Chapter 2: Don't Feed the Animals

Bella's weekend had been less then significant. Marcus was never around, Draco had been working ass to capture all vigilantes and she had been in her room complaining at a pillow. But that was what most would be thinking for the weekend she had been spending her own nights looking for whoever had created those mutants. They weren't made on their own and like the berserkers, they had to have had a scientist making them. Now she had narrowed her search to at least three subway systems based on scent. Her current position was outside one of them. "Coming for you." She would say as she moved forward into the dark tunnels, her eyes changing into those of her cougar to allow for a sort of night vision.

Pandora had had herself a busy weekend; moving on from growing mutants in a test tube, she began plucking the homeless from the subway tunnels. No one would truly miss them, vagrants that they were without a face or presence above. So far, she had two back at the lab, their results promising as the cocktails she injected them with did their work. Currently, she was one more on the prowl for more subjects, a stunner at the ready. In a strange way, it reminded her of the story The Most Dangerous Game. Here she was, hunting down other humans.

Back at Odin, Kat was glad to have wrestled Stella into agreeing to the terms of her employment; she wouldn't speak a word about Odin's existence or even about where they were based. Kat was obviously meant to remain an unknown. But beyond that, she had been free to leave and operate as an Odin agent. Freeing Kat up to observe Urthus and Venere. From a safe distance anyway.

Bella moved though, following a scent that would break away and reappear every once and a while. The simple fact annoyed her so much, that was until she smelt burning food, fire and a sort really bad smelling man? She turned a corner to see a small fire lit inside one of those barrels, the smell of dirt getting a little stronger. "And that's what someone who hasn't showered in a very long while smells like." Bella would say in disgust as she looked around. If the lizards had been though here then this guy would have been chow.. unless he just moved in.

The therapist smiled sympathetically. "How does that make you feel, you being alive, and your sister not?"

The smile was disconcerting. It unnerved James, even made him a little angry, that the guy was smiling. His sister was dead and he was left traumatized and mutilated, and the guy had the gall to smile? "How do you think that makes me feel?" James said coldly. "The only family I had left is dead. My arm and leg are gone and I'm stuck with these......fakes, that cool as they are, can't feel for shit."

By chance, the subject Bella was watching was also being watched; Rebecca was eyeing the man with some interest. Isolated, unknown and surely to be unmissed. Aiming her stunner--a refurbished animal control tool--she focused on the target, and squeezed the trigger. Her stunner would have resembled a rifle, a plain silver tube with a stock and trigger. When she squeezed the trigger, a stun round, a battery sized projectile tipped with spikes, shot out the end and stuck into the target's back. They screamed first in pain....then agony as electricity ran through their body, seizing every muscle in a spasm that left them paralyzed, temporarily, on the ground.

"You don't feel like anyone was to blame for it?"

"I can't blame a gas line can I?" James asked. "God......I don't really believe in him enough to blame him." Shifting in his seat, he avoided looking at the clock to see how much time was left. "Sometimes I wish......it was me and not her.."

"Do you think about your sister often?"

"Of course I do? Why wouldn't I?" James asked. "She was always.....more than me. Smarter, more driven.......me I was just average. Kat could have......well, she could have changed a lot of things, I think." And in a way, it was true. James was always envious of his big sister; Kat had ideas n her head, even when they were younger, for all kinds of scientific stuff that would always make his head hurt. But no matter how lost he felt, he had always been sure that what she could have done, would have changed the world for the better.

Bella was about to turn away when a new scent appeared, something more clean. She turned back to the corner only to hear a scream of pain, her eyes on the homeless man that had fallen down but then he just stopped. Bella looked around her surroundings as she moved from her cover and did her best to stay in the shadows. She would wait until her prey stepped out to catch it's own prey before striking.

"You sound envious of her. Some people, in place of their smarter sibling, would strive to be as they were, excel in school, do the job their sibling always wanted to do in honor of them. But you chose not to do that. Do you preserve her memory in some way? Have some kind of memento of her with you or in your room perhaps?"

