Non-HPU: Crater City

[CyberDragon]

"Well, her mother, Colleen Marcinko? She actually lives in Thunder Bay and works for me and is a great friend of mine. She always talks about her daughter Lisa and showers praises on her, saying she is very proud of her and they always chat after her classes are over at college, before and after work," Mordecai replied before making a small grin, "Lisa only graduated school last year. She doesn't turn 18 until much later this year, meaning that NDA she signed under Jeff is illegal."

"Resources I have in abundance and will place at your disposal." Ryan promises before listening attentively to the mayor.
"Oh wow. That could blow this wide open, assuming she's one of the signatories!"

"If our assumptions are true, then it also makes the offense much more severe." Wildfire said, seriously. "I will have to check to see if Lisa is one of them. Has her mother mentioned any unusual behaviors from her recently?"

---------------------------------

Mist nods, pushing his legs into a crossed sitting position on the chair and resting his hands in his lap. His response is somewhat lax, the commotion in the room causing his ears to flick back under the hat. "Yeah, Mom's blind if I remember how fieldsight works right. She sees empty space as naturally expressed Celestial or Shadow energy, living things as Life, electronics as Power, so on. Dark spots are things like cement that just block all energy. Also why she runs into glass doors a lot." The boy shrugs, no particular emotion clear.

"...And Elder is, as I said, completely packed with energy. Probably more energy then all of the other Kaiju she's ever seen combined." Heather walked over to Tigress, though made sure to give her some space. "You going to be Ok?" she asked.

[SeanWolf]

"If our assumptions are true, then it also makes the offense much more severe." Wildfire said, seriously. "I will have to check to see if Lisa is one of them. Has her mother mentioned any unusual behaviors from her recently?"

"Well, when she first started working for Jeff, her mother was telling me that she was enjoying her job and it was helping with paying for college. However, I want to say last month, I was chatting with her over some tea and she told me that Lisa hadn't been her usual self lately. Usually, Lisa's very chipper and always excited to talk with her but, lately she said, she's been very distant and, at times, not even acknowledging her. We first chocked it up to maybe she was just busy at college but the next time me and Colleen chatted about her..." Mordecai stopped talking briefly as he was feeling a bit of anger in him, though once he was calmed, he continued, "..the next time we chatted, two weeks before today, she told me Lisa looked more distant then usual and was jumping at every little noise she heard, along with a few bruises on her face," while explaining, he pulled out his phone and brought up a picture that Colleen sent him of Lisa the last time they chatted and handed the phone to Wildfire, "Lisa has no boyfriend, so we can rule that out, but I do believe this is enough evidence we need."

[Deske]

"Huh," Gregg said, having never really thought of it as separate subspecies rather than just as one large group. "Makes me curious to see if we've got different science names. Like the Latin ones. Something for late night googling," he continues, making a mental note. "Who's left for the interview?"

[Welsh Halfwit]

"Well, I know I've been done," Julian said in response to Greg, before looking at Lightfoot. "I'm going to rephrase that whilst the Doctor's here. I've been interviewed. I think we all have."

[Hlaoroo]

Ryan shakes his head.
"It's a good start. But it only works if we can either get her to testify or if we can get a warrant to have some expert analyse her injuries. Failing that, Jeff can just say she fell down the stairs or something and there's nothing we can do." he opines pessimistically as the car pulls up outside his high-rise apartment building.

~~~~~~~~
<"Ah. I see. So what did this energy do to you? How did it make you feel?"> Annie asks, still calm and still keeping her distance.

~~~~~~~~
"Looks like Annie has it well in paw to me." Lightfoot answers Mist with a small smile, taking the chair beside the cat.
"What about you, though, Mist? How are you holding up?"

[DdeeStar]

"...And Elder is, as I said, completely packed with energy. Probably more energy then all of the other Kaiju she's ever seen combined." Heather walked over to Tigress, though made sure to give her some space. "You going to be Ok?" she asked.

Tigress notices Heather's approach as it occurs, driving her further against the wall. Her breathing remains constant though, only subtle spikes near the end of each breath in as she warily stares at her. In her state of mind she seems to forget to switch back to English, responding in Yasal with a calmer "Yes. Yes, I'll be alright. I just need that gone. I don't want it touching me. Burn it off. Feed it until it dies." A twinge of fear remains in the response, beyond her control, though as the energy continues to dim she seems to recover gradually.

<"Ah. I see. So what did this energy do to you? How did it make you feel?"> Annie asks, still calm and still keeping her distance.

The mother feline watches Annie speak, then looks away in an annoyed embarrassment. "Nothing yet. But it's strong. The effect. Like a massive adrenaline rush. Should be clear why I don't want to touch it. For all of our sakes." Her claws scrape against the ground as she balls her handpaws into fists, shaking her head with a frown.

"Looks like Annie has it well in paw to me." Lightfoot answers Mist with a small smile, taking the chair beside the cat.
"What about you, though, Mist? How are you holding up?"

A lazy look follows the doctor, a hint of confusion and caution underneath the mostly blank expression. Once he sits it turns back to Annie as he flicks his tail to his other side. "I'm fine. I can't sense energy as easily, normally it just warns me before I touch something that will explode. So I'm just going to wait here." He purposefully takes it to mean physically, trying to seem disinterested in the conversation. Surely there had to be a limit to how much work the KDF would put into recruits, so he decided he wasn't going to show any more signs of trouble.

[SeanWolf]

Ryan shakes his head.
"It's a good start. But it only works if we can either get her to testify or if we can get a warrant to have some expert analyse her injuries. Failing that, Jeff can just say she fell down the stairs or something and there's nothing we can do." he opines pessimistically as the car pulls up outside his high-rise apartment building.

