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Zealot was gathering up the few items she wished to take with her as the others waited outside the cabin. Warblade and Grifter stared each other down. Voodoo was still extremely wary of the other Gifted Ones. Grifter seemed distracted. The man they called Maul came forward. He had shrunk down to his less intimidating human form.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot. My name is Jeremy." Voodoo looked at him hesitantly but the vibe coming off him was friendly so she extended her hand out to him.

"Priscilla."

"It is very nice to make your acquaintance, Priscilla. I'm sorry about trashing your house."

"Apologize to Zealot. I have an apartment in D.C. Well..I did. I don't think I can go back. Not much to go back to though I guess. I was just a college student."

"What was your major?"

"I'm a sophomore majoring in biology."

"Well if you decide to continue your studies I can definitely help you out. Biochemistry is my specialty."

"Thank you, Jeremy."

Zealot walked out of the cabin with several bags in hand. Her gaze passed over the Gifted Ones. The currently one armed Spartan walked towards her to relieve her of some of the bags.

"Your recruits are still very green, Spartan. What training do they possess currently?"

"Currently we have been working on using their powers to the fullest advantage."

"That is a case of putting the cart before the horse. They should be well versed in hand to hand combat before relying on these powers."

"Warblade is an accomplished martial artist. Maul can definitely hold his own, but we retain him also for his scientific endeavors."

"I would think one accomplished in the martial arts would have more control over their temper." Zealot replied.

"Don't let it be a sore spot, Zealot. You can take out any frustrations on him in the combat simulator. You will find he is harder to humble than you originally believed."

Grifter looked around. He was uneasy about the current situation. He had a bad feeling things were going to get worse. Zealot was conversing with the android. He was never a fan of those. She had her "all business" face on. She was probably the best thing that could happen to this bunch. She had definitely been the best thing to happen to him. When Zealot had found him he was clinging tenuously to what little sanity he had left. The "Rush" had ravaged his mind, leaving him disillusioned, broken and so reckless it bordered on suicidal. Zealot had taught him how to lock away the power that threatened to unhinge him. He had a suspicion she had experience with the seductive nature of power greater than one should possess. She had rebuilt him into the capable man he was today. His life was pledged to the Daemonite war to repay the impossible debt. Even if their time as lovers was over he would remain devoted to her cause.

Voodoo was the forgiving type, or at the least opportunistic. Grifter could tell as she was already relishing the attention of the man code named Maul. He couldn't blame the man. She was definitely a beauty just brimming with enticing energy. He felt some sense of relief that he and Zealot would not have to safeguard the girl on their own. A whole team of people could be good or bad. He wasn't big on trusting people but neither was Zealot. She apparently knew Jacob Marlowe and was willing to align with him for the time being so she must have her reasons. He took a drag off his cigarette and continued to stare down Warblade. Emp waved everyone over and Void initiated teleportation back to New York. The sensation was one Voodoo had never experienced. She chastised herself for being frightened of this after what she already been through. She closed her eyes letting the strange feeling of her particles dissipating and reassembling wash over her. It was seconds later that she felt the rough concrete beneath her tennis shoes replace the grass.

Everyone was present and accounted for in HALO's hangar on the fiftieth floor. It was a nice open area to materialize in and also stored most of the gear necessary to a covert SPB team. Just as the group was about to disperse the unmistakeable sound of breaking glass emanated from the building's East facing windows. The cloaking technology I/O had invested so much in had paid off. The elite strike force was going in with guns blazing. Agents came pouring in from a helicopter transport outside.

"SHIT! Voodoo, get down!" Grifter attempted to get Voodoo behind him as he drew his guns on the advancing agents.

"Who the Hell are these guys?" Emp asked.

"Black Razor team. I/O sends them to do all their dirty work," Grifter answered. Emp's team attempted to take up defensive positions but they were outnumbered. Zealot had taken up a position near Grifter. "We gotta find a way out of here, Sister."

"Retreat is not an option for me, Grifter. You know that the precepts require I stand my ground until victory or death."

"I'll make sure they put that on your tombstone," Grifter quipped as he covered her.

