The rose fades to black

[Steel]

The Orphanage – Monitoring Room

Steel paced. The kids were all great, and safe for the moment. But the idea that Black Widow would come here…he would have thought this would be too far even for the Hellfire Club. After all, they were mutants too. He was angry, and he wanted justice for that little boy and his pain.

Something has to be done about that woman ::Black Widow::. She has crossed a line that is unforgiveable.

He stopped pacing and looked at Isis.

“Agreed. No matter what, if there was decency left in her, she would have died rather than harm a child. Even under duress – we all here would. But we can’t keep grasping at straws. We need a way to predict where she’ll be next. And neutralize her.”

My primary duty will be to safeguard these children, but if she's STUPID enough to try another pass? I'll pick up where ROSE left off...and FINISH her.

He nodded.

“After what she’s done, she has to be kill on sight. She’s too much of a liability – personal feelings of all involved aside, she’s not hesitating and neither can we.”

I saw what she did to Bishop. If Silver Swan hadn't called me when she did, he would not have survived. Sharon was right.

“No one thought Sharon was lying, Dominique – but we’re still at the same place we were yesterday: what exactly do we do about it? OTHER than sitting around to wait and see where she’ll attack next. That’s no longer an option.”

 

[Titan]

The Orphanage – Monitoring Room

He’d had a lot of fun playing with the kids, and resolved to bring a rugby ball round soon so they could learn a REAL game. They got the kids settled into bed then gathered in the monitoring room to keep watch. And discuss what in the bejesus they were going to do.

Something has to be done about that woman ::Black Widow::. She has crossed a line that is unforgiveable.

He stood with the group, his arms crossed, looking solemn.

“Zach still believes she’s a double agent.”

Zach was his friend, and he felt that someone here needed to speak for him.

“No matter what, if there was decency left in her, she would have died rather than harm a child. Even under duress – we all here would. But we can’t keep grasping at straws. We need a way to predict where she’ll be next. And neutralize her.”

Even Steel. He looked like he was about to tear the arms off of something.

“Do we have to kill her? Can’t we just…I don’t know…catch her? Then we could find out what’s really going on with her.”

“No one thought Sharon was lying, Dominique – but we’re still at the same place we were yesterday: what exactly do we do about it? OTHER than sitting around to wait and see where she’ll attack next. That’s no longer an option.”

“I gotta say – there are a hell of a lot of us. Why don’t we just get all the mutants we know, and go down there and get her? Why do we keep trying to go one on one with her? It’s hard to reach the goal when you’re in the middle of a scrum…”

 

[Oracle]

The Orphanage – Monitoring Room

Sable stayed with her, and she and the children played with the cat. They had tired her out enough that now she was sleeping on Zizi’s lap. She gently stroked the cat’s fur.

“Do you have any friends who’d like to come live at the Clocktower?”

But the conversation soon turned serious.

Isis expressed the need to do something about Black Widow, and Andrew interjected the hope that she wasn’t really the bad person she seemed. John agreed with Isis – that a child had been hurt made all bets off with him, Zizi knew. Neither he nor Isis would hesitate to kill Haleigh.

“Do we have to kill her? Can’t we just…I don’t know…catch her? Then we could find out what’s really going on with her.”

Zizi smiled at Andrew. He had a good heart. And he clearly cared about Zach’s feelings.

“If we can. But she might not give us that choice. We have to protect those who can’t protect themselves.”

I saw what she did to Bishop. If Silver Swan hadn't called me when she did, he would not have survived. Sharon was right.

Oracle shook her head. Poor Bishop. He had been a good friend to her and Ashley.

“Thank you for saving him, Dominique. He’s a good man.”

“We’re still at the same place we were yesterday: what exactly do we do about it? OTHER than sitting around to wait and see where she’ll attack next. That’s no longer an option.”

“I gotta say – there are a hell of a lot of us. Why don’t we just get all the mutants we know, and go down there and get her? Why do we keep trying to go one on one with her?”

“Without preparation, we could get a lot of our friends killed that way. Hellfire has a lot of resources. We wouldn’t just be fighting Black Widow. But you’re right – we can’t have any of us going up against her alone. And if we could cut her off from the others…neutralize her powers…”

Oracle pursed her lips in thoughts.

“I’ll start working on something to take care of her abilities. But in the meantime…Rose. She took care of Haleigh virtually on her own. We need her help here.”

She has to be stopped. She has to be PUT DOWN, her AND that renegade goddess, Persephone.

Persephone.

She had attacked Vivica and Simon. She was as much a problem as Haleigh was. But still…it made Zizi feel guilty, talking about killing her. She hated that a part of herself wanted them to go after her.

Snap out of it, York.

“Right now, we can’t take any chances.”

 

[Shadow Weaver]

The Parthenon- Cameron's penthouse

"Karen...The Hellfire Club is after me. They've found something they think they can exploit..and they are starting to do just as much. But I can survive that.."

"Ugh..."

:: Was he REALLY going to open this can of worms right now? Of course he was. He was Cameron King, that was what he did. At this point in their lives, who was to say what was the last time they'd all see each other. As angry and tired as he was, he didn't want to waste any more time. He NEEDED...his family..he only hoped that Karen would still consider him to be that. ::

"What I can't survive...is what's happened between us."

:: Mike made himself busy..knowing all the possibilities of what was about to transpire. ::

"What I said...was in a moment of extreme anger...and panic."

And how do you think my daughter felt in that moment? Or in the aftermath of the blue moon for that matter?

<< Cameron continued, and Karen listened. He was hurt because she sided with her daughter, and seemed to negate the very real progress he'd made. He was hurt because he thought she knew him to be a changed, evolved man.>>

Don't you think there was a better way to handle what you did w/ Morgan?

You think she wasn't already on edge regarding her issues with Delilah, or returning to the earth, her life and all the duties therein?

I don't just BLINDLY side with my daughter, Cameron. I've analyzed her, as I have you. She didn't get a pass after the Inferno. No punishment that I OR Ororo could possibly inflict on her would EVER equal the damnation that came with having to LIVE with the knowledge and memory of what she'd done to her sister, to Haleigh, to you, or the revelation of casualties like Bianca, and the ongoing efforts she's made to try and balance the scales.

The problem the TWO of you have had, from the BEGINNING of your relationship to one another was your LACK of empathy and compassion toward ONE ANOTHER.

But the MOMENT she returned from Limbo, you expected to be recognized for YOUR efforts, while discounting HER'S? What did you THINK she'd do? Just stand there and TAKE IT?!

The two of you have such similar responses to negative stimuli, and the threat of danger, but you can't recognize that about each other, and instead of supporting one another, you strike at one another with the same ferocity and creativity that should be reserved for an ENEMY. But then again, the two of you have OFTEN viewed each other as just that.

"I snapped. I went for the juggular...because I felt so afraid. I felt so threatened...Like, if someone like YOU...who KNEW everything about me..and KNEW what my intentions were..if someone like you could know that, and still...treat me.."

:: Cameron's breathing became heavier. ::

"Like I was...that guy. That person...that man I feel so far away from sometimes and yet still so close to..it just hurt. I said whatever came to my mind, Karen. And I apologize for it. I'm REALLY sorry.."

