Rogue: The Uprising

[Mobley Eats]

Lucas Serenity Krestlauv | Interactions: Escape Peeps @Reythaak , @Kat , @CloudyBlueDay , @WingWong , @KatSea & @Elle Joyner | Location: Escape Tunnel to Leon's Cot​

Lucas shook his head at Pretty Eyes' question (Good ole Nickel and Dimed). "Nope, but it's sad that I don't, sweetness. I mean damn, how did that face avoid my Smexy-O-Meter?" A chuckle almost bubbled up, but he had enough sense to keep it on lock and key. Sure, Lucas loved a good laugh like...every five seconds, but he was still weary about the beautiful and bloody man.

However, his response to Devon and Fran Wham Bam's explanation cleared up any doubts Lucas had left. Yep, this was Leon alright. Our trigger happy little nuisance. Damn, that was such a tragedy but, then again, he figured it was always the prettiest ones that got away with everything. With looks gorgeous enough to blind you, remembering the true extents of reality could be a bit...

Yep. Alright. Leon pulled all the douche moves.

Lucas quirked an eyebrow. "Clone Keegan? The hell do you...Err, nevermind. I got questions for days, but something tells me that edible tree over there," he nodded towards Devon, "Has interrogation covered. Praying for you, sweetness...Well, mostly for just your face." The teen smiled at Leon, the sarcasm and impishness as clear as day in his tight features. Optimism. Optimism.

When Fran lifted Leon up bridal style, Lucas was suddenly swimming in jealousy (nothing serious, but still). He crossed his arms, a pout gracing his lips. "Daaaaamn, gurl! Why don't you ever hold me like that? Leon, count yourself as one lucky tortured man," he giggled before finally following the group further ahead. He was more than happy to keep it moving; anything to get out of this fucking tunnel and back out into the open air. Living in a bunker was peachy and all, but the lack of vitamin C and sun exposure was bad for his skin.

---

"Shabby little place ya got here," Lucas glanced down at the blood, "Very shabby." Whatever jabs he had in store were tossed into the back burner as Devon listed out tasks for everyone. The teen shot out a little salute in understanding before directing his attention to Levi. He'd been wanting to check on that gash for a while now.

"Alright, sweetness. Show me some skin and lemme get a peek at that bad boy." He wiggled his eyebrows a little, but hopefully Levi wouldn't feel too against the idea of shedding clothes around Lucas, no matter how little. Lucas just loved fucking around with Levi and not in the way that he hoped for with Mufasa or Fran Wham Bam. He just knew that gashes were Hell to deal with while in these circumstances, especially the scarring. All of the action Levi just saw--sweat and debris must've gotten into the wound by now, so irrigating and cleaning the Hell out of it was top priority. He'd be damned to let that bad boy get infected--that wasn't cute at all. On the upside, the air in the tunnel seemed decently humid; exposing the wound to dry atmosphere would be...yeesh. Not okay. Not terrible, but not okay. He couldn't tell right now how deeply the cut ran either, so he'd keep further concerns to himself until further notice...

Fuck.

Lucas was getting off topic, wasn't he?

As he waited for Levi's response, his gaze traveled about the cot again, curiously taking in whatever he could. He was somewhat surprised to see all the computers and monitors; was Leon tech savvy too? Damn, hot and smart. Kinda like a male edition of Luna...but evil and shooting peeps in the knee. And lots of other differences. Fine--bad comparison. Bad.

 

[Mobley Eats]

Collab Post: Distracting Epidermis | Interactions: Levi @KatSea & Escape Peeps @Reythaak , @Kat , @WingWong , @Elle Joyner & @CloudyBlueDay | Location: Leon's Cot


Levi was not entirely certain what was the most concerning thing on his mind. The severed zip ties and the small pool of blood, the fact that the Keegan that he thought was Keegan was not actually Keegan(did he even meet the real Keegan? The thoughts made his head spin) and then there was always the good gash on his shoulder, and the fact that someone was splayed out unconscious due to their injuries. It could always be worse. I guess.

"Hex, get her on the cot and see if you can't bring her around. We don't got Doc, but that doesn't mean we can't at least stop the bleeding. Levi, you'd better get yourself fixed up, too. Lucas? You alright to help him out? And Francesca... " Levi refused to hear anything more after that, grimacing as he found a corner of the room to prop himself against, peeling the fabric of his two torn sleeves from his shoulder. He hissed through clenched teeth, realizing there was a possibility that, despite the fact he covered it up fairly well, it could still get infected.

"Alright, sweetness. Show me some skin and lemme get a peek at that bad boy."

I stand corrected.

"I don't want my epidermis to be distracting you," he muttered with a wink, peeling down what remained of his collar to reveal the gash. He couldn't tell how deep it truly went, but he knew there was an entry wound and an exit wound. No chance of a bullet in there. He just hoped that there weren't any fragments. "Oh I have a feeling this is gonna hurt like a bitch. So don't take this the wrong way, you lovable pervert, but please, be gentle."

"Dude, I'm the gentlest soul you've ever met," Lucas said with a snort, though his eyes remained trained to the wound. He didn't particularly like what he saw, but it was somewhat better than what he feared. Always a plus. The inflammation around the wound was as expected, irritated and on its way to swelling even more if something wasn't done about it. "Damn, that bullet ripped straight through, which is a good thing but still...Err, stay right there, sweetness."

Lucas spotted a laundry sink resting in the corner of Leon's little...pit, hut, tunnel thingy. Whatever. He took a moment to shed off his jacket and drop it next to Levi (he wasn't going to get blood on that, thank you very much) before ripping off some fabric from his sleeve. Luckily, his jacket kept it fairly clean. He made his way over to the sink and soaked it in warm water.

"Mmkay," he mumbled while sitting next to Levi, "Probably gonna hurt, but I gotta get this blood cleaned up, sweetness." He smiled teasingly. "Promise to be gentle, just like you ask~."

"At least it isn't a bullet wound. I would not want you to have to pry that hunk of metal out…" He grimaced at the thought. The throb of his wound was agony enough, now that he sat down and had time to think about his pain. He held himself straight, however, and kept a small smirk on his demeanor. "Alright. Just make sure not to get blood all over what remains of my shirt. Thanks for tending to me, by the way. I figured doing this by myself would only make this messier." He paused. "We are going to have to stitch this sucker up aren't we? Oh the fucking joy of my life. "You know how to work needle and thread?"

"Uh, I don't know how well I can hold up to that." He shrugged sheepishly before cautiously wiping away at the blood around Levi's wound, applying as little pressure as possible. "If I'm gonna try and flush this bad boy out, nine times out of ten, your shirt's gonna get flooded with diluted blood. Yay." He tagged on that last bit with a heavy hit of sarcasm.

The teen's nose scrunched up a bit in thought. "...Yeah. I'm good with stitching stuff, don't know if our beautiful hostage is carrying any on him though...Meh. I'll raid his shit for some."

"That's okay. I needed to buy new shirts anyway...More flannel." He grasped his bottom lip with his teeth, his wound flaring at the touch that was applied. The coolness of the water soothed him, but even the light pressure was enough to make his shoulders threaten to tense. It took a lot for him to remain as relaxed as possible. "Yay," he mimicked lowly, glancing back at him. "Raid his shit if you want. I can probably live with keeping it covered for a little while longer. I just figured closing it up would make it so it doesn't get infected. Unless we can cover it up very well, which is still a possibility." He gestured to the bloody fabric of his shirt splayed out on the floor. "But then again, I didn't do it very well the first time. If we are stitching it back up we are going to need to sterilize the needle as well. Because...well, you know. More chances for infection." Levi grimaced. "In your professional opinion, doc, what's the best option for me not to get a nasty infection?"

"Don't you go calling me Doc and exposing one of my fantasies," Lucas teased as he removed the makeshift towel. He managed to clean off most of the blood, but he knew plenty more was to come soon. Without asking nor blinking an eyelash, he started sifting through the cabinets and Leon's belongings in search of a First Aid Kit or any sort of needle and threading. There was no way he wouldn't have some, especially with the risks his plan must've came with…

"Bingo. Gimme my money," Lucas said while retracting his prize with a grin, a few needles and thread, along with a small bottle of Neosporin spray and wrapping gauze. He momentarily wondered why it wasn't all packed together in a kit, but decided not to question a good thing. The teen cleaned out the dirtied rag before soaking it up once more, holding as much water within it as the fabric could hold. On his way back to Levi, Lucas stopped to drop off a roll of thread and needles for Hex. "For the busted knee, chocolate god. I'll toss you the disinfectant in a sec, yeah?"

With that, he was back at Levi's side and raising the wet fabric, hovering it over the opening of his wound. "By the way, just putting it out there that my stitching won't be the prettiest job, but at least we'll get this bad boy cleaned out and infection free."

"Fantasies." Levi whispered, demeanor pale with horror. He kept himself still, glancing back at the decently cleaned wound. It was bleeding much less profusely, but it continued to bubble grotesquely. Levi knew that if he wasn't settled into the craziness of Rogue, he would have panicked had this happened back at home. He was surprised to realize he had kept his calm for the majority of this journey, and wondered if he would have time to mourn his fallen friends. To dream of the bodies that piled on the floor. He swallowed the bitter taste away from his tongue. He didn't need to think about the fallen just now. It made him feel guilty for even being alive in the moment, but he was relieved. He could watch over what remainder of friends were alive, and he still had hope. It was dim, but he supposed it was there.

"Chocolate god?" Levi whispered once again, shocked to realize there was more horror to be unveiled within his features. "Uh, I don't care how pretty the stitches look like. Just tell me when you start to stitch it back together. Oh, and when you are going to put that disinfectant on...because I have a feeling it's gonna hurt like a good little motherfu-"

He sprayed the wound. Then blinked. "Oh, wait. You wanted a warning?"

Levi flinched, pressing the back of his hand to his lips to muffle any reaction that dared to escape him. He slowly nodded, biting slightly into his skin before he was able to compose himself. "You know what buddy...tad late for that. It's fine. Just...Just continue what you are doing. Good job...good job." Ow.

Just the tiniest hint of amusement glimmered in Lucas' eyes. "Oh, you flatterer you." Was he wrong for surprising poor Levi with that painful spray? Why yes. Yes, he was...And that was about it. Once he was done spraying the entrance and exit of the bullet wound, she shifted his attention to disinfecting the needles and preparing the thread. He had a choice between purple and green...Purple. Levi looked like a purple kind of guy.

"Here, sweetness. Rather have you bite down on this rather than your hand," he said while handing Levi his jacket. He had to hold back a sniffle of despair. That was his favorite, dammit.

"Brat." Levi mumbled teasingly, but remained silent during the remainder of the disinfection. It stung like a bitch, that was for sure, but Levi figured his gratefulness was to remain in unmoving quietness. Besides, when it got time for the stitching, it was best that he remained perfectly still. He didn't want himself to get prodded in the wrong area. Wish I rephrased that a little bit better. Levi glanced up, blinking at the sudden offer of his jacket. "Uh, you sure buddy? I don't even know if I am going to need something to bite down on when you start, besides, I don't want to get my spit and bite marks all over it." He smiled apologetically. "I don't think either of us would want that. But if worst comes to worst I suppose I will…"

In all honesty, Lucas had tuned out the rest of Levi's worries and simply shoved the jacket against his mouth. "Oi, don't undermine my sacrifices. Just take it, sweetness. The shit's gonna sting, either way." Without waiting for a response, he steadied the man with one hand, getting a good look at the wound and finding the angle he needed to work with, before starting the stitch job. He made sure to work as swiftly as possible, his brain fuzzing around the edges as his eyes locked onto the wound and blocked out all else. It'd suck like Hell if he got distracted and like...slipped or something.

Levi blinked as the coat was shoved against his mouth, and despite himself, he mumbled "Mmimy." A rough translation to kinky, but was relieved that Lucas most likely couldn't hear it. He bit down into the coat, waiting patiently for the young man to start his work. He grit his teeth against the fabric was he was readjusted, the pain of the needle surprisingly overwhelming to his damaged shoulder. He attempted to keep as quiet as possible for Lucas to remain focused, biting down as hard as he could. His free hand remained propped on the wall, keeping him steady as he made sure to breathe as steadily as possible. "M..ow." Levi managed, biting down, but remaining patient as Lucas worked. He made a mental note through the pain to buy Lucas a new jacket after they were in the clear.

Despite the muffled exclamations of discomfort, Lucas managed to finish up without much trouble and double-checked his work with a critical eye. It looked good--as good as a rushed job could be while chilling in some dingy underground lair with the villain right next to them. "Mmkay, you're all patched up, sweetness." Daintily, he reached over to snag his jacket free of the man's mouth, eyeballing the bite mark left behind...Meh. He saw it coming.

Note to self, Levi is a slobberer. A brief pause. "And don't act like I didn't hear that little kinky comment. My soul can hear that in my sleep."

Levi took a deep breath once Lucas was done and he was free once more to speak fluently. He pressed his hand against his chest, very cautious not to use his damaged shoulder. "Thank you Lucas. I owe you big time." He managed a pained smirk, a wince travelling through him. "Heh. Was hoping you didn't hear that. Just figured making myself laugh would help. Also…" His eyes flickered to the stitches present along his shoulders, a chuckle threatening to rumble through him, causing a minor wave of pain to erupt. "Purple, eh?" he questioned, not wishing to admit he was pleased with the color choice. "Couldn't have done a manly red?" He reached over to ruffle the young man's hair, staring down apologetically at the coat. "I'll get you a new one if you want. Thank you again. I still owe you so...just tell me what I can do." He paused. "Besides giving into your teasing."

Lucas blinked, somewhat thrown off by the gratitude. Well, maybe he wasn't surprised by the sentiment. Shouldn't have been. But it still felt odd for someone to say anything besides "Not now, Lucas" or "Stay back perv" to him. In the end, he settled for shrugging. "You give off violet man vibes, what can I say? Plus, it pops more pleasantly against that swelling biz. Adding more red to it is just...yeah no. Color theory, sweetness."

He hummed a random tune to himself as he started gathering the supplies and tossing aside the dirtied fabric. "Naw, I'm good. You wanna know what to do?" He pursed his lips into a pout. "Don't get freaking shot anymore." He stood up and placed the Neosporin next to Hex. "Paging, Dr. Hot Chocolate."

