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The Accidents rp
"Our finger prints will be all over them. Can't we just take them to the police?" Tank asked, looking at Chance but not moving her gun an inch. "We'll just say it's Selena's dad's gun. Surely a rich guy like him gets some leigh-way. We'll just say you incompacitated them. It's not like you shot to kill, and it was self defense." Her mind ran through a dozen different ways to delete all record of them from reports. Just in case they got mixed up with things again. Why did Selena have to be such a pansy?
"We could, I suppose." He thought a bit about it. "I guess that's really all we have to do."
Selena walked away with tears in her eyes. She didnt want any part of lying espically about her dad.
"So.. let me go call the cops.. It's better if they come here... Since we can't really get them to the station. Plus all the evidence of a break in..." Tank replied and started to turn away, warily looking toward Selena. She looked at Chance and nodded to Selena before leaving them to find a phone.
Chance stood silently, not knowing what to say. After a few seconds he found even standing uncomfortabe and sat on the bed, closely watching both men in case one woke up.
Selena was normally a strong girl when it came to her family but some how the divorce had broke her down more and more each day. "I am sorry." She said softly to Chance. Tears swelled up into her eyes as she silently sobbed to herself.
"For what, it wasn't your fualt." Chance kept his eyes neatly bouncing back and forth between the two men, waiting for one to show signs of coming around.
"I.. I.. I am scared. I dont wanna do this anymore. You have turned into someone I dont know." she faced him. "Your different now."
"How so?" Still the continual bouncing. Was that a twitch there? His eyes linger a moment or two before he decides it was nothing, and resumes the bouncing.
"You.. we.. dont ever .. like talk.. You dont take me out anymore and its just different." She paused. "I mean how long has it been since I went to school! I might as well just drop out now, and you KNOW how important it is to me to finsh. How long has it been since we just did us things and went to the water park, or any of the stuff we used to." She began to cry. "Ever since their divorce I wanted to be with Dad. I .. I don't wanna leave you."
Still, his eyes never left the men. "Don't you think these are strenuating circumstances? I mean fuck, we just found out were gods and we're in some epic struggle. Seriously, has that even hit you yet?"
"Why would it even matter! Hell I am the same damn girl I used to be! Oh so what I can heal someone's scratches. Big fucking deal..." She broke off..."wait a minute.. We dont need the guns. TANK!!! COME HERE QUICK!!" Selena kneeled down beside the man who was shot in the leg. She place her hands over the wound and he was healed in seconds. She did the same on the other's arm. Selena stood back and smiled at herself. "Well I think we just solved our gun problem."
Tank rushed into the room holding a cordless phone. She had just been about to dial and she frowned at the two men. "Gun problem zero..." The men began to come-to. "Conciousness problem one..."
Chance had already been on the move when Selena yelled figuring it would bring the men back to. As the first one sat up, he grabbed him by the front of his head and smacked it off the bedpost, then he quickly went to the other and stood over him, waiting for him to come to. "Selena, please keep your voice low... this is getting tiring."
"Well damn it I am sorry for fixing the problem..."
Tank sighed and left the room, dialing the police.
"Look all I am saying is why cant we have some fun while were trying to .. do whatever were doing?"
"Becuase we don't have time. So far to me, it's obvious that our enemy could come here and kill us damn near anytime they please. I don't know about you, but that puts a big bug up my ass." The man hadn't moved so far, and Chance began to wonder if maybe he hadn't kicked him too hard.
Seeing Chance tense worried her alot more then she showed. "He's fine cupcake. Just out cold." She was surprised at her words. She had not called him cupcake since they were freshman.
"Yah, but I figured that your yelling would have awoken him..."
Hope I didn't kill him... I want him to rot in jail.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he never came to. You kicked him pretty hard."Selena walked to the man and felt his pulse. "Hes still alive." Then over to her closet and began to grab clothes.
Hannah had decided to spend some time at home with her parents, though they spent most of their time on their cell phones talking to their businesses. She had eventually left deciding to go check Lysander out at his track practice. Before leaving she had changed her clothes, into a vest and denim skirt. She pulled up at the track in her sports car then jumped out and walked to the side of the track to watch.