Maul and Warblade were holding their own but it was clear that they were not used to fighting for their lives. Spartan, like the loyal bodyguard he was defended Emp and Void. Emp had his gun drawn and was far from defenseless. Zealot was fairly effective against them with just her blade. When Void took a hit Grifter realized they were not using lethal force weapons. She would be hurting, but the woman would live to fight another day. Even so the melee was dangerous for so many untrained SPBs not used to the struggles of real battle.

"I've got the girl," one of the Razors said as he attempted to subdue a struggling Voodoo.

"Get the Hell off of me!" She fought off the Razor using a technique that was part instinct, part Coda. She was catching on fast. Emp was shooting without hesitation and a few Black Razors were down from injuries sustained from himself, Zealot and Emp. Grifter found himself retreating further and further as the Razors kept advancing when he saw Emp grab one of the downed Razors. He held the gun to the man's helmet threatening to execute him right there.

"If we're going down at least we are going to take a lot of you with us," Emp said.

"That will be enough." The voice of John Lynch cut through, and the battle ground to a halt. "This exercise has gone far enough. We've made our point."

"Lynch? This is what you're doing now?" Grifter faced the man he had known so many years ago. He pulled down his mask to face the older man.

"There's no way out. It's your good fortune that I am in need of your help and that is the sole reason you're alive. Cash? I didn't realize you were mixed up with this lot."

"Yeah, I didn't realize the company you kept these days either. I shouldn't be surprised."

Lynch approached Marlowe flanked by several Black Razors. "I know what you have been doing. You're trying to stop the reunification. I want to know who their mole is."

"I might tell you if I knew. We just got the girl here and that was the next step."

"So you are of no use to me? Maybe I should have let the Razors finish you off."

"Actually…we already know who it is...but you wouldn't believe me if I told you." All eyes fell to Grifter.

"It's true. I haven't used my gift very long, but I know what I saw," Voodoo said walking out from behind Grifter.

"How do we know we can trust you, Lynch? How do we know that you aren't working for him?" Warblade asked.

"Because he would have just killed us, Warblade," Grifter replied.

"I've been trying to stop Project Reunification but I've been consistently blocked. Give me the name and we may be able to stop this."

"And if we don't?" Marlowe wasn't stupid. Giving in to a man that came in shooting first asking questions later did not sit well with him.

"I can make life very difficult for you, Mr. Marlowe. I can have your assets confiscated, I can make your overseas contracts null and void, I can make your alliances disappear. As a public figure you have a lot to lose and without that persona your little operation right here wouldn't be possible." Lynch stood confidently, arms crossed, staring the shorter man down.

"I see, you aren't giving us a choice?"

"Lynch, you gotta believe us. It's better if you don't know. You owe me. Trust me, for once, that it's better for us NOT to tell you," Grifter said.

"Cash, when have you shown yourself to be trustworthy?"

"I don't follow orders blindly! Give us any information you have since you obviously aren't equipped to stop it on your own You need us more than we need you." Lynch looked extremely displeased before he approached Grifter with a sealed envelope marked "Confidential"

"This should be all you need. I'm trusting you to use it wisely, Cash. Though I'm feeling increasingly uneasy about it. Marlowe, I will be watching you." He bid them farewell and the Razors retreated.

Warblade left for his quarters in an obvious state of irritation. Marlowe paged his assistant Stansfield to get space ready for Voodoo, Zealot and Grifter. After a brief conversation Stansfield approached Voodoo.

"Greetings, Priscilla. Mr. Marlowe has asked me to escort you to your new accommodations." Jeremy waved goodbye to her as she was lead away. Stansfield took the duffle bag she had taken from Zealot's cabin.

So much had changed in forty eight short hours. She had traveled hundreds of miles, been attacked three times and put her life in the hands of people she had just met. She shook her head. She liked Grifter all right. He was just dangerous enough, handsome and had the brash attitude that made women crazy. Zealot was growing on her. As mentors went she definitely had a lot to offer Voodoo. The woman was a phenomenal teacher if you excused her low tolerance for failure. She would have to get to know Jeremy, Spartan, Void, Marlowe and Warblade.

The HALO building was huge and very modern. Everything was glass and steel overlooking millions of city lights. The elevator hummed quietly as it ascended floors at astounding speed. Offices and laboratories whisked by. The building grew emptier the higher they went.

