Vera Hart's Story

Vera had heard somewhere that it's not the fire that kills the person. It's the smoke.

Now, she had no doubt in her mind that that was true. She was on her hands and knees. Smoke filled the air around her, blocking out any light, filling every possible space, choking her lungs of fresh air, killing any meager bit of hope. Killing her.

She had caused this. She had started this raging inferno. She had to get out alive. If she didn't, all her hard work would have been in vain. She'd never see the sky. Never taste that sweet sunshine on her skin, never breath fresh air.

But this damned smoke was getting in the way of all that. Getting in the way of everything. Her eyes stung and watered everytime she tried to open them, her throat burned and itched everytime she tried to take a breath, and even her ears were useless, as the explosions had deafened her.

She'd planned this down to the smallest detail. This escape plan had seemed so fool-proof. She'd set off a series of chemical explosions when the scientist had taken her from her cell and into the lab room. She hadn't even had time to blink before Vera had attacked her chemicals.

But what she hadn't seen coming was that the bitch would slip out the door and lock it behind her, trapping her in the blazing room. Where no one would find her. The others had all been scheduled for various activities at the same time, and had distinct orders to bolt as soon as they heard the first explosions. To get out of the building before the final explosion. The one that would blow her to pieces if she didn't figure out how to get out of the room.

Suddenly, a hand was on her back, and another pushed her head down, out of the smoke into a small pocket of slightly fresher air below. She coughed and sputtered, trying to breathe it in like it would disappear at any minute. The air was still smoke filled, but it tasted so much better than the pure breaths of smoke she'd been breathing. She turned her head to see who had her. It was Alex, and she realized now that her legs and arms were moving. He was leading her towards something in the wall of smoke. A bright light. It seemed so close, and yet so distant at the same time.

Suddenly, they reached the light, and she turned to Alex to smile, only he was no longer there. She'd lost him in the smoke. Something moved in the light, and she stood slowly, stepping into it, expecting to come through to the outside.

But instead the dream shifted drastically. She was no longer at the Institute. She was trapped in a glass box, watching helplessly as everyone she loved was beaten and forced into dog crates. A man with a cruel smile came over. He had Boo by the hair. Boo. No. "You lead them to this." He sneered as he raised a gun to Boo's head.

Vera sat up with a start, shaking from head to toe. Her heart pounded so furiously in her chest, she was afraid it would break through. She glanced around, trying to grasp reality, allowing the fear of the dream to slowly seep away. She was in the forest. Nobody was in cages. They were safe. Well... Not safe. But as safe as a band of rebel mutants could be. The labs were still hunting them, but, for the moment, everything seemed to be in order.

She glanced upwards. Towards the sky. Dark still. Figured. Vera never slept more than a few hours at a time. Just an instinct, she supposed. With a sigh, she rolled to her hands and knees and stood carefully and quietly, not wanting to wake anyone. Today was a big day and everyone would need their sleep. The Revolution Vera's group had run into was performing a raid on an Institute today, and, unfortunately, the one condition their leader had given her and her escapee's was that they had to participate in any movement, or raid they organized. She didn't like the rule. It put her group, people she'd grown up with, and people she'd practically raised, people whose lives were in her hands, in danger. However, many of her group did not know how to survive on the outside on their own, and the Revolution did. Vera hated to admit it, but they needed their help.

She glanced over the others. Her group tended to stay close together, as did the other group. There was a serious trust issue between the two groups, as well as their leaders. Vera and Aindreas. She'd never asked to be leader. She didn't even really want to be. They kind of just nominated her as their leader, and she'd had no choice but to accept. Aindreas seemed like a good leader. Much surer of his position than Vera was, but that did not mean she trusted him in the least bit. And that did not mean she was going to hand over her role to him, handing the lives of everyone she loved into his hands. She respected what he did for the mutants but that was about it.

Carefully, Vera stepped over sleeping bodies until she reached the perimeter of their camp where one of the only other conscious souls sat, staring up at the sky. Aindreas's kind-of-creepy little sister. She usually kept watch for several reasons. One, she seemed to genuinely enjoy the night. Two, she woke up screaming, almost every time she tried to sleep at night, practically advertising their location to anyone with ears. And finally, Aindreas wouldn't allow her to participate in the raids. Which really pissed her off. Sure she was his sister, and sure, she probably wouldn't be much use anyway, but her life was no more valuable than the lives of the others.

Vera was careful not to touch her as she sat on the rock next to her. "Go lay down or something. You might not sleep well, but you should at least rest. I've got watch." As if to finalize her point, that she wasn't moving, Miatta, her fox Familiar, curled up on Vera's feet and looked up at the girl, golden eyes blinking slowly.

Once the girl had walked off, Vera leaned back on her arms and looked up at the sky. The raid later on made her a little nervous. Not for herself, but for the others. There was so much pressure on her shoulders to make sure they came out of it okay. To make sure they achieved their goal and saved the mutants at the Institute. To make sure she didn't lose anyone. She glanced over towards Boo and Alex. As soon as Boo woke, she'd have a talk with her. She'd make her stay back from the raid. She didn't care what Aindreas said, if he was allowed to keep people back, so was she. Plus anyway, someone had to watch the camp.

---

Adalind sat on the cool grey rock at the edge of camp, looking up at the star-filled sky, eyes closed. Her pale skin glowed harshly in the moonlight, but the light of the stars falling on it felt like velvet. The softest of touches. Songs drifted towards her through the night. Songs inaudible to anyone but her or another Aurora. The diamond around her neck sang her a low, slow, sorrowful song, while the diamonds of the sky, the stars, sang her a sweet, romantic, lullaby, the two songs mixing, blending, weaving in and out of each other, in the most beautiful way.

However, her attention was split. To anyone just looking at her, they would see her sitting there and assume that she was simply stargazing. Maybe even dozing off a bit as she did so. However, despite the fact that her wide black eyes were turned up to the sky, and music floated through her mind, she was actually extremely attentive to her surroundings.

A pin falling would cause her to jump. Her ears were focusing on every sound of the forest around her, sounds of animals, the sound of the gentle breeze rustling leaves, even the sound of the beach waves quite a ways away, listening for any abnormalities. Anything out-of-place. Her skin prickled as the breeze coming off the ocean tickled it, making her hairs stand on end. As if she could simply sense the presence of something unnatural.

However, she did not sense Vera coming up behind her. The Sly had a way of moving eerily silently. As if she never disturbed anything but the air around her.

Ada opened her wide black eyes and watched as Vera carefully avoided touching her when she moved around to sit next to her. It wasn't uncommon that people shied away from Adalind. For one thing, Aindreas was extremely protective of her, so people stayed away for fear of setting off his temper. For another, she was generally silent and observant, sending off a somewhat unapproachable vibe to people around her. But Vera wasn't ducking away for either of these reasons. Vera was trying not to make skin-on-skin contact with Adalind because she knew what she could do. The third reason people generally stayed away from her were her powers. People didn't like the idea of someone, a complete stranger, being privy to their deepest secrets and most repressed memories. They didn't like being around someone who could drive you insane or cause you pain if you merely said the wrong thing. Not that she would ever do that, people just tended to be cautious.

She smiled gently at Vera and didn't make any move to touch her. If the girl was uncomfortable with Addie knowing her business, that was perfectly normal, and she wasn't about to make her reveal anything she didn't want to. Silently, she wondered if the girl was here to keep her company, she rather liked company. She didn't get it often.

"Go lay down or something. You might not sleep well, but you should at least rest. I've got watch." The Sly whispered and Ada tried to keep her smile from drooping as she sighed, nodded, and stood, picking her way back across the sleeping mutants towards her brother.

When she reached him, she lay gently next to him, careful not to make too much noise, and stared up at the stars. She wouldn't be going to sleep until she saw the sun. Nightmares never left her alone in the dark, and she loved the stars too much to sleep while they were out anyway. However, a little rest would be nice.She turned her head, watching her brother's face briefly before turning back to the sky again.

