There was a problem with stake outs. Actually there were several problems. They were boring, there wasn’t much to do because you had to keep your attention where you were watching, Sara’s car got hot, there was only so long biting her claws through her illusion that could keep her mind awake, and if she really had to pee…. Well… you get the idea.

Sara had been sitting in her car. Her illusion of the sweetish light skinned girl was around her, and her head was sideways resting on her hand. She had been sitting in the same spot for over three hours and the only conversation she had, was the continuous one with mother nature telling her to get up and go Pee, and Sara telling mother nature just five more minutes.

Ok so an agreement was in order, because mother nature could be very persuasive. Sara was going to dash between the buildings to the Mc Donald’s on the other side, use the ladies room, buy a burger, and be back in her car before anything in the building she was watching, four doors down, took place.

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

Four minutes later, Sara had finished her conversation with mother nature, and was happily munching on a French fry. She chose a different path back to her vehicle, and was half way down an alley, when the sent of blood drifted to her nose. So she began following the sent. The french-fries forgotten in their take out bag, since the smell of blood sort of ruined the quality of their salty taste.

She rounded the corner of the building, to find two girls rounding the corner opposite her. Between them was a man standing where Sara believed the sent came from, facing away from her. Her stomach suddenly gave what felt like a belly flop against her ribs. “Hey!”

"die"

He said die… Great. Die was never a good conversation starter.

As the freaky guy talked to the twins, Sara slowly approached the trash can. Lifting her chin to get the highest angle she could, without getting close. She still stopped herself before she could see the body in there. She’d seen dead bodies, she knew what they looked like. It was just that part of her wanted to see proof for what her nose kept telling her with it’s sting, and the rest of her already had that, ugly truth.

Why did she always find the crazies and why was it they already had a fresh kill right before she came along? I mean thi guy had killed someone and that someone was in the trash can dripping in their own blood that was spilling on their new leather shoes.

Dam it! That’s why she’d stopped herself from venturing closer. She didn’t want to know anything about the dead before having to deal with their killer, and she just learned they had new leather shoes. Kind of like ten years ago with flipper boy, the girl with the wedding ring, and the child with painted fingernail. Images that, every now and then, were still vivid in her mind. Among several other images that she wished she could forget.

Sara suddenly realized she’d held her breath for a moment. Keeping the sent out, but also holding in what was already there. She forced the air out, then forced herself to take easier breaths. Blinking as she steadied herself. Defiantly pushing the un wanted information to the side. Focus on the things you need to survive. Not the things that didn’t.

"Hello." he said in a natural voice. " Something I can help you with?"

Nothing he would really do. “Yeah. You can go and turn yourself into the cops.” Sara really didn’t want to deal with this.

Slade drifted despondantly, he still had half a week until he returned to work and the recovery break had made him miserable. His family still hated him even after 14 years (not to mention his father was dead and his brother missing as a mutant...), Goosh was pissed that Slade hadn't told him what had caused the massive memory loss and frankly Slade's systems still ached from the trauma of his experimentations. At least he was back in America, Europe had made Slade feel so isolated and out of place. The therapy to control his new powers had been as painful as when he had first become a mutant, at least they seemed to be finally drawing to a close. He was returning to his fitness and unfortunately with it came the unending need to be active. He was walking because to remain in his house and rest was beginning to monotonously torture him.

Slade had been making a route through the smaller and quieter alleys, even though mutants were a commonplace acceptance nowadays Slade still felt uncomfortable in human form out in public. He remembered the discrimination of the past and the disgust of his family, neither of which helped him to feel accepted by society. He weaved through the dark alleys of New York deep in thought, suppressing the emotions flooding across his systems. He needed to get back to work, work was his escape and the sooner he went back the better.

He turned around a corner and to add something new to his lonesome situation there seemed to be a conflict arising. A pale, black clad man was nose to nose with a woman who clearly looked like she wanted to be in a different situation. Slade saw two women go round the corner opposite him and frowned as the situation seemed more and more ominous. As much as Slade wished to be alone Slade wouldn't let this man take advantage of the woman, supposing that this was the case... Striding slowly forward Slade greeted the two focuses of his attention, the headlights on his chest slowly beamed to life as he illuminated the shadowy back alley. He took care to ensure the light was not too bright for either of them.
"Evening folks, not disturbing something am I?"