Aaaand back to Levi he went. Heh--he loved doing that. It was like guerilla warfare, but instead of dealing harm to someone, he was spitballing flirty nicknames. Hey, he needed to have fun somehow while surviving in this stifling atmosphere.

"I think purple goes well with my eyes." He mumbled, once again hiding the pride that he had for the small pop of color. He knew Peter would tease him about it, but the mere thought of being berated by him sent calmness into his chest. He was tempted to pull the letter from his pocket, but decided to keep it safe for now. "Alright. Won't get shot again. No promises but I will try."

Hot Chocolate? "You know…" Levi mused once Lucas returned, mischief present in his eyes. "I think he's more of a Steamy Mocha." Despite himself, Levi wanted to laugh again at his foolish joke. He did not know why, but turning to this mindset soothed him. It was amusing, and it required only positive vibes. Not the end of the world and getting shot. "But either way…" He let out a low whistle, pausing as he made sure he wasn't speaking too loud. His ears weren't pounding as bad anymore, but he could never be too sure.

Like flipping a switch, Lucas immediately brightened and scooted in closer to whisper with Levi like they were plotting an evil scheme. "Yas, he really does give off the Steamy Mocha aura! Kinda like, oh, damn, you look like a delicious treat but I bet you could warm me up too sort of deal. Like, the kind you have in the morning but still got the sweet tooth going?" The teen had to pause, nearly forgetting how to breathe. It was nice having someone else to gossip and drool over beautiful people with.

"He's like the drink you crave in the morning and still need at night." Levi mused with a low chuckle, moderating the shaking of his body in order not to irritate the sealed wound. "Sweet and chocolatey." He nudged Lucas lightly, surprised to feel that his mind was distracted from the tragic memories of today. It made him nearly beam. "Something everyone can agree on...Can he hear us?" He whispered, purposely doing it so that it was louder than it should have been.

Lucas mimicked the exaggerated whispering without pause. "Naw, I think we're good. They totally didn't hear any of that debauched gossip about them. But man, can we talk about Fran Wham Bam for a second here?" His head tossed back a moment, reeling from how attractive the woman could be at times. Well, always. "Man, I tell you. One day, I'm gonna have her carry me around on our first date, just you wait and see, sweetness."

"Frankie, I respect her too much for that sort of shenanigans, but I wish you luck my brother." Levi's head bobbed, resisting the full out urge to smile at the mental image of Lucas being carried bridal style by an angry, red face Francis. He swallowed. "You know who I'd like to carry me home? Mufasa over there… Damn He's making me feel the love tonight, that's for sure. Woo, those muscles…" He placed his fingers near his lips and made a poor attempt at a whistle, biting back a giggle at the sound that managed to escape him. "Or Leon, I know he's a villain and all but uh...he can zip tie me anytime…" He paused, face red. "I swear I am straight." In this, he laughed again, before finding that his shoulder pulsed with pain. He found it difficult to stop, but forced himself to hold his breath so it wouldn't break apart. "Oh, I forgot how much joy hurts."

At the mention of Mufasa, Lucas' gaze strayed over to the man in question, unconsciously humming the song as he took a moment to swoon. "I swear, sweetness. Looking at that tree is more life-giving than the oxygen others make," he sighed, chin propped up on his hand. However, his features scrunched up at the mention of Leon. "Sweetness...remind me to teach you how to whistle properly once we're out of this. And that boy is damn pretty, not gonna lie. But I'm not letting anybody zip-tie my cute ass, but hey, if that's your kink." He shrugged.

At the sight of Levi's pain from laughing, Lucas waved off their fooling around, flopping back into the chair. "Cease and desist, sweetness. I don't know about you, but I just need a sec to relax my nerves until Mufasa gives out the call." He glanced sideways at Levi. "You should too."

"Opposite effect on me to be honest. He takes my breath away." Levi grinned sheepishly, placing his hand about his torso. "It's not really my thing. Twas one of my girl's thing back in the...you know what I'd rather not think about that." He forced himself not to shudder before following what Lucas asked of him, sitting down in a chair and making himself as comfortable as he could. His shoulders slumped cautiously. "Is it bad that I feel like I don't deserve to relax? A tad of survivor's guilt." He patted his stomach and slumped further down into his chair. "Although...this is as cozy as this creepy ass place could get. It's so unsettling and absolutely wonderful ."

Lucas had to admit--he was impressed. He knew he liked Levi for a reason. "Smooth, sweetness. Real smooth. You're almost as good as me." Insert smug grin here. Only for the expression to vanish upon hearing survivor's guilt. He sighed again, somewhat in exasperation, as his vision strayed to the low ceiling. "Honestly? Don't get caught up on it, not right now anyways. We did what we could; the only peeps that should be feeling guilty are the ones who hurt them."

"I've had more experience, trust me on that. I used to woo the ladies with a swish of my hand...but then again desperateness also goes a long way." he dragged his hand along an imaginary arc, humming light nonsense under his breath. "I know. I shouldn't feel bad. We tried to rescue them. I just wish I could have done more. Or not woken up and stayed in my room. Dreamland would have been nice." He muttered bitterly, brushing stray locks of hair out of his eyes. "Do you think anyone else got out okay, Lucas?"

In response, Lucas shrugged. "We did what we could. Sounds harsh, but wishing for shit to have gone differently won't bring them back, no matter how much we want them to. And I don't really know. I hope so, though."

"You are right. Sorry for bringing it up." Levi pondered the possibility of others escaping, but found that dread seeped into his stomach. "I suppose I am just grateful we are all here alive. And cannot wait to breath actual air. God, I forgot how much I missed it." He scoffed. "I'm not the claustrophobic type but I've started to realize how much I hate tunnels. But, I suppose they do serve some purpose. Besides the creeping dread and creepy atmosphere." He paused, eyes absorbing the area around him. "Would it be a bad idea to doze off?"

"I know that's right. Sunlight sounds like a blessing right about now. Have you seen how lackluster my skin has gotten?" Lucas rubbed at his round cheek, pouting somewhat. "I mean...you can at least close your eyes, Levi. I'll let you when it's time to head out." He patted the man on the leg (maybe a tad higher than was necessary).

"Just don't fondle me, rascal." He teased, making sure his voice was light and unthreatening. He let his eyes flicker closed, surprised that he allowed peace to wash over him as well. "You know, if you want you could probably also get some shut eye. Wouldn't hurt."

"Damn," Lucas said, a playful pout on his features. Regardless, he shook his head. "Naw, I'm good."

The guilt wouldn't let him sleep anyways.

 

[CloudyBlueDay]

the kids are alright
collab with @Elle Joyner

He'd slept, surprisingly. It wasn't exactly.. What he'd call a restful sleep, haunted by Harper's face and colliding helicopters, but it was some sort of reprieve. A reprieve that allowed him to fall asleep at the cabin, and wake up at the motel. Before he could think Penny had flung the keys into his hands, and he could see the strain in her posture. In everyone's posture, in fact. Keeping close to Rose, Finn nodded to Penny before they walked into the motel, the buzz of the ice machine ever present and some weird stain welcoming them into the room.

And still, he was so desperately grateful for it. It wasn't HQ… it wasn't home, surrounded by comic books and action figures, but he did have his best friend, and a new friend too. Finn collapsed on one of the beds, rubbing his face. "Keith… you can take the shower first." He muttered, smiling up at Rose. "Keith and I can bunk together, you can have one all to yourself."

"...I… I forgot to bring in the groceries." The first words out of Rose's mouth weren't entirely the most comprehensible, muttered softly, as she looked up at Finn with wide, bright eyes, "...He... he's gonna be so mad at me."

Finn stiffened, smile disappearing. "Rose," He whispered. "D-don't.. Don't think about Harper, okay? He can get groceries on his own. He'll be fine without you. You're with us now, yeah?" He forced the smile on again. "We can order whatever you want. Pretty big bed, right? Maybe good for bouncing?"

"I… I don't know how to stop thinking about it." Her fingers brushed her neck, a red mark from where Harper's arm had barred across it steadily deepening into a bruise, "I just keep… keep seeing it in my head, and I don't… I don't know how to…" As the tears stung at her eyes, threatening to fall, Rose looked suddenly at the bed, blinking slowly, "B...bouncing?"

Finn scratched the back of his head. "I.. know. What you mean. But it won't help you to linger on it, r-right? It can't. So.. yes. Bouncing. I'm… slightly too tall for it, I think. But you know. Like they do in the movies?" He pushed down on the mattress and allowed it to spring up beneath him. "Or, they probably have like, all the TV channels. We could watch movies about kids jumping on beds. The possibilities are endless."

Sniffing, she wiped her cheeks and turned her eyes from the mattress to Finn, and without a word, Rose stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly, "...Thank you. I… I have no idea what you're talking about, because if I ever jumped on my bed at home, I think my parents might've put me up for adoption. But… thank you. For caring…"

Frozen for a moment before returning the hug, Finn chuckled lightly. He hated how scared Rose was, how fearful he knew Harper had made her. He'd been afraid like that too. Afraid to realize his own power.. Afraid to do good, just because Harper had said he couldn't. But he'd had Rogue, he'd had his friends.. And it took a damn long time, but he'd grown. Rose needed time… she needed a family, a family that let her jump on beds and protected her.

"Always, Rose. I promise." He said firmly. "I'll teach you all about jumping on beds and all the stupid things I did when my parents weren't home. One time I blew up the microwave. It was pretty sick."

Reluctantly, she released him and stepping back, rubbing her arm, she nodded at his words, smiling faintly at the idea of someone exploding a microwave, "I'd like that. We didn't even have a microwave. Dad was big on conspiracy theories about them…" Moving to the bed, she sank onto the end of it, biting the edge of her lip, "...Finn. Would… would it be okay if… if um… could I… could I stay with you? Just… I don't wanna be alone, right now."

"Your parents sound weird." Finn said with a brow raised. Frankly, everyone at Rogue had crazy parents. She'd fit right in; he was certain. At her words he smiled, nodding. "Yeah, of course. Don't worry about it. You and I gotta figure out dinner, anyhow. I bet Deck and Penny are relying on my expert palette. Chicken strips, all the way." His stomach was jittery. Hungry kinda jittery? Or this-was-one-of-the-craziest-days-of-my-life jittery.

"They were… well, different. Just really afraid. Of a lot." Rubbing her arms again, she looked over to him and managed a slightly brighter smile, "Chicken sounds good… Though something tells me Penny and Deck probably want a little alone time…"

Finn frowned, scratching his chin. "Hm.. my parents were pretty afraid of a lot too." He mused. They'd homeschooled him to begin with, so.. that was saying a lot. Finn fell back on the bed, allowing himself to sink into it, his exhausted bones in need of a proper nap. "They'll still want dinner," Finn insisted. "We'll just drop it off for them so they can carry on their alone time.

Nodding, Rose sank back, curling her arms behind her head, "Were… were they good people? Your parents?"

Finn sighed, glancing over at Rose. "I…" They were lawyers. They had to have been sort of good, right? "They… tried to be, I guess. I barely saw them… grew up without them. But when they found out I was a mutant they just… ran away from me. Like I was some sorta monster. I was barely even ten. I didn't even have powers yet." He shook his head. "That's kinda how I ended up with Harper. Picked me up off the street."

"Oh, Finn. I'm sorry." Frowning, she shook her head,

"I try to understand it… Their fear. But sometimes, it's hard. My parents… They called RIEF on me at my Sweet Sixteen. I might not even have known if I didn't see the vans coming."

Finn's fists clenched at his side. "On your Sweet Sixteen," He echoed angrily. "It doesn't make sense to me… how they can do that so easily, to kids. I don't understand why they're so afraid of the own person they're supposed to be raising. Maybe it's 'cause they all think they've done a bad job." He growled. "I'm sorry, Rose…"

"People are always afraid of what they don't understand or can't control. I… I can't really be mad at them. They did what made sense to them. Makes me sad, more than anything. Those sorts of decisions. They weigh on a person. They can't not…" Shifting, she sat up a little, "Just something to improve on, right? If we ever have families of our own, someday."

"Oh, definitely." Finn said, confidence tangled in his voice. "This girl Francis, at Rogue, she told me she lived on a farm with her parents, and they were mutants… they were so excited for her, when she got her powers. I'm gonna be like that. Gonna be rooting for them… they better have cool powers though, that's a make-it-or-break-it kinda thing." Finn laughed.

Laughing as well, Rose nodded, "Nothing like… Toxic snot or ultra wedgies… or that invisibility only when no one's looking thing. Otherwise, it's gonna be just super disappointing."

Finn's mouth turned upwards in a lopsided smirk, glancing over at Rose. "Exactly." He agreed. "You read comic books?"

A brow lifted, and Rose smiled, "Suddenly I feel like this is a test. I… I wasn't allowed to when I was at home. My dad didn't stand for reading material that wasn't educational, but my piano teacher's son has a huge collection and sometimes, if another lesson ran long before mine, he'd let me read them. Kind of made me feel like what I was wasn't so bad, you know? Like it wasn't a dirty word."

Finn glanced at his shoes. "Yeah," He muttered solemnly. "That's why I like 'em too. This is usually the point where I'd whip out my stash… but it's been exploded. Like the rest of our HQ." Finn sighed. "Comics told me it was okay when no one else would. Like the superpowered bible!" He laughed again. "Rogue life is definitely not calm… but it's better than anything because you're surrounded by people like you."

"Yeah… most normal I've felt in a long time, with you guys." Running her hands over her arms, she smiled faintly, but it faded a moment later, "I'm sorry… by the way. About your home. And… and about what Harper did. I still can't believe he would turn you in."

Finn shrugged. "It's okay… we'll rebuild. I'm sure lots of people got out in time. And Harper… he just does whatever works best for him. Not like he ever actually cared about you or me, Rose. He just did it because he had too... "

"I guess I wanted to think he cared, you know? Made what he was doing easier, somehow. Like… if he cared, maybe he was so rough cause he just wanted me to be safe." Frowning, she looked down at her hands, "But the way he treated you. It made it so clear… that he was just… he was wrong. And what he was doing was wrong." Looking to Finn, she smiled, "He could've wrecked you, but he didn't. You are a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for."

