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Alicia leans against the wall next to the Hot Topic storefront at the mall, waiting for her partners in crime to arrive.

She's decked out in her mall-crawl outfit. Scuffed Doc Martens on her feet, black torn fishnet stockings and short denim pants on her legs, dark-red sleeveless "wife-beater" T-shirt sporting an unidentifiable symbol over a fishnet under-shirt for the top. Cloth gloves bristling with snaps and belts cover her hands all the way up her forearms. She's back to wearing shades, but a pair of goggles rest on her neck.

She's already suffered the scrutiny of a couple of mall security guards, but other than that she's comfortable just hanging out.

OOC:  Let me know if Sammy is summoned along for the adventure.

OOC: I guess that'd be up to Colin. Alicia'd have no problem having Sammy along. They can try out the new DDR game in the arcade. >:D

OOC: Honestly, Colin got the distinct impression Sammy didn't feel like coming, or prefered to do something else. He doesn't think of calling her unless they need firepower.

Sarah is suddenly there, coming from the direction of the public restroom. A few moments later, Colin joins them too. The weird part is that from Alicia's point of observation, there was simply no way she could have missed them if they entered the mall from the main entrance, and then went to the restroom.

"Hi." Colin says. "You got the pics I sent, right? If Laney's right, we can find Trent around here. Otherwise, I have his address. So, let's take a look around."

Alicia entertains herself with the thought of the two of them poit-ing into one of the restrooms and wondering which one, boys or girls, they'd arrive in.

She peels herself off the wall. "Yeah, I saw the photo. I should be able to pick him out. You said he might be checking out videogames. I can hit the arcade and EB's. If neither of us sees him, we can meet up at FYE's."

Alicia has the mall pretty well mapped out. She knows where all the exits are, public or otherwise.

EB is the store Trent is in.  He's looking through the cheap games bin.  If Alicia hadn't seen it done a thousand times she'd have missed it, he popped one of the game disks out of the case and slipped it into his coat, but he did it so fast she only knows because she caught the set up and closure of the act.

OOC:  OK, Sammy will come if she's needed.  She's feeling extraneous right now.  Adding her power set to the mix you have between the three of you seems unnecessary to her -- you've already got it all covered between you.

OOC: Technically, it would've been Colin or Sarah that caught him there, since I wrote she'd be checking out the arcade. I'll edit my previous post to make it work.

Alicia speed-dials Colin. As soon as he answers, she whispers, "Col? Got him. He's in EB shoplifting. Should I pick him up or just tail him?"

"In EB what? Oh. Keep him there until we arrive, if you can, otherwise just tail him. It's not our business. We only have to talk to him."

Alicia chuckles. "No problem. You might want to hurry; I don't know how long I can hold back my violent tendencies," she purrs teasingly.

Keeping the line open, she walks into the store and positions herself a short distance from Trent. She absently scans the titles on a display as she focuses her other senses to maintain a fix on his position. Her nose twitches as she tags his scent. Ugh! What is he? Allergic to deodorant?

Colin enters EB and for a moment pretends to be checking the games beside Davis. Then he speaks, just loud enough to be heard by him (and Alicia, of course).

"Trent Davis? Have you got a few minutes spare for a chat?" He says, casually showing a ten dollar bill in his left hand.

Trent looks at Colin, then around.  "I know you.  You're that kid that other kids die around when you chat with them."  He drops the game he's looking at and turns towards Colin.  "What do you want anyway?"

To Colin's defence, it must be said that he barely flinches.

"Only those who try to kill me first. I'd like to talk about your shrink."

"What about him?"  Trent is obviously not someone with a lot of patience.

"Did he pay you to burn down that lawyer's office, or he just hypnotized you?"

Colin keeps on whispering, but he closely observes his reactions.

"If you have no idea what I'm talking about, he messed with your mind."

"Sure.  And rabbits are gonna start hopping out of my ass next right?  Is there some point to you wasting my time?"

"Oh, no point, I guess. You're right. Why lose five minutes now, instead of five years in the Flats? I hear it's lovely. Sunny and dry. For one who makes fire, it must be heaven."

Trent squints at Colin.  "You're fucking weird dude."  he says, and begins to leave the store.

Colin looks up at Sarah, to the other side of the counter, and nods.

"Make him remember."

Alicia is standing at the entrance to the store, neutral stance, arms loose, blocking Trent's way.

"Listen to the dude, chulo. He's got your number."

Gosh darn it Colin I might not be able to do this!  If it's hypnotism I'm not sure if I can get him to step past that.  Still I have the advantage of not minding looking like a dork in front of this guy. Sarah, quiet so far calls out to Trent with a strange tone in her voice.  Soft but compelling.  "Trent, I think deep down you know what we're talking about.  Maybe hidden from you by someone or maybe something you didn't want to face before.  You'd really like to have a chance to talk about it to us.  You've heard we can help and that we can keep you safe."

OOC:  Good gosh, I haven't used any abilities in so long I have to go hunting for them..
Mental Transformation 3 
Also - sorry so quiet.  Busiest Day was today.  Hoping for some quiet weekend time. 

