It seemed that Kealey understood the instructions as she helped herself into the bag. Roland looked over in the passenger seat and took the lock from it as he returned to the back of the van. With a tight grip on the drawstrings, the bundle was tied into a knot or two and the lock inserted through the metallic rings which the drawstrings were laced. A click and Miss Quinn was settled. he returned to his seat and put the van into drive, easing out of the alley, turn signal engaged.

A few bumps and some angry horn barks in his direction. Roland registered their anger and continued in his original direction. His eyes remained focused on the road, while occasionally checking his mirrors and using his signals. It was quiet in the van, short of the rustling from the bag. The delay with her defiance had only put them slightly off his timetable. He pushed his foot on the accelerator and moved through the traffic, speeding up to catch the ferry before it departed.

As he drove along the coastline, he could see that the vehicles were already in line. Hopefully he would make it on the current ferry so as to stay on course. If not, there was always another one. After a few cross streets and a ramp down to the shoreline, he found himself in line with the other cars. " We'll be entering a checkpoint soon. Please remain quiet until I say we are across and safe. You know the outcome otherwise and I can assure you being in the bag makes you an easy and accessible target."

It was dark in the bag and it was starting to get stuffy. Kealey had heard Roland moving about and wondered if the ploy to get her in the bag had simply been a way to make less work for himself after he killed her. He just did something with the top of the sack….locked it as she later found, and moved back to the front.

The van started to move, there were horns honking and jostling about and Kealey struggled to stay upright, and failed, careening to her side and staying there. She shifted slightly and something dug into the side of her hip. Her phone! How had she forgotten about her phone?

There wasn’t much space in the mail sack, and Kealey had to maneuver herself carefully and slowly before she could get her hand into her pocket and withdraw the cellular device. Quickly, the blond shut off the ringer, then scrolled through her phonebook to Shin’s number. Roland spoke, and Kealey nearly dropped the phone, but he was only warning her to be quiet as they moved through some sort of checkpoint. Where was he taking her?

She stayed still and quiet by way of response and started to text.

Shin…In a bag in white van…license plate 24X-985. Careful…dangerous.

She stopped at that, the buttons still made noise when she clicked them, and even though there was a lot of noise to cover whatever was going on outside the sack, Kealey wanted to be sure. The phone was hope…the phone was a chance.

Shin followed the rainbow. He followed it through traffic, out of sight, twenty feet above the line of traffic. The occasional person looked up, and saw him, but aside from that, everything was fine… until the van reached the coastline. It pulled ahead, and breached Shin’s range of thirty feet. The rainbow-colored triangle on the back of the van blinked out of existence. Shin’s eyes narrowed as he upped his speed and caught up. It seemed his plan had had a fault. He didn’t have the range to keep it working forever. He didn’t bother summoning another one. The van had reached a checkpoint. Shin’s eyes swung to what was up ahead. Cars were lined up for a ferry.

Guess that’s where he’s headed… Shin noted. Suddenly, something in his pocket vibrated. Shin rose high above the traffic to check his cell. As cars passed by under the hot sun, Shin stood forty feet above it all, on a glistening tortilla chip of triangles, exchanging texts. His eyes skimmed over Kealey’s message.

“… “ When had she found the time to send that? Shin typed back ‘I know.’ His thumb hovered over the ‘Send’ option, then hit delete. It wasn’t a good idea to send her a reply. What if her phone gave her away? He shook his head, and slipped his phone back into a pocket.

If Roland was headed to the ferry, Shin would just have to beat him there. He dropped down by the coastline, cutting over the water towards the ferry. His body was blocked by the silver guards on the road, keeping him obscured from sight.

Shin cut around to the other side of the ferry, and rose up to land on-board. The shard platform vanished as he stepped onto the boat.

This was where Roland was headed… but where was the ferry headed to? Shin moved to a place where he could peep around a pillar, and watch incoming vehicles without being seen.

Roland gave a deadpan look at the man who took his fare money. Not surprisingly, the picture in the forged passport looked much like the stone faced man staring at him. Just because roland had chosen not to put on any false fronts within the mutant community didn't mean he would start giving authority figures his real information. He still had records that were ready to be exhumed from his previous resting place of anonymity. He placed the passport back into his inner trench pocket, looking back at the squirming bag in the floor of the van via the rear view mirror.

Pulling into a parking spot among the other vehicles, Roland turned the key and it found its way into his pocket. His hands caressed the steering wheel briefly as he sat staring forward. Turning the crank on the window, fresh air made its way into the interior. He still wrestled with the sudden departure of his feelings, as if the rug had been pulled from beneath him. all of the methodical planning remained in his head as a blueprint, but it all seemed too messy now. Too many stops, too many exposures. Especially for any hope of escape. Why had he been so sloppy? It was out of character for him.