"He cared for someone else." Finn muttered. "And he lost that person, so he didn't remember how to care anymore." His gaze fell on Rose, softening. He felt like his heart was in his throat. It was hard to talk about all this.. To dissect Harper's actions, and how it affected him his whole life. "He did wreck me, Rose." Finn admitted. "But I.. built it back up, I guess. And so will you. You're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for too."

Nodding, Rose smiled again, softly, "I think we'll be okay. Sort of like recycling, right? We can build new stuff out of the broken parts." Chuckling dryly, she dropped back onto her arms again, "...I think I could probably sleep. You… you won't go anywhere, right?"

"Yeah, exactly. Recycling. Rogue's good at it." Finn said with a nod. "I won't. Promise." He assured her, glad she was going to try and sleep. Though he was tired, he wasn't even sure if he could anymore.

Rolling onto her side, she reached out, hesitantly for a moment, before shifting, to take his hand, looping her fingers around it, "...Goodnight, Finn."

Breath hitching as her fingers grasped his, Finn blinked. "..Night, Rose."

 

[Elle Joyner]

LEON​

At the tap on the shoulder Francis nodded in confirmation, gaze flickering to Devon as they came across the small hideaway. She frowned at the pool of blood near the desk, almost certain it was Leon's. "How come Nick just gets to be Nick, Devon?" Francis muttered, shaking her head as she moved to place Leon on one of the deck chairs, nodding Nick over.

"Let's sew you up, Captain Smooth. Nick, go see if you can grab some supplies from the medkit. Shirt off, Cap'n. Don't you dare make a joke about it."

Leon couldn't miss Devon's small, sly grin as he plucked up the phone, and smirked, certain it was entirely intentional, what he called Francis. In reality, these people… they weren't half as bad as RIEF made them out to be, and it was a little frustrating, because he was relatively sure his only shot at joining the ranks had been blown to hell with Josie's knee… and the base. All he had, ironically, was the leverage he was going to use to save Ket… Keegan Hull - except that he wasn't Keegan. And whoever he was, he was in the wind.

It wasn't looking good, but at least he wasn't getting left to bleed out in the dark…

Shifting, grimacing a little as he sank into the chair, he reached to pull his shirt off over his head, "...Don't worry your pretty head, Francis… I'm all outta steam, here. Besides," With a wink, he sank back, "I'm a one woman kind of man…"

Nick bit back a sly remark that included the name 'Francesca' in it, largely because he did, in fact, value having his head attached to his body. It didn't keep him from smiling to himself as he searched for the medkit. If he muttered something about how "there's only Nick now", it wasn't very loud at all.

He found the kit quickly enough, opening it and returning to Francis' side. He pulled out a needle and spool of thread, since he figured they'd be needing those two things if nothing else. Anything Francis wanted to do besides that was in the medkit, which was within reach.

"You want to do this, or me?" he asked her. He turned and blinked at Leon for a long moment before looking back at Francis. "If it weren't for what he actually said, I'd swear Lucas was a shapeshifter and was punking all of us right now."

Rolling her eyes, Francis took the needle and thread from Nick. "I got it. From my understanding, you got a little concussion, no?" She smirked up at Nick, knowing he was probably capable but never missing an opportunity to tease. "Don't want our pal here getting stabbed twice over."

"So, Leon. That your blood over there?" She muttered, beginning to sew. "Try not to move."

"Sure is. Didn't realize I made such a mess." Grimacing, he gripped the arms of the chair, before meeting Francis's gaze with slight trepidation. Deciding it wasn't appealing, watching her sewing through the reflection in her eyes, he shifted his gaze to Nick, swallowing hard, "...You… you do know how to do this, right? I'm gonna have enough of a scar, as is…"

"Eh, I've had worse," Nick said, waving it off. His head was throbbing, sure, but he wasn't bleeding or anything. He'd just have to be careful, as soon as all of this was over. When all of this was over. He had definitely had worse, though; his bar for head injuries was low, after all. "And I thought you, of all people, wouldn't mind him getting stabbed twice."

Nick tilted his head at Leon's question.

"I'm sure she knows what she's doing. I did offer, but you heard her," he said, motioning towards Francis as she sewed. "I'm not the most reliable at the moment. Besides, it doesn't have to be pretty so long as it means you don't bleed out, right?" There was something in his tone and smile that suggested he was joking, yet there was just enough room for doubt that he actually was.

"Sure I do," Francis hummed, smiling up at Leon, and then at Nick. "I mean… how hard can it be?" She enjoyed making Leon sweat a little bit. "I would mind, just because then I'd have to sew him up twice. You worried about scars, Leon? You should be worried about a lot more than that." Her gaze hardened slightly, though she kept it centered on the task at hand. "Should be worried 'bout whether or not Josie pulls through, and how that's gonna affect your lifespan."

Flinching,Leon shook his head, "Trust me… It's on my mind." He avoided looking over at the cot, shifting his gaze to the needle, after all. Maybe he deserved to watch, "...I'm not gonna try to justify my actions. I could say it was gonna happen, anyway, given Hull wasn't exactly himself… or mention how I could've shot her dead, right there. Fact is, I feel like hell, and I deserve to. It ain't somethin' I can explain… but I hope it counts for something that I didn't wanna kill her. I could've. But I didn't." Not yet, anyway, "I'm not a good guy. RIEF… they don't exactly give you that option. I did what I did for a reason, though. But hey… Hell's paved with good intentions, right?"

"Oh, I think it counts for something. How much it's actually going to count is going to be the question. I know what I think, but I'm also not the one passed out after getting shot," Nick commented. He did think it counted for something, though. He could have killed her. He didn't want to, which said something for his morality. Said something about his conscience, if nothing else. "But I'm curious. Your reason, why you're paving your own road to hell. Why do all this to begin with, besides R.I.E.F. in general? What do they have over you?"

Francis wasn't impressed by Leon's lament. Though it did prove he wasn't a heartless beast (like someone else she knew too well in RIEF) it didn't reassure her that there was nothing up his sleeve, or resolve the fact that she really didn't know anything about what had happened with him and the supposed "impostor" Keegan. "They've got his girl," Francis muttered. "And I don't doubt some sort of contraption to really test your loyalties."

"Give the girl a gold star." He grimaced again, his fingers biting into the chair arms, "...It's a chip. Tiny little bastard they plug in when they're sure you're worth the cost. That bitch Maxine controls it… and if you get out of line, she's not afraid to make you feel it. I needed Keegan… for leverage. If I could've convinced Maxine… I could get the chip deactivated from my girl's head. Get her the hell out."

Nick frowned faintly at this. A chip was in this guy's head, and the girl he was in love with had one too. It was certainly a motivator, if he guessed what it did correctly. Leon implied pain, at the very least, though Nick had a gut feeling there was a little more to it that just the threat of pain. Tech like that, though....It functioned off frequencies. Radio waves and transmissions and that sort of thing. The sort of thing he could manipulate. He couldn't get Keegan as leverage, and he probably couldn't do much to sway Maxine, who he assumed was who Leon reported to. But the chips? Maybe he could do something.

"Do you know what frequency they transmit on? The chips?" he asked before wincing. That probably sounded like it came out of left field, didn't it? But, if the leverage game was the one that needed to be played, then maybe this was how Nick could play it. Helping to disable the chips, in exchange for possible inside information on their enemy from Leon.

 

[CloudyBlueDay]

all patched up pt. 2
collab with @Elle Joyner and @WingWong

Francis raised an eyebrow at Nick. It was a hell of an idea, but the best one they had.. she didn't know him well enough to be versed in his powerset, but if that could work… it'd definitely be useful, now and in the future. "You think you could actually… disable it?" Francis murmured. "How do you know they're not pulling up that tablet right now after your little leverage stunt?"

Blinking, forgetting for a moment the needle digging into him, Leon looked up at Nick with a small frown "I don't know the frequency, but it can't be hard to figure out… It's tied to the drones." Glancing to Francis, he shrugged, "And I don't… but I have to hope to hell that won't happen. My guess is it hasn't yet cause Hull thinks he killed me. Ain't me I'm worried about, though… He knows. About Ket."

"Either disable it, or jam the signal long enough to get her out so that we can disable it or get the chip out altogether," Nick replied. The wheels were turning, as well as they could given the mild concussion. Debts were powerful, and desperate people were willing to do desperate things. And he was willing to bet Leon would be desperate enough to at least give this a shot.

"The drones." He exhaled. "Geez, it's been a while since I've messed with drones. But if could pull the signal from one…" he trailed off, shifting on his feet as he thought. "I'd still want the chip out of your head first. I can't figure it out when it's embedded in people, and if I mess up, I think you'd prefer I short circuit the one not in your girl's head."

"The question is, would they go for her even under the assumption you're dead, and what sort of time frame would we have if they would?" Nick asked. "Because, no offense, the situation here is a top priority in my book at the moment."

"Nick's right." Francis muttered. "We don't want anymore blood… and we'd prefer not to have you suddenly convulse and die in front of us. You made a deal with me, hm?" She looked at Leon pointedly. "We also don't want the risk of Nick setting it to the wrong frequency and…" Francis didn't feel the need to finish the sentence. "Finishing up the stitching. You doin' alright?"

"I've got some research…" vaguely, he gestured to the bulletin board with a small smirk, "Wrote it in code, just in case. There might be something there… I dunno about a time frame, though. Could be they won't wanna take two of us out, just for budgeting..." He wanted to argue that Ket was his priority, but the fact was, he couldn't do anything for her if he was dead. Ultimately, he could still save her, as long as…

Looking down at the stitching, he smiled dryly, "I mean… I dunno if you'll earn a patch, or anything, but it looks fine to me. Feels alright…

"Convulsing and dying is a thing I'd like to avoid," Nick commented, nodding sagely after Francis spoke. He raised an eyebrow at hearing Francis had struck a deal with Leon already. He didn't remember that bit, so it must have happened before they met up with her. As for that chip, he had a feeling that would be up to Doc. He didn't trust his ability to wield a knife or scalpel for that sort of thing. As for what could happen if he got the frequency wrong? Better left unsaid.

He glanced over at the board, mentally flipping through the code systems he could remember off-hand. He really only remembered a handful; his mom had only touched on that briefly before moving on. There was always something else to do or learn, after all. If Leon was willing to relay what was in it, or at least explain the code, trying to see if there was something of use there would move a touch faster. The lack of a time frame wasn't great, but he'd have to work with it. He glanced back at Francis' stitching when she was done.

"You're all patched up." Francis announced, tieing off the last end. "You know the drill… don't pop 'em. We're fresh outta lollipops, unfortunately." Francis followed Nick's gaze to the code on the walls. "So you were right under our noses for quite some time, huh?"

"Figured the best place for a secret Batcave was where RIEF wouldn't think to look" He answers Francis, before looking to Nick, studying the board, "It's a rotating cipher. Doesn't exactly benefit me to keep it a secret." Turning back to Francis, he smirked, "Also… no lollipops is crap. See if I give you a good review…"

"Right…" Nick commented. It clicked as soon as Leon said it; it had taken longer than he'd liked for it to click though. When all of this was over and Doc got a chance, he'd like her to take a look at him and make sure he hadn't actually screwed something up in his head.

Nick huffed a laugh. "That Yelp review is really going to take us down a notch."

"Good thing my practice is about to blow up, then." Francis muttered, very quickly killing the joke. "Let's hope Devon's call can set us up with an escape plan. Captain Smooth, care to enlighten us on your powers?"

Scratching his ear, Leon's gaze shifted to where Devon stood by the desk and clearing his throat, he sniffed, "..I um… I can control people… using pheromones. They gave me this job cause they figured I'd be able to get one of the Rogue agents, though truth be told, Josie there was pretty distracted… didn't even need to use it to get into base. Devon, though…"

Nick had almost laughed before wincing at hearing "blow up."

"Let's hope," he commented. He pursed his lips into a frown at hearing Leon's powers, and he briefly looked back at Devon. "Guess that's why you're Captain Smooth, then." It probably wasn't the most terrifying of powers, but it was definitely concerning. Especially since he was planning on sticking out his neck for Leon's sake, and Ket's as well.

"That explains the goo-goo eyes earlier though," he added, jabbing a thumb back at Devon.

Laughing at Nick's comment, Francis put down the needle and thread. "Guess we'd better watch out, hm?" Francis shook her head, glancing Josie's way. "You really didn't even use your powers on her?"

"No… I can only use it once in 24 hours. Devon was my wham, bam, thank-you-ma'am for the day. My guess is she was probably just so scared from the attack at the warehouse, she wasn't thinkin'... but whatever it was, I really do hope the kid's okay."

"Yeah, let's not add to my pre-existing 'deer-in-headlights' condition," Nick chuckled, though he gave Francis a look and gestured at Leon as if to say 'look at him, he's gorgeous'. His chuckle quickly turned turned into a snort and wheezing cackle at Leon's comment before he managed to bit his lip. It did nothing to hide the smile, though. "You and me both. You and me both."

Francis let out a laugh, smirking at Nick after shaking her head at him, rolling her eyes. "She'll be alright.. She's tough. Weird to say, but good that you feel bad, eh? Maybe Devon will check you over once more and once this all blows over we can get you a bed."

Nodding, Leon looked around the room, but it wasn't exactly an air of confidence he wore, "Yeah. We'll see. Anyway. Thanks for patching me up. Feel like a new man. A condemned one. But new. "

"Maybe," Nick agreed. There would probably be a long road ahead of him in that case, but who knew? In any case, things were starting to look up. Just a little, and it was still bleak, but up.

"Hm." Francis sighed, crossing her arms and drumming her fingertips. "Better condemned with us than RIEF, Leon. Let's go see what Devon's got for us."

 

[Reythaak]

≡ H E X ≡​

≡Location: Leon's Hideout
≡Interactions: Lucas (@Mobley Eats ), Devon (@Elle Joyner ), Nick (@WingWong ), Frankie (@CloudyBlueDay ), Levi (@KatSea ), Josie (@Kat )

---

Hex didn't trust Leon even the slightest, and even with the man being considered their captive, he was still inclined to punch him. He shook his head slightly, keeping a hand wrapped firmly around Josie's knee and pressure on the wound, more now than he had been before. The pressure would have been pure pain when Josie was conscious, but it was a lot less of a problem now. His eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of a hideout.

