Take two[Cali]

[rector]

The dark alley in the filthy streets of New York definitely was not Landon's element. He didn't even recall ever being in such a location. Uowever, as unfortunate as it was, when you really want something done, you have to do whatever it takes. His plans for the Globe were beginning to bloom. His research would soon prove useful as he slowly began to put together the pieces to his success, it was too bad that some pieces were in the dark corners. The moonlight shined down upon him as he walked through the empty open streets of the night. Although the area was a bit short on life forms, the business man stood out.

He finally stopped and turned to face a pretty wide alley. He walked a bit into it, looking around. He knew for sure that he would find the person he was looking for here, his sources were always right, and if they weren't then he just had someone to get rid of. The girl he was looking for was the second big thing he had planned, another blooming project in his garden of revolution. "Alright, come out. I know you are here, and you know you can't hide from me. I'm not here to harm you." He looked around, waiting for the girl to walk out and expose herself. If she didn't he'd just have to tear the walls down.

[cali]

Cali sighed as she hung up her phone. She'd just called Cal to let him know she'd gotten away from the hero. She closed her eyes and sighed as she leaned against the wall. She'd been flying for a long time trying to get away from that damned hero. Lifting her head, she gasped a little as she heard someone coming and ducked behind the nearest dumpster, pressing herself as far into the shadow as she could. This wasn't the most ideal hiding place, but she didn't have time to find something better. She wasn't sure she COULD find something better as tired as she was.

She listened silently to every footstep. He wasn't being cautious, not like a cop. She leaned up a little and peered as best she could over the edge of the dumpster, getting a look at the man. She frowned a little as she saw him. A business man? What was a guy like that doing in a disgusting alley? Then he started talking, calling her out of hiding. She frowned and sat back against the wall, thinking for a few moments. If she went out there, she could be very well walking into a trap. But on the other hand, this guy was just a businessman, what harm could he do? She could just fly away to escape anyway. Sighing, she decided to risk it all and she stood up, stepping slowly out from behind the dumpster.

"I think you've wandered into the wrong place, dude. The doors to the office building are around the corner."

She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to put a tough face on, despite how tired she was. If this guy was trying to trap her or something, she could just fly away. That's what she always did.

[rector]

He watched as the very odd looking girl stepped out from a hiding space. He knew that this was a mutant that was deformed, but she had absolutely no chance of blending in with others, neither did her brother he assumed. The altered hair and skin pigmentation did not take anything away from the girl's beauty, had she a normal color palette she'd turn men's heads in a more positive way. Her looks wasn't what Landon was after anyway, it was her amazing ability that drew him to her.

She seemed to be under the impression that he wasn't actually after her, that was the wrong impression. Of course him being in a place like this would cause confusion, but he thought it'd cause more suspiscion, it's a bit sad actually. He straightened out his tie then spoke, "Actually, I no longer let official offices chain my ambition. You should know about that, Cali. You're quite the rebel yourself." He knew that stating her name would rattle some chains, he just hoped he didn't scare her off with that, some people had the mind set to flee toward the other direction. He paced forward a bit, stoping a short distance from her. "I am not lost, I am right where I need to be." he kept his eyes on her.

[cali]

She watched him warily as he examined her, starting to realize he wasn't here by accident. She swallowed a little, shifting a bit in place as he spoke. When he named her, she froze, staring at him as he walked towards her. She took a couple steps back, unfolding her arms, ready to touch him if she needed to. He was after her... why would he be after her? What was going on here?

"Who are you? How do you know my name?"

She took a couple steps back, trying to keep her composure. She wouldn't show her fear. That would cause nothing but trouble. But if he knew who she and Cal were, then he could easily know where they live, he could tell the police where their penthouse was. She couldn't allow him to do that. She had to find some way to keep him from naming them.

[rector]

Landon chuckled a bit at the girl's surprise. If naming her was all it took to get her quivering, then this was going to be much simpler. He was in a position of power now, he could tell he intimidated her in one way or another, he had her in the palm of his hand. He answered Cali's question, "There aren't many things in this world that can be hidden from me, Cali, yourself included. My name isn't important at the moment. You can call me Rector for now." He walked closer to her, coming face to face. She wasn't going anywhere, Landon knew her and her brother's names. They had been able to stay under the police's radar, but Landon was much better than that. Even worse was that if Landon could find her now, he could find her again. He figured she was smart enough to know that.