As Slade's gears ground softly and his mechanical systems tautened he prepared for any sudden moves. He hoped the woman would have the sense to ask for help if something was wrong... the urges to be alone set aside, Slade had been aching to test out his new mutations.

Sara resisted the urge to close her eyes. She had to stay there and pay attention. Even when he came closer. Especially when he came closer. Any move.


"As fun as that sounds I am going to have to decline my fine feline."

She froze. Thank goodness her illusion couldn’t display emotion through skin tone yet. Her face managed to keep it’s composure, thanks to the fact that those on the outside couldn’t see her face growing pail. Under her illusion, the flesh on her nose was getting lighter, while the human completion stayed the same.

“I don’t suppose you intend to take me to the police? If not I would politely request you don’t waste the rest of my night.”

“Maybe.” Honestly Sara couldn’t do either. She didn’t know for sure what his mutation was. Who knew if a police station could hold him. Let alone she didn’t see how he killed the man in the dumpster. Who’s to say, that Sara wouldn’t be dropping off one big snake in the middle of the rats at the police department? Everyone knew that enough cops met their demise on the job. At the same time, could she just walk away knowing that he might be killing one of her students next? “lets just say you’ve put me in an interesting situation.”

Sara tilted her head slightly to pay attention to the new one coming around the corner. Still keeping most of her attention on the one with the blood splattered face. First thing she noticed about the guy was the smell of motor oil… Odd. She peaked out of the corner of her eye when the head lights came on and her pupils contracted to filter the light. Oh things just kept getting more and more interesting.

"Evening folks, not disturbing something am I?"

“Check the dumpster.” Sara replied. Hoping that would paint enough of a story for him. Maybe give him a better informed choice.

As the black clad man kicked the dumpster, Slade's eyes snapped over towards the old and battered refuse container. He couldn't help but feel he saw a red glint to the inside of that bin, the way that guy had kicked it Slade was definitely beginning to suspect something was amiss with this guy. After working for Hunter for ten years bad intentions found Slade just as fleas found a stray dog.

As the guy ranted about New York being dangerous Slade glanced over to the woman, he hoped if this got ugly she was smart enough to get the hell out. The man's final question perplexed Slade however... Blood types? Slade chuckled softly at this,
"Blood type? Hell I haven't had one for years!"

Slade hoped this man wasn't as disturbed as his voice and manner suggested. Slade had initially hoped just to stop this guy from hurting the blonde, but now he had doubts to whether this man would have stopped with her. The red slick Slade had glanced certainly pointed to that possibility... Things were looking uglier by the second.

The light skinned guy growled. Oh was big whoop. Sara could growl too… if she wanted to… Now wasn’t one of those wanting to moments. She didn’t need another reason for this guy to go after her. She was already standing in his way.

“You are disturbing a disturbance. And she may have ruined what might have been a wonderful night at home...”

“And I’ll be happy to disturb you, or any other disturbed being, again.” Sara’s eyes finally adjusted to the light well enough she could make out an outline behind it. A very tall out line… WereCar.

Sara shifted her weight to her other foot, as the man went on about dangerous streets and alleyways. Of course she knew about that. Sara knew well enough about alleyways. At one time, she could have been one of those dangers. At least if people caught her in a bad mood.

“Do either of you know what blood type you are?”
"Blood type? Hell I haven't had one for years!"

She was nervous, but her head still tilted and she still managed a small smirk. “Don’t know and don’t care.” And needles weren’t coming near her to find out.

ooc - this assumes zelek's actions arent too fast for me to pick up on, if he is please pm me and i'll change the post.

ic - Slade saw Zelek's body shift and immediately recognised that the banter was over and done with. He had to decide quickly, blade or gun... Slade's left arm cocked upwards into the elbow, whirring and whistling his forearm pulsed as it replicated its matter and transformed into Slade's newest mutation. The blade contracted slightly before lashing out over Slade's wrist and metacarples, extending twelve inches past his fingers. Slade's right wrist had simultaneously transformed into the familiar tear shaped shield.

