Captive hearts

[Seer]

<< The members of the Six, those that were left, along with Alycia and Alison prepared for the mission to Arklay forest and mansion. Alycia, was already clearing the way to keep the perimeter of the forest blocked off by Force Works having superceded the local authorities and placed the mayor under federal arrest (the man had LONG been in Lord Spencer and Mystech's back pocket and had made the town an unwilling front for the fallout from Arklay...and since Alycia couldnt get Spencer, she'd get whomever was still connected to him.>>

<< and as the Six prepared, Morgan was now searching for Delilah with her scrying glass. she found the woman, back at Connor's place...which was alarmingly close to the Parthenon!>>

<< Delilah herself was now more confused than ever. usually the TRUTH helped her do the right thing, but this evening she accused others of being self serving when actually SHE was the one using the truth as a weapon and now she was seeing first hand that Connor had not only tried to kill Sharon but was MORE than willing to destroy her friends as well.>>

<<Through all of this, her heart was held captive and she was more confused than ever. would she remain with him...WORSE would she HELP him? Morgan was determined to reach her friend and no matter WHAT Delilah OR Connor had to say...she would be heard.>>

<< and all the while...they were inching closer and closer to the outcome that Alison predicted...nothing critical had changed enough for the outcome to be altered!>>

<< and so we watch.>>

 

[Spellbinder]

Illustra-107th floor

<< after gesturing over her mystic lens, the Scrying Glass, Spellbinder, still in her latest costume, is able to conjure up an image of the location where Delilah and Connor are. her mind is ablaze of just what she'll say....which way should she go with it.>>

<< she she drag Delilah out by her hair and cast a spell on her to put her to sleep!? no. how could she? Delilah would never forgive her. should she beat Connor to a pulp? well even if that wasnt the RIGHT thing to do, Morgan would certainly ENJOY putting another arrogant man in his place. Men often under estimated her based on her looks or status as a super model. they had on idea that she would be as intelligent or as STRONG as she was. >>

<< no this wasnt about HER and what she wanted. this was about trying to keep her best friend from making a terrible mistake. one that could cost them ALL their freedom and even their LIVES.>>

<< as she concluded her search, Morgan ended the spell and sighed softly as she looked at her own refracted image in the mystic lens. she now knew where to go and could arrive at the very front door of Connor's apt. unannounced or detected.>>

this should be fun.

<< she looked down to see Tinkerbell near by, looking with that curious glint in her blue eyes. >>

you get to stay here where it's safe, baby. mommy has to go and try to talk some sense into her friend.

<< after a few moments of studying her enchanted familiar, Morgan looked away>>

well..the others are nearly ready to depart. Id better meet them down in the war room so i can send them to the forest before I go on to confront Delilah.

<< she spoke aloud..as if to try to talk away the lingering trepidation she felt. she wasnt afraid for herself or her safety...she was afraid that Delilah was too far gone to be reached...how shocking and disheartening this 180 degree turn of Delilah's was!>>

you be good now Tink. you and the baby kitty just stay here where its safe.

<< bending down to pet Tinker a bit, Mogan kisses her enchanted familiar on the forehead before doing an obligatory hair and outfit check in a mirror, making sure everything was just right. she really loved her new costume even if it was more "reserved' by comparison to some of her other outfits.>>

<< and with that...Morgan teleports to the War Room to await the othes....to send them on their way before going on her's.>>

 

[Rampage]

Nic's Apartment

Nicolas stood in his apartment getting ready. He had decided on a wardrobe change for his uniform, deciding that he needed to spruce up a bit. He now sported form fitting charcoal grey combat pants with black boots. He was again shirtless but had decided on a large black duster as an overcoat. It was open in the front and under it he had a belt looped diagonally across his cheat that was a scabbard for his axe in the back.

He turned to his equipment, noting three large laser rifles that had modified tips on them so they would emit in a wide beam. He would have Haleigh lower the frequency of their output so as to fall in the UV range, killing the virus on any surface and through liquids. That would help them to cleanse the area, although the going would be slower than if Delilah were here.

If Delilah were here. DAMN. Never though YOU would walk out, lighthouse. It's never easy, huh? well, let's do this.

Nicolas teleported himself and the hardware down to the War Room where he met Morgan. He hated to separate in this instance, and he decided to try again to speak with her.

