Tests and Trials

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Seer

Seer

The Watcher
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<< weeks pass, and lives resume. Not just for the six and their allies but the city and more.>>

<< with Sharon Kelly now among the living and posessed of super powers, having begun her second life as the vengefull Silver Swan, she NOW has the chance to begin yet again thanks to the efforts Alycia. She is now a private citizen, the general popular UNAWARE of her existence and she is now living in a posh Brownstone courtesy of her "would be" step son, Nicolas.>>

<< with living again and being super powered, the need to be able to USE those powers effectively becomes paramount and so, with Alycia helping to coordinate, the Six, along with Sharon are to engage in a training exercise, involving the use of real as life holographic simulations , hard light holograms and other envrionmental stimuli including weapons and robots.>>

<< the "Danger Room", is cutting edge technology, designed in part by nicolas and haleigh, equipped by Cassadine Industries and further fortified by pieces secretly funneled to the six by Alycia and Force Works.>>

<< it can create nearly infinite possible scenarios with situations to test every set of powers represented by the six and their allies and can be used for exercise, as well as replaying past battles for tactical lessons.>>

<< it will be the first time since Rick Riley, that Sharon has worked along side the six as an equal...more than a trusted ally like she once was BEFORE master mold...now she was a super powered woman.>>

<< Within Illustra which now boasts several new architecual upgrades (including the secret "Danger Room" which is below ground, we find Rampage, MorningStar, Persephone , Black Widow and Sharon within the massive arena of the Danger Room while Alycia herself is in the control room high above.>>

<< Spellbinder is absent, away with her mother on personal business.>>
 
Illustra- below ground

:: Alycia, who had been flying back and forth to NYC to secretly assist Nicolas in settling Sharon and keeping her insulated from any possible scrutiny, was now on her final visit here. She had duties on Capitol hill that required her attention. While the destruction of Rick Riley put a feather in her cap and earned her a good rep among the big wigs at the white house, Alycia was finding herself becoming more and more dissillusioned with the way things were going.::

:: she realized that in the current position she was in...she was expected to flush out her secret allies, her FRIENDS and despite her recent successfull mission against Rick (which was largely made possible by the six and sharon too...something that the National Security Advisor was unaware of) they were expecting her to lower the boon ...MAINLY on Haleigh. ::

:: she was in a precarious position and she was doing GOOD at balancing herself but she feared that something or someONE would come along and knock her off balance beyond the point of recovery. she was playing a DANGEROUS GAME helping to hide Sharon....but she went ahead with it...eyes WIDE OPEN.::

:: now inside Illustra, below ground in the sprawling, technologically advanced training facility, Alycia, in her own sleek body contouring "armour" was in the control room of the "Danger Room" while various members of the six AND Sharon were in the sprawling around out and below.::

Alycia: :: over the intercom:: Okay...if everyone that's hear is ready, we can begin. we'll start with testing reaction time and defensive ability. the threats will come from random areas and patterns. The tests will grow in intensity and difficulty with the passing of time. Sharon, these tests are not only for The Six but to also gauge how well you will function with them...now thatyou have powers, you must be able to use them precisely not only to protect yourself but in case the team NEEDS you. of course you are under NO obligation to join their roster full time and Morgan has assured me that will never be presented to you.
 
new comer..yet not new

::Sharon stood away from the others in the arena of the danger room. She seemed detached....and she'd been that way since the conclusion of the Rick Riley caper...barely interacting with Nicolas, and not acknowledging Haleigh at all. She was beautifull to behold in her "Silver Swan" costume, which she had chosen to keep but behind the obvious beauty there was a loss and sadness in her eyes.::

:: she didnt know what kind of life she'd lead now. her family, gone...her life as a senator...impossible to return to and her very existence in violation of natural law and now criminal law as well.::

:: she had power...but what good was it? without the insane anger driving her...she seemed lost.::

:: as Alycia spoke, Sharon slightly nodded a she acknowledged her. her own mind drifting to other things::

Robert...Kyle.......Gustav

this place...not home....what will i do?

