>>“Being sorry doesn't help anyone. If you want to help, you need to pull yourself together first. Then, help us figure out what we can to about all of this. Come. Sit at the table with us.”

There was something about that Sebastian man - maybe his voice, or his posture, or, weirdly enough, the fact that he wasn't calm either - that made Effie take a few deep breaths, and snap out of the shock. Yes. There was something to do. Something to figure out. Pull herself together. Make everything right again.
Just don't touch those two, you'll be fine.
Effie stood, just a little bit shaking, and walked over to sit at the table. She turned to look at Garrett. He was still out of it, by the look on his face, but quicly calming down.

>>"Sorry, Effie. I shouldn't have yelled. I just completely underestimated the gravity of touching you. I thought it would be some kind of nice sensation and it would work for us, not..."

"Well it didn't work." Effie summarized in a neutral tone, weving her fingers together and resting her hands on the table. Was that a correct sentence? Well well. For some strange reason, the Matchmaker came into her mind. And, for the first time since she left for the USA, she didn't think about some advice or wise saying from the woman - she thought about the woman herself. Because she was, Effie realized, much stronger than she looked.
What Would The Matchmaker Do?

Effie turned back to Sebastian.

"My name is Svetlana Sergyeva Morozova, I am from Russia, and I was mail order bride to Fausto Martense. Now I am student at the Mansion. My touch boost the power of mutants. You saw that."

There.

Garrett called the girl Effie, but she introduced herself as Svetlana Sergyeva Morozova. He could understand the use of a moniker for someone whose full name was almost poetry, both in beauty and in length.

The unicorn man bowed his head respectfully to her introduction and responded in smooth, but archaic, Russian, “[It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Sebastian Csendes.]” The pleasure, of course, would have been greater had their meeting been under more pleasant of circumstances. It was rather a shame that Fausto hadn't mentioned something about her earlier; some of this tragedy could possibly have been averted.

Now that everyone was listening and at least a little more calm, the immortal continued in English once again, “The first thing we need to do is to assure the safety of Ms. Morozova, immediately and long term. In all likelihood it will not take long for people to find the center of this unhappy accident. At that point both of you should be long gone. I know of a safe place where there will be plenty of people to protect you both.”

Sebastian's gaze met each of theirs in turn as he spoke. “Eventually, I will attempt to assemble a team of people to find out what Lori is doing. It may take a few days for that to happen, however, I don't think it is possible for them to recreate something like the Haywire Virus in just a few day's time.”

He paused, awaiting the reactions of the other two, “Does that plan sound like it will work?”

Which came first, the insult or the injury? Garrett couldn't tell as he looked with slack jawed amazement at Eff--no,Sveta. What was it about immortals that just made girls gaga? As he listened to the smooth operator spill Russian all over her ears, it became apparent. Garrett just put his face down on his arms as they neatly crossed before him. The darkness and warmth of his forearms and the muffled sounds sort of took him away from the scene. Why lie about her name? As if Garrett would somehow decipher subtleties in the language? He didn't even know Moskva was Moscow. Oh, well.

He raised his head back up to the searing light of illumination once Sebastian began to speak again. Since he was no longer being suave, it became slightly easier. Garrett's eyes only occasionally glanced at Eff-Sveta during the talk. He felt like everything was fake and made of plastic. Just as well, so he didn't have anyone to fawn over in prison. It sounded perfect and he was eternally grateful for Sebastian, slight jealousy not included. The man had connections and could take E--Sveta somewhere safe. It cleared Garrett's conscience enough for him to make his own announcement.

" I think all of that sounds very good. Thank you for helping me Sebastian. However, I am afraid I am not going to be joining you on your trip. Someone has to step up and take responsibility for this and that person will be me. I already have enough blood on my hands. I won't risk the lives of innocent mutants, leaving room for witch hunts of any mutant whose gift even slightly resembles my own. It will be much easier for the angry mobs to point their collective finger at me. Maybe I can save at least as many lives as I just ended."

That was that. He knew Sebastian would try to dissuade him, but if he had to, he would put his friend down temporarily so he could do the right thing without interruption. garrett did finally actually look at Sveta now, kindness and regret in his eyes. " Mind if I borrow a cigarette and a light, Sveta?" Might be the kind one got before the firing squad.

Sveta looked up in surprise when Sebastian spoke. She hadn't heard anyone speak Russian in long months; even if he was speaking as if he'd learned it from books (very ancient books), it still had an effect on her. She almost smiled.