---

Boo fell asleep unwillingly that night, as always she had refused to fall asleep because of the nightmares that plagued her when her eyes closed but Vera and Alex demanded that she actually got a couple hours of sleep at least. So she found a corner away from everyone besides Alex and Vera, Sombra laid beside her to keep her warm and because she hadnt slept at all the last couple nights she fell asleep quickly but her dreams were not pleasant.

Boo was in a cage, the room was dark, she felt alone. Then there was screaming, she put her hands to her ears as she tried to block out the sounds. The lights went on and in front of the cage there was Vera and Alex, but they werent moving and there was blood, alot of blood. A ear piercing scream escaped her throat and then hunters grabbed her from the cage "Now you know what happens when you escapenfrom us". Her dreamed then changed to a pile of dead mutants, some she new some she didnt. She was then placed on a table and a man with a knife hovered over her "we are here to help you".

She woke up with a scream, her skin was drenched with sweat "Vera! Alex!" she whimpered, Sombra growled and nudged her a bit. She stood up shaking as she looked to see Alex's sleeping form but didnt see Vera which made her worry. "Vera" she whimpered as she looked around the camp, she finally found the older girl. Sombra followed Boo as she made her way over to Vera and sat down, she knew Vera peobably heard her scream, "I don't understand why Alex and you make me sleep ir does no use" she said in a very quiet tone, she was always a soft speaker when/if she talked. Sombra laid down near her and pushed at her hand a bit with her nose then sprawled out a bit. "Did you have a dream too?"

---

That night Andy didn't lay down till all the mutants were sleeping or at least resting, he was still kinda weary of the escapee mutants that found them. The only reason he agreed to let them stay was because it will help them with the raid and maybe he could finally find Amelia. If only it was that easy, his mind wandered to his sisters before he fell asleep laying on his back. He wasnt wearing a shirt and was only wearing a pair of khaki shorts, his arms rested under his head.

A scream awoke him from his sleep and he sat up and quickly looked around, he then saw Ada laying beside him looking up to the sky. He opened up his senses to try to sense if their was any danger around bur he felt nothing. "Someone must of had a nightmare" he quietly said to Ada but decided to take a look around just in case "Ill be right back."

Andy stood up and walked around the camp, he saw that most of the mutants were either resting or sleeping. He did notice Vera and the girl that Vera called Boo but others called Raven. He wasnt sure what to make of the young stripe, she seemed very...he wasnt sure what to think of the girl but he could tell that Vera and the girls brother Alex was protective of the girl. He gave them a nod then continued walking throught camp until he got back to his original place beside Ada.

He sat down and had what mpst called his thinking face on, he sat there in silence for a few until he looked down at Ada "Do you think we can trust them? The hunters are probably on their trail which will lead them right to us. I have a bad feeling about this and I really dont like that. Is it wrong of me for not wanting to truly help them?" He laid down on his back with his arms under his head as he contemplated his thoughts. "Will they actually be helpful in the raid or are they just going to make it worse for us".

Rekto Nugen

"Shrike, what do you think should go here?" Rekto asked his Familiar, gesturing to a blank patch of ground, bare except for grass. The Flock was vaguely tired, yet he didn't want to fall asleep for fear of nightmares. Instead he was working on designing one of his worlds. "A thornbush. We need one of those. Make the thorns nice and large, good for impaling prey," Shrike said from his perch on Rekto's shoulder.

"We haven't put any prey creatures into this world, silly," Rekto said softly as he began to picture what the thornbush should be like. Shrike fluffed his feathers and pretended not to hear. Deciding what to do, Rekto applied his mind to creating the bush. First the plant oozed from the ground in muddy green tendrils that soon straightened and solidified into branches. Thumbnail long thorns poked out from the bark. Dark, reddish leaves unfurled, small enough so the plant's thorn's were unveiled and threatening. It grew to waist height until it stopped. "Is this good enough for you?" Rekto said. "That's fine," Shrike said, flying down to a branch to inspect his human's handiwork.

Rekto looked out over the world. It wasn't his largest one, but it was one of the more detailed ones. In it there was a meadow full of wildflowers, some of which were unique to the world, bordered on one side by a pine forest and a sandy-beached river on the other. On the river's edge were some beach towels and chairs. In the forest he had painstakingly created each tree to have differences from the next so each were unique. The talles ones had handholds so they were easily climbed, put there so others who were not Flocks could get up the trees. Rekto used them himself, too, for he usually didn't want to combine with Shrike everytime he wanted to go up a tree.

"Come on, Rekto. You should check on the others. How long have we been in here? What if everyone's trying to wake us up? You need sleep, too," the Familiar said cajolingly. Rekto sighed and nodded. It wasn't that he wasn't concerned for his companions, it was just that it was so peaceful in his world he hardly wanted to leave it. Plus, Shrike was in it, too, and Rekto usually left the Familiar outside to keep watch.

With a final glance around the world he closed his eyes. When he opened them he found he was laying on his back, staring at the stars. Which was sort of funny because in his world it was bright out. Shrike, too, opened his eyes, making a small cheeping noise. Rekto sat up and looked around. Most of his group and the Revolution seemed asleep, although Vera was sitting up and taking watch. Rekto felt that the Sly was a good leader, although he would have likely said anyone who he trusted who had taken control was a good leader.

He yawned. He had slept earlier, but a nightmare of being poked with needles woke him up, the pain all too real. Despite Shrike's demands, he doubted he'd be able to fall back asleep. Instead he made his way over to sit by Vera. "Worried about the raid today?" he asked, voice a bit hoarse with previous screaming from his dream. Rekto knew he was nervous. He didn't want to go back to any lab, but that was part of the pact with the Revolution they had made. To make his feelings clear he said, "I know I'm uneasy about it. I don't want to go back to one of those places. But I guess we have to." In truth, saying he was uneasy about it was an understatement. But although he was trusting of his group, he had learned it wasn't prudent to tell exactly how he felt all of the time.


Mathias Quinn

Mathias woke. Nox stuck her head out his shirt, her tongue flicking out, tasting the air. The copper bellied watersnake Familiar usually slept in his shirt where she would be hidden from view. This was getting harder as she grew, for she was at least a good four feet in length. Satisfied that nothing proved threatening at the moment she withdrew her head again, saying, "We shouldn't stay here much longer."

"You're not exactly helping get ready to go," he said. Nox didn't reply, leaving Mathias to assume he was allotted a little more time in the bed. He pulled the blankets tighter around him, enjoying the luxoriously padded mattress. He usually slept on the ground in a sleeping bag, so this was a treat. He was in a hotel in a city. Because of the rarity of Serpents and the relative ease of hiding Nox he had decided to risk coming into the city to gather supplies. Although he could find food and water in the wilderness he could not make matches, clothes, water bottles, or a variety of other things that made life easier. He had chosen a larger city because of all the people that were in it, but it was sorely trying on his nerves. Mathias didn't like being by too many people in too small an area, and this city just about fit that description.

Nevertheless, people provided an excellent cover, even if he was jittery around them. Among humans he posed as a runaway from home. To help with the disguise he carried around a large, travel worn backpack that was filled with many different odds and ends. He had also modified it so that there was a special compartment for Nox to hide in.

Nox slithered out of his shirt and off the bed, looking around on the ground, sensing for vibrations. "Whoever's in the next door room is active," she said, looking at the wall as if she could see through it. Mathias shoved the blankets away and stood up. The time was 7:00 a.m., late enough for the hotel's sparse breakfast to be open.

Mathias unzipped the flap that led to Nox's compartment in his backpack and his Familiar wordlessly slithered in, knowing it was safest if she was hidden. Putting on a change of clothes he gathered up his possesions and headed down the stairs to the ground floor. He filled his plate with toast and scrambled eggs and sat down at a table. At least the eating area was pretty empty, for now. It would probably start filling up soon.

Vera started slightly at the sound of a scream, and knew instantly who it had come from. Boo. Instantly, she whipped around to make sure everything was okay. "Vera! Alex!" The girl whimpered clearly over the soft sounds of sleeping bodies. It was just a dream. Boo was still here. Nobody had snatched her. Vera smiled softly at the girl as she made her way over and sat next to her on the cold rock. "I don't understand why Alex and you make me sleep it does no use" she said quietly. Vera watched her Familiar lay down, causing Miatta, her own Famliar, to move a little closer and touch tails ever so gently with Boo's. It was rare for Miatta to accept anyone other than Vera herself.