He paced around her, examining her front and back. She truly was a beautfiul woman, but that was beside his focus. He had to get her to where he wanted her, and even with his position of control that would take quite some convincing if he wanted it done quietly. He stood in front of her again and stretched his arm a bit to lightly rub inder the girl's chin. "It's simple, Cali. I need you." It was more Landon'd character to speak in more possessive terms, but she wasn't some child he could nab either way. He spoke to her like this, knowing it could possibly mean something to her or even Landon himself for that matter. "I've spent a lot of time looking for you, Cali. You're surprisingly difficult to find, even for me. But now that I've found you, I need you with me." He looked into her eyes, hoping her reaction this time wouldn't be as veiolent as when he appeared.

[cali]

She shifted a little, watching as he spoke to her. He was frightening her. She just didn't know what to think. She frowned a little at his name. What kind of a name was Rector? Of course, she called herself Patron and Cal was Puppetmaster, so he probably had some good reason for that kind of name. Though he hardly looked like a religious man. She turned a little as he started walking around her, then slapped his hand away as he touched her chin, taking a couple steps back. This wasn't good. He was backing her into a corner, literally. If she was backed into the wrong place, she couldn't fly away.

"Need me? Need me for what? I'm just a thief!"

She grit her teeth as he kept talking, going on about finding her and again with the needing. What was with this guy? If he wanted powers, she'd be glad to give them to him. She wondered if he knew just how painful getting powers from her could be. She held her hands up in front of her, palms out, and they started to glow. She wouldn't let him scare her anymore. She'd gotten out of worse jams than this. Hell, she'd just escaped from an Iron hero who could fly a million times faster than her. She could get away from this creepy guy.

"The only one who needs me is my brother. I don't care what you want, I'm not doing it."

[rector]

Of course she was going to get violent, why would Landon ever even hope otherwise. He guessed it didn't hurt to wonder now and then, but still her reaction was so obvious. He still found himself with an amused smile, the mutant was being so stubborn and stood in the dark, but Landon was much more stubborn and even further enlightened. He flicked his hand to the side as if he was getting rid of e negative energy that came with the smack of the hand. "But it's such a shame that you keep yourself to that title. In my eyes, you are much more than just a common thief, you are one of the most important people to exist on this Earth." To Landon, that could actually be true. He considered Cali's inclusion in his plans vital.

He was amused further by Cali's devotion to her brother.Being an only child, Landon of course never understood any sense of brotherhood or sibling responsibility. As far as Landon knew, Cal was the muscle of the two. Even if he didn't already have this information, it was obvious to anyone who saw the two. She had almost nothing to contribute to their criminal life-style, why would she think he needed her at all? "Ahh, but is it more so that you need him? Although your abilities are most desires by someone like myself, they can't truly contribute to helping your brother survive in any way. His powers alone make him an incredible threat, while you're stuck to either getting in his way or hiding. He doesn't need you dear, you need him." Landon was aware on how down right evil he sounded, making her sound like an obstacle in her brother's path, but this was necessary for him to move forward.

[cali]

She grit her teeth as he just waved his hand, seeming to dismiss her words. She was getting really tired of this. What was with this guy? And why didn't she just fly away? She... she actually had to admit, she was curious about this man. Then he surprised her. One of the most important people? She stood up a little straighter, surprised, a little curious. Why was he being so insistent about all this? She just didn't understand.

"Important? What the hell are you talking about? I'm not important, I'm nothing. I'm just a thief, I can't even do anything useful."

Then he started to talk about her brother, talking about how unimportant she really was. She grit her teeth angrily. She wasn't useless. Cal needed her. Even if he didn't realize it. He needed her to stop him from killing everyone he ever saw. She was the closest thing he had to a conscience. She shook her head, she wouldn't let him talk to her like that. She wouldn't take it.

"You're wrong! He needs me more than anything. You don't know him!"

She lurched forward, grabbing at his face. She was tired of this. She was going to get away from him whether he liked it or not. She'd do what she always did. She'd give him powers, then while he was writhing in pain, she'd fly away. It was her best strategy, her only strategy, really. It'd never failed her before.

