Everything seems normal. It's a day like any other usually. Maybe you woke up late because you slept poorly or you stubbed your toe getting dressed. Heck, maybe it's even a bad day because the boss is angry someone was angry at him for something ridiculous. One minute you're doing your job, relaxing with friends, or just trying to survive in peace when that peace is shattered.

Lucky enough, Devon was in one of the main common rooms ensuring everyone had a bit of lunch when the TV flashed.

News Alert the title read.

A blonde woman in a blue pantsuit sat behind a glass table in a newsroom, doing her best to appear as calm as possible despite the obvious anxiety she felt. “We interrupt your scheduled programming to bring you a CNN News Alert.” She began, as if she couldn’t speak fast enough to deliver her message. “Tragedy struck just moments ago in Odessa, Texas, where an explosive was detonated inside of a shelter for mutants."

A few people gasped as Devon's eyes widened watching the television.

"Authorities have not been able to fully assess the situation but early estimates put the death toll well above 20 already, with over 50 likely to be injured, though we expect these numbers to rise..."

"Oh my God," someone said.

"...The bomber has been captured and taken into custody. He has been identified as Sean Winnik, a self-proclaimed “human elitist”, who does have a criminal history of incidents involving mutants.” The woman paused briefly, unmoving as she listened to the information coming in in real time.

"Fucking hell. Don't they put these assholes in jail?" a gruff teenager named Marcus asked. Devon was pretty sure he was human.

"Probably not in Texas," Telia the mutant microchip said quietly.

“We have just received word that the majority of those residing in the shelter at the time were children who had been kicked out of their own homes. I believe I speak for the entire nation when I say that the horrors we are witnessing are truly unimaginable.”

"Yeah I bet, bitch." A few, especially some of the younger kids, looked uncomfortably toward Marcus. These kids were suddenly terrified of what the future held. Children and chaos was never good. Devon knew it; most knew it.

"Marcus, watch your mouth. I know you're angry, but let's focus that elsewhere. We don't talk like that."

"Devon, man, I don't need some bit-"

"How about you go clean up the kitchen?" Devon asked or was that suggested.

"Yeah, fine," the kid replied.

"And Marcus, I'm glad you're upset. We all should be," Devon sighed. "Can someone take our youngers to a play room until we can talk to their parents?" Quite a few parents had found jobs despite their homeless or mutant or both status, but someone had to watch the kids.

Silence followed as she searched for the proper words to speak with. “As more news of the situation arrives we will keep you informed, but until then our prayers go out to those affected by this Mutant Massacre.”

"I think some of us, especially volunteer leads, should meet with Ms. Wilson upstairs," he suggested with a glance around the room. Devon was beginning to understand why Lisa had informed him a part time paid position might be available for him soon. It didn't really matter, this place needed the help and now even more so.

"I agree, Mr. Hadden," said the secretary from the doorway. Eerily efficient hearing. Was that a thing? She sure didn't waste time, heading upstairs to prepare a room.

"Anyone free to talk for a bit?" Devon asked. Some glanced away, to the floor, back to the tv... "I think everyone else should talk with each other about what they're doing tonight. Everyone can stay here, as always. We'll be contacting authorities to discuss safety and security, but remember we have us, together."

"So who's coming upstairs?"

Rico had never been in a homeless shelter before. The closest thing in his life was probably the camps in the quarantine zone back home. But unlike the camps this place did not carry an air of despair or misery. He was welcomed, clothed, and given a plate of hot food. Rico felt safe and hopeful for the first time in awhile. Perhaps now he could start working to get back on his feet.

Exhausted from wandering the streets in the rain for most of the night he was out like a light the moment he laid down on a cot and rested his head on a pillow. Even the nightmares were absent. Rico woke up late in the morning and sat up. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he had almost forgotten where he was. Having slept in the cloths provided to him Rico just put on the worn sneakers on the floor.

Rico left the room and took in all the sights and smells, especially the smells. The alluring scent of food guided him to the kitchen where a pot of stew was cooking. Rico did not go in the room. Instead he stood at the doorway clearly looking lost. A older woman with a hairnet on took notice and smiled. "Well?" she asked. "You hungry or not?" Rico went inside slowly almost like a timid animal would when offered food.

