She insisted she had better things to be doing. Her aunt thought better of it. After what had recently happened, she believed there was nothing more important than for Lenna to use her time professionally, and be off the streets. Why? Because she had been kidnapped, of course. Not fair, to insist she get a job because she had been kidnapped whilst out shopping with her auntie? Perhaps. But rich people can have rich ideas about things. They don’t always make sense.

You see, Lenna had a particular set of skills. Skills her aunt was aware of. Skills that had, in part, assisted her in that escape from the kidnapping thing. Her, and her friends.

Lenna thought she ought to utilize said skills to work towards freeing her friend from witches. The friend who was left behind. Her aunt thought that she could do both. If her friend was half as capable as it sounded like she was, there would be time. The problem might even solve itself. Lenna disagreed.

When someone sticks their neck out for you, you stick your neck right back. You do not abandon them. Her aunt told her that entire thought process was foolish, and that she would surely find herself in trouble if she rushed ahead like that. She should, at least, get help first. And find the people. Then plan. Planning takes time. There was time enough to go to one interview prior to the big breakout. That seemed a bit strange to Lenna, perhaps a bit psychotic, even. Or sensible. But—

One cannot really argue with family. When your one known family member asks you to do something, and you can do it... better do it. Lest you lose their trust. And it was only one interview. She could fit it into her busy schedule of failing horribly at finding a bunch of witches and one friend. She did not have to like it, however...

Lenna arrived at the appointed location early, dressed in a professional looking tailored slate gray suit her aunt had hand-picked specifically for the interview. Lenna’s one deviation, which had not been approved, was this. She wore her dark orange sneakers with yellow laces. Take that, auntie. Also, she had packed her man purse (read: messenger bag) with numerous items she felt may become useful during the interview, should they ask for sure things.

It was a good thing she left early, because there were metal detectors at the main entrance and she got stopped.

Security called for some people whose names she was unfamiliar with. A miss Sveta and a Mister Jude?

Lenna stood waiting, her brown leather messenger bag sitting on the nearby table. A man with no permission was rooting through it and noting all the weaponry. How tedious.

”Will this take long?” the young woman with the Colombian accent asked with annoyance. ”I have an appointment.” Her foot tapped in impatience. Her hair hung awkwardly, a ragged bob that looked like a rank amateur with razor springs had cut it, with long bangs that framed either side of her face. Her aunt had thought she should get it cut but Lenna again had insisted that there was no time.

Jude did not kid around about the recruitment. Once they had an agreement, he got started on using BlacTac to help Haven build its own private security force, formidable enough to hold their turf between two mafia factions. The first step towards this new era of independence was finding the right people, and vetting them before hiring them. Some came recommended and known to BlacTac - while others needed interviews and tryouts. Jude screened applicants well, but the last words was still up to Sveta.

Today they had a young woman named Lenna. Sveta walked down to the front desk to meet her. She noted the choppy hairdo and the cautious look, as well as the security guy's face as he found various weapon items in the girl's bag.

"Seems like you came ready for auditions" Sveta smirked, walking up to the new applicant. It showed initiative that she brought her own weapons. It was also a bit disconcerting. "Svetlana Sergeyeva. I don't do handshakes. But nice to meet you. Lenna, right?"

>> "Seems like you came ready for auditions" the woman smirked.

Lenna bobbed her head in agreement. Yes, she had. One can never be too prepared.

>> "Svetlana Sergeyeva. I don't do handshakes. But nice to meet you. Lenna, right?"

”Lenna Kadick,” She confirmed. It is entirely possible Miss Sergeyeva may have heard the surname before. Her aunt was a prominent donor to the Haven organization, after all. But Lenna was not attempting to bank on notoriety.

It was a crying shame that she had lost many language fluencies due to the deAging process. Once upon a time, she might have been able to converse in fluent Russian with the woman. Not any longer, however.

The lack of a handshake did not upset the young woman. These are trying times. And people always underestimate what something as simple as a touch can do. Among mutants.

”It is good to make your acquaintance.” Lenna stated fact. ”This has always struck me as a fine building. I was here once before, for the Haven pool party. I did not remember such thorough security the last time...”


