Ember Cole's Story

John nodded. Rylie was right, they needed a plan. So far, all they were doing was sitting around twiddling their thumbs. "Until our missile is disarmed and the warhead is removed, we stay here. That is our primary objective. However, we do need a fallback option. Our current selection is shelter, but it's a bare minimum. We'll need to secure a better residence, considering how many people we have in our group."

John shook his head. "The problem, however, is the fact that we are in a war zone. Bullets are flying and people are dying. Some of us are wanted by one military or another, either as a member of one, or as a former member." John looked at Rylie as he said this. "There is only one way I see if we want to have a real place to live."

"As soon as we disable the warhead, we fight back." John turned to Ember. "Unfortunately, this will put your family in danger. I will try to keep them out of danger, but I cannot guarantee their safety." Ember nodded. "I hear ya. We'll try to stay outta your way." She paused, unsure of what she was about to say. "What... what's the big deal about the missile? I mean, why's it such a big problem?"

John explained the basics of the missile, leaving out the presence of the computer. Ember was silent for a moment after he finished, then said "My powers sorta exclude nuclear explosions."

Sighing, Daniel slips his offered and ignored hand into his pants pocket. "So I take it we're going to be watching after these kids now?" He asks the air and walks around the room some more, clearly agitated. "Because a group of supers who are actively in conflict with several groups that have no qualms about killing make for the perfect foster family. Maybe we can sell it as a television show..."

Then John says his piece and Daniel stops dead, turning to look at him. "You want us to fight back? Against three different militaries? Why couldn't you have just said we should take them to another city, that would have been so much simpler!" He shakes his head and moves to rest against the wall again while John explains the missile to the newcomer. He chuckles at her response to it, "It would be damn impressive if they did, but honestly the missile as is is only dangerous if another group gets to it with the intention to use it." He says with a shrug, "And I still think we're going to need allies to help with this, particularly if we actually want to fight back."

Things were so tentative. The group, if they could be called such were already on edge and the presence of children did not help. Rylie looked over each one of them. She was certain that no one there had a great deal of experience taking care of young children and Adana herself was only a teenager. She slightly shook her head as Daniel’s offered hand went unnoticed. He was on agitated and she didn’t blame him. He hadn’t been readily welcomed and now this girl and these kids were her and welcomed in and protection offered.

Rylie scratched her head and sighed. Wade seemed to be at a loss of what to do like she was. Adana, now a dog again brought the children the bag of food. “We will have to get a lot more supplies....” Rylie’s mind began making a list of all the things that would be needed. She couldn’t go back to the checkpoint, not yet anyway. In a week or so, maybe but not now.

She couldn’t help a smile as the dog lavished the children with slobbery dog kisses and then bounded over to where Wade sat.

Rylie turned back to look at John. At least he understood and was sensible about this. Better residence, war zone, bullets....yes all things they needed to worry about. Her face remained impassive as John pointed out that some of them had military connections. For now hers were taken care of. She was on a mission. The occasional check in and they wouldn’t question her activity. Rylie didn’t say anything though. As long as her work didn’t jeopardize the others or the location of the missile then it wasn’t important.

If she wasn’t so well trained at keeping her emotions hidden Rylie’s jaw might have dropped at John’s statement that they would have to fight back. She stared at him, her face a cold mask. “Is he nuts? There are so few of us and most of us don’t even have powers to help combat...”

Her thoughts stop as Daniel made his point. He seemed to be thinking along similar lines as she was. She had to admit that leaving would be simpler but leaving meant taking the warhead with them, finding a way to dispose of it and not all of them could simply leave. “Not all of us can even simply fight.” It wouldn’t be that easy.

She looked at the others again, reassessing their abilities as John explained the missile to Ember. No very few of them were capable of full on assaults. If...if they were going to fight Daniel was right, they needed real allies. Rylie looked down at her feet. They would also need to start working as a team, an actual cohesive team of powers to utilize everyone’s abilities to their fullest. They would need to train and trust each other, even just a little bit.

Rylie moved to sit next to Daniel. John had a broad plan but they needed specifics something for the short term that could help them get to the goal of fighting back, if that ended up as their best course of action.

Her head went back against the wall. “If we can’t get the gangs to help, and I agree we need allies in this, who else can we turn to? Not like we can put out an advertisement for those with powers to come and join us. Got another group in mind or you want another run at the gangs?”