"[Good to meet you too, Sebastian.]"

It was not easy to follow what he said, once he switched back to English. Sveta tried to catch all the important words. She guessed the rest. They would take her somewhere safe. Safe from the blonde woman, and, most likely, safe from all the people she hurt. Good thinking.

"I go with you." she nodded.

She could see the look on Garrett's face the whole time. He must have been disappointed. She used a fake name, which was not such a big deal in itself. He also kind of already guessed she was a mail order bride. Still, she felt a pang of guilt for telling him the truth like that.

Wait, was he... was he going to give himself up? Sveta opened her mouth to complain, to tell him this was the worst thing he could do, but... was it?
Sveta was good at reading people. She could tell he would do it, whether or not she disagreed.

>>"Mind if I borrow a cigarette and a light, Sveta?"

He said her real name. It felt real, too. Sveta fished the sigarettes and the lighter out of her purse (she had no idea why she was still clinging to that... female nature, probably), and put them on the table, pulling her hand back before he reached for them.

"It is not your fault." she said quietly "I know who made mistakes, but you didn't. You are not guilty."

She hoped Sebastian would help her with that argument.

Sebastian didn't like what Garrett was planning on doing. Sure, the neural manipulator made it sound reasonable and logical and right to turn himself in, but as a friend Sebastian still didn't like it.

“You don't always have to take the fall for others,” he pointed out quietly. “Won't you reconsider?”

Sebastian could read in the other man's eyes that he wouldn't. The unicorn man pursed his lips and his tail flicked behind him in agitation. He could argue further, but it was fairly obvious that Garrett wasn't going to be changing his mind about this. It was a tense few moments before anyone spoke again.

“I am unfamiliar with this country's system of justice, what exactly will happen when you give yourself up?” The unicorn man wasn't about to let his friend be hung for something that was an accident. If the hangman's noose was all that awaited him, Sebastian was prepared to take Garrett with him by force if necessary.

Sveta and Sebastian were displaying noble qualities. Expected in the unicorn, but pleasantly surprising in the Russian.Garrett smiled at the two of him as he inhaled the carcinogenic vapors of the cigarette. Garrett drummed his fingers on the table, shaking his head and laughing. This laugh was new in the repertoire of jittery sounds that commonly echoed through his chest. While smiling and nodding at Sveta, his eyes focused and settled on the older man before him. "Really, Sebastian? I shouldn't take the fall for others? Well, maybe I should mention your involvement in Syn's demise to your good friends at the Sanctuary. I don't remember any noble speeches then. Just me getting dragged across the leg by Abyss. So, save the sermon."

Garrett stood from the table, looking through the immortal. The smoke poured from his lips. " For someone who has witnessed countless acts of heroism, I'm a little surprised. I'm going to go now. I do thank you for your friendship." He walked to the door.

Things were taking a turn for the worse. Sveta didn't think it was possible.

There was a tension between the two men, something that went beyond their current problems and th chaos they'd created. It was something in the past Sveta didn't know anything about - the names didn't sound familiar, and the details were foggy, and she suddenly realized how little she knew about the past of mutantkind in general.

She stood when Garrett stood. He was leaving, with or without Sebastian's approval, it didn't take a genious to see that. The question was valid, though: what would happen to him if (when) he gave himself up?
Considering the mess he was taking the blame for, and the attitude towards mutants in general: nothing good. Sveta opened her mouth to say something.

She didn't.

What would she say? I'm sorry? Be careful? Goodbye?...
All of those were better left unsaid. Sveta watched him walk out the door. There goes another person who cared about her. Or at least he thought he cared. She should have known better.

"We should go." she said finally, smoothing down her clothes and avoiding Sebastian's gaze "I go with you."

Sebastian's eyes narrowed slightly at the neural manipulator's biting comments. His instinct was to snip back, but he did not. Emotions were running high, and nothing the unicorn shifter could say in response to that would help anyone feel better. He merely took a breath and used it to calm himself again, letting his gaze return to neutral.

Letting the man leave without saying anything, though, was too difficult for him, so he settled for simple goodbye.

“Good luck, Garrett.”

The unicorn man looked back down to his hands. His question had not been answered; he had no idea whether or not he was letting his friend walk off to the gallows or to a lifetime of imprisonment. He didn't know if there would be a trial, or whether he would be sentenced immediately upon his confession. Luck, was perhaps not what the younger man needed.

