After the incident in the hospital, Kristoph was quick to keep the woman in his sights. Though he had been hurt in the process of trying to stop the mutant, he was not going to let that stop him. That was protocol when it came to coming in contact with an Alpha mutant, stay with them and try to recruit. Of course he could have just reported her back to the organization, but where was the fun in that? After the two of them were having such a lovely time together, it was a shame to ruin it by just walking away.

So an invitation was given. The look in her eyes, the smile on her lips, it was all promising enough that when she had agreed to going out for drinks, he wasn’t all that surprised. However he had to keep his mind on the goal here and not on the fact that he was going to have drinks and a meal with a very attractive young woman.

Still, that wouldn’t stop the flirtation train any time soon.

They had decided on a place that Tulla wanted to go to, a bar with some of the best wings, they claimed. Again, Kristoph was only more enamoured with the woman, especially as she seemed to share his tastes in certain foods. Having headed to this particular establishment, the two of them quickly found a seat and ordered their drinks and meals. Though Kristoph was still feeling that slight vibration in his bones, he certainly was in better shape than before. Maybe the beer did help.

Taking a swig of his beer, Kristoph was a surprisingly clean eater. It may seem like that expansive red beard that covered his chin and jawline were going to be magnets for food particles, but the man was experienced enough with his facial hair to avoid such a fate. Setting a cleaned bone onto his plate, he picked up his napkin and carefully dabbed his lips, nodding with appreciation. This was certainly a good place they decided on.

>>"All I wanted to do today was do my rounds and go have stir-fry in the cafeteria. That's it. That's all I wanted."

Kristoph chuckled a bit heartily at that. He gave a soft shrug of his shoulders. ”You would turn down beer and hot wings with a ginger over stir-fry?” He grinned. ”Where’s your priorities?” He continued to tease her, taking another swig from his beer.

The whole scene was surprisingly relaxing. Considering what happened at the hospital, and the power that he watched on display, he figured he would be a little more apprehensive. As much as Kristoph flirted and charmed, he knew when to draw the line when it came to valuable assets. Tulla, being an alpha, would normally be so high up on the take list that none of this nice conversation was really required. But the man wanted to try a different approach for a change. Why not a bit of wining and dining?

>>"...So, what do you do? Moving like that, you're obviously in some government agency."

”You’re saying that a professional ice cream delivery man cannot move with similar grace?” He smirked at her. She really was too much fun to tease. But he shrugged. ”I can’t say everything but, yes, I do have some federal training. You’d be surprised at the missions that require moves like that.” He gave her a soft wink. ”You weren’t too shabby yourself there. Those powers…” he nodded. ”...very impressive. What did you do to him? Hypnotic sleeping trance?”

[/i][/div]

>> ”You would turn down beer and hot wings with a ginger over stir-fry?...Where’s your priorities?”

Tulla smirked, waving him away playfully, "my properties involved finishing my rounds and rewarding myself with stir-fry. Nothing more."

>> "You’re saying that a professional ice cream delivery man cannot move with similar grace?”

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Tulla reached behind her to take her hair out of the two braids that they were in. Finally, she was able to have her hair flow freely. Tulla's luscious dark hair reached down to her mid back. She had no intention on cutting it anytime soon, "Mr. Karlson."

>> ”I can’t say everything but, yes, I do have some federal training. You’d be surprised at the missions that require moves like that.”

"Missions, huh?" Tulla had a thought in her mind that involved being a special agent of some sort, but she wasn't too sure. She would definitely need to look into that. Though, she doubted she wouldn't get too far.

>> ”You weren’t too shabby yourself there. Those powers...very impressive. What did you do to him? Hypnotic sleeping trance?”

Tulla took a sip of her wine while giving Kristoph the side eye. Once she placed the glass down, she turned to look at him. "No, no. You don't get to know about my mental ways, Mr. Karlson. Just in case." She tipped the side of her head. She knew better than to tell a stranger about what she was capable of.

Kristoph smirked as he eyed the woman sitting across from him. She really was a sight to behind. As she started to unravel her hair from the braid that it had been pulled into, letting the locks flow freely around her face, he had to admit that she was a gorgeous sight. Their conversation was very civil and sweet as the pair of them were clearly attempting to unwind after a thoroughly rough meeting but it seemed that things were becoming far easier to bring up in one another’s presence.

