Alternate Universe: The Runaways

[Brenda Castle]

It was rare to get the drop on Brenda. One had to act without thinking, or at least as fast as they could think it, they had to do it, or else Brenda had the advantage. Rich got lucky, for as soon as he realized that he'd behaved unnaturally, he impulsively grabbed Brenda and laid one on her. Shock prevented her from fighting back. It was the LAST thing she thought he'd do. He released her, smiling at her wide, disbelieving eyes.

Rich: I 'preciate your help, but I NEVER turn back once I start down a path. So it's only fair that I impose MY will on you for a second…you just showed me that sometimes it works out, right?

[scoffing coolly] "That's HARDLY the same. What I did was for your own good, I don't take any PLEASURE in it."

She remarked, pretending to be more vexed about it than she actually was. She didn't need him thinking he could just be springing himself on her all the time.

They went back in and joined the others, as he called Dominique and she agreed to meet them after her performance at the Hotel Roosevelt. Well, at least they'd meet somewhere that Brenda was comfortable. With one call, Brenda could get all their names on the list that would allow them past the velvet rope. However…. her parents would, without a doubt, be there. Brenda debated whether or not she should introduce her new group of 'friends' and pass them off as a 'study group', or just make sure her parents didn't notice any of them, including herself. It was a toss up.

She had some time to decide. For now, they were all breaking up and going back to spend a few hours imitating normal teenagers, or whatever that meant. Effy, Brenda and Rich all left at around the same time. Brenda wore a smirk as they got on the elevator. She went ahead and pressed the 'lobby' button, followed by the 'close doors' button.

"We don't need to wait for Jackson."

The trio walked back to the Archangel Foundation to pick up their cars. They were all weary, but nothing was lying in wait this time. Still, Brenda didn't waste any time hanging around. It sucked that the Foundation no longer felt like a place of refuge.

"See you guys later."

She said absently before firing up her engine. She was already thinking about how she'd drive past Melrose Place on the way home. There was something she hadn't gotten the chance to do last night. Another apartment Brenda had wanted to visit. Effy was going to introduce the option naturally, but the spiders had ruined THAT idea. Today she'd have the chance to investigate in private. She pulled into the apartment complex's parking garage, using an access code she knew well. It was Cameron King's pass code.

 

[Ana-Leigh Moreau]

Olivia didn't want to turn what was a really pleasent conversation into a pity party. That was the last thing she wanted to do. But unfortunately, she could see in Jackson's eyes that he felt bad for her. Either that or she made him feel like a complete ass for saying George Clooney was at his birthday party. Great. Either way, Olivia appriciated how he tried to comfort her by saying Hollywood was corrupt too. That her lifestyle was her lifestyle, and there was nothing wrong with that. Feeling his hand cup over top of hers, Livvie's eyes moved to their hands. He was sweet....not as much of a hard ass as he seemed to put on in front of Effy. He coughed nervously and Olivia smiled. It was HIS turn to feel a little flustered...which felt a little good to the brunette. She knew that he felt the chemistry between them as well.

Jackson quickly began to answer Olivia's question; breaking the deafening silence that filled the room after he held her hand. He explained about the car accident that SHOULD have killed him, but didn't. And how his mom probably knew he was a mutant, but didn't want to admit it. Olivia's eyebrows lifted in astonishment at how he found out. He was damn lucky he ended up being pretty much indestructable, that was for sure.

"Wow....talk about great timing."

Jackson: But.. I don't know, I feel like if I DID ever fully tell them, they wouldn't believe me. They would just send me to the shrink more often, thinking I was crying out for attention or something, which BELIEVE me, is not something I want...

Scoffing.

"That's understandable. Honestly....I just don't understand parents--well, atleast the majority of them. They're supposed to stick by their kids, not send them to psychologists or clensing camps to try and perfect them.....That's why I really liked Delilah. She truly understood us and didn't try to change us whatsoever."

Delilah was a whole other subject, with even more twists and turns Olivia really didn't want to get into right now. It was like saying you were married to an axe murderer, who killed your mother while on your honeymoon, before being sent to prison, on you first date with a new guy. That subject was left to more of the 5th or 6th date.

Jackson: But enough about all that mess. So, what do you make of all this? All.. the others? It's kind of crazy, eh? You think we'll get out alive?

Laughing softly, Olivia sat back into the sofa, getting more comfortable.

"It's definitely crazy....it's scary. [pausing] I mean, we were all living relatively normal lives and then BAM, we're now FIGHTING for our lives. [shaking out head] If you would have asked me yesterday if I thought this would happen to me, I would have thought you were crazy. [laughing] But I don't know. I HOPE we'll be okay. We're acting more like a team now than yesterday...And I'll be the first to admit I didn't trust any of you; especially Effy. But, I guess you can't judge a book by it's cover."

Smirking at him.

"I really hope we all survive this. I'm not ready to go anywhere yet."

 

[Brenda Castle]

Melrose Place

Brenda didn't have any siblings, but if she did, she'd want an older brother just like Cameron. He was cool, suave and worldly, and Brenda wasn't sure how well she might've fared without his help. Delilah was nice, honest and truly wanted to help, but there was only so much SHE could do… especially when deep down, Delilah wasn't exactly comfortable with telepathy. She felt like it was an invasion of privacy and Brenda was well aware of that. So despite the fact that Delilah WANTED to help, there was still a bit of a barrier. Delilah could only impress upon Brenda the importance of the ethics of using her powers and how to deal with being superhuman. She couldn't help Brenda learn to CONTROL her abilities, or to come to terms with all the stuff going on in her brain at once. It was a lot to deal with, especially in the beginning when it was starting to creep up on her and she was trying to understand why she was hearing people TALK when they weren't opening their mouths to do so. Delilah correctly 'diagnosed' Brenda as a telepath, but could offer little in the way of advice other than suggesting she try to tune it out. A few days later, Cameron sought out Brenda, and he was a godsend. He knew exactly what she was going through.

Brenda strolled up to the front gate. There was police tape everywhere, but it wasn't like that was any kind of deterrent. There was a new set of chains on the gate, however. Resting her hand on the chains with a sigh, she thought she'd have to get creative. She wasn't usually a breaking and entering kind of girl. She stared at the chains as if she could will inanimate objects to do her bidding, but alas, she only held sway over minds. And then she smiled…. Because she noticed that the chains were wrapped around the gate to LOOK secure, but there was no actual lock. She slipped inside with a smirk. Glass crunched underfoot but there wasn't anyone else around to hear it, so Brenda didn't bother with the cloak and dagger. It was a little bittersweet to walk so casually through the courtyard to Apartment 8. In the past, Brenda always made sure she wasn't seen and didn't run into any of the other tenants, ESPECIALLY Delilah. Both Brenda and Cameron agreed to keep their meetings secret, because Delilah wanted Archangel to be 'her' thing, separate from the Six, a project of her own. Cameron was kind of stepping on Delilah's toes by going behind her back and helping Brenda. And then there was the undeniable fact that Cameron was encouraging Brenda to use her powers in ways Delilah would NOT approve of. For example…. It was actually Cameron who figured out that Brenda could plant thoughts, and he was deviously amused by it.

