She'd heard about it. She hadn't believed it. Further investigation was required. And so the blond mercenary in the red sweater and black jeans had somehow wound up in front of one bone mistress's room, to investigate.

Somehow, she already knew how this was going down. She had a plan. And so, she knocked, and waited.

When the door opened, she smiled at Isabel, and stated confidently, "We are going out for coffee today." Because they were. She just didn't know it yet.

Isabel hadn't found much to do with herself over the course of the day. She'd wandered in and out of the Sanctuary for short spans of time, though she hadn't wandered to much further than the Sanctuary's grounds during her uneventful outings. Wandering in and out of the various rooms in the shelter hadn't proved to be much more entertaining. It was just one of those days where she had become restless but hadn't found anything to sufficiently amuse herself with as of yet.

Once she's retired to her room for the third or fourth time, she toyed around with the idea of sifting through her closet and draws ans seeing what she could find, either to throw away or to simply move somewhere else. She'd played the same game with a few smaller items around her room. A bedside table, a standing lamp, a mirror or chair. In the end there was little to no productivity during such ventures.

She nearly jumped when a sudden knock sounded from the other side of her door. Visitors weren't really something she was used to entertaining, though on such a day she didn't exactly mind the distraction. Hopefully it would prove to be entertaining.

Seeing Lenna standing in the hallway once she'd opened the door was yet another surprise. She hadn't interacted with the young woman much at all after the breakout had been finished. "Coffee?" she mimicked, confused by the sudden declaration. "I wasn't aware we'd arranged an outing."

"It wouldn't be a surprise kidnapping if you knew in advance, now would it?" Lenna replied. "Besides, we need to talk. It's a fun topic. I hope you're ready."

A very fun talk. Perhaps, not the best one, but Lenna felt the woman needed the information, nonetheless. Coffee and chocolate would ease the blow. Perhaps, after it was all over, they could laugh? Maybe she'd laugh ahead of time? Nah. Nervous laughter wasn't fun.

"You ready?" She asked, still smiling. "I know just the place."

"I guess it wouldn't," Isabel replied, still a little unsure why the other young woman would be interested in taking her out somewhere on such short notice, and what she could possibly want to talk about. She hardly knew the other Sanctuary resident, hadn't spoken more than a handful of words to her in the past. Why the sudden interest in chatting?

Unless, of course, it was Order business. Mischief making on the Faction's behalf fell directly into her definition of fun. Lenna's definition of the word, however, could very easily vary. There was really only one way she'd find out exactly what kind of fun discussion the woman had in mind.

"I guess so," she said again, some uncertainty remaining even as she stepped through her doorway and into the corridor, closing her door behind her. Not that it would do much to discourage the intruders that usually pestered her, but it was worth a shot."And where might this place be?"

"It's a nice little coffee shop, not too far away. Just follow me." Lenna said, and led.

She was right. It didn't take them long to reach the location. One minor bus ride was all it took. Lenna sat patiently in the window seat, glancing out as the bus rattled along. They didn't talk. She let the intrigue build. Once they were at their stop, they got off.

The coffee shop was a small cafe with outdoor tables and an indoor bar area. By the windows, square tables were set up, allowing customers to abuse the wireless network while they drank their fill of java juice.

Lenna marched up to the bar and ordered one cappuccino. She looked expectantly to Isabel. "It's my treat."

A coffee shop didn't sound like an awful idea. Isabel wasn't much a fan of the crowds that they tended to draw at certain hours of the day, but the promise of caffeine could offset that to some degree. And perhaps with her new brand of attire, she wouldn't stand out quite so much as before, affording her a little free time for relaxation. Provided the conversation allowed such a thing as well.

Although rather short, the distance traveled to the aforementioned coffee shop was a little uncomfortable, mostly due to the silence that fell between her and her companion. While the other young woman mightn't have found it awkward in any way, silence wasn't something Isabel often found very comforting.

Thankfully, the din of the coffee-seekers broke the silence once they had reached the shop, and the posted menu offered a distraction and eased her discomfort some, as she was able to busy herself doing something for a moment.

She was just fishing through her pants pockets when Lenna spoke up and declared the trip to be her treat. There was a brief hesitation before she decided to allow it. She didn't order anything more than a regular coffee, a little cream and sugar. She wasn't a big coffee drinker, and as such wasn't acquainted with the more elaborately mixed beverages.

Once the drinks had been mixed, served, and paid for and a seat had been found for the two of them, Isabel shifted into a comfortable position and sipped carefully from her cup, trying to take care and avoid burning her mouth with some success.

"Alright then," she began, twisting the cup between her hands on the table top as she waited for it to cool just a little bit more, "Now we're here and settled in. What is it you want to talk to me about?"

>> "Alright then. Now we're here and settled in. What is it you want to talk to me about?"

Isabel said.

Lenna took a quick sip of her cappuccino, and threw Isabel the ball from out of left field. "I slept with Bacchus."

Isabel spat up coffee, out of pure shock, but Lenna kept on.

"It happened a long, long time ago, somewhere far away, and word gets around. I heard you two are close right now, and... I just didn't want you to get hurt, if you ever found out what had happened. There is absolutely nothing between him and I. He was a fling, simple as that."

