"No, I don't work with her. She's employed at the Full Circle Bookstore and I happened to go in to pick up an audio book. It turned out that since she's an air elemental she can get very distracted and nervous because of my sonar. I think she said it vibrates the air molecules so much that it gets to her or something like that."

"Ah! I can imagine it would when you are that plugged into your element." Neena nodded in understanding.

"I'll come back during the day some time to say hi. She helped me realize there was more work to be done with my sonar... kind of inspired me I guess you could say."

She smiled widely. "She has a gift for that. I can't think of too many that aren't glad to have her here." Now if only there was a way to bring out a bit of the young woman's confidence....

"But on a more serious note..." Neena tilted her head to listen. "I would like to know what kind of stand the school takes on different world events."

She listened patiently, grimacing slightly when she heard that Luke had run across Iron Mouth in his travels.

"Do you run into those kinds of problems with your students or do you agree with and teach that kind of thinking?"

"Fausto has a lot of baggage to deal with, and unfortunately we can only help him deal with part of it. And.... a lot of kids come from similar backgrounds, or even worse." Neena sighed, since she could feel for the troubled teen.

"The school is just like any other, really. We want the kids to learn skills that will help them succeed in the world. It's difficult when you're a mutant, as you undoubtably know. Getting humans to trust us is an uphill battle, made harder by the rampaging psycopaths of the mutant world.

"Xavier has always wanted humans and mutants to be able to live together on equal, and peaceful terms. We honor that desire, and try our best to teach it to the kids. It rough, but.... That's what we signed on for."

She shrugged, and smiled. "How 'bout you, m'friend? What's your view on the situation?"

"Well..." Luke began slowly, as though somewhat unsure of the words, "As I said before, I've always been able to blend in with humanity which has sheltered me from most of the hatred but I have seen the wrongs that can be comitted by both sides. I've seen humans beat farmers and rape their daughters because they weren't paying for 'protection'. I've seen mutants that used their powers to help people and others that felt humans were beneath them."

It was strange to be explaining his viewpoints to someone else... he remembered trying to explain to Fausto but the boy had not been able to understand what Luke was saying. He was pretty sure that Neena would be different but there was never a guarantee that one person could understand another person's thought process.

"On my part, I've always viewed a mutation as a gift. Whatever the power or ability may be it is a gift that comes with responsibility. In my mind, at least part of that responsibility is to help those that are weaker than yourself." He continued, "Because of what my ability is and how it affects the world around me I've focused more on protecting humanity from itself. I'm not strong enough or powerful enough to fight against a lot of mutants that are out there but I can fight back against the scum that prays on their own neighbors."

With a slight shrug, Luke turned his head, as though scanning the room again though truly there was no need. His sonar still showed him everything but it was an action made to simply try and break the conversation up, "It may seem silly or even stupid to some but it's what I know and so it's what I do."

Luke's soft voice seemed to echo a bit in the silent of the night. Nights at the Mansion were quite the opposite of the bustling days. It made listening to him very easy. She nodded as he shared some of his own experience; she'd heard similar stories many times before, and even gone through her own version.

She smiled when he expressed his view that mutation was a gift, because she'd said something almost identical to someone recently.

"I agree with you wholeheartedly, m'friend. It all depends on how its used, whether it will be a gift or a curse."

She snorted quietly when he remarked, "It may seem silly or even stupid to some but it's what I know and so it's what I do."

"If it does, then this world needs more 'silly' people walking the streets."

She paused for a moment, considering the direction their conversation had taken, and the way Luke had ended up following Calley to the Mansion's doorstep.

"If you don't mind me being nosy, how exactly did you run across Calley?"

She was curious to know if he'd mentioned the Xmen to Luke.

Luke chuckled softly as Neena's question... the memory was pleasant enough now although at the time his 'battle' with the young man had been rather intense.

"I was on patrol in my hunting clothes and saw a young man busting a window and sneaking into a house." The blind man replied as he turned back to face Neena, "I figured he wasn't supposed to be there so I parked my motorcycle and slipped into the house. It looked like he was burglarizing the place so I attacked him. There was a struggle and after a few minutes he transformed into at tiger. there was no way I could fight him then so I slipped out and then doubled back around to meet him coming down the stairs with that sick dog in his arms. After... talking for several minutes I realized his intentions were a little more noble than I had previously thought so I let him go. He talked about the mansion, which I had heard about from a few other people so I asked if I could come with him."