"Let's go! Let's go, ladies!" the coach was yelling at some beginners who looked ready to pass out as they limply jogged another lap. The coach shook his head sadly and Lysander, sitting on the ground, chuckled soundlessly and returned to reaching for his spread eagle toes. He stopped when he saw Hannah and, curious, got up and jogged over to her.
"Hey Hannah," he greeted and smiled. He smelled of deodorant, having run quite a few laps, but sweat had not beaded on him yet. "What are you doing here?"
"I just thought i'd come watch you practice thats all..." Hannah replied with a smile. "...and kick these guys butts when it comes to you running."
"Heh, I'd rather not outdo them too much," Lysander said, leaning against the other side of the fence facing practice next to Hannah. "Coach says it ruins their self esteem." One kid passed out on the track and the coach yelled at him, something about heat and a kitchen and the kid groaned, rolling onto the grass as the other two, stumbling, struggled another lap. "Good endurance training," Lysander reminiced.
Hannah smiled as she watched the others. She gave a small flick of her hand that caused a small splash of water to hit the boy on the grasses face, then disguised it by making it look like she was fixing her hair.
That should help him out and cool him down she thought happily.
The boy on the grass jerked up a bit and looked around, unsure where the water had come from. Lysander saw him and made a 'what the...' face and looked at Hannah. He shook his head, but it wasn't dissapproving. "I'm not sure people would take kindly to finding out you're... different.
I'm still in disbelief."
Hannah smiled. "Don't worry i'm very careful and if anyone ever accused me i'd just act as if I thought they were crazy. No one can prove anything..."
"It's scary..." The two boys came around a last time and another passed out, the other staggering boy tripped over him and with an 'ah!' fell to the pavement. The coach tossed his clipboard in an 'I give up' motion and told them to hit the showers. "I mean.. couldn't you like... pull the water out of people? Or control their bodies by moving the water in them?"
Hannah looked at him. "I'm not sure, i'd never thought of it before. Do you think I should try?" she asked watching him closely.
Lysander's eyes widened drastically. "No! You could really hurt someone if you could, or even tried!"
"Lysander!"
The young man looked over at his coach who was motioning for him to get to the track. "I got to go," he told Hannah regretably and looked at her. "
Don't try it, ok?" He was frowning as he turned away and jogged to his coach. The middle aged looking man waited for him to take his position then blew the whistle. Lysander took off, jogging quite a bit quicker than the other boys had been, definately more of a sprinting speed but didn't seem to put too much effort into it. The other boys stared on in amazement from their seats on the grass as their track star did his laps. The coach was grinning ear to ear.
Hannah walked over to the other boys and sat down beside them, fixing her skirt as she did. "Hi." she said with a friendly smile. "I'm a friend of Lysander's...I just wanted to come watch him run."
"Hey," one of the boys greeted absently, glancing at Hannah along with another boy. They both did double takes and nudged their budies. All five boys on the grass were looking at Hannah now with great, but not pervish interest. She was pretty.
Lysander had been looking over at them and when he noticed their interest he sprinted to them in irritation, making it from the other side of the field to them in only a few seconds. "She's not a picture," he snapped and the boys looked away quickly and looked for forgiveness. Lysander was half scowling at them as he jogged slowly the last few feet and stopped in front of them. "She's not here for you to look at for moments on end."
Hannah turned glancing round at all the boys then back at Lysander.
He's being very protective... she thought as she watched him wondering why he was acting like that.
Lysander shook his head at the other boys then looked at Hannah. "I'm going to go shower off, then we can go." The coach gaped in unhappiness as Lysander jogged off to the showers. He turned on the other boys and yelled at them something about lazy butts and more running and with a collective groan all the boys flopped onto their back on the ground. The coach was yelling at them more and they reluctantly and slowly got up and started more laps.
Hannah laughed at them all then stood up deciding that she wait in her car for Lysander. "See you's later." she said waving to the boys running then walked off. She sat herself in the drivers seat and grabbed her sunglasses and popped them onto her face before turning the radio up full as she waited for Lysander.
It wasn't long before he showed up. He was in fitting jeans and high tops, a button down white t-shirt on his torso. He had a small duffle with him for his track clothes. He smiled at Hannah as he got in and turned the radio down just enough so he could talk to her. "Sorry about them."
