Continued from:Late to the game

Mars Rode a Black sport bike out of the back of a small private plane, it too was red and black, his tail wrapped securely around a woman in a black leather coat and jeans. Machine guns rang out in the distance and they were heading toward the sound, like any sane pair would do. Is that Machine guns I hear? lets get there as fast as we can, we don't want to miss out...suffice to say that sanity was a very far away thing from Mars' mind, He was worried about the woman and even the male that got her first following her, maybe that was Kealey flowing into his thoughts?

The motorcycle had broke one hundred and fifteen miles per hour. They slowed as the machine guns stuttered. And he lost his direction for a moment they turned a corner and took back off in the right direction and arrived just in time to catch the closing execution.

He turned slightly and stretched his shoulder out so Kealey wouldn’t have to watch the man she lived with do what he was about to. He put his legs down and observed. He didn’t how ever stop her from trying to see, she was a big girl if she wanted to see the view his tail wasn’t keeping her in place any more.

*blam*

*blam*

Mars wouldn’t have thought Jacen the pain before death type. But he understood when someone deserved something; he somehow knew that Jacen wasn’t the type to do that for fun. He had a bit of respect for doing what was necessary. He really did hate to respect and loathe someone all at once.

*BLAM*

What a mess that man’s brain matter made.

He quickly surveyed the area for leftovers, either they had ran or were dead. It looked like they arrived late to the game…ok the fun was over. Now where the Hell was she?

OOC - Abyss and I had permission to skip Lee's turn...if anything is not okay with my post...lemme know and I'll fix it asap.

This motorcycle ride was different. Kealey had a feeling that if she hadn’t had restraint in the form of Mars’ tail she’d have fallen off a long time ago. Her mind was racing though, definitely faster than the motorcycle. Mars had said so many things on the airplane that she needed to think about. She knew that people controlled their powers, but there were also people who never could. People like Lee. Maybe she was a mutant like that. Maybe she’d be stuck dealing with this her whole life. Kealey stopped that train of thought dead in its tracks and tried to concentrate on exactly what they were heading into. Then she heard the rat-tat-tat of what could only be gunfire and focused all her concentration in the direction it came from.

The emotions there were intense, fear, hatred, anger, all melding together to a degree it nearly made Kealey’s stomach roll. The motorcycle turned and she wondered again if this had been a good idea, readying herself for a fight if that was what this all came down to. The bike stopped and Kealey caught a glimpse of Jacen, before Mars moved to block her view.

Oblivious to the helmet, and the rolling tide of emotions from the others who were in the area, Kealey swung her leg over the bike and moved to stand beside Mars, clearing her view just as Jacen pulled the trigger on the gun he was holding, twice. The man on the ground howled in pain, and he and Jacen exchanged words. Kealey stood, transfixed by the scene, wondering if this man had something to do with what Jacen had found out about his parents. They exchanged words, then the gun fired again. Kealey turned her head to the side, unable to look anymore but not able to shake the sight of the blood from her mind. Suddenly, it was uncomfortably warm in the helmet…she’d think about all of this later, right now, there were more pressing matters to be examined.

She wanted to approach Jacen…but what did you say to someone who’d just had to do what Jacen had done? How did you comfort them? Kealey didn’t even know what kind of mindset Jacen was in…and not for the first time, his immunity to her powers made Kealey feel helpless.

Closer she walked, but only a few feet, unsure how to approach or address him, her hands moving to the helmet and pulling it from her head before she moved any further. For some reason, Kealey had the feeling Jacen wouldn’t react well to being snuck up on by someone in a full bike helmet. Kealey took another step forward and she was suddenly bathed in silence, all the hectic emotions of this place wiped from her mind. It was nice...but for the moment it wasn't practical. Kealey took a step back and shuddered slightly at the wave of emotions and called out, voice strong, but gentle.

”Jacen?” Kealey said, staying very still, ”Jacen? Is there anyone else? I can feel people. What can I do to help?”

Safe. Alone. Asleep. After the week she'd had, she couldn't ask for more. Distantly, she dreamed of showers.

Shootings and killings don't happen the way that they're depicted so often in the Westerns. There is no theatrical blowing the smoke from the barrel and riding off into the sunset. It doesn't even happen as Hollywood enjoys depicting so often with the goodguy walking away from the dead body all smiles and laughs that he's finally one. All that remains after taking someone's life is the cold and somewhat sickening realization that you were the cause of someone's death. In some ways it gets easier, but in some ways its as fresh the thirties or fortieth time as it was on the first.