Brenda reached for the doorknob. As she suspected, it was unlocked. All the power that was housed in this single apartment complex…. People like the Six weren't worried about the kinds of people that would be bothered by a locked door. Delilah probably locked hers out of plain old habit. Brenda shut herself into Cameron's apartment. Brenda didn't want to believe that Cameron, too, was eternally lost. He had a history of going AWOL, only to reappear a few weeks or months later. He'd told Brenda he was going on 'vacation' about a week before Delilah and the rest of the Six went missing. Brenda had the sneaking suspicion that he wasn't telling the truth, but Cameron was a stronger telepath than Brenda and knew that keeping thoughts from Brenda was possible as long as he didn't think about it directly with her around.

Despite Brenda's best efforts with denial, this apartment was starting to feel like another reliquary. It didn't LOOK like he'd packed up and left for vacation, it looked like it ALWAYS did when she came over. He wasn't a slob, but he had a tendency of leaving things out for a day or two before he got around to putting them away again. She wasn't sure what exactly she expected to find here, but she WANTED to find more information about what happened to the Six. Finding Delilah's journal had sparked the hope that it was possible something COULD be found here, or if she was lucky enough, it could be stumbled upon. Where to start? To the best of Brenda's knowledge, Cameron only used the living room for entertaining, and she'd never been in his bedroom, but she knew that he spent plenty of time in his office.

There was a thin film of dust on everything here, and dust motes floating in through the sunlit air by the open blinds. It was starting to dim slightly; dusk was nearing… but Brenda didn't need to turn on the light. The silhouetted bookcase drew her gaze. She would have been able to locate the book in the pitch black dark. It stood out from the other books on the shelf because it seemed to be glowing. It was practically ALIVE with Cameron's psychic energy signature, which meant that Cameron had wanted it to stand out, but not to just ANYONE… only other telepaths. She pulled the book from the shelf, and could already tell something was tucked between the pages near the middle. She opened the book to reveal an envelope. It had her name on it. Her heart sank immediately. Cameron had left this for her… as if he had known he wouldn't be back… as if he'd known she would come here looking for answers. She went to sit down at the desk before opening it.

 

[Prophet]

A Vision of the Past

In the Recent Past

Cameron King sat in the luxurious furnishing of his Home Office in Apartment #8 of Melrose Place. His head and heart were heavy with worry. Tonight, the fate of The Six was on the line, and though they had changed the outcome of events in the past, the Prophet knew deep down in his bones, that they would not survive this fight, but in their many years and many incarnations, they all knew that backing down was not an option. If in their deaths, they could protect the rest of the world from what was about to be released, they would fight to the bitter end.
In every timeline he saw, in every strategy he had created with his sister, one thing was consistent; The Six would die. What was even worse to him, was the fact that he saw these children, these "Runaways" as he called them, attempting to take the helm, attempting to right what had been done to Delilah. As much as he wished they wouldn't, he knew they, especially Brenda would try and get to the bottom of her death.

Pulling a piece of paper from one of the many drawers of his desk and grabbing a pen, he leaned back in his chair, trying to think of the right words to say. Brenda would come looking for him, no matter how cold he had appeared lately. He was merely distancing himself and preparing her for what she was about to face. What they were all about to face. Absentmindedly, he poured himself some brandy and sipped on it, gathering his thoughts, ready to write. A pen nearby hovered above and out of the pencil holder as it began to swirl over the paper. Before long, it began to write, at the speed of Cameron's thoughts, in Cameron's exact handwriting.

Brenda,
So. I've reached my end. This bobcat has finally been sent to pasture. I know it's rough losing not only me but Delilah as well, but this was our line of work, kiddo. It's what we were destined to do, I told you that a thousand times. I'm just glad I got to show you things I could before I was gone, because those things, regardless of morality, are going to help you soon. I don't want to sound all cryptic, that was never our schtick, but something big is coming after you.

You might have noticed that for the last few weeks, i've been distant. I've been cold and at times even downright mean. I had to. I have seen my death every day for the last month. I have seen what will come to pass after The Six has been buried, and unfortunately because of Delilah's efforts to help people like us, it involves you.

MysTech, which by now i'm sure you have figured out are NOT the good guys has had their eyes on the children at the Archangel Foundation for quite some time. Delilah worked absolutely as hard as she could at keeping their hands away from her kids. They are a dying organization who needs all the help they can if they plan on rebuilding what they once had. They see that hope in children like you, like your newfound friends. They want you in their fold, to test your powers to their limits, to decide if you are viable as field agents or better suited as test subjects. You never knew much about my family, but let's just say my MOTHER worked for these people. Enough said. They will pursue you until you have no other options but to work for them.

The only problem is, i've sensed what they are using to pursue you. She's shadow, Brenda. Pure and dark shadow. She's been around much longer than the likes of myself or Delilah or the others, and she is pure evil. She is a vicious killer, opportunistic and swift, and psychically i've felt the aura around her. I've heard the screams and dying thoughts of the people she's preyed upon, but it's just that. She doesn't just prey upon them. She CONSUMES them. I wish I could give you more, but I can't. She's too unpredictable, even for people like myself or my sister Alison. I'm not even sure if she is human. I've felt this woman in Los Angeles for months but never long enough to track, though if you investigate, there are a number of mysterious dissappearances in the city, people vanishing without a trace. They go into the dark alleys, the shadows, and they never come out. Her name is Shade, and to be quite honest, I can't foresee all of you surviving.

She will hunt you, she will turn in those she feels are less valuable to her and she will KEEP the ones she feels will benefit her.

I know I might not be giving you much hope, Castle. But you and I are realists. Your situation is grim, and I can't garauntee you'll make it, but this was the most I can do in this time period to help you out. I'm hoping you get this before she gets you. You're a smart cookie, kid, and tenacious as hell, and i've prepared you the best I can. You're already leaps and bounds ahead of some adult telepaths i've seen. What I want from you know, is to head into battle no holds barred. The one problem with people like us is that they spend too much time caring about the thoughts of others, about invasion of privacy, morality. While those are great virtues to have, you are about to fight for your life, and you must do what you have to. Destroy their minds and think about "morals" later.
Also, please know that I am extremely overjoyed to have helped you out. Over time, you've become the daughter I never had. I cherished getting to know as well as doing my part to try and help.. "The Next Generation".

You are a beautiful young woman Brenda and sharp as a damn tack. Continue to grow both physically and mentally, and never give up on your power, hone it and use it wisely, but remember to give back. Power does not come without consequence and if you don't balance out the scales every once in awhile, you might end up a jaded old man like me, and i'd hate to see that happen.