"Don't worry about it..." Hannah replied as she turned the engine on. "So where am I driving to? Do you have to go home or have you got other track practices or anything like that?"
"Uh..." He looked out the window and pointed, squinting a bit in thought, almost to apologize. "I was just about to get something to eat. Know any good places?" He put his hand down and smiled at her.
Hannah looked thoughtful. "Well theres this little restaurant I used to go to, they'll make any food you want." she replied.
"Versitile," he said approvingly and leaned back in his seat, putting on his seatbelt. "Drive away then. Do you want me to buy your lunch too?" It was an honest offer with no insult intended. He really wouldn't mind paying for her too.
Hannah looked at him and shrugged. "I don't mind, I can pay for myself if you like." She replied as she drove off. "I'm an independent girl and all..." she said with a smile.
"It is always polite to offer," Lysander practically quoted and watched the scenery approach and then pass by them. "We should do something sometime, other than eat of course. Like a movie, or bowling."
Hannah glanced at him. "What like a date?" she said not being serious and just wanting to see his reaction.
"No, just like hanging out," Lysander replied calmly, as if a date was no more serious than hanging out. Just another label. "Friends hang out right?"
Hannah smiled and nodded. "Of course. A movie or bowling sounds cool. Wastes time til I have to go home." she replied.
"Which would you prefer?"
"Bowling...its much more fun." Hannah replied as she turned into the car park of the restaurant. "And just be warned i'm awesome at bowling." she said with a smile as she parked.
"Warning noted. I'm dreadful at it, so just so you know, I didn't 'let you win'," Lysander replied with a grin and exited the car once she had parked, leaving his bag inside. "I'm aching for a sandwhich..."
"Oh yeah...tai sweet chicken on toasted bread with a side order of onion rings...that is what I call good food." Hannah said as she stepped out of the car and locked it up.
"White turkey, lettuce, tomatoe, mayo on rye bread," Lysander said dreamily. His stomach growled and he laughed. "Best not keep our stomaches waiting." He motioned for her to take the lead and together they went inside.
Hannah walked into the small restaurant were she was greeted by an elderly waiter. "Hannah, its good to see you!" he said giving her hand a hearty shake making her smile. "You to Max. This is my friend Lysander...Lys
ander this is an old friend Max..." she finished introducing the two. "Nice to meet you Lysander." Max said holding his hand out to shake.
Lysander shook his hand firmly, but not crushingly and smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Max."
Max smiled at Lysander then walked on into the restaurant. "Ok heres a table for two right by the window, and here are some menus. Can I get you's anything to drink?" he asked as Hannah sat down. "Chocolate milkshake please..." she replied.
"Just water, thank you," Lysander replied with a smile and a polite nod as the man left them. He looked at the menu. "Wow, you weren't kidding about this place..."
Hannah smiled. "Yeah this place is pretty amazing." She replied not even opening the menu as she knew what she wanted. Max reappeared with their drinks and set them down before taking out a small notepad. "So what can I get you's?" he asked. Hannah looked at him. "Just the usual for me please." Max nodded and noted down her sandwich order and onion rings. "And for you?" he asked Lysander.
"White turkey, lettuce, tomatoe, mayo on rye, please?" he requested and set his menu down. He looked at Max as if making sure he could get that.
Max nodded. "Got it. It'll be with you very soon." he said as he lifted the menu's. He smiled once more then left.
Lysander took a drink of his water then looked at Hannah. "So, are you really good at bowling? Truly?"
Hannah nodded. "Yeah, we have our own little bowling alley in our house. I've played it so much i'm pretty much a pro." she said with a smile.
Selena tossed folder her clothing and place it into a suit case she pulled out the closet. She then began rummaging around her room for her jewerly and other needes.
Chance, still watching the men, noticed Selena tossing clothes into a bag. "Taking all your stuff to the base?"
"Your own bowling alley. Wow." Lysander just looked at Hannah in amazement. "I would love just to have my own personal track. The most my house has is a tredmill, though. What else does your house have?"
"Games room, mini movie theater, indoor and outdoor pool, a small tennis court, just stuff like that." Hannah replied as the waiter finally brought their food and set it in front of them before leaving.
"You say it as if it's so normal," Leander told her as he looked about the table. He sighed and turned to the woman in the booth behind him. "Excuse me, but may we have some of your napkins?"
