Meaghan ignored the chair he offered and stood directly in front of him, the clinching of her jaw and the rising anger behind her eyes were the only warning Hunter had before she clocked him squarely with her fist across the cheek; which she followed up with a kick directly in his chest with her high-heel boot.
"Why the hell did you leave me behind, you massive screw-up!?" She screamed at Hunter, tears finally breaking loose from her eyes.
Hunter was knocked to the floor by her kick and stayed there, coughing.
"I'm sorry," he finally managed to whisper once he got his breath back. "I hadn't planned it, I just...I had to leave. I tried to find you after but...I'm sorry." He didn't look up at her as he adjusted so he was sitting a bit more comfortably against the wall below the mirror.
She was already rounding the table when he said he was sorry, but hearing him say it a second time broke her fury. "Well, ya know, you didn't try hard enough..."
Meaghan shifted her weight on one leg and crossed her arms, looking down at Hunter then looked away and pulled a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "...sorry."
"I never wanted to leave you behind," he said, looking up at her. "But he wouldn't let me near you." He clenched his jaw and looked away, his blue eyes bright with tears he wasn't going to cry.
She turned around and leaned against the table with her back to him, and she ducked her head down in thought. Meaghan turned her head and waited a moment.
"I thought you were dead for so long," Her voice struggled between breaking down or remaining clear, "...a sign, anything at all, would have been enough to let me know to keep an eye out...rather than chasing phantoms in my dreams."
Hunter looked down at his hands with a sigh and remained silent for a while.
"I'm a coward," he finally whispered. "Two years ago was the first time I came close to contacting you...but then everything fell apart. I haven't been able to even think about it since then. I don't know what I'm doing anymore."
"Then tell me what happened," Meaghan insisted, "What kept you from me? Heh, no, nevermind. That's a story for later."
She sighed, "You know, I wish my life could have turned out differently as well. I was unable to choose where I was headed...father trained me so closely, more so since you ran away. He loved us, Hunter; just he didn't know how to show it...and trust wasn't something he wanted to give. I wonder what I would have become, if he didn't mold me into the woman I am today." She looked upon her hands at the invisible blood that remained in her mind.
Hunter's jaw clenched tighter as she spoke.
"He loves you," he said, his voice full of bitterness and hatred. "That's his only redeeming quality." Then he stood and looked at her.
"Does he know you're here?" he asked in a softer tone.
"Not at all," She spoke confidently, "He currently thinks I'm in Sicily, learning new combat techniques. Heh, the one minute I'm not under his guidance, I split and run." She pushed off the table and stood tall. After a brief pause, Meaghan gave Hunter a strong hug. "Nope, Sarah Black is a runaway now too." She made sure to drop her soubriquet to her brother, the DPSA didn't know her real identity...which would cause too much trouble.
He hugged her back with a small smile.
"It's good to see you again, Sissy," he whispered. After a few moments, the door opened and Agent Smith returned with another chair.
"Well," he smiled. "Now that we're all friends again, let's talk about this Chen character and what he's doing in my city."
Meaghan took the seat that Hunter offered her before she kicked him across the table and started shuffling through the photos the DPSA took of Chen. She stifled a small laugh when she saw that one photo managed to capture a shot of her...she'd have to be more careful next time.
"You have good surveillance, Smith," 'Sarah' remarked, "Too bad you couldn't catch any audio and you'd already have your answer... I'll need to get the negatives to these however, in accordance with our agreement."
If she was going to keep her secret safe in Paragon, she had to be sure nothing was going to potentially leak to her father. Communication between the Defenders was mainly in code over long distance, and most important information was discussed face to face...they didn't trust traceable forms of communication. Chen was fooled that her father sent her over to help him.
"And to answer your question, the word is assassination."
"What?" Hunter turned to her in surprise. "Chen's never been involved in anything so blatant. Why would he risk his position now that he finally has the power to implement change?"
"Who's the target?" Agent Smith asked, ignoring Hunter.
She ignored Smith, "Because he's still lobbying trust with the other two Golds. As far as blatant tactics, not really...it's a different kind of subtlety. After all, in a 'City of Heroes,' who would suspect foul play in the murder of a villain?" Then to respond to Smith, "The unlucky target is Dr. Vahzilok, not the most popular man in Paragon. I want the Defenders to get caught with their pants down."
Hunter leaned back and studied his sister. He had never wanted the complete destruction of the Defenders, just a change. Chen, one of the few people he had ever trusted, was on the right track. He didn't believe in the current ideology that excluded mutants and other supernaturally gifted humans. As Hunter's mentor, he had taught him to look beyond the surface someone's worth. He was the one who had given Hunter the courage to tell Lochlan he was wrong.
He knew what his motives were. He wasn't so sure about Meaghan.
((M'kay, I'm sorry, but I can't heep up with this pace. Gonna have to bow out. 
Have fun, guys.))
