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Summer 2021, Week 5

Monday witching hour

Henry, The Wards

Uncle

"When it rains it pours.." the old man says between his panting after having ran to find cover from the elements once more, this time under the Birch Bridge. The rainfall was not the first recently but it was still sudden nonetheless. "It's not far from 'ere, but still a bit ofa ways. Guess I should wait an' see if it'll let up.."   He slips his bag off his back as he gets to a spot that looks the driest, placing it down horizontally and then sitting down on it, his back resting up against the concreate of the bridge support. Finally, he looks around after a moment and gets a better grasp of his surroundings. Anything that might be interesting or anything that might pose a threat.  

Xander Knight

The body of Xander Knight was a smoking, charred wreck. The white denim vest he had loved, covered in patches and safety pins and studs and spikes, now lay tattered across his shoulders, blackened and crisp in places, completely turned to shreds in others. His white cutoff tank top had holes burned through it, his black jeans similarly slashed and burnt. Long and curly white locks of hair hung limp in his tan face, breathing barely visible beneath blood and soot and rain and mud, all equally awash over the man.  

Uncle

"The hell..?" he says as the younger man comes into view, getting up almost immediately and making his way towards him. Once close by, he places his hand close to Xander's nose and mouth to check for his breathing. "Yer not dead, at least." he says, glancing over the rest of him to see if there were any obvious wounds before he moves to start pulling him away from the river and towards the dry spot where he was sitting before.  

Xander Knight

Aside from the bruising on his hands and chest, mottled blacks and purples fading to a sickening green beneath the multitude of tattoos covering the man's body, Xander wore no wounds. Bleeding from the nose and left eye, his fingers and ribs bruised, and that faint wheeze at his every inhale, he was far from fine, seeming to have lost a wrestling match with a freight train, but he should recover in time. Though the sizzling sound had gone, the faint whisps of smoke rose from the wreckage of his jacket, his body oddly warm for lying in the rain.  

Uncle

An image of Xander using his ability the day they met flashed into Uncle's mind, followed by the image he had seen in The Magnificent Frog. "Could he have.. No.. Can't be." he thinks aloud, pushing away the possible conclusion that he was starting to formulate in his mind before he can even truly think of it. He leaves Xander by his bag and goes in search of some twigs and old wooden furniture dumped near the bridge. In just a few minutes he comes back with a small amount of firewood and kindling, most of which he puts into a pile close to where his bag and Xander are. Then he goes back to his bag and pulls out a lighter which uses to get a fire going. The kid may have felt strangely warm for the circumstances but his clothing was still wet.   Once the fire was going he goes back to his large pack, pulls out a bottle, sits back down, and downs the rest of the bottle's contents. The alcohol hits him hard but almost immediately his body goes to work repairing the damage and purging the rest of the chemical from his system. "It's always like this an' yet I keep tryin'. Just wish I could drown it all like a real drunk." He looks towards the wreck of a rock star and sighs. "What am I supposed to do 'bout this conundrum we've found ourselves in?" He spoke loud enough to be heard clearly but wasn't trying to wake him up.

[Ind. - Self Healing: x1 Minor, -1 EP (14/15)]

 

Xander Knight

Though the Brit did not respond, the fire certainly caused a bit of a stir, his muscles contracting slightly as he curled into himself, his facial expression contorting as the unconscious body of Xander Knight wept silently. His hands began to tremble, his breathing fluctuating as his body began the strenuous process of recovery.  

Uncle

Uncle keeps an eye on him but otherwise lets him stay unconscious for as long as possible. He wasn't a doctor but he was fairly certain that while Xander was seemingly in a lot of pain he would still live, and pain is always easier to endure when you're not conscious of it. He stokes the fire every now and then with a long stick, feeding the fire as needed. For a time he pulls out the Kazeshini Muramasa and sharpens the blade before eventually returning it to its sheath, then repeats that process for the other two blades if given enough time before Xander awakens.  

Xander Knight

After a time, the boy did stir awake, though... barely. His steel gray eyes blinked open, wet with tears he didn't know he had cried, bringing a rattling hand to wipe them away and leaving a bloody smear across his cheek. He attempted to sit up, wincing as he did, reattempting slowly as he looked across the fire to the man, one of the first people he had met when he arrived in the city. "U-Uncle? What...?" he stammered, the memories of the previous night dawning on his face, quickly turning his face to the ground, the muscles in his jaw visibly tensing. Images of last night flashed through his mind, the strange man, that parasite who stole his power, his charge, his innermost secret. The scorched alleyway, his vision going white a moment before he found himself on the docks, the blast.... that blast. "I-is anyone hurt? That blast... I tried to... get away..." Speaking was difficult, his voice was raspy reflecting the ache which permeated within him.  