"Unfortunately, I honestly hate to admit it, but you're right. It also brings up another issue: Even if she was abused, would she even testify? I seen many a cases of abuse go unsolved for a long time cause the victim did not want to come forth and confirm everything." Mordecai sighed and leaned back on the seat. As the car pulled up outside the apartment, a thought then came to Mordecai, "You know, I think we still have a case," looking back at Ryan and Wildfire, he added, "This is a longshot, so hear me out: We know that Lisa is underage, so that makes the NDA she signed null and void. We also know there was hush money given to them during the signing, so this also means Jeff is hiding something and doesn't want anyone else to know. However, here's the thing about NDA's: an NDA cannot prevent employees from reporting illegal workplace conduct to either the police or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the U.S. government agency charged with enforcing the nation's workplace discrimination laws. And once an EEOC investigation is underway, other workers bound by NDAs can break them to cooperate with an agency probe. This is what I'm also purposing: We hire some lawyers, ones we all trust, to issue subpoenas to the fifteen, which means they will have to testify to the court what exactly is going on, cause if they don't, they would be jailed until they are will to testify."

[CyberDragon]

Tigress notices Heather's approach as it occurs, driving her further against the wall. Her breathing remains constant though, only subtle spikes near the end of each breath in as she warily stares at her. In her state of mind she seems to forget to switch back to English, responding in Yasal with a calmer "Yes. Yes, I'll be alright. I just need that gone. I don't want it touching me. Burn it off. Feed it until it dies." A twinge of fear remains in the response, beyond her control, though as the energy continues to dim she seems to recover gradually.

Heather looked back at the message carved into the floor. She couldn't see or feel anything, but she knew how Elder's powers worked. At least, as much as anyone did. The energy signature would fade, as she knew. Though she might have to call Elder back later to erase the markings once everyone was gone. "You're going to be fine, Tigress. I'll inform Elder he should keep his distance from you." She said without taking her eyes off of the message. "In the meantime, there's no real reason to linger in this room. I think some fresh air would do you some good."

"Huh," Gregg said, having never really thought of it as separate subspecies rather than just as one large group. "Makes me curious to see if we've got different science names. Like the Latin ones. Something for late night googling," he continues, making a mental note. "Who's left for the interview?"

"Well, I know I've been done," Julian said in response to Greg, before looking at Lightfoot. "I'm going to rephrase that whilst the Doctor's here. I've been interviewed. I think we all have."

"That is correct." Heather said. "We're all done here. Though I will need to speak with you again, Julian, but I'll be brief and we can talk as we make our way back to town. There's not much left to do here right now."

---------------------------------------

"Unfortunately, I honestly hate to admit it, but you're right. It also brings up another issue: Even if she was abused, would she even testify? I seen many a cases of abuse go unsolved for a long time cause the victim did not want to come forth and confirm everything." Mordecai sighed and leaned back on the seat. As the car pulled up outside the apartment, a thought then came to Mordecai, "You know, I think we still have a case," looking back at Ryan and Wildfire, he added, "This is a longshot, so hear me out: We know that Lisa is underage, so that makes the NDA she signed null and void. We also know there was hush money given to them during the signing, so this also means Jeff is hiding something and doesn't want anyone else to know. However, here's the thing about NDA's: an NDA cannot prevent employees from reporting illegal workplace conduct to either the police or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the U.S. government agency charged with enforcing the nation's workplace discrimination laws. And once an EEOC investigation is underway, other workers bound by NDAs can break them to cooperate with an agency probe. This is what I'm also purposing: We hire some lawyers, ones we all trust, to issue subpoenas to the fifteen, which means they will have to testify to the court what exactly is going on, cause if they don't, they would be jailed until they are will to testify."

"Have you ever been crushed between a rock and a hard place, Mayor?" Wildfire said, climbing out of the limo and offering a hand to assist Mordecai out. "The point of these kinds of NDA's isn't to legally bind a victim. It's to scare them. The people who sign the NDA's aren't well versed in the laws surrounding them, and the wording of the NDA's are vague enough to confuse them and make them unsure of how much they can say without being sued, even if legally they can't be sued. They're also threatened with the thought of public retaliation if they come forward, which often includes death threats. So they believe they'll be crucified if they come forward, and you suggest threatening them with jail if they don't? Which should they choose? Sounds like they're condemned either way." Wildfire commented. "Instead of trapping them between jail and their abuser, we need to blunt their abuser's sword, so to speak. We need to ease their fears by letting them know we can guard them against retaliation."

[SeanWolf]

"Have you ever been crushed between a rock and a hard place, Mayor?" Wildfire said, climbing out of the limo and offering a hand to assist Mordecai out. "The point of these kinds of NDA's isn't to legally bind a victim. It's to scare them. The people who sign the NDA's aren't well versed in the laws surrounding them, and the wording of the NDA's are vague enough to confuse them and make them unsure of how much they can say without being sued, even if legally they can't be sued. They're also threatened with the thought of public retaliation if they come forward, which often includes death threats. So they believe they'll be crucified if they come forward, and you suggest threatening them with jail if they don't? Which should they choose? Sounds like they're condemned either way." Wildfire commented. "Instead of trapping them between jail and their abuser, we need to blunt their abuser's sword, so to speak. We need to ease their fears by letting them know we can guard them against retaliation."

Mordecai nodded, accepting Wildfire's help out of the car, and thought for a bit, "Well, I never been crushed between a rock and a hard place before, Wildfire, as I've been very fortunate in my time here on Earth. However, you mentioned blunting his sword. Remember, Lisa is still only 17 and, by law, is still considered a minor so that NDA she signed for Jeff is null and void, so his one blade is already blunted there, so to speak."

[Welsh Halfwit]

"On the minus side," Julian replied, "Follow up questions are always worrisome. On the plus side, however," he continued, standing up and making sure his pants didn't fall down, "I DO get to call shotgun on the ride back."

[Hlaoroo]

Ryan follows the other two out of the car.
"The point is, Mr. Mayor, that we can't scare her or coerce her. That would get the case thrown out in a court of law regardless. Any competent lawyer would just say we trained her in what to say. She has to work with us voluntarily. Ideally we need to convince her to go to the police of her own accord without us appearing to have interfered." the otter points out, glancing fondly up at his building.
"We should probably postpone the rest of this discussion until we're in the private of my apartment." he suggests.