"Not all of it, but most because I am sick of having nothing to wear." Selena sighed. "I mean hell I have had on the same clothing for like what now?"
After raising her dark brown, kohl-rimmed eyes from the book she's reading, Betty Borsine smiles politely at Lysander. 'Certainly,' she says, her voice soft, while possessing a kind of depth. She marks her current page with one hand before removing four napkins from the dispenser with her free hand. 'If you need more, please let me know.' She hands them to Lysander.
Hannah glanced up at Betty and smiled. "If your in here alone, your welcome to join us." She said trying to be friendly.
Betty looks to Hannah, her delicate smile still upon her lips. 'That is very kind of you to offer, but I would not want to intrude...'
"You wouldn't be intruding," Lysander told her as he accepted the napkins and thank her. He leaned his elbows on the back of his seat as he spoke to her. "What better way to spend a day than with curious company?"
Betty looks a little hesitant, unsure of what to make of the situation. The pages of her paperback book ruffle dryly as she at first fidgets with it, then closes it. 'Al-...alright.' Being in a public place, she guessed she wasn't in too much danger, accepting this inviation from strangers...
"Great." Lysander smiles kindly and scoots over in his side of the booth to allow her plenty of room. "We were just talking about bowling. Do you bowl?"
After sliding her lithe frame from her own booth, Betty carefully seats herself next to Lysander, not quite perching on the edge of her new booth. 'Oh, I...I haven't been bowling since I was in second grade.' She pauses, looking from Lys to Hannah. 'It was for a birthday party.' Betty smiles, a small and reminiscent smile.
Hannah smiled at this as she took a drink. "Well if you like, we're going bowling later...you can join us." she said to Betty. Hannah always befriended people she didn't know and most people would warn her about this but she knew, that with her gifts nothing would ever happen.
"Oh, before we weird you out much more. This is Hannah, and I'm Lysander." The boy motioned to his companion then himself and smiled. No wonder she was so uncomfortable. She hadn't even known their names.
'It's a pleasure to meet you both,' Betty says, looking in turn to Hannah, then Lysander. She runs her fingers back through her long, dark hair, pushing it back from her pallid, sharp-featured face. 'I suppose I could go out a little later. As long as I am home before too late.'
"No problem. I can drop you home if you like..." Hannah replied before taking a bite of her sandwich.
Betty tilts her head toward Hannah, then gives it a small nod. 'Thank you...very much'. After shifting a little, Betty uncrosses, then recrosses her legs at the ankles. With excellent posture, she remains perched, practically at the edge of the booth, next to Lysander.
Lysander took another drink of his water before pausing and looking at Betty. "If you have somewhere to be," he told her kindly, "You don't have to accept our offer. Really, we won't be offended if you don't want to hang out with us because we make you nervous. We're not forcing you to do anything."
Tank knocked on the doorframe before peeking into Selena's room. "The police will be here in a minute," she told them.
"Good. I want these guys out of here." Chance stood up and stretched, then walked over to the window and glanced out, before returning to where he had been before.
Selena nodded. She zipped up the bag and pushed it towards the door, then she walked to Chance. "I am sorry. Thank you for being here for me." She gave him a huge hug and kiss him on the cheek.
Tank raised an eyebrow at her actions. "Did I... miss something?"
Selena walked over to Tank. "No you didn't miss anything." She sighed. "Thank you for answering the phone and coming to help me." She hugged Tank.
"Umm.. No.. problem..." Tank said hesitently, giving Selena a light pat on the back instead of a hug. This girl was weirding her out. "Why do you sound like you're saying goodbye?"
Selena let go of her and steped away. "Well, I have been umm thinking about it." She looked at Chance. "But I think I better stay here. Not here ezactly but at the base where I am safe."
'Oh, it's not that...I don't really have some place to be...' Betty says, speaking quickly, apologetically, 'I mean, it was my New Year's resolution to meet new people, and I've been pretty cloistered until now, so...' She smiles and rests her tightly clasped hands on the table. 'I have a lot on my mind, but I would love to...hang out with you guys...gals...you know.'