What choice do we have though… We need a place to hide for a little bit, and get Josie some help… and everyone else.

Most of the group looked at least a little beaten up, even Devon looking like he could use some rest.

Once they hit the hideout, Hex took a glance around, then moved to the cot and set Josie down gently, Lucas handing the needle and thread over to him as he was inspecting the bullet wound carefully. He grabbed the blanket that had been bundled up with the cot and pulled his own knife, cutting it in half and half again, folding a fourth of it over on itself under Josie's knee.

"I'll see about waking her up after I get most of the work done, might as well take advantage of the situation," Hex said simply, digging around to find a bottle of water, then setting about washing the wound out. Most of the diluted blood got soaked up by the folded blanket under her leg. It still managed to make a bit of a mess, but Hex pretty well ignored it, more concerned with taking a good look at the wound once the worst had been washed away.

"Fuck. 'Course it's lodged in there. You need s'more good luck than I can give you, Josiebaby," Hex murmured softly. He stepped over to the medkit someone had procured, finding some long tweezer-esque instruments and going back to Josie, "Really hope you don't wake up in the middle of me doin' this part…"

Hex had some first aid knowledge. He had pulled a bullet out of someone once or twice before, but that didn't mean he was good at it, or that it wouldn't hurt like hell. He took the tweezers and set about trying to get the bullet out of the wound, in some part of his brain grateful for Lucas and Levi's banter off to one side of him. It gave him something to think about even as he was digging in a friend's flesh for a chunk of metal, and he managed a slight smirk at the pair.

"I hate to break it to you boys, but I'm into girlfolk," he said as he finally extracted the bullet and dropped it to the floor nearby.

He took a glance at Josie's face, then continued his work, finishing washing out the wound and taking advantage of the neosporin, then grabbing the green thread and setting about stitching Josie up. Another example of not pretty, but definitely functional, then wrapping the wound firmly with gauze and wrappings. He finally sat back and wiped his hands off on his jeans.

---

♫ I only get by with a little bad luck ♫​

 

[junebug]

Josie Returns from Blackout

A blood curdling scream echoed in the basement as Hex managed to dig the tweezers inside her knee and grasp whatever was lodged in her flesh. Tears streamed down her face as she briefly noticed a small silver bullet between the pincers before Hex tossed it to the side. Her heart pounded in her chest as he efficiently worked to wash up the wound again and settle a huge blob of neosporin on her knee and the tweezers.

She sobbed as he tried to close the wound up over her shattered kneecap. Doc wasn't going to be happy about this. She wasn't happy either. The agony was like a thousand knives stabbing her repeatedly. Josie watched as he wrapped up her ugly wound- possibly worse than before with the damn needle and thread- in gauze and seemed to call it a day. Josie whimpered as the sting remained for some time.

Her cries subsided after a few moments as she tried to focus her attention elsewhere. The room was different. How did they get here in the first place? Where was she last? Josie caught sight of some blood on the floor and severed zipties. She narrowed her eyes and made an effort to sit up on the cot. Things didn't feel right, this place felt familiar. The computers, the cabinets... This was Leon's hideout, the one he showed her before.

"What the hell is going on? Why are we in Leon's hideout?"

---

@Reythaak @anyoneandeveryone

 

[DarinValore]

Location: Hotel Room
Collab w/ @Elle Joyner ​

Deck sunk to the edge of the bed after the hotel door was shut and locked. With a deep sigh, he fell back, his arms sprawled across the sheets as Penny closed the door behind her. He was exhausted. He hadn't felt like this since the first few weeks of running six years ago. He hurt all over. He'd been shot at, stabbed, hit in the head with a bottle, and dodged the pelting ruins of two exploding helicopters. In between all of that, he held up a bridge made of a wall and dragged a helicopter into another one. There was nothing that didn't hurt.

Groaning, Deck tried to roll over, "Oh...fuck," he growled. The remote, he could see it on the end-table. Stretching, he wiggled his middle finger in hopes of touching it just enough to bring it closer. Instead, as soon as his finger slid across it, the remote scooted further away. He let his hand dropped in defeat, "Well, screw you then."

He heard the water kick on in the bathroom and groaned as forced himself to sit up. His eyes turned to the bathroom door and he sighed. Penny tried to be so strong. She knew that others looked to her for guidance and felt as though a moment of weakness prevented such a possibility. If she only knew she could show sadness. She could show concern. People would respect her for it. They would think she was human. He had begun to see that in her.

Then he heard it through the door. It was soft and quiet and first, then grew in volume. He could hear her wounded heart pouring out the emotions she tried so desperately to hold on to. The grief of loss, the hardship of the day, and the uncertainty of what was to come poured out one after the other in the form of sobs that, despite the falling water, sounded in Deck's ears.

Deckard didn't move. Instead, he sat there listening to them. His own heart breaking at what she was carrying on her own. When the door finally opened and she stepped out wrapped in a towel, he rose to his feet with a sigh, "You good?" he asked.

For someone so big, with a map of emotions across his entire body, Deck could be an enigma, and as he spoke, it was one of those times when she just couldn't read him. Her first thought was to brush it all off, but something inside of her shifted in that moment, and breathing out, she shook her head.

"I don't even remember what good feels like anymore, Sugar." Crossing the floor, she sank onto the edge of the bed, pulling her hair over her shoulder, she twisted the ends into a ringlet around her finger, "Not sure I've even known."

"I'm glad that was your answer," he crossed his arms of his chest and leaned against the wall, "because if you had said you were fine, I'd definitely questioned your sanity."

Uncrossing his arms, he pushed off the wall and moved to her. Squatting before her, he continued, "It's okay, Penny, to not be good."

Shaking her head, she looked down at him, "Just for a minute, though, I'd like to just… forget it all." Pushing her hair back, she sighed, and with a weary smile, shrugged, "Ain't exactly the line of work for that, though. But upside… you looked sexy as hell, helpin' Finn take down those choppers."

Reaching up, Deck hesitated only a moment before he brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek, "I can hold up bridges and bring down helicopters," he smiled, "I'm sure there's something I can do to help you forget...even for a moment. We could talk, or watch tv, or something."

Reaching up to catch his hand, she brought her forehead to his knuckles, letting her eyes fall shut, "Come here…"

Without another word, he reached up sliding his free hand along her jaw until his lips pressed against hers. It was a gentle kiss, one that gave her a way out if she wanted it. Pulling back, he pressed his forehead against hers before kissing her again. His hand slipped behind her head, tangling in wet hair as he guided her into a deeper kiss.

Penny met his gentle advance, unhesitantly, something in the vulnerability of the situation making it so easy to give in. Her fingers curled behind his neck and she brought herself closer, breathing in.

As he rose, he crawled up onto the bed leading her down to her back. Hovering over her, his finger danced along the top of the towel to the make-shift knot and stopped, "So I guess it's something," he smirked.

The corner of her lip twitched up, her fingertips edging beneath his shirt, teasing and light, "I mean… we could watch tv…"

Looking up toward that treacherous remote, Deck shook his head, "It had its chance," he looked down and tugged the towel free.

---

The clock on the nightstand clicked over to 6 PM, and with a small sigh, Penny rested her chin in the crook of Deck's shoulder to look at it.

"We should move out soon." Curling her arms across his chest, she smiled faintly, tracing her fingertips over one of his tattoos, before resting her cheek on his forearm, "Thanks… for the uh… the pep talk."

He sighed contently, "Did it work?"

"Hmm…" with a soft sigh, she nodded, "I… I can't actually remember the last time I felt this way. Like I can… feel."

"Glad I could help," he smirked as he drew tiny circles on her shoulder, "It's like I said. It's okay to feel," he shifted, "What's N.T.?"

Her breath hitched, and Penny's fingers brushed behind her ear, roving over the initials there. It was foolish to think he wouldn't notice, but somehow it still caught her off guard. And for a moment she considered letting the question go… pretending she hadn't heard… brushing it off. But his earlier words resonated within her. She didn't want to keep it in. Not with him.

Damn him…

Her hand dropped and she let out the breath, "Someone… someone who meant a lot to me."

"Hmm," Deckard shifted, "I'm sorry," he offered a comforting smile and then hugged her with the arm that wrapped around her.

Blinking, Penny shifted and tipping up her head, met his gaze, "So… No questions?"

Shaking his head, he looked down at her, "I figure, you'll tell me everything you want to. I told you before, it's not my job to try and figure you out."

A smile warmed her features, and a brow lifted as she studied him, "Thanks. It… it means a lot to me, Deck. It's not that I don't trust you with it… It's just… it's a lot. And it's not exactly a comfort, reliving it again."

"I get it. You'll tell me when you want to...if you want to. I wouldn't want to you to have to relive anything hard until you're ready," he sighed and tucked his other arm under his head, "Speaking of ready. I should shower, not that I want to end this."

Ready… it was a novel concept. One Penny wouldn't have given a second thought to, until lately. Her past was off limits, and yet somehow, Deck instilled in her a confidence to discuss it that she never really anticipated finding…

Smiling, she folded her arms across his chest again, chin on her hands, "Oh, Sugar. You want to move, you're gonna have to work for it. I'm way to comfy, right here."

A chuckle slipped through his lips, "I don't want to move. I think just lying here with you for a few more hours would be good rest, but we should check and make sure we didn't bust a stitch," he smirked, "You know, while we 'talked'."

Chuckling, she straightened, wrapping the sheets around her. Leaning forward a little, she brushed a thumb gingerly over the stitched skin, "I thought I was pretty gentle with you. But we shouldn't linger too long, anyhow. Hard to remember what we're up against when you got me off my guard. Go ahead and shower. I'll get dressed and check on the others."

"Sounds like a plan," he stretched under the sheets before sitting up on the edge, "Wouldn't happen to have an extra pair of clothes lying around for me would ya? Rather not put on the same bloodied pair if I don't have to," he new the answer but figured there was no harm is asking, "Maybe there's someone around my build also staying here. Could 'borrow' a pair from them while I shower?"

Chuckling, Penny shook her head, "Hate to tell you this Big Guy, but I'm pretty sure there's no one with your build on this planet. We'll stop at a store when we get to Orlando." Rising, she found her clothes where she'd left them, pausing to glance over her shoulder to Deck, "Thanks, for all this, by the way… Really. I… it's been a long time since I felt safe, like this."

Deckard stood from the edge of the bed and moved toward the bathroom. Before he closed it, he turned and smiled warmly, "Glad I could help."

 

[Elle Joyner]

VANCE​

A cry rippled from deep in his chest as pain coiled and sprang then length of his body. To his left, looking as if she's swallowed a pair of high heels currently lodged somewhere uncomfortable, Maxine stared down at the tablet. When the jolts of burning hot agony relinquished their grip on him, Vance shot the woman a deep glare.

"What's the matter, Maxie? You seem stressed."

Her thumb pressed the indicator and another shock assaulted him, but Vance was prepared, gritting his teeth to keep from screaming. As she set down the tablet, Vance cocked his head to the side, "Lemme guess… Boss ain't happy with that little prison raid you got on hand?"

"You think it's funny, Vance? This affects you far worse than it does me…" Maxine hissed, spitting venom.

"Does it, though? Cause me? I'll probably die… but you? Oh, honey. He's gonna make it so bad for you, first… He's gonna make it sure you know just how bad you screwed up..." Smiling, Vance sank back on the table, "Warms my heart to know you'll get what you deserve."

"Pretty bold, for someone strapped to a table, Vance." Maxine growled.

"I mean… I already know I ain't walkin' away from this. But you… you gettin' dragged down with me is sweet icing on the crap cake we got served."

Eyes narrowing, she scooped up the tablet again, "Perhaps we should adjust the setting, again. See if we can't train that pretty mouth to stay shut."

Grinning, Vance looked back up at the ceiling, "Last ditch efforts are not your color, Max."

---

DEVON​

Devon's eyes shifted around the room as he took in the sight of the Rogues, working in tandem to repair the damages wrought them by the assault on HQ. They weren't necessarily who he would've hand picked, but in the brief time they'd had, they formed a team, and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't proud.

"You two know I can hear you, right?" He mused, when Lucas and Levi started bantering back and forth. Josie's shriek echoed through the chamber and Devon swore, eyes flashing to Hex, "Try to keep her quiet, yeah? RIEF could be in the tunnels by now!"

It appeared that for the most part, the crew had finished their ragtag patch ups, and after Josie's sudden outburst, it seemed suddenly, decidedly better to move forward.

"Alright… here's the deal. We need to move out, and head north. The Orlando base is protocol point for an attack on HQ. Anyone who survived will know to go there. With luck, we can make it in a few hours, but it's probably better we don't make a giant caravan of black SUVs. Borrow something with wheels… Staggered exits… teams of two or three, with a heavy hitter to each. Hex with Josephine, Francesca and Nick, with Leon, and I'll go with Levi and Lucas. Anything goes wrong you can't deal with, you scatter. Regroup when it's clear. You all should have the emergency channels memorized. If not, well… I'll crack your heads for it later. If there's no questions, Nick, Francesca, you should go first."

---

TAGS| @Mobley Eats, @KatSea, @Kat, @WingWong, @Reythaak, @DarinValore, @CloudyBlueDay

 

[Mobley Eats]

Lucas Serenity Krestlauv | Interactions: Escape Peeps @Reythaak , @Kat , @CloudyBlueDay , @WingWong , @KatSea & Devon @Elle Joyner | Location: Leon's Cot​

"You two know I can hear you, right?"

"Nope," Lucas said, popping the "p" in nope with a wide grin. He was still relaxing next to Levi, letting the man rest for as long as possible before they had to move out...

Well, at least that was the plan until Josie jolted awake with a scream. Lucas immediately shot up to cover Levi's already fucked up ears, cringing. However, he was quick to let go and dramatically slink out of the chair like a woeful wet noodle. Welp, he supposed break time was over. He nudged Levi in the knee with his own, standing up next to the man. "Welp, rise and shine, sweetness. Time to get the hell out of here." However, Lucas quirked an eyebrow at the mention of a base in Orlando; it always slipped his mind that there were other Rogue HQ's out there, each dealing with their own slew of RIEF bullshit and drama and bloodshed.

