Dinner and despair

[Jill Monroe]

<< a blast of thunder heralds the vertical opening of a stepping disc in the alley behind Shooters.....Morgan steps through..followed by Haleigh....>>

<< it is now dusk...and the skies still seem to be in a state of unrest as the wind blows and howls....Morgan's blonde, double highlighted hair is still pulled back in a glossy , chic bun...but a small strand that hangs down on the side of her wintery face blows...she turns and glares at Haleigh her icy violet eyes showing NO sign of warmth>>

<< in an icy voice>>: here we are.......away from prying eyes and minds......Alison has validated your claims thus far.....and if anyone can...it is she....now tell me how you found me and how do you KNOW that Foxfire is ALIVE!?

<< They hadnt gone inside yet...and the turbulent weather seemed to match Morgan's agitation>>

[Jessica Hamby]

"Remarkable...."

Haleigh steps through the disc after Morgan, a grin on her face. She is still rather stunned that Alison vouched for her..... it must have something to do with the powers she had. There were too many possibilities for Haleigh to be sure WHICH powers the assisstant had.... but there would no doubt be a file on her desk with Alison's name on it. Haleigh is resisting the powerful urge to massage her arm... as it still aches and is only just now returning to normal color. She looks around, taking in the alleyway that they are now standing in. It is nearing twilight, and the alley is growing dark, save for a dim lamppost over the dumpster near the diner's back door. She tosses her natural blonde locks back and gives Morgan a dark look.

"You've GOT to be kidding. You honestly think I'm going to huddle with you in this alley and conspire to take down a corporation? You need to be sitting down for this anyway. But.... lets get at least ONE thing perfectly clear... We are both here of our own free will... neither is forced to stay in this... partnership.... I don't LIKE being assaulted. If you grab me.... or threaten me like that again... I will disappear. Your sister will be left to her fate... and most likely, your mother will too. Let's get out of this weather."

Haleigh gave Morgan no choice, as she turned on her heel and walked out of the alleyway, entering through the front door of the diner. She cast her eyes around... and waltzed toward a booth in the back where they wouldn't be too disturbed by other customers, with Morgan in tow. Haleigh sat against the wall so she would be able to see anyone approaching, and as Morgan sat down across from her and they waited for service, Haleigh began to give Morgan information on a 'need to know' basis.

"I suppose its no longer practical for you to know nothing about me. I own and operate Clandestine Intelligence, one of the most prominent underground intelligence agencies in the Americas. If you haven't heard of it... I'll take that as a compliment. However... I'm aware that you might know of my organization... considering the fact that we offer your mother protection from your father. Truthfully... Liquid Crystal is more Cassandra's bit... so we might have never met, but her jet in Taipei was delayed. When I saw your photo over the secretary's desk in the lobby... I felt I knew you from somewhere. I had seen you before... with the Valiant photographs. I had my secretary run a background check on you. Would you like to see your file? You've been quite busy, it's thick.... But so has your father."

Haleigh reached into her breifcase, which was not a locked-shut type, but an open handbag style, and pulled out the large envelope that had Morgan's file, and now, also Foxfire's picture. She pulled the pictures of Foxfire out first, and slid one across the table into Morgan's hands. Haleigh read the sticky note that was attached to the picture quickly.

"Recognize that woman?"

She asked, almost as though she didn't need the answer. The picture showed Foxfire laying in a paper hospital dress, bound to a table by restraints. Two men can bee seen at her side, one taking notes on clipboard and the other monitoring a vitals machine in the corner. Both of the men's faces are obscured from view, turned away from the camera. Neither seems to be aware that a picture is being taken and Foxfire seems to be in a comatose state.

"One of those men is your father. The other is Adam Chandler, his colleague. both of those men are warped, maniacal bastards bent on world domination. Both must be stopped. Their TO virus research is dangerous... I am arranging for the destruction of this and other labs within the Citadle. I have a man in side and we are preparing to make our move... we need your help, of course. In return... I'll fund you, so you can orchestrate the extraction of your sister... I can provide you with money, manpower, intel, technology... everything you need."

[Jill Monroe]

<< Morgan gritted her teeth. in her mind's eye...she saw herself punting Haleigh down the length of the alley like a foot ball with one powerful kick...but she snapped back to reality when she realized that this could be her chance to save her sister..and destroy her father FOR GOOD>>

<<they quietly walked into the diner...a small, secluded place that was quite inviting and trendy on the inside.....Sheryl Crow played over the sound system...as Morgan sat across from Haleigh...clearly unamused by the casual behavior of this woman as she seated herself>>

<< as she examined the pictures of Foxfire, MysTech and her father...Morgan's face grew grim with disbelief and despair>>

this...cannot be! i saw her go to her death in Europe......Valiant told me that we had lost her! ...and now.....there she is....half dead...in the clutches of my father!

<< she listened to Haleigh's brief but revealing explanation of her own identity>>

yes...my mother....has been a "private citizen" now for 3 years....she has access to magick as well...but she needed more..to restore her sense of security after Christopher..tried to kill us...How did you find out about my affiliation with Valiant...and WHY havent they contacted me?? did THEY know Foxfire is alive? What is this MysTech logo that i see in this pictures of Foxfire now?

<<it was clear that Morgan was not aware of her father's affiliation with MysTech...nor could she or Valiant had known that the Axis of Evil OR Black were bankrolled through MysTech>>



<< as they were talking....a young, beautiful waitress with dark alluring eyes could be seen making her rounds in the diner, as she saw the two unusual looking women arrive, she prepared to make her way over to them to see what they would like from the menu.>>

[Pam De Beaufort]

:: Finally arriving at her destination, Alexis' sapphire blue eyes gleamed as they came upon the bright red neon sign of "Rainbow Room", a very popular club/restaurunt in New York City. Looking down at her white blazer and skirt, she parted her lips with her warm tongue and glanced up, seeing Marcus, her driver, looking at her in the review mirror. Narrowing her eyes, she placed her finger tip on one of the buttons by the window, raising the privacy class up. Alexis was somewhat open about her powers, but not to those she didn't trust or know -- Marcus being one of them. ::

"What to wear....what to wear..."

:: Biting her bottom lip, she snapped her fingers remembering a dress she saw in Harpers Bazar magazine that she absolutly loved. Looking down at her work suit it slowly began to dematerialize, looking as if her outfit was turning into liquid. Alexis was reconfiguring the energy molecules in her outfit and changing them into the white lace dress (http://www.sarahmichellegellarfan.com/albums/Magazines/Esquire/05.jpg) she saw in Harpers Bazar. Smiling seeing her outfit offically changed, Alexis placed her finger, again, on yet another button buzzing the front of the limo. ::

"Alright Marcus...i'm done changing."

:: With that, Alexis began to run her slender fingers throughout her wavy blonde locks as Marcus stepped out of the limo and headed towards Alexis' door. Flipping down a hidden mirror that was placed in the ceiling of the limo, she quickly checked her makeup and hair before Marcus let her out. As the door of the limo opened, she took Marcus' hand for support as she stepped out and onto the stress. Her off white, open-toed, ankle wrapped stiletto heals clicked as she made her way to the front of Rainbow Room. Nodding to the woman at the front door, she knew Alexis well from previous visits. ::

Woman - "The usual table Miss. Quartermaine?"

:: Smiling at the woman she shook her head gently while taking a deep breath in. ::

"No thank you. I think i'll sit by the bar tonight."

:: Nodding, the woman opened the door for Alexis and escorted her to the very stylish bar. Sliding onto one of the stools, she immediatly crossed her long sexy legs at the knee and spun herself around to face the bartender. ::

Bartender - "What can I get for you Miss."

:: Looking at the tender, Alexis hesitated for a moment. Her opal hues shifted from side to side as they traveled downwards. Clearing her throat, she quickly lifted her chin high and smiled to the tender. ::

"Club soda please....."

:: The bartender nodded and headed off to get ALexis her club soda. Letting out a breath of releif, Alexis spun herself around, leaning her back against the bartop. Looking around the club, she studied the people whom were in it, seeing if she recognized anyone. ::

[Jacob Black]

« Cameron pondered the thought. Spellbinder? The Famous Supermodel he was about to get into business with was a once extremely revered and powerful mutant? Well, if that was the case, it was good to see a mutant in the actual workforce instead of just wearing a funny costume and fighting over super mutants. Cameron could never see himself doing that unless he was paid well or had an actual reason to. At that moment Vivica stood from the curtained booth and patted her clothes down, smiling. »

Vivica: "I am going to the ladies room.. Go to the bar and refresh our drinks. If I run into any fine brothas, I may have a dance or two.. I just want to get this day out of my mind.."

Cameron: "I here ya, I will be at the bar if you need me..."

« And with that, Cameron got back on his feet, grabbing the two empty drink bottles and headed to the main bar. He looked at the people around him, randomly picking up their thoughts about who they were going home with, about not wanting to be alone. Humans were just plain pathetic. Always worrying about their next relationship when there was so much more to life, but Cameron was a pretty big hipocrate and as he took a seat down at the bar, he noticed a very beautiful blonde to his right. She smelled of elegance and allure, and was fine as hell. He noticed the much older businessmen gauking and catcalling at her, but she didn't seem to mind. Before he even knew what he was doing, Cameron was making conversation. He leaned in and remarked. »

"I'd be careful if I were you. A few more drinks and Mr. Moneybags over there might not look so bad..."

« He turned back to the bar and handed the bartender his glasses, ordering a drink for himself, completely forgettting about Vivica, but she was doing fine by herself. He noticed her from across the room dancing with an attractive man in Gucci. She was set for the evening. »

"I will take a Dirty Martini please, No Olives, just the drink straight up.. and uh, refresh whatever the lady was drinking..."

« Cameron slipped the bartender a $100 bill and winked, the bartending having been through the same situation many times before. He would keep the drinks coming for awhile. Cameron turned back to Alexis and smiled. »

"I thought buying you a drink would also get me your name? I'm Cameron.."

« He waited with anticipation for her response. »

[Pam De Beaufort]

:: Waiting for her drink to arrive, Alexis placed her elbow on the bar top and rested her chin on her loosely closed fist. Finally, the bartender brought her club soda. Annoyed it took so long, Alexis picked up the class and pressed her glossy lips against the rim. Taking a small sip of the cold liquid, she heard a man's voice to the side of her. Removing the glass from her lips, she turned to see Cameron, a very attractive man remarking on the old business man down the bar gawking at her. Smiling, she let a small chuckle escape her lips. Cameron seemed very smooth and she could definitely see he had a way with the ladies. Alexis' sapphire eyes met with his as she studied him for a few moment. ::

"Oooh, i'm not that desperate."

