Surprise!

[Arsenal]

Well damn. She was still there. Good times.

He walked slowly back over and sat down, facing her. He drank from his cup and watched her for a second before finally speaking.

So, out with it. Tell me why you are having second thoughts? Or what thoughts are you having?

Mike sat back and waited to hear her out. It seemed apparent that something was on her mind and he did not generally beat around the bush. Especially not after a night like last night. Hell, after last night the LEAST he could do was understand what she was thinking.

 

[MorningStar]

Illustra - Secret Garage Level

Delilah had faced a restless night. She was going over and over the plan in the head, what she would tell the team. And of course, it hadn’t escaped her attention that they would be facing many of the same creatures she and Bishop had fought at the Citadel nearly a year before. They had only barely escaped with their lives…and that alone was unnerving.

She had risen earlier than she had needed to, and made calls to both Karen and Alycia. Plans were put in place in case she did not return, and Karen assured her that she and her new allies Officer Mike Armstrong and the young and mysterious Cass would be on hand at Illustra to have their backs.

Still, something felt wrong.

As they all prepared to load up, Delilah took Connor aside.

“I want you to stay at Illustra.”

He did not take that well.

“I don’t want to leave it in the hands of strangers – or for Karen to defend alone if need be.”

And I don’t want you to get yourself killed this time around…

“Please. This place is Morgan’s legacy. I need to leave it in the hands of somebody who understands what that means.”

 

[Bishop]

Illustra - Secret Garage Level

Connor slept like a baby. Wartime had made him used to getting sleep whenever and wherever he could – 5 minutes here, an hour there – no matter what was going on around him. He had checked in with Clandestine to make sure the plane was stocked, fueled, guarded and most importantly, undetected by any MysTech agents. He tested the coms the team would wear himself, made sure the specially designed low-profile body armor had been delivered to each team member’s suite, checked the satellite surveillance feeds of NERVOUS, hand-picked the plane’s pilot.

And he was juiced. He could smell a fight a mile off, and he lived for it. This was what he did.

He checked his watch, shaking his head as the others arrived – not early enough. He looked each one up and down, gave them their com watch and earpiece. God, they were just kids.

Delilah asked for a private word. He expected her to tell him to be careful – some speech about how he wasn’t a mutant, wasn’t indestructible, blah blah. As if his being human had ever been a HINDRANCE to him. But this, he wasn’t prepared for:

“I want you to stay at Illustra.”

And all of Delilah’s bullshit from the past few weeks boiled over. Connor was angry.

“The fuck I will. I’m just as good as any of those snot-nosed kids you got getting into the van to preschool there. You of ALL people should know that. We started this together – you OWE it to me to let me finish the mission. You OWE me, Delilah. If anyone should stay here, it should be YOU. I ain’t no cripple.”

Connor saw her recoil as if he’d slapped her, but he didn’t care. This mission was his. And he’d be damned if he would send her off with only this group to protect her.

“I don’t want to leave Illustra in the hands of strangers – or for Karen to defend alone if need be.”

“I am not a babysitter! I’ve seen more years of combat than these idiots have been alive.”

He thumbed at Rich, Ana-Leigh and Andrew.

“This is bullshit, Delilah. BULLSHIT!”

Delilah touched his arm gently.

“Please. This place is Morgan’s legacy. I need to leave it in the hands of somebody who understands what that means.”

He was silent, fuming. He stared at her for a long time. Then he just nodded, turned on his heel, and walked away.

 

[MorningStar]

Illustra - Secret Garage Level

Delilah watched him go. She massaged her temples. She couldn’t think about Connor right now. It was the right thing to do, leaving him behind. No matter what he said, he wasn’t a mutant. And powerful as she still knew she was, she couldn’t protect him. SOMEONE had to survive this.

“Alright, team, into the van. We’ll have our final briefing on the way. There’s a long journey ahead - I guess it’s just the five of us now.”

 

[Mina Harker]

Illustra - Secret Garage Level

“Not quite.”

Mina slowly emerged from the shadows, the tap tapping from her cane coming out of the silent garage.

“Surely you would not leave me here as well?”

She was dressed in a long black leather coat, belted at the waist, and her usual black gloves. As she neared them, she stopped.

“I cannot in good conscience allow you to go on while I stay behind. Not while I can help you.”

From her pocket, she removed a vial of dark liquid. She pulled the stopper and drank.

The whole thing took only seconds. Her body seemed to convulse. Her eyes closed, and she threw back her head. Opening her mouth, the others could see her canine teeth elongating before their eyes.

And then it was over.