Lenna looked at Isabel honestly, interested to see how she would react. With these things, a frank approach was often preferred.


((OOC: Isabel Spittake approved by Isabel))

For a moment Isabel could only busy herself cleaning up the small mess she'd made with a handful of napkins she'd grabbed on their way to the table. Had she had any room in her mind not occupied by the sudden information she'd been so bluntly given, she might have had the time to be embarrassed. He face did feel a little hot, but it wasn't certain if it was due to her little spit take or because of what the other young woman had said.

Lenna had slept with Bane. A long time ago, in a far away place. It almost sounded like the start of a fairy tale when the admittance had begun.

She replayed the few sentences in her mind a few times, just to be sure she'd heard it right. Her temper wasn't something she was very good at controlling, and very often it got her into trouble. So much for a relaxing trip to a coffee shop.

"How long ago is 'a long, long time'?" she questioned, ceasing to scrub at the tabletop with the wrinkled mess of napkins. She'd known Bane for a while, and had only just recently met Lenna.

It seemed a little strange that the two should both end up at the Sanctuary, though she hadn't necessarily seen much of the other young woman. Also just a little more than a little suspicious that Lenna had also been involved in his breakout. And then had suddenly showed up at her door to drag her out and deliver such news. It might have been rash thinking, but she didn't have the greatest grasp on logic while in such situations.

She wasn't exactly well versed in the ways women interacted with one another, either. She'd never really had a pack of girlfriends, as young women were so often depicted as having. But from what she understood these kinds of situations never ended up very well, and often turned in some kind of a scheme for one girl to claim another's significant other.

"I'd like to know when and where," she stated, trying her very best to stay calm, though her curling fingers may have betrayed the more volatile emotions starting to bubble up.

>>"How long ago is 'a long, long time'?"

'How long' was a very good question to ask. It was one Lenna had to think on for a second. She took a thoughtful sip of her drink, mulling it over. She thought... and thought... and thought... and did some more thinking. Some mental math ran through her brain.

How long ago had it been?

When had Slate forced his way into her life? When had Cortez owned her so completely that the only way to own him back had been to feed him to the Kabal leader? When...?

"Some time during Spring of last year?" Lenna shrugged. That actually wasn't too long ago, but it had felt like a lifetime. As for the where... "Columbia," Lenna stated. She didn't elaborate yet, but had a feeling she might have to soon.

Until then, she enjoyed her cappuccino. It was Very Good.

It was a Very Good cappuccino. This place made good drinks. Pity some people wasted them on the table.

Isabel waited less than patiently as the other young woman took her time mulling over the questions that had been asked. Was she trying to be irritating on purpose?

She was the one that had shown up at her room and announced they'd be going out for coffee, knowing full well that this information would be delivered in one way or another. There wasn't any reason she should have so much trouble recalling the details, especially if she'd anticipated questions. And she must have. There was no way anyone could make such an announcement without a following interrogation of some sort.

The soggy napkins in her hand were slowly diminishing into torn pieces by the time Lenna finally spoke up with an answer. Last Spring wasn't very long ago at all. 'A long, long time ago' indicated something closer to years, not months. And Columbia? That may have been far away, but what on earth had Bane been doing in Columbia? She remembered the span of time when he'd been gone, but she hadn't known where.

Exactly how long had he been missing anyhow? She couldn't remember exactly. A couple of weeks, maybe? In any case, running off to Columbia with some girl while he insisted that every outing with Isabel had been a date didn't seem right. And what on earth was that girl doing in the Sanctuary where Bane lived, if it had been no big deal?

Well, since her coffee-mate seemed willing to chat, maybe she'd manage to get some more answers."What the hell was Bane doing in Columbia with you?" she asked, trying her best to keep her voice even and her tone appropriate. She felt like screaming in gradually increasing intervals, but if she started to yell, she might not be able to get any more information.

"You said it was just a fling. Then why are you at the Sanctuary? You know he lives there, too. And why find me and bother me with all of this? It doesn't seem right."

>> "What the hell was Bane doing in Columbia with you?"

"That's a good question," Lenna replied in a tone far more even than Isabel's own. "Perhaps we should ask him? I really don't know."

He'd given her what she had assumed at the time was a cover story, while in Columbia at the same time as Slate. Foreigners such as Tarin and Lee were also in Columbia during that time. The fact he was a foreigner in Columbia during Slate's time there had certainly set off red flags with Lenna. She wasn't irresponsible enough to link the two hastily. If he had been working with Slate, confessing for him like so right now just wouldn't be fair to him. No, she'd have to let him do his explaining. If he wanted to make any bold professions or confessions, that was fine. It wasn't any of her business. Isabel certainly hadn't asked what she was doing in Columbia (yet).

Her follow-up was leading there, though.

Why was she working at the Sanctuary now, if it was just a fling?