Heh--sure hope they didn't mind adding Miami Rogue's baggage on top of their own. Ooooh, maybe there would be more hotties to explore! Lucas was absolutely brimming with exciting at the prospect of more eye candy, though he wasn't psychotic enough to forget what he was leaving beyond. The bunker. His home. The only place in the world he ever felt remotely accepted and made fond memories with kickass people...Dang, there he went getting all sentimental again. Disgusting.

Either way, a devilish smile split his cheeks upon realizing that he would be moving out with Levi and Mufasa. Oh...fuck yes. Immediately, Lucas sprinted over to Devon and, appearing very much like a kitten who was dumped into a tub of water, started clambering his way up the massive man's back while claiming, "I call dibs on piggy backing the lion tree!" The teen clung to Devon like an affection-deprived koala, seeming beyond content. He didn't even care if he got punched for this, it would be worth it goddammit. "Heaven."

 

[CloudyBlueDay]

Overthinking
Collab with @Reythaak

With Rose's hand grasped around his, Finn stayed still for a long time, waiting for her to doze off. He was a lot of things, but he wasn't a promise breaker. It was strange… to be needed. To be wanted, and to be called strong. To do strong things. But he'd had a taste of it, and now he wanted more. He wanted to be the person that could slide in and save the day, the person that Penny sent to scout ahead or relied on to back her up. A person Deck felt comfortable enough to fight by, and a person that Keith would always have to stand beside. And more than anything, he wanted to be that survivor Rose thought he was.

That was why he found it suddenly very hard to let go of her hand, even after she had fallen asleep, and her grip had slipped. She looked a lot more peaceful when she slept, and in the silence of the motel, Finn tried to focus on finding his own moment of peacefulness. He was sure plenty of people had escaped the wreckage that had befallen Rogue HQ… but at the same time… he could almost suddenly picture all the dead bodies littering the floors.

No, no, no. Stop thinking about that.

So he thought about the fiery explosion of helicopters that he and Deck had brought down on Harper's front lawn. He thought about how the people inside, though doing bad things, must have had good intentions. Must have had families they were trying to desperately protect.

That's bad too.

And then he thought about Rose, and how her parents had thrown her out, and then she'd had to live with Harper, who she thought was a savior, a protector. Just like she said Penny had… Penny, who he damn near idolized, the strongest person ever, had been beat down the same way he and Rose had been. Keith's mother, her life lost because of her hatred for her own son…. And whatever the hell had happened to Deck, he was sure it was just as bad.

And slowly his thoughts drifted back to Luna. His best friend, traitor or hostage? Both were equally horrifying outcomes, and despite all the feats of strength he'd performed today… he still, somehow, couldn't save her.

He'd been alone with his thoughts too long. Goddamnit, Keith took long showers.

Keith finally wandered his way out of the bathroom, stumbling very slightly as he did, and wearing nothing but his boxers as he came out. He ran a hand over/through his wet hair, looking towards Finn and smiling very slightly at the fact he was holding Rose's hand. He sat down on the edge of the other bed.

"Fell asleep standing up," he said with a little chuckle, "Just… really tired, sorry for making you wait."

Laughing slightly at Keith's words, Finn shook his head. "S'okay. A long shower definitely sounds good right about now." Finn glanced back at Rose, sighing. "Uh, you gonna put some clothes on?"

"Did you see what my clothes looked like after all this crap?" Keith grumbled, "Only thing clean WAS these." He plucked at one of the legs of his shorts. But, did nod, and get up to grab the grimy clothes from the bathroom, throwing his shirt on as he walked back to the bed to sit back down.

"Yeah… I'm sure we'll stop somewhere to get some new ones. Dang, I can't believe… we're never going back to HQ." Finn's brows furrowed, and he gently let go of Rose's hand so he could pull off his shoes. He wiggled his toes beneath the socks, but didn't take them off. "I'm sure a lot of people got out before it…. Went boom."

"There were people there with cooler powers than us that totally used them to get out," Keith reassured, closing his eyes for a moment. He'd been trying hard not to think much about it as well. "I… don't know if I trust going to another Rogue HQ, though…" he didn't like admitting that little fact out loud, "...with them getting into our's, it wouldn't be that hard to find the others…"

Finn frowned. He hadn't thought about that… about the risks of another HQ. Rogue, to him, had always been unbreakable.. And now, it had been broken. "I'm sure Orlando base is even tougher. We'll be okay… Rogue takes precautions for that stuff."

Keith… wasn't confident in that, but didn't want to make Finn think too hard about it either. He'd been thinking about it too much himself on the drive. "...Yeah. Probably," he settled for, "It wouldn't work out too well if the wrong person showing up in one place ruined all the others too." He opened his eyes again, looking at Rose.

"You and her have a nice little heart-to-heart?" He asked with a grin, figuring that might be a better topic. At least sort of.

Blushing, Finn fumbled with his hands. "Uhm, I guess so." He murmured. "She's… scared. I don't blame her. H-Harper was pretty cruel." Finn swallowed. "I feel kinda bad… bringing her into this mess."

"We're kind of all scared at the moment, I think. Even Deck and Penny, even if they're trying to hide it," Keith gave a little shrug, "But I kind of think we're going to be putting Rose in a better situation than she was, once we get a little safer."

"Yeah.. that's what I'm hoping." Finn said with a sage nod. "I wanna do for her what Rogue did for me, ya know? She deserves that." Finn stood up from the edge of the bed. "Watch her while I shower? I promised I wouldn't leave.. But I really need to shower before we go. "

"I'll at least be in the room. I don't promise I'll be awake. I'm probably going to end up doing most of the driving, so…" Keith trailed off, and flopped back on the bed.

"Eeeyeah," Finn smirked, tugging off his shirt as he moved towards the bathroom. "It's 'cause you're the best driver Rogue's got! And you have me, your loyal sidekick and fast learner, if you get tired."

"Yeah. You didn't crash a car today; I did. You have a better record than me," Keith tossed back as he closed his eyes.

"Well. That one was purposeful. And hey. I kinda crashed a helicopter today." Finn murmured, wincing at the memory as he closed the bathroom door. "Don't crash anymore while I'm gone!"

 

[Elle Joyner]

---

As Penny finished getting dressed and slipped out to leave Deck to the shower, it was with an odd sense of contentment that felt so surreal, so odd, that it was difficult to believe it was even real. Deck was an attractive man, there was no denying it, but that was generally where those sorts of thoughts lived and died in her. Hex, Devon… she'd been surrounded by Adonis-like figures for years, and they all filled a niche, at least superficially, yet none had struck a chord quite the way Deck had. And hell if her first inclination wasn't to run for the hills… Feelings were dangerous. Feelings led to confusion and doubt and pain.

Yet she hadn't run. She'd let go. Let him in. And she'd survived. And somehow, however comforting that was on a basic level, it was also terrifying. But it was a fraction of what they were all up against, and for now, anyway, it had to be pushed down… hidden away with all the other complicated emotions Penny buried inside her. They'd have time to figure it all out, but right now, they needed to stay focused…

Approaching the room she'd left to the other three, Penny pulled her damp hair back into a ponytail and raising a hand, tapped her knuckles against it, "It's Penny. We're moving out in ten."
TAGS | @Reythaak, @CloudyBlueDay, @DarinValore

---

YUL HUANG​

Yul straightened the papers on his desk, what had become his trademark frown gracing his features. A few minute had passed since the phone call had ended. There were many reasons someone from the Miami base would contact him, and to his great misfortune, the worst of them had been confirmed. Miami had fallen, Keegan Hull presumed missing or worse… And what few survivors managed to escape were heading their way, according to protocol.

Things were about to become incredibly hectic...and it was not in his nature to relish such a thought. But he had a duty to Hull, whether the man lived or not, and they would care for the Miami team as if they were a part of the family. He owed the man a great debt, and would not let him down.

The office door opened, and Aria peeked her head in, "Sir… we've received another call. Another crew from the Miami branch. They'll be arriving in roughly two hours."

"Understood, Aria. Thank you. Keep on the emergency line in case anymore call come through."

"Yes, sir." With a nod, she slipped out and closes the door behind her, and with the click, Yul pinched the bridge of his nose.

Hectic was too nice a term…

 

[Mobley Eats]

Collab Post: Take Me Home | Interactions: Adelaide @Elle Joyner & Keegan @DarinValore | Location: Roadside​

She could still feel his lips against her forehead. Still feel his hand on hers, tight and pleading. Still feel the core of her being just...shrivel up and die.

Above all else, she couldn't feel anything.

All Luna could do was focus on the promise she made; she needed to get back home with Ade and Uncle Kee, and figure out what in the world was going on. The trio were forced to trek on foot, as Lucy wasn't large enough to hold three people and none of them were able to drive a bike. Either way, Luna was glad to skip the vehicle altogether; one less painful reminder to deal with.

However, she grew worried that they couldn't walk like this forever. They would need transportation; her plan, no matter how pitiful and undeveloped it seemed, was to follow the road until a gas station or motel came into view. There would be cars and then they could move on from that point.

She looked at Ade and Keegan, voice dull with exhaustion, "A-are you two okay?" A stupid question, but she didn't have the motivation to filter her words.

Nodding, Keegan looked to Luna, "One step at a time, Moonlight," he told her; his breath heavy, and his words carrying a double-meaning. It was not hard for him to see the toll of losing Vance on someone he'd known and grown to love as if she were his own child.

As they walked, Adelaide clung to Keegan, as if the man were a lifeline. She'd said very little and cried quite a lot, but when Luna spoke, struggling to understand the words, she shook her head, "He should not have come…" she murmured in English.

Instantly remembering the language barrier, Luna switched over to French and addressed Ade, "He...I-I know, but there was no w-way to convince him otherwise. He…" She swallowed painfully. "He had to get you out, n-no matter what." She then nodded, regarding Keegan without much of a word. She couldn't bring herself to reply optimistically to his reassurance.

There were no real words of comfort he could give Luna or Adelaide in that moment. The heartache they were experiencing were all to familiar to the man who had lost his wife, his sister, and her two children in one fateful day. He could lie and say things would get better, but the sleepless nights and nightmares proved otherwise. He could say they just needed to push on and eventually they'd be able to move on, but no one ever truly moved on from a loss like this.

None of those lies would do, so he would create an opportunity to tell Luna and Adelaide what he knew they needed to hear.

Slowing to a stop, Keegan put a hand up and waved it, "Please..I just need a moment," he jerked his head toward the side of the road, "Just a minute or two," he flashed a weak smile, "I'm not as young as I used to be, and the conditions of my living for the past months has made this even harder."

Looking to Keegan as he paused, Adelaide's frown shifted to concern, and she nodded, "Take your time, my dear friend." Looking to Luna, she frowned, "How should I help?"

Brow pinching in concern, Luna agreed to stop and approached the side of the road. "Th-that's fine. We can afford to rest f-for a few moments, but not too long s-since R.I.E.F. could be on our tails." Upon hearing Ade's question, Luna somewhat shrunk into herself, not used to someone...looking to her for answers. For what to do. It was such a foreign feelings. Heaving a sigh, she replied in French, "Just stick close to us, o-okay? We should reach a g-gas station soon. I saw the s-sign say the exit's close so…" she trailed off, not entirely sure what else to say. She hated seeming so unreliable like this, but she was doing what she could with only half of a functioning brain at the moment.

Walking a few steps into the trees, Keegan found one that was downed and lowered himself to the trunk, "How'd you know I was there?" he asked looking up to Luna, "I knew as soon as my brother assumed my position, it'd be nigh impossible for Rogue to learn I was missing. How'd you figure it out?"

"L-like I said, I didn't," Luna sighed, hunching over to run both hands down her face. She locked eyes feebly with Keegan. "It was...i-it was all up to chance. I went there to f-free Adelaide with…" With Vance's help, but she couldn't bare to utter his name. "Anyway...what...w-what do you mean by brother? I-I never knew."

A hint of sadness flashed in his eyes. His people hadn't known he was absent, but his brother had always been a good actor, "Yes. I do not really speak of him often. Our sister was killed on All Sorrows Day, along with her son and daughter," he smiled faintly at Adelaide, "you share the same name with my niece," he paused and then turned back to Luna, "My brother did not take the news as I did. Instead, he blamed all our kind. I fear the information he was able to glean from our systems in the last six months might just be the end of Rogue."

Adelaide turned to Keegan, and for a moment, something flashed through the young girl's eyes, her hand raising to her heart. It was difficult to follow it all, but she understood most of the English. Turning to Luna, she spoke rapidly, "Did… did he say his sister was killed? Please, Luna… ask him her name?"

Luna listened to with rapt attention, as rapt as she could muster, at the very least, until her eyes softened with sorrow for the man. She heard many stories of loss and blossoming rage from All Sorrows Day, but she had never been personally touched from it aside from the fatal prejudice against metas. She reached out to give Keegan's hand a supportive squeeze. "I...I-I'm so sorry, Uncle Kee. I never knew...As f-for your brother," everything clicked inside her aching head, "It makes sense...God, th-that makes so much sense and I...I wish it didn't."

She felt sick. Beyond ill with betrayal. That man...she looked up to him. Loved him like the uncle she always wanted, needed. And yet, he had taken advantage of her trust in the real Uncle Kee and tainted it. The nausea burned. However, she was pulled from her reverie at Ade's question, the franticness in her tone clear as day. She placed her free hand on the woman's shoulder in an attempt to ease her before nodding, "Okay. Uncle Kee? Your sister, w-what's her name?"

"Her name?" Keegan shifted, "Diana," a sad smile spread across his lips, "She was as beautiful as you," he gestured to Adelaide, "Truth be told, your eyes are similar to hers."

Paling a little, Adelaide stepped back, her fingers curving around Luna's arm for support as she breathed in, "D...diana… Diana Usher?" But she didn't need his answer to know the reality of what she was hearing, even in English. "Mon Dieu…"

Luna watched the two converse, utterly confused. Her hand instantly flew up to cradle Ade's, concern filling her from head to toe. "A-Adelaide? What's wrong?" Her brow pinched. "Y-you knew Diana or something?"

