Owner	Pose
Sasha Moore	It's been going on for a few weeks, these disappearances, but they were so lowkey that even residence didn't pay much attention. Unless it was a friend or family member, who would even realize one of the transient population of homeless Mutants was missing? And those who /did/ notice, who would even care if they told the authorities? When it started happening more frequently, and without any regard for covering tracks, that's when the streets became a buzzing bee-hive of conversation about it! "Hey man, did you hear about that new halfway house? Three hots and a cot for a WEEK.. and they always have room available."     "Sounds too good to be true..." "I'm telling you, I know a guy who knows a guy..." But something about the place was off. Sinister. People went in and they rarely came out... and who even worked there? What's more, they wre branching out. And now there were people actively out in the transient community, all smiles and pale faces, wearing suits like religious snakes... "Are you hungry, my son (or daughter)? Let me give you a pamphlet."
Ariah Olivie	Despite higher profile needs at times, Ariah keeps a finger on the pulse of the street, figuratively. And sometimes literally. Missing people are a concern for certain sorts, especially certain sorts that may or may not be blamed or hunted for missing persons. So, she finds herself walking the streets, looking for more first-hand information than rumors in the shadows.     The four-foot-ten vampiress is clad in a white sun dress, and short, black boots. If not for her toned arms she'd look more like a child or a young teenager, and even at a glance she looks... well, like a lost child, making her way around with a blank expression.
Eddie Brock	Eddie Brock hears rumors now and then, as a reporter who tends to the sleazier side of town. Disappearing homeless people could mean a serial killer or a cult or C.H.U.D.s or any of a hundred other things that people want to read about while shoving a McMuffin down their gullet on the six a.m. train. Eddie's wearing a light jacket and a SOY BOMB t-shirt, asking questions here and there, trying to see if anyone will talk to him. At least he's pretty sure he isn't the one making these people disappear. Right, Venom? RIGHT? <OF COURSE, EDDIE. HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE HELPLESS AND THEY TASTE LIKE SOCKS.> he hears in his head.
Ruth Aldine	Someone knows. Though it's not focused, it's often interpreted in a dream. The dream starts off with a candle, placed on a pedestal of metal. The odd 80's music slowly blaring in from The Police, a band that Ruth has never, ever heard of. She's in all white, her face muted, without a mouth nor nose. Feet bare, arms outstretched.. And she dances.. through the maze.. and with each passing of the wind from her hair.. the light fades.. ..and fades.. .. and fades.. Research has lead to this. Perhaps if she goes back to the mansion with news of what is going on under their noses, she could tell them and they could help the mutants/people that are disappearing, right? Wrapped around her, a ruana. Jeans again. Torn up chucks. Blindfold on.. watching the masses as they congregate, offering tricks for a treat and a nice little pot to whizz in..
Sasha Moore	Mutant Town isn't nearly as bad as it is sometimes mad out to be. Obviously there are sections where street gangs are previlant, there are sections frequented more by poor/homeless too... and there are the places where mutants whose mutations have twisted them into monstrocities reside. All are host to some of these witnesses of St Anthony, clothed in white shirts and black slacks or dresses. All clean, smiling, and offering pamphlets to anyone regardless of their status or physical deformities. Truth is, they almost 'target' the more hedious... Possibly because they've less to lose? One of them is walking through a city of tents beneath an overpass leading back into Brooklyn. Walking amongst the huddled masses where they stop periodically to talk about the Halfway where they might receive food and shelter. Kneeling down to speak directly to a young girl who more closely resembles a gecko than a human.. "Hello dear. You look hungry." Reaching into his bag he produces a simple ham sandwich to offer her, "Why don't you come with me back to St Anthony's? You need not sleep out here in the coming storm." How could anyone refuse, right? The heroes are all, eventually, led to this place. All the rumors speak of this being prime realestate where most of the disappearances originate. One young man whom Eddie spoke with said, "My sister went to that fucking place, bro..." His eyes are solid black, each of his fingers are much the same. "I haven't seen her since.." Ruth can see roughly six of the individuals in the forest of tents, each scenario is roughly the same. Some disappear with a single or multiple mutants towards panel vans just beyond the gate barriers.
Luke Cage	Luke, always sort of considers himself a man of the streets. Its been tough for him with his life, with the law...even with his super powers. So even as his power has increased he has continued to keep an ear to the streets. The bar helps with that quite a bit. He's learned the error of being overzealous in his power of late, so there he is walking the streets heading over towards where the disappearances are coming. As usual at night, a black hoodie pulled over his Yellow T-Shirt(tm). The hood up, 'Power Man'...not that anyone calls him that...yet, is trying to keep a low profile and just see what he may stumble upon.
