There was a charity ball planned for the evening. Andrea was one of the speakers at the event, and in charge of hosting the raffle toward the end. She had chosen a loose, flowing  gown for the occasion. In white, so it complimented her skin color. Her hair was tied back with matching ribbons, snakes woven through a thick braid and with little custom muzzles fixed in place on their snouts. Sloth wasn't wrapped around her shoulders for once, instead of hanging down in the back in misery from having to wear his muzzle.

The Greek gave herself a one over her full-length mirror, before turning to slip her heels on. She was used to being in the spotlight these days. There weren't many folks who were as visible as her comfortably being out in the public eye. If she were being truthful she wasn't really a fan of it either, but it needed to be done. She was a successful mutant with dangerous powers who spent her time helping people instead of harming, and she wasn't an x-man. She fit in a nice little slot all of her own, where both mutants and humans alike could come to her for help.

The only thing she was not fully a fan of tonight was the fact that she needed a security detail to get to the event and back. Of the late, the poor Greek had been running into suspicious characters every time she went out. It appeared that someone out there was interested in her abilities for a yet undiscovered reason. 

As such a close friend of hers, who happened to work for the various events within the city, offered to get her a few people to act as escorts. 

The Greek has requested that they wear uniforms to match the rest of the ball so that it wouldn't outright look like she had bodyguards following her everywhere. They agreed on two guards in the end, and she would simply explain it away that they were both her dates because she couldn't make up her mind.

"Andrea! Sean's back with our new friends, you ready yet?" 

She headed for the door, letting herself into the hall outside. They were currently at home base, Hope Church, which housed the office her and her partners used for planning and organizing events. A short staircase led her to the base floor, where Matthew was standing alongside Sean and two new faces. 

She smiled warmly as she reached the bottom and Sean set about introducing the two. "This is Jacob," He pointed to a stocky muscular man in a black suit and red tie. The Greek moved forward to shake his hand after making sure her gloves were securely in place. "Pleased to meet you."

"and this is...uh.. shoot. Sorry, buddy. I've slipped on your name." Sean scratched the back of his head sheeishly. 

The Gorgon fixed orange eyes on the last unnamed face, warm smile still tugging at her lips.

Erik couldn't believe his luck when he landed a sweet job that paid more than dang near anything else he could find. He wondered just how he filtered into the short list asand couldn't help but wonder if his new techno friend might have had something to do with it. Like any good paying job it came with a few caveats as well his own personal paranoia. It was more than twice the going rate for a job like the one being offered which raised some red flags in his mind. He also needed to hunt himself down a suit to wear. His own professional paranoia urging him to buy a undercover bulletproof vest to wear under his outfit. Bullets were rather annoying and they hurt like the dickens to put it mildly. 

So he had ended up in a suit larger then he would wear without a vest, but he figured it was a small price to pay. It also gave him extra room to stash some extra things that wouldn't be immediately visible. Once he had finished he really hoped this job wasn't some big shame to appease some rich playgirl's weird power tripping fantasies. The well to do often had private agendas that didn't quite align with their public image. 

After blowing some cash to get himself a nice three piece dark blue suit tailored around the vest that he probably wouldn't wear again until some magical day he got married or this job went spectacularly and he could turn it into a legitimate business. Now he found himself waiting for his client in a church because nothing said philanthropic like an organization run out of a church. At least she was a mutant rights supporter and not one of those crazy televangelists. His cohort Jacob certainly looked imposing and handsome in a ex linebacker of the football team sort of way, but Erik figured he could take him in a straight fight, but the bigger guy would catch most of the flak or whatever flak occurred more then his less imposing self.

"It is Erik, sir." Assisting Sean with a light smile and an intense look in his eyes before regarding Andrea more softly. "You are looking breathtaking this evening. No doubt you will be the star of the ball." It could have been delivered with a bit more warmth, but wondered what other individuals would think of their little date cover and hoped he never found out plus a little brown nosing never hurt anyone's chances for a bonus after all! "If it is alright we decided Jacob will drive and I will ride next to you so he can come around and open the door once we arrive and fend off any potential immediate threats." He gestured towards the car with a small professional smile that didn't quite make it to his serious eyes. 

The Greek looked taken aback for a moment before her cheeks tinted brown and she covered her lips with her fingers. Oh, she had a sly one on her hands. She would need to be careful! Still, it was nice to hear a compliment every now and then, especially for her.

