The X-men run missions and work together with the NYPD, striving to maintain a peaceful balance between humans and mutants. When it comes to a fight, they won't back down from protecting those who need their help.
Haven presents itself as a humanitarian organization for activists, leaders, and high society, yet mutants are the secret leaders working to protect and serve their kind. Behind the scenes they bring their goals into reality.
From the time when mutants became known to the world, SUPER was founded as a black-ops division of the CIA in an attempt to classify, observe, and learn more about this new and rising threat.
The Syndicate works to help bring mutantkind to the forefront of the world. They work from the shadows, a beacon of hope for mutants, but a bane to mankind. With their guiding hand, humanity will finally find extinction.
Since the existence of mutants was first revealed in the nineties, the world has become a changed place. Whether they're genetic misfits or the next stage in humanity's evolution, there's no denying their growing numbers, especially in hubs like New York City. The NYPD has a division devoted to mutant related crimes. Super-powered vigilantes help to maintain the peace. Those who style themselves as Homo Superior work to tear society apart for rebuilding in their own image.
MRO is an intermediate to advanced writing level original character, original plot X-Men RPG. We've been open and active since October of 2005. You can play as a mutant, human, or Adapted— one of the rare humans who nullify mutant powers by their very existence. Goodies, baddies, and neutrals are all welcome.
Short Term Plots:Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
The Fountain of Youth
A chemical serum has been released that's shaving a few years off of the population. In some cases, found to be temporary, and in others...?
MRO MOVES WITH CURRENT TIME: What month and year it is now in real life, it's the same for MRO, too.
Fuegogrande: "Fuegogrande" player of The Ranger, Ion, Rhia, and Null
Neopolitan: "Aly" player of Rebecca Grey, Stephanie Graves, Marisol Cervantes, Vanessa Bookman, Chrysanthemum Van Hart, Sabine Sang, Eupraxia
Ongoing Plots
Magic and Mystics
After the events of the 2020 Harvest Moon and the following Winter Solstice, magic has started manifesting in the MROvere! With the efforts of the Welldrinker Cult, people are being converted into Mystics, a species of people genetically disposed to be great conduits for magical energy.
The Welldrinker Cult
A shadowy group is gaining power, drawing in people who are curious, vulnerable, or malicious, and turning them into Mystics. They are recruiting people into their ranks to spread the influence of magic in the world, but for what end goal?
Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
Adapteds
What if the human race began to adapt to the mutant threat? What if the human race changed ever so subtly... without the x-gene.
Atlanteans
The lost city of Atlantis has been found! Refugees from this undersea mutant dystopia have started to filter in to New York as citizens and businessfolk. You may make one as a player character of run into one on the street.
Got a plot in mind?
MRO plots are player-created the Mods facilitate and organize the big ones, but we get the ideas from you. Do you have a plot in mind, and want to know whether it needs Mod approval? Check out our plot guidelines.
Outside of an intense fury, Nehanda seemed to take the news rather well. He expected another kick, more than likely not to his ribs, but somewhere a bit more sensitive. She dripped sarcasm in her replies of being cheerful about the lies. This was also expected. Roland was just having the hardest time deciding where to go from here. He knew the conversation would continue for sure, but then what? Every time prior to this it had ended with an execution, to ensure that Roland's anonymity remained.
"I test security systems. It's a hobby." Nehanda reached out and took the sunglasses from him. "I don't usually have to deal with security risks other than myself." Roland stretched and squatted down in the shower stall, nodding at her statements." Fair enough. However, does the owner of the house know that you were checking his security systems? Or do you generally check them out at your own discretion? Also, do the young, impressionable students know about your nightly escapades? I am in no position to judge, of course. I merely wanted to get across to you that we may not be all that different."
He hoped that the lowered position might put her at ease. He also left his hands palm down on his knees to show he was as unarmed as he was getting. He continued to look into her eyes, well aware of their places behind the dark lenses. "I am certainly not the typical suitor. Nonetheless, you are still standing here and listening to me. So perhaps my efforts are not completely in vain?" He smiled, but only on the inside. His use of charm only seemed to exacerbate the situation. Best to be neutral and wait for her reaction.
