Heroes: The Road of Good Intentions

[Hotfoot]

He paused for a moment, then shook his head. "You mean like toss me in jail or containment or something? I don't think so. She'd be upset, she'd worry more than she does now, maybe...she'd really want to keep me safe though. She might try to get me to hide somewhere, to convince me not to use my powers, but that's the thing, I don't know..."

[LadyTevar]

"Then don't tell her." The voice was flat, the emotions tightly hidden again.

[Hotfoot]

"Well I'm going to put it off for as long as I can, but I don't think I can hide it from her forever. I really think I need to figure out exactly how I'm going to continue before I do. That's another way I'm torn. From what I've seen of Ultima so far, I can't say I'm really impressed, but I have to get registered eventually, and I don't see myself making a good double-life. It's not like I'm a scientist or a doctor or anything, so that leaves some sort of position with some branch of law enforcement or emergency services." He shrugged, then looked curiously at Argent. He wasn't empathic, but he knew how to read body langauge and tone of voice well enough to know she was uncomfortable about something. "Is something wrong?"

[LadyTevar]

The last of the cooking utensils were placed in the sink to dry, there was only the plates on the counter and the glass he was drinking from left to do. Tell him, or not? Does it matter, really?

"My mother may or may not be dead. I was left to be raised by her parents." Lei did not even turn around as she stated the truth flatly, but she couldn't quite hide the bitterness that leaked out around her next words. "Let us say that I left as soon as I found I could teleport. It was far better than being the ghost in the attic no one spoke about."

She turned, looking at his plate. "Finish eating. I still have to show you the entrance and where we are so you can find it, and then get you a change of clothing." A change of subject, before he asked too many questions. "Unless you want Blackheart to ask where you got those clothes...."

[Hotfoot]

"I'm sorry to hear that...I really am." He pondered trying to get her to focus on the positive again, but instead simply stuck with an emotional response...hope. He finished the last of the food and nodded. He didn't exactly want to deal with Blackheart much at all today, much less explain ill-fitting clothing..."Worst-case scenario, I got them at the Salvation Army." He winks as he takes a last sip of milk and grabs his dirty clothes. "Shall we?"

[LadyTevar]

She eyes the tattered wreck of the clothing he had on him the night before. "Leave them... take the keys, though." Shadows removed the empty plates to soak in the sink for later as she moved into the living room.

Oddly, she picked up the stereo remote. A moment's thought, and then she hit a certain combination on the remote. One of the thousands of songs started playing as she turned to the door. "Now we can leave."

[Hotfoot]

"They're still salvagable, I mostly tore up that hazmat suit. Had to stay a little decent, after all. Besides, the shirt thing's gotta go back to Ultima." He grabbed the key and put it in his pocket. He followed Argent out the door, looking around for various identifying landmarks, being careful to try and commit the path to memory so he could more easily run here in the event of an emergency. After the short hallway, two somber Chinese men eye Hotfoot carefully.

Argent hands them the paper she had been writing earlier and motions to Collin, "Jimmy, John, This is Hotfoot. He will be staying with me for a while." From there she continue the conversation in Chinese, causing Collin to idly wish he had the power to understand languages. He smiled and nodded to the two men, trying to at least stay a little respectful of the entire situation.

From there, Argent led him to an old-looking frieght elevator, which Collin looked at in a pained fashion. Anachronism aside, elevator shafts made everything slower to him, but at least there were stairs somewhere. After a few moments of descent, they exited the elevator and left the building, coming out on a side street. Collin squinted his eyes at the bright light and looked around, getting a bearing from the street signs. If he knew what the intersection was, he could get back here easily. After a few moments of looking around, he found what he needed and smiled.

That done, he nodded to Argent and told her the location of the Hostel. "Shouldn't take me too long to get my stuff, get changed, and get out, then we can go to the debriefing."

