A world much like our own.

Rafael felt a tingle on his neck. At this, he smiled and put his book back on his end table. Walking over to his desk , he opened a drawer and took out a thick file folder.

Still smiling as he would walk through the now empty hallway, he would stop. Something was not right. Focusing his vision, the numerous runes he had bound to the building would appear. Seeing the glowing dark red circles of energy, he breathed a sigh of relief and let him self relax. He started to walk and came to Valerie's door door.


He knocked lightly twice. He new full well her abilities as a succubus meant she had already heard him walking up, but he had to keep appearances. "Oye, Senora Valentine...I have something you might want to see, mind if i come in?" he stood and waited. Out of the many runes he had bound to the HQ, the one he found the most useful was a certain rune that allowed one too....tap in to ones thoughts. It wouldn't let him read their mind completely, no, that was nearly impossible with out full physical contact. And with most of the other members being either too strong of mind, or too well protected, it gave him vary little in the way of coherent thoughts. It did, how ever, allow him to pick up when some one was thinking about Rafael himself.

"It's supposed to be obscene. That's why I said it." Oren responded to the, apparent, boy who'd addressed her. She assumed most people in the place would not be fluent in Magyar, and if they were then they might also be familiar with the language's culture of colourful an elaborate swearing. She saw no need to censor herself.
"And thank you for the fun facts, but I am the head of cryptobiology here, so I'd save them for somebody else. Werewolves are sentient after all. They're stupid, brutish, and they smell bad, but they've got the autonomy t shift wherever they want. Outside or inside is down to practical implications. You don't turn into a giant canid in your living room for the same reason you don't turn a bear loose in your shower."

Noticing people starting to wander off, Oren sighed irritably.
"No no, I'll stay and make sure this is tidied up. Not like I have vital projects ongoing or anything..."

However, as if in answer to her complaint, her phone let out a sudden bleep.

A seemingly young woman who was truly in her late eighties, Oren was not really a fan of technology, but it was policy that they be contactable, and whether it was technical wizardry or something a little more...esoteric in nature, the messages that arrived came with no trace of their sender. It was the lack of any trace that made it clear who they were issuing from.

' -----

Kovalenko.

Something has been shipped to you that might be of interest.

Tell us what you think it is.

New deployment to begin shortly. '



The message choosing to inform her of a deployment gave Oren a sinking feeling.

She tended to avoid field deployment if there was any possible way for her to avoid it. Oren was far happier in her laboratory working on her research than going out to get her hands dirty again, but, her contract with her organization was not a specific one. If she was required to go out into the world, then she was going to have to capitulate.

The expected apathy that accented work happenings like these had expectedly set upon the group, and a fair bit of them dispersed. Those brought by the /action/ rather then the /individuals/ of course. These similarities between mortals and immortals had always interested Montana. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same. Yes?

"That isn't how one is meant to take out a top tier werewolf." Montana motioned toward the still form of Kora on the floor, Stasis-Stick very thankfully left un-activated. He didn't take any pleasure on using one on a work colleague. "I think my only lesson here was recklessness and its place in a minute situation."

His fingertips lightly tapped the smooth metal of the Stasis-Stick not unlike a teacher drumming their fingers on a smooth desk. They spun the smooth metal around in a small circle, and the thing collapsed into itself, becoming much more compact. It fit into its place on the stealth suits belt snugly.

"Or perhaps misplaced optimism in facing a creature bred for war. Opposite of Miss Kora's warpath is a place I'd rather not be." He had been careful moving as he spoke, avoiding stepping on her still form as he traversed her splayed limbs. As his foot landed next to her still head, he knelt slightly and gave it an affectionate pat.

"Misters Tanner two, it is a pleasure to meet you both." Montana had taken knee to greet them, rather then keeping his height, or simply bending over as one would do to a child. They weren't children, they were adults, and he'd treat them as such. "If I recall the conversation in passing, I believe I've been introduced as Montana."