Gracefully sweeping fourty-six stories into the sky, the building forms a truncated oval, flattened at one end and with a divot in the other, appearing from the air almost like an open-mouthed fish without a tail. Clad in a mixture of white paint and glass in varying shades of blue, it gives the impression from the ground as being a shard of the crystalline ocean springing from the shoreline. One end of the ground floor is taken up by a spacious open-air cafe which takes advantage of the sea views and the multitude of tourists who enjoy the beach on a daily basis. Most of the rest of the ground floor is taken up by a luxurious lobby and atrium containing comfortable sitting spaces carefully arranged for discrete conversation, a few tasteful potted plants, and an eye-catching marble reception desk. The second floor contains a gymnasium, spa, lap pool and restaurant, all of which are open to the public to various degrees. Floor three is taken up by staff and services, and floors four through fourty five are filled with apartments of varying sizes. The top floor is taken up entirely by Ryan and Ted's penthouse apartment which includes a private deck space, rooftop garden and an exclusive swimming pool. A staircase within the apartment leads onto the roof which is dominated by a landing pad which is used alternately by Ryan's helicopter and a certain obsidian-scaled dragon Kaiju. A nondescript structure to the side of the landing pad houses the elevator and air-conditioning machinery for the building.

It's into this opulence that the sea-otter zoomorph leads his friends. He nods at the doorpeople, one human lady and one stag with impressive antlers, who open the doors as they approach, checks with the gazelle at the reception desk to see if any mail has arrived (it hasn't), and then leads them to the elevator lobby.

Two banks of two elevators face each other, with a fifth elevator at right angles to the other two facing into the lobby. Ryan approaches this lone elevator and presses the button which lights up under his fingerpad.
"This is actually mine and Ted's private elevator although most people never realise it." he explains, mostly for Mordecai's benefit.
"It only goes to the lobby here, the parking garage, level two, and our apartment. There's a fingerprint scanner concealed in the button and if someone other than us or an authorised staff member presses it then one of the other four regular elevators is summoned instead. Quite sneaky, really. Always makes me feel like a secret agent of some sort when I use it." he confides with a grin.

~~~~~~~~
<"Yes. I understand completely."> Annie answers, gesturing for Heather to back off a bit.
<"Do you think you can walk around it for me? I'll keep myself between it and you and that way we can get you out of here without it touching you so you can relax a bit. How does that sound?"> the fox asks.
<"You're going to need to trust me though, okay? Me and the Colonel. Can you do that?">

~~~~~~~~
"How about up here though?" Lightfoot asks, tapping a claw against his helmet.
"If it'll help you can come back into my office and we can talk about it a bit more in private." he offers.
"It must be upsetting seeing your mother like this..."

[DdeeStar]

[...] "You're going to be fine, Tigress. I'll inform Elder he should keep his distance from you." She said without taking her eyes off of the message. "In the meantime, there's no real reason to linger in this room. I think some fresh air would do you some good."

Tigress's eyes watch Heather for a moment, silent as she takes another deep breath. A moment of thought grants her a bit more control, switching back to English to respond "Yes. Yeah, I'll..." The huddled mother makes a move to stand before re-noticing the last of the energy there, freezing again.

<"Yes. I understand completely."> Annie answers, gesturing for Heather to back off a bit.
<"Do you think you can walk around it for me? I'll keep myself between it and you and that way we can get you out of here without it touching you so you can relax a bit. How does that sound?"> the fox asks.
<"You're going to need to trust me though, okay? Me and the Colonel. Can you do that?">

With a quick shake of her head she manages to refocus, looking over at Annie with a jerky nod. "I'll manage. Colonel is right. I need to get out of here, get some air." She manages to push herself fully to her feet. "You just... scared me. I'm sorry." The apology has little emotion to it, though her face clearly shows shame. "It made sense at the time. I didn't know others could know Yasal." Her line finishes as she gingerly circles the word, stepping onto the chairs for a step to keep as far from it as possible and watching Annie closely, stopping briefly to match her speed. Once on the other side she swiftly runs to the door, leaning against the wall by it. She's visibly more relaxed despite her attention still being turned towards the nearly faded energy signature.

"How about up here though?" Lightfoot asks, tapping a claw against his helmet.
"If it'll help you can come back into my office and we can talk about it a bit more in private." he offers.
"It must be upsetting seeing your mother like this..."

Mist's ear twitches quickly as the metallic tink rings out. He doesn't say anything for a moment, just watches his mother traverse the room. Finnaly she reaches the other side and he addresses the doctor with a shake of his head. "Thanks for the offer, Doctor. I'm fine though. This... isn't that bad, comparatively. It's weird to see her scared, yeah, but I know she's being irrational... or at least I'm going to believe that. At least she was basically harmless this time." A dark smile crosses his muzzle. "Maybe it's good for her to get a taste of fear. It could smother some of the fire that consumes her so often."

[SeanWolf]

Ryan follows the other two out of the car.
"The point is, Mr. Mayor, that we can't scare her or coerce her. That would get the case thrown out in a court of law regardless. Any competent lawyer would just say we trained her in what to say. She has to work with us voluntarily. Ideally we need to convince her to go to the police of her own accord without us appearing to have interfered." the otter points out, glancing fondly up at his building.
"We should probably postpone the rest of this discussion until we're in the private of my apartment." he suggests.

Gracefully sweeping fourty-six stories into the sky, the building forms a truncated oval, flattened at one end and with a divot in the other, appearing from the air almost like an open-mouthed fish without a tail. Clad in a mixture of white paint and glass in varying shades of blue, it gives the impression from the ground as being a shard of the crystalline ocean springing from the shoreline. One end of the ground floor is taken up by a spacious open-air cafe which takes advantage of the sea views and the multitude of tourists who enjoy the beach on a daily basis. Most of the rest of the ground floor is taken up by a luxurious lobby and atrium containing comfortable sitting spaces carefully arranged for discrete conversation, a few tasteful potted plants, and an eye-catching marble reception desk. The second floor contains a gymnasium, spa, lap pool and restaurant, all of which are open to the public to various degrees. Floor three is taken up by staff and services, and floors four through fourty five are filled with apartments of varying sizes. The top floor is taken up entirely by Ryan and Ted's penthouse apartment which includes a private deck space, rooftop garden and an exclusive swimming pool. A staircase within the apartment leads onto the roof which is dominated by a landing pad which is used alternately by Ryan's helicopter and a certain obsidian-scaled dragon Kaiju. A nondescript structure to the side of the landing pad houses the elevator and air-conditioning machinery for the building.