Eddie Brock	Eddie Brock makes his way along, finding himself taking a look at the building. Going in the front door probably won't get him very far, so he skirts along the edge, trying to make sure no one notices him. When he's shadowed enough, the palms of his hands will smear with black and he'll start to climb up the side, crambling easily along the brickwork as he tries to find a way to get into the church in a less than legal fashion. <I HATE CHURCH. TOO MANY BELLS.> -I promise, no belfry in my plans. Just maybe an attic.- <WE COULD BREAK DOWN THE WALL.> -We could, but we won't. Subtlety is needed here.- <FUCK A BUNCH OF SUBTLETY.>
Ariah Olivie	Ariah isn't a little gecko girl, but she is a small thing. She looks around the tents, frowning as people are moved around, led off. So she shuffles her way in, getting 'lost' amidst the crowd, and does her best to look quite hungry. She's not heading for the church yet, she wants to see first hand who might try and 'take her in.' The risk to her person bothers her not, as what's truly at stake bothers her much more. "I'm hungry..." she says quietly, voice soft and cold, carrying on the wind.
Ruth Aldine	There were so many things going on at the moment. It was near hard for Ruth to keep up. One man will fall over an uprisen piece of concrete and blame another. A few will laugh. A little girl will greet her mother with kisses, and be picked up and carried off to grocery shop. They will have spaghetti with large meatballs tonight. Ruth's aim was directed elsewhere more alarming, the ruana tugged close with one hand as the other reaches up to tug away the cloth covering her eyes where there was none. A large stick was soon felt for and picked up, one that she uses to navigate her way towards the tents. She was good at this part, playing helpless and unsteady, one hand outstretched to feel what was in front of her even though she knew what would happen five seconds out. She moves to the line now, obvious a mutant, keeping her head canted to pretend to hear the progression and those declaring hunger as it moves forward.
Luke Cage	Luke is too big to appear helpless...or hungry. He knows it, so he keeps to the periphery, keeps to the shadows, keeps his features hidden in the darkness of that hood. His circular track will carry him towards the church eventually, but its not like the 'Defender' of the streets really knows what is going on, he just /feels/ like there is something going on. As he draws closer to the church he exhales. "I hope I'm wasting my time..." he mutters and begins to circle one side, hand running along the stone as he just tries to get a sense for the building and those going in and out, perhaps hesitating on entering.
Sasha Moore	Eddie would note, as he scaled the building, that all of the windows... weren't windows. They looked like them, sure, but they've been reenforced behind the glass to prevent anyone seeing inside. It's all multicolored panels anyways, but it's still reenforcement. Though venom might start feeling the presence of others... a trio of them actually, standing on the roof and walking in a circle around it. At a position where they wouldn't be seen easily from the ground, but none of them are wielding any visible weapons. Because these guards are mutants. One of them looks to be made out of rock.. Another is pulling slivers of bone from his arm and tossing them up in the air like someone does when playing with throwing knives... and the last is a small girl. Her eyes have little wisps of smoke curling out from the canthus.. None seem aware of someone coming upon them, but they're vigilant and getting closer. ''I'm hungry'' is basically the summoning call. As soon as the words leave Ariah's mouth it's as if one of the missionaries appears beside her (because she did, in a flash of purple) with a smile on her face and a sandwich held out in her direction. "Hello, sister..-" The speech is pretty static, almost like they're reading a script. Ruth's act is enough to draw attention of another missionary who steps up to offer his arm. A solidly built young man who couldn't be older than 15 or 16 smiles at her, "Let me give you a hand, sister? We've got a church nearby where you can receive some food, if you want?" There is definitely something sinister about the building itself. Just something in the air? Like going to a place where horrible things have happened and it's left a taint in the dirt itself. Luke can feel it. This is not a house of GOD anymore... At least not one any sane person would want to follow.
Ariah Olivie	The sudden 'bamf' of a person has Ariah blinking. She's not startled, but she stares up at the woman. She reaches out one of her hands, taking the sandwich. There's a quiet little 'nomf' as she bites down on it, staring up at the woman. "Safe...?" she asks quietly. With her soft voice, she easily passes for a child, looking so small and helpless in her little white sun dress. There's a certain lack of dignity in performing like this, but better her than someone else.     As if to help emphasize her question, she glances towards the church, just about inviting being abducted. With the trends she's noticed, she forces a little magic into her face to seal the deal, letting the missionary see a glow in her eyes, as if cementing her as a mutant. So many heartbeats.