It did not take him long to warm up to the woman though when she handed him a bowl of stew with a spoon. "Thank you" Rico said. Looking around she must have read his thoughts. "You can eat in the common area right down the hall on your left" He thanked her again and left with the bowl just as a kid walked by him into the kitchen.

Again Rico stopped at the doorway and scanned the room before entering it. There was a TV on and a crowd all focused on it. Rico did not pay it any mind. If anything he was grateful for it. Being the new face around here he did not look forward to having all the heads in the room turn to look at him. He took a seat at a table and started to enjoy his food until he caught enough of what was said on the TV. Putting the spoon back in the Bowl he said lowly to himself.

"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering......fearing" Words of Edgar Allan Poe that seemed to fit the situation. After a minute of silence for the dead Rico resumed eating.

Juliette had been enjoying her time volunteering at the Sanctuary. It was quite a bit calmer, and she liked talking with some of the kids that stayed around. At that moment, she was looking over a nasty gash a boy had received while trying to jump a fence.

It didn't take long for her to bandage and clean the wound, and after that he was good to go. "Be a little more careful next time, alright? You're really lucky you already had a tetanus shot."

The boy nodded and scampered off to join some of the others in the main common room. Juliette followed, having nothing else to do since she was finished.

Apparently, she had arrived just in time for a news announcement. The television showed a blonde woman dressed very nicely. Her words, however, were far less nice.

A blonde woman in a blue pantsuit sat behind a glass table in a newsroom, doing her best to appear as calm as possible despite the obvious anxiety she felt. “We interrupt your scheduled programming to bring you a CNN News Alert.” She began, as if she couldn’t speak fast enough to deliver her message. “Tragedy struck just moments ago in Odessa, Texas, where an explosive was detonated inside of a shelter for mutants."

Juliette's head swam with thoughts. How could something like that even happen? Sure, she had been privy to her fair share of mutant hatred, but how could someone just shoot someone without any thought? How could they simply kill without any regard like that? Her stomach had sunken to the bottom of her gut as she tried to comprehend what the woman was describing. What made it worse was that the victims were... She could barely bring herself to think about it. They children. Not much older than the kids in the Sanctuary.

Her ears seemed to have blocked out all sound as her fists clasped together. The lights above her flickered violently, her thoughts scattered and incomplete.

One sound broke through her angry haze. It was Devon, asking something about going upstairs.

"Sure," Juliette nodded, her voice heavy in her dry throat. She wasn't sure exactly why she was going, but she was sure it was important. After all, how could anything someone said be trivial after hearing that?

Darkshift was in her newly acquired vehicle on her way to Sanctuary when she heard the news.  The vehicle itself was nothing to write home about and may or may not have been legally acquired depending on who you asked.  She had papers that said she was the legal owner, at any rate.  Probably she could have asked Lisa to give her a vehicle given her employment status, but there were some things that were better done with one's own resources and this was one of them.  

Her mentor Aura's abandonment of her still stung more than she was willing to admit to anyone other than herself, but she was doing her best to put that out of her mind and plunge into the cause of helping mutants in need.  The number of young runaways she had brought to Sanctuary's golden doors was growing by the week and she found satisfaction both in punishing those who were hurting her people as well as offering shelter and solace to those in need of it.  For months he had been following in Aura's footsteps and patrolling the city, hurting those who took advantage of others and rescuing those who needed rescuing.  Her methods were often violent and brutal, but never lethal.  That she had never agreed with.  Better to leave a scar and a message to remember than to snuff a life.  She was good at leaving scars.

"Authorities have not been able to fully assess the situation but early estimates put the death toll well above 20 already, with over 50 likely to be injured, though we expect these numbers to rise..."

As she heard the words spoken through the radio, Darkshift almost didn't stop in time at the stoplight and almost slammed into the vehicle in front of her.  The words that followed weren't any better.  So many dead.  Children.  Children killed by some mutant bigot for the crime of simply being a mutant.  She felt chilled, sick.