:: Raising one of her slender brows as she saw Cameron slip the 100 to the bartender, he was in for the kill. Smirking, she turned her stool towards Cameron while adjusting herself in her seat. Her nearly see through lace dress hugged tightly against her slim frame -- of course, allowing men like Cameron to enjoy what they saw. ::

"Well aren't you the ladies man, Cameron."

:: A small seductive smile tugged on her pouty pink lips."

"I'm Alexis....Alexis Quartermaine."

[Jacob Black]

« Cameron laughed, glad that the icebreaker had worked. Alexis was quite different from other women that he had met in the city during his business trip. Maybe his powers were picking up on something, but he could tell that Alexis wasn't your ordinary Business Gal. As the drinks were brought out to them, Cameron raised his glass and smiled. »

"Cheers!"

« Quickly he took a big drink and set the cup back on the table. He had had a long day and the drink was very soothing to him, drinking problem aside. He watched as Alexis pressed her lips against the glass. Everything she did was so sensual and hypnotizing, Cameron noticed nobody else in the Rainbow Room except from her. She just seemed to be glowing with a bright...energy. He commented on her name. »

"Alexis? Well you certainly look like Alexis and not Abuick. So what brings you to this lovely place? Me, I just had the business meeting from hell..."

« Cameron quickly took another drink of his martini. He didn't want to reveal any information that he didn't have to. The whole day had just left him with a feeling of incompleteness. He could sense that his run in with Spellbinder would not be his last, though his precognitive powers wouldn't allow him just yet to tell what that was. He looked at Alexis straight in the eyes and smiled. »

"You certainly look like a business woman yourself.. Am I close?"

[Pam De Beaufort]

:: Noticing Cameron watch her every move, she of course, felt very empowered. Smiling, to Cameron as he cracked his joke, a small laugh could be heard from the meta human. Tilting her head to the side, she rolled her eyes as he mentioned a meeting from hell and agreed completely with him. ::

"I too had a horrible meeting....with the lovely Morgan Victoria."

:: Looking at the Martini sitting in front of Cameron, she wanted so badly to take a sip of it. It could be so easy...but six months of being sober would be thrown down the drain because of one miserable interview with a model. Looking up once again to Cameron, intrigued that he guessed correctly, she grinned. ::

"Why yes. It's like you've read my mind....I'm the CEO of Tempo Magazine. I just got done an interview with Morgan...I'm sure you know her. Everyone knows Miss. Victoria."

:: Sarcasm coated her words as she again picked up her club soda. Taking a few nice swigs of the cold liquid, her glass was soon empty. Placing it down upon the bar top, she ran her tongue along her lips licking the residue off from her drink. ::

"So, Cameron. I told you my occupation...what do you do?"

:: Raising a brow, she studied him further, awaiting his answer. ::

[Jacob Black]

« Cameron almost spit out his drink at the mention of Morgan Victoria. Could he not get any reast from this woman? He had already been in the boardroom with her, watched her spaz out in some nightmare state that God only knows what it was, but now even this young woman couldn't escape that witches clutches. She was literally everywhere. He laughed at Alexis' comment and smiled. »

"Well what a coincidence. I was in a meeting with Ms. Victoria earlier today. I am the founder/owner and CEO of King Enterprises. I deal with mainly stocks and bonds, but I recently acquired a chain of hotels in a buy out. Illustra is doing my Media Campaign. Or at least they were. After that meeting.. I don't know if I want to go back. She is rather strange to say the least."

« He didn't want to risk telling Alexis who Morgan really was. Even though he had been treated rudely by both Alison and Ms. Victoria himself, he had feelings some of the time. One of Cameron's own fears was to be discovered as a mutant and to have his business ruined. He casually took a drink of his Martini as he noticed her drink was empty as he quietly mind zapped the Bartender into coming to her spot at once and refilling her drink. »

"Well that is particulary good service... One question. Are you always that sensual with your drinks.. or am I just lucky?"

[Pam De Beaufort]

:: Quite interested, her magazine had a few articles involving the King Enterprises since they took over their rather well known hotel chain. Seeing the bartender come over and refill her drink Alexis found that somewhat strange. Getting service as a well known woman was hard enough, but in New York City it was damned near impossible. Especially service you didn't have to ask for. Nodding to the bartender, she stared at her drink curious of the situation. Looking over at Cameron once again, she ignored the situation and continued on with their conversation. ::

"Yes...I do know you Mr. King. My magazine has done a few articles about your hotel chain. I've actually stayed in one of your hotels in Paris. It was quite beautiful."

:: Running the tip of her finger along the rim of the glass, Alexis laughed hearing Cameron's comment about Morgan. ::

"Morgan is quite the diva...to say the least. I've had numerous encounters with her where we've exchanged catty remarks. The woman can be a bitch, but she knows what she's doing in that company."

:: Not being able to shake the feeling that something was oddly strange about Cameron, Alexis continued to keep her cool vas ah. Something just didn't seem right....never-the-less, Cameron seemed like a very nice man, but Alexis continued to keep her guard up as usual. Smirking, Alexis' brilliant blue orbs met with Cameron's. ::

"Sensual? Really....I didn't realize.."

:: As she spoke, there was a playful yet cattyness to her responds. Teasing was always her way of having fun with men. ::

[Jacob Black]

« Cameron smiled at her comment. Was she trying to tease him? Whatever it was, it was working. Usually Cameron would just mentally scan a girl to get inside her head, what she liked, and what she didn't. Play off of that, but sometimes he liked to do what humans did. Actually get to know the person, and with Vivica looking pretty busy, he had nothing better to do. »

"Why Alexis.. I do believe you are playing hard to get...don't stop.."

« Cameron smiled as a bartender brought him another martini, but he took it back and got a water instead, remembering a thought he had heard from Alexis about her drinking problem. Why she was at a bar he didn't know... That was like taking a Diabetic to a candy store. None the less, he looked around and noticed the atmosphere. It had calmed down since he had first gotten there. The thoughts were quiet, which in NYC, almost never happens. He turned back to Alexis. »

"Oh, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have come to Illustra if I didn't think they could get the job done.. she just sort of rubbed me the wrong way. Her and that assistant of hers... Alison it is.. I am going to attempt to return there tomorrow to see if we can't work the kinks out..."

« At hearing that Alexis had stayed at one of the Parthenon Resorts, a smile curled up in his lips and he sighed. »

"They were popular in the 80's. I am glad you actually stayed in one of the more nice locations. The NYC one is a mess.. spent Millions trying to fix them up. I don't want all that money spent to go to waste..."

« The music in the Rainbow Room was somewhat of a soft jazz. Cameron was in the mood for something a little more sultry as she entered the minds of the Band, causing them to go into a rendition of "Fever". The beats really set a mood for the club and was the perfect timing for Cameron and Alexis. »

[Pam De Beaufort]

:: Laughing in a cute manor, Alexis enjoyed Cameron's style. His presents was refreshing compared to the rat bastards that normally hit on her. Watching him contently as he spoke of Morgan and her wretched assistant Alison, the bartender caught her eye. Shifting her eyes to him, she saw he was on his way with a martini then quickly turned around, grabbed a water, and gave it to Cameron, without him asking to do so. Narrowing her eyes, she began to think about the situation, analyzing it. Something was defiantly different....Looking back to Cameron, she smiled politely as he continued to speak. This was her opportunity. Placing her soft hand on his thigh, she spoke. ::

"I'm sure everything will work out with Illustra.."

:: Cameron's biochemical energy absorbed into Alexis' hand like a sponge to water. Removing her hand, a slight jolt went through Cameron's body, making him jump slightly. Smiling seductively at Cameron, she glanced down at her hand seeing her palm glow a brilliant blue for a split second. She knew it....he was a mutant. Shifting her eyes upward, they met with his. ::

"Sorry for the jolt...the static around these places are horrible..."

[Jacob Black]

« Cameron was somewhat assured by Alexis' words, even though normal he would think they were superficial. Suddenly, Alexis put her hand on Cameron's thigh, and inside Cameron went crazy. Her hand was warm to the touch, and if she wanted to put any other of her body parts on him, he sure as hell wouldn't mind. Suddenly, a shock went through Cameron's body as he began seeing a premonition. The scene played much like a movie, only slightly more blurry and the voices more echoing. He saw Alexis standing in a room with a man that Cameron perceived as an enemy. There was a huge Battle. All different types of energy flowing from Alexis' hands, the man then lay on the floor. Dead. Cameron was pulled back into reality at the mutants last comment. »

"Yeah, cause bars are known for their Static, right?"

« He eyed Alexis, not knowing how to tell her that he knew she was a mutant, then he thought he would just joke around with her. If they were mutants, they should get along, not argue. Cameron easily pushed into her mind as he whispered inside of her head. »

Boo!

« He waited to see if he had gotten the wrong impression from her or if she was in fact a mutant as well. »

[Pam De Beaufort]

:: Alexis studied Cameron...he hesitated for a few moments--- it was as if he was somewhere else. Her lips parted slightly as her facial expression changed from alluring to confused. Before she could speak, she heard his voice echoing throughout her head. The sensation was unusual and made Alexis gasp softly. Looking to Cameron, her blue eyes were wide with shock. He was a mind manipulator....::

"Cameron King...business executive and mutant...very interesting. So I assume you already know I'm not a human either. Otherwise I'm pretty damn sure you wouldn't of popped up in my head. So...you enjoying what you see in there. Cameron?"

:: Smirking, Alexis felt more comfortable knowing that she wasn't going crazy about these small fluxes that were happening throughout the night. Although she wasn't quite comfortable with the fact that she had a man sitting next to her who could manipulate her at any moment. She could care less if he poked and probed in her mind...she had nothing to hide. But manipulation was a different story. ::

"I'm pretty sure you haven't seen anything remotely close to my life before.....Five husbands, two engagements, an alcohol problem, father I killed, stolen childhood...and not to mention my numerous bitch moments. You must be in heaven."

:: The sarcasm in her voice was oh so clear. Letting out a small sigh, she ran her fingers down to the small of her chest, picking up a small diamond star that she had hanging off a thin silver chain. It was her only jewelry she had on that night...and in moments of unfamiliarity and tension, she had a habit of playing with her jewelry. ::

"Well...now what."

