((The reason I have created a thread for this rather than adding it to the IC story thread, it is the first story/background I have written for RP. Constructive comments would be appreciated))
Leo lifted his shades from over his eyes. He looked up at the decrepit building and re-read the address in the crumpled scrap of paper.
"This can't be right!" he mumbled as he picked up the holdall he had dropped at his feet and returned his shades to the bridge of his straight nose. He carefully opened the large front door. He took note of the paint curling off in flakes around the edge of the doorframe. As he stepped into the lobby he glanced around and saw the reception desk to his right.. The girl behind the desk looked up from her magazine at the sound of the door. When she saw Leo she sat up and attempted to straighten her hair. At 6 foot 3 inches, with blonde hair, blue eyes and a great physique. Leo knew he could make most women melt. Her reaction was Leo's cue to turn on the charm. He gave the girl who must have been about 18 or 19 a broad smile, to which she blushed. Leo stepped up to the counter and put his bag on the floor. The girl continued to stare while Leo took his time.
"Excuse me miss. I am hoping you can help me." Leo removed his shades so he could see more clearly in the dim lobby.
The girl behind the counter blushed more deeply. "Please call me Helen. Welcome to the Days Inn. How may I help you?"
"I am looking for my sister, Gemini Wright. This is her last known residency."
"I'm sorry!" Helen Shook her head."I don't recognise the name." Leo took a picture of Gemini out of his pocket. The photo showed Gemini as a blonde haired, blue eyed girl and she looked so happy in the photo. Recognition lit Helen's brown eyes. "Of course Gem, I should have known! You do look like siblings. Around here names are so hard to remember. Sometimes guests stay for months, sometimes an hour. I tend not to ask to many questions. I don't get paid enough to worry about it... I liked Gem, she was always nice." Helen started rummaging around in the cluttered desk.
"Liked?" A concerned look passed across Leo's face. "Why did you use past tense?"
"I have not seen her for a while. People disappear far too much around here. Ahh ha!" Helen pulled out a large leather bound book and started thumbing through the pages. "The boss has a policy for long standing guests that go missing. Their room is still their room until the rent runs out. Then he gives them two days to collect their stuff before it's got rid of. Here we are..." Helen ran her finger down the page. "Gem's two day grace period ends tomorrow."
"I will take that room then. How much?" Leo smiled at Helen and pulled his wallet out of his pocket, hoping there was something in that room that could help him find his sister.
"$30 per night." Helen blushed slightly. "So I will be seeing you around?"
"It does look that way." Leo replied looking for once slightly uncomfortable. "I don't really have a lot of money. Do you know of any jobs that are going?"
"Actually I do." Helen beamed. "It's just doing odd jobs around this place. I will speak to the manager for you." She held out the room key and a pen. "Can you just sign here? Rent is normally asked for on a weekly basis upfront unless you want to pay more." Leo took the pen and key. He signed the guest register and handed Helen a months rent.
"I totally forgot my manners. My name is Leo. It's very nice to meet you Helen. You've been very helpful, thank you." Leo picked up his bag, winked at Helen, who promptly blushed again. He turned and made his way toward room 208.
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It had been a week since Leo had arrived in Paragon City. He had taken over renting the room his sister had previously lived in. Slowly he was working his way through her things, sending some of it back to Mom & Dad for safe keeping. Trying to figure out what had happened to her. He had also been hanging around so of the local gathering places and asking if anyone had seen his sister. He knew it was a long shot, but even the smallest chance made it worth the effort.
He sat on the edge of his bed looking through all the scraps of paper and Gemini's diary. So far he knew Gemini had found several other 'super' humans of her own age. That they had some sort of assignment recovering a stolen artifact in the Rogue Isles. Leo put the papers down and rubbed his temples. He was not cut out for investigative work. Scrutinising everything in the room was starting to give him a headache.