Morgan, I know you feel you have to do this alone, but just listen. I could phase into a nearby wall, listen out in case there is trouble. I do not want anything to happen to you. If I left you to be harmed by this idiot, I would never forgive myself. How about we t...

He saw the determined look on her face and just stopped. There would be no changing her mind and he resigned to that fact. He leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss before anyone else showed up and looked into her eyes, his face dead serious.

Come back in one piece to me, or I will tear this town down around their heads.

 

[Spellbinder]

Illustra- War room

<< Morgan was leaning on the side of a table as Nicolas arrived. He'd changed his outfit but was still looking dapper. He attempted to try to involve himself in her personal mission and he could see she wasnt having it.>>


You cant help me. Delilah is my best friend. I've known her since we were little and nothing could have ever prepared me for her behavior this evening. But Alison's vision remains unchanged and i HAVE to try to get Delilah to understand that before its too late! NEVERMIND the fact that she picked a MAN over ME, he best friend and her TEAM..her FAMILY.

<< Morgan thought about all the differences between she and Delilah....Morgan was what some might call a feminist, Delilah was not. Morgan was bloodthirsty more often than not, Delilah was not....but despite all the differences, they'd been close for so many years. Karen even viewed Delilah as a surrogate daughter.>>

I'm not just going to let her be carried away by this PRICK of a man! to HELL with him!

<< and she'd SEND him there if he pushed her too far >>

You all just go to the forest, and do what needs to be done. I'll catch up. I dont know if Delilah will be with me and I dont want to ask Alison...somethings shouldnt be predetermined...i just have to do this. I'll catch up.

<< hugging Nicolas, she rubbed her gloved hands on his back to comfort and reassure him as they kissed. it was easier to return affection with him now....a year ago, she wouldve blasted him with an eldritch bolt for even touching her suggestively!>>

You just watch out for Alycia and Sharon...that mansion holds dangers for us ALL but Kyle might try to capture Alycia again and Sharon may not be as READY as she thinks she is to confront her son...as he is now.

<< she waited for the others to arrive. so she could send them to the forest.>>

 

[MorningStar]

Delilah and Connor sat on his rundown sofa. He had showered and changed clothes. She had cleaned up the blood from the floor and chair. They were silent for a long time. It was Delilah who broke the tension.

Delilah: “They’re going to go to Arklay. Sharon is probably already there.”

Connor said nothing.

Delilah: “Kyle is alive. Or, the thing they turned him into is.”

Connor still said nothing. Delilah looked into his face.

Delilah: “They are doing a good thing.”

Connor turned in his seat so he was facing her.

Connor: “What happened that sent you here?”

She looked away.

Delilah: “We…we argued. I said that it wasn’t right for us to kill, even to protect ourselves. They were going to let Sharon kill you, because you had attacked her. I said-”

She looked hesitantly back at him.

Delilah: “I said that it didn’t make sense that you would attack Sharon, that if you did it was the authorities job to handle it, not theirs. They disagreed. I left.”

Connor: “And is that what you think?”

Delilah sighed.

Delilah: “I don’t know what I think. I know that the bad guys we have taken out in the past deserved to die. I know that if we hadn’t killed them, they would have killed us. But there are others… Maybe it was too easy a choice to cover up our mistakes. They don’t realize that we do hurt people, whether we mean to or not. And we don’t…we don’t try hard enough to keep that from happening. It was always more important that we win, that we survive. We said we were doing what we do to protect humans. But now I’m not so sure. I’m not sure they really believe that anymore, I’m not sure it’s right. And I’m afraid one day it will pit the rest of the world against us.”

Connor took her hand.

Connor: “You see it, don’t you? All the time you’ve been with them, they’ve been corrupting you. They drew you in by showing how you could help save the world. They appealed to your sense of justice, your good heart. And slowly but surely they brought you down this path, to where they could get you to kill whoever they told you needed it. To achieve their own ends, no longer the world’s. Until neither you nor them question what you’re doing.”

Delilah: “They would never do anything to hurt me.”

Connor: “But it’s not you that you’re worried about, is it?”

Delilah nodded, slowly. It was more than the innocents of the world, more than Connor, more than herself. She feared for the team itself. That their actions would bring an anti-mutant world against them. That they would be hunted and executed. Why was she the only one that saw that that scenario would come about due to their own actions just as much as from anyone outside of the Six?