[Tempest]

*Eva laid there, her eyes wide open as she sighed, turning just her head to the side as she peered at the clock on her tablestand. She closed her eyes and shook her head, returning her head to towards the ceiling. Today was going to be a very interesting day. Lack of sleep and too many hours made Eva a cranky woman. She'd get over it. She absentmindedly whipped the covers off, grabbing a towel as she quietly closed her door and headed towards the shower in the hallway. She locked the door and pulled off her nightgown, turning the water on. She stared into the mirror above the sink, looking at herself and undid the bun on her head. She slipped into the water, letting it trickle down her body as she washed herself. The temperature wasn't really where she had wanted it, turning around and placing a hand on the showerhead as heat spread through her hand, warming it up as the water that emerged was substantially hotter than before. She grinned and finished bathing her hair, running her hands through the wet hair, tightly wrapping it up to remove the excess water. She opened the door and wrapped the towel around herself, turning off the light and going back to her room. She whipped open the door to her closet and peered inside, pulling out a new outfit her caretaker had gotten her. She pulled on a pair of blue boot cut jeans, slipping on a form fitting white shirt (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v517/amarisy/angie/normal_9861.jpg), and then placing a gold shimmery half jacket over it. She turned herself around in the mirror on the closet door, then went to her dresser and quickly lipped on some clear lip gloss, eyeliner and mascara. Looking beautiful wasn't really important to Eva, but sometimes she just liked to dress up for the heck of it. Down inside, it reminded her of all the times with her mother, and how they used to pretend to be beauty queens. I be the pwitiest pwretty girl be I. She looked at the mirror and smiled, flipping around and knocking the closet door closed with her hand as she grabbed the purse off her bed and the apron and car keys from the desk next to the door. She opened the door across from hers quietly, peeking in as she looked at the elderly woman, nodding her head and taking a quick glance around the room. She shut the door and hurried down the hall into the kitchen. A quick glance at the oven clock reminded her she was going to be late if she didn't hurry up. She opened up a few cabinets and tossed some pop tarts into the toaster, while opening pill bottles as she waited, putting them in different cups on a tray. The pop tarts popped up and she grabbed one, taking a quick bite as she placed the bottles back, grabbing a pen and piece of paper as she wrote down a little note, leaving it with all the pills. She engulfed the rest of her pop tart, grabbed the second one from the toaster and flew out the door.*

"I really need to learn to say no sometimes. Okay...so post office, work, store, cleaners..."

*Eva rambled on with her to do list inside her head, opening the door to her car and sliding into the seat. She put the seat belt on and rolled out of the driveway, peeling off down the street. Now she really needed to get a move on it if she were going to get to work on time. She zoomed into the parking lot for the post office, taking a look around as she cursed under her breath. The damn lot was nearly always full. She pulled back onto the main road and drove down the block and parking on the street. She got out of the car and slightly ran down the sidewalk into the post office. She mailed off her package, throwing strands of her behind her as she fixed the clip in the back. She had just about finished when she saw a group of men walking down the sidewalk towards her, still far off at the light. Living off the street for a long time had gotten Eva used to paying close attention to her surroundings as she peered at a tattoo on one of the man's arms...she'd seen that tattoo before. Atleast one of the men worked for Mystech...he was probably out for her again. She looked at her watch and cursed again...she wasn't going to get to work on time. Her day was just getting worse and worse. They inched closer and she debated what to do when the men noticed her. She locked eye contact with the man she'd been looking at as he grinned at her, folding his arms over his chest, making sure his arm was visible. Eva's expression hardened as she took off down the alley sidestreet, the men running behind her closely. It wasn't until she got down too far into the alley that she noticed it was a dead end, blocked off by a chain link fence with barbed wire at the top. She turned around, her hypnotic eyes looking at each of the men, a snarl slightly building around her lips. Her swirly brown eyes gazed over each of them as they moved in closer. She'd had it...this was getting old. Mystech needed to start sending harder toys after her, she didn't have time to waste on these losers.*

"You know I must object...I really wouldn't come any closer...it might get a little too hot for you to handle."

*The men paused a second, looking at each other as wicked thoughts flew through their minds. They all chuckled and continued coming towards her. Hot? Oh yeah baby. We won't hurt you. Come to papa. She rolled her eyes at their comments, those pigs. She had been done with men since her father betrayed her, she really had no sympathy for those cretian beings coming towards her. She grinned herself, her eyes beginning to spark as they glew to life in icy metallic blue and white colors. The men now stopped, hesitating a bit. Surely they knew about her powers...she didn't think they'd ever been subjected to seeing them first hand. The ground around them shook violently as lava seeped in from the ground, pouring out onto the cement around them. The men shrieked and screamed, not having known what was coming as they tried to move and get away from the burning pain. The smell of burning flesh evaporated into the air, mixing in with the other deadly toxins from business companies. When they'd had enough she closed her eyes as the lava seemed to fade away and reopened them, looking at the boys squirming on the ground.*

"Don't say I didn't warn you. Tell your bosses they shouldn't send babies to do their job. They're going to lose way too many employees that way."

*She winked at them, then raised her arms up her sides as wind picked up, lifting her into the air and over the fence. She landed and grabbed onto the fench with one hand, leaning into it as she closely watched the men, her face rubbing against the cool metal, a good feeling. This was Mystech in action. These men better get paid very well for what they had to go through. No one should be subjected to the kind of work Mystech had to offer, and if she had any luck, she'd be there to make sure they were stopped and see them fall. She ran off towards her car and climbed in, taking off and speeding over towards the diner. She was late...she was sure she was going to get a good bitch yell for it. She pulled into the parking lot and parked in her spot and jumped out of the car, locking the door. She waltzed into the diner and right into the back room, opening her locker and putting her bag and things from her car inside. She put her black half apron around her waist, tying it securely as she grabbed the nametag from the locker and pinned it on her shirt. She looked straight into the mirror on the door of the locker and rearranged the hair in the clip one final time, sighed and walked out into the diner. Her boss stood behind the counter, drumming her fingertips against the hard surface as she faced the swinging door and looked straight at Eva. Great, just what she needed inspite of helping with the extra hours. She maintained eye contract as she tried not letting her mood get the better of her.*

>>"You're late."
"I know, I'm sorry, I had to make a quick run to the post office to get something mailed out for my grandmother. You know how those lines are."
>>"That's why you go early. Anyway, get to work."

*She looked at Eva up and down and smiled. Her boss wasn't really a mean hardass, she just liked to ride them down every now and then. Eva was lucky she got this spot, a lot of other girls had applied but her boss had seen something else in her that got her the job. Maybe it was her spunk, or her energy to want to work, who knew, but she was grateful she had won. She walked over towards the window and picked up a pencil and leaflet of paper, smiling at her co-workers that passed. She turned around and started making her rounds to the table. The day went by, the sun crawling down the sky as the clouds poured in again, a rumble beginning to serenade the town.*
-----

"My feet are so damn sore already. This is insane."

*She commented to one of her co-workers as they sat in one of the back booths, giving their legs a rest for the moment as they enjoyed their break with some free food. They were just about finished and wishing they had the power of time manipulation or atleast a screwdiver to do away with the clock in the diner. Eva noticed two very tall and beautiful women walk into the diner, heading towards the back and sitting a few booths ahead of them. Eva continued on with her conversation with her co-worker but kept her ears open. Still alive. Abducted. Testing. Their conversation was a bit weird, even for her, but something drew her in. Just the subject of their conversation slightly reminded her of her past, the tests, the pain, being locked away from the world. Their boss walked into the room, and Eva and her co-worker immediately stood up quickly, running towards the window as they deposited their plates there and got back to work. They smiled to each other and smirked, watching their boss walk out the door.*

"I'm leaving. Eva you're in charge for the night. Make sure you lock up before you leave."

*She looked at her boss and nodded, looking at the wall as she pointed to the various keys. The two women still interested her as she quietly glanced through the corner of her eyes at the women in the both still talking. She could make out more phrases and words, trying to listen to their conversation. Mystech. Her head bobbed up at the mention of the word. It didn't take her too long to realize she had been staring at the women. Crap. She hoped they hadn't noticed and blushed, lowering her head at the register as she mentally smacked herself for being such an idiot. She grabbed her pencil and pad and walked over towards their table, hoping to play off the stare as noticing they hadn't been served yet.*

"Hi there. What can I get you?"

*She beamed a smile at them, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear as she waited, pencil poised in hand ready to take their order as she glanced from the menus already on the table to the women sitting there. Her eyes peered out at both of them, the swirls seeming as if to move round and round as she watched them.*

[Jill Monroe]

<<spellbinder looked through the file and pictures with disbelief. her time with valiant TO HER was merely a "misadventure" but apparently others had taken much notice of her as the sorceress, Spellbinder. Haleigh's words reverberated through her mind...and she began to realize that her NIGHTMARES correrlated with these latest photos of Blaze...."in a lab"..."about to be subjected to harsh experimentation".....>>

<< she shook her head as she once again started to become agitated>>

this cannot be! how did Foxfire wind up in the hands of CHRISTOPHER??

<<she had yet to learn the link between christopher, MysTech..and Black>>

<< but before Haleigh could continue, a young woman arrived to their booth....ready to take their order for a later dinner>>

<<Spell stopped herself..and exhaled as she realized she hadnt eaten on day.....>>

<< in an icy voice>>: a grilled chicken salad....light italian.... iced tea with a lemon slice please.

<< she slowly handed the waitress her menu...without really looking at her...she was awaiting further explanation from Haleigh>>
-------------------------------------

Meanwhile


<< as Haleigh and Morgan discussed shocking revelations, and Cameron and Alexis became unlikely aquaintences.....it was now evening....the air was ignited with a sort of "hostility" as the atmosphere once again churned and raged.......thunder rumbled....winds howled and clouds billowed....as NYC now drifted into the dark of night>>

<< across town, on Manhattan's upper east side, ILLUSTRA was now "closed". The immensely tall building seemed so still and dark on the outside....but high above on the VERY TOP floor.....which was actually a palatial "pent house" used for entertainment and the most PRIVATE of activities from Morgan and Alison.... there was a silvery glow. INSIDE the pent house was Alison, who was now wearing a black ,body contouring cat suit (similar to the uniform worn by the X-man Storm in the movies) .....her hair pulled back in a front swooped , glossed bun......she looked very sleek and stylish...but ready for battle>>

<< MysTech's security systems were fully operational, multiview hidden camera's perimeter and motion detectors..and a sort of dampening field was in effect....Alison herself was in the center of the penthouse.......standing straight upright.......a stern look on her face as her eyes glowed solid white..the sound of magick igniting could be heard in the air>>

<< she was using her power as a Seer to "see" through time and space....into MysTech.........the Citadle....and Foxfire......but she found even MORE than that.......as she saw fluent images of Foxfire screaming for help.....the scientist cruely prodding her, the layout of the Citadle......Christopher Victory and Adam Chandler, Alexis' "father"....>>

Foxfire is alive.......they are about to subject her to the Techno Organic Virus! Christopher and Adam..... Morgan and Alexis' fathers...they HEAD the consortium of the Citadle...the nerve center of MysTech which is UNDER NYC........there will be a major malfunction with the gene splicer.......the Techno Organic Virus will reach the surface and cause chaos...and MURDER.......