"Hmph," Lenna bowed her head with a small chuckle. "You must really like him, if you're asking all these questions. Why am I at the Sanctuary? I work there. Mars introduced me to the place while I was working with a friend to track down your gender-swapped leader. I found out Bacchus was in prison during that. I decided he deserved a slap for getting caught and locked away. He can be a real idiot, you know?" She took a casual sip of her cappuccino. "After helping Lori and Mars out, I decided to return to the Sanctuary and set up the mission to do just that. I helped him break out. You did, too. Then, I spoke with Lori about working for her. I'm a mercenary, Isabel. That's why I was in Columbia. That's why I'm here, now. As for why I'm telling you this... I respect you. You held your own during the mission, and you seem strong-minded. I'm not sure about the bone bikini modeling or whatever... but what you do on your own is your own business. I won't pry."

She looked at Isabel seriously. "It was just a fling. I want to remind you of that. A one-night stand. I used him. He means nothing to me. He's a bit too simple. I didn't want you finding this out later, if and when he tries something stupid thanks to that stupid nature of his. Like I said, I respect you. I wanted to tell you myself, so you didn't have to hear it from anyone else."

"Any other questions?" Lenna held her cappuccino cupped between two hands.

There was no need for a suggestion to question Bane later on. Isabel fully intended on doing just that. She'd just gotten over being mad at him for ignoring her after the breakout, and now she had yet another reason to yell at him. It never seemed to end, and yet she couldn't help but enjoy his company. Sometimes she wondered if his picked at her temper just for the hell of it.

She couldn't help but blush a little at the estimation of her level of care toward the big oaf. It still felt odd somehow admitting such things. Maybe because of all the teasing Bane did on some occasion. But Lenna had known that she'd gotten closer to the Giant. She'd said so herself. So why shouldn't she ask such questions? Why did how much she cared for him have anything to do with it?

She hadn't been aware the the other young woman had been employed at the Sanctuary. Being involved in the breakout probably should have been some kind of hint, but there were so many mutants that flowed through the building, be they potential Orderlings, or simply looking for a place to crash for a little while, that sometimes it got a little confusing and hard to keep track of. But if Mars had been the one to bring her in, then maybe she could be trusted. Isabel cared very deeply for the Big Guys and trusted their judgment in just about everything.

So maybe Bane hadn't gone to Columbia with the girl, if she was a mercenary. But why had he been there, then? As far as she knew, the only people he knew outside of New York were in Australia.

The sudden mention of those damned posters effectively derailed her train of though as she just sat and stared a moment, her face going even redder. Just how many people had seen those things? She'd kill Hull one of these days. "Those posters weren't my fault! I didn't even know that picture had been taken!" she blurted. She'd have to start scouring the Sanctuary for those things, see if Hull had a stash somewhere and burn them all.

She debated defending the Giant when the other young woman started to insult his intelligence, but only for the briefest of moments. She was too angry to take his side on any issue at the moment. As for further inquiries, "I think Bane's the best candidate for any of my other questions."

Lenna arched an eyebrow. "You're... saying there's someone to blame for them, then? From talk around the sanctuary, I got the impression nobody needed to apologize for anything. I guess I misinterpreted the drunken rantings of those men..." Lenna trailed ponderously. Was Isabel actually blushing over those? There was nothing to be ashamed of. She had a good figure. "Sorry for bringing that up," Lenna shrugged. "Anyways..."

She restated the important message of the day. No emotions were attached to the giant.

Isabel didn't seem to have any further questions for her, only for Bacchus. "Well then," Lenna looked at her intently. "After we finish our drinks, shall we track him down and force him to talk? I'm curious why he was in Columbia too."

Isabel tried not to let her mind dwell on the damned posters any longer than was possible, thankful that the other young woman didn't pursue the subject much further. There absolutely was someone to blame, but there were more pressing matters at this moment.

Like finding Bane and filling in the holes that were left in Lenna's explanation and understanding of his reasons for traveling to Columbia. "Fine," was all she said in ways of agreement as she sat back and let her mind wander, further soaking in the information she'd been given.

She wasn't really in the mood for any more coffee, so she let hers sit and get cooler by the minute as she waited for Lenna to finish her own drink before the pair headed out to catch another bus back to the Sanctuary.

The way back seemed to take twice as long as it had to get to the coffee shop earlier, though it may have all been in her head, the time seemingly dragging because of her eagerness to find the Giant.

He was most likely back at the Sanctuary somewhere, maybe still cleaning out his room of the last remaining alcohol containers, or sitting down in the basement tending to his creepy crawlies. In any case, he was never too hard to find. All it really took was to follow the sounds of banging and crashing that usually accompanied him.

If the ride to the coffee cafe had been awkward, the ride back to the sanctuary was doubly so. Isabel had really quieted down. She didn't seem to want to speak to Lenna. It was slightly worrisome for the woman. She had hoped coming clean wouldn't affect their working relationship. That would reflect badly during her work for the order. People needed to respect and trust the people they were working under... at least, most of the time.

Once they'd reached the Sanctuary, the hunt began. Lenna looked to Isabel. "Where does he usually spend his time? I hardly know him... Maybe Lisa could just call him to the front desk and save us a search?"

((OOC: Now would be a good time for a Giant to make his appearance on the scene.))