:: her mental state was SLIGHTLY more detactable by Nicolas but it was still like trying to hold quicksilver. he knew that only TIME would repair the psychological toll that she had sustained through everything.::

:: it was nearly time, and Sharon turned, now looking around in the enormous space they were now in.::

defense....protection...

:: she spoke with a cold, detatached tone.::
 
[ Delilah stood in the center of the room, preparing for what she knew was going to be a grueling session in the danger room. She was wearing black yoga pants and a lavender and white Under Armor tank, hair pulled back into a high ponytail. She pulled an arm across her body to stretch it, then moved into a side bend - taking this opportunity to steal a glance in Sharon's direction, without making it seem like she was looking. She didn't really know what to expect from Sharon now - it was difficult to see her as the same person she used to be. Because, of course, she wasn't.

It seemed to Delilah too soon to start training with her. But, she supposed, on the other hand Sharon needed to be able to deal with her new abilities safely. But was Sharon ready for this?

Alycia spoke over the intercom and Delilah raised a hand in her direction. ]

"Ready."
 
:: With both hands on her hips, Persephone stood with the group in the middle of the newly built Danger Room. Quite frankly, she didn't want to be there, and it showed. Craning her neck back, Ava sighed out hearing Alycia ask if everyone was ready. Rolling her head to one side, with much enthusiasim, Ava half nodded. ::

"Ready."

:: It had been a very interesting couple of weeks for the goddess. After the breast cancer awareness gala, Ava and James spent a lot of time with one another. It seemed like ALL her time was spent with James. She hated to admit it (and would never do so of course) but she missed being with him. She wasn't sure, but she got the sneeking suspicion that he missed being with her as well. It was a complicated situation, especially with his fiance, Kate, factoring into the picture, so Ava wasn't exactly in the 'fighting' spirit at the moment. ::

:: Straightening her posture, she got into a more suitable fighting stance, prepared for whatever Alycia threw at her. ::
 
Illustra danger room- Round one

:: Alycia was now monitoring the vitals of everyone in the Danger Room. With the exception of Sharon who was almost as difficult to read as Haleigh, everyone is in top form.::

allright Sharon, show them what you're made of.

:: Alycia nodded as everyone sounded off that they were were ready. and pressed a button. an alert sounded off as ALL lighting was seemingly sucked out of the entire space of the Danger Room, subjected everyone to a black out effect.::

:: seconds later..from sides surrounding everyone, carbonium energy tentacles launched forward, twisted and whipping wildly for Persephone, MorningStar , Black Widow , Rampage and Sharon, whom Alycia was hesitant to call "Silver Swan" unless of course she adopted that name as her alias. ::

::the tentacles were not easily manipulated or destroyed, given their durable metal substance and the blue energy that surrounded them packed a MEAN jolt...like being stung by a low intensity plasma blast. two reaching for Persephone, one attempting to wrap around her ankles, the other around her waste. Two reaching for MorningStar, one charging straight at her while the other swing widely across in a scythe pattern. Two reaching UP from the floor to wrap around Rampage's wrists. Two coming at Black Widow from opposite sides...swinging as if ready to slam into her like a sling shot and two coming toward Sharon from the space above , releasing plasma bursts at her.::
 
[ An alarm sounded and everything went black. All was quiet for a moment except for the breathing of the people in the room, and then MorningStar heard it. Or them. Tentacles began attacking the Six from all sides.

She first sent a bolt of light high into the air, which acted like a flare, better illuminating the danger room for her teammates.

Two of the tentacles were coming towards her. The blue plasma energy radiating from them gave her the perfect power source, and MorningStar breathed it in like oxygen, then threw a fist out in front of her, sending a sonic blast at the metal arm, hoping the sound waves would shatter it from within. ]
 
They were all standing around in the Danger Room. Haleigh was rather proud of their joint creation, an idea hatched by her and Nicolas and outfitted by the best of the best, the epitome of state of the art. Her self-satisfaction didn't show, however, as she knelt down to retie on of her combat boots. She looked perfectly comfortable in her own Battle Dress Uniform, which literally fit like a second skin. She appeared to be quite lost in her own world, but she suddenly spoke, turning her gaze to Sharon.