“Do you know how long it will be before your man,” She had really wanted to call him a dog. But she had shown restraint. ”Will be through in their investigation of my belongings. I assure you they are all legally purchased. The paperwork is in the bag.” If it showed an older Lenna as the purchaser, well, that was not her fault. She had not gone out to become younger. ”I was told this would be a security position, so I fully understand wariness. Perhaps it was even a little test of your current measures, haha.” She said haha like a robot, not like a woman who genuinely thought the situation were funny. Not even as one trying to play it off as amusing. Awkward, and a bit dry.

Sveta introduced herself while Jude made himself comfortable with the contents of Miss Kadick's personal belongings. This was an unusual amount of guns to carry on a normal day in Haven. Maybe par for the course when BlacTac housed Alpha team, but too many for one person's everyday carry, surely. Jude noted that each was in working order, well oiled and maintained. He also noted that it wasn't just guns. A baton and a few knives of varying fanciness were respectfully sheathed or otherwise stowed.

He scanned the paperwork, noting some familiar issues with his employer's papers and ignoring the barbs against current security. Well, now she was going to experience a double check. He rummaged around for anything hidden, extra weight or lumps...

"Lenna has been de-aged." Not that it would be a problem, but sometimes there was an unknown amount of baggage with a de-aged mutant. With the evidence so clearly in front of him, it seemed stupid not to put it out there.

It bothered him to give the weapons back, but ultimately Jude closed the bag and returned the parcel in its entirety.

"She's also a mutant. I'm sure that would have come up sooner rather than later, so now that we're all on the same page, let's all take a stroll down to CLASS and see what you can do, Lenna." He couldn't guess the power without taking a taste, but he could feel his power straining to be allowed to touch. Both were things

"I'm Jude, you've already met Sveta. You come with recommendations, but we'll still be interested to see what you can do." And more importantly, how she reacted under stress, especially being so young and having lost some personal experience. "Ladies first." He motioned so that he could walk behind them.

The young woman did not seem nervous or wary, which was a good sign. It made things go faster.

>>”It is good to make your acquaintance. This has always struck me as a fine building. I was here once before, for the Haven pool party. I did not remember such thorough security the last time...”

"Changing times" Sveta noted. She vaguely remembered Lenna from the pool party, but she had had many other concerns at the time.

>>"Lenna has been de-aged."

Jude walked up to join them, checking the bag full of weapons. This was going to be a joint interview; it was good to have the chance to test both their powers with a new applicant. She definitely came prepared. The weaponry was impressive, even if it was all legal, as she claimed.

>>"She's also a mutant. I'm sure that would have come up sooner rather than later, so now that we're all on the same page, let's all take a stroll down to CLASS and see what you can do, Lenna."

"We all are. Kind of the point" Sveta noted. The full extent of her powers was not public, but she was known as a mutant leading a mutant-friendly organization. Plus, this whole recruitment was about finding the right people with the right powers. Sveta nodded, and started walking along as they headed to CLASS.

>>"I'm Jude, you've already met Sveta. You come with recommendations, but we'll still be interested to see what you can do. Ladies first."

"So polite" Sveta smirked at Jude as they walked down to the training facility. "Lenna, why don't you tell us a bit about your powers? From what I gather about de-aging, some people have a hardtime readjusting to their abilites..."

The man who had rummaged her bag stated that she had been de-Aged, and that she was a mutant. That was fine. She had no illusions she wished to hide behind. She nodded at the man’s suggestion. The man whose name was Jude. Mr Jude?

Oh. Well, she had thought him simple security. What was the phrase? Boy, were her cheeks red? She felt orange was a better color, personally. Though they maintained a uniform pink, the same as in any other situation. She held her embarrassment in well. Constant poker face, her.

Ladies first, he said. Lenna reclaimed her bag, then fell in line behind Sveta.

The woman asked her about her powers. She answered as she walked.

”My powers are still new, from my point of view. I do not rely on them. I prefer to rely upon my own personal training. I have ten plus years of training in blades and firearms, as well as martial arts. Krav Maga, mainly.” She stated.

”I am fluent in English and French, as well as Spanish. Though my dialect is more Colombian than Mexican.” And her accent simply reinforced this fact.