"Because you need to sleep, Boo." She finally answered the girl, tearing her eyes away from their Familiars and placing them on her friend's.

"Did you have a dream too?" Boo asked.

It was an innocent question. The girl was merely inquiring, nothing sinister. However, her shoulders stiffened, as they always did when someone asked about her feelings. She had to fight the urge to turn away from Boo coldly. Vera. This is Boo. Relax. She heard Miatta's soft voice in her head, and sighed, doing as the fox said, allowing herself to reach out to Boo and pull her close, in a comforting way. "Yeah. I had a dream." She answered, squeezing her friend ever so slightly at the thought of the dream. The way that man had held Boo so roughly, gun to her head...

Vera forced herself to stop thinking about it and sighed, turning to Boo with a soft smile. "We all have dreams." These moments were so rare for Vera, where she acted kind, and motherly, and she wasn't sure quite what to say, but she hoped she'd said enough.

Another presence on her other side, made Vera turn away from comforting Boo. Rarely, did anyone ever see the side of Vera she'd just displayed. Pretty much, only if you were on the receiving end of it, did you even know she had that side to her. The other 99% of the time, she was her normal self. Cold, sometimes sarcastic, serious, and tromping about like she had the world on her shoulders. "Worried about the raid today?" The boy on her other side asked, and she merely shrugged. "I know I'm uneasy about it. I don't want to go back to one of those places. But I guess we have to."

"Only for you guys. I rarely worry about myself." She glanced at him, then up as Aindreas walked by, patrolling the camp. She looked up at the sky to see that the sun was peaking out from behind the trees, and behind her, the camp sounded like it was waking up. Dawn. They were supposed to gather the groups and head out.

She sighed, looking at Boo, and Rekto, briefly. "Get ready to move." She said, before standing.

Not you Boo, you're going to stay here. I don't care what Fearless Leader over there says, you're going to watch the camp with his sister. She sent to Boo telepathically, before Warping, disappearing, and reappearing some ways away, beside the laying down Aindreas. She glanced at his wide-eyed little sister, before crouching next to him. "What's the hold up? You said dawn." She gestured to the sky. "Well it's dawn. Decide to take a sick day?" She smirked, standing over him. So, are we going to go over a plan here, or just wing it? She sent him.

For her group, her impeccable planning skills (the ones that had almost gotten her killed on their break-out) were part of the reason she'd been named leader, the other parts she suspected were her age, as she was one of the oldest, and whatever else made them choose her, still lay undiscovered. She looked down at Aindreas, ready to whip up a plan on the spot, if he didn't already have one. The Revolution raids were not only about saving mutants. They were about causing as much damage to the institutes as possible, which mean that, even if the got in there and there was no one to save, they'd still have to completely score the place, destroying files, breaking equipment, setting things on fire. Personally, Vera like the method of escape she'd used best. Just blow the place sky-high. However, if there were mutants inside, that presented a huge problem. Vera herself had just barely escaped the first time, thanks to Alex. As she thought about it, Vera absentmindedly rubbed the burn scar behind her ear, waiting for Aindreas's response. They had to get going soon. The sooner the better.

She crouched again leaning slightly over him, eyes on Adalind as she spoke. "And... By the way..." She gestured to his sister, then turned her blue eyes down on his. "If you get to keep one of yours back, I'm keeping one of mine back. Boo stays here to watch the camp with your sister." She whispered, her stare challenging, daring him to oppose her.

---

Adalind was startled out of her star-gazing when Aindreas stirred beside her. "Someone must of had a nightmare" He said softly, and Ada nodded. "Ill be right back." She watched him go, before looking back to the sky. Only, the songs coming from them were growing fainter and fainter now, as the sun started to rise, drowning out their voices with it's brilliance. Her eyes remained on the sky, but instead, her ears focused on the camp around her, listening to to hushed conversations and sounds of waking. Some people would accuse her of eavesdropping, but Adalind just liked to listen. She was a people-watcher. She liked to observe things. She'd never listen to someone's conversation in order to use it against them, only to understand them better.

Adalind sat up and glanced about. Her brother was patrolling, and nearly everyone was awake now. The sun was not yet high in the sky, and you could not see it yet, for, when surrounded by trees, there was no horizon to watch the sunrise, but Adalind always knew when it was dawn, because the stars stopped singing.

She glanced up as her brother came back and layed back down beside her. He seemed to be pondering something, and she watched his face with deep, black eyes, waiting for him to speak, not wanting to interrupt his thinking. "Do you think we can trust them? The hunters are probably on their trail which will lead them right to us. I have a bad feeling about this and I really don't like that. Is it wrong of me for not wanting to truly help them?" He finally said, and Adalind, expecting more, remained quiet until he finished. "Will they actually be helpful in the raid or are they just going to make it worse for us?" He asked, and Adalind sensed that he was done.

She thought about it herself for a minute, before speaking softly, as she always did. Very rarely did Adalind talk, because, very rarely, did people want to talk to her. Most people even doubted she had a voice. However, once you got her going, sometimes it was impossible to stop. She looked at the fire-haired leader of the Runaways. She seemed trustworthy enough, if she'd only get over her lack of trust, however, seeing as what they'd just come out of, Adalind couldn't blame her. Aindreas had saved her a while ago, but she still had trouble trusting people, and if it was in your nature not to trust, like Ada could see it was in Vera's, then it made the act nearly impossible.

"I think they're... Okay." She finally responded. "I've never seen such a large group of runaways, sure, but their story seems legit. There's no way they're working with the hunters." She shook her head. "No one can pretend fear and pain that well, trust me." She said, knowing he would. She was probably the best judge of character around. She had a way of seeing into people, and understanding them with only a glance. "However, you never know if they'll flake out." She shrugged. "Some of them don't seem very strong or... Stable." She glanced at Vera. "And their leader doesn't seem to think she's cut out for the job... Plus, there's always the Institute's to worry about. Maybe this group does't know that they're bugged or something. Maybe the institute let them escape, knowing they'd find us. They're that low. They're that devious." She said with a shudder, remembering her own experiences. "I don't think trusting them fully just yet, is a good idea, but don't be too harsh on them Aindreas." She pleaded with her older brother. "I know the place they're coming from, and trust me, it's not pretty."

She twisted her hands in her lap and looked over all the escapee's. "As for their usefulness in the raid... I think we'll have to see for ourselves on that one. If they escaped from that hell, they've got to be pretty damn tough, however, you never know. Once in those doors again..." She shook her head and looked away, struggling to remain calm. Talking about her time in the Institute sometimes caused her to slip into madness. "Once back there, they may crack." She forced herself to say. "There are a hundred different reactions they could have, from anger, to fear, to madness."

With a sigh, she stopped talking and looked up as, out of the corner of her eye, a bright spot of red appeared out of nowhere. She focused on it, realizing that it was Vera, Warping over to talk to her brother. Realizing her place, Adalind sat back slightly and just watched the red-haired girl, playing with a long lock of jet-black hair. "What's the hold up? You said dawn." The girl said with obvious snark. "Well it's dawn. Decide to take a sick day?" Ada glanced back at her brother, wondering how he would respond, when the red haired Sly crouched once more to whisper something inaudible to Aindreas, though her eyes were on Ada at first. Not wanting to hold her gaze, Ada looked at the girl's Familiar, who was sitting at her side daintily, tail wrapped gently over her paws as her golden eyes narrowed lazily on Adalind. The Familiar's gaze was untrusting and made Ada squirm a bit. It made her feel like she was being seen into. Like the girl's creature was revealing her soul. Silently she wondered if that was how people felt around her. If that was part of the reason people didn't like to talk to her. It wasn't her fault really, that she had powers that allowed her to see more than what she wanted to see, but for the first time, probably ever, the tables were turned, and she had to say, she didn't like it.