As he's distracted by the girls, Colin puts a hand on Trent's shoulder, for two reasons. One, if Sarah needs a bit of help or guidance for her powers to work, he's going to provide it, like he did when Sheila had the same problem. Two, even if that doesn't work, he could have a glimpse of Trent's past.

Alicia tenses, ever so slightly. If the dime is going to drop, it's at this point.

Colin's action complicates things. She now has to worry about him getting hurt as well as dealing with whatever Trent decides to do.

There is a moment when it seems like nothing happened.  Then Trent blinks.  "What the fuck?"  He exclaims.  Colin sees the events of the arson rush across Trent's mind.  Trent's body temp rises and Colin sees Strange explaining to Trent, who looks to be asleep, what he wants him to do.  Go to the office, burn it down.  Forget all about it.  But there is something worse, "If you're ever found out, if you remember doing it, you should immolate yourself."  And they feel his temp continue to rise.  Colin will have to pull his hand back or it will be burned.

The hairs on the back of Alicia's neck rise and her lips pull back into a snarl. She can feel it; it's about to go bad.

"Colin?" she asks warningly, teeth clenched, all semblance of calm stripped away as she crouches into a combat stance.

"Sorry, Trent." Jack thought him, but he never had to. Now he has no time to think about it. He takes his hand away from Trent's shoulder, and without forewarning, buries his other fist in the boy's solar plexus. Hopefully, he can't burn himself and the mall down if he can't breathe.

"A fire extinguisher! Now! Quick!" he shouts, to whoever cares listening.

Then he takes Trent's face in his hands, no matter how burning it already his.

"Trent!" he shouts in his face, boring into his eyes. "You can stop yourself! You're stronger than this! Don't let him fuck you up!" he shouts at him with that voice bigger than himself.

Trent gasps for air, and the heat continues to build.  Colin grabs the boys head, looking into him.  The floor tiles begin to buckle and blacken around Trent's feet from the heat.

OOC: Giving the others a chance to react before I check the resolution.

OOC: Is the lake within port range?  Hard to immolate when you're battling against near freezing water temperatures and the onset of hypothermia.  If so Sarah will take a burned hand to drop them in the drink.  If not... Staff Strike  1d20+4=11 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2128605/)  DC: 18 for Blast 13 for Drain Will.  Did that make sense?

OOC: As a full round action you can push the range of a quick port that far.  Which will land all three of you in the drink.  Four if you take the cat lady (Wet AND cold thank you very much!).  Or, I can make the saves and see what happens.

OOC: .... better not.  Besides if I wipe out from the cold anyone else could be in big big trouble. 

Sarah summons her staff and strikes at Trent hoping to shatter his power building. 

OOC: I hope that won't be necessary and that Trent stops on his own. Otherwise chances are Colin gets shocked too.

That would be fun. :)

OOC:  Sammy's flying around, prolonging the nice buzzy feeling she got from Elrod.  She can scoop you out of the lake if you need it.  But you're doing just fine.

As the heat ramps up and the floor tiles begin to blacken Sarah snaps her staff into being and cracks Trent across the back with it.  There is a flutter of his eye lids and he arches his back from the blow, then collapses.  His temp begins to drop, but the damage has already been done to Colin's hands.  And now, lots of people are looking your way.

OOC: Great. I choose to go do other things when the exciting stuff happens. :P

The world turns white as Alicia empties the contents of a fire extinguisher at Trent's fallen form.The task finished, she tosses the empty canister aside and checks the damage.

Is Trent still alive?

Alicia yells, "Dammit, Colin! A little more info next time would be appreciated, not to mention getting the hell out of the way..." She stops when she sees Colin's hands, sucking her breath in surprise.

Colin is probably in shock. He looks at Sarah, at Alicia, at the people gathering around and at his blistered hands.

"There is something wrong with me." he whispers.

Sarah looks up from Trent, her staff vanishing. 


"Colin!" cries Sarah spotting his burns.  She looks at Alicia and says, "Express to the ER is now departing."

She touches all three and closes her eyes clearly remembering the way to the hospital. 

Alicia deftly disengages from Sarah's reach.

"Go, take him," she urges Sarah. Glancing at Trent's prone body. "Someone needs to stay behind and clean up."

Sarah pauses and shakes her head, "No... he may need medical help as well.  I'm taking them both to the ER.  Can you come?  Keep an eye on Trent and get a hold of Sammy and Sylvia?  Please?" 

She holds her hand out to Alicia. 

A moment later she takes the boys and goes.  Hopefully with Alicia.

Alicia hesitates. The idea of taking the perp, especially one with such damaging potential, into an environment full of innocent bystanders, doesn't sit well with her. Just the idea of being in a hospital (again) unsettles her.

But introspection has never been a habit for her. With a curt nod, she picks up Trent in a fireman's carry and stands ready for transport.

Sarah has made this trip too often for someone her age.  They arrive without error.  The doctors immediately begin to look after the two boys.

Despite the pain, all the while Colin is very silent, docile and calm. He seems sometimes lost in his thoughts, sometimes even relieved.

More than a few eyebrows rise when the doctors realize he's been recovered for burns less than a week ago too. A call is made for someone from psychiatry to visit him.

Sarah starts following the doctor with Colin but stops and turns back to Alicia.  She gives a small smile and says, "Thanks for coming Alicia.  I'm worried Trent may start heating up again or tossing fire around and if he's behind a curtain with the doctors you're the only one who'll know what's happening and be able to get there in time to hopefully stop it."