It was a strange story and it was only as Luke told it that he realized just how strange it really sounded. What in the world would this young woman think? There was no telling and he wasn't sure if he really wanted to know.

"Anyhow... a quick change of clothes later and I was riding along with him on my way here." Luke finished, doing his best to keep a cheerful tone in his voice, "And apparently you're the night owl that normally meets people arriving at this hour."

"I was on patrol in my hunting clothes and saw a young man busting a window and sneaking into a house."

Hunting clothes? Busting into a house? Neena blinked, and focused completely on Luke's story.

"I figured he wasn't supposed to be there so I parked my motorcycle and slipped into the house."

So his sonar would allow him to drive? Neene found herself slightly jealous, and completely fascinated.

"It looked like he was burglarizing the place so I attacked him. There was a struggle and after a few minutes he transformed into at tiger.

She sighed, and shook her head. Calley.... Oh, Calley....

"there was no way I could fight him then so I slipped out and then doubled back around to meet him coming down the stairs with that sick dog in his arms."

She turned slightly, her gaze landing on the stairs. The Doc hadn't called her yet. That could be a good thing or a bad thing. She found herself hoping it was a good thing.

"After... talking for several minutes I realized his intentions were a little more noble than I had previously thought so I let him go."

Calley sure knew how to make some interesting friends.....

"He talked about the mansion, which I had heard about from a few other people so I asked if I could come with him. Anyhow... a quick change of clothes later and I was riding along with him on my way here," Luke finished cheerily. Weren't oddly-timed, light-hearted expressions supposed to be her job?

"And apparently you're the night owl that normally meets people arriving at this hour."

Neena rubbed at the side of her head, shaking it slightly, and chuckled.

"Well, no one ever accused the New York City nightlife of being dull." She inhaled, then let it out slowly. "Yep, I guess I am the 'Night Owl', or so I've been told. Not very many arrive at this time of the night, though. Again, thank you for seeing Calley back."

She paused for a moment, then apparently couldn't help herself.

" 'Hunting clothes'? Hunting for what, exactly?"

She had to ask didn't she... there was no way Luke could have explained his going into the house after Calley without either making himself look like a thief or something else but he had been hoping that Neena would refrain from asking about his 'hunting' clothes. More than likely she would think he was crazy for having a costume ientity to help fight crime but there was no backing out now. He had put out the information and she had asked.

"That's a subject I don't normally talk about but since Calley already knows I suppose it won't hurt to let his friends know too." Luke replied after a moment of silence, his expression turning serious as he faced the woman, "There was one incident while I was in Europe that I mentioned to you earlier... a couple of thugs attacked a farmer and almost raped his daughter because he wasn't paying for 'protection' from them. The farmer was able to beg for a few days grace in order to save his daughter but, at that time, I was powerless to do anything about it. I helped the farmer get the money he needed then went back to England and studied Bartitsu. After my studies both in the martial-arts as well as business were done I came back to New York. The crimes I had seen in the country side of Europe were even more prevelant here so I decided to do something about it. I put together a special suit of clothes to wear in combat and I started doing something about the crime."

Ok... now this was starting to sound stupid. Who in the world put themselves out on the line to protect people that often times hated mutants? She had to think he was one of the stupidest or craziest guys she had ever met.

"I'm not powerful enough to face other mutants but I can take down your average perp just fine." Luke said with a slight shrug, "It's my part to help stop the problem... even if it's not much."

Neena took Luke's silence as unease at her question.

"That's a subject I don't normally talk about...."

She'd been right.

"....but since Calley already knows I suppose it won't hurt to let his friends know too. There was one incident while I was in Europe that I mentioned to you earlier...."

She cocked her head and held his gaze curiously, whether he could tell or not. To match his serious tone, she respectfully didn't interrupt.

"....The crimes I had seen in the country side of Europe were even more prevelant here so I decided to do something about it. I put together a special suit of clothes to wear in combat and I started doing something about the crime."

