Scion: The New Gods (IC)

Kenji kept calm, even as he witnessed the tensions and temperature rising inside the room. Actually, they were all correct, from their respective points of view. It was a difficult situation and things apparently could not go on, in any meaningful direction, unless they were prepared to take risks. As much as he always wished to advocate caution and restraint, he was coming to the realization that sometimes the situation might call for other measures and a slightly different approach as well. Oh and of course spending more time with lovely Gabriella, even amidst a vipers' nest, was more than enough to cheer him up.

He took another sip from his coffee, savoring the flavour and aroma for a moment and listening carefully to Gabriella's suggestion, as well as to the alternative that Jason proposed.

"Alright. It seems that the situation poses more difficulties than at first observed and we might have to be a bit more active and risky in our approach. I applaud your audacity Gabriella and your willigness to go forth and play the role of bait, to ensure that our covert entry into the facility remains unnoticed. And furthermore I am certain that you can hold all the attention you want, under most - if not all - circumstances", he added with a playful smile and a wink, slightly touching her palm, in an effort to calm her and lighten up her mood.

Getting a bit more serious, he cleared his throat and continued.

"Now though, things might not be that simple. Taking into consideration the fact that those thugs at the pub admitted that they had you under surveillance, Gabriella, I feel inclined to support the alternative suggested by Jason, and insist that I accompany you in the factory, if we end up going on with that plan. Besides, Jason has already sneaked almost inside the building once before, so it is within reason to expect that he will be able to competently do so again. He also possess increased personal mobility and could perhaps be more efficient as a lone operative. This way he will also present a smaller "target", be able to hide more easily, in places and spaces were two people wouldn't fit etc".

He paused for a moment, looking around the table, at all of them.

"Miss Marta, you could be perhaps our escape plan factor, awaiting outside, ready to create a diversion if needed, provide hands-on assistance or call in for outside interference, should the situation calls for it. This of course stands as long as you agree with my suggestion, since I would never presume to tell such a resourceful and capable lady, as yourself, what to do. As for us, Gabriella, in case you agree to proceed with your plan, plus Jason's alteration of it, we should think of a plausible explanation or excuse, for visiting the facility and the we can act accordingly".

Gabby bit her tongue. Literally, physically, bit her tongue. She'd forgotten that she'd been being followed. "It does make sense for one of us to go in alone, and Jason is the best choice, I agree." She licked her lips nervously, hesitant to point this out. "But if I was being watched, there's no reason to assume that those fools in the pub were the only ones. They could already know what both of you look like."

She sighed and pushed her hair over her shoulder, setting the coffee mug down with a soft but clear sound. "I still think I should go alone, but it makes some sense to have someone along. Very well."

Marta made a quiet sound of approval, and Gabby suppressed a smile. "As far as a reason, it should be pretty simple." She dug into the pocket of a jacket that had been slung over a chair and pulled out a small clip-on identification pass. "I got this a few weeks ago when I was visiting the Department of Health. With a little work, I can make it a passable governmental ID."

She looked at Kenji, and tilted her head. "I think I could manage to convince them that you're a consultant of some sort, or maybe from a local office somewhere? We know their products are causing problems for people, and I can even provide documentation that looks - hell, is real."

Jason smirked as he took a swallow in instant coffee. With Kenji weighing in, Gabby had folded. He was pleased the other man had backed him up; but he had raised a good point. The lovely young doctor was already being targeted. She was the one who might most need protection.

Well, maybe not protection. She could handle herself, he was sure of that. But she was the one most likely to have force thrown at her and who could use back-up the most.

Assuming he didn't stumble into a nest of some horrible things sneaking around the factory. His grin grew at the thought of it and he felt a faint surge of excitement and anticipation.

His foster parents were right. He was addicted to danger.

"And we can have Marta outside in a getaway vehicle standing by for either evac or to come in with any artillery she has as a panic button." Jason looked over at the beefy and curvy woman, "If things go south, I know I want her around to bust some heads."

He set his mug down and leaned back in his chair, folding his hands back behind his head. "Good to have a plan...but now I guess we have to wait for tomorrow to do it. I'm not good with fake I.D.'s or documents but if I can help with the prep at all, let me know. Otherwise...well...what do we do now?"