Eddie Brock	Eddie Brock pulls himself up to squat on the ledge behind the guardians on the roof, those mutants standing at attention, in their own peculiar way. He doesn't want to start a fight, not yet, not until he knows more. He's learned nothing yet. "You the local deacons? I'd give you something for the collection plate, but I'm short on cash," he says. Even though he isn't initiating conflict, he's prepared for it. He feels his bones stretch and pop a little inside him, his ribcage expanding as the cell-bound predator that rides beneath his skin starts to bubble.
Luke Cage	"Fuck this place." Luke says to himself and then he moves along the stone side of the church until he finds an entrance ont he side. All these buildings have side doors don't they? He then reaches for the door handle to try it, and if its locked, well thats where Power Man comes in and he just breaks the door handle as quietly as one can do that before he begins to push himself into the church. Completely unaware from the street side view of those above that may have spied him or of Eddie's pressence above as well. Luke just knows that he needs to do something, and standing staring at the church isn't it.
Ruth Aldine	The blind scthick always worked. Once the arm of the teen was offered; Ruth reaches out to curl and grip at the crook of his elbow. There was no smile accompanying this, Ruth was filled with predetermined dead air and no amount of faking a smile or anything would hide it. There was just no emotion, like she was a shell. But not! In truth, the read started the second her fingers pressed against his arm. The light prodding of brain plastic, one that makes her frown to completion yet keeps herself cool. Perhaps it was just over-exertion. She was hearing two minds at once. Everywhere. "I would like food, yes." Ruth mutters. "Pardon. What is your name."
Sasha Moore	The guards on the roof turn towards the sound of Eddie's voice, instantly adopting smiles that would look creepy everywhere except Gatlin, Nebraska. "Hello, brother." The man made of rock says, stepping forward to act as spokesperson. "Come, let me show you inside where we can get you something to eat?" Offering a hand out invitingly, the other pointed towards the roof access. The others smile as well, one with a length of bone held between his fingers up along the back of his hand and the girl flicking off little amber balls of pitch to either side. Both aren't trying to look menacing... But they probably are? Not to Venom, but... generally. Ruth is shown to one of the vans and it's not a very long ride, but for a ''blind woman?'' "You're going to love St Anthony's, sister. We've got plenty to eat." The young man says to her, "I'm Thomas." Said as an afterthought, in a strained voice, as if he had to think about the answer for asecond. Ariah's one word question is given a single nod, "Very. Come with me, Sister. We'll make sure you're well fed and protected." ushering her, should she come along, to the same van as Ruth. Both headed for the church. The church into which Luke has just broken! Right in the middle of dinner, it seems, since this door opens up into a long row of picnic tables lined with individuals. Which wouldn't be strange in the slightest, really, if any of them had been speaking a word as they ate. Some were still in ratty clothing, some were in those same white shirts, black slacks... All of them look up and over at the sliver of light shining in suddenly. Smiles spreading across a dozen faces at once. "Hello brother, would you like a bowl of soup?" One says as he stands. A mountain of a man whose voice sounds like electricity running through a power conduit.
Luke Cage	Blinking a moment at seeing the eerie dinner, Luke pauses and responds in a low voice. "Uh. No thanks. I think I'm good." subtle and deceptive Luke Cage is not. He stays at the perimeter but begins to pace the room with a furrowed brow, trying to figure out exactly what is going on here. Then he just asks, "What is this?" Oh yeah. Real subtle Luke. His hands flex a bit, as if he is expecting the worst, expecting some sort of attack. At least there are no ninjas this time...right? Right?!
Eddie Brock	Eddie Brock shakes his head, "We'd say we're not hungry, but we'd be lying," he said. "We aren't sure you have anything on your paper plates that would satisfy us, though. We're more curious than anything. You folks seem to have become a major presence around here in a short period of time. Can't blame folks for wanting to get some food, but it alwasy comes down to what you really want. Can't help but be suspicious. Guess it's one of my flaws," he says. "Any chance you want to come clean, do a little confessing of your own? We'll forgive you, we promise."
Ariah Olivie	Ariah's expression turns... bewildered. As if there's some internal debate going on. It makes her all the more malleable, though, as she's ushered along. The sandwich, perhaps, is forgotten after the first bite. But the first bite is all that was needed. The glow in her eyes stays, and she nods, moving towards the van, willing. "...yes..." she says quietly, settling into a seat in the van, looking around at the inhabitants of the van. Her eyes settle on Ruth, and she blinks owlishly at the woman. But then they move on to the next folks in the van. She seems curious about her surroundings, even if it's just the inside of the van.