<< she saw MUCH MORE than she had planned......and as a BLAST of thunder startled her out of her mode....she stumbled back...putting her hand to her head and grimacing>>

Alison: we are ALL in danger.......I've got to get some help!!

<< Alison knew who to contact...but her "contacts" would be shocked at her summons....she would have much to explain to them....and these revelations would change everything...for ALL of them>>

[Tempest]

*She watched their conversation abrubtly stop and just continued to smile, pretending she hadn't overheard anything. She set her pencil to it's duty, writing down the type of salad along with it's topping and choice of drink.*

"One chicken salad, light italian dressing, with iced tea and a lemon slice. Got it."

*She nodded and smiled at the taller blonde woman who didn't seem to notice her. She took the menu that was slightly thrust out at her and shrugged, inwardly rolling her eyes at the rich woman. She turned to the other woman and awaited her order, leaning back on her left leg as she patiently waited for her to look through the menu. Eva fixed her apron as she waited. The weather outside continued to get gloomier, as lightning thundered through the skies. She turned her head for a moment, looking out the window and smiled. Rainy and stormy weather had always been her favorite. It reminded her so much of herself.*

[Jessica Hamby]

Haleigh looked at her watch as her stomach grumbles. She looks around the diner once more, sighing. she was aware Morgan was highly annoyed with her... but she was also aware that Morgan would quickly forget the way they were thrown together.

"Sometimes in the heat of things... we amplify what we witness to explain things away. Perhaps you saw her fall, and in your continued struggle against Black, you assumed her dead? You never found her body... that must have left a few lingering questions."

Haleigh passed more pictures to Morgan, ones of Foxfire and some of her father and Dr. Chandler, and also some of the lab. It struck Haleigh that Morgan was unaware of the link between the Citadle and Mystech. She licked her lips and put her reading glasses back on, as she read a page long memo on the Citadle's TO virus program.

"As far as Valiant is concerned, Blaze is deceased. But they also believe Black is dead. In light of Foxfire's survival... I have a feeling Black is not dead either.... but I don't have independent confirmation of that yet. what you are looking at is pictures of the Citadle's labs and inner workings. The heart of the Citadle... for which your father works.... is deep underground, with several floors and mazes of labs. It is funded entirely by the Mystech corporation, and its illegal research is funded by bioweapons sales. Ever wonder how Mystech has become so powerful? Not through legitimate means. They have a powerful presence in the black market... but very FEW people know that it is actually Mystech behind the Citadle. The Citadle is not ONLY interested in research and bioweapons... it is also becoming a rival to my organization in intelligence. They have surveillance (http://69.42.87.196/cgi-bin/v40/ezlclk.fcgi?id=7160) all over the place... they have people in the most mundane places just LISTENING for anything that would be of interest. That's why... for my protection AND yours... if anyone sits within earshot of us... they won't make it twenty feet--"

Haleigh had looked up from her intel... the waitress was STARING at her.... Haleigh was unsure if the woman had heard anything... and Haleigh's last words sink in on Morgan as the waitress approaches and ask to serve them. Haleigh makes eye contact with Morgan and gives her a meaningful look, as she takes a menu and overlooks the meals.

"Are you shortstaffed here, or do you always mosy about? Assure me my food (http://69.42.87.196/cgi-bin/v40/ezlclk.fcgi?id=6973) won't be cold by the time you get it to me."

She says haughtily in a cold tone. She had no patience to begin with and she hadn't eaten since 5 am... she was hungry... but only mildly scolded the waitress because Haleigh had actually BEEN starved before... and it wasn't so long ago. She started off with a drink... She smirked and stifled a chuckle as Morgan ordered.

"Yes, Don't hurt yourself dear... heavy italian might kill a stick figure like you. She's also going to have a slice of cheesecake... She'll need her strength later. I'll have a wine (http://69.42.87.196/cgi-bin/v40/ezlclk.fcgi?id=6883) cooler... strawberry. And a vodka, one the rocks. Not quite a double... more like... a one and a half. And an empty glass... then I'll have this 7 oz house sirlion... tell the chef i'll have whatever sides he thinks compliments it best. A slice of my own cheesecake, strawberry. Thank you."

Haleigh said, winking to the waitress and offering a smile that was only slightly jovial, mostly sly as she poked fun at Morgan's expense. As the waitress left, Haleigh resumed her converstaion, continuing to tackle each of Morgan's questions. She started speaking very quietly at first, then resumed normal tone.

"I suppose I should be nicer to her.... it's her last day... you didn't see the way she was eyeballing us..... I became interested in Valiant's movements a year ago when intelligence suggested the existence of what was referred to as 'the Axis of Evil'. The Axis led me to the 'showdown' with Valiant. I knew of codenames Spellbinder, Foxfire and the rest, and saw these pictures. But that was a year ago, and after the showdown, everyone disappeared. Like I said before... when I saw your picture... it jogged my memory."

[Tempest]

*Eva was poised to write as the other woman began yapping. She only slightly glared at her as a result of the first comment but let it go, she was too tired to fight now. She remembered what she hated about rich bitches again...the actual hard working servers were always overlooked. She wrote down the order the second woman had given her, marking each one before reading it off.*

"Okay so, one chicken salad, light italian dressing, with iced tea and a lemon slice, a strawberry wine cooler, a one and half vodka on the rocks, an empty glass, sirloin steak and two slices of cheesecake. Be back in a jiffy."

*Eva made her way over behind the counter, placing the slip of paper on the tray and waited, rolling her eyes at the cook as she laughed with him. She hoped the woman choked on her steak, heh. Something about those kinds of people just really pissed her off. She'd cool that temper if there weren't other people around them in a minute. She looked into a mirror directly diagnol to her position at the counter that gave an exact view of the women's table. You couldn't see it from the booths so she knew the women wouldn't spot her looking at them. Something about them didn't really feel right, so she was curious as to what it was.*

[Jacob Black]

« Cameron was relieved to be able to be himself, something he only found he could do in the comfort of Vivica's prescence. He listened to Alexis explain her life story, and couldn't help but let out a loud chuckle. This woman was great. It had been the first time there was someone who had the same sense of humor as Cameron, and she seemed to be on point the whole way. He took a drink of his tall glass of water and smiled, commenting on her elaborate lifestyle. »

"Yes well... being a mutant has helped me in my career, but so has a lot of hardwork, bitching and fighting my way to the top..."

« He stopped at her last comment, as he did take a moment to scan through her mind, which caused Alexis' head to feel slightly fuzzy. He could see the marriages, the drinking problem, and he had seen the fight between her father and herself. This girl could definitely be a loose cannon, and that just attracted Cameron to her even more. He smirked as he looked back at Alexis. »

"Oh yeah, if this is Heaven...sign me up!"

« All of a sudden, Cameron's senses began to tingle. There was magic in the works in NYC. Not just any kind of magick, but big time magic. He could sense the atmosphere had changed and that he seemed to be on alert more than he usually was. He concluded that he was picking up on the psychic residue of something big. He tried to shake the thought out of his head, but he could not help from feeling that something was about to happen to him. He shook his head and turned back to Alexis, looking at her with his Chocolate brown eyes. »

"It is good to meet another Mutant in this city.. the only other woman I know who is a mutant is my assistant Vivica and as you can see.. she «points to Vivica» is a little preoccupied at this point. I swear everywhere we go she picks up someone..."

« He tried to lighten the mood, but something was coming. Something big. He couldn't stop feeling it. So much so that a bead of sweat dripped down from his head. He noticed it and wiped it off, feeling very nervous. »

"What can I say... you make me sweat?"

[Jill Monroe]

<< Morgan was hardly amused by Haleigh's little comments....she simply waved her hand dismissively and scoffed>>

yes...i suppose at least ONE of us will want to make sure they are visually appealing in the event we wind up on the evening news.:rolleyes:

<< Morgan may not have been completely "herself" in the year or so that followed the events with Valiant....but when it came to catty remarks....she was a natural at bitchery>>

<< as the young waitress took their orders...Morgan cast a quick glance on her as she walked away>>

......she doesnt look like she would work in a place like this.

<<she turned her attention to the new documents and photos>>

MysTech.....the Citadle.......MysTech......i recovered from my injuries during the battle with the Axis of Evil at a hospital owned by MysTech.....some of their "big wigs" have come to the many exclusive balls and gala's that ive been in attendance of myself... but if what your saying is true...then MysTech

<< she paused....and as she was gripping the metal fork on the table....she began to BEND IT and crush it>>

bankrolled the Axis of Evil...which BLACK was apart of...and my father..HE was behind all of this!? He's ALIVE...and STILL blighting my path......what about my mother?? she's a private citizen.....can you dispatch a detailed guard around her house?

<<thunder rumbled in an almost growling sort of way....as Morgan gritted her teeth>

Foxfire is alive!!!......and she needs me......i wont fail her this time...and Christopher.......that monster...I have to do something about him!!...i have to KILL HIM!!!

<< the ferocity that Haleigh saw in the pictures was now beginning to be seen LIVE.....as the area around them grew colder from the darkness of morgan's own aura...she quickly regained her compsure...lest she draw attention to their booth>>

[Jessica Hamby]

"Yes... ONE of us will be VISUAL... I'm sure by then your royal thiness will have wasted away to nothing... or else need to be assisted by wheelchair, for said other's muscle mass will surely have frittered away and will no longer be capable of supporting her bone structure."

Haleigh watched the waitress slink away... as she absentmindedly retorts to Morgan. She took in Morgan's comment about the waitress, trying to determine from the way she left if the woman had heard anything unusual. She hadn't seemed to... and she handled criticism well... but when she came over she hadn't shown any telltale signs of eavesdropping... So Haleigh decided to observe more before passing final judgement. Any more STARING would be detrimental to the woman's life. Taking a deep breath to try to work out the cramp that was again forming in her ribs because of atmospheric electric charge, she eyeballed the fork in Morgan's hand. She reached across the table, leaning forward and placing her hand over Morgan's, in what seemed a friendly or comforting gesture but what really an action to obscure the fork from view. Haleigh fought a smirk of victory as she looked Morgan in the eye to calm her, things were going as she had planned... but she mustnt get ahead of herself. Her own powers counteracted Morgan's aura, filling the sorceress with warm fuzzies as Haleigh tried to talk her down.

"I'll send your mother extra protection immeadiately and inform her of recent events. YOU need to calm down... the more attention you attract to us the more LIVES have to be manipulated and/or lost tonight. We cannot afford to be noticed, understand?"

Haleigh pulled her cell from her coat pocket, holding eye contact with Morgan as she hit a speed-dial button to reach her assistant's desk. It rings... and rings... and rings... Haleigh only shows her impatience inthe slight furrowing of her brow, which disappears as the phone is answered.

