[hider=Collab Final] [center][b]Knight[/b][/center] [i]"This simpleton travels in a mobile arsenal and he doesn't want to kill. Why bother with the weapons?"[/i] Anthony wonders as he trails behind Connor. [center][b]Caits[/b][/center] Connor glanced passed rooms as they passed them, making his way to the wall, carefully trying to avoid were people were. He wasn't a fool, he knew that it would be better to deal with them now, but instead he worked at the security system to trap them in the rooms they were as he walked, still looking out for any danger. There were always ways around not killing people, but Connor knew sometimes to just could to help but have to kill. When that time came, he would do it. But he wouldn't sneak around a corner and mufder someone, or shoot them while they were unconscious. That wasn't...honorable. It was downright dirty, really. He sighed, approaching the wall [center][b]Dizzy[/b][/center] It couldn't be heard by normal human ears, but perhaps Ingot could pick up noise through the wall. A faint voice, one that sounded weary... reciting poetry. [i]`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!"[/i] [center][b]Caits[/b][/center] I believe some one is reciting that poem from through the looking glass, sir" Ignot relayed to Connor, and Connor frowned. It seemed like an odd poem to recite, but then, how would Connor know? He looked for a security Panel, but he knew he wouldn't be able to break through it without causing alarm. He could override the security, but that would take time, and someone upstairs was bound to notice. So he raised a suited hand into a fist, and smashed the panel there, before doing the same to the wall. Sometimes, brute strength was the only option, and Connor was lucky that the suit enhanced his own strength. In moments, Connor had taken down the wall enough to slip through, and he did so, starting through it. [center][b]Dizzy[/b][/center] When the wall came down and the dust cleared, the metallic table standing up in the middle of the lab became visible. Kijani was strapped to it, and had been reciting poetry and books for hours. It felt like hours, anyway. At the noise, she'd startled, and was surprised to find the movement coming back to her fingers and toes. "W-who's there?" Her voice was hoarse and high pitched [center][b]Caits[/b][/center] Connor never wanted to hear Kijani's voice like that again, and he could feel anger rise to overcome him, but with effort if will, he remained calm. Light bloomed as he made the effort to flip a light on his suit, not that he really needed it, but it was a comfort. "Kijani" Not caring about what Anthony wanted to do, Connor moved swiftly towards her, but wasn't completely foolish as he looked for any signs of security or traps or anything like that. He swallowed, reaching the table, studying the straps before looking to kijani. He let the mask up, "I'm sorry. I should have been here sooner" [center][b]Dizzzy[/b][/center] Kijani looked... surprisingly unharmed. Her clothes and hair were a mess, but there was no blood or obvious injury. There was something in her eyes, though... like a tiger that had been ripped from the wild and thrown into a circus act. Something... broken. "Connor... you're... you're here... how are you here?" [center][b]Caits[/b][/center] Connor seemed to hesitate, unsure of how to reply. He was sure something had happened, and he was sure the root of that was Anthony. But Connor wouldn't be here if Anthony hadn't brought him, hadn't shown him where the place was. He grimaced, and said truthfully, "Anthony brought me" He said softly, as he began to work at the straps, to loosen them hopefully without hurting Kijani, "I have no idea what his intentions are, but I'm not going to give him a chance to full fill them without getting you out of here" he said, as he continued to loosen the straps, hating the look in Kijani's eyes [center][b]Knight[/b][/center] Anthony listens to the reunion silently, standing in the hall to watch for any oncoming threats. After a few minutes, he calls over his shoulder, "I hate to interrupt this beautiful moment, but we really should be moving along." [center][b]Dizzy[/b][/center] Kijani seemed to be relaxing under Connor's attention, but at Anthony's voice, a layer of sweat broke out on her forehead. She would have gone tense, like a startled animal, but her half paralyzed muscles refused to obey. Instead she shut her eyes, whimpering slightly. The last straps came off, and she more or less crumpled to the ground. Her legs wouldn't support her. "...I'm sorry, Connor..." [center][b]Caits[/b][/center] Kijani's reaction to Anthony's voice was all the confirmation Connor needed. Anthony had something to do with why she was here. When she crumed, Connor gently picked her up, turning to Anthony. His expression was hard, and almost unreadable "I know what you have done, Luther." His mask slipped down, with a soft click and Connor started to walk, to get out of there, stepping through the torn down wall, trusting Ignot to watch his back, to make sure Anthony