<< Karen's disdainful look slowly faded, and she slowly exhaled, allowing her hand to hold on to Cameron's. She remembered him, his case...and how far he'd come in spite of the odds stacked against him. She never would've helped him if she hadn't seen evidence that he WANTED to be helped. But then again...HALEIGH had presented herself as that person too. Was this another ploy? >>

<< He owned all of his maladaptive behavior, his disrespect, his mistreatment of her, morgan, alycia and others as he spoke to her. He FINALLY acknowledged the horrible wrong visited upon her by Talisman. He apologized. In this moment, he seemed more like the man she THOUGHT he'd become. But she also saw a person who was genuinely struggling with tremendous burdens, and sometimes, people lose their footing, they stumble, they fall.>>

<< She'd been in the process of writing him off, and somehow, he knew that. Was he just telling her what she WANTED to hear? No, they BOTH knew she could spot lies being told and facades being presented. He had nothing to lose by being open and plaintive right now, and all of this, AFTER the extraordinary lengths he'd gone to in order to render himself able to deal with the crisis...the DANGER of the Black Widow and Malice's Hellfire Club!?>>

<< It took courage and a sense of awareness of the impact of one's actions and the consequences of those actions, things that years ago, she felt he LACKED...to be able to say the things he was saying now to a person that was on the verge of closing the door on him forever. Moreover, he was displaying a sense of ethics...a sign of his GROWTH. Everyone could have a bad moment, a relapse, a moment of regression, but instead of wanting to wallow in it, he seemed to want to pull himself OUT of that, and Karen herself wasn't aware of his recent action to to remove some of his emotional pathways!>>

<< this was evidence of how serious and important the issue between them was to him! the man she knew years ago wouldn't be here speaking to her like this now...>>


<< He beseeched her to allow him time to at least...encounter and confront Talisman on a personal level. Her heart began to harden again and she looked away as he spoke>>

I have a right to vengeance. She violated me on a deeply personal level.

<< Karen said coldly. She knew she had Harbinger's full throated endorsement and support on the issue of Talisman >>

She violated Frost's memory...her soul...and she traumautized her. She deserves no consideration from ME OR my family.

<< She finally allowed herself to look at Cameron again.>>

But as the old saying goes...revenge is a dish best served COLD.

<< She wasn't going to discuss how she felt about this with him. Her mind was made up. Talisman WOULD PAY dearly for what she'd done, but for now, there's no reason that she couldn't "bide her time." Hopefully he would make GOOD USE of that time, and get whatever he felt he needed from his ill advised encounter with Talisman because after THAT? All bets would be OFF.>>

<< For now...Karen COULD address...>>

:: He was crying a bit at this point. ::

"So I can FIX us...Karen? I just want to fix us....I just want to make us NOT be the DISASTERS that we are. All my mistakes...my indiscretion with Haleigh...my POOR treatment of Alycia...Karen, you know me.. You KNOW that these are things I can overcome...and make RIGHT. But the only thing that I need to make right..the only thing that matters...is my sister. I can't lose her...so I have to know. I have to know WHY and WHERE this darkness comes from. How to change it. How to make it better, for all of us..."

:: Cameron gripped her hand tightly. ::

"You've been more of a mother to me than any woman I have ever known...and it kills me...that I disrespected you so much that it seems like you..and Blaze have turned your back on me. But please...I'm just asking you...BEFORE you kill her, before you just TAKE AWAY...one of the ONLY TIES to my past...a past I spent completely ALONE...that I just...get to bare witness. To who she is. To how she's like me..."

"I know it's not fair...I know it might enrage you...but PLEASE....Karen. When will I have done enough for you for you to know...that I don't want to destroy you...that I don't want to destroy Morgan...or ANY OF THE PEOPLE AROUND ME? When are my debts going to be paid off? When am I going to be able to rely on you? Like a son....should be able to rely on his mother?"

<< Her facial expression softened as she allowed her hand to return a squeeze of Cameron's hand. He had been horribly abused by his mother, the mainstream counterpart of Talisman. That kind of trauma can inform a person's behavior for the rest of their life! But he HAD learned the need to take responsibility for his actions through the years. He didn't use his parentage as an excuse to behave badly, which is more than could be said for a certain HYBRID she'd tried to help in the recent past.>>

<< Sigh!>>

Remember this moment, Cameron King. Remember this when you face my daughters, or anyone else that you think you have a problem with. You may not be aware of what THEY are facing in a moment of weakness or failure on their part.

The same equity and consideration that you hope to tap into now, is the same that they deserve.

This is a lesson that ALL of you in this group, INCLUDING Delilah, need to learn regarding your treatment of EACH OTHER

I have had more than enough, Cameron, with ALL of the children in this group.

Haleigh, Ava...all the effort that I WASTED on the two of them, and look how they repaid me? And all of that, ON TOP of Talisman?

<< she shakes her head.>>

The things that matter, the lives, the relationships...they efforts made on their behalf, they just TRAMPLED on. They have MUCH to answer for, and SO DOES TALISMAN.

But You've proven that you're not as amoral and heartless as they are. You HAVE grown, and I won't dismiss that...I won't turn away from you.

I accept your apology, and I forgive you. You do deserve a chance to regroup and start again.

<< she reaches forward and embraces Cameron.>>

Thank you for your sincerity and effort.

 

[Matrix]

Blaze stood up for me to Cass as she talked about working together.

Blaze stood up and stretched her arms up over her head, sighing as she noticed her reflection in a mirror

"We're not doing so hot around here, Rich...as you can see. Someone [Vivica] reminded me that living in a bubble isn't the answer either. So I guess for the moment...I'm "sobering" up. We've got to get ready, and instead of waiting for them to come here, we take it to THEM."

We are not on the same team, but we need to still maintain information and support between one another. And Cass is cool, we do not have to be buddy-buddy in order to attain goals together. Besides, I am not very...sociable. Pretty sure it's all my fault.

It had been a while since Miss D had let me know anything and I was feeling some type of way about it. We were on high alert. I used the mind spell thing.

Miss D...what's the status? I can be at your location weapons hot in less than 3 minutes.

I began to pace as I waited for an answer, still holding Blaze's hand. I turned to her. She seemed to like the nickname so I stuck with it.

Red, where is the rest of your team? How do we know other attacks aren't occurring? Can you contact them all and have them check in?

 

[Spellbinder]

From here to Limbo

:: Derek began to unfasten her skirt. ::

"I'm going to do to you what I should have done to you in Los Angeles."

:: He reached for his own belt buckle and unfastened it before flashing his beautiful eyes towards her for a moment. ::

"You're a beautiful...twisted creature Morgan. One that requires a specific hand."

:: Derek cupped Morgan's breasts. ::

"And I've got VERY skilled hands.."

:: He leaned in and whispered into her ear, his tongue delicately and intentionally playing with her ear lobe as he spoke. ::

"It's time to let go, Morgan..."

:: Smiling. ::

"What do you want me to do to you.?"

<< Eldritch chimes sounded off>>

STOP TALKING!

<< He would see Morgan's face now enshrouded in shadow, as she manifested the "darkchilde" aspect of herself in full, sexy form>>

And GET TO WORK!

<< She wraps her arms around him, bringing him DOWN.>>

<<FLASH!>>

<< With each view....two bodies twist and writhe, mouths and hands search, roam and taste. >>

<< a slow moving view, from the foot of the bed, to the top, and an unwavering view of Derek hungrily taking hold of Morgan, as she eagerly welcomes him.>>

<< With each blink of an eye>>

<< no more words, only actions, guided the basic instincts, the most powerful of them all>>

<< with each heart beat...in slow motion>>

<< our view of Derek and Morgan, Hellion and DARKCHILDE, shifts from one vantage point to another >>

<< Her sighs, her moans, his muffled , urgent grunts>>

<< That bewitching moment, when two become one...>>

<< And as as the time passes, she allows herself to be carried away on all levels, and her walls, and barriers fall away. It is the ULTIMATE experience in ecstasy, one that leaves Derek dizzied as she CONSUMES all of his efforts, and makes SURE that he expends every ounce of energy in the service, the PLEASURE of HER.>>

<< The moment she climaxes they "MOVE" from his dwelling to HER Summit in LIMBO, where the skies around that gigantic castle swirl and explode with thunder as she is caught up in that unholy rapture.>>

 

[Firebird]

From Isis' diamond suite to the War Room

We are not on the same team, but we need to still maintain information and support between one another. And Cass is cool, we do not have to be buddy-buddy in order to attain goals together. Besides, I am not very...sociable. Pretty sure it's all my fault.