She moved closer and leaned against him.

Delilah: “I want you to promise me you won’t try to kill Sharon again. Promise me we’ll find another way.”

He shifted in his seat, wincing a bit as his ribs reminded him of its injuries. He thought for a second, then nodded.

Connor: “I promise.”

 

[Persephone]

:: Appearing in the war room, Ava was more than ready to get this trip over with. Arklay alone was taxing enough to deal with, but the thought of possibly fighting Delilah was just disheartening. She had become fond of the mutant, especially after the Ancient Greece caper. Delilah reached out to her when everyone else kept their distance, and it really made Persephone open up more as a person. She was a good soul, one that was being corrupted by Conner. Sighing out, Persephone saw both Nicolas and Morgan having a 'moment'. Lifting a single eye brow, she cleared her throat to announce her presence. ::

"Well, i'm ready."

:: It was still weird to watch Spellbinder interact with Nicolas so....willingly. Darkchilde was much more icy when it came to men, even Morpheus. It took them quite a while to trust one another before even commiting to a relationship. It was times like these that made Persephone realize the sharp contrast of what her life used to be compared to now. Looking to Morgan, Ava moved forward, closing the distance between herself the her two teammates. ::

"Be careful, Morgan. Delilah is being easily swayed by Conner....we don't know how far she will go to protect him."

 

[Rampage]

War Room

Ava clearing her throat showed Nicolas how much Morgan was capable of distracting him. He turned and smiled at the goddess, whom he liked in spite of her attitude toward him. Hell, at least he knew where she stood. He nodded to her as she approached.

Ava.

As she spoke, she seemed to really put a finger on what he was trying to convey to Morgan. Ava was definitely more than a pretty face, she was smart and eloquent. He reached out his hand to the goddess. In it were three small enclosed cartridges.

These are my backup plan in case someone is infected. My study of the bug leads me to believe that even though it is true that most of us could resist it for quite some time, maybe even beat it, there is also the chance that it will overtake any of us, especially in the case of multiple exposures. These three pens are hollow spent uranium-tipped needles each with a serving of the craziest anti-viral cocktail known to man. A shot of this will give you Viramicide, AZT, Didanosine, and Interferon at once, effectively stopping viral replication at least for some time until you can be healed. I have been only able to make up five in such a short time. I will keep one, Alycia will have one, and I would like you to take these final three. I trust you to care for and utilize them as needed. The casing will protect them well, but maybe not well enough for me to have them on me as I fight; simply twist and plunge to use.

Nicolas handed them to Ava and then proceeded to alter one of the rifles for easy use by Alycia. The weight of theses heavy guns would not currently do. He could be seen honeycombing the casing to drop weight and reducing the size of the weapon overall as well as its energy source...

 

[Artemis]

Illustra-99th floor

:: Alycia was down the hall of the 99th floor in her now BASICALLY furnished former "satellite office" suite, suited up in her body contouring outfit and accessories. her hair was down in a wrap and she looked focused as she made adjustments to a portable bio signature scanner.::

:: she had little to say during the blow out with Delilah. but in her mind, Delilah was acting like a total FOOL. The woman just chose a MAN over her team and family. Someone that if her own law enforcement agency found out she was harboing, SHE could be punished as well. In her days as a district attourney, she wouldve busted Delilah's chops. she (even if Delilah seemed to forget) remembered when Delilah was in need of "friends in high places" to get her own reputation restored. Alycia was one of those people who helped make that happen and for Delilah to stand there and act like Connor's status as a HUMAN made him INNOCENT by DEFAULT and yet someone like HER who was ALSO human was often thrust to the front lines in peril of her own life that was OKAY?? that alone had given Alycia a flash of impulse to arrest Delilah on the spot for harboring the fugitive. But again...UNLIKE Delilah, Alycia thought of the TEAM...the FAMILY...and held back once again.::

:: Alycia took a moment to savor the memories of the times she spent in this office. some pleasant, some not so pleasant. but just the time that was passed here...and she even ALLOWED herself to admit in her own heart that there were times she MISSED this. she always wanted power...not necessarily mutant or meta human powers, but the power to protect herself and those she loved...and now she was a federal officer...she had WIDE latitude and 'power' but it all seemed so bitter sweet. with people like Connor running rampant and were the ultimate personification of the "anti mutant hysteria" and people like DELILAH who enabled him...they were in a bad spot and SHE, the biggest and LAST buffer between them and federal scrutiny, was dangerous slope.::


::sighing as she strapped her custom made, golden desert eagles in their holsters and placed her energy baton in its holster around her thigh, she zipped up the front of her suit just over her chest and gave herself a once over in a mirror...::

a life without adventure...is not a life worth living.

