Sam ignored the bickering once again, he knew if it started to get out of hand again all he would have to say Raina. Raina was like please when Luke was around. Sara on the other hand she was going to do what ever she wanted regardless, cats did hate being told what to do but Sam had noticed Sara had been getting better with suggestions or request.

The most recent example would be when Sara held back from killing Luke, sure Sam had to promise to kill Luke if he was indeed the one that tried to kill her. But Sam was still counting her not killing him as a win.

"So feel free to be a typical feline and rush in, wasting a good 2 or 3 of your lives so you can save your precious fingerprints."

This was starting to seem repetitive, Sam was half expecting to start throwing fists like little kids fighting over a toy. If they didn’t grow up Sam was going to put them in time out, ‘how am I the mature one here?’ Sam asked himself.

"If I tell you where the battery is in the wall, any chance you can freeze it without actually seeing it?"

Sam frowned a said, “I can’t just freeze it if I can’t see it but I can freeze the guns no problem, or I can just as easily freezes the entire wall and take care of both the gun and battery.” Sam could have also just sent one of his ice golems down there to play with the high-powered guns. “So what do you want me to do Luke?” asked Sam as he quickly added, “I would prefer if the cat didn’t get shot today…”

Turning his attention back toward the wall Luke did his best to try and clear his mind while focusing on the situation. Sara was annoying... annoying as hell to put it bluntly but she still wasn't a bad person. She didn't deserve to be put in this situation any more than he did but she also didn't have the right to throw him up against the wall at her slightest whim.

"The battery is in the bottom of the wall against the floor." Luke spoke up again, his voice tight but relatively controlled, "If you can freeze just the bottom half of the wall you'll kill the battery while saving the guns for evidence."

Sara had good ideas on occasion and Luke wasn't afraid to admit it... at least he wasn't afraid to admit it to himself. There was no way that he was going to give that furry feline the satisfaction of knowing that her ideas about saving the guns for possible fingerprints and evidence was a good one. Nope... she was not going to get the satisfaction. In fact, Luke was going to focus on ignoring her as much as possible.

"Yeah... good game plan."

“I would prefer if the cat didn’t get shot today…”

Sara stopped looking over the side. Ok so the combination of Luke and Sam were better at this point than her rushing in. Still, there was something in her that wanted to prove that she wasn’t being worthless.

"If you can freeze just the bottom half of the wall you'll kill the battery while saving the guns for evidence."

Sara Leaned back away from the railing, and nodded. That seemed like the next best plan, to her going down there. Though there was most likely fingerprints in the battery pack. And they would be more likely to remember to wipe the prints off of the gun, not the battery pack… No… Sara wasn’t going to be happy with any decision Luke came up with. That was just on principle.

“Once you freeze half the wall, I’ll go down first.” Maybe she could blame Luke for something with animal testing after this.

"The battery is in the bottom of the wall against the floor." "If you can freeze just the bottom half of the wall you'll kill the battery while saving the guns for evidence."

Sam nodded and lifted his right hand to direct the stream of ice from his hand. It was a small beam at first but once it hit the wall it quickly grew. The wall quickly began to form in ice and at that point Sam said, “Think that should be good,” said Sam as he looked to Luke and Sara, “There any more traps around their Luke?” Sam asked curiously.

“Once you freeze half the wall, I’ll go down first.”

“Just be careful Sara I don’t want to have to drag your body out of the building.” Said Sam. Although he still wasn’t sure if Luke was behind this if Sara did happen to take a bullet to the head Sam would be very upset with Luke for getting his friend killed even though Luke was a friend and a teammate as well.

(OOC: Sara, if I took to much liberty with this post let me know and I can edit it. Thanks!)

IC:
Luke's head was beginning to pound and he knew he wouldn't be able to maintain this kind of power and focus for long. Concentrating grimly he gritted his teeth against the pain and swept the house one more time. "Nothing else obvious." He spoke up.

Reaching up with both hands, Luke massaged at his temples as he tried to ignore the pounding that was beginning to sound in his ears. He had only felt this kind of pain when he was trying to learn how to shut off the sonar, but he rarely tried to use it at maximum power.