Uncle

The old man reaches into the bag underneath him and pulls out another bottle, this one filled with purified drinking water, and tosses it to Xander. "Get away from what, kid? I came 'ere from the Frog an' found yer unconscious self 'ere, in the rain an' half in the river, by chance on m'way elsewhere. What happened? Ya look half dead."  

Xander Knight

Xander grabbed the bottle, only then realizing how truly thirsty he was. And the hunger… the lightning which coursed through his body, the pure energy he had continually building up inside of him, had all been released for the first time in his life and it had left a pit in his stomach he had never felt before. “There was… a man. I was walking, and a man came up to me, he said… he said he needed help but he bloody lied.” His mind began to clear, the memories of last night returning in full. “He… he nicked the lightning. He stole my power. He was… he was too dangerous, so arrogant with it, people could’ve been hurt, I had to do something, I had… I took it back. I grabbed him, and I took the lightning back. All of it, doubled what I ever had. It-it was too much, it hurt to walk, hurt to breathe, I was overloaded, I was dangerous, I had to get it out, so I ran to the docks and… and I let it all out. I’ve no clue what happened after that, I woke up here.” He stared into the fire, switching his gaze to Uncle, to the ground at his feet, back to the fire as his emotions broiled over.  

Uncle

"So the blast yer talkin' 'bout was at the port, not the Frog? Then it must've been this man you encountered who's responsible for what I saw.. Everyone inside was dead, kid, like somethin' straight out of a horror show."  

Xander Knight

“W… How do you mean dead? This guy snatches a superpower, watched me blow myself up, and goes to slaughter a pub? Why?” His mind was racing, hoping it wasn’t true, that his power hadn’t killed a dozen innocents, even if it wasn’t by his hand. “All dead…”  

Uncle

"There're many kinds of people in the world, most of them unpleasant at best. Who was this guy? Can ya describe him?"  

Xander Knight

His mind raced, the thought of more people meeting their end by his power, because he was careless, because he couldn't control it... "What? Uh... Shortish black hair, long brown coat, like uh... American cowboy type I think? He was... He was just a normal bloke..." The memories of last night began flashing through his mind, trying to remember any details he possibily could. "He was... He was just a bloody man..."  

Uncle

"So not James, good.." he says almost under his breath with a slight sigh of relief. "That's all any of us are, we're just people given power an' people lie, steal, and kill to get what they want. But hey, try not to let yerself get worked up; this wasn't yer fault, Kid, 'member that. It doesn't matter that somethin' was done out of yer control, what matters is what ya do about it afterwards."  

Xander Knight

"Where do I go from here? Track him down? He murdered innocent people in the double fuckin' digits, mate. And he did it with my lightning. May as well've done it wearing my hands..." He winced as the agression pulled at his injured ribs. "I've never... let it out like that. I thought people would die. I thought I would die. All my life I've had to be careful, I've held it in with every muscle in my body. He doesn't know the pain, the danger, the... the terror. That blast, I shot into the sky to protect everyone in a city block. If that had hit a person, they wouldn't exist anymore. And now some bloke has access to that, loose in the city I escaped to, already killing. What do I do now?"  

Uncle

"If ya wanna stop him ya can track him down, put an end to his actions.. But that's just one person in a city filled with gods and monsters. Just among people I've met I already know of another person with the capability to take others powers. That's the world we live in, Kid. If ya want things to change yer gonna have to help make that change yerself, an' it won't be easy." He paused for a second before continuing.   "Otherwise, ya need to disconnect from this self-imposed responsibility. Come to terms with the fact that ya didn't kill anyone any more than the owner of a stolen gun is responsible for a murder committed with it by the thief. Ya locked yer gun up tight an' kept a watchful eye, but the thief was just really good at stealin'."  

Xander Knight

The man's words struck a chord with Xander. His shoulders had been heavy with the burden of his power, protecting those around him and bottling himself up all his life. "I think... I think you're right, it wasn't my fault, but... I'll still have this guilt for a while. I've never been drained before. I've got a lot to think about... And I've got a meeting soon. Would you... come with me? You've been good to me, and one of the only ones I know. You can crash at my flat if you'd like." He reached into his pocket to pull out the soggy paper containing Ryder's schedule, squinting to make out the phone number. I can... I can hold a phone long enough. I've got no charge...  

