, 1 minute at most."
Hades raised his eyebrow and was about to ask but was interrupted.
>>"There's too much--"
She did not even finish the sentence before wildly launching into the next.
>>"Come back with me? Just across the street. My- er- chaperone is there."

Chaperone? First safe houses bugged and under surveillance now she required a chaperone? With a mental command Hades brought his senses back on to full and engaged his training. For a few seconds time seemed to slow as the world was brought into hyper focus. He noted the woman sitting across from them reading a book yet observing them, from what he could see she was unarmed, still he would keep an eye on her. He reflexively scanned the rest of the diner without appearing to do so and noted no other potential threats.

Turning back to Noel, he started noting things that raised questions in his mind. Her posture, was less confidant? Seemed less sure of herself than before. He also noted the lack of concealed weaponery, at least firearms and the usual backups. All this indicated that much had happened in the time he had been absent. Well the last time they met she had fled his house after submerging herself in his memories. Questions, there were too many questions. Hades mentally shook his head. Time returned to normal.

Out loud he replied. "Of course, lead the way."
He followed her not getting up quite as smoothly as he would have liked, he was still a little stiff. Though only those that knew him would be able to pick that up. As he followed her he continued.
"You must introduce me to your chaperone"
The emphasis was slight and easily missed, but was there none the less.

He got up like an old man or... or maybe like someone normal. It just seemed like an old man with achy joints compared to how smoothly he usually moved. She considered and dismissed the idea of holding his arm or hand to help him. He'd probably just see it as an insult and something holding him back should he need to defend himself.

Noel looked back to his face with searching eyes. He would tell her eventually. Assuming he still trusted her, that is.

"I would honestly rather not introduce you." He'd been leery enough of her power to get into his head. There was no way she was going to risk Haley. She'd only just come to realize what a benefit they had with their powers combined. "Besides, chaperone is not her official job title. She's just doing me a favor so I can get out." And getting out was important if she was ever going to run into the kinds of people she needed to from her past. Like Hades.

She turned and led the way, held the door, and generally made herself useful until they made it across the street.

"Haley, Hades. Hades, Haley. No murder." Noel shot Hades a look and then held up her hand. "Scouts honor. But some space would be nice."

Haley narrowed her eyes at them both but flapped a dismissive hand. "No murder." She asserted. Beyond that she didn't seem to care.

Noel grabbed her tea with one hand and Hades' hand in her other so she could lead him to a good spot in the back. Not too crowded, not too enclosed.

By the quick almost undetectable look that Noel gave Hades as he got up he was sure that she had spotted the stiffness.
>>"I would honestly rather not introduce you."
Hades blinked, perhaps there was something about Haley that Noel he would not like. Hades filed that away as a question to ask Noel later.
>>"Besides, chaperone is not her official job title. She's just doing me a favor so I can get out."
Hades nodded, again it did not totally make sense but he would ask about it later.
>>"Haley, Hades. Hades, Haley. No murder. Scouts honor. But some space would be nice."
Murder? What had Noel gotten herself into.
After ditching "Haley" who seemed less and less of a chaperone and more like a slightly over protective mother hen.

Noel grabbed her tea and his hand. It was an informal gesture, still a little jarring to someone who only recently returned to civilization and started putting on civilized behavior like one struggles to slowly put on layers of clothing. Hades allowed himself to be led to a spot in the back. He sat with his back to a wall, clear lines of vision around and noted that there was no one close enough to overhear them. They sat facing each other. Hades scanned Noel's face a little more closely. She had been through a lot he realized. He would like to know but she would tell him if she wished in her own time.
They sat in silence for a while, Hades at ease, Noel.... looked less so. FInally Hades broke the silence.

" It has been a while.".
He paused then continued.
" I apologize for the sudden disappearance, I was sent on a mission from our....former employer that... did not go according to plan.".
Hades eyes took on a faraway look, as he took a long sip of his tea.
"Ended up the wilderness of Siberia stripped of my abilities and had to hike back on foot. It took a while."