I began to pace as I waited for an answer, still holding Blaze's hand. I turned to her. She seemed to like the nickname so I stuck with it.

Red, where is the rest of your team? How do we know other attacks aren't occurring? Can you contact them all and have them check in?

Rich was sweet. There was a sincerity about him beneath that hard exterior, and it was as though she was meant to find the softer side of him. While he seemed to be appealing to apart of herself that was a whole new feeling, a whole new sensation! She was never one to shy away from intrigue, mystery OR exploration, and regardless of what anybody else thought, she wasn't about to start doing that now! But everything in it's place. First....

"Morg is...busy. She'll be back soon. "

"Cameron is upstairs in his penthouse. My mom is up there with him, as is Mike. Delilah is not in the hotel. "

"The easiest thing to do is to Call Cameron and my mom to come down to the War Room. It'll be more appropriate to discuss the latest development about Black Widow and Persephone there. Come on."

Sighing while Standing up, she leads Rich and Cass out of Isis' diamond suite and to the VIP access elevator that will shoot them down to the underground facility designated for Six business.

A few moments later, an alert sounds off in Cameron's penthouse and Blaze's voice is heard over a private chanel.

"Prophet, Shadow Weaver, Arsenal, please report to the War Room, there's been an urgent development regarding Black Widow."

And while they waited, Blaze paced for a few moments...

"MORG. Time to quit tip toeing through the tulips with SATAN, there's URGENT business regarding our renegade sister that we need to discuss!"

 

[Isis]

The Sanctuary- Orphanage- Monitoring Room

“No one thought Sharon was lying, Dominique – but we’re still at the same place we were yesterday: what exactly do we do about it? OTHER than sitting around to wait and see where she’ll attack next. That’s no longer an option.”

:: His tone had chanced since the night Sharon first told them about Haleigh's betrayal. He was now certainly on board with stopping Haleigh in her tracks, PERMANENTLY. Any consideration that might have been granted to her was now forfeited by her despicable actions. ::

:: And then there was Andrew. One third of the of Birds of Prey's very on "three stooges", certainly picking up the slack for another part of it...Zach Armani. The two of them were SO pitiful and naive.::

“Zach still believes she’s a double agent.”

Zach was his friend, and he felt that someone here needed to speak for him.

What Zach believes , and what is REALITY are two very different things.

:: she said coldly::

Do we have to kill her? Can’t we just…I don’t know…catch her? Then we could find out what’s really going on with her.”

::Unbelievable! Where had Zizi found THIS one...the disney studios back lot!?::

Do you really need to ask someone who would shoot a child in the back "what is going on" with them!?"

Zizi smiled at Andrew. He had a good heart. And he clearly cared about Zach’s feelings.

“If we can. But she might not give us that choice. We have to protect those who can’t protect themselves.”

She won't hesitate to maim or kill anyone of us...especially the ones among us who, for whatever misguided reason, aren't willing or capable of fighting back.

That child deserves JUSTICE. Any possible consideration that MIGHT have been granted her is now FORFEIT.

Oracle shook her head. Poor Bishop. He had been a good friend to her and Ashley.

“Thank you for saving him, Dominique. He’s a good man.”

:: Dominique nodded, but witheld comment on Bishop. She had acted moreso on behalf of Delilah than she had Bishop. He was a relative stranger to her. But he had vexed her nephew and his entire team at one point, and his hostility toward mutants was known to her. But still, Delilah loved him. it was quite clear by her reaction when she and Sharon discovered him, half DEAD after Haleigh's brutal attack on him. In that moment, he was a victim, someone in need...and she knew he was a father. Alexia deserved every chance she had of seeing BOTH her parents again one day, and if nothing else...Dominique was very willing to help ensure she got that chance.::

“I gotta say – there are a hell of a lot of us. Why don’t we just get all the mutants we know, and go down there and get her? Why do we keep trying to go one on one with her? It’s hard to reach the goal when you’re in the middle of a scrum…”

:: Zizi needed to put him through the paces, and soon. He'd BARELY survived the violent confrontation with the Purifiers and the Nimrod in St. Patrick's cathedral. He'd be the sort of idiot that would go running through an open field...FULL OF LAND MINES.::

:: He ALSO was clearly unaware of Black Widow's personality, and capabilities. The woman, BY HERSELF, would be more than a match for the average mutant, especially one that was untrained, or LACKED sufficient POWER to stand against her.::

“Without preparation, we could get a lot of our friends killed that way. Hellfire has a lot of resources. We wouldn’t just be fighting Black Widow. But you’re right – we can’t have any of us going up against her alone. And if we could cut her off from the others…neutralize her powers…”

Oracle pursed her lips in thoughts.

“I’ll start working on something to take care of her abilities. But in the meantime…Rose. She took care of Haleigh virtually on her own. We need her help here.”

Some of us COULD fight her alone, and deal with her as she DESERVES.

I can use my runes, which are still affixed throughout the hellfire mansion, to gather more information. I also have a variety of spells that I can use to VIEW Black Widow, or other members of the Hellfire Club. The next move she makes, we would know, and be able to MEET her.

Shadow Weaver has a power scrambling effect that she freqently uses with her magick. I can use my own magicks to turn Black Widow's very own energy back upon her. The effect would be similar to Shadow Weavers. It would be painfully crippling to her, and would certainly aid in your effort to....

:: smirking::

"Catch" her.

:: She saw a passion in Steel just now that she'd seen at the Cathedral, when he waded into the fight against the nimrod. he was ready to PUNISH Haleigh, and Dominique would be GLAD to assist him.::

“Right now, we can’t take any chances.”

OR show any mercy.

It had been a while since Miss D had let me know anything and I was feeling some type of way about it. We were on high alert. I used the mind spell thing.

Miss D...what's the status? I can be at your location weapons hot in less than 3 minutes.

Everything is stable, Richard. Remain calm, and do not act out of impulse. Oracle, Steel, Xavier and this...neophyte, Titan are here with me. We have secured the surviving orphans and will guard them until we hear from Sharon and Alycia, or Rose herself. Your resources are best applied where you are, with Firebird. We will stay in contact with updates as appropriate. Be aware, and be SAFE, my knight. IF Black Widow and/or Persephone should attack there, STRIKE FOR YOUR LIFE, show NO mercy. I am quite certain Firebird will JOIN you in that effort, after all that has transpired.

 

[Silver Swan]

The Hospital

"I'm sorry...i'll be sure to attend the Learning Annex class on how to [mockingly] "foster" communication later. I assume that since you just completely belittled one of the only allies that Rose has left because you were being a petty little BITCH..[smirking].. that it WON'T be you who is teaching that class? You've all worked with Rose for years and you know NOTHING about her..and you've done NOTHING...as of late..to HELP her. So maybe get out of the driver's seat for a moment, and calm the fuck down, Jasmine Guy."

< They followed just like she knew they would. As they made their way to an empty waiting room in a less than desirable location in the hospital, Rae took a seat and lit up another cigarette right there in the waiting room! As she puffed on in, she surveyed the three of them, discerning the dynamic that was holding them back at this moment. >

[exhaling]

"Ya know? You two bitches need to soften your resolve? Because this guy?"

