[hr][center][h1][b]Henry Olin[/b], [color=lawngreen]Sonya Mayfield[/color], and [color=dodgerblue]Lihua Vuhong[/color][/h1]
[i]Written in collaboration with [@Mr Allen J][/i][/center][hr]


A wide smile immediately etched itself onto Sonya's face the second she heard Dragonfly's voice. Her new partner! They went waaaaay back. He's her new spotter, and should things go wrong, her cover - but when has things gone wrong for NEST's greatest sniper? Never. Notta. Last time she checked, he was up there on one of the perches. Maybe she should go check up on Godzilla. She looked around nervously - she noticed that some chick was on the ground getting mouth to mouth from some boy. Well, at least eyes weren't on her. Crowds were never really Sonya's [i]thing[/i]. 

She looked up, and squatted down a bit. Springing off her legs like a rocket, Sonya flew through the air into the ceiling, and latched onto it. [i]Nailed it.[/i] Sonya thought to herself as she began to crawl on the ceiling. Towards Henry's personal perch. The moment she was in range, she shot off the ceiling onto the perch. She stood straight up, and balled her fists, putting them to her hips.

"Never saw you as the ceiling type, Henry. I'd imagine you'd be on the ground floor." She said, as she brushed her blonde hair aside. "How's it looking from up here?"

Henry's attention shot up from his touchpad and to the figure that had suddenly rocketed up to his altitude level. He was still getting used to the sporadic movements that Sonya was capable of. He had noticed that he had been more jumpy lately. Maybe the Paxil wasn't a bad idea after all. However, as he recognized his partner- he relaxed. No need to get so worked up about things.

[b]"Says the sniper,"[/b] Henry said, a shit eating crocodile smile splitting his face.

[b]"It's uh... It's looking pretty good. Not much has been happening. Which is definitely a good thing,"[/b] he said. He hesitated for a moment, deciding whether to address Sonya's first statement, but decided against it. He wasn't really feeling crowds right now. And he doubted people would take kindly to an obvious meta after the whole shitstorm. He doubted she really cared that much about his sudden discomfort for large quantities of people either.

[b]"How about you? How's it looking from down there?"[/b]

"Someone just passed out, but they're taking care of it." Sonya put a thumb over her shoulder, as she spoke nonchalantly. Eh, she was handling security, not medical, someone more suited could handle that one. "Though, I'm worried that someone will try something...." She looked over her shoulder at the ground floor. "We have the Pure, the Gangs, [i]and[/i] now the Hands of Science, and their REAPER lapdogs, after us. It'd be a pretty grand opportunity for them to pull something." Which is why [i]she's[/i] running security this time around. Nothing will get past us.

"Speaking of which, I haven't exactly been kept up to date on the whole crusade against the Hands of Science, do you know anything about them? Or REAPER?" Sonya asked. Far as she could tell, there weren't any engagements with them in Verthaven thus far. Though... Agent Vuhong would probably know this before she does.

[b]"Oh- uh,"[/b] Henry began, stopping himself midsentence to think. [b]"They're... well, when you discovered you were a Metahuman, what did you think society would do with you?"[/b]

"Slice me open, and cut me up." Sonya said in a chipper tone.

[b]"Well, there's your explaination as to what the Hands Of Science do."[/b]

"I gathered that much, but do you know about the offensive against them? Everyone in NEST have been raising a real fuss about it." Sonya said, sticking her long tongue out a bit. "Heard that something happened with them and NEST in Nevada... wasn't pretty, but I think Agent Vuhong has the deets."

She shrugged, raising her bulbous hands up. "But, I don't really think she's in the mood to chit-chat, she seems to be in more of a "drown my sorrows" mood." 

Henry was quiet for a moment, choosing to ignore the Nevada comment for what is more than likely the better. But he smiled at her antics. [b]"Well, I'm always up for a drink. Should I rally her over? What should I say?"[/b]

She looked down at Agent Vuhong at the open bar for a moment. "She's that strong, stoic, stick-up-the-butt type. Just go down there and be direct!" She pounded her fist into an open palm.

[b]"My friend I am a giant reptilian monster- I dont have much experience talking to the opposite gender in a way that's social and not work."[/b] he stated, but sighed. He tapped on his touchpad to turn off the music he'd been playing (using his earpiece as headphones) in Eli's absence (he was on bathroom break). He looked over his little outcrop and decided that climbing down to the second floor and then taking the stairs was probably a better idea than jumping down with his size.