Kenji breathed in silent relief, as the tensions seemed to subside between all those present and smiled widely as his gaze roamed around briefly stopping on each of the individuals in the room, each one extraordinary in his or her own special way. A team was forming, as it seemed and Kenji liked being part of one, even more so, since it consisted of those specific people. Jason, fearless, with the strength and mobility of legend, Marta, a lady who'd give any Amazon of the ancient mythology a run for her money and Gabriella, the lovely doctor, whose beauty concealed a most talented, resolute and resourceful personality. Sometimes, their divine patrons did put things well together, he thought, with slight amusement.

They had come to an agreement and they had a basic plan. This was progress, as far as their objective was concerned. Now they had to fine tune details and put it into action. It wouldn't be easy, not at all, but it was good to know that each one of them was prepared to play his part and follow this through.

"It's good. We seem to agree on the basics and on the distribution of each one's responsibilities and role. Now, regarding those IDs, I cannot say I am schooled in the fine art of forgery, but I might be able to acquire some information from a contact of mine. You see, while I was working as a security advisor for the Olympics, counterfeit passes and IDs were a concern and we did come across a couple of cases. If I could get a verification on the name and current status of those individuals who were allegedly forging such documents, then perhaps we might be able to convince them to do something for us. No guarantee that it'll work, but I think we can give it a shot".

Reaching for his cell phone, Kenji called his former supervisor.

"Hey, sorry for bothering you at this hour of night, but it might be important. Remember when we came accross that case of counterfeit IDs for access to various areas during the Olympic events? I can't remember if there was suffucient information and evidence to turn this over to London Police, but if I recall correctly we did an extensive research on a couple of individuals who could've been prime suspects. Since I'm currently investigating something relevant, would there be any chance that you could provide me with the files on them. Yeah, it would be a great help and I'd owe you one for this. I'll let you check it and work on it, and if there's anything you can find, send it over to my personal e-mail. Thanks in advance".

Kenji finished his call, left the phone on the table and turned to the others.

"Well, if there's any news on it, I'll guess we'll know by morning. If we could pull the schematics of the building from a local library or a website would also be awesome, since it could provide us with - hopefully - accurate information of its layout, but we could do without it if it's unattainable. Otherwise, I cannot think of much else that we could do to prepare. I'm not usually one to propose so, but just sitting around and enjoying that coffee and pie, does actually wonders for me, at the moment. Fine coffee Gabriella and most excellent pie Marta. I dare say you are spoiling us, though I do not think Jason and I mind that at all. After such a day, it certainly allows for some relaxation before our next venture to the mysterious factory".

Even as Kenji and Jason spoke, Gabby was pulling out a small razor blade and a pair of tweezers. "Hmm?" she said distractedly, gently teasing up the laminated cover of the id. "Oh, that would be easier, I suppose." She looked at them, one corner of the id pulled up already. "I can probably make due, but that can be a last resort."

She bent back to the fine work in front of her, peeling away the layers of the badge. "Mart, are there are of my passport photos lying about?"

"I think so," the other woman said, reaching into a pile and holding up a sheet of paper with a series of pictures of Gabby on it. "Here."

Blushing a little, Gabby took it and looked at the other two. "Sort of a hobby of mine. I've gotten quite good at making fakes. Not quite professional, but passable." She clicked the tweezers at them. "Doctor's dexterity, you know."

She studied the pictures now, looking at them intently. "In any case, we can't do much else til morning. If you need a place to sleep, you can crash here. I've enough spare room for that, and I promise that we won't head off to infiltrate a factory full of deadly monsters without a proper breakfast!" She didn't want to admit that them being there gave her a feeling that threw into a harsh light how lonely she had been before.

Kenji sat back in his chair and relaxed even more, as he watched Gabriella tinker with the ID and photos. His eyes though observed carefully all her movements, trying to memorize her careful handling of the ID's laminated cover, the recovery of the photo and the whole procedure she went through, in general. An interesting skill, nonetheless, which provided yet another application for one's dexterity.

