Forced Withdrawals [Nox's Building]

[Hayden]

Tatyana's stomach growled. "Sky, have one of the kids bring us some food -- something hot not junk. The streets aren't kind to these three." Sky didn't acknowledge him with more than a simple beep.

Food arrived just as Tatyana finally spoke again. Ashton brought in three bowls of soup, some crackers, toasted bread and some hard cheese -- something easy to adjust to on an empty stomach. He was a smart man. "Thanks Ashton."

When Ashton put the tray down on the table he left with a smile and closed the door behind him. "I'm assuming you are asking about why Nox killed their parents? He didn't kill them both. Their father had sustained a bite from the same monsters that bit Nox and he was forced to cut off his own arm so the parasite didn't spread to his brain and take him over. The father was taken over -- he was part of the horde that trudged through the caverns of the tunnels below the city. He went down with them while the men Nox had with him had saved the refugee camp. But they weren't there in time and others got bit. All of them couldn't be saved. They were bit on the neck or torso -- places you couldn't even try to save them like he did himself. Kenzie was hiding when Nox pulled the trigger that killed her mother. She saw him give her mercy. The wound was already black with and she would have turned with in the hour. Some company did that to a creature -- it got out. Nox spent months cleaning out the tunnels. He and the Ascendancy took a team out to finish it. Nox lost in that fight. He still is dealing with the reprecussions of his actions. He did the right thing. Maddi knows that, and so does Kenzie. But Kenzie needs someone to hate so Nox lets her hate him. He teachs her to fight so she doesn't get hurt because she will go after the monsters that killed her parents -- whether that is Nox or the monsters -- she will become Atharim. She may not call herself that -- but it is what she will be. I've seen it many times -- seen kids turn into what Nox is -- what he grew up to become. It's better if she's here with him so he can teach her how to channel that anger. But she doesn't trust him."

Hayden nodded to the food. "You should eat something. The twins too."

[Tatyana]

Hayden asked for food, and Tatyana was grateful. Pride would have kept her from asking. It was one thing if it was offered. It was another thing to ask. For a long time she had just taken, but that had become unnecessary because of staying at the church.

It was Ashton who had brought it in. And he had smiled. Tatyana’s gaze followed him on the way out. He had made her laugh. That had stuck with her. He was just being silly, but it made her laugh. She smiled a bit as he left. Nothing would come of it. Ashton didn’t like her like that and probably wouldn’t. It would plain be a bad idea, so she wouldn’t bring it up. She wouldn’t know what to do about it anyways. There had been a time when men had come to her asking for a dance or sneaking a kiss - back when she was pretty and confident in herself. Those things weren’t true anymore.

Tatyana didn’t move to the food right away. Instead she listened to Hayden’s explanation. Horde - amputations - bites - infections. Sounded like one of those zombie apocalypse games. Her dad had played some. What were they called? Resident Evil? They were old games. She didn’t play many games, but had watched her father play. A corporation had even made them. Just another reason to say fuck corps.

When he finished she remained silent for a bit. It was a lot to take in. Nox had fought with the Ascendancy. That was kind of incredible. Whe had no idea why the Ascendancy had cared. He seemed to not give a shit about anybody below a certain tax bracket. Tatyana thought for a moment she probably shouldn’t be that critical. At one point she had been wealthy - well - she had lived in wealth. Then it was all taken.

”Sounds like a video game,” she said, keeping the incredulity out of her voice. It wasn’t meant as a contrary statement. She didn’t think he was lying. Hayden hadn’t actually done that, and he had corroborated what Maddi had told her.

She did stand up though and touch the girls lightly before saying. ”We have some soup here. You girls should eat.”

Tatyana didn’t have much of an appetite even though she was hungry, but she sat down and grabbed a bowl, waiting for the girls. She wanted them to eat, so she would. She just hoped it didn’t come back later.

[Legione Sumus]

Madison & Mackenzie

Hayden had chuckled. "It does, but i promise you it's all true. Nox isn't the man you think he is."

Maddi had listened to the story -- Nox had told them what happened. He said it as calmly and as matter of factly as Hayden had. It wasn't a lie. Maddi knew that. She sat up and poked Kenzie to wake up. "Soup and cheese." She giggled. They liked cheese. They didn't get the good stuff often -- usually was the preprocessed stuff. "OOOh and toasted bread too." Kenzie sat up when her sister mentioned the warm bread.

They both sat and ate.

Hayden gave them both a smile. "Monsters are real. Nox doesn't kill innocent people. He has a savior complex. He'll do everything in his power to save anyone in need. Their parents were a mercy. And they are part of the litany in his nightmares. Faces that haunt him. Victims he couldn't save." Hayden sighed and nodded towards the kids outside. "Those kids out there, they are asked Nox to save their friend -- he was a victim, kept in a cage, was used as a chew toy by cannibal boy. He begged Nox to leave him -- to leave him. Nox chose mercy instead of burning to death. Another face to huant him, but those kids aren't angry at him. They understand why. They knew what he went through."