Take care of yourself, and like it says in that movie you made me watch.. "Vaya Con Dios, Castle."
Your Friend,
Cameron King

The pen fell dead on the desk as if it had suddenly died as Cameron rubbed his thumb and index fingers on his forehead. He was exhausted and wanted desperately to sleep, a luxury he knew would not come anytime soon. He was too worried to sleep. Sharon had all but lost patience with him. Cameron wished he could have played things out differently. Spent more time with her instead of worrying about their inevitable death, but things were as they were. She knew he loved her and she knew he was worried. They were all doing the best they could.

He stood, folding the letter in half and sealing it in an envelope with Brenda's name written on the front. Walking over to the bookcase, he put the letter in the middle of a random book, charging it with his psychic energy signature, before placing it back into the case. If Brenda came to his apartment to look for clues, as soon as she entered the office, her mind would be alerted to the book. Grabbing his Brandy, he walked through the hall and into the living room and cracked the blinds as he peaked out the window into the courtyard. Everything was so still, and tranquil. The water in the pool was moving in tiny little waves, the sun was coming down. Yes, everything looked very picturesque. That's when Sharon Kelly came flying down in the sky with a battered and bloodied Morgan Victoria in her arms. She laid her down next to the pool as he silver eyes met his through the blinds. Like clockwork. It had begun. Cameron sat down his glass of Brandy on the coffee table, exhaled deeply, and opened the door.

 

[Matrix]

Dominique had agreed to meet them, to give them an audience after her performance tonight. For the others, that gave them time to do regular stuff and then get ready for their meeting. For Rich there was another concern.

He had nothing "dress up" to even wear and very little money to get anything.

As he got on his Spyder he rode around thinking: what to do? Just riding around he happened by Melrose Place. He'd promised Livvie he would "scrub" the place and so, he thought about his predicament as he did so, turning his body into ammonia to wash away any traces of their involvement there.

He was not a thief, but he was a proud young man who did not wish to disappoint in presenting himself to the sorceress. Their first meeting was at HIS place and a surprise, but NOW? He was probably going to look like shit compared to the others.

It was already too late in the day for him to get a job helping in construction or farming for the day, his silent hard-working demeanor earning him respect among the migrants that do that work here. And STEALING? No offense to anyone else, but not his thing. he had been, would be hungry before he became dishonest.

He turned into water to wash away the effects of the ammonia and to finish the cleaning, then sand to scrub away any further traces. After doing so, he sat at the edge of the pool for a moment, thinking he was alone, and CRIED. Quietly cried for the life he'd lost, the family that was still there that believed him dead and that he could no longer have, for the shitty life he was trying to rise up from after Delilah's death and even for Brenda, the beautiful blonde who he was certain he could romance a year ago but now? Like this? Broke as hell and living in a cave?

Why even kiss her? You could take her to McDonalds or something...tough to compete like that..good kisser though. But where could I even TAKE her? A goddamned cave?!.

He sat there, tears running down his face, and just thought about his life and what it had become.

 

[Brenda Castle]

Brenda,
So. I've reached my end. This bobcat has finally been sent to pasture. I know it's rough losing not only me but Delilah as well, but this was our line of work, kiddo. It's what we were destined to do, I told you that a thousand times.

Tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision until she couldn't see to read anymore. Shutting her eyes, letting the tears fall, she took a few deep breaths. She didn't want to believe it, but seeing it in his handwriting made it concrete. She wiped her eyes, then gently patted the spots on the letter where her tears had made smudges of the ink. She might as well finish reading the letter… He was dead too… it couldn't GET any worse from there on.

You might have noticed that for the last few weeks, i've been distant. I've been cold and at times even downright mean. I had to. I have seen my death every day for the last month. I have seen what will come to pass after The Six has been buried, and unfortunately because of Delilah's efforts to help people like us, it involves you.

Oh, so THAT'S what it was. He HAD been a bit of a jerk lately, even his thoughts were borderline harsh. Brenda had thought it was something SHE was doing wrong, and Cameron hadn't told her she was mistaken, nor would he tell her WHAT she'd done… so they just continued to work on her development and were less and less friendly with each other. He just kept pushing her harder and harder, and she didn't complain because even SHE could see the leaps of progress they made, so she contained and disguised her frustration at him. Now she understood… he was trying to get her as far along as he could…. Before it was too late and he wouldn't be there to help her anymore. This revelation threatened to send Brenda into a full-on hysterical fit of sobbing, but she held herself together. Crying wasn't going to help her situation now. She kept reading on. Now he was talking about Mystech, what they wanted with the teens and about the woman coming after them, Shade. Everything he said about her made sense of the 'readings' Brenda had gotten during the fight with Shade. The sounds that erupted from her when Rich cut her, the malevolence she seemed to radiate, and why Brenda couldn't get anything more than a hint of her mind. Cameron didn't think she was human. Brenda didn't either. At least… she wasn't human ANYMORE. She was too much of a phantom, the shadow of what was once a person. Cameron put in a pep talk, and it was much needed after the terrifying description of Shade. But more importantly than pep; advice:

What I want from you know, is to head into battle no holds barred. The one problem with people like us is that they spend too much time caring about the thoughts of others, about invasion of privacy, morality. While those are great virtues to have, you are about to fight for your life, and you must do what you have to. Destroy their minds and think about "morals" later.

She nodded as if he were telling her this in person. It would probably be the advice that would keep her alive. She suspected she would have to cross many carefully drawn lines to get through this thing in one piece. He continued on to caution her to keep things balanced, lest she end up as jaded as he was. She smiled to herself. At this point she was starting to think that if she LIVED to be anything like Cam, she'd be a lucky woman. Cameron finished the letter with well wishes and quoted a movie she loved. She couldn't help remembering the Punisher's response to that quote. 'God's gonna sit this one out.' She couldn't help thinking it was about to apply to HER situation as well. She folded up the letter and coaxed it back into the envelope, then pulled Delilah's journal out of her bag and tucked Cameron's letter under the protection of the leather hardback. Two relics of two very different people, both of whom she had come to love dearly. Both were dead, the fact of which seemed to keep hammering Brenda like a battering ram, over and over. They were never coming back. She had to fend for herself now. There was no one left to protect her or train her. She didn't feel ready for this looming threat… but she HAD to be, or else she'd wouldn't survive. And then all Delilah's efforts to keep her safe, and all Cameron's efforts to make her strong, would have been in vain. She couldn't let THAT happen. Sliding the diary back into her bag with a sniffle, she steadily rose to her feet.

She wasn't alone at Melrose anymore. She could hear Richard down in the courtyard, immersed in thought as he erased all the evidence. Rich was in despair; not only did he not have anything appropriate to wear to meet Dominique at the show, but his resources were much too limited to allow him to go buy something. Things were worse than that, even. He had no place to live, and no family to speak of. Brenda made her way back to Cameron's living room. She could see down into the courtyard through the window. Rich had stopped cleaning and taken a seat by the pool. He was crying. There was a lot of that happening lately, and Rich had more reasons than most.

Rich: [in thought] Why even kiss her? You could take her to McDonalds or something...tough to compete like that..good kisser though. But where could I even TAKE her? A goddamned cave?!.