She nods to the girl and turns to go hover over Colin or be as close as she can without getting in the way.  Much.

The Alicia that looks back at her seems... different. She gives another curt nod, and moves over to Colin, ignoring her and whatever other doctors and nurses are about. She acts is if they're the ones in the way.

"Colin, if we're going to keep this from being another cluster f**k, I need information. What the hell happened?" she asks, in a level, clipped no-nonsense manner.

Colin doesn't look up at her and his voice is eerily calm, as the doctors inspect his hands.

"Trent is a paranormal, probably a pyrokinetic. He makes heat. Strange sent him to burn down Gerald Tanner's office, and made him forget about it. And not contented with that, he was to immolate himself if he ever remembered. Clever. I wouldn't have thought of that."

Sarah says, "That's horrible!  Oh god, didn't he and Sammy chat a few times?  I'm so glad I never went to him.  Could Sammy be a time bomb?" 

The doctor begins to medicate him, and Colin doesn't even flinch.

"Unlikely, if he did his homework. You could check on her like Sylvia did, to be on the safe side, but you see, Sammy doesn't make for a good bomb, unless you plan on being on the other hemisphere when she goes off."

"Sammy's clean. Syl's already checked," Alicia assures them.

She frowns. "There's no guarantee Trent won't self-destruct when he wakes up. He'll need to stay under until someone can defuse him."

She looks at the medics around them with mistrust. "The grown-ups won't take my word for it. We need someone with authority. Besides, if Flame Lad can remember without turning into ash, we got ourselves testimony against Strange."

She looks straight at Colin. "Time to bring in the Law, Col. Who's your contact with the cops?"

"Are you sure? Strange has at least two ways of defense against that testimony. One, he can say Sarah put those things in Trent's head. Two, he can say Trent is prone to hallucinations. He's his psychiatrist after all. I bet he has some documents redacted by Tanner with Trent's fingerprints on them, to show Trent was obsessing about his therapist and wished to defend him from some sort of perceived danger."

"Jesus, Colin! What more do you want? F**king home movies with Strange munching on brains with some fava beans and a bottle of Chianti?" Alicia yells, exasperated. The doctor looks at her in consternation, and Alicia gives him a look that screams "F**k off".

"We need to make sure Trent doesn't decide to barbecue himself and half the damn ER when he wakes up. There's also the fact that as soon as the news of what happened at the mall reaches Strange's ears, he'll know the jig is up and cover his ass. This is the best we're gonna get."

Colin shrugs and points to his jacket, unable to retrieve his phone.

"Chris O'Brian. 3 to speed-dial. Sammy can stop him, if it comes to this."

Alicia sighs gratefully, "Thank you!"

She mutters as she walks over, "Oh God, I'm actually thanking him for letting me call the cops. Somebody shoot me."

She fishes out the phone, shows it to Colin and walks out to the hall. She punches the number, and waits for an answer.

Sarah grimaces at Alicia's back after she explodes at Colin.  I'm just grateful she can't pick up internal monologue with that hearing.  Cripes what is her problem half the time?  Seriously does she have distemper or something?  Ah forget it.  She came with me.  She's trying to help.  Bitch.  Helpful bitch.  Gah!

Instead she looks at Colin with concern and says, "I wish I could hold your hand.  What can I do?"  She bites her lower lip in worry over her boy.  She wasn't there for him the last time.  She'd been off in her own little world and Colin got hurt.  Okay, I mean I know I'm not responsible for him.  I'm not his bodyguard but...  I just don't want to see him get hurt.  Though he seems to be taking it pretty well.  I'd be crying my eyes out.

"Hey Colin."  is the response when the phone is answered.  "What's up?"

Colin isn't able to look up at her. He whispers, and his voice gets even lower, on the verge of cracking.

"There's something wrong with me." he repeats. "Please, help me figure out why I do this to myself."

Alicia tries to make this as quick and painless as possible. "Chris O'Brian? This is a friend of Colin's. We need your help."

"Okay Alicia, what's wrong, and where are you?"  Chris' voice sounds urgent and Alicia is sure he's gotten out of a chair and is on the move.

Crap. How does this guy know my name? She files that away for later.

Breathlessly, she spills it all out. "We're at County General. Listen closely. There's a boy, name of Trent Davis, we brought in with burn damage. He's a paranormal, a pie-roh... a firestarter. We think he's responsible for that fire in the lawyer's office. But he wasn't working on his own. You gotta tell the doctors here stat that he needs to be kept sedated; if he wakes up, chances are he'll try to hurt himself, and a lot of people around him.

"Colin's here, too; as usual, he got too close. He's fine, but he won't be playing the piano for a while. He can explain it all with a heck more detail." There's a pause as her ears catch the words spoken in the room. "I gotta go now," she says as she snaps the phone closed and marches back in the room.

Interrupting whatever Sarah has to say, Alicia tosses the phone on the gurney, peels her shades off, and pushes close so that she's looking at Colin form inches away, her pupils narrowed to slits in her blazing eyes.