>>sorry... my printer's broken so i was at the station's backup.
"Well... have communications issue you a mobile and get that number to me immediately. As my newly promoted Personal assistant I'll need to be able to reach you WHEREVER you are. Have security division dispatch a level three special tactics unit to Karen Victoria's residence. Go to her yourself. She's a supernatural being... identify yourself and show credentials... fill her in on today's events. Your visit should not be observed."
>>With haste.
"Thank you."

Haleigh hung up, her eyes scanning the diner again. She licked her lips slowly, her stomach rumbling again, her ribs still complaining. She looks up at Morgan.

"Level three units are hardly noticable... but very efficient. any outside surveillance won't detect thier presence, but if they think your mother is in danger, they will protect her. We can nail these bastards to the wall, Morgan... but we have to do this right. If anyone knows we are having this conversation... we will lose our element of surprise. We cannot afford to be noticed."

[Pam De Beaufort]

:: An awkward sensation filled her head as she closed her eyes for a few moments. She didn't think he would take her invitation to go into her mind seriously. Never-the-less, if he enjoyed looking, so be it. Fluttering her eyes open, Alexis' aqua eyes shifted to Cameron --- he seemed somewhat detached. Watching him for a few moments, at the mention of Vivica, she glanced towards the petite black woman across the dance floor. Seeing her enjoying the company of a man, she smirked and shook her head gently turning back to Cameron. ::

"I can see that. But then again, so are you."

:: A devilish grin appeared as a small chuckle could be heard. Picking up her club soda, she took a small sip and placed it back down on the bar top. Cameron kept referring to her as a mutant, which wasn't true. Interrupting him, she spoke. ::

"Actually...I'm a meta-human. Not a mutant. Although we are similar. I too find it refreshing to converse with people like me. I don't have to hide who I am...."

:: Pausing, Alexis noticed the bartender close by, narrowing her eyes, she leaned towards Cameron and began to speak in a softer tone. ::

"So...what exactly can you do. I've never actually come across a mind manipulator before....I'm intrigued."

[Tempest]

*Eva drummed her fingers on the counter again, waiting for the rest of the two orders to be filled. She could still make out muffled words from the conversation over in the corner. This time she made out Citadle and Christopher. Christopher? Wasn't that one of the names of her captors? Yeah...Christopher Victory, he was the meaner of the two...atleast the other one tried to make her comfortable while she "helped" them with their tests. Now something really wasn't right about those two girls. How did they know about Mystech, or were they part of it? She shifted her weight to her other leg as she immediately noticed the shift in temperature in the diner. She waltzed around, leaning back against the counter as she looked around the diner, searching for anyone with any ounce of a menacing glare or grin. Her heart skipped a few beats, some of the eyes looking back at her, wondering what had spooked the waitress and she let out a breath. She was sure someone was here after her again, another one of MysTech's goons trying to do her in. She wasn't about to use her powers in public, and neither were they, atleast not visibly. If they wanted her, they'd come get her after she finished her orders. The bell clanged behind her as the cook placed the last plates down on the counter. Eva almost hit the roof, whipping around to look at him, the sound of the bell still ringing in her head. She shook her head a bit and piled the plates onto a big tray, grabbed a few more napkins and utensils and placed them in her apron and walked out from behind the counter towards the two ladies. She stopped in front of their booth and held the tray to her side as she began taking things off.*

"One chicken sala, light italian, and iced tea with lemon. Oh and a cheesecake. And then, one strawberry wine cooler, one and a half vodka on the rocks, 7 oz sirloin cooked medium, with an assortment of delicious fruits to accomodate the flavor, and another cheesecake slice."

*She placed all the plates down in front of their respective consumers and put the tray under her shoulder, marking off the items on her slip of paper. She looked down at table and noticed one of the forks had looked like it'd been in a fight with the sink dispencer. She grinned and picked it up, handing the woman a new, clean form from her apron. She nodded her head towards them and let them know that their ticket stub was at the counter whenever they were ready. Something was still strange about the two of them that she couldn't help shrugging off. She looked at both women and smiled.*

"Is there anything else I can get you?"

[Jill Monroe]

<<Haleigh looked away.....when she turned back..she was greeted by a face that was completely enshrouded in shadow....save for glowing white eyes...and gleaming white teeth...almost fang like..yet somehow still feminine...it was as though she was now Mistress Death herself..>>

<<the voice was like cold...and unforgiving>>: your intelligence knows NOTHING of the power that I posses...or what i will do to Christopher once i get my hands on him. he has blighted my path....my mother's ...and he has subjected my sister to such cruel demented machinations......

If destroying him and this MysTech will help save the world...FINE...but like i told that foolish novice, VOLT in Valiant...I am NOT one to take orders.....

do NOT stand in my way when i set out to do what i shouldve done AGES AGO!


<< magick was NOT something that Haleigh or her organization had really dealth with in depth...this woman was fast prooving that she WAS indeed a "nuclear weapon" just waiting to go off>>

<< spellbinder snapped back to "normal"...appearing to be the icy super model that everyone knew her as just when the waitress appeared. she sharply turned and looked at the young waitress and watched her as she set the food down.....nodding as she walked away>>

now....let us refreshe ourselves......before I lay WASTE to Christopher and his organization!
:mad:

[Jessica Hamby]

Haleigh looked back at Morgan... and a look of intrigue fixed on her face. She didn't look terrified or angered.... just as though she were a psychologist and her patient was having a new kind of episode.

"Riiiiiight...."

It ended instantly as the waitress came back.... and as the waitress greeted them and began to set the plates down, Haleigh slowly withdrew her hand from Morgan's trying not to call any attention to it, but instead quickly gathering her files and photos and moving them out of the way. She smiled and made eye contact with the waitress.... she reached into her purse as the girl got ready to leave, but called after her. she handed the girl a folded $50 bill, and explained with a smile.

"Thank you..... I don't like to leave the tip at the table... things disappear, you know.... be a dear and bring me that empty glass?"

Haleigh's smiled disappeared the instant the waitress left, she looked back at Morgan, laying a napkin in her lap and picking up her knife and fork. She managed to restrain herself from being snippy with Morgan, she could already sense she'd acheived making the woman hate her, and that made her happy enough for today. She still wouldn't let Morgan have the last word. She locked eyes with the sorceress as she cut her steak.

"Well, that's very touching Morgan... but I am neither foolish nor a novice... and I sense that soon, you will realize that you don't intimidate me... It doesn't do you any good to try. I am going to provide you with VITAL resources.... so before you try anything and in your continued DESPISE with me... remember that if it weren't for me.... you would not even KNOW your sister was alive..... how is your salad?"

She asked nonchalantly, as if she sat around and went tit-for-tat with Morgan all the time... as though she'd seen Morgan's "death-incarnate" bit a hundred times over. She hadn't.... and while it was slightly disturbing... Haleigh had seen more disturbing things in her past... and they weren't magickal... but still somehow demonic.

[Tempest]

*She had nonchalantly sneaked a peek at a few of photos on the table as she placed the plates down. She saw one of the lab, bringing back all too real moments as she looked at the two of them. About to take off, she turned around hearing her name called. She looked at the shorter of the two women, curiously. She took the bill and blinked at it. She'd never gotten that much tip at one table...maybe there was a bounty out for her head. She looked up at the woman, slightly confused from her earlier comments and now generous heart, and listened to what she said. Crap. She'd forgotten the empty glass. Idiot. She refrained from slapping her forehead and just smiled, telling her that she'd be right back. She quickly walked over to the counter and looked around for the cook. He was no where to be seen. Sighing, she crawled onto the counter and reached into the sink, pulling out a dry cup and slid off, walking back towards the booth. She placed the glass down on the table next to the woman.*

"There, thank you, and I'm so sorry for forgetting. There anything else I can do for you two?"

*She waited until the woman assured her that if they needed more assistance, they'd just yell. Eva actually debated whether they meant that literally or not. Something was still strange about them but she let it go, there was something more dangerous in the air at the moment. She walked towards the swinging door that lead to the back area, nodding her head to one of her co-workers, acknowledging her as the new temp boss till she came back. She pushed the door open and walked through, making sure it closed straight behind her. She walked over to her locker and opened it, taking off her name tag and apron and placing both inside the open compartment. She stared at the door, then took a glance around the entire room, keeping her back to the locker as it was her only safe ground for now. This would have to do for any fight she'd have, she only prayed no one would come in and see her.*

[Jill Monroe]

<< Morgan ate lightly.....glaring at Haleigh.........if looks could kill [although in her case..she did have a spell or to that would evoke a "medusa" effect]>>

<<in an icy voice>>: intimidation? im hardly interested in intimidating a woman who is cleary out for self gain. your no more interested in the wellfare of the general populace of this city or world than i am......you are just protecting your organization's interests....ive seen greedy, double dealing, information hogs like yourself many times past. I worked with Valiant...and hell.....there are people like this in the FASHION world....

granted....you have provided me with the "spark" to ignite that part of me which died a year ago in Europe...but if you think for one moment...that im taking a back seat to YOU ...a woman who couldnt possibly comprehend the power i possess. these files dont BEGIN to convey what i am capable of. The ONLY problem that stands in my way is that of Black. He is some kind of creature that is inately immune to my magicks......but NOT immune to my OTHER powers. I ....<< she gritts her teeth..and stops herself from shattering the glass in her grip>>....i destroyed him...with his own weapon....its merest touch ravaged my hand, wrist and arm.....and the energy that radiated from it negated my own magicks for months.......Ill need some tech....a kind of body armour...contouring that can black/repel ALL forms of energy signatures presently in use on earth.

since your so grand and smug....why dont you come up with THAT....and then...you can consider our partnership "official".

<< Spellbinder hated Haleigh..and wanted to take her head off her shoulders...either with her bare hands or with a stepping disc....and if this woman interefered with her rescuing foxfire and destroying Christopher in a long awaited revenge....then she would do JUST THAT>>

but i warn you...stay out of my way...and DONT interfere when i have Christopher in my grasp...

[Jacob Black]

« Cameron listened intensly to Alexis' words. Until tonight, he had only heard of mutants. Those were the only people he knew with powers beyond the scope of the human existence, but now there were Sorcerers, Meta Humans and the like. There was so much to the realm of power that Cameron knew nothing about. »

"What exactly can I do? Well it is really just a question on what I want to do? I have trained by myself for quite sometime.. here let's test it out, shall we?"