Welllll that was mostly true. He had not mentioned the part about being in a prison, being tortured and escaping. He had also neglected to mention that it had happened during winter, numerous brushes with death, while carrying out a 5+ month long game of hide and seek/guerrilla war with the army and trying to get back to the states. He also let out the part where he had kayaked across the bering straight in a record storm and almost died in the attempt as well as his journey back. Come to think of it there was quite a bit he had not mentioned. He would tell her if she asked he guessed. He had gotten a lot better with the bow and arrow and rather deadly with the slingshot.He shook himself out of his musings. He had killed a great many people in the past months, just to stay alive.

" What happened to you? Unlike you to go around unarmed."

Hades sat back and waited for Noels response.

She took her seat across from Hades and just had to trust that nothing was going to happen. She wasn't in a position to defend herself. Noel wrapped her hands around her mug and breathed it in. Where to start? Just thinking it through made her exhausted.

She was glad for him to break her reverie.

"I was a little worried since the safehouse was compromised. Usually I could keep tabs on you to some degree. It was actually a fortuitous time for you to drop off the grid."

>"Ended up the wilderness of Siberia stripped of my abilities and had to hike back on foot. It took a while."

She coughed her tea back into the cup.

"You what?"

He seemed a bit lost and Noel had to resist the urge to snap in front of his face. That would be rude, but she was irritated to not be a proper psychic in this moment. She was also irritated that he wasn't wholly truthful. She didn't know enough about what he'd done to call him out on it.

> "What happened to you? Unlike you to go around unarmed."

"I—" It wasn't like her to mince words, she just really couldn't figure how far back to start. "I lose time. That's not abnormal for me and my powers. But I made the decision to spare a man's life and it cost me everything. From Fall of last year to some time in Spring, I'm not sure of the dates exactly just the colors of the leaves." She had to set her tea down or risk shaking hands.

"Some of my old coworkers had me over for a visit. Trained penetrative psychics, Hades. Real ones. Not like me." They'd had her so twisted around that it was amazing she hadn't divulged more than she did. For once, the fact that she forgot things was a blessing. "It isn't that I forgot what's happened. It's that my time and my memories were taken."

>>"I was a little worried since the safe house was compromised. Usually I could keep tabs on you to some degree. It was actually a fortuitous time for you to drop off the grid."


It was oddly comforting to know that there were some people who cared. Hades experienced a slight surge in warmth in his heart. It was unexpectedly...pleasant.

>>"You what?"

From her reaction, she had clearly realized that there was much he had left out, he would be happy to tell her, but wondered if it was the proper time or place. After the incident, there were more than a number of head of state that were due, no, past due a visit to remind them of certain promises that they had clearly forgotten about.

>>"I lose time. That's not abnormal for me and my powers. But I made the decision to spare a man's life and it cost me everything. From Fall of last year to some time in Spring, I'm not sure of the dates exactly just the colors of the leaves."

Her hands were shaking, it was a traumatic experience, one that he could sympathize with. He put his hand on her shoulder.

>>"Some of my old coworkers had me over for a visit. Trained penetrative psychics, Hades. Real ones. Not like me. It isn't that I forgot what's happened. It's that my time and my memories were taken."

Hades jaw clenched ever so slightly. He bowed his head and said softly.

" My sympathies."

His face softened for a moment. He had been through that at least one lifetime's worth of memories locked away, and it was only with Noels help that he had regained some of them. He was silent for a moment, attempting to convey sympathy and some modicum of comfort through his hand. He never believed he was any good at this.

"Is there anything..."

He left the question unfinished. There was no need, they both knew what he was asking. Hades was never the very expressive sort, it took a very observant person to get Hades. He had no time for the unobservant. The fact that he clenched his jaw indicated rage that was held very carefully and very securely in check. The fact that he offered to help carried almost as much weight as his word... If Hades said he would do something he would get it done or die trying, which in his case the former was almost always easier. It was rather hard to get Hades to stay dead.
For her complete honesty, Hades reciprocated.