"And I'm part-frog! I do [i]wonders[/i] talking to people!" Sonya retorted.

[b]"Obviously, you're married."[/b]

Henry cracked his neck and adjusted the clothes he was wearing over his NEST suit. It wasn't much- just a huge button up shirt and a pair of equally gigantic khakis. As was his style- he had no shoes on. Planting his hand firmly on the edge of the ledge, he swung his massive body over the side, careful not to hit Sonya with his massive tail or legs. As he hung, he planted his feet against the adjacent wall and propelled himself over to the second floor. High enough to clear the guard railing. Because lets be honest- if he hit that, it'd do nothing but force NEST to write an unnecessary check.

"Doesn't mean much! She's just as weird looking as I am!" Sonya put her hands on her chest... but then remembered that she could [i]shape-shift[/i]. "... When she's in her true form, that is - but think of this like a mission! You're Agent Dragonfly, and you're gathering intelligence for future operations! Lihua Vuhong [i]has[/i] the intelligence, and you need to interogate her for it!"

Henry took the fucking stairs to the first floor like the badass rebel he was.

"You can do it, Henry!" Sonya cheered him on. "I'll hold the fort."

And as soon as he came into view his presence demanded everyone's attention. Heads turned and conversations quieted. Not necessarily because Henry was that well known but because he was the better part of twice the height of nearly everyone there. But almost as soon as the silence came- it was gone. Conversations returned to normal and most of the eyes were taken off the reptilian man. Which he liked. He never got used to people staring at him. He never learned to really take it in stride- despite every childhood therapist's instructions to do so. It just didn't work well in his mind.

But, there were advantages of being what he was. Because as soon as the cocktail party effect set into place- Henry was able to distinct Lihua from everyone else in the party by her scent alone. It was impossible to notice for a normal person- but everyone had their own personal body odor. It wasn't a bad smell most of the time, just a unique smell that everyone had to them.

And of course, as Sonya had predicted- it came accompanied with alcohol.

The bar.

Henry followed his eyes and his nose until he came across the stoic chinese woman. Who was currently seated along at the bar. Henry felt that. He'd probably be in the same position in the future. He's just glad his liver bounces back from anything he throws at it.

Henry walked over to the woman- using his tail to subtly push a few of the stools to the side and out of his way, and leaned against the bar itself since a stool probably wouldn't bear his weight. The bar predictably groaned against his weight, but held strong. Or at least strong enough.

[b]"Drinking alone now, Vuhong? Or waiting on someone?"[/b]

Oh. It's Agent Dragonfly. Normally Lihua would classify him as an aberration, but he's human in all but looks (From what she can tell). She raised her head, and turned it towards him. Quickly taking a quick sip of her wine. "Alone. Just taking advantage of the open bar. Not much else for me in here." Lihua said. She wasn't exactly the type to walk around talking to everyone. Especially when her co-workers most likely didn't hold her in the highest position.

Every now and then, she'd take a peak over at Meifeng to see what she's up to. Right now, her daughter was reacting to the girl who was passed out. Eh. Kids. Always doing dumb stuff. Long as it didn't make Lihua look bad, she trusted Meifeng to go alone.

"What is it, Henry? Come to keep me company?" Lihua asked, taking a sip of her wine. "I don't think this wine would... do anything for you."

[b]"Well, Agent Merryday asked me something and it made me ask. She said you'd probably know. So... here I am."[/b] Henry said, waving the bartender over for his own glass of wine. When the tiny red glass was slid over to him, he pinched it between his thumb and his index finger- and raised it to eye level. He gently shook it- eyeing it carefully as if he was a detective attempting to perform a necropsy.

"I know lots of things," Lihua said after a sip. Giving Henry a look as he tried to grab the glass of wine. "And people come to ask lots of things. So, what do you want to know in particular?"

[b]"Well, you work in intel. I wanted to know if you knew anything about REAPER?"[/b]

Of course. REAPER was the talk of "NESTies" everywhere. No one knew much about them, though. "REAPER... they've been confirmed to be the Hands of Science's little security force... their private army. They've been defending Hands of Science bases, while launching operations to kidnap Metahumans for the Hands. They've gotten into a few engagements with NEST in various different places. They don't seem to have much numbers... but we do know they use a perfected version of the mutagen the Fiends had employed." Lihua explained.

