Sharon Kelly: Past & Present

[Rampage]

Nicolas nodded as the others spoke about their cause, what they had risked and what they had to lose, why they had killed. Delilah was simply being selfish, a would-be spinster who sold out her own for the first guy to actually look at her. Poor bitch. They hadn't even had sex for God's sake and you would think that she was ready for Jerry Springer, the way she carried on. Nicolas stopped speaking, Delilah's actions spoke volumes. In fact, her thoughts and actions spoke volumes about her loyalty, or lack thereof. As she left, Morgan asked what had just happened and he answered, his voice even and grim.

Delilah just turned her back on us for a man that she has known less than a week. She has thrown her lot in with someone who has tried to kill Sharon, and would be happy to get any of us, or her for that matter. I had hoped her contempt for Sharon at the brownstone was simply a fleeting thought, but she sees us now as monsters, as people that Connor and the rest of humanity need to be protected from.

He turned to Haleigh.

I think we need to discuss what now. If she is further taken in by him, we may have to worry about our secrets in the open, our security protocols in his hands. He is already dangerous enough.

 

[Persephone]

:: Quick to turn your back as well, King? Ava glanced over at Nicolas who, almost as quickly as Delilah had did, brushed his hands of his former teammate. She did have a few harsh words for the man, but it seemed he was quick to change his mind as well. ::

"Nicolas, I honestly doubt Delilah will actively try and HURT us by giving him our security protocals or exposing us. She may disagree with the way we approach situations and/or people now, but she won't throw us to the wolves. You're a telepath, i'm pretty damn sure you can still sense SOME inkling of love that she feels for us. The tears streaming down her face are proof enough. [looking to Morgan] However, I do agree that all security messures should be put back into Haleigh's hands."

:: She was upset that Delilah had suddenly thought so little of the six that she thought it was best to leave the team. Especially considering two of her closest friends [Alison and Morgan] were amoung the group. But there had to be something more to this than meets the eye. After a week with Conner, Delilah had done a complete 180 from the woman she used to be...perhaps it was some sort of mind control, or maybe Conner was just THAT manipulative. Regardless, as angry as Ava was with Delilah, she didn't want to believe that the mutant would just up and leave the team for no good reason. She wanted solid evidence before she came to any rash conclusions. ::

"It just doesn't make sense. [look to Alison] You said someone would stray away from the six; but over a MAN? A man that she has known for less than a week? There has to be something more here that we're not seeing. Something that is turning Delilah away from us."

 

[Black Widow]

Delilah lashed out, and Haleigh was surprised by this side of the cop.... the way she was acting... was so uncharacteristic. Even being smitten with this guy couldn't be solely responsible for changing her so drastically.... and what she was saying... her feelings about them came from SOMEWHERE.... maybe Delilah was just usually too considerate to say that she really felt this way.... whatever it was, Delilah was suddenly unafraid to tell Haleigh just exactly what she thought of the hybrid. Her words were spiteful but Haleigh told herself most of it wasn't true..... it had once been... but it wasn't now. Still... Haleigh was slightly hurt by the accusation. Ava valiantly cut in on Delilah's rant in defense of her sister. Haleigh was so taken aback by the attack on her character that she didn't try to sling any insults back at Delilah.

"Is that REALLY what you think?"

She didn't say anything more.... Delilah WAS right about one thing.... Haleigh truly believe the rules DIDN'T apply to her..... or really, to ANY of them.

we’re not above the law!

"The LAWS govern human interaction, Delilah. WE don't live within the parameters by which the laws are made. I mean REALLY. The Law of Gravity.... the Laws of PHYSICS don't even apply to us. The U.S. justice system is designed to protect humans from humans.... but there's a place where THOSE laws FAIL.... a LIMIT.... and we FREQUENTLY sail right past that limit.... once we do... the only thing that applies is the Law of the JUNGLE: ANYTHING goes, and only the STRONGEST survive."