:: she's said this before...and it was one of her trademarks...but in this moment as she looked at herself in the mirror, she studied her own hazel eyes., she found herself wondering just how MAD she must have been to say it.::

this is one adventure i may not live to tell.

:: she wasnt talking about the mansion...she was talking about the DREAD she felt about going back to washington...the moment which they would tell her they knew all along of her alliance with The Six and that she was a traitor to the country...and her own death. Alison foretold it and unless things changed, it would happen.::

:: The more she thought about it, the more she began to struggle with doubt and REGRET over how much she'd done for various members of the six...mainly Delilah. Had she lost sight of her own well being in sticking neck out for people like Delilah who could flip the script at any moment?::

:: the more she thought about it, the more she began to wonder if SHE could have made a difference in the timeline of events by having Connor killed and Delilah arrested.::

:: she walked down the hall toward the war room, with a grim look on her face. she didnt want to be bothered with no mess and it showed as she arrived into the war room. Ava, Morgan and Nicolas were already there and Morgan was preparing to leave to confront Delilah and Connor. Alycia hoped that Morgan would bust Connor's face bloody but she didnt vocalize it and if Nicolas heard her thoughts...she had a venmous surprise in there for him as well. ::

Well, I'm ready.

:: noticing Haleigh hadnt arrived yet.::

 

[Black Widow]

"And there's still no sign of King?"

Haleigh asked, glancing up at the monitor in her office. On the screen, a man dressed in tactical gear shook his head as he responded.

>>Not even a phantom presence. Seems like he pulled one of his trademark disappearing acts.

"Yeah." She replied halfheartedly, as she tinkered with a few last adjustments in the security mainframe. "Well, I'll be going out of town for the night.... if there's any significant new developments...."

>>Certainly Director. Good luck on your trip.

"Thanks, [standing up from her desk] but I don't believe it's a matter of luck."

She said definitively, as she terminated the communication. She passed quickly out of the room, mentally putting her computer in fully secured sleep mode. She pulled off her clothes as she made her way to the door, changing on the run into her battle dress uniform. the others were waiting... she'd kept them long enough by indulging her inability to let Cameron slip out of their lives again. He had to be somewhere.... the others may have come to accept his frequent disappearances... but Haleigh'd made the mistake of giving up on him once... she wouldn't let herself do it again.

She arrived in the war room, her mind still contemplating anyplace she might not have looked for him. The sight of her comrades brought her back to the matter at hand. Morgan was going to confront Connor and Delilah... Haleigh felt wary about the whole idea.

"Morgan.... I think.... look, do what you have to do. Just keep in mind that he's only HUMAN.... and despite the fact that he doesn't deserve Delilah and that he was a bastard to me, he HAS been wreaking some serious vigilante justice.... effectively doing an offensive version of what WE do. He hasn't killed any innocent people. What happened between him and Sharon... that's for SHARON to deal with. As much as I DONT like this guy.... it would be BEST if we could learn to cohabitate with him... for now, anyway. We all want the same thing: Arklay neutralized. Remember that Delilah will try to defend him. I know you're upset but try not to alienate her. You don't want to cement her feelings AGAINST us by blatantly going after HIM. He's not WORTH permanently losing her."

 

[Harbinger]

Illustra- War Room

:: Harbinger arrives in what appears to be her new costume of choice consisting of a black mini skirt and blue corsett.::

:: Nicolas back up plan incase of accidental exposure/infection of the G virus and since even MAGICK can't stop the effects of the virus, Alison takes it upon herself to place some of the pens with the working vaccine in her low slung double belt along with other small potions she carries with her.::

:: she didnt say much either. she was already "looking ahead" to what would proove to be a terrible test of her's, morgan's and ava's abilities.::

Alycia, Morgan and I are prepared to evacuate you if things fail and we can't change the outcome. We won't abandon you to the persecution that Washington will visit upon you if WE are exposed and your link is revealed.

