Rogue: The Uprising

[Reythaak]

Keith Fuller
⤑Location:Harper's Cabin
⤑Interactions: @Elle Joyner , @DarinValore ,@CloudyBlueDay​

---

Keith stumbled into the living room, resting a hand against the doorframe, glancing from Penny and Deck to Harper and Rose, about a half-step behind Finn at this point. It didn't take much to see what had happened, and Keith's attention locked not on Harper, but on Finn. He didn't even have to look at auras, his usual crutch and cheat. The wind that tugged at his hair and clothes made Keith shudder, and he put a hand on Finn's shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

His gaze drifted to Harper, however, and he noticed something after a moment. The man was going blue. Keith's eyes widened slightly.

"Finn. Finn!" He moved around in front of Finn, purposefully blocking Finn's view of Harper and Rose and putting his other hand on Finn's other shoulder as well, "Stop, man. That breeze, your wind. I know what he's doing, what he's done, isn't right, but you're sure as fuck going to hate yourself if you kill him."

Simple, and blunt. And hopefully enough to shake the anger and hurt, enough to shock Finn into stopping the unintentional use of his power.

---

 

[Mobley Eats]

Lucas Serenity Krestlauv | Interactions: Luna | Flashback: 3 Years Ago​

"My…God, you are beautiful."

Luna blinked, confusion painting her from head to toe. She scanned the corridor she was in, trying to spot which mouth that...abrasive compliment came from. Her freckled face burned as it echoed throughout her head. However, the only other person nearby was some small and thin teenage boy. He could've been...fourteen? Sixteen? So around her age, but very small for the number she gave him credit for.

But still, Luna was pretty sure she had just imagined that. Thus, she started heading off once more back to her room--

"Ah, I see. The good ole cold shoulder, classic."

The voice again. And now, there was no denying that it came from the boy.

"U-um...I'm sorry, b-but are you talking to m-me?" the hacker asked, heat flooding her head as her fingers fidgeted among one another. In response, the boy sauntered up to her, stopping less than a foot away from her, and cocked his head with a wide grin.

"Sure am, sweetness. I don't lie when it comes to attractiveness. You're damn adorable," he said.

As for Luna...poor, discombobulated Luna, her brow arched as high as it dared, her eyes widened like saucer plates and her cheeks lit up lobster red, her freckles nearly vanishing from view. Her gaze snapped down to the tiles, words and syllables tumbling from her mouth like brain vomit. "Th-that's uh, that's r-really nice of you, err, but, um, w-who exactly--"

"You can call me Lucas, sweetness!" Lucas piped, pure amusement radiating from him. He pursed his lips before giving Luna a pat on the arm. "Come on now! Buck up, cherry lips. You're way too pretty to slouch like that. Exude some confidence, gurl!" He threw his arms out and took up a somewhat goofy pose, posture open and relaxed. However, he quirked an eyebrow upon realizing the...unhealthy shade of red infecting the girl's features.

Oh dear.

By this point, Luna was attempting to hide her entire head in her beanie, which wasn't exactly keen on soothing her wheezes and babbling. Anything coming out of her mouth was pure anxiety-riddled gibberish.

Lucas deflated a little. "Err...or not? Jeez. Uh, okay. Look, sweetness. Come on out of there now." He bounced over to give her a playful nudge in the side with his elbow, over and over, until she revealed her face again.

To the hacker's credit, she didn't budge for a while and by normal standards, her will was impressive. Regardless, this was Lucas and battling that boy's persistence equated to dueling a dragon with a drop of water. Finally, Luna admitted defeat and slowly, cautiously, peeked out of her cap prison. "Y-you're being a l-little...a l-little forward," she mumbled.

Lucas's optimism wasn't perturbed by the observation. He shrugged. "I know. Tis part of my charm, you know? I'm brutally honest with it." Then a pause, something thoughtful seeping into his features like a curious puppy. "And it looks like you're brutally in denial, sweetness."

"L-Luna," Luna interjected. "I-it's Luna." She had reverted to wearing her beanie normally again and took a stealthy step away to gain back her space bubble. This guy was...odd. Not in a terribly negative way, but she wasn't emotionally prepared for this kind of personality.

Lucas nodded. "Got it. Luna. Damn, no wonder you're so attractive. You've got that lunar pull, huh?" He topped it off with a wink. Like before, the girl's head snapped down, shrinking into herself.

"U-um...thank...y-you? B-but that's not true. I'm not...r-really...you know," she fussed with an uncooperative curl absentmindedly, "A-attractive. So…"

Lucas gasped, adding his own dramatic flare with a hand slapped over his heart and expression downright scandalized. "Who...in the Blue Hell do you think you are denying your sexiness like that?! That's just sinful, sweetness!" He took the same goofy pose from before, except his posture was erect and proud. "You gotta learn to own what your momma gave you, am I right?"

Against Luna's accord, she visibly winced at the "momma" comment and, a bit to her chagrin, Lucas noticed.

"Or daddy," he corrected.

Another wince.

"Frick. Uh. God?" he tried again and was relieved to see some of the distress ease from Luna's features. His shoulders slumped in exasperation. "Damn, gurl. You sure know how to keep a man on his toes, huh?" A playful smirk. "I like that."

"S-sorry," Luna said, "I d-don't mean to, it's just...n-not the best topic to t-talk about. Th-that's how it is f-for most people h-here." Her eyes softened. "F-family is just...a s-sore subject, I guess."

Whatever energy Lucas could've spent listening, he refused to use any of it. He settled for scratching his ear, vision glassy and bored as it strayed to the wall behind Luna. Blinking back to reality, he asked, "Oh, what now? Uh, not important. What is important is that you need to bring your cute ass with me, immediately."

Luna paled. "W-what do you m-mean?"

With an impish smile, Lucas grabbed her wrist and nodded in the direction she was previously walking. "Show me to your room. You need confidence building, ASAP." Any protests she had died as the boy dragged her down the hall.

Oh God.
...

Later that afternoon, Luna came to learn that Lucas was surprisingly talented with fingernail polish and pick-up lines.

 

[KatSea]

Levi Simeon Gunner



"Levi, do you think all humans are created equal?" A familiar voice bounced against Levi's ears. He blinked, surprised his own brother would ask him such a question.

"Yes. I do. I...I am not fully in agreement with most things you believe in Pete. But that's a rare exception." Levi's chest rumbled with laughter, pounding his fist lightly against his chest as he began to falsely conjure a cough. "I am allergic to this agreement. Peter saying you are right is going to kill me in a matter of seconds. Tell Ibraham I love..."

"Shut up." Peter rolled his eyes and plopped next to his brother in the freshly mowed grass. The little area they had claimed as their own was none too far from their first home, and Levi was surprised that it was still well taken care of. An occasional flicker of overgrown grass would pop against his back, tickling mercilessly against his shirt. "I am being serious. Do you think all are equal? They don't have to be the same. But...are human beings equal? Or are people..."

"I think everyone is born equal and are equal in death. What comes in between depends on society's norms. Which is why human beings can suck. Not all of them of course...just people who think their are higher level classes. You know. I am better than you because this this and this. I think otherwise we are all bags of flesh."

"To dust we are created and to dust we shall returned." Peter quoted, a thin smile at his lips. "But I wouldn't worry about that. I am not scared of equality in such cases but...Levi, I need you to be honest with me."

"Ask and I shall be as honest as my dumb mouth says I should."

"What is your opinion on mutations?"

"Hmm? Well, you explained this one to me remember? I am not into all these science stuff like you are little guy, but I do remember you mention mutations are random and can be helpful or damaging to survival. I know you think they are pretty cool. Because without..."

"Without the mutation of the X chromosome we would not be males. In fact, it's possible if we developed entirely differently a different species similar to humans could change their gender. That...That would be insane. I don't know what that would do to the gene pool though."

"Broaden it? More people to reproduce with."

"Well take it in the case of frogs. Some can still switch sexes. That's why the cluster of Jurassic Park happened. Frog DNA. I suppose that old man should have looked more deeply into that before that baby T-Rex ripped that man to shreds." Peter chuckled, clearly happy with his reference. He paused, leaning his head against the ground. "Do you think mutants are as bad as mama says they were?"

"No. I don't." Levi mumbled, heart trembling against his ribs in anxiety. To his surprise, Peter kept his smile.

"Good. Because I was worried you and I were gonna disagree. Call each other sympathizers. Which I suppose we are. It only makes sense. Mutants cant choose the way they are..."

"But you have to admit, powers are really fucking cool."

"What I would kill to have some." Peter mumbled in a joke, once again rumbling the dirt beneath them. Levi simply nudged him

"People would kill you for having them."

"Yeah. I...I think that people suck. Who wouldn't want cool powers? Teleportation, dude, that would be so freaking cool."

"Yeah...Yeah it would little guy. Just be careful what you wish for, okay?"

"Why I will be a camel on Wednesday! We've got someone whose also been shot, my goodness what a surprise." Levi muttered mostly to himself, bitter at the outcome of what was occurring around him. Friends were dead and another one was suffering a clear injury to her knee. One, that as Levi made all three of his companions visible once again, sent bile into his throat. Damn this is so gross. I don't really want to look at Devon though in that chair...with Lucas having a sharp knife at his wrists...plus my carving knife is too big to really do much help so I think im just gonna stay away from those zip ties. Levi took a deep inhale as his eyes skimmed to his shoulder, realizing his plaid shirt had been stained. Sighing, and realizing fully well that Josie had enough people surrounding her already, took the carving knife that he kept stashed at his side before cutting a long strip of fabric from his shirt sleeve. Once he figured he had enough, he held one side of the fabric with his teeth and began to wrap the sleeve around his small wound, grimacing at the sting that came once he was able to feebly tie the fabric around it. He attempted to roll back his shoulder and whimpered mutely underneath his breath.

