((Collab Post beteween Mass City and Letter Bee))

The 'Secret Headquarters' of the Internal Reformist faction in Los Angeles was situated in Elena's Apartment, an apartment that, though small and a little cramped, had as its advantage that it was regularly checked for bugs, and was booby-trapped itself, as a matter of course, its inhabitant being an FBI Agent. There, in the living room, was a round table, with only three human occupants and several video-screens open. Those three human occupants were Cedric, Constantine, and Elena, while the faces on the video-screens belonged to people of varying status; some of them were students or student leaders, others minor government officials and agents, while the last one was Gary Stuart, a Metahuman who, instead of [i]working[/i] for a Coroporation, [i]ran[/i] one.

Yes, he's a Registered Metahuman, a 'Hot'. Either way, the objective of this meeting was clear: How to respond to the riots and protests against Metahumanity going on?

"All their lives, Humans -Meta or Not - have defined themselves against an Other, a 'foriegn' prescence that is not of them, and thus is to be treated with different rules than they treat each other," Constantine was now speaking. "We've seen it before, during the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Holocaust, and more. And this situation is made much worse by the fact that in this question of prejudice, no side is completely right; both sides commit atrocities." He could almost be one of the student leaders, the way he spoke. "We need to stop this, we need to break the cycle, and we need to show that we are better than our ancestors. We must cast aside fear and hate, and embrace the fact that if no one is innocent, then no one should throw stones."

"And that," he then smiled at one of the student leaders, "is how you're going to give your speech tomorrow, once we start the [I]Pro[/i]-Metahuman Protests." He then turned to Gary. "Gary, can you arrange your [i]own[/i] Corporate Metas to protect the protests, discreetly, of course? Elena, how much do you know of the planned Government response to the riots? Would they protect both pro-and-anti protesters?"

"They will dispatch the LAPD and LASD (Sherriff's Department) in full riot gear. Also from what I heard there is rumblings from Sacremento and the Governor declaring LA an emergency area. The Government I think will distance it's self from a terrible situation. They are getting ready for something and this could not have come at a worse time for them. The President canceled his Hawaiian Vacation and is flying back to DC. From what LAPD standing orders are and I quote Chief Richardson. "If and when there are protests crack heads, doesn't matter who, just crack heads." Elena took a sip of her soda.

"I still think we let the government make it's own mistakes. We are a year out from a major election, the world stage is crap, so we hope the court's and the next guy in the Oval Office sides with us." Elena knew her protests would be viewed ... well not positively.

"I agree with Elena," spoke Cedric finally. Part of his reasoning was simple attachment, but not all; Cedric had a rational argument, and the boy continued, giving it:

"I agree with Elena because, as you know, I am the most pessimistic one of the group - and for good reason. Push too hard, too early, and all you'll end up doing is demolishing the movement. Like it or not, we lack resources except for Gary, the only reason the Government isn't cracking down on us is because they think we're a bunch of naive idealists - which is true," he looked at Constantine, "and, face it, our secret-keeping relies on, well, people not asking about us; people understimating us."

"It's hard not to be underestimated when we actually do something of note," he finally finished. "If our raid on Aperture had succeeded, the backlash could destroy us completely."*

"I think that it's [i]you[/i] who's been underestimating us," spoke Gary Stuart, a red-haired, green eyed person in a black suit, whose face was as handsome as a Reniassance painting. "You forget, the riots and rioters would be concentrating at Aperture, because Friction - the one who was seen talking to Ruby - works there. This can serve as a distraction from my attempts at a hostile takeover - StuCorp will have their hides for this."

"That may be," spoke Cedric, "but, one more thing. If the Police do become brutal at the Pro-Metahuman Protesters, we gain sympathy. If the Police crack the heads of the Anti-Metahuman Rioters, that means a few less who will be walking the streets.Doing nothing would be a viable option."

"What we [i]should[/i] be doing," spoke Constantine with unintentional harshness - he liked Cedric, "is finding out who the firebrand behind the Anti-Metahuman Protests is. All we know is that he is a charismatic person, with enough resources and know-how to hijack a TV Signal, and that's it. I also suspect that he's a member of a group, and probably one with some secret and widespread influence."

"Let's just say," the bespectacled man continued, "that we are facing a conspiracy here, even as we [i]are[/i] a conspiracy."

"NSA, CIA, Homeland Security are all looking for this guy. We at the Bureau being told to find this guy by Director Grantham and AG Milner. I heard the order came from the right hand of the President. They don't want domesitc issues to bog down the public's attention. The administration wants to focus on Russia and ISIS. They don't want people looking at the meta problem. They want people looking at the good economy, the lack of terrorist attacks, and Russia wanting to be the Soviet Union again. This, screws it all up!." Elena pulled out a beer.

Elena opened the beer and took a swig, "Stu, you know regulators are gonna block you on your takeover. You are in Davis Lawton's sights." Lawton was the "right hand of the President." Stuart had hurt Lawton's position as a senator in the midterms. But the President brought him on as chief of staff. "Look LA is gonna burn. There must be riots people will protest but most of the violent actions will be by people looking to get a new TV. There may be agitators but they won't be government, at least as far as I know." Elena took a swig of the beer.

"I don't like this, and I'm the 30-year old CIA/FBI/Etc Spy," spoke Constantine.

"I don't like this, and I'm the 'heartless' corporate mogul," said Gary.

"Nevertheless," spoke Cedric with conviction, "We have to make sacrifices for [i]both[/i] Liberty and Equality. A few riots where we win either way is not as big a sacrifice as most people in power make."

"Fine," spoke Constantine, "but I want to at least do [i]something[/i], if only to distract from the riots."

"Well, any other business?"

"I and Constantine would like to hunt down Nightingale and Elijah," spoke up Cedric. "Isn't there an official mission to do just that?"

"I could but I would have to sell it to my boss." Elena knew Constatine would be allowed but the child was viewed as a laiblity.

Cedric saw Elena's expression, and said:

"All right, I get ya. So, order of business done?"

"It's done," spoke a disappointed Gary, who was joined by several other student leaders.

"Good night then." Elena shut off the monitors.

And with that, Constantine and Cedric turned to leave...

[b][i]END[/I][/B]

*Cedric doesn't know stuff that at least Cypress had been rescued.