"He's good stock."

:: Alycia glared at Rae::

Charope: ::rolling her hazel eyes:: and maybe you should watch your MOUTH.

[ But Sharon cut Alycia off, and snaps at Rae herself. Enough was enough]

Silver Swan: Listen here, you withered old TREE BRANCH, you show up out of the blue, claiming to be be a friend of Rose's and peddling your act, like a reject from the Psychic Friends Network, and all you've done is disrespect us. If you don't start talking about something that actually MATTERS, I'm going to send you BACK to the where you came from, AIR EXPRESS courtesy of my B-52 PUNCH!

[ The woman then proceeded to encourage and affirm Zach. Alycia didn't show any outward reaction, but Sharon scoffed, until she mentioned her impression that he would make an EXCELLENT father. Again, regarding Jake. ]

But if he can't see the truth about Haleigh, how could he POSSIBLY protect Jake from future threats from her or the REST of the Hellfire Club!?

Okay Jean Dixon, now about ROSE?

[ Sharon said as she waved her hand dismissively. This woman showed no sense of respect OR decorum, so she deserved none in return. She ALSO hadn't provided any SUBSTANTIAL information or insight that could be of any use to THEM up till this very moment. She was about to get her one way ticket PUNCHED, LITERALLY. ]

"Outside of all that...the reason that any of you are here...is because of ROSE. Whether or not you've pledged your allegiance to her or not..it doesn't change the fact that she was attacked, and that between the THREE of you...NOBODY seemed to be present enough to help her SAVE one of her children."

Don't you question OR criticize US [ Sharon and Alycia] you weren't here, so YOU weren't much use or help EITHER.

"But Rose isn't a novice. And really? She could probably kill any of you with a thought. But she doesn't...because our girl has a long history. One where she LEARNED what's important..and what she should keep her mouth SHUT ABOUT."

[taking another drag]

Charope: :: to the part about Rose being capable of killing them:: Rose isn't that kind of person. She knows she can trust US. We've been working with her for many years.

"I met Rose YEARS ago..long enough ago that I'm not inclined to mention it because I don't want you assholes to secretly be calculating my age in your head..."

< Laughing >

"I'm in my sixties. ANYWAY. We found out that we had a lot in common. I was a preacher's daughter who loved everything bad..and well she was born in Genoa, Italy to two people who were members of a DOOMSDAY cult who thought her to be a MESSIAH because of her power, and her naughty little hair color."

:: This got the amazons' attension!::

"Thank GOD the cult was the subject of infighting...They destroyed themselves and little baby Rose was put in the foster care system...but not for long."

"She was adopted by an older couple...VERY well suited to take care of her. Her mother...she was a fortune teller..showed her the cards and how to use them."

< Thinking for a moment. >

::Sharon commanded her silver eye mask to disappear as she and alycia both stared at Rae and listened.::

"Look..I'm assuming that I'm in mixed company. That you all are mutants. I'm not...but i'm also not without my gifts. I'm not your everyday run of the mill psychic. I'm what's known in my circles as a traveller. As a little girl I would astral project in my sleep, travel the astral plane freely.."

"At one point in my life...I realized that there were others like me. Children...travelling farther than they knew...to a place called "The Further" ...where the astral plane goes black..where EVERYTHING that goes bump in the night lives. These kids...they don't know where they're going.or what they're doing, and almost every time...they bring something BACK with them..."

< Cocking an eyebrow. >

"Rose was no exception. Her travelling and her mutant based incredible psionic power garnered the attention of a psionic being known as "The Unloved" which sough to possess her body and her power. I diidn't know her at this point, so things went a way that were irreversable."

"The Unloved murdered her adoptive parents and tried to attack Rose. This was the first time that Rose manifested her power from SOUL to..."

[pausing]

"PSYCHO power. She thought she destroyed this beast..and why wouldn't she? Her power destroyed her family home and a fifty mile radius around her...That was the moment she became WHO she was in this world."

< Ashing the cigarette on the floor around her. >

[ The amazons looked at each other. They BOTH recalled the first time they laid eyes on Rose. From that time till now, this beautiful, mysterious, but serene woman was carrying this terrible burden...this PAIN around inside herself! She HERSELF was an orphan...TIMES TWO! THAT was what made her so sensitive, and such a STRONG advocate for mutant orphans in this city! They'd NEVER questioned her motives before, but they never KNEW her motives, they never KNEW her backstory. She never WAS one to talk much about HERSELF! And now...they were starting to get an indication of WHY.]

[ The amazons both looked visibly pained]

Charope: Athena! Oh Rose...

[ But it wasn't just her backstory, her trauma...Rae noted that Rose's immense psionic powers had two manifestations. SOUL...and PSYCHO. PSYCHO power was apparently vast and DESTRUCTIVE in nature.]

"Now...after that..it's a blur. Rose wasn't open with me in regards to that part of her life...and that's whatever. Every girl needs a bit of mystery...but there's a common theme that is presenting itself."

"She's been orphaned not once but TWICE! And people only seem to want her for her power. The HELLFIRE Club has tried to tempt her...even Terra Save. She feels like she's not a person..."

"The only reason that she seems so serene is because is because she KNOWS that she can protect herself and has the power to face nearly ANY FOE that confronts her. Her weakness? What's she's going through right now?"

[exhaling]

"It ISN'T external...it's INTERNAL. When somebody is treated like an object...what are they supposed to do?"

Both Sharon and Alycia thought: "WHAT INDEED?"

:: Sharon could empathize to some degree, considering what had been done to her by mystech's "Suits", what they INTENDED her to be for them...a living weapon.::

:: It now made much more sense...but the clarity regarding Rose was almost terrifying. the scope of her power was more than ANY of them had known, and apparently she'd begun tapping more and more into the "PSYCHO" power with each encounter she had with members of the Hellfire Club.::

"Look...Rose has the dinero to support herself from now until the end of time...she doesn't objecively need anybody's help. But The Hellfire Club is pushing her...trying to get at her..."

< She looked at the three of them seriously. >

"The world will not survive what Rose could do. And after tonight...I'm worried that, thanks in large part to the bickering invisible friends around her, she is poised to cross a line she won't come back from. Ya'll sit there and persecute each other...and every second of time that you waste...it gets worse for ROSE. I can SENSE that all of you are afraid of her..and what she can do...and with good reason. Why can't the three of you just shut up and rally behind a woman you KNOW needs your help?"

[ This woman, even though she proved to be telling the truth about herself, and her connection to Rose, was still insufferable and rude as hell, but by now...it didn't matter. There were more pressing issues at hand, and someone in genuine need of help.]

Silver Swan: Nice to see that your foul mouth was good for something other than talking trash. Do you plan on sticking around to help your friend?

[ It was a fair question. Charope was looking at Zach. She would have her potfolio back from him. Maybe not now, but before the night was over. Things had changed since he inherited it, and she no longer felt he was the best person to maintain it, PARTICULARLY Rose's case. But now that Rae had educated her more about Rose, she realized that SHE could no longer simply support Rose from the sidelines. None of them could.]

Charope: We need to set up sentry here in black widow or any one else from the inner circle tries to come here. Rose is a target of the Hellfire Club. This is the third time this week she has had confrontation with them Rae seems to imply that there's been previous contact before now, but what is clear is that she's tapping into a darker, more violent aspect of her power.

::It's a progression that Alycia and Zach have seen from at least ONE OTHER person in the Six in the past.::

We have to do something to help her.

Rose shouldn't HAVE to face this alone, and she's not going to, from this moment forward.