"The living quarters include fitness and training facilities for the team. Jeremy's lab is a floor below the personal quarters. The room is already furnished, should you need anything just buzz me or Jules personally."

"Wow, I'm not used to this." Voodoo hadn't even been to a hotel with this kind of service. "Does he do this for all his recruits?"

"Mr. Marlowe wants to keep his people in top form. We can't let you worry about the small things when you have so much to prepare for." They stepped off the elevator and Stansfield guided her down a long hallway. " Stansfield opened the door to the room for her. It was at least three times the size of her apartment in D.C. The windows ran floor to ceiling reflecting light off of polished wood floors. The furniture was sparse and modern. There wasn't a lot of warmth but that didn't bother her. She loved the sleek minimalist style. He handed her the key card to her room.

"Have a good evening, Miss Kitaen."

She felt giddy like a kid as she closed the door to her HALO apartment. Even as a young child she had realized the small town life was not for her. She wanted to be in the middle of everything. There was a certain amount of anonymity that was only possible in a large metropolis. D.C. had been a pretty large change for her but coming to New York even under these circumstances was like coming home. For the time being this is where she belonged. She kicked her shoes off and turned a chair towards the floor to ceiling window. She rested her head on her arm getting lost in the endless sea of buildings

"So how do you know Lynch, Mr. Cash?" Jacob Marlowe was realizing the world was getting to be a very small place.

"I worked with him years ago. We were part of a covert operations unit for the government. That's all you need to know." Grifter looked down at the midget. Emp was flanked as usual by a now recovered Void and Spartan. Zealot and Grifter were seated in Jacob's posh office in the HALO building.

"Listen, I want full disclosure," Jacob replied.

"Jacob, I vouch for Grifter and my word alone should be adequate," Zealot interceded.

"You're lucky I don't have time to doubt you. Priscilla is settling in here. After this meeting get some rest. I want you fresh in the morning. Zealot, Spartan, I want you two to work on getting the team to function as a unit. We need to strike soon to stop reunification. As soon as we can all work together reliably then we are going to go after the mole. "

Zealot nodded.

"I would agree that the sooner we strike the better. We need the element of surprise if we are to stand any chance of success."

"If we're lucky the Cabal doesn't realize that we teamed up. Hopefully they are out chasing our trail out in the back country instead of looking here."

"At this point I am sure they have given up on the Gifted One, Brother Grifter. Unfortunately that means they can concentrate fully on reunification."

"The information Lynch gave us is all encrypted but I think we have a contact that can help us out," Grifter said.

"Why do I feel like things are about to get ugly?" Emp sighed. "Go rest up, get something to eat and we will start on this tomorrow. 7 AM everyone meet in the combat training sim." Stansfield entered the office with the key cards.

"I am not sensing any major nexuses for at least 48 hours," Void stated.

"You heard, Adrianna. We have a small time window to prepare. We better make the best of it," Spartan commented.

"All right, meeting's over. Class dismissed." The heroes dispersed to their quarters. The burden of what they had to undertake weighed heavily upon them.

Zealot intentionally distanced herself from her companion in the elevator. She stared out at New York. She had spent time in the city over the years. The buildings seemed to go on forever. She wrapped her arms around herself. Grifter leaned against the wall of the elevator rolling an unlit cigarette in his fingers.

"I presume the contact you referred to is Savant?" Zealot asked.

"Yeah, doesn't she owe us a favor?"

"I think at this time we are in her debt. No matter. I will contact her tonight."

"So, we're bunking in the same room?"

"I entrusted Priscilla to make our lodging arrangements."

"It should have a helluva view."

"I don't think this building has any bad views. It will be far better than our usual accommodations."

"Well yeah, it's been a while since we stayed at the Waldorf." Grifter replied sarcastically. The elevator reached their floor. Grifter wasn't sure when being alone together in confined spaces had started getting awkward. They walked silently to the door after exiting the elevator. Once the door opened they both peered curiously into the room.

It was modern yet comfortable much like Voodoo's room. They glanced at the gleaming floors and plush rug. They looked out onto an amazing cityscape view through the windows. There was only one problem.

"So.. uh…you left Pris in charge?"

"Yes."

"Is that why there's only one bed?"

"I do believe that would be the case."

"There's no way I'm fitting on that loveseat."