:: if that meant killing federal agents ...then so be it. Like Morgan, Alison thought of Alycia as FAMILY and would protect her as such.::

Morgan has contacted her mother and she has agreed to move with Mike to Sharon's NEW residence outside the city. If things go awry, they will be out of the epicenter and will be able to escape and regroup with us. If Connor is stupid enough to go there behind all of this, Karen and Mike are more than capable of handling him in our absence....but the most likely timethread(s) do not show him making another pass for Sharon anytime soon. But WE had better get a move on if we want to make progress in the forest leading up to and around the mansion. we'll have to use the cover of night.

:: as Haleigh made one final statement to Morgan, Alison looked over at Haleigh.::

Don't worry, Morgan realizes how critical this is, but Connor needs to be confronted by one of the "targets" he is so bent on exposing/killing. If you're going to try to KILL someone, you should have the courage to look them in the eye first. If he does try anything, She'll defend herself but not LETHALLY and Delilah will hopefully UNDERSTAND.

 

[Spellbinder]

Illustra- War Room

<< Morgan took not of each new arrival. Glad to see everyone coming together for what might be a disastrous caper....one that Morgan was determined not to lose ANYONE to, even if SHE had to violate the very thing Delilah was against and kill "innocent humans" to protect HER family.>>

<< as Ava warned her about the dangers of confronting captive hearts and it was a wise observation. She wasnt afraid of Connor in the slightest...she was however concerned how far Delilah might go to PROTECT him. Would she even be able to see clearly and think straight? Even Alison said that Delilah was lost in a fog.>>

I dont intend to hurt him but I certainly WONT put up with his nonsense either.

<< like Darkchilde, Morgan tolerated NO bullshit from MEN...and just like Darkchilde, Morgan had come across ONE MAN so far that was able to help her find a less VIOLENT and distrusting approach toward men..it was a slow process but in moments like THIS the little bit of progress would mean a WHOLE LOT to someone like CONNOR who had no idea how he would benefit from the level of restraint she would exercise. it wasnt for his benefit at all. she could care less about the bastard. it was for Delilah's sake...her best friend.>>

<< Haleigh expressed her concerns as well. Morgan understood how delicate this was, which was why she wanted to go ALONE. She'd known "lightengale" since they were little girls and despite how different some of their outlooks and belief systems were, the two had a close bond. Delilah was a sister to Morgan, so was Alison and before Morgan would turn her back on DELILAH the way Delilah had so shockingly turned her back on HER and her team, Morgan was determined to reach out to her one last time if for no other reason than to REMIND her of Alison's vision and to not make a mistake on account of a MAN.>>

I don't intend to lose HER over HIM. But if he attacks me..i WILL defend myself. We'd LOSE her for sure if someone DIDNT go to confront her now. She's out of her mind if she thinks this idiot will be able to protect her from what will happen if Alison's vision comes to pass...and most of it will probably be HIS FAULT ANYWAY because he's the one with all this inside information. I'm going to tell her what i think.

<< she said bluntly. she realized that her history with men warranted these reminders but still she felt that it was important that she speak her mind before it was too late.>>

Good luck! I'll catch up with you all in the forest soon...and try to have that giant snake removed before i get their please...

<< she said with a nauseated look on her face as she looked at Nicolas and Ava.>>

<< she gestures and opens two discs. one for her, and one for them. both discs are vertical and large enough that even Nicolas wont have to bend down to walk into....she waves goodbye as she turns to walk into hers and it snaps shut as she passes through it, leaving the others to pass through theirs and in the blink of an eye, it takes them to Arklay forest in the mountain range of the same name....>>

 

[Seer]

and off they go

<< New york city gives way to a secluded, rather dense forest in the Arklay mountain range. It was night time but the sounds of nature and creatures in the forest could be heard all around. The Six arrived at the site of the now unoccupied cottage....the place looked as creepy as ever but at least the team was together and inspite of the deceptive "peace" that surrounded them...the forest held dangers that seemed to increase at night.>>

meanwhile

<< Morgan arrived in the building where Connor was staying on the floor in the hall where his hotel room was located. she was far enough away that she had time to change out of her costume into a "power suit" consisting of her fitted, white donna karan blouse that was strategically unbuttoned to reveal a playfull peak of cleavage and a black donna karan pencil skirt , bare legged with high heels. just because he KNEW they were "not normal" didnt mean she had to give him MORE evidence. and with her cloaking spell, no camera would record her arrival OR exit either. she walked down the hall in her high heels toward the door, one hand slightly raised and ready for ANYTHING.>>

it was time for them all to get to work on their tasks

 

[Harbinger]

Arklay forest

:: in the forest, Harbinger immediately noticed a shift in the air, her own longer hair blowing a bit in the breezy winds.::

Silver Swan has already been here...