”I am willing to learn more if the job calls for it.” She fell silent for a moment, as if deciding on something. Then she continued. ”If you must know about my mutation, I have the ability to shift things with my mind. Move, as well.” She added, as if remembering something recent. ”But mainly, I shift things in my favor. Alter peoples punch trajectories, jostle their aim. Shifting things is more about finesse. I prefer finesse. Over. Brute force.”

Yes. Brute force. She was well aware what brute force could do. The memory of loud sounds and crashes echoed in her mind.

She looked to Miss Sergeyeva. ”I have been training and studying at Xavier’s sister school for several months, now. I am not unpracticed with my mutation. I simply prefer my other assets. Oh. One other thing. I only see in shades of orange. I hope that will not be a problem.”

One sentence and Jude was already pretty sure this chick could whoop his *ss. His eyes flicked over to Sveta as she walked ahead with the new potential. Okay, both of them could probably kick his *ss, but for entirely differing reasons.

"Où l'as-tu appris le francais?" Jude asked where she learned French, mostly because it seemed so few people found it worth the effort. The Columbian, he could guess might be a mother tongue considering the accent, but French had some archaic rules that even a native born Frenchman like himself oft forgot, especially without regular access to another native speaker.

Jude trailed the two women into the CLASS area, surprised that Lenna had been at the Mansion. True, he didn't really hang out there, but he thought he knew the students for the most part. As the years went on, especially since the age kerfuffle, he was losing touch there.

"She may be overqualified." He offered the opinion quietly to Sveta since it was her show, but he wasn't exactly hiding his impressed face from Lenna. Still. If Haven could afford her, and provided she didn't turn out to be a psychopath, she'd definitely be an asset.

Powers were a good starting point. Sveta would have taken a trained agent of any kind without a mutation, but for the kind of operation they were about to be running, powers were definitely a desired plus. Especially because she needed to make sure she could not accidentally cause a city-wide disaster by overboosting them.

>>"My powers are still new, from my point of view. I do not rely on them. I prefer to rely upon my own personal training. I have ten plus years of training in blades and firearms, as well as martial arts. Krav Maga, mainly. I am fluent in English and French, as well as Spanish. Though my dialect is more Colombian than Mexican.”

Sveta nodded, with an impressed look. Okay, so she was good on her own merit, which was definitely a plus, since powers could occasionally become unreliable. Or cancelled, by an adapted, or by tech. She knew what she was about. Sveta appreciated that.

>>”If you must know about my mutation, I have the ability to shift things with my mind. Move, as well. But mainly, I shift things in my favor. Alter peoples punch trajectories, jostle their aim. Shifting things is more about finesse. I prefer finesse. Over. Brute force.”

When she said shift and move, Sveta's first thought was telekinesis. Telekinetics were useful. But as she moved on, the power turned out to be more intricate... and also somewhat more impressive. "That... sounds like a very useful power." What would happen if it got multiplied?...

>>”I have been training and studying at Xavier’s sister school for several months, now. I am not unpracticed with my mutation. I simply prefer my other assets. Oh. One other thing. I only see in shades of orange. I hope that will not be a problem.”

"It shouldn't be" Sveta shook her head. Strange as it sounded, she could not imagine many situations where it would be a hindrance. The fact that Lenna had been training at the Mansion was also promising. Those people had a lot of practice filtering out dangerous elements. Like Sveta.

>>"She may be overqualified."

"As long as we can afford to have her, there is no such thing" Sveta whispered back as they entered CLASS. "So... we are here to do a bit of a... hands-on audition. I hope you came ready to fight. Jude, are you watching or joining in?"

In French, Lenna replied ”Finishing school.” She did not elaborate on when or where.

She left the when and where Mysterious. There was a time and a place for talk of such things. It was not there and then.

—

She finished her explanation, and was told her orange situation would not be an issue. Very well. She gave a curt nod.

The man said something to the lady. He was quiet about it, so she did not pay it much attention. Why pry into it if they wished her to not hear? If it was of import, they would bring it to her attention. Instead, she let them have their private conversation as they walked. She entered the room.

Hands on?

”Very well.” Lenna said. ”I am ready when’re you say go.” She stated. Her bag hit the floor with a thump. Lenna bent to begin strapping on holsters and knives. All told, there were two handguns and three knives. A knife sheath on each thigh, a shoulder holster, one on her hip, and a knife sheath strapped to her left forearm. All over her nice suit. She really ought to have brought a tactical vest or something.