Uncle

"Of course, comin' to terms with who ya are will take time but yer the only person who can say for sure 'xactly how long. An' sure, I'll tag along. At this point I'm too invested in the insanity that follows ya to look away from it." he says with a laugh. "When yer ready, lead the way."  

Xander Knight

Xander struggled to stand, picking up the shredded remains of his white denim vest from his shoulders with a sigh, dropping it onto the dirt by the river, shaking his head as he turned to Uncle. "I'll call him over to my flat, he shouldn't be too far. I've just... got to get my breath back," he said, placing a hand on his bruised ribs through his mostly dried tank top, various burn marks and small holes dotting the surface. "I can also... get a change of clothes. I'll be alright." His sneakers squelched against the wet ground, the rubber soles melted and cooled into a vaguely misshapen, soggy mess. "Any phones nearby?"  

Uncle

Uncle stands up as well, placing his weapons and bag back into their proper places on his back. "Sounds like a plan. There's a payphone near the bridge above us if ya got the coin to put into it."  

Xander Knight

The boy nodded, trudging up the earthen ramp from beneath the bridge, keeping his head down as he checked his wallet. A damp 20 dollar bill, 3 singles, and a 5 pound note. What an occasion. Shaking his head, Xander approached the payphone, concentrating on controlling his charge.  

Uncle

The older man kicked dirt into the fire and then followed along. He stood nearby as Xander spoke on the phone, glancing around at the people nearby to size them up as potential threats. It was an old habit, but.. "Old habits die hard" he told himself as he came to the conclusion that none of the people around them were anything to be concerned about.   "I need to check somethin' before it gets any later, mind if I meet ya there as well?" he says as Xander hangs up the phone. "Won't take more than an hour at most. Ya can come with if ya want but ya may not want to.."  

Xander Knight

"I'll go. My contact is a little tied up currently, and I'm not keen on walking through the streets alone dressed like a strip club bombing." Xander sighed, tugging at his singed clothes. "I may have to hide my face a bit more. Get a mask or something... Anyway, where are we headed?"  

Uncle

"Remember the bartender from that one day? She's the owner's daughter." he says, looking over to Xander with a tense expression. "Need to warn her not to go in to work today, an' explain to her why.. Ya sure yer up for that?"  

Xander Knight

His steps faltered momentarily, thinking back to his first day with uncle, the first time he had been to the Magnificent Frog. He nodded, trudging along behind Uncle. “To keep another innocent safe? Aye, I’m down for that.”  

Uncle

The old man would lead them further down the street, in the direction of Henry Park. Stopping just a couple blocks away from the park they find an average looking brick house in an average looking neighborhood filled with old brick houses. Uncle does not hesitate in walking up to the grey door and knocking on it loudly, and almost instantly the door swings open.  

Elizabeth Jones

"Uncle? What the hell are you doing here? Ugh, this better not make me late.." she says as she opens the door, taking a drink from the coffee mug in her left hand.  

Uncle

"That's why I'm 'ere, ya probably shouldn't go to open the bar today.."  

Elizabeth Jones

"Why not? Why do I not like the way you said that?" she asked, the worried look visibly growing on her face. Everything about this screamed to her This isn't normal. Why is he here this early? Why is he telling her not to open today? Why is his friend tagging along? Why does his friend look like he just crawled out of a housefire? "What the fuck is going on?" she asked, glancing between the two people on her doorstep.  

Xander Knight

Xander followed his friend, walking through the streets and back alleys, stopping at the home with Uncle. He stood a bit behind them, finding difficulty meeting the woman's eyes. "There's been... an attack," he said, looking between the woman and Uncle. He felt it wasn't his place to take over the conversation, but his guilt forbade him from remaining silent.  

Elizabeth Jones

"An attack?"  

Uncle

"Some kind of fight broke out in the bar, a bad one. Frank is dead, hell, everyone that was there is dead. I'm sorry."  

Elizabeth Jones

Her left arm unfolds reflexively and falls to her side, the brown liquid contents of the mug spilling to the floor just before the mug slips from her fingers and crashes into the coffee it once contained. "... What?" As she tries to process what she was just told her powers seem to act on their own like a muscle spasming due to stress, a swirling breeze suddenly beginning to blow around her. "Move." she finally demands as she reaches over to the wall near the door and grabs her keys.

[Man. - Air Manipulator: x1 Minor, -1 EP (14/15)]

 

Uncle

"Liz, I'm tellin' ya, it-"  

Elizabeth Jones

"Move!" she screams as she consciously summons her power this time, creating a strong gust of wind as she shoves all the nearby air at Uncle to try and push him away. He stumbles back a bit from the force of it, just enough to let her push past him and start running towards her car.