The rest of the short drive to Sanctuary passed in a blur.  How could someone do something like that?  To children no less?  Of course, she knew the answer.  Hadn't Aura told her that humans were like animals?  But that couldn't be right, could it?  She hadn't agreed then and she didn't agree now.  Surely she didn't agree now.  

Opening the great golden doors, Darkshift entered the halls of Sanctuary just in time to hear the suggestion to go upstairs.  Yes,that's where she needed to be.  Among her own people.  

Tempest paid Rico a moment's attention as he came in from the kitchen. He didn't know him personally, but Devon had gotten most of the regulars' names. At least he was here when it happened. There were likely to be some copycat activity in the days to come. Hatred and bigotry tended to inspire more madness.

"Great," he replied to Juliette's volunteering to go up and talk with him. She was already volunteering plenty, a true help over the last couple weeks. He really had to get to know her better. It was going to be important now they work together.

On the way into the hall there was Darkshift. The look on her face mirrored his and he nodded. A million thoughts ran through his head. He'd taken a couple classes, been in some seminars revolving around emergency trauma and revolving around these kind of situations. You forget in those classes how you might actually feel in the moment. He shook his head, trying to banish the anger away.

"I've provided some fresh dry-erase markers, a few notebooks, some water, and some snacks," Ms. Wilson gestured into one of the smaller group rooms.

"Thank you, it's certainly appreciated," Devon said quickly. For the first time he truly wondered if she was a mutant. Had she heard the news and felt like they had? Did she fear for them? Was she too focused on her work to even consider the danger now to her? People knew about Sanctuary after all. It was hasn't hard to hear about. "Can you tell anyone that comes in that if they want to discuss how Sanctuary will move forward after this, what we can do, to come upstairs?"

"Of course," Lisa nodded. "Ms. Lawson. My Sylvia," she nodded to each in turn. Devon noted now a sympathetic tone to her voice he'd not heard before.

He went into the room and grabbed a notepad and pen. "Well, shit. Might serve us well to vent our anger and sadness before we talk real logistics. But," he added quickly. "I want to talk security and such for us. I want to make sure these kids stay safe. I'll start by saying we should have some first aid classes," he looked to Juliette. "I also think we need to talk about having a more formal watch." His eyes went from the light bearer to Darkshift.

If he focused on what needed to be done, he could be upset later.

---

OOC: Continued at Handling 'The News'

It was always the same old story when it came to watching anything on the news. Sadness and suffering. It was one of the many reasons Rico did not like watching it. Conflict was nothing new, and it would never end. He was  pretty sure a hundred years from now conflict will still exist, but with new faces and names. In tuning out the news on the TV he could not help but notice the rooms occupants slowly leaving. Something was going on that much was clear. The atmosphere had completely changed.

Rico ate quietly and seemingly oblivious to what was going on. But in truth he was listening to the conversation that was happening right outside the door in the hall. At least until a little kid came and climbed onto the chair across from Rico. There was nothing really special to say about the kid except that he had a dragon stuffed toy. Green in color and clearly having seen better days. The kid stared at him for a few awkward moments and then spoke. "I'm Robbie" Rico swallowed the last of the food in his mouth and set the spoon in the bowl. "Nice to meet you Robbie, I'm Rico" The kid stared at him for a few more awkward moments then added "You smell funny"

Rico almost burst out laughing at that. Suppressing it though he said in a smartass manner. "Why thank you little man. That is exactly what I wanted to hear first thing in the morning." It had been awhile since Rico had conversed with a child and he found there innocence refreshing. "So tell me who your friend is?" Rico said and pointed to the stuffed dragon.

Robbie put the beat up dragon on the table and started to bounce it around in whatever imagination game he was playing. "Buddy" Rico smiled. "If only we all could see the world through the eyes of a child" He said lowly to himself. Talking normal now he added. "Well Buddy, how about you and me get Robbie back to his mommy" Standing up Rico offered a hand and the child took it while still clinging to his stuffed dragon.

Rico did not like leaving his dirty bowl right there on the table. First impressions were always the most important. But he could come back for it later. He was pretty sure this kid was suppose to be somewhere and not wandering around alone. Especially in light of the recent events. With the child in tow he entered the hall.