"I know it can be overwhelming to start all over, Sharon.... and even figuring out where to START can be unfathomable.... but you'll MAKE a new home....a new life.... and in time.... you'll find your rhythym. It's hard to keep from getting frustrated... but just know that WE are here... we will ALWAYS BE HERE to help you... every one of us..... even me."

Her tone wore a lot more gentility than she was ever known to show, as she seemed to be answering the question Sharon had been THINKING.... yet she acted as if it had been a voiced question. Had Sharon inadvertently thought out loud, or was there some kind of connection between the two implanted by Mystech? Whatever the case, Haleigh continued, with palpable empathy. Sharon may have been avoiding or ignoring Haleigh recently, but Haleigh wanted to show that there were no hard feelings.... personally, Haleigh was TIRED of keeping up with grudges.... and she seemed quite intent to make amends. Of course, everybody knew why, given their last 'adventure'.

"I let you down before.... I can understand your lack of trust in me.... but I want you to know that I fully intend to MAKE DAMN SURE that I never let you down again..... and while you may not WANT my help..... it will always be readily available to you."

The lights shut off, dousing them all in darkness. Haleigh's eyes instantly began to glow red. Complete darkness was no problem for a hybrid equipped with nightvision. Haleigh immediately leapt into the air, with back flipping aerobatics worthy of the Matrix, allowing the tentacles to pass beneath her before landing again. The tentacles flailed around and began to start a second pass, but then flattened against the wall that they originated from.

"Attacking me with metal composite objects? Come on now Alycia.... I promised not to cheat by tampering with the mainframe but you didn't think I'd let those fling about wildly, did you?"
 
Danger Zone

Nicolas was present and ready to go. As well as things had turned out, there were still more than a few frustrations in his life.

He had grown closer still to Morgan and to Karen, and even managed through the last situation to repair the rift with Alycia, but Sharon...even now as they prepared for this exercise her thoughts were conflicted and clouded. He was accustomed to her thoughts being hard to detect or lock into but that was not the issue now. The REAL issue was that she still felt rudderless after all this time. Nicolas realized that it would take still more time to effect mental and emotional healing but he worried that the opportunity for her to TAKE the amount of time needed would not present itself.

His concern was in part based in what he had noticed through his own investigations of what was occuring in terms of mutant regard. He feared that the enemies of those like himself were re-organizing, hoping to do legally what they failed to do illegally: get rid of mutants and metahumans. His foundations were still hard at work trying to foster understanding, but his people reported noticing some hardening of sentiment, especially here in the US.

For him that was little trouble as he felt no undue connection to this land in and of itself. He was a Swiss citizen, European by upbringing and African by ancestry. His concern was that his family would not feel the same way and would risk themselves to stay. But in case they NEEDED to go, he had surrepticiously made some purchases, setting up a contingency so that if need be, they could leave this place.

WHIIIIIRRRRR!!

The metallic sounds snapped him back to reality, where Alycia had already cut the lights and was initiating the test. He apparently was too lost in thought to even respond to her or notice Haleigh speaking to Sharon.

The lights were of no consequence, as his TK allowed him to still "see" by detecting his surroundings by psychic feel. Everything from the dimensions of this room to the perfectly shaped forms of the women around him (has Ava put on a couple pounds?:p) was noted, and so he looked directly at the tentacles as the snapped forward. His pair of attackers coiled, but only about 2 feet outside if the radius of his arm, held at bay by his powers. He pulled his axe to make short work of the carbonadium when Haleigh (apparently) deactivated them, commenting with a smart-assed quip to Alycia. Nicolas smiled, knowing that the former prosecutor would not let the jab go unanswered. Business was DEFINITELY about to pick up. He decided to get in a good-natured jab of his own.

Tell me about it, Hales. MAYBE the good prosecutor has gone SOFT on us. I know what this place can do Alycia, so turn up the heat. I won't hold it against you.

As he spoke, however, he also sent a message to her mentally, his voice much more even and measured.

I promise hon, I won't let ANYTHING happen to her. But we have to prepare her for what she could face...
 
