OOC: My apologies about the lateness of this reply*

IC:

Kitra sniffed and blew her nose. She was still a little confused, but that was somewhat expected. She took a small sip of her hot cocoa and smiled, "Thank you Zeke. It means a lot, I miss Zelek as well." A few minutes of silence passed, her mind desperatly trying to not go crazy due to the many thoughts running through her head. As she took another sip of her cocoa, Zeke asked his next question.

Kitra nearly choked, 'Is he crazy!! Asking something like that in public. How the hell do I answer that?! Oh geez, I've gotta say something!! Ok, ok, Kit calm down, just say something relatively cool and something thats not gonna pinpoint me.' Kitra smiled at Zeke, "Sorry 'bout that. Wasn't expecting a question like that. Not a good public topic lately." ' Ok, you're doing ok. Just keep talking and don't say anything stupid girl!' She shrugged, "Mutants are people too, what's happening now is cruel and unjust. The government obvisously is frightened of them." She inclined her head before taking a sip of her hot cocoa, "They can do things most can't, what people cannot understand....Well, they fear it." She stared at Zeke, "What do you think of it?" ' Can you be more stupid girl?!! You're saying you sympathasize. Great....I hope he doesn't call me on it. I'm screwing up here....'

Zeke was just trying to change the conversation. That's really all he wanted to do. His desperation had led him to bring up any topic besides Evie and Zelek, and mutants just happened to be what he brought up. He did not however, expect the reaction that Kitra gave him. The choking at the precise moment that the question was asked was crazy. Is it possible? This girl is maybe another mutant? I've heard that there are still mutants out there that aren't in camps besides me. Could she be? That obviously was a tell... I think.

His mind had darted to the thought. She had to be a mutant. Why else the dramatic choke in the middle of a sip. He tried to hold a straight face, showing no surprise, and took a sip of his own drink. Then she spoke, and he felt different. Her non-challance made her seem less like a mutant. But maybe that's what she wanted? He couldn't know for sure, so he had to be careful. "I agree with you, mutants should get rights just like everyone else. While most people would say different, I think what is being done to them is purely inhumane. The government should be conformed to help the people, not the people being conformed to help the government." He paused here to think about what to say next.

"The mutants are feared certainly, but I think they've done a fairly good job of keeping their own kind in check." He sighed and took another sip of coffee. Could she be? He didn't know, so he held his tongue.

Kitra shrugged, "Apparantly not all the mutants are in check though. Some groups prefer causing trouble." She paused and sipped her hot cocoa, contemplating what to say next. "I've seen mutants that cause trouble just because they want to. Others I believe, would prefer peace and living with humans quietly. But they aren't allowed now." She grimaced, "Personally, most mutants aren't that bad, just misunderstood. Simply because they're feared and not wanted." She looked up and eyed Zeke cautiously, "So why did you really ask that?" ' Be careful, this could lead into serious trouble. But, whats said has been said, let's see what he does now.'

After listening to Kitra latest comments, Zeke now got to the point where... Heck, what have I got to lose. I have the bracelet after all. It's saved me from being slammed in the slammer a few times now. I can fall back on 'ole faithful here. He glanced down at the fake band around his wrist, which he couldn't really see because it was obscured by his long-sleeved black silk shirt. All right, here we go. Time to tell her the truth.

He put his hands flat on the table and breathed in deeply, then let out a sigh. He lifted his hands to his mug and took a sip of coffee. Another sigh. Another sip. Sigh. "I asked that Kitra, because I was trying to get a read on how you would feel about my kind." He leaned in and said in a quiet voice, "I'm a mutant."

He leaned back. There, now nothing left but to wait for the reaction.

Kitra looked up and half smiled. 'He said that in public, I don't know whether to be impressed or horrorified. Hmm, well here goes nothing.' She nodded and spoke quietly, "I was thinking it was something like that. I also dislike how our kind is being treated. Would you like to help do something about it?" 'What will he do now? This will be interesting indeed. Of course it could become a disaster as well.' She took another sip of her hot cocoa, which was going lukewarm. She stared at her cup for a moment then got up and ordered a new one. A few minutes later she sat back down, looking carefully at Zeke wondering what he would do.

When she replied with the implication that she was a mutant too, Zeke was somewhat, but not completely, suprised. He didn't choke like she did, instead he just nodded and smiled. Her obvious tell of the hot cocoa spit had given him the idea, and she had confirmed it with her words now. Done. Here they were, two mutants hiding in a coffee shop.

"Do something about it?" The strange phrasing of the question triggered his interest. He figured there was probably some resistance somewhere, and while he wasn't very interested in joining them in their battle for freeing the camps, he did want to meet more mutants in an increasingly mutant-less time. "What do you mean by do something about it?" His words remained low. "I assume you mean you know some people, and maybe are a part of a group, who are planning a jail break?" He leaned back and sipped his coffee slowly. "If so, count me in."