"I have been through similar.... What I said earlier...I left out a number of details."

He paused for a moment, gathering himself, he looked off into the distance and began to speak softly so that only Noel could possibly hear.

"I was on a mission and was betrayed from within. The plane was downed over Russia and we were taken to a "information extraction camp". They stripped all of us of our powers and proceeded to ..... torture our minds with drugs and our bodies with pain to get us to crack. They may have brought in psychics, I am not sure. It was all a blur. They pushed us so hard that for a while I lost myself, my sense of self, any trace of intelligence. I became a dumb unthinking body, good only for slave labor. They though they had broken my mind."

He paused and almost softly growled out.

"But I gave them nothing. If they knew who I was I would not have ever escaped. I used... a technique to create a mental vault where I hid my core personality."

Hades shuddered ever so slightly at the memory, learning to create one was not..... pleasent. He paused staring off into the distance, concentrating on his breathing.

"By the time I "re-emerged" my wounds had mostly healed. I escaped but they were watching the borders so I went the direction they least expected, the Bering Straight while carrying out guerrilla warfare against my pursuers. I was wounded and am recovered... mostly."

There were many many stories that he could tell but now was neither the time nor the place. He straightened up and smiled darkly, his eyes glinting.

"When I am ready, there are a number of people I need to pay a visit to.

This tone did not bode well for there future comfort or happiness, nor indeed their future.
He turned back to Noel.

"Is that how they found out about the safe houses?"

If it was Hades could understand, getting mind raped against ones will...

He sympathised. "Don't worry about it."

> "Is there anything..."

Her eyes widened a touch. He put up a good front, but it was the passion inside of him that scared her so much. That passion drove him to kill people in order to protect others. Noel shook her head quickly, always glad to remain on the "protect" side of that impulse that drove Hades.

"No. Please, no. This is... I may have already taken care of it." Perhaps worse than death, she'd used her power in the most ruthless ways she could imagine at the time. They didn't pursue her, quite possibly because they couldn't.

> "I have been through similar...."

And he had, though not nearly as domestic and far more sprawling.

"I'm surprised anyone bothers to betray you anymore." She'd been an accomplice to the reciprocative measures taken against the last one. "You'd almost think there's someone out there that doesn't like you very much."

It would have been easy to try to blame him for some of what she'd been through, but they were almost certainly unrelated. It was just too personal. Her problems were her own.

> "Is that how they found out about the safe houses?"

"I don't think that's too unimaginable as far as conclusions go." Especially if he was sure that he gave nothing away. "I'm sorry about that. I know you're not hurting for money, but if I could make it up to you, I would." For now, though it just made her grumpy. "I'm not exactly in a position to traipse around the world for objectives these days." Noel glanced over to Haley, but the woman was still immersed in her book.


"There is something you could do for me, though." There was a jet that had been gifted to her. She explained that if he was able to liquidate that asset on her behalf, she'd be in a little bit better position. Any little bit of independence she could get would be worth the effort, she decided.

>>"No. Please, no. This is... I may have already taken care of it."

He nodded, the matter was settled. If she said she had already taken care of it, then it was over and done. Even if it was not, Hades respected her too much to step in unless she asked for it. He considered her an equal in many regards. She had a different set of skills, the use of which demanded a different price than Hades own but equal none the less. Hades was blissfully unaware of the fear that he had caused to blossom for a moment.

>>"I'm surprised anyone bothers to betray you anymore. You'd almost think there's someone out there that doesn't like you very much."

He smirked. "I wish it were so.
It is more a problem of proximity. You have seen me in action and have spoken to me. Others.... Less so." 

He paused collecting his thoughts, then continued.

"I have been in my profession for a long time. As a consequence I am the keeper of many secrets, ones that many would either like to get their hands on or erase forever. Over the years I have also amassed a considerable number of favors or promises. Ones which the next generation often think of as outdated, void or simply inconvenient. They think I am some boogy man made up to scare them or that I will be old and feeble and removing me will be their stepping stone to greatness or that I am a thorn that can be easily removed. Thus every so often, I need to refresh the memories of a few people. It is an annoyance that comes with the job I guess."