Illustra- Danger Room

:: Sharon sometimes felt this was some never ending dream and that the "Silver Swan" rampage was the nightmare part. if that was the case, she wasnt sure WHAT this part of it all was. Still, Haleigh spoke to her, encouraging and reassuring her and Sharon looked at her with her now silver eyes....there was no contempt or hatred like before when she had first been unleashed, just a placid gaze. She wanted to believe Haleigh. she still had some of her humanity and that part of her was what kept her from holding even now, just as it had attempted to resurge even during her phase as the evil Silver Swan::

:: and Nicolas, he had been so good to her. It was so ironic how things had changed between them. He was now looking to help take care of HER where as she had offered gustav a helping hand from time to time when Nicolas was a young boy, being supportive and fullfilling the maternal role as much as she could or should...it helped HER as much as it did him...given that she had lost her own young son Kyle to mystech goons. but something else lingered in her mind too....she had MUCH blood on her hands. she had DIED as a heroic, brave woman and was brought back as a cold, psychotic killer. though she was FREED of the programming that compelled her to that, she was still struggling...with SHAME?? something she couldnt vocalize...not yet.. ::

:: at the moment though, she HAD to try to find her way and Haleigh vowed to be there for her, as did Nicolas, Alycia....all of them. Maybe she wouldnt be lost in space forever in her mind after all.::

:: the illumination was suched out of the room and Sharon tensed up for a moment. Despite her previous first outing as the Silver Swan, she was not battle seasoned like her friends. a few tense seconds and soon, TENTACLES were coming from all over the place. a FLARE was t hrown up by MorningStar and Sharon caught sight of the two charging down at her!::

:: She dodges, leaping out of the way and taking to the air almost instinctively.::

this is ME.....my own power!! ...i'm FLYING!

:: as a l ittle girl, Sharon had often dreamed of flying, soaring through the winds. it was a fantasy any child might have and now it was HER reality!::

:: she was distracted, not used to having to stay focused and fast on her feet...and one of the tentacles kept RIGHT UP with her, closing in fast.::

GET BACK!!

:: she swung armor covered arm out and forward in a sycthe pattern, and a large mettaloid BLADE forms from the armour, SLICING the tentacle in half and sending it falling to the floor..sparking and pulsating::

:: as the second tentacle reached, THIS time she seemed more confident as she reached out, and grabbed hold of it with both hands...YANKING it and using her super strength (lift/press 50 tons) to PULL IT all the way OUT of its foundation in the wall, and it was now void of activity as she dropped it to the floor.::

:: perhaps not as stylish as some of the other more seasoned vets in the room, but a clear indication that Sharon hadnt lost any of her power post Limbo.::
 
next scenario

People PLEASE...this was just a warm up.

:: Alycia watched as the members and Sharon began to react. fast and effective as she expected and Haleigh even went so far as to deactivate the rest of the coils.::

hmmmm yes.

:: she replied cooly as Haleigh quipped::

We'll have to see about that wont we?

:: knowing that they were ready for more, Alycia activated the next set of scenarios and then she "heard" Nicolas in her mind. Cameron used to do that too...and she'd make SURE he "heard" some nasty thoughts that would make a sailor blush but in Nicolas' case...it would probably only INSPIRE and MOTIVATE him.::

:: still, he was right,they had to prepare Sharon for what would come. having super powers alone wasnt enough...knowing how and when to use them could make the difference between life and death and this was the safest place to test her and train her in.::

:: pressing buttons on the control panel::

you asked for it...and now you've got it!