Who among you is innocent?

"NONE of us ever claimed to be innocent, Delilah. But you know what would be REALLY helpful? If you stopped pretending like your hands are any cleaner that ours!"

Haleigh replied hotly..... by now she was just getting frustrated with Delilah's self-righteousness. Morgan tried her best to appeal to Delilah emotionally.... but it was clear that nothing could reach her. She exited the room.... leaving the group, and the gesture was so profound that Morgan asked for confirmation about what had just happened. Nicolas reacted harshly. Haleigh shook her head, placing her hand on his shoulder gently.

"Don't be so judgmental, Nic...... she's too emotionally invested to listen to reason.... her thought process isn't sound right now.... her debative skills are flawed.... she's blatantly ignoring the facts, including the zinger that Connor has been operating outside the law for a LONG time now. She may have turned her back on us.... but we're NOT going to turn our backs on her. She's MORE than earned our support and respect, and we're going to stand by her even if she's not acting like herself. I don't know WHAT kind of hold St. James has on her.... but the relationship is DEFINITELY unhealthy.... I thought it was even BEFORE she lost her good sense. Let her go for now.... she's not going to change her mind for any of us."

Nicolas pointed out that they had an exposure risk on their hands.... he was right.... to a degree. Haleigh's assessment of the situation wasn't quite so conservative.

"Now we're going to carry on like nothing has changed. Sharon still needs our help. Arklay still needs to be dealt with. Sharon's left the area, headed in the direction of the mansion. That is our immediate concern.... I don't think Delilah would deliberately expose us.... she would have a hard time doing so without implicating herself. St James couldn't do anything more harmful than slander at this point. I suspect he knows EXACTLY who we are but he doesn't have enough PROOF. I don't have to be psychic to know that Delilah's going to find him.... but Alison, what do you see as the most probable time thread for THEM? St. James had agreed to go to Arklay with us.... before Sharon showed up. I have a feeling he's STILL going to turn up there."

Ava suggested that Haleigh be reinstated as chief of security. Haleigh personally felt it should have ALREADY happened, but now was hardly the time to nitpick.

"I agree with my sister.... I can adjust the security measures and codes-- just as a precaution. I don't believe Delilah's SO angry with us that she'd try something, she seemed more disappointed than anything, but it's better to err on the side of caution."

 

[Rampage]

Nicolas nodded as Haleigh spoke.

Though we have never been close I would not wish her harm. I would hope that we could all reconcile to what was. But please understand that my current assessment is not simply flying off the handle. When any of you think, save the magic-wielders,*points to his head* I can hear it, though I try to ignore it. There are still feelings there, but we as a group at some point here became THEM to her. I am concerned that Connor will manipulate that and I do not wish that any of you fall to harm. Delilah may not do it willingly, but we must remember that those we hold closest can hurt us the worst.

Nicolas listened as Haleigh asked Alison for advice. Her thoughts went to what he was next concerned about and he spoke up.

If he is heading there, we need to get there pronto. Sharon, Connor, and Delilah in ANY one house, much less Arklay, is not good news.

 

[Harbinger]

Illustra- war room

:: again, Alison remained more in the "background" than she would have in times past. in times past, she would have been RIGHT by Morgan's side if not LEADING the charge against Delilah's seeming lunacy. but in SPITE of how awfull this was for them all...particularly Morgan, who now stood looking quite bewildered as she heavily exhaled, Alison HAD to keep back. She must NOT become completely entrenched again, lest she give in to her OWN heart's desire to STAY here even knowing her true destiny. She was suffering from TWO struggles internally. and so she watched, with a heavy heart, KNOWING that Delilah's departure was inevitable. she'd said it before, PLAINLY to Ava and more vieled to the group.::