Jacen's face was blank and even though his eyes were still tinged with anger a new feeling of something akin to self-loathing was creeping in. This was all that he really was. He was evolutions great joke. A man born with a single purpose and power; the ability to kill mutants. Slowly lowering his gun, Jacen let his arm hang at his side as he patched the blood slowly spreading and moving into the gutter. Pulse had lived like a piece of trash and now he had died the same way. There was no reason to feel sorry for killing him but stll Jacen felt that he had been forced to take the worst option possible.

"Jacen?"

His reactions were instantaneous as he spun, gun rising to focus directly on where the voice was coming from. For the brief second it took his mind to being flashing with recognation, Jacen was prepared to kill again. It was strange to suddenly find yourself seeing the image of the woman that you dated and possibly loved framed in a gunsight but that was exactly what suddenly was happening.

"Kealey?" Jacen asked as he swiftly lowered the gun. Already the sickening realization was moving through his mind that she had just seen what he could do. She had seen him for exactly what he was. He was a trained killer and there was no getting around that fact. "How..." He began, his voice trailing off before his eyes focused on the big red man that was standing behind Kealey.

"It's done... there's nothing else." Jacen finally said as he reached behind his back to slip the Glock back into its holster. Off in the distance he could hear approachign sirens and as much as a part of him screamed that he had to stay and talk to the cops, another part knew that it was no use. He couldn't make this worse for Lori, Tarin, Lee, Kealey, and even Big Red. For a moment he was lost as to what to do but then a game plan of some type came into his mind. The first and most important item was that they get away from the crime scene.

"Look, there's a man in the RV there. His name's Tarin. Tell him to start driving. You ride with him and try to keep everyone in there calm. Uh... you," He started off talking looking directly at Kealey before his gaze swiveled to focus on the big red man, "Travel with them. Make sure they don't get bothered. About three or four miles north of here is a big building that's under construction. The parking lot should be vacant. Wait there for me. I'm gonna get the rental car, clean out our rooms, and I'll be right behind all of you. Ok?"

Tarin was dealing with Lori, so Lee had her eyes moving, paying attention to her siphoning in case anyone tried to sneak up behind her. As well, Lee was also making sure to pay attention to her heart; it was still beating faster than normal, but no where near as bad as when Pulse had been manipulating it.

It didn't take long for Tarin to get Lori into his arms and then climb into the RV with her. She looked dead to the world, Lee noticed as Tarin walked past her. Lee only hoped that the woman would feel better after some rest, hope that they'd be able to get away and things would quiet down so she could get some rest.

While Tarin was in the RV, Lee was making her way around to the back. She could no longer feel Jacen's field when she was standing close to the RV, and she heard his, as well as Pulse's, voices coming from the other side.

By this time, Tarin had joined her again; Lee wasn't sure how great an idea it was to leave Lori in the RV by herself, but dealing with Pulse was so much more important at that moment.

Then, just as they came around the back of the RV, Lee heard two more shots, followed by more screaming. She came to a stop and just stared at Jacen as the scene before her unfolded. But that hadn't been the worst of it; after more "talking" between the two men, Lee saw Jacen pull that trigger once more.

Lee took a step back, her eyes even wider in shock, as she watched the red mist spray out behind Pulse, watched his body crumple to the ground. What the hell was Jacen thinking? They'd had Pulse, he was in enough pain to not be able to use his ability even if Jacen hadn't been there to cancel it out. There hadn't been a reason to kill him, not there, not like that, right?

It was only then that Lee realized they had company. If not for Kealey slowly walking forward, Lee would have assumed that the hulking Red guy was another of Pulse's associates. But Kealey's presence there, surprising as it was, kept Lee's feet planted.

Something which didn't last long, as the moment the other woman spoke, Jacen was spinning, his gun aimed at the blond.

Lee had already taken five paces forward before he stated to lower the weapon. Two more steps, Lee came to a halt as the gun was fully lowered.

And then Lee heard the sirens. Of course the cops would be on their way, as well as everything else that had happened, Jacen had been firing off his gun.