It's into this opulence that the sea-otter zoomorph leads his friends. He nods at the doorpeople, one human lady and one stag with impressive antlers, who open the doors as they approach, checks with the gazelle at the reception desk to see if any mail has arrived (it hasn't), and then leads them to the elevator lobby.

Two banks of two elevators face each other, with a fifth elevator at right angles to the other two facing into the lobby. Ryan approaches this lone elevator and presses the button which lights up under his fingerpad.
"This is actually mine and Ted's private elevator although most people never realise it." he explains, mostly for Mordecai's benefit.
"It only goes to the lobby here, the parking garage, and our apartment. There's a fingerprint scanner concealed in the button and if someone other than us or an authorised staff member presses it then one of the other four regular elevators is summoned instead. Quite sneaky, really. Always makes me feel like a secret agent of some sort when I use it." he confides with a grin.

"It's an impressive piece of tech," Mordecai remarked, taking in the interior of the building, "Though don't take this the wrong way, but I never understood why one would want to live in such a fancy house or, in your case, apartment. To me, it feels more like your flaunting your money to those less fortunate then you then actually wanting to enjoy the comforts of home. Again, don't take it the wrong way." While he didn't verbally say it, Mordecai was really beginning to feel a bit homesick. The beauty and grandeur of the place was amazing and nice and all, but he was looking forward to heading home once the party on Ryan's yacht was over, though, every so often, he did think about changing his mind and not going at all. "Happiness is one item that can only be earned and never bought," he mumbled under his breath as they waited for the elevator.

[CyberDragon]

"On the minus side," Julian replied, "Follow up questions are always worrisome. On the plus side, however," he continued, standing up and making sure his pants didn't fall down, "I DO get to call shotgun on the ride back."

"Oh, don't worry. It's not actually follow up questions. I simply forgot to mention something." Heather mentioned to Julian. She took note of Tigress and, seeing she was looking somewhat better, she led the way forward. They headed towards the main exit and the security gate. "I need to know how you are at working in groups. Every Kaiju works as a unit with a non-Kaiju. I simply need to know if you would be able to work together with someone else."

-------------------------------

Wildfire had already been to the apartment loads of times in the past, so he was not particularly wowed by the size or sophistication of the building. When the elevator finally reached them and they climbed inside, Wildfire continued the conversation. "Anyway... the other point being missed is that the power of the hush money and NDA isn't from it's legal authority. It's from the fear it inspires. It's the carrot to counter the stick. They are led to believe, and are not wrong, that their options are to accept the money and try to go back to normal lives, or to endure torment that could ruin them forever. As long as that fear of retaliation, that fear of public humiliation, the fear of a lengthy and expensive legal battle against Jeff, the fear of rich person stans sending death threats... as long as all of that remains, Jeff doesn't need the NDA to be legal. He doesn't need it to be legally enforceable. His victims will enforce it for him because the alternative is a lot of pain."

[SeanWolf]

Wildfire had already been to the apartment loads of times in the past, so he was not particularly wowed by the size or sophistication of the building. When the elevator finally reached them and they climbed inside, Wildfire continued the conversation. "Anyway... the other point being missed is that the power of the hush money and NDA isn't from it's legal authority. It's from the fear it inspires. It's the carrot to counter the stick. They are led to believe, and are not wrong, that their options are to accept the money and try to go back to normal lives, or to endure torment that could ruin them forever. As long as that fear of retaliation, that fear of public humiliation, the fear of a lengthy and expensive legal battle against Jeff, the fear of rich person stans sending death threats... as long as all of that remains, Jeff doesn't need the NDA to be legal. He doesn't need it to be legally enforceable. His victims will enforce it for him because the alternative is a lot of pain."

"Then why not go the whistle blower route?" Mordecai asks, stepping into the elevator behind Wildfire, "Whistle Blowers are protected under the Whistleblower Protection Act, they stay anonymous, and it would be easier to expose Jeff that way then going all Perry Mason."

[Hlaoroo]

"Don't worry, I get it, Mister Mayor. To be honest, I was shocked at how small Ted's old apartment was when he first took me there. And then he told me it was bigger than most places in England and let's just say it was a good thing he was a doctor. Anyway, point is, it's not the kind of lifestyle that suits everyone and that's fine. But I think we make it comfortable. I hope we do anyway. I don't mean to show off, I promise. It's just, well, my house. I think you'd probably give a tour of yours in the same way." Ryan says as the lift doors open and the three kaiju climb abord.

The otter nods as Wildfire says his piece, his ears popping slightly as the car slides smoothly up the shaft.
"Wildfire's right. Hence what I was saying. We need her to know we can protect her, that she does have other options. We need her to trust us. Threatening her with jail time would do the complete opposite."

"Then why not go the whistle blower route?" Mordecai asks, stepping into the elevator behind Wildfire, "Whistle Blowers are protected under the Whistleblower Protection Act, they stay anonymous, and it would be easier to expose Jeff that way then going all Perry Mason."

"Again we need to convince her to blow the whistle. For that she needs to know she can trust us." Ryan reiterates as the elevator stops and the doors open directly into his apartment.
"Welcome to my, heh, not-so-humble abode." he grins. "Feel free to make yourself comfortable."