Flexing softly through the mild aches, Slade was still getting used to his new sword arm, he propelled himself forward towards the assailant. If he could tackle him maybe this woman could get out of here... or depending on her obstinate replies to the man that suggested she could be tougher than she looked maybe she could lend a hand? His shield arm was raised as he leapt forwards while keeping his left arm ready behind his body poised to strike. All that he needed to do now was connect...

(Ha! Sassy Sara)

Yeah. Ok. So Sara might have been giving a little lip. Lip from Sara happened for many reasons. When she was feeling full of herself, When she was hungry, when she was board, when she felt like giving lip, and today’s reason for giving lip to this individual with blood splatter on his face, was because she was uneasy. She was sure of herself to challenge him, but not sure of herself that she could back threats up. She didn’t know what abilities he had, and she knew he was sick enough he wouldn’t hold back. Being Sassy was always an excellent way to hide. Throwing out a fake front for everyone else to see always worked in the past, and with the new illusion, it should still. Of course this way of hiding, also worked to aggravate people.

Sara caught sight of the movement, and turned her body so that it went right past her hip and stomach. Her newer mutation of added speed came into play, but in the movement, her forearm was caught instead. A bit slow because she was still stiff from sitting in her car for so long.

Sara pulled her arm away feeling the dull pain from the kick. It took a moment for her to realize that she was bleeding. The wound didn’t show from the illusion but instead it showed what rested ontop of her skin. Sara’s other palm rubbed over where she had been struck, and it looked like she had smeared red paint on her injured arm. Underneath the illusion, she could feel her skin closing up. The needle shaped weapons at the bottom of his boot had left long scrapes, and thin gouges, that were now slithering closed. The werecar dude attacked faster than she had, being as she’d gone on the defensive. He practically flew right past her at the other. Well at least she had someone on her side.

She shook her injured hand. In the few seconds the wound was almost closed and the cooling feeling that her healing effect gave her was an odd sensation. Clean cuts always healed faster than jagged ones. "I would love to see you try that again." She grumbled as she flexed her hand, Trying to loosen up her tight muscles.

Slade recovered deftly from his charge as his target "hit" the ground. The guy had somehow blasted the floor apart in what Slade surmised was an attempt to cushion the fall, perhaps? Maybe it was a warning, either way Slade felt it unwise to overextend. Slade had seen "downed" enemies easily overcome foes who had overestimated their advantages. He took the moment to step back and glance at the woman. She was bleeding.

"Lady get behind me, now!" As the man began to get to his feet Slade growled, he planted his feet akimbo and lowered his centre of gravity. He extended his shield to full distance and positioned his sword in a ready guard behind it.
"Don't make me hurt you kid, 'cause I aint letting you hurt this woman!"

The man had got to his feet and issued some arrogant comment about not disappointing, then he began to be encased in what must be an armour or some sorts, it had spikes... Slade blinked, and then readied his guard for the inevitable strike. He would be ready.

HA! Slade had him pinned right? WRONG! Sara stood there blinking, as the guy who couldn’t weigh nearly as much as a car, got up, from this spongy looking depression in the ground.

… … …

And then there was this armor forming on him… That was so unfair. Why did all these people have to have armor and Sara just had healing?

"Lady get behind me, now!"

“Lady?!” Who in there rightful… Oh right the illusion. “Alright, Slade.” Sara smoothed her hand against her injured arm again. The blood had stopped coming out, and clotted already, and the skin was almost closed under the illusion.

"Don't make me hurt you kid, 'cause I aint letting you hurt this woman!"

Woman… Sara had never gotten use to those comments. Still, the notion of being protected by a knight in shining car was an interesting perspective. That shield had to hold up better to spikes then Sara’s flesh and bone. She swallowed on that thought. “Yeah ok, Slade. I got your back then.” She practically tripped getting behind the werecar dude. In the alley way, behind Slade, was a long, heavy chain. Sara picked it up, once she was behind him, and began wrapping it around her arm.

Slade glaced in confusion at the blonde, she knew his name? At least she was getting behind him, there would be time for questions later. For now this man seemed to be explaining himself. He placed a palm on Slade's shield and Slade leapt back. The b*stard seemed to have dissolved part of his shield, Slade felt the pain and clenched his left fist as he grunted his discomfort.