"Yes we plan on getting our people out of the camps. We'll be started raids on them soon." Kitra sat back slightly and studied Zeke for a minute or so. 'Hmm, he seems trustworthy, or perhaps a fool. Kaz will have to be notified and a background check done on him.' She tapped her foot, "What are your powers and your full name? If you want we could step outside." She looked at him, wondering at his response now. She'd gone business like and it was an odd thing compared to her normal personality.

The immediate shift in her personality spooked Zeke as soon as he started to perceive it. Maybe she isn't a mutant after all. This whole thing could be made up, a government trick to try and lure me in. Well... I am not going to fall for it. He took a sip of his coffee and kept staring at her, trying to see if she was sincere. "No, we're good here." A public place sometimes worked to an advantage if one was in a fix.

In fact, the entire reason that Zeke hung out in this particular shop, besides the fact that it was obscure, was that there was an open plastic pipe that came down from the ceiling about ten feet from where he was sitting. It oddly enough ran back up into the ceiling, and Zeke had figured out that it was a septic system for the bathroom upstairs. The owners must live there. With the need for water to aid his abilities, he felt much safer with it right there at his disposal. "The truth is Kit, these are dangerous times. I'll tell you that I can control certain elements, but I can't tell you my full name... yet. Sorry. I have to be careful." He went back to his coffee.

It seemed like years ago that they were sitting here crying together. Now the reality of a dangerous world had crept back in. Zeke hated it. He hated it with everything in him that he had to be so careful in times like this. With an already over-cautious nature, the registration had simply amplified that. I was wrong to even tell her I'm a mutant. Zeke... you're stupid. A stupid idiot. This oughta teach you. The fear was back in earnest. "I'm sorry, we'll have to conduct business in here. Until you show me this facility with other mutants, I can't share much more about me. Unless of course you wanted to share your mutation with me..."

OOC: oooh. The drama!

Kitra laughed, "Fine then, well played. Pick a drawing that you think is interesting, a smaller one will do." 'So he does have brains after all. That's good. It's a risk showing him my mutation, but hey risks need to be taken.' She turned slightly and looked outside, it was getting dark now. Dark enough that if she had too, she could show him her wings or her whips. If he didn't believe what he would see. Kitra turned back to Zeke, contemplating on what would happen. She spoke quietly, "The resistance is a joined band of each of the factions you may have heard of. There are members from Xavier's Sister school and members from Sanctuary." She shrugged slightly, "Many different people."

She sighed,"The reason I asked for your name and abilities are simply for security measures." She looked him straight in his eyes, "It's good to be cautious I'll give you that much, but how do I know that you aren't setting me up? I do believe that's what you think I'm doing." She smirked, "Doesn't surprise me much though. So take your pick and make it quick. I'm not gonna hang around much longer after I use my abilities. You would do best to get a move on as well then. Those Stalkers are quick on the draw." Kitra finally went silent, hoping that she had said enough, but not too much.

The sincereness of her next few words touched Zeke more than the danger of where they were sitting right now. She really did seem like she was on the good side, and a small ammount of trust grew in Zeke's heart. Just a small ammount. He looked over the drawings and selected the one of the owl, a large swooping owl that was catching a fish in it's talons. "Here," he said pointing to it. "how about this one?"

He paused wondering what she would do. Interesting about the Order and X-Men working together. I haven't heard anything from Fade about it... she must not know. It would be good to get back with some other mutants though. Hmm.

"I understand about your caution as well... show me your ability, if I nod my head afterwards, lead the way to this place you speak of. I'll be right on your heels... I don't want to stick around for the stalkers either." He leaned back and waited, in his mind he was readying his sulfur. Just in case...

Kitra gave him a small smile and looked down at her sketchpad, before she could her phone buzzed at her. She picked it up, rather annoyed. "Sorry gotta take this." She opened her phone, "Yes?" One of her guards answered, "Miss Mavrick, Stalkers are close to your location. We have orders to return to base." Kitra frowned and snapped her phone shut. "My apologies Zeke, but it seems we both should split. Stalkers are close by here and we're both at risk." She stood up and grabbed her sketchpad, "I'll be back here in a month or so. I would like to see you again if possible Zeke. Good luck." With that she walked out the door and moved quickly towards her guards vehicle.

Of..... course. Zeke's mind switched to sarcasm just as the phone started to ring. He knew instantly that she would have to take it, and their fantastic conversation would be cut short, probably end. His fears were confirmed as she closed the phone and frowned. He listened as she talked about the Stalkers being close.

His pulse began to rise and his hands started to sweat. Stalkers... I better get moving. He nodded to her and said, "All right, in a month then. See you around." He stood as she walked out of the door, and then followed her there seconds later. He stepped outside just in time to see her get in a vehicle and drive away. Glancing left and right, he didn't see any nearby Stalkers, but he couldn't take any chances either. Leaning down to tie his shoe, he kept looking in his peripheral. Still no Stalkers.

He would go home now, no use in staying around. Trouble tends to breed where people tend to gather. Man, I really need to do something about my home security...