The X-men run missions and work together with the NYPD, striving to maintain a peaceful balance between humans and mutants. When it comes to a fight, they won't back down from protecting those who need their help.
Haven presents itself as a humanitarian organization for activists, leaders, and high society, yet mutants are the secret leaders working to protect and serve their kind. Behind the scenes they bring their goals into reality.
From the time when mutants became known to the world, SUPER was founded as a black-ops division of the CIA in an attempt to classify, observe, and learn more about this new and rising threat.
The Syndicate works to help bring mutantkind to the forefront of the world. They work from the shadows, a beacon of hope for mutants, but a bane to mankind. With their guiding hand, humanity will finally find extinction.
Since the existence of mutants was first revealed in the nineties, the world has become a changed place. Whether they're genetic misfits or the next stage in humanity's evolution, there's no denying their growing numbers, especially in hubs like New York City. The NYPD has a division devoted to mutant related crimes. Super-powered vigilantes help to maintain the peace. Those who style themselves as Homo Superior work to tear society apart for rebuilding in their own image.
MRO is an intermediate to advanced writing level original character, original plot X-Men RPG. We've been open and active since October of 2005. You can play as a mutant, human, or Adapted— one of the rare humans who nullify mutant powers by their very existence. Goodies, baddies, and neutrals are all welcome.
Short Term Plots:Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
The Fountain of Youth
A chemical serum has been released that's shaving a few years off of the population. In some cases, found to be temporary, and in others...?
MRO MOVES WITH CURRENT TIME: What month and year it is now in real life, it's the same for MRO, too.
Fuegogrande: "Fuegogrande" player of The Ranger, Ion, Rhia, and Null
Neopolitan: "Aly" player of Rebecca Grey, Stephanie Graves, Marisol Cervantes, Vanessa Bookman, Chrysanthemum Van Hart, Sabine Sang, Eupraxia
Ongoing Plots
Magic and Mystics
After the events of the 2020 Harvest Moon and the following Winter Solstice, magic has started manifesting in the MROvere! With the efforts of the Welldrinker Cult, people are being converted into Mystics, a species of people genetically disposed to be great conduits for magical energy.
The Pharoah Dynasty
An ancient sorceress is on a quest to bring her long-lost warrior-king to the modern era in a bid for global domination. Can the heroes of the modern world stop her before all is lost?
Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
Adapteds
What if the human race began to adapt to the mutant threat? What if the human race changed ever so subtly... without the x-gene.
Atlanteans
The lost city of Atlantis has been found! Refugees from this undersea mutant dystopia have started to filter in to New York as citizens and businessfolk. You may make one as a player character of run into one on the street.
Got a plot in mind?
MRO plots are player-created the Mods facilitate and organize the big ones, but we get the ideas from you. Do you have a plot in mind, and want to know whether it needs Mod approval? Check out our plot guidelines.
"Taste?" Paul asked in obvious surprise. He had never considered that as a possible side effect of her ability. He had already figured out that being able to detect lies might not be the best thing in the world but the idea that lies could actually spoil a good meal. "That's unconscionable." Inwardly Paul was already vowing to tell no lies at their meal unless absolutely necessary. The young woman deserved to at least enjoy an occasional meal.
"Ms. Faust is the head of Faust Pharmaceuticals and though I am not an employee of the pharmaceutical company I am an assistant to Ms. Faust. I'm kind of an all purpose fill in since my life experience is quite varied." Paul went on to explain. It was as truthful an explanation as he could offer since he didn't completely understand why Lori had asked him to interview the young woman. "Your abilities have their place but my ability allows me to live longer than most."
Falling quiet, Paul didn't bother to explain further. He figured if she had questions then she would ask them otherwise they would simply wait to get to the restaurant and enjoy pizza and a soda like friends.
OOC: French in italics for the rest of the thread.
IC: The fact that the beautiful lady had been able to speak French had been a wonderful surprise but thanks to the lumbering behemoths that were so protective of her, Andre had not gotten a chance to enjoy conversation with the woman. While she might not be the type of woman you take home to mother, she was most definitely the type that could hold your interest while sharing a drink or meal. It had been some time since he had found such a woman to enjoy an evening with and so it was somewhat sad that he would not have the opportunity this time either. Thankfully he did have a consolation prize. Two rather thick leather wallets that he planned to open as soon as he arrived at the seedy apartment that he currently called home.