[LadyTevar]

Lei nodded, her eyes narrowed as she thought about the location. "I've not been there... but I can get you within two blocks of it. Will that do?"

She could tell he was glad to have a chance to 'stretch his legs', so to speak. Amusingly, he didn't speed off down the street as she expected, but jogged off at a measured pace. Still it didn't take long for him to return. They might even get there before the meeting started. She looked his outfit up and down... a better-fitting pair of jeans and a shirt with the legend "Flogging Molly" on the front.

"We have to find you a uniform," she chuckled. "Remind me to speak to my tailor, if I get out of this meeting alive." Beofre he could reply, her dragon-self encircled him and they were Between

They reappeared, not in the conference room where he'd expect, but in a side hallway. "Might be better if we walk in," she explained. Better for him, that is. I don't want him under suspicion as well.

[Hotfoot]

"Yeah, I could probably use a mask or something too, still, I kinda like saving the world like this. Slackman, away!" He winks as he appears in Ultima. He nods at her second statement and heads out. "I'm going to drop that gown off at medical first, I'll see you at the debriefing." And with that, he was off, giving Argent plenty of time to arrive at the meeting before he did.

[LadyTevar]

Lei let out a sigh after he vanished. Take responsiblity, Blackheart says. I wonder if he'd count this. She faded back into the shadows, crawling along them towards the conference room. In the back of her mind she could feel the rest of the team, plotting them on a mental map as they made their one way around the building. The shadowpath she took kept her out of their way.

Whatever happens in the meeting will not be good. But I won't run now. Maybe I won't have to run later. At least Zufu will be warned in case I have to run. Hawaii is nice... I don't think they know I have been that far away. Or a cargo ship out of 'Frisco ... slow trip, but plenty of shadows to hide in.

She slide into the conference room, silver eyes peering from the shadows to see if anyone else was there. Merciful Buddha, please don't make me run. I *like* this team, even if Blackheart is a bastard. Please Buddha, let it work out.

[Hotfoot]

A few minutes later, Hotfoot walked into the conference room, looking around. "Hey, dunno if you guys specifically wanted me here or not, but, uh, here I am." He shrugged, still feeling a little uncomfortable about being here in general, given that he wasn't any sort of official person, just a random person who had jumped in to lend a hand in what turned out to be a clusterfuck of massive proportions.

[LadyTevar]

Lei slid out of the shadow, nodding to Hotfoot. She deliberately took a seat across the table from him. "After what we put you through last night, you deserve to be on the debriefing. You may be the only one *not* getting yelled at."

Casual words as she locked her emotions tight. Where are you Blackheart. I want you to see me here waiting on you and whatever price Ultima's set on my actions. Then ... we'll see if I stay or not.

[Cynical Cat]

Blackheart headed for Bowman's office. He knocked on the door and headed in. "What's the word?" he asked.

[Agent Fisher]

Ghost picked up a note book and walked to the conference room, sitting down. He looked around and nodded at those who were in the room. He kept his emotions locked down, trying not to let Argent know his annoyance with her or anyone else on the team.

He took his seat and opened his notebook, jotting down a couple things in it and then leaned back, waiting for Blackheart to show up and get the party started.

[Dark Silver]

The door opened as W.A.R.path - all 600+ lbs of him - walked through, without even the sounds of footsteps.

He moved towards the table, the optical scanners going over each of the gathered Mirage Team, nodding to them, before he spoke, "Morning, I assume this is where I am supposed to be?"

[LadyTevar]

Argent had returned Ghost's greeting, wishing he'd not broadcast his annoyance so loudly. He might think he's hiding it, but only in his face and movements. She was about to speak to him when the ... robot? ... walked in.

After a moment of surprise (and a touch of fear that this was what Ultima was sending after her), she tried to scan WARpath in the vain hope of judging why it was there.

Human emotions. It was a guy in a suit, who was just a little confused. "That depends ... We're part of Mirage Team, if that's whom you're looking for...."