She snarls, "Listen to me, you damned idiot. I know why you keep doing this to yourself. Because there is something wrong with you. You have this goddamned hare-brained idea that every person in this world has good in him despite all evidence to the contrary. So you keep leaving yourself wide open and getting hurt."

She jerks her chin to indicate his hands. "This is nothing. You keep going the way you're going, you're going to get beaten, shot, stabbed, drowned, burned, take your pick. Children will laugh at you, women will cross the street to get away from you, men will spit in your face."

Alicia takes a deep, ragged breath and her voice softens, her next words almost whispered. "But you'll also, against all f**king odds, find that good and help it blossom and grow, even if it's only in one or two hearts. And maybe, just maybe, some little girl will be able to grow happy and healthy with loving parents and friends."

The voice hardens again. "The question you need to ask yourself, Spirit-Talker, is if all that pain and sorrow is worth it. 'Cause if it's not, you're better off getting off that bus right now and handing back your ticket."

Alica stands back up, her jaw clenched and her eyes glistening. She puts her shades back on. She says, her voice rough, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to let the group know what's going down so we can go kick some chrome-dome's ass."

She stalks out of the room.

OOC: GM error, I thought you identified yourself.  No biggie, pretend he didn't say your name.

"I'm on my way."  Is Chris' reply.

The staff have begun to work on Colin's hands, being careful with them as they dress the burns. 

A couple of minutes later two uniformed police from Oak Park arrive to watch over Trent.  About ten minutes later Colin's mother arrives, and not long after Chris arrives.  Colin's mother comes to sit by his side.  She offers comfort, but doesn't ask what happened.

Alicia weaves her through the busy corridors with practiced ease, not trusting herself to speak until she's managed to exit the hospital itself and take big gulps of fresh evening air.

Once she has her whirlpool of emotions back down to its usual level of slow turbulence, she opens her phone and calls Sylvia.

Colin just takes the blast of Alicia's words, and watches her storm away.

"Wow. That's not what I meant, but I guess that helped too. I'll have to thank her."

He turns to Sarah.

"I knew it would hurt. He was already warming up. I could have let go, but I didn't. I'm afraid a part of me wanted it to hurt."

He stops, unsure of how to go on.

Sarah lets Alicia's talk slide again, especially after Colin says he should thank her.  Shlooks at Colin a bit confused.  I thought he was the one who had it all together and I was the confused one? 

She says, "Why would you want to get hurt?"  She smiles a little.  "I almost grabbed him and dumped us in the lake.  Only thing is that I realized that the icy water might stop me from porting out and then we'd drown before Sammy or Donnie could swoop in to the rescue.  I'm glad he went down fast.  If he'd burned up... I don't know what I would have done."  She goes around behind Colin and leans against him a bit and kisses the back of his head.

She breaths in Colin's good mix of scents and sits quietly for a moment.  "Y'know, I think Alicia took that line from Princess Bride.  All she left out was the bit about leaving you your ears."

Colin gets a little stiff at first. It takes a while for him to relax.

"I'm sorry. I'm so stupid. I wanted to help you, with the tattoo. I can almost see it already. I think it'll be beautiful. And, well, sexy. And look at what I did. I'm so sorry. I knew you would stop him. I wan't afraid, but... "

"You're not stupid.  You are wonderful, and smart and kind.  You always try to help everyone.  No matter who they are.  You are the best person I know.  Which is sort of what Alicia said... in her own... special way.  Don't worry about the tattoo.  I'll survive for a while until you heal.  I'm not worried about that.  Though next time maybe we should bring a pair of oven gloves."

Colin realizes that what's on his mind would do much more bad than good if he lets it out now. He just turn to give Sarah a kiss, and shakes his head.

"You guys give me all too much credit. I deserve no prize."

He seems to be calmer after that, though.

He looks at his mom and Chris, who are giving them a little privacy, and nods at them to come closer.

"Wondergirl, could you do me a little favor? Can you call Jack and see if he could come to see me later? I can't use a phone right now, but I'll try to heal fast."

When Sarah calls and his mom gets closer he looks at her and says "Please yell at me."

Colin's mother breaks down at that point, rushing to hug him.  "I couldn't yell at your father for being how he was.  I wont yell at you."  she manages through sobs.  "I just hate the phone calls."

Colin hugs her with his upper arms.

"I'll try to make sure you get fewer of them then. I'll try my best. I'm starting to hate them too."

Conlin's mother laughs some, then leans back and wipes away her tears.  "Your father said the same thing.  you're so much like him.  More every day."

Just as his mother leans back Colin has the most peculiar impression. He can't help but stare at her in confusion for a moment. Then he raises his eyebrows and the faintest "oh" escapes from his lips, as his eyes dart to Chris as well. He immediately looks down in embarrassment, as if he peeked into somewhere he wasn't supposed to.

Fortunately, right on cue, his cellphone starts ringing from where Alicia threw it. Colin leans to take it then realizes he can't, so he turns to Chris. "Can you hold it for me, please?"

Chris obliges so that Colin can take the call.

Sarah nods and shuffles out after offering a rueful smile to Colin's mom and Chris. 