 

[Persephone]

Haleigh: "THAT is why she didn't tell me? We've talked about sex before. I thought she wouldn't admit it because she was afraid I'd be angry."

Persephone rolled her eyes, for someone so smart Haleigh could be so dense sometimes.

"You really don't get it do you? You're the last person she'd ever want to hurt. You could of put up a neon banner between two hot air ballon saying 'Go fuck Zach! I don't care!' and she would of still felt some form of guilt. It's just who she is."

Tilting her drink so a piece of ice slipped into her mouth, she began to chew it.

"Must be nice to have someone that loyal--"

She corrected herself with a smirk.

"HAD someone. MY mistake."

Persephone may not have wanted to kill Scion in that particular moment, but she was no Ava. She didn't care about Haleigh's feelings or lease on life. In that moment, Haleigh was a decent ally to have despite her stupid and reckless choices she had previously made.

The conversation went back to Zach and how Persephone didn't get to experience the full extent of Zach's talents. It really WAS a shame. She should of taken more advantage.

Haleigh: "You know Zach is never going to give up on us. The others will have no problem hating us for what we're doing. Even DELILAH will abandon me after what I did to Bishop. But Zach.... he won't. He knows how we FEEL -- Well, he knows how Haleigh and Ava feel. He won't accept that we are now Scion and Seph down to the core."

"He's in for a rude awakening."

In more ways than one, she thought to herself with a smile.

Then Haleigh took her bait about Cameron. Said she didn't care if she fucked him and was surprised he hadn't fucked her already. Persephone laughed.

"Me? No. AVA on the other hand..."

She swirled the ice in her glass nonchalantly.

[playfully] "Opps, did I say that out loud?"

She offered Haleigh that tidbit of information before slipping off the bed and walking back over to the wet bar where Haleigh stood. This little push pull game they were playing was quite fun actually. But of course, Haleigh had to ruin the fun with a serious warning about Cameron. Persephone rolled her eyes.

Haleigh: "Be CAREFUL..... Cameron King has the power to put YOU back in your cage before you even draw your blade."

"Ye of little faith!"

She feigned shock as she placed her empty glass down.

"I can handle Cameron King."

Her tone much more serious. Finally, Persephone turned to Scion giving her a once over.

"Well as entertaining as this has been, I have business to attend to."

Walking past Haleigh, Persephone was already unzipping the back of her dress as she reached her chamber door, opening it for Haleigh.

"Enjoy the rest of your evening."

Her tone indicated she really didn't care if Scion enjoyed it or not. More a formality to kick her out quickly. But Persephone did think for a moment about what SHE was about to do and smiled.

"I know I will be."

 

[Jezebel]

Hospital

Silver Swan: "Nice to see that your foul mouth was good for something other than talking trash. Do you plan on sticking around to help your friend?"

"Honey, strong as you might be...there are realms so dark and far above anything your incredible strength and durability could handle. Some peacocks don't need to flaunt their feathers in order to be effective. You have your playgrounds and I have mine. And trust me when I say, that if and when Rose goes off the deep end...I'll be there for her, because the three of you can't even handle a declarative sentence let alone the darkest reaches of The Further."

< Smirking to herself. She loved women like Sharon. She was a bad ass through and through and for a moment she could picture Sharon playing the bass guitar in Rae's band. She was brash and aggressive and she could kill anybody who disagreed with her, but she was still a bit uneducated, still a novice in her new form. Sharon could handle anybody in this mortal realm with ease, but she wasn't prepared..nor could she SURVIVE the playing field that Rae and Rose could play at. In all her years, this was comforting to see. >

Charope: "We need to set up sentry here in black widow or any one else from the inner circle tries to come here. Rose is a target of the Hellfire Club. This is the third time this week she has had confrontation with them Rae seems to imply that there's been previous contact before now, but what is clear is that she's tapping into a darker, more violent aspect of her power."

"Oh she has sentry in the city, no thanks to any of you. I can tell sitting here that you know the name Danny Donnelly? AKA Citadel?"

< Taking a drag of her cigarette. >

"He's been with Jake quite some time now..though I know the boy quite well. He's gone to the cafeteria to enjoy some hospital jello."

< Ashing. >

"In fact..in Black Widow's attack on the orphanage, Danny was the man that made all the difference. He re-routed Black Widow back onto Rose's path. It's clear that the three of you have some sort of special dynamic that has seen you through tought times, but you aren't the only heroes in the city."

< Pausing for a moment. >

"Look..I know I'm a tough bitch. I'm not polished..in fact I'm polish REMOVER. But it seems like ya'll got something going on right now that's splitting your focus. It's fine. Life happens. But I will say...not knowing you...your reactions seem like the three of your are FAR better friends than what ya'll are representing. You guys love each other...I can feel it..."

[grabbing Sharon's hand]

"And not to rock the boat...but if you ever need guidance, you have a whole CHORUS of people from the other side wanting to talk to you. It's giving me a headache. So just say the word..."

[looking back at the group]

"But this is petty as hell..and the blame can't be put on one person. She's your friend..she's in trouble and it sucks to think that she's hurting so you're lashing out. I'm not Rose's protector. She's a full grown woman...but if you're going to include her in "portfolios" and things like that..well then you GOTTA get a better sense of what's going on. Rose loves all of you.and ALL of you..meaning...ZACH..ALYCIA.AND SHARON have made promises that you didn't keep..so, do ya'll wanna feel ANGRY about that? Or do ya'll wanna unite and do some GOOD!?"

< Finishing her cigarette she flicked it on the floor and squished it beneath her heels as she pulled a flask out from her jacket and took a swig as she saw a man in the corner and her eyes immediately softened. >

"Bout time you showed up Danny."

 

[Black Widow]

The Hellfire Club -- Red Rook's Quarters

Persephone: He's in for a rude awakening.

Haleigh's gaze roamed the room, and settled on a trinket on the dresser as she thought about Zach. She knew Persephone was absolutely correct. She was afraid that he'd make excuses for them, take risks for them, and do anything in his power to save them. She was afraid he'd die for his loyalties.

Persephone: Me? No. AVA on the other hand... [playfully] Oops, did I say that out loud?

Haleigh turned to look at her sister then, the stoic mask back on. Was she surprised, or hurt, or angry? It was impossible to tell. She watched Persephone walk back over to deposit an empty glass on the bartop.

Persephone: Ye of little faith! I can handle Cameron King.

For a few tense moments, there was silence. Haleigh seemed to be evaluating the statement, and the woman who made it, very carefully.

"If you insist. Don't say I didn't warn you."

She replied casually. It was not lost on her that Persephone seemed to size her up a bit.

Persephone: Well as entertaining as this has been, I have business to attend to. Enjoy the rest of your evening.

"Persephone...."

She started, and for a moment, the mask slipped again, and it looked like she was going to say something meaningful. That she loved Ava more than she loved herself, that there was nothing Haleigh wouldn't do for her sister, that she was as loyal to Ava as Ava was to her, or that she wished she could have taken Ava's place in every single instance she was hurt by these monsters they'd surrounded themselves with. All these things crossed her mind, but none of them crossed her lips. She looked at Persephone's cold, hard smile, and then she mirrored it with her own expression.

"Thanks for the drink."

She said finally, and then she passed through the open door, out into the main corridor of the Red Court's Wing. She was receiving an incoming call, and she promptly lifted her hand to her ear.

"Hello Specter."