:: pointing to the spinning star riddled body of a devil dog laying nearby the cabin...not to mention how the cabin had clearly been ransacked....FURTHER than before. seeing through broken windows and a now creaking open front door.::

and she's PISSED.

:: the brush was rustling around them. something had just rushed passed and as Harbinger looked behind her out toward the lake to see a slight ripple effect over the lake. she looked a bit longer, narrowing her eyes before turning back and pointing toward the forest::

not yet...

we'd better get started. Black Widow, Alycia...would you care to lead the way? Peresephone and I will take the sides and Rampage can bring up the rear. We need to cover the ground carefully. Beware of creatures and zombies...even PLANTS that lurk within the forest and whatever you do...STAY TOGETHER.


:: slipping into the role of "leader" was second nature to Alison and she didnt realize what she was doing. hopefully the others would understand.

 

[Persephone]

:: Arriving back in the Arklay forest, Persephone kept her gaurd up, knowing AND sensing zombified creatures lurking around the six. Zombie racoons to the left, waiting for the six to leave so they could pick at the dead devil dog...they were no threat, even in their state. A mutated owl hooted, playing the eyes and ears for the rest of the forest. clever creatures... Persephone thought to herself. It was rare for such different species to be working together, BUT with the way they had been effect and mutated, it was no surprise that these were no 'ordinary' forest critters. ::

"We're being watched...'sniffed out' so to speak. Some of these creatures are less threatening than the others. Some will wait to be provoked before attacking....while others won't think twice."

:: Warning the others while Alison grouped everyone together, they soon began to walk through the forest to the Arklay mansion. ::

 

[Artemis]

in the forest

:: as they arrived and began to survey the immediate area, Alycia noticed the cabin.::

why is it that everytime i come back here, this place looks more and more like the cabin from Evil Dead?

:: she said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice as she pulled out her bio signature scanner....Persephone indicated that creatures were all over, hidden in the shadows while others were acting as the forest look outs::

they're not the only things.... there are humanoid readings as well. off in the distance, up the hilly terrain near the path, the water fall and the mansion. Zombies must have gotten out of the mansion from the last time we were there...but because we didnt get to explore it thoroughly, there's no telling what other entry/exit points are still open.

Force Works has sealed off the roards around and leading to this stretch of forest...the town is completely cut off and my men have orders to kill ANYTHING that appears from this side of their blockade. at least this way....if we arent successfull, my first officer has instructions to do WHATEVER is necessary to contain this area and seal it off.

:: she moves on ahead at Harbinger's suggestion.::

Well, "Black Widow"...at least this time we'll have some company on the trip through the forest. Think itll be any more "FUN" at night than it was in the day?

:: they had a relatively easy trek in the day time, mainly fighting off wasps, devil dogs and the occassional stray zombie (usually a camper or passer by who wandered too close) but as Persephone indicated , night time seemed to bring out a new side to the forest.::

 

[Spellbinder]

back in NYC

<< walking down the hall, Morgan's mind raced with what to say. She was ready to react/defend if Connor opened the door trying anything stupid but for Delilah's sake, she hoped it didnt come to that. Could it be POSSIBLE she might be able to CHANGE his mind? should she even TRY?>>

NO!

<< she said in her mind, sharply abandoning such an idea. She wasnt some missionary out to win support for mutants and metahumans. she didnt CARE how Connor felt. she was there to confront him and Delilah both.>>

<< still she kept her own anger as restrained as she could as she decided NOT to bust the door down but instead, she knocked...keeping her other hand raised, ready to summon a disc, or an eldritch bolt with the speed of thought.>>

<< after knocking firmly, she waited....tossing her blonde, double highlighted hair back absent mindedly.>>

 

[Rampage]

As Morgan summoned the stepping disk, Nicolas winked at her, but she was too focused on the task at hand. He hardened his own will and tyook out one of the altered guns, encasing it in his axe so that it would shoot out of the end.