”Fair enough. However, does the owner of the house know that you were checking his security systems? Or do you generally check them out at your own discretion? Also, do the young, impressionable students know about your nightly escapades? I am in no position to judge, of course. I merely wanted to get across to you that we may not be all that different."
She supressed a reflexive bristle at his implication that their base motives were the same. Emotion aside, she was forced to admit that anyone else viewing the situation would likely draw the same conclusion.
”In order asked or stated,” she began neutrally, ”by the end of the test they do, yes, some do, no I don’t think you are, and....”
She paused for breath, ”.....you are going to have to do a lot more talking to convince me that our motives are anywhere near the same.”
Her hands moved to rest on her hips once more. Though her stance gave visual testament to the simmering anger she felt, it also would allow quick reflex action. While Jordan had....
<“Roland,”> she corrected herself silently.
.... While Roland had taken up a non-threatening position, she did not trust him to remain there. Not to mention she didn’t completely understand his mutation; it was possible he wouldn’t need to actually move to use that gun.
"I am certainly not the typical suitor. Nonetheless, you are still standing here and listening to me. So perhaps my efforts are not completely in vain?"
Suitor? Efforts? One eyebrow raised above the rim of her glasses.
”So, now you’re trying to convince me that, while the tour request and overwhelmed widower act was merely a pretense, the invitation for a night out wasn’t?” She snorted, amusement slightly tempering her ire. ”Well you’re certainly a cocky one, aren’t you?”
Roland listened to Nehanda's summary of answers thoughtfully, nodding in agreement. He stood up tentatively, her eyes watching him warily. Her hands rested on her hips and Roland found it hard not to find her attractive, even in her stalwart anger. Perhaps even more attractive." I do happen to know the owner of this house. She actually sets up houses like these specifically to test those who believe their skills worthy enough to break it. I can assure you, while she would be pleased at our progress, finding us here will prove fatal for both of us."
”So, now you’re trying to convince me that, while the tour request and overwhelmed widower act was merely a pretense, the invitation for a night out wasn’t? Well you’re certainly a cocky one, aren’t you?” Roland stretched his legs and took a step closer. Just a baby step, still inside the confines of the shower stall.'I prefer confident, though I have certainly been called cocky before. I think that this would qualify as a shared experience of exploration, wouldn't you? Perhaps we can work together to ensure we both get out and see other nights together." He really hoped that she might take the bait, as it was genuine. He thought of the brilliant egg above him, desiring it only slightly less than he desired the woman standing before him.
Roland was preparing to speak again when the bathroom light came on of its own volition. That meant only one thing and it wasn't good news.Kimi was home and more than likely not too far away. Nehanda's profile was clear in the window, now illuminated by the lights. He instinctually grabbed for her and pulled her hard against him, his arm around her waist.He could see the immediate outrage at his actions. He whispered to her, hoping to avoid close quarters combat." Sorry for the sudden intimacy, but you were a clear shot in the window with the lights on. Looks like someone is here and possibly aware. We are both making it out of here, together."
" I do happen to know the owner of this house. She actually sets up houses like these specifically to test those who believe their skills worthy enough to break it."
Neena blinked. That would certainly explain the over-the-top security measures.
"I can assure you, while she would be pleased at our progress, finding us here will prove fatal for both of us."
That possibility didn't phase her. Survival had been a daily form of entertainment growing up, and as an adult, she'd run across a few who weren't so appreciative of her tests. Come to think of it, more than a few....
"I prefer confident, though I have certainly been called cocky before."
<"And I sure a few other things."> She kept that comment to herself.
"I think that this would qualify as a shared experience of exploration, wouldn't you? Perhaps we can work together to ensure we both get out and see other nights together."
She opened her mouth to reply, but the smart remark died on her tongue when the lights suddenly flicked on. Sensitive to light as she was, the sudden brightness momentarily blinded her. She ducked, and one hand automatically moved to shade her eyes. She felt pressure on her wrist, and in the next moment found herself pulled sideways and into much closer quarters with Jor- .... Roland, than she deemed truly necessary. It did provide a much closer view of his eyes, however. They were a much more intese blue than she remembered....
" Sorry for the sudden intimacy, but you were a clear shot in the window with the lights on. Looks like someone is here and possibly aware."