Both women and men prowled the streets near where he lived, trying to make a living by selling anything the might have or stealing anything another person might have. Andre was one of the few that could pass with relative safety. He was one of them, a brother that understood the world better than most. A brother that was willing to share when he had a particularly profitable day. However, today was not a day for sharing. Today was a day for discovering. Something that Andre found out as soon as he was in his apartment, sitting on the bed and flipping through the wallets he had lifted.
The first wallet held nothing particularly odd. It contained a couple hundred dollars in currency, identification papers, a few notes, and a picture of a woman that was in particularly poor taste. After pulling out the cash and putt it in his own pocket, the dropped the leather wallet into a metal trash can by his feet, already filled with old trash paper and smelling slightly of kerosene. Opening the second wallet he continued his inventory, cash (slightly more than the first wallet), papers, movie ticket stubs, and a carefully folded note that was tucked right in between two twenty dollar bills.
After tossing the second wallet into the waste basket as well, Andre opened the note and read the cryptic information. It listed a location in the warehouse district where he was somewhat familiar and a date and time which corresponded with later that very evening. "Now why would such well dressed individuals be going to the warehouse district so late at night?" Andre mused to himself as he casually lit a match and tossed it into the bin, igniting the paper and beginning the destruction of evidence, "Are they simply buyers who have a late night meeting with a supplier or is there something else going on..." As a man experienced in the darker side of the streets he had a feeling... a feeling that the lovely lady and her three companions were your normal business operators. No, there was something else going on and his curiosity was beginning to be piqued. "Well... I guess I'll just have to attend this meeting as well. I hope there's an extra chair." Suddenly a thought occurred to him and looked back over at the trash can that was crackling merrily. "I hope they didn't want those back..."
Employed by different companies? That was obvious, though not necessarily to Noel, since Paul was not technically employed by anyone other than himself. He had signed no paper work, received no special ID badges, and received no special privileges. For now the Sanctuary was simply some place he could go to relax on occasion. Perhaps in the future he might actually be one of Lori's employees but for the moment he wasn't. At least not on paper.
"I think she enjoys making people feel uncomfortable." Paul observed as they walked down the steps to the sidewalk and began to make their way down the street, "The only person she really shows any respect is Ms. Faust. Beyond that I think she uses verbal barbs to show her authority over others." It was an interesting though and now that he had vocalized it he found himself wondering if were actually true. From what he had seen Lisa was an absolutely wonderful secretary but could it be that she felt that she had to prove she was better than others? Maybe she was completely human and felt the need to show that she was just as good, if not better, than the mutants she met on a day to day basis.
"Are you really going to lie to me?"
"It wouldn't do any good now would it?" Paul responded with a quiet chuckle, "Since you can tell when someone is lieing that in itself makes lieing a waste of time."
It was still an interesting ability though it probably had the down side of making friendships and relationships very difficult. How often did most friends tell each other a fib? How often did most lovers tell a little white lie in order to keep from hurting their partner? Suddenly in that brief moment Paul began to realize that maybe Noel's ability wasn't that much better than his own. At least he could still have somewhat normal relationships. But for her... was that even possible?
"Have you been to Ray's Pizzeria before? The name is iconic and used by lots of restaurants but they all have one things in common... they make a great pizza pie." Paul said with a smile as he waved down one of the few cabs that dared work anywhere near the Sanctuary, "So how do you know when someone is lieing? Is it just a feeling or is there some sort of physical manifestation?"
For two years he had been working on making the identity of Andre Blaise his own. It was his third identity and thus far one of the more annoying though at least it kept him out of the French Army. Even now when he thought back to the war in Algeria it could send shudders up his spine. He was ready to get away from France but his savings were not quite large enough for the trip. After all, he wanted to make sure he had enough to live on once he arrived in the land of opportunity. Why be just like all the other travelers that spent their last shilling simply to go to another land and try to look for a job. No, he was going to be smart about it and be ready to survive the moment he touched land.
Work had been slow the past few weeks and so Andre had fallen back to the old stand by that allowed him to live without dipping into his savings. Being a pick pocket was far from glamorous but it put food on the table and when handled correctly could even be somewhat lucrative. It was all about picking the right targets. Everything about a criminal enterprise had to be weighed between risk and reward. The air port provided a great place for making huge rewards as travelers were always arriving with plenty of money to spend but it also came with plenty of risk since there were always police and security personnel hanging around to try and protect those that had traveled to beautiful Paris. However on the other side, a high end hotel provided much of the same reward without quite as much risk. For today the hotel was by far the best option and so he found himself standing casually outside the most expensive hotel within several kilometers of the airport, waiting for an attractive target to come by.
