One
The San Francisco safe house was located not two far from the pier district in the city. As Jesse landed and commanded the helix into stealth mode, the darkness surprised Shalimar and Brennan. The building wasn't on fire. It wasn't standing up that well either.
"Wow," Lexa breathed, "This doesn't look too good."
"Kari wouldn't have called if it wasn't bad," Jesse commented as he and Brennan forced the door open.
The scene before them was replayed in every bad disaster movie. It looked like the safe house had tried to become one level from the ground up. Rebar was twisted into weird shapes and several mutants were trying to help each other out of the rubble. Some had similar powers to Brennan and were working on getting the electrical systems back, others were using superhuman strength to lift rubble off of others, and others were tending to the wounded.
"JESSE! SHALIMAR!" A voice yelled out, "Up here."
Jesse turned to the catwalk above his head. Kari Spiritwalker stood, dressed in black, black hair straight and hanging down her neck in front of her. Her coloring, Native American in origin hid her bruises, and the slight scrape along her forehead added to her look. Her eyes were haunted. She slid down a nearby ladder and met them.
"Welcome to our humble abode," she began, "I'm sorry I had to wake you guys up, but this one's a little beyond my abilities."
Her eyes met every one of them, but she didn't touch anyone.
"Looks like you have it mostly under control," Brennan stated, starting to charge up his right hand, "How can I be of help?"
Kari smiled.
"I know the guys could use your help in bringing up our generators," she began, motioning for the group to follow her, "Shalimar, how are you at moving rubble?"
"Can do, medical help too," Shalimar began, "I don't think you've met Lexa."
"Lexa Pierce," Lexa stared toward Kari with an extended hand.
Kari stopped her.
"Don't touch me, you won't like the result," she warned.
Lexa stopped. The other woman's eyes darkened. She turned as another member of the safe house staff came up to her. She muttered in her ear and ran off.
"Lexa, follow her, she could use your unique help in the med lab," Kari requested, "I'll explain about me later."
Kari turned to her lone companion. Jesse had been surveying the damage and missed Lexa's reaction.
"Everyone's got a job but me," he said, "and how do you know all bout us?"
"It's a long story, the short form, I'm a medium/psionic," Kari's reply was short, as she rubbed the scrape on her forehead, "My hope right now is that I can keep these mutants amongst the living."....
The San Francisco safe house was located not two far from the pier district in the city. As Jesse landed and commanded the helix into stealth mode, the darkness surprised Shalimar and Brennan. The building wasn't on fire. It wasn't standing up that well either.
"Wow," Lexa breathed, "This doesn't look too good."
"Kari wouldn't have called if it wasn't bad," Jesse commented as he and Brennan forced the door open.
The scene before them was replayed in every bad disaster movie. It looked like the safe house had tried to become one level from the ground up. Rebar was twisted into weird shapes and several mutants were trying to help each other out of the rubble. Some had similar powers to Brennan and were working on getting the electrical systems back, others were using superhuman strength to lift rubble off of others, and others were tending to the wounded.
"JESSE! SHALIMAR!" A voice yelled out, "Up here."
Jesse turned to the catwalk above his head. Kari Spiritwalker stood, dressed in black, black hair straight and hanging down her neck in front of her. Her coloring, Native American in origin hid her bruises, and the slight scrape along her forehead added to her look. Her eyes were haunted. She slid down a nearby ladder and met them.
"Welcome to our humble abode," she began, "I'm sorry I had to wake you guys up, but this one's a little beyond my abilities."
Her eyes met every one of them, but she didn't touch anyone.
"Looks like you have it mostly under control," Brennan stated, starting to charge up his right hand, "How can I be of help?"
Kari smiled.
"I know the guys could use your help in bringing up our generators," she began, motioning for the group to follow her, "Shalimar, how are you at moving rubble?"
"Can do, medical help too," Shalimar began, "I don't think you've met Lexa."
"Lexa Pierce," Lexa stared toward Kari with an extended hand.
Kari stopped her.
"Don't touch me, you won't like the result," she warned.
Lexa stopped. The other woman's eyes darkened. She turned as another member of the safe house staff came up to her. She muttered in her ear and ran off.
"Lexa, follow her, she could use your unique help in the med lab," Kari requested, "I'll explain about me later."
Kari turned to her lone companion. Jesse had been surveying the damage and missed Lexa's reaction.
"Everyone's got a job but me," he said, "and how do you know all bout us?"
"It's a long story, the short form, I'm a medium/psionic," Kari's reply was short, as she rubbed the scrape on her forehead, "My hope right now is that I can keep these mutants amongst the living."....