As Sara moved down the stairs Luke, somewhat spitefully, scanned the floor and walls in her direction one last time. Part of him said that he was trying to ensure her safety while another part was hoping that his sonar was causing her at least a little bit of pain.

"Sara!" Luke's voice suddenly barked out as he noticed something that didn't seem quite right. "Floor, three feet in front of the door. It's different. Can you cut the carpet and pull it up?"

With the concrete foundation Luke couldn't see through it but he could tell there was a spot that wasn't the same. It didn't allow his sonar to penetrate, but it didn't reflect the sound back the same way that the concrete did. "Metal? Why would there be a metal plate in front of the door?"

Sara sighed at Sam’s concern. She was use to only getting that type of concern from Ayesac. So use to being alone. “If I trigger something, I’ve got a better chance of coming back than either of you.”

It was sort of cool watching Sam work his mutation, without being the one his mutation was holding back, caging, or having any sort of proximity to the ice. The moment Sam finished, Sara started down the stair. Past Luke, who’s sonar was going off harder, if that was possible. Sara was trying very hard to concentrate on her own hearing, the buzz of the devices around her, the way things looked different, but Luke’s mutation not only was getting in her way. Making his ghosts appear in her vision and making her blink, he was hurting her. Though not as much as he hurt her when he blasted her at his apartment… Right before giving her this job.

She reached the bottom of the stairs and paused. Her jaw was grit tight, and her ears pinned against the back of her head trying to block out Luke’s Racket. Of anything was going to come out the wall at her, she needed to focus enough to try and dodge, but Luke was providing a distraction that pounded on her so hard, she was only aware of the floor at her feet, because of the habit of it being there. she squeezed her eyes shut and felt the rest of her body tense. Even the hairs on the back of her neck stood straight up.

Ok. Forward! Sara demanded herself to move. Though her feet took a few seconds to cooperate. She snapped her head sideways to flip her hair out of her face, though that was always in her face, and started slowly marching. She didn’t like going forward without all her senses at 100% but she was being stuburn.

"Sara! Floor, three feet in front of the door. It's different. Can you cut the carpet and pull it up?"

Sara instantly halted. Her heart jumped into her throat. So there were other things. “I got it.” Sara knelt and started cutting the carpet where she stood. Luke said that she had three feet, but she didn’t want to accidentally trip anything. So three feet seemed like a good distance and it was only a little extra work for her thumb claw. Luke hadn’t alerted her to anything else that was obvious, so she made a large circle around the door, and lifted the carpet away. Rolling it and dropping it near the wall. “I’m so glad we came in the back door. I wouldn’t of thought to check for something like this. Then again the gun threw me off too.”

Crap! The back door. Mickey was still there. holding the security magnet in place.

“If I trigger something, I’ve got a better chance of coming back than either of you.”

‘That may be true’ thought Sam, ‘but no one is invincible’ but the more he thought about it the more the thought occurred to him ‘she might be as close as it gets…’ he has seen here shot and set on fire and her coming away with nothing after a short few seconds of her feeling factor. Something Sam had always envied.

"Sara! Floor, three feet in front of the door. It's different. Can you cut the carpet and pull it up?"

He watched Luke and Sara as they worked together trying to find something that was in the floor under the carpet that wasn’t there. Unlike the other two Sam didn’t have super senses so he just waited for something to happen. Seeing as that was all he could do for the moment.

Luke felt at least a little bit vindicated... he had shown Sara that he could do it without her and maybe she would be forced to admit that she might actually need a little bit of help.

"We'll have to deduct points from your test for not thinking about floor sensors." Luke replied with a smirk as he stood back to his feet and drew in his sonar so that it wouldn't be bothering Sara's senses anymore. It was true that he was still ticked at her, but he didn't hate her. "Pressure plates are common in security," He continued as his voice become more grim, "but as far as I know there weren't supposed to be any in this house."