Boo pulled her knees up to her chest and leaned her chin on her knees and shivered slightly. She watched as Sombra turned her attention to Vera's familiar. Sombra swished her tail a bit then laid down on her side, she only got close to other familiars if Boo was close to their person like Vera. "Because you need to sleep, Boo." Vera's voice snapped her out of spacing and she turned to face Vera. "I wish I didn't" she whispered.

When Vera stiffened she worried that she said something wrong, she looked down at her feet and let the silence fill around them. Feeling Vera pull her close made her look up to the older girl. It was very rare that she let anyone touch her, the scientists always seemed to have their hands on her but none of their touches were comforting, they were always rough, never caring what they were doing to her. "Yeah. I had a dream." Boo heard Vera's response but she didn't push to know what the dream was because she knew how it was with the nightmares, never wanting to speak of them because it would make them feel more real. "We all have dreams." Boo didn't respond to Vera's statement because Rekto came over.

Vera let her go and Boo curled up with her knees to her chest once more. She listened to their conversation but kept quiet. It was very rare if Boo talked to others besides Vera or Alex. Sombra looked up to her You are okay Boo, the tigress gave her a small nudge again. Hearing Vera give her a message to her mind made her look up to the older girl Not you Boo, you're going to stay here. I don't care what Fearless Leader over there says, you're going to watch the camp with his sister. Her eyes went wide and shook her head, she was about to argue that she didn't want to stay back but Vera already disappeared.

She didn't want to leave Vera or Alex's side, for one she didn't do well when left alone and she hardly knew the girl she would be staying at camp with. What if something happens to them? What if they get caught or d.. she couldn't finish her though. Sombra stood up as she heard Boo's thoughts Boo they are looking out for you, you are not ready to go back into that kind of environment and your eye sight is getting worse. Now come Boo get on my back. Lets find the girl you will be staying with. Boo didn't question Sombra and slid on the tigress's back.

Sombra strode through the camp until she laid eyes on the Aurora thats her Boo. Boo eyed the girl but then her eyes went to Vera who was speaking to Aindreas, her eyes stayed focused on them for a few moments then back to the black haired girl. The tigress could feel Boo's uneasiness so she strode to a corner where no one else was and laid down. Boo slid down to the ground and curled her fragile body against Sombra.

---

[aindreas will be up soon]

"They seem to be quieter when the sun comes up, but I have no idea if it is me who doesn't hear them or if they simply stop singing. This whole mutant and humans thing isn't very surprising. This is simply another form of segregation and it will probably be forgotten over time by our descendants, but we can not blame people for not accepting mutants. It would be like telling someone the sun is blue, then letting them see the actual color of the sun. I'm sorry for babbling, but I am simply thinking." Vivianna smiled as the boy began talking and he seemed to have quite a bit to say. " My name is Alexander, but you can simply call me Alex. I will not ask for your name, since I don't like prying. I'll answer any questions you have about me or the group I'm with. If you want to ask about my history or dreams, then I will answer those questions the best that I can." Chuckling she tucked a vibrant strand of hair behind her ear, the large emerald ring on her hand singing with joy. He was very open and that was refreshing though she wouldn't take advantage of that."Alex you can call me Emerald, and honestly other than Aurora things I have nothing else to ask you. Don't get me wrong I am a bit curious about the lot of you, though asking a strangers dreams seems rude and too personal if you ask me. Anyways the boss man will have the final say on what's to happen."

Vivianna sat back for a moment just listening as the stars began to fade. Dawn was soon and the raid was close at hand. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the red haired escapee go to talk with Aindreas. Standing she turned to Alex and nodded in their direction. "If there was anything you wanted to say or know, now might be that best time. I'm heading over you should come too. Vivianna made her way over to them, the red head didn't want to take the little quiet one with them and to be honest she agreed with her. It's one thing that there were children in those labs and changes to begin with but forcing her to go back in seemed like it may cause some problems. That was something they couldn't afford.

Before joining in on the discussion she stopped by Adalind. She had been awake long before Vivianna and sometimes she worried about her."Hey Addy, didn't sleep well last night?" She asked rubbing a hand over her hair as she sat next to her. "You know sometimes when I can't sleep I put on one of my mother's pieces of jewelry, the songs they sing sometimes help me get to sleep. If you ever want to barrow one to see if it would help you sleep I'd be more than happy to lend it to you." Vivianna sat her bag in her lap giving Adalind a warm smile, she wasn't trying to baby her but it was hard to not want to take care of her.

As soon as Aindreas stopped talking Kefir strolled in from the forest and instead of laying beside Andy he laid beside Ada "I thinks he likes you more than me" he huffed and nodded to Kefir. He heard a chuckle come from his familiar and he just shook his head. When Ada started talking all his focus went to her.

"I think they're... Okay. I've never seen such a large group of runaways, sure, but their story seems legit. There's no way they're working with the hunters. No one can pretend fear and pain that well, trust me." He nodded his head at Ada's words, she was the only person he truly trusted, so her words did mean something to him. "However, you never know if they'll flake out. Some of them don't seem very strong or... Stable." He agreed with Ada there, he noticed a few of Vera's group were not exactly ones he would pick to take into a raid, especially the half blind girl. "And their leader doesn't seem to think she's cut out for the job... Plus, there's always the Institute's to worry about. Maybe this group does't know that they're bugged or something. Maybe the institute let them escape, knowing they'd find us. They're that low. They're that devious." Andy frowned at Ada's words, he didn't think Vera was cut out for the leader position either but he has yet to tell anyone his thoughts on that. "I don't think trusting them fully just yet, is a good idea, but don't be too harsh on them Aindreas. I know the place they're coming from, and trust me, it's not pretty." He heard the pleading in his sisters voice and sighed "I will take your words into consideration Ada" he said then noticed Ada was not done talking quite yet ans it auprised her because his sister was not much of a talker. "As for their usefulness in the raid... I think we'll have to see for ourselves on that one. If they escaped from that hell, they've got to be pretty damn tough, however, you never know. Once in those doors again...Once back there, they may crack. There are a hundred different reactions they could have, from anger, to fear, to madness."

Before he could say anything in response to Ada Vera popped in and Kefir growled at the intrusion. He eyed the red head as she crouched near him, making him sit up and stare into her eyes "What's the hold up? You said dawn. Decide to take a sick day?" He let his own growl and the girls words and before he could even respond he heard Vera's voice in his mind which pissed him off just a tad.So, are we going to go over a plan here, or just wing it? He had already enough of the red head and stood up.

"First of all I do not like you warping in here unannounced" he clenched his hands into fists "I was having a conversation with my sister and I don't take sick days" he growled deeply "and for your last question I sorta have a plan but I need to know what yours can do. I plan on setting up a ring of fire around the insititute except for one place where we will have one stand guard at. Half of us will go through the front entrance the other through the back. We see if there are any one to save, if not we get out of there and I set the place on fire".

Seeing Vera gesture to his sister he cocked his eyebrow "And... By the way...If you get to keep one of yours back, I'm keeping one of mine back. Boo stays here to watch the camp with your sister." He took a few minutes trying to remember which one was Boo, he then remembered the girl following Vera and the boy named Alex around and also remembered she was the half blind one. "Shes ths half blind girl right? Well I don't mind that, she would probably keep us back if she came but if she stays she listens to Adalind" he gazed to his sister then to Vera.

Kefir noticed the fox eyeing Adalind and the lion growled lightly at the fox before putting his head on Ada's lap. Aindreas noticed Emerald come over and nodded to her "Em can you make sure everyones up and ready to go in fifteen".

Rekto Nugen

"Only for you guys. I rarely worry about myself." said Vera. "Get ready to move." The leader of the escapees stood up and warped away. Rekto nodded and stood up as well. Turning to the girl sitting nearby he said, "Good morning, Boo." He smiled a little at her, hoping it would reassure her. After that he turned to gather up his meager possesions. He wasn't the greatest at holding a conversation, especially with someone as quiet as Boo. Other people might not have anything to say, be bored of him, rather be thinking, or just want to be left alone. Rekto knew there were times when he wanted to be left alone, although that was rare.