[rector]

He saw the hand coming toward his face, even though she only had one form of offense, it was still utterly useless. He may not be a combat expert, but he had more under his belt than she did, to think she could surprise him like that. Gaining powers of course would be the dream of many people in the world, but Landon didn't quite fancy them at the moment, especially since he knew it would mean losing the chance to take her. He moved to the side, dodging her hand and reached his own hand forward, grabbing her near the neck and pushing her against the wall. He was a bit angry now that she wouldn't resolve this peacefully, but that wasn't going to stop him at all from succeeding.

"Oh, please. Don't try and act like your brother's little caretaker when it's your fault he's in the position he's in anyway. What, did you think nobody would figure it out? You have two powers, he has only one. Being twins, he'd have a second as well by taking advantage of your own powers, but the reason he doesn't have another is because he took advantage of your ability to attain his power in the first place. If you hadn't given in and given your brother his powers, you two wouldn't be where you are now. If anything, you're Cal's biggest obstacle in life."

Like he has said many times before, there wasn't much in this world he couldn't figure out. While he didn't know the exact story, he could but together the pieces of the puzzle to get most of the picture. Going from Xavier students to thugs was a huge step down, and he could only assume it was his fault because of his powers, he had many sources to help him out. He went in real close now to whisper in her ear.

"You know I'm right. Now either you allow me to remove you from his path, or I'll remove him from everybody else's. Your choice."

It was sad he had to resort to threats and violence, but he wasn't going to sit by while he let the future slip away from his fingers.

[cali]

She screamed as he pushed her into the wall, the wind forced from her lungs. She struggled against him as he held her there, but as he started to speak, she looked back at him, trembling a little. She groaned and started trying to shove against him, pushing against the wall. She didn't want to hear this. She knew Cal's insanity was her fault. She'd given him his powers too soon. She had been terrified for years that he would look past his loyalty to her and figure that out. She groaned and tried to push against him as he said she was Cal's biggest obstacle.

"No! We work together, we do everything to help each other!"

She panted a little as he leaned in, trying to turn in his grip and get away, but she froze as she heard his threat. She looked back at him as best she could, her eyes wide in fear. She couldn't let him kill Cal, he was the only thing she had in the world. She closed her eyes and took a couple shaky breaths. She hated this, hated that she'd been caught by some random jerk on the street when she'd just escaped from an Iron hero. Finally, she relaxed and stopped struggling.

"Fine... I'll go with you."

[rector]

A pleasant smile of satisfaction came across his face. Although resorting to methods he didn't want to use, he got what he needed, that was fine by him. He slowly let go of her and rubbed her shoulders softly. It was hard for him to feel bad for someone that prevented him from completeing his goals, but he did feel just a bit regretful of being so vicious, of course this was overshadowed by the possibilities that would come with her cooperation. He removed his hands and straightened out his jacket.

"I'm glad I can bring you to an understanding. I'm sorry I had to get so violent with you, but..sometimes it's just so difficult for people to see the light."

He brought his wrist to his mouth and spoke into his cuff.

"Ready for pick-up."

"Yes, sir."

He paced around the alley for a little bit, staying near Cali. This was good, he was definitely making good progress. It wouldn't be long before he had his projects up and running. Of course he took Cali's brother into account. He would go insane looking for her, but of course he would never be able to find her on his own which would be all he had to work with. As he mentioned before, Cal had a great power, one Landon could use to his advantage. A bit more than the key to his work, Landon had a piece to manipulate one who could manipulate other in case he needed it. It was a very prodcutive night. A slick black SUV pulled up to the alley.

"Ahh, our ride is here. Come, Cali. You'll soon find that, when you cooperate, I can be a very generous man."

A man in high tech bodyarmor with a concussive rifle exited the passenger's side and walked around to the side facing them. He opened the back seat, revealing the interior of the car. Landon walked to stand next to his employee. He smiled and gestured tot he interior.

"A greater tomorrow awaits you, Cali."

[cali]

She grit her teeth as he started rubbing her shoulders and shrugged his hands off, looking back at him with a glare. She would cooperate, but she didn't like this. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked around, knowing she couldn't escape. She was sure she could get the jump and fly away, but she was sure he would follow through on his threat. She leaned back against the wall, glaring at the ground. And there was no way she could tell Cal either. She took her phone out and stared at it for a few moments. She started tapping away on it, trying to leave a note to Cal. She wanted to tell him she was ok, that she'd be back soon, she just hoped this guy would let her do it.