Trailing down the stairs after Sara, Luke directed his sonar toward the rest of the house continuing to sweep it as he looked for what the next trap might be. "Maybe you should try jumping from furniture to furniture... isn't that house cats normally travel?" The blind man observed, continuing to snipe at the feline as he reached the foot of the stairs and stepped into the hallway away from the guns and pressure plate, "Or maybe you need to take a nap while CS and I look over the rest of the house."

"We'll have to deduct points from your test for not thinking about floor sensors. Pressure plates are common in security,"

He was kidding right? not that Sara wanted to care anymore, because she was telling herself she didn’t, but pressure plates weren’t normally in homes. OK. So Luke’s company could be a bit different from where she’d stolen from before, but pressure plates? In homes? Ok museums, or things like that, Sara could understand that. Bull pies. Luke Bull PIES!

"but as far as I know there weren't supposed to be any in this house."

“Memory lapses are convenient, aren’t they.” Sara crossed her arms and her tail flicked. Just wanting to make some sort of professional jab back at the blind man. “It’s great to know I’ve taken a job from a boss who knows their company’s set up this well. I mean it. Ace Job” If there was such a devise that could detect sarcasm, it might explode around Sara right now.

"Maybe you should try jumping from furniture to furniture... isn't that house cats normally travel?"

“You would know. I’ve seen how you attempt to imitate us, on the streets. It takes talent to avoid sidewalks and the general gang public.” Sara started hinting just slightly to the fact Luke was Wraith. Did Sam know that little secret?

"Or maybe you need to take a nap while CS and I look over the rest of the house."

Whoa, whoa, whoa. That was below the belt a touch. Wasn’t it? Sara opened her mouth, then shut it. Shifting her glare from the back of Luke’s head, up to Sam, then back at Luke. Who hired who? This was what Sara did to keep herself alive, Yes she made mistakes, like where her trust should go. Then there was the fact that Luke used a cat stereotype on her. Did he know she struggled with sleep, because of her healing factor? That the excess energy that provided messed with the effect his sonar gave off. Even though she felt the sonar leave her area, she could still feel it. Like when you’re using a power drill, and you still feel the power of the drill vibrating through your hand, even after you unplug the tool.

“Couch would be in the den, right? Right.” Or what ever was in there, Sara was just fine with making herself comfortable. Let Luke trigger one of his own traps, in his test house, just to prove what ever.

Sara turned on her heal and started making her way to the basement.

Things were finally starting to look up for Sam and the other two as teamwork was still being instilled. A small twitch from Sam’s lip was about to turn into a grin for he was no longer hating the situation they were in. if they could work together they could get to the bottom of this rather quickly and efficiently and in turn leave the ‘fun house’ safely. But unfortunately all things that seemed to be turning out good in Sam’s life turned out to be the eye of the storm for as soon as he was happy of their Teamwork Luke had to open his mouth.

"We'll have to deduct points from your test for not thinking about floor sensors."

Sam began to frown at Luke wondering if facial expressions could be picked up on sonar. If it could it would be an angry and disappointed look. ‘Well at least he couldn’t say anything worse’ thought Sam. He was about to knock on wood before Luke opened his mouth again.

"Maybe you should try jumping from furniture to furniture... isn't that house cats normally travel?" "Or maybe you need to take a nap while CS and I look over the rest of the house."

Before Sam descended the stairs following Luke Sam pulled his head back and crushed into the wall nearest him creating a large round dent in the drywall. “Really Luke?” Sam asked, he knew Sara was going to say something but he couldn’t stop, she was after all Sara. Almost on cue Sam looked over to Sara as he saw here by the basement.

“It’s great to know I’ve taken a job from a boss who knows their company’s set up this well. I mean it. Ace Job”

As he was walking down the stairs Sam smacked his palm to his forehead. “Really Sara? Can’t you guys quit the bickering till I am gone?” frowning as he walked to the basement, “You guy’s really need to stop fighting.” Frowning again, “What would Raina think?” hoping the magic words would strike a cord with at least one of the two.