An obvious statement not requiring an answer. Instead Neena turned her attention to the wall they were now facing. Frowning, she concentrated on pushing her vision past the barriers once more. The gates of the property were mid-swing, in the process of letting a sleek black sports car enter the grounds.
"Three of them...." she murmured thoughtfully, eying the car's occupants; a woman and two men.
"We are both making it out of here, together."
She glanced sideways without turning her head; he'd likely be able to see her eyes quite clearly from this angle.
"I'm warning you now, I don't trust you," she whispered back. "But as I'm sure we've both grown fond of breathing, a truce sounds preferable to argument at the moment." Her gazed narrowed slightly. "Just keep that hand cannon of yours out of my face, back and any other body parts."
First things first. They needed a less obvious escape route than her window entry. Still pressed against him, she turned her vision toward the rest of the house. Going down, toward the manor's owner and her thugs, did not strike Neena as the best option. Up and over sounded much better, if they could find a way into the attic.
"How good are you at picking electronic locks?" she asked in a barely audible voice, her eyes resting on the square of wiring surrounding the attic trapdoor.
When Nehanda was pulled into his arms, Roland received something much better than the knee to the groin he mentally prepared himself for. She actually stared into his eyes. He joined the consensual gaze with her for the brief moment before it was time for action. He watched as she turned her head and pushed her amazing mutation through thewall, detecting that there were three targets. Oh, if only he could sway her to help him. His jobs would be so simple with Neena at his side.
Her milky orbs glanced at him from the side of her shades."I'm warning you now, I don't trust you," she whispered back. "But as I'm sure we've both grown fond of breathing, a truce sounds preferable to argument at the moment." Her gazed narrowed slightly. "Just keep that hand cannon of yours out of my face, back and any other body parts."Roland smiled and nodded agreeably. He was mostly pleased that she had never moved from his grasp, still pressed firmly against him. Although he had pulled her to him, the arm around the waist was optional. The fact that she was still pressed so close to him couldn't bode poorly on his chances with her.
He watched as she perused the room with her vision, though more than likely she was having a look all over the house, finding a new route. It's what he would do. "The hand cannon will remain sheathed. What about the hand?" He smirked and drummed his fingers against her lower back. He was pleasantly surprised as her vision seemed to continue an upward angle. Perhaps he could still get out with the egg and the girl. It'd be quite an evening."How good are you at picking electronic locks?" Neena was whispering, so he did the same, a bit closer to her ear. " As good as you are at seeing them, dear."
"The hand cannon will remain sheathed. What about the hand?"
Neena felt the taps on her backside, and understood the innuendo perfectly. Without missing a beat she replied, "Same goes for the hand, if you want to keep it."
In response to her lock picking question, Roland replied, " As good as you are at seeing them, dear."
Steeling herself for discomfort, she left one eye on xray, while moving the other to telescopic. A dull pressure began at the base of her skull, pain held at bay for the time being. The floors and walls melted away, and the trapdoor's wiring zoomed into close sight. At the head of the lock was a flat, metal meshing, about the size of a grain of rice.
She turned and blinked, and the world around her became a strange landscape of floating colors, dominated by black and punctuated by purple, red, orange and yellow. Three orange and yellow blobs floated closer, as the car approaching the house, preparing to park out front.
"That camera has to go," she stated, and finally pulled away from Roland.
She crept toward the door, staring upward where the device silently swung away from them. She switched from infrared to telescopic for a brief moment, and homed in on the camera's mounting. With the owner approaching, deactivating the camera wasn't an option; a black screen would draw more attention than a redirected on.
She carefully opened the door a crack. In several practiced movements she stepped up onto the sink, planted a foot on the doorknob, and swung her legs up on at a time. She ended up hanging from her knees from the top of the door. Tightening her stomach muscles, she 'sat up, putting her upper body parallel to the floor, which allowed her to reach the security camera. With an twitch, the old-timey device found itself still swinging, but only recording the immediate ceiling now.
Neena pushed on the doorframe, swinging it and herself back into the bathroom.
"There's a trap door in the ceiling at the end of the hall. Right over that clock of yours. It's got a microphone attached to the lock, so I'm guessing tone-activated." she told Roland, still upside down. "Be right behind you."