Dressed in the standard charcoal grey suit (narrow pants and suit coat), with white dress shirt, white undershirt, and thing black tie, Andre did not stand out at all. His hair was still dark brown though the slightest hint of gray was beginning to appear here and there. As with most men he kept it cut short in the post war style that was so prevalent.
After hanging around in several different locations over the course of a couple of hours, Andre spotted his whale for the day. A Rolls Royce was pulling up to the hotel and he sprang into action. Moving forward before any attendant could do anything he gripped the handle of the rear door and opened it with a welcoming smile. Inside, he was amazed by what he saw... a dark haired woman with a clingy red dress and not one, not two, not even three, but four escorts. It was obvious that there was no way she was hiding anything of value in that dress... "She's barely hiding herself." He thought with both amusement and a touch of admiration, but it was also clear that her four guardians had to be carrying something of value. That must be their reason for being there.
>>>"Mademoiselle, bienvenue en France! Notre pays ne peut être améliorée par ta beauté arrivée et au départ va nous faire pleurer." Andre spoke smoothly as he held the door open solicitously, apparently ignoring her escorts and giving all of his attention to the ravishing red lips and impressive physique that was right in front of his eyes. He did not worry about whether she could understand what he was saying or not. There was reason that French was known as a romance language and almost anything sounded complimentary to the untrained ear.
Her lips curved up into an inviting smile and as she turned to exit, her leg extended, revealing far more skin that was acceptable by current standards but far less than Andre would have liked. This was the type of woman that could have tempted even a man of the cloth and he was far from that pure.
"Back off bub... we don't need any more company." One of the burly escorts snarled as he quickly followed the woman out of the car. Punctuating his comment with a poke to Andre's chest gave Andre the opportunity he wanted. Stumbling back into the door he rebounded forward into the man with a frantic apology in French, even as his hand darted into the man's pocket retrieving a leather wallet. With a snarl and one final shove the man moved on, trailing behind the woman like some sort of puppy. Escort two, three, and eventually four followed suit though not before Andre slipped the wallet out of the last man's pocket as well. All in all, it was a good showing and he couldn't help but smile as he pushed the door of the Rolls closed with a firm shove. Two wallets and a lot of skin... things were looking up. Turning, he sauntered down the street, whistling a jaunty tune, and soon disappeared into the streets. He didn't realize how quickly their paths would once again cross.
OOC: >>>Mademoiselle, welcome to France! Our country can only be improved by your beauty arriving and departing will make us weep.
Apparently Miss Gage had a very firm grasp on her power and just as much control. It made Paul very glad that she was now going to be an employee while also making him ever so slightly jealous. Sure his own ability was great but the fact that he couldn't activate it on a whim or do anything other than simply reviving from death's door was mildly annoying. He couldn't activate his power in order to heal his hurts extra fast and he couldn't keep the ability from working the one time he had truly wanted to die. His was a mixed blessing and curse while Miss Gage seemed to have hers all in order.
"Impressive list of options." Paul commented impassively, "Apparently you've been through that situation before." It was a statement, not a question, and he wasn't really looking for any explanation. She had worked for the government, chased down mutants, and apparently used her powers against those same mutants. The big issue that Paul could already see on the horizon was what might happen if Noel were to meet up with one of those mutants she had tracked down. If they were back on the street and she met them again...
Lost in thought about the ramifications, Paul almost missed Noel's comment about having to front her a paycheck. She didn't have any money? Didn't government types get some sort of pensions or severance pay when they were let go? How in the world was she going through the world flat broke? Before he could say anything they were back in front of Lisa and the woman was moving about with her usual proficiency. Signatures on W-2s, papers about the company, employee policies, rules, regulations... the normal stuff.
"Are you two... going for lunch?"
"Isn't dating usually against company policy or something?"
Suddenly, Paul found himself beneath the gaze of two woman that almost seemed as though they were accusing him of something. Had he done something wrong? Last time he had checked simply going out to grab a bite wasn't a date but maybe he was wrong. "Note to self... read Faust Pharmaceutical rules and regs." He thought to himself.