Lysander raised an eyebrow, looked slowly at Hannah, then back at Betty. "Ohhhh kaaayyy... Reeelaax... No need to be so nervous... Or apologenic. I was only pointing it out... But, you make New Year's resolutions?"
Hannah sat listening as she finished her meal. "Would it help to talk about whats on your mind. I'm a very good listener...and i've been through some pretty tough times myself, still am going through some tough times..." she said glancing at Lysander the back at Betty. "But i'll survive." I hope. she thought as she smiled at the girl.
'I do make a resolution each year and do my best to stick to it. I've done it so far for the past...' Betty pauses to count, ticking off on her slender, bony fingers, 'Three years. It's important to keep your word, especially to yourself.' The girl clears her throat gently, then turns her gaze from Lysander to Hannah. 'We'll see where the night takes us.' She smiles slightly, unsure of why she feels such a quick kinship with these two, who are basically strangers. 'I don't mean to be secretive, but I'd rather just...not...talk about what's on my mind right now.' Betty offers a friendly and genuine smile.
"Fair enough. Everyone is entitled to secrets," Lysander replied comfortingly. He finished his sandwich and water, setting the dishes neatly on the table for the waiter. He pulled out his wallet to pay for his meal. "Let's get ready to go then," he said, eager to bowl.
Betty turns toward her former booth, to retrieve her satchel and shawl she left there. By the way she lifts the bag then drags it into her lap toward her, it would seem that it is heavy with...stuff.
Hannah tilted her head slightly to the side, curious. "need some help with that bag?" she offered politely.
Lysander, on the other hand, stared at the bag in wonder. What did girls keep in there??
'Thank you, but that won't be necessary,' Betty says to Hannah before offering an appreciative smile. Being something of a transient, the girl carries a bit of everything in her bag. After she stands to let Lysander out of the booth, the contents of the bag clink and rustle as she carefully hefts the bag up onto her shoulder.
Lysander exited the booth, still looking warily at the bag. He almost seemed to be skirting around it. He paid his bill and waited on Hannah.
Noting the way Lysander looked at her bag, the girl feels a little self-concious. Still, Betty smiles and just stands there, waiting, looking a little awkward.
"I'm sorry," Lysander said to Betty. "It's just.. I'm afraid it might explode." He smiled awkwardly.
'I've been lucky as of yet,' Betty says with a glance over her shoulder at the knapsack. She laughs softly and shifts the bag to her other shoulder before looking from Lysander back to Hannah.
"Lysander, what a girl keeps in her bag is top secret." Hannah said with a smile as she stood and set her money down. "Now are we ready to go?"
Betty laughs quietly at Hannah's observation about ladies' purses. 'I'm certainly ready if you two are.'
"That's probably a good idea." Chance said as he nodded.
"Maybe we can get you enrolled in a kickboxing class or something..." Tank said, shaking her head as she left the room. The sirens could be heard outside and a few minutes later, Tank had led the men upstairs to the unconscious criminals. One man rushed in to cuff them while the other looked seriously at the three teens. "What happened here?" he asked gruffly.
Selena began to cry. "I was here alone and was asleep when I woke I realized there was two voices downstairs and called my boyfriend." Pointed to Chance. "Tank," pointed to her. "answered the phone and both of them came over. When they got here the two men had found me and began to rape me." She sobbed uncontrollable.
The two policemen looked at each other with deep frowns before the one in the doorway went to the other man and they each took an unconscious criminal and led them out of the room, stumbling and half asleep. The second cop paused in the doorway and looked at Selena. "We'll make sure they get put away for a long time," he said firmly and left the room.
Tank looked at Selena and Chance. "I think they're gonna over look the gunshot wounds..."
Chance shrugged, "Selena healed them, so even if there's scars, they'll never believe them." He looked around at the mess the house was before turning to Selena, "You want to clean, or just go back to the base?"
"I have got to clean up. Mom will freak if she comes home to this. The cops would only be here a second time." She grabed a change of clothes and headed to the bathroom. A few minutes later she emerged and grabed the rest of her dirty laundry and went down stairs and put it in the wash.
Chance watched her go then set on the bed then looked at Tank, "Now, back to the original problem. Riddles..."
