((ooc: Continued from "Entering the room".))

Calley was doing what Calley did best: absolutely nothing which looked productive, but something that might just be of use at a later date.

Which is to say, he was navigating the complex labyrinth corridors of the Labs using eeny, meeny, miny, moe.

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe
Catch a tiger by the toe
If he hollers let him go,
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe

My mother told me to pick the very best one
and you are now it

Left it was, then! He merrily spun on his heel, and veered off his former trajectory. He was currently in uncharted waters... perilously swimming out of his depths... unsure, even, of where the canteen was from here... yet boldly he continued on, memorizing corridor junctions and guard stations in his wake!

You are asinine.

You have been reading the thesaurus again.

...

Ha! You have been!

Earlier today, in a little tucked away library of Mondragon Labs, they’d figured out that they were quite capable of multitasking. To unheard of degrees. Take for instance the present moment: Calley was quite happily playing his corridor game, and ignoring Slate. Slate, meanwhile, had their nose pressed into a... thesaurus. ‘Cause all the cool kids read thesauruses.

...I suppose all the ‘cool’ children make a game of getting themselves hopelessly lost, as well.

They do!

...Let us go back to simply ignoring each other, shall we?

Let’s.

Calley went back to memorizing the layout of Mondragon Labs via random choice. Slate went back to reading the thesaurus. “Asinine” had lead him to “mindless”.

1) Displaying a complete lack of forethought and good sense: brainless, fatuous, foolish, insensate, senseless, silly, unintelligent, weak-minded, witless. See ability/inability, planned/unplanned.
2) Lacking rational direction or purpose: meaningless, pointless, purposeless, senseless. Idioms: without rhyme or reason. See purpose/purposelessness.
3) Showing no concern, attention, or regard: careless, forgetful, heedless, unconcerned, unheeding, unmindful, unobservant, unthinking. See careful/careless.


((ooc: On a random note, while trying to figure out how to spell “eeny, meeny, miny, moe”, I learned way more that rhyme then I ever suspected there was to learn. Thing’s got history, yo.

And the thesaurus entry above is quoted from Answers.com.))

Hunter found Calley wondering the halls. He’d been tracking the boy using the collar, trying to work out his trajectory and intercept him, but it had soon become apparent that he was wondering aimlessly. Finally reaching the boy he called out to him.

“Calley, we need to talk. In here.” Opening the door to a small conference room Hunter went inside and took a seat, waiting for the spy to join him. With so many people being gathered he needed to get a definitive back story for Calley established.

...Arrr, but there were sharks in these waters. Calley trailed the Scary Boss Man into one of the many little rooms off of these vast and deep corridors, and found a hollow of a conference room. Steel-legged wheelie chairs glittered like rediscovered treasure as they entered. For verily, Calley--

You are abusing metaphors.

Well, you're abusing your face!

Rather than point out that they had the misfortune of sharing Calley's face, Slate succinctly flicked their finger over the edge of a page. The annoying sliver of pain was all he needed to push the clutter fully to the back of their mind.

...Score one for the thesaurus. Somehow, the clutter's awe was far more irritating to Slate than any paper cut could ever be to the clutter. Never mind that, though. Slate definitively took a seat, closing his thesaurus and setting it upon their lap. He graced Hunter with his full attention and a bland look. "Calley is... indisposed. Do you require his presence, Antonescu, or will I suffice?"

“This is for both of you,” Hunter explained to Slate, “With not only Mansion residents, but the Order as well coming to the labs I need to ensure that you have a clear back story in order so there can be no confusion that would eventually lead to you being linked to me.”

“Asides from the Kabal members only Abyss knows of your link to me. I do not believe that he will reveal that to others, after all he’s not even informed his sister. All that remains is to decide what we shall portray to others. Any thoughts on the matter?” Hunter already had a plan in mind, but it never hurt to get a second opinion, and at least he was talking to Slate as opposed to Calley.