"I'm not sure on whether that's covered in the company policy or not, but I do know that me taking you to lunch is not a date. We just met each other and as a good supervisor I'm simply trying to get to know you better." Paul responded with more confidence that he really felt, "However Lisa, if you know of an appointment I'm going to miss or if you have plans already Miss Gage, then we shall have to put that idea off until some other time."
There, now he had put it firmly in their hands. If Lisa knew of some reason why he shouldn't take Noel out for pizza then she could easily make up something about an appointment. If Noel didn't want to go she could simply lie and say that she did already have plans. It was in their court which left Paul feeling quite happy about his situation. He was no longer the one holding the bag, they were.
"Well happy birthday to you, sir." Paul said with a smile and a tip of his head to the young man, "It's nice to see an appreciation of art growing in one so young. And thank you... it took a little while but I was able to lose my accent after time and patience."
Turning back to the white haired woman who still looked to young to Paul's eyes to be the boy's mother. "Full circle... I've heard of it but never had the pleasure of stopping by." He offered diplomatically as he took the card and studied it for a moment before slipping it into the breast pocket of his jacket. "I'll have to stop by some time if only to see you and your delightful ward."
>>"What are you here for?"
"In my life time I've come to enjoy the skills of artists and the controversy around this particular showing piqued my interest even more." Paul explained as he looked back at the set of painting before the three of them, "Jesùs Herrera died in the late nineties and as with most artists, his work has only just now began to gain recognition in the art community. However, for some reason, the art world refuses to acknowledge the fact that he was a man with the extraordinary ability of manipulating paint with his mind. They continue to claim that he was simply a brilliant human painter while trying to refute the idea that a mutant could create something so beautiful."
He was starting to sound like some sort of lecturer or one of those people standing on a soap box on the corner of a street so he tried to tone it back just a touch. After all, even though he was enjoying their company, he didn't want to say anything that would make them think of him after the crime was committed. He was just an art lover after all. "But as a mutant sympathizer, I just had to come to see the art myself. To appreciate it for what it truly is. The works of a man not only gifted artistically but gifted genetically."
***
The crowd was growing around the magnificent insectoid piece of art, growing large enough that a few of the officers had actually shifted positions ever so slightly so that they could better monitor what was happening. It would be far to easy for someone in the middle of the crowd to damage the art or try something menacing. Currently it was the biggest security threat that could be seen though none of the experienced men thought that it would be the last. With this many people in one small area, there were bound to be even more.
She kept her money in her bra... Paul had only seen that on movies or TV shows but here was a woman in real life that did it. Perhaps that was more common that he had previously realized. And it sort of made sense since the young woman was wearing a garment that didn't have any obvious pockets and she wasn't carrying any sort of purse. Along with that fact she seemed to unused to carrying on a conversation. Her sentences were broken up, starting and stopping with no obvious rhythm. "She was a street kid at some point." Paul quickly decided. The signs were all there and while it was possible she had a different background, street kid just seemed to fit.
"Eventually we all find a place some later than others." Paul responded with a slight shrug of his own. He remembered what it was like being on the street though his own experience had been worse that most. Being on the street while a war was going on was completely different from being on the street in a country that had at least some sort of program to help the down trodden.
"Something to eat sounds good though a cold drink sounds even better." Paul responded to the broken invitation with a smile, doing his best to try and make the young woman feel at ease. He had noticed her shyness and her blushing and wanted to do what he could to make her feel comfortable. "And I'm here by myself. I haven't had a chance to meet a whole lot of people yet so I just enjoy going to events with a lot of people. Especially when I know there will be plenty of food available."
He had managed to pull off some good shots but Paul was still not completely comfortable with the revolver. He had gotten pretty decent while in the military but it had been so many years ago that the skills felt slow to come back. Sure, if he took a few hours at the range he could probably get things ironed back out but that really held no interest for him. He wasn't in security, wasn't a bodyguard, and couldn't die. Why in the world did he need to carry a gun?
"So tell me, if that had been a real situation what would you have done instead of going for the head shot?" Paul asked with a slightly raised eyebrow as he looked over at the other shooter. "No need to show me... just talk to me about your tactics."
Paul thought it was a good question and he was looking forward to the answer. Was Noel the type that was willing to shoot through an innocent if necessary or was she programmed to protect the innocent at all costs? Would she take the shot or try to perform some miracle with her ability? In a security roll it was highly unlikely she would experience this sort of thing but Paul was still curious. What made this woman tick?