"She…" Tears burdened her eyes, and Adelaide sank to her knees before Keegan, staring up at the man in shock, "She was my mother…"

Keegan shook his head slow at first, but the more time passed the faster it became, "Impossible," he finally said, "Diana and her children died. You cannot be her."

"My brother… when RIEF took us, he changed his name, to… what is the word… reserve our family. To protect who he was… He goes by Vance, but… but his name is Sebastian. He was named after my great grandfather on my father's side. I was named for my mother's grandmother. Your mother. We… we were told you were dead. Vance… he never talked about it… And I was so young when it all happened. I never knew your name."

"W-wait...mother? Sebastian? I…" Luna's head was downright pounding, her neurons firing left and right as the dots connected. Shakily, she fell to the ground, pulling her knees into herself as her thoughts raced. "This is insane...y-you're trying to tell me that y-you're all family?"

Everything sounded right, and Keegan wanted desperately to believe it..to find hope in a time where hope was unaffordable luxury. But he needed proof. How did he know this wasn't RIEF's attempt to crack open his mind again? To peel back the layers of defense and glean whatever information they could to condemn the people that followed him.

"Your power," he spoke to Adelaide, "Your power. What is it? If we are truly related, your power will be similar to mine in nature."

"M...my…" Frowning, Adelaide considered the question for a moment. She'd never had much use for it in the cell, and time had driven it from her mind, "Vance… he called it… Reflection?"

"S-so…" Luna started hesitantly, "Vance's power is s-siphoning, like...absorption, Adelaide is p-power reflection, and…" Her gaze strayed over to Keegan. "Uncle Kee?" She never truly thought of the possibility of Keegan having meta abilities, though she wanted to kick herself now. It would make sense. He was the head of Rogue HQ; however, she had never seen him perform anything unusual, so it merely slipped from her mind until now.

"I enhance abilities," Keegan spoke to Luna those his eyes did not leave from his long-thought-dead niece, "I've never had to use it before," his hand shook as he reached out. His breath caught in his throat until his fingers landed against Adelaide's soft cheek, "Adelaide…," a single tear slid down the man's face.

Breathing in sharply, Adelaide threw herself forward, her arms wrapped around Keegan's shoulders as a sob escaped, "I knew. In… in my heart I knew. I could not leave you… because I knew."

In that moment, with Adelaide in his arms, Keegan could let go of some of the anger that he had held onto for all these years, and he did just that with a shaky sigh, "I am so glad you're alive..the both of you, and I promise we will do whatever we can to get your brother back. I will not lose the two of you again."

Nodding Adelaide straightened, brushing her cheeks dry, "We must. This… this is hope. For Vance. He needs it, greatly." Turning back to Luna, she frowned softly, "Should… should we keep going?"

Luna remained respectfully silent during Keegan and Adelaide's reunion, the ghost of a smile pulling at her features, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. She was happy for them, she truly was, but...she couldn't help but think how incomplete the picture was without Vance in it. Swallowing back the bitter thought, she nodded in response to Adelaide's question and stood up, extending a hand out to Keegan. "Y-yes, we really should. The exit is c-close," she said.

With a nod, Keegan accepted her hand and pushed to his feet, "Then let's get going."

 

[WingWong]

Collab Post: Road Trip
Interactions: Leon @Elle Joyner and Francis @CloudyBlueDay
Where: Outside Miami HQ

---

Nodding at Devon's words, Francis turned back to Nick and Leon. Orlando wasn't exactly a short trip… but she could work with this group. As much as she appreciated Lucas and Levi's company (sometimes), she wasn't sure how much she would love them after a seven hour car trip.


"Well, gang. Guess we've gotta go hotwire a car." Francis said with a smirk. "Can you walk, Leon?"


"No one's tryin' to lynch me to a drain pipe. I can make myself walk." Leon mused, standing with a small grimace, "Either of you lovely folk know how to hotwire?"


"I do," Nick said after a moment, raising his hand a little sheepishly. With two or three things, he could have them in a car in no time. He was tempted to offer up the old SUV he'd been using before Rogue had recruited him, but given everything that had happened today, it was probably better not to. He didn't know what kind of information RIEF had access to, especially if Keegan was not, in fact, Keegan (which still blew his mind a little. Had he ever known the real Keegan?) He'd been in the SUV a little too long anyway; it'd be better to find something different. Maybe they could make a stop to grab his old stuff though...


"I'm sure if you start feeling a little tired, Leon, Francis could give you a lift," Nick added with a cheeky grin. He wouldn't lie; watching her hoist Leon around like a small sack of potatoes had been fun to watch.


She could see Leon grimace, but she didn't feel like spending anymore energy hoisting him around when it could be saved for much worse situations. Letting out a laugh, Francis grinned up at Nick. "I'm liking this guy more and more. Can hotwire cars and has a sense of humor," She clapped him on the back, perhaps a slight bit too hard, "What more can you ask for?"


"Oh yeah… he's a riot." Leon mused, but not without a smirk, "I'm good to walk. Honestly. Not a half bad job on the stitches, even if I will end up lookin' like Frankenstein." Finding his shirt, he made a face at the state of it, but slipped it on anyhow, flinching as he raised his arms. The false Keegan hadn't killed him, but he definitely wasn't gonna be doing morning calisthenics anytime soon.


"Ready to roll."


Nick smiled over at Francis before stumbling forward a step as she clapped him on the back. He tried to discreetly roll his shoulders as Leon put his shirt back on.


"If it makes you feel any better, I'm sure you'll make a lovely brooding monster man," he added, giving Leon a thumbs up. He glanced over at the entrance to Leon's cot area, ready to go if they were. "Either of you know how to get to the nearest used car lot from here?"


"Glad it kept you in one piece," Was all Francis had to say, a light smile still on her face, "Dunno 'bout a used car lot… but I'm sure we can find you one to lift." Francis glanced towards the elevator, shaking her head. "Can't believe… you were right under our noses this whole time."


"To be fair… I wasn't tryin' to be under your noses so much as RIEF." Moving to the bulletin board, Leon began to gather the coded pages, and when he'd finished, he stuffed them into an envelope, turning to the other two, "All set." Heading for the elevator, he pressed the call button, "We'll need to be on guard at street level. Watch for drones…"


"Fair enough," Nick said simply as a response to Leon trying to stay out of RIEF's view. The fact Leon was working with them for the moment was proof enough that Rogue could be merciful. RIEF on the other hand...who knew?


Right. Drones. That was a thing Nick wouldn't ever miss. While getting his hands on one could be beneficial, he figured that's the sort of thing he could worry about when they were further down the road towards Orlando. Preferably in Orlando. Nick snagged a roll of medical tape from the medkit he'd handed Francis earlier, slipping it into his pocket, before following Leon to the elevator. If he was hotwiring a car today, he was definitely going to need it.


Shrugging at Leon's response, Francis stepped up to the elevator. There was a tenseness in her posture, fueled by the fact that she still didn't entirely trust Leon or their plight above ground. He could've easily still been playing the infiltration game; they were, after all, taking him straight to another HQ. She just hoped her gut feeling was right. Francis drummed her fingers on her thigh. "Our best bet is to head for the closest car. Staying out in the open longer than necessary means drones, and we definitely don't want that."


"Two blocks up from here, we'll hit an area that's got some businesses in it, less occupied then other parts of the city, but we'll still need to be quick about it." Pressing a button on the elevator that would take them to ground level, he leaned back against the walls, pressing a hand to his abdomen where the stitches pulled briefly, "I can't imagine RIEF is looking for me. Only reason I'm alive is cause you found me, Francis… but that being said, just keep your eyes peeled. Once they find out I'm not dead, well… I will be."


Nick pursed his lips, trying to mentally run through everything he needed to do for this to go smoothly. Time wasn't exactly on their side at the moment, to say the least. He placed a hand on the wall of the elevator to steady himself as it brought them to ground level. He noted that they were hitting an area with businesses; more eyes, but less suspicion when someone sees them wandering around the parking lot. He didn't necessarily trust Leon fully, but if his life was on the line the way he said it was, he had no real reason to lie right now. Especially not if he had someone else he was concerned for.


"I've got one request for when we get out there. Find something long, thin, and study enough to push a button. It can be a car antenna, a stick, a coat hanger, a ruler, anything. Just something I can work with," Nick commented. After all, to hotwire a car, you needed to get into one, and broken windows were a tiny bit conspicuous.


Glancing at Leon out of the corner of her eye, Francis sighed. It was true that if she hadn't come across Leon in that tunnel, he probably would've bled to death. She hoped that down the line she'd feel good about that choice, but now… it only made her stomach queasy. So, kept quiet, not sure if she trusted her own words anymore, only nodding firmly to Nick. "Try to hang back… your bloody shirt doesn't exactly scream normal." She grumbled, glancing down at her lopsided pants. "Or these, but… you're worse."


Looking down at his shirt, Leon smirked faintly, "The one day I decide not to wear black, and it bite me…" But he didn't argue. The less they stood out, the better… for all of them. He did, however, keep his eyes peeled for make-shift slim jim, particularly as they passed by alleyways, where trash bins were piled high with rubbish.


"It gets you every time," Nick snorted. "You can only avoid it if you wear dark colors all the time." He gestured at his own dark and muted color ensemble. He smiled faintly at how they looked. A guy with a bloody shirt, a girl with ripped up pants, and him, squinting at the light as his concussion reminded him that it was there. They made quite a trio, that was for sure. He did his best to shield his eyes with one hand, searching for a good probe for a door lock. It was odd, but Nick did feel a bit like he was back in his element. On the streets and trying to plan on the fly. It was the life he'd known best for the past few years, after all. It shouldn't be a surprise that despite barely being able to see, he seemed quite comfortable with the situation. He turned, something seeming to catch his eye in one of the garbage bins.


She couldn't help but find herself wondering what kinda life Nick had led that gave him the knowledge to hotwire cars and scavenge trash bins. Francis was lucky she never lead a life on the streets, almost always being apart of some sort of family. She knew plenty of people at Rogue who had gone homeless, travelled alone. Rogue was a team, a tight knit family… and it had been blown to bits.


Following Nick's line of sight, Francis stepped forward. It was a metal clothing hanger. "Perfect," She hummed, flashing a smirk at Nick as she pulled it out of the trash can. "Anything else you need to get us a ride, Nick?"


Nick smiled back at her as she pulled out the hanger before pausing, seeming to consider this. "Maybe a screwdriver, but I don't need that," he mused. It might make him a tiny bit faster, though he could work almost as quickly with the knife sheathed at his hip. "Maybe that, and for you to pick a car when we get to the parking lot," he added with a teasing smile. "Try to go for a slightly older one."


"If you don't need it, then you're doin' it without it." Francis harrumphed, scouring the parking lot. They were about to spend the next seven hours in this car… it was gonna be a good one. "How's this work, Nick?" She called, patting the hood of an older GMC model.


"Did… did you intentionally pick the biggest car in the universe?" Leon asked, half under his breath as he looked at the vehicle that Francis had picked out.


"And if I did?" Francis snapped.


The words "It's so big" were out of Nick's mouth before he thought better of it. Dear god, that was a big vehicle. He exhaled, shaking his head at Francis and Leon, before peeking inside the vehicle through the window to see what he was dealing with. Lock buttons were on the side of the door, and it was going to be a fun experience to hotwire this one, sarcasm intended.


"I can do it, but I hope you're aware I'm about to completely mess up the area under the steering wheel. So if you're going for 'something nice for later', you really shouldn't," Nick warned.


"She'd need to rob all the city phone booths of their books before she could see over the dash…" Leon mused with a smirk, "I'll keep an eye out…"


A scowl crossing Francis' face, she glared at the two men. "Hey," She announced. "Let me remind you who was carrying your ass not twenty minutes ago. And you," She levelled her gaze onto Nick. There was still playfulness in her eyes but not exactly in her voice. "Get a move on. We've got a long drive."


Nick barked a laugh before trying to quickly cover it up with a coughing fit. "Maybe she's compensating," he murmured with a grin. It fell a little as her gaze fell onto him, though it didn't stop him from making one last smart remark. "All I ask is that you let me keep my knees until after I've started this thing."


He pulled the roll of medical tape back out from his pocket, wrapping it around the pads of his index finger, middle finger, and thumb on both hands. He gave a cursory look around as he pocketed the tape and stepped up to the vehicle. He'd taken the wire coat hanger, twisting it into a usable probe, before unsheathing his knife. He wedged it at the very top crack of the door, opening it just wide enough to slip the hanger inside towards the lock and unlock buttons. After a few moments of situating the hanger and trial and error, he felt the familiar give of the button, and the knob inside popped up. He grinned as he pulled out the knife and the hanger. He then opened the door. "Give me three minutes," he said, before slipping inside the older GMC.


His eyes scanned the skies as Nick worked, and he couldn't help the sense of uneasiness. They'd been out in the open too long… too damn long. He'd escaped death once that day, but all they needed was one drone sweeping down and he was done for, "I'll buy you dinner," Leon muttered, "If you make it two minutes…"


Sighing a little angrily but arguing no further, Francis tapped her foot. She truthfully had no right to bark at the guy about to save their tails, as frankly, if Nick wasn't here, she'd have been pounding out windows and jamming things into ignitions until something stuck. Still, she was always a little touchy about her height, and so what if she liked big cars?


But seeing Leon's uneasy gaze only reminded her they had bigger fish to fry. Getting shot by a drone now, even non fatally (as if any bullet wounds were non fatal….), would seriously slow down their already long trip to Orlando. Drones meant soldiers and soldiers meant a chase…


"Hurry it up." Was all she growled.


Nick was all but upside down in the driver's seat as he set to work on getting the car started. He popped and pried off sections of plastic covering, unscrewing a few screws with the tip of his knife until he could work them out by hand. He'd set aside the plastic cover and was working on separating the wires he needed when he heard Leon. He wasn't sure if it was the fact he was upside down or due to what Leon had said, but he felt his face grow warm. He swiftly reminded himself it wasn't even remotely like that; guy had a girlfriend, and now was not the time to get goo-goo eyes because somebody offered to buy food.