Brenda walked out of Cameron's apartment, stepping out towards the balcony and resting her hands on the metal railing. She smiled gently down at him as he looked up at the sound of the shutting door.

"Well you don't have to live in a cave anymore. You'll stay at the Roosevelt. There's a room kept in my name; sometimes I crash there after a movie premiere, or if a party runs late. [walking towards the staircase] Don't bother turning the offer down, I'll just change your mind."

She says with a coy smile, as she starts down the staircase. She considered how to break the next bit of news to him gently, and then figured the truth was the best way to go.

"As far as romance… I'd rather you didn't bother. It's nothing against YOU… it's just that we have so much going on right now. The mystery of Delilah's murder, the pursuit of Mystech, the psycho killer shadow THING that's stalking us… who knows if we'll even SURVIVE the next attack. The ONLY thing you should be focused on right now is staying alive…. Not how well I kiss."

She finished with a wink. She glanced around the courtyard, nodding with approval. She walked over to him, stooping to grab a hold of his bicep, then pulling him to his feet. Maybe if she confounded him with enough fashion talk, he'd forget to ask why she'd just come out of a random apartment, red eyed as though she'd been crying herself.

"Now… let's see about getting you a suit. I personally like Ralph Purple Label, but that may be a bit much for you, aesthetically speaking… so we'll settle for Dolce and a bowtie."

 

[Shade]

encounter in the courtyard

"hmmm."

the shadows length and flow, creating a flowing tentacle effect across the courtyard.

" Isn't this sweet?"

her voice was haunting as it flowed across the courtyard but they couldnt see her or get a solid fix on where she actually was.

the shadow tendrils rise up behind Rich and Brend and wrap around their necks, waists, wrists, ankles and eyes... as they are YANKED apart from one another and quickly spun around and HUNG upside down like slabs of MEAT in a slaughter house. their FACES were now completely covered as well. Shade had robbed them of their sense of equilibrium and space first and foremost and while their binds were painfull, they werent UNBEARABLE...not YET.


"babes in the woods....so innocent. so LOST."

Shade emerges from a shadow portal on the ground and steps forward, walking slowly.

"You're all going to die."

"But it doesnt have to be that way. Not for you two."

the tendrils grow tighter making them both light headed and faint.

"IF you continue your misguided allegiance to Jackson, "Effy" and Oliva...you'll follow them to disaster. Their fate is sealed, much like that arrogant telepathic pup of a man CAMERON [indicating she must have SEEN Brenda inside of Cameron's apartment and probably had been watching both her & rich for a while now] . But I can deliver you from their fate. Both of you are special, beyond the others. I've decided that you're too valuable to be wasted in the hands of Mystech and under MY guidance and training, you can become so much MORE BEYOND the petty trappings and descriptions that have been ingrained in your impressionable psyches by Delilah Trelevan."

"I offer you one chance, to WILLINGING give yourselves to me. and through me, yours is a limitless realm of possibilities INCLUDING protection and prosperity. REFUSE ME, and I will make sure that your end is ESPECIALLY HUMILIATING and painfull."

Of course Shade WOULD spoil them for a time, but her ultimate goal was to CONSUME these two and leave no trace of them. She could make it quick and painless, or drag it out in prolonged, cruel torture.


" Don't think that there's a way out, because there isn't...not one that does not include your destruction. Your lives will be forfiet before they even truly began and for NOTHING!"

 

[Brenthon]

Olivia's Apartment

Jackson was actually enjoying himself. Despite his appearance, he was a rather introverted person. He had learned along time ago that people in this town were beyond vacant. They were pariahs who used whatever means necessary to get wwhat they wanted. He much preferred the company of a good book or a great song, and so far in his life, it suited him. Secretly, he wanted to move somewhere far away like Italy, make his living writing music and being around people who were so genuine it scared him. Samuel Johnson once said "A man who has not been in Italy, is always conscious of an inferiority, from his not having seen what it is expected a man should see." Jackson wanted to break free from his seeming inferiority in Los Angeles.

But rather than get lost in daydream, he listened Olivia describe her feelings on the situation before them, about how she felt after meeting the others, for the most part Jackson agreed.

"Yeah I get what you mean. I thought all of you were crazy. But, deep down, I know it may sound weird, there's something that feels.. RIGHT. I mean, it's dangerous, and it's life or death, but this whole thing, you and me, the others. It feels like we are supposed to be together, and honestly, you are the first kids i've met in LA that i've gotten along with, that I feel like I get."

He scratched the back of his head as he took the last sip of his coffee.

Olivia: I really hope we all survive this. I'm not ready to go anywhere yet.

"Word. If I die before I can get out of this town it will be perhaps the saddest thing ever."

Jackson stood up and brushed the cat hair off of his T-Shirt as he winked at Olivia.

"Well I don't to cut this short, but I should probably head back home and change, maybe take a cat nap before we head to the Roosevelt because we'll probably be fighting for our lives against Dominique Devereaux later. But..."

He grabbed Olivia by the hand and helped her to her feet before embracing her into a strong and warm hug. Her hair smelled like flowers.

"I think I might.. have actually had fun! Who knows, you might have cracked the broody poet just yet."

Letting her out of his embrace, he headed towards the door and down the street as he walked what seemed like many blocks back to his car, pulling the ticket off of his window, before getting in and making his way towards home, lost in the music and thoughts of his time spent with Olivia. She was cute, and he could actually hold a conversation with her, which was a first for him. He was a little excited but he really didn't have time to think about it now. He had to think about the night, he had to think about this shadow woman, and right now.. he had to get ready for dinner.

 

[Ana-Leigh Moreau]

Olivia wasn't exactly a loner, but she wasn't exactly miss popularity either. Atleast in Hollywood. Back in San Diego she had the 'ideal' movie life. Perfect 4.0 GPA, honor roll, student council president, captain of the cheerleading squad, junior homecoming queen, quarterback boyfriend, tons of friends. It was a little creepy when she thought back on it actually. But as soon as her powers manifested and her parents disowned her, everything changed. She moved to LA to start a new life. She became a theif. A con artist. She had some friends, sure, but she always kept people at arms length. She couldn't TRULY open up to them because she was petrified that if they knew who Olivia Davis really was, they'd look at her like a freakish demon as well. So while she did have a social life, it was just that, social. There were no deep connections. Nobody that she could really think to call if she ever got hurt or in trouble. Just people she'd chill with, go to clubs with, shopping, ect. But Jackson was right...this group, as different as they may be, were the first people Olivia felt NORMAL with. She literally felt like she could finally be herself after 2 years of hiding from the world.

Giving Jackson a smile, she didn't want him to think she wasn't listening to what he had to say. The fact was, she was listening to every detail. It just blew her away how easily she could relate to him after only knowing him for one day.

Jackson: "Word. If I die before I can get out of this town it will be perhaps the saddest thing ever."

[chuckling] "Yeah. This town can eat you alive....that is, if the shadow woman doesn't first."

Grinning, it was a morbid joke, but ehh, it was true.