As the group exits the elevator, they step directly into a modern, open-plan living area. The space is brightly lit by sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows which showcase stunning views over the bay and the city. A spacious kitchen to the right is stocked with top of the line appliances and is separated from the living area by an island that doubles as a breakfast bar. Several photos and a shopping list are stuck to the refrigerator with magnets, and "Ted Loves Ryan" is spelled out in letter magnets on the same, a jumble of spare letters arrayed on the door below. The living area boasts a large flat-screen television with surround sound system, a high-fidelity stereo system featuring a radio, CD player and turntable, several comfortable blue couches accented with cushions in navy, white and sandy brown and in the centre of a stripy rug stands a long, white coffee table upon which a medical textbook lies open beside a novel. Several shelves line the walls, piled with books, board games, DVDs, records, CDs and plenty of photos of Ryan and Ted in both romantic and humorous situations. To the left, the white walls and pale timber floorboards give way to the deck upon which deck chairs, potted plants, a bar and a grill are arranged around a sparkling swimming pool. The overall effect of the apartment is that, although it's spacious, airy and ultramodern in design, it still feels cosy, personal and lived-in.

Ryan shrugs off his jacket and drapes it and his briefcase over one of the stools and busies himself pulling out chilled glasses, a serving bowl with a well in the midle, and chips and dip to fill it with.
"Aww, look! That wasn't there when I left this morning!" he grins, indicating the message on the fridge with a slight blush.
"What would you guys like to drink?"

~~~~~~~~
"Well done!" Annie smiles once Tigres is outside.
"How do you feel now? I'm sorry I scared you before. I wouldn't have used Yasal if I'd known it would spook you like that."

~~~~~~~~
Lightfoot nods, knowing there's no point pushing Mist until he's ready to talk.
"Maybe. It's good to let things out every now and again. Hopefully she'll feel a good deal better when she relaxes..." he agrees, pulling a business card from his pocket.
"Well, here's me. If you need to get anything off your chest at any time, feel free to give me a call." he encourages, offering Mist the card.

[DdeeStar]

"Well done!" Annie smiles once Tigress is outside.
"How do you feel now? I'm sorry I scared you before. I wouldn't have used Yasal if I'd known it would spook you like that."

"Better. A lot better. Not perfect, but that would be weird itself." Tigress looses a weak laugh, the tension fully drained as she lays her head against the wall, eyes closed. "It's fine. It's my fault. I guess that's irony, isn't it? You didn't know it'd scare me... it scared me because I didn't know others could know it. What a perfect mess." She rubs her handpaws down her face as if clearing something from it, a smile remaining her expression. "Guess I gotta get out more."

Lightfoot nods, knowing there's no point pushing Mist until he's ready to talk.
"Maybe. It's good to let things out every now and again. Hopefully she'll feel a good deal better when she relaxes..." he agrees, pulling a business card from his pocket.
"Well, here's me. If you need to get anything off your chest at any time, feel free to give me a call." he encourages, offering Mist the card.

Mist takes the card slowly, pulling out his phone to input the number and name [Dr. Lightfoot] into his contacts. His attention stays on the card-phone pair in his hands as he speaks. "She'll be giddy and smiley for a few minutes and then back to normal." This is stated as absolute fact, following with a noncommital "And if something happens I'll call. Thank you. I'm fine though." The statement ends with an air of polite finality.

She took note of Tigress and, seeing she was looking somewhat better, she led the way forward. They headed towards the main exit and the security gate.

Tigress drops into a free spot in the line automatically, looking around curiously as they make their way onwards. Mist finishes the contact setting and pushes himself upright, sticking both card and phone in a vest pocket. Assuming the doctor would stay he gives a small wave and a fully-voiced "See you another time, Doctor." as he joins the end of the departing line.

[SeanWolf]

"Don't worry, I get it, Mister Mayor. To be honest, I was shocked at how small Ted's old apartment was when he first took me there. And then he told me it was bigger than most places in England and let's just say it was a good thing he was a doctor. Anyway, point is, it's not the kind of lifestyle that suits everyone and that's fine. But I think we make it comfortable. I hope we do anyway. I don't mean to show off, I promise. It's just, well, my house. I think you'd probably give a tour of yours in the same way." Ryan says as the lift doors open and the three kaiju climb abord.

The otter nods as Wildfire says his piece, his ears popping slightly as the car slides smoothly up the shaft.
"Wildfire's right. Hence what I was saying. We need her to know we can protect her, that she does have other options. We need her to trust us. Threatening her with jail time would do the complete opposite."

"Then why not go the whistle blower route?" Mordecai asks, stepping into the elevator behind Wildfire, "Whistle Blowers are protected under the Whistleblower Protection Act, they stay anonymous, and it would be easier to expose Jeff that way then going all Perry Mason."

"Again we need to convince her to blow the whistle. For that she needs to know she can trust us." Ryan reiterates as the elevator stops and the doors open directly into his apartment.
"Welcome to my, heh, not-so-humble abode." he grins. "Feel free to make yourself comfortable."

As the group exits the elevator, they step directly into a modern, open-plan living area. The space is brightly lit by sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows which showcase stunning views over the bay and the city. A spacious kitchen to the right is stocked with top of the line appliances and is separated from the living area by an island that doubles as a breakfast bar. Several photos and a shopping list are stuck to the refrigerator with magnets, and "Ted Loves Ryan" is spelled out in letter magnets on the same, a jumble of spare letters arrayed on the door below. The living area boasts a large flat-screen television with surround sound system, a high-fidelity stereo system featuring a radio, CD player and turntable, several comfortable blue couches accented with cushions in navy, white and sandy brown and in the centre of a stripy rug stands a long, white coffee table upon which a medical textbook lies open beside a novel. Several shelves line the walls, piled with books, board games, DVDs, records, CDs and plenty of photos of Ryan and Ted in both romantic and humorous situations. To the left, the white walls and pale timber floorboards give way to the deck upon which deck chairs, potted plants, a bar and a grill are arranged around a sparkling swimming pool. The overall effect of the apartment is that, although it's spacious, airy and ultramodern in design, it still feels cosy and lived-in.

Ryan shrugs off his jacket and drapes it and his briefcase over one of the stools and busies himself pulling out chilled glasses, a serving bowl with a well in the midle, and chips and dip to fill it with.
"Aww, look! That wasn't there when I left this morning!" he grins, indicating the message on the fridge with a slight blush.
"What would you guys like to drink?"