“Pax, my friend,” he added softly, amending his wish to peace rather than luck.

Svetlana reminded him that they should go. The unicorn man nodded and walked the same path to the door that Garrett had taken.

“Yes,” he agreed. “My car is downstairs. Do you need any extra clothing before we depart? You close to the same size as my wife.” A little shorter, a little broader in the chest, but some of Maya's looser things, like pajamas, would fit her probably.

“I have to make two phone calls before we leave. Take anything that you need, food, clothing, anything.” He opened the door to his own apartment and held it open for her.

Phone call number one was to his wife. He got her automatic recorded message asking him to leave a message. “Dear Maya, this is Sebastian. I'm checking to see if you're alright. Please call me back. I'm need to head to work and won't be back until late. Good bye.” He hung up. It was always so strange to leave voice letters for people; it felt more like talking to a machine than to a person.

The second call he made was to Mondragon Labs Medical. The phone barely rang once before someone answered. He didn't say his name this time. Noin had assured him that she had a device that could already tell her who was calling. It was strange, but it seemed to work for her. “I wanted to let you know that I will be stopping by with a special guest. I think she should meet the boss. You have heard the most recent news? ... Yes. I'll see you shortly.”

He closed his phone and put it back in his breast pocket. He looked up to see if Svetlana was ready to depart.

Traffic was probably going to be impossible with all the car accidents that had been mentioned. It was very possible that they would have to hoof it, literally.

Down the stairs, Garrett's fingers trailed over the wooden wall. He had a mild case of the scaredsies, but that was natural, considering what would be his fate. He stepped out into the parking lot, looking at the sky. For a day of reckoning, it was pretty nice outside. Walking through the alley, the sounds of metal he had heard became clear. Two cars were joined in a union of smoke and twisted metal, the drivers trying to come to their senses. Looking down the street both ways, there were several scenes like the one before him, dotted with people sitting or shakily trying to get to their feet.

His initial instinct was to wade into it and try to help. He was an EMT after all. However, the thought of the first person he touched reliving a taste of what they had just experienced was a problem. Thoughts of angry fingers and burning torches came next. He'd take his chances with the justice system. Of course, he could also end up being the sole cause for a new Registration Act. Stepping over bodies and avoiding the occasional wayward driver, he tried to keep it internal. There still didn't seem to be any other reasonable solution.

The precinct nearest them wasn't too far. He was just passing the Full Circle. Any desire to step inside and beg for forgiveness was neatly folded and buried in a drawer of responsibility. All of that was over now. Whatever he had told people would have to do. It would just be a matter of time before the epicenter of the wave would be assessed. Then there would be torches at the Clinic. He'd have none of that. he'd just have to man up and---

--SSCCCRREEEEEEEECH--

Another accident incoming? he just closed his eyes. Being hit by the car might make the trip easier. A door opened and he heard his name. " Garrett Wills?" His head swiveled in that direction. A man in a black suit and tie was looking at him in a very Mr. Smith way. The handgun he had pointed at Garrett said plenty as well. " Damn, you guys are fast." He saw a badge that had the same organization name as Tyranny Jones, the kooky lady, had showed him. These people really had their s*** together. He got the general drift. The black SUV zoomed away.

((Continued in Point of No Return))

>>“Do you need any extra clothing before we depart? You close to the same size as my wife. I have to make two phone calls before we leave. Take anything that you need, food, clothing, anything.”

Sveta stood in the apartment, hugging herself. Now that Garrett left she suddenly felt lost, and uncomfortable. Sebastian letting her into his home and offering her to take anything just made the feeling stronger. She had to trust him. That was not the problem, he was somehow easy to trust... but Sveta didn't feel like she deserved this much help.

At first, she didn't want to take anything. Then, she looked at herself, and all she saw was skin. Was she really stupid enough to walk around like that?! All right, so she was wearing gloves. But she was also wearing a blouse with short sleeves, which left several inches of her arm uncovered. Not to mention she was wearing a skirt. Damn. No wonder Garrett touched her skin by accident. It was all her fault, after all.

By the time Sebastian finished his phone calls, Sveta returned from the next room wearing jeans and a sweater (she was lucky to find some clothes that did fit her, after all), comfortably wrapped up in clothing that only left her neck and face uncovered. She knew she should eat something too - she hadn't, since Lori took her - but she was pretty sure she couldn't hold any food right now. So she drank some water, and nodded to her new guardian.

