[hr][h1][i]The Hands of Science.[/i][/h1][hr]


"Hello, fellow men and women of science...."

Dr. Cross's voice boomed through the speakers, attracting the attention of every person in the room. Every Chairmen, every scientist worth their mettle... They were all here before her. Heavy footsteps came from behind her - she turned over her shoulder to see the Wendigo and Snowblