(OOC: Continued from Spying on Registration)

It took half a day before Iris remembered where she'd come across mention of the Church of Humanity, and then quite by accident.

After leaving Hunter she'd wandered around the city for a little bit. She wanted to visit the animal shelters, as being around them always gave her something else to focus on rather than her own problems. Unfortunately, while her change in appearance was drastic, she didn't want to risk running across someone she knew from work. So instead she went in and out of several bookstores and coffee shops, finally coming to rest at one shop that specialized in both. She ordered a double expresso with a shot of Irish Cream and cinnamon, then found a corner of the indoor cafe to look out the window. At some point in her musings, she saw someone pass by sorting through things from his pocket, including wallet, receipts, other papers....

Papers... wallet... flier....

Rupert! That's where she saw it! The detective had a Church flier in among his stuff, back at the Gardens. Was he a member? She recalled the way he'd spoken of mutants, as if he'd had personal experience, and bad experience at that. She wouldn't be surprised if he was. And he had mentioned the Stalkers as well.

“Currently the law has too much support.... The loudest voice by far is the Church of Humanity.... I intend to infiltrate the Church and bring it down....

Hmm... Maybe Hunter had a point after all. If nothing else, it was a place to start....

<"Start what, though?">

-------------------------------------------

Ten minutes later Iris was asking herself that question again, this time while standing outside a greystone building with a steepled roof, and a stained-glass window above an ornate set of polished oak double doors. People trickled in and out of the doors, plus there was a long line formed at a normal glass door set off to the side, at the base of the stairs. She avoided the line, instead joining the flow going to the top of the stairs, and found herself standing in the foyer, then the main room. Wooden pews lined the floor. Her footsteps echoed against the vaulted ceiling.

Iris rubbed the back of her neck. She wasn't a religious person for the most part, plus the churches she'd been in back home were put to shame by this one. It was a bit disconcerting.... She turned and walked back out into the foyer, inhaling deeply.

"May I help you?"

Iris turned abruptly, at first not seeing who addressed her. It turned out to be a rather short, chunky man, balding through the middle and dress smartly in a business suit. Standing only a few inches taller than her elbows, he smiled at her, but she couldn't help being reminded of a chesshire cat.

"I was just looking around," she replied with a shrug. "A, uh, friend... told me about this place, and I thought I'd come check it out." She was still wearing her hooded jacket, covering her hair, and her hands were in her pockets. On a hunch she added, "Thought it might be nice to get away from all the mutant madness goin' on out there." She motioned with her head to the world beyond the doors.

The man sighed deeply, and clasped his hands together behind his back. "Oh, indeed it is a chaotic world beyond these walls. We hope that, in the days to come, our peace may extend to the rest of humanity. However, those pure of heart and body are most welcome to take refuge here for a time."

<"Interesting wording."> Iris resisted raising an eyebrow. Aloud she asked bluntly, "Humanity only, right?" Then added with a pout. "You don't let mutants in here do you?" She looked the part of a rebellious youth in her getup, so she figured she may as well act the part. She tried to think of how Crystal would word and say thing....

"I thought this was the Church of Humanity. My friend said I didn't have to deal with those.... things.... here."

The chesshire cat returned, and the man bowed slightly. "We encourage all to come here to seek refuge from the world's various... shall we say... 'curses', in whatever form they may appear as."

Iris had to give the man credit. His wording could be taken so many different ways, it was hard to peg down if he considered mutants as one of the world's 'curses'. But she didn't trust that grin at all.

Keeping up the rebellious attitude, she crossed her arms across her chest. "Yeah, lotta fancy words. I'll bet your sermons are pretty too, right Rev?" She wasn't sure if the man was one of the preachers, but she took a stab at it anyway. "And how are you supposed to know if your congregation is 'curse-free'? I mean, if you're a mind-reader, wouldn't that mean you're cursed too?" She rolled her eyes. The man kept the gin on his face.

