((OOC: This is an alternate-reality type deal in which Twyla is older, slinkier, and oh so much more badass. I wanted to know what it would feel like with an evil Wallflower. *cue evil laughter and lightening*))

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If someone had been looking down the alley they would have seen several things: a stray cat digging through garbage, a black Asian motorcycle in all its sharp angles and glory, and a woman in a black body suit climbing up the wall of one of the buildings. As usual, no one noticed the bike, the girl or the stray cat, they faded into the shadows of the city always playing their parts but never forced into the spotlight...

Twyla Ashby–known now only as Wallflower–had been doing these kinds of ‘jobs’ for the last few years. When she turned eighteen she’d gotten mixed in with a few things she shouldn’t have but that was inevitable–living on the streets since she was sixteen had made her desperate. Desperate people were just who They were looking for and They especially liked desperate mutants like Wallflower who had talents that were extra useful when it came to ‘jobs’ like this one. She was twenty now and climbing walls with the little picks They had given her was beginning to become old hat. Lots of things that in her old life she would have never done were becoming old hat; stealing things and killing people for instance were becoming simple tasks that required no extra emotional strain. When Twyla had become Wallflower she had become desensitized to the world–nothing mattered anymore except getting to the next day, to the next job.

She climbed through the window, making little to no noise. Sitting on the sill she glanced around the room. A chair that was probably used as a guard post, based on the magazine and thermos that sat next to it, was the only piece of furniture in the dusty room and it was placed near the door. Wallflower had been lucky, the guard that she assumed usually occupied the chair was Somewhere Else. The girl didn't like this--They had not told her there would be guards. They had only told her that They wanted what the building possessed.

From the outside it had looked like a decrepit old building complete with warning signs and a fence to keep out whatever it was needed to be kept out of the old building. The girl concluded that if there were guards whatever it was They wanted was very important, probably why They hadn’t told her what it was. ‘You’ll know it when you see it, pet.’ Oily words that had slid across her mind, like slithering snakes. She absolutely hated it when They didn’t speak aloud it made her feel so exposed and slimy all over.

Something was wrong here, Wallflower could sense it, but what? Slowly two feet gingerly and quietly made their way to the creaky looking floorboards. Suddenly there was a loud noise and a flash of near blinding light. Wallflower toppled over, clutching her face and trying to blink the spots out of her eyes. Panic enveloped her in tendrils of static and she tried to blindly find an exit to the room of pain.

Old hat indeed...

Sh*t. Sh*t. Sh*t. The girl could hear pounding footsteps outside of the tiny room. A moment after she heard the boots she heard a loud whoosh that reminded her of barn fans. And then she saw the vents, the source of suddenly gusting air that picked up the dust. The dust on the floor was now flying about--coating the air and the girl's lungs with fine powder. The dust storm served two purposes: it disoriented the brunette but also provided her cover from the men that were suddenly crowding into the room. Out of instinct Wallflower pressed herself against the nearest wall and let her powers shield her from the masked guards. She held her breath as she waited for them to react.

"The window is open." It was a man's voice, barely muffled by the face mask he had on. Wallflower barely made out his hand as it signaled to the other two masked men, who then fanned out in the tiny room. The door was left open and unattended and the girl debated inching her way across the wall and making a mad dash into the hall. The only problem was that she didn't know what dangers the rest of the building contained.

What if there were more men?

Worse yet: what if her powers made her obvious?

She didn't know what backdrop she'd be inching her way into--a scary prospect for a mutant that depended on her powers during these little 'jobs'. Deep breaths. The girl calmed her rapidly beating heart. The men couldn't see her--she had a minute to think. Stay or go? Those were her options. Staying limited her reaction--the unknown hallway presented more escape routes possibly and would lead her closer to her goal, whatever that was. The decision was soon made, it was her only real option anyway.

5 4 3 2 1 Move. Wallflower inched along the wall, making no noise and trying to kick up as little dust as possible. Without any problems and without obviously being detected she made it to the doorway--

and then she felt the cough crawl its way up her throat.