Mina dropped her cane, unbelted her jacket and let it fall to the ground. Underneath, she wore her own suit of form-fitting black body armor.

“Ready.”

 

[Ruby]

:: Cass blinked. ::

"Second thoughts? As to...what, exactly? I don't even know what all this is."

:: She gestured between them. She really didn't know. She didn't know what last night meant, she didn't know what his thoughts were, and she didn't know what the hell was going on. She wished she could tell someone all that she was feeling, but she didn't know who to talk to, and she certainly wasn't going to tell MIKE all her secrets. ::

We're not meant to be together!

:: Secrets. That was another thing. Her past was HERS alone. She knew that if whatever was going on, would continue, then she'd have to divulge her past and her vampiric past as well and she did NOT relish THAT particular conversation. She took a sip of her drink. She needed her secrets to be kept secret. ::

 

[Arsenal]

:: Cass blinked. ::

"Second thoughts? As to...what, exactly? I don't even know what all this is."

:: She gestured between them.::

Mike smiled and looked at her. Fair point.


So far it is what you have wanted it to be in terms of THAT.

He nodded upstairs with a smirk. Damn last night was the shit. She was like a tiny little potent drug. He refocused.

Cassandra. I cannot tell you what this is. I don't know if it has been done. Hasn't been by me. This is what I do know. I find you incredibly attractive. And given the last few days you are one of the only remaining people on this world I count as a friend. Last night was wonderful...but who can say what happens next? My question is this: what are you worried about?

He sat back, waiting for her reply...

 

[Ruby]

The Parthenon - Starbucks

What are you worried about?

:: Cass bit her lip. What WAS she worried about? She was pretty much on her own, away from her 'family', at least until this was all over. That's what worried her. That getting involved with a human would somehow discredit her. She LOVED being a vampire, but she knew that other vampires barely tolerated her. And she was afraid of what would happen if, indeed, she and Mike became more serious. She didn't know how her 'family' would react. ::

We're not meant to be tiogether, we're not meant to be together, we're not meant to be together..

:: When she finally spoke, her voice was a whisper. ::

*sadly*: "We're not meant to be together..."

:: She looked down at the table. There it was. Her fear...and that made her sad. SHe definitely agreed with Mike: last night WAS wonderful and she noticed how well they fit together. She ESPECIALLY noticed how his strong arms and the 'spicy' smell of his blood and the quiet hum of his heartbeat made her feel warm and safe. But...how could that be if they weren't meant for each other? She let out a soft sob. ::

 

[Arsenal]

:: When she finally spoke, her voice was a whisper. ::

*sadly*: "We're not meant to be together..."

:: She looked down at the table.::

Mike looked at her as she started to sob. He pulled a handkerchief and wiped the tear from her eye. When he spoke again, his voice was tender.

So that is it? We are not what some would envision a couple should be?

Mike lifted Cassandra's chin so she could look into his eyes.

Last night we made a pretty damned good team, WAY before we ended up here. I am not here to impose on you, and I did not target you. Whatever we had, or have, is a direct result of what we have made over the last few days together. If you don't want to continue I cannot, will not impose. I will still be your friend and teammate. But if you want a lover and perhaps more, you let me know. The ball is in your court sweetheart. What do you want from me?

 

[Ruby]

What do you want from me?

:: With shaking legs, Cass stood up and went over to Mike. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pressed her lips against his and kissed him deeply. THAT was her answer. Then she broke the kiss and rubbed her forehead against his, purring softly so that only THEY could hear it. She gave him a small kiss again, smiling. ::

The hell with everyone...

 

[Arsenal]

:: With shaking legs, Cass stood up and went over to Mike. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pressed her lips against his and kissed him deeply. THAT was her answer. Then she broke the kiss and rubbed her forehead against his, purring softly so that only THEY could hear it. She gave him a small kiss again, smiling. ::

Mikes kissed her back, then smiled as she purred. Cass was definitely different, but it was exotic and fun. The type of welcome diversion a man could use when facing Mystech.

Picking her up easily, exited the Starbucks and walked to the elevator. As the doors closed, he whispered mischievously in her ear.

I have a couple of novel ideas for breakfast...

 

[Titan]

Illustra - Secret Garage Level

Okay, so let’s get this road on the show.

Andrew had passed out somewhere around three, and he was only slightly hungover now. No worse for wear. He’d take a nap on the plane and be tip top by the time they hit the ground.

As he arrived, he noticed BISHOP was waiting on THEM for a change. Served him right. He didn’t know what all that drama had been the night before, but now? He just wanted to get in there and get this thing finished. He had the familiar nerves he used to get before a match. They had always fueled him on in his old life – there was no reason to think this time would be any different.