:: as the others reacted, She was a bit surprised by Nicolas' abrupt dismissal of Delilah, perhaps HE was more vexed by knowing how she really felt than he cared to admit? HALEIGH demonstrated remarkable sensibility and it was a quiet comfort to Alison to see that the hybrid had grown so much and LEARNED so much. If she ever doubted her place in this time...this moment was one of many to dispute that. Ava too was showing how she had integrated into this team and into HERSELF post seige perilous....and with the way Morgan was looking and FEELING...they couldnt have choosen a better time to step up to the plate.::

:: when asked what she saw, Alison looked up...hiding her own feeling of sadness though SOME (namely Ava) had a deeper insight into the Seer's methods of coping.::

The moment is at hand, as i knew it would be. Delilah is lost in the fog. her heart held captive, torn between what she's always thought to be right and what CONNOR now presents. They HAVE been intimate but it goes BEYOND that.

:: stepping forward a bit::

She's going to find him now. She's lost in a fog...her heart held captive. They WERE intimate but it goes FAR beyond that for her. He has called into question her core set of beliefs and values and without that foundation she's now lost in a fog of doubt, uncertainty and even disdain.

The most probable time thread has her becoming an unwitting PAWN in his now FRENZIED efforts to detroy Sharon, expose Alycia and see US dead.

Whatever we do now...even changing security protocalls...it will not guarantee us protection from the threat of exposure. He's been busy...he's been gathering information. Delilah will not KNOWINGLY facilitate it...but Connor WILL find out the truth about HER and it will all go down from that point.

Do whatever you think is best :: in regards to the security protocalls:: and prepare to head to Arklay. Sharon is nearly there now and will begin her own one woman war against the creatures within..until she finds her son. Connor and Delilah will arrive as well in their own way.


Connor will make his last stand at the Mansion...going for broke.

We have to go there and make SURE that all of this ENDS there.

 

[Spellbinder]

Illustra

<< Morgan's body felt like lead as she watched Delilah turn her back on her..on them ALL and leave...for what seemed like FOR GOOD.>>

Delilah...

<< she said softly as she felt betrayal like never before.>>

how dare you do this!!

<< to hurt to yell...too stunned to do much of anything else, Morgan's words came out softly as the others began to speak. she didnt turn back to face them just yet. It was more than just her leaving...it was the things she said...sounding like...like SOMEONE ELSE, she could hardly describe the woman she saw in those last few moments...speaking so poorly of THEM and praising/defending Connor. What about ALYCIA? SHE was human...and yet how many times had SHE been endangered? Alycia was a HUMAN who once defended DELIAH in court when her honor and reputation were at stake. But suddenly EVERYONE in that room were horrific monsters who were out of control and irresponsible for letting "someone like Sharon" run loose through the streets attacking humans.>>

<< Morgan's head was pounding as she closed her eyes for a moment and pulled herself back together. she had a job to do...but not QUITE what everyone was expecting. Alison told of the most probably time thread and Morgan just couldnt BARE the idea of Delilah being a PAWN to this man. She wouldnt stand for it! Just as she had liberated her sister BLAZE from the clutches of Axel [ a storyline in Valiant rpg] so many moons ago, she would liberate her best friend from this bigoted asshole!>>

I think...maybe I should go and confront Delilah AND Connor TOGETHER...but Ill do it by myself. I can STILL get to the mansion in plenty of time with my stepping disc. But i want Delilah to know exactly what kind of RISK she's taking -- if he finds out that she's a mutant, he might try to kill HER! And I want HIM to know that I'm not afraid of him! I've got the power to make him dissappear to a place where NO ONE will find him!

<< she balls her fist up as a halo of magick forms around it.>>

and if he provokes me... goddess forgive me for what i might do to HIM...this is all HIS FAULT!

<< Morgan HATED arrogant, controlling men. she hated how they ruined lives...especially those of women. Her father...Blaze's former lover/employer...Rick Riley...Stavros...so many different men had she seen like this before...and now once again...one of them was casting a long shadow over the life of someone she cared for.>>

 

[Rampage]

Nicolas heard Morgan's suggestion and shook his head. It was dangerous, and in his mind pointless.