"Hmm," Slate answered: his traditional answer, when he wished for additional time to think. "To begin, have you spoken with the other Kabal members on this topic? It would be preferable if they simply behaved as if they did not know us. Although," he added, at a significantly buzzing demand from the back of his mind, "it is known to others that I have met Kitra; she should, perhaps... acknowledge those meetings, yes," his eyes rolled up as if he was thinking; really, he was attempting to partake in a very conflicted debate. Quite a lot of their thoughts liked their 'sister' Kitra. All the more reasonable ones, however--himself included--considered the girl a distinct liability, after their last encounter with her. How odd to think that he had been merely another part of the clutter at that time. Hmm. "...However, she should be encouraged," he voiced, "strongly encouraged, to largely keep her mouth shut. No offense to your taste in employees, Antonescu, but we do not enjoy having others complicate our own matters for us." He was referring, of course, to the incident in the alleyway which had allowed Abyss to put together Calley's role as Hunter's spy: in large part, that had been due to Kitra's foolishness, and the escalating factor of another employee's folly.

"That matter aside, it should be considered common knowledge that we can shift to tiger form and heal. I believe that the back story we have used at the Mansion--that of being an orphan--will suffice beyond that. It would make the most sense if we continued with the facade of being a Mansion resident. Should our ties to the Sanctuary or the Kabal be brought into question, hmm," he paused to confer with the rest of their mind again. His eyes briefly lost focus. A second later, however, he was meeting Hunter's gaze with his usual intensity. "Calley is confident he can deal with it. We largely ask for your non-interference if such an issue should arise." The man was in the inconvenient habit of dropping phrases like "information gatherer" when attempting to explain away Calley's role. They... really did not want the man's help, if that was his definition of "helpful".

"Have you anything to add, Antonescu?"

No doubt their employer had come to them with his own ideas on this issue. Ask Slate if he cared.

Slate had offered a solution similar to his own. If it all fell apart Hunter had an answer, but if Slate was confident in Calley’s ability to talk his way out of a difficult situation then that would be sufficient. Were it just Calley’s confidence in his abilities it would be another matter.

It was entirely preferable to leave the spy with his foot in the mansion door so to speak. “No, I believe that should suffice. I will talk to Kitra and impress upon her the need to keep matters secret and the meeting on a superficial level only. Unless there is anything else you wish to discuss that will be all.”

"Unless there is anything else you wish to discuss that will be all.”

"Hmm..." Slate tilted their head the slightest bit to the side. "There is one other thing. Something I observed when we were a parakeet, and again when we were a hawk. Birds do not," he stated simply, "wear collars. Correct me if I am wrong, but I presume that at some point we will be called upon to spy during this little affair." 'Little affair' just about summed up both Slate and Calley's opinion on the registration: unless they made a very large mistake, it largely did not affect them. Their mutations were good like that. "On such missions, a bird form would provide the highest ease of access to the concentration camps with the lowest risk of discovery. If you do not wish me to stand out, then this” He tapped at the constricting silver necklace around his throat, to the roaring applause of the clutter. “must go.”

It was, he knew, a very valid point. It was also, he knew, a point which was about to be shot down. Yet that did not stop him from making the attempt.



You’re my hero, Slate, the clutter beamed. If they had used that level of overwhelming sincerity with Hunter, they would risk having their eye jabbed out. Or was it their fingers broken? No: that was for being flippant.

…Do not mention it. Please.

“I understand your point,” Hunter said, “and where it just you Slate I would seriously consider it, but I have to factor in Calley as well. He’s too unpredictable, a quality that makes him a good spy, but a poor ally. I will however compromise with you, after all I have no intention of letting you get caught.”

“Go and see Dr Ingram, he will modify the collar so that in any bird form other than parakeet it will be come a thin band with matching colour to your feathers, virtually undetectable.” While discussing this Hunter’s mind was already thinking ahead. After he had dealt with the spy he needed to speak to Kitra, and the girl had also wanted to say something to him. After that he’d speak to Kaz, as there seemed to be something on the boy’s mind and with what Hunter had planned he wanted to resolve any issues he might have.

Slate nodded his understanding, and stood, thesaurus in hand. “That would be acceptable. Presuming that is all you wished to discuss with us, Antonescu, we will go speak with Doctor Ingram now.”