[Man. - Air Manipulator: x1 Normal, -3 EP (11/15)]

 

Xander Knight

"Please miss, you don't want to go," Xander said, raising his hands as a show of non-conflict, moving towards her. "It's not some bar fight. It was an EVO... a dangerous one." His steel gray eyes finally rose to meet her, the guilt and sorrow barely hidden by concern.  

Elizabeth Jones

"You can keep your concern. Whoever did this isn't the only dangerous freak in this town, and I'll be sure to show them that first hand if I find them." she says as she is stopped by Xander before trying to move around him.  

Xander Knight

"If you find whoever did this, what's to stop him from doing the same thing to you? What's to stop him from killing you the way he killed an entire room full of people?" He took a step back from her, but still tried to position himself in her way.  

Elizabeth Jones

"If he dares to show back up then me killing him first should stop him." she says matter-of-factly, her anger, sadness, and confusion all bubbling just beneath the surface.  

Uncle

"Just let her go, Kid, there's no changin' her mind once she's decided on somethin' like this."  

Xander Knight

He looked to Uncle, slowly dropping his hands to his side, turning his gaze to the ground. "Just... watch yourself, yeah?"  

Elizabeth Jones

She doesn't respond, wasting no time as she steps around him and quickly makes her way to the sedan parked in the driveway. Soon after she gets into the car it roars to life and pulls out onto the street, headed in the direction of The Magnificent Frog  

Uncle

"I should've known she'd react like that.. Not a calm or rational bone in her body. Sorry ya had to deal with that, Kid."  

Xander Knight

"S'alright," Xander said, watching her drive off. "Just hope your girl can take care of herself, wherever that parasite shows himself..."  

Uncle

"He's probably not dumb enough to show up at the scene of the crime hours after the fact, judging by what we know of the guy so far. She should be fine." He pauses for a moment and then looks back at the house, reaching over and closing the door. "Her an' her family have been good to me, just wish they would be as good to themselves.." he thinks aloud before turning back to Xander. "We should probably get goin'."  

Xander Knight

He let out a sigh, shaking his head. "Who knows what a man like that would or won't do." Raising his head, Xander took a moment to take a deep breath. "Yeah, lets. My flat's nearby, we should be ready for my... guest."

---

Monday early morning

Phone Call

Xander Knight

Xander used the payphone on the Birch Bridge, shortly after his terrifying encounter with the Power Stealer, his awakening by Uncle, calling Ryder Hooker to inform and set up a meeting, listening to the phone ring.  

Ryder Hooker

Ryder was staring at his detective board forging a fake I.D so he could break into the bolt crime scene later that day. Until the phone rang and it was picked up almost in an instant. “Hooker Residence and Detective agency. Ryder speaking how may I assist you today?”  

Xander Knight

"Oi mate, when next you're free, meet me at mine. Loft in the Heights, Linden. I erm... ran into a spot of trouble, but its contained for now. How have you gotten with the uh... info?"  

Ryder Hooker

"You alright? I was gonna head out later today to collect it a bit, I can get there around uh afternoon if ya need be. What kinda trouble?"  

Xander Knight

"Nothin' to worry yourself about just yet. Do what you do, meet me at my flat when you're done, I'll fill you in."  

Ryder Hooker

"Alright just give me the number and I'll track ya down."  

Xander Knight

Xander gave the address before hanging up and letting Ryder get to his investigation.

---

Xander Knight's Loft, The Heights

Xander Knight

Xander arrived at his building, guiding Uncle up the stairs to his loft. The room was nice, though modestly furnished, exposed brick and blackened metal setting the bones of his space, a simple sofa and a bed upstairs. The flat did come with a kitchen, though Xander hardly ever used it, and the far side of the flat was covered in soundproofing, instruments and recording equipment scattered about. The slanted roof of the apartment complex lent itself to his particular flat, the East wall essentially a single giant window, though it did have retractable shades. Not exactly picturesque rockstar material, but it fit Xander perfectly.  

Uncle

Uncle takes off his shoes at the door, another old habit, and then finds his way to the sofa. "Nice place, Kid." he says as he slips the bag off his back and on to the floor on one side of the sofa and then sits down.  