Tank sighed and slid down the door frame to sit on the floor. She looked to her right, toward Chance, but more to the ground and she held her hand out as if holding something. Her scales appeared, perfectly balanced. "It looks like no one has the upper hand.." she noted and let go, letting the scales vanish. She looked up at Chance and tilted her head. "You... color.. it's..." She seemed to be at a loss for words. "Denser... Like.. more corporeal."
Chance shook his head, "I don't know what that means... I'm not even sure I know what you're talking about..."
"I think it's because your focussed on what you are supposed to be doing," Tank told him. "Your destiny or whatever..." She narrowed her eyes at him as if trying to see something and she used the door frame to help her to her feet again. "How do you not see it.." she wondered aloud as she slowly started walking toward him.
"All I see is the room..." Chance wasn't in the least weirded out. He had seen to many things to really be surprised at this point, so he sat still and allowed Tank to approach.
Tank held her hand out, her own grayish aura moving ahead of her to brush against Chance's reddish one. It seemed to take in a little bit of the scarlet as if taking a sample and it dispersed into her own aura. She couldn't feel it, she could just see it. She frowned a smiled a little bit. "Mine seems to be curious."
"...So... do you see this on everyone, or just me?" He was curious as to what it could be, and therefore would ask questions while he tried to puzzle it out on his own.
"Just us," Tank replied, then realized that that could be taken too generally. "Us, at the base, and those other people trying to kill us..."
Selena walked back up the stairs but stopped just short of the door way when she heard tank say us. She quitely peered around the corner seeing how close they were she turned and walked back downstairs and began to clean up the mess the robbers left.
"Ok, I somehow figured that much anyways," He crossed his arms, "But what does it mean?"
"I don't know," Tank answered, lowering her hand. "All I know is it's brighter and denser when you are stronger and more focussed, it's more tangible. But when you are weak or.. drunk-" She gave him a pointed look. "It almost.. fades a little, but never disappears. I don't think it can."
"So then," He scratched his chin, "Is it a gauge of our strength?"
"Seems like it," Tank said, then grinned suggestively. "I can get the scales and knock you out. Kind of.. experiment?" She chuckled.
Chance actually smiled before shaking his head, "No, I'm sure that'll be unnecisary... You'll have plenty of opportunities to observe my... aura." He stood, "However, you could watch those scales for me so that I if we need to get frantic on those riddles."
"Aye aye, captain," Tank said with a salute. She relaxed her arm. "So... what now?"
"I guess," He shrugged, "We get Selena out of here, and situated at the base, and then return to the riddles... We really need to get everyone involved in it tho..."
Tank nodded and looked around. "I almost had a guess for one, before Selena called..." She turned toward the door. "Let's go find her then."
Chance motioned for her to go ahead, then when she left the room he took another quick look around, allowing disgust to show on his face for a moment before he followed her.
Selena had already swept up the glass on the livingroom floor. She was fixing the couch and thinking to herself. Maybe I am stupid for getting involved with this. Maybe I should try to escape it. God what made it me?"WHY ME??" She said aloud with a force that would scare a little kid. She sighed and sat down on the couch with her head in her hands.
"There, there, no need to shout," Tank said calmly as she came into the room and started helping to set things back up.
Selena jumped not expecting them to be right there so close to her. "I just umm.. well I dont have a good excuse right now but umm.. Ill come up with one later." She smile and giggled to herself.
"Well, Hannah drove me here, so I'll go when she does," Lysander said. "Although, I could probably outrun the car the way she drives," he added to himself. "Did you drive here, Betty?" He held the door for the two ladies.
'No,' Betty replies, offering a half smile as her voice drops to a quieter tone. 'No, I walked' She abruptly looks away, to the side and slightly downward. 'Healthy alternative, and all.'
"Really?" Lysander said with genuine interest. "I love walking, and running, mostly running, but walking like like, well very slow running. Builds lung strength. Keeps you strong and alive much longer, so you get to really live."
'Honestly, it was my lack of any of other means of conveyance that initially caused me to walk everywhere,' Betty says with half smile, seeming relieved-- people can be so judgemental about one's status and posessions. 'But now I find it quite rewarding and relaxing to go for a nice, long walk.'
Hannah looked at both Lysander and Betty as she walked behind them. For some reason she felt a twinge of jealously. "I hope you's don't mind using my car, if you'd love walking so much." she said as a water fountain just ahead erupted with water, soaking the young boy who had been using it. Hannah gave a small smirk, which quickly vanished so no one could see it.