Jacen had a plan, though. Damn good thing, because Lee was at a loss for what to do. But getting out of that street sounded like a damn good idea. Getting out of the city wasn't half bad, either.

"Come on, Kealey," Lee said, the anxiety to get out of there probably evident in her voice, though she thought she was burying the shock about what she had seen rather well. She had seen a lot worse before, after all. "We need to get otu of here now."

Wow. When the shit hit the fan…the shit hit the fan. The motorcycle arrived and Tarin tensed, ready to fight again as a slight and lithe figure climbed off the bike and started towards Jacen. He was ready to move when the figure reached up and removed their helmet. Tarin stared…prime example…more shit hitting fan. Tarin’s first impression of Kealey had been a positive one, the girl had been sweet and friendly...and now she’d just seen Jacen put one between Pulse’s eyes. She spoke, and Jacen turned. Tarin winced for him, pointing a gun at someone you were seeing usually wasn’t a good mood. It could probably be excused considering the circumstances, and before anything happened, the other man was lowering the gun.

Apparently Lee had thought the situation more dire than Tarin had, because the second Jacen had turned, she’d started moving towards the blond. Tarin jogged up behind his wife, reaching out a hand to her shoulder, “It’s fine…” he said softly, then listened as Jacen started giving instructions.

They were all going one place, and he was going somewhere else? Wow. Tarin didn’t know about that. Jacen seemed pretty insistent though and he wanted Tarin to drive the RV? “No need for her to tell us Jacen…” Tarin said quietly and frowned as Lee moved forward again, encouraging Kealey to come with them.

“Lee…” Tarin said, firmly, moving forward to grab his wife’s hand and tug her towards the vehicle, “Let’s go get the RV started.” To Jacen, he nodded, “We’ll meet you there.” Then he turned to the hulking figure who’d ridden the bike. “Do you want to follow us on that? If not, there’s probably room on the camper, but we really should get going.”

That said, Tarin headed for the RV, climbing the stairs and letting everyone else fend for themselves while he got it started and in gear, the sirens were getting closer, it was time to go.

Mars watched as Kealey moved toward the adapted, as he spun and raised his gun mars reacted with a readying a small void floating in front of Kealey if Jacen’s trigger fin so much as twitched he would increase it’s size ten fold to avoid having her hit. He was slightly annoyed that he cared. She was charming enough though, and seemed like a decent person, besides Jacen seemed to be a bit trigger happy at the moment, Mars would hate for his nerves to cause the worse tragedy of his life….if he was regretting killing someone who had it coming already. Then how could he take killing a woman that lived with him. He could read it on his face, this wasn’t a happy killer, how quaint.

He listened to the small exchange, he wanted to make a demand for where the woman was, but he would let some of the tension dissolve.

“Yeah, sorry, but I need to Find Lori, unless you have her on that Rv, then no Deal.” He highly doubted that anything here was going to be that easy…and if he found out that she had gone the way of the one infront of him, well There would be one less poorly spelt Jason in the world.

He looked at the body at Jacen’s feet and shook his head. “ If you will kindly get away from that, I can make it go away. And there will be a bit less mess left behind.” He stood up and made another void inserting the motorcycle into the void as well. He looked to the woman who looked ready to back Jacen at a drop of a hat, was she so ready to fight? Or had they had one crappy vacation to Florida? He made another body he saw in the distance disappear into the darkness of his mind. It was a bit gross, but it was strategic.

He spotted another body and repeated the process. He would know immediately if they lived still because there consciousness would come awake. But no this pair might as well been a bag of potatoes.

He moved toward the RV after giving Jacen a bit of a wide birth, And nodded to the man. “I‘ll ride with you. If something gets in our way, slow down a bit, I’ll get out take care of the problem and catch up.”
He would offer to stay and help the adapted, but he had nothing to gain from it and everything to lose.

"Oh and after this abandoned building we are going to a private airstrip. and any of you wanting to go to new york are welcome to come." He said it loud enough for Jacen to hear. and he less then begrudginly offered the same to the couple, they seemed nice enough. that and he hadn't turned into a pathetic human when near them.

He entered the Rv and with a moment's look at the breathtaking firecracker of a woman, He looked at her and couldn't decided if she was passed out or exhausted, and while he wanted to hug and hold and make sure she was ok. He offered her the one thing that he could that would do her better, there was no better rest, then the weightless rest of the void. Her body would revive with her consciousness and any pain she might be in would dissolve. Hopefully she didn't fully wake.