"Actually I think you've shown me enough for the day. Your skills are right in line with the job we want to offer you." Paul replied after a moment's consideration, "You'll start with a probationary period of 90 days to make sure you can mesh with the rest of the team but I don't think that'll be a problem. I'll be keeping an eye on things so if you have any problems, issues, or questions, feel free to contact me." Reaching into his back pocket, Paul pulled out a very thin wallet that only held a driver's license, one credit card, and some plain looking business cards that had a phone number but no name. After pulling out a card and offering it to Noel, Paul slipped his wallet back into his pocket.
Leading the way out of the room, Paul walked back to the table where the guns were and returned his revolver to its place. After Noel had followed suit with her own weapon he punched a few buttons on the walls and in a split second the old piece-meal room had returned.
"Want to grab some pizza?" Paul asked with a smile as he walked over and opened the door back out into the hall way, "You can lie about your child hood while I lie about mine just like any other normal adults."
Almost nothing surprised Paul anymore. He had lived a long life already and he had read about the theory of projected simulations in some science magazine. He hadn't known that it was physically possible until Lisa turned on the machine but it made sense that if anyone had access to that sort of technology then it would be the Sanctuary.
"No teleporting and this is as real as projected light can be." Paul said slowly, as he griped the pistol in his hand that felt so real but yet he knew wasn't. It was a strange feeling even for a man of his experience but he was quickly shaking it off. A projected simulation was something to simply be accepted not necessarily understood. Let the great scientists and such understand it all he had to do was enjoy it.
"Ready?"
"When you are." Paul responded as he quickly slipped one revolver speed reloader in his pocket and then gripped his revolver in a two handed grip. Knowing that he only had five shots before needing to reload to Noel's much more substantial 15 or 17 really forced him to take a back seat even if he had wanted to lead the charge. Not being familiar with that particular weapon she had chosen he couldn't be completely sure about her clip but he knew it was more than his revolver. There would be no double tapping for him. His motto was the same one that had become famous with snipers. 'One shot, One Kill'
The warm up room was self evident and the young woman's response time was impressive. Three shots to the chest guaranteed that the intruder was dead. The fact that an innocent had been shot through the shoulder was acceptable. It wasn't a life threatening wound and the person would have survived the encounter, though perhaps with limited motion to that arm. "Not bad." Paul commented as the exited that room and moved toward the next one. After pausing briefly in the doorway the entered with Noel sweeping right and Paul sweeping left. With a similar set up as the last room, they found over turned office furniture, several cutouts of innocents, and a couple of enemy combatants. The most interesting ones were split between sides of the room. Cutouts holding some sort of automatic weapons were shielded behind innocents that they were obviously using as hostage shields. Someone that was extremely skilled might have immediately gone for a head shot but Paul knew he wasn't that good, especially since it had been years since he handled a revolver. Instead he placed one shot through the Innocent's upper arm into the chest of the criminal behind them. Once again, the damage to the innocent was acceptable because they could survive while the enemy wouldn't. Turning he placed one more shot into the last target on his side that was standing right out in the open and then turned to see how Miss Gage was doing. So far, her skills were matching up to her earlier statements.
RUPERT... it wasn't a name that he recognized but it also wasn't one that he would soon forget. He might not have the same connections that Lori had available but he knew a few things that she might not. Maybe if he slipped some money to a couple of attorneys to start examining government files for any mention of RUPERT. It would have to be there somewhere especially since the Freedom of Information Act had taken place. After all, a defunct program could no longer be a matter of national security now could it.
"Something like that." Paul responded with a smile to Noel's inquiry. Turning he led the way out of the room and back out front where Lisa seemed to be expecting them. Apparently Lori had briefed them because without a word she led them down the hall to a large open and empty room that looked like it had been put together from scraps and spare parts.
"Uh... how about an action shooting range with reactive targets? We'll need a variety of common 9mm pistols to work with as well as couple .38 caliber revolvers." Paul requested after a brief pause. With an action shooting range he and Noel would be able to range the course, waiting for targets to spring out. Those targets would then fall if hit or remain visible if not hit. It was standard training for military and law enforcement personnel so it would be the perfect way for Paul to evaluate Noel's skills. If she was government trained, this would prove it. "I don't get to shoot to often so I figured I'd join you on the course." Paul commented to Noel as he turned back to face her.