"Well, thank you, Erik. Pleased to meet you."

She listened to the plan with her head tilted slightly, before angling a look at Sean. He had organized most of this short of actually hiring the man. She wasn't sure if he was having fun living out some sort of spy fantasy, or if he really felt she needed this much protection. After slinging her best side-eye at Sean, she turned a warm expression back to Erik and Jacob.

"I am certainly no expert in your field, so I will trust whatever you have planned. Thank you for agreeing to such a short notice job."

Sean stepped forward, handing Andrea the small clutch she was going to use as a purse for the night. She didn't carry much on her normally but she would at the very least need her phone and her notes for the event. "I don't know how much your employer filled you in, but we decided to hire you based on a few incidents out little Andrea has run into these last few weeks."

Timothy, who had been the one to greet them upon entering stepped forward too. He was a younger man, meek-looking and in a sweater vest. "It's unusual, it is! Three times in a week the same man approaches her and asks her all sorts of odd questions!"

The Greek sat between the two fretting men, a strained smile on her lips and eyebrows pinched in a kind of way that screamed she was uncomfortable with the attention. "Yes, well... off we go, Gentlemen!"

She attempted to flee as casually as she could, eventually making it outside and heading for the car. She would feel better once she was on the road and could put those two paranoid parrots behind her.

With help, she made it into the car. It was a rental, a simple four-door sedan but in a nice color. The charity was for various homeless shelters across the city so it wasn't appropriate to show up in the most expensive car you could find.

She settled herself down in one seat and buckled in, her clutch in her lap. Jacob climbed in the front and got the car started. She tried to settle herself before the big event.

"So, Erik... have you ever been to a charity like this one?" It was quite different. Open doors to those who were donating and those who need donations. They had been running it that way for a few years with some success. She felt that it helped people choose compassion when they were able to have a conversation with someone who would be directly recieving help from their gift.

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well." For his own reasons beyond a payday. Protecting someone who was, by his guess, truly altruistic was like finding a unicorn in a sewage plant. There were however less enlightened individuals who thought mutants were abominations. Pfft there was still people who thought anyone who wasn't white should be exterminated let alone mutants.

Erik wasn't even certain he was an expert in his field. Probably more than Jason? No.. no.. Jacob! probably was. He was the sort of guy that got off being safe just from the simple genetics of being big and naturally imposing. Hopefully the man at least hit the gym before whatever spotlight had fallen away from his life the left him bodyguarding people instead of whatever sport he was from. Not nearly enough professional paranoia for this line of work by how he moved. 

He gave the woman a nod and regarded the exchange with interest. He would guess Sean as some sort of organizer or manager. A confidence born of experience, but unwilling to take big chances. Timothy reminded him of some stereotypical accountant whose most interesting event of the day was a misplaced receipt or an annoying malware popup. They seemed a bit boring by the standards of people he usually associated with, but they expressed genuine loyalty and care for Andrea so they must have had some hidden redeeming qualities as people often did. They were all a bit more tense then he liked, most of all his client herself. He attempted to draw some attention of from her and to himself. 

"New York is full of odd and interesting people gentlemen. Most likely just a... fanboy." It took him a moment to fish for the English equivalent as he attempted to assuage fears all around. "Though it is better to be prepared then not. You have my promise that we will protect Miss Gordon with all of our effort." Jacob to his neanderthalic credit just kept quiet and gave a nod. They departed after Andrea's polite escape. Once he had escorted her to the car and opened it for her he moved around to take his seat on the other side as Jacob moved took up his own spot. Instead of relaxing back into the seat he maintained a slightly forward posture so he could look around in what he hoped seemed like a casual, but alert manner. As he was addressed his eyebrows rose and he looked over to her.

He wasn't sure what she meant at first. Had he only been given the job as an act of charity? That actually made a sort of strange sense as he had no references for the job he was willing to give out. Was the little by play in the church solely for Jacob's and Erik's emotional benefit? That didn't particularly please him. Erik gave a light shrug and thought how to respond truthfully and still attempt to fish some information out of her. "As the recipient of charity multiple times in my life I can honestly say no." Watching her for some reaction that would give herself away. It was odd to him. He always tended to think of charitable people as the sort to do it fluff their own ego and make them feel better about themselves. Allowing the 'snobs' to directly interact with people it helped seemed bold to him. Erik doubted he was the only person to feel that way and wondered for a moment if he would see any of the people he met at Sanctuary.