Xander Knight

"Yeah, its supposed to be a place to crash, record, write when Outcry're stateside. It's nice," he said with a sigh as he began to peel the charred tee shirt from his body, revealing the purple and green bruising across his ribs, streaking from his chest and sides up his arms, fading somewhere past his shoulders in what is, in fairness, a lucky escape from death with only the bruising of Lichtenburg figures. "God, that fucking... Never been shocked in my life. Ever. Always absorbed the charge, and my own never did damage to me. But that fucker..." Xander shook his head, raising two fingers in a V and pointing his hand to the large window in a 'piss off' sign.  

Uncle

"There's a first time for everything.. An' it seems things are only gonna get crazier these days, so it may not be the last."  

Xander Knight

He cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah... I've only been in New Victoria, what... two weeks? Three, maybe... Christ, what day is it... Oh," he said, mostly thinking aloud, making his way to the rack of instruments in the corner and picking a black guitar with white wood grain texture, sighing softly as he put it in the black hardcase, setting it on the kitchen island and taking a seat on the counter. "Payment for our detective. No rest for the weary, eh?"  

Ryder Hooker

Ryder slowly made his way to the address once he had cleaned up from the scene of Henry, developed some photo's and grabbed the needed investgation board, a cigarette loosely hung out of his mouth as he made his way into the loft. Wondering if this was another case of a celebrity being fucking stupid, or turning into a possible terrorist. He didn't care, he needed the money and fast.   He made his way to the door and knocked, he had the whiskey wrapped in a paper bag in his pocket, one hand on the updated investigation board and one in his pocket, just incase something bad was going to happen.   "It's me." His low voice crawled from this throat into the cigarette cloud slowly forming above him.  

Xander Knight

Xander raised his eyebrows to uncle, giving a small shrug in a 'see?' motion, answering the door, still without a shirt, exposing the injuries beneath his heavily tattooed olive skin, a multitude of American Traditional and Bohemian style patchworks scattered tightly across his flesh, perhaps his most recognizable being the Rage Against The Machine lyrics at the top of his chest just beneath his neck and collar bones: "If Ignorance Is Bliss Then Wipe This Smile Off My Face". He nodded, motioning for Ryder to enter his flat. "Uncle, this is Ryder, detective type I've hired, Ryder this is Uncle, no relation." He made his way back to the kitchen, hopping up onto the counter. "What've you got for me mate?"  

Ryder Hooker

Looking to uncle the detective special within his holster was cocked back. He didn't want to risk anything until Xander told him it was fine but he still kept at eye on him walking over to the counter and setting up the board so they could both see. A large cigarette trail following him as he put his whiskey down and took a sip turning around.   "Well Mister Knight. I've learnt quite a lot from my crime scene investigation. There was either Inferno, or another fire user related to something Bolt did. Someone he murdered. There is also someone named Savannah I believe who is an earth manipulator that ran with his crew. There are more I haven't been able to identify such as a larger man who I believe was close to Bolt. I count there were at least four evo's including Bolt himself on his side, so far I've been able to piece, a speedster unidentified possibly dead, an earth manipulator that savannah I think, Bolt, and Another Unidentified man. It's not much but its a good start, and I've still got more." The tape recorder was pulled out and so were some photo's but he didn't show any of them yet.   "I'm gonna investigate a scene of an old mans death I believe was related to Blood bolt and see what I can pry from there to track his group. You sure you wanna find them?"  

Uncle

The older man nodded to Ryder as they were introduced to each other. He stays on the couch but he was here to watch out for his friend and so he listens to the conversation carefully, watching the scene without making it obvious that he was paying attention at first.   "Yer goin' after Bolt's crew?" he finally speaks up as Ryder finishes speaking. "I saw what some of them were capable of, definitely not the safest endeavor.."  

Xander Knight

Xander nodded along as he was informed, thinking over the options, the unearthed information laid out before him. "I think I've met the large man, I would recognize him again, but that's not much to go on." He sat there on his kitchen counter for a moment before turning to look to Uncle, feeling the weight in his chest, some mix of guilt, shame, and purpose. "I am. I... Maybe. I dunno." He shook his head, rubbing his face with a sigh. "I think Bolt might be the only person who can tell me... what to be? What not to be, or how not to be it, or... I dunno... You saw me this morning, what can happen if things get out of control." He held his hand out, pulsing blue sparks and arcs of electricity, taking great care to show the control he had carefully developed, turning to his detective. "Oi Ryder, you've not heard anything on the news, some... odd happenings in Henry or some such?"  