"Woo, thatll be a scar to tell the ladies about later." He grinned sheepishly, turning his head towards Hex as he entered. "Uh, have any on you right now or..."

Sooo appropriate.

"Er, never mind. Lucas how are those zip ties going?" He questioned, strolling uncertainly over to the young man. He realized his voice had began to lighten, but his ears were still pounding. His head peeked back protectively at the command for Lucas to shut up, but he ignored it briefly and decided that perhaps he could assist in cutting the ties. "You be very careful. I don't know a lot about the whole abduction with zip ties thing, thank God, but they look like they could be a tad tricky if you aren't careful..."

Not as tricky as using that saw back at the shop. Oh ~ How my fingers were almost lost to the blade ~

Levi grimaced. "Okay. So, this is bad all the way out from Sunday." He couldn't imagine he'd have to wait this out. His shoulders hunched as he grew skittish. He didn't realize how much the walls seemed to close upon him until now.

 

[CloudyBlueDay]

"Neil?"

The basement was dark and cold. She could hear something dripping; a busted pipe, a leaky faucet.. Neil never let their father come down to fix it. Francis was almost the only one allowed in his humble abode… his creepy laboratory, more like.

The long wooden table in the center of a room acted as more of an operating table than anything. Plush animals, tails, ears, button noses and eyes lay meticulously placed. Stuffing seemed present in every corner of the room.

"Mom says dinner's ready, Neil."

"You can bring it down here." His voice was always smooth, intimidating, even though he was her brother. She looked up to him, like all little sisters did, but sometimes.. he scared her.

"Mom says she wants you to come up and eat at the table."

She was even smaller than, button nosed and freckled with choppy blonde locks half mixed with hay. She was innocent then, so much more innocent than she was now.

"I'm not hungry, then."

She was innocent, but she sure as hell wasn't stupid.

"You're being creepy down here," Francis accused. Blunt, too. "You don't ever leave. Mom and dad are all worried about you."

"Let them worry then, Cece."

Cece. She hated that nickname, and that was the only reason he called her by it. Great grandmother Francesca, 'Cece'... was apparently a beautiful, strong woman, but god, she wasn't a great grandma.

"Are you ever gunna come back up? You're turning into a vampire."

"Don't be stupid." Neil said, and he laughed at her, but it was a good laugh, a brotherly laugh, a laugh that made her hope there was still some semblance of a person in there. "Look at what I made, Cece."

He presented it to her like a life achievement award: A teddy bear. Both Francis and Neil were coming into their powers around the same time, despite the age difference. Due to their location, they were allowed to thoroughly explore it, hell, their parents even encouraged it. Just last week Francis had accidentally ripped her first cabinet door off, and her parents were overjoyed. With Neil's retreat into the basement, they could all tell he was finally discovering… well, something, but no one understood quite what.

The teddy bear was unlike any teddy bear she had seen, unlike the one that had been with her since birth and stayed on her pillow at night, her beloved Mr. Wiggins. The shape and the color, were the same, but it had been outfitted with soulless black eyes, sharp teeth, and metal claws. Francis stared at it.

"Looks like Frankenstein's monster. You look like Frankenstein."

Neil laughed again, but this time the laugh was a little colder. He thrust the miscreation into her hands, and Francis held it as far away from her face as possible.

"Kinda looks like Mr. Wiggins." She mumbled, and looked up at him with a please-tell-me-you-didn't look.

"I made him better for you."

"Neil!" Francis shouted, cheeks hot. "Fix him! Fix him now! Why did you take my stuff?!"

Neil seemed hurt by this. Hurt was then replaced by anger. His brows furrowed, his fists clenched, and the mutilated Mr. Wiggins in her hands twitched. Twitched, and then held up his clawed paw, neck turning eerily to properly face her with those cold black button eyes.

Before Francis could even scream Mr. Wiggins had brought up his claw and scratched her face, the blood falling fresh as she dropped her once beloved teddy on the floor and ran back up the stairs, begging for her mother, the steps of the basement crunching beneath her.

Neil picked up his creation, holding it like a baby, only the slightest touch of remorse in his eyes before he got back to work.

 

[Mobley Eats]

Collab Post | Interactions: Vance, Adelaide @Elle Joyner & Surprise @DarinValore | Location: R.I.E.F. Prison Base​

Turning from the cell, Vance was filled with a sudden and overwhelming feeling of dread… the idea that after so long, all this time, he'd gotten her out. He'd kept his promise. But it wasn't over… it was only just beginning. They had to do more than just escape… They had to flee. And fleeing RIEF was no simple task.

They had a dark cloud over them, and the sunlight was breaking through but the storm had hardly passed.

Suddenly, Adelaide stopped and turned to Vance, "The kind man! We cannot leave him! We must help him Van!"

Looking to Luna in confusion, Vance turned back to Adelaide, "What do you mean?"

Adelaide gestured to the cell beside her own and Vance felt a weight crash into his stomach. Of course… The other captives. He'd been foolish to think Adelaide was the only one. But they had risked so much already, and their time window was thinning.

"Van, please. Please… he… he's why I haven't given up hope. I cannot leave him!"

Frowning, he looked to the door of the cell, "Luna?"

Confusion also infected Luna's features, but...she could understand Adelaide's sentiments. If they had switched circumstances, the hacker would also want to free this man from the same suffering. She faltered a moment, but then conceded with a nod. "O-okay. Vance? P-promise it won't t-take long. We should a-at least try, right?"

Sending the siblings one more nod of reassurances, she went over to the cell's code box and unlocked it in a matter of seconds, the door clicking unlocked. She started pulling it open, albeit with caution since she didn't know the man like Adelaide did. "A-alright. In the c-clear," she said.

Sunken to the floor in the corner of the room sat an old man. His features weary from the abuse he'd endured. His head was propped against the wall, too tired to lift even his hand to shield his eyes as the light pierced through the darkness. All he could do was squint to try and limit its invasion into his eyes. They adjusted all too slowly for his liking as he began to make out the shapes of a large man and two smaller frames. From behind a scraggly, salt-and-pepper beard, he spoke, "Come to try and pry more out of me, have you?"

Swearing, Vance stepped closer to the cell as the voice flooded out and confusion flooded in. They didn't know much more about Rogue than they were told by the upper echelon, but he'd seen the photos enough of Rogue's leader… And there was no mistaking the man, crouched in the corner, "Mon Dieu…"

Luna heard Vance's exclamation more than the voice that escaped the cell and yet, even then, there was familiarity. It inspired a feeling of trust and security within her that couldn't be confused for anything else, which only made her perplexity double. Where...where had she heard this voice before?

"V-Vance? What's wrong?" Shakily, she peeked around the door and into the cell, eyes squinted.

Her heart dropped into her stomach and any other aspect about reality dwindled into oblivion.

"I-I...what…?" She staggered back. "U-uncle...Kee?"

Keegan's head peeled from the wall upon hearing the term of endearment. His eyebrows rose before knitting together only a moment later, "I-Is this another trick? Are you trying to use the memory of those I love against me? Well, it won't work," he said before leaning his head back against the wall.

"T-trick? W-what even...what's going...h-how did you…" Words became a lost art form for Luna. The burning illness in her stomach was steadily climbing in intensity and her brain was failing more and more by the second. This didn't make sense. It made absolutely no sense. One hand braced against the wall, keeping herself upright as a paleness overcame her features. "I-I thought you were b-back at HQ. H-how're you...h-here?" she wheezed.

"Don't pretend like you don't know," Keegan pulled his knees up and tried his best to turn his head from the door.

"Monsieur Hull? It's Adelaide…" Peeking around her brother, the girl looked into the cell, "You must come. Please. I will not leave my dear friend behind."

"Adelaide?" he picked his head, this time, the images clearing all the more, "What? What are you doing out?" His eyes fell on Luna and his brow raised again, "M-Moonlight?" He asked as he squinted in an attempt to clear the image all the more.

Like instinct, Luna's head snapped up at hearing the nickname. Only Uncle Kee called her that, only him and yet, even then, nothing made sense. Her eyes stung as she swallowed shallowly. She couldn't speak, let alone think right, but she forced herself to do so anyways in a strained whisper, "U-uncle Kee...p-please. What's g-going on?" Was it possible for him to be in two places at once? Maybe? Hopefully? That was the only way she could process the whirlwind of questions swimming about in her head.

"Luna…" Vance started, his voice a warning, "We gotta move. We're running into the next patrol…"

Adelaide stepped into the cell and holding out a hand, smiled down at Keegan, her voice a husk of uncertainty without the French dialect, "P...please, Monsieur Hull. Come along?"

Keegan eyed her a moment before reaching hesitantly. When his fingers wrapped around hers, his face softened and single tear slid down his cheek, "You're really here," he nodded and pulled himself up with Adelaide's help.

Despite the genuine relief radiating from...this Keegan, Luna couldn't fight the conflict flaring up her spine like phantom pain. This didn't make sense. Regardless, she couldn't bring herself to look at the man and with her head lowered, stepped back out of the cell and stuck close to Vance. Shakily, she raised the tablet again. "L-let's just...get o-out of here," she sighed, her tone absolutely doused in exhaustion. She had questions galore, but understood that now wasn't the time to answer them. Not until they were out of base and somewhere safe.

Nodding, Vance turned back in the direction they'd come, "You go ahead of me with those two, Luna. I'll watch your backs…" Pulling his firearm from his waistband again, he nodded to Adelaide and Keegan, gesturing them forward.

Grunts fell from Keegan almost in time with his breath. This was the most the sixty-eight year old had moved in several months. Still he pushed on as they moved through the halls of his prison, "H-How did you know I was here?" he pointed the question toward Luna.