At the sound of her voice Jacen turned…turned with the gun. It pointed at her and she stared down the barrel. Strangely enough, she wasn’t scared. That must be what confidence was. Kealey didn’t turn, but she could feel the alarm at Jacen’s action from almost all directions. The blond stood her ground though, staring steadily at the man in front of her. Jacen lowered the gun.

”Are you okay?” Kealey said, instead of answering the question Jacen asked. How she’d gotten there was something she was planning on the two of them talking about later…at length. They were both standing near a body. Most of the anxiety around her had faded…but not all of it, and Kealey tried to shake it off. At least until the situation diffused a little bit.

Jacen started talking, then, giving out orders and telling everyone what they needed to be doing. As he looked right at Kealey, she looked back, teeth clenching slightly as he explained that she needed to get on the RV and make sure everyone stayed calm. What the heck did he think he was going to do while she was on that RV…because if he thought for a second…Mars spoke and Kealey turned to look at him as her thoughts were interrupted by the words…and emotions.

Mars was genuinely concerned about Lori…and Kealey had to admit, she was more than curious to see the woman herself. Obviously Lori was something to command this kind of attention. Kealey looked back at Jacen, then turned her head as Lee spoke.

Kealey was surprised to see the woman, they’d met just recently at one of the bars in town. What were she and her husband doing in Florida with Jacen? Had everyone but her been asked to help? By the time Kealey opened her mouth to speak, though, Tarin was moving his wife back to the RV that they’d apparently come to the scene in. Lee was concerned still…Tarin was…empathetic? That was strange…they walked away and Kealey turned back to Mars, whose emotions were slightly troubling now. There was malice there, contempt, and something else that Kealey couldn’t place…readiness maybe. This situation needed to diffuse a little.

Looking at Mars, Kealey’s eyes narrowed slightly as she took down the adrenaline, hopefully inducing calm productivity. It worked, which was a good thing, the sirens were getting noticeably closer. Mars offered to clean up a big part of the mess and Kealey’s eyes widened slightly. Was that body going into his brain with the peanut? That brought on a slight shudder. Mars offered a ride back to New York for anyone who wanted it…and Kealey was again pleased with the work she’d done a few moments earlier. She turned back to Jacen as Mars walked away.

For a moment, Kealey let her eyes drop down to the body, there was more blood than seemed right. She looked for another moment, then looked back at Jacen, ”It’s alright.” she said, with a nod in the corpse’s direction, before bringing her blue eyes back to his, ”If he had something to do with your parents…I’d do the same thing if I found the man who killed mine. In a second.” hopefully he believed her...because Jacen did not look happy about what she'd just seen him do.

The sirens were getting even closer, and Mars still needed to get the body out of the way. Kealey cast a look in the direction of the RV as a wave of concern and tenderness emanated from it in a large way that could only have been Mars’. Kealey started walking that way and turned to look at Jacen over her shoulder, ”I’ll see you at the parking lot.” she said, then added for good measure, ”Be careful…and don’t make me wait too long.”

Back to the RV, Kealey jogged, a slight bundle of nerves as she climbed on, ready to see this other girl…this Lori. However…the woman wasn’t there. Mars was calm though…and Kealey didn’t even want to know…so she instead concentrated on the emotions of the vehicle as a whole. Jacen had told her to make sure everyone was clam…they were going to be calm. ”Tarin, let’s go.”

She was darkness.
She was air.
She was formless.
Nothing there.

What had hurt,
No longer aches.
No feel of dirt,
No harsh mistakes.

Lori rested.
It was starless.
Got sleep requested,
With much success.

Gosh, this was a strange dream.

He was still having a difficult time actually wrestling his mind around the whole idea that Kealey was there but he also didn't have time to try and get it done. Instead he just had to accept that she was there and continue moving forward. Typical Kealey, her first direction question was whether he was OK. For him it seemed normal but a part of his mind acknowledged that it had to be strange for her to actually have to ask the question. She was so used to feeling emotions and knowing what people were going through but with Jacen that didn't work. The two of them were just like any other couple that could keep secrets if they really wanted to.