Taking another sip from his coffee, he smiled, as he listened to the lovely doctor's offer to stay and sleep over in her home. Truth be told, he wasn't in need of a place to sleep, since he was staying in a small appartment in London himself, but he elected to stay for a number of reasons. Given that they were at a critical phase of their "operation" they needed to minimize exposure to danger until they would be good to go. Also, it would do them no good to split for a few hours and then reunite at morning. Plus, it would be quite tiring to drive to his appartment at this hour of night and then have to wake up early and get back here to meet the rest. And of course, that is without even starting to think about the promise of a fine breakfast, as well as the fact that a gentleman does not refuse a lady's offer and invitation to spend the night in her house. Now, if he could fall asleep while thinking about her and Marta, that was an entirely different issue.

He let his mug on the table and responded.

"Thank you very much Gabriella. This is very considerate and kind of you. I'll gladly accept your offer, provided of course Miss Marta isn't opposed to it. I wouldn't want to intrude upon a lady's privacy nor exploit your hospitality in any way that would cause you any discomfort".

His eyes travelled to look upon Gabriella, Marta, then Jason and back to Gabriella again. Due to the nature of his work and his special calling in life, Kenji had spent more than his fair share of lonely nights and now, for the first time after a long while, he felt as part of team and he enjoyed being around these people. Well, and the fact that one of them was a no nonsense brawler with skills to put athletes to shame, the second one probably the most attractive lady that he'd layed his eyes upon recently and receptive of his compliments on top of that, while the third perhaps the most accurate reincarnation of the Amazon women of legend, most certainly didn't hurt either.

Jason's smile was thoughtful and a trifle sad. There was more to Gabby's invitation for them to spend the night than simple logistical simplicity or even concern for security and protection. How long had it been since she, hell, since any of them had any kind of real connection or relationship with another person? Let alone since they'd had any kind of peer. Looks like Kenji felt the same; he was sure the man had a place in town, maybe even a house, but staying here with them would be more like...not home, but a home.

However, being thoughtful and sensitive wasn't his image. So, hoping no one had noticed, he grimaced and then turned his expression into a sly grin, "I accept as well, though I'm perfectly willing to exploit your hospitality in any way that would cause you any satisfaction." He glanced over at the pierced Amazon, "You too, Marta," he said with a wink.

Then he let the front legs of his chair fall back to the floor with a muffled bang and hopped out of it, "Welp, if we're holing up here we might want more to drink than instant coffee and more to eat than pie." He paused and smirked at the word, then went on, "Marta, I bet you got a pretty good idea of what groceries Gabby needs, right? Pull up a list and I'll head out and get some of it, and some stuff just for the night." He turned to the doctor and shrugged, "My way of helping out since you're putting a roof over my reckless and disheveled head tonight."

There was a moment as Marta looked over the scarred young man, then smiled slightly. "I shall come with you, and save the time of making a list." She pulled the knife from her belt and unhooked the cylindrical case from her back, setting it carefully on the floor. "Come on, then. We'll get what we need and get back." She waited for Jason to stand up and then started toward the door.

Gabby was busily slicing delicately at the edges of a picture, her hands steady and moving confidently. "Biscuits, please," was all she said as she flipped a piece of scrap paper out of her way.

Marta sighed. "I know to get biscuits, you know. It's not like you eat three packages a week or anything like that." She pushed the door open, then glanced at Kenji. "Any requests?"

Kenji couldn't hold back a mischievous grin at Jason's comment. The athletic photographer was nothing if not a straightforward daredevil, and apparently in more ways than one. Anticipating the ladies' reaction, he smiled widely in seeing that they appeared to be in a good mood. He looked over to Gabriella, watching her dexterous manipulation of the photos for a moment, before responding to Marta.

"Well, how kind of you to ask, Marta. Thank you. I'd like a bottle of natural orange juice if possible, but if you don't find any no worries. I'm not into alcohol that much and I try to follow a proper nutrition regimen at all times. Other than that I'm good".

Standing up, to close the door, Kenji winked at Jason and whispered.

"It seems that asking for a shopping list got you an amazon too. Not bad at all. Oh and bold talking back there, man. I like your style. You certainly got my support on any plans of satisfaction for the ladies, if things go smooth".

Kenji's comments made the wild looking young man's toothy grin spread wider, "And you looked so nice and mild mannered," he answered in his own whisper. "Let's hope for smoothness; a night of company is good, a night of not sleeping alone after company is even better." He clapped the man on the shoulder and then looked over at Marta, "Let's roll, tall, hot, and deadly."