No time like the present to take care of that. Stepping into the back of the van, he knelt by it, studying the shape of it. " For some reason, Miss Quinn, I have lost the ability to enjoy what's going on here. This has a positive outcome, as your suffering will be cut short. The negative aspect being that I must kill you now. I can't very well shoot in such a public place, so I'll have to use a knife. I'll make it quick." The lock came away from its place around the knots. The knots were untied. The top of the bag was opened so that the quarry could get some of the fresh air seeping in. The last breaths should be fresh.

No response from Shin. Kealey didn’t despair though, there was no way he could tell that she’d shut off the ringer on the phone. He had gotten the message and he would come for her. With back up…lots and lots of back up. For a moment as the van slowed, then stopped, Kealey considered calling the authorities, then changed her mind. Roland had made it abundantly clear that he was willing to harm whoever it took to accomplish his goal on this particular day. Kealey wasn’t going to have that on her hands, regardless of the eventual outcome for her.

The van had definitely stopped by this point, and Kealey started typing into the phone again,

Van stopped….

Roland started talking and for a moment, Kealey smirked…yeah he would have stopped enjoying what was going on. She’d made sure of it. She typed a few more words,

he’s moving…going to..

He spoke more and the smirk fell from Kealey’s features like a rock. This hadn’t been what she’d planned at all…the lack of ambition was supposed to cause him to put this whole fool notion out of his head and drop her off somewhere. A knife? No gun… Something touched the top of the bag and she squealed, lashing out with her feet in the cramped space. She typed two more words,

helpe…ples…

Kealey hit send, and the bag opened, pouring fresh air and sunlight inside and revealing Roland’s face. Kealey’s hands scrambled with the phone, out of sight, her thumb randomly hitting buttons as she tried to move. One of them was the, “call” button, already highlighting Shin’s number. He’d be able to hear now, if he picked up.

Panic welled in Kealey and she struggled to free herself from the bag, taking the emotions she’d toned down to nothing and completely reversing the process, sending them through the proverbial roof. The bag tipped and Kealey landed on her side on the floor, already trying to kick and pull free of the canvas with a hearty yell. If it was all going to be over…Kealey Quinn was going down with a fight.

The van rolled into a parking space. Shin’s heart beat hard in his chest. The way it was beating, he was certain someone would hear him, and his whole cover would be blown. The negative effects of that scenario, he couldn’t ponder now. His arms felt light, weightless. Like they could fly off at any moment, and leave him unarmed. Endorphins and adrenaline rushed through his veins. It made him impatient. He’d waited all this time. The van was right there in front of him. Now would be the perfect time to act. To strike out… to take that stupid smirk off the imagined Roland face… but, no.

He had to wait. He had to wait for Roland to get sloppy, make a mistake… or leave. Part of him wondered why. Was he… slightly scared? Terrified, of the possibilities Roland held in his hands. Kealey could already be… or maybe, his rescue charge would bring it on sooner. Maybe, a distraction would only cause him to cut first, question later. Deal with her, and dole out death, then attack whatever came his way… Shin felt lightheaded. His eyes wavered on the side of the van, counting the steps from him to her.

Get out… Shin mentally willed Roland. Leave, so I can save her… Damn it. The side of Shin’s fist pounded into the pillar. When could he move?

A moment passed. It was too quiet. Another moment rolled down the side of his head, a bead of sweat that seemed to thicken time like molasses. Another second… it could have been a second too late.

The phone in Shin’s pocket shook. He didn’t answer. He was already moving across the area. His right hand rose, and drew up the focus of four razor-sharp blue triangles. They danced their way in front of his extended arm, and shot forwards into the white paint job of the van’s side like a drill. A keen of metal. Shin’s right hand tore at the van’s door handle… it was unlocked. He wrenched it open.

Everything pulsed through him at that moment. This was the time. This was the place. Here he was.

He stood in the van’s doorway… and. He didn’t have a shield. His eyes widened, and he pulled the 5” shards in front of him. A triangular wall of blue flew at Roland. It would be his shield, and his battering ram, all-in-one.

She was moving alot, thrashing around wildly. Would only make the job more messy and full of weeping. The knife moved through expert fingers as his head followed her body. Like a snake preparing to strike, Roland hovered over his prey, waiting for the opportune moment to sink the blade in. Just as an artery presented itself, Roland stopped in his tracks, frozen for a moment. This gave Kealey time to work her way out of the bag halfway. Was it like drugs?

A great rush filled his body, his chest tingling with pressure. The color in her rosy cheeks brightened as Roland's pupils dilated. His eyes opened wide and his mouth began to tremble. A slow, choppy sound began to trickle from his lips, each syllable of inanity bouncing off the van's floor like spilled cereal. It sounded like a madman's mantra, something resembling at the unholy union of laugh and scream. The man could hear its cacophony rattle around inside his mind like some hopeful penny gone down the well. He could see himself, eyes wide with temporary insanity, his mouth wide open as he cackled incessantly.