didn't try anything. He looked about, and started to the elevator, figuring that as the only way out, besides blasting holes in the roof [center][b]Dizzy[/b][/center] Kijani was leaning against Connor the best she could. The suit was making her edgy- she'd just spent hours lying on cold metal, and warm metal really wasn't that much fun either. "...but you.. you don't know, Connor. You don't... you don't know anything, and it's all my fault." [center][b]Caits[/b][/center] Connor sighed, "I don't need to know everything, but I have a pretty good guess in any case" he said, pressing the button for the elevator. "This isn't your fault. I won't believe that" He stepped into the elevator, not even looking about to see if Anthony was following, not caring if he was or wasn't "We can talk when we are out of here" [center][b]Knight[/b][/center] Anthony walks behind Connor at a leisurely pace, then says nonchalantly, "For a so called 'hero-in-training' you don't seem to care very much about the other children and teenagers that are trapped here, undergoing the same horrors that Kijani went through." [center][/b]Caits[/b][/center] Connor sighed, "There's only adults in the rooms here. I'm pretty sure it was just Kinaji. but I shall ask Ignot to look about once more, just in case" He said, an edge of malice in his tone, which he quickly tried to suppress, even as he quickly looked about again While there were adults in the rooms, banging on the doors, there were no figures as small as children. Not even ones that looked like teenagers. Kijani seemed to be the only one. Connor relayed this information, "just the adults I locked in. Now are you going to get in the damned elevator? Because I will leave you behind" he said, managing to keep his voice neutral this time. [center][b]Knight[/b][/center] Anthony follows them into the elevator, lost in thought. [i]"Where did she move them? Dd I really plan all of this in vain? I suppose I need to try a more direct approach at a later date."[/i] [center][b]Dizzy[/b][/center] Kijani was trembling now, her muscles starting to come back to life. She shivered against Connor's metal suit, even though she should have been relatively warm. What was next, now? Who was going to use her next? Anthony certainly planned to do something with her- otherwise he would have just left her. Obviously he was trying to earn some kind of favor; he was bound to pull a 'this was my plan all along'. Even if it was, and he fully intended to rescue her, she was nothing but a pawn. A piece. ...nothing. A weak sob escaped her throat as she tried to curl up in a tight ball. "...someone knock me out.." [center][b]Caits[/b][/center] Connor grimaced, looking to Kijani "it's going to be okay" he said softly. Connor waited for the elevator doors to open, turning to Anthony, his voice hard "you even think about hurting her again, and I will kill you" as the doors opened, he crossed the floor to the exit with long strides, wanting to be out of this place, to get Kijani safe and to figure out what had been done to her. There was no way in hell that he was going to travel back with Anthony, and besides his suit was faster. As soon as he was outside, they set a course for the academy, and took of into the air, kijani held close to him [center][b]Dizzy[/b][/center] Kijani pressed up against him, murmuring near silently. She was desperately trying to will herself into unconsciousness. To do that, she was trying to meditate. Every time she got to a point of quiet within herself, her grandmother's voice would break into the silence, speaking cold words over and over. Tool. Weapon. Useless. [center][b]Caits[/b][/center] Connor had no idea what had gone on in that place, but seeing Kijani like she was, it took all his will power to not turn around and tear the place apart. He would get Kijani to safety. That was all that matter right then. So Connor took the quickest route back to the school, knowing it wouldn't take long to return. When they did arrive, Connor landed in the grounds, heading in the general direction of the dorms, thinking that after being in a place that smelt like the nurses office, Kijani wouldn't want to go there [center][b]Dizzy[/b][/center] Kijani was mumbling the whole way, and slowly tears started to slide down her cheeks. Somewhere in her mind, the fact that she shouldn't show such weakness rolled through her head, combatted by the hope that maybe her tears would make Connor leave her faster. He liked her because she was cool and sophisticated, right? Seeing her weeping like a child would turn him off. "Imsorry..." A jumble of words slipped from her lips. "Imsorryimsorry..." [center][b]Caits[/b][/center] Connor had soon arrived to the girls dorms, heading to Kijani's door, and he had a brief flicker of memory of walking her to her room after the dance. He managed to get the door open without breaking it, and moved to put Kijani on her bed. He tucked her into the bed, wanting her to get warm, and he hesitated, unsure of what to do now. "You don't have to be sorry" He said softly [/hider]