 

[Citadel]

The Hospital

:: Danny was pissed off. While normally he was a fairly gentle and laid back person, when shit like this happened he had a well of anger to draw from. The Black Widow was a traitor to the city, and it didn't matter what her motivations were anymore. It didn't matter the reasoning behind it. To try and humanize this woman would lead to destruction. He was glad that Rose could see that, but it seemed that these other masked crusaders, these "super" teams were beating around the bush, struggling to come to some kind of conclusion. And now a child had been fatally wounded, with no help at ALL from the people who Rose had entrusted to help protect her city block, her sanctuary and her children. ::

:: Jake may have been injured but it wasn't for lack of trying on Rose and Danny's part. He didn't know Black Widow, but he knew who she was associated with, or at least had been. When he had seen her on television, his powers as an urban elemental allow him to gleam her places of residence in the city. She had lived at The Parthenon on 5th avenue - a place that was crawling with successful and rich mutants, people he believed to be at least trying to protect the city. She ran an intelligence agency that was fronted by a Photography business, just on the intersection of Broadway & 8th. Able to see the complete structure in his mind, it hadn't taken him long to know what Liquid Crystal Images was really doing. But when he looked at her near Rose's sanctuary, it was clear that she lived somewhere new...still on 5th Avenue but sixteen blocks down - at The HELLFIRE Mansion. It appeared that Ava Cassadine was not the only one who had seemingly gone evil and Danny was having about enough of this chaos. ::

:: When the city hurt...HE HURT and depending on the events, sometimes got so SICK that he couldn't even get out of bed. As he left Rose for a few moments with Jake, Danny walked down to the cafeteria SEETHING with anger. The Silver Swan destroying Times Square for no other reason than to bash some skulls around, The Black Widow going rogue trying to STEAL a CHILD, Ava Cassadine trying to take out an ENTIRE city block in her quest to kill TWO people. Danny was DONE not being able to figure things out..he was DONE letting these "heroes" work in the shadows. He was the sentry of this city, and it was time to let the others know that they may be very powerful, but they were playing on property that DIDN'T belong to them. ::

"What the hell?"

:: Cigarette smoke? In a hospital!? Making a contorted face for a moment, his anger suddenly vanished as he cracked a smile, shaking his head as he dropped the white plastic spoon on the counter Rae was here and close by. He felt bad for not calling her, not alerting her to what happened. But thankfully, Rae was a psychic and it was clear she had gotten the message on her own. ::

:: Walking down a corridor, he turned right and found the opening to the waiting room. ::

Rae: "Bout time you showed up Danny."

:: Danny walked over to her and hugged her before grabbing her cigarette, just as she was about to light it, dropping it and squishing it underneath his shoe giving her an unamused look. ::

"Rae..I know you can't HELP but to be a rule breaker..but for chrissakes, this is a hospital.."

:: He had been so happy to see Rae that he almost didn't recognize who was with Rae, but as he turned his head his smile faded. ::

:: Sharon he had just threatened, Zach he had just threatened on the phone. His eyes gleamed on Alycia for a second as he used his power to discern her status within the city. He had heard of her before, but who the hell KNEW what was going on with ANYBODY in this city anymore. ::

"Alycia Barnett. Lawyer. Charope LLC...504 Grand Street. The city enjoys her antics and her somewhat dubious nature..she had championed for the rights of the silent. She has done good work for this place. No threat immediately detected."

:: cocking an unamused eyebrow. ::

"Hi. I'm Danny Donnelly. What exactly are you doing here, Silver Swan? Feeling like destroying a hospital with no regard to the people around you, just like you did a few hours ago in Times Square? These people here are hurt and in pain..so TRY and calm your obnoxious rage for a few moments and let them continue to SLEEP."

:: Nodding to Alycia. ::

"You're reputation precedes you. I hope you will not end up like some of your would be friends have as of late. The city protects those who protect IT."

:: Turning to Zach. ::

"And you must be the guy I keep HEARING about but haven't seen. At ALL. You wanna tell me how Wonder Woman, a man with an INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY background and a highly successful LAWYER all managed to be so STUPID?"

"You're FRIENDS...have been rampaging the city for DAYS now...putting EVERYBODY in danger, putting ROSE in danger, and you have YET to understand and REALIZE...after TWO ATTACKS on her sanctuary...ones I was there to help STOP, that ANY of you should have checked in? Maybe picked up on the fact that she fuckin' helps ORPHANS so that whatever it is you got goin' on in your lives don't really matter at the moment? 'specially not since you all AGREED to help her? Keep her safe?!"

:: His brooklyn accent began to flair up wildly as it did when he was angry, as did his machisimo factor. He may have been gayer than a closeted college boy on Halloween, but when it mattered, Danny could become the epitome of your classic "Brooklyn Tough Guy" ::

[putting his hands up]

"I don't wanna hear no goddamn stories about some bullshit excuses as to why none of you could be bothered and if I DO - I am going to walk you right up to that kid's room and make you say those SAME bullshit excuses to his FACE."

:: He gritted his teeth for a moment. ::

"Now what the HELL is happening and how the HELL do we stop it?"

 

[Dennis Nedry]

KIDS. Little shits. Dirty and whiny and needy and the reason he had a job. So he was here, and somebody was gonna pay for getting him out of bed.

He walked through the hospital like he owned the place, making a beeline past a group of strippers/whores in costume and through the double doors to the source of his lack of sleep.

Hello, rose is it? Whatever. I am Dennis, Dennis Nedry with the Child Welfare Services of the State of New York. I assume you can explain how you SOLELY keep dozens of minors at a block-large residence in the CITY AND managed to shoot a child tonight!

Speak up, or I will wake enough officers to pick them all up and I will secure foster care for them PERSONALLY. You have about TWO MINUTES.

His toe tapped impatiently as he waited to see what she might say. Who knew, maybe she did have something he hadn't heard yet.

 

[Orion]

The Hospital

Zach had learned early on in the game that when you got more than one opinionated lady in the room, it was often best to just listen and choose your words very carefully. Back and forth they went, the Amazons and this new woman. She actually seemed like a really nice lady, especially after she straight up called Sharon and Alycia bitches for how they were treating Zach. Alycia told Rae to shut her mouth, and Sharon actually SCOFFED.

Zach stuck his hands in the pockets of his pants. He was so frustrated with these two former friends, he almost walked off AGAIN. Then Rae started talking about Jake, and he felt that devastation creeping up on him once more. He wanted, desperately, to see Jake and be there for him, to know what was happening, to be told that everything was going to be okay and Jake would be fine. Rae commented that he'd make a good father, and he choked back tears, wondering if she knew what that meant to him. It didn't even matter that it came from a complete stranger. Before he could thank her, Sharon interrupted.

Sharon: Okay Jean Dixon, now about ROSE?

Zach's gaze snapped to her, and he watched as Sharon made a dismissive gesture with her hand. If she had SLAPPED him, it would have hurt less. He looked at her a little while longer, trying to reconcile this ANGRY STRANGER with the Sharon Kelly he'd known for years, trying to understand how she could be so disdainful. What had happened to their relationship? How had he earned her contempt?

Rae turned the conversation to Rose, and laid a lot of information on them. She really shed a LOT of light on a dark subject. Sharon and Alycia continued to be so ornery, it was a wonder to Zach that Rae didn't tell them all to fuck off and die. Instead, she was patient and despite the rough edges, very helpful. She mentioned Danny, who promptly showed up, almost as if summoned. Then the man proceeded to rip three strangers apart for something they had no control over. Danny very obviously did not know enough to save his own life about the people he was berating. Zach had to talk himself out of punching the guy. It was clear to Zach that Danny was being an absolute asshole because he was upset about what happened at the Sanctuary. Zach listened as Danny insulted everyone except the PSYCHIC for basically not being able to divine the future. Then, after several minutes of silence, he finally chose his words.

"Danny...... where is Jake?"

