They Found Me

[Connor Kent]

This was one of many reasons Connor loved his wife. She listened to him. Like she really listened, rather than just go off on what she had decided, regardless. She respected his feelings. This was a real partnership.

Because Connor felt the same about her. Because she was actually right. This wasn't about Atharim. This was about America, about its government. 

Connor wouldn't deny that he'd kept his head in the sand since they'd left Moscow. The....world shaking events he'd found himself in the middle of- ancient societies killing people with god-like powers, creatures of mist, being brought back from near death- well, to say he wanted to leave all of that behind and just live a simple life with his wife and family, was a massive understatement. 

That feeling had also bled into politics. He didn't pay much attention. As far as he was concerned, whomever was in charge, he figured it was best to just lay low and just try to keep his family safe.

Still, even with all that, he knew he wasn't a big fan of the current administration. He didn't have any better ideas, not really. But neither did he like the current crop. He was old enough to have seen almost a dozen elections. He'd seen the difference between words and actions, the frivolous stupidities, the waste of people and money and resources.

But neither was he ok with things like assassination. The law was set them apart, equally and fairly applied to all. Principles, he knew. And despite those ideals, America had always struggled in applying them equally. History, as he had both seen and learned first hand, portrayed an America that had always been aspirational; that continued to struggle to live up to those ideals, to make them apply to everyone. The ever widening of those principles, though, applying them to more and more people, was why he still loved this country.

And he cared. If Nox was going to kill the president or anyone else, that couldn't be allowed. He had liked the kid. But he wasn't gonna let that kind of thing happen.

It was simple as that. His face hardened and he nodded. "OK. We see if he can explain. But if he isn't going to stop...."

He paused. Ayden was a weapon. But she was also his wife. He looked at her. "I can meet with him. Talk to him. Find out....what we need to know. If he does need to be...stopped, well, you can be the surprise." A smile formed there at the end.

He knew it was a simple plan. More like a suggestion. But if she was game, she'd flesh it out.

[Ayden]

Ayden laughed. It was almost like she had been asking for that exact solution. She hadn't been but one might think she was. "That's perfect. You talk to him. I'll set up some distance away on top of a building. We can choose where to talk to him so it's all set up. We'll get some comms and you can tell me when to take the shot."

Ayden's mind went a thousand miles an hour as she thought of all the things they would need to do. "You still need to pack. We need to find a new home." She paced back and forth. "I'll have to figure out where would be best to do this. If he's coming here to kill our way of life he has to have plans. I will need to talk to my contacts." She said searching her pockets for her wallet. Not that it would do much good. "I need to dig up some old things. I don't think we'll be able to give 2 weeks notice. I don't have any stashes near by."

[Connor Kent]

Connor smiled because....what was he gonna do? It was them, together. That's all that mattered. And they were on the same page. It sucked, leaving this place and life. 

Truthfully, a part of him thought things might work out so that they didn't have to leave. It depended on a lot of things.

He sighed and looked off for a moment. "OK. So we set up a meeting. Me and Nox. I'm not sure how or why, but let's assume he agrees. You will be a ways away, right? Watching through a scope?' He paused as he thought out loud. 

He wasn't exactly sanguine about what Ayden might hVe to do. But if- IF- she had to, he wanted her to be safe. "Is there any way he could hear you shoot and retaliate at where you are? The report of the gun might give you away."

They had planning to do.

[Ayden]

Ayden was glad that Connor hadn't complained about her setting up to take the shot. She was pretty sure she could hold her trigger finger long enough to get Connor's word. But this kid had partially ruined her life. She didn't like him one bit. And he was upsetting her world again.

"I'll be aways back. No one will find me, they'd have to have cameras on the roof. I'll be fine. Besides, what's a kid like that going to know about snipers?" He was Atharim, but he wasn't used to being hunted -- he was the hunter.

She stopped in front of Connor. "No one is going to know it was me. They won't even see me."

Ayden drew upon the power inside, embraced it's light and wove a simple weave she'd perfected over time and vanished from site. It kept all sound inside, all sight from outside away. She was essentially invisible.

She released the weave and smiled at Connor. "I will be fine. We just need to get him to meet with you. Maybe you just heard he was in town and wanted to meet up. You caught his viral video." She nodded towards the video they had watched, there were a few from the looks of things. But the gorilla being beheaded that had been something. Ayden wondered what the fuck was up with it too, that's not how animals behaved. But that wasn't her concern. This boy who was going to kill the president was. "You could ask him for help with something. Say you found a monster or something. He'd believe that."