"No....at least, I'm sure that's not what I'm doing," James said. He'd have loved to do well in school. But juggling school work and beating up bad guys sorta cut into his study time. "Look it's just.....hard, to get to the same level as Kat. She was the genius, and I was just.....the average. Hard to get to her level when the stuff she could do made my head hurt."


Pandora closed in, though not intent to drag the guy all the way back through the tunnels: staying disguised as a homeless person, she had stolen a shopping cart, using it to ferry around her captured subjects.

Zeru came out of the kitchen carrying a mini loaf of banana bread and walked into the main living room sighing while still thinking about the new guest urthus brought the previous day.

"Looky looky." Bella would whisper to herself as another who looked homeless moved in along with a cart. Bella would move closer but around, her eyes still cat like as she would move into the light behind the woman. "I wouldn't move if I was you. Otherwise a cat got your tongue thing is gonna be real in a minute." Bella would say with a small growl as her nails sharpened.

For a moment, Pandora stiffened, surprised that she had been caught. "Oh, hello there," she said with a throaty voice, strained by her own effort to make it sound....well, convincing, for someone who fell on hard times. "Spare some change?" she asked.

"I'm guessing you were trying to just help this poor fellow then. Odd that you appear as soon as he falls, you also don't smell homeless. So I'll say this once. Who are you and what were you planning on doing to him." Bella said as menacing as she could make it and she kept a solid pose. She didn't want to be caught off guard just in-case.

[quote="Razgriz"]"No....at least, I'm sure that's not what I'm doing," James said. He'd have loved to do well in school. But juggling school work and beating up bad guys sorta cut into his study time. "Look it's just.....hard, to get to the same level as Kat. She was the genius, and I was just.....the average. Hard to get to her level when the stuff she could do made my head hurt."


"I'm sure that's not true. You seem like a bright enough kid. Something must've been distracting you from your studies. What are your hobbies?"

Aside from running around on rooftops and beating bad guys up with my bare hands? he thought to himself. "Mostly it's just been hanging with my friends," James said. "Used to do some free-running but.....well, the prosthetics sorta get in the way."

"Do?" Rebecca asked, slowly turning around. "Why, I was planning to do this." And suddenly, the smaller, closer ranged taser she had hidden in a hip holster was drawn and fired. Twin metallic barbs launched at Bella, thin wires attached between them and the gun. Like a doctor's needles, they penetrated her clothes and skin, delivering a good fifty thousand volt shock to immobilize her.

He had decided his first act in returning to a life of crime fighting would be to investigate the mutant attack. He had flipped back to the news channel to see if he could gather any more information from eyewitness accounts. This is how we would perform his tasks beforehand. Before the incident. Before he tore himself away from the job he had imposed on himself. He'd learn of the manhole the mutants had burst out of. However, there was a high chance that the police or even Draco would be looking into it themselves. Would he risk running into them now? Or would he wait for another mutant attack.

He heaves a sigh and leans back on his sofa, spreading his arms. He thinks about how he would approach this.

Bella went to grab at her when she moved but she was little too late as the barbs cut though her skin and she jumped in pain and shock before falling to the ground, her body's muscles locking as her feline like features kept moving about, ultimately ending with one of her ears replaced with a skinless cat like one and her eye a glowing green along with canine teeth.

Rebecca certainly was not expecting that reaction, but instead of shock she was now consumed by curiosity. This subject was far more valuable than the homeless wretch she had stunned moments ago. So she hauled Bella's body into her wagon, and began wheeling her way back to her lab.

Bella felt herself hauled into something, her vision blurry with pain. Dammit. Was all she could think as he laid their. Her body lost of feeling.

Marcus pulled his phone out and looked though the contacts, his eyes reaching over a few numbers he could ring but was now really the time. Of course He wouldn't know but it never hurt to try. "Maybe just a few minutes." Marcus would say before putting the phone back into his pocket. "Just a few."

"Oh? Tell me about your friends."

"Not much to tell; Chris is my oldest friend, since we were in kindergarten. She's.......I don't know, kinda like my other sister, without really feeling like my sister? It's hard to explain, just that she's always had my back."