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
Meaghan stiffened when she felt Hunter's eyes on her, then turned around to face him. "Don't get me wrong, brother," She assured, "I don't want people to die, but I do believe the Defenders need to taken down. Chen could easily be the one to lead it to its eventual rebirth, to guide it into a better future for the sake of mankind, super or otherwise."
"They need to be villified," She continued, "Because their actions are villainous by nature." Meaghan hid her hands underneath the table subconsciously, "They have the blood of thousands on their hands over the years, most of them are corrupt beyond hope...Chen can change that, to put a new face on the few that are redeemable."
((Heh, Dev! You're not in this scenario though, Alex, Blake, and lizard-guy are somewhere else :P))
"And you think these people would give him the chance?" Hunter questioned darkly. "They would lock him up with the rest of them, assuming they take him alive." Agent Smith cleared his throat.
"As one of 'those people,' I give you my word we will work with whoever is willing to work with us," he stated. "If this Chen is one of the good guys as you seem to think, then I'm sure we can arrange something."
((there is a way, I believe, to keep scenarios separate if we reply to the ones we're in and view the posts as threaded as apposed to flat))
[ QUOTE ]
"As 'one of them,' I give you my word we will work with whoever is willing to work with us," he stated. "If this Chen is one of the good guys as you seem to think, then I'm sure we can arrange something."
[/ QUOTE ]
"Actually," Meaghan continued to explain to Hunter, "I don't believe these people would give him the chance; they're too stupid for that. But I trust Chen is experienced and crafty enough to avoid their feeble attempts, in fact, we could help him without the DPSA."
"Ms. Black," Smith spoke up, "I know our arrangement is under your terms, but I will stress that you shouldn't attempt to deceive us."
"Of course not," She responded submissively, the slight popping of her wrist could be heard as she rolled it...something Hunter would recognize as her telling a lie, "I'll keep my word that I won't use the DPSA as a tool, but treat them as allies."
[ QUOTE ]
"Actually," Meaghan continued to explain to Hunter, "I don't believe these people would give him the chance; they're too stupid for that. But I trust Chen is experienced and crafty enough to avoid their feeble attempts, in fact, we could help him without the DPSA."
"Ms. Black," Smith spoke up, "I know our arrangement is under your terms, but I will stress that you shouldn't attempt to deceive us."
"Of course not," She responded submissively, the slight popping of her wrist could be heard as she rolled it...something Hunter would recognize as her telling a lie, "I'll keep my word that I won't use the DPSA as a tool, but treat them as allies."
[/ QUOTE ]
"I am, unfortunately, bound by different terms," Hunter told her. "I'll have to leave Chen to you. I would just lead them straight to him." Agent Smith sighed in exasperation.
"Should I even be here?" he wondered aloud. "Look, we're trying to help you as much as take down this organization. We're on the same side."
[ QUOTE ]
"Should I even be here?" he wondered aloud. "Look, we're trying to help you as much as take down this organization. We're on the same side."
[/ QUOTE ]
"We're on the same side, Smith," She responded, "But we're heading in three different directions; I'm willing to work with my brother on the same level, but you do need me in order to fulfill your goal."
"Is there anything you need at the moment, Agent Smith? I don't have any more information on the Defenders' plan currently since all the parties that are going to be involved have yet to arrive...so nothing will be solid yet. In fact, things could change in a completely different direction."
[ QUOTE ]
"Is there anything you need at the moment, Agent Smith? I don't have any more information on the Defenders' plan currently since all the parties that are going to be involved have yet to arrive...so nothing will be solid yet. In fact, things could change in a completely different direction."
[/ QUOTE ]
"As we seem to getting nowhere at the moment, we'll stop here for now," Agent Smith stated. "Wait here. I'll inform Deputy Director Jones. He may or may not have questions for you himself." He left the room. The door locked with a loud click as it closed behind him.
"Well, it seems we're waiting here then," Hunter remarked.
[ QUOTE ]
"Well, it seems we're waiting here then," Hunter remarked.
[/ QUOTE ]
"Perhaps..." Meaghan quirked a smile, "I don't like to be caged, I get claustrophobic when I'm restrained." She stood and picked up the metal chair, then walked over to the doorway and propped the leg against the handle. With a few strong, quick tugs, the handle popped off with the lock and the door slowly swung ajar.
"Stay here if you want," She turned to Hunter with a smile, "But they need to learn to play by my rules; I'm leaving." And with that she walked out into the hallway toward the elevators.
OOC:
As it were, both my characters are now stuck and waiting on Doodaa, who has apparently been kidnapped by aliens. I'm gonna have to withdraw myself, at least until I see an opportunity to leap back in. Possibly with different characters since my current ones are stuck in limbo. 
Hunter nodded.
"I'm alright," he told her quietly. "How's...how have you been?" He stood and offered her his chair, turning his back to the mirror as he sat on the edge of the table.