"You're right, I would give you a tour," Mordecai smiled as he stepped out of the elevator and into the apartment. While he was impressed at what he was seeing, taking special note of the DVDs in particular, he honestly began to feel out of place. "I'll just take some chai tea...would you excuse me for a second?" he replied quickly, his voice solemn again, to Ryan before walking out onto the deck and taking a seat on one of the chairs. He then began to relax himself as he pulled his phone out and, after scrolling through his contacts and finding the one he was looking for, tap their icon and waited. A voice on the other end belonging to one of Thunder Bay's council members then answered, asking Mordecai if everything was OK and, in return, Mordecai saying he just needed someone from his hometown to speak to and told them everything that had happened that day, ranging from the hunter to his interactions with Wildfire, admitting that he should've just kept alot of his comments to himself. As he chatted to the member, the conversation just loud enough (but not too loud) for Ryan and Wildfire to hear bits and pieces of, Mordecai began to feel much better again after chatting with home and started to smile. Though he was still homesick, just being able to chat with someone from Thunder Bay was enough to ease his mind.

[Welsh Halfwit]

"Knowing me," Julian admitted, "I'd probably prefer it. Certainly at first, y'know? And, by the time I've got to know the Kaiju, I'll hopefully be friends with the non-Kaiju assigned to endure me. I tend to think making friends is the best battle plan for life." He shrugged slightly. "Usually."

[CyberDragon]

Tigress drops into a free spot in the line automatically, looking around curiously as they make their way onwards. Mist finishes the contact setting and pushes himself upright, sticking both card and phone in a vest pocket. Assuming the doctor would stay he gives a small wave and a fully-voiced "See you another time, Doctor." as he joins the end of the departing line.

"Knowing me," Julian admitted, "I'd probably prefer it. Certainly at first, y'know? And, by the time I've got to know the Kaiju, I'll hopefully be friends with the non-Kaiju assigned to endure me. I tend to think making friends is the best battle plan for life." He shrugged slightly. "Usually."

"Sounds good." Heather said, leaning against the truck. "We try to connect people with partners we think they'll work well with."

"Anyway..." Heather continued. "I don't think the road's been cleared yet. Might take another hour or so before we can drive out of here. I was thinking I'd introduce you to some of the more prominent citizens around here, then we could drive down to the valley so you all can stretch your legs, so to speak. Sound good to everyone?"

-----------------------------

"A nice glass of ice cold milk would be good, thank's Ryan." Wildfire answered regarding what he wanted to drink. "Helps sooth the fire." He smiled at the note left for Ryan. "You two make a cute couple, by the way."

Getting serious, Wildfire sat down and looked at Ryan and Mordecai when he got back from his call. "So. What's our game plan?" he asked.

[SeanWolf]

"Well, with everything we've been saying," Mordecai answered while sitting next to Wildfire, "I was just thinking that if anyone of us were to offer some sort of protection for the fifteen and from what I know of him now? There is a fifty to one chance Jeff would find out about the protection and pull the trigger, so to speak. There is an idea I like to put forth but it's very risky and very controversial and I do not expect you two to agree with it so, for the time being, at least hear me out on this. Right now, as we sit here, Jeff knows both you and Ryan, correct? Which means whatever plan you put forth has more dire consequences if it fails, correct? Jeff doesn't know me and, technically, I really don't know him either nor anything about the NDA's. So what if I were to go up to him and offer him a lucrative business opportunity in Thunder Bay, one that even he wouldn't be able to turn down, but put in the contract that he would sign that any and all NDA's of any kind would have to be shared with both me and my lawyers, hence giving me the access to the NDAs, in order to make sure everything is quote "within legal terms" unquote? As I said, it's a very controversial idea and I do not expect you two to want to go with it, but it was something I felt at the very least I should place on the table." Mordecai knew it was a risky idea and, as mayor of Thunder Bay, he knew he didn't have much jurisdiction in Crater City, but he felt he should offer his services somehow.

[Welsh Halfwit]

"Always good to get a look around," Julian said, rubbing his hands together. "And I've been surrounded by nothing but city for FAR too long!"

[DdeeStar]

"Sounds good." Heather said, leaning against the truck. "We try to connect people with partners we think they'll work well with."

"Anyway..." Heather continued. "I don't think the road's been cleared yet. Might take another hour or so before we can drive out of here. I was thinking I'd introduce you to some of the more prominent citizens around here, then we could drive down to the valley so you all can stretch your legs, so to speak. Sound good to everyone?"

Tigress grins at the back of the Colonel's head, her fangs flashing as she brushes the fur on her arms down. "Ah, hard choice... meeting some other strong Kaiju, or being able to actually run? Think someone'll come with for a little sparring action?" The Raksasi asks, her eagerness to fight already returned - much to Mist's chagrin. He just shakes his head with a near-silent sigh.

Pasting the show-smile back on his face Mist responds, upbeat: "Sounds fun, Miss Heather! There's a few I've seen online in videos that would be neat to run across... but I'd hate to disturb them." The teen adjusts his clothing, straightening it from all the sitting and odd positions he's been in. "And I'm sure everyone here is just as exciting." He corrects himself as if an afterthought.

[Deske]

"Getting to know the locals is usually a good first step when you move somewhere new or, in this case, sign up to be part of the military," Gregg said. "Though you've got me excited about the valley trip. A good soak in one of those springs sounds mighty nice or maybe if there are any meltwater rivers nearby..." He continued, losing himself in his fantasy for a second before coming back to reality. "So, could you remind me of the access restrictions to this place? Do I have to drive through the front gate or am I allowed here so long as I can show proper identification when asked?"

[Hlaoroo]

"A nice glass of ice cold milk would be good, thank's Ryan." Wildfire answered regarding what he wanted to drink. "Helps sooth the fire." He smiled at the note left for Ryan. "You two make a cute couple, by the way."