"The eyes of God see and know all, and he will keep his followers pure."

<"Oh, he's good...">

Iris snorted. "Yeah, whatever." She turned to leave. "All I know is that if you let those freaks of nature in here too, I'm out. See ya Rev."

She reached for the door handle.

"If you are interested, there is a blood drive being held in the Community Room on the lower level. There is free screening available to insure the purity of that which is donated."

Upon hearing the stress on the word 'purity', Iris paused and turned back to look at him. The grin was still there, but there was also an odd sparkle in his eyes. It reminded her of the way Syn had looked at her; he was hiding something behind those words for sure. She squelched down a shudder.

"I'll think about it," she replied then walked back outside. She hesitated, then headed down the stairs and down the block, away from the line.

She could have read almost anything into the man's words, but Iris had a feeling Hunter had been right. But now what should she do? She wanted to find out more about the Resistance; they might know what to do with this information. But how? Most mutants were in hiding now, for fear of drawing Stalker attention. If she started asking questions it might draw negative attention from either side, which wouldn't help at all. And if she went undercover at the Church, what good would it do if she couldn't get information to the people who could make use of it? Hunter might feel he could take out the Church single-handedly, but she knew she couldn't, and wasn't about to try. Plus, if that 'screening for purity' meant screening for the Xgene, how was she supposed to get past that??

Her head was spinning, and a headache was coming on. Looking up, she saw that it was getting late in the day anyway. She headed back toward the hotel to find dinner and a sauna.

Hunter had watched Paragon enter and leave the Church. So she was interested. Now was time to force her hand a little. No single other mutant could bring such a variety of abilities, and that was the tactical reason that she was the one he wanted to bring her. But there was more to it.

After meeting Katrina something inside him had stirred. He wanted to try and repair his damaged relationship with his daughter, and this was the only way he could think of getting them together for an extended period of time without kidnapping her.

Jogging out from concealment he quickly made his way up the steps and into the Church. Stopping he pretended to pant, as if he had just run a very long way to get here. “Excuse me,” he said to the reverend through his fake panting, “Have you seen my girlfriend?”

“Your girlfriend?” the reverend replied puzzled.

“Yes,” said Hunter straightening, “She’s about this tall, dark hair.”

“Ah yes,” said the reverend, “She was in here not a moment ago. I’m afraid you just missed her.”

“Blast,” said Hunter, “I’m going to get it in the neck for being late. You see, we were looking to join together. She didn’t join without me did she?”

“No,” replied the reverend with a smile.

“Good, it may not be too late for me then,” said Hunter with a smile, “I hope to see you again soon reverend. Hunter left the Church and then swiftly made his way to Paragon’s hotel. Five minutes after stepping out of the car he was sitting comfortably in the chair that was behind the door as you opened it, waiting for his daughter to return to her room.

Iris had found that, while the owner of the Inn was very sweet and cleaned with a vengeance, her cooking left much to be desired. So on her way back she stopped at a corner store to pick up a few healthy snacks, some microwavable meals, a case of bottled water, and some painkillers. She struggled to open her room door with her arms full of paper bags. Once in, she shoved the door closed with her foot. She heard Ebony hiss from under the bed, but didn't think anything of it. Once the groceries were unbagged, the Siamese would have fun playing hide-and-seek-and-destroy in the paper bags.

As she set the bags down on the bed, back to the door, Crystal swirled into appearance. She glanced at the door, and the figure sitting next to it, then back at Iris. A grin spread across the hologram's face.

"So, how was your day?" she asked sweetly. Iris looked at her, instantly suspicious. Crystal was never that nice without a reason.

"Fine.... Why?"

"Well, you are a trouble magnet."[/color] Okay, that was more 'Crystal-like'. "Last time you went out you decided to play tag with one of those tracker bots. What kind of mayhem did you get into this time?"[/color]

Iris rubbed her side, which was still sore. "I'm not a trouble magnet. Just in the wrong place at the wrong time," she grumbled, rubbing her side. "Besides, it's just a scratch." She pulled out a bag of carrots sticks and another of apples slices. She'd acquired a taste for them from working with the horses on the ranch.