He paused, then added, "I'm not powerful enough to face other mutants but I can take down your average perp just fine. It's my part to help stop the problem... even if it's not much."

She couldn't repress a small smile at that confession. "No dollar can be made without pennies, m'friend," she remarked, "nor a beach without grains of sand. Your 'not much' is more than nothing, which automatically makes it something. Even if it is a bit 'Batman'ish." She chuckled, not being able to resist.

"Do you work alone, or with others?"

Her motives behind that question weren't entirely unselfish curiosity. If Luke had such a drive to make the world safer and better, even on a small scale, then possibly he could be talked into an alliance with the Xmen. Or, even better, into becoming part of the team himself. If he had associations with others, that would be even better. The Syn's little group had become bold as of late, and Neena found herself becoming fidgety with their activities. Any alliances the Xmen could acquire would be more than helpful.

No ridicule... not laughing... a slight about being 'Batmanish' but that wasn't so bad. This was going better than Luke had expected and then it took another turn.

"Do you work alone, or with others?"

At this question the blind man had to chuckle slightly. Was there really people out there like him that dressed up to take on crime? He'd have to meet those kinds of people someday.

"I've always worked alone before." He replied, a slight smile still on his lips, "Not that I didn't want partners but I've never exactly shared my secret with a lot of people and I've never known a lot of others that had powers. Like I said earlier, I knew there were other mutants here in New York but I never spent enough time around any of them to know much about them."

"I've always worked alone before. Not that I didn't want partners but I've never exactly shared my secret with a lot of people and I've never known a lot of others that had powers. Like I said earlier, I knew there were other mutants here in New York but I never spent enough time around any of them to know much about them."

"That's both a good thing, and a shame at the same time. New York seems to have a reputation for being Mutant Central, and the majority of the ones that make their presence known are not the most pleasant of company. It's no wonder humans don't like us very much."

Neena grunted. She shifted her position to lean back in her chair, and cross her legs and arms.

"If you could find someone to team up with, who has the same goals and intentions to help as you do, would you consider it at all?"

Raising an eyebrow curiosly Luke focused his sonar on Neena a little more fully so that he could watch her facial expressions. The power was still pretty low so that he wouldn't make her uneasy but as he closed off his other arcs and only let the sonar go in Neena direction, he found it was much easier to concentrate on her without the added distractions of the rest of the room.

"To be honest, it's hard for me to answer that." Luke said quietly, "I would have to know something about what this other person's personality was like and I'd need to hear exactly what their views were. I don't expect to find anyone that agrees on every single facet with me but if they were willing to admit that humans had reason to be scared of mutants and a right to be protected from those that do crazy things with their abilities it would be very tempting."

Turning Luke extended his sonar just long enough to make his way over to a chair and sit down. If Neena was comfortable enough to just relax while they talked then he could mimic her for at least a little while.

"To be honest, it's hard for me to answer that."

That struck Neena as a curious answer, but she listened without comment as he clarified.

"I would have to know something about what this other person's personality was like and I'd need to hear exactly what their views were."

She nodded; that made perfect sense. Without him realizing it, he'd already found a group meeting the latter half of his criteria.

"I don't expect to find anyone that agrees on every single facet with me...."

That was a good thing, as only cloning could produce that effect.

".....but if they were willing to admit that humans had reason to be scared of mutants and a right to be protected from those that do crazy things with their abilities it would be very tempting."

"You sound just like Xavier," she remarked with a smile when he finished.

Although her hearing was quite keen, it still remained within basic human levels. That, along with her lack of internal adrenaline, kept her from noticing the effects on Luke's sonar.

"Taking in all you just said, I'm going to attempt to tempt you, no pun intended. Did Calley tell you anything about the Xmen during your little 'excursion'?"

"You sound just like Xavier." Neena said in what sounded like a positive manner. Luke remember her mentioning that Xavier wanted mutants and humans to live in harmony but he honestly didn't know much about the man. "I'll have to research him when I have time. Sounds like an interesting person." The blind man thought to himself, not knowing just how interesting the man truly was.

"Taking in all you just said, I'm going to attempt to tempt you, no pun intended. Did Calley tell you anything about the Xmen during your little 'excursion'?"