There were two things of which both Slate and Calley were entirely certain. The first was that they did not know the full extent of Hunter’s powers. He had come rather far in the world for someone with the relatively common “super strength, speed, and senses” combination; unbelievably far, truly. The other thing was that, without a doubt, Hunter Antonescu was not a telepath. There was just too much that he missed.

Heh. Cute, Slate. He trusts you.

...It appears so, yes. More so than the rest of us, at the very least.

...We can play up to that.

Agreed.

It was good to be on the same page about things. Really, it was.

((ooc: Continued in "A visit to Doc Jimmy's Gingerbread House".))

Hunter watched Slate leave before pulling out his phone and dialling. It would activate Kitra’s watch and leave her a message to come here. He had to inform her about Calley and apparently the girl had some questions she wanted to ask.

Kitra's thoughts were whirling around, she had so many questions to ask Hunter....after getting Katrina and Nail to the barracks, Hunter had paged her over the watch....now she was weaving her way through the corridors to him.....after five minutes or so, she reached a small conference room and walked inside.

Hunter was standing there and questions poured out of her mouth, "Alright why are those people really here? How do we as the Kabal act around them? What do we tell them about ourselves, and about everyone else? Has Sanctaury been attacked and my last qeustion....well did someone named Zelek escape?"

Kitra had a lot of questions, all of which Hunter had planned to talk to her about. All save one. There was currently an individual who had been identified as Zelek lying in the lab morgue after Hunter had ripped out the boy’s heart. “They are here because I knew that this law would produce a resistance movement and I’d rather be in charge of it than let it run about and mess up my efforts to nullify the law,” he explained.

“With them here I can direct them towards the camps, equip them with weapons that could actually damaged the stalkers. You are to act as if you have been here for the sole purpose of preparing for this eventuality. As far as they are concerned you have been here preparing for the resistance and nothing else. The Sanctuary is under attack as we speak. I have teams en route now to gather up any who escape.”

“For your final question, I am afraid I have bad news for you. My men found the body of a boy who was identified as Zelek. He appeared to have been killed by a Stalker, one of the advanced robots that the government is utilising to capture mutant.” He now waited for Kitra’s reaction.

'Alright, ok'....merely nodding at Hunter's response's then her mind was filled with an icy numbness.....Her eyes narrowing with hurt, "I would like all the info you have on these 'Stalkers'....All of it." Her words held controled anger.....barely held anger....then she looked up as something Hunter had said registered again...."Hunter I ask for permission to assist your teams going to the Sanctuary." She grinned...a rather malichious grin...."I want to help out those redheaded twins if possible....and perhaps get a shot in at those 'Stalkers'....and get anyone else out that you deem important." Her entire deamonor had gone from her normal bubbly self, to cold and calculating.....it was rather evident as well.....

“All current data on Stalkers indicates that they are exceptionally powerful. Do not engage unnecessarily, all that will happen is you’ll end up hurt, captured or killed,” Hunter hammered the thought home with a little mesmerising help, instilling a sense of caution in Kitra about Stalkers.

“You can go to the sanctuary, but this is extraction only, is that clear? You and Tris are to head to the vehicle bay and you’ll be taken to the battle. One final thing. Calley is, as far as you are concerned a mansion resident, he does not work for me. If you have that clear than go, see who you can save from the Sanctuary.”

Kitra blinked, 'Ok maybe going head on with the 'Stalkers' is a bad idea'.....she gave Hunter a sharp nod..."Alright, extraction only, Calley is mansion resident and now I'm off to see who I can get out of Sanctaury without tangling with 'Stalkers'. Oh I believe Tris is giving a tour to Ali at the moment." She looked at Hunter inquiringly, "Should we wait for her or do you want me to just go and get who we can out?" Each second they continued speaking was wasting time getting the Sanctaury residents to safety.....ahe had done a 180 with her personality, no longer was she happy and quirky, she was a cold and calulating person with no feelings at the moment.....only the desire to carry out her mission....