[Agent Fisher]

Ghost looked at the large armored thing. "Yeah, thats us. Though if you want my advice, run now, before you get stuck on this team."

[SirNitram]

"Considering it's half kids and civilians, I'd say this team isn't something to run from, Ghost." Gravitas floated.. Literally.. Into the room, feet never touching the ground. It was a frivolous use of his powers, but it was necessary, given his bones were still knitting.

The mechanical monstrosity is given a slow look. "You're either here to sanction me in a very violent manner, or we've just gotten our own mech. I'm hoping the latter. My bones are still broken from the last scuffle."

[LadyTevar]

Argent frowned at the Nova. "You should still be in medbay, Gravitus."

[Dark Silver]

"Most of the former, less of the later" he said, the voice having a faint mechanical tinge to it from the vocal modulators. Mirage Team.. he mentally accessed the Ultima Computer network as they talked, until he hit the firewall blocking access to the encrypted files.

Seems the Network Grunts decided that they didn't like him mentally prowling freely through the secured systems....ah well.

"Mirage Team." he said, seeming to taste the words, "They call me W.A.R.path, Special Agent W.A.R.path, Reserves. So yes, I guess this is where I'm suppossed to be."

The power armored scientist walked closer to the table, making sure to keep out of the floating guys way, the life scanners showed him to still be in a critical condition.

Man, whatever hit these folks last musta been hard.

"You'll excuse me if I don't sit, last time I tried to take a seat in one of these, it turned into splinters."

[SirNitram]

"I'm not planning to either. Legs are still broken." Gravitas nodded to Warpath. "Welcome to the madhouse, repository of all those who aren't suitable for the teams going in front of the news cameras all the time. Still, when we can keep it together, we do excellently.."

The Nova looked to Lei, and smiled. "Yes, I should. But I'm not gonna heal any faster in there, and despite the madness we tend to get into, this is my family here. So I'm gonna hover here. Besides, my right leg's gonna heal wrong anyways."

[LadyTevar]

"All the resources of Ultima, and they can't heal your leg straight?" Argent said disbelievingly. "When the meeting is over, track down the FleshCrafter we brought in last night. He calls himself Sculptor."

Her eyes, black orbs seemingly no pupil, turn to the armored man. "Dubbaewe, Aay, Arrr, Path?" she said, and a faint smile appeared. "I'm assuming you're the replacement for Saibot, who is in a coma. Agent Blackheart, our leader, will be here shortly. Agent Ghost is right, however ... this is not the front line of Ultima. Gravitas and Hotfoot are listed as 'Civilian Contractors', and I am currently 'under review'. You may call me Argent."

Civilian Contractors and Under Review had all the emphasis such euphanisms deserved.

[Dark Silver]

"Just call me Warpath....Saibot..." his mind accessed the files on the info-net, and came across the email being shuttled off to Bowman and Blackheart concerning a Agent with the same name...in a coma A playthrough of scenes from the enclosed videos and within the armor, Stone's eyes widdened.

Wow...that was fucked up.

"Wow..." he said, the voice modulation obscuring the surprise barely. "That's screwed up....some team dynamics..."

He snapped himself out of the cybergrid for a second, these people apparently didn't know much of him, "Sorry, I was looking over the report concerning Agent Saibot....yes it looks like I'm his replacement."

[LadyTevar]

Argent learned forward, about to come out of her chair. "You saw the report?! HOW. WHEN. Can you show me?" she asked ... no.. begged. Like someone asking about the health of a loved one.

[SirNitram]

"I would wager he just did. You have an uplink into Ultima's network in that fancy suit." Gravitas chuckled softly. "Well, you're no cyberpathic, but that's still handy. Yes, the team dynamics are.. Questionable. We've got two government professionals and a grab-bag of other kinds here. If you expected the pinnacle of training.. Hah. They shoved us into the lion's mouth."