Though Roland needed his hands for work, the temptation was there to use them anyway. It might actually be worth their swift departure. As Nehanda continued to gaze out at the ceiling, Roland took the time to do some scanning himself. With her eyes clearly focused, there was no reason not to enjoy the view from his position, imagining it sans bodysuit. it was a good thing that he had taken the opportunity as she finally pulled away from him after looking out the other wall.
Roland watched in a different fashion as Nehanda moved to take out the camera. It was sexy as hell, but not due to the various angles of her body, but more that she was so disciplined and well versed in said body. He watched her swing up and imagined the smooth moguls that had to be her abs as she held her self parallel to the floor. She swung back in with the grace of the gazelle hanging upside down. He was amazed that her glasses didn't come off more than anything else.
"There's a trap door in the ceiling at the end of the hall. Right over that clock of yours. It's got a microphone attached to the lock, so I'm guessing tone-activated. Be right behind you."Roland was reattaching the seal of his mask back to his suit. as much as he enjoyed the cool air, he'd need the HUD. A small earpiece appeared in his hand, which he tossed to Nehanda, who nimbly caught it. " Put that on so you can hear me in the suit." Once the seal was attached at the back, Roland used his mutation to reseal it back on to his body, the seam vanishing as the thin red line of the HUD glimmered briefly.
He moved past her through the doorway and looked up, seeing the camera as it arced around the ceiling. Excellent. Freedom of mobility was always preferred. He looked to his left and saw the imprint on the floor where the clock had been and then it was there again, in its rightful place. He took off in a sprint and jumped up into the corner of the hall, his knees pushed against the corners while his toes kept him gingerly on the trim. A small round disc, akin to a hockey puck appeared in his hand. He set its magnetic backing against the center of the trapdoor and activated it. It ran through multiple tones, sounding like the computer from a Buck rogers episode. The color one, not the black and white one. With a satisfying 'click!', the door slid into the ceiling, the device no longer attached.
He saw Nehanda coming down from the door frame as he pulled his way up into the attic. It was huge and there were no words to describe the sight ahead of him. His head cocked to the side, as spectrums flipped through the HUD. There were at least fifty various beams of varying frequencies crisscrossing the room, all centered around a pedestal. On the pedestal, beneath a cube of what was surely bulletproof glass, sat the egg. Roland knew he had little time, so he quickly traded the egg with the duplicate he had brought, which was of similar dimensions, though shoddily painted, but at a glance would fool most. He could hear Nehanda coming, so he put the egg in his suit, sealed in a foam oval shell as the duplicate had been. He stepped back and put his hand out for her when she made it up.
Neena slipped the tiny device into her ear, adjusting her glasses in the process. She watched as Roland made his way down the hall, and dealt with the trapdoor.
Despite the anger of being used still simmering inside, she had to admit, he was quite skilled. She found herself admiring the grace and agility of a fellow gymnist, and not begrudgingly either. His mutation, and the ease with which he put it to use, also evoked feelings of minor envy. It was a shame that he used them dishonestly, though in no way unexpected. Although.... His appearance had thrown a rather interesting twist into her plans for the night, and their current situation only boded more knots in the making.
She crossed her arms over her chest, and 'hrmphf'ed quietly. It was one of those moments where she wished she had a more normal mentality. She should be spitting nails right now, tripping one or more of the alarms to get them both caught, and keeping him from making off with whatever he'd come to pilfer. But, noooo. Instead, here she was, hanging upside down from a door, helping him escape to keep him alive, and being both amused and intrigued by the ludicrousness of the entire situation.
It was rather annoying....
She glanced sideways, and saw the three heat signatures getting out of the car. The thief inside kicked in once more, self-preservation pushing aside internal analyzation. She held her arms downward and let her legs slide free, landing in a momentary handstand before swinging floorward. She paused a brief moment to let the head rush pass, then rapidly scuttled to the other end of the hallway. Roland had his hand reached down to help her up, and she grasped it tightly.
She paused at the entrance, and reached up to adjust her glasses. Halfway between visions, she saw the first set of lasers surrounding the pedistal, and its displayed prize; a fabergé egg, though one of shoddy design. Given the craftiness of the homeowner, she wouldn't discount either a red herring, of sorts, or some hidden value to the object.
"Leave it alone," she warned him under her breath, sure that he could hear her loud and clear and almost just as sure he'd ignore her.