He could hardly stand still as he waiting for them to finally leave. Delilah said something to Bishop, and he stormed off.

What the hell was that about?

But then Mina walked in. And she had a surprise for them. She changed into a vampire – pointy teeth and all – right there while they stood by. Andrew looked at her in awe.

“What a woman…”

He did a double take when she took off her jacket to reveal a form-fitting body suit of armor. And it was clear from the way she tossed her cane aside and stared at them all intently that THIS Mina…could see.

“You been holding out on us, gorgeous. What took you so long?”

 

[Mina Harker]

Illustra - Secret Garage Level

Mina levelled her gaze on Andrew. It took her a second to process.

"Andrew..."

Mina took a moment to check herself over - she adjusted her gloves look down at the front and then to the back of her costume as if checking to make sure everything was still in order.

She walked slowly and sultrily over to join the group.

"I would not get too close if I were you. There is a reason I do not normally take this form."

As a human Mina was mild-mannered and unassuming. But as a vampire, she was a predator. She was clasping to her soul as if grasping at straws, trying to keep the darkness from overtaking her completely. Luckily, she had two lifetimes of practice.

 

[Ruby]

The Pathenon - Mike's Suite; earlier in the day

<< Two hours later after Mike and Cass entered his suite... >>

:: Cass was sitting up in bed and looked at Mike. Her lips curled into a smile and her eyes sparkled. When she spoke, her tone was light, but with a serious undertone. ::

"So, Officer Armstrong, pillow talk time. You managed to get my feelings out, while you distracted me from my attempt to get to YOUR feelings."

:: She lightly punched him on his right shoulder. ::

"What do YOU want from ME? I assure you that if you don't share the same feelings, I'll walk out the door and, after some time to myself, I will be your friend and teammate."

:: She meant every word. She did not want him to feel obligated to her just because she was wanting more...of what, she didn't know, but she was willing to see where this would take them both regardless of what her people thought. ::

"But you must tell me now so I can nip this in the bud before this goes on much longer."

 

[Seer]

On their way…

Delilah ushers everyone into the vehicle and their Clandestine, Inc. driver gets them to the remote airstrip without incident. The jet was personally designed by Haleigh Davidoff to not only provide the utmost comfort and luxury, but the most high tech equipment as well. The new Six strap in for takeoff, but as the plane reaches its cruising altitude, they gather around the conference table while Delilah briefs them on their target.

MEANWHILE…

Karen, Michael Armstrong and Cass have braved the nasty weather and arrived at the War Room at Delilah’s request, where they are met by Bishop to be the backbone of Illustra’s defense. Karen seems off, a bit agitated but she soldiers on.

Alycia is also present at Illustra, working quietly alone in her office. Her thoughts keep interrupting her, though, as she fears for the safety of her young new aide and her team.

And so, we watch…

 

[Arsenal]

"What do YOU want from ME? I assure you that if you don't share the same feelings, I'll walk out the door and, after some time to myself, I will be your friend and teammate."

:: She meant every word. She did not want him to feel obligated to her just because she was wanting more...of what, she didn't know, but she was willing to see where this would take them both regardless of what her people thought. ::

"But you must tell me now so I can nip this in the bud before this goes on much longer."

Mike looked back at her for a few moments, then spoke, his voice serious.

To be honest I am not certain what feelings you actually have. But I do know that I for my part I care about you and I am interested in seeing where this goes. I certainly did not spend the last 12 hours simply playing around. Not generally my style.

He looked into her face, kissed her forehead, and spoke again.

Now that we have done the sex and the trust things...perhaps we should learn more about each other.

.............


After sometime, the pair were contacted by Karen. They both dressed and got ready, heading with a very quiet and distracted-seeming Karen to Illustra.

 

[Ruby]

Earlier in the Day: The Parthenon - Mike's Suite/Present Time: Illustra - War Room

:: Cass smiled brightly at Mike. She was glad to hear that. ::

*demurely*: "I'd like to see to see where this..."

:: She gestured between them. ::

"...takes us as well."

:: She became shy just then. ::

*shyly*: "I think it's no secret that you are pretty much the only person that I trust right now. Aside from Karen, that is."

:: She looked down and then glanced up at him slightly. ::

"I think that it's a great idea, learning more about each other."

:: She reached over and grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently. ::

"This is new for me, too, interacting with a human like this."