She inquired about his job and that was where the tricky part came in. If she were going to be recruited into SUPER, he needed to make sure that he didn’t freak her out from the get-go. Knowing that there was a super secret government branch that was stepping in to control the mutant problem was...not the easiest sell -- especially to a mutant. Tulla, now that she was on SUPER radar, was not going to get a chance to say no as being a psychic made her an alpha, and alphas were highly sought after.

But he would let the news trickle in and maybe, just maybe, he could win her over like that.

>>"Missions, huh?".

He nodded, waggling his brows in a mysterious manner. ”Missions,” he repeated. Of course he wouldn’t elaborate on more just yet, he just wanted to whet her appetite.

Of course woman wasn’t without mysteries of her own. What was it that she had done to that man back in the hospital? Her powers were clearly mentally derived but to what degree? Psychics came in a variety of flavors and SUPER loved to have any number of them on their payroll. But for Tulla here, he needed details if he was going to be able to win her over. Unfortunately she knew how to play the game.

>> "No, no. You don't get to know about my mental ways, Mr. Karlson. Just in case."

He grinned, looking a little indignant at being stifled. ”Awww come on, now. And here I thought we were friends.” A playful smirk on his lips. ”Isn’t there…anything I can do to learn a bit more about you and your miraculous ways?”

>> ”Missions,”[/i]

Tulla raised her eyebrows in thought, but said nothing. "Interesting." Okay, now she said nothing.

>> ”Awww come on, now. And here I thought we were friends...Isn’t there…anything I can do to learn a bit more about you and your miraculous ways?”[/color

"Nope. I'm sure you got a goo gist of what I'm capable of, Mr. Karlson. Though, I will tell you something," she leaned over the table and whispered in his ear, "I can handle myself more than what you may think." With that being said, she leaned back in her seat and folded her leg over her left one. With a smirk on her face, she popped a boneless wing into her mouth and chewed.

The woman was a mystery, that much was for sure. Sitting across from her at the table, she had a coy smile upon her lips, the look of someone who definitely knew more than what they were telling. In all honesty, he could respect that. In this world, people tend to keep to their own as getting involved is the easiest way to find you head-over-heels in trouble. But if that truly were the case, then she certainly shouldn’t have helped out in the hospital. There was a part of the woman that certainly wanted to share, but upon her terms. Interesting.

Kristoph just shared with her a knowingly smile. He to be cute, to ask if there was anything that could be done to allow her to actually trust him. However, the look in her eyes flashed with stubbornness; it was clear that she wasn’t going to budge on this issue. She even stated so outright in her response…

>>"Nope. I'm sure you got a good gist of what I'm capable of, Mr. Karlson. Though, I will tell you something...I can handle myself more than what you may think."

He smirked. She definitely wanted to play a game but how much was he willing to divulge. After all, he couldn’t very well spill the beans about SUPER to her, just to have her run off scared. Rather, he needed to keep whetting her appetite in hopes of pulling her out from around her defenses. It was only he that he could even possibly considering actually trying to recruit her nicely.

Let’s face it, she was on SUPER radar now. She would join the organization, it is just a matter of on what kinds of terms?

”I can see that,” he said with a laugh. Shaking his head, a knowing smirk on his lips as took another sip of his beer. ”Not often I require saving the likes of which you provided today.” He saluted her with his beer. ”Honestly, I could probably use a friend like you out on the field. Save a lot more lives like that.”

Tulla drank her entire glass of wine before ordering her first and final refill. She would have to hold off until later in order to truly indulge in the drinking. She wiped the corner of her mouth with a smirk still on her face. Tulla had no intention on spilling anymore beans no matter how charming and attractive this man was.

>> ”I can see that...Not often I require saving the likes of which you provided today.”

"A thank you would suffice." Tulla shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "Just putting that out there unless you're curious."

>> ”Honestly, I could probably use a friend like you out on the field. Save a lot more lives like that.”[/i]

Tulla raised her eyebrows. "I'm sure you would." She studied Kristoph's face. "Tell me more, Mr. Karlson."

>>"A thank you would suffice...Just putting that out there unless you're curious."

Kristoph shared a smile with the woman, gently nodding his head to her. ”It may suffice, but you certainly are owed more.”