It was probably a boon for Roland that Neena didn't realize that a switch had already been made; the resultant scuffle might have attracted the wrong kind of attention.
Behind them, the trapdoor silently swung closed.
"Don't move," she whispered, hand still held up to her eyes. She lifted and tilted them slightly. The specialized tinting of the lenses gave a slight mirrored reflection, allowing her to see part of the area behind her on both sides. Leaving one eyes still on infrared, she began blinking. She found that the beams she'd first seen were only part of the entire grid, and there was no way she'd be able to see them all at once.
Finally she turned around and knelt by the trapdoor, assured that no other beams had appeared to block their way back. The lock, however, had changed, heat given off by a different set of wires.
"Tone's changed," she murmured. She scanned the room, and spotted an old-time fireplace, unguarded. She made her way over, knelt and looked up. It was made wider than modern chimney's and would allow a lanky person to squeeze through. She wasn't exactly big and not as curvy as some women, but it still would be a bit of a tight fit. And...
"Of course. Blocked by a laser grid. Lovely.">
"Two options. Up, or back down," she announced quietly. She looked down, and found the three heat blips within the inside walls of the building. She added, "And it looks like Mom's home."
Roland stood there in the attic with Nehanda, looking at the impossible grid ahead. Had he been human , it would have truly been the kind of burn that Perry the fence truly enjoyed. He heeded her warning to leave it alone, a sly smirk built inside the mask's interior. " No reason to steal a fake, right?" Oh, the irony. He would seriously enjoy the situation even more had the trapdoor not closed on its own.
Her warning not to move was a given. She returned to her scan of the area and knelt down to look at the trapdoor. He heard her mention of the tone changing and the obvious revelation that Kimi was inside now after looking up the chimney." Laser grid up the chimney , I assume. " He looked down and the disk device was reattached to the top of the door, its melodic whirring clicking away at the new combination. It took only a few seconds before the door opened again. Roland knelt down beside the door and jammed a knife into its sensitive, meshy innards, ensuring it didn't close again. Time for subtlety was over.
No doubt an alarm was triggered and they would be up in no time to greet the two rogues. Roland looked up at Nehanda for a moment." I do realize what I have done. best to bring them right to us now. We are already found out. Since my identity is properly hidden, I'd prefer you let me go first and keep them busy. " He touched her hand and dropped through the opening , bolting for the top of the stairs to meet the bodyguards.
It appeared the choice was 'down', as she watched Roland once more open the hidden exit, then jam a blade into the inner workings. She shook her head; he just didn't want to make things easy on her tonight.
" I do realize what I have done. best to bring them right to us now. We are already found out. Since my identity is properly hidden, I'd prefer you let me go first and keep them busy. "
Her eyes both snapped back to normal vision. "Now is not the time to pretend to be chivalrous!" she hissed at him as he jumped down and bolted down the hallway. Really, she had a black nylon mask in one of her pockets, opaque enough to satisfactorily conceal her features, if she so wished.
She jumped down and ran after him. She could see him on a collision course with a redheaded bodyguard at the top of the landing, near the railing overlooking the downstairs.
However, she could also something he might not be able to; Bodyguard Number Two standing beneath the floor. BNT was bringing a firearm to bear on the roof above him, and much too close to their feet for comfort.
Neena altered her trajectory, and took a flying slide, feet first, through the railings of the balcony. Her hand grabbed a rod, checking her fall and turning it into a swing. She landed on the first floor in a roll, and uncoiled like a spring to tackle the armed man.
Her ears rang and her teeth rattled as the gun went off, blasting a chuck out of the banister she'd been playing Tarzan on. The guard kicked out, connecting with her shoulder, and pulled away. She was fast and agile enough to get back behind him, and jumped onto his back. She wrapped one arm around his neck in a death grip, pressing against his windpipe as hard as she could. When he began thrashing, she locked her legs around his middle as well.
"Gah!!"[/b] She yelped as one of his flailing hands reached back and grabbed a fistful of hair, and yanked her head painfully sideways.[/color]
"Now is not the time to pretend to be chivalrous!"
Roland chuckled into the microphone, his breaths increasing in frequency as he pushed his body down the hall, ignoring the twinge of pain in his side. " Now is a wonderful time. And I am not pretending, Nehanda." He could hear her feet uttering out a staccato of quick taps as her boots hit the floor just behind him. He knew she would follow. He still intended to get the redhead coming up the stairs before she did.