He was two paces away from the armoured man, Slade levelled his shielded autopistol at the offensive target. He shifted his ammunition type to his .50BMG cartridges, if this didnt penetrate the armour his only chance would be to grab the girl and get the hell out... if possible... The guy seemed to be taunting the woman, hell if she lost her cool he definitely would have to simply grab her and 'run'. He didn;t think she would last long if he couldn't!
"One step closer kid, so... who are you and why are you trying to kill her?"

" so much for equal rights, you women are always so quick to exclaim that you are equal , but you hide behind our back at the first sign of danger don't you?"

“Technically, in my defense, there were a butt load of signs before you went all spikey and shiny.” Sara had the chain untangled from the ground, and around her arm, though with what was happening next she wasn’t sure it would be of any use. Slade’s Shield was practically dissolving. Ok so she should return some of those verbal blows. “How about you. Hiding behind that armor.” Her free hand reached behind her searching for the tear gas that was normally located at the back of her belt. But it wasn’t there. She must have left that in her car. Crud…. “So what’s the deal huh? With my experience, men with big guns don’t know how to use them. People who hide behind armor, are lacking in something else. Just like men with big, expensive, cars. No offence Slade.”

Speaking of Slade, Sara looked around him, under his shield arm. There wasn’t much that she could see, but there was hardly any movement before Slade was backing up, followed by an odd sent in the air. Slade was hurt that easily? This wasn’t right. Again Sara was having a moral dilemma. She couldn’t morally leave the scene knowing that this guy was out, and she couldn’t just let Slade take him on. Worst came to worst she was sure she could clear a jump over Slade’s head.

(Are there areas on the armor that Sara can get around that don’t have spikes or have gaps between the spikes? Sorry I need some information to not feel like I’m GMing.)

ooc - this is approved by calley btw

ic - Slade kept his stance and his concentration, he had never been the best at psychology but this guy definitely wasn't the selfless type, certainly not one to bother himself with saving women, unless of course he intended to use them himself. His demeanour to this woman Slade had intervened with definitely reinforced that doubt on the man's character. Talking of this lady what the hell did she keep calling him Slade for?! Either way now he definitely had a reason for keeping her alive she seemed to know him and Slade needed to know how.

The guy confidently presented the small crater, his armour, then pointed out Slade was unlikely to hurt him. From what he had seen Slade had reason to believe him. These rounds could penetrate light vehicles but he had no idea what composed the material of this guys armour. He could lay of a round, but he'd be out cold for a few minutes and somehow Slade felt if the round failed there wouldn't be much left of him when he came to... if he came to... He had to make a split second decision. Save the girl or take down the bad guy. Plan B then?

Slade altered his weight to make it easier to push off his front foot, shifting his stance to face the woman ever so slightly he raised and transformed his gun back into it's hand form. Hopefully this would lower the man's guard just enough for this to work.
He spoke, clearly and carefully, to the armoured mutant.
"You know what..."
Slade burst off his front foot in the direction of the woman, away from the armoured man. His stance was already low and his arms swiveled with his body to envelope her as he scooped her bodily up into his chest. He seemed to think that her image changed as he grabbed her but he didn't have time to check.

He careened around the alley to where the alley met the road, sprinting four paces he had enough time to grunt out,
"Just Trust Me Ok!!"
Then he leapt, his systems pumping so much adrenaline into his systems he almost felt time stop. Having trained for this over the last few weeks he was more than confident that he could pull this off. He had to. In a split second the inner seating and chassis had cocooned the woman, her body dumped unceremoniously into the back seat. With furious effort he replicated and smacked the rest of his parts fluidly into place, banging down hard onto the tarmac.

He felt his wheels thump against the floor and felt pain shoot up his sides as he bounced onto the road. Wheels spinning he revved down the road at the fastest pace that his reeling wheels would give him. His chassis still stung from the shock, and one of his wheels definitely needed attentio! Hitting the floor too hard was something he definitely needed to work on.
"Are you ok woman?" Slade yelled through his radio, he felt her slumped on his rear seat but had no idea how she was.
"You should be fine just check no extremities or hair is trapped before you move!"