"Ready."

Sebastian nodded to the girls' choice of more clothing, then held the door for her once more. He locked it behind himself when he followed her through it.

His old white Buick was parked out in front of the clinic. One of the cars that had been involved in the collision bounced off of it and into the brick wall that was the front corner of the clinic. The passenger of that particular car was no longer at the scene. He didn't take time to inspect the other crashed cars, though it felt really odd to not be trying to help everyone he could. He was helping everyone by getting the dangerous, but beautiful, Ms. Morozova away from where people could use her ability for sinister advantages.

He also inspected the damage to his car for only a moment; it looked to be mostly the back bumper that had taken the brunt of the force. It would probably still run. He opened the passenger door first, for Svetlana, before letting himself into the driver's side. He breathed a sigh of relief when the engine turned over. They were in business.

He maneuvered the Buick out of the parking space, which had shrunken considerably since he'd parked there, and out onto the road. It was slow going, for the most part, but passable, at least on the roads near the clinic. Accident after accident, and he didn't stop. His knuckles were even paler than usual from gripping the wheel as he fought his instinct to pull over and heal yet another accident victim whose car had wrapped itself around a lamp post.

He needed a distraction, “Ms. Morozova, I know this is an odd circumstance to be getting to know someone, but would you tell me a little more about yourself?” Anything would be great.

Sveta tried not to look around when they walked out of the building... but wherever she looked, the picture was the same, and even if she looked down at the pavement the world seemed to consist of broken glass and the sound of sirens.

I caused all this.

Once in the car, it was slightly better - at least she was safe, relatively, and other people were safe from her. Except for Sebastian, but one person she could watch out for.
She wouldn't make the same mistake twice though. She wouldn't think, even for a moment, that Sebastian could touch her without hurt.

>>“Ms. Morozova, I know this is an odd circumstance to be getting to know someone, but would you tell me a little more about yourself?”

She opened then closed her mouth. She had so many things to tell, but even after all that happened, in the back of her mind she still heard the voice of the Matchmaker. Things were pretty screwed up, but not completely. Yet.
Also, with every accident they passed, it felt harder to say anything.

I am the one who caused all this.

Finally, Sveta started talking.

"I used to live in Moscow, before I came here. I have a sister there... she is 14. We... lived alone, for a while, and then I came here to get married, and start a new life. She is living with a friend now. I promised her she can follow me once everything is settled. Now it looks like it's going to be a while... and I don't even know if she is a mutant too. I didn't know about myself till I came here."

She didn't even realize she was speaking Russian.

She answered in Russian. It wasn't a language he had used very recently at all, and some of the words he didn't recognize. It was a good thing; it kept his brain occupied. Formulating his own response was an equally good distraction from the chaos on the sides of the roads.

“” He had been trying to think of the word for 'immigrant' but he got as close as he could. “”

Sebastian frowned out his window, “[Svetlana, close your eyes.]” She didn't need to see that. “[Your sister is still a student? Xavier's School might allow her to study there. You may open your eyes again.]”

They were almost at the Labs. It would only be a few more minutes before they pulled into the long winding driveway. There would be much less traffic there, and consequently far fewer accidents. It was even possible that the effects of Garrett and Muse's combined powers had not reached this far. They had come quite a ways from their original location by now.

“Mondragon Labs,” he announced. “[The people here will help us.]”

Sveta blinked a couple of times, trying to get rid of some stray tears. She wasn't sure if it was the after-effect of the shock, or the fact that Sebastian spoke Russian, or the things he said, or that he made her remember Bo. Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she complied when he told her not to look. She was glad he warned her. It wasn't the time to start crying.
Not yet.

She tired to focus on what he said. Greece? So he did know how it feels to be a foreigner here. That comforted her. In the past hours she had felt more alone than ever, and as he talked, the feeling started to slowly, slowly get a bit more faint.

>>“Mondragon Labs. The people here will help us.”

All right, so he was getting a bit too good to be true. As far as she knew, she was the only one who needed help. And the few thousand people out there who were hurt by her abilities.
Sveta shuddered at the word 'labs' as she got out of the car, hugging herself. She just got out of one sort of labs, and then a clinic, and here she was again.

He'd better be right about that help.

(Continued in Running in Circles.)