Kristoph meant what he said. In his experience, the general populace usually didn’t get involved with the heroing business. They tended to run and hide. Then again, she was a mutant and, more often than not, it tended to inflate whatever hero complex that most people had. Really vigilantism was not something that the agent appreciated as it just made his, and SUPER’s, job all the harder. But, he was willing to let this one instant slide, especially as he was dealing with a young woman he was trying to recruit.

Instead he continued to entice the woman, admitting that her help on the field would have actually helped save a lot of lives. If she really wanted to make a difference, then that should pique her interest. Judging from the look that suddenly crossed her face, it seemed that he certainly had...

>>"I'm sure you would...Tell me more, Mr. Karlson."

He shrugged innocently, taking another bite of his chicken wings. He chewed thoughtfully as he wiped his fingertips on a napkin, then leaned in to speak to her. ”Again, not a lot I can say. But, in my line of work, I have dealt with a lot of similar...instances that you experienced today.” He shrugged. ”There’s a lot of people out there. Innocent civilians who need protection, and mutants who need not only protection from themselves, but guidance.” He gave her a careful smile. ”That’s what I do, young lady. The branch I work for…” an innocent shrug. ”We’re just trying to help.”

>> "”It may suffice, but you certainly are owed more.”

Damn. Straight.

>> ”Again, not a lot I can say. But, in my line of work, I have dealt with a lot of similar...instances that you experienced today...There’s a lot of people out there. Innocent civilians who need protection, and mutants who need not only protection from themselves, but guidance...That’s what I do, young lady. The branch I work for...We’re just trying to help.”


Tulla tiled her head as she tried to read him. "Mhmm. You seem more concerned about the welfare of humans than mutants," she paused, "the incident that happened today was a hiccup. Not all mutants are like that. For instance, I've yet to turn you into a brainless zombie..." As if she could. "Point, is, I don't want to join anything that puts humans over mutants. What I will do, is help those mutants who find themselves to be in trouble."

>>"Mhmm. You seem more concerned about the welfare of humans than mutants, the incident that happened today was a hiccup. Not all mutants are like that. For instance, I've yet to turn you into a brainless zombie...Point, is, I don't want to join anything that puts humans over mutants. What I will do, is help those mutants who find themselves to be in trouble."

The woman really was a spitfire. Kristoph said nothing, merely giving her a soft smile as she started to announce that his organization sounded more pro-human than anything else. While it was true, that SUPER put a lot of care into protecting humans, there was also the fact that mutants did work for SUPER as well, some of them even willingly. Kristoph knew that there were more shady aspects to his job, but he did what was necessary to protect people. This woman, she wanted to help, but she needed to be convinced that the ends justified the means sometimes.

Idealism, unfortunately, was a tough nut to crack, but he would definitely try.

He smirked a little at the comment she dropped about making him a “brainless zombie”. Part of him knew there was some validity to it, but he doubted it was true. If that was what she had truly wanted to do, it either would have been done by now or she would have been much more terrifying up close. So he merely just smiled and nodded his head respectfully to her threat. It was time to go at this with a slightly different angle.

”Understandable,” he responded with a nod. ”But therein lies the issue -- we’re not what you think we are. That is the misconception that I am trying to educate others on.” He gave her a sweet, well-meaning smile. ”We’re not some anti-mutant taskforce, we’re trying to help everybody. We protect people who can’t protect themselves because no one else is trained to. We bring abandoned mutants in from the cold, teach them to harness their abilities, even surpass their expectations time and again.”

He shrugged, leaning back in his head. Kristoph was quiet as he observed the woman, looking her over carefully, scrutinizing her. Really he was hoping that this tactic of appraisal would work to garner her interest, but he wasn’t going to push. Besides, he already knew where she worked and it would only take a quick call to headquarters to get her inducted the hard way. Still, it was an avenue he had hoped to avoid.

”But...if you were really so suspicious, I guess nothing I say will really convince you, will it?” He sighed. ”Pity. There’s a lot of people who could use your help.” He smiled sympathetically towards her before he pulled over the dessert menu on their table. He was letting his finite seeming words sink into her head for a few seconds as he opened the menu and looked it over, seemingly burying their previous topic under the pretense of her being uninterested. "Ohh, they have some of their Dessert Pizza. Looks good."