"Deal," was all he said to Leon, his voice a little steadier than he'd expected. He stripped the wires he needed of small sections of covering before twisting two together and taping them with the medical tape from his pocket. He carefully grabbed a different wire, well aware that tape only did so much to stop electrocution, before splicing it with the other wires. The car sparked to life as he then tied a knot to make it safer and easy to start and stop the car without messing with anything, so long as they didn't do that too often. He reached up, holding the steering column from underneath, before jerking the steering wheel to one side. A pop sounded and he stuck his head out the door, if not a little awkwardly from his position.


"Ready to go. Who's driving?"

 

[CloudyBlueDay]

road trip pt. II
collab with @Elle Joyner and @WingWong

Glancing to Francis, then the GMC, then peeling his hand away from his ribs with a small wince, Leon shook his head, "Looks like it's gonna be you. We could probably switch out in a few hours, when this stops feeling like I took a tank missle to my ribcage."

Francis looked relieved as the car whirred to life, looking to Leon as he winced from his wound. "Not sure about lettin' Mr. RIEF drive." Francis muttered. "Definitely won't look good when we show up to HQ. I'll drive later on." She narrowed her gaze, one that meant don't-say-anything. "You stay in the back."

"Yeah, that's probably not the best thing for them to see when we roll up to HQ," Nick agreed, managing after a little bit of a struggle to right himself again. "And that works pretty well, because I could get us to Orlando, but I have no idea how to get to the other base." Yeah, there were all kinds of regrets about not being more involved with Rogue the past month, and that was one of them. "Do you guys mind if I make a quick stop on the way?" He figured that since the survivors of the Miami base were going to end up surging the Orlando one, he could at least smooth over some of the chaos with supplies. He wasn't sure how much canned green beans were worth, but he figured he'd give it a shot. Plus, switched plates would buy them a little more time when it came to the authorities.

Leon rubbed the back of his neck, giving Francis a look, but keeping his thoughts to himself. They were gonna get there, either way, even if Francis needed a boost… "I mean, I don't mind, so long as that stop isn't anywhere near RIEF…"

He had to hope that they weren't the sort to turn him over.. But it was always an option. Still. He could only go with the flow and pray things worked out.

Narrowing her eyes at Nick, Francis hopped up into the passenger seat and dutifully ignoring Leon's look. "A stop? Where exactly?" Francis sighed. "Maybe around the time we have to pause for gas?"

"Oh, I plan on staying as far away as possible from RIEF right now," Nick replied as he situated himself in the driver's seat. "It's on the way, and kind of in the middle of nowhere," he commented, though he could admit that was kind of vague. There was no good way to explain why he was headed out to some random spot in the woods. He glanced at the fuel gauge on the dashboard. "Maybe a little bit before that. What I'm stopping for can help us get gas, though. You know, since it's hard for us to get some legally."

"You know how suspicious you sound right now, right?" Francis deadpanned. It wasn't enough that they were carting around a RIEF agent, right? She also had to be with a brand new Rogue agent. She almost found herself wishing she'd been stuck with Levi or Lucas, because if any of her travelling companions went rogue, it'd be on her hands. "We can't just take a drive through wherever you'd like. Just say where do you want to stop, and if it's not beneficial, it's not happening."

With a small smirk, Leon leaned up against the side of the SUV, crossing his arms over his chest, "She's scary when she means business…"

"I'm starting to realize that, yeah," Nick said before taking a breath and closing his eyes. He knew he shouldn't be frustrated, because this was bound to happen at some point. He still wished it didn't have to happen now though. "There's a spot in the woods off the side of the highway, where an old SUV is hidden. It has several jugs of water, food, medkits in case someone," he glanced back at Leon, "pops his stitches, a radio, blankets, and a set of tools. There's also clear tubes I've used to siphon gas with, at least half a tank of gas we could use, and a license plate that doesn't match what is about to be a very stolen vehicle."

He'd rattled it off a bit like an itinerary, like this was stuff he'd memorized and kept in his head regularly. "I hope that, in and of itself, is beneficial enough to warrant checking in," he added, most of his lighthearted humor from before having faded away. "And I know I'm fairly new to your team, but please have some faith in me. I don't betray people," he started, the pointed look he'd given Francis shifting briefly back to Leon again, "and I don't leave them behind. I just figured that since we're going to a new base that is probably about to get a bunch of frantic survivors from here, they could use the extra supplies. 'Come bearing gifts' and all that."

Letting Nick's words hang in the air, Francis sucked in a deep breath. So. She'd hit a nerve. Not unexpected. The impatience in her face dropped away, to an expression of deep thought. What was this place. Home? His old haunt? She could tell Nick was almost… desperate. It unnerved her. But there was indeed a beneficial aspect to this detour… and she wasn't going to say that she'd let it happen either way.

"Right." Francis muttered, her gaze almost apologetic. "Sounds good, then. Let's get going."

Leon straightened, having watched the exchange with a curious expression. For years, he and the others had been told that Rogues were cold hearted bastards, who didn't care half a wick about each other or anyone else. They were just like RIEF - scrounging to survive, fighting and killing and clawing and biting. And they'd believe it, because it was easier than thinking the alternative… that they, RIEF, were the bad guys. Leon knew well enough that he wasn't on the right side of the fence, but it had been easier, thinking the Rogues weren't exactly saints.

And yet here was, in the midst of frickin' angels, and all he wanted was to get his hands around Maxine's throat for all the BS.

Shaking his head, he breathed in, and dropped his arms to the side, "Right. Off we go."

 

[Reythaak]

≡ H E X + J O S I E ≡

C O L L A B​

≡Location: The Road to Orlando
≡Interactions: N/A

---

Hex was… remarkably good at ignoring the scream, and Josie's sounds of pain. If he thought too much about 'em, he'd stop, and then that'd just leave her bleeding more. His gaze shifted to Devon, however. "Not a medic. I come back to Doc when I need this kind of help. If you can do better, I'd love to see ya do it," he snapped.

He sat back slightly, using a little more of the water to rinse his hands off then wipe them off on his pants before looking at Josie once more. "We got offered help. We needed it," Hex gave a shrug, "About all that factors into it. Sorry for hurtin' ya more, you know I'm not great at medical."

"Let me tell you what hurts more. The fact that you all are trusting that bastard," Josie grimaced, eyes red from crying. "I can't do anything anyways and we're moving on again after I just had a chance to relax my leg. Lovely. How far is Orlando HQ again? It's definitely more than three hours if we're actually moving on foot."

"Naw. I wanna deck him. But, that ain't here or there right now I guess," Hex replied, giving Leon a look, "Got other things to worry about." He also suspected the other Rogues wouldn't be too keen on him hitting Leon. Frankie in particular, and he kinda liked Frankie overall. "We won't be on foot too long, the two of us. Don't you worry about that."

"Let's get out of here before I shut his whole body down," Josie muttered and grunted as she stood up with Hex's help. "Thank you, Hex. I know you're not the best at medical, but at least it's something. We need to head out and get to Orlando HQ sooner rather than later. Like Devon said, RIEF could be on our tails and I'm not allowed to cry in pain so better to just push on."

"Gimme a second," Hex said, frowning a little. He left Josie's standing near a wall to lean on, should it be necessary (and he knew it probably would be), and dug around a bit more in Leon's medical supplies. He came back with a little bottle of pain meds. "Not the good shit, but at least it's somethin'," he said, offering a couple of the little pills to Josie.

"Thanks. Did you happen to see any water bottles around here or am I going in for the kill?"

Hex held up the remainder of the water bottle he'd acquired earlier, grateful it was one of the larger variety.

"You're the best. Hopefully, this'll numb the pain for a while before I take more," Josie responded and took a swig of the water before popping three pills. She swallowed and screwed the cap back on before handing the bottle back to Hex. "Alright, let's head on out."

The bottle of pills was slipped into his pocket, and the pair waited a little while for Leon, Nick, and Frankie to get out of the little hideout. Hex felt tension leaving his shoulders once Leon was gone, he felt like it was less likely someone was going to get further-seriously injured. Or dead.

As Devon suggested, they staggered their exit, getting into the elevator and heading to the streets. They moved some distance from their exit point, until Hex felt like Josie's limp was getting a little too problematic.

"Hang out here a minute, I'll pull the car around," he winked and flashed a grin, and was gone a moment later. It didn't take long for a silver honda SUV to pull up to the curb near where he'd left Josie and the window to be rolled down. "In ya get."

And pretty uneventfully, Hex and Josie were on their way to Orlando.

---

 

[CloudyBlueDay]

Male Bonding... ew
collab with @DarinValore

The hot shower served to soothe the aching muscles that screamed through his body. The water washed away the grime of the day, and the memories were chased off by the time he'd spent with Penny. The truth of the matter was that he need her touch as much as she had needed his. He had all but given up on letting people into his life, choosing solitude not just because he thought it was safer, but because he thought he'd deserved nothing more.

With much internal objection, he slid back into the bloodsoaked shirt and nasty jeans he had worn the day before after his shower, and after taking one last look into the hotel room, he slipped out just in time to see Finn.

"Sleep well, Finn?" Deck asked.

Finn had just been exiting the shower as Penny knocked on their door. Their little moment of peace was over, but hopefully not forever. Tugging on his dirty clothes almost seemed to cancel the effect of the shower. Finn gently shook Rose and Keith awake before opening the door to the room.

"Deck," Finn murmured, looking up at the much larger man."Hey, uh. I didn't sleep. Shower was good, though. You?"

"Same really. Too bad I had to put these rags back on," Deck shifted and jerked his head to point over Finn's shoulder, "How's Rose?"

Finn nodded regretfully, pulling at the hem of his shirt. "She's…" Finn trailed off. "She's better. She will be better. Rogue is better for her no matter what, even if our HQ is gone…"

"Just one's gone, Finn," he tried to reassure the young man, "Remember that Rogue is worldwide," he sighed and the smiled, "You did a good job with the helicopters. I couldn't have done it on my own. Thanks."

Finn looked up, a prideful glint in his eye. "Th-thanks," He mumbled, a smile gracing his lips, "I-I didn't really know I could.. do that. Hopefully I get really good at it, like, uh. Like you." He cleared his throat. "Penny said she'd train me when we got to Orlando. Maybe you will too..?"

Deck shook his head, "I can do the things I do because I force myself to do them. I didn't know I could make that bridge, but I wasn't going to let you all die if I could help it," he shifted and glanced toward Penny, "She could definitely help you with your fighting technique, but as far as your power is concerned, I think I could be of more help," shoving his hands halfway into his pockets, he continued, "I'll tell you what. If you can forgive me for being an ass at Harper's place, I'll see what I can do to help you with your abilities."

Finn shuffled in place, jamming his hands in his pockets. He wanted more than anything now to get stronger. If he could get even half as strong as Deck… it would change a lot. Finn looked up at Deck, biting his lip. "You didn't do anything wrong. I shouldn't have got in the way like that. But - yeah, of course.. sounds like a pretty good deal on my part." Finn nodded eagerly.

"Eh," Deckard shrugged, "I get why you did what you did. I don't agree with it, but I get it. I think I have someone in my past that I would have done the same thing for if the shoes were on the other feet. You're a good kid, Finn."

Finn smiled weakly, rubbing the back of his head. "Uh.. you're a good.. man." He mumbled. "And uh, m-my advice… whoever that person is for you.." Finn dragged the toe of his shoe across the floor, eyes downcast. "It's not… worth it. Not worth it when you already have a new family."

"New family, huh?" Deckard asked, his eyes once again resting on Penny, "Penny keeps telling me the same thing. That you guys are a family."

Following Deck's gaze, Finn shrugged. "I.. never belonged anywhere, before Rogue. Got chased out of my own home and then stuck with you-know-who. The people at Rogue.. fight to protect each other. That makes a family, more than anything. You're part of Rogue… you're part of that family." Also, Keith told me you're in love with Penny. But I won't say that.

"I suppose so," he turned back to Finn and flashed a small smile, "Not really trusting of families."

Finn rocked back on his heels. "Hm." He said, thinking for a moment. "Easy not to be, I guess. With powers… everyone turns their back. That's why Rogue is a family of people like you." He offered. "Sounds like I'm trying to recruit you.."

A small chuckle slipped through his lips, "Already here, Kid, but I guess you're right. People like us...like me, can find a home with others who know what we've gone through. Guess Rogue really does act as a beacon of hope, huh? Keegan used to pitch that to me all the time, 'You can be a part of the beacon of hope in a dark and despairing world.' Never really believed him cause I couldn't see hope to be real. Too much shit had happened," he sighed and smiled, "but I'm glad it's been that for you."

"That…. is so, so cheesy. And really sounds like Keegan." His heart hurt at the thought of their fearless leader, the chaos that had occured at HQ. He could only hope Keegan got out of it…

"Y-yeah. Don't know if I'd still be here without it. I, uh, hope it ends up being like that for you too." Finn nodded. "M-maybe we should… get going..?"

Wearing a half-smile, he nodded, "Ya, Orlando awaits."

 

[KatSea]

Collab: Can Devons Dream of Sheep? Lucas @Mobley Eats Devon @Elle Joyner

Levi's body threatened to shoot off the chair he had propped himself against, the scream that Josie emitted rattling his core. He swore he could feel the trickle of blood return to his ears, but as he reached over Lucas's hands to brush his fingers against his skin, there was nothing. No sticky, warm liquid cascading from his ear. He could still feel it down his skin, but he knew it wasn't there. He swallowed down a foreign and bitter taste before turning to his friend. "Er, thanks for trying to keep that out." He realized his voice grew in volume once more, rose hinting at his cheeks.

"T-time to go?" The small bump against his knee sent confusion through him, the minor nap only accomplishing one thing-sending Levi into a different dimension and having his whole life flash before his eyes. Taking a five minute, unsuccessful nap always felt as if the universe had met its limit and then threw Levi back through it for a good loop. "Orlando?" He bobbed his head to himself. That was only what, six hours or so away? Levi never minded a long trip, he was used to them when it came to visiting his brother, but sharing it with Lucas and Devon, however was going to prove to be a different story.

He was going to have a blast.

"I call dibs on piggy backing the lion tree!"

Correction. They were going to have a blast.

"Oi, let the poor man at least get out of the bunker first." Levi requested with a smirk, attempting to cross his arms without pulling at his stitches. Comfortably managing his position, he waited for the other groups to exit. He felt awful for Devon, having to handle Lucas's embrace. Not to mistake Levi, he enjoyed embraces, very much so, but Lucas embraces could mean one thing.