Beep beep boop beep boop boop beep beep boop boop
*ring*

"Hi Jack, it's Sarah.  Colin was wondering if you could drop by and see him later.  Why am I calling?  Oh, uh, he put his hands somewhere they shouldn't have been.  Tried getting impressions from a pyromancer that was trying to cook himself.  Colin's mom and Chris are here now.  We're hoping that someone will be able to convince the doctors to keep this kid under sedation until someone can disarm his brain.  Did you know your phone number is almost funky town?"

"Almost.  I'll make a call and drop by.  Everyone else alright though I assume?"

Sarah nods to the phone.  I'm an idiot.  "Yes.  Well as far as I know.  Bravo Team was off checking another kid on the list.  Alicia is checking into that one."

"Okay.  I'm on my way.  See you in a few."  and Jack ends the call.

The doctors give Colin's mom a prescription for pain killers and then sign his release forms.  "Just keep an eye out for infection and come back in three days so we can check on the progress."

After hanging up with Donnie, Colin turns to Chris.

"Chris, can you go ask if Strange was called when Trent was admitted, and in that case, what he said?"

He refuses the offer of painkillers for the moment, though, after the shock the hands are starting to really hurt. He needs to stay sharp now. And he's still looking at his mother a bit strangely.

When Sarah hangs up with Jack, he calls her near again.

"I need another favor. I'm sure Allie is going straight either to Strange's office or his house. Please send her a message and tell her not to go alone and call Sammy, just in case."

- - -

When he's finally allowed out, his mom drapes his jacket over his shoulder. He's shivering a bit, since the nurses cut his shirt at the elbow so it wouldn't get in the way of the medication. And in the hall of the hospital, they meet Jack. Colin swallows.

"Mom, Chris, I need to talk a bit with Jack. Can you wait? It's kind of important."

"Sure."  Mom says, moving down the hall.

Chris chats with the doctors briefly, but it doesn't look like he gets any where.

"What's up stretch?"  Jack says.

"I noticed I have a problem, and I don't know ho to ask for help. They don't understand, and I hope you will. I... put myself in danger. I knew what I was doing and it most likely wasn't necessary, but I couldn't stop myself."

He slumps on a seat in the hall far enough so they couldn't hear him.

"They keep telling me I'm so nice, I'm so good, and I know it's not true. Yes, I wanted Trent not to get hurt, but... I think I also wanted to get hurt myself. I wanted to feel that pain. And I'm afraid to ask myself why, and I'm afraid that if I sleep on it tomorrow I'll rationalize it away, and I'll do it again. So I asked Sarah to call you."

"Have you considered the possibility that you're insane?"  Jack says casually.  After Colin has a moment to soak that up he smiles.  "You're not normal.  I know that's going to come as a shock to you, but you're not.  And, as much as I'd like to tell you I know why you do that kind of stuff.  I think you need to seek that answer somewhere else.  I have the feeling you already know where to go look for it.  But, maybe, you think you're not ready.  We're all messed up.  We stick our noses in things we rally shouldn't.  Help people we don't know.  And get hurt along the way.  Welcome to the club."  Jack pats Colin on the back, "We'll get Sylvia's mom to make us t-shirts.  you can draw the logo."  Jack grins.

Sarah salutes Colin with a grin and starts dialing again. 

TEXT TO: ALICIA
BCC: SAMMY
FROM: SARAH
Handsonfire say have fun storming castle.  Bring FlyswithSneakers along for airlift/tactical/girl talk.  When come back bring pie. 

Sarah walks over to Chris and Colin's Mom.

She says, "I'm so sorry Colin got hurt.  He was just.. well you know.  Trying to help. 

Chris?  Can you tell me anything that the police are checking into about Dr. Strange?  I just heard from Alicia..."

Sarah relates the info from their call / txts to Chris:

Sarah looks back in the direction they took Trent.  "I have to go check on Trent.  If he wakes up it's possible he might go up in flames... literally.  Can you help me convince the doctors to keep him sedated?"

Sarah heads back to keep watch over Trent, waving at Colin and Jack on the way.

The doctors have Trent under sedation because of his burns.  His hands and feet are pretty badly burned, so to manage the pain they have him sleeping.

Chris talks to the local police on guard at the room and learn that there is an order out to pick up Strange, but no one has seen him yet.  They're looking for his car also.

Colin soaks it up and thinks about it.

"Have you ever felt like it's not fair? That there is so much pain and misery out there you don't deserve to be happy? No, that you feel bad just for wanting to be happy?"

"I used to.  You just can't let yourself get into that spiral.  Everyone deserves some happiness.  And by and large everyone gets some.  There will always be misery, and there always has been misery.  Sometimes it's you that's miserable, and sometimes it's someone else.  The best you can do, is do the best that you can.  But, if you let it eat at you then you become useless.  People get overwhelmed by the enormity of something, and they feel that can't change it.  someone really smart explained to me once that the universe is a pretty big thing, and people change it all the time."

Colin bites his lower lip. Words don't always come easily. Sometimes they don't come at all. It's clear he's trying hard to figure something out within himself.

He stay like this a while, until his inner self seems to take a decision.

"Do you think they'd let me see Trent?"

"No.  But that doesn't mean you can't.  You just have to walk in there at the right moment."  Jack says, getting up and moving to stand so he can watch the two police officers near the cubicle where Trent is.  "You just have to learn to watch the world.  And look for openings."