Slade winced in pain, he could drive but it didn't half hurt. He had to get home and fast. This woman needed to answer a few of Slade's questions but they could wait, he wasn't even sure they were safe yet!

"Until a man came to your rescue."

Sara’s ears flicked back under the illusion. She grumbled.

" Opposed to a woman behind an illusion, bend for the humans till you break Kitten."

“Just Technicalities.” Sara called back. Funny how all three of them had a bit of a shield.

Sara was bothered by what was said next. “I didn’t say anything about killing.” Though she didn’t know how to detail Zelek alive, either, the point was she wasn’t willing to fight about the two boys in the dumpster. While they deserved justice, what Sara was more concerned about was where the freak could turn next. Her students.

She had just tightened her grip on the chain, when Slade scooped her up and started running. “Wooh.” Sara’s arms tried to move against his shoulder and his arm, but the motion was too jarring and she bounced back into place

"Just Trust Me Ok!!"

“What a pick up liiiiiiiiiiiiinnnne.” Sara squealing in surprise as they were air born for a moment and then she was out of his arms. Eyes wide as saucers as she twisted in the air, and her body faced the cement. A split second before a seat came out under her. She landed curling on the eat, as the chassis surrounded her, and her arms covered her face. There was a tug at the end of her spine when they bounced onto the road and she sat there looking around at the inside of the car. Ok she had been here before. But… Wow…

"Are you ok woman? You should be fine just check no extremities or hair is trapped before you move!"

Oh there was a comforting thought after being told to trust someone.” Sara turned onto her elbow, checking her hands and feet. Those were free and her hair was too but moving brought a sharp pain up her spine. Something was keeping her tied to the seat. Thanks to the illusion, Sara couldn’t see her tail, but she could feel it. She shifted on her back and fumbled with the locket. Working to remove it. And still see not drop it on the floor of Slade. She tucked the locket in the fabric of her pocket, that began a sort of domino effect from the area that had last touched it. Her hands sprouted golden blond fur, that traveled up her arms, her shoulders, and to her face where her more animal features blinked at the appearing extremity that was stuck in the folds of Slade’s back seat. Well at least she could now see the problem. “My tail is stuck.” She called out, as the bounced down the road, and she tried to sit up at the odd angle, in order to free herself.

ooc - ill extract your tail and then either we can keep our convo here sara or we can move it...

ic - "What d'ya mean a t..." It clicked very suddenly, so suddenly in fact he flinched slightly at the shock and swerved between lanes. Who else called him Slade and had a bloody tail!
"Sara?!" Slade choked through the radio in surprise, desperately attempting to regain control of his steering. So to the main problem, her tail was stuck...

Well at least that explained the vicing pain that didn't fit with the rest of the dull throbbing agony that was consuming him. He'd been practicing for this event during his testings with live subjects, this was going to hurt.
"Wait there one moment and I'll have it out."
Slade skidded to a halt, he felt it was safe they were at least two blocks away now. As they settled to a calming still Slade winced again. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off the pain was really beginning to hit him. What he was about to do wasn't about to help him.

"Ok Sara, you ready..."
Taking what amounted to a deep breath for Slade he focused all his attention on his inside chassis. He began, very slowly to detransform his insides, it was so excruciatingly slow that many would barely notice. The parts would barely move before he stopped the process. Sluggishly he felt his seat's connectives seperate slightly, one of which must be holding Sara's tail captive. Now was the painful part.
"Now!" Slade yelled as he flexed the parts that his seat composed of. Very much like flexing a hand to its full extent the seat expanded out, the parts whining in discomfort as they were pushed ever so slightly more apart than what was comfortable.

Slade, had he been able to, would have cried. He had deliberately shut off his radio so Sara wouldn't have to hear him scream. As he 'relaxed' and reformed his inner chassis he blacked out momentarily, all of his systems were moaning and grinding after the stinging pain of almost disassembling themselves. His mind was nothing but a torrent of flashes and yells, this couldn't be good for his rehab he definitely felt his mind beginning to flap uncontrollably as sensation after sensation pulsed horribly through his systems. Then there was calming quiet, and darkness. His entire body began to judder slightly and his wind screen wipers twitched as he came to a few minutes later...