Jackson: "Well I don't to cut this short, but I should probably head back home and change, maybe take a cat nap before we head to the Roosevelt because we'll probably be fighting for our lives against Dominique Devereaux later. But..."

"Yeah...I need to get cleaned up too. Dried blood really doesn't go with my cocktail dress tonight."

Smiling as she took his hand, Olivia didn't pull away from Jackson as he embraced her like she normally would have. It sorta felt second nature to just hug him back, and she did, without thinking. It felt wonderful to be held by someone again. The hug lingered for a few minutes before they both pulled away.

Jackson: "I think I might.. have actually had fun! Who knows, you might have cracked the broody poet just yet."

[laughing] "You'll be putty in my hands soon enough."

Walking him to her door, she bid Jackson farewell before shutting herself back into her apartment. Olivia couldn't help but smile widely. Biting her bottom lip, she took a moment to collect herself before heading down the hall and into her bathroom to get cleaned up.

 

[Matrix]

"Well you don't have to live in a cave anymore. You'll stay at the Roosevelt. There's a room kept in my name; sometimes I crash there after a movie premiere, or if a party runs late. [walking towards the staircase] Don't bother turning the offer down, I'll just change your mind."

Heh. Pushy blonde...

Rich turned slowly, wiping his face with his sleeve. He smiled at the offer, not really noticing that he would normally turn such a thing down.

"As far as romance… I'd rather you didn't bother. It's nothing against YOU… it's just that we have so much going on right now. The mystery of Delilah's murder, the pursuit of Mystech, the psycho killer shadow THING that's stalking us… who knows if we'll even SURVIVE the next attack. The ONLY thing you should be focused on right now is staying alive…. Not how well I kiss."

If you didn't kiss so well, I wouldn't be thinking about it. If you weren't a telepath, you wouldn't KNOW.

He was wondering why she looked so sad as well. Couldn't be her hearing his own sob story, could it? Nah...something else. He would ask later. She was now before him.

"Now… let's see about getting you a suit. I personally like Ralph Purple Label, but that may be a bit much for you, aesthetically speaking… so we'll settle for Dolce and a bowtie."

Sounds good. I suppose I am now your life-sized dress-up doll...

"hmmm."

the shadows length and flow, creating a flowing tentacle effect across the courtyard.

" Isn't this sweet?"

Rich tensed up, naturally pulling Brenda behind him as he sw the shadows come for them. They were separated and flipped into the air in an attempt to shake their equilibrium. It was working somewhat, but as she spoke Rich focused on getting his bearings as he allowed her to go long-winded.

"babes in the woods....so innocent. so LOST."

Shade emerges from a shadow portal on the ground and steps forward, walking slowly.

"You're all going to die."

"But it doesnt have to be that way. Not for you two."

The villains actually do this shit in real life. FAIL.

"IF you continue your misguided allegiance to Jackson, "Effy" and Oliva...you'll follow them to disaster. Their fate is sealed, much like that arrogant telepathic pup of a man CAMERON [indicating she must have SEEN Brenda inside of Cameron's apartment and probably had been watching both her & rich for a while now] . But I can deliver you from their fate. Both of you are special, beyond the others. I've decided that you're too valuable to be wasted in the hands of Mystech and under MY guidance and training, you can become so much MORE BEYOND the petty trappings and descriptions that have been ingrained in your impressionable psyches by Delilah Trelevan."

"I offer you one chance, to WILLINGING give yourselves to me. and through me, yours is a limitless realm of possibilities INCLUDING protection and prosperity. REFUSE ME, and I will make sure that your end is ESPECIALLY HUMILIATING and painfull."

Rich could feel the tendrils tighten, knew it had to be hurting Brenda. THAT he could not have, so as she spoke...

" Don't think that there's a way out, because there isn't...not one that does not include your destruction. Your lives will be forfiet before they even truly began and for NOTHING!"

...his "body" shattered, it was actually HOLLOW! Now it was SHADE'S turn to find her prey as Rich was apparently gone. Suddenly her eyes and face burned as the young man swirled her quickly, his body now Sulfuric acid.

Fuck you and your offer. I have already been dead anyway...

Brenda slips out of the tendrils as Shade is momentarily staggered, with Rich aliding over as as a Lexan covering, clear and super-strong enough to pop her out before tossing her towards the gate, using his body, now feathers, to cushion her landing as she thudded up to the gate opening. Shade was surely recovered and pissed by now. He doubted that they would be allowed to leave so he made a decision right there.

Run Brenda! I'll hold her off. I'll try to meet you later...

The young omni-changeling then became a large cloud of sand that coalesced into a Tyrannosaur! Roaring a challenge, the young man charges towards the shadows...

 

[Shade]

end of conference

the boy was as defiant as his changeling nature would imply. but Shade KNEW that an obvious entrapment like the tendrils wouldnt hold him for long. He attacked Shade as best he could but there was no sound of pain from the woman even as he distracted her and caused her to move back, holding her attention as she dealt with his attack long enough to free Brenda.

Brenda attempts to flee and a WALL of darkness SLAMS down in front of her path to the street beyond the courtyard with the sound of a dungeon door slamming. impossible to break through physically and high enough to prevent ANY normal human from "jumping" over it. from the wall, a solid beam of concussive force SLAMS into Brend's mid section and sends her FLYING back into the courtyard into the POOL where the dead, decaying body of an ant lion greets her.

Shade herself smirks. They REALLY think they can beat her? much less ESCAPE her?

Richard outdoes him himself thus far in an over the top display of agression as he turns into a DINOSAUR. a DINOSAUR in the middle of L.A? Even as he did so, Shade stood there, not moving.

"Foolish boy. Pride lights the path to destruction. Prepare to fade to BLACK!"

Here eyes become solid black with no visible pupils or irises as she speaks in an unknown (to these children at least) tongue.

Σπάσουν οστά του ενοικιαζομένων
σάρκα του αποκαλύψει την πραγματική
του μορφή, στην οποία θα παραμείνει!

Part of Shade's background was dark magick - the extensive knowledge of it and the ability to cast spells from any source including the Darkhold!

Richard, being an omnimorph is also WOEFULLY susceptible to such things as magickal transformation spells. His body is no longer HIS to control as Shade extends a black halo encircled hand toward him and he is FORCED (with great pain courtesy of the incantation) to return to human form and is now at his KNEES before Shade, unable to transform into anything else at this time.

she looks upon him, her face now enshrouded in shadow as she laughs softly.

"now then, stripling. you were saying?"

KICKING him in the face using MORE than a fraction of her superior strength.

"something about fuck me AND my offer?"

KICKING him in the stomach.

"What a trite and elementary display of "vulgarity". But I have KILLED men FAR more powefull than you for far LESS reason."

placing her high heeled boot on his neck. the LAST time she attacked, she had went hard on Brenda. No sense in sparing THIS arrogant upstart any of that brutality now either!

"if you THOUGHT you were dead before...you'll wish you WERE BEYOND it when i finish with you. But maybe I should start from the beginning...with your MOTHER?"

