"Jesus. Well. That's - "

Maybe talking about killing him in public is a bad idea, Nathan?

"That's the legal system we have, then. We'll have to build the case as best we can."

Officer Sheffield looked at Nathan and shrugged, "As an officer you get used to seeing it. Best possible case, you get him on manslaughter. He really didn't know what he was doing so you won't make murder stick."

Caryn reaches the door, then turns back around.
"I'm more than happy to take care of this guy right now, I just don't think that the Aeon Society would want that kind of behavior." She says smiling at Nathan.

Sheffield shudders and looks away trying to look anywhere but at the novas around him, but he doesn't say anything to the comment.

Nathan observes Officer Sheffield carefully.

He's scared of us. ... I can see why. If we decided to murder our captive there'd be no way for him to stop it. If we decided to murder Officer Sheffield to cover it up...

Nathan pushed aside memories, and shook his head. "Laws are there for a reason. If he wasn't fully in control then maybe he doesn't deserve to go to jail. I could have lit someone on fire by accident when I erupted, after all. We'll keep an eye on him."

Kind of wussy for a CIA agent, aren't you, Nathan?

Michael is shocked by the turn of the conversation.

"Whoa whoa whoa, Caryn! We aren't going to kill anyone! This man was confused, halucinating, not malicious. Yes he did something terrible and he needs to be held accountible for his actions, as Nathan said, but he doesn't deserve to be executed!"

Michael stands up, obviously upset.

"I'll be right back. I need something to drink."

He takes a moment to stare at each of the nova's in the room in turn then he stalks out, shaking his head.

(taking narrative liberties! Bahaha!)

Holding her two sandwiches, each wrapped in a napkin, Juno heads out of the kitchen. It wasn't that she was prissy...but when you have a baby in the house, the importance of hygiene took on a whole new level. Napkins were second nature now.

She had no idea what she was going to do. Offer a sandwich to Michael? Great, but where was he? Still in the room with Deathman? Gone to bed? One way she'd have to give him the sandwich with an audience. The other, she'd have to wake him up. And honestly, how lame was a sandwich?

She wondered if she ate them both, would she get fat? A lot of the tests were physically gruelling...or should have been...but if she didn't have to WORK to run miles, did it still count as exercise?

Of course, she'd been eating like a hog for weeks now, and if anything she was even more ridiculously ripped now than before. She looked like...well not like a bodybuilder. She had boobs, and wasn't grossly bulgy...more like a runner or acrobat...only with boobs. Probably had something to do with adapting to all those endurance tests. Her body had been turned up a notch.

So deep was Juno in her thoughts that she almost didn't see Michael in time to stop herself as she came around a corner. On seeing him instantly her cheeks flared red, and she almost dropped the sandwich in her left hand from halting so abruptly.

"...hey," she managed to say rather than squeak, and abruptly held up a sandwich. "Hungry?"

As Michael leaves, Caryn starts to follow out the open door but stops herself and turns back towards Nathan. "Hey, wanna see if they have any alcohol on the premises? I'm pretty good at sneaking around." Caryn asks Nathan.

((My own narrative freedoms!))

Michael stalks down the corridor, already regretting his outburst in Kleisner's room.

I need some time to think about this, but not while I'm tired. Maybe I'm over-reacting... and I definetly need to apologise to Caryn.

He gives himself a mental shake, realizing he's not thinking coherantly, and almost collides with Juno.



He sighs and runs a hand through his silver hair, an interesting feature now that the age-lines had mostly faded from his face. Michael closes his eyes for a moment and takes a breath. As he opens them, his frown fades to his normal cheerful expression.

"Actually... yes. Is that for me?" He motioned towards the nearly dropped sandwich. At Juno's nod, he deftly takes the sandwich from her left hand with his. "Would you care to join me in the dining room? I could use some company away from our skull-faced friend back there."

"Sure," Juno agrees with a dawning smile. She doesn't mention she just came from there...and doesn't much care either. Her earlier funk has been blasted into bits, and the bits burned to ashes, and the ashes mixed with sugar and orange juice and fed to little...puppies or something.

She turns and heads back towards the dining room, waving Michael forward. "You can't sleep either?"

"I havent been sleeping. I was keeping watch over Kleisner but he was out of it, not conscious, you know?"

Michael shakes his head, obviously bothered by something.

"Nathan, Caryn, the police officer and I got to talking about what to do with him... I wasn't happy with the turn the conversation took. Maybe I was too sensetive..."

His voice quiets as he finishes the thought, speaking to himself.

"...that's always been my problem..."

After a moment of silence, he grins over at Juno, his face flashing into a smile as he trys to lighten his sudden dark mood.

"But what can be wrong when I have someone bringing me sandwiches when I need them the most?"

He takes a large bite out of the white bread as the pair enter into the combination dining room/kitchen that serviced that part of the compound.