Ruth Aldine	That was quick. Traveling to the van and already inside, Ruth attempts to make herself comfortable. Does she let go of the boy? Only briefly, for once she settles in, she reaches out to grab him again. "I like food, yes." Ruth says, her brows lowering in thought. Hearing his name gave her another thought.. "Thomas. I feel like, sorry, you did not want me to know your name. Is it true?" She pauses, waiting for an answer. "Thomas is a really great name, yes. You, sorry, should be proud of that name, which is Thomas." She doesn't put the pressure on right away, listening for the others arrivals.. doing a quick mental brush if she were allowed to test if their brains were all the same, like Thomas's. "Pardon.." She says to Thomas again.. "Do you have a last name, Thomas?" A little smile, not a good one, but it was a smile all the same. "Do you go to school? I go to school, Thomas. Sorry. What is your favorite subject, Thomas?"
Sasha Moore	The guardians on the roof with Eddie remain stoic, smiling, and as conversational as the one speaking can manage. He stands staring for a second at the reporter, a look in his eyes that betrays the smile on his face... He looks like William Shatner introducing Jerry the King Lawler into the Hall of Fame: He don't know what the hell he's saying, he's reading a teleprompter. "No, we have nothing to confess, brother... but if you step inside, maybe we can get you a pamphlet. Everything you want to know is in that." The small girl flicking pitch, continues to flick pitch, but adds; "We have cookies." "And milk." Bone knife says. The half dozen mutants continue to stare at Luke, the most electrified mutant in St Anthony steps closer, "This is St Anthony's Halfway Home, brother." Reaching out as if to grip the big mans arm, "Come on, let's have a seat. Want me to take your coat?" Two teens, both staring at Luke, slide in oposite directions to make room for him on the bench. Another puts a plate of soup down where he'd be sitting.. does look pretty tasty. As far as plain soups go. Ariah sees a group of three or four, including Ruth, seated in the van, along with another two of the missonaries who sit staring straight ahead smiling. They do speak periodically, but it's... like they're saying the same things just in different ways. Except Thomas. Thomas is being forced to go off book. "No, we just don't use our names at St Anthony's... not often. There's no need to. It's a moniker we shed when we take on our calling to bring unfortunates into the flock. Feed them, cloth them, and give them a place to rest..." He blinks a few times, squinting.. straining his eyes with a bead of sweat begining to accumulate along his brow. "I... was in school. But I dropped.. out. I like... I like... Would you like something to eat?"
Luke Cage	The large frame of Luke takes a step back and pulls his arm away from the reaching man. "Hands off the merchandise, 'brother'." he retorts back. "I'll skip the soup and maybe take a look around....see if I find anyone missing? You've got nothing to hide right?" he replies rather matter of factly. He does his best to not look to defensive, but it fails miserably, he's wound up and ready to go and it shows.
Eddie Brock	Eddie Brock smiles, "Nothing wrong with pamphlets, but we do prefer the inside scoop. The secret dish. The good stuff, the steamy parts. What gets censored? What doesn't make the edit that you show the general public? But I suspect if they've got you guarding the place, you're probably true believer types, huh? Not gonna crack. Not without a little pressure." As he speaks, shadows begin to crawl out of his clothes, wrapping around him and slipping up his neck, black bleeding from his eyes and swallowing his pupils as he opens his mouth and his voice gets harsher and raspier, a chorus, more than a little inhuman and inhumane as those needle-fangs sprout from his gums and swallow up his usual teeth and the voice booms a bit as he snarls. "WE LIKE A LITTLE PRESSURE." And then he casually punches the little girl with the smoking hands in the face, quite hard if he can, because they don't like fire very much, it hurts more than bones or whatever the other one does and Venom doesn't want to be burned as he rises in height and thrashes his body in wrathful preparation for ultraviolence.
Ariah Olivie	Ariah stays quiet, not talking at all. She looks between the individuals in the van again, glancing towards the drivers as they speak in their weird circles. The fact that Thomas is talking... freely... earns her attention. Her lips purse a little, but something makes her stare at Ruth. She seems to be staring through the woman for a moment, but there's a moment where she meets those eyes. It's a silent sort of acknowledgement, as if asking 'yes?' but without a word. She can't brush back on her mind, though, she lacks those abilities.