Alexander Wiseman

Alexander observed the scene that unfold out in front of him with practiced indifference. Kora going on a rampage though going to be costly in the scheme of damages it was not costly in the subduing of the beast, Montana had bravely decide to enter the room with her and had fair rather well, though he knew that if the wolf had truly decide to go after anyone it would of been a vastly different story. Technology was something he was not vastly keen on but it was also one of the few times he had marveled at its capabilities.

He was about to introduce himself to the new faces, until he heard his name mentioned by someone else, he was probably one of the few that people could put a name to a face with just the information of him being an Elder vampire. His planned introduction were again foiled when he noticed movement approaching him. His gaze fell onto Kate as she seemed to inspect him before beginning to chide him.

" I find it either worrisome or amazing that you can tell that at a glance" he remarked with an arched brow before relenting his expression with a sigh. " My apologize, its easy to lose track of time at this age" he said feeling strange about making that comment to someone elder than him. " I suppose my body still feels the effects even though i can restrain my hunger...Its the young vampires that need to worry... i claimed a small village once in my youth out of pure hunger...a celebration or festival brought them together...a terrible mess really" he said forgetting that there was new blood around, which he slid a glance across to " It was a time before....willing... donors"

Liam nearly wanted to rip the throat out of the guy who mentioned the field trip comment, but Jonah gave him a look to stop it. "Sorry about that. You would think we would be used to it by now after a few decades".

Jonah started to get a migraine, but luckily it passed quickly. A side affect of the curse, they got headaches when they tried to remember how old they are specifically, and a minor one for generics. They could mention events and places and times they had been at since the curse, but getting their exact age was currently impossible.

Liam calmed down again as Kora went down. Seeing this, Jonah dismissed the barrier. He looked over at Oren. "Oh, I don't care about censorship. But there are situations that are far worse and would be far more deserving of that level of cursing. Like out running falling flaming debris".

When she got the call, they got interested. Field work meant they would get closer to what they wanted. Because there was no way the witch would stay off SCION's radar, especially once they made sure everyone knew of her. Her, and her demon benefactor. And when they did find her....well, Oren was not the only one with colorful words.

Meanwhile, Liam had gone off to make a phone call, so Jonah looked around. "I don't supose you have a database on curses. Or an expert on them?"

"I decide what merits my own swearing, thank you. If I wanted someone auditing my language I'd have already filed a request with dispatches." Oren responded drily, her mind only half on the subject as she was wondering what it was she'd been sent to analyse.

No further info. Yet. She suspected they were going to keep her in the dakr to make sure she didn't find any excuses to avoid the brief. They were assuming what ever she'd been sent was going to leave her too curious not to want to go out and look at this.That was quite a big ask, as she was very averse to field work...but from what she gathered whoever the funder of SCION nowadays was, they tended to prefer carrot to stick in trying to motivate their employees. And they knew that Oren was a control freak.

She realized the kid was still talking.
"There's no database on curses. Curses are the physical manifestation of the will of their caster. That is, they vary. Also, Mr Montana I hope you'be not damaged my subject. I don't know where I'd find another nordic werewolf at short notice."

Back inside the room, the collapsed form of the wolf-beast had begun once again to move, though not to attack but rather in the spasmodic, crunching jerks that came with a transformation. The fur fell out in clumps, the sharp teeth retracting back into the jawline and the limbs snapping ans twisting back to ordinary lengths until it was a tall, red-haired woman lying on the kitchen floor, who gave a very delayed, uncoordinated swipe at where Montana had been when he'd been petting her on the head before wrapping her arm over her eyes.

"Ugh..what the hell..."

"This would be a pretty shitty field trip if you ask me" she'd muttered more to herself than anyone else. It took only several seconds for Val to again grow uninterested in the scene playing out before her and decide to head to her own room this time.

After pushing herself off of the wall she was leaning on Valerie would walk over towards the two boys she had given a tour to earlier and sarcastically remark "Welcome to SCION, we hope you enjoy your stay!" in the voice of a stewardess before approaching Arcturus and gently plucking the cigarette out of his mouth so that she could take a few puffs from the cancer stick herself and then hold it back up to his mouth for him to grab or let fall to the floor if so chooses.
"Thank you kindly." she'd say to the Canadian with a wink and a smile before feigning a Southern accent laced with sarcasm as she turned and began walking towards her condominium. "Yall have fun now ya hear?"