'Oh, I didn't mean to imply that I wouldn't appreciate you giving me a ride, Hannah,' Betty says sincerely, not catching the fountain incident as her focus was on the aforementioned. 'I am quite thankful-- it is getting dark, and I prefer not to walk at night.'
"Yeah Hannah," Lysander said, dropping back to show her his apologetic frown. "I would rather ride with you than walk alone any day." He knew she was probably thinking he would probably rather walk with Betty than ride with her, but he couldn't say contrary without offending Betty.
Hannah smiled feeling very foolish. "So whats the plans?" She asked when she reached her convertible. "Betty, you wanna go home or your very welcome to come to my place, have a few rounds of bowling, watch a movie, whatever you like." she said as she unlocked the car and pulled the front seat forward for one of them to climb into the back.
'Home' being a touch-and-go thing for Betty, she just smiles and says, 'I would enjoy bowling, thank you.' She pauses in midstep a moment as Hannah's car comes into view. A convertable. She has never ridden in one of those...
Hannah watched Betty. "Is there something wrong?" she asked glancing at her car to make sure there wereno scratches or dents in it.
'Oh, no. It's very...beautiful,' Betty replies, with admiration.
"So.." Lysander said as he did the gentlemanly thing and took the back seat. "Are we just going to play every person for himself?"
Smiling a little sheepishly, Betty slips into the front of the car, swinging her heavily-laden bag into her lap after she situates herself on the car's seat. 'We should play like you do in golf-- lowest score wins.' Betty laughs softly at her attempt at a joke.
Hannah laughed as she started the car. "I'll let you guys think up the rules, i'll still win!"
Betty only laughed gently, quite assured that Hannah would win. With the cardoor closed, she turned her gaze outside.
Chance shook his head, Maybe she's in shock? "You going to be ok?"
Selena nodded her head. "Yeah I will be fine." She stood up and fixed a pillow. The house looked better now. "I am going to write my mom a note and then I wanna leave, okay?"
Chance nodded, "That's fine with me."
"Okay cool." Selena walked to the kitchen but stoped and gave Chance a kiss on the cheek before she wrote her mom a note.
A few minutes later Selena walked up the stairs and said, "I just have to get my stuff and then I am ready."
Tank waited outside, ready on her bike. She figured that Chance and Selena would ride together in Selena's car, so she needed to bring her bike back.
Toating the heavy suit case down the stairs it clunked on the stairs. "Ready?" She pulled out her keys.
Chance nodded, "Whenever you are."
Selena lugged her suitcase out the front door to her car.
"It's about time! Let's go!" Tank called to them and kicked her bike into life. She put on her helmet while they got into the car.
As she opened the trunk and threw her stuff in she smile and said over the bikes engine, "Its okay you can go ahead I want to go out and get something to eat. Although you are more then welcome to follow." She shut the trunk and walked over to Tank. "How about it?"
Tank stared at her for a moment. As kind as that offer was... "No thank you," she said politely over the engine. She slid her visor down over her eyes and hit the gas without letting the bike move. The back tire screeched as she moved about 45 degrees to avoid hitting Selena then took off down the road.
Selena shurgged her shoulders and got into the driver seat. "Where do u want to eat?"
"um... wherever, doesn't matter." He was nearly sure she wasn't all right now, but he chose not to press it at the moment and instead got into the car and sat down.
Selena started the car and drove towards town. She let out a long breath. "Chance I love you."
"I love you too." He spent the remainder of the ride quietly looking out of the window.
A few moments later she pulled in front of KFC. "Do you wanna go in and eat or go back to the base and eat?"
Chance looked over and shook his head, "I'd rather go back to the base, we have a ton of work to get done. Might as well start on it as soon as possible."
She nodded and pulled to the drive through. "Should we get enough for everyone?"
Chance shrugged, "Don't see why not."
"What do you think we should get?" Selena asked as the car in front pulled around.
"The biggest meal they have I suppose." He thought a second, "We can put whatever's left away for later."
Selena orderd and paid. She was handed the food and they drove towards the base in silence.
