Dan had been developing a new trick he was working on and crafting props for it in his workshop since 7am, and after putting in a good eight or so hours he had decided to take the rest of the day off.

At 5ft 6 the eccentric illusionist didn't stand out of the crowed, with the exception of his rock star like attire. But in New York even his rock star fashion sense hardly made him stand out as he walked amidst the hustle and bustle of the busy avenue.
He loved how alive New York was. It was the city that never sleeps and it was a much faster paced place then where he had grown up back in East London. Which afforded someone as spontaneous and impulsive as Dan plenty of opportunity for fun and adventure which fitted his 'live life' personality perfectly.

Taking a side road Dan left the main street and entered a less busy section of the area. He pulled into the soup store deciding it was a good idea to grab a little something now that it was late afternoon, taking off his sunglasses as he entered.

He looked at the menu as he queued, deciding what flavor soup he wanted.
He loved soup and pea was his favorite, he'd been to the store a few times and knew that  the pea soup was good there, but nothing was better than his mother's peas soup, so he decided to go for minestrone.

After paying Dan turned around and headed for the door, he took a couple of steps when a fair skinned young man collided into his chest.

"Watch it." the Cockney man said calmly.
He wasn't annoyed but if he hadn't managed to hold his soup cup out to one side like he did then the boy could have been scolded, and he was sure that wouldn't have made the lad's day.

"You alright?" He asked.
Dan partly meant was the boy alright after bumping into him like that, but he was referring more to the look the boy seemed to have on his face. A look that led Dan to suspect that the guy wasn't running because he was in a rush to get some soup and a sandwich.

Tag: Erik Volkov .

It was just supposed to be a normal day where nothing eventful happened. Life tended to be odd in that way, often handing people the opposite of what they want and today it was no exception. He had been having a simple friendly chat with a vendor and trying to get some food before some more ignorant and more right leaning sort of people overheard a conversation of his with the fellow Russian vendor. Of course being such well meaning and considerate people that they were the trio of heavily tattooed, anti-immigration aficionados saw it there busy to force the 'non-local' business man off his turf. Erik wasn't the sort of guy to just let that sort of thing happen and in rather instinctual manner clipped one of them in their man bits (with a silent hope he had killed the worst of the intolerant potential offspring) made a very suggestive inference about their shared inbred parentage (their shared sister wife) and made a dash for it to draw them away from the innocent vendor.

Of course his great mental plan ended after he drew the men away and he was attempting to think of his next step. Turning and beating the dickens out of the three could potentially land him in jail from a sympathetic police officer. He could just keep running until they lagged behind which also wasn't the greatest of plans as he had things he would rather be doing then spend the next few minutes outpacing the individuals or he could try and duck them and save time. Coming to this conclusion he zipped into the next nearest shop only to almost collide with someone as they were about to leave as well as him almost wearing some of the man's purchased goods.

"Sorry about that didn't see you." he quickly glanced back towards the door. "Sure if being chased by individuals of the alternative right wing variety counts as ok. Then yes!" Offering a bit of an exasperated laugh before moving towards the back despite the protests of the workers. "Just passing through don't mind me." Trying to make it sound like just another day in whatever sort of life he lived. Now to find the back door and slip out..

Hearing the lad's reply about being chased Dan lifted his head and looked past the young man seeing the three burly and tattooed miscreants in question.
A mild peak of interest crossed the face of the the laid back Englishman, who's demeanor was naturally that of a half baked rock-stare, "Huh, I see what you mean."

Dan turned his head as the boy hurried past him and headed towards the back.
Then seeing that the three reprobates were making a beeline for the store, obviously still in pursuit of the young Russian, Dan quickly put on a clumsy act and knocked over a small table.

He purposely caused it to fall right in front of the door so that it would hinder the men from entering as the waitress set about tidying it up.

"So sorry, Luv." The Cockney apologist with a convincing performance as he took a couple of steps backwards.

Then taking the opportunity, while people were distracted, Dan dashed towards the back after the young Russian. "S'cuse me. Sorry!" He offered, bumping his way through the workers.  

The three geniuses pulled the door open at the front of the store and scrambled to get inside at the same time, of course getting in each others ways and almost squashing themselves in the door frame like a cliche cartoon sketch. Only to then be slowed down by the table and the waitress who was picking it off the floor.

The leader groaned in annoyance and proceeded to bulldoze his way through. "Hey!" The waitress exclamed, shooting the men a look.

In the rear of the store Dan caught up to the plucky Russian.

Seeing the back exit the eccentric illusionist reached out and grabbed the doorknob. Sensing it was locked Dan used his power to pick the lock with his mind. An act that took only mere seconds.

"Here!" He called out, opening the door so the lad could slip out.

That was the good thing about Dan's lock picking mutation, there was no viable manifestation of power. No poof of smoke, no rays of light.
It was just mental concentration and he could pick a lock without anyone being any the wiser. It was an upside of his power that helped him keep his mutant status hidden from those he didn't want knowing about it. Not to mention it gave him an infinite advantage in his career as an escape artist.

But as quickly as Dan had opened the door for his fellow mutant he could hear the three dimwits heading their way.

"Move out of my way!" Came the approaching voice of the leader, followed by the sound of them all brutishly crashing their way past the staff.

Dan quickly followed his new friend out the exit and he pulled the door closed behind himself. Though he didn't slow down to lock it again.

 "Hurry, Kid. This way." He said, directing the young man to a side alley. 

Tag: Erik Volkov .

Ooc: Sorry for the stupid long delay!

"Yes they make quite the cute trio don't they." Snorting out a fast laugh before he scampered his way towards the back of the store. Hearing the clatter of the table he quickly shot a look towards the front of the store and a eyebrow shot up as the person he had almost bowled over was helping him? Or just clumsy? It was hard to tell given the short time he had bothered to look back. Had he seen the three stooges bouncing into the doorframe and back off it like some B movie comedy he would have gave another, far more genuine, laugh.

He found himself once again surprised as the Englishman was at his side and beat him to the door as he peered back towards the noise in front of the store as the neanderthals managed to figure out basic physics and got through the door to cause trouble with the rest of the store. Not one to question his good luck at having the loading door unlocked he quickly made tracks out of the store and looked around. "Well if you know your way around." A small part of him wary of running from one frying pan into another. If he would have to admire the quick thinking of the Englishman in setting up a mugging on the fly like he did.

So without hesitation, but not completely unway he went down the side alley. "Hmm seeing as there is no witnesses in the alley I could always take care of them now. Of course if you have some way of losing them without causing harm that would be nice too, if no great loss." Grinning at the Englishman in good spirits despite the events.