Reaching the spot he had rested at, Rekto opened the small canvas bag that contained his few treasures. Shrike flitted down to the ground next to him and eyed the bag. "Just take what you need. You don't need all of that. Leave the bag behind, it's too bulky." Rekto nodded and took out his pocket knife, putting it in his pocket. After a moment of thought he took a finely sharpened pencil from its case, wrapped the point in a cloth, and put it in his pocket, too. He had found that with weapons it was a good idea to improvise, especially because he had no offensive powers and weapons were awfully scarce.

The sun was fully up by now. Rekto shifted on his feet before beginning to pace in circles anxiously. He was going back to the Institute, back to one of those hellish places full of pain and hateful people and misery and despair and loss and and and... Rekto trailed off, breathing heavily. "Don't get yourself all worked up. We haven't even started going there," Shrike said in a placating voice. The bird Familiar nevertheless betrayed his own anxiety by a shudder passing through his feathered form. Mastering, or at least toning down, his fear, Rekto said quietly, "We will be fine." He just hoped the statement was true.


Mathias Quinn

Mathias watched as a kid came to the breakfast area and sat down with some food and a computer. Mathias studied the newcomer for a second before turning back to his plate. He wanted to leave the city as soon as possible. Too many people freaked him out, for one, and when there were no people around Nox could come out of the backpack. The snake Familiar didn't like hiding, but she saw it as a necessary evil. Nevertheless, Mathias wanted her to come out as soon as possible.

The hotel manager and a security guard came into the room. Mathias tensed, ready to stand up and leave if the situation soured. But instead they went for the computer kid. "No freeloaders!" the manager said. The kid fell over and rolled to his feet, looked at the manager and spoke to him. Mathias couldn't make out the words, but whatever he said appeased the man and the manager left. "That was odd," Nox said in his mind, having picked up the details from her human. Mathias nodded but didn't give the situation any more thought. It wasn't his business.

Soon enough the security guard returned to question the kid. Mathias watched as the guard grabbed the kid only to fall over in a daze. After asking the guard if he was okay, the kid spoke in an undertone to the guard, which satisfied the guard. By now Mathias was tense and ready to move. Then the kid took a picture of him with his computer.

This was enough for Mathias. It was bad enough to be caught on the security cameras of the stores he visited. It was even worse to be photographed by some random stranger who seemed to be some sort of Mutant. What if this kid was with the Mutant hunters and was gathering information on possible suspects? Mathias knew that Serpent Mutants were rare and nearly unheard of in human society, but that didn't mean that scientists hadn't found out about his species.

Mathias stood up and tossed his plate in the trash. He started to walk towards the checkout desk, making sure to take a route that would take close to the kid. Shifting his backpack, he purposefully stumbled and put his hand on the kid's table to support himself. "Whoops, sorry about that," he said, loud enough for anyone to hear. Then, in an undertone, he said, "What business do you have with taking my picture?" He looked into the kid's eyes, ready to activate his power if need be. If necessary he would break the computer, hopefully destroying whatever evidence the kid had collected.

Leif Anderson

Leif's ears swiveled to the maximum, straining to catch the slightest sound. His whiskers twitched as a slight breeze ruffled his fur, the wind carrying the distinct smell of disinfectant. The Institution was unaware of the small cat form crouched in the grass a couple yards from its door, just how Leif liked it. "Probably want to head back. Camp's not extremely close, and the longer we stay here the higher the chance of discovery," Shawn said.

Leif nodded and crept away from the building. When he felt confident it was safe he stood up and ran, stretching his cat muscles to the limit. In the half light of early dawn his eyes could still see with razor sharp acuity thanks to his merging with his Familiar. It was a gift to be able to see clearly without the need for glasses.

His paws ate up the distance and soon enough he could smell the members of the Revolution along with the escapees from one of the Institutions. With a sigh he split himself from Shawn, reverting back to human form. He stood up, disoriented for a moment as he usually was from becoming human again. He walked into camp and made his way to Aindreas. The leader of the Revolution was in a conversation with Adalind and the the escapee leader, Vera. For a moment he hesitated, not wanting to interrupt the conversation. "Go on, you know they don't bite," Shawn said, nodding a greeting to the present Familiars.

Clearing his throat, Leif stepped forward and said, "Good morning. Aindreas, the Institution isn't active right now. I only saw one guard on patrol and he looked pretty tired. There are two doors, a main entrance and a back door that has some sort of fancy electronic lock on it." Leif adjusted his glasses, hoping his speech wasn't too redundant. He just wanted to be as clear as possible about the place they were raiding. "There's a large window on the ground floor, too. I'm guessing because of that they keep the captives in higher floors or underground," he finished, looking his leader in the eye.

Damien stood and watched the sky. There was a rustling in the trees before him, but he paid it no attention. He knew who it was, and knelt as a large orange tiger came strolling out from the brush. His Familiar moved with a slow grace, head low, steps light, as if he was always in stalk mode. "Rajah." Damien said as the tiger came and sat before him. Finally, the thing that had been tugging at his mind and leaving him feeling slightly empty and vulnerable all morning disappeared with the arrival of his other half. "You were gone too long. And you went too far. I told you not to go that far." He reprimanded the creature before standing again.

As if to say sorry, Rajah came to sit beside his person and flicked his long stripped tail over his feet. I apologize for making you nervous Damien, I was nervous too. The apology surprised Damien slightly, seeing as Rajah never apologized for anything. But I discovered something useful. Damien turned towards the tiger slightly. Behind them, he could hear Seph speaking softly to the captive, and his shoulders stiffened. Women were not cut out for the job they'd assigned her. They had too many emotions getting in their way.

The prisoner girl was right. The camp is close. Rajah told him, and Damien focused his attention back on the tiger. But not as close as we thought. That's why I had to go so far. They were just outside the boundaries you gave me.

"So you found them? Did they see you?" Damien asked, watching as his Familiar licked his paw leisurely, as though they were discussing the weather. Of course no one saw me or I would not still be here. He said, and Damien's brows furrowed in confusion. The situation is worse than we thought Damien. Rajah said, answering the question in his mind. The escapee's have found the Revolution. They've teamed up. Damien nodded, taking this in for a moment. "So how is this a bad thing? They've just put all our eggs in one nest, so to speak."

It means we're vastly outnumbered, and it would be nearly impossible to destroy the Revolution, and take certain mutants alive. It would be a massacre, and you know we have orders to keep some of them alive. Damien considered this while Rajah continued. They're planning a raid this instant so you need to come up with something fast. Either we move out, destroy them, and fail to take our prisoners, but successfully stop their raid, or we wait, let them attack the institute, and come up with something else.

Damien ran his fingers through his hair, a soft hiss escaping his lips. Shit. He thought to himself, though not completely himself, as Rajah's chest rumbled in a soft, amused purr. "I'm glad you're finding this amusing Rajah." Damien spat, just as he sensed someone coming up from behind him, making him spin, he met Mackenzie's eyes before she'd even opened her mouth. His gaze burned holes in hers, daring her to bring him bad news. It was evident that he was worked up, as he was breathing shallowly, and his shoulders were stiff.

"I don't mean to question you or your choices but it was my understanding that we were supposed to recapture the escapee's not execute them." Mackenzie said in a respectful way, making Damien feel rather ridiculous for whirling on her like he had. He sighed and calmed down, his expression returning to passive, the tension in his body draining away as quickly as it had appeared.

He flicked her comment away with no more than a shrug. "Not that I should have to explain my decisions to you, but, the girl I killed was not on the list of mutants we're required to take alive. My orders are that I have to return only those that are on the list, and if I can recapture anyone else, but if not, then they can be killed if they have to be." He sighed. The day had hardly begun and already he was exhausted. Probably from lack of sleep. He never slept when he sent Rajah out. It just wasn't possible.

Damien glanced past Mackenzie, at the camp, then back to her. "Come on." He said, jerking his head towards the camp as an idea turned over in his mind, unfolding, forming a plan. "Time to announce the plan." He turned away and headed towards the camp, making his way into the center. By now, all his hunters were awake. They were trained that way. Every hunter woke before the sun was in the sky. "I have just been informed that the situation is worse than we thought." He announced loudly, so everyone could here. "The escapees, and the Revolution are working together, meaning that one quick attack would be messy. People might get away, and others that we were ordered to capture, might get killed. So I've come up with a new plan." Rajah sat beside him. Sure you don't want to think about this? The tiger asked with obvious concern, but Damien ignored him and went on. "We'll give them a reason to come to us." He said with a smile, liking the idea more and more as it unraveled in his mind, hoping that no one could tell he was totally winging it.