He waved to Gabby before heading outside and waiting for Marta to close and lock the door behind them. "You'll have to lead the way; I've no idea where the nearest market, or greengrocer, or whatever the Brits call a supermarket is." The young man shrugged, looking around as his feet hit the sidewalk. Was anyone watching Gabby's apartment now? Or them coming out of it?

"So what made you want to come along? Just to get out or do you suspect me of some sinister activity?" He then grinned at the amazonian beauty, "Might be my clean-cut good looks, I guess."

Jason and Marta
The Amazonian woman looked at Jason with one eyebrow raised as she turned down the sidewalk and started guiding them to the closest all-night grocery store. "It's unwise to go anywhere alone at night, knowing your enemies are watching."

She peered up at the night sky, the roofs of the buildings around them. "And they are, don't doubt it for a second. We'll turn left at the next intersection." Marta hooked her thumbs into her belt, keeping her eyes moving over the seemingly quiet street they were walking down. "You're strong, and agile, and smart. Even if you are a bit head-strong. Gabby could do worse than working with someone like you."

They turned the corner, and could see the store ahead on the right. "I won't say you're unattractive - that would be a lie you would see through. But I'd prefer we all be back inside even the dubious safety of Gabby's home before we . . . explore that."

Gabby and Kenji
Gabby worked a little more on her fake government ID card, turning it this way and that in the light when she was done. "Well," she said, setting it down, "it might not fool a mechanical scanner, but it will certainly pass casual scrutiny."

She looked up, seeing Kenji there, and smiled a little shyly. "Ah, I'm sorry. I really should be a better host." Standing up, the doctor tilted her head at him. "I suppose I could show you around the place? You can see where you'll be sleeping."

"You're a straight shooter," Jason grinned as they approached the store. "I like that immensely. I'm a fan of the rest of you too, in case you wondered." He was sure she didn't. He hadn't been openly staring but neither had he been subtle about his admiration of her and Gabby both.

"I'm a naturally curious man, so exploration...that's a specialty." The doors of the market whooshed open as they drew closer. Grocery stores in Britain were a weird thing for him; familiar but also strange and different.

Jason looked around, "So I'm thinking besides the basics, we should get something to have a good meal starting out tomorrow. You and Gabby strike me as girls who like nice, big pieces of meat, right? Sausage fans maybe? Or you might prefer clams...maybe both?"

God, this was fun. He half expected her to give him a hard look and tell him to knock it off or just kick him in the butt, but either of those would be fun too.

Kenji watched Gabriella silently - while she was working meticulously on the fake IDs - without interrupting her at all. He didn't speak, didn't make a sound, even controlled his breath, in order not to disturb her from her task. After all, the better the IDs the greater their chances of entering in the facility without suspicion or any other incident. That and also he was simply content to observe her as she exercised her forgery talents. He enjoyed the few minutes of silence and calmness, even as he gazed upon her, his eyes lingering on her fair visage, amazing curves and dexterous hands. For a moment he felt as if dreaming, so absorbed he was.

Then Gabriella stood up and his eyes travelled up to meet hers once again, while a smile formed on his lips.

"Don't say that Gabriella. You are a most gracious host I can assure you of that. You have my thanks for your hospitality already".

He stood up as well and moved to the door.

"I'd be more than happy for you to give me a tour of the house. Allow me though, to take care of some safety measures first. Something that will allow me to be warned, in case anything or anyone hostile attempts to enter your house tonight".

Having said that, Kenji knelt before the door and traced a line on the floor, while speaking - in a low tone - in japanese. He concentrated for a few moments, then drew another and spoke some other cryptic words. Then he stood up and rejoined Gabriella.

"Now if anyone "related" to our patrons' enemies or any mortal who might be at their service attempts to enter, I'll know and be able to alert you and react accordingly. For some it may be an unnecessary precaution but as we well know, better safe than sorry".

He gestured towards the rest of the house smiling.

"And now I'm all yours Gabriella. We can proceed with the aforentioned tour. After you fair lady", he added, in a tone resembling the nobles of renaissance, as he bowed slightly to her, his very eyes radiating out of sincere interest for the beautiful scion that stood before him.

Jason and Marta
Marta's eyes flickered to him, amused almost against her will. "A proper paella has both sausage and shellfish," she said, a little wryly. "But as to what you're truly asking, yes, both. I typically prefer the company of my own gender, since they are less apt to be distracted or fooled by a pair of breasts, but an intelligent man is welcome companion." She grabbed a cart and started through the store.