"If that fails, we could leave the compound to go get some," Fang said. She had little intention of drinking herself, but she wouldn't mind the others having some fun. And maybe while they were out, she could convince them to talk about what they wanted to do with their powers, especially in regards to a New People police force.

Juno hurries ahead and flips the dining room light on. It gives her a moment to collect herself too. Glancing back at Michael as he comes in, she gives him a coy smile and sits down at a table, then sets the other sandwich down in the middle of it.

Where would he sit, she wonders curiously. Across the table from her? Next to her? Different table? And what would it mean?

Smiling back at Juno, oblivious to her excitement, Michael pulls back the chair next to her and settles into it. He takes another bite of the sandwich and swallows before speaking:

"So, what did you thing of our little outing this morning?"

Omigod, he sat NEXT to me! her brain breathlessly sputters. The physical proximity is almost overpowering, and for a second she completely spaces on his question.

Abruptly she realizes that he's -talking to her right now- and blushes deeply.

Jesus, get a hold of yourself! He's never going to take you seriously if you keep acting like a little girl!

"I think...you guys did a good job," Juno replies after her little pause. She looks up at him. "What did you think?"

Michael shakes his head, frowning.

"I don't know... I mean, we did a good job. No one was hurt once we got there, and thats always what we want, but what if Kleisner had been hostile? We were woefully unprepared. Aeon didn't give us anything, not Adrenocilin or any weapons."

He takes another bite of the sandwich thoughtfully.

"I just hope this isn't going to become a trend."

"Well...Wang Chung knocked him out with her mind," Juno points out. "Doesn't seem like him being hostile or not had anything to do with it."

She pauses, then asks, "So what direction didn't you like?"

"They have a nice selection of alcohol around here, but one thing I've noticed since my... well, whatever, is that I don't get buzzed as easily as I used to. So we can look if we want to but I don't know how much good it'll do you."

Caryn thinks for a moment. "Well, I'm wide awake and would like to do something for fun." Caryn hangs on the door a little, then walks back towards Nathan and drops back down in the chair. "Oh whatever, hanging out with you guys is a lot better than being alone in my room." She says again.

"What do the two of you plan to do in the future?" Fang asked softly in the room. It was slowly getting light, through the windows. "I think that he'll have much the same answer, and maybe if we know where we're going, we can help him. Yes, he hurt people. He was not in his right mind. Hopefully, that will mitigate issues."

She glanced at the two novas, then said, "If you would like to move, we can walk around outside a bit. It's getting light outside."

"Well, I would like to have a position where my powers are being used, I mean, jobs that people were held back because they couldn't walk through walls or not be seen." Caryn explains as she sits up in her chair focusing on the patient. She looks at the machines around him, and the doctors, using her detective instincts to make sure everything is okay.
"I just can't imagine what good can come from this guy." Caryn says.
She stands again, still staring at the man. Examining him, every twitch. "He gives me the creeps." She says again.

"Everyone has a part to play in our future," Fang said with complete conviction. It was a little unsettling, her absolute belief in her statement. "Were you returning to police work? And you, Nathan - were you returning to whatever you were doing before becoming a New Person?"

There was a subtle vibe in the air, an unasked question: Or would you be interested in what I'm doing?

Caryn looked at Fang. "I would love to do something different, if you have something to offer, I am more than willing to follow you." Caryn says as she turns back and faces the man surrounded by doctors. "I want to use my ability, I feel like God or someone had some reason for giving these specific powers to us. There's something out there meant for us, if you know that path, I would love to follow." She adds.

Fang started to answer when her phone rang. She checked the id and grinned. "It is Jay!" she said. "Hold on please, a moment."

OOC: Apologies for the format.
[Fang] Hello, Jay!
[Jay King] Fang, hello there! How are things going?
[Fang] *laughs* Exciting, too exciting. We had to stop a rampaging New Person. He was killing people in the hospital.
[Jay King] Really? (sounding impressed) Wow, seems like I'm not the only one that had some trouble then.
[Fang] *sounds concerned* Trouble? Are you alright, Jay?
[Jay King] Yeah I'm okay, considering that my plane was shot down, and I was shot I'd say it's bit of trouble alright
[Fang] Oh, no! What happened? *sounds really concerned*
[Jay King] Well after heading off back to Berlin, I got told I was to head back to the US for a special assignment. Along the way I ran into a fellow New Person that was going to go with me. Nice guy to.
[Fang] Oh. Did he shoot you?
[Jay King] Not all he's a military guy like me, so were flying and out of nowhere the plane get's hit, I tried to close the hole with my powers but it only work for a second and the next thing I know I'm free falling!
[Fang] 9:54 *gasps but doesn't speak*
[Jay King] Yeah normally that would have been fun for me, but not at that moment. So the other New Guy though he could fly, got wings that look like a wasp by the way, grabs me and saves me from hitting the ground, only to encounter some soldiers shooting at us.
[Fang] But you are ok?
[Jay King] Yes I'm so glad that I got a shield power or else I would have been toast.
[Fang] Ok. *sounds a touch relieved*
[Jay King] So we take out the soldiers and them bam, the other New Person his name by the way was Buzzkill, just freakin' disappeared right in front of me! And I could've sworn I heard someone say the word "Pestilence"
[Fang] Disappeared? How?
[Jay King] There was a flash of light and poof he was gone!
[Fang] Instanteous travel?