Ryder Hooker

"Is this silhouette familiar then?" Ryder quickly pulled out a photo of the destruction of Henry from a manila folder and posted it on the board next to bolt. The photo of someone on the ground reaching out to a larger form holding their gut into the corner of the building.   "I have to agree with Uncle Mister Knight. If you want to support evo rights there are better ways to do it. Always another way Mister Knight." He turned around to see the small arcs of electricity. "I heard there's a new gang moving in. Something with electricity happened while I was breaking in-... AHEM doing my investigation for you. Which I am going to presume is you two's doing. There was also a belief someone like Victory got shot there a few weeks back."  

Xander Knight

"That looks like him, yeah," Xander said, inspecting the photo of the silhouette. "I dunno about gang, but there's been some... trouble, last night. I've a good feeling about you mate, so I'll let you in, I'm sure you've figured out I'm an EVO, yeah? Had a run in with another last night, a power thief. Overloaded my system, had to expel the surge, s'what all... this is." He motioned to the bruises streaking across his body, sighing deeply. "The thief killed a lot of people, mate. Every patron in the Magnificent Frog, pub in the Wards. He did it with my power, this lightning I've got in my body, tried to contain my whole life like the world was made of glass. That's why I've got it in my head to find Bolt, yeah? Only one I've seen with my power, so... maybe the only one who can help. I dunno... it's the only lead I've got, only thing I can do about it." He took a moment, sitting there on his kitchen counter, topless and in pain, pondering the steps that lead his life to this moment with a shake of his head.  

Uncle

"Bolt has killed a lot more than that guy killed at the Frog, but I think I get where ya comin' from. So long as yer sure 'bout this, I'm in."  

Ryder Hooker

“I don’t think Blood Bolt is one to search in order to learn control. I’ll look into a power thief in my spare time.”   Ryder pinned the photo to the board with a nod marking it with a question mark and continuing to progress on the board still smoking and drinking the whole time.   “I understand where you coming from. Not from an Electric perspective but from a different one. I’ll keep searching but I can’t promise it’ll be good or turn up any leads. If you want I can search into other places.”  

Xander Knight

Xander nodded, a sigh escaping him as he rubbed his eyes. “Probably not the best option, no. But I feel I’ve got to, I dunno… keep after it mate, these people are dangerous and unpredictable, probably best we get some information on them anyways. Who knows what they’ve got planned with Bolt locked up, especially after last night… that overload explosion was probably most confusing for them.”  

Ryder Hooker

"Right. so I guess it's time for me to keep working... I've got a lead that I am going to have to follow up on." Ryder tapped the cigarette against his fingers still staring at the board. "What exactly happened last night?"  

Xander Knight

"An Evo with the ability to steal another's ability. Bloody hurt too, the removal. So... My power, this lightning thing I've got, I passively take charge, yeah? Don't even have to think of it, can't do much in the way of stopping it. When I'm near electricity, my body absorbs and stores it, keep it to do shite like this, yeah?" Xander spoke with his hands, giving a demonstration of his ability by generating arcs between them, as if holding a miniature lightning storm in his hands. "I tried to keep this power out of his hands, so I absorbed it all back, essentially... doubling my battery, yeah? My body can't physically contain that amount of power, so it needed to vent the overload. That's... that was the giant lightning explosion in Henry. Blacked out, met Uncle here, and got myself ready for this meeting. Oh!" He hopped down from his seat on the kitchen counter, moving to the black case on the opposite counter. "Your pay. Jackson Pro DK2," he said, dragging out his introduction as he unclasped the case, revealing the black and white wood grain specialty guitar as he retrieved a silver sharpie, "signed by the frontman for Outcry. S'like... $1,800 guitar, plus the signature, probably net you... 25? 3,000 if you've got the right collector."  

Ryder Hooker

Oh great he’s paying with a signed guitar great I’ll just y’know. Use it to fix the bullet holes in my fucking trailer. “Well first did you try gloves? Y’know rubber gloves or any form of insulation to help stop or slow it down?” Ryder took a deep long exhausted drag of the poor cigarette wedged between his teeth it’s life slowly dwindling close to its end. “Uh okay.” He looked down at it and held it in one hand giving a slightly confused look. “So you want me to keep investigating or to drop the case? Usually I get paid after it’s done so I just wanna double check.”  

Xander Knight

A deep sigh escaped him as the image of himself, tall, tattooed, punk rocker, in bright yellow dishwashing gloves, which was in fact the first precaution he took at age 12. “I told you when we met, I would pay you when I can, with what I can. Right now, this is what I’ve got. I’ll get you more as time goes, as this investigation gets more steam, yeah?” Xander ran a hand over the face of the guitar, a truly splendid custom, before looking up to Ryder’s eyes. “Keep it, sell it, this is just the first payment.” Running a hand through his hair, he shook his head, turning back to the bulletin board. “I’ve got to change this look soon… anyway, you said… old man’s death, silhouette of the big man, the dead speedster, and… this earthmover, Savannah? Interesting group, far as clues go, yeah?”  