« As he looked out into the crowd of people drinking, dancing and conversing, he began to think of just what exactly he could do that would show Alexis the magnitude of his training, but not necessarily give her everything about him. They had just meant about an hour ago, and he couldn't go revealing all of his secrets. He then decided to play around with his surroundings. Tapping into his power of telekinesis, he began to will some very interesting things to happen. The lights began to flicker on and off, as the music from the speakers went from loud to soft, then loud to soft. The soda fountains and drink spouts began spewing liquids in all different directions, as every person's glass began to float in the air, the liquid making ribbon like patterns in the air. Nobody seemed to notice anything happening except for Alexis. He had blocked the other's minds' from seeing it. »

"It all comes pretty natural to me..although this ability is much more new..."

« He flicked his hands at the shot glasses as they exploded into shards, all the liquid spilling everywhere and the glass pieces falling back onto the bar table. Cameron was even impressing himself. Nobody had really seen the extent of his training. It felt good to somewhat show off. Then with a squint of his eyes, he willed the glass pieces back together, as the liquid moved with fluidity back into their glasses. He glanced back at Alexis as he quietly made everything go back to normal. »

"Need to see anymore?"

[Jessica Hamby]

Haleigh smiled at the waitress and turned back to Morgan, taking a bite of steak and mixing the wine cooler and vodka and washing it down with a long sip. she continues to eat, seemingly unaware that morgan is insulting her until she finally looks up with soft disdain. If ever she met a more stuck up, self absorbed woman. BUT.... Morgan Victoria WAS her nuclear weapon.... and Haleigh had the discipline and patience to put up with anything to get ahead, and she cut in after Morgan wen ton that bit about people in the fashion world.

"You know... I just commited EIGHT of my highly trained professionals to your mother's protection... the least you could do is show a LITTLE bit of gratitude. Just a little."

She went on eating as Morgan continued to rant on like a raving lunatic. She just nodded and looked up everynow and then as though she were having a stimulating conversation and not being condescended upon. she was enjoying her food... the tastes were exquisite... and she didn't at all envy the rabbit food Morgan was acting as though she could actually enjoy. She looked up and smiled as Morgan accused her of being grand and smug.

"Consider it done.... I tell you what... We even have models that are stylish and pretty. If i make it purple, can I continue to be grand and smug? How about pink?"

She said mockingly, as though she were talking to a child. She took another sip and reached once more for her phone. She sighed and inwardly rolled her eyes. she licked her lips and had a brief onesided conversation.

"Jen... yeah. I need a Z7 model armor, female variation. Purple. That new flex stuff been rated? good. She's about six-one and 135 pounds. I'll tell you what, make that two suits. mine to be black. you know my measurements.... our new partner is expecting a very energetic confrontation... I'm at Shooters."

She hung up, her eyes still trained on Morgan. She seemed almost... amused by Morgan's anger. She looked around the diner once more. That looming danger feeling had returned once more. Jenny walked through the front door with a metallic suitcase. She walked up to Haleigh and set it down beside her, and then nodded before walking a few feet beyond them, to a secluded corner where she disappeared.

"Happy now luv?"

[Jill Monroe]

<< Morgan backed off...just a bit...realizing that Haleigh HAD in fact made good on her promise to keep her mother secure....and now she brought forth the tech that she so badly needed in order to not only lay TOTAL WASTE to MysTech..but if Black was alive..and dared to attack her...she'd plummet to a whole new depth of sadism with the revenge she planned to carry out upon him!>>

<< a wicked..almost DEMONIC smile came over her wintery face...as it seemed angular...and partially enshrouded in shadow as she stood up>>

amazing.......so you are something more than a low rent version of James Bond after all! Give that to me!

<< she snatches the suitcase from Haleigh and rips it open effortless with a fraction of her super strength.>>

<< she looks for her tech...and its EXACTLY designed to her specifications.....>>

Goddess....its......

<< with a loud crashing sound....the power completely DIES within the diner...as a "blacklight" effect blasts through the building....>>

<< Morgan looks around>>

what is THIS!?

<< outside the building.....10 heavily armed MysTech Shadow Demons close in on the building.....5 coming toward the front....the other five zeroing in on the back end.....they were closing in on the back end of the building, where Eva Valentine was .....but they were about to encounter more than they bargained for....>>

[Jessica Hamby]

Haleigh was pleasantly snacking on her cheescake when Morgan snatched the suitcase away. She looked up again, sliding the fork out of her mouth and swallowing. As soon as Morgan opened the suitcase, they were imediately plastered themselve to the women's bodies. The design was perfect, as though the suits were specially tailored... they were suprisingly flexible yet covered the women from mid-throat all the way down. They had no logos or identifying marks... for Haleigh was in the business (http://ÎjŠtÜ·0n†lŠtü’¨t/) of secrecy.

"You know.... please is nice sometimes.... Its a gesture of manners, you see-- Shit."

She said calmly, as though she dropped her food (http://ÎjŠtðc·0n†lŠtü’¨t×·/) from her fork or something... even though she was reffering to the THINGS approaching all the exits. She reacted smoothly, catching the table by the edge and throwing it on its side, protecting them [sort of] from the front entrance, the men were already coming in over there. Haleigh ducked down, grabbing the suitcase. She peeled up a layer of foam to reveal two rather LARGE firearms resembling shotguns.

"Plasma gun. They fire rounds that could move a TANK fifty feet... just fire one, two, three and you've taken out the entire fucking front 'nonsmoking section' of the diner. Takes about a second and a half to recharge. SOMEBODY heard us.... I'm gonna kill that fucking waitress... you hold them off."

Haleigh demonstrated, moving (http://ÎjŠtðc·0n†lŠtü’¨tÀ¤·/) the gun a few inches each time she counted. she didnt much CARE if Spellbinder didn't like taking orders, she could do whatever she wanted. Haleigh just felt better giving them out, as she stepped out of the cover of the booth and fired a single round towards the demon that was busting down the front door. The gun lit up and emited a blast of substance that was nearly undescribable, but as it hit the demon, proved its worth, and though it may not have killed it, it certainly bought Haleigh the time she needed to scramble across the diner and jump over the counter. There were only a few customers sitting near the counter.... and they were eaten up in the crossfire as Haleigh narrowly misses the retaliation for her efforts. Haleigh watches (http://ÎjŠtðc·0n†lŠtü’¨t�¸/) a blast of enemy ammunition eat its way through the counter a few feet away. She calls after Morgan to invite her into the more protected area...

"Hey Rabbit.... If you're still alive over there.... you might want to amble on over this way..."

The temperature began to drop severely... Morgan and Haleigh's suits would protect them from extreme temperatures... and Haleigh's initial defense reaction was to freeze as much as possible... she could not have known they demons would be immune to cold... but perhaps she could get lucky and freeze their weapons into malfunction...

[Pam De Beaufort]

« Cameron listened intensly to Alexis' words. Until tonight, he had only heard of mutants. Those were the only people he knew with powers beyond the scope of the human existence, but now there were Sorcerers, Meta Humans and the like. There was so much to the realm of power that Cameron knew nothing about. »

"What exactly can I do? Well it is really just a question on what I want to do? I have trained by myself for quite sometime.. here let's test it out, shall we?"

« As he looked out into the crowd of people drinking, dancing and conversing, he began to think of just what exactly he could do that would show Alexis the magnitude of his training, but not necessarily give her everything about him. They had just meant about an hour ago, and he couldn't go revealing all of his secrets. He then decided to play around with his surroundings. Tapping into his power of telekinesis, he began to will some very interesting things to happen. The lights began to flicker on and off, as the music from the speakers went from loud to soft, then loud to soft. The soda fountains and drink spouts began spewing liquids in all different directions, as every person's glass began to float in the air, the liquid making ribbon like patterns in the air. Nobody seemed to notice anything happening except for Alexis. He had blocked the other's minds' from seeing it. »

"It all comes pretty natural to me..although this ability is much more new..."

« He flicked his hands at the shot glasses as they exploded into shards, all the liquid spilling everywhere and the glass pieces falling back onto the bar table. Cameron was even impressing himself. Nobody had really seen the extent of his training. It felt good to somewhat show off. Then with a squint of his eyes, he willed the glass pieces back together, as the liquid moved with fluidity back into their glasses. He glanced back at Alexis as he quietly made everything go back to normal. »

"Need to see anymore?"

:: Alexis spun her chair around and rested her back against the edge of the bar. Raising a brow, she smiled at the small tricks Cameron began to display in the club. Tilting her head to the side, she shifted her eyes from person to person, seeing that they didn't notice anything strange was going on. Grinning, this man could be a very valuable partner with the extent of his powers. ::

"Very impressive..."

:: But of course, like all men, they enjoy showing off their toys. Soon it was as if there was a rainbow of drinks flowing throughout the air. Different patterns and shapes were made as Alexis continued to watch. It was obvious that Cameron was a very powerful mutant that enjoyed showing off his tricks. Spinning her chair back around, she nodded to him with approval. ::

"Quite a wide range of powers you have...."

:: Alexis got what she wanted. She saw what Cameron could do with his powers, and now she was bored. Sliding slowly off the chair, she smoothed the wrinkles of her lace dress out, and grabbed her purse. Tucking a few of her blonde locks behind her ear, she smirked at Cameron. ::

"It was very nice to meet you, Mr. King....Thank you for the drink."

:: Sliding her business card in front of him, the thick off white card read her name, work phone number, and cell phone number. Looking straight into his eyes, her sapphire orbs flashed a pale white for a split second as a smirk appeared on her lips. ::

"Goodnight."

:: With that. Alexis turned away and began to make her way to the exit of the Rainbow Room. Placing her purse on her shoulder, she made eye contact with the hostess obviously meaning that Alexis was leaving and wanted her limo pulled around. Stepping out of the club, she stood under the large red tent that covered the entrance and crossed her arms waiting. Studying her surroundings, the humid air seemed cooler than usual. A chill ran through Alexis' body as a small but very cold breeze swept by her. ::

[Tempest]

*Eva stood in the back, ready for whatever was coming her way. She could hear them pounding down the door in the front, along with shrieking screams and tons of movement around. Something didn't sound too good. She could hear people shouting orders of firing guns and wondered what was going on. Before she could do anything she heard noises behind her, spinning around to face the back door that lead outside. Holy crapping beanstalks! They were coming from BOTH sides of the diner. Something told her that the usual pretty boy hunters weren't here...it was something bigger and harder. Atleast she gave props to the two regulars of the Citadle...they had finally done something right with all their information on her. Big and bad and possible rivals, was she really up to all this?*

"Shit! I can't hold off both ends at once!"

*Eva tried not to panic, breathing and letting her power surge through her, calming it down as it began to make waves inside her. Her eyes glowed an icy metallic blue and white, glowing slightly as she picked up more strength and energy. Her hands glowed blue as she awaited them to pile in from the back. The room began to shake slowly as pouding on the wall could be heard. A hand broke through. It started clawing it's way through and soon bodies started trying to make their way in. She held a hand out and blasted a beam of ice at the wall, trying to cover up the hole and keep the bad guys out. Good thinking...to bad it didn't work. The slip of ice covered the wall, but apparantly the things weren't vunerable to ice, they passed right through.*

"What the...? If I can't use water, what other immunities do they have. I asked not for babies but good lord, didn't think I'get the fleet squad!"