Rachael couldn't help a smile as she watched a small cartoon mouse deftly manoeuvre around the clumsily laid traps of a much larger cat, while obviously intended for Sanctuary's younger occupants he familiar show appealed to her. By the time she'd realised what she was watching Rachael had occupied a chair by the window, her attention glued to the action on the small screen.

It surprised Rachael exactly how much she had enjoyed her short time in the shelter. The people where nice, they didn't judge her for the colour of her skin and most of them understood why she still felt uncomfortable without her jacket. She'd gotten so used to hiding her mutation that it's become second nature, maybe with time she'd feel comfortable enough to dress lighter but for now her heavy winter jacket follows her everywhere.

With the cartoon eventually coming to an end and the twenty minutes of subsequent ads about to commence Rachael stood from her chair, the remote had to be around somewhere. She barely got two steps from her seat when a sudden news bulletin abruptly cut short an overly enthusiastic ladder salesman. Rachael's intrigue melted into horror as the presenter spoke, so enraptured in the startling and somewhat terrifying story she hadn't noticed she'd returned to her seat. She was somewhat aware of people voicing their disgust, outrage and concern however it was all white noise to Rachael.

Rachael came from Australia, she was no stranger to mutant discrimination but this was something else entirely. She just couldn't fathom what would drive someone to take matters into their own hands in this sort of way, they were mostly children for heavens sake. Rachael's eyes widened as she looked around the room, a mostly mutant shelter filled with children is what met her eyes. Just like Texas.

With a heavy sigh Rachael stood from her seat and exited the room, she couldn't stand the sight of the television at the moment. Instead she found herself in one of Sanctuary's halls, pacing up and down from end to end. She left Australia to get away from the heavy mutant discrimination but this was arguably worse. Mutants in Australia just disappeared, no-one knew what happened to them. In a way that was almost better, anything could have happened to those people. However the mutants in the Texas shelter were dead, nothing could change that.

As she paced Rachael noticed a few of volunteers pass by in the hall, likely eager to talk about what they had just learned and how they were going to react. She may not have been a psychic but in this case she didn't need to be. The main topics of conversation would be obvious. It was a few minutes later when a young man came out of the common room with a small child in tow, she didn't really recognise either of them, though she was sure she'd seen the young boy around somewhere. "Hey," she said as she passed them, a smile on her face as she look down at the child. Should she look around Sanctuary for a bomb? What exactly did a bomb look like?

Rico had seen his fair share of mutations on the streets. But never one quite like this. He took notice of the young teen with blonde hair and lime green skin. But not in the bad kind of way. "Hey" Rico said back as he walked by. Not a moment later he stopped to turn around and add. "I'm sorry to bother you but I am kind of new around here and still figuring out where everything is." He looked down at the boy still holding his hand then back to the young lady.

"This little guy seems to have the adventurous spirit and wandered in to the common room by himself. Is there a day care or something around here were the kids are suppose to be? If so could you do me a huge favor and point me in the right direction." With that the boy started tugging Rico's arm as if he wanted to lead him somewhere. "Or I could let the kid lead me around like a dog on a leash" Rico said with a laugh. The boy kept saying "Come, Come" and pulling on his arm.

Rachael turned around and once again looked over the man and the young boy, this time though it was more than a passing glance. Unlike herself neither of them possessed any visible mutation, something she'd found to be quite common among the inhabitants of sanctuary. A fact Rachael had to admit irked her slightly. However she didn't let any of that show on her face as she bent down next to the excited young boy, a friendly smile visible for him to see. "Hey there little man, where are you going?" She asked the young boy.

Rachael had a soft spot for children, especially those as young as this. They were innocent and definitely didn't deserve the sort of life that left them stranded in a place like this, even being much older Rachael still found it difficult to accept that she'd ended up in a homeless shelter. "One of the older volunteers generally looks after the young ones. It's likely due to the news and it being lunch that he'd managed to wander off." She told the man as she slowly got back to her feet. "I could take you to where they look after the young ones or we could see where he's trying to lead you first."