Arcturus just looked her in the eyes as she held the cigarette out, and watched it fall for a moment before catching it with his two fingers. he brought it back into his mouth as she winked at him, faked a southern accent, and walked away. It seemed as though she liked him, which was great, considering he needed a favour. He quietly brushed past the others, and continued to puff the last bit of his cigarette as he made his way into Val's room.

"I need an M14, silenced, with a holo sight if you could." before he made his way back into his room, removing his personal dossier, and beginning the report of last nights mission. The report would be easy, black-ink, not so much. of course, SCION had their own report, which would probably be much further blacked than his, but still, black-ops reports were definitely not his strong point.

He slid his dossier file back in the drawer and locked it. There were things in there that even the people (if you can even call them that) wouldn't want to see, and did not need to know. He spent about 45 minutes on it. He set the report on his desk once it was finished, to let the ink dry. The last word triggered a flashback. He began seeing a particularly bloody night, one of his first nights in JTF2


"OPERATION VIPER"
Sept 22, 2001.
Zabul, A.


*Kicked in the door, Infant beheaded, Woman hanging from celing, Sound of a knife, chewing, black bag, car, crying, yelling, Cleaver sounds in the distance, bright light, Israili Accent "You'll make good meat, boy", blood, knife slips into hand from sleeve, tie wire cut, bag cut, whispers "Kill them all" to himself, disembowelment, grabs AK, kicks out door, 7 headshots, screaming, young girls in cage, naked, mixed race, males in separate cage, organ processor, meat grinder, children running, 9 more headshots.*

He came back into reality. He remembered it well. Got himself kidnapped on purpose by an organ trafficker who was believed to be assisting is the funding of the Taliban. They were selling organs of children and young adults, selling fleshmeat, sex slaves. Something in him snapped that night, he killed every single non-prisoner in there. The guards didn't get it too bad, but the the butchers. Cut every single finger and toe off, cut arm veins and hung them from the feet until the bled out. Killed the kids working the proccessors and grinders. He never recovered from that bloodlust since.

Arc made his way into the kitchen for some food. A few hot dogs would do. He grabbed four, threw them in the nuke, grabbed a jar of mayonaise, took anunbelivably large scoop, and threw it on the plate as he took the dogs out. He sat in the living room, removed his respirator, and began eating. He could tell from the onlookers he was enjoying his meal far too much. Having a couch to sit on was a fairly now concept, but it was definitely enjoyable. Once finished, he headed back into his room to finish his report. It looked like someone had moved it. Not a big deal, it wasn't something that needed to remain secret. He slid his drawer open, without unlocking it. Something wasn't right. His ;ast mission, previous to his switch to SCION. The assassination on Kofi Annan during the peace talks in Syria. Paid 3,000,00 dollars to continue the war, and allow the UN to step in and take down the Assad government. Someone knew, and it wouldn't be long before he found out who. People around here liked to talk.

"No damage Ms. Kovalenko, I'd never harm a fellow operative if it could be helped." A small change in perspective. Subject vs Operative. This wasn't an indication that Montana harboured any kind of dislike toward Oren for her work. On the contrary, he attributed his continued survival to the research she did. It was more of a friendly nudge on the shoulder of a work colleague who was very immersed in their work. Something he might not have bothered to do had there not been two fresh recruits present.

"Ms. Norriventer." Jumping from one conversation to the next, he turned heel and moved back over to her still, and decidedly nude form on the ground. The gentlemen he was, at least in the context of facility life, he blocked her view with his crouching body from the others. "You're lucid and speaking among the bipedal humanoids again, good, Oren.."

Montana turned to the vampress and offered her a disarming smile. Not that he imagined it would have much sway on the cold being, both body and heart it was directed at. It was more of a habit, and, you know, anything was possible. "Could I trouble you for your lab coat?"