*She let them climb in through the crack in the wall and grabbed the apron from her locker, grabbed the utensils in her hands, four at a time. She was very good at weilding smaller weapons, thanks to her many caoperia classes and their lessons in stick manuvering. Holding two utensils between her fingers on both hands, she ignited all of them on fire. She then threw them, following them straight with bolts of lightning as they arced across the room straight at the first demon that had entered. She stuck her hand into the apron and did the same with the rest of the utensils, blasting them over towards the demons as it hailed forks and knives down on them. She moved away from the lockers into the middle of the room and cracked her knuckles, balling them into fists as she waited, her powers ready. If Christopher wanted her, he'd have to kill her first.*

[Jessica Hamby]

Haleigh counted the pauses between enemy fire. She could hear Spellbinder struggling, still out in the open probably. That table wouldn't last long. Haleigh counted another cycle and stood up in the pause. She fired once towards the demons again, her firearm making a charging noise and then an electronic firing noise, nearly lighting up the room. It gave away her position in the dark.... but Haleigh needed Morgan alive after this one.

"Hey Rabbit! Make a break for it! Bring my cell so I can get us some BACKUP!"

The blast would give Morgan a few seconds time before they gathered themselves to retaliate... and once they did they'd be after Haleigh anyways. Haleigh couldn't see a goddamn thing. She switched on the flashlight mounted in her weapon beneath the barrel... and kicked the swinging doors back, firing just as her weapon recharged, and luckily for Eva, it was also precisely the time Eva reached back in her locker for her apron, for if it had been a second earlier or a second later, Eva wouldve been directly in front of the plasma round. The only negative thing about the weapon Haleigh was using was that much like a high-power scale shotgun, it left LARGE holes in the back door.... in fact... the back door was hardly there. at least it knocked the demons back long enough for Haleigh to set fire to the back area.... the door erupted in flames first and they spread as though there was accelerant poured all over the place. That should hold them off a good while. Haleigh trained her firearm on EVA next, the flashlight on it blinding the waitress and making it difficult to determine where Haleigh was through the glare.

"WHO did you TALK TO?!"

[Jill Monroe]

<< the front end of the diner had been ruined...gutted by the fire fight....the few humans that had been present were completely vaporized, the interior of the diner was now completey ravaged as bits of the ceiling fell down from to the floor....and as the last of the five armoured shadow demons was dispatched....and the fury of noise began to calm....Haleigh didnt hear or see Morgan...it was as though she disappeared>>

<< By the time Haleigh made her way to the back to confront Eva.....a large globe rolled in the back room from the now ripped off back door...A CLUSTER BOMB with enough concussive power to smash through walls and small structures and immediately DETONATED a ballistic force effect that ...painfully blasted Haleigh and Eva, out into the alley way of the diner. Outside the assailants surrounded them and were confident that their target had been suitable stunned and disoriented....as a voice was heard in the air>>

Eva Valentine...you are surrounded with no possible hope for escape...any casualties suffered at this diner tonight will be blamed upon you and reported to local law enforcement. you can either risk being exposed for a mutant to the police...be killed right here where you stand ...or surrender to MysTech and return for expungement...you are a failed experiment and can no longer be allowed to compromise the security of MysTech and the Citadle

<< Spellbinder was no where insight......where was she? could she have taken the tech that Haleigh given her and left to find the citadle on her own?....it was a thought that crossed Haliegh's mind....but at this moment she realized that Eva had NOT ratted them out..but in fact had drawn them there because SHE was their target.... the five shadow demons were accompanied by two larger, bulkier "gladiators" composed of carbonium....giving them the strength comparable to that of "The Incredible Hulk" and four "warbirds"....large flying war craft piloted by robots...and armed with an array of repulsor cannons that packed a deadly punch. >>

[Jessica Hamby]

Haleigh kept her light trained on Eva, waiting for a response.... but she suddenly wondered why she was fighting back at the demons spilling into the diner... it meant one of two things.... either SHE was the target, in which case, she hadn't ratted and Haleigh's presense here was merely coincidental... or... Haleigh and Morgan were the targets and this woman just happened to be involved deeply in some other manner....and that was when she heard a quiet metallic rolling noise and felt something bounce off the side of her foot and roll back a few feet. Haleigh instinctively moved her weapon to light up the floor... and identified the sphere that was rolling to a stop. She took three steps back as quickly as she could... all seemed to be perfectly quiet and time moved in that warped slow that it always does in an adrenaline rush during imminent danger.

"Fuck."

She uttered calmly and simply, realizing the bomb for what it was. She held tightly to her weapon, putting it behind her back to protect it from the blast, knowing what was coming, and was probably six or seven feet away from it as it detonated, its powerful concussive force hitting her directly in the chest and slamming her THROUGH the wall behind her, sending her flying into the brick wall of the neighboring building, about a story's height from the ground. She fell straight down, landing in a heap, debri from the diner piling atop her. The good thing was she wasn't unconscious. the bad thing was her chest stung like hell and it took her a moment to breathe. the initial force knocked the air out of her lungs, and the brick wall that broke her flight sure hadn't helped... but a large portion of diner wall provided her some cover out in the open. Laying on her stomach, she noticed a coiled black wire with a small earpiece much resembling a thin phone cord coming from her suit.... she grinned, she knew she always loved being prepared. she fixed the earpiece in her ear. inside the throat portion of her suit, she could feel two quarter shaped pieces pressed on either side of her voicebox. she pressed them closer to her skin with one hand, looking around for Eva and looking further down the alley to see demons closing in on the north end. she knew there were demons covering the south end as well.

"Base Ops this is Black Widow. I need an extraction team immediately deployed to my location. Two soul pickup, maybe three, if our Rabbit will ever come out of the foxhole. We still have HEAVY enemy presence."

>>>Buy us some time Black Widow, we are assembling cover fire operatives and exits now.<<<

She nodded, to no one in particular as she realized she was laying in what seemed to be a shallow stream of water.... the streets hadn't completely drained from the storm the night before and a thin layer of water gave Haleigh an idea. She used her teeth to pull the glove from her left hand and touched the water. It instantly turned to ice and spread from wall to wall, which shot up the alleyway, turning every drop of water to ice and completely COVERING the ground, making for a slippery mess for the enemy as they attempted to close in on their targets.

[Tempest]

*Stepping back next to her locker the swinging door suddenly opened as she swung around to see what had come through, to find only a straight beam of light flooding her eyes. She squinted a bit, then concentrated on looking at the floor to avoid screwing up her eyes. She could make out the feet of the person and then heard her voice. It was one of them from the booth! She knew they were up to no good...but then why were they fighting the demons on the other side then? It didn't make much sense to her but before she could get a word out she saw something hit the womans foot. She immediately took it for the worst thing it could be, her eyes going wide, and as the woman shined her flashlight on it, she nodded her head in agreement with the thought in her head. She shrugged at the woman and took off between lockers just running, hoping to put some distance between her and the bomb. Unfortunately, it didn't work. The thing detonated, exploding and sending everything around it zipping through the air. Eva balled herself up in preperation for what was going to happen, a set of lockers smacking right into her back as she plunged through one of the side walls of the diner, dumping her in the middle of the ground. She laid there for a minute, trying to get her breath back, her body shaking from the impact. She pushed the lockers off her and tried to sit up, her back aching as she strained to look up at what had come after her. Looks like Christopher was going to try a different approach to capturing her. She took a deep breath, letting her lungs fill completely with air before blowing out and cracking her neck some.*

"..ugh..There's always hope."

*She looked around her, trying to find the other woman that was in the back with her. She saw her under a large concrete section from the wall and slightly smirked, knowing her situation wasn't any better. Suddenly the ground became encased in ice, noticing the woman playing with a puddle near her. Eva raised an eyebrow realizing that she too was a mutant...hopefully trying to stop Mystech like she was. She took the slippery approach as she closed her eyes, trying to focus all the strength she had for now, thankful it wasn't a direct attack as her aim probably wasn't the best thing at the moment, as marble sized icy hail began to pour down around them by the buckets. If they didn't slip on the ice, they were going to roll down on the hail. Either way it bought the two women some time to get their senses back on track.*

[Jill Monroe]

<< the armored shadow demons began to slip and topple...causing the larger Battle Drones to lose their footing as well....it was something no one in the battalion wouldve expected....the sheet of ice on the ground and now the deluge of hailstones. but the "war birds" were not so easily defeated...as they easily ignored the temperature extremes and the nuisance of the hailstones......they flew up high in an arch pattern before circling around...and swooping down on the two women>>

targets are locked on.....commence firing the repulsor blasts!!

<< the sound of energy igniting is heard as halos of bright yellow energy form from two cannons from each Warbird......and Repulsor blasts, bolts of highly charged energy capable of smashing through anything BUT adamantium were unleashed at the women.......but as the bolts charged madly for them......an eldritch chime sounds off.....and a sparkling flow of arcane magick flows just above Black Widow and Tempest in a large circular pattern...as a shimmering "cyrstaline" shield sparkles into existence right above them and protects them from the power of the bolts......the bolts then ricochet off the shield back upward toward the warbirds ..the impact is rather explosive to say the least>>

<< an icy voice is heard>>: my my...on your belly in the ally? how appropriate!:rolleyes:

<< a blast of thunder heralds the arrival of a flying sorceress....Spellbinder....as she swoops down in perfect form...and barrells into one of the battle drones.....smashing him into the wall of another building in the alley which collapses upon him...suitably burying him>>

Spellbinder: we've got to get out of here...there are more of these things headed towards this building as we speak!

<< Spellbinder gave the two women time have gathered themselves..and they were now in a position to fight back against the remaining armored demons and one battle drone.....the drone, who was far bigger than all of the women (the size of the Incredible Hulk) immediately took aim and started firing massive repulsor blasts at them...spellbinder took to flight....to draw his fire....returning her OWN fire with powerful eldritch bolts.

mean while the armored demons closed in on Black Widow and Tempset. Two of the 5 demons immediately began firing their Psycho Cannons at Tempest ...while the other three lashed out with "shadow whips"...these whips appeared to be ribbons shadow...but they snapped and flowed so fast...with deadly sharp edges....as one slashed Black Widow across the face...and the other across her stomach area....and the third demon seized hold of her weapon with his whip...quickly yanking it from her grasp and hurling it away.>>

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

[Jessica Hamby]

Haleigh takes the time to utter a couple more expletives as she sees a warbird above her out of the corner of her eye. She considers scooting further under the chunk of wall... but knows she'd rather not be near ANYTHING getting fired at... because the wall is only the size of a table and might not last long. she growls... and wonders just what the hell happened to the woman she was having 'dinner' with. Haleigh doubted very much that Morgan was dead.... but that meant considering the possibility that Morgan had taken the tech Haleigh'd provided and skipped out to find the Citadle... and hung Haleigh out to dry. As Haleigh had begun to formulate ways to track down and murder Morgan... she rolled out from under the 'wall' and rose to her feet... but stopped to look up at the shield that manifested over her. She looked over with disdain, brushing some debri and dust from her suit as Morgan spoke and reappeared. She was disappointed that she wouldn't have an excuse to strangle the lofty bitch.