"I wasn't a big fan of Æon just throwing us at a New Hum..." He stops himself and starts again: "...a Nova problem and just assuming we're going to handle it. That makes me think they don't understand us at all. I served in the military, and I remember the feeling of just being a tick on some officers sheet... a resource to be expended..."

He finishes the sandwich in two quick bites then turns to face Juno directly.

"It's all happening so fast. Less than a month ago, I was retired and relaxed... now I'm part of some Justice League."

As his words trail into silence he realizes that he's using the young woman as a sounding board, just bouncing his grim thoughts off of her. Embarrassed, he looks away and focuses on the fridge behind him.

"God Juno, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be laying all this on you."

Standing, he pushes his chair back and jerks his thumb towards the fridge.

"How about you help me whip up something for us. Maybe some bacon and eggs? Cereal maybe?"

Michael and Juno are astonished to see a being, made entirely of light, pass through the wall of the kitchen, and quickly pass between them and through the opposite wall. The being was large, masculine, and majestic.

In the treatment room, Fang pulls the phone away from her face for a moment. A being of light, a man, has come through the wall above the reclining patient. Caryn and Nathan also gasp at the shining apparition. The doctors back quickly away.

The being gestures, and Klaus lifts from the bed where he lays. The being curls one arm around him, and speaks.

"Seker, my Lord of Death, I have come for you. Soon, we will all be together again, and the world will tremble at the feet of Ra once more!"

There is a flash of light...

And they are gone.

"Whoa....what...?" Caryn follows the figure with her eyes. Her instincts cause her to jump... following him. As her body begins to move.. she feels herself go intangible.
He's so fast... I don't know If I can keep up
Her eyes lock onto the wall where the being came in, she pushes herself faster, trying to catch the two men.

[spend one qp to activate High End EM Scan, looking for any sign of them]

[Jay] "Fang....Fang....did I lose you?
[Fang] No, no! I... Klaus is gone! A light... it took him. And called him the Lord of Death.
[Jay] Klaus? Who's that? *sounding concerced* A light? Did you hear anything?
[Fang] Klaus was the man rampaged whom we stopped. Yes, a voice - it called him Death.
[Jay] Whoa, that can't be good. Are the other's their with you? I may need their help getting over to you.
[Fang] Cayrn and Nathan. Michael left, not long ago. And Juno, too.
[Jay] Okay good, I need to see if you can arrange some transportation for me, I'm well I don't quite know where I am, but I think these to matter might be related.
[Fang] I think it is very much related! I wish you knew where you were - does the phone have GPS?
[Jay] I'm not sure, it's one of the phones that Aeon gave me so it might. If not maybe there is someone who can trace our call?
[Fang] Jay, you got the phones we did. Check your menu.
[Jay] Okay hold on a sec.....Okay I got it
[Fang]: Can you send them to me? I'll find someone to get out to you. Hold on. I'll call you back as soon as I know.
[Jay] Sure thing I'll SMS them right now, should take a minute or two for you to get them.
[Fang] Good. Be careful, Jay King.
[Jay] Thanks Fang, I'll be here waiting for your call.

Fang hung up her phone and turned to the other two. "Who is he fastest here? Michael?"

"Well, who else are they going to send to stop a guy who kills people by touching them?" Juno asks...then does a double take.

"You were retired?"

She shakes her head, dismissing it, and getting annoyed despite everything else at how often people kept apologizing to her for actually talking to her like an adult. What, did they think she was going to be driven mad by exposure to dangerous levels of being taken seriously?

Before she can say anything though...the glowing ghost of light passes through.

Juno stares at the spot where it passed out through a wall, then looks wildly at Michael.

"Tell me you saw that."

Michael nods, estimating the glowing figures destination.

"Yeah, I did. Come on!"

He extends his hand to Juno, helping her to her feet, then takes off at a run, sprinting down the corridor towards the medical suites. He skids to a stop at Kleisners room, his heart dropping as he hears the dull tones of disconnected medical equipment. He checks to make sure Juno is behind him before he opens the door. One quick glance is all he needs.

"Where's Kleisner?! Did big and glowy take him?"

