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Oct. 17th, 2016 03:11 pmHank stood in the shadows of the alley, a trench coat and fedora almost making him feel like Humphrey Bogart. Too bad they were to hide his fur from casual notice instead. He also couldn’t help wondering if this was going to be his life now, always hiding in the shadows.
Alex stood at the mouth of the alley, talking with their potential mutant and trying his best to be charming and non-threatening. The young girl didn’t seem to be buying what Alex was trying to sell.
Hank sighed and scanned the area again. They developed this approach since the time Sean had gotten attacked and so far it had saved them from needing to use their powers to defend themselves, not to mention bruises or worse. Grimacing at the thought, Hank looked back towards Alex, and noticed, over his shoulder, a young girl crossing the street in front of a large delivery truck!
For the barest moment, Hank froze in confusion, but Alex was distracted and wouldn’t act in time. Launching himself over Alex and the possible mutant’s heads, he landed awkwardly in the street, turning his momentum into a roll to gain his feet in time to sweep the girl into his arms as he leaped out of the path of the truck.
Not even swerving, the truck honked its horn and continued on.
On the other side of the street, Hank quickly put the girl down and ran for an alley, completely missing her thanking him, and her following him.
Starting at her touch on his shoulder, Hank turned to find her face within inches of his, and noticing for the first time the heavy and dark glasses she wore. “I said, ‘Thank you’.”
“Yes, well. Anyone would’ve done the same.” Hank couldn't help but feel self-conscious, even if the glasses suggested she was blind.
“Not likely, but…” she replied but paused as her hand, which she had moved from his shoulder to his face, felt his fur. “Ah...my Gawain is here finally. Took you long enough.”
Hank flinched away from her touch. “My name is not Gawain, I am afraid.”
“I didn’t say it was. You must come with me.”
“What? No. I’ve got a friend over there and we are on a job.”
“Oh bother it. When you are ready, then,” she said with a indulgent frown, before turning to walk away.
Later, Hank and Alex were running the final checks for the flight back to Winchester. The possible mutant turned out to just have been a talented grifter and so they were returning empty handed. Hank for his part couldn’t keep the odd girl he’d saved out of his mind.
“Earth to Hank, hello?!?” Alex said loudly while snapping his fingers in Hank’s face.
Startled, Hank blinked. “What?”
“Exactly, 'what'. What’s up? I asked about the weather ahead three times now.”
“Sorry, I…” Hank said coming back to himself.
“Is the flight likely to be smooth?”
“I don’t know...the weather report...I...,” Hank started to reply before shaking his head and unbuckling out of the pilot’s seat. He wasn't sure why but he felt he couldn't go back. Not yet. “I’m sorry, I can’t fly back.”
“What? Why?”
“I don’t know that I can explain. Call the Professor, I am sure he can arrange a pilot to fly you back. I need to take care of something. I’ll call. Please express my apologies to the Professor.”
“Wait, you aren’t making any sense.”
“I know,” Hank said as he grabbed his coat and hat. "Isn’t it great?"
As he rapidly left the airport, he couldn’t help feeling a sense that he was starting a quest; though he didn't know what for.
Alex stood at the mouth of the alley, talking with their potential mutant and trying his best to be charming and non-threatening. The young girl didn’t seem to be buying what Alex was trying to sell.
Hank sighed and scanned the area again. They developed this approach since the time Sean had gotten attacked and so far it had saved them from needing to use their powers to defend themselves, not to mention bruises or worse. Grimacing at the thought, Hank looked back towards Alex, and noticed, over his shoulder, a young girl crossing the street in front of a large delivery truck!
For the barest moment, Hank froze in confusion, but Alex was distracted and wouldn’t act in time. Launching himself over Alex and the possible mutant’s heads, he landed awkwardly in the street, turning his momentum into a roll to gain his feet in time to sweep the girl into his arms as he leaped out of the path of the truck.
Not even swerving, the truck honked its horn and continued on.
On the other side of the street, Hank quickly put the girl down and ran for an alley, completely missing her thanking him, and her following him.
Starting at her touch on his shoulder, Hank turned to find her face within inches of his, and noticing for the first time the heavy and dark glasses she wore. “I said, ‘Thank you’.”
“Yes, well. Anyone would’ve done the same.” Hank couldn't help but feel self-conscious, even if the glasses suggested she was blind.
“Not likely, but…” she replied but paused as her hand, which she had moved from his shoulder to his face, felt his fur. “Ah...my Gawain is here finally. Took you long enough.”
Hank flinched away from her touch. “My name is not Gawain, I am afraid.”
“I didn’t say it was. You must come with me.”
“What? No. I’ve got a friend over there and we are on a job.”
“Oh bother it. When you are ready, then,” she said with a indulgent frown, before turning to walk away.
Later, Hank and Alex were running the final checks for the flight back to Winchester. The possible mutant turned out to just have been a talented grifter and so they were returning empty handed. Hank for his part couldn’t keep the odd girl he’d saved out of his mind.
“Earth to Hank, hello?!?” Alex said loudly while snapping his fingers in Hank’s face.
Startled, Hank blinked. “What?”
“Exactly, 'what'. What’s up? I asked about the weather ahead three times now.”
“Sorry, I…” Hank said coming back to himself.
“Is the flight likely to be smooth?”
“I don’t know...the weather report...I...,” Hank started to reply before shaking his head and unbuckling out of the pilot’s seat. He wasn't sure why but he felt he couldn't go back. Not yet. “I’m sorry, I can’t fly back.”
“What? Why?”
“I don’t know that I can explain. Call the Professor, I am sure he can arrange a pilot to fly you back. I need to take care of something. I’ll call. Please express my apologies to the Professor.”
“Wait, you aren’t making any sense.”
“I know,” Hank said as he grabbed his coat and hat. "Isn’t it great?"
As he rapidly left the airport, he couldn’t help feeling a sense that he was starting a quest; though he didn't know what for.