"I...I-I didn't," Luna said, still avoiding eye contact, "Y-you should be at Rogue HQ, U-Uncle Kee. H-how in the world a-are you here?"

Looking over his shoulder, Vance took up the rear as they moved through the halls, back in the direction they had come from. It was about halfway down the second to last corridor that he heard the footfall behind them, and swearing, he gripped the butt of the gun tighter, "We're gonna have company… Any chance we can pick up the pace?"

Luna also picked up on the noise and panic raced through her body like a strike of lightning. She took heed of Vance's words and sped up while hovering the drone behind them a bit in hopes of getting eyes on the new threat. They followed the same directions and turns from before, her heartbeat steadily rising by the second. They were going to make it. They had to make it.

….They weren't going to make it. It didn't take someone with Vance's history to know that the footsteps weren't getting further away. As they pounded against the tile, the smack of boots became clear enough that they had no need for the drone. The enemy was at their heel, and he knew all too well what was coming. The gate lay ahead of them, still open from when Luna had worked her magic and Vance felt a pang in his chest…

He wasn't going to lose Adelaide. Not again. And he sure as hell wasn't going to lose Luna. As the three ahead of him made it through the gate, Vance skidded to a halt and gripped the metal handle with a hand, slick with nerves. Breathing in, without waiting, without hesitating, he yanked it across the span of the hall until it closed, before aiming his weapon at the code box. With a pop, the panel shattered, and with it, Vance's heart.

"Go!" He cried, because he knew that they would stop. Gripping the bars tighter, his eyes filled, burned hot, "Do not stop! I won't be able to buy you much time, but hell if I won't try…"

Adelaide spun as the gate slammed and her eyes widened, the French that poured from her lips so rapid not even Vance could comprehend it.

"Luna! Get her out, please!"

It all happened so fast. So blindingly fast. One moment, Luna was certain that they could make it out in one piece, together, as a single unit that could finally taste freedom...And then they couldn't.

Luna was outside of base, along with Keegan and Adelaide...but not--

"V-Vance?" Reality slowed, the world muted and died as her heart pounded ruthlessly in her ears. No...this wasn't happening. This wasn't happening! "Vance...VANCE!" Fists smacked into metal until bruises threatened to form, hot tears rolling down her visage. She couldn't breathe. What was this cruel joke? Who had the audacity to shred her apart like this without a single ounce of mercy to spare?

Sobs burned her throat, her forehead falling to the gate. "D-don't leave me!"

What happened to the future?

His hand shifted from the bars to cover hers, his voice a rasp as he spoke through the wall of emotion, clawing at his throat, "Luna. You gave your word. Get her home. Please. I swear to God, I will find you. But you have to go. You have to go. Now." Giving her hand a squeeze, pressing the warmth of a kiss to her forehead, he stepped back, "...I'll find you."

She choked back a painful sob, watery eyes locking with his. "Please come back. P-please." It took every iota of her soul and more to step away from the bars, eyes transfixed on his retreating form. Turning on her heel, she wiped roughly at her eyes while whispering brokenly under her breath, "Y-you better come back."

Without another word, she grabbed hold of Adelade by the wrist and with Keegan in two, made their way outside of the prison premises.

"I promise…" Vance whispered, as he watched them go. Then, with a deep, steadying breath, he checked the slide and turned to meet the guards, as they rounded the corner.

 

[Elle Joyner]

VANCE​

"It was stupid, Vance. You do know that, right? What you did? I just… I want to be extremely clear, before we begin… that you know just how incredibly stupid your actions were." The click of her heels drove daggers into his mind, as Vance stared up into the bright halogen overhead. For well over an hour now, he'd been suspended back on the table, the straps that held him in place digging into his wrists, into his thighs and calves. Her voice was low, but she might as well have been screaming, and something in his gut told him that inside, she was…

"I mean… ask Manny. He's always callin' me the dumb one…" Vance muttered, "Though I dunno… he looked pretty dumb to me, tied to his cot like he was when I le-AUGH!" A sudden pulse, like heat and ice all at once pierced through his brain and squeezing his eyes shut, he grit his jaw, digging his fingers into the padding beneath him. When the sensation died, he breathed out with a shudder,, "Bitch…"

"...Tisk tisk. You're normally such a gentleman, Vance. Should I turn up the setting, or can you mind your manners?"

"Why don't you just end it, Director?" He hissed, breathing in again, "I know you ain't keepin' me here for my good looks. So why the hell waste my time?"

"Because Vance, my dear… We have a very long way to go, before you're complete."

"Complete. You tryin' to sound like a crazy person? Cause if not you're doin' a hell of an impression…"

"You don't get it, do you Vance? I know you saw who else we had in that facility. I know you helped him escape. But tell me… did it occur to you what it meant?"

"That my uncle's a bigger dick than I realized? His own brother, hm?"

Bringing herself closer, she leaned over the table, brushing hair from his eyes in a way that made him wish his hands were free and he didn't have qualms about hitting women, "With him there… your uncle was free to take his place. Six months, Vance. He's been settled into their headquarters for just six months.. And in that time the wealth of information he's brought us has far surpassed any intel we've been able to acquire before. You think you freed your sister? That your Rogue tramp will be safe? Oh no. No, no, no. They're running right into the thick of it..."

"Luna's smarter than that. And she's gonna be just fine." He growled, fists clenched at his sides.

"If that's what you want to believe. It hardly matters… They'll all be gone, soon. It's almost over…"

"This where you tell me we're obsolete? You lettin' us go? Cause I gotta tell ya, Maxie… I'm okay with this."

Chuckling, Maxine shook her head, "Oh, sweetie. No. No, that's not what we have planned for you, at all." Resting the tablet on her open palm, she glanced down at him, "Now then… shall we begin?"

 

[Mobley Eats]

Collab Post | Interactions: Devon @Elle Joyner and Interrogation Room Peeps @KatSea , @Kat , @Reythaak , @CloudyBlueDay | Location: Interrogation Room​

"Shut up," Josie snapped.

Lucas reeled back a bit, blinking owlishly. Then he paused, glanced at Levi, seeming to mull over his options. Poor Jo Jo just got shot in the knee, so he could understand the animosity. Plus, he was trying to uphold his deal with Levi and savor four weeks of flirting without facing the consequences.

But then again...Levi didn't really give Lucas a hard time for flirting to begin with and it wasn't as if the man could make everyone else pull their punches if he annoyed them enough. So really, what was the true benefit behind this deal? Ah yes, exactly--nothing.

Lucas slapped on a plastic smile, "Mmkay, Jo Jo," and went back to focusing on Devon's zip ties. He vaguely heard Josie mentioning the name Leon, though he had no idea who that was. Was he cute? That was all that mattered to him, honestly.

"No worries, sweetness," Lucas said while shooting Levi a quick grin. Slowly, he slid the diamond knife into the crevices between Devon's wrists and the zip-tie, the smoothed edge of it rubbing harmlessly against skin, and started sawing with the razor sharp edge. This wasn't his first rodeo with zip-ties and even though Lucas could appreciate the magic of kinks, that one just...No thanks. "Aaaand boom! Mufasa is free~."

Lucas discarded the zip-ties, looking over Devon curiously. Why in the hell was he all dazed like that? "Devon, sweetness? Can you hear me? Hmmm…" The teen rubbed his chin, adopting a thoughtful expression before an idea struck him. His grin turned downright devilish. "Ah, I see. The ole wake 'em up with a kiss spiel! I got this~."

He leaned towards Devon, lips puckered playfully.

Almost with a sense of shock, Devon's eyes briefly widened, and the man's head snapped back like an elderly fellow waking from a sudden nap. He started at the sight of Lucas just a little too close and swore, pushing back a little.

"Hell! What did I tell you about personal space, Lucas!"

Laughing, Lucas backed away and wiggled his eyebrows. "To invade it, obviously. Anyway, what was with the googly eyes, Mufasa? You were totally out of it."

Swearing again, this time with a sense of realization, Devon shoved Lucas aside and rose to his full height, "How long was I out??" His eyes skimmed the room, fell to Josie on the floor and he smacked his palms on the table in front of him, "That little son of a bitch…"

"Hulk smash," Lucas muttered, eyeing Devon in confusion. He shrugged. "Eh, you were like that since we got here, which wasn't long. And who's the son of le biatch we're talking about, sweetness?"

A beat.

"Oh! Also, Rogue is going to shit with gunfire and soldiers and stuff."

"Damn it! The kid… The one Josephine came in with! He's from RIEF… Or hell… Works for them. I dunno. I got a read on him before he… Whatever the hell he did. The team that came in… what did they have?" Spinning to Lucas, he met the kid with urgency in his eyes, "Their gear! What did you see?"

Lucas blinked when Devon mentioned Josie and his mind clicked a bit as previous information resurfaced. "You mean this Leon dude? Guess that explains the literal Hell going on--!" However, whatever else he had on his tongue died as he jumped back in surprise, just now realizing how huge Devon was. Yeesh.

He took a small step back.

"Gear? Uhhh, guns, mostly. Some like these," he held up the handgun, "And more varieties. General vests and helmets...Oh! And these weird ass rods. They like, shoved them into the ground, don't know what they do though. I feel like they got other stuff too, like something to seriously get them running. Should've seen it. Four agents had like twenty of us hostage."

The string of words that came out of his mouth weren't anything he's say in front of his mother, as he turned, taking in those around him, "We need to get out… Now! Those Rods… they draw energy from us, anytime we use our abilities! The more they draw in, the quicker they charge… and a full charge will level this place! Hex… Get Josephine. Francesca…" Turning to the tiny blonde, a feat for his height, he frowned, "Find their entry point. Scout ahead and see of it's clear. The rest of you… eyes sharp and no powers!"