"Yeah, a 'scratch' that needed stitches. Like I said, 'trouble magnet'." Crystal paused, then added, "So.... does, uh, 'Daddy' know about your little excursion the other night?"[/color] A downright evil grin split the hologram's face. Iris stopped her unpacking, and glanced up suspiciously, part of an apple sticking out of her mouth.

"Why?"

Crystal pointed toward the door, still smirking. Iris turned to looked over her shoulder.

And saw Hunter sitting there.

And bit down, snapping the apple in two. And nearly choked.

She coughed while trying to catch the bit that had fallen out of her mouth, then dropped both bits into the trash. She sat on the bed, rubbing her temples wearily.

"God, Hunter, I wish you'd stop doing that...."[/color]

Hunter watched as Paragon entered and paid him no heed as she went and dumped her stuff on her bed. Rather than make himself know he simply waited, wondering how long it would take for his daughter to notice he was there. Instead she activated her hologram.

Crystal saw him instantly, but he put a finger to his lips and shook his head. She seemed to understand and didn’t mention him. Instead the hologram grilled Paragon on where she’d been. Apparently her wound needed stitches. Hunter had surmised as much, but Crystal had just confirmed it.

Finally it seemed Crystal could keep quite no longer and revealed him. Paragon’s reaction made him smile inside, but he kept a straight face. His little “appearing from thin air” acts were reminiscent of her childhood, where he would often surprise her by appearing somewhere unexpectedly.

“My apologies,” he said, “You need to get that looked at,” he pointed to her side to show what he meant, “And if you go to a hospital you’ll be identified as a mutant. Come back to the lab with me and the doctors there can see to it.” He’d come her to get her answer about helping him beat the Church, but her health came first.

“My apologies. You need to get that looked at. And if you go to a hospital you’ll be identified as a mutant. Come back to the lab with me and the doctors there can see to it.”

Iris frowned at him through her fingers.

"I don't need to go to a hospital, because it isn't that bad." She ignored Crystal's cheeky little smirk. "I don't need to go to the labs either. I'm just sore, is all." On that note she dug out the bottle of ibuprofen and washed down a few pills with a bottle of water. The idea of returning to the Labs was.... unpleasant....

"You followed me again, didn't you?" She was tired, and his seeming concern at her health was irritating at the moment. She wasn't in the mood for beating around the bush.

“Actually I was heading to the Church anyway. So we were both taking the same route, and as you set off first I naturally ended up behind you,” said Hunter, acting as if the tailing of Paragon had just been coincidental, “You were just exiting the Church as I arrived, so I wasn’t following you per say.”

“And as for that wound, you do need it seeing to. Listen to the voice or experience, or failing that listen to Sparky over there,” he said nodding towards Crystal. Despite the conditions of their meeting, Hunter actually liked Crystal. The hologram was protective of Paragon, and not entirely adverse to the idea that he was her father, both qualities that Hunter liked.

"Sparky?" Crystal wrinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out at Hunter, but continued to smirk smugly. Iris rolled her eyes and cover them with her hand.

"Whatever," she mumbled, then sighed. "If I say yes, will you quit bugging me about it?"

"If you'd learn to duck properly, he wouldn't need to keep bugging you."

"Who's side are you on?" Iris snapped. Crystal tilted her head.

"I'm a computer program. I don't take sides." Then she smirked again. "However, just for the record, you two have a lot in common."[/color]

Then she disappeared with a wink and her usual flashy display. Iris grumbled something snippy under her breath.[/color]

Hunter offered the hologram a smile before it vanished and left them alone to talk. “If you agree to get it seen by my doctor then yes, I will stop bugging you about it,” Hunter promised, “But there’s still the second reason for my visit. What have you decided about my earlier offer?”