As Colin watches, he sees what Jack means.  The two officers are relaxed, and one taps the others and says something, then walks away.  The one that remains there is obviously a leg man, since his eyes follow every woman in a skirt that walks by.  Jack glances around the room, and walks over to a young woman in a short skirt.  She's a hospital employee.  He speaks to her for a few moments.  Colin can't hear what she's saying, but it makes the woman smile.  She nods and turns to walk away, going into the waiting area.  The officer takes a step away from the doorway to keep her in view, and Colin sees his chance.  With a calm steady stride he walks towards the door, calmly passing behind the officer and through the doorway into the space where Trent is.

Trent is asleep.  They have him sedated for his injuries, and he seems peaceful.

With his sleeves cut away, Colin has no problem activating his tattoos. A peculiar combination he learned to like by now. In the peculiar language they're written in it stands for both 'healing' and 'forgiveness'.

Very lightly, he takes Trent's bandaged hand in his own bandaged one.

You didn't deserve it. He took your gift, a part of what makes you special, and used it to hurt you. You trusted him, and he betrayed you, so it's going to be hard for you to trust anyone else. But there's still hope, for both of us. Don't ever forget about hope.

He prays to the heavens all around them to ease his pain, to heal him and take care of him.

His task done, Colin sees the cop headed back this way.  With the power of the universe still vibrating through him he walks out of the cubicle, a calmness to his stride.  He walks past the policeman, who doesn't even notice him.  Back where Chris and his mom are the world settles back into the normal motions, and he feels a weight lift from him.  He knows the spirits have done what they needed to do here.

It's a weak smile but it's a smile nonetheless what's on Colin's face when he comes back from Trent's room.

"Thank you, Jack. I should let you go now. I bet you're busy. We should do more things like this, though. I mean, lessons on the field. So you can teach us how to look at the world."

He wraps an arm around Sarah. "Any news from the girls?"

He eyes his mother in a strange way another time before imposing himself to stop.

Sarah sighs and shakes her head, "Oh you know.  They're fine.  Getting their nails done and talking about clothes."  In a more serious tone she relates what little she knows, "Alicia's on the hunt and I think she's got Sammy with her.  Strange is on the run and I have no idea what to do.  I'll happily be your chauffeur anywhere you'd like.  Strange's?  Home?"

"Home. I've got the feeling they won't need any more help for today. Though... I wouldn't mind getting... dunno, a milkshake along the way? Anything to eat I won't need hands to enjoy."

He looks at his mom and Chris. "Is it okay if I go home with Sarah? I'll be all yours when you get there."

Sarah holds her hand up in the girl scout salute and says "I promise not to let him touch any more oven tops or play in traffic on the way home."

She puts her hand on Colin's shoulder and *BAMPF™*  They're off to the ice cream parlor... or closest equivalent. 

Colin smiles.

"If you'd be so nice to take my wallet to pay, I'll offer you whatever you want. No diet today, ok?"

Sarah grins and says, "You're in charge.  Now which pocket do you keep your wallet in or should I just search for myself?"

She slides her hand into the pocket and brings out his wallet... eventually. 

"Actually a strawberry milkshake sounds really good.  What would you like?"

OOC: If he has a jacket or shirt pocket wallet Sarah is very disappointed in Colin.   

OOC: Alicia throws popcorn at the screen. "Get to the sexy stuff already!" ;D

OOC: he's got one of those cool wallets with the chain, so she has to unlock it too. :angel:

"Make mine caramel." he seems to giggle at an inside joke.

Sarah unhooks Colin after fumbling with the catch for a moment.  This entails her standing rather close to Colin and tugging at his pants which leads thoughts down a direction that would have Alicia cheering were she here.  Fortunately she was off somewhere else. 

OOC: hint hint

Finally she has his wallet and orders them some frosty beverages. 
While the blenders whip the frozen cow juice into delicious submission Sarah tucks Colin's wallet back with a grin, hooking the chain as well.  "Y'know, I'm happy to help like this even when your hands are all better.  Just say the word.  I'm friendly like that."  She gives him a wink before heading back to the counter to pick up straws and drinks.

It takes Colin a moment to catch her double-entendre, and to look down, concentrating for a moment on his milkshake. His cold milkshake.

"I thought of something fun we could do together. I've always been good with maps, and I've been saving some money for some good gps device. What do you think if we tried to map how far we could go? We could measure how long you can go with each jump, and how often. We could plan some nice trips for the weekends, places to see, things to try. Just you and me. So you wouldn't have to worry about planning, about getting lost or anything, and just focus on having fun. And I'd make sure you'd never overexert yourself and get too tired to come home. I'd just take your fatigue away. And we could spend some time together... just you and me."

He smiles.

"I'd really like to come far from the world with you."

Sarah thinks about it for a minute and says, "I'd like that.  I really would but maybe later next month and as long as we don't cross any international borders.  I've already been chastised about that.  I want to wait until it is a little warmer to travel.  It was exciting to take off with Donnie but... cold.  It was really, really cold.  For the rest of this month I'm all about staying warm."

As they sit and sip milkshakes she almost brings up something Colin said at the hospital about everyone giving him too much credit. "I.."  Shut up brain.  This is milkshake time!  He's asking to go traveling with you and do fun things together and you want to go digging into his self doubts.  Don't make me smack you silly. 