Henry downed the entire glass of wine in one go, like a shot. He had the bartender refil it, and did not turn to face Lihua. But he did speak. [b]"Any patterns in mutagen usage? Type of power most commonly employed?"[/b]

"From what has been observed, they've been using Mutagen that gives them elemental abilities. Fire, concrete, glass, smoke.... Not as strong as, say, a Metahuman's, but it's still a powerful weapon." Lihua explained. It [i]would[/i] make sense to use a Mutagen that grants you Elemental type abilities. They're versatile, and powerful in the right enviroment.

Henry nodded, and decided that there wasn't really much else to be said yet on that subject. But the whole 'buisness only' thing was leaving a bad taste in his mouth- and as Sonya had pointed out inadvertantly, treating it as a mission wasn't exactly a good way to get better at being a social creature.

[b]"How's Meifeng?"[/b]

Hmph. A very unexpected question. Normally, everyone just wants to know about the job and calls it a night there. Though, she's not exactly the type to bring them up.

"She's been... getting paranoid." Lihua blankly says. "What happened down there... it's been giving her nightmares, and making her wake up and search the house at the slightest noise... Last night she whacked me in the head with her bo staff." She pointed at the bruise on her forehead. Not that Lihua found it a [i]bad[/i] thing. You're never paranoid until you're wrong - and with what she's up against, she has a [i]right[/i].

[b]"That's... I understand how she feels. Probably too well."[/b] Henry said, drinking his second glass of wine. Grapes man- they didn't do much besides add flavor. [b]"The night terrors, I mean."[/b] Henry clarified, raising the empty wine glass to about eye level and spinning it around slowly as if to accentuate what he was trying to say. 

"... I do, too." Lihua probably has the worst night terrors. Just the things she's done. It's something that she can't bury with alcohol.

"I... I know a few good therapists if you think she needs one and... are you okay?" he said, turning his head to look at her- but not daring to reach out as if to touch her. Too personal. Hopefully words alone would demonstrate his concern well enough.

"Do not worry about me, Henry. I can handle myself - And that won't ever change." Lihua immediately asked Henry's question. "I've been [i]trying[/i] to get her some therapy - but she's stubborn. She believes she doesn't [i]need[/i] any help, and I should just stay out of it."

[b]"Tell me about her issues, assuming it's more than just... general anxiety. If you dont mind. Different people specialize in different things so..."[/b] Henry said, using his free hand to wave near his jaw, as if it would coax more words out that came in a less awkward manner. But he still came up blank.

Lihua drank what was left of her wine until there was nothing left. She looked at the bottom for a few seconds - but didn't feel the need to call for the bartender for another. She just gently put it down, and answered him, "I can't really accurately scope the extent of her problems... other than paranoia, and night terrors."

Henry nodded. [b]"I... wont ask what exactly happened to her but.. if she was involved in the incident a few weeks ago and had to fight her way out or god forbid, kill anyone in self defense... she might have a case of PTSD. I'm the exact same way. I'm better about it now that when I first started out twenty years ago but... Sonya scares me regularly just by moving around when I'm not looking at her. Exaggerated Startle Response and Hypervigillance as the doc called it."[/b] Henry described, reaching into the back pocket of his khaki pants and pulling out what looked like a woman's wallet.

[b]"Before you say anything- guy wallets are too small."[/b] Henry premptively stated, and fiddled with the wallet for another few seconds before sighing and setting it down on the table and sliding it over to Lihua.

[b]"I can't get it out without shredding it. There are a few cards- I'd recommend the one with Doctor Callanan. She's... really good at that kind of stuff."[/b] he explained. He was eyeing the wallet like it was his mortal enemy. It, amoung with many other tiny objects that regular people used where his confounding variables that were necessary evils.

Lihua took the wallet and searched for the card, and looked at it for a few seconds once she found it- memorizing the number. Before she looked back up at Henry. "... I'm going have to drag her there kicking and screaming."

[b]"She'll probably want to come back after the first visit. If she ever wants to talk to me, you... probably have my contact information. I'm no therapist but I can definitely relate."[/b] Henry said, wincing as he accidently broke the empty wine glass by pinching it too hard.

Lihua merely nodded her head in a silent agreement. She slid the card into her purse, before she raised her finger. "Another glass, please." Before the bar tender came back around and poured it for her.

Henry didn't say anything after that. Actually, he didn't really have anything to say at all. So he stayed there, leaning against the bar with Lihua in a comfortable and hopefully companionable silence.

Maybe he wasn't so bad at talking to people after all.