Lucas grimaced. "Whoops." Instantly, his diamond hide dissipated and he held the gun securely in his grasp. That didn't sound fun at all; explosive rods? The actual hell--who came up with this? "Welp, just as I thought the day couldn't get any shitier." The sarcasm oozing from his voice was thicker than molasses. He looked around at everyone expectantly. "So, uh, we jumping into the crossfire or do we have a gameplan, sweet peas?"

 

[junebug]

Another Low Blow
collab between @Reythaak & @Kat

Josie could not comprehend all the sensations and thoughts swimming around in her mind. There was too much going on, too many people. She instinctively wrapped her arms around Hex's neck, glad he was safe, and blinked back oncoming tears. She didn't know what to tell him. She flinched at Devon's outburst and pulled back and took a deep breath. Her knee was shot and they needed to get out of headquarters. What now?

Hex hugged Josie, purposefully moving to block pretty much everyone else the moment he got a bead on how the woman was feeling. No need for the littles to see Josie get emotional, right? "All good, Josiebaby," he reassured with a smirk that she'd seen entirely too many times. Devon got a brief look, and he pulled back himself, standing and stretching just enough to hear his shoulders pop. "Well. Glad I didn't decide to rely on my Bad Luck then," he murmured. The rifle was sitting on the floor near his feet, forgotten for a moment. One of the two pistols he carried was pressed into Josie's hands, while the other was set on the table. "'Nother gun, for whoever can shoot best. I… uh. Liberated one from our friends out there."

He looked down at Josie again for a minute. "...Doc. Shit. None of 'em were upstairs when I came down, might be different now. But Doc's prolly still up in the infirmary. Even if she ain't, I know where the numbing shit is, and we probably ought to get some of that into you," he directed the last little bit at Josie, "Otherwise, you'll prolly be passing out from that knee of yours. And if Doc's still up there, 'm sure as hell not lettin' R.I.E.F. get hold of her."

Josie admired the pistol for a few moments, pulled back the slide, and released it. She felt better after the embrace, at least enough to think straight and focus. "How do we get past them out there with my knee being blown and unable to run and walk? They'd take advantage of us seeing I'm hurt. Plus, Doc could be held hostage up there. Is it worth it to go to her when we're under attack and don't know what her situation is?"

Hex sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose. Easier when I'm just worryin' about gettin' me somewhere, he mused, folding his arms over his chest and tapping his fingers on his forearm. He finally opted to just shrug, "Put you up over my shoulder gets you outta the not-walking bit. Makes me slower though, and us a bigger target. And Doc's been good to us," he pointed out, "But." He shrugged again.

"Hey, everything will be okay," Josie leaned forward and touched Hex's arm. "Francis will scout and we'll get out of here… alive. We'll send some people up to Doc, if anything, though I'm sure Kane and Mark have her back and many others. Afterall, it's not just us in here. Rogue is so much bigger than that and fuck, I'd rather die for Rogue and not have it be in vain, so let's keep our heads on, okay?"

It was the kind of thing Hex forgot regularly. It didn't all land on him. He took a breath, closed his eyes a moment, then nodded."Yeah, yeah. You're right," he grumbled quietly, "I don't have a better plan."

"I don't either, however, Devon's plan all we have to go off of at the moment. Let's keep our chins up and wait for Francis to come back."

---

@Reythaak @Elle Joyner @KatSea @Mobley Eats @CloudyBlueDay @WingWong

 

[CloudyBlueDay]

Don't Make Me Regret It
Collab with @Elle Joyner

Josie's words weren't lost on Francis as she tried desperately to staunch the bleeding, watching her once favored sweater turn red. The name Leon was spat from Josie's lips like venom, and Francis came to the conclusion that this was the person who'd started it all… who'd somehow weaseled his way inside.

At Hex's entrance Francis gave him a nod, and urged him over to take her position beside Josie to stand up beside Devon as he snapped out of whatever stupor he was in.

Definitely Leon, then. Devon's words were startling, and at the mention of the bombs cementing her understanding. She'd already screwed up, having used her powers twice now… she was going to have to be extra conscious to make sure now strength bubbled out. It was clear now that they had to make their exit as wuickly as possible.

Devon gave her a task and she was desperately grateful. With a comm shoved into her red stained hands, Francis nodded firmly (even though she'd pretended not to notice his use of her full name) and set out of the interrogation room.

She was only a little ways out when she saw it; the big gaping hole in the wall, and a dark tunnel leading beyond it. "I may have a possible exit, checking it out now." Francis said into the comm, before sucking in a deep breath and heading inwards.

As she wandered deeper through the darkness, a shuffling sound came from ahead of her, a deep, uneasy breathing moving steadily closer.

Francis froze in place, the shuffling and breathing certainly meant a person was lurking in the dark. But it couldn't be someone out to get her… not if they were being so careless with their movement… the breathing was labored. They were hurt.

Angered at the fact that she couldn't use her abilities to amp up her sentences, Francis stared blindly into the dark. "Someone there?"

The sound paused as she called out, and for a moment there was silence, before a voice cracked through the dark tunnel, "You an angel, sweetheart? Cause hell if I'm not ready…"

Francis's brows furrowed. The voice was certainly.. distressed. Panic signals were going off in her brain. What if this were an injured Rogue? Or, what if it was an agent in disguise? But that pain in his voice.. that couldn't be faked.

Francis wordlessly jogged forwards towards the voice, on high alert and ready to punch something to high heaven if it came to it.

Leaning back against the wall, Leon slumped down as her footsteps neared, breathing in slowly as he dared, "So that's a no on the angel thing?"

Francis hissed at the sight of him, the blood that trickled past his fingers already a sign of his little problem. "Definitely not." She muttered, crouching down beside him. "Shit." She didn't recognize him from Rogue… maybe just a face that blended into the crowd. "You ain't dead yet… let me see it."

Looking up, grey eyes studying her for a moment, he smiled weakly, "You sure I ain't? I feel it." Moving his hand away from the wound, he grimaced, "Got stabbed, you know? But I hear scars are sexy… so… upside, right?"

"Can't believe I found another fucking Lucas." Francis muttered, frowning at the wound. "Who did this to you? Did you get any farther down this path?" It didn't look like a wound RIEF would inflict. Francis shamelessly flooded him with questions as she lifted up her pants leg, ripping enough fabric from it (perhaps with a little added strength) to cut them into shorts. "This'll sting."

Breathing in with a hiss, he sank back against the wall, his expression falling for a moment, "You… you ain't gonna like the answer, Pretty Girl."

"Oh, please." Francis growled. "Cut the chatter. You're with RIEF, aren't you? Save the niceties and tell me what happened." Only reason she was keepin' him alive was to get as much info as possible. Or so she told herself.

His eyes closed, and he sighed, "I messed up. Had a plan, and I blew it. I… I got this girl, Ket. She's my whole damn world, but she's a mess. What they do to her, it messes with her head. I… I thought I had leverage. Thought I finally had something I could use to get her out." He breathed again, more shallow, and for a moment, his voice quivered, "Whoever the hell I grabbed, it was not Keegan Hull."

Shock took hold of Francis more than anything. Shock, but it didn't last long. That shock turned into a dark anger, a determined disbelief. "You're lying." She hissed, and pressed on his wound a little harsher than necessary. "You're tellin' me, what, Keegan's got some sort of damn clone? That you really were tryna run off into the sunset with your girl? How stupid do you think I am?"

Grimacing, he grit his jaw, "Question you gotta ask… is what the hell do I stand to gain, lying? What's the point. You already know what I am… and I'm bettin' I ain't too popular with the folks back there. But that son of a bitch stabbed me when I agreed to let him go… and he'll go after her next. I don't give half a damn if I live… but my girl…"

The anger in her eyes softened, if only slightly. "You're Leon." She decided. "Man of the hour. Look at you, finally changing sides." Francis glared. There was something wrong, terribly wrong about this situation, but she couldn't say that she thought he was the one that was totally wrong with it.

"You're not dying today, pal. Not 'till I know exactly what happened… maybe you'll get a chance to save your girl." She could never imagine Keegan turning back on his word like that… Keegan would have desperately tries to save this man. To stab him, to run off, to not alert anyone else? What if Leon was telling the truth?

She brought her hand up to her ear piece. "I think I found an exit.. big gaping hole in the wall down the corridor. We need to move out immediately. I've got someone with me. They're wounded." She left out his name, for the time being. Lucky him.

Looking up at her, he smiled dryly, "...They'll kill me, anyway, Pretty Girl. And if your people don't, RIEF will. He was my only shot… and he, well… But thanks, I guess. You're stellar."

Francris brought her hand up to run it through her hair, though luckily stopped herself before she coated it red. She avoided Leon's gaze, only grunting in response. "Do you.. know… someone named Neil, by any chance? Freaky puppets and the like?" She pressed her hands on his wound, keeping the pressure on.

Chuckling softly, he nodded, "Son of a bitch with a weird fetish for plushies with sharp teeth? Yeah.. I have the unfortunate-- hang on… Cece?"

Francis shuddered, sighing deeply. "When you meet your employers you can tell him I saved your sorry ass." Francis muttered. "And it's Francis. Not Cece."

"Good. Cece is crap. Sounds like an irritating dog." His eyes closed again, and he swallowed a knot of pain, "I ain't going back, Francis. Except when I get her out…"

Francis glanced up at him, a dash of concern in her features. She wanted to believe him… she really did. "I'll see what I can do about you and your girl's fate." She muttered, truthfully, honestly. "And you can help me get to my brother."

Frowning, his eyes snapped open again, "Gotta tell you, if you're lookin' to bring him over to Rogue, I ain't gonna blow smoke up your skirt just to save my ass… he won't do it. He… he likes it, Francis. Hurting folks… Bit more than anyone ought to."

"I know." She stated matter of factly, glaring at him. "I know what I asked. I grew up with the son of a bitch. I want to personally kick his ass."