She looked around, then tossed the phone in the trash, knowing Cal could find it by the GPS. She looked over at Landon as the SUV drove up. She stood and started towards it. She hoped this would be quick and painless. Whatever this weirdo wanted, she'd take the first chance to get away. She got into the car and scooted over to the opposite side, crossing her legs and glaring out the window. She was quiet for a moment as the car started to drive. She glanced over at Landon, then back out the window.

"So what the hell do you want anyway?"

[rector]

He watched Cali get into the car, following behind her. He got himself comfortable while the guard closed the door. The driver's and passenger's seat was sealed away from the back seat with a blak wall that one would assume was made of glass, but it was much stronger than that. One couldn't tell the guard got back to his seat until they began to drive. The locks were not seen on the door, but it was obvious that the door would be locked, or at least Landon figured it was pretty obvious. He watched the girl look out the window, if he continued to allow the sight then it'd probably hurt him in the end. He touched his own window, a ring of blue light surrounding where he touched it to confirm his actions. The touch screen windows were a pretty good idea, and admittedly pretty damn cool to have. They were also useful of course.

After touching the window, his and Cali's window went black, showing their reflections in them. This, of course, prohibited Cali from seeing where they were going. He entangled his fingers together and rested his hands on his lap, looking at Cali. He finally decided to shed some more light on what he intended. "It's simple, I want you. Well, more specifically what you have, but that involves you." he inched closer to her, speaking in a softer tone."You have an amazing ability, Cali. Who else in the world has the power to unlock the genetic secrets of man? The answer is; nobody. I'm taking you to my base so that I can further study your ability's origins and be able to utilize it. But don't worry, none of it will hurt you in the slightest." Landon looked at the glass blocking the front and then at Cali, there weren't many places he could look anyway. He got a bit excited thinking about the possibilities of studying Cali, showing a slight smile.

[cali]

Cali frowned a little as the windows went black, then she looked back over at Landon. So wherever they were going, it was a secret. She hated secrets. She looked over at him as he started to explain what he wanted. She crossed her arms over her chest and watched him silently as he put on his little show for her. She didn't react as he moved closer, undaunted by his behavior. She'd dealt with this sort of thing in prison before, one weirdo in a limo wouldn't bug her. He finished his explanation by promising that she wouldn't be hurt. She thought for a few moments, then looked back up at him.

"Fine. I'll cooperate. What's in it for me?"

She cocked her head to the side, narrowing her eyes at him. She glanced around the blacked out limo, then back at him.

"And I want to call my brother. If I disappear, he'll go berserk, and if he does that he'll get hurt. I don't want him to get hurt."

She knew Cal would go nuts trying to find her if she didn't get a chance to contact him, though she was honestly more worried for the innocents who would get in his way than for his safety. But she couldn't admit that to this stranger. She had to appear cold, uncaring for innocent lives. She had to show him she could be completely evil. If he didn't believe her, then she didn't know what she'd do.

[rector]

What was in it for her? Landon wasn't an ungrateful man. She had come along with him quietly for the most part, so he had to give her something of course. He actually sympathized with her a bit, he knew that her and her brother's current lifestyle was a bit difficult, so why not spread the love? Since she was so nice about going along with him, and didn't have anywhere else to go anyway, he planned on keeping her close to him and allowing her to benefit financially from him, possibly holding a high place in society when he was successful. He was thinking to far ahead, perhaps he should just start with supporting her during her time of cooperation. He finally spoke his bargain.

"As long as you are under my time you will be cared for extensively. In the future, I have hopes that I can allow you a higher place in society."

He was tempted to look away as she asked for a call to her brother, if he would've looked away then she'd know something was going on. He actually had plans for her brother, plans that didn't involve contact with her. Of course he couldn't tell her any of this, it'd just throw them off course, so he had to lie.

"You'll get the chance to call him in due time, for now we can get to where we need to go first, I'm sure he won't realize you're gone yet."

He had to let her call him soon, but by then everything would be set into motion. He would also hope that after all of this was done he could have Cal be with his sister and help them out, they seemed like okay enough people to help out, especially with everything he can get done thanks to her.

"Maybe soon your brother can also be taken care of, who knows?"

He looked at the blank window in front of him, they must be getting closer now.