"We'll sneak into their camp while they're away on a raid and capture whoever they leave to watch, and take them back to an Institute. They'll try to make a rescue. But we'll be ready for them. We'll have someone on the inside, feeding us information about every move they make." He looked at Persephone, and grinned. "Seph, you've been trained for this type of thing. After they return, you'll stumble into their camp, injured, begging for help, ect. There's no way they'll refuse you. Once you're safely in, the rest of us," he gestured around him, at the camp, "split." Beside him, Rajah flicked his tail, and Damien could tell he approved.

"We have to move out now if we want to get there before they get back, so if there are no questions, pack up. If someone has a problem, come and see me." With that he turned away, making his way towards his tent. He was the only member of the group to have a tent. Tents were a hassle to carry, but the scientists had assigned Damien a man whose only purpose was to carry his things. "Josh, Jake." He gestured to the two men standing guards. They were twins, and impossible to tell apart. They shared everything. Even a Familiar. Because he couldn't tell the difference between them, Damien made a point of giving them orders simultaneously, so he never had to make a decision on who was who. "Take down the tent." The two nodded, and Damien ducked inside to collect his things.

---

Vera watched the Revolution leader with vibrant blue eyes as he stood before her, clearly angry. She couldn't help it. The corner of her mouth twitched up in a slight smirk, and a single brown eyebrow raised itself in amusement. Was it really that easy to get him mad?

"First of all I do not like you warping in here unannounced." Her attentive eyes flicked to his hands, noticing how they clenched into fists. She looked back up at him, eyebrow raising higher, forcing herself to keep shock from her expression. "I was having a conversation with my sister and I don't take sick days." He growled "And for your last question I sorta have a plan but I need to know what yours can do. I plan on setting up a ring of fire around the institute except for one place where we will have one stand guard at. Half of us will go through the front entrance the other through the back. We see if there are any one to save, if not we get out of there and I set the place on fire." Vera then watched as he tried to remember who Boo was. "Shes the half blind girl right? Well I don't mind that, she would probably keep us back if she came but if she stays she listens to Adalind."

Sensing that he was done, she smiled falsely and leaned forward slightly, as though she was telling him an important secret. "Careful now." She hissed in a falsely pleasant tone, "You wouldn't want to be like the humans now would you?" She smirked, her words like daggers. "They seem to think they can tell people not to be themselves. Don't tell me not to Warp around. I'm a Sly. Unless you chain me to a tree, I'll Warp where I want." Satisfied, she leaned back again and considered the rest of his words.

However, before she could respond, she was interrupted by one of Aindreas's. A male Feline. Vera watched the boy as he reported to his leader, almost as if she wasn't there. Though she didn't blame him, and she wasn't offended. He wasn't loyal to her. There was no need for him to report to her. "Good morning. Aindreas, the Institution isn't active right now. I only saw one guard on patrol and he looked pretty tired. There are two doors, a main entrance and a back door that has some sort of fancy electronic lock on it. There's a large window on the ground floor, too. I'm guessing because of that they keep the captives in higher floors or underground," Vera watched the Feline, an idea hatching.

She then turned back to Aindreas, tucking a piece of fire-red hair behind her ear, revealing the piercing there that she'd done herself a long time ago. "I like your plan Aindreas. Not bad. However, a ring of fire? It would take too long for you to set up, and we need you to do other things." She looked back at the Feline, unable to remember his name for the life of her. "What if you have..." She hesitated on his name, "This Feline, make a force field around the place while we're in there and stand at one of the doors? That way, nothing can get in until we're done, and he can take it down for us to get out." She glanced at the Feline, looking him over briefly. She wasn't sure how Feline powers worked. Did it drain him at all to make a field and keep it up? Would he be able to make a field that big for that long?

She turned back to Aindreas. "And don't you worry your little head about my people. They'll follow me anywhere." She said, hoping it was true, and hoping that he couldn't see that she herself was unsure of it. "We should also all pair up, so that no one's alone." She said, glancing at the camp briefly, hoping they had even numbers. She'd like to take Alex as her partner, but she had a feeling she should probably take Aindreas, seeing as they were both the leaders.

You don't have to do this you know. Vera was startled by the voice in her head. Miatta. She'd sensed her nerves before even Vera herself had. We could just take Boo and Alex and get out of here. Or, better yet, just us. We could go in the middle of the night. No one would know.

Vera closed her eyes briefly, blocking the thoughts out. She knew Miatta meant no harm. She wasn't some sinister side of her, trying to convince her to bail on her friends, she was just presenting the opportunity they both knew was there. It was in their nature. As a sly, every single instinct she had screamed that large groups were bad. The animal in her wanted freedom. Wanted solitude. It wanted to be able to look out only for itself.

But she couldn't do that. The human in her would never forgive itself if she left. No Miatta. We can't do that. She said to her Familiar before opening her eyes again to look at Aindreas. No matter how much she denied it, she was terrified of going back into an Institute, if not for herself, than for the others, but she was also ready to actually do something instead of just sit by.

---

Ada stood back, listening to the leaders talk, watching their movements, but not engaging in the conversation. She had no place in it really, though she knew Aindreas would jump off a cliff if she told him to, she really wasn't qualified to be a leader, and so, she left the decision making to him and the fire-haired escapee.

Adalind watched her brother respond angrily to Vera, knowing he was giving her the exact reaction she wanted, but not feeling the need to step in. She sighed and sat again, tearing at little pieces of grass in boredom. Sometimes she wished she could go on the raids, just for the sake of having something to do, but Adalind understood why Aindreas made her stay back. Someone had to watch the camp, and she really didn't think she was ready to go back in there anyway. Plus, he didn't want her hurt, and Ada didn't want to get hurt either. Not so much for herself though, but for him. Sometimes feared what he would do should she ever be hurt, he was so protective of her. He would probably be so blinded by rage, he'd do something he'd only regret later.

"She's the half blind girl right? Well I don't mind that, she would probably keep us back if she came but if she stays she listens to Adalind." Addie heard her name, and looked up, meeting Aindreas's eyes with a smile. Someone was going to stay back with her? She couldn't help but feel happy. She'd never had company. Usually it was just her and the empty camp when the others went on raids.

She glanced around, wanting to find the girl she'd be on watch with, but was inturrupted when Kefir growled suddenly, making her jump. She turned to him, and rubbed his ears gently. "What's wrong Kefir?" She asked as he placed his head in her lap, and then noticed how the fox that had been watching her flicked her tail impatiently and stalked off to take her seat by Vera. Ada smiled softly and kissed Kefir on the head. "Thanks Kefir." She whispered softly.

"Hey Addy, didn't sleep well last night?" A kind voice, made Adalind turn her head to see Emerald sitting next to her. She smiled at the green-haired girl, and turned to face her. She liked Emerald. She was always so nice to her, and she didn't mind the way she babied her a little. It felt almost motherly, and Ada liked the feeling of having someone else care about her.

In response to her question, Addie just sighed deeply and shrugged, leaning back on her arms, pushing her long black hair behind her, letting the raising sun touch her icy pale skin. She didn't sleep well. Everyone in camp knew that. It was hard to keep your nightmares a secret when you woke up, screaming bloody murder where everyone could hear you. It had started to become a problem, so Ada had volunteered to take night watch, and promised Aindreas she'd sleep during the day, though she didn't always keep it, making her very tired. However, she was the kind of person who could ignore discomfort so it didn't really bother her too much.