"consider this your final warning. both of you. since you refused me, you'll DIE like the rest but for YOU TWO? I'll make SURE that you WELCOME death."

she knew who they were...she knew who their families were. she could get to them, kill them and do it in any NUMBER of painful ways.

 

[Brenda Castle]

Rich: Sounds good. I suppose I am now your life-sized dress-up doll…

Brenda's smile fell. She didn't even seem to be paying attention to him anymore, she was staring across the courtyard. She hadn't been very careful… she hadn't been listening for any other minds wandering around. She hadn't noticed when Shade snuck up on them, but she noticed her now…. That memorable LACK of coherent thought… just a coalescing composite of violent mental presence. She was just about to tell Rich they weren't alone… when Shade came out of hiding again, ripping them apart and binding them, worse, BLINDING them. All the blood was rushing to Brenda's head. Was she upside down? It was hard to tell. Whatever had a hold of her was wrapped so tight it was uncomfortable.

Shade had a lot more to say this afternoon than she had this morning. Maybe she was starting to grasp the concept of 'discussion', and how normal people did it. She still had a ways to go, what with tying them up and hanging them upside down before starting converse with them, but hey, baby steps. Brenda didn't respond… she was thinking about something in Cameron's letter…. About how Shade didn't just kill people…. She CONSUMED them. It was an interesting thing for him to mention, especially considering the fact that he said he'd 'heard' the thoughts of her victims… which, Brenda deduced, was probably the sounds Rich had heard when he'd cut Shade open this morning. And then… hadn't Shade seemed to FEED off Olivia this morning, when Olivia jumped INTO Shade's body in attempt to electrocute her? Brenda was starting to think Shade fed off the essence of a person, their psionic energy. If that was the case…. Brenda had a nice little surprise in store for Shade. It was something she and Cameron had been working on HEAVILY before he disappeared…. Psycho-blasts. It was a physical manifestion of Brenda's telepathic power, her psychic energy distilled into a corporeal stream with concussive effect. It affected physical matter like the strike of a sledge hammer might, shattering glass, splintering wood and denting metal. A living body would be severely damaged, with broken bones highly probably. But there was something more important than that; the effect a direct headshot had on a person's psionic 'energy'. Cameron had once convinced Brenda to try it on him, and even with his best effort to mentally defend against her psycho blast, she'd knocked him out cold. They never tried it again, but Cameron suspected that if she really tried, she could EASILY destroy an unprotected mind beyond repair, resulting in severe brain damage or even killing the victim. If Shade fed off the psionic energy of her victims, then a psycho blast would eliminate some of that energy, effectively weakening her. If not… well then, it'd still feel like a sledgehammer to the sternum.

However…. There was the matter of aim. Brenda couldn't see right now… the best thing she could do was aim for Shade's voice and hope she at least GRAZED the woman. As with her regular hearing, her mental 'hearing' was directional -- one's mental 'voice' came from the direction of their body. Both Shade's taunting voice and the amalgam that was her psionic presence came from Brenda's one o'clock. Brenda tried to focus despite feeling faint…. But she was about to get a break in her favor. Rich was already planning his retaliation.

Shade made them an offer they shouldn't refuse. Rich refused immediately and started to strike back, making sure Brenda was tossed out of the way and landed softly off to the side.

Rich: Run Brenda! I'll hold her off. I'll try to meet you later…

"I can't just LEAVE you…"

Shit, maybe I SHOULD… no. It'd be awful… and cowardly to abandon anyone, especially faced with Shade. If I'm gonna die, it's not going to be cravenly.

The sound of a dungeon slamming shut at the exit of the courtyard tell Brenda that she wouldn't have been able to escape anyway. She rolled to her feet, but couldn't do much as Shade sends her flying into the pool full of bug juice and dismembered mutant spiders. Brenda resurfaces quickly with a look of disgusted horror.

"Oh, gross. Just.... gross."

She's near the pool steps and wastes no time getting out with a scowl, looking directly up at Shade, her bright blue eyes fluorescing. Now was her chance… Shade was busy kicking the shit out of Rich and snarling bon mots at him.

Shade: Consider this your final warning. both of you. since you refused me, you'll DIE like the rest but for YOU TWO? I'll make SURE that you WELCOME death.

Brenda wasn't one for making threats.... when it came down to it, if she was going to hurt you, she'd DO it, as opposed to talking about it. Why spoil the element of surprise? A short, tightly focused beam of ice blue energy shot from Brenda's eyes. It travelled across the courtyard and to Shade with the speed of thought.

 

[Shade]

retaliate

Shade's black hair flowed as shadow tendrils rose up behind her while she continued to crush Richard's throat with her high heeled boot. she beared her slightly fanged teeth as she relished in the pain she was causing Richard.

But the OTHER ONE was still alive, still FREE to move! and so she did! Brenda prooved that she was not just a pretty face. Indeed, in a move that would have made even MALICE proud, the young mutant focuses on the situation and respondes accordingly to temporarily save herself AND Richard.


a PSYCHO BLAST! It was a physical manifestion of Brenda's telepathic power, her psychic energy distilled into a corporeal stream with concussive effect. the bolt of telepathic power came charging with unwavernig prescision it collided with Shade with a painfully bright, explosive effect. Shade can momentarily be seen falling off balance and the haunting resonance associated with her voice is heard as she audibly gasps with SURPRISE.

she is knocked away from Richard and flung into some patio furniture. she doesnt move for a few moments either.

the IMPACT of the blast, coming at her when she did not expect it, hit like a battering ram. a well delievered move even it was born out of desperation. the psychic effect was surprisingly...UNPLEASANT. not enough to seriously hurt her but enough to make her think of something OTHER than the immediate task of killing Richard...and that was the RARE and UNPLEASANT feeling of psyhic feedback. FEW telepaths were able to affect Shade with anything they had in their arsenal, Malice was ONE of those few and their VIOLENT battle left both women with more than a few scars of both the physical and psychic kind. Brenda's attack was a surprising reminder that she was NOT to be ignored like this again in future encounters.


growling with renewed anger and predatory rage, Shade crawls forward from the wreckage with her solid black glowing eyes fixed on Brenda. the child would NOT get another shot like that AGAIN and now wiwth her and Richard TOGETHER, the time to finish them off was NOW!

turning into a violent , FAST spinning corkscrew effect of dark energy, spiraling toward them. if she its them...they will be BOMBARDED with the painfull onslaught of her unholy darkness as she irradiates them from the inside out and then CONSUMES them.

they have only MOMENTS to escape with their lives!

 

[Matrix]

She spoke some mumbo-jumbo, and then it happened.

Aw shit!

Richards body was not him own, it PAINFULLY morphed back into human, and he was st Shade's fett, she kicked him and then began to crush his throat. He would be killed and then...

TALKING. Doesn't this bitch EVER shut up?! He'd rather be dead than hear it over and over but then she gets his attention. She threatens his mother, his family, and as his body recovers to become his own again, more quickly than even she would know, he spoke.