It was a bit of a trek back to her lab, but Rebecca came prepared; a syringe that was secured to her belt administered a mild sedative to Bella, keeping her nice and sleepy as she was carted away.

"Friends like that are good to have." The therapist sighs as he looks at his watch. "Well, it's been about an hour, so our time for today is up. Your next appointment is in two days, don't forget, same time, and I will see you then. In the meantime, stay positive, and I hope to have some advice for you when you come around next." He stands up and walks over to the door, accompanied by James. "So you know, stay strong, think about your actions, don't kill yourself. I look forward to our next session."

"Right, don't kill myself," James said with a hollow chuckle. He stood at the door, quiet for a heartbeat before he said "Do you think I'm suicidal?"

"No. But you haven't been totally honest with me. That needs to change. It's possible you may have some suicidal tendencies that don't seem as such to you. We'll talk more in our next session about the possibility." He nods making eye contact with James.

That reassured James, but only slightly. He may not have been though suicidal.....but he wass till thought to have suicidal tendencies.

To be fair, by the standards of your culture, constantly throwing yourself into harms way could be considered having a death wish.

Oh joy, a shrink without and within...... James thought, before nodding once at the doctor, and then walking out. Chris was waiting in the room outside, casually reading a magazine to pass the time. "Since when did you read Cosmos?" James asked as he walked out. Chris was so focused on what she had been hiding, she was surprised by James' entrance and blanched, dropping the Cosmos magazine and showing that she was holding a smuggled catalog book for a fitness store. "Oh uhm......disguise?" she offered.

"Hmm." Marcus would pull his phone out once again and hit the numbers for Bella's new phone. One they both hoped would be the last one she had to buy for a very long while now. "Been meaning to at least talk to her." Marcus would say to prep himself, the thought of a sibling rivalry before they were even truly siblings was a little frightening.

"Disguise from what?" James asked as he waked away from the therapists door. "Not like anyone's gone thinking you are or have ever been a girly girl." Snorting, she folded her catalog up and stuffed it in her jacket, standing up to join James as he walked for the next door. "So.....went okay?" she asked, to which he shrugged and said "It was the first day, and was only an hour. Went as okay as you'd expect."

Something was ringing, and Rebecca stopped as she went down the tunnel. Rummaging through Bella's pockets, she found the phone, not surprised it still got reception; modern electronics had improved on signal range and their ability to penetrate things like concrete. Not wanting to risk being tracked, she tossed the phone and continued on.

Marcus waited for a small bit, and was very surprised that it ended with a no answer. he would try again and again for only it to not leave an answer. "She always picks up. Every time." Marcus would say as he placed the phone away and walked about the busy street he rested himself in. Thinking of his next action. "Should I call again. Give it some time. If she doesn't answer then maybe shes finally not answering.. or shes in trouble." Marcus thought of every possible situation Bella could be in and the fact that those dead girls knew who he was by face and that he was powered obviously meant that someone else could. "No I'll leave it for a little more, try again and if not... May need to." Marcus would finish as he thought of one other person who could help.

"Tick Tock, Tick Tock." Flora would say as she watched the clock go by in seconds. Her eyes then scanning all the flowers that grew along her window still. Roses, violets, lily's. The flowers that shined the most in her eyes. "The slaughter should stop." Flora would silently sing as she thought about her weekend, first she did have a purpose indeed but after that chance meeting shes been thinking all about it. All the lives she had taken because of some moral feeling she felt towards this species plants. "But one last charge to break machines, I shall lead in advance." Flora would finish as she moved to her dresser and grabbed her going out clothes. "One last time.. hopefully."

"Guess that's okay then," Chris said with a straight face, constantly staring forward. They exited the building, a three story building that looked like a residential place from outside. It was cold and snowy out, whatever light the sun could have shined obscured by gray clouds. At that time of evening, it was already getting dark out, cars driving carefully in the roads. "So, Amy thinks she found where our little scientist is hiding," Chris finally said, breaking the silence between them. That certainly got James' attention, and he asked "Really? Gestalt would have to--" Chris cut him off mid-sentence as she said "She called me; she figured if she told Gestalt, he'd tell you and that would derail your session."