Tank bit her thumb nail thoughtfully. She was sitting in the computer room, her feet in the chair so she could hug her knees with her free arm. She stared at the computer before her. "'Monoliths that know no ground, a Fall they have never found...'" She frowned as she quoted one of the riddles on the screen
Selena pulled in front of the base and shut off the car. "Can you grab my stuff and I will grab the food?"
"Sure." Chance got out of the car, then got her bags out, and began walking inside.
Selena grabed the food at the same time and opened the door for Chance.
Chance stepped by Selena, offering a quick "Thanks." Once he got to the elevator he held the door for Selena after pressing the button for the floor the kitchen was located on.
"Thank you sweetie." Selena gave Chance a kiss on the cheek. The ride to the kitchen was quiet but filled the space with the smell of fried chicken. When the doors dinged Selena steped out and set the stuff on the table. She walked and pressed the intercom system in the house and announced dinner was ready and come to get it when its hot.
Chance quickly put together a plate of food then returned to the elevator and pressed the button for the bottom floor. Before the doors closed he gave Selena a wave.
She smiled back at him as she made herself a plate. "I hope hes going to put my stuff in our bedroom." She said aloud to no one.
Tank nearly jumped at the announcement and called back that she would eat in a bit and thanks for bringing something back. She returned to staring at the screen. "Monolith... That has to be some kind of statue...." she thought aloud.
The elevator doors dinged again, then opened to allow Chance passage. He saw Tank sitting in a chair, huggin her knees, and talking to herself. "What's that you said?"
Tank looked back at him, but upon deciding who he was, looked at the computer again. "Just one of these riddles..." She paused, seeming to listen or something, then furrowed her brow, looked at him, then raised an eyebrow. "What are you eating?" she asked, not curious, more accusing.
He paused in his walking, a pieve of the forementioned food held in his right hand. "Chicken..... want some?"
Tank made a face, but seemed to try and fight it. "Uh.. no," she replied and turned away, scrolling through the riddles again.
Chance shrugged and went and sat at the computer beside Tank's, "Find anything yet?"
Tank shook her head. "Sometimes a piece makes sense, but then the next part loses me entirely. Like this: 'Gases made the vision clear, but still believed without doubt or fear.' Gases, usually, are 'seen' as fogs, like tear gas. So how can it make vision clear. Unless it means like... lazer sensors, like at a bank, which people believe will work 'without doubt or fear'... That's silly though. A bank?" She sighed with irritation.
"What about a museum? Do they have those there?" Chance had never been to a museum of any type, but he figure maybe they had them in the big ones.
"Sometimes, in really old exhibits," she replied. "But there doesn't seem to be any clue as to what museum to look in. We don't even know if this just means our town, our continent, planet..."
Chance leaned back in his chair a bit, "I really don't know, I was never very good a riddles in the first place..."
Tank sighed and pushed her chair out. "I'm going to the gym." She went to the elevator. "And, the salad in the refridgerator is mine. Please, don't eat it." The doors opened and she stepped in. "I don't know why you would. It has my name on the container..." She pressed the B3 button and waited to be let off again.
Selena pressed the elevator button with a plate of food in her hand. She waited for when for only a few seconds. She assumed he would be in ther computer room by now. The doors closed and she decended to the bottom. A few seconds passed and the doors then opened to the computer room. "Hey stranger. Whats all this?"
Chance sat, intently reading and reading riddles after riddle. In answer to Selena's question, he simply stated, "Riddles."
She sat in a chair next to him as she spoke. "Riddles? What do you mean? Like the ones we used to do in middle school?" She took a bite of chicken
"Kind of. They're about some "runes" or something. Supposedly they'll help us." Chance reached out and scrolled down, to a fresh list of riddles.
She looked on as she ate. "Will you read them to me maybe I can figure them out. I always was good at riddles." Selena told Chance. "Remember back in High School?"
The bowling alley was nothing special. Just slightly run down and just out of the main area of town. Fewer people were coming by the year, but it still had good enough business to keep running. Loud clatters of pins being hit could be heard even outside, a hit radio station playing somewhat quietly through the alley.
OK, the bedrooms are on the entrance(B) and B1 floors.
Then kitchen and infirmary are on B2
Then gym on B3
Then unused floor on B4
Then computer room on B5.
Stumble!