Tests and Trials

[Artemis]

NYC- the parthenon

:: despite her methods...and as infuriating as she could STILL be at times, Alycia could see that Haleigh had decent motives and she secretly APPRECIATED THEM...especially since more and more lately she felt like she was dangerously close to falling off the tightrope she had been walking as she tried to balance her position with the government and still protect her friends that she cared so much for.::

:: Alycia sipped on her tea as Haleigh seemed to QUICKLY absorb the backstory of Arklay. After all she'd been through, it must not have been too hard for Haleigh to imagine what what it could have been like at the mansion and in its hidden research facility.::

there's no way of knowing for sure what truly became of Kyle. I cant discuss it with Sharon....it was a volatile subject for her BEFORE Master Mold....and you see what happened in the Danger Room....but Arklay itself is of of those things that lies in plain sight...and yet is never seen. its almost like "area 51"....those who know of it, dismiss it as an urban legend...and those who have seen any of the "secrets" that lurk about the forest are dismissed as mad or drug addicts. if the TRUTH about it were to come out...ALOT of people would be in trouble...including me...since i was the person directly responsible for Lord Spencer's death.

Remember..I personally did not go to the mansion that night that the soldier i sent to rescue her. After HOURS....He came staggering toward the cottage with her. HE looked DRAINED..and SHE was nearly catatonic. I had considered going there to see what i could discover by HE stopped me..he FORBADE me and i knew from the look in his eyes that i NEEDED to listen to his warning...and so we escaped away from there as quickly as we could. It was YEARS before Sharon would actually talk about it with me...and I had to do ALOT of digging to find the information on the Arklay Mansion that I have...but i've SAT ON IT all this time and now you know why.

When the reports about missing hikers and victims of "cannibal attacks" began to occurr in ever increasing numbers....the local police department of the city in which Arklay falls under BLOCKED OFF all hiking trials and most passages deep into the forest. Sharon's cottage remained exempt because it was her personal get away and she was always flanked by secret service men or other methods of protection.....i honestly DONT KNOW what or WHO is inside of the Arklay Mansion...but again...the original staff...the lab workers...scientists...doctors...NONE OF THEM have EVER been accounted for.

Some how.....i think that I'm going to HAVE to go there...to the mansion. I've GOT to find out if Kyle is still alive....after all WE'VE seen courtesy of Mystech...including yourself and sharon....i think we BOTH know that almost ANYTHING is possible. there may be even more clues about Mystech itself...any possible overaseas operations etc...

it's late though....I'm due back in Washington tomorrow...

:: looking at Haleigh.::

maybe we can make a plan, to go there....together and see what we can find out.

:: a month ago these words would NEVER have come out Alycia's mouth.::

but for heaven's sake...DONT go gallavanting off to that mansion half cocked. the last thing i need is for a mutant to be seen traipsing about the Arklay forest and being spotted in or around the mansion that is supposed to be "off limits".

 

[Spellbinder]

L.A. California- no sleep

Morgan...Oh shit...I..uhh, was hoping you were awake already.

Morgan would quickly recognize Nicolas' agitation as he uncharacteristically fumbled, struggling to put his thoughts to words. He finally found them and sighed heavily, hoping that her testiness from sleep interruption was now subsiding. His voice was strong but agitated, his words quickly spilling out.

Honey, I want you to NEVER FORGET...no matter what comes, I will always be there and look out for you, no matter the sacrifice. It has ALWAYS been this way and it will always be this way, for as long as I still have breath. NEVER FORGET THAT. Do you hear me?

Nicolas was quite worked up, his breath quick into the phone. Morgan would recognize the rarity of this due to his physiology...

<< the eye mask concealed Morgan's sleepy violet eyes...but they soon blinked with more alertness as she began to tense up a bit at the sound of a unsettled Nicolas.>>

Nicolas!? what....what in the goddess' name are you talking about? whats the matter with you?

<< she began to wonder if this was another dream..and if suddenly some monster was going to come bursting out of her closet and attack her while Nicolas was on the phone....that his call was somehow a perverse WARNING....like something from Nightmare on Elmstreet.>>

 

[Black Widow]

Haleigh nodded, agreeing here and there with Alycia's statements. Sharon would be highly sensitive about the subject and understandably so. What was more.... Alycia COULD potentially get into some trouble for her role in Spencer's death... but the draw of the place was pulling at Haleigh like puppet strings.

"Then we'll have to make sure the truth stays buried."

Alycia recalls the black ops mercenary warning her to stay away from the mansion..... Haleigh, as could be expected, was not deterred. In fact.... she got this gleam in her eyes.... an almost lustful glint as she sets her cup down on the counter.

"This.... file you've got on Arklay..... can I see it?" Alycia reiterates that the forest is closed off from the public but that there are still unexplainable occurances in the area.... "It sounds awfully suspicious to me.... like some activity might still go on there." She agrees, and Alycia expresses the same urge Haleigh feels about going there to investigate. "WHOA.... whoa.... YOU'VE got to go back there?? You're NOT going alone.... you're not going without ME."

Alycia seems to arrive at the same conclusion and suggests they make a plan to go together. Haleigh stares at Alycia awkwardly.... as if she just swallowed a bee.

"Yes..... together.... and I think..... somebody better check the temperature in hell." [as Barnett warns Haleigh against going there alone] "Ugh, please. You know DAMN WELL that I don't go galavanting around anywhere HALF COCKED. [pausing to consider something] Listen.... Alycia. I'm going to tell the others what we intend to do. For Sharon's sake, I'll spare the sordid details... but I think it would be appropriate to tell the rest of the team that we're going to check the place out. And that's EXACTLY what we're going to do, okay? Nothing more. Bring your hiking boots.... your National Security badge.... and your big gun, but we're ONLY going to look around. We'll check the place out, see what we're dealing with.... then we'll pull BACK, call for reinforcements if necessary, and create a plan of action based on intel..... that clear? I don't mean to sound demeaning or like I'm trying to pull rank or anything.... but the last thing I need is for us to go in for a RECON mission and come out DEAD..... and there's one MORE thing.... I think.... you need to be prepared for.... what may have become of Kyle. You SAW the super soldier... that was once a kind, gentle man. Mystech can make monstrocity out of thin air. If Kyle IS still... in any sort of living state.... he will NOT be as you remember him."

 

[Seer]

goodnight

<<Alycia glares at Haleigh as even SHE realizes she sounds like she's "pulling rank"...but she again realizes Haleigh doesnt want to see Alycia dead ...or something worse. NEITHER of them want that for the other now. with some hesitancy, just because of how potentially monstrous this is...Alycia copies the file on Arklay....she warns Haleigh to either keep this sealed or DESTROY it. The two women are still finding their way in dealing with each other post such a bitter rift, but tonight is an indication of how far they've come ...and how far they will go. Alycia bids Haleigh goodnight. >>

<< Morgan receives an unusual phone call from Nicolas....playing on the fears generated by her unusual nightmare...and she is left to wonder just WHAT is going on. it appears her time in California will be coming to an end much sooner.>>

<< the night moves on....as everyone finds time to get the rest they will need. Alison returns to her old apartment, one floor beneath Morgan's and soon, everyone is asleep...but many minds linger on the ghosts of the past that are coming together to form an uncertain future...and the team and its allies are about to have their world interrupted AGAIN by an unlikely source.>>



<< and so we watch...>>