He pondered. Had he ever though of giving it all up and walking away? Of course. He had even done so from time to time. Over his lifetime Hades had been married twice. Those were... far happier times. But now was no time to get lost in the past nor to dwell on dark memories. Hades shook his head slightly as he returned to the present.

"Perhaps I should take a break from it all and do something else for a chance, open a pub, or a restaurant."

His eyes twinkled with amusement, imagining the scene. He smiled.

>>"I don't think..."

Hades chuckled and made a dismissive gesture with his hand, as if flicking the event away.

"It happens in my line of work, more often than you would think. No, think nothing of it. You owe me nothing."

He sat back, more relaxed than he had been in a while. He was enjoying this, he realized. There were not that many people that Hades felt he could relax around. He had been slightly wary of Noel when they first ment, but since then she had proved herself more than trust worthy in his books.

>>There is something you could do for me, though."

Hades sat up a little straighter and indicated for her to continue.

"Done. I will need the registration number of the plane, it's location as well as where you would like the funds transferred."

Hades knew just the man to contact. He memorized the information and sent a quick message on his phone. He realized that he did not know how to stay in touch. He shrugged mentally, if she wanted to she would mention it, otherwise he would respect her privacy.

Business concluded, Hades sat back and sipped his Chai, simply enjoying the silence and the company of a friend.

> "...It is an annoyance that comes with the job I guess."

She breathed a laugh, disbelieving how he was missing, perhaps, the most obvious point.
"It's an annoyance that comes from outliving more than one generation. You have to see that's a unique facet of your relationships." Good god. If he was treating each new generation as he had their fathers, no matter how greatful those fathers had been, it was no wonder the kids chafed at the expectation. Who expected favors, or even life debts to extend beyond a single lifespan?

Apparently, this guy.

The thought of Hades polishing a bar nearly had Noel spitting her tea again. She'd seen him cook. So it wasn't wholly unthinkable, but she'd also seen him move those hands through people and walls. She'd seen him do unspeakable, near unthinkable things to other persons long dead. She couldn't wrap her head around the idea of him not being an assassin. It did not compute. Some things did not wash off.

"Do you really think in this modern age of technology that you can slip into a life of anonymity?" If he wanted it badly enough, perhaps he could. But it seemed like he was inviting trouble to anyone around him.

It was an absolute relief that he wasn't mad about the safe house. She'd worried about it, not only because she worried he'd need it and stumble in with his guard down, but she'd also worried because she'd seen beyond the face he showed the world.

She didn't know the registration number, but she did know the type and location. She wasn't exactly sure she had a bank account either, but those weren't the most difficult things to overcome. It would actually be a relief to get rid of Ambrose Jaager's "I'm Sorry" gift.

"I would still help you if you called. You know that, right?" She had the sense that he didn't know that, which was why she was saying it. "It's not some sense of debt, Hades. I hated that you gave me something, and I hated it even more that I needed it." Noel tried her hardest to not rely on anyone or anything. No place, no time, no attachments. It made her life so much easier in many ways. Harder in others.

"I've seen beyond your still pool's surface. I'm not sure if anyone else alive has seen what you've seen, and me through you. I-" She sighed, unsure of how to say it. "We're friends. You scare me, but we're still friends."

>>"It's an annoyance...

"It is less the favors and more the secrets."

Admitted Hades. Secrets, some which would almost never loose their potential to cause chaos and mayhem no matter how old they were. There was a price to being a keeper.

>"Do you really think in this modern age of technology that you can slip into a life of anonymity?"

"It is possible, I have done it a number of times, for short periods, say a few years or so, but you are right, it is getting harder and harder to do."

>"I would still help you if you called. You know that, right?"

"Thank you. Well now I do."

Hades said with a slight smile. It was good to know that there were people who he could count on. Perhaps it was time to start building a network of people like that again.