:: the setting changed, they were now in freaky, gothic MANSION ...or a "real as life" simulation of it at least. hemmed in by the mansion and its victorian decor..the place seemed rather stagnant and abandonned.::

:: that is until they found themselves being confronted by BIO HAZARDS. Zombies, who appeared to be former mystech workers, Cerebrus "zombie" dogs...dobermans with a rabid , blood thirsty agression . the team was limited in their space, so FLIGHT would be hard for Sharon and ESCAPE was impossible. the mansion may have looked like it could be easily destroyed but that wasnt the case. ::

:: the zombies were RUNNING for the group, hurling axes and other weapons, while others were jumping down from the balcony of the foyer. the DOGS seemed to be focusing in on Black Widow, while Sharon found herself being cornered by four Zombies, closing in on her fast.::

:: from the left, across the way, a set of double doors leading from the foyer to a dining hall burst open as well, more Zombies...taller , dripping with blood and also moving fast emerged, accompanied by GIANT wasps....these headed for MorningStar, Persephone and Rampage. the giant wasps were agressive as could be.::
 
[ The tentacles disappeared and she started to breathe easier, even though she knew they weren't finished by any means. She shook out her limbs, ready for the next task. Her eyes darted around her, looking for some sign of what Alycia had in store. And then the setting changed. The decor was gothic - it was a house of all things - but she suspected the surroundings were meant to give them a false sense of security. And she was right.

Ugh, zombies. Of all creatures from horror films (and as it turned out, real life), zombies scared Delilah the most. Something about how they seemed realer than the rest, and how they never stopped coming. She shuddered at the sight of them, her nose turned upward in disgust.

And then she just started blasting any that came near her, exploding their heads with photon blasts - probably more firepower than she needed, but she wasn't taking any chances of those things getting anywhere near her. ]
 
Illustra- Danger Room

:: Sharon looked around with slight dismay as the scene changed. They were now inside of a large, dark , gothic mansion, but something about this was FAMILIAR to her.::

this place!

:: she shrieked::

:: but before anything else could be said, ZOMBIES were coming, cerebrus dogs, and giant wasps! MORE hold overs from MysTech...and suddenly Sharon remembered what this place WAS...it was the FRONT for the Arklay mountain research facility...the FIRST MysTech strong hold which was founded decades ago. But of them all...only Alycia and Sharon would have known of this place..not even the SIX had been here before. WHY was Alycia doing this?::

:: This was where her husband and Kyle were KILLED::

ALYCIA!

:: she cried out..as the zombies closed in on her, the first one of the group lunging and now upon her...she cried out with dismay as she held it at bay..it was snarling, INCHES from her face...wanting desperately to bite her. Sharon was too shaken to fully use her super strength....and from the otherside, it looked like she might be overwhelmed.::

:: flashes of her husband Robert and her son Kyle being TRAPPED in the underground research facility....her son CRYING OUT for her and she not being there to save him!! it was causing her extreme distress...and Nicolas could sense it. seconds seemed to pass SO SLOWLY as the zombies pressed forward and Sharon, narrowed her silver eyes which flickered with...AGITATION as she HURLED the Zombie away with her strength....::

GET AWAY!!!

:: she spreads her arms and begins to spin around "wonder woman" style....a rushing sound of a wind funnel is heard as Sharon transforms into a fast spinning wind funnel and unleashes her spinning stars agianstthe zombies...the stars are all shaped differently, some are larger than others and they are hurled at HIGH VELOCITY, capable of slicing THROUGH thick stone, most any meta (with the exception of adamantium) l and other material and certainly flesh. spinning star slam into the heads of some zombies, decapitating some others, while slicing arms off of others. it was a brutal and bloody but effective way for Sharon to free herelf from being hemmed in as she spun across the way, moving from the spot she was to another...the spinning stars began to strike down some of the giant wasps as well.::

:: this was one of the more unusual yet usefull aspect of her powers but in close quaters like this, Sharon didnt realize that without excercising conscious control over her spinning stars, she could also HURT her friends as well as striking her foes. so far, her responses were born out of emotion and need for protection and her spinning stars began to lash out EVERYWHERE....some were NARROWLY missing MorningStar, Persephone , Rampage and Black Widow.::
 
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Danger Zone

As Nicolas joked, he saw the scene change to a Gothic mansion, classic architecture. As he looked for opponents, Sharon's anxiety quickly peaked as she seemed to recognize the place. He was attempting to try to read what the connection was when the zombies and wasps appeared. The wasps were quick and nasty, but he swatted them aside mentally as he made his way to Sharon, who was doing quite poorly against a zombie who should have been toast by then. She then screams out Alycia's name and lashes out out at the beast, tossing him several feet back. Nicolas attempts to reach Sharon as her anxiety levels plateaus yet again.