Without meaning to, Leon laughed, and winced afterwards, fists balling tight, "Pretty Girl, I like you. And if I can personal aid in getting Neil's ass handed to him… you got my word. Whatever the hell that's worth."

Francis nodded, a flicker of a smile on her lips. "Stay still. Let's hope Josie's passed out from the injury you gave her by now. Otherwise, we'll have some problems…" She turned back to Leon. "You better hope I don't find reason to hand you over to my brother as a peace offering, yeah? At least, anymore reason."

Frowning again, he nodded, "If I don't make it.. You uh… you let her know I'm sorry. I feel like hell, you know? But hey…" smiling faintly, he shrugged, "Got what I deserve, didn't I…"

"Shut up." Francis snapped. "Tell her yourself. God, if you're playing me, you're doing a damn good job."

Chuckling again, he shook his head, "Hurts too much to play right now. Think that's a good sign or bad?"

"Hell if I know." Francis said with a shake of her head. "Let's hope they get here soon. Before ya bleed out and we don't get to answer that question."

 

[KatSea]

Collab Post @Elle Joyner

Levi's shoulders tensed(quite painfully) at the owlish eyes Lucas skimmed over to him. Levi winked, knowing now that the situation was stressful enough to allow for him to speak as flirtatiously as possible. Besides, it sent a small smirk upon his demeanor at the nickname of the towering man. Levi did not anticipate the methodology in which Lucas woke the charmed man, and despite the horror, the bloodshed, the sting at his ears and shoulders, Levi had to forcibly bite down upon his lip to muffle a chuckle. He did not know how it amused himself, his chest heaving painfully as he kept the suffocating laughter within his throat.

Ow ow ow! I did not realize how much I need my shoulders to laugh...Ow...

The amusement had died as quickly as it had bubbled forth, the cruel and unfortunate truth that the rods that the agents had stuck into the ground, the rods that Levi nearly paid no mind to as he attempted to get Lucas out of the gunfire...Bombs. This fucking building was gonna get blown from it's foundation. His mouth went dry. He felt horrible, considering two things. One, despite everything else, despite the bodies, the small wound in his shoulder, the fact that he may need hearing aids...This was the first thing that dried out the hope burning within him. He was speechless. The second, great, considerable thing, was how much he used his ability. He swallowed.

Sorry dudes. And dudettes.

"Game plan for you Lucas was the same as it was before. You stay ahead of me where I can see you. And if I tell you to do something you do it." Levi figured that an attack from behind was possible, but also wanted to make sure he listened in case it was from the front. "We are going to try to get out of here if Francis makes sure the coast is clear...I have faith in Frankie." He tried to conjure a reassuring smile, but it faltered before it could take a proper stance along his lips.

"Francesca's cleared the exit. We're moving out!" Devon's voice boomed against Levi's ears and anxiety bubbled against his chest. Despite himself, he let out the remains of his concealed chuckle.

"Alright Lucas. As I've said. Stay where I can see you. Also be sure not to point that gun so loosely..." He attempted to tease, his voice somewhat dire. Is now a bad time to mutter a quick reconciliation? Uh, I'm regretful I didn't save a whole ton of people, but all I ask for now is that the people I have with me stay by me. Is that too much to ask now? I think it's a fair deal. I'll even be a better person...er, we can exchange what I mean exactly when I get out of here. Fair? Fair.

Levi bobbed his head to himself, beginning to do as Devon asked. He made sure that he could see all those who were escaping with him. His heart started to slam against his chest. He didn't want to admit how dreamlike the situation was to him. He thought if someone tapped him on the shoulder he'd bolt up in his bedroom, but he knew now that wasn't the case. Fear started to nibble at his consciousness. He thought if he were to die, it would be something of his own stupidity. Not this. And even now, he didn't want to grasp the concept that others were dead. That they could still very well get killed.

Eh. Don't think about that now. You are alright ~. Just remember, ladies dig the scars~

 

[Mobley Eats]

Lucas Serenity Krestlauv | Interactions: Levi @KatSea | Location: Interr. Room, to Escape (hopefully)​

Good ole Fran Wham Bam went ahead to scout a clear path. Yeah, he could get behind that. Don't get him wrong, he obviously hoped the woman would remain safe and unharmed during her journey, but he knew her. She was strong--as hell. And that was even without using her abilities, no matter what anyone said about her small stature. It was like second nature spotting a stubborn spirit and Fran might as well have the label stamped onto her forehead in bold letters.

Point was, he had complete faith that she would be okay.

His thoughts slowed to a stop when Levi's voice filtered in, the urgency within it as clear as ever. As the man spoke, Lucas listened with half of his brain, while the other ordered his eyes to lock on that nasty gash on his shoulder. Yeesh...We'll definitely need Doc to look at that soon. Is he gonna cover that shit up? Lucas wondered.

"Game plan for you Lucas was the same as it was before. You stay ahead of me where I can see you. And if I tell you to do something you do it," Levi said.

Lucas nodded. "Gotcha, DC." Dadly Cooper--inside joke. Then he cracked a crooked grin. "Of course you do. Who wouldn't have faith in that sexy little firecracker? Fran Wham Bam's a damn near force of nature."

And then Mufasa gave out the signal. It was time to move. Welp--into the death hailstorm of bullets they went. Just as Levi asked, Lucas remained in front of the man, giggling at his little comment about handling the gun properly. He was tempted to ask where the safety switch was--just to fuck with Levi--but, he decided not to frazzle the man anymore than he already was. He told all these jokes, but Lucas could tell it was just a defense mechanism, a way to deal with the piling stress and fear. So basically, the same thing Lucas tended to do.

He could relate.

"Mmkay, let's head on out then," he quipped lightly, the trembling in his hands betraying the nonchalance. Luckily, stepping out of interrogation room didn't slap them in the face with immediate danger. It seemed that soldiers have dispersed, those damn Rods standing up not too far ahead and a bit off to the left. So that means they've got a bomb in the lower and main floor...and with those destroyed, the upper level would come crashing down. Yep. Alright. HQ is basically fucked. How in the world does the bunker get fucked before me? he complained, holding in a light giggle. Damn, even in the heat of Roguegeddon, he still cracked himself up.

"Don't take anymore bullets to that hot bod, okay sweetness?" A brief pause. "And keep that deep ass cut on your shoulder covered, 'kay? Cool." With that said, he and the others moved forward quickly for the exit.

 

[Reythaak]

≡ H E X + J O S I E ≡
C O L L A B​

≡Location: Interrogation Room, Rogue HQ -> Escape Tunnel
≡Interactions: Lucas (@Mobley Eats ), Devon (@Elle Joyner ), Nick (@WingWong ), Frankie (@CloudyBlueDay ), Levi (@KatSea ), Josie (@Kat )

---

"Alright Hex, looks like it's time to move out," Josie exclaimed the moment Devon made the all clear. She tried to stand up, however, her wounded knee bent slightly and caused a stream of curses. Josie sat back and winced in pain. "Ok, that didn't work, obviously."

Hex shook his head slightly. "Obviously. We'll make it easier on your poor knee," Hex replied, "C'mon, up ya get." And with that, the man scooped Josie up. He gave Lucas a wary look, expecting a comment from the kid but managing to dodge one for the moment it seemed. He was distracted.

"Don't worry about him. Levi's his main priority. Let's do this. I'll gun those sons of a bitches down while you run. I'm a great shot," Josie grinned.

"Yup. You're a turret now," Hex returned the grin, though he slipped into a bit more serious mindset a moment later. He scooted out of the interrogation room along with the rest, still feeling a bit uncomfortable at the large cluster he was presently a part of. He kept his Bad Luck firmly locked down and off. His eyes scanned around, "Man… they musta all scattered. There were a handful of 'em still in the briefing room when I slipped by…"

Josie observed what she could from left to right, and back to left again.

"It's too quiet… I don't want to say anything stupid or make assumptions about where they are now. They're clever bastards when they want to be," she grimaced.

"Oh, we're definitely not outta this yet," Hex agreed with a nod, "But. Frankie said it was clear." He gave a shrug, deciding not to waste any more time even with as on edge as he felt and moved towards the tunnel with the rest.

Josie's gun was not needed so far, much to her dismay. She winced every now and then as the movements of her knee shifted her shattered kneecap. It felt like an eternity, the makeshift bandage long lost in blood. Josie was exhausted, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

"It'd be nice if we could just get a break from all this one day," she murmured and leaned against Hex's chest a bit and tried to get comfortable as best she could despite the ongoing sting at the wound site.

"Seriously," Hex grumbled his agreement, "This is all bullshit." He'd gotten into that rant before, however, and it was neither the time nor place for it now. He slipped into the tunnel and headed along, his brow furrowing when he spotted someone leaning up against the wall near Frankie.

"I'm seeing things, Hex, stars," Josie whispered. "I don't know what… I need to stay awake…" Her eyelids drooped and she shook her head. The next shot of pain seemed mostly nonexistent, if not numb. She could feel his shoulder tense. "What's wrong– Is it L–?" Josie barely had time to comprehend what was happening next and in a flash, she was limp in his arms.

Hex shifted a bit abruptly as he felt Josie go limp in his arms, making sure not to drop her as she shifted in his arms. He blinked and looked down at her. "...Guess that keeps this from bein' a problem potentially…" he murmured, then looked towards Frankie's new… friend. 'Course. If it was Leon, Hex might punch the kid himself for shooting Josie...

---

♫ I only get by with a little bad luck ♫​

 

[Mobley Eats]

Lucas Serenity Krestlauv | Interactions: Hex @Reythaak , Josie @Kat , Francis @CloudyBlueDay & Leon @Elle Joyner | Location: Escape Tunnel​

"Don't worry about him. Levi's his main priority. Let's do this. I'll gun those sons of a bitches down while you run. I'm a great shot."