[Tatyana]

Maddi woke up Kenzie and Tatyana smiled when they both came to eat, Kenzie moving after Maddi mentioned warm bread. They say down and began to eat. Tatyana's appetite wasn't back. She didn't know when it would come back. She felt like she could handle soup though. The cheese might be rough. She took her portion of bread and broke it in half, giving it to the girls. She repeated that with the cheese and just kept soup and crackers for herself. The girls needed it more than she did, and they liked it.

Then Hayden told them that Nox was a savior of sorts to many of the people here. That explained their absolute loyalty. The story was now said in a way she could understand. Zeke had pulled her out of the muck. It was why she owed him everything. It was why she would do whatever he asked without question. She began to eat quietly and looked back at the door for a moment, wondering about Ashton again before she turned back. No - not a good idea. She ate her soup and let the girls eat their soup.

Monsters were real. That was something she had never expected. Ghosts, goblins, vampires and zombies. Maybe more. Who knew? These Atharim folks probably knew, but they wanted to kill her, so she wanted to avoid them. "So these Atharim folks think I'm a monster too? Is there anyway I can avoid them?"

[Elyse]

Chocolate ice cream was even better. "Sounds good to me. Nox isn't here so if he gets pissy about it - well - then he should be here," she leaned in to whisper to Sterling. "I'll replace it...if I'm feeling generous."

Elyse grabbed a couple of bowls and some spoons. "We can eat here with everyone, or if you want to have some quiet time, we can go to my room. We can invite other people too - maybe Marta? She has to be around here somewhere. Sky - where is Marta?"

"Marta is taking a nap with Lily."

Elyse nodded. It wasn't odd that she was on Lily duty. "We can invite her when she wakes up. Up to you - what do you say?"

[Hayden]

"Not all of them think you are a monster." While he wasn't technically Atharim he didn't think they were monsters -- though his training him told him otherwise. But his father didn't actually know any of these so-called monsters either. And until Nox -- he hadn't either.

"If they've already found you then no, the only thing you can do is make sure they don't trouble you. And being here is a good start. Most Atharim avoid Nox's little perimeter and his friends. It's hard to beat a guy who knows how you operate -- still has an in and who can channel. Plus he's got the whole neighborhood rigged with sensors and drones so no Atharim gets in without being clocked first."

Hayden shurgged. "To stay off their radar -- don't use your power publicly. I know you are all about using it for these fights you keep talking about -- but the moment you do, is likely the moment you get flagged in the Atharim system. They watch places where things like that happen. And I'm thinking you are gearing up to fight at the Almaz -- a place Zeke is known for. And the Atharim know of it. Nox fights there -- His videos went viral a while back. So, you've got that choice to make."

[Sterling]

Sterling giggled. "He barely eats it, he won't notice. It's just always left for last cause it's the only kind Nox does eat. And it's his house. Pretty sure he only buys it for us kids."

She shrugged. "Either way. Marta has her own sorts of boy troubles. Though I hear there is a data planned." Marta was having better luck than she was. "I just don't understand why Liam is so afraid of Nox. I mean I get he's got this vibe but he wouldn't ever hurt a kid. Not on purpose. And Liam's like family. Even if he's never around to see that."

[Elyse]

Elyse scooped them both some ice cream and got a couple of spoons. She led Sterling up to her room. It was decorated, but not in a way that suggested permanence. She hadn’t planned on staying forever, but at the same time wasn’t sure when she was leaving. She sat on her bed with her feet underneath her and invited Sterling to do the same. This conversation felt like one that deserved some privacy.

”Sky - let Marta know where we are when she wakes - and let her know she’s invited to our little shindig.” Marta could decide on her own whether or not to come. She thought she would. Marta liked Sterling.

Elyse took a spoonful of ice cream and contemplated what Sterling had said. ”Nox can be scary, but I agree I don’t think he would hurt Liam. There could be a lot of reasons why he’s scared of him,” she paused, thinking. ”Could be he’s not as scared as he seems. He, like you, is at an odd age where you don’t really know where you fit anymore. Maybe he’s a little insecure. Could be a lot of reasons. Have you ever asked?” Elyse had learned the hard way that communication was important. Maybe they just weren’t communicating.

Then something clicked into her mind. Sterling had said it, and Elyse had heard it, but hadn’t truly processed it. ”Wait! Marta has a date!?” she had seen Marta and Jackson working together to get things ready for their sleepover, but she hadn’t thought Marta would be comfortable with more. She had been avoiding her crush lately. What had prompted that change?