A bag of oranges, a bunch of celery, and four apples made their way into the cart before the two of them turned the corner from produce to the rest of the store. "I try," Marta said, in a tone that conveyed frustration and resignation, "to get Gabby to eat veggies and fruit. But she mostly won't, you know. Apples, oranges, celery. And she'll run through a whole jar of peanut butter with what's here." She made a small, sad sound. "She won't eat it at all without the peanut butter."

Before long, a bag of coffee, two packages of biscuits, a jar of peanut butter, several packages of hot dogs, and a case of soda were added to the items in the cart, and they were headed for the checkouts. "Think we're all set? Is there anything else you wanted to get?"

Gabby and Kenji
Gabby blinked at him, then smiled. "Thank you for that. I'm afraid I'm rather hopeless with things like that - but if you need to see or talk to dead people, I'm your girl," she joked, a little awkwardly. "Anyway. Um, so you've seen the living room, and dining room."

Gabby took a few steps toward the doorway that lead to the kitchen, peering around the doorway. "If you want to see the kitchen, you can. But it's rather a tragic mess." She pointed at the other door in the room. "That's a small bathroom, there's a full bath upstairs."

She moved for the stairs, starting up them with firm strides. "This is where the bedrooms and the bathroom are - I didn't really have a chance to clean, so there's laundry everywhere, I'm sorry."

Jason wanted to snap something about how it was true that the mere existence of tits and that he liked them made him an idiot but he managed to keep his mouth shut. It likely wouldn't do any good to get angry and she hadn't meant it as a direct insult to him.

Just a general and diffused insult that happened to include him.

He took a few deep breaths and rolled his shoulders, tamping his indignation down. Instead of snapping or snarling, he just gave her a grin, "An intelligent man, huh? Well, you'll have to hope Kenji can deliver then. I'm clever at times, but intelligent? Not with what I do for a living."

It was not the smartest thing ever to base jump, let alone base jump while fighting harpies or any of the other crazy ass things he did on a routine basis. And even if it were, he didn't consider himself to be "intelligent," really. He wasn't dumb, and he certainly wasn't born yesterday, but that was about it.

"Doesn't she know they're good for you? Being a doctor and all, I mean." He shrugged, "Maybe different preparations? Like stuffed peppers or something?" His eating habits weren't the best either so he was hardly one to talk. Though he did like fruit; it was high energy food.

As Marta picked out her items, Jason grabbed a few more that he put into a separate basket; chicken broth, noodles, carrots, onions, chicken breasts, noodles, and fresh spinach. "I'll grab these, Marta, but no, I don't think we need anything else. Maybe some beer or other spirits if you're in the mood for 'em."

The lanky scion got into line, noting the worried glances a few of the patrons were shooting at his wild looks. He grinned toothily and then shrugged back at Marta, "I'll make up something when we get back, maybe. The kind of thing that can sit for a few days if need be."

Kenji

Following Gabriella around the house Kenji tried to memorize the layout, in case he'd later need to move around himself, without having to disturb his pretty hostess - not that he'd mind being around her even more. But given the supernatural equivalent to a surveillance system that he had just installed in the front door, he kept in mind that he might need to react quickly in case of an emergency.

Listening to her own special gift through her divine heritage, Kenji was quite impressed.

"Very interesting. Gaining insight from those beyond the threshold of mortal existence could be quite valuable at times, though I suppose that it can be quite taxing at times".

As they walked around, he was quite amused at Gabriella's apologetic attitude in regards to the state of her house.

"Not to worry Gabriella. I'm not here to inspect the house nor to judge your housekeeping skills at all. First of all it wouldn't be polite to do that to a fair lady such as yourself and even more so, since you invited me here. I'm more than happy to be in your company, as it is and I'm sure that you keep your house as it best comforts and serves you".

He followed her as she went upstairs, almost mesmerized by her admittedly quite shapely and pretty butt, that dared his eyes to remain fixated on its almost hypnotic movement. His temper and manners though prevailed - even with effort - and he gently touched her hand, to halt her, insisting that he moves up first.

"My apologies Gabriella, but it is consider polite not to let a lady precede a gentleman on the stairs, in order to best avoid the temptation to stare on her attractive physique and curves and thus avoid insulting her".