Lucas blinked. Once. Twice.

Then looked at Levi with an expression reading: "Seriously?"

Then back at Josie and Hex. "...I can hear you guys, you know," he said, a hint of confusion tinting his tone. What, was he suddenly wearing an invisibility cloak or something? Preposterous! His charisma was far too potent to be ignored, so he had no idea why Jo Jo talked about him as if he wasn't standing less than two feet away. Meh. Fuck it. She was at least right about one thing--Levi's safety was priority. However, top priority was still getting the hell out of HQ and finding Fran before everything went boom.

He tuned out everything else as they filed into the tunnel, the dim lighting not really sitting well with him. But hey, who said that his personal preferences mattered? It was about survival, so he'd gladly deal with the inkling of claustrophobia if it meant escaping. However, Josie's comment about stars snatched his attention and bemusement twinkled in his eyes. "Stars? Jo Jo, where're you hiding the drugs, gurl?" Of course, he knew that it was definitely a result the major blood loss, but one couldn't hate him for still attempting to lighten the mood. Right?

But then she fainted...Huh.

Welp.

That wasn't worrisome at all.

"Fran?" Lucas squinted, seeing Fran Wham Bam up ahead and crouching over someone. Once they were close enough to see the new face, a grimace pulled at his features. On the one hand, this man was pretty. Like--hot damn, sir. But on the other hand, he was clearly bleeding, though Fran was doing her best to handle it. Brow arching curiously, Lucas asked, "Who's the cutie? Another Rogue buddy got popped?" Even then, he paid mind to the gun in his hand, prepped to unload a bullet if needed.

 

[WingWong]

Echo
Interactions: Josie (@Kat), Hex (@Reythaak), Lucas (@Mobley Eats), Levi (@KatSea), Francis (@CloudyBlueDay), Leon (@Elle Joyner)
Location: Interrogation Room, towards Escape Route

---

Nick had followed their rag tag group to the interrogation room, his focus solely on the task at hand. Later he could deal with how many hurt people they passed, how many bullets came far too close, and how many close calls in general. For now, though, he had a goal, and that had to be all that mattered.

Finding blood at the door of the interrogation room though? It felt like the start of the day steadily getting worse.

And get worse it did.

While Lucas beat him to the punch at freeing Devon before he'd even got the chance to unsheathe the knife at his hip, Nick took in everything. He noticed yet another Rogue had joined them, and another was on the floor, her knee being the source of the blood trail. Then of course, there was Devon. Yeah, he wasn't sure what happened there, but it wasn't good.

As for not good, after he bit back a smile at Lucas' antics, things truly did get worse. He winced, at hearing that every time he'd used his powers since they'd been raided had helped fuel these things. These bombs currently all over the base. He'd dropped his silence effect as they walked in, but it still made him feel a little guilty. He'd added to the mess and hadn't realized it.

He glanced between the members of the group as Francis slipped out to scout ahead.

Quietly, and carefully, he picked up the gun Hex had…relieved an agent of and put on the table earlier. He wanted to make up for the range he'd be losing since he couldn't use his powers.

He hoped no one minded.

As they got the signal to move out, he once again fell to the back of the pack as they made to escape through the exit Francis found.

He narrowed his eyes as they approached Leon and Francis.

"Anyone recognize him?" he asked. He wasn't a good judge on who was who at the moment, after all. He was really starting to regret not sticking around HQ more.

 

[CloudyBlueDay]

En Route Anywhere Else
Collab with @Reythaak @DarinValore @Elle Joyner

Anger burst through Penny at the sight of Harper, holding the girl captive, and she abandoned the cabinet to spin towards the man. From the hall, Finn and Keith burst into view and with a rush of wind, Finn beat her to the man…

And for a moment, a solid moment, Penny was content to let things happen. It was only with Keith's exclamation that she understood. This wasn't Finn. This wasn't what he needed to become.

"Keith is right, Finn. The bastard isn't worth it."

Somewhere in the chaos, Harper had released Rose, groping for his throat, and she scrambled away as quickly as she could, curling into herself with whatever defense she could muster.

"Finn… sweetie." Penny continued, more urgently, "We gotta move."

At Keith's words the fire in Finn's eyes flickered, and he faltered. His accidental grip on Harper's air supply stopped, and Finn's shoulders sagged. "I-I.." He started, gaze falling between his teammates. "Y-you're right, I didn't know I was…" Doing that. Finn was shaken; coming down from anger that harsh was disorienting. "R-Rose!" He called after the girl, gaze soft and worried.

"Grab her," Deck spoke to Penny, his eyes lingering on Finn still unsure of what had actually just happened, "I'll move this cabinet."

At his urging, and as Harper dropped to his knees with a burst of air to his lungs, Penny moved to help Rose to her feet, not entirely ignorant to the dazed look the girl carried. But there was no time to waste on niceties. The helicopters were encroaching, louder now, and they needed to get out.

"Forget the cabinet…" She called back, "We're gonna need to run for it…"

"R-run for it?!" Finn cried. "There's helicopters above us! How are we supposed to run for it!"

"...Because you're gonna pull yourself together, Finn… and do something damn impressive." Penny noted, with a firm nod.

"What the heck does that mean?!" Finn yelled.

"You can already fly. You were just controlling someone's air supply. That's high level airbender shit. Pretty sure we can come up with something else cool today," Keith pointed out.

Finn blinked, cheeks scarlet. "Controlling someone's air supply…" Is that what he had done? "Did…. you just compare me to Avatar the Last Airbender? I love you, man."

"I love you both…" Penny said, with a small eyeroll, "But if we don't get a move on, that's not going to matter much." Her eyes shifted to the trembling leaf of a girl at her side and she sighed, "Keith, can you keep watch on Rose? And Deck…" Looking over to him, she frowned softly, gesturing to Harper, who was still trying to get his breath, "Tie this bastard to something that won't move. Right now, I don't care what the plan was. RIEF can have his sorry ass."

Keith grinned at Finn, "Yup." He shifted back to a bit more serious though, when Penny spoke and gave a nod. "Yup, I've got her. No worries." And he moved over to take Penny's spot with Rose.

"With pleasure," Deck returned as he plucked the rope up at Harper's feet with one hand jerked the man up with the other. Deckard dragged the man to the bathroom and tossed him to the floor before he stretched his arms above his hand tied them securely to the toilet under the bowl, "Piece of shit," Deck couldn't help but smirk as he stepped away, slamming the door shut and propping a chair up under the handle.

Returning to the others, he turned to Finn and asked, "Think you could do something about the chopper?"

"Think I could - wh - what?" Finn gaped at Deck, after having watched him crudely drag Harper away. "H-how.." Deck couldn't mean…. could he even do that? Finn swallowed, trying to puff out his chest. He thought back to his talk with Keith, the confident answers he'd declared. "I… we… can try."

"I don't mean to sound like Yoda right now, Finn…" Penny added with a note of uneasiness, "But seriously, there's no try right now. You saved my ass once today, and I got no doubt you can do it again. Okay?"

Finn swallowed, nodding. Penny was right… there was no trying… because if he tried and failed, they'd be lab rats by the end of the day. A look of determination washing over him, Finn ducked outside, slipping past the half-pushed cabinet and out into the open. The helicopters blared above them, threatening to come closer. Threatening to hurt the people he cared about..

The air around them was already swirling, the brush bending to its will, and Finn tried to focus his mind on it. Focusing on feeling the air that surrounded him, Finn tried to make it tangible to him, and began to tug the air down around one unlucky helicopter. It was like tugging on a rock that didn't want to move, but with clenched teeth Finn could begin to feel the resistance slipping.

Deck watched from just outside the door as Finn worked. The kid was concentrating, focusing, and Deck was impressed with his effort. Still, it wasn't working as fast as they need, "Penny," he called back to her, "I gotta help Finn bring these helicopters down! Take cover because this could get messy!"

Moving to Finn's side, he called to him, "Let's push together, you and me. Bring one into the other," he nodded confident that Finn could do it, "We got this!"

Putting his hand out, Deckard visualized the closest helicopter. He shaped the metal, the whirling blades, the passengers; everything he could before reaching out with his mind. He felt it the moment his power took hold, "Ready, Kid?" Deck's brow narrowed, "Push!"

Deck's confidence in him renewed his energy. He'd truthfully never expected to stand side by side with the man, working together as equals. Maybe they weren't exactly equals… but Finn had never felt so believed in.

With Deck's aid Finn could finally fully grasp the air around the helicopter, and at Deck's command, Finn pushed, focusing intensely on the image of the helicopter swinging into the other, and suddenly, it swung off its course towards the team's demise and towards its own.

The two helicopters collided in a fiery explosion that drowned out the cries of the men inside and sent bits of metal shotgunning into the area below. Exhausted, Deckard threw himself at Finn in an attempt to tackle him to the ground.

Inside, Penny could hear the crash and her heart leapt to her chest as she looked over to Keith, Rose cradled up into his side with a blank expression, "Stay with her!" She called, before following after Deck and Finn.

The helicopters exploded in a vision of fiery beauty, but Finn didn't get to look at it long as Deck tackled him to the ground, metal and parts raining from the sky. "Deck!" Finn yelled, voice hoarse from exhaustion as a particularly large piece of shrapnel threatened to fall on top of them. Finn raised his arm, a strong and sudden gust of wind swept it off its course.

Rolling off of Finn just in time to witness the kid's heroism and the rest of the inferno crashing into the ground, Deck sunk into the grass, "Great job, Kid," Deck told him as he tiredly dropped a hand against Finn's arm, "Great job."

Breathing out, Penny slumped against the porch, rubbing her hands over her face, "Oh… Thank God."