 

[Rampage]

The Desert of the US Southwest
​

Theoretically this should work. At least according to the 8 year old GIRL that helped him calculate how to do it. Nicolas hefted the 8 ton weight easily, spun it and threw it, holding on, as high up as he could safely. It would not break orbit this way but he knew that if he threw it will all of his power it was likely to be damaged. He messaged out.

Look for spatial relocation and prepare to link up.

Roger that, sir!

​

As he began to plummet with the item, he shunted to....

...the astral plane and free-fell with the item, tumbling it as instructed by the mission coordinator and would-be third-grader were it not for her off the charts IQ. As it reached the proper speed from free-fall (~17,000 miles per hour), protected by his TK, he shunted it again...

into orbit and let it go, teleporting...

...back to his office in his suite.

Mission status.

Satellite online...orbit achieved, systems online, the first ultra-high melting point thermoplastic satellite is up and running. Birds Eye One is operational. The future-tech encryption protocol I established is running. And you owe me some shopkins.

You can have as many shopkins as you want if this works...

IF it works?! hmph! That will cost you more than shopkins.

I know I know....look, thanks for everything. Now I am sure it is almost time for bed. Goodnight.

Nicolas smiled. He felt like he was finally starting to do something about what has been going on. He could not wait to speak with Morgan and let her know what he was planning to help the teams coordinate. Mike was already set to take care of his end, and he pinged him mentally to let him know that part was a go.

​

 

[Specter]

Clandestine Intelligence

Haleigh: Hello Specter.

"JESUS FUCKING CHRIST HALEIGH."

He said, finally giving words to sentiments he didn't want to show at the board meeting. Most wouldn't be brave enough to talk to her that way, but they had a lot of intimate history together and he was more than comfortable speaking freely with her.

Haleigh: Yeah, I know. It's a very long story and I'm not at liberty to disclose details right now.

She replied, and he sighed heavily. He worked DEVGRU, he knew all about long stories. Sometimes you had to wait a while for a proper debrief. He didn't like it, but if they weren't going to have a personal conversation, then he needed to have a professional one.

"The board has voted to activate the Midnight Contingency."

Haleigh: I expected no less.

"They installed me as your Surrogate."

Haleigh: Perfect.

"You will still receive your salary and remain eligible for all health benefits. Your stock options have been locked in their current portfolio, you may only liquidate through transactions with board members in good standing. Any requests for assistance will be cautiously considered. In light of your recent activities, it may be difficult to justify extending you any company resources."

Haleigh: Copy that.

"Babe..... What did you do with the MISSILES?"

He hadn't called her that in a long time, but he was trying to break through the professionalism and get something more out of her than these perfunctory answers.

Haleigh: I need them.

"THOUSANDS?!?! Must be a DIRE NEED!"

Haleigh: Don't you trust me, Griffin?

"I'm doing my best here. But after seeing what happened at the orphanage..... I mean.... I just don't understand how you can be saving the world this time."

For a few moments, there was silence. He checked to make sure the call hadn't been dropped or disconnected, then place it back on his ear. He waited for her to say something, anything that would allay his doubts.

Haleigh: I don't think I can anymore.

This whole exchange, her tone had been so mechanical, until now. He hadn't been prepared for her confession, or how tormented she suddenly sounded. He recalled what Zach had said, about the message she'd sent him. The video of a possible beating, or worse.

"It's never too late for extraction."

He replied quietly. A beat later, the line went dead. He sighed, and reached over to stop the recording, then decided to rewind it and listen to it again.

 

[Recall]

Underground

:: Vivica was incredibly thankful to be out of the walls at The Parthenon and where she felt like she could make a difference. Have some control. While she was only acting as a source of comfort for the kids, she felt useful and really the act was more selfish than selfless as the warmth of these kids despite such terrible circumstances really gave Vivica hope. She was glad to see that Julian was okay. After The Purifiers Event, Vivica had felt moved by what Rose was doing in this city. She wanted to help and Rose put her on the path of Julian. He was a teenager, a year away from "aging" out of the system. He was a gifted telekinetic but he was closed off and angry, as most kids in his circumstances were. Vivica had taken Julian to her studio on more than one occassion, where she shared her own ways of coping with difficult emotions - by making art. He was a natural artist, even using his abilities in his paintings. She enjoyed his company. She knew better than most people how difficult it was to come up in less than safe and savory surroundings, so trying to pay it forward was a no brainer. She hugged Julian tight as he went off to bed. Her warmth and distraction faded as she was now in the room with other members of The Birds of Prey and the topic of Black Widow came up again. ::

"God DAMN I am sick of TALKING about this woman."

Isis: "Something has to be done about that woman. She has crossed a line that is unforgivable."

Andrew: "Zach still believes she's a double agent."

Steel: "Agreed. No matter what, if there was decency left in her, she would have died rather than harm a child. Even under duress - we all here would. But we can't keep grasping at straws. We need a way to predict where she'll be next. And neutralize her."

:: Recall activated her power as the others spoke, recounting every bit of "footage" she had in her mind on current circumstances, if only for Zach's sake. There had to be something that they were missing. Vivica couldn't call herself "Recall" if she couldn't put any of these pieces put together. Data scrolls across her eyes as the others talk about the problem of Haleigh Davidoff. ::

Andrew: "Do we have to kill her? Can't we just...I don't know...catch her? Then we could find out what's really going on with her."

Oracle: “If we can. But she might not give us that choice. We have to protect those who can’t protect themselves.”

"We can't kill her. The White Queen won't let us - and to try would be foolish. It would only incur us the rage that Haleigh says she was trying to have The Six avoid..And personally? I think she's trying to kill HERSELF. She has a death wish."

Isis: "My primary duty will be to safeguard these children, but if she's STUPID enough to try another pass? I'll pick up where ROSE left off...and FINISH her."

Steel: "After what she's done, she has to be kill on sight. She's too much of a liability - personal feelings of all involved aside, she's not hesistating and neither can we."

Isis: "I saw what she did to Bishop. If Silver Swan hadn't called me when she did, he would not have survived. Sharon was right."

:: Bishop. Haleigh had attempted to kill Bishop. Things were coming together in Vivica's mind as her passive ability worked in the background of this conversation. ::

Oracle: “Thank you for saving him, Dominique. He’s a good man.”

Steel: "No one thought Sharon was lying, Dominique - be we're still at the same place we were yesterday: what exactly do we do about it? OTHER than sitting around to wait and see where she'll attack next."

Andrew: "I gotta say - there are a hell of a lot of us. Why don't we just get all the mutants we know, and go down there and get her? Why do we keep trying to go one on one with her? It's hard to reach the goal when you're in the middle of scum."

Oracle: “Without preparation, we could get a lot of our friends killed that way. Hellfire has a lot of resources. We wouldn’t just be fighting Black Widow. But you’re right – we can’t have any of us going up against her alone. And if we could cut her off from the others…neutralize her powers…I’ll start working on something to take care of her abilities. But in the meantime…Rose. She took care of Haleigh virtually on her own. We need her help here.”

Isis: "She has to be stopped. She has to be PUT DOWN; her AND that renegade goddess, Persephone."

Oracle: "Right now, we can't take any chances."

"I'm worried it's just not that simple. It should be that simple...Haleigh has made herself an enemy and she needs to be stopped. But I think he need to look a little deeper here. She is being tested...as is Ava. Haleigh may have pledged allegiance to Hellfire Club, but that doesn't mean Malice has accepted her with open arms. She's testing her...sending her on intentionally difficult, morally corrupt tasks..ones that she KNOWS will incur the wrath of the people she loves and leave a wake of destruction. From it what it seemed like at The Parthenon...Delilah seemed to be somewhat on Haleigh's side yes? What better way to turn her against Haleigh than for Haleigh to go out and destroy Bishop? It's either that..or.."