Within just a few moments Lisa had the information entered into the system and the piecemeal room around them disappeared. Instead they now found themselves standing in a vacant hallway with numerous doors and hallways branches off of it as it progressed away from them. Right next to where they were standing was a table with two or three .38 revolvers as well as well as most of the well known and common 9mm pistols. Glock, Ruger, Taurus, and several others were all present and accounted for. Glancing over the revolvers, Paul tentatively reached out and picked up the one revolver that was a Smith & Wesson. While it was definitely not a Model 10 like what he had fired back in the French army, it was still made by the same company and there were a few similarities but a whole lot of differences. "Bodyguard... interesting name." He murmured to himself as he lifted the weapon and sighted down it, being careful to make sure that it wasn't pointed in either Noel or Lisa's direction.
"This should work fine for us Lisa. Do I need to do anything to shut it down when we're done?" Paul asked when he turned back to the secretary. After providing him with basic instructions the secretary slipped out, probably to return to her desk out front.
"Ready to show what you can do?" Paul asked with a grin as he slipped on some range glasses and a pair of ear protectors. Even though it was just a simulation following basic safety protocol was just a force of habit for him.
*****************************************
OOC: Feel free to start down the course. Basically they'll be performing a two man/woman sweep down the hall.
Terminated? That wasn't what Paul had been expecting to hear the a flicker of obvious surprise flashed through his expressions. As the young lady went on to give her explanation his eyes narrowed ever so slightly in concentration and focus. Moved or shut down? That would be practically impossible for a government entity. There were always paper trails and official documentation showing what had happened. Unless of course this had been some sort of organization that was only pretending to be a government entity. Was that even possible?
"Which government organization were you employed by?" Paul asked conversation as he grabbed up a pen to take notes, "We always like to double check references. And we'll also want to evaluate your skill with weapons."
Looking at the woman, Paul could see at least a touch of anxiety. Miss Gage really, really wanted this job and it was starting to come across in her expression and speech. "Really, all this checking is just a formality. Miss Faust is already familiar with your skill set and was quite eager to take you in employment. We were looking at having you as part of the security detail at a pharmaceutical research facility. It would play to your obvious strengths while also allowing you the chance to get to know the rest of your fellow 'genetic defects' and 'muties', such as myself." He spoke calmly and politely though the end of his statement added the slightest hint of teasing as well as a noticeable sparkle in his eyes.
Standing back up to his feet, Paul extended a hand toward the other woman. "Welcome to the team Noel." He said with the most honest warmth he could manage. Obviously he couldn't trust her completely because of what Lori had told him earlier but at the same time a part of him was happy that she had come here. She was a fellow mutant and until she proved herself to be a traitor he was willing to give her at least some benefit of the doubt.
If Miss Noel Gage had been honest about her skill set then the very idea of putting her to work in the laundry or kitchen was laughable. Neither of them were a good fit at all but security had definite possibilities. Then of course was the question of whether security at the Sanctuary or the pharmaceutical company would work better. At the Sanctuary she would be bumping into other mutants and if she kept using terms like 'genetic defects' and 'muties' then it would just lead to problems. Working at the pharmaceutical company might be a better fit for someone with her skills and apparently psychological issues.
"Security job, assess her skills in the training room, and avoid the eyes." Paul repeated with a nod, "I think I can handle that."
Turning, Paul moved over to the door, placing his hand on the knob before pausing and looking back over at the blond. "Oh, and Lori? Sometime down the road we need to have a talk about exactly what role I'm supposed to take on in this little organization of yours." Flashing a quick grin he opened the door and stepped into the office without waiting for a reply.
"Sorry to keep you waiting Miss Gage. As you probably already know Ms. Faust is the boss so all hiring decisions have to go through her." Paul offered as he walked over to the desk with a confident stride and sat down. For a moment he glanced around, taking in the room that was as foreign to him as it was to Noel before looking back down at the desk. Raising an eyebrow at the bikini picture, he shook his head ever so slightly and opened a drawer to hide away the item that did not fit in a professional workspace. "There's no accounting for taste."
"So tell me Miss Gage," Paul continued as he brought his gaze back up to the other woman and smiled, focusing on the bridge of her nose instead of the eyes that could apparently wipe his memory, "What led to your leaving Government services? Was it by your own choosing or were you terminated for some reason?" It didn't really matter since the decision on her hiring had already been made but Paul was curious. Something about this woman caused Lori some concern and he wanted to figure out what it was.
