Devon gave Juliette a soft smile and nod as she left then turn his attention back to Rico.

He appreciated the honestly but the responses were troubling. If those were his natural inclinations, then impulses left over from his previous experiences were still lingering. The mansion was a safe place, perhaps limiting but for good reason.h

Rico quieted and Devon didn’t say anything, letting the man collect his thoughts. Now he was disassociating himself from humanity. His chemistry may be different due to his mutation, but it was still a mutation of the human genome. Devon didn’t know how that could be impacting his biochemistry but he doubted Rico did either. Added to that the complication of his confinement and animalistic needs, this was not a good situation.

The mention of Ragnarok and a green creature with red eyes made Devon think of only one person: Elliot. Friendly faces and false promises? Was the terrorist organization behind his capture or maybe they had tricked him into it? No wonder it was all painful.

Devon nodded slowly and smiled gently. “First, don’t push yourself too far. No need to cause pain to remember what they did to you. Ragnarok is a terrorist organization, so it’s likely they were manipulating you to use you as a weapon to cause some sort of attack. Second, this place isn’t a cage. It’s a place for you to be safe while you gain more control. You need help and these people, the X-Men, Juliette, myself… We want to give that to you. Sometimes that means stern words and eye contact. I’ll note the animalistic urges your mutation is causing with the eye contact, but it’s up to you to work on that control too.”

He nodded, typing something into his phone as he spoke. “It sounds like we should get a biological work up done, check your hormones, heck even the brain chemistry like you said. That might give you more insight and help us help you. If you find it difficult to sleep, keep control, or even resist fight or flight impulses then I should recommend a psychiatrist who can actually prescribe you something. Getting the blood work done is a good first start.”

Devon inhaled slowly, “There are protocols and process to this. You aren’t the first person to feel this way. Your genetics make you a special case but we build practices around similar situations. In the meantime, we need to build up mechanisms to help you control your thoughts, centering them, reflecting on them. Meditative breathing is a good one practice. Meditation, yoga, et cetera. What else helps you relax?”

“ Ragnarok is a terrorist organization, so it’s likely they were manipulating you to use you as a weapon to cause some sort of attack."

Rico listened to Devon speak without saying anything in return. His words said many things that acted as triggers for several memories that came all at once very much like his words. The best way Rico could describe it was as a flood gate had opened and he was being hit a heavy stream of water. A heavy stream of memories. As much as he trusted Devon there was only one thing he could say to his therapist. "I did not work for them, I was suppose to infiltrate and find out what they were doing. I was suppose to be a spy."

Those words alone triggered more memories. Images of a giant roach in some kind of vehicle and the words. "You make friends with who I want you to." At least that is what Rico thought he remembered. It was all fragmented like a shattered mirror. Its pieces cast out and spread apart over a distance. Being used as a weapon stirred up images of his time at the facility on Plum Island. Images that like his memory was also fragmented. It was not something he was willing to talk about now.

I’ll note the animalistic urges your mutation is causing with the eye contact, but it’s up to you to work on that control too.”

Rico did not have any thoughts on those words other then a quiet nod of his head in agreement. There was a lot of things going on that he did not understand and wanted to leave for others far wiser then him to figure out on his behalf. But there had been many that had offered a open hand in friendship only to betray him so Rico was naturally very cautious.

"It sounds like we should get a biological work up done, check your hormones, heck even the brain chemistry like you said. That might give you more insight and help us help you. If you find it difficult to sleep, keep control, or even resist fight or flight impulses then I should recommend a psychiatrist who can actually prescribe you something. Getting the blood work done is a good first start.”

"Tests....... experiments......." At those word devoid of any emotion Rico looked at Devon with a blank face. "What makes you or anyone here any different then those who kept me on that island?" Rico thought it was a damn good question. "How do I know that you are not like them? Offering a hand of friendship with other motives in mind?"

He went quiet again and shrugged in defeat or indifference. "I guess I don't have much of a choice. Do your tests and examinations. If there is anyone to trust I like to think I can trust you." Rico went quiet again to listen to the suggestions of meditation amongst other things. But at the question of what he found relaxing Rico had but one answer.

"Plants. I like growing things. It is relaxing for me."