:: She wanted him to know that, even though she used her sexuality to capture her prey, she didn't actually USE her sexuality. ::

<< Hours pass... >>

:: Cass was out and about, doing her own thing when she was contaccted by Karen. Now, Cass noticed that Karen didn't sound like herself, but she didn't press Karen for any details. Karen told her to meet her and Mike in the lobby to go to Illustra. Cass told her that she'd be down there and she changed into something that was understated and unassuming. She hoped to get a chance to talk to Delilah, to apologize. ::

:: Entering the elevator that would take her down to the lobby, she became nervouse and somewhat afraid. She was taught that humans were the prey and she, the predator. But these humans that she had interacted with these past few days...they weren't prey and, she hoped, they wouldn't be her predators either. She mewled softly under her breath when the doors opened. ::

:: She was nervous when she walked up to both Mike and Karen. She smiled at them both, but didn't say anything. She felt terrible about what happened back at Illustra and she didn't know how she was going to fix it. ::

<< Arriving at Illustra... >>

:: Cass was a bundle of nerves but still, she didn't say anything. She made a note to herself to not talk unless spoken to and no rash decisions. A nervous vampire was unpredictable, as earlier events have shown , and Cass wanted to make sure everybody was on the same page. She followed Karen and Mike into a different room then they were in last time and she sat down quietly, folding her hands and looking down at them. She chewed on her lip nervously. ::

 

[MorningStar]

Somewhere over Canada...

Delilah was comfortably seated in one of the plush chairs in the jet’s cabin. Everything was going as planned so far – which of course made Delilah nervous. She pressed a button on the table they were now seated around, and a wooden panel in the wall slid aside to reveal a large flat screen monitor.

Delilah pushed another button to open a com link to the War Room.

“And now if Bishop is still with us…

Bishop's perturbed voiced could be heard through their headsets.

Bishop: “I’m here.”

“…he will begin feeding us data on our target.”

She cleared her throat as aerial images of a frozen wasteland appeared on the screen.

“Our destination is the tech heavy fortress known as NERVOUS. It lies in the middle of a harsh, remote arctic wasteland. We have identified no threats outside the facility.”

The screen shifts to an animated floor plan.

“Once inside, we will make our way down to the nerve center of the lab and destroy it. Jennifer from Clandestine, Inc. has outfitted us with custom charges that will do the trick. Once the charges are set, we will need to haul ass out of there.”

The floorplan animation shows where the charges will be set, then displays the intended explosion. Delilah hits a button, pausing the video feed.

“And NERVOUS will be no more. There you have it. Everyone make sure you have your suits on, they will protect you from the cold and offer some protection against any bio hazards we may encounter inside. But be careful – there’s a shitload of nasty stuff inside that place. You don’t want to come into contact with any of it if you can help it.”

 

[Bishop]

Illustra - War Room

Bishop was still seething as he arrived back at the War Room. When Delilah had told him she had asked Karen to bring her team to Illustra as back up while they we gone, he hadn’t expected to be left behind with them. Hundreds of miles away at Illustra, if something happened at NERVOUS he would be powerless to help. He’d rather die in combat than sit home and wait.

Karen brought the team up to the War Room. He rose from the terminal and greeted them, shaking Karen’s hand. He held Karen’s hand a second longer – something seemed off but he didn’t quite know what.

“Doctor Victoria...Mike…Cass.”

He nodded to the other two.

“This is the communications and information hub for the team.”

A red light came on on the control panel, signaling that the com link had opened with the plane. Though he had his earpiece in, Connor pressed a button and Delilah’s voice could be heard over the sound system.

“And now if Bishop is still with us…

“I’m here.”

If ANYONE would do his duty no matter what, it was him. She should have known that by now.

Delilah described to the team what they would be facing at NERVOUS, and he pushed the data he had compiled to the screen on the jet. When she finished, Connor broke in.

“We’ll be here monitoring your movements. Keep those earpieces in. Afterwards move your asses back to the drop zone and the jet will be there. Good hunting.”

Connor swiveled his chair around so he faced the others.

"And now, we wait."

 

[Matrix]

“And NERVOUS will be no more. There you have it. Everyone make sure you have your suits on, they will protect you from the cold and offer some protection against any bio hazards we may encounter inside. But be careful – there’s a shitload of nasty stuff inside that place. You don’t want to come into contact with any of it if you can help it.”

That would not be necessary for him, but he appreciated her concern for them all. Rich listened in as she gave the rundown and noted the layout of the building. He held out his hand and it became a model replica of the hologram before them. He changed his hand back and nodded to Delilah.

He then pulled out a squeeze bottle of honey and downed it, squeezing it empty. He looked at Delilah for a second.

Are you coming with us?