He knew that it hadn’t been long since he had first proposed the offer, but time was short. The longer the Church was left to shout the more difficult it would be to silence it. Ideally he wanted to have Paragon back at the lab and getting checked out by the end of the day. Then tomorrow they could start infiltrating the Church.

“If you agree to get it seen by my doctor then yes, I will stop bugging you about it."

<"That'll be a relief...."> Iris kept that thought to herself.

"But there’s still the second reason for my visit. What have you decided about my earlier offer?”

She should have known....

"I thought about it," she replied noncommittally. No denying that, as he'd seen her coming out of the church. "To be honest, I don't see what you think only two people can do about it."

“I believe that we can work our way into the ranks of the Church to a high enough position where we can request a meeting with the council” Hunter explained, “Only in a meeting will the council come together. Once we have them all in one place we can eliminate them.”

“With the council gone the Church will be thrown into turmoil. While it is still reeling I can have several high profile individuals all begin to speak out against the law. Without the Church shouting support the people shouting objections will be heard.”

"Eliminate???" Iris's eyes snapped open and pegged him with a sharp look. "Now wait just a second! What do you mean 'eliminate'??"

His next statement answered her. “With the council gone the Church will be thrown into turmoil. While it is still reeling I can have several high profile individuals all begin to speak out against the law. Without the Church shouting support the people shouting objections will be heard."

Iris shook her head and stood up. "Uh uh, no way! I am not signing onto any assassin mission! Especially not in a church! You want to take them on, be my guest. But I'm not going to get dragged into it!"

Then she suddenly switched arguments. She also began pacing. "Do you have any clue what you're getting into here?? You may be a good actor," she said with the slightest hint of bitterness in her voice, "but how can you expect to possibly fool an entire religion?? I mean, they're even screening for the Xgene!" Okay, so she wasn't sure of that entirely, but if she were running a 'human's only' church, she sure would be. "How do you expect to get past that?"

Her side caught, and she stopped to let the pain pass. She took a deep breath to calm herself down, and sat back down.

In a much quieter voice she said, "I've heard rumors about a Resistance forming out there. Why not take your idea to them? I'm sure you can find enough other maniacs to take up your cause."

<"And leave me out of it!"> Again, she kept that comment to herself.

Hunter listened to Paragon’s complaint of it being an assassination mission. That was understandable, as he expected her to be averse to killing. However, he didn’t plan for her to actually do any. He would do the killing, she would just offer back up if required as well as a good cover story.

“I’ve done more than meet the resistance, I formed it,” Hunter answered, “And no one in it has the abilities that you do. I can bypass all the screenings that they have, I do after all have one of the worlds foremost labs creating ways past it. As for concerns over having blood on your hands, fear not. You would be largely a support role, the act itself shall be done by me.”

Out of everything he said, Iris heard only one sentence:

“I’ve done more than meet the resistance, I formed it."

".... .....

You did?

.... ...."

She leaned back and fell backward onto the bed, rather overdramatically, and put a pillow over her face.

"Hunter, I hate you...."

Hunter watched Paragon flop onto the bed and place a pillow over her head before stating her current negative feelings for him. He got up from the chair and came over and sat down on the edge of her bed.

“For what it’s worth I’m sorry,” he said, staring out into the room without looking at Paragon, “I made some bad choices, a lot of bad choices. All of them have lead to you hating me. That was never what I wanted. I just wanted for you to be safe and happy, but even that I didn’t get right. I’ve lived for over four hundred years, yet I’ve never made such a mess of things as I did with you, and for that I am truly sorry.”

Beneath the pillow Iris clenched her teeth. Yes, he had made a mess of things; that was an understatement. So why was she the one feeling guilty now?

She rolled away from him and off of the bed, and went to look out the window, arms crossed. For a long minute or two she didn't say anything.

Then, "Did anyone make it out of the Mansion?" Her voice was quiet, and bland. She didn't turn around either.