"X-men?" Luke asked curiously, making it quite obvious from the get go that he hadn't heard of them before, "I'm afraid not. Other than mentioning Xavier's school, Calley didn't talk about a whole lot. Can I assume that Xavier and the X-Men are someone connected?"

It seemed as though the conversation was about to go into very interesting territory but Luke didn't know exactly how he knew something was going to happen. The way Neena had said it... the X-Men... there had to be some type of secret attached to the name or he would have heard of them before. But then again, perhapse not... Luke didn't exactly pay a huge amount of attention to current events unless they directly affected mutants or New York City itself.

"X-men? I'm afraid not. Other than mentioning Xavier's school, Calley didn't talk about a whole lot."

For some inexplicable reason, Neena brightened a bit at that remark, though it had nothing to do with keeping the team a secret. The Team hadn't been secret since the fight at King Pharmaceuticals, so she didn't expect Calley to have treated it as such.

"Can I assume that Xavier and the X-Men are someone connected?"

Neena nodded. "For sure. As I explained, Professor Charles Xavier, the man who founded this school, is an advocate for human-mutant equality. It's what he teaches his students both at his original school and here. He is a mutant himself. A telepath, and a powerful one. He knows how both the human mind and the mutant mind works, including the tendancy to desire superiority. You said it yourself; you've seen what humans are capable of. And mutants are no different. Knowing that, Xavier founded his schools to try and correct the problem, by teaching children his ideals. They are the future, and are vital to future peaceful relations. However, to deal with the already existing problem of antagonistic mutants, he went a further step to help correct the problem, and formed the Xmen."

As she spoke she tapped the fingers of one hand on her arm, and gestured with the other.

"His intentions for the team are to keep aggressive mutants from hurting both themselves and the rest of the world. It isn't easy," she snorted. "Humans are not a forgiving or trustful breed, and as much as mutants would like to claim that we're superior, its amazing how similar the two clans can act at times."

She paused to let him absorb everything she'd said, then stated, "The reason I asked if you would consider working with a partner was to see if you'd be willing to think about an alliance with the Team. I can't guarantee every member thinks the same way you do, but Xavier is the one whose ideals drive it."

Luke sat quietly as he listened to Neena talk about the X-men. It was strange hearing of other mutants that were out trying to make the world a better place. Sure he had never exactly gone looking for others that worked for the same goals as he did but hearing that there were others just helped to confirm that he was doing the right thing with his own actions.

"If the X-men's ideals are the same as Xavier's then I think we can probably work something out." The blind man replied with a slight smile, "I'll be glad to help you however I can though, other than information and maybe some resources I probably won't be a lot of help. As I told you before, my mutation doesn't exactly help while in combat against mutants that have combat powers. I can 'see' because of my sonar and I can hear better than most but I'm no stronger than any other well trained and well exercised human. However, I'm glad to do whatever I can."

Obviously Neena knew a lot about the X-Men and because of her position here at the school Luke was pretty sure that she must actually be a part of the X-Men herself... perhapse even the leader but there was only one way to know for sure.

"Can I also assume that your position here at the school mirrors your position in the X-Men? Assistant Headmaster so perhapse... co-leader or something to that effect?"

"If the X-men's ideals are the same as Xavier's then I think we can probably work something out."

That brought a genuinely happy smile to Neena's face.

"I'll be glad to help you however I can though, other than information and maybe some resources I probably won't be a lot of help. As I told you before, my mutation doesn't exactly help while in combat against mutants that have combat powers. I can 'see' because of my sonar and I can hear better than most but I'm no stronger than any other well trained and well exercised human. However, I'm glad to do whatever I can."

"Combat isn't the only way, nor always the best way to help a situation. Whatever help you can provide us with will be most appreciated," she countered firmly. "And gladly return if needed."

"Can I also assume that your position here at the school mirrors your position in the X-Men? Assistant Headmaster so perhapse... co-leader or something to that effect?"

"Who, me?" She cocked her head and considered that. Then she shook her head. "I'm part of the team, yes. But I wouldn't consider it co-leader. I help run base operations. I do go on missions occasionally, but my mutation is wholly stealth-oriented. I actually grew up as a thief, and old habits die hard."

She grinned, unabashed. Some habits never die at all.