"I don't know." Jacen replied quietly and as honestly as he could. The shock of what had just happened was beginning to permeate his system and override all of the emotion he'd been dealing with. Stepping quickly away from the body, he took a whole of Kealey arm and guided her away from Pulse's still form. In a short time that body, along with the other two had disappeared leaving behind blood and brain matter.

Kealey was doing her best to be understanding about the whole situation and while Jacen appreciated it, he knew it was still going to be hard for the two of them. Impulsively he grabbed Kealey's arm, pulling her close to place a passionate kiss on her lips. "I'll be careful and I'll be there soon." He murmured quietly, "Take care of the others."

Releasing his grip, Jacen turned and jogged back toward his hotel. In a relatively short time he was inside the room, leaving the sirens to wail outside while he worked on packing everything back up. The UMP went back in its carry case and the clothes got thrown half-hazardly back in their suitcases. Heading over into the other room, Jacen stuffed the shredded papers and information into a knapsack while tossing Lee and Tarin's clothes back into their bags. He wasn't sure that their cloths went into the right bags, but at least they would only be in each others bags without any in his bags. Pausing at the door, he looked around the room for one last moment before turning to leave.

"Hello Mr. King. We need to talk." A man spoke up as soon as the door was open. He stood alone, dressed relatively casual in khaki pants, a black polo shirt, and khaki sport coat. Dark mirrored sunglasses rested in his face, completely hiding his eyes from view. "My name is Mr. Larraby. May I walk you to your vehicle?"

"What the hell?"

Lee wasn't entirely sure what she was doing moving forward like that when Jacen pointed his gun at Kealey. She couldn't move faster than a bullet; while she knew after Columbia that she could move faster than even she had thought, she was sure she couldn't move faster than a bullet. But that didn't stop her from moving.

Once she came to a stop, though, after the gun had been lowered again, Lee felt Tarin's hand on her shoulder. Yeah, it was fine now. The gun had been lowered. But Jacen was giving them directions, telling them to get on the RV, and then Lee felt her husband's hand pulling hers.

Reluctantly at first, but getting spurred on by the sound of the sirens, Lee followed Tarin toward the RV.

Stepping into the vehicle, Lee glanced at Lori, who was still laying down in the back, before making her way with Tarin toward the front. The woman really didn't have much energy left, Lee noticed. About the only parallel that Lee could think of was how Tarin's energy level felt like after she had siphoned from him.

And then the huge red guy followed them onto the RV, and what little energy that Lee had been feeling from Lori was masked by what she was feeling from him. Which would explain how Lee didn't feel it when Lori suddenly disappeared.

Then more energy getting closer, and glancing back Lee saw Kealey stepping onto the RV, closing the door.

It had to have been because they were getting out of there, but all of a sudden Lee felt much more relaxed and calm. As they started driving, she wandered into the back of the vehicle once more, and that calm shattered as she saw the back bench where Lori had been laying now empty.

"What the..." Lee started, moving back toward the two people she did see there. "Where the hell is Lori? I was not almost killed and my husband taken hostage for us to lose her now."

Lee came with him quite easily. Tarin was glad, the last thing he wanted to do was more convincing. The night had been strange and exhausting enough as it was, and Tarin’s head was starting to hurt. Once on the RV, Tarin settled into the driver’s seat and did his best to figure out exactly how it was he was going to drive this beast. At least it was set up similarly to his truck back home.

Out the window Tarin looked, Jacen and Kealey were talking, then kissing. Apparently they’d worked out the whole gun thing. Tarin wanted to say something to Lee about how he’d been right, but he let it go. Chances were that Lee was already amped up enough, irritating her on purpose was probably a stupid idea. Oh, and speaking of stupid ideas…why hadn’t Kealey gotten on the RV yet?

Almost as soon as he’d thought it, Kealey pulled herself into the RV. Tarin looked at her with slightly narrowed eyes…were sheltered people always this calm when they walked up on the guy they were dating as he capped someone in the head? Maybe there was a little more to the blond than had originally met the eye. The medium shrugged, it was so much more than he had any interest thinking about at that moment…and all of a sudden he felt so calm.

“Yup. Those sirens are getting really close. We probably should go.” He said, calmly starting up the vehicle and putting it in gear. Closer and closer the sirens came as Tarin made his way down the road with the RV, in fact, the cop cars sailed right past them. “Wow.” Tarin said, “That was really pretty close. I hope Jacen got out of there.” Truth be told, though…he wasn’t worried about it.