He was in fantastic shape, very well built and had the eyes of a tenured bodyguard. His stance was set firmly, feet apart. A smug smile on his rosy face to match the deep orange locks of hair on his head. His confidence surely came from the .45 he was holding in both hands, securely pointed at Roland's head. Roland only smirked in the suit and pushed harder, his body getting lower as the instincts of battle kicked in.
The next look on the bodyguard's face was not so happy as the gun was no longer in his hands. This wonderful moment of surprise and confusion was just the one that Roland always savored with his combative partners. The momentum he had going moved him up the guard's body. He firmly planted his hands on the man's shoulders and launched his right knee up into the guard's chin, Muay Thai style. The guard went back in a spray of blood, hitting the wall and then doubling forward.
As he stood up, he found the masked intruder showing him his gun and then pointing it at him. Just before the satisfying trigger squeeze, an explosion rocked their ears. Roland looked back to see the banister blown out by something of large caliber and Nehanda missing. The bodyguard took advantage to the best of his ability and grabbed the gun from Roland. Before he could raise it, several silenced shots from Roland's own gun were riddling his midsection and then one under the chin to be sure.
He heard her cry out and was on his way down the stairs when a barrage of bullets began streaming in his direction. Sounded like something small and automatic. Maybe an MP5. Nevertheless, he had little time to look and get it for inspection, diving and rolling off the staircase to the opposite side of where Nehanda was.
Her ears still rang with the first shot, when a hail of bullets began popping between the pulses. Roland and BNO were still above her, so the mystery shooter had to be the Homeowner. And the rain of fire was directed topside, meaning her fellow intruder was the target. Neena tightened her legs' grip, and pushed herself up to reach her free arm for her competitor's gun. She lifted up sharply with the arm around his neck, forcing a reflexive twist toward the machine gunfire. Darkness took over the world as she went infrared to find the shooter.
<"Gotcha,"> she thought silently and honed in on the third heat signature.
Since BNT still yanked mercilessly on her hair, she decided to take advantage of her position in an unusual way; she sunk her teeth into the side of the man's neck, vampire style. The guard yelled out and squeezed the trigger in reflexive pain. The wall exploded above the machine gun's wielder, forcing her to roll sideways. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Roland reappear on the other side of the stairs, seemingly unharmed. A small smile pulled at her lips.
The bullet rain resumed, this time aimed at Neena and BNT. It appeared the woman was not attached to her bodyguards. She actually felt several shots enter the man's body, even as she released her deathgrip on his throat. Unfortunately he still had a grip on her hair. She steeled herself for the pain and yanked her head back. Fire burned at her scalp, but it quickly faded when her body was forced to deal with another problem.
Unclouded by fear, her mind registered details quite clearly. She felt a line of pressure move up and across her body in the form of a raking bullet spray. The force of the hits were enough to send her sprawling onto her back. Instinctively she rolled with the hit, landing behind a couch. But while she thanked whoever made her suit for lining the entire torso with Kevlar, she really wished they'd also done the limbs. Twin bursts of heat ripped through opposite sides of her body, one under and behind her upper arm and the other along the inside of her thigh, sending waves of pain through her entire being. She hissed loudly and bit her tongue to keep from cursing aloud. One hand clamped tightly over her arm, and curled into to a ball to let the initial wave of nausea pass. She could feel a wet, sticky warmth tickling her leg as well.
<"Note to self: Next time invest in total Kevlar lining throughout the entire suit.">
Roland kipped up from his position, having cover behind the stairs. He had a new clip in his pistol, ready to go. As he peered around the corner another shot from the guard's weapon exploded into the room. Now that was a hand cannon. It had to be something heavy, like a Desert Eagle. The response was quick as another hail of bullets rained out into the direction where he had seen Nehanda last. He had to put an end to this quickly. It was silent on that side now. He gritted his teeth hoping she hadn't been mortally wounded.