Daniel looked at Rylie, genuine surprise evident on his face for a moment before he hid it with a crooked smile, "It honestly would not be that hard to get the gangs on our side, particularly the renegades since most of them are already soldiers who went awol. Even the gangs that dislike me should be easy for me to talk to and pull into a temporary alliance. After all, if one of the militaries wins out over the others, hell even if none of them win and they just stay deadlocked, the gangs will be wiped out."

Pausing for a few moments, he took a careful look around the warehouse and considered what he knew about the various powers assembled, "Mental powers, pyrokinetic, shapeshifter, physical powers, teleportation..." He said quietly to himself, already figuring out ways to use these to his, their, advantage. "We still need to figure out what to do with the kids," He said louder with a sharp look to Ember, "But I think that on fighting terms we should be fine, assuming that is the gangs are willing to listen. If anyone else has any useful connections now would be a fantastic time to let us know."

Then he looked at Watcher and gave him a warm smile, "Also, having access to the computer's information would be immensely helpful." He said simply, glad for the glasses that hid the glint in his eyes.

Rylie still had her head back, her eyes slightly on the ceiling as she spoke to Daniel when Adana bounded over and launched her dog body onto Rylie's lap.

“Oof!” The wind was knocked slightly out of her as Adana settled in, tongue lolling slightly out of her mouth. “Okay Adana...geez...” Rylie laughed as she ran her hand along Adana's head. She was still stroking the dog's fur when she realized Daniel was looking at her.

Surprise was clear on his face but Rylie's remained impassive. She noted it as he made it vanish as quickly as it came with his slightly off-sided smile. Her hand played with the dog's ear as she nodded slightly to Daniel's response about the gangs. An alliance would not be out of the question, even if it was just for enough time that they could exit the city. Rylie sighed slightly, just loud enough for Daniel to hear. It was one of relief, she had been worried that things were so screwed up out there that this small band would be one their own.

She watched him as he looked around, doing what she had mentally done just moments before, taking stock of the resources in the room. Rylie almost shook her head as he smiled towards Wade, mentioning the computer. He was treading unstable ground there and he knew it, was poking at it on purpose.

Rylie looked at Adana. The dog's large eyes looked back at her and Rylie had to smile. “I wish things were simple, don't you?”

John was talking again and Rylie looked over at him. She listened to what needed to get done. Disarming it was not something she could do, she knew nothing about them. Disposal...well again, she had never tackled missiles and their upkeep so Rylie had nothing to add. Relocation and fighting back were areas she could help with specifically. John asked Zoey about the missile and Rylie wondered how the woman was going to tackle it alone. She was capable, that Rylie did not doubt but from the look of it there was a lot involved and she imaged Zoey would have an easier time if she had others who knew what they were doing. Zoey's response confirmed Rylie's thoughts. Zoey had done all she could alone, now help was needed, help that knew how to handle a warhead.

“I think we still need some sort of defense here. Doesn't sound like we or the warhead are going anywhere right away. We clearly need help. If Zoey can't move it alone...which really, I don't blame her for and would not expect her to handle that alone and none of us have experience in this sort of thing, we need a new tactic. We can't have someone storming in here in the meantime and accidently blowing it up.”

She looked at John again. “It is as disabled as she can make it and we cannot just move it. So we secure this place while we work on getting some help with it?”

Rylie really wasn't sure what to do at this point. They needed help but help could bring trouble. “Rock and a hard place...”

John listened as everyone put in their two cents. John started thinking. Gangs would be the most easily accessed choice, but I can't put too much trust in their capabilities to protect us or disarm the bomb. The U.N.E. would be able to provide a dedicated EOD team with protection forces, but we can't be sure of their real motives. Police bomb squads and escorts would be an effective neutral party, but they are already spread too thin as it is. What we need is an extra layer of security, some kind of 'super defense'...

John felt like an idiot. "Super defense" was exactly what they needed. Supers who knew how to use their powers would be able to defend the warehouse. With the warehouse defended, a U.N.E. bomb squad could work on the bomb with no fear of being attacked by the S.A. or the E.R.I.S. With the bomb disabled, the warhead could be disposed of safely. Again, supers could supply an escort. Afterwards, a joint operation by supers, gangs, and the police would be able to clear the city, block by block. the only problem would be supplying the force. John figured that each military had someone corrupt who could help.

John turned to Rylie. "Rylie, do you think you could rally supers to defend the warehouse district?"

Rylie kept scratching Adana as the dog's tail began to thump the floor. She smiled at her. “Let's see what alternatives we can come up with before we begin trying to use you as a pack mule, alright?”

A wet tongue ran up her face and then the dog settled down into her lap. Rylie changed the scratching to a soft, soothing rubbing of Adana's back.