Lee spoke and that did induce a raised eyebrow. Tarin didn’t turn his head though, what Lee said really wasn’t that important. “I’m sure she’s here somewhere Lee. Did you check the bathroom? Don’t sweat it so much….”

Jacen had said that the building was 3 or 4 miles away, and as the conversation continued in the RV until he found it. It really was a pretty secluded little parking lot. In Tarin pulled, idly wondering how they were going to hide the thing, but again, really not that stressed about it.

“We’re here!” Tarin announced, then turned around, looking at the assembled, then frowning. They really were minus one, “Did we figure out where Lori went?”

~~”Tarin, let’s go.”

He looked to Kealey, and asked with all honesty and concern. “ you think he is gonna be alright? Or needs some help”He smiled at the woman as more calm washed over him, he was pretty sure he was being manipulated by her, He had been a wreck for quite sometime looking for the woman all month long , the pinnacle of all this turned ou to be a knock on a door a flight and a chance hearing of gun fire. It was all simple. Even the police that were on there way and then passing them by were of no consequence…was this how things worked for good people? Everything went their way without much effort? It was all going to be ok.

He sighed as Lori talked in her sleep in his mind…she was having an odd dream…in rhyme no less.

He quietly assured her closing his eyes. Everything is going to be alright, I’ll protect you as long as you let me.

His eyes popped open to an interesting sight. He was being reprimanded but didn’t really mind so much.

**"Where the hell is Lori? I was not almost killed and my husband taken hostage for us to lose her now."

“hey, It’s ok. She is up here.” He tapped the side of his head as if that explained everything. “ She looked like she has been having a roof time so I offered her the most relaxing quiet place I could…if she is wounded then any negative physical reactions will be suspended until I can get her to someone that can help.” He then smiled a sheepish smile. ‘ I bet he makes you angry on purpose sometimes, you wear it well.”

++“We’re here!” Tarin announced, then turned around, looking at the assembled, then frowning. They really were minus one, “Did we figure out where Lori went?”

“ Yeah, She is safe and sound.” He replied to the other male. Mars then nodded to Lee and said to Tarin. “ Hang on to her, there can’t be too many woman out there, that come with an upside to being on the wrong side of their anger.” He leaned back and let his head fall back against the wall with a thump. And sighed as he relaxed.

He began to rise and leave the cramped space, he wanted to wait for Jacen in case he had company following him. He looked to Kealey “ I am going to help him if he needs when he arrives I think that I might be a bit more effective if I am not quite so Zen.” He moved away toward the little door and stepped out not going to far in case the others weren’t done with their questions.

Kealey wanted it to be calm, and it was calm. This was nice, very nice. There weren’t any people around to mess it up, either. There were just the people in the RV. Tarin seemed to be taking it even more strongly than the others. That said something about his state of mind, and the way he wanted to feel. Mars spoke, and Kealey turned to him, frowning slightly.

”I don’t know.” she said softly, shaking her head. ”I can’t feel him…and there wasn’t much time for talking. Is anyone completely okay after taking a life, though? No matter how justified the action is?” Kealey didn’t think so. It was a little slice of normalcy, the good with the bad. When you knew exactly what someone was feeling you could be exactly what they needed. Kealey took a deep breath, she’d just have to do things the way that normal people did. As dire as the situation was, Kealey couldn’t help but smile a little bit.

They were moving, Kealey hoped in the direction that Jacen had specified. Tarin looked like he knew what he was doing, though, so she didn’t say anything.

Lee burst out with frustration and concern and Kealey’s head involuntarily jerked around the RV. The woman really wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Mars answered the question well enough, though and Kealey’s eyes widened, ”She’s in there…with the peanut…and the dead body? Mars…” Kealey trailed off as the big red man continued to speak and shook her head slowly. Apparently understanding this….void was a little too far over Kealey’s head. She’d done well in school, but for some reason, picturing this alternate dimension was just too much.