Sharon, it's OK. Just stay calm, lady. Everything is going to...Team! Look out!!

A star narrowly misses Rampage as Sharon does her spinning attack, shredding zombies in all directions. However, the risk to the team is too great, and Nicolas responds by pulling his hands behind him in a "corralling" gesture. Behind him, the floor comes together, pulling the team behind him as concrete from the floor makes a wall to shield them. He tries again to reach Sharon, using his TK to form a wedge in front of him designed to nudge away any stars that come for him. It is helpful, but not entirely successful as he shouts her name verbally and mentally. He already has one star embedded in his thigh.

SHARON!! PLEASE!! STOP!
 
Illustra- Danger ROom

:: Alycia watched from high above intently. Switiching the scene to something more unexpected...but at the same time, she didnt PURPOSEFULLY PICK THIS mansion of all places. this wasnt the FIRST time the danger room system seemed to go OVER THE TOP with its programming. it responded to the power levels and identities of those present based on indepth scans and with Sharon present, it was an added variable.::

:: she grimaced a bit as Sharon exclaimed but she pressed on with the session, hoping the team would help her get through the exercise but it was prooving to be too much.::

Sharon's panicking!

:: she looked at the vital stats and saw her levels spiking. Sharon began to unleash her spinning stars and shredded zombies EVERYWHERE but then she was spinning to fast, too MUCH and she was endangering the Six. Nicolas was hit while attempting to shield the team.::

OKAY! I'm cancelling the session immediately!

:: slamming her fist down on the panic button, the session ENDS , the scenario fades and the illumination returns to normal as all programming stops.::

:: rushing from the control booth, she takes the express tube down to the main floor of the danger room, entering the arena. GASPING as a spinning star whizzed past her face and hit the metallic wall::

SHARON!

:: she ducks::

it's OVER....

::she wants to press forward, but she CANT...her body armour will only protect her for so long.::
 
Illustra- Danger Room

KILL THEM!! KILL THEM ALL! DONT LET THEM HURT ME!! STOP THEM NOW!!

:: her mind was ABLAZE with ONE thing...to keep the zombies and everything else away from HER! this PLACE...she was POWERLESS the last time she was here...BARELY escaping with her life and LOSING her husband and her son. the backstory that no one had dealt with ....and now, through no INTENTIONAL motive, it was haunting her again.::

:: thats the trouble with coming back from the dead...CHANGED. things about your PAST remain the same...and can be WORSE to remember.::


:: the Silver Swan SPINS..and lashes out, Rampage manages to block most of her onslaught but sustains some injury as he SHOUTS verbally AND mentally to Sharon to STOP!!::

:: the shock of his mental shout startles her enough to make her STOP...as the wind funnel effect fades and she ceases spinning....she looks around with fear and dismay...there are no zombies, the mansion is gone....they're in ILLUSTRA....::

I...I'm sorry..i didnt mean.....

:: Alycia is calling out to her.::

you did that!!

YOU put me back in that PLACE!! I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND!

:: she yells with indignation.::

WHY am i here...I'm not going to be NORMAL like all of you...I'm NOT going to be able to LIVE among people like this...I'm barely HUMAN anymore....i'm a LIVING testimony that i LOST to the people i vowed to fight against....LOOK AT ME!

:: she looks at herself in her Silver Swan costume.::

:: some people among the team, namely HALEIGH could at least identify with what Sharon was saying, for SHE TOO had been forever transformed by Mystech...hell...she wasnt even in the body she was ORIGINALLY born with...though part of that had to do with Morgan. She'd also lost her true love to Mystech. he'd been brutally transformed only his results werent nearly as "glamorous" as Sharon's. and again...coming back from the dead..something that she (along with two other people on the team) had in common with Sharon.::

:: Sharon was having a VERY hard time adjusting....and while this exercise seemed like a bust...it REALLY WAS for the best. for any step, no matter how hard FORWARD is progress.::
 
[ Delilah came out of her fighting stance and turned towards Sharon as she spoke, her body language non-agressive. She raised her natural luminescence to be a calming influence on Sharon. ]

"Sharon...no one is normal. Being normal is a fantasy you only see in the movies. Life is hard - whether you are human or mutant. Life was still hard when you were "just" Senator Kelly. Having super powers doesn't make it easier. Life just is. You have to deal with it day by day, just like everyone else."
 