Smiling - with a spark in his eyes that indicated how much he appreciated her natural charms but also how much he cared for her feelings, he moved upstairs and waited for her.

Jason and Marta
"Good idea," the Amazonian woman said approvingly. "Let's hurry back. I've got an itch between my shoulders that rarely bodes well." She gathered up half the bags and let Jason take the others. "It might be nothing, but I'd rather be somewhere defensible."

They walked out of the store, moving with ease and purpose down the street, eyes traveling easily over the surrounding buildings. Something about them seemed almost more sinister than before, the alleys seeming darker, the darkened windows glinting back the streetlights ominously.

"If something happens, what's your preferred mode?" she asked softly. "I'm more comfortable in the thick of it, as it were. I find it easier to get everyone's preference set before shit goes down - cuts down dramatically on accidental stabbings and shootings."

Gabby and Kenji
Gabby blinked up at him, a small frown on her face. That was . . . well, polite, yes, but she'd never heard of a man passing up a chance to ogle a woman. "Well, all right," she said as she started up the stairs after him.

"Let's see. The bathroom's on the right there, and the spare bedroom is the door right in front." She reached the top of the stairs and gestured. "My bedroom is that door on the left, and that's about it." Gabby shifted, leaning against one of the walls with her hands in her pockets. "It's not a great place, but it's mine."

Kenji

Kenji noticed the small frown in Gabriella's face and mentally cursed his temperance and good manners. While he was devoted to following such rules of good and proper behavior by principle, the last thing he'd want to do - especially under the current circumstances - was to make such a beautiful lady, like Gabriella - feel even remotely undesirable, or make her misjudge his own desire for her. Rushing to make amends, he smiled mischievously and looked back at her, staring at her full figure, as she ascended the stairs.

"Everyone though has his own preferred angle of admiration - when women of supernal beauty are concerned - and looking upon you, feels as if I'm witnessing first hand the ascension of a very goddess to her throne".

Hoping that his compliment would somehow cheer her up, Kenji followed her closely for the rest of the tour. When they were done, he smiled at her comment.

"It's fine. I've already told you that I am not here to judge you and besides, I find myself quite captivated by our ongoing mission on our patrons' behalf as well as quite enchanted by your charms to notice anything negative about your place. Not that you should worry about it. Home is were your heart is and if you feel comfortable and happy here, then you should relax and enjoy it".

"Oh and since we're waiting for Jason and Marta, may I ask were do you plan on putting me to sleep? The spare bedroom or perhaps a couch downstairs?"

The streets felt different. It might just be his imagination, he hadn't been in London long enough to get a real feel for it yet. But he felt more exposed and more watched as he and Marta left the store and trod on through the streets back towards Gabby's flat.

The brawny beauty had noticed it as well, it seemed, which made him think it wasn't just nerves. Still, her question made him smirk and brought a quip to his lips before he could stop it, "My preferred mode is doggy style with-oh, I'm sorry, you meant for fighting."

He shrugged, "Not sure how to answer that exactly. I guess I'm a mid-range guy? I'm use my fists for the most part. And feet. And knees. And elbows. And my head a few times. I throw stuff around too; little things and big things." Jason rubbed at one shoulder, the one with the tattoo of the peacock feather over the thunderstorm. "I've got a pretty good arm."

The wild looking young man shook his head, "But I've never had any training in weapons or guns or anything. I'm pretty much self-taught. Amazing I got this far, right?"

Jason and Marta
Marta nodded, peering slightly into an alley. "That makes sense. There's a lot to be said for using what you can." She paused, reaching one hand out to grip his shoulder, the other going to her own shoulder and around toward the back of her neck.

A tall, red-faced man lurched out of the darkness at them, his steps unsteady. "Hey there, pretty lady," he slurred, his eyes focusing blearily on Marta's face.

Her lip curled in a sneer and she let go of Jason's shoulder, pushing the drunk away. "I"m not interested, you drunk bastard!"

The man blinked, then staggered away, muttering to himself indistinctly.

As they watched him make his way down the street, Marta snorted. "Let's hope that's all the excitement we have tonight. We're about a block away now, I think we can make it without drama."