Ruth Aldine	"Sorry, then how will I know who I am talking with if I cannot use your name, Thomas?" Ruth asks, this time in earnest. "My aunt says school is important. What would your mother say, Thomas, if she knew that you dropped out? What about your father?" Ruth didn't look towards him, she couldn't. But she does turn within her seat a little to face him. "I would like something to eat. Yes." She states, then continues. "I would like to know your favorite food, Thank you. I would like to know your favorite color. What is your last name, Thomas." It seems as if the feeling that Ruth is putting off was attempting to be more intense, only letting up once she feels another set of eyes upon her. The 'nod' was met with a pause, and then a slight head turn into Ariah's direction. 'Pardon, are you okay?' She would try to mentally project.. the elasticity in Ariah's brain was weird man!
Sasha Moore	Lil' Annie never even saw it coming. She was over here offering cookies and POW: right in the kisser. She might have the power to create burning pitch from latent Ozone, but she does not have the power to take a Venom punch. No amount of fire will ever be enough to keep a fifteen year old from getting ham-fisted, that's just standard. Down she goes, not exactly ''out'', but close. Groaning as she's rattled, the other two respond with instant rage! Zero to pissed off in half a second. Bones hurled across the roof before she's even hit the ground, with rock boy rushing the hulk of dark ink with a complete disregard for self preservation. "WE JUST WANTED TO FEED YOU!" He shouts, swinging a massive fist like a wrecking ball. If it hits, it's every bit as hard too... Inside the church, all half dozen of the waywards at the table growl in unison. Likely assuming whatever is happening on the roof has something to do with Luke here inside. They don't attack, but they're definitely going to... maybe. We'll see. Stay tuned. Thomas twitches in the back of the van, glancing in the direction of the church as they pull up out front... the others inside with Ruth and Ariah do as well, all in unison. "I think this facility is full tonight. We will go to one of the newer ones." Says the driver, the only person to look away so as to smile in the mirror for Ruth and Ariah and the other two waywards they'd picked up tonight. "Don't you worry, though, we have just as much to eat there." Thomas is the only one who doesn't remain motionless, staring upwards as they begin to pull away... He's being assailed by Ruth's endless questions and faultering under the onslaught. "My... mother.." Furrowing his brow, rubbing at his temple with the tips of his fingers, "I.. where am I?" Blinking rapidly, looking outright terrified suddenly as he looks around the inside of the van. "What the FUCK is going on..." The words draw the attention of the other missionaries. A small boy who looks like a mix between some kind of rodent and a lizard hisses from the very back seat. "You should have a snack, brother..." Holding his hand out with a cookie in it for Thomas. "You are hangry."
Eddie Brock	Eddie Brock reacts quite swiftly, ducking underneath the blow from Rock Boy, leveraging his shoulder down and up to toss the strong man back over his shoulder. If he tumbles off the roof, so be it, Venom isn't being particularly careful. No, Eddie tried careful and that didn't do much good. Unsubtle time is here. Bones he'll snatch by the throat and pull him close, those teeth so very sharp and that breath so very strong, dank and fetid and full of death and meat. "YOU CAN STILL FEED US, IF YOU LIKE. WE JUST AREN'T SURE WHERE TO START. GUT, SINEW, THE CHEWY RIP OF A PUNCTURED LUNG. AH, WE KNOW. START WITH THE FACE. NO ONE LIKES EATING THINGS WITH A FACE." There's a gutteral roar and then a juicy, wet CHOMP.
Ariah Olivie	"Not here?" Ariah asks, blinking slowly. Her focus stays on Thomas now, for a moment, seeing him freaking out a little, then again, back to the drivers. She opens her mouth, then closes her mouth. The smaller girl pulls her legs up, hugging her knees. There's another glance at Ruth, but there's a silent nod. She seems reluctant to talk, but it's clear she's... all there. Even if her brain is... extremely strange for someone who appears to be so young. She doesn't seemt to any mental defenses, either, but the stoic, albeit bewildered expression, might be some indicator.
Ruth Aldine	Situation assessed. It wasn't like they were teaching Ruth the sort of things that she needed to know when in situationis like this in school. No, it was maths. And what to do when someone offers you drugs. And basketball. Neither of which Ruth can do without cheating.. but.. While Thomas was having his freak out, Ariah began to rock. While the cookie was offered, Ruth reaches up to try to smack it -clean- out of the lizard boy's hands. "No!" She says as if she were scolding a child. And with the new trajectory of which the van is traveling, Ruth keeps note of that as well. Finally, within seconds, Ruth answers Thomas' question. "Thank you. Revolution, yes. Revolution is what the fuck is going on." Thank her bestie for that language. As soon as those words leave her lips, her body swings to face forward, her hands striking out to erect an invisible wall of telekinesis in front of the van. .. It was officially going to get -rough-.