Morgan, I know you want to go after her, but confronting him in front of her, much less attacking him, will only drive a wedge between you two and push her to him. Besides, we need to go to Arklay as a GROUP. That place has plenty of tricks for all of us as it is.

As Nicolas spoke, his outfit switched away and he was wearing his new armored shirt and pants, his axe in hand.

 

[Harbinger]

Illustra- war room

:: Alison listened as Morgan and Nicolas spoke.::

But actually, she SHOULD go and see Delilah with Connor one last time for not only does she need to warn Delilah, she needs to warn CONNOR. His own consuming passion is leading him into a situation from which there will be no return for HIM. Just because HE is sealing his fate, doesnt mean Delilah should go with him.

Morgan is right...there's enough time for her to get to them and then rejoin us.

:: keeping in mind that Morgan would be present when she, alison and ava faced off against Kyle.::

She can teleport us back to the cottage and then rejoin us before we reach the mansion. we have to move through the forest anyway so that's where the time will come in and this time there will be more of us to deal with the creatures in the forest.

:: looking at Nicolas::

I assume you have a plan for extracting whatever creatures and flora that can be saved WITHOUT putting yourself or us at risk?

 

[Rampage]

Alison clarified that Morgan going was what SHOULD occur; he trusted the Seer implicitly and gave no further protest. As she asked him about the remaining flora and fauna, Nicolas nodded to her and responded.

My primary plan was to have Delilah destroy the virus systematically with UV light exposure. Now I will have to do the same thing, just manually. The first step will be to eliminate infected carriers of the virus. After that, I and Alycia if she chooses will cleanse the area chemically and with manual application of UV light from our energy weapons adjusted by Haleigh and myself just for such a job. I can reinforce anyone's outfit that wishes with nitrile to provide extra protection. All flora that is uninfected will remain to replenish the area. All unaffected NATURAL fauna will also remain. Invasive or mutated species who are virus-free, such as Ava's serpentine friend, will need to be moved to alternate ecosystems.

He turns to Ava.

I have a couple of ideas of homes for that snake. I will leave the ultimate decision to you as to where it should be. But it will have to be moved, I'm afraid.

 

[Bishop]

Bishop staggered through the door to his safe house. He was beat up pretty bad – not that he hadn’t been in worse shape before. It was sheer force of will or perhaps adrenaline that had kept him on his feet thus far. His injured leg collapsed beneath him and he fell to the floor. He didn’t bother to get up.

The days events replayed in his mind as he lay there. Sharon Kelly – alive. How had he failed? Visions of Arklay came back to him. So many years he had spent trying to make things right. And now, that was more elusive than ever. Delilah – working with Haleigh Davidoff. Not just childhood friends with Morgan Victoria, obviously. She was a part of it. How had he not seen that before? How had that information escaped him?

And the worst part, the part on a continuous loop in his brain, was what had happened when the birds were attacking him. When Delilah had arrived on the scene. When the birds had been held back by bright green light. Was it just a traumatized brain playing tricks on him, or had he really seen it? Was she one of them?

 

[MorningStar]

[ Delilah didn’t go back to her apartment. She went right to the elevator and out the front door. She could hear reports of Sharon’s attack on Connor from the security guard station’s television as she passed. Apparently, she had flown off and he had disappeared.

She had to find him, had to get the answers she needed. She made her way across town. She didn’t know if he would come here, but it was the only lead she had to go on.

The lock on the door was easy to pick, with her enhanced hearing and all. She opened the door slowly. The lights of the city coming in through the window revealed his bleeding body, still lying in the middle of the room. She knelt beside him, rolled him over. He looked up at her, silent, eyes searching her face. She just looked at him for a moment, before pulling him to his feet and settling him into a chair.