Kenji and Gabby
"Well, um, really," she stammered, "I hadn't thought too much. I mean, there's plenty of space in the spare room. And the couch is pretty comfortable. I suppose," she said, opening the door to the extra bedroom and flipping on the light, "you get first choice since Jason and Marta aren't here."

His words were flattering, but she . . . felt awkward. She knew she was pretty, but she wasn't used to being praised like that. "I just want you all to feel comfortable."

Kenji

The young man of asian heritage stood there by the door, taking a good look in the, now-lit, room and nodded in appreciation to Gabriella.

"It is fine. I already feel quite comfortable and thank you for that. I guess I could choose first, but it wouldn't be polite. We could always wait until Miss Marta and Jason return to sort this out, without any problems".

With that he gestured towards the stairs, with the intention to return to the house's first floor and the living room, unless Gabriella had any objections or other ideas on what to do next.

Jason smirked, "Excitement of that kind, anyway." The rough and tumble young man let that comment sit alone for a half minute before adding, "I make a mean soup, you see."

Heh.

But though the deadly wino had moved off, he still didn't feel much better. It was likely his nerves. But he trusted his instincts and right now they told him to get back to Gabby's. If nothing else, the flat limited the number of directions shit could come at them from. Defending a structure was better than defending your bare ass in the middle of the street.

He picked up his stride a bit, moving at a brisk walk that was almost a jog. He was sure Marta could keep up with ease. "No point taking it slow then. I still feel like I want a door between me and whatever might be out here."

Marta's key turned in Gabby's door as Gabby lead the way back down the stairs. The doctor paused on the steps, her right hand going to her chest almost as if in shock. The door opened, and she watched warily until Marta's head poked in. "We're back . . . good choice, Gabby."

She stepped in, leading Jason inside. Gabby grinned and kept her hand there until the door was shut. "A girl can't be too careful, mamacita," she teased, trotting down the steps the rest of the way. "Here, I can take those groceries."

Kenji

As soon as the key turned in the lock, Kenji's well-trained and honed-to-perfection reflexes kicked in and in the blink of an eye, the young japanese Scion was on his feet, rushing towards the door, in an attempt to position himself between Gabriella and any potential threat that might emerge into the house. Despite the fact that his supernatural detection line had not been triggered, his years as a trained V.I.P bodyguard urged him to this course of action.

As soon as he realized that there was no danger, he visibly relaxed and smiled, welcoming Marta and Jason and with a reassuring glance to Gabriella, that had obviously been upset by the sudden door opening, he proceeded with the rest to the living room.

"Good to have you back. I hope your walk to the market was uneventful or have our mutual enemies given any sign of presence nearby?", he inquired, after they had settled down.

Jason quirked an eyebrow as he strolled into the flat. He could sense the dissipating tension; Gabby and Kenji were ready for a fight. Hell, it looked like Kenji might have even been about to rush the door. "Man, you guys must scare the shit out of the UPS guy, huh?"

He handed off the groceries to Gabby as Marta secured the door behind them. "If they're out there, they're good enough at it that neither of us could spot them. So either they're not on our tails yet or they're out of our league and we're pooched anyway, so I'm not going to waste time worrying about it," he finished with a shrug.

The scar faced man jerked a thumb at the Amazon. "Some drunk hit on Marta but that was as exciting as it got. I'm a little disappointed, actually. I was hoping they'd show some of their hand, you know? I guess we're the ones who're going to have to stick our necks out this time."

Safety was an illusion. He knew that; you were never really safe wherever you were or despite any precautions you may have taken. Random chance and determined assholes could overcome pretty much any defense. Safety and security were about minimizing risk but there was no eliminating it. That said, the worry he'd felt in the street had eased a lot just being back here. Maybe it was being in a place where people lived rather than a hotel room, a place that was at least a little bit of a home for someone, or maybe it was the company. Yeah, the door was just secured with a chain and a deadbolt lock but given who he was with, he was safer than he'd been in years. Well, maybe he was safer when June and her Amazonian bodyguards came to see him, but he wasn't sure about that. They were there to enforce Hera's will on him and as a son of Zeus, that didn't necessarily mean they weren't the biggest danger to him.

It was a much relaxed Jason who made his way into the kitchen, tsked softly, and surveyed the landscape. "Well, ladies and gent, if we're going to cook, let's get started. If not...hell, I don't know then, but let's get something happening here. I kind of have a low threshold for boredom."