He was about to start going through all the papers again when there was a knock at the door. Leo stood up and started walking toward the door. As he got closer a hurried whisper came through the keyhole "Psst it's Joe, open the door Gem!". At Gemini's name Leo pulled open the door with a quick jug. The voice belonged to a teenager who had obviously been listening at the door as he jumped back with a start. Almost as if he had not expected the door to be opened at all. He looked up at Leo who towered over him. The boys eyes widened in shock as he registered who was stood in front of him. Leo grabbed the front of the boys jacket as he looked like he was about to run.
"L...L...Leo?" The boy managed to stammer
"Hello Joe. Now we are introduced why don't you come in!" Leo lifted Joe off his feet by his jacket and pulling him into the room shutting the door behind him. Leo leaned in toward Joe "Talk."
"I... I... I'm Sorry. It was a trap. They were waiting for us." Tears formed in the corners or Joe's eyes and then with a rush of relief he told Leo everything. "Gem got separated from us. Then the gunners drove us back to the door. There was nothing we could do. We were out numbered and out gunned, so to speak. We had to leave her. I thought she was back when there was a light on in this room. I am really sorry Leo." Leo barely held onto his rage. Flames licked across his white knuckles, singeing Joe's jacket. Leo pushed Joe away before he burst into flames. Joe fell onto his [censored] at the unexpected push.
"You left a healer who had the offencive capability of a human to look after herself? You had no back up plan in case the mission did not go according to plan. Not even an emergency teleport! Is this correct?" The flames on Leo's knuckles had started to creep up his arms.
"Y... y... yes." Stammered Joe.
Leo pointed at a piece of paper and a pen. "Write down the address of where this happened." As Joe wrote Leo walked over to the door and opened it. Joe put down the pen and opened his mouth to say something. "Get out." Leo did not even let him start his sentence. "If you have any sense of self preservation, I will never see you again." The door handle was starting to soften in Leo's grip. Joe hung his head and put his hands in his pockets.
As Joe got to the open door way he turned to face Leo. Joe looked Leo straight in the eyes. "I really am sorry. I hope you find her." He turned on his heel and left before Leo could say another word.
Leo closed the door carefully trying not to damage the handle any further. He thought through everything that Joe had told him. His temper rose, the intensity of the flames rose with it. Leo could not take any more. His temper flared and he punched the wall disintegrating the bricks leaving a massive hole. Luckily the kind of hotel this was, no-one even came to look. He knew now, Gemini was in the Rogues Isles. He needed training to go and get her. He needed to know how to use and control his abilities if he was to stand any chance of survival. Possibly even a team. Recon of the location where she was taken and any other information that he could dig up.
Leo sat on the floor, his headache suddenly worse. He had no idea where to start. He lay down and tried to calm down with some techniques his mother taught him. Half an hour later Leo was still lying on the floor. His anger still raged but he was no longer aflame. Then his cell phone rang, his mother's number showing on the screen. He flipped open the phone and put it on speaker next to his head.
"Hey Mom."
"Hello Leo." Came the slightly metallic reply. "You don't sound to happy, what's happened?"
"I have a lead on Gemini. It does not look good, but I will keep trying." Leo sighed
"I thought it may come to that. Honey, I know you will do your best and to help I will transfer some savings to your bank account."
"But Mom, you and Dad don't have any money."
"Thats not true Leo. We just chose a particular lifestyle. Anyway there is not point in arguing with me."
"Yeah I know you by now Mom." Leo smiled his mother could be stubborn some days. "How much should I expect?"
"$1,000,000 and that is not all of it so if you need more just ask. Promise me Leo that you will not struggle for money!"
"How much?" Leo sat bolt upright
"Promise me Leo." Leo's mother said sternly.
"Ok I promise." Leo sighed
"I have to go Honey your Dad is calling me. Take care and I love you."
"Love you too Mom." Leo hung up the phone and lay back down. His head swimming with even more questions. Like where the hell had his parents got that kind of money! Leo closed his eyes he needed some rest. First thing tomorrow he would start his training.
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As for the timing, I'm pretty flexible at the moment.))