Luke could feel the anger and frustration racing through his body as it looked for some sort of release. He wanted to say more... oh how he wanted to say more but at the same time he was worried that his words would end up turning into actions. He didn't want to attack Sara again, not just because it would be embarrassing on his end, but because even if he got in lucky shot or two he didn't want to hurt Sara. She was an annoying little... something... but she was still Raina's friend and that had to pull some weight.

“Really Sara? Can’t you guys quit the bickering till I am gone? You guy’s really need to stop fighting. What would Raina think?”

"Last time I checked, I had my own conscious Sam, but thanks for trying." Luke spoke up as his voice began to even out just a little though the barely contained frustration and anger could still be heard if someone was paying close attention, "And you're free to leave whenever you want... or better yet go take care of the house cat."

Spinning on his heal Luke walked down the hall toward the living room. Everything was piling up and for just a moment he wanted to be alone. He needed to calm down, away from everybody because he was actually starting to tick himself off with his smart mouth. "I don't treat people this way!" Luke's mind raged at himself, "So why the hell am I doing it now?"

Walking in the living room the blind man walked over to the fireplace and leaned up against it... mentally and emotionally weary but not yet ready to give up. Someone had set up this house with a purpose... was it to kill Luke, Sara, or both of them? CS couldn't have been expected so he obviously wasn't the target but Luke couldn't figure out who would want either him or Sara dead that would have known about their test tonight.

Taking one step away from the fireplace, toward the wall right beside it, Luke channeled all of his frustration into the outlet that he had at the moment. "DAMN!" He yelled as he slammed his fist into the wall, punching clear through the sheet-rock. For a moment he stood still with fist in the wall, then slowly he withdrew it, clenching and unclenching his fish as he felt blood begin to drip over his fingers from where he had torn the knuckles against something in the wall.

"Pain gives clarity." Luke thought as he gritted his teeth against the pain and just dropped both hands to his side, "But it doesn't seem to be helping at the moment."

Luke and Sara had to have the strangest relationship that Sara had ever had with someone. They would start out fine with eachother. They would be getting along, and even letting out little laughs, then all of a sudden something would happen and they were at eachothers’ throats.

“Really Sara? Can’t you guys quit the bickering till I am gone?”

Sara just stopped at the hall leading to the basement, Sara looked up and glared at Sam. Ok that was bad. Sam was her friend, he was trying to calm things down. He was trying to help. Sara’s jaw tightened and she took in two slow deep breaths. Trying to slow her heart beat down.

"And you're free to leave whenever you want... or better yet go take care of the house cat."

Sara felt her blood pressure instantly rise back up. Her nose wrinkled and her head snapped to the side so that she was looking over her shoulder at Luke’s direction. “Oh Gee. Meouch.” The words came out like a snarl. Feral. Sara didn’t know what it was about Luke. She didn’t remember making that sound before. She actually prided herself on not acting like an animal. Her own actions made her freeze mid step for a second while Sam caught up.

She had heard Sam up stairs putting a hold in the wall, then while at the door, she had heard Luke put his fist through the wall. “That damage isn’t being docked from my pay check.” Sara called out. Her shoulders were still rounded, and her head bent, without turning away from the basement door. Trying to calm herself down. After all. This would probably be the only honest money she’d ever get.

Slowly, Sara pushed the door to the door to the den open and she stepped just inside. Automatically there was an odd buzz that found it’s way to her ears. Scanning the room, she was a little disgusted. It was full of animal heads. Squirrels, deer, bears, raccoons, but something else just sounded wrong.

"Last time I checked, I had my own conscious Sam, but thanks for trying."

Frowning slightly for the comment didn’t work Sam didn’t say anything, ‘worth a try’ he thought silently as he looked around the room to see if there were any traps around. But since he didn’t have super senses he didn’t really think he would find much. So looking back to Luke and Sara, Sam waited to see if they could see anything. Or in Luke’s case hear…

"And you're free to leave whenever you want... or better yet go take care of the house cat."