Andrea was mildly surprised at his admission of having used services before. She shouldn't have been considering how high the population of homeless teens was in New York. Still, an understanding, warm smile settled on her lips. "I suppose I do not need to explain how it works then." She chuckled softly and turned to look out her window.

"When I first came here I also used the services for quite a while, until I was able to get a foothold in the city. I daresay I would not be where I am today without their help."

They were fond memories... Even among the darkness of her time in the city, she could not forget those constantly trying to reach out and help the strugglers. After having left the school she had been on her own for quite a while before landing at the Sanctuary, and after leaving Saph she had been alone again while struggling to figure out what she would be doing with her life from then on.

She had met Thomas first at one of the events, and the sweet man had introduced her to a host of people of whom she would eventually end up working alongside.

Drawing her attention away from the past, she looked toward the future. Erik had mentioned something about a 'fan' earlier. She was reminded of Sean and Thomas' paranoia.

"Thank you for earlier. They mean well, but tend to run a little high strung." She chuckled again. "I divulged too much upon first meeting them and they have not stopped hovering like nervous birds ever since."

The flow of traffic started to slow as they headed further into the city.

Erik offered her a smile and shook his head in agreement. No he certainly did not need an explanation. Even if he did not look directly at her he made sure to listen to her, he still had a job to do after all. "One of the city's organizations helped me immigrate from my home country so I suppose I could say the same as well." Even if he was stubborn as a mule after that. With a small amount of pride and a bag of pragmatism he knew he was better equipped to survive on his own better than others the same age. His upbringing had seen to that. 

The most difficult challenge for him was getting used to was all the free time and lack of any familial support. Now he was having to forge those ties alone and without direct help. One wasn't able to make friends for someone else afterall no matter what groupies or real fanboys thought. Speaking of..

"No thanks needed, it is our job to soothe nerves. Truthfully I hope your right and I can make an easy payday. You and your colleagues can have a good laugh about this later if that ends up being the case." His smile turning more genuine a moment before resuming his more professional stance while they remained out of public view. "It can be a dangerous world we live in, especially for mutants who happen to be charitable and rights activists." Not really feeling the need to add his own concertation to the mix now that this SUPER organization was out and about. Coming from Russia he was well versed in smelling PR BS from a kilometer away. 

As they travelled deeper into the city he increased his watch. New York may be the city that never sleeps, but its arteries sure got congested. If anyone was going to try something before they got to the charity ball it would happen somewhere they were forced to stop. 

She returned her gaze to him, orange eyes twinkling despite the colored contacts. "It is always nice to meet a fellow immigrant."

"You are right... it is a very dangerous world out there." She knew how dangerous personally. "But I am sure it is nothing, and all of this will blow over in due order."

A light up ahead shifted from green to yellow. Traffic started to slow accordingly.

"I believe that people are good, deep down... I do not tend to let myself jump to conclusions easily. With how I look it is not rare for people to ask questions. Curiosity is a curious thing." She was sure that even if she had seen the man a few times, it was innocent in intentions. Who would target her? She had virtually zero enemies. The light up ahead shifted back to green and their car started through.

SKREEEEEE

POP

Pop POP

The squealing of tires brought her musings to a swift end as another car swiped into the and knocked the front of their car off its path. Andrea tried to brace herself against the door as they came to a stop after knocking her head into the glass window. "Oh..." She hadn't even the time to figure out how to ask if everyone was alright before three men rounded her side of the car and yanked the door open. Six pairs of hands reaching in to snatch her out all while she was attempting to process what was happening? Had the accident been that bad!?

A black sack was shoved over her head and she felt herself lifted and hurried along into a different car.

A black SUV peeled out and took off through the intersection and down an open road.

Onlookers crept forward slowly not that the commotion had moved on. The driver's side door and drivers side back passenger door were crunched in and jammed from the impact.

A woman screamed.

Jacob was dead from two shots to the chest. They had aimed another at the bodyguard in the back, but it was unknown if it had hit.