"I'd rather not escort Ms. Norriventer, a lady to the infirmary in such an immodest fashion." Montana's subdued personality often made it hard to place just how serious he was being in a casual situation. Well, SCION casual, given his fellow operative had just created a money, and time consuming mess after breaking out of a testing session with their top researcher.

"Of course if I had to, I'd bear the responsibility with as much quiet dignity as I could muster." This time he turned back to Kora, and his smile had straightened into a more serious line. Very serious.

Oren glanced round in general disapproval at Montana's request, casting her eyes up from her phone.
"She's got at least a foot of height on me. It probably wouldn't even fit."

"....areyoucallingme...fat.." Kora mumbled, propping herself up on one elbow and rubbing her head with the other.
"...noI'mfine..Iduneedtogo..to thinfirmary..."

Just then, the werewolf woman realized the state of her clothes...or lack of them, and seized hold of the shredded tablecloth that she'd been ripping into and pulled it around her ribs, something that was a little crude, but serviceable enoough in protecting her modesty. Despite the monstrous nature of the wolves, the Norrevinter were rather...old fashioned types, and preferred not to wander around unclothed.

"...shit...I feel like I was hit by a truck.."she muttered, though could guess that was not the reason for her enormous headache. Shaking her head a few times to clear her vision she peered over Montana's shoulder toward the doorway, planning to tell Oren this was all her fault, but the researcher had disappeared.
"....vampires."


-

Oren found a small, insulated pack sat on her worktop when she walked back into the lab room.

SHe had, more or less, expected it.

Opening up the top, the mist of an ice pack rose slowly out from the box, and, shifting the ice revealed a small vial of something thick and green that splashed about inside when she donned her gloves and lifted it up. Biological if she was guessing.Was that supposed to be...blood?

The woman slowly raised an eyebrow.

Well, that was a rather novel scenario. For maybe the first time, she was presented with blood that she had absolutely no wish to put anywhere near her mouth. What an odd and liberating feeling.

A hooded figure walked down the hallways of the mansion giving a small nod (or at least it appeared to be a nod) to anyone who pasted her. She had been messaged just moments ago, with a notification that her abilities were needed in the hallway.

The hooded figure arrived just in time to hear Kora speak about how she did not need to go to the infirmary. Just by looking at Kora it was easy to tell that statement was false.

With a shake of her head Fel spoke up her voice quiet, barely above a whisper. "Excuse me miss, you really look like you need help. If you don't want to go to the infirmary maybe I could take care of it?"

It was then the hooded figure turned, the face of the cloak looking at Montana. Montana would feel as if someone was studying him, appraising him and looking for any weakness that might be there.

In truth Fel was just checking out Montana to make sure the man was not injured. After all what kind of Fallen would she be if she let someone in pain.

--

In another part of the mansion a teenage girl sat at a desk staring at a piece of paper. This whole thing was stupid, why were they making her take a bloody test on the various supernatural creatures. It was bad enough she one of the damned things, but now she had to learn how to identify them and what traits they shared! Yeah SCION sucked big time.

Even as Crystal mentally seethed, she knew that this stuff was import. After all how would she ever be able to kill the animal who put her in this situation. At the thought of the wolf-thing that attacked her, Crystal shivered. The memories of that night weeks ago were fresh in her mind, even now she could clearly remember the screams of her parents as the thing... NO. Test, that's right she had to focus on the test.

Shortly after Crystal finished the test turning it into the female agent over seeing her little exam. After Crystal left the room another agent, this time a male entered.

The male agent walked over his hand extended, reaching out for the test paper. "How did she do?"

With a sigh the female agent handed the paper over. "Well at least she payed attention to what we taught her. Though the side comments and doodles of various creatures being killed worries me, especially the pile of dead wolves. Crystal really isn't ready to go into the field yet."

Male agent chuckled at the drawings, the stick figure artwork amused him. "I think I know the perfect wolf to deal with her, one that has been begging for a pack for a while now." With that the man pulled out his phone and made a quick call.