She found a medkit on the table, and starting looking at his injuries. She taped his ribs, bandaged his cuts. She tore the pantleg away and saw the old, reopened wound there. The tears came again as she looked up at him from where she knelt beside his chair. She turned her head away. He took her hand…

Delilah’s head whipped back around to look at him, a fire in her eyes. She tore her hand out of his, and began violently banging him in the chest with it. ]

“How could you?! You tried to kill Sharon! I didn’t believe it…why?! WHY would you attack her? She was my friend! I’ve lost everything because of you!”

[ He didn’t try to stop her, he just took it. Silent and immobile, like a stone. Then he simply put his arms around her and held her, until she stopped hitting, and collapsed sobbing against his chest. ]

 

[Bishop]

After a few moments, he stood and walked to the window, leaving Delilah on the floor behind him. He couldn’t look at her. Or rather, have her looking at him. He crossed his arms as he looked out over the city that was his warzone.

“I went to Arklay – the first time – not because of the money, not really. I needed it for supplies, sure, but it was really Alycia Barnett’s concern about that mother and son that made me go. It was not long after my own family had… Anyway. I saved their lives – Sharon Kelly and Alycia Barnett. They would have never let Alycia out of that place alive if she had gone back for the boy. And he was already dead or as good as. By getting them both out of Arklay I kept them alive.”

He turned now, pain in his eyes.

“They lived because of me. Don’t you understand? All the people they’ve killed, all the lives they’ve destroyed since then, that is all my fault.”

He turned back to the window.

“Those innocent people are dead because of me: mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters. All because I didn’t let them die at Arklay like they were supposed to. I have to make up for my mistake – I have to make sure no more innocents die. I have to give those families the justice they deserve.”

 

[MorningStar]

[ Delilah got up and crossed the room to Bishop. She put her hands lightly on his back. ]

“That is not your fault.”

[ She turned him around to face her. Such pain, such guilt, in his face. It wasn’t malice – he believed he was doing the right thing. ]

“But it isn’t Sharon and Alycia’s fault either. She’s not herself – she was experimented on, tortured. She was made this way against her will. She was a good person, she just needs to adjust-”

[ Connor tensed, his look became stern. ]

Connor: “But those people are still dead! Who is to answer for that? How many more will die while she ‘adjusts’?”

[ Delilah didn’t know what to say. He was telling her the same thing she had told the Six not long before. Now it was her that turned away. She put a hand to her temple. ]

“I’m just so confused. I walked out on my friends tonight. They…they don’t understand. They don’t see that it’s not right for us to kill…even when we mean well.”

 

[Bishop]

What he feared was now confirmed.

“So you are one of them.”

She bowed her head.

Delilah: “I wanted to tell you but-“

He cut her off as he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her again, resting his chin on the top of her head.

“You’ve left them now, that’s the important thing. They can’t corrupt you any more.”

It didn’t matter. As long as she was with him it didn’t matter what she was.

“We’ll figure it out together, what’s the right thing to do. We can protect innocent lives. No one else has to die who doesn’t deserve it.”

 

[Seer]

and on into the night

<< and so...with heavy hearts and a certain degree of trepidation, the members of the six, along with Alycia and Alison prepare for their not so easy journey back to Arklay forest and the horrific mansion nestled within.>>

<< the fog that alison predicted would come to seperate one of the six from the team had taken its course, and DELILAH's heart was now held captive by confusion, doubt and uncertainty. She was to play a key role in the attempt to erradicate the G virus but now, with her emotional departure from the team and Illustra, plans were altered. She herself was now with Connor and had seen for herself that the her friends were telling the truth and in that moment she found Connor to be the mirror , reflecting her own judgemental words BACK at her, using that logic to paint Sharon, Alycia and the six in a most unflattering light. he now knew SHE was apart of that team...but was she really in the clear with him? would she REALLY go down this road to doom with him at the Mansion? for this, we'll have to wait and watch.>>