Erik glanced over at her and nodded at something they shared. Of mutual challenges in adapting to a new place and if she was anything like her, laying foundations for the future. "I do hope you are right." Few things were better in the world then easy money. It was a bit of a misnomer since money was rarely easy to get in any large quantities without having a whole  lot of pissed of people after you. 

People good? Erik wasn't sure about that. A person sure. The human race as a whole? One only had to look at how glorified wars were in the history books and how little homage was paid to people who brought peace to those great conflicts. Jeopardising his payday with a conflicting point of view wasn't his idea of a good thing so he just remained quiet and let the naive woman on the road to sainthood have her illusions from his point of view.

Then the light turned green and they were off again. Only one of the other vehicles looked like they were blowing a red light #$% they were coming right at their care. "Ge-" The SUV crunched into the side of the sedan. Erik was then suddenly acquainted with what it felt like to have his head whiplash into the glass hard enough to crack it and a warm sticky wetness ooze down his face as he was dazed. Movement registered to his right and he looked over in time to see Andrea hauled out through blurry eyes and to get shot in the chest, slamming into the vest he was wearing. Paranoia: 1 Jacob: 0.

His brain working as fast as it could as he slumped forward to check Jacob's pulse and wasn't surprised by the result. Eyes went to SUV as it peeled out. After a hasty moment of trying the door he crawled through the middle and reached between the dead man's legs and pushed the seat back as far as it would go. Of course someone would scream in a terribly unhelpful manner "Shut up!" He was working quick and trying to think through a rapidly healing but still concussed mind. Glancing back down the street he caught the plate shrinking in the distance and cursed as he had no time.

Out of ideas and times he slipped onto the dead man's lap and wiggled a leg to the accelerate and pressed it all the way to the floor in unison with the horn. Bystanders be damned he was getting his client back in one piece even if he had to sit on a corpse to do it. Tires squealed loudly and he fishtailed out of the intersection, shattering his own and someone else's brake light in the process. With any luck his perps were just fleeing the scene and weren't expecting a chase. He would show them how wrong they were.

Whoever had thrown the bag over her head was momentarily forced to recoil back when a sudden, loud chorus of hisses popped up from within. Andrea was frightened, and thus her snakes were reacting defensively. Fortunately for her kidnappers, they were secured well within her hair and the sack, and no one was going to get a nasty bite. ...Yet. She was dumped harshly onto a seat and felt as others piled in around her. Before she could remove the head covering, someone had her hands grasped together. She wasn't particularly strong, so it didn't take much to lock her hands behind her in a pair of simple cuffs.

All the while she was cursing loudly in Greek, having slipped back into her mother tongue in her panic.

What was going on? Why was a bag over her head, and why was she suddenly restrained? Who the hell were these people?

"Release me!" They ignored her. She struggled as someone buckled her in and the car lurched into motion. They ignored her further save for someone pushing her down into a hunched over position and out of view.

"Car's catching up!" One male voice warned. She heard sounds that she couldn't quite pinpoint. Clicking and metal sliding on metal. Someone rolled down a window. The SUV swerved up onto the sidewalk to avoid traffic, causing pedestrians to scatter for safety.

"Take out his tires or him! I don't care which!" Another male voice. The driver? She wasn't sure.

One man leaned out slightly to take aim at the following car and fired off a few shots.

Eventually, they would need to get off of the main roads in order to escape the public eye. Up ahead there was an entrance for an underground parking lot where they had a second vehicle stashed away.

The dark SUV headed for it, swerving around people and cars haphazardly before it pulled onto the ramp and down into the parking garage below. Whether the other car followed or not, they were going to transfer their prisoner to the other car and head out through the exit, hopefully losing any tagalongs in the process.

"Alright, once we get back to the house we lay low for a bit, then head over to the bank on 5th tomorrow. Our inside guy says they're going to be packed because the drop company is going to be late."

With a squeal of tires, the car jerked to a stop.

"This is gonna be the biggest haul of our lives, boys... money, gold, jewelry... the place is loaded right now between the vault and the safe deposit boxes."

"Am I a hostage, then?" Andrea demanded, attempting once again to get one of them to at least acknowledge her.

A few of the men chuckled, while another threw open the door. "Heh heh, no... you're our weapon."

Then she was promptly dragged from the car before she could make any further comments. She hit the pavement with a hip as they started to head toward a smaller, white minivan.