Ryder Hooker

“Fair enough. But you don’t have to like worry about paying me. I think you’ve forgotten how low my rates are. Then again you do have hazard pay added on giving I’m hunting y’know. And dangerous group of evo’s who could stomp me out like a cockroach.”   Watching Xander look to the guitar with a deep sigh and a large cloud of smoke Ryder would look back. “You can keep it if it means that much to you. But yeah. I’m gonna start with the old man’s death, before checking out the speedster if he’s still in the morgue.”  

Xander Knight

“It is important to me, mate. But now it’s yours,” Xander said, shutting the case as he tapped a photo on the board. “This… the big man, I feel I’ve met him, but I’m not sure… what’ve you got on him? Might give me a place to start. I’ll also try getting a mobile so we can keep up, but… priorities.”  

Ryder Hooker

“Not much. Possible right hand of Blood bolt himself. Maybe more. I’m going to go look around and hopefully get more info. If you ever see him again try to get a photo if you can.”   Ryder would nod and take the case off the the side.  

Xander Knight

He nodded a bit as he looked over the board, noting the placement of the old man and dead speedster, imagining the red twine leading out and webbing between them. “Good luck mate, not fond of morgues myself. I’ll keep an eye out for this silhouette, maybe track down the earthmover.” Running a hand through his silver curls, his eyes glanced up to his own head, sighing a bit as he hopped up, making his way up the stairs to the loft, rummaging around before producing a paintball mask he had gotten from the pawn shop in The Wards, picking up his metal Hurtystick and returning to the kitchen. “Interesting thought I’ve had: anyone who knew I was here, which is you two and like… three other people, would find the shredded and burned remains of the jacket I never take off, next to a smoldering crater where everyone heard a giant explosion.” He took a moment of hesitation and contemplation, furrowing his brow before grabbing a notebook and jotting something quickly, shutting and pushing the book away. “So. Might be dead soon. We’ll see how the day goes.”  

Uncle

"Faking yer own death can have its uses if yer lookin' to get into things like this, just makes things.. complicated if ya decide to go back to yer old life afterwards." Uncle chimes in as he stands up as well, feeling they might be getting started. He picks up his massive backpack and quickly swings it around onto his back. In the short time between it coming off the ground and it hitting Uncles back two of his swords could be seen strapped to the back of it to keep them hidden, the Sakabatō Masamune and the Kazeshini Muramasa. The Honjō Masamune was the blade he kept attached to his waist recently, making it easier to pull out of hiding if a fight breaks out.  

Ryder Hooker

“I’ll forge identifyig papers to get my self in. IsnMt be the first dead body I’ve dealt with and it certainly won’t be the last.” Ryder took another long deep puff and shook his head at Xander. It was surprisingly how much Ryder knew about these subjects.   “If you’ve got a chance get your band to file a missing persons report. It’s easier to come back out of hiding from compared to a faked death so you’d be better off doing that. Setting up the loft like no one has been here. They’ll search the city but you can hide out in my trailer til they’ve stopped.”  

Xander Knight

He nodded a bit, thinking these things over, reminding himself to go get a mobile phone. “I’ll mark it on the to-do list. I’ve no doubt you can get it all done mate, I’ll leave a key here for you both. Feel free to stop by, drop of notes, crash for a while.” Absently twirling his metal stick, he nodded to Uncle’s swords. “You get a new blade, mate?”  

Uncle

He nods. "I reckon I have more blades than I know what to do with, gonna have to learn Three-Sword Style at this rate."  

Ryder Hooker

“Probably best to leave this place empty for a week or two if you do the missing route. Then tbere are the freelance gum shoes who will find you especially if they are an evo like me.” Ryder looked for somewhere to put his cigarette out and did so.   “Why do you…..you know what? Not gonna ask why the hobo is armed to the teeth.”  

Uncle

"Well I only needed two blades.. didn't have much of a choice in takin' the third."  

Xander Knight

“Oi, you forge legal documents to poke dead bodies, and you’re worried about an old man with a sword?” Xander said with a chuckle, firmly grasping the metal rod he had been spinning. “You’ve got to teach me still, yeah? I’ve got a better grasp on my abilities now, so no… accidental thunderstorms, yeah?”  