"Its nice to see you too, dear... Yes well, you know, we can't ALL be like YOU, on our BACKS all the time. I've had an extraction team dispatched."

She said sharply, sliding her glove back on. she watched Spellbinder take to the air, and scrunched her nose as five armored demons closed in on her and Eva. Haleigh rocked back into a defensive position, her hands up, but loose. She arched her back and jumped backwards to avoid the whip aimed for her stomach but wasn't quite fast enough to lean back... and the tip of the second caught her cheekbone, leaving a shallow diagonal slash along her cheekbone, and she lost her weapon to the third whip. She clenched her teeth, moving so quickly her movements seemed to run together into one fluid motion. Ske kicked up a loose brick by her left feet, flinging it toward the one on the far left who took her weapon. She dropped to one knee to duck the far right's second swipe... and pulled a blade from her boot, throwing it quickly at the second. She scooped a 4 foot beam from the ground as she stood, moving in on the third. she used the beam to 'catch' the whip of the center demon as he tried to attack her, and she slid into him. She avoided wasting her time on the protected areas of his body, gripping his outstretched "whipping" arm and lifting it, uppercutting him squarely in the side of the ribs. Haleigh stripped the demon of the weapon on its hip, an atheme that was nearly as long as her forearm from elbow to wrist. Haleigh, being shorter than the demon, saw her opening. The demon wore a protective helmet that covered its face... but under its rim Haleigh could see flesh... and she plunged the atheme right into the opening.

Haleigh pushed the demon away, her gaze falling to the next demon. She was ready to take him on.... but suddenly there appeared a massive heavily armed man in front of her... and behind her... and then two one either side of her. Two more heavily armed men appeared behind the demons on Haleigh.... and each of them simultaneously attacked their targets, leaving Haleigh free to stand and watch. She folded her arms across her chest, nodding. The men were all dressed in black and unlike Mystech demons.... these men had no logos on their armor. these men were Haleigh's extraction team, and two were firing at the warbirds still in the air, while two went off to help Eva.

"Lets GO, Rabbit.... you too waitress."

Haleigh shouted over the fighting. Two of her armed escorts were done with the whip happy demons and flanked her, weapons at the ready, waiting for a chance to fire.

[Jill Monroe]

<< Morgan flew OVER a repulsor blast ....with perfect form as though she was vaulting over a high beam......coming back around she looked with disgust at the drone>>

oh PUHLEASE!

<< with her hands outstretched....a glowing, sparkling halo of eldritch energy forms around her balled fists...as she unleashes a powerful eldritch bolt....the powerful blast of dark magick smashes into the drone...punching right through it...causing several small explosions as the drone stumbles and falls....falls back right toward Black Widow....about to land on her. it CRASHES down to the ground just INCHES infront of her...sparks emitting from the gaping hole left by the eldritch bolt.....>>


<< flying high in the air... at the sight of the drone seemingly about to crush Black Widow, Morgan gives a start of surprise at first...but then..a wicked smirk of satisfaction creeps over her wintery elegant face>>

oopsie! :whistle: :D

<< confident that the arrogant agent would move herself out of harms way....Spellbinder immediately turned>>

we have to get back to Illustra! its the safest place to go......with these THINGS after HER <<pointing at Eva>>.....

<<a rushing wind sound followed by chimes are heard as Spellbinder takes off in the direction of Illustra....>>

[Jessica Hamby]

Haleigh had settled to watch Morgan overcome her drone.... so she wasn't taken by surprise as it fell towards her. she took a step back as it fell, a brisque movement that put her out of harms way, allowing the drone to fall right before her, landing at her feet. Her gaze followed it down, then slowly she looked up at Morgan with a glare. A fake smile forced its way onto her lips to spite the sorceress. As SB turned to go, she muttered something under her breath about small game hunting/trapping devices... and then unfolded her arms to point and direct her operatives.

"You two...[pointing to the two operatives who had just cleared the skies and then gesturing toward Morgan] FOLLOW her... you two...[pointing to the two who'd helped Eva eliminate her demons, and then pointing to Eva herself] GET her, she's coming with us, whether she likes it or not. You two[referring to the two operatives that flanked her] Call it in.... and take me to Illustra. the fun, it seems.... has just begun."

The tatically dressed men all went their directed ways, disappearing after Morgan or taking a hold of Eva and evaporating. The operative to Haleigh's right touched his earpiece and spoke.

Man:"Base ops, extracting now. Send in the cleaners. Demolished building and rubble everywhere. erase all signs of conflict and CI presence." The second man lowered his weapon and held out his hand, and as Haleigh took it, the final trio disappeared. Haleigh made plans to gripe about WHY exactly they were going to Illustra.... when CI would have been more preferable[in her mind ;)]

[Tempest]

*Looking up as she tried to dodge the blasts, she watched the shield manifest above her, helping herself up off the ground as she ran her fingertips over the various cuts and bruises on her body. They hurt, but the adrenaline pumping through her at the moment helped fend off the pain for now. She looked over at the other woman from the booth as she approached them, quickly taking a glance at Haleigh as she commented. Eva smirked, then turned her head to the side, looking at the cracked drone to hide her expression as she bit her lip. As the taller woman spoke, she glanced back and nodded her head. All she wanted to do was go home and relax, and just forget that anything had happened for now. She could hear movement coming towards them as this so called Rabbit took up into the sky, leaving her and Haleigh to fend for themselves against the incoming five demons. They split up, each attacking their own target as two began firing psycho cannons at Eva. She shook her head; this time she wasn't going to let them down easy. The swirls in her eyes exploded into metallic icy blue as a rather large and wide sucking tornado appeared in front of her like a barrier, pulling in the various blasts aimed at her, sending them circling around it's vortex as she pushed it towards the demons, sucking them in as well, the blasts slamming into them instead. She didn't know how much good it would do against these type of creatures, but it was better than her getting hit by them. The tornado died off, throwing the creatures back onto the ground of the alley with some smoke rising off of their bodies. Before she could go to check on them, two men dressed in black ran her way. She prepared to defend herself, bending her knees as she got into one of her martial arts stances as they ran past her to the demons. She raised an eyebrow and stood fully erect, turning around and watched them go at with the demons. She shrugged her shoulders and looked around for the two women.*

"What the hell is Illustra?"

*Before she could get any answer, the two men that had helped her took hold of her arms from behind, electricity sparking along her upper body as she zapped them out of instinct. She arched her eyebrows, Eva had had enough conflict for one day and atleast she was getting a free ride out of the woman, letting herself calm down as she wondered where the hell they were going.*

[Jill Monroe]

<< flying high above the city...Spellbinder streaks through the sky at high speeds....having impulsively taken off and left Black Widow and Tempest behind [something she was known for doing back during her days in Valiant], the sorceress' mind was ablaze with thought....she couldnt believe what she had learned.....Foxfire was ALIVE...and so too was her wretched father. She thought she had destroyed him ages ago...but thanks to the untimely arrival of Black Widow....all of that had been prooven wrong.>>

to hell with that haughty high tech wench..and her high tech boy toys....I wont allow her or anyone else to stop me......Im going after christopher....and ill KILL him before i see Foxfire harmed any further!

<< thunder rumbled in the air...as Spellbinder increased her speed....but she wasnt thinking clearly. She hadnt used her scrying glass to actually LOCATE MysTech's "Citadle" ....but that would suddenly no longer matter....as Spellbinder felt the extreme distress call of her sister!>>

Foxfire: Morgan!!! i need help.......Christopher........Adam..they have my in the Citadle...an underground fortress.......they.....the Techno Organic Virus......PAIN<<scream!>>

<< the extreme fear, pain and raw emotion felt by the rapport between Spellbinder and Foxfire hit the sorceress hard.......>>

GODDESS!!! I've got to HELP HER!!!! TO HELL WITH Haleigh and her selfish, short sighted motives........I........

<< Spellbinder winces with pain..at the shock and fear of what she perceives from the distress call....she grabs her own head from the pain...and begins to weave erratically in the air..........just as she is spotted by a SENTINEL


Sentinel: positive identification.....Spellbinder....female....witch. ...powers not charted.....proceed with caution.

<< the massive robot...far larger than the drones and far more intelligent and powerful alters its course from Manhattan's upper east side and begins to close in on Spellbinder.

Sentinel: high priority target. capture with minimal injury to target is required.

<< as Spellbinder weaves and loops erratically...narrowly missing antennae of buildings....and crashing through a billboard.....she hears the sound of a roaring jet engine.........and snaps out of her psychosamatic tailspin.......stopping and hovering...she composes herself...the rain making it a bit difficult to see....but from a distance...she sees the unmistakable shape.....and the red beady eyes......>>

A SENTINEL!!

<< Spellbinder remembered them well....she fought them while with valiant....>>

how did they FIND ME!!! after all this TIME!?

<< gritting her teeth...she spun around..lifting her hands above her head.....as lighting flashed>>

I summon the power of the eldritch mystic flame from the four corners of the globe.....surge forth with your wrath and divert my enemy from his path!

<< a chime sounds off...as for sparkling "stars" form at each directional point on a compass....and began to charge foward...to intersect the sentinel...the silver eldritch flame ignites the sky for miles around...as they climax into fire balls of immense size and power.....>>

DIE!!

<< the sentinel is SLAMMED by the four balls of mystic flame...and immediately blown apart...reduced to melted slag that begins to fall toward the city...the explosive effect is quite radiant and the BOOM is resounding ....and will surely draw more sentinels>>

<< with the sound of rushing wind...she immediately propels forward and resumes course......flying as fast as she can for Illustra......>>


time grows short.....i must reach Illustra....and locate Foxfire...so that i can TELEPORT there....and by the goddess...if Haleigh interferes...ILL KILL HER TOO!!

<< the blood lust that often made her the outcast of Valiant was once more reasserting itself within the vengefull sorceress. the "visual effects" of her battle were registered by Black Widow's soldiers...who tried their best to keep up with the fast moving sorceress....but even Black Widow and Tempest could see that SOMETHING was happening in the skies above...as they made their way to Illustra......>>