"D'aww, shucks, thanks, Wildfire!" Ryan blushes, sliding a tall glass of milk across the bar to the dragon.
"Just make sure you step onto the deck if you need to belch smoke again. We don't want a repeat of The Great Evecuation." he cautions, tongue in cheek, referencing a time when Wildfire had inadvertently triggered the fire alarms.

"Well, with everything we've been saying," Mordecai answered while sitting next to Wildfire, "I was just thinking that if anyone of us were to offer some sort of protection for the fifteen and from what I know of him now? There is a fifty to one chance Jeff would find out about the protection and pull the trigger, so to speak. There is an idea I like to put forth but it's very risky and very controversial and I do not expect you two to agree with it so, for the time being, at least hear me out on this. Right now, as we sit here, Jeff knows both you and Ryan, correct? Which means whatever plan you put forth has more dire consequences if it fails, correct? Jeff doesn't know me and, technically, I really don't know him either nor anything about the NDA's. So what if I were to go up to him and offer him a lucrative business opportunity in Thunder Bay, one that even he wouldn't be able to turn down, but put in the contract that he would sign that any and all NDA's of any kind would have to be shared with both me and my lawyers, hence giving me the access to the NDAs, in order to make sure everything is quote "within legal terms" unquote? As I said, it's a very controversial idea and I do not expect you two to want to go with it, but it was something I felt at the very least I should place on the table." Mordecai knew it was a risky idea and, as mayor of Thunder Bay, he knew he didn't have much jurisdiction in Crater City, but he felt he should offer his services somehow.