:: For a moment...even VIVICA had to think that Haleigh might be doing this on purpose, might be intentionally trying to burn her bridges to protect the others, but she wouldn't allow her mind to go there...not just YET. ::

"Nevermind. Anyway..it's safe to assume that Malice saw the encounter between Ava and Rose earlier. Ava has the power of a GODDESS and if she couldn't touch Rose..what would make Diana think that Haleigh could? Nothing. She SENT her on that task because she knew she would fail, because she is testing to see...if she can DOMESTICATE Haleigh."

:: She shook her head for a minute to focus all the information she was thinking of in that moment. ::

"Failing to get that child? It's going to garner punishment. It's just a step further along in the domestication process. She wants to break Haleigh..and Haleigh can't be broken. I know that...."

"Regardless of the reasons..and our anger, and the RIGHTEOUS JUSTICE that is deserved for that little boy in the hospital, this problem won't be solved quickly..neutralizing her powers could help..but honestly? We need to hold off the domestication process as long as possible. We have to keep making sure that she fails, that she doesn't pass the tests, that she retains hope that somebody will try and save her...it's only going to make things worse for Haleigh, only going to hinder her further. The more she incurs Diana's wrath, the more we are going to see what the ultimate goal of her decision has been. We just have to try and figure out what the next "test" is...and ensure that she fails..."

:: shaking her head. ::

"I've known Haleigh for years..and I know THIS..the only person equipped to destroy Haleigh Davidoff IS Haleigh Davidoff, so maybe we should LET her do the job for us."

:: smirking::

"But Ava? Oh we gonna kill that bitch RIGHT quick."

 

[Rose]

The hospital

<< further inside, Rose had left little Jake in the capable hands of an emergency surgery team, while SHE tended to his spirt and his mind on the astral plane, doing all she could to comfort him, and lull him into sleep. She THEN ensured that he would stay anchord to his physical form, while the mortal surgeons performed their emergency surgery on him.>>

<< She could not be in the actual room with him during surgery, but she now knew that he would survive.>>

<< She stood in the dark family waiting room, away from the bickering among Sharon, Alycia and Zach. But she registered the presence of her dear friend...>

Rae....

<< the first word she'd spoken since she violently cast Zach, Sharon, and Alycia out of the hospital a little while ago.>>

<< She looked up at the ceiling, with her eyes closed. tears rolled down her face once again. For the first time SINCE she'd brought Jake here...she had a moment to just stop...and THINK about all that had happened.>>

<< HALEIGH DAVIDOFF. JAKE survived, but 42 children did NOT...and it was because of HER. SHE could have saved them, but she deemed them UNWORTHY!>>

<< As an ORPHAN herself, Rose was shocked, she was INCENSED. Haleigh's attitude was INDICATIVE of the prevailing mindset in this city, this jungle of steel and stone. She paraded around, absorbing the accolades that came with being perceived as a hero, when really she was a selfish, souless MONSTER who had the blood of 42 children on her hands! Chidlren that she never cared about. Children that she felt were not worthy of consideration! She was NO BETTER THAN THOSE PURIFIERS! She was WORSE because she was a fellow MUTANT.>>

<< Rose would END her, one way OR another, and right now, RAE was educating Zach, Sharon and Alycia on the fact that Rose had the POWER to do just that!>>

"I don't wanna hear no goddamn stories about some bullshit excuses as to why none of you could be bothered and if I DO - I am going to walk you right up to that kid's room and make you say those SAME bullshit excuses to his FACE."

:: He gritted his teeth for a moment. ::

"Now what the HELL is happening and how the HELL do we stop it?"

<< but as they stood talking, joined by Rose's OTHER friend, Danny Donnely, who was righteously ANGRY on her behalf as well as Jakes, one threat was being supplanted by another. And this threat was one that couldn't be IMMEDIATELY resolved by powers even as GREAT as Rose's!>>

<< As she stood in that dark famiy waiting room, shuddering...>>

Hello, rose is it? Whatever. I am Dennis, Dennis Nedry with the Child Welfare Services of the State of New York. I assume you can explain how you SOLELY keep dozens of minors at a block-large residence in the CITY AND managed to shoot a child tonight!

Speak up, or I will wake enough officers to pick them all up and I will secure foster care for them PERSONALLY. You have about TWO MINUTES.

His toe tapped impatiently as he waited to see what she might say. Who knew, maybe she did have something he hadn't heard yet.

<< Rose, usually NOT one to be taken by surprise by the presence of a mere mortal, was actually startled as the the sensor activated lights began to flicker on. Giving full view to this shourt, rotund man, who exuded arrogance. >>

<< Rose, who stood tall, and regal, took a moment to wipe her face and dab her eyes with a tissue. Dennis would notice an odd "sound" in the air...it was ambient , and sounded like distance ocean waves, it was a signature of Rose's power. Her purple hair flowed and her scarf flowed around her feminine form.>>

Mr. Nedry.

<< Rose greeted him in a calm tone.>>

I'm sorry, you started me.

I am a licensed, certified child care provider and the recognized legal guardian of 2 dozen...."special needs" orphans.

I have been recoginzed as a "child care and development associate" of the state for over 20 years, and I am the proprietor of The Sanctuary, which is licensed by the State of New York as an orphanage with ambulatory care capabilities, a child care facility and group family home. I own the entire city block on which the sanctuary sits and operates.

All documentation regarding this is on file with all the appropriate departments , and everything is in order at the state and local level, as are the permits and licensure.

This evening, there was an incident. A woman illegally tresspassed on my property with the expressed intent to kidnap one of my children, Jake O'Brien.

I confronted the intruder and she....she caused grave injury to Jake.

He is in emergency surgery right now.

<< Rose studied Dennis. He wasn't here out of genuine concern for the child. He was looking for something...a fight...a means to try to intimidate Rose. >>

I have been expecting the police since I arrived...but curiously, they are not here, despite the fact that a child was shot.

 

[Dennis Nedry]

I'm sorry, you started me.

I am a licensed, certified child care provider and the recognized legal guardian of 2 dozen...."special needs" orphans.

I have been recoginzed as a "child care and development associate" of the state for over 20 years, and I am the proprietor of The Sanctuary, which is licensed by the State of New York as an orphanage with ambulatory care capabilities, a child care facility and group family home. I own the entire city block on which the sanctuary sits and operates.

All documentation regarding this is on file with all the appropriate departments , and everything is in order at the state and local level.

This evening, there was an incident. A woman illegally tresspassed on my property with the expressed intent to kidnap one of my children, Jake O'Brien.

I confronted the intruder and she....she caused grave injury to Jake.

He is in emergency surgery right now.

Dennis waves away her explanation with his hand.

So to translate, you somehow got someone to give you 2 dozen kids even though you have no staff and you are WAY under ratio for INFANTS alone. And look where it got us! A boy got shot by an intruder, ASSUMING THERE WAS AN INTRUDER. How do we know this child was not unattended and came upon a weapon?

Dennis produces a folder.

I have been checking this over since I got this call, sister. YOU have somebody in City Hall suckered but NOT ME! You are at best running a baby slum and at worst, I shudder to think. More than half of your charges have died in the recent past! And now this boy is shot! One more chance, Mizzzz.....Rose or whatever. Do you have a waiver for this many children breaking THIS MANY codes? Because if not, I will have to start separation proceedings straightway. You already lost 42, this would have made one more, and you only have 23 more to waste. NOT. ON. MY. WATCH.

This chicken was cooked, but sometimes it was more fun to watch them crack...