Looking at Zoey, her jaw set, Rylie nodded back. She wasn't sure UNE involved was a good idea but Zoey was also correct that R&D would want the military to stay away so they could study it. Slippery slope. “Maybe we save them as an option. I see your point but I am wary to bring them in.”

She wondered how long it might be before they were the only option. Rylie looked over at Daniel, the corners of her mouth turning up ever so slightly. “Trusting the military personnel in this room....and I can juggle watermelons...”

There had been very little trust or respect between most in this room but at least right now the tension wasn't threatening to overwhelm everything. Anger seemed to have taken a backseat to an attempt at being sensible.

It was such a complicated situation, and their biggest obstacle was the very thing they were trying to protect. Rylie looked over at John. He was obviously weighing all the options. She didn't envy his position in this.

His question took Rylie completely off guard. She rubbed Adana's fur and went very quiet. Rally supers? Her face remain cold and impassive. She was in the city to find and interview them. She hadn't found many and she highly doubted that with the fighting breaking out more would be jumping up to be counted. Still...it was worth a try.

“You want me to see how many I can round up to help? Defend the area. I can try. I do not honestly know how many will being willing to help, assuming I can even find them.” She held up a hand to stop any potential comments. “I will see what I can do.”

Adjusting her legs, Rylie moved Adana off of her lap. “Anyone have names or hiding places here in NC where I can start looking? Otherwise I will just head out and see what I can uncover.”

Daniel stared at John for a while, the question catching him by surprise. He hesitated again when Rylie asked everyone in the warehouse her question; sure he knew a few people with powers but a lot of them were already involved in the gangs and of the ones that weren't, half didn't know Daniel existed and the other half probably wouldn't trust him. "I really can't give you any names," He finally responded, "and I am a little worried about trying to rally them. Defending the area I could handle if it's really needed, particularly at night when my powers are much more useful."

Plus being able to move around that freely with no one question opens a lot of opportunities. He silently added, glancing around the warehouse again. At this point, he was considering bringing up a vote on their course of action but he wasn't sure yet that it would turn out the way he wanted. Mind racing through situations and decisions, he continues to watch and wait.

"You're forgetting something again," Daniel says with a smile, "I can teleport and so long as I do not try and push the distance on the individual jumps, I can teleport a lot. If you need someone to get to the docks, I can manage it in three hours easy." He stands and stretches, subtly checking his weapons as he does so. "I could probably bring someone with me, although that would take longer and exhaust me."

Rylie listened as Adana told her about the few powers she knew of. Looking at Daniel, she realized that he wouldn't be of help in the recruitment but he could be in the defense. His powers at night would be extremely useful.

“Understood and if you think rallying the ones you know isn't a good idea then we don't. We don't want to set off a chain reaction and make this situation worse.”

Nodding a little to Ember, “Thank you. The docks is where I will start then.” The volley of shells near by shook the building a little. Rylie frowned. It would be out of character to ask for transport and not bring the powers back to the UNE. “I don't think that is a good idea...they might assume anyone I visit or move is about to join the UNE. Not something we want.”

The time to travel the city would be a factor. Once there it was a matter of talking. Then getting them back again. Her head hurt. The dull ache getting a bit worse as she tried to figure out what to do. Reaching for her pouch, Rylie extracted the small bottle and popped two of the painkillers. Her eyes were closed when Daniel offered a suggestion.

Opening them she looked at the man. “If you are willing to take me then we can see if we can find an alternate way back here with anyone willing to help. But I can also find a way on my own if you feel it would be stretching you ability too far. It will do us no good if we exhaust our powers too much. If you wish to go alone, so be it and I hope your have good recruiting skills.” At this she smiled slightly. For a man who worked for so many gangs as a gun for hire essentially she knew he would have to be at least half way decent at making deals.

Rylie waited. She had no desire to exhaust Daniel by making him take her and she could make her way across the city as well, all be it longer but still....

Daniel nods to Rylie, "I did offer to take someone." He says lightly, mentally drawing his powers and picturing the best route to reach the docks.

"If you want to try to make your own way there," He replies to Adana, "I am not about to stop you although there will likely be a lot of military personnel in your way."

The general outline of a route was forming in his head now, anything more specific being next to impossible at this time of day. That didn't bother Daniel at all though while he glanced at the other supers in the warehouse, "I would suggest taking a weapon but not much else," He says with another look at Rylie, "but I intend to avoid just about everyone between here and the docks. Let me know when you're ready." Behind the sunglasses his eyes become dark pits of shadow as he pulls the shadows of the warehouse into an area around him, large enough to fully contain himself and one other person.