Ryan hands the Mayor his iced tea and offers his guests first crack at the chips and dip. Deciding not to drink since his friends aren't, he instead pours himself a glass of vanilla cola.
"It's not a bad idea, Mr.Mayor. I'm just not sure how legal it is to demand the contents of a bunch of NDAs like that. Kinda defeats the purpose of having NDAs in the first place. We might need to ask a lawyer. What do you think, Wildfire? Shall we sit in the lounge to talk? Might be more comfortable than standing here."

~~~~~~~~
Lightfoot waves away the departing vehicle before returning to his waiting room.
"Well, Annie... Definitely some interesting characters in that bunch." he opines, removing his helmet now that they're alone.
"Sure were, Ted. It's gonna be interesting to see how they fit into the KDF. I think we're gonna need to work with those Rakshasas for a bit to make sure they're mentally up to it."
"Definitely. It's going to be interesting to read their psych exams."

[CyberDragon]

"Not to mention..." Wildfire started, ignoring Ryan's comment about the smoke detector incident and accepting his glass of milk. "The moment you bring up NDA's in any way, shape, or form, it's going to tip him off that you know about them. He'll shut the deal down, and we'll be back to square one." the dragon said. He lifted the glass to his muzzle and took a drink, then put the glass back down. "I actually think going to the victims, or bringing the victims to us, and telling them what we know and what we're going to do to help them would be best. It's even better if we can get multiple of them to get together with us in the same place."

------------------------------

"There is a front gate you'll have to go through." Heather answered Gregg. "Given the demographics and military nature of the town, we take security pretty seriously. Once you've been around for long enough though, security will recognize you by sight and you'll be able to come right on in."

Heather pulled the car out of her parking spot and drove back towards town. "Most of the Prominent Citizens are just the local nice guys everyone likes and respects. The cafe owner, the local delivery kid, the self-defense instructor, the local grocer... Kind of what happens when you've got a population of less than 200. The ones with the most influence are the ones people know and like. Still, they're worth meeting."

[SeanWolf]

"Not to mention..." Wildfire started, ignoring Ryan's comment about the smoke detector incident and accepting his glass of milk. "The moment you bring up NDA's in any way, shape, or form, it's going to tip him off that you know about them. He'll shut the deal down, and we'll be back to square one." the dragon said. He lifted the glass to his muzzle and took a drink, then put the glass back down. "I actually think going to the victims, or bringing the victims to us, and telling them what we know and what we're going to do to help them would be best. It's even better if we can get multiple of them to get together with us in the same place."

"Well, if you word it just right, he wouldn't suspect it but I see what you're saying," Mordecai replied as he sipped his tea, "As for your idea? It's good, but who's to say that one of them isn't actually loyal to Jeff and would immediately tell him what we're doing? There are some things I'm willing to do to help but that? That ain't a risk worth taking, in my eyes."

[DdeeStar]

Heather pulled the car out of her parking spot and drove back towards town. "Most of the Prominent Citizens are just the local nice guys everyone likes and respects. The cafe owner, the local delivery kid, the self-defense instructor, the local grocer... Kind of what happens when you've got a population of less than 200. The ones with the most influence are the ones people know and like. Still, they're worth meeting."

This seems to take some of the excitement from the mother, who just replies "Oh. Right, of course. Gotta meet everyone, not just the..." Tigress trails off, opting to look around the area they're passing through again. Every few seconds her gaze locks on odd items like power lines, head turning to follow them silently.

Her son seems less interested in the surroundings and Heather's notes, silent during their announcement but looking to Julian and Gregg immediately afterwards. "Are you both planning to move here?" Mist asks softly under the conversation, nothing but curiosity on his face.

[Deske]

Gregg nodded, ”Got it, so make a stop by the front gate before heading into town or the valley or wherever,” he said before turning to Mist. ”Honestly probably not. I like the apartment I’ve got now, its proximity to the city center and I’ve spent a couple years making it home so I’m not too keen on leaving it just yet. Especially since commuting isn’t exactly something I have to worry about.” He shrugged, ”Maybe if it’s a big step up from my current place. But even then...”

[Welsh Halfwit]

"It'd be something to consider, Mist," Julian agreed, "but there'd be things to work out. Like 'can I afford the rent' and 'can someone sort out my driving licence so I can hire a car'? That's to you too, good Colonel."

[CyberDragon]

"Even if there was a spy among them - which generally isn't the case as the whole NDA scheme only works if none of the signees knows about the others, which would make spying on them nearly impossible - then by the time they warn Jeff it will already be too late. We'll have set up a defense for the others, and Jeff won't be able to touch them without going through some of the most powerful people in the city." Wildfire explained.

---------------------------

Before she could say anything, a white blur rushed past the truck. The vehicle shook slightly from the wind the speeding object kicked up, and Heather pulled over to the side of the road. "That'll be the delivery boy." She said, putting the car in park. She rolled down the window as the blur rushed around the town, making it's way back towards them. "Afternoon, Allen!" she called out.

The blur rushed over with a whoosh of wind and stopped next to the truck's driver side door. When the dust settled, standing next to the car was a young hare, about 16 years old. "Hey, Miss Heather! I just started my deliveries for today. Hang on a second!" he said, bouncing up and down eagerly. He bolted off once more, rushing laps around the town in seconds. Less than a minute later, he was back. "And now I just finished! What did you need, ma'am?"

"No need to 'ma'am' me, Allen. Heather's fine until you're old enough to join." Heather said. "I'm just showing the town to these guys." She pointed to the four people in the truck with her. "Everyone, this is Allen Barry. He's a Tinner's Hare, like Doctor Lightfoot."

[Deske]

Gregg waved to Allen from where he was sitting, "Gregg, new hire. Currently getting a tour of the area and meeting the important locals. I'm guessing you're probably one of them."

[SeanWolf]

Mordecai sipped his tea as Wildfire explained his plan for giving the ones who signed the best defenses out there. While Wildfire meant well, he had this prickling feeling in the back of his head, telling him it wasn't going to work. So, while Wildfire spoke, Mordecai began forming his own little plan silently in his head, remembering everything that both Ryan and Wildfire said about the whole situation and taking it into consideration when forming his idea, one he was going to keep to himself and not inform the two as to his intentions. The idea he had in mind was something both his father and mother, along with a few other tikbalang in his position, pulled off successfully when he was a teen and he was making sure he remembered every step they did in order for it to succeed. "Well, if I may," Mordecai spoke, placing the cup back on the saucer, "We don't seem to be getting anywhere with planning so, for now, why don't we switch subjects for the time being? Such as your entertainment collection, Ryan. I have to say it is very impressive and you have some great tastes."

[DdeeStar]

The blur rushed over with a whoosh of wind and stopped next to the truck's driver side door. When the dust settled, standing next to the car was a young hare, about 16 years old. "Hey, Miss Heather! I just started my deliveries for today. Hang on a second!" he said, bouncing up and down eagerly. He bolted off once more, rushing laps around the town in seconds. Less than a minute later, he was back. "And now I just finished! What did you need, ma'am?"

"No need to 'ma'am' me, Allen. Heather's fine until you're old enough to join." Heather said. "I'm just showing the town to these guys." She pointed to the four people in the truck with her. "Everyone, this is Allen Barry. He's a Tinner's Hare, like Doctor Lightfoot."

Tigress's gaze notes the living being outside the car - watching it leave swirls of Force energy as the vacuum rips air into his place. She's silently fascinated throughout his absence, mumbling only "There's other kids in this town." and elbowing Mist lightly. He's kept his head down, only glancing at the arrival for a moment before his escape. He nods acknowledgement to Tigress's prodding, sitting back against the chair as his mother leans past him for a good look at the stranger.

[Welsh Halfwit]

Julian reached his hand out in greeting. "I'm Julian," he said. "I'd say something funny but I'm not that quick witted so nice to meet you."

[Hlaoroo]

"Well, thanks, Mr. Mayor." Ryan smiles, helping himself to a corn chip.
"I can't take all the credit though. Half of it belongs to Ted. I'm looking forward to introducing you tonight. I think you'll like him. He's a doctor, you know. Do you have a partner, Mr. Mayor? If it's not too personal a question?"

[SeanWolf]

"Well, thanks, Mr. Mayor." Ryan smiles, helping himself to a corn chip.
"I can't take all the credit though. Half of it belongs to Ted. I'm looking forward to introducing you tonight. I think you'll like him. He's a doctor, you know. Do you have a partner, Mr. Mayor? If it's not too personal a question?"

"No, no partner," Mordecai replied, dipping his chip into the dip and munching on it, "I used to have one during my High School years but I ended up breaking up with her when she decided to get with someone else and marry them. She claimed she sent me a letter about it but I never gotten anything from her so what can you do? Right now, I'm just, what you two would call, a bachelor but honestly? I kind of prefer being single, you know? Sure, I would like to have a wife in the future but, for now, I rather focus on my mayoral duties then looking for love. As for your partner, I'm looking forward to meeting him." Looking over at Wildfire, he asks him, "What about you? Since we're on the subject, you have a love in your life?"

[CyberDragon]

"Hi, Mr. Julian!" Allen said in a chipper tone. "I'm not that important around here..."

Heather interrupted him. "As I said, the important people in a town this size are the people everyone knows and likes, and people like you, Allen."

"Aw, thanks Ms Heather." He said while rubbing the back of his head. "Anyway, sounds like you guys met my uncle. What'd you think?"

--------------------

At the question of the possibility of having found the love of his life, Wildfire answered "No." a little too quickly, looked back down at his drink away from the others, and took a sip.

[SeanWolf]

At the question of the possibility of having found the love of his life, Wildfire answered "No." a little too quickly, looked back down at his drink away from the others, and took a sip.

Mordecai simply nodded at Wildfire's answer and returned his attention back to Ryan, "Say, why don't you bring Ted along to the BBQ this weekend? I'll have plenty of food to spare."

[DdeeStar]

"Aw, thanks Ms Heather." He said while rubbing the back of his head. "Anyway, sounds like you guys met my uncle. What'd you think?"

"His accent's weird." Tigress announces immediately, Mist putting his hands over his face in embarrassment. Her stare and shout both hold only curiosity with no malice intended, having never heard the accent or associated it with a certain land, but her lack of tact clearly bothers her son.

"You still struggle with English sometimes." is the boy's mumbled reply, muffled by the hands hiding his face. Tigress shows no sign of having heard him and just continues watching the Kaiju outside the car.