But then, the squirming. Like some kind of skittering cockroach down there, he could see Kealey squirm around. The same clicky climb to the laughter of madness gave way to the ste drop into some lop de loops of anger and rage. "Zip it!" One swift kick of his booted heel caught her in the temple, putting her back in night night land. He began nodding, as if there was some answer in his head waiting for a question. ....what now?....A high pitched screaming sound hit the van behind him. By the time he turned on his heel. the door was being wrenched open.

It was the little Asian fellow. He looked none too happy. Had he followed them there, waiting for the moment of vindication? His eyes said yes. Glimmering shards of energy spun around him and solidified into a wall. Another mutant. He'd have to find which side of the tracks this one lived on down the road. another time. He wanted to rescue his drunken damsel and Roland would aid him in this.In one swoop, Kealey went in the bag like a bundle of toys for Santa and the bag was in his hands. " You want the b****? Take her!!" The weight of the unconscious snipe was hurled fully at yon wall of energy. Choke on her, Roland thought as he went out the back doors of the van.

The commotion had already drawn some people, who weren't accustomed to seeing energy shards. More common was the hysterically cackling man. Roland sprinted through the rows of cars, finding a large stepvan to take cover behind. His pulse was racing, his breathing shallow. Adrenaline coursed through his veins and it was both easy and hard to focus. A new clip went in the pistol as he dropped prone, sliding under the chassis and watching the van. Quietly, his trembling voice whispered, " Take your winnings and run, boy. Run as fast as you can."

She could feel his emotions, careening further and further out of control as she panicked. Kealey didn’t care, though, he’d either catch a hold of her and it would all be over, or she’d manage to get away somehow. That laugher, the sound of that laughter. Even through the panicked haze in her brain, Kealey knew she’d never forget that sound.

She scrambled from the bag, phone completely forgotten inside of the thick canvas. There were still golf clubs in the corner. She screamed, then screamed again as she struggled forward with her legs still caught in the bag. Kealey struggled forward, the clubs, just out of reach. Then a boot hit her in the side of the head.

The world exploded in color, and Kealey’s mind reeled as she fell back to the floor of the van. There were noises and movement, and voices. Kealey tried to move, to fight back, but she couldn’t seem to make her limbs cooperate. She waited for him to bring the knife down, and her lips moved…slurred nonsense tumbling out. The door opened, sunlight poured in through the red haze in her eyes to silhouette the figure in the doorway. Shin….

Something moved her and her head jostled just enough that darkness took over. Kealey didn’t even feel him toss the bag.

He'd wanted a battering ram. He'd wanted a shield. He'd wanted them both, to get back Kealey, but it seemed Roland had beaten him to the punch. Shin hadn't been prepared to get Kealey just this soon. He hadn't been prepared for a burlap sack to the face... but his shield was already drawn, and... she was flying right at it.

The triangular shard wall shattered as the side of the sack hit it, flying into tiny triangular pieces like bits of glass. Shin felt the sudden onset of a migraine just as Kealey crashed into his chest.

"..." He lay there for a moment, in stunned silence. Why had his shards broken so easily? Shattered like glass... And why had Roland thrown her... Shin's thoughts paused.

Kealey was on top of him. And heavy. And warm. He tried to get free, but she was pinning down his arms.

"Um." Shin looked up helplessly at the sky, stuck on the ferry for all the world to see. He'd wanted to be the hero, but now here he was... fighting a blush?

"Ugh. Kealey, could you...?" Shin rolled onto his side, and started pushing his way free. His eyes darted to wherever Roland had gone.

Was he flipping out? What had she done to him... They had to go, and soon.

He rolled free, and got to his feet. A hand went to his head, and held it. The headache was still being friendly. A sharp platform worked its way into being, despite Shin's grimace. Five seconds later, he scooped the Kealey sack into his arms. Shin stepped onto the flying tortilla-chip-shaped platform, and balanced.

He shot a final look towards whatever Roland was up to, then bowed his head. Whatever it was, he couldn't stop it right now. Not while still protecting her. Not with how he was feeling. The guy was really nuts... and he wasn't quite a hero.

The flying tortilla rose away from the ferry, turning towards land. Shin and Kealey flew away from it all. Their silhouettes stood out against the setting sun.

The cellphone in his pocket still vibrated. Gee. Wonder who was calling him, now.