The seal of his mask popped free and he rolled it up, revealing his mouth and chin, allowing for Kimi to hear him. He knew and could hear her dropping a clip and returning one. He looked around the corner and saw her reload and the gun was his. He tossed it behind him and stepped out into the room. " That's quite enough, Katharine." He had wished she could have seen the look of genuine shock on her face as her true name was uttered with his actual eyes, rather than a heads up display. Gun in hand, pointed toward her head, he stepped closer.
" I applaud your little funhouse. It's one of your best creations yet. But , really, is all of this bloodshed necessary?" Kimi turned on her heel and faced him, a look of anger and sudden acknowledgement coming to her. " I know that voice. It seems old and yet so familiar. Is that you, Roland? It can't be. You're dead." Roland smiled, his gun still trained on his old jumping partner. " I suppose some things aren't meant to die." Her arms relaxed. She still seemed to be in a state of shock. It was a shame she had to go and say the wrong thing. " Who would have thought that after all these years I would see Roland Pru---gggurk!" Blood sprayed from her gurgling throat as the gun was lowered. He knelt down beside her, holding her hand as she bled out. " Just Roland, dear."
He reattached the seal on his mask, still aware of the cameras in the room. He ran around the corner and saw the guard, or what was left of him. Yep, Desert Eagle. He saw too much blood for one person and his heart sank. Following the trail of blood around a couch, he found Nehanda. Her wounds didn't look too bad, considering what they could have been, but the two of them needed to go. The gun holstered itself as he knelt beside her, the mask reappearing by his side. His blue eyes burned down at her as he cradled her in his arms. " Glad to find you in one piece, relatively."
Despite what the movies daily convinced gullible audiences of being truth, the reality was that being shot hurt. Badly. Yes, sometimes adrenaline pushed people to lengths unachievable by normal means. But very few people could actually pop back up like a jack-in-the-box after taking a bullet to the body. And without that bit of chemical boost, even after years of slow desensitization to pain, Neena could confidently say that being shot still hurt.
Even with her heartbeat fighting with the ringing for notice in her ears, she could hear the short exchange taking place between Roland and the homeowner. Katherine he called her. And she held no delusion on where the conversation was headed. Still, Neena grimaced at Katherine’s gurgled ended. With all of the blood spatter about, this house was going to smell just wonderful in a few hours. Just the very thought reminded her of the Registration Camp graveyards. Mentally she began chanting Final Rites, as she had back then.
" Glad to find you in one piece, relatively."
Though she didn't pull away, her body automatically tensed at his touch. She winced when the movement sent another shock of pain through her nerves.
"You didn't have to kill her," Neena grumbled through clenched teeth.
So her fellow intruder was supposed to be dead, was he? And now she had the pleasure of being one of the few who knew he wasn’t. Lovely. Just lovely....
She decided to worry about that bit of dangerous information later. Leaving was a higher priority, before blood loss became an issue. She couldn't yet tell how bad her wounds were. Usually when they hurt this much, they weren't all that serious. Kind of like paper cuts and stubbed toes. She struggled to her feet, a task made difficult with the use of only one leg, and forcing her to lean on Roland for support.
Nehanda winced in his arms, her body apparently in pain. Roland at first thought it a reaction to one of her injuries being touched, but found the real reason when she spoke."You didn't have to kill her." Roland brought a curtain rod over with the curtain attached. He summoned a small backup punch dagger up and popped a hole in the curtain, ripping a long bit free and wrapping it around her arm, tying it tight to prevent further blood loss.
" Actually, I did. You've seen more than any other living person, so you might as well know some more. I am actually wanted by INTERPOL and several crime organizations worldwide. Knowing my last name would prove dangerous to you, since someone getting you could get to me." He helped her stand."Whether you believe it or not, I actually do care for you. Not only have I not attempted to harm you, but I don't want you knowing everything about me just yet. At least not until we have had the chance to see if we can have anything together or not. Even if not, I won't harm you. I'll just take my chances."
They made their way through the foyer, dodging any blood to ensure no footprints. Exiting out the front doors, he pushed the button releasing the locks and alarm on Kimi's car. He helped her around to the passenger side, opened the door and put her in, lifting her legs in and shutting the door. He made his own way over and pushed the button for the keyless ignition. The car revved up and Roland lowered her window to give her air. Something occurred to him and he jumped out of the car and slid under it, coming back out with a small black box in hand and tossing it aside. In moments, they were out of the driveway and on their way out.