Letting out a small laugh. “That’s a great idea, me being the one that is resistant to guns and blowtorches will take the healer and leave you to find all the traps…” Sam said sarcastically, “but don’t worry seeing as were not friends or teammates, I won’t have any second thoughts about it…” added Sam more sarcastically than his last comment. “Really Luke who do you think your talking to?” asked Sam now laughing slightly.

"DAMN!"

“Feel better?” Sam asked as he looked back to Sara and returned her glare with a smile trying to diffuse the situation some more. He didn’t know why every one was so on edge of now, they were getting down to working things out.

Sam was behind Sara now as she opened the door and to his surprise there was animal heads everywhere. Letting out a small joke, “Relatives of yours…” pointing to a lion head mounted on the wall.

"I don't need this... I really don't need this." Luke thought to himself over and over in his head, his teeth gritted as the blood continued to trickle before dripping down onto the carpet. He liked CS and though there was a chance of a friendship there but here he was acting like a jerk. He even liked Sara... sort of. It was amazing how that cat could get on his last nerve!

“That damage isn’t being docked from my pay check.” Sara's voice echoed through the house as she and CS explored another room.

"And that will probably be your only check since you obviously won't want to work for someone that's out to kill you!" Luke barked back without the slightest hesitation as he turned away from the wall and stalked over toward the couch. This continual bickering was even starting to grate on hi sown nerves but he wasn't going to back down. Sara had been ticked at him for being to nice and now she was ticked at him for losing his temper.

"What the hell does she expect from a guy?!" Luke swore under his breath. Pain... he half wanted more pain and for a brief second he was tempted to walk over and slam his fist into the metal plate that covered the window. The pain from a broken hand would almost be worth the temporary release of adrenaline and endorphins.

Resisting the urge Luke shook his head and reached up with his left hand to massage the bridge of his nose. There was a headache building and it wasn't completely caused by the power he had exerted with his sonar earlier.

"I should apologize..." Luke thought as his mind began to argue back and forth, "But she doesn't deserve an apology! CS does, and since Sara is Raina's friend so does she... But she's still a little... watch the language."

Suddenly, through all the tiredness and frustration, Luke noticed something. The fireplace wasn't covered over by a metal plate. "Now why would someone leave that uncovered as means of escape when they've blocked off the windows and doors?" The blind man murmured to himself as he walked over to it and then crouched in front of it. Right now he wished he had eyes that worked so he could use Sara's trick to see if it was rigged with someone, but for now all he could do was try his sonar.

"Can't penetrate brick... everything looks fine but it doesn't feel right. This was planned to perfection so why leave this exit open?"

Luke was beginning to get a bad feeling... maybe things weren't going to be as obvious as what they had faced to begin with. Maybe their enemy was going to be a little sneakier and if that was so then all of them might be walking into an even worse situation.

“Relatives of yours…”

“Yeah. Maybe.” Sara smirked as she strolled sideways to a cougar that had been mounted with the mouth wide. The markings on it’s face matched Sara’s markings almost exactly except her fur was golder where the true cat’s fur was sandy. “I certainly would explain a lot.” Sara thought as she ruffled the fur on the top of the cougars head, then smoothed it back over. Making fur fall free from the dried stuffed flesh. Sara didn’t remember a parent. Was it even possible for her to be the off spring of a cat. A mutated animal in stead of a mutated human. She tried pushing the thought out of her mind. Or at least to the back with the rest of the jumble of things she kept back there, but she didn’t have any luck till Luke started yelling back. Bless his heart.

"And that will probably be your only check since you obviously won't want to work for someone that's out to kill you!"

“And who’s loss do you think that is!” Sara yelled back. Standing and turning away from the side of the large cat. Again, she told herself it wasn’t her loss. Even if she had been looking forward to having real work. This wasn’t her loss. She’d lived as a criminal and the crime fighter could just go stick it…

They fell to silence and there was that soft buzz of electronics again. She could make it out just bove what ever Luke was mumbling in the other room. Her head moved back and forth a she tried to pin point the buzz, that sounded so close to the buzz she heard at the back door, but this buzz she couldn’t pin point. Was this Luke messing with her again or was she loosing her touch?

“Sam. Can you raise a mist in here?”