Juno shakes her head slowly as she looks the empty bed over. She goes over to pick up the monitors where they dangle from wires and look them over, then peeks under the sheet as if hoping to find a tiny Kleisner there.

"You know," she says, "It looks to me like these Aeon guys have some competition."

Fang glanced sharply at Juno, reading her for any deeper meaning in her words. She thought that the girl was just being innocent and turned away, frowning. Turning to Michael, she said, "Yes, the glowing form did take him. Jay just had something like that happen to him, after he was shot down." At their expressions, she hastened to add, "He is alright, but he'd like to be picked up. We have his coordinates. Michael, would you please be able to fly out and pick him up?"

Michael nods to Fang.

"Sure, no problem. Just tell me where."

Fang gave him the coordinates as soon as she got them from Jay. Worried, she waits tensely for Michael to bring Jay back. Only then would she be sure that he was alright.

Before he turns to leave, Michael says to Juno.

"I'll make up for that meal later, I promise!"

Jogging swiftly to the nearest exit, Michael prepared himself for the flight. He had only done serious flying that first day, with Shelby and Titan Omega, the Æon doctors had only wanted him to wear monitors and float while they muttered to each other about "magnetic fields" and "graveto-kinetic alteration" and scribbled furiously into their PDA's.

As he stepped outside and felt the wind and sun on his face, he realized he was really looking forward to this.

With a quick jump he was airborne, grinning fiercely into the sudden wind as he pushed himself. It felt wonderful, like an itch he didn't know he had being scratched. As he reached a higher altitude, he concentrated and felt the unfamiliar sensation as the ground snapped into focus. It was like a lens sliding into place behind his eyes, acting as a pair of binoculars.

With a quick bark of laughter, Michael sped towards Jay's location.

Juno shakes her head and gazes after Michael's departure. She looks at Wei Fang, but can't think of anything to say. Abruptly, and from out of nowhere, she finds water welling up in her eyes. Her hands shake as she throws the electrodes down onto the bed.

"You know what?" she asks no one in particular, wiping her eyes. "I'm sick of this place. I'm sick of all the scientists and the...everything! I'm sick of all the BULLSHIT! I'm sick of...gah!"

At the last exclamation, Juno gives up and storms towards the door to leave before she said anything worse.

"Jesus tits. Okay. All right."

Nathan examines the spot where the glowing form phased through the wall. "Wei, do you remember any publicly erupted nova capable of doing that?" While he waits for the answer, he speed-dials his phone, calling up Margaret Mercer. "Boss, we've got a problem. Someone just made off with Klaus. Wraith is in pursuit. Michael went off to fetch Jay. Nova in question was intangible and looked like he was made of light. That ring bells?"

Yes, stare at the wall as hard as you can. Maybe he'll walk back in and let you copy him, right? Christ, I wish I had REAL powers.

Wraith- As Caryn leaped through the wall, up through the ceiling, and into the open air, she scanned the area for signs of the light-being who called himself Ra. She caught a glimpse of a glare out of the corner of her eye and turned to focus on it. The glare suddenly was as though it were right in front of her instead of miles off. It was indeed the light being. He was speaking to a conscious Klaus, who seemed to be feebly fighting the man off. Caryn landed, then immediately sprung off the ground again, in the direction of the two men. Ra passed his hand over Klaus' face and the nova fell unconscious once more. Ra looked up, as though sensing Caryn's approach.

He watched her land, and spoke to her.

"You are brave, to follow the Sun. You are she who is hidden, like a wraith of the newly dead. There is a place for you, Amunet. Come."

He reaches out his hand, there is a flash of yellow light, and Caryn knows no more.

[Caryn's story will continue in the 'Throne Room' thread]

Nathan- Margaret Mercer listens to Nathan's report of Klaus's abduction in silence. When she speaks, she sounds unusually upset.

"Made of light? Did he speak? We have no known novas who have erupted in the last two weeks displaying that power signature... No, it's not possible. He took Klaus? This is bad. Nathan, we must get Klaus back. Dr. Go says that Kleisner is suffering from an unknown malady somehow related to the M-R node. Go says that the node is either not functioning correctly, or that it is somehow affecting Klaus's thinking. We cannot have an unbalanced nova of Kleisner's power wandering around loose. This light nova makes me even more nervous. Tell me everything you can about what happened."

Nathan relays a mission report, excluding no detail.

"His node is... defective? Is that even possible? Every nova's supposed to be in perfect health."

The hour flight was the most thrilling and exciting part of the last few hours for Jay. Flying was way better than free falling that's for sure!

The trip was spent in an uneasy silence as Jay tried to put the last few hours in perspective. First the battle and then the call from Rich about the Pres. What the heck do I say to that. I guess I got a few days to think it over but, let me deal with this stuff first.

His mind was still thinking when they hit the grounds. King didn't expect a welcome committee, but he was still surprised that there was no one to greet them.