Finn lay sprawled on the grass as if he were making snow angels, chest heaving. "Thanks." He gasped. "You too."

Turning his head, he saw Penny on the porch. Extending his arm straight up in the air, he gave her a thumbs up, "We got it," he told her before dropping it back to his side.

"Can we get the hell out of here, now?" Penny called with a small, uneasy smirk.

"Yes, please," Finn groaned. "Just… three more seconds...I think Deck broke me."

"Ya," he narrowed his brow as he rolled to his side, "I'm not sorry for that."

Finn grunted, pushing himself up with a little trouble. "I'm ready to get out of here. And never, ever come back." Finn muttered, offering his hand to Deck to pull him up before nodding to Penny with a shaky smile. "Where's Keith and Rose?"

Keith had kept with the other terrified meta during the excitement, but finally urged her up, taking her hand and leading her to the door. He peeked his head out, staring for several moments at the wreckage, then looking at Finn and Deck.

"Told you," he directed at Finn, smiling, then led the way through the door for Rose.

"Yes. Finn gets a gold star… Now let's go, please. The at won't be the last of them." It occurred to her in that moment that these were lives taken… And that would hurt Finn. Probably not now… but it would come, and the less time they dwelled, the better. "Let's move to the SuV."

Rose, who stepped tentatively outside, looked to the fiery crash, and her grip on Keith's hand tightened to an almost bruising strength.

"You're alright, c'mon," Keith said, giving Rose's hand a squeeze back, and leading her towards the SUV. "Am I sitting in the back with Rose, or want me driving?"

"If you're alright to, might be best you drive." Penny noted. She wouldn't say it out loud, but she was fairly sure if any trouble followed them, she and Deck would be most apt to handle it, "Finn… You good to sit with Rose?"

"Yeah, 'course," Finn said with a nod, wincing as he struggled to pull Deck up, grinning weakly at Keith. He caught up to the two, laying a tentative hand on Rose's shoulder as they hurried towards the crunched SUV. Finn opened the back door with another wince of pain and ushered Rose inside before sliding in after her.

Any other time, Deck would have found Finn's attempt to help him from the ground amusing, but exhaustion made humor the last thing on his mind. After standing and dusting himself off, he followed the party to the SUV, "We need to get a new ride before Alligator Alley because there's no rest stops or gas stations on that road. From there it's roughly a five to six hour drive depending on time of day. I-4 can be hell during rush hour with Disney and Universal sitting right off of it. Either way, we need to be as quick and careful as possible because we can't rely on my ability at the moment. I need to rest."

Nodding, Penny followed Finn to the car and once he and Rose were in and Keith had settled in the driver's side, she gestured Deck in before her.

"We'll find a motel along the way and take a few hours to rest and refresh. Then we'll see if we can't find anyone on the comms network… If anyone got out, they'll know to check in and I can set up a meeting point in Orlando."

Settling into the back seat, Finn stayed silent, trying to keep his gaze on Rose and the rest of the crew in front of them. Exhaustion was creeping in with the absence of the adrenaline, and at this point even the leather of the SUV was as comfy as his bed. His bed, which was now probably blown to bits. He would've given anything to be back there now, with Keith and Luna, arguing over Superman vs the Flash.

"Wake me up when we get there," Finn murmured, taking one last look at the cabin and the man they were leaving behind.

"Will do," Keith glanced back towards Finn with a bittersweet smile. The information Deck had rattled off wasn't news to Keith, but he nodded along to it, and Penny's plan to group up with… Anyone else who got out.

Once everyone had settled into the vehicle, Keith started the engine and pulled out, starting to head away from the cabin. And Rogue HQ.

 

[Elle Joyner]

MAXINE​

The carnage of the crash remained a flaming mess outside of Daniel Harper's cabin, and as the third chopper landed a short distance away, Maxine looked out the window with a frown marring her attractive features. Hull wouldn't be happy, which, considering the news she had for the man, was hardly a comfort. They were pressing up against disaster, and all because of incompetence… First Vance… then Heely… and on the cusp of an incredible discovery, it was more than a little aggravating. The capture of Keegan's golden children would have been a fine way to smooth things over. Now she had another mess to clean up, and she was just about ready to put a bullet in someone.

Conveniently, they'd found Daniel Harper tied to his toilet seat. The man was a mess of bruises, and spitting rage when they threw him on the porch steps. Mid-shrieking, something about ungrateful bastards and how RIEF had better be buying him a keg after all he'd done, Maxine put a 9 millimeter in his forehead.

When the deed was done, she returned to the chopper, where her assistant handed over a cell. Putting it to her ear, she sighed, "It's done. Harper's dead."

"Good. I imagine there were no mistakes, this time? And the others…?"

"Yes, sir. We've got a team headed north, in search of the missing mutants."

"Fair enough. I don't imagine we'll get quite so lucky. It's fairly disappointing."

Swallowing, Maxine's hand tightened on the phone, and desperate to shift the subject, she continued, "The hit on the base went well, I assume?"

"As well as can be expected. Leon's timing was fortuitous. I've dealt with him. I should be able to resume my position without much difficulty."

"Yes sir. That's good." She grit her jaw, the words hovering in her mind. He hadn't gotten wind of Vance's little mission yet… There was still time to recover.

"I'll be returning to headquarters within the hour. There's something I need to take care of there. I expect you'll be back by then?"

"I will, sir…"

"Excellent. See you shortly."

Hanging up as the line clicked out, Maxine spit out a swear and shoved her phone at her assistant, "Let's go."

 

[CloudyBlueDay]

Troublemakers
Collab w @Elle Joyner

It wasn't ideal. None of it. Their HQ was compromised, countless Rogued dead or captured, and their only escape route was to the unknown, through a long, dark tunnel that smelled like an elephant's backside. He'd been whammied by some RIEF weapon-boy, Josie's knee was blasted off, Levi had taken one to the shoulder and they were a few power-surges away from leveling four city blocks… All he wanted, desperately, was a nap.

But it wasn't time to rest. He had to get their people to safety, and hell or high water, he would. It was unnerving, to say the least, when Francis called in about the injured man she'd found, and as they followed the path laid out for them by the fiery young girl, a sense of anxiety built up in his chest. It seemed highly unlikely that a Rogue agent would wander that far from HQ… least of all injured. It didn't leave much hope then, who Francis had found, amd somehow, Devon wasn't terribly surprised when, after some commotion with Josie, he discovered Francis with good old Leon.

What was surprising was the state the little trickster was in. A brow lifted, quirking higher at Lucas's commentary, and Devon crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes dropping to Francis, "So what's his story, now?"

With a dry smirk, Leon looked up at the hulking figure, before letting his gaze shift casually among the crew. Briefly, a flicker of something akin to pity washed over him at the state of Josie, buy he didn't linger there, "Hell of a yarn, Hulk. Might be better if Francis here tells it, though… cause I don't think I got a lot of fanclub material present right now."

Francis's gaze flickered between the group as they made their way closer. She wasn't sure how thrilled she was to stick her neck out for Leon, a man she barely knew and technically belonged to their mortal enemy.

"He's very sorry." Francis began with, sighing deeply. "Also says that Keegan, or Keegan's evil clone, stabbed him after promising him a ticket out of RIEF. Which he apparently desperately wants to get out of." Francis shook her head, frowning up at Devon. "You know I wouldn't be putting my own ass on the line here if I didn't have a gut feelin', Devon."

A brow quirked, as Devon followed along with Francis's words, "...Gut feelings don't go a long way with me. But we don't have time to talk about it here. He healthy enough to move?"

"I can manage." Leon noted.

"You got those zipties on you still?" Devon asked, eyes narrowing.

"Left pocket, yeah."

"Francesca… Take a pair and hook his hands together. Steer clear of them, if you can. He's your responsibility till we get somewhere safe. Got it?"

Francis nodded, brows furrowed. "Understood." It wasn't the best response, but it coulda gone worse. She crouched down next to Leon again, and though she never spoke it her eyes apologized as she took a pair of zipties and hooked his bloodied hands, careful to avoid actually touching them. Then, without even so much as a grunt, she lifted Leon up and held him near bridal style, not worried about the use of her powers now that they were far enough down the tunnel.

"...Oh." Leon mumbled, as his feet left the ground, "Welp… This is a new breed of torture. Sure. Why not."

Fighting a smirk, Devon gestured down the tunnel, looking to the others, "Alright gang. Let's get moving. Hex… you tell me if she gets worse. Move out."

 

[KatSea]

Levi Simeon Gunner



"Don't take anymore bullets to that hot bod, okay sweetness? And keep that deep ass cut on your shoulder covered, 'kay?" Lucas' words became soon muddled as Levi hurried out, his eyes drifting down to the gash on his shoulder. Bright, clunky bright. He blinked and plucked at the fabric that had attempted to cover over the wound, realizing now that the blood had soaked straight through what used to be his old sleeve. Bile encased his tongue and for a moment, he began to gag on the taste of copper. Not real. Not real. To distract himself, Levi managed to release "DC?"

I do not think I can even begin to comprehend what he means. That's okay. I don't think my mind is in the right place to think of all the inappropriate things he could be calling me. Dangerous and Cozy? Daring Cad? I don't know. None of it makes sense. And that's okay. Because it's distracting me from everything else I could be thinking.

His eyes flickered over briefly as Josie mentioned stars, and sure enough her eyes fluttered close and she went limp. Oh. Oh God. Didn't Peter say fainting while bleeding out was a sure sign of...er, well, that whole jazz. Maybe she just got nauseous looking at the blood, because I know I am. D-don't look at her...Too late. Sweet Jesus.

He turned his head, only to see Francis safe and sound. His heart settled in his chest pleasantly and he placed his hand over his collarbone. He grimaced. "Ah. Wrong one." He grinned thinly in spite of himself, hearing from Nick.