Back in Odin's base, Kat sat behind, of all things......a desk. She hated desk work, much preferring working in a lab with tools and high-tech computers. Not....this modest piece of equipment. She sighed as her fingers slowed over the keyboard, and cast a glance at her charge. Stella had been given the option to leave, even with a detail assigned to shadow her and keep Draco or Nexus agents off her. Apparently though, she refused and decided to remain on the base. Kat had a feeling she knew why, and was not flattered at all. She needed to work, not get distracted by a girl ten years her junior who had a crush on her.

Outside the facility stood a man with average build and height, a nine óclock shadow rested on his chin as he looked at his watch. "Higher ups said this was the place." The man had a Australian Accent on him as he looked the place up and down. "I'll find you Boy."

The Australian was not alone, his escort clearing his throat once. Murphy had been assigned to temporarily oversee the arrival of their guest, and escort them to the base. "Normally, we don't allow people to actually see the front doors.......but the higher-ups assure me you can be trusted."

"Oh," James said, slightly crestfallen--he hated it sometimes, when Amy was right. Not that he always wanted to be right, just that being proven wrong sucked. Humbling as it could be. "So what did she find?" he asked. "Later," Chris said. "She'll contact us later.....but in case you forgot, you were supposed to give someone a call after you got out." He blushed, cheeks going pink and warming his face as he remembered that he meant to give Lauren a call, once he was done talking to the therapist. "Uhm.....maybe I should go back and talk to him," he said quickly, to which Chris burst out laughing.

"What, you'd rather talk to the therapist again than talk to a girl aside from Amy and I that actually likes you?" she roared, even though there was nothing harsh in her words. James was likable enough.....once he actually got out of his shell to talk to someone. Lauren had been one of the few to approach him, so from there......his crush was easy and quick to bloom. "Gee, when you put it like that," he said, still blushing, "maybe I should be seeing a therapist."

"Trust is no problem. It's your group I don't trust." He would say as he stared at the door once more. Then to Murphy. "Are we going in? I would like to get this done."

"Done?" Murphy asked, hands folded before himself. "If I know anything, it's that this is only beginning." That said, he led the way forward, holding one half of the double doors open for his guest. Odin's front interior was a ruse, in its own way; an open front room with rows of comfy but plain chairs, the center of the room being a half-circle receptionist desk. TV screens playing the usual news broadcasts hung from the low ceiling or wall mounts, while at the end of the room was a silver elevator door, the khaki colored room's only other feature. It was bland, all in all, save for some candy and soda machines. From her desk, the receptionist looked up and spotted Murphy, nodding subtly before saying "Welcome to Inquiring Newspapers."

Murphy immediately responded "Glad to be back. Does the elevator still work?" The conversation wasn't important, nor did it hide any hidden password; half a dozen scanners were trained on Murphy as his charge, reading pupil dilation, monitoring vocal patterns for Murphy as he spoke, chemical sniffers looking for explosive compounds, and a host of other things. Odin took the spook business seriously, enough so that some joked even their own machines had paranoia. On her screen, the receptionist got a green light from the pair, and nodded. "Of course."

Gray went in but then proceeded to follow Murphy as he lead the charge, the front seemed all too fake to the Aussie, at least by his thought. It was enough to keep most off course. "Jesus, hate to sound impatient but can we hurry this up." Gray wasn't having the best of all days and his internal clock was off along with a heavy dose of insomnia. The felt as crazy as he looked.

"Sorry Mr. Gray," Murphy said, though his own tone showed some irritation. "You're still a guest here. Our house, our rules."

"Yes well I still think this is bullshit. Just hurry along please." Grey would say as he looked around with a tap of his right foot.

Sighing, Murphy led the way to the elevator, thumbing the sole button for it. "You know, you don't have to act like an impatient child," he said. "Act your own age and this can go a lot easier."

"Go on, call her," Chris urged him. James grumbled something, getting his phone out of his pocket. Being right handed, it felt odd doing the action with his left hand, but easier than with the robotic arm. Selecting her number......James gave Lauren a call.