Levi grimaced. There was only reason why he knew how to replicate what it felt like to be tapped on his ass. And it wasn't from a previous romance.

As if he could read the man's thoughts, Lucas glanced Levi's way, still dangling from Devon's back, and sent him a flirtatious wink. "Brings back memories, doesn't it, sweetness? Hah, good times, good times…"

"...If you don't get down…" Devon muttered, in a voice that was inexplicably still as calm as a winter pond, "I'm going to have to break something on you. And I'm pretty sure you're personally attached to the parts most easily in reach."

Lucas instantly paled. "Oh…oh! Uh, hah, hahaha. Yep. Okay. You're right, I uh, n-need all those good ole attachments. So I'm just gonna…" Hesitantly, he slid off Devon's back, a bit surprised by the long drop that awaited him. Regardless, he landed without much problem and threw both arms up like he was in the Olympics. "And he sticks the landing."

"Hallelujah and praise Moses." Levi muttered under his breath as Lucas gained the common sense to jump off Devon's back. He did not want to see the poor boy get ripped limb from limb. "Please don't break Lucas. We need him to survive at least to Orlando." Levi swallowed then put on a pleasant smile. "So...I'm assuming none of us have a car to get to which means...any of you know how to hot wire?" He rubbed the back of his head innocently. "I have the faintest idea, but I don't think I'm an expert on such...grand theft auto."

"I'm an Olympic sport now. Great." Rolling his eyes, something he was fairly certain was going to become a tic by the day's end, Devon nodded to Levi's words, "We'll have to find something street level. I know how it works, but Lucas here is gonna have to do the hand work… I ain't getting my fingers in the circuitry." Holding up a finger as a warning, he eyed Lucas, though not without a flicker of involuntary amusement, "No comments."

"You bring in all the cardio, Mufasa," Lucas chuckled, though his brow pinched upon realizing that he would have to be...useful. Yikes. He supposed he should've seen that coming, but it didn't help to alleviate the minor grimace. He shrugged, hopefully in a nonchalant manner. "I guess I can do that. As long as that bad boy's ignition is in working order, then we'll be ready to roll, sweetness."

He grinned devilishly, then held up a hand. "On my honor. Not a single inappropriate and sexual fingering comment. For now," he said.

"Don't give him a promise of a later use for sexual comments. I promise you, it'll fester up." Levi smirked, bumping his shoulder slightly into Lucas's form. "I'm trusting you on getting the thievery job done, bud."

"I have a feeling I'm going to regret this trip…" Devon muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose, before he gestured to the elevator, "Go on… Both of you. Let's find a car."

 

[Mobley Eats]

Collab: Can Devon Dream of Sheep? Part II | Interactions: Levi @KatSea & Devon @Elle Joyner ​

Rather than extending the playful torture, Lucas opted for taking the little nudge and command in stride, and saluted the men cheekily. "Sir, yessir." With that said, they boarded the elevator and headed to the surface (Lucas may or may not have stuck closer to Devon than was reasonable). He could thank the last handful of merciful gods watching over them that they didn't run into any surprises along the way, as he could sense his limit nearing for the day. The teen used quite the lump sum of his abilities; at the most, he had two uses left, dispersed between all three modes.

"So," he started, stepping out into the open and squinting at their surroundings, "Any ride preferences, sweetness?" A pause. Then he leered. "Besides me?"

Smiling reassuringly and tossing a wink in Devon's direction, Levi quietly followed behind. The wound began to throb miserably, the young man able to sense each painful pump of blood throughout his shoulder. He kept a grimace back, relieved that Lucas had done such a decent job. He would mourn his shirt and his dignity, later.

"My favorite was named Sarah, but she was a little too speedy. Hell, I'd say I was her ride more than anything else." Levi smirked thinly and rubbed the back of his hair with his good hand. He squinted. "Not to be insensitive to our buddy Dev here but uh...we are gonna need a decently big vehicle."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Devon took a deep breath, "I swear to God. If the two of you are gonna do this the entire ride, I'm puttin' one of you in the trunk." He wasn't a particularly personal man, and definitely not where certain things were concerned. Over time, he'd grown accustomed to the people at Rogue, and their many quirks and challenges… Even Lucas had grown on him, though there were days when he was still more menace than man… but six hours in the car, listening to the Dynamic Duo was going to make him wish he'd stayed behind with the exploding rods.

Exploding rods. Lucas would have a field day with his thoughts…

"An SUV or truck will do..." He said, gesturing down the road from the abandoned warehouse, "We'll head that way."

"Mmkay, it'll have to be Levi though, since I call shotgun," Lucas said, wiggling eyebrows at Devon. He absolutely loved the idea of riding passenger, casting appreciative side glances at the beautiful giant for six hours. He turned in the direction Devon mentioned and set off into a fairly fast pace, not at all forgetting about the Hell unraveling in HQ. He loved joking around just as much as the next ultra attractive teenage boy, but he knew that they couldn't dilly dally for too long.

"So, like...a biggie is what we need, right? How about that beauty over there?" he asked, pointing a ways ahead to a deep maroon SUV. Upon squinting and growing closer, he continued, "Doesn't look like anybody's in there. Plus, she's a beautiful Chevy Crossover. Can't pass that up, sweetness."

"Why am I always the one that ends up in the trunk?" Levi rolled his eyes playfully, deciding that the back seat wouldn't be a bad idea. He would feel uncomfortable not being the one who drove, but to be honest, he felt that he'd rather not focus on something for six hours straight. And listen to Lucas flirting with De-No Thank You Ma'am-von. Levi's eyes shot up as Lucas pointed to a decent looking SUV, a sudden dread and wanting pitting in his stomach. He forgot how much he missed the manual shift, the occasional skidding, and scaring passengers in his car with his shenanigans. "If you can get us in there Lucas you can have it. You...you can get us into that car, right Lucas? I don't know if we really have any materials to help bust us in, I got a carving knife and some shirt I could probably rip off because it's pretty much a lost cause by...and I regret that option just take the knife if you need it."

"Keep your shirt on, Levi. For God's sake. The boy's half drunk on you already…" Nodding to the car, he held out a hand, "The knife'll do to get in, at least. Probably don't wanna try it in the ignition… which means Lucas'll still need to get in there with the wires."

"Does that mean I'm intoxicating?" A brief pause. "Carry on."

"Only for the lightweights, sweetness," Lucas chuckled, his eyes twinkling with mirth. He almost pouted at Devon for being a party pooper, but figured he could manipula--he meant...convince Levi to strip later. Perhaps in the car. He had six to seven hours to scheme something up. He patted Levi on his good shoulder, smile turning somewhat supportive. "You've got this, DC. We'll keep an eye out for ya."

"There's a lot of lightweights out there then," he mumbled, handling the knife cautiously in his hand as he glanced towards the lock of the car. He didn't necessarily want to damage it, so he figured punching through the window and screwing up his hand was a no go. "We've got six hours together hot stuff, enough time for you to explain what the hell DC is," Levi mumbled in complaint, examining the lock and cautiously placing the knife up to it. "This better not ruin it. It's my favorite," he mumbled, cautiously prodding the knife into the lock and placing his hand against the door to steady himself as he worked. "You know I've only tried this once but with a credit card and a hair pin. Nice little fox asked me to try and hot wire a car to impress her...turns out the owner had a shotgun and I didn't stay for dessert." Levi pursed his lips. "I should shut up."

His demeanor brightened entirely as he managed to get the lock undone, cautiously and with some impatience managing to pull the knife from the lock. He grimaced. "She could use a good little fix up after this…"

"...If I make it through this trip without going insane, you two may just drive me to priesthood…" Rubbing a hand over his forehead, Devon's eyes moved upwards, checking the sky, before lowering back down to watch as Levi worked the lock, "We're gonna end up ditching it, once we get a chance. Anything reported stolen is gonna be a mess… and at this point, we can't afford even the smallest chance of attracting attention."

Reaching for the handle, he pulled it open, gesturing Lucas inside, "Pop open that hatch there, and I'll talk you through the rest."

Eyes hooded, Lucas stretched deliberately under the wheel, giving Devon a semi-interesting view. "Omg, what am I popping open again? Scandalous, Mufasa." Regardless, he focused on the man's instructions while he laughed, shifting the skin around his hands into diamond to aid him better. Where there a few instances of shocks stinging his fingers? Yep. But thank God his hide had electric resistance. He had devolved to sticking his tongue out on one side, entirely focused on rewiring these damn circuits until finally--

The engine roared to life.

Eagerly, he clambered all the way inside and over the armrest, practically clinging to the passenger seat like a soaked kitten. "I call it!"

"Get thee to a nunnery, good sir." Levi saluted Devon with a pleasant smile, peering in hopefully as Lucas worked to hotwire the car. Levi didn't know if it was pride or surprise bubbling in his chest as Lucas managed to get the car to work. "You deserve it." Levi decided as he would put himself into the back. That was fine. He could probably lie down if he wanted to, although possible bumps would not be beneficial to that stitch work Lucas worked so hard on.

"Alright...I trust you Devon to get us to Orlando in one piece." Levi winked and slid into the back, relieved to see his hair was not quite brushing against the top of the vehicle. He squirmed to get comfortable, placing his hands patiently in his lap. "Don't any of you get any smart ideas while I'm cramped back here."

Devon breathed in through his nose as the car sputtered to life, his eyes closing for a moment in relief. So grateful was he, that he said nothing when Lucas scrambled to the passenger seat, though it mattered little either way. The kid would've found a way to drive him crazy strapped to the roof.

"I can promise you, Levi. There will be no ideas remotely interesting to either of you." Swinging into the driver's seat, he adjusted the chair back and shoved the gearbox into drive, "Six hours. Please… for my sanity… please. Try not to talk the entire way…"

"I don't know," Lucas hummed while pulling the seatbelt across his chest. Safety first and all that jazz. "I'd say thigh touching is pretty damn interesting, but I guess it depends on who you ask, sweetness." Eyes glued ahead, his head slumped against the window, tiredness finally creeping its way into the back of his skull. "Is that a challenge, Mufasa?" he giggled.

"I was more worried one of you was going to jam your car seat into me. Get your mind out of the gutter we placed it in Dev," he muttered, half apologetically. He reached over with his good arm to tap Lucas's shoulder. "Let's give the poor man a break. At least for an hour or two. Besides, I'm probably gonna take that nap that the blood curdling scream said fuck you to." Levi's eyes fluttered closed and he squirmed to get comfortable.

"You should get some rest, too, Lucas. Got a hell of a trip ahead, and you did good, kid." Because despite wanting to strangle the both of them, it couldn't be denied… he was proud of Lucas and Levi. Of all the ones who'd made it out and gotten the injured out as well. This was his team, for now… and he was damn proud.

Lucas' eyes briefly widened when he felt Levi's pat, only for them to grow hooded once more, exhaustion blanketing his senses from head to toe. Not in an overwhelming fashion, but more tempting than anything else. Sleep sounded heavenly. Especially for a few hours, as sleep last night had been a bit evasive of his grasp. However, he fought it, not wanting to miss out on any Devon Teasing fun.

...But damn, his eyelids were heavy, and because he devoted so much of his thoughts to concocting ways to flirt rather than keeping his eyes open...he drifted off somewhere in the middle of Levi and Devon's conversation, cheek squished against the window and his lips agape in a deformed fashion. Light snores eventually escaped him, irregular and hitched.

 

[DarinValore]

Rogue: Orlando Branch
Alys Garner​

Soft echoes of gentle steps filled the halls. Her hands were shoved in the pockets of her blue, ripped jeans as she passed by others walking with as much purpose as she was. She'd only been here about a year, but in that time, she'd made a name for herself. These people respected her, and maybe even loved her. A part of her, liked it.

Rounding the corner, she was met by another woman, "Nice jeans, Alys."

"I just heard, Rebecca. Give me a break. It's my day off, and I didn't have time to change. Yul will understand," Alys returned, and after a pause, asked, "Is it true? The entire Miami bunker went up in a bomb?"

"That's unconfirmed right now," Rebecca answered, she gave Alys a once over and shook her head, "You know Yul won't be alright with that."

"Move passed my outfit, already. I heard there are survivors and they're heading this way. How many? And how can I help?" Alys asked as she stopped and grabbed Rebecca by the arm.

Rebecca jerked her arm free with a gasp, "Don't touch me! Don't you ever fucking touch me!"

Alys put her hand up in surrender, "I didn't mean to scare you. I just want to help with the new arrivals," her countenance softened, "They must have gone through hell."

Sighing, Rebecca shifted her weight, and nodded slowly, "Ya, reports are saying that there's at least 30 dead double that missing and unaccounted for," Rebecca leaned in a little and spoke in a hushed tone, "And Director Hull was taken."

With a gasp, Alys turned and started back down the hallway, "Do they know who did it?"

"Mmhmm," Rebecca nodded as she took a few quick steps to catch up, "RIEF somehow figured out where the base was."

"Damn," Alys replied.

"Ya," Rebecca brushed a loose strand of brown hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear, "Sad...really sad."

"How many survived?" Alys asked as they rounded the corner, "I heard the first round of survivors would be here soon. That's why I am making my way to the garage."

Shaking her head, Rebecca answered, "We don't know for sure. The survivors are supposed to be trickling in and scattered so as to not let RIEF in on where we are."

The sound of squealing tires coming to a halt echoed down the hall and Alys picked up her pace. She wanted to know who survived and what she could do to help them. After all, they were her people...or rather, people like her.

Just as she rounded the corner, she came to a halt. The hall was filled with people both curious and eager to help. She could barely see as the doors of the vehicle opened up and one by one the occupants exited. She was about to take a step through the group when her eyes fell on a familiar face. Her heart stopped. Her eyes widened.

"Alys?" Rebecca asked, "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I-I gotta go," she said quickly, turning her face down, she spun on her heel and quickly marched back down the hall. The farther she got, the quicker her steps became until she was sprinting away from her haunting past...her ghost. Slipping into her room, she slammed the door shut and leaned against the door, her chest rising and falling quickly.

"Oh my God….Deckard," she breathed through a shaky hand cover her mouth.