((OOC: Continued in: Link to Come))

Roland's breathing began to slow and his composure returned. From his vantage point, he could see the movement of the Asian boy's feet. He couldn't see the bag so he had to assume it was in his arms. A curious image ensued next as it appeared as if he stepped up on the ..air? The feet hovered out of sight. Flying too, must have been how he followed them so quickly. Ah well, something to remember. The pistol disappeared beneath the coat once more, tucked neatly in the back of his waistband.

What had that slag done to his brain? He still felt waves of anxiety in his chest. A few moments passed as he lay his head on the cool metallic floor of the ferry, breathing slowly to compose himself. A scuff of shoe woke him up. Turning his head, he looked to see an officer kneeling down to his field of vision. " Excuse me , Sir. I'm gonna need you to slide out of there slowly. Keep your hands out in front of you. I just want to ask you about what happened, but for my safety and your own, I need you to come out very slowly, OK?"

" Of course, Officer." He did as he was directed until he was free of the cover. " Good, now get up on your knees and cross one over the other. Put your hands behind your back. You aren't under arrest, but in the course of the investigation, I need to handcuff you. Again, for your safety and mine." That part wasn't going to work. He was well acquainted with the progression of these movements. They generally ended with tasers and zipties. Not today, tomorrow or ever again.

As he stood, he heard the familiar sound of blue steel sliding free of the patent leather holster. Practiced statements quickly degenerated into curt commands and harsh orders. There was a crowd growing as another set of backup shoes made their way in the situation's direction. Now was the time to play conductor in this living symphony. Change the tempo. His eyes caught the side mirror of the stepvan he had hidden beneath, bringing a smile to his face as he met eyes with the young officer. And his gun. Which was now Roland's gun.

He took a step to his left and turned on his heel. A taser had come out quickly to attempt to compensate for the loss of sidearm. Probably for other things as well. It found its way to Roland's feet. Harsh orders devolved into shaky pleas of mercy. So terribly weak. " Tell your partner everything's alright and you don't need him or I will shoot someone. Not you." His eyes moved over the growing crowd of citizens. Assent and the orders given were carried out. The other mentioned that he would call it in anyway, just to be safe.

A small fragment of a smirk passed briefly over the cop's face. Roland shrugged. " Doesn't save you or anyone else, so I'd keep my mind tuned to the present. Put these on." the policeman's own handcuffs were handed to him. The man blinked incredulously as yet another item from his belt was removed. He hesitated until he saw the safety get clicked off. Not so much insolence after that.

Now Roland listened to the man in blue make a feeble attempt at negotiation, ensuring that there was no escape since there would be units waiting when the ferry docked."Well, I guess it won't be docking then. Any more tips you'd like to give me? No?" They stepped to an exit door, locked since it was not to be used while the ship was in motion, or so it said in several languages. A few parts removed and it swung open, kicking an annoying buzzing alarm somewhere above. Water began to enter the car parking area, sliding beneath the tires of the vehicles there.

Roland held a quarter in front of the officer's face and then flipped it out into the water. " Go fetch." A swift kick to the pants of the boy in blue sent him screaming and reeling with a splash. With that solved, Roland made his way up to the promenade where the bulk of the visitors were. Most were piled around the top of the staircase, questions and comments fired in his general direction. The gun parted them like oil and water. It actually pushed them in the opposite direction, loading them all up like cows on one end. The other officer said something but his gun fled to Roland's capable hands and silenced him.

This, of course, only moved the crowd tighter against the railing. By now, Roland could hear the sirens of a police boat making its way to aid the vessel, the cop, or something else irrelevant.He directed the throng precisely to the point above the open door below, helping to push more water into the slower and slower moving craft. Someone was going to pay for all of his failures. Might as well be these schmucks. "Stay right there. Feel free to call police or your loved ones, whatever you like. Call the news too, we could use some coverage of this scene. A nice wide shot of your watery grave."

Next it was the bridge. They seemed to expect his arrival, standing away from the controls. Didn't matter anyway since the ship has come to a stop. the captain looked at him with serious eyes." S-Sir, there's no money here or valuables. We need to get that door shut downstairs or we'll sink. Can I send one of my men to secure it?" Roland smiled. "Of course it is going to sink. In fact, I'd like you to open the ends up so it sinks faster. I'm afraid the technical term escapes me. The large doors that keep out the sea. Open them."

The good captain refused. Once. Then when his first mate lay there bleeding out, he decided to comply. He was hostile about it, which was completely expected. He still did it though. Roland could hear more screaming as the ship began to list one way or the other, the whining of the doors felt through the ferry as shudders. Bodies began to leap like rats from the drowning vessel. What would it be, haughty police boat? Round up survivors or worry over me? it was the same situation he had presented to Miss Quinn's knight in sparkling shards. As he followed people into the murky cold water, he wondered if the pair might see the scene on the news that evening. A couple hundred bobbing heads and thousands of dollars in losses seemed to take precedence as he swam to the safety of anonymity.