"God damnit, I missed everything! Why'd the hell all this had to happen all the way over at the other side of the damn base...damnit…”

Lingering in the entryway of the hall, a woman stood, arms crossed over her chest as she stared at the little gathering before her. Her features were hidden, masked, but her scowl was made just as obvious through her tone as if her face had been bare to the world. Though the combination of goggles and mask could have been seen as slightly unnerving by some, the person’s attitude- resembling more of a pouting child than anything- made the effect...less prominent.

Although Stride hadn’t been lying about having to travel from what was nearly the opposite side of the building, her tardiness had, admittedly, been partially her fault. After all, when playing “Eye of the Tiger” while training and pretending that the entire sequence is a movie montage, one has a tendency to have trouble picking up any faint sounds of conflict. It was only until she had finished that she finally noticed, and, cursing her luck, deposited her training gear and started a sprint to the location, shrugging into her usual items on the way there.

Unfortunately for her, however, as things had been wrapped up shortly before she had arrived, Stride was left in her current state. Her chest rose and fell with each pant, hair slightly disheveled as she looked on in annoyance. She had wanted action, after all, and healing up a recovered werewolf after their escape didn’t count for much in her books.

After scuffing her boots upon the tile a few times, the half-breed allowed a hand to fall to her side, using the other to adjust her goggles. “There any chance there’s somethin’ for me to help with?” Stride offered after a moment. “Got nothin’ else to do, and, sides, I kinda wanna find out what happened around here. Looks like it was one hell of...somethin’.” Almost unconsciously, her gaze dropped to Kora, and, at her side, Fel. Whatever had happened, it didn’t take rocket science to figure out that the redhead had been at the center.

Once again, Stride mentally cursed her timing, but did not dwell too long upon it. After all, considering she was there, it would be a waste of time not to offer to help wrap things up…

...even if the process of doing so was incredibly uninteresting.

" Positively ancient my dear" he said, it was meant in a joking manner but the dry sense of humor and dead delivery often meant it was missed by most, though he was sure Kate knew this. He was sure as well she would not believe his excuse at all, but he was not going to admit he allows the hunger to creep in. He found it a fantastic tool to help him work, he felt sharper more alert and vastly more decisive. It was Arguable that he was more ruthless as well.

Following Kate he gazed over the blood packs, surprising variety for an organization that was technically still rebuilding itself. Taking a couple of packs he gazed at the red liquid. Opening his mouth he extended his fangs as he brought on of the bags up and used a fang to pierce the top to allow him to use the bag like a make shift water skin. Drinking deep from the bag he leveled his gaze once more upon Kate " I suppose you have never had to worry about vampires though... a hungry vampire could quite easily miss you with the lack of body heat" There were a few creatures within scion that did not give of much or any body heat, It annoyed Alexander as it made sensing them a real pain.

It did not take Alexander long to drain the first bag. Under most circumstances he would consider this a meal and take his time. However currently it just seemed like a task that needed to be done as he knew Kate would not be pleased if he did not. " Now aside from making sure i am fed.... is there anything else you wish from me?.... i will gladly take any excuse to stay my return to that desk of mine cluttered with paper work" he asked before beginning to drain the second bag.

Montana had placed a steadying hand on the small of Kora's back, the fabric of the tablecloth was strange to the touch, but he could feel it nonetheless. Good good, it retained the sense of touch, albeit muted. -You most certainly need medical attention.- He replied to her. His voice was low, head turned so Kora, and only Kora could hear his words. "Yes, you do Kora, you know as well as I do the toll a transformation like this takes." Though general care for his colleagues was always a factor, the red wolf was also an invaluable asset, and deployment was sometimes the work for a few hours, and he needed her at her best.

"Though it appears as if the infirmary has come to us." Far from being unsettled by the hooded figure, he seemed calmed by her presence, and a momentary softness, paired with a small smile crossed his features, quickly banished by his usual stoic look. "Thank you." He said with a nod. She was in good hands, the hands of a race that, on the surface used them for help rather then hindrance.