Chickenshit...picking on the powerless.

But Brenda did her thing, somehow knocking Shade off of Richard and into a corner, the dark baddie making one hell of a scene as she skidded into some patio furniture. As she lay motionless, Richard struggled to his feet. Then Darkness fell again as the sorceress got up and became some dark twister coming right for them!

Not today!

Richard ran, turning into metal and tossing Brenda high into the air before becoming an F-22 Raptor, his canopy closing around Brenda as he flew off from Melrose Place at hundreds of miles per hour.

They were safe, but Brenda would feel the jet shake and rumble. Rich has changed too much too soon, he wasn't capable of this level of change (size, species, nonliving) back to back and, coupled with his injuries from Shade, he faltered.

Brenda would see herself falling with Rich towards the ocean and rock below for a second, and then the young man willed past pain, becoming a large bird to catch her...barely, before tossing her softly into his "home", his own now-human body tumbling behind her, barely conscious.

 

[Brenda Castle]

Brenda could have jumped for joy. It was the first thing she'd seen faze Shade all day, and it was exactly what the teens needed to turn the tide, if not in their favor, then at least enough to breathe. Shade crawled up out of the wrecked lawn furniture like a demon from the bowels of hell. Brenda was too high on adrenaline and success to be afraid. Her blue eyes continued to shine unnaturally. Her second effort would be much more confident and aggressive than the first…

But not now. Shade transformed into tornado of darkness, and Rich shifted his tactic immediately to retreat. Brenda knew what he was turning into without having to look back at him. She scrambled for her bag, which had fallen to the ground when Shade upended them. She made sure nothing had fallen out and then prepares herself; Rich tosses her into the air and then catches her, enveloping her safely within the jet he had become. They literally break the sound barrier getting the hell out of there.

"Okay, don't let this go to your head or anything…. But this is kind of badass."

She allows, making sure not to touch ANYTHING. She doesn't want to think about what part of his body transformed into the joystick.

But it was too much, and Brenda knew that as soon as Rich did. She was about to convince him to turn into something simpler and easier to manage, and also SAFE like, for instance, a parachute… but it was too late. She was ejected from the plane and Rich turned back into himself…. At 5000 ft above sea level. They both fell. It was a very strange experience. If it weren't for the fact that the wind was roaring past her body, she might have thought she were just floating there.

Great. So she'd survived Shade a SECOND time, and against all odds had escaped, and now she was going to die from a fall out of a fighter jet. She didn't want to think about what the impact would do to her body. Malibu was getting closer at what seemed like an exponential rate. At least it would happen way too fast for her to feel it. this is NOT fucking happening. She resolved, looking over at Rich. He was exhausted and injured and that was understandable, but it was about ten minutes too early to give up. She gave him a little psychic booster shot and he revived enough to turn into a large bird, catch her again, and glide down to his cave with what almost amounted to a crash landing, but was a million times better than what might have become of either of them after that freefall. Brenda exhaled with relief after she finally came to a sprawling stop.

"You know, you really might benefit from a less overzealous approach, Rich."

She sat up, not even feeling the aches of what she just went through. She was still trembling from the rush of adrenaline in her veins and the power she'd tapped into back at Melrose. Her eyes were slowly fading back to their normal brightness. Rich laid still, breathing but completely drained. Brenda knew he needed a little while to recover, but he was not gravely injured. She got to her feet and drifted to the mouth of the cave, trying to determine where they were and give him a little breathing room. She did all she could for his stressed mind. There was an awesome view laid out before her. She could see across the canyons between lesser mountains, all the way to the Malibu coastline. Point Dume was a little left of center from her vantage point, probably four or five miles. The sun was setting in Santa Monica bay, and it gave everything an ethereal glow. She could see why he hid out up here. She sat down next to Rich to keep him company while he recovered.

"Breathtaking views notwithstanding, I'm still not letting you live here, Rich. [patting his arm gently before starting to rummage through her bag] Don't worry, just rest. I'll get us a ride the good old fashioned way."

She found her iPhone after a brief search and pulled up google maps to figure out where they were. She knew they must be in the Santa Monica mountains, and she suspected Castro Peak because of the towering view, but she would need to be more precise if she was going to send for help. There was a smallish dirt road no more than fifty feet below them through the forest. She didn't know which one it was, but small roads led to bigger ones, and she knew that Rich had a bike, so it shouldn't be TOO difficult to identify. She was right. Her iphone had no problem pinpointing her location. They were only about a mile from Mulholland. She dialed her butler.

"Hey, Doyle. No, no, everything's fine. It's just that I need you to send a car for me. [charmingly] Well, I'm such a blonde…. I ran out of gas in the mountains. [pause] Um, just off Mulholland? I'll text you the directions. [pause] NO! I mean… no need to alarm Daddy or anything. If he asks, just tell him I'll see him at the show tonight… I still need to pick up a dress for it anyway."

 

[Watchtower]

Olivia and Jackson spent their downtime with each other, getting to know one another better, with romantic tension in the air. Effy, Rich and Brenda all went off on their own; but things didn't stay that way. Rich covered their asses by cleaning up the evidence left at Melrose of the previous night's attack, only to be attacked once MORE by their newest enemy, Shade. Brenda managed to find what she was looking for, and a whole lot more.

Shade reveals herself again to Brenda and Rich, showing her hand a bit as she attempts to recruit them for her own nefarious purposes. Despite being way worse off in number and power presence than they were this morning, the two teens take a second stand against the Shadow woman.

Another fight for their lives and a narrow escape later, Brenda and Rich try to recover themselves, well hidden among the Santa Monica mountain range, in the cave Rich had been using for shelter. But they can't hide out there for very long… they must ALL attend the meeting with Dominique, and Brenda sends for a car to bring them back and then the two hit up Rodeo Drive for suitable evening attire, working against the clock to make it in time for Dominique's show.

The perks of being the owner's daughter means never hearing the word 'no'. Brenda makes sure there is a corner booth reserved for the group at Teddy's, the very exclusive old Hollywood style club lounge located within the Hotel Roosevelt. This is where Dominique is performing tonight. The teens will not be able to talk with Dominique during the show, so Brenda also secures them a reservation at Dakota, the hotel's classy restaurant, located just across the lobby from Teddy's. Dominique has agreed to meet them there for dinner after she performs.

What does the evening hold in store for these motley marauders? From high in the sky, we watch...

 

[Elizabeth Stone]

Effy sat at the bar in Teddy's, legs crossed, dressed in a flowy dress and chunky jewelry, sipping on one of the Roosevelt's famous Guinness milkshakes. And she waited. She wasn't really in the mood for a show, but the end game was important, so she would force herself to sit and endure the godawful music and the pretentious crowd of onlookers.

ANOTHER gray-haired pervert old enough to be her grandfather sidled up to her. She fixed him with an icy stare.

"Sorry, I don't DO Viagra."

She turned back to her drink as the skeevy old man shuffled away. Gross.