"...I think for this month I'll just practice playing nurse until you're all better.  I'll bet I can find a great outfit in Chicago somewhere."

"And I want to do some things with you too."  Realizing that she added this sentence right after talking about playing nurse she quickly adds, "I mean, I'd like to do some more photography with you."  That still didn't sound much better.  She plows forward a bit flustered, "Uh, I just love how you can show me the world through your eyes.  It's really cool."

"Well, about the cold, if the tattoo works like I hope it will, it shouldn't be a problem."

A long sip.

"It's ok if you want to wait, though. Whenever you're ready."

He makes a face as if he's not sure what he's talking about anymore, so he shakes his head and goes on.

"Photography is cool. You'll have to be my hands for a little while. I hope these burns heal as quickly as the other ones. I'll have to stick to crayons in the meantime."

Sarah blows bubbles into her milkshake at the notion of Colin with crayons.  Then it occurs to her that he'd probably manage to make something beautiful with them.  "Well, if your tattoo works I'll take you anywhere in range."  She starts thinking about travelling and her eyes light up at the future possibilities.  "If I can start making big jumps I want to go to Europe.  Spain.  I'll have to learn Spanish though.  I can't rely on the fact that you can understand everyone.  Italy!  Greece... Just wander around the Mediterranean for a month or two or six.  The African Savannah... as long as I can hop back to some nice cool shade afterward.  The pyramids.  Mayan ruins!  Oh Colin, to see the world... The world.  That would be awesome.  If I could get a space suit and jump into the outer atmosphere.  See the curve of the Earth and watch it turn beneath me?  I'd love to show you all of that.  I can only imagine what you'd find beneath the surface of all those places.  The past resonances of ancient cultures?  Air spirits?" 

She laughs and says, "Oh no!  A whole sky full of Sammys floating around?  Sounds like trouble.  Maybe that's what causes turbulence." 

"You can ask Alicia for help with Spanish. And I'm getting better, but understanding spoken language still takes some getting used to. Written is easier. And if we go for ancient ruins, I bet I could shock some archeologists. Remember that scene in Stargate when Daniel corrects the blackboard? Something like that. I'm not sure about ancient cultures. None of my 'imaginary friends' as Sylvia called them has been... well, dead for so long. At the museum I had a vision back to ancient Egypt, but I guess the fact a part of Herod's soul was still there had something to do with it. The furthest I've been back otherwise is the beginning of the past century. I wouldn't mind to try. Mom would be thrilled if I came back with a unique view on some historical periods to share."

He stops to think for a moment.

"History is a strange perspective. All those quiet times, where you can enjoy a milkshake with someone you love, tend to slip away. Tragedies stick. I hope it won't be like that."

He turns to her.

"Not to ruin a perfectly good dream, but what happened to not crossing international borders?" he says with a smirk.

Sarah says, "Well I'd have gotten away with it if I hadn't been flying on the back of a giant dragon.  Once I can make bigger jumps instead of these little hops I don't think I'll have to worry so much.  Or if it will make them happy I'll just hop to one airport and then hop to the next and get my passport stamped."

"I think your mom would love to find out more.  Have you ever tried to get any impressions from any ancient artifacts?  I think it would be neat to get a flash of daily living from thousands of years ago.  As for learning Spanish from Alicia?  I'm half afraid as to what she'd teach me.  I'm fairly certain half the stuff I hear her muttering isn't exactly polite."

Colin raises an eyebrow, then shakes his head.

"I won't ask. A lady should have her secrets." he says, jokingly.


"We'll figure it out when we get there."


"I hope it works that way. I'd still stay clear of the weapons. I think it wouldn't work very often. I usually get visions only when it matters, to me or someone near me. I don't know, I've never tried. Not many museums out there who let you touch things. I wouldn't be surprised if after last time there was a photo of me in every museum, warning not to allow me in."


Colin laughs heartily.

"You're right, her mother might be a wiser choice, but Alicia would insist to teach you the right words anyway. It could be worse, though. Don't try to learn Cymraeg from Rhys."

"No problem.  I have an all access pass.  We'll put you in a disguise maybe.  Though from all the handling these exhibit pieces get you might get an impression from an archeology student or a janitor or night watchman rather than some ancient."

She sucks on her drink and puts her finger over the top of her straw.  She lifts a large chunk of strawberry out, trapped by suction and pops it into her mouth.  "You know, I feel like I should be doing something heroic.  I mean, Strange is on the run.  Alicia and Sammy are in pursuit.  I don't even know what Sylvia and Donnie and John are up to."  She looks across at her boy and says, "But I'm really glad I'm here.  I'm happy to take a few minutes and enjoy... regular life."   

"In case you hadn't noticed, just about a couple hours ago your timely intervention prevented a devastating fire that would have caused several casualties, myself probably included. Isn't that heroic enough for you?" he says jokingly.

"Look, if they got in any danger, I would know, and we could be there in about a second. Alicia thrives on these things. Let her do what she loves to do. Sylvia is likely undoing Strange's damage, Donnie is likely with her. I don't know about John. He's had... a peculiar day.  He probably has some things to figure out on his own."