"Anyone recognize him?"

"Maybe in a dream..." Levi muttered in a near slur, grinning in pride towards himself. He found that the ridiculous joke calmed him internally, and while it was slowly revealed that the new man was Leon, he grit his teeth. I am almost relieved that no one is going to hit him for what he did. Hitting a man down is not a good move, nor is it one that I approve of. Fuck you, my self respected morality. Levi scoffed, retrieving his carving knife once again to begin to rip off the opposite sleeve. A full grimace was presented along his brow, his wound stretching and scrapping against the current fabric as he moved to wrap an extra layer. "Ah...That feels good." He muttered sarcastically under his breath, wrapping it firmly around his wound. His breathing came through clenched teeth until he was certain that it was at least decently covered, and he didn't dare to test if it would stay on. He was just relieved that the bullet didn't seem to be lodged in his skin. As far as he could tell, it was a gash rather than an actual bullet wound. Nevertheless, it managed to do quite a number. Not as much as the shattered knee, that was for sure, and he even felt guilt for gritting his teeth in pain while he made sure he didn't bleed.

"Hey...nice feat of strength Frankie." He bobbed his head in pride as the woman was able to heave their captive into her arms, seeming as if it caused her no trouble at all. I could barely hold Sarah for long, and I am a decent health...I wonder how she does that. Maybe I just need better upper body strength. Heh. I will work on that when we get out of here. "Out of here we go." Levi mumbled his understanding, rubbing his hands against his bare arms. He swallowed. He glanced back, heart in his throat. He was surprised that he had escaped, but relief flooded him as he realized the friends he had with him were likely going to survive today.

Thanks Big Guy. I owe you.

With that thought in mind, he released a breath he didn't realize he had within. He just wanted to be back at the shop. Make a little trinket for his brother, hell, maybe make one for the people he had with him. That...that would soothe him.

He began to plot trinket designs in his head as he trudged forward, suddenly bright despite the dull throb that plagued his shoulder. He knew the exit was ahead, and despite himself, glee threatened to build. This wasn't a story he was ever going to be happy reciting. He was just happy he was going to be able to do so.

 

[Elle Joyner]

LEON​

"The universe is conspiring against me, Leon..."

"That's a pretty bold statement, Beautiful..." Arms entangled around her skinny shoulders, Leon stroked his fingers through her hair, soft and smooth beneath his palm. Her pulse was hammering away in her throat, the anxiety that wrapped itself around her like a blanket radiating off of her in waves... He'd just told her the plan. What his part of it was, anyway, and as he'd expeced, Ket had not taken to the news quite so well. He'd never intended to become a beacon for the girl, but he'd been helpless, fallen in like a complete idiot, and now, she relied on him... More than he wanted her to, "But if you think the universe can get past me, well..."

Making a face, her nose wrinkling, Ket looked back at him, "That's sweet, Leon... but you know it's not that easy."

"Why not? Why can't it be that easy...?" Twisting, he turned so he could face her, brushing the hair from her eyes.

"They won't let it be. They never do..." Snuggling closer, Ket sighed, "I don't want you to go. You know I can't sleep without you."

Pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, Leon sank back, tugging her against his chest, "Then sleep now."

"I can't... You know I can't." She frowned, and he fought a wince at the notion. The fear that kept her captive... it was devastating, and constant, but never so bad as when she tried to sleep. Usually, it was so bad, Vance had to drain her just to keep her from falling apart, entirely.

"Mm... Maybe you're just not sleepy enough." As he nuzzled into the well of her throat, Ket's lips turned in a soft smile.

"Leon... We have missions in the morning."

"...That gives us at least... twelve hours."

"Twelve?? Goodness, Beli vitez. Now that's a bold statement."

"You doubt me?" Grinning, he shifted, leaning over her, "Moja lepa ptica. You should never doubt..."

"Ha. We'll see..." Ket lifted a hand and tugged him down to her.

---

It wasn't his favorite means of travel, that was for sure, but Leon could hardly complain, as he was carried through the tunnel by the tiny little juggernaut. It was embarrassing, but he wasn't shot dead in the middle of a sewer. Stabbed, sure, but he'd had worse. Maybe. Probably not, but... well, who was counting?

They travled a good ten or fifteen minutes before Leon recognized his surroundings, and giving Francis a tap on the shoulder, her gestured ahead, "Got a hideaway down here... It's not much, but I've got some medical supplies and a cot for..." He paused on Josie's name, before clearing his throat, "And there's a phone. I dunno who you'd call, but..."

Devon frowned in thought at the suggestion, raking his fingers through his mane of hair, "I gotta think you're not stupid enough to try and screw us over, but just in case... know that I will personally choke the life out of you with my bare hands if you're tryin' anything."

The hideaway was roughly the size of a basement, and contained a desk, a cot in the corner, several computers and monitors, a few cabinets with lables on them, and a bulletin board filled with files, odd calculations that appeared to be little more than gibberish. Near one of the desks was an overturned chair, a pair of severed zipties, a knife and a small pool of blood.

"Make yourselves at home..." Leon muttered, sardonically.

"Right... Hex, get her on the cot and see if you can't bring her around. We don't got Doc, but that doesn't mean we can't at least stop the bleeding. Levi, you'd better get yourself fixed up, too. Lucas? You alright to help him out? And Francesca... that leaves you and Nick with Captain Smooth, here. I'm gonna call into to the emergency line and leave a protocol message. Everyone clear?" Without waiting for a response, he headed for the desk where the phone waited, nodding, "Good."

---

TAG | @Reythaak, @KatSea, @Kat, @Mobley Eats, @WingWong, @DarinValore, @CloudyBlueDay

 

[Elle Joyner]

---

The ride to the motel was without incident, which, considering the day they'd had, was saying something. In truth, Penny sat on edge the entirety of their journey, half expecting a black helicopter to swoop in, or tanks to roll up, or a zombie army to rush out of the swamp… Really, anything would've made sense at that point, and it was too hard to relax, too hard to let it all out and truly rest.

She was grateful when they were through the thick of it all, and looking up locations on her phone, she found a motel that was reasonably priced, lowkey enough, and off the beaten path. It would be safe for a few hours, and would give them time to refresh. When Keith finally pulled the beat up SUV into the lot, Penny made her way to the office to purchase rooms and came back with two keys in hand.

"One double and a single." She tossed the first key to Finn, "You, Keith and Rose can take the double." There was no argument from the girl in the back, who hadn't said so much as a word the entire trip. Decidedly, they were all a bit more beat down than they'd expected.

"Try to get some rest. You can order out, but cash only…"

Nodding to Deck, she held up the other key, "You're with me. Wanna check those stitches."

When they had dispersed to their rooms, Penny tossed her bag on the dresser, and raking her fingers through her hair, looked over to Deck, "I'm gonna take a shower. Shout if anything interesting happens…"

Heading for the bathroom, she closed the door behind her, peeling out of the clothes that felt like they held a year's worth of grime. The shower wasn't anything to write home about, but it was hot, and clean enough, and for the first time in several days, Penny felt like she could breathe… just a little bit…

Until the moment she stepped beneath the stream, and the memories flooded in, like a wave washing over her.

"Hey, Penny Lane… Come over here and tell me about your day." He sat on the couch, bathed in the glow of the television screen. The amber bottle he grasped in his hand sloshed as he leaned forward, grinning with a crooked, yellow smile. Her mother lay just a little ways away, curled up in the beet-red recliner, the needle on the table beside her still dripping.

"...Just leave me alone, Carl. I'm going to bed." Penny mumbled, as she tried to bypass him. He stuck up his legs, blocking the way, and Penny froze.

"Oi, pretty girl! Get your scrawny ass over here, and tell me how your day was…"

He patted his lap, and Penny grimaced, "Carl... Please."

A hand shot out, looped tightly around her wrist, "I said get over here."

The water ran over her skin, peach bleeding from pink to red, as if the heat could sluice away the thoughts, wracking her mind. She could see him… the sweat-stained t-shirt, the denim, bursting at his swelling stomach, the baseball cap, backwards over greasy blonde hair, tugged tight into a ponytail. She could see the way he'd watch her from across the room, his tongue dancing over his teeth. He'd come in the night, while her mother slept off her drunken stupor, and he'd kick her awake where she'd curl up by the radiator. She learned quickly enough that he liked her to fight, and when she didn't, he'd beat the hell out of her.. But the beating was always better than the alternative, so she would let it happen. Carl was the start of it all…

And Daniel Harper was scum of the same breed. She'd seen it in Harper's eyes… the way he looked at Finn, at Rose. Maybe he didn't hurt that girl the way Carl might've, but he hurt her. And she had no doubt he would've done worse if Finn hadn't stopped him.

Luna missing… possibly turned. Keith and Finn nearly murdered by enemy mutants. Keegan and the base. The helicopter crash. Harper's betrayal. And through it all, Deck… breaking down walls faster than she could build them up again.

Without thinking, Penny's fist cracked against the wall of the shower and pain splintered through her knuckles, a split forming in the soft skin between bone, blood blossoming, running in pink rivers along her hand. The tears welled, at first from bruising sting in her hand and then, because there were pains that ran deeper still, and they came… those tears. They came hard and fast and hot, mingling with the water pouring from overhead. Her chest tightening and her knees buckling, she hit the floor of the shower, and there on her hands and knees, Penny sobbed.

Two minutes. That was all the time she allowed herself… and in those two minutes, she unleashed every ounce of pain and fear and doubt and anger she felt, until there was nothing left to cry out. When the tears subsided, shaking with emotion, she took a deep, steadying breath and climbed to her feet.

Finally, turning off the water and wrapping up in a towel, she slipped out of the bathroom, "All yours." She muttered to Deck.

---

TAGS || @CloudyBlueDay, @DarinValore, @Reythaak