Danger averted?

Gritting his teeth, Nicolas pulls the large star from his leg. It is bleeding quite a bit, but nothing his natural healing and some pressure applied by his left hand cannot handle. He steps forward as Sharon yells about "that place". His voice is even and soothing as he speaks to her.

Where was that, Sharon? What place are you talking about?

Sharon presses forward, going on about not being NORMAL like the rest of the Six. Nicolas almost chuckles in spite of the gravity of the situation. He steps beside her, his hand touching her shoulder as he refuses to greet her warily, despite his injury at her hand.

I know that this is not...ideal, but with life comes opportunity. A chance to help now as you did before, just in a different fashion.It WILL get better, I promise. Just take your time.
 
Illustra's danger room

:: stepping forward as Delilah continued to calm Sharon and Nicolas asked what she was referring to, Alycia spoke.::

.....she's referring to Arklay Mansion....in the same stretch of mountains and forest where her cottage was. its the place where....she lost her husband and her son....

:: Alycia felt pangs of guilt.::

I'm sorry......i didnt PURPOSEFULLY program that scenario...I'm still familiarizing myself with the software and the computer systems also react to the powers and abilities...even the MEMORIES of those present.

Sharon, I AM your friend and I would NEVER intentionaly put you in a position to see you harmed or distressed....but...

:: looking at her friend::

we're living in uncertain times...you've got to be ready to PROTECT YOURSELF and that INCLUDES against psychological warfare. We're not here to hurt you. I promise!

:: she was saying that to Sharon as much as she was saying it TO HERSELF. she didnt have super powers of the mutant or magickal persuasion, but she too had undergone many changes leading up to and since accepting her federal appointed position. she was a trained fighter and killer now. but inspite of all that and whatever else, she was playing a dangerous game with her own life....keeping the secret of those whom the government would sooner DISECT them...ESPECIALLY Haleigh. If she were discovered for being what was the next best thing to a "double agent"...she could be publicly humiliated, imprisoned or WORSE. but she told herself that this position gave her the power to do MORE than ever before, and that she COULD balance this act. since repairing her relationship with Haleigh, she was no longer leaning toward lowering the boon on her but the risk of someone ELSE who was just as knowledgeable...if not MORE SO than Alycia exposing them ALL was always there. in case they forgot..NO ONE was truly insulated for long::

Ive gathered data on your powers, Sharon...we wont need anything else today.

Nicolas, maybe you'd better take her home....

:: Alycia seemed like she was SITTING ON more information about the Arklay Mansion...for in fact no one in the room had heard her mention it before. But IF she was going to be asked about it...it would not be in front of Sharon. not like this. ::

is everyone else allright?
 
Nicolas turned as Alycia explained, a bit surprised but understanding her motivations for allowing the scenario to continue. He nodded as she spoke, and he agreed when she ended the session. His bleeding had stopped, and he flexed his leg as it returned to a more normal state.

Sure, we'll be off shortly. I will have someone prepare lunch for us and we can relax at home, OK Sharon?

Nicolas' phone headset appeared on his ear and he sent a call for his car. As he did so, he watched Alycia's body language, attempting to disarm any suspicion on her part by playfully flirting with her, winking as he flashed that trademark megawatt smile. He knew that there was more to this than she was telling, but now was not the time and place. But there would come a time VERY soon. He needed more information to know what he could do to help Sharon, and Alycia was going to have to give that to him.

So Madame Director, aren't we fly in our new FORM-FITTING armored digs? Remind me to commission some tastefully rendered pics from the surveillance cams. On a more serious note, don't be a stranger girl...you are always welcome here.

Nicolas waved casually before he headed for the shower area to clean what was left of his wound and change clothes. He turned at the door.

Sharon? I will be ready VERY shortly and we will get you home.
 
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