"So, just relax, and tend to your silly injured boyfriend." he says with a smile.

Sarah rolls her eyes.  "Yes, my intervention.  I clubbed him in the head.  My skills and resources were put to the ultimate test."

She smiles at Colin, twining her legs amidst his under the table.  "I'll gladly help you instead.  What did the doctor tell you to do?  Most of your usual activities are kind of shot.  I can help you out with homework though!  I mean type for you.  It will probably be a great education for me to see what the right answers look like for a change."

"Five generations down the line, Tori Del Santo, will create the most powerful music known to her age. She will be likened to Mozart, but she will live to her seventies, never stopping to compose and wonder the the world. Her influence will be so great it will lead to a general renaissance of the arts and philosophy, that will leave the world a much better place, healing conflicts that had been burning for centuries. And all of this would have never come to be had you not, today, just by clubbing someone in the head, saved the life of Kayley Fields, three years old, who was in the restroom with her mother and would have been locked there by a falling plank in case of a fire, not growing up to become Tori's great-great-great-grandmother."

He's been saying this with a straight face but now he smiles.

"Ok, I'm making it up. Mostly. But the point is still valid though. Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire. Think of it when you feel like you aren't heroic enough. Think of Tori if you want. And her music. Oh, if you could only hear her music." He grins.


He rolls his eyes mockingly. "A perfectly good milkshake and you had to ruin it with the thought of homework." then he smiles again. "I'd love to have your help. Mmm, this is sounding better and better. I should get hurt more often."

Sarah's eyes get bigger as he tells the tale. 


Her jaw drops and she kicks him lightly under the table.  "You!  You've got a dangerous ability to lie.  It's all that truth you tell people all the time.  Everyone will believe you when you roll out a story." 


Sarah sticks her tongue out at Colin.  "I was trying to be good.  I could offer all sorts of other help for a young man who can't use his hands but I didn't want you getting that nervous 'Uh-Oh' look.  I'm perfectly capable of restraining my wild teenage passions even in your awe inspiring presence."  Probably.  Maybe.  Worth a shot anyway.

"Some stories are not true and yet they're not lies."


"I'll have to try to be more awesome, then." he says, contemplating her eyes.

Sarah leans closer staring back into the depths of Colin's eyes.  She smiles warmly and says, "You can always try but the only way you could be more awesome would be if you could get Sylvia to say, "You know, you're right Colin.  I hadn't thought about it that way before."

She leans back and sighs, "The only problem is that your awesomeness would be short lived because the sky would crack open heralding the end of the world should Sylvia ever utter those words."

"Yeah, better not toy with the end of the world." he laughs.

He finishes his milkshake and sighs wistfully.

"Time for me to go home. So tomorrow after school then?"

*blink* *blink*  Sarah gives Colin a blank stare.  "Yes?  Um, what about tomorrow after school?"
Did he mean traveling?  Homework?  Ooh!  Nurses outfit?  No probably not but...

Colin is confused.

"Coming to my house to help me with my homework slash spending time together?"

"Oh.  Right.  That's what I thought..."
Riiight. 

She grins a bit foolishly before pushing the milkshakes to the side and leaning across the table for a kiss.  Mid smootch - *zwip!* and she steps back with a smile in the cool air on Colin's doorstep.  "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"I'll count the minutes." he says, a little high on bliss.

*glingle*  Sarah arrives home with a contented sigh.  She goes online, checks her mail and relaxes.  She sends off an email to the US. 

TO: US
From: ME
Everyone still in one piece?  What's the sitch?

Unpicked Vincent, Trent.  Waiting for shot at Penelope[?].  Tired, hungry, cranky.  Somebody bring me a pizza.

That's the answer from Sylvia, anyway.

Crap, thinks Alicia as she realizes she'd forgotten to debrief the rest of the group.

Frantically, she types an answer on the Vega's well-loved K-Mart special computer:

TO: US
FROM: AlleyCat

Sorry for not passing on the news. Strange got picked up by the cops. Can't wait to see the footage in the news. 5-0 found evidence linking Hamilton's death to him. With that, and the kids' testimony, chances are he's going down.

If not, we can always get him later.

Yay us.

TO:  Sarah
Anything!  Anything.  Thank you!  Donnie went to look for Sammy and Alicia.  Stranded here with hospital chow.  :P

With the need to be a bit more helpful Sarah sends an email and jumps to Chicago.

TO: Sylvia
Make it 10 minutes... I'll get you something good! :) 

With some fast talking and mentioning her 'friend in the hospital' Sarah picks up a personal Veggie pizza from the Home Run Inn in short order and arrives at the hospital with a steaming box of pizza. 

Syl?  Pizza's here!

It's not that Sylvia teleports, but she does have an unnerving habit of appearing out of nowhere, like a cat, when yummy comestibles arrive.  "Oh, thank god," she says.  "I was this close to succumbing to Salisbury steak.  It was all reddish-brown and lumpy, probably tasted like Horta.  Whenever I went near it, I could hear it saying, 'No kill!'"

Sarah starts laughing and hands off the box before she drops it.  The image of Sylvia 'communing' with a pan of Salisbury Steak is too much. 

She wipes her eyes after a minute and catches her breath.  "Oh god.  Well it's probably for the best that I got here when I did."