Ah. Stride. Montana always found her rather...excitable. A personality that made base life interesting, an work quite intense. "I'm afraid so Stride." He replied. "It seems that health will be restored momentarily, so in regards to your offer of help..." The male cast his coal black eyes around the room. "I'd imagine you could help the janitorial staff with clean up, or perhaps if you've hidden an affinity for carpentry you could get started on measuring and re fitting the cabinets."

Arcturus finished blacking out his latest report, leaving only untraceable information on the page, before putting it back in his dossier, locking his drawer, and locking his room on the way out. Fel had made her way down the hall towards Kora, to help heal her he'd assumed. His eyes met Montana's for a moment. Arc was curious as to his abilities with a silenced weapon, and his ability to play into a squad setting, the man was no doubt talented on his own, but sometimes, that wasn't everything. He whispered to the man in passing.

"Meet me in the courtyard, 1200h."

Arc then walked away from the situation, making his way to The Old One's office, to see what was on his plate for the next mission. No doubt it would be another black ops mission, he'd been receiving most of them lately, which didn't surprise him, the others weren't as used to squad work as he was, and he wasn't as used to assassinations as they were. He knocked on the door twice, once, then twice, more softly. No response. He must be with Kate. It was of no great importance, The Old One would simply come to Arc later on.

He made his way down to the shooting range, when his phone rang. His old LT, this should be good.

" You feel like serving your country for one last mission?" He asked as though Arc might've said no. The reality was, that Arc still owed him a favor.

"Where, when, whats the mission?" Arc responded coldly.

"The boys are being briefed now. 1200hrs. We'll have you back in time for supper tomorrow, if all goes as planned. Bz" Brazil,it was clear that the rest was was something to remain secret, He was sensing fear in the mans voice, as though something major was going to happen. Biological warfare was the most likely, especially from the god damn Brazilians.

"I'm in. Meet me 1k south of my current location, I'm bringing along a few faces of my own." Arc was fully aware they would trace the call, it was the military after all, and it wasn't like SCION would really miss him, not for just a few hours.

He made his way inside, and went to find Montana and Rafael. He thought they might enjoy something a little more human, and less like a damn horror movie. Then again, this could very well end up being a horror movie.

He found Montana and Rafael rather quickly, and posed the question.

"Care to join me in dissapearing for a day? Bring a gun, something small and quiet, and shoots fast, this could get ugly, and I'd rather not bring anyone back dead. It's not absolutely necessary, but I thought you two might like to see what a human war's like nowadays." Arc himself would be bringing his Vector, which he loved oh so dearly. The boys would probably be given support weapons, and would more than likely be sticking back. He left his friends to think on the matter, The Old One would need to be informed of his leaving, but the rest of the people here didn't need to know.

He made his way back to The Old Ones office, and knocked, before opening the door. "I'll be gone for about 24hrs. My country needs me, they wouldn't have called if it wasn't something major. Brazil, but that's all they could tell me over the phone. Anyone asking about my whereabouts cannot be informed.

"...Isaid I'm fine..." Kora mumbled, shrugging the support off as she rose to her feet, leaning against the wall. She paused there to clear her head before setting her gaze on Montana.

"Not that I don't appreciate your concern, but I have been training to force changes since I was five or six. I can manage."

She straightened up, made her way over to the sink in the smashed-up kitchen, and poured a glass of water. Well, a plastic cup. They didn't tend to keep too much that was easily broken for...well mostly for that reason entirely.

"...getting freakin' tazed on the other hand is not something I'm quite as adapted to. Not that I hold a grudge or anything. Unless it's Oren. Then it becomes funny."


She downed a glass of water in one gulp, clearing the rather unpleasant taste of blood that tended to follow a transformation. You did not tend to bleed too much, Oren had gone one about how the blood vessels massively constricted during a shift, however, when you had a set of fangs bursting through your gumline, it did tend to leave that nasty taste on your mouth.

"I'm not going to the infirmary. Spent all morning in research. Had enough being poked and prodded by people in white coats to last me a while. I swear every time that leech looks at me she's picturing a dissection session and I don't doubt she'd do it. Vamps. They give me the creeps. Like reptiles." she paused, casting a glance in Stride's direction.
"Uh, no offence intended."


