Mia had spent the afternoon at the local pier with Ireland and her other brother, Raine she thinks was his name.? Then they were back here and then everyone was gone.? She was trying to remember where she was, but she had been here, in the facility all night.? First, she responded to Brandon and Ms. Macamber, ¡°I have been here since Ireland and I returned after learning about Gen¡¯s attack.? I am sorry for your loss, Brandon.¡±? Then she looked at Kites when he spoke to her, ¡°you were distracted, I wouldn¡¯t call you an asshole.¡±? She let out a sigh and let her guard down.? She crossed the room and accepted the hug from him.? She even returned her own genuine one.? As she stepped out of the embrace she said, ¡°thank you.¡± And then sat next to him and Gen.
??
(Brandon)
This was his worst nightmare¡Nothing in his father¡Chord¡¯s training could prepare him for this¡He just wasn¡¯t prepared. It hurt he ached, the last time he spoke with his fa¡with Chord they had words¡harsh words¡He accused him of not loving him of now having faith or trust in him and the man tried to assure him of his faith in him¡and yet¡No!? None of that!?? He had words with Harrison and she told him he had failed his baby girl, his first true love¡He longed to be with his sister growing up because she was the most beautiful woman he knew growing up and she loved his Stanky drawers¡? Till the end, in the end, he had pushed too far and he was a selfish bastard that wanted to not see how weak he was. He let his libido lead him rather than the head on his shoulders.? He had let her down¡even then. It hurt as he looked at those in the room.? There was no time for tears!? He had to rise to the occasion and he had to be the leader.? It wasn¡¯t a choice, they needed him.? In truth, he had to focus on getting everything clear and taken care of.
?He looked at the group and he watched each of them.? He felt Mia close to him.? ¡°Thank I am good.¡±? He knew she was trying, he was ok with Mia being there but he knew what was possibly taken from her.? He touched her shoulder,? it was more out of reflex as if he had been trained to do it the smile was rather mechanical.? He was all but dead inside, the only family he had left was his brother who was at times his arch-nemesis.? He wasn¡¯t sure how he was going to tell him¡how to tell him that he had remained and still had not been there to protect them and now¡all of them were gone¡he was unsure what to do.? He needed to run the team and put them together to defend the city.? It was what he would have wanted, he wasn¡¯t sure what to do after they were all trained.? Right now he was fully focused on trying to do what was best for others.
He needed to put in the work.? He breathed realizing¡it was hard because there was now a hole in his chest where his heart should have been.? He was wanting to breakdown but it wasn¡¯t the time or the place.
?¡°Thank you? Kites, I am good!¡±? He said with a smile that was not him.? It was as fake as a four dollar bill, but no one knew him not even the woman that was his lover so they wouldn¡¯t know the life he was facing now was nothing like he would have ever expected the person that he was supposed to be and needed to be was to be.? Was with those that were gone.? He breathed as he looked at those before him.? ?¡°Ms. Macamber, I need an ETA on being in this room, the PR person?? Where are we with that?¡±? He asked his tone was focused but devoid of warmth as he did his best to hold himself together.? ¡°The will should be in the wall safe or on his laptop .¡±? He said as he looked out the window, he was calm¡he was the center of the hurricane.? He didn¡¯t have to stay¡he could have just ignored protocol and just left, but that would have proved what, that he wasn¡¯t worthy of being the leader.? They needed him to be that person right now he was that person even though it was killing him.? He wanted to destroy and wreck everything and everyone's insight, his family was gone and his own selfishness was the cause.? Had he been there they might have sent him instead and they might still be here.? He can¡¯t get that time back with them.
(NPC Macamber)
The security officer was listening to Kites and then to Brandon with one ear but was also paying attention to the earpiece feeding her information in her other ear.? After a moment she turned to address Kites.? "That will not be necessary.? Certain... precautions... taken by Mister Chord have allowed us to determine your whereabouts over the last several days as well as any person or persons you might have had contact with.? Enough so that I can now say that none of you are under any immediate suspicion.? We will continue to review the data as we widen our search, but as of now you are all free to go."? The door to the room clicked as it unlocked and opened just slightly. Looking the group over as if satisfying herself of something, she finally nodded and added "Though I do recommend that you stay in the facility for your own safety.? We finished the security sweep and the building has now been cleared."
Looking to Brandon, Macamber went on.? "PR is working on a press release but is holding off inquiries with a generic non-statement for the time being.? We are working as swiftly as possible to have the will read and processed, but it appears that the terms your father set out require both you and your brother - Raine? - to be present.? We are attempting to locate him but unfortunately we do not have the same resources to find him that we did for tracking you.? If you know where he can be found, we would appreciate anything you could tell us."
"That is all for now," she said, once again addressing the group as a whole.? "I will be in the Security offices for the time being as we pursue our investigations.? If you have any further questions, you can contact me there." She hesitated a moment, then added in a business-like tone "Again, I'm sorry for your individual losses.? You were important to Mister Chord and the organization will not forget that."? With that, she turned and exited the room.
?
(Gen)
Gen relaxed a bit when Kites held her and assured her that she could stay with him.? "Thank you," she whispered, hugging him instinctively.? After a few moments, she collected herself, wiping her tears away, feeling very self-conscious with the others in the room around her and Kites.? "Sorry," she mumbled to no one in particular as she stood up.
The androgyne watched as Macamber left the room.? The words "hostile intent" kept nipping at the back of her mind.? There was something there, something important, something she needed to remember.? Something she'd seen?? Heard?? Sensed somehow?? But what?? If she thought about it long enough, maybe it'd come to her.
"I'll go with you, whenever you're ready, Kites," she said quietly, staying close to his side.? "I think I need to lie down for a bit... to try and get my head back together."? She looked around apologetically for her vagueness.? "I know I know something.? I just don't know what it is."
Luukasama