>"It's not some sense of debt, Hades. I hated that you gave me something, and I hated it even more that I needed it."

Hades blinked. He was not quite sure how to respond.

"Noel, at a time where you barely knew me you helped me obtain something priceless. At I time when I knew very little about you, I trusted you and you repaid me more than a hundred fold. At the time you had a need and I was more than happy to help. I... I apologize if it caused discomfort."

Was that perhaps the wrong reaction? Should he have charged rent instead? Baaa these were things in the past. Hades mentally shook his head and moved on.

>"... You scare me, but we're still friends."

At this Hades rocked back and blinked a few times. A smile spreading slowly across his face. Just a small one.
He pondered for a minute. It had been a while...

"You have seen more of me than most people ever do." He paused then sat forward.

"So, Noel, as you seem to be the resident expert, What do friends.." He looked at her with a hint of a glimmer in his eyes.
"...do in this current... generation?"

> "I trusted you and you repaid me..."

Except that the books weren't balanced. "It took mutual trust to solve your problem. Mutual risk. Mutual benefit." Maybe more risk for her, physically. More risk for him, socially. Whatever. The risk she'd taken was calculated and in the end she considered it settled. What had not settled was the whole 'he saw a need' thing.

>"I... I apologize if it caused discomfort."

Ugh. He just didn't get it. That was fine. She wasn't about to explain.

Except that he smiled. Why was he smiling? No. Why was he smiling like that?

Somehow Noel was suffering from an acute lack of weapons.

"I wouldn't know," She hedged. "My memories are an amalgamation of other people's, not all from this generation. I suppose we're doing what friends do. Having coffee. Or, tea."

>"...Mutual benefit."

Hades mentally shook his head, it would take too long to try to explain. That was not how he saw it. He had basically opened his mind knowing that she could do so much more than look and he would never know. The self control it had taken him, a lifetime assassin, to essentially lower his guard, relinquish control of his safeguards had been very challenging.

Wait, was Noel looking uncomfortable? Hades found himself enjoying the conversation more and more. He found himself almost grinning with a mild predatory look.

>I wouldn't know. My memories are an amalgamation of other people's, not all from this generation. I suppose we're doing what friends do. Having coffee. Or, tea."

"Come now Noel" Said Hades, he was grinning, slightly, but definitely grinning.

"We both know you are far more in touch than I am."

This was true, Hades rarely went out these days, when he did , even if he was dressed up the the nines. It usually ended with at least one person going to meet their maker. He was a minimalist at the moment, and did not see a purpose of socializing. The only time he had shared drinks was usually with members of a strike team after a mission, but eve that was rare these days.

"and besides" he continued, still smiling "you have just admitted to having multiple perspectives into this matter." She had left the door wide open on that one, practically painting a cross hair in bright bold strokes.

"Thus, knowing what you know, what else would you suggest. I'm all ears."

Hades could not resist slipping that little bit of colloquialism in there, it seemed appropriate.  He sat back. He really was enjoying this. This was the most he had smiled for.... well he could not remember how long. Wait was he .... smirking slightly? Noel seemed to have the ability to get him to lower his guard and relax when not on a mission. When they were on a mission it was business as usual, but once outside of work mode.... well it was certainly not an unwelcome effect, a slightly unfamiliar one to be sure, but not entirely unwelcome. 

He would have to mull over this. 

Far more in touch... She tried her best not to be embarrassed but it was impossible. Noel had seen too much from too many people. "I try not to keep that-- It isn't my experience." She shook her head because she didn't like it.

"People can't keep things from me, Hades. Just... think about that." Her eyebrow inched higher. Surely he wasn't going to make her explain. She may have never done half the things she had experienced doing.

So what was she officially recommending?

"I suggest you get a puppy and learn to behave.” That wasn't a fair answer. It wasn't what he had asked either. She sighed and put her hands over her face. Ugh. Immortals. Her hands pushed up into her hair and she took a deep breath while she considered what to say. There just was not a great way to tell him that what scared her so much about him was how much he felt inside.

"Please don't do this, Hades."