"You know sometimes when I can't sleep I put on one of my mother's pieces of jewelry, the songs they sing sometimes help me get to sleep. If you ever want to barrow one to see if it would help you sleep I'd be more than happy to lend it to you." Adalind's hand moved up to the small diamond at her neck. Just barely enough to give her nourishment, but still her most prized possession. She turned her head towards Emerald, meeting her hazel eyes with her own pitch black ones, a grateful smile on her lips. "Maybe tonight I'll try that,thank you. It would be great to have a regular sleeping pattern again. Though I don't mind taking night watch really." She smiled softly. "Gives me a chance to listen to the stars." Ada looked up as her brother ordered Emerald to gather everyone up, then turned back to the girl. She wanted to place a hand on her arm and thank her, but she couldn't touch her. Touch was too revealing. Too invasive. She had to be satisfied with only words.

She looked up as Leif returned from his watch and smiled. "Leif!" She grinned, standing up next to her best friend, giving him a hug, being careful to only touch the fabric of his shirt, and not his skin. "Good luck in the raid today." She said, pulling back. That was another thing that sucked about being the only one left behind. She had to let her brother and her friends run straight into the face of danger while she stood by helplessly on the sidelines. What if something happened to them? How would she ever know? She'd rather be captured or killed with them, than be the only one left. Loneliness was not something she coped with well.

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Amelia stiffened a bit, she hated when others touched her in any way “I don’t want to hurt you, But you need to cooperate. We’re almost there. Hearing the person speak she knew it was Seph. She didn't like any of the hunters even when they tried to show a little compassion, they made her hunt her only living family and she hated them for that. The only person that she has become to like was Jay, he helped her when she was hurting. Feeling Seph's hand still on her shoulder she let out a soft sigh "where is Sage" she asked in a whisper. She knew her familiar was in the general area because she would be feeling a lot of discomfort if she was left at the institute but the bird must of been sedated because she couldn't reach out her mind to the bird.

She wondered if Jay was also here but she has yet heard his voice. "I have just been informed that the situation is worse than we thought." Damien's voice brought her out of her thoughts, even though she couldn't see, she knew the hunters were gathering about to start the hunt. "The escapees, and the Revolution are working together, meaning that one quick attack would be messy. People might get away, and others that we were ordered to capture, might get killed. So I've come up with a new plan." She didn't like the sound of that, she was glad Aindreas got more people for the Revolution group but a new plan always got things messy. "We'll sneak into their camp while they're away on a raid and capture whoever they leave to watch, and take them back to an Institute. They'll try to make a rescue. But we'll be ready for them. We'll have someone on the inside, feeding us information about every move they make." Amelia wanted to scream, god she just wish she could get away and not have to do this any longer. She really hoped Ada and Andy were not the ones staying back, it would just make her feel worse.

She must of got lost in her mind for a few mintutes because Damien was now telling everyone to pack up and get ready. She leaned her head back against the tree and waited there until one of the hunters came to fetch her and make her start tracking again.

---

Aindreas was already getting annoyed with Vera, he did not like having her step in like she is part of the leadership. Relax Andy, she is just trying to give you a hard time, females do that Kefir's voice was heard through his thoughts and he shook his head looking over at his Familiar who was stretched out next to Ada. He looked back to Vera as the girl started talking again."Careful now, you wouldn't want to be like the humans now would you?" He growled softly wanting to tell her she should just go now, he wasn't sure how long he will be able to work with Vera if she kept this up "They seem to think they can tell people not to be themselves. Don't tell me not to Warp around. I'm a Sly. Unless you chain me to a tree, I'll Warp where I want.".

His anger was nearly spiking and he could feel the heat in his hands, he looked over to Ada and then tried to take a few deep breaths to calm himself before he accidentally starts something on fire."This area is my are so try to be respectful…remember whose territory you are on". He growled then turned around as he heard another person approach, he gave a nod to Leif as he reported in "Good morning. Aindreas, the Institution isn't active right now. I only saw one guard on patrol and he looked pretty tired. There are two doors, a main entrance and a back door that has some sort of fancy electronic lock on it. There's a large window on the ground floor, too. I'm guessing because of that they keep the captives in higher floors or underground,". He took a few moments to think this over the patted Leif's shoulder "alright, thank you Leif that information will be very useful to us".

Vera then started talking about the plan which made him focus back on the red head "I like your plan Aindreas. Not bad. However, a ring of fire? It would take too long for you to set up, and we need you to do other things", he really couldn't argue with that so he continued to listen to Vera. What if you have...This Feline, make a force field around the place while we're in there and stand at one of the doors? That way, nothing can get in until we're done, and he can take it down for us to get out." He took a couple minutes to consider her idea "His name is Leif and if he can keep up the force field long enough than that would be a good idea" he then looked to Leif "think you are up for that?"

As he waited for Leif's response Vera spoke up again "And don't you worry your little head about my people. They'll follow me anywhere. We should also all pair up, so that no one's alone." He looked at her, thinking that over, they usually kept together when going on a raid because they had such a small group but with the escapees joining them it would be different this time. "Usually we all stick together but in this case we have more people, so yes I agree. I also think my people should pair up with some of your people because we have done raids before you have not."

He the looked over to Ada "How about you go find um the girl Boo and get aquainted with her, also make sure to keep your eyes peeled and use your abilities if you have to Adalind" he said the last part in a bit of a protective voice. Kefir gave Ada a soft nuzzled then got up and went to Aindreas's side. Aindreas looked down to Kefir I have a bad feeling about something Kefir, but I can't pinpoint it. His intuition was usually very good and Kefir knew this You think somethings going to happen on the raid? Kefir asked looking up at him. A slight sigh escaped his mouth I don't know Kefir, I just don't know.

Mathias Quinn

"Just stop talking, in fact, just stop breathing," the kid said in response to Mathias's question. The Serpent Mutant looked at the kid, paused by the strange response. That was enough for Mathias, though. He was already on edge with the crowdedness of the city and Nox's dislike of having to constantly hide and this situation just made him even jumpier. He started to raise a fist to punch the computer when the kid reached out and touched him. Pain arced down Mathias's nerves to almost every part of his body, although his head was strangely unaffected. Nox's concern flared brightly in his mind, but he ordered his Familiar to stay put. Slumped against a table in a rather undignified position, Mathias tried to move his arms but was rewarded with a biting pain.

"What is your name, hunter?" the kid asked.

Hunter? Mathias's eyes narrowed. Did the kid think that he was a Mutant hunter?

"So, who sent you after me this time? That idiot Dr. Evaline?" the kid continued. "Did they even tell you who you were going after? Or are they worried you would be too afraid? Did they tell you I know when I am lied to?"

Mathias tried to move again and received another bout of pain. Without much of a choice he said, "First off, I'm no hunter. I have no idea who this Dr. Evaline is. I have no idea who you are, other than that you look like you're trying to expose me. If you really can tell when you are lied to, you should know I'm telling the truth. As for my name, well, you haven't given me any good reason to trust you with it. Try telling me yours, first."

He grimaced with the remanants of pain from the shock. I'm coming out, Nox said. No, Nox, please don't. He could get you too. This is bad enough without you feeling it. Stay, he mentally told his Familiar. I am feeling it, she responded, but she stayed in the backpack.

Then, made curious by his conversation with Nox, Mathias asked, "Where's your Familiar, kid?" He suspected the kid was either an Aurora or a Flock, for he knew of no other Mutant species who could have the ability to shock people. If Mathias's question was answered truthfully he could find out a piece of valuable information about zap kid.


Leif Anderson

Leif could tell that he had stepped into a conversation with friction between the two leaders, but he stood his ground. He was aware of the tension between the two groups of people and wasn't going to let it scare him off. He had been through far worse before and wasn't about to let a few squabbles determine the success of the Revolution.

"I like your plan Aindreas. Not bad. However, a ring of fire? It would take too long for you to set up, and we need you to do other things," the escapee leader, Vera, said. "What if you have... This Feline, make a force field around the place while we're in there and stand at one of the doors? That way, nothing can get in until we're done, and he can take it down for us to get out."

Aindreas paused to consider this. "His name is Leif and if he can keep up the force field long enough than that would be a good idea," he said. "Think you are up for that?"

Leif thought for a moment. The larger a force field was the more energy it took. The longer it was up the more energy it took, too. In Leif's experience, however, while the two things were related, they were two different sections energy wise. Both size and time required practice to sustain. They were two different muscles for the same task. Leif had practiced both fairly well, although he had exercised the long time "muscle" more than the size one. And mental shields? That was another muscle, too.