I'd like to nominate Lucas Monroe. Even though it hasn't been long since my return I'm quickly learned to keep an eye on his threads for some entertaining reading. His posts are always well written and engaging.
Wreck - Hilarity ensues as Noel has a breakdown and wipes Lucas causing him to deduce his name is Nick and they are engaged.
Looking For Trouble - Lucas attends a wild party, thinks he sees Lady Gaga, and plays wing man for a certain gray haired gentleman.
Lori seemed to be sorting out options in her head so Paul chose to simply remain silent and listen as she worked through everything. Agent Noel Gage was not an unknown quantity and in fact Lori seemed rather familiar with her. She knew about her power, her former employer, and even her personality. Apparently the intelligence side of the Sanctuary was better than he had realized. Lori had contacts in the government and had been gathering information on that new breed Paul had heard about, the one that could nullify a mutants ability. "That would be disastrous for me." He had to admit to himself, "Wonder how long an exposure it would take for me to be all dead instead of just part way?"
Day job? Had Lori really just said that she had some sort of day job? Running the Sanctuary, patrolling the area, and killing hoodlums that invaded wasn't enough for her? She needed a boyfriend... badly.
"I can handle it as long as you give me an idea of what sort of job you want to give her. I haven't been here long enough to know exactly how things work or even what my place is." Paul spoke calmly, returning his focus to business instead of the personal life of the woman that was slowly becoming his boss, "Also do we have some sort of armory and range on site to evaluate her weapons proficiency? Even though she says she's good, I have a hard time believing it until I see it. Like I said, something is off with her."
"... stop her."
The final statement was open to interpretation but Paul had a fairly good idea what she meant. There were really only three effective ways to stop a blackmailer. One was to get the information away from them, the second was to get dirt on them, and the third was to simply eliminate them. While the first two were less messy they were much more complicated. The third option was by far the easiest and if it came down to it Paul could make the choice. "I'll deal with whatever happens. Any other instructions?"
The young woman was experienced with current weaponry and from the spread it sounded like she either grew up in a gun shop or had some sort of government training. Most people knew one, perhaps two pistols. For her to list four different lines was very telling. And then, out of nowhere the little lady dropped a bomb of epic proportions.
"I've hunted mu-" And with that cut off statement Paul suddenly knew what he was dealing with. This lady had worked for some sort of government agency that felt the need to police mutants in general. An agency that felt that normal human laws fit and could be applied to mutant kind. It was the foolishness that seemed to permeate the minds of those in government. while it was true that mutants did need laws just as human did those laws out of necessity needed to be different. There had to be exceptions and allowances because of the abilities that were wielded and the prejudices that were faced.
Thankfully, before Paul had to think up any sort of response, Lori appeared in the room. Glancing over toward Lisa, Paul raised an eyebrow and gave the woman a slightly admiring smile. She was good. He hadn't even realized that she was sending out a signal to attract Lori's attention but somehow she had pulled it off. Smooth... very smooth.
"Agent Gage." Lori apparently recognized the woman although the title of 'Agent' wasn't surprising. Miss Gage had given him enough information for him to put at least that much together. And then, out of nowhere, yet another bomb was dropped. "I'm afraid that I'm not a Federal Agent any more, ma'am."
The invitation to go to the office was a good one and as they stood, Paul was expecting the ladies to go to the office while he returned to the rec room. He had a solo pool game to finish and his mind was already beginning to move back in that direction when Lori caught his elbow, keeping him from either going down the hall or entering the office. After a polite comment, she closed the door and then turned to focus on Paul without a smile anywhere in sight.
For the moment, Paul stayed serious as he leaned up against the wall of the hallway and gave a quick overview. "Miss Gage, or Agent Gage as you called her is here looking for some sort of employment. From her last comment to you her job at the government must have been terminated. Her skills with weapons and her mutation have their advantages but her past is obviously dubious for your organization. But in talking with her, something seems off. I didn't have long enough to actually piece anything together, it's just a feeling I'm getting. Basically she's coming across as to innocent... or maybe she's just damaged."
Now that the report was given, it was time to be friendly. Allowing himself a brief moment to appreciate how nice the blond was looking at the moment, Paul gave her a quick smile. "And just so you know, you're looking very nice today and it's good to see you too. But, if you don't mind my asking, how do you know her?"