Kealey looked back to Lee, then did a double take…the woman had totally broken the bonds of calm that Kealey had laid on her. The blond frowned and tried a little harder, apparently Lee’s will was stronger than the others. Jacen had said to keep them calm, Kealey was going to keep them calm. ”If Mars says she’s okay…then she’s okay. He’s done nothing so far to suggest to me that he’s anything other than trustworthy…plus he can put things in his brain.” Kealey was curious about the woman, but if Mars said that this was best, Kealey wasn’t going to argue.

Momentarily, the RV stopped, and Tarin joined the conversation. Kealey actually loosed the calm on him a little bit. There was a such thing as too relaxed, and what Kealey did was anything but a perfect science.

Mars really was relaxed, and Kealey was glad for it. Being in another cramped space with him and his extra-large emotions might have been too much after all she’d seen. Then he rose, and determination filtered in over the calm. Mars spoke and Kealey simply nodded at his words, pulling back her control on his emotions immediately. If nothing else, he’d had a respite from all the worry, frustration, helplessness, and disappointment that he’d been feeling. Hopefully there would be no need for him to help Jacen…but at least if there was…the person helping would be well equipped for the job.

The Glock was pressing firmly against the small of Jacen's back and for a brief moment he tensed, wondering just how quickly he could release the bags he was holding and draw the weapon.

"I assure you I'm not here to attack you or arrest you. I just want to talk." The strange man spoke up, apparently reading the expression on Jacen's face, "I'll be glad to carry some of the bags if you'll feel better having my hands occupied with your hands free."

Jacen's eyes narrowed before finally holding out his right hand and offering the two bags he gripped. "You've got the time it takes for me to get to the car. I'd say that's about 60 to 90 seconds. Make them count."

"You are a special man with an extraordinary gift." Mr. Larraby began without any hesitation as he followed Jacen down the hall that led to the stairs. "The term our scientists have come up with is 'Adapted'. You are a human but somehow your brain has changed, adapting in such a way that it can now nullify mutants around you."

"And let me guess. You're here to offer some sort of magic cure that will make me normal. Right?" Jacen said with a snort of derision. Obviously if he thought such an offer was at all genuine then he would jump at it but after what he'd just dealt with there was no way he would beleive something that stupid. For all he knew, Mr. Larraby was a former partner of Pulse that wanted to kill everyone like him!

"No," Mr. Larraby said with a chuckle as they took a turn and began to move down the stairs, "Nothing like that. I'm a member of the Regional Urban Preternatural Examinations and Recovery Team or R.U.P.E.R.T. for short. We're a government organization that has been formed to clean up some of the messes that mutants leave behind. We've realized that mutants themselves aren't the biggest threat to this country, but instead it is the fear of mutants that is the biggest threat. By cleaning up messes and making sure that the public never hears the real story, we can gain at least some semblance of control over the situation."

"Uhuh... and what does that have to do with me?" Jacen asked as he shoved through the last door and began to walk across the parking lot. Just a block down the street he could see the police cars and what looked like a crime scene investigator van. Obviously they were trying to find out what happened since it wasn't absolutely clear. Since Mars had temporarily disposed of the body, they couldn't be sure of the situation and so none of them really knew how to react. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly secret agent material. I'm a soldier, plain and simple."

"You sell yourself short Mr. King." The other man said quietly as Jacen popped the trunk of his car. Setting the bags inside the R.U.P.E.R.T. agent pulled a business card from his pants pocket and held it out to the other man. "Take some time and think about it. If you have any questions, give me a call."[/i][/color]

Taking the card, Jacen glanced at it briefly. It was a plain white business card with the name "Mr. Larraby" followed by a phone number. No other information was contained and most people would have actually just ignored this particular card.

"Sorry if I left you another mess to clean up. Goodbye Mr. Larraby." Jacen said, ending the discussion immediately. Climbing into his car, he started the engine and then backed out of his parking space. After turning down the street so that he was heading away from the scene of the crime, Jacen circled around several blocks before finally heading toward the parking area where he was supposed to meet up with everyone else.

***

It had probably only be 30 or 40 minutes since the group separated but Jacen had to admit he was breathing a sigh of relief as he pulled into the parking lot to see the RV parked safely and Mars standing outside. Putting the car into park Jacen climbed out and then stood by his vehicle, simply looking at the big red man. He made no move to approach the other man, choosing instead to keep his distance and allow Mars to keep his big red form.

"Is everyone OK?" He asked, voice wafting over the empty parking lot to where Mars stood, "Did we get her out in time?"