Remembering the size of the Institution Leif nodded. "I could keep it up for about fifteen minutes, ten if you wanted me to cover the roof, too. Possibly a bit more, possibly a bit less. If I did this would you still want me to go in to the Institution?" he said. If he were to go into the Institution the time would be even less. He would be too distracted to keep a force field going for long if he had other things to draw his attention away from his task. If Aindreas asked him to go into the Institution he would, though. He was loyal to his leader. Don't want to get too busy. There is only so much you can handle. You can't excell at everything, even if you want to, Shawn said, the grey cat Familiar giving himself a wash behind the ears.

Leif waited for Aindreas's response.

"Leif! Good luck on the raid today," Adalind said, giving him a hug when the meeting was over. Leif squeezed her back and smiled at her, glad to see her grinning.

"Thanks, Soñadora," he said, calling Adalind his nickname for her that was Spanish for dreamer. Shawn purred and rubbed up against Ada's leg. "We'll be fine. Watch camp well, ok? It's just as important of a job," Leif said. He never was quite sure how Adalind felt about being left behind while the others went on raids. He was sure that she worried. He grew worried about her while he was on raids. It was probably sexist of him but he couldn't help but feel guilty that Adalind was left all alone with no one to help her or keep her company. Relax, he told himself, she's going to have one of the escapee girls with her. It's going to be fine.

"See you later," Leif said, giving Adalind another smile. He left her to help Aindreas with the final preparations for the raid.

"This area is my are so try to be respectful…remember whose territory you are on". Aindreas said to her and Vera only shrugged smugly in response, turning her attention to the matter of the Feline. "His name is Leif and if he can keep up the force field long enough than that would be a good idea," Aindreas said, turning towards Leif, and Vera had to fight the impulse to sigh with relief. Finally. They were getting somewhere, instead of just arguing. "Think you are up for that?" Aindreas asked the Feline before addressing her suggestion to pair up. "Usually we all stick together but in this case we have more people, so yes I agree. I also think my people should pair up with some of your people because we have done raids before you have not." Vera smiled and leaned back, as if in shock.

"Well would you look at that?" She smirked jokingly. "We actually agree on something."

"I could keep it up for about fifteen minutes, ten if you wanted me to cover the roof, too. Possibly a bit more, possibly a bit less. If I did this would you still want me to go in to the Institution?" Leif said next, and Vera gave him her attention briefly before thinking it over in her head.

"Alright." She said suddenly all business. Fighting, bickering, and teasing was over. It was time for a solid plan. "I don't really think the roof is necessary, and I don't think you need to go into the institution Leif. That would cost us time with the shield up. So, pick yourself a partner, preferably one of my people, as I like Aindreas's suggestion to pair the two sides, and you guys will be on guard duty, okay?" She looked at Aindreas.

Hope you're okay with all this. She shot him telepathically before continuing.

"Boo and Ada stay here, like we discussed." She stated, just reinforcing it. "And Leif and his partner watch the place while the rest of us head in, each with a partner." She glanced at Lief. "You said the prisoners will probably be on the lower levels? Okay, so Aindreas and I will partner up, and we'll take the lower levels. The rest of the groups will wok in partners to destroy the place, collect any files that are important, and keep our path back up from below open. Meanwhile, Lief here, keeps his field up, and when we're ready, we all head out a hole in the wall that he makes, and head for the cover of the trees."

She leaned back, liking her plan, and glanced about to see that people were starting to gather.

Looking at Aindreas out of the corner of her eye, she turned to the group. "Everyone find a partner. Revolution members, partner up with my people." She told them before recapping the plan to them all.

Finally, she looked at Aindreas. "If you have nothing to add, we should probably leave. If you do, say it now. Sooner is better than later."

Vivianna frowned as she the Sly took lead during the meeting. She listened anyways looking around the group, taking in the escapees, they weren't in the best of shape having been locked up for so long. They were hapless not helpless though. Still Vivianna couldn't help but feel uneasy. Stepping forward she cleared her throat and addressed the sly. "I have something to say, or ask really. I agree with and understand the importance of pairing up with an escapee seeing as how they are inexperienced, but what's to guarantee that when we get in there and the fighting starts or just being back in a facility wont make you're people freeze up? No offence to any of you, I swear, but I'm not going in there and my partner has an incapacitating flashback. I've lived this long, so much longer than most, and I know that what I do is dangerous but I can count on myself to save my own skin, as I can the rest of my group. Are you sure your people are ready for the responsibility of another life?"

Vivianna watched the others as she spoke, looking to see how they reacted to what she had said. If anyone had any doubt about their abilities they should stay behind, but if they really would be an asset then she'd welcome them. Anything to bring down those labs and set free as many mutants as they could, she just wanted them to be sure of themselves.

"I could keep it up for about fifteen minutes, ten if you wanted me to cover the roof, too. Possibly a bit more, possibly a bit less. If I did this would you still want me to go in to the Institution?" Aindreas looked to Leif as he answered his question, he already had an answer but Vera decided to answer for him which annoyed him just a tad. Relax Andy, females just like to be in control Kefir spoke into his mind and he let out a sigh and nodded his head turning his attention to Vera who was speaking to Andy "I don't really think the roof is necessary, and I don't think you need to go into the institution Leif. That would cost us time with the shield up. So, pick yourself a partner, preferably one of my people, as I like Aindreas's suggestion to pair the two sides, and you guys will be on guard duty, okay?" What Vera said was sorta what he was going to tell Leif so he couldn't say anything against it. "Just kinda stay near the entrance Leif, and pair yourself with someone that has an offensive ability just in case someone attacks you."

Hope you're okay with all this. He heard Vera's voice in his mind and looked at her just giving the sly a silent nod jjst as Vera continued on. "Boo and Ada stay here, like we discussed." He nodded, he was actually glad Ada wouldn't be alone "And Leif and his partner watch the place while the rest of us head in, each with a partner. You said the prisoners will probably be on the lower levels? Okay, so Aindreas and I will partner up, and we'll take the lower levels. The rest of the groups will wok in partners to destroy the place, collect any files that are important, and keep our path back up from below open. Meanwhile, Lief here, keeps his field up, and when we're ready, we all head out a hole in the wall that he makes, and head for the cover of the trees." He actually liked Vera's plan, it was solid and they would be able to get done what they needed.

"Everyone find a partner. Revolution members, partner up with my people." He looked over to Vera before looking over the group, the last raid they went to they lost a few members, so he was trying to figure out numbers when Vera interrupted his thoughts. "If you have nothing to add, we should probably leave. If you do, say it now. Sooner is better than later." He gave her a look "one group may have to have a third person, we are low on numbers and I believe you group has more members" he said as he looked to Leif and Emerald.

Just then Emerald spoke up and what she said he already thought about "I have something to say, or ask really. I agree with and understand the importance of pairing up with an escapee seeing as how they are inexperienced, but what's to guarantee that when we get in there and the fighting starts or just being back in a facility wont make you're people freeze up? No offence to any of you, I swear, but I'm not going in there and my partner has an incapacitating flashback. I've lived this long, so much longer than most, and I know that what I do is dangerous but I can count on myself to save my own skin, as I can the rest of my group. Are you sure your people are ready for the responsibility of another life?" He went over to Emerald and stood in front of her putting his hand on her shoulder "Em I see your point I do, but if we just went there would only be three of us. I can't speak for them but I have a feeling they will be fine. If anything happens just call for me and ill send Kefir. You are my right hand girl, I won't let anything happen to you." He said the last part in a low whisper then stepped back and looked at everyone.

"Alright everyone pair up and lets go, we don't have a lot of time" he said in his booming voice before he looked over to Vera "I will be shifting, its easier then walking the whole way". He always shifted into Kefir when he traveled to the institutes. He then looked for Ada and noticed her going over to the small stripe girl. He walked past everyone and towards Ada "we will be leaving now Ada, you know the drill. Stay safe...maybe ill find Amelia on this raid" he said with a hopeful voice before going over to Kefir and shifting into his full white lion form. He shook his body and then walked over to the group and waited for them to be all ready to go.