As he stepped through the disk he handed a smaller handgun to Alycia and a rifle to Haleigh. They were also altered to neutralize the virus. As Alison lay out a plan, he stepped into his role of rear guard smoothly. He could also sense the movement around him and as he moved forward, he prepared for battle. But first things first.

The virus will die without a host naturally. The key here is to use the UV light to kill it in the water column and whenever we encounter something threatening as well as in the house, where it has become entrenched. Alycia, you will need Morgan to heal you from exposure to this ALONE, so be careful. Ava, once we find your friend which I hope is soon, I will tranq her for transport.

 

[Black Widow]

They appeared in the forest quickly after parting ways with Spellbinder. Haleigh looked around slowly, taking in her surroundings, as Persephone noted the animal activity in the area.

"You could always do your 'Dr. Doolittle' thing and beguile them into thinking we come in peace..."


She commented distractedly, as Harbinger took the reigns and Rampage passed her a rifle. She looked up the path in the direction of the mansion, seemingly steeling herself for another trip. Alycia gave her opinion on the secluded cabin.

"Oh, I dunno.... I always thought it was charming. But then.... I find the macabre mansion of terror to be beautifully enchanting and the dark, eerie forest to be elegantly tranquil."

It was hard to tell if she was being sarcastic or serious.... but knowing Haleigh, it was the latter. She checked the rifle to make sure it was in working order, then looked at each of her teammates to be sure they were prepared to move. It was dark, but Haleigh's night vision was in full swing, her eye glowing an unsettling red as she surveyed her comrades before turning towards the mountain. Alycia made a remark that was clearly intended to lighten the mood. Haleigh smirked as she leaned her gun muzzle-high against her shoulder and began hiking through the forest calmly.

"Why, yes, as a matter of fact, I do. I was JUST thinking the other day how wonderfully delightful it would be to spend the night in a forest filled with castoffs from a Rob Zombie flick."

 

[Persephone]

"I may have the ability to communicate and control animals, but I can hardly sway an entire forest full to stop from attacking us. That's beyond my abilities. We'll just have to take it one step at a time fo--"

:: Stopping in mid sentence, Ava slowed down to a stop; her eyes narrowing slightly showing she was concentrating on something. After a few moments the goddess lifted a single eyebrow before smirking. ::

"Hello my darling."

:: Within seconds, the entire group was surrounded by the monsterous thirty foot mutated albino snake; it's body coiling loosly around the six, enclosing them in a circular wall and stopping them in their tracks. The snake's face slowly came up behind Ava, looking rather vicious, as if it were to attack at any moment....until it suddenly rubbed it's nose along Ava's arm, like a cat would greeting it's owner. Turning to the giant snake, Ava gave it a smile before rubbing it. But the snake was not there for a casual meet and greet, it had vital information. Lowering her eyebrows, Ava looked to the group. ::

"There's about twenty five zombified people 30 feet that way [gesturing in the direction the six was taking to Arklay mansion] and close to a dozen devil dogs."

:: The giant snake began to move it's body, breaking the circular wall enclosing the six and allowing them to move freely once again. Giving the snake one last rub, Ava gave Nicolas the 'go ahead' look, knowing he had the means to tranq the snake so it could be moved to a less dangerous location. ::

"Obviously Sharon stired up some attention when she made her way through here..."

 

[Rampage]

Even with his TK on full scan, the snake's movements were lightning-quick. He trusted the serpent's bond with Ava; however, he maintained a firm grip on his axe until he was more certain that all was clear. As Ava relayed the information to the group, he began to hatch a plan. He waited as she said goodbye and gave the signal before hitting the snake from behind with a tranq dart; the effect was instant and powerful as the serpent fell. He caught it with his TK and coiled it gently, gathering it together as he stepped forward.

Nicolas then teleported in a large sealed box he had designed for this particular specimen. He placed the snake inside, then sealed it.

There. That box contains several days worth of air and just enough tranquilizer to keep her groggy until she is retrieved quietly, hopefully within the day, by one of Mike's associates in conjunction with Force Works. However, we have some cleaning to do in order for that to happen. So, first things first...

Nicolas crouched low as the earth beneath him compressed and then sprang back a la Neo as he leaped high into the air. Next, the team could hear a large explosive crash in the center of where the snake told them the enemy lay, followed by yelps and zombied screams as the young mutant went to work.