She hoped the others would arrive soon, just so she could DO something. Maybe they could start formulating a plan before they had to pretend to pay attention to some old lady who thought she could sing.

 

[Brenthon]

Roosevelt Hotel - Hollywood, CA

Jackson dusted himself off as he gave the keys to his navy blue Bentley Continental GT to the valet person, tipping him a crisp $50 bill. Okay, so the car wasn't exactly his, it was his parents, but he was stepping into the public, and his parents were very much a part of the Los Angeles Glitterati. He had to keep up appearances, he made his way passed a few quiet paparazzi as they contemplated whether or not to snap his picture. They didn't. A little bruised, he made his way through the lobby, checking his reflection in one of the large mirrors for a moment before heading into Teddy's. He looked good.

He was about to ask the hostess about their reservation when he saw Effy sitting at the bar. Slowly he made his way over to her and sat down, in the vacant seat between her and her new friend. He looked her up and down and smirked.

"You clean up nice. Anyone else here?"

Motioning to the bartender.

"Can I get a Ketel Tonic please?"

He wouldn't be asked for ID. He was young and pretty and had been here before. Jackson's parents were rather well known in this scene and unfortunately that bought him priveleges he was probably too immature to have, though he did enjoy the benefits on more than one occassion.

"This place is usually packed, and with much better looking people. I guess the young and rich of Hollywood didn't want to spend the night finding out what really happened to Baby Jane.."

His drink arrived and he handed the man another $50 bill. Though it may have seemed generous, drinks in Los Angeles were expensive as hell. There would barely be any room left over for a tip.

 

[Ana-Leigh Moreau]

Arriving at The Roosevelt Hotel, it was slightly after 7:30pm. Dominique was supposed to start her show at 8, and if it weren't for the fact that the group wanted to meet up before the show, Olivia would have skipped the singers lounge act and just met with everyone after. The last thing she wanted to watch was a popular singer from the 80's who still thought she had "it". It was sorta depressing...and pathetic. But whatever, they needed her help desperately.

The valet opened up Olivia's car door for her before helping her out. Thanking him, she handed the keys over to her white Mustang and headed into the hotel. Wearing a sleek black and purple cocktail dress with black peep toe heels, it was a vast contrast to the jeans and bloody t-shirt she was sporting earlier. Walking through the main lobby, she headed over to Teddy's, immediately spotting Effy and Jackson by the bar. They were kind of hard to miss....they were the only two younger than 50 in the entire joint. Walking over to the bar, Olivia wrinkled her nose as she passed two men checking her out in the most obvious way.

"Ew...I feel like I've entered a perverted geriatric ward."

Sliding onto an available bar stool next to Jackson, she greeted both him and Effy before turning to the bartender. Taking out her fake ID, she knew a guy who knew a guy who knew a guy who made the most believable fake ID's in LA. Despite how young Olivia looked, people couldn't deny her drinks. Handing it to him, he looked skeptical but then reviewed it and gave her a smile, handing it back to her.

Tender: What would you like miss?

"A Long Island please."

Nodding to Olivia, he began to prepare her drink. Looking over at Effy and Jackson, she could already tell Effy didn't give two shits about Dominique's performance, and Jackson seemed like he was on the same page as Olivia. Washed up singer who was still trying to keep her career alive. The bartender placed Olivia's drink in front of her and she promptly lid him some cash, tip included. Picking up the Tea, she took a long swig.

"This is going to be a loooong show."

 

[Isis]

performance

[among the room of the rich and the beautifull, there were the obvious standouts -the pimple patrol , some of whom were BARELY dressed appropriate for this atmosphere, the audience was not unlike any other that Dominique commanded, the established, rich, beautifull and powerfull crowd who had a taste for the finer things in life. There was something to be said for a woman who still knew how to entertain in an posh, intimate setting without the need for a voice synthesizer.]

[Among the many holdings in her own congolmerate,. Dominique owned clubs around the world as well as two hotels and a record label. Her contacts were far reaching and deep many of whom these children had no idea how influential and powerfull they were. She had an audience both here and overseas. of course most CHILDREN with their limited taste wouldnt be quick to declare they had a Dominique Deveraux record in their collection but she wasnt concerned about that. ]

[ Dominique did not RELISH in entertaining CHILDREN at any point during or after her show. This was a gathering for adults, those who were rich, established and beyond the petty trappings of immature youth.]

[ Her initial and only real interest was Richard, the last child to benefit from Nicolas King's company before he died. Dominique felt drawn to him. She was also personal friends with Brenda Castle's parents having dined and hobknobbed with them on many occassions both here and overseas and having made an arrangement so that she now OWNS one of the most luxurious penthouse suites in the Roosevelt, this is is her home when she's on the west coast and fortunately for these "Runaways" she happened to be in town, giving one of her now rare but highly attended performances.]

[Richard called her with such urgency and after doing some checking of her own, she know knew who he'd been running around with. She knew each of these children, their backgrounds and capabilities and most of them, in her mind, were not of very high quality....and would probably be killed due to their own foolishness. SHE certainly wouldnt tolerate any of their arrogance or rudeness. STILL, she promised Richard a helping hand and having met Brenda several times before, it would be INTERESTING to see how Brenda managed to balance her life as a mutant versus her life as a debutante tonight.]

[ the evening moved on and the show was about to begin as the lights dimmed and the audience settled. Dominique was introduced. Looking elegant, beautifull and in perfect form, she greeted her audience with warmth before beginning her set. the stage was designed to compliment her theme this evening. she was backed with the live piano, keyboard, jazz and string accompaniment along with instrumental track supplements over the state of the art sound system]

[ she seemed to sparkle with beauty as she cast her spell with her voice and sang several standards, sampling from her more jazz influenced catalogue with the hip hop tinged - "Ellamental" and and the haunting "Sister moon". She closed out the show with one of her most popular songs - "End of a love affair" somewhere between Billie Holiday and Chaka Khan- she performs the song with her signature elegant sound and even the live accompaniment seems to relish in playing behind her for this piece. and as she finished, the large screen with its flowing images and backgrounds that had accompanied her throughout the performance showed a tribute to her nephew, Nicloas King. " Dedicated...In loving memory..." with his face in a most handsome shot splashing across the screen. She ends the song holding that last note with prestine clarity and bell like purity as she bows her head and the stage fades to black.]

[ the audience claps and cheers warmly and happily for her with a few whistles from some of her more naughty male fans. she reappears under the spotlight and thanking the audience and bowing graciously. sharing a moment with them before exiting the stage. It would be regarded as another well received performance by music critics in attendance and the one member of the press who attended would note her nod to her fallen nephew - another member of the now deceased Six.]

[ She was quickly met by her attendants, to be escorted to the elevator back up to her private, luxury suite where she would refresh, change and meet Richard, Brenda and their upstart companions for dinner. Her mind was torn between the unwavering image of her nephew...and the absurd prospect of dining with children, most of whom would havent even enough training to tell the difference between a salad fork and a dinner fork.]