Ryder Hooker

“I’ve already got the papers. After all I had to pretend to be an EHEA gumshoe so they’d let me into what happened at Henry.”   Ryder sipped his drink and pointed to Uncle. “The government won’t bother seeing if I’m actually EHEA. He is an old man with three swords. More dangerous probably.”  

Uncle

He nods in response to Xander's question, remembering his promise to teach him swordsmanship. "Maybe he was right. Maybe I should open a dojo for my masters' forms of swordplay. I already have two potential students."   "Well it's a good thing I'm on our side then." he says in reply to Ryder's comment. "I don't like to toot my own horn, but dangerous is probably an understatement."  

Xander Knight

Xander paused a moment, turning to Uncle. “Another student? Seems our little circle is growing.” He held the rod as though it were a sword, not particularly weighted like one and universally round, so there was no edge to align. “Might get one of those collapsing batons…” he mused to himself as he looked around the room. “I’ve not got many other friends, yeah? Ilya, Paige, my band… if I am dead, or… missing, this is my new life, right here. Odd to think about.”  

Ryder Hooker

“Or a gun.” Ryder looked to Xander with that simple statement and shook his head. “I know a guy he’s loose on background checks if he ever does them.”   Listening and sipping the end of his hard drink he nodded. “Maybe but missing is better then dead. If you get found out it’s easier to spin a sob lie.”  

Uncle

"A firearm's as good a weapon as any other, so long as ya know it well and take good care of it. The weapon itself isn't what's important, only how ya handle it."  

Xander Knight

Looking between the two, his eyes slightly narrowed, Xander held a hand with his forefinger and thumb out, firing an arc of electrical energy into his floor and leaving a small black scortchmark on the concrete. "I don't think I need a gun, mate."  

Ryder Hooker

“Isnt the whole reason I’m hunting down blood bolts crew because you have y’know a problem controlling your powers? Plus EHEA is gonna be on your case about that explosion. Even having a gun on you implies you’re less of an evo.”  

Uncle

"He's right, any time ya can blend into yer surroundings better makes for a worthy consideration. Hell, could always get a stun gun an' try to use it as some sorta catalyst for yer power, that would throw a lot of suspicion off of ya."  

Xander Knight

“Wha- Oi! Am I dead, missing, or blending in to my surroundings? Yes, I can control my powers to the point of not electrocuting everyone I’m in a room with, but I’d quite like some bloody guidance or something, yeah?” He put a hand to his face, rubbing his eyes and the bridge of his nose with a sigh. “Finding Blood Bolt has multiple uses, but tracking his accomplices is just plain good for the public, yeah? If you want help with the old man, or the dead bloke, I’m there. So far the list is: get me a mobile phone, call Naomi and Ken to get a missing persons going, poke a dead speedster, check out the old man’s home. I can head to the home and see what I can see?”  

Ryder Hooker

“Missing and blending in is the best option. I’d still recommend a weapon even if it’s just to hide that you’re an evo.” Ryder sighed digging through his pockets for a number and hanging it over to Xander. “It’s my guy, get you a gun cheap quick no questions or ID needed. Let me worry bout the investigation, you just hide yourself away for a bit. Gotta go to the morgue anyway for any other case as well. You get caught in some dead man’s house it’s breaking and entering. I do it it’s ‘lawful investigation’ they give EHEA alotta power to poke where they want.”  

Xander Knight

The Brit stood there, holding the scrap of paper in his hand. A man who can get me, a man with no visa, a gun, with no paperwork. “I… I’ll give him a ring,” he said, fully taking in his new life in America. “Once I get a mobile I’ll put your number in. Keep me posted, yeah?”  

Ryder Hooker

“Welcome to America. Land of the ‘free’ and where an outdated price of paper means I can have a weapon of mass destruction.” Ryder shook his head finally finishing his cigarette and putting it out. “Will do. I might be picking up another case soon though.”  

Uncle

The old man starts laughing suddenly after the exchange between the other two before speaking up. "Here in America we don't hide Crazy.. we parade it on the front porch, give it somethin' to drink, an' tell it to make itself at home. You'll get used to it if ya give it enough time, Kid."  

Xander Knight

“Phone, gun, fake my own death, got it. I can file the missing persons in the UK if it helps.” He looked to uncle, shaking his head at the remark. “I’m noticing that, yeah. More and more each day…”  

Ryder Hooker

“Yep probably wise….” Ryder couldn’t help but chuckled as he collected his things and walked to the door. “Well my life has been going weird recently. Well welcome to New Vic.”