"Sorry. Just.. thinking about the demon that boy was... kinda imprinted on me. You know why I am here?" Gray would say with an apologetic tone. Yes he was kinda impatient but after Jack stopped his spree in Australia with reports of a shadow like vigilante here. It was odd, to turn from jack the ripper to someone who saved lives. Originally they thought it wasn't the same guy but the mask... The mask told them all they needed to know.

Zeru walked over to a recliner chair and put the foot rest up before looking over to urthus and his acquiantance."having fun with your newfound buddy there urthus?zeru asked eating into his food.

Urthus looked over at Zeru. "Mhm. It's nice to have someone from Asadan to talk to for once." Venere looked over and waved, his entire arm moved back and forth like a windshield wiper. He had gotten some of the things in human culture, but hardly all of it or even a quarter of it all.

Marcus had made his way though the streets until making it back to his 'home.' If she wasn't here then he would give a call but he had to stop being paranoid.

Almost like Gray. The demon spoke after a long disappearance and for once he was annoying without being annoying.

"Who?" Marcus would ask as he opened the doors that allowed his entry.

"Oh no one. Just a blast.... from the past." Marcus crunched his fist up when he heard that.

"Don't talk about that."

Fine.

There was no response from Lauren's phone. James at first assumed the worst, given how a missed call to her played out last time, but then decided to leave a text.

James wrote:

Hey Lauren
free today
want to hang out?

He hoped she'd respond, continuing to walk with Chris back home.

"I know why you're here," Murphy calmly said as the elevator continued downward. "Here to track down the 'Shadow' vigilante and bring him back to Australia. If they happen to be the same person."

"Bring him back? Heh. More like confirm then send resources to kill him. What is your opinion on him and the other Vigilante and their alliance of sorts? Me personally I find it.. Odd." Gray would say as he scratched his chin. Wishing he had his hands on a smoke right about now.

"We'll be the resources thanks," Murphy said plainly. "Sending you here without issue was easy; sending a whole foreign strike team will be.......impossible." As the elevator came to a halt and the doors opened, Murphy led the way out. The architecture had changed, going from plain drywall to a gunmetal gray steel plating for the walls, white tiled floors, and more people. The room they stepped into was circular, the ceiling higher than the first room they had been in by at least six more feet. Hallways branched off in other directions, signs mounted above them that labeled where they headed, for this floor at least. Dozens of people, from armed guards to civilian dressed personnel, moved about in the space as they each had their own jobs to do.

"As for my thoughts......Shadow, as we've come to call them, is.....well, bit of a wild card; no idea how his abilities truly work, so no idea how we can restrain him if needed. The alliances they've been making our both interesting, and worrying; means we'd end up facing one of them and friends, if we decide to take down any one of them. Paladin, the guy in the flying suit, has us worried because he's basically in a powerful, mechanized suit but seems to have anger issues. Revenant has us.....cautious, but optimistic."

"Trust me. Your lucky Shadow isn't like he was before. We thought we captured him once. Turns out that's what he wanted and as soon as we were at our weakest he walked right out of his cell and destroyed everything and killed everyone. He didn't even call himself that. He called himself the New Jack. We guessed he meant jack the ripper. Do you plan on capturing these vigilantes for test. That would be intriguing. What about that animal that some sources have spoken about. Still unknown?" Gray fired his questions at a pace that seemed calmed and his answers easy. It was something to do other then think.

"Geez take a breath," Murphy said. "We're working on our own plans for the other vigilantes, but you're here to help assess Shadow. So I suggest you stick with what you came here for." Ass they waked down the hall, the office Murphy was headed for was their resident 'geek' and vigilante expert. In part because she had the brains for it.

But also because within a few weeks of Revenant appearing, Kat had outright demanded the job.

"Sorry. I need to keep on task." Gray would say as he followed Murphy, god why was his hand shaking so much. Maybe he really did need that smoke.

Shadow walked down the hallways to where he heard speaking. "Guys I'm home..." Was all he said as he turned the corner and saw a being that sort of looked like Frank but didn't. his reaction bring his mask to his face and a shadow to coil at his feet.