She was about to speak again, when the SCION intercom flared suddenly into life. The speaker system had been set up for remote access...where the 'remote' was was less clear, but the voice, that of a female speaking calmly and clearly, but with a chipper enough tone, broadcast out.

"Good morning agents of SCION, I do hope you're all well. A new case has come to our attention. Please will all field-cleared staff, medical dept, and research convene in the meeting room immediately."


Kora gazed up at the small speaker with narrowed eyes.
"It's like you do this on purpose. Am I really expected to swan into a staff briefing in a table cloth? Is this where my life has led me?"

“You’d like me to mop the floors while I’m at it?” Stride drawled, drumming her fingers lightly upon the top of her arm. “I’m not a damn intern, ya know. I’ll just get the staff over here, but I’m not gonna sit around cleanin’ n’ shit.”

Although the man had been a member of SCION for far longer than she, the silver-head tended to have trouble biting her tongue out of respect for the other, arrogant bastard that he was.

Upon hearing Kora’s explanation of her refusal, and subsequent apology, Stride only snorted and let her hands fall to her side. Her response had been hanging off her lips when the sudden broadcast cut her off, sending her snapping to attention at the voice. Stride’s eyes gazed upwards at the intercom from beneath her goggles, locking onto it as if it the piece of technology was the speaker herself.

It was only when the words had finally cut off that her gaze returned to her company, hand lifting to scratch at the side of her jaw. “Well,” Stride began, “can’t really take much offense now, can I? Since this ‘s just screwin’ ya over and all.” Absentmindedly, the woman once again looked to the speaker, squinting up at it.

“You’d think they’d give us a bit of a heads-up ‘round here...better be somethin’ important.”

After all, although it was fairly clear by now that the mess was caused by a research accident, Stride was still dying to know all the juicy details.

"I wanted to show you-" He was cut off by the rather loud accountant. ""While it would be childishly amusing to skip such a meeting I think we should show our faces, no?" Rafael would shrug his shoulders in agreement and fallow the women down the hall. He was slightly taken back by the woman's burst of speed and found himself instinctively making chase. He only slowed as Arc waved him down and spoke. "Care to join me in disappearing for a day? Bring a gun, something small and quiet, and shoots fast, this could get ugly, and I'd rather not bring anyone back dead. It's not absolutely necessary, but I thought you two might like to see what a human war's like nowadays." Rafael stopped and spoke with a slight smile. "As much as i would like to join you, I believe we have been called in to a meeting, any other time, sure." He would turn and continue up the hall to the meeting room.

Upon entering said room, he found himself looking not only at the small group of SCION agents he already knew, but a few new faces as well. “Well, they get younger every year.” He would nod to the notably younger looking agents in the room and take a seat at the back of the room. He would turn the empty seat in front of him around and rest his loafers on it. Bringing the brim of his hat down over to his face to make it seem like he was going to take a nap.

He was in actuality using his senses to take note of the new auras in the room and took to sending out a mass probe that would reach out and touch each of the three new agents in the room. He counted a Fallen girl he had only seen in the infirmary once before. A newly turned Lycanthrope with a rather…heated aura around her and lastly he felt an aura he hadn’t felt in over 700 years. “A Medusa? Hmm…this should be interesting” he thought internally and brought his head back up. Setting his eyes on the board at the front of the room he let a small chuckle escape his lips.

Liam finished making his call, and went over to Jonah to help get their stuff into the room. He took both their backpacks to get them settled, and then decided to investigate the room. Mainly, wondering if there were any monitoring devices, but he was also wondering how old it was and what everything would originally look like. Jonah had this annoying habit of changing things without saying anything (like turning a closet into a condensed hallway with several rooms without taking up any additional space), and it could get a bit annoying at times.

Jonah had more questions as Liam returned, but the announcement apparently put everything else on hold. Not wanting to miss anything, the two rushed immediately there, Jonah forgetting to put the dufflebag with all of his various collected objects in their room with the rest of their stuff. Jonah had collected a large variety of magical objects during their search for a way to reverse the curse.

Jonah and Liam rushed in to try and take some seats close by. For a moment, they thought they were the most casually dressed, until Val came in. Jonah took the opportunity. "Hey Liam, bring back any memories".

Liam blushed in reference to the old prank, when Jonah locked him outside their hotel room in just a towel. "Jonah, please never bring that up, or else. I have ammo too".

Jonah shot him a glare as they took their seats. Still, he took out his phone, to check for any texts. Nothing yet. He looked around at the others.

This would be their first step on the path to revenge, against the demons, and the witch.

An announcement cut over the intercom, requesting all personnel into a meeting. It wouldn't be the first time Arc had left a meeting early, and certainly wouldn't be his last. He made his way into the room, grabbed his old JTF2 uniform, suited up, grabbed a large backpack, put his Vector, his USP, a few concussion grenades, and made his way to the room. He leaned against the back wall, next to the door, making it clear to the higher ups that he would not be staying for the night.

Several new faces were in the room. Arc didn't like new faces, hard to trust people when you don't even know what they are. His eyes met those of a younger woman, she didn't seem too happy to be here. Although the cloaked figure really caught his eye. He heard all the rumors, but he didn't care for what others said about her, he wanted to know himself. The stats said she was a fallen angel, works in the infirmary. Arc had never really spent much time there, so he'd never really met her.

Arc texted his LT.

" 2h, we've got a meeting, I can't just bail. Should be over sometime soon. "

He walked further into the room, looking for a place to sit. Against his better judgement, he sat next to Fel. She had definetely piqued his interests, and he wanted to know what made her tick. But that was a conversation for later.

Fel watched Kora for a long moment, as if trying to decide if healing the woman against her wishes was the right thing to do. Kora's pain was like a beacon to Fel, the desire to relieve it growing with ever passing second. It was when the booming voice over the loud speaker chimed in Fel made her decision.

She quickly removed her glove revealing a scarred hand with a missing index finger. Reaching out she touched Kora on the shoulder despite the woman's protest after all if a mission was coming then they would need the woman at her full strength.
The process took less than a second as Fel's powers worked to repair any damage that Kora had caused herself during the transformation process. All the while a soothing sensation would pass over the werewolf leaving her momentarily feeling content. The sensation was different for everyone maybe it was the feeling of a favorite blanket on a cold winter's day, the taste of a comforting food, or the smell of a carnival.

As soon as Fel's hand left Kora the woman would full back to normal, well as normal as the angry werewolf was anyways. It was during this moment Fel moved behind Montana least be on the receiving end of one of Kora's famous doctor punches.
Hiding behind Montana always made Fel feel safe, knowing that the man would protect her from just about anything that life tried to throw at her (including an angry werewolf). Once Fel had put her glove back on and she was certain that any danger had passed she tugged on Montana's sleeve.

Her voice was soft but there was a hint of tenderness in it as she address Montana. "Ready to go?"
She would walk with Montana towards the meeting room before deciding on the taking a seat with open spots on either side.
To her surprise a man she knew very little of aside from the name sat next to her. The scars on the side of the man's face made her instantly feel for Arcturus. After all they reminded her a bit of her own.

--------------------------------------
Crystal was confused as agents ushered her into the meeting room, hadn't they said she wasn't ready? The confusion slowly turned into excitement, all the tests, combat training, and preparation over the last month had paid off and they were finally sending her into the field.

Then as all the people starting coming in the panic started setting in, their were so many people, so many supernatural agents. Pushing down her inward panic Crystal decided to focus on her hatred, the hatred for every dam supernatural creature in the room.

/Stupid agency putting me in a room full of killers, I'll show them that I have more culture then these supernatural soldiers of death./

What was even more stupid was that Crystal had to be on the look out for her new trainer. The agents had called the woman her future pack leader, but Crystal refused to think of anyways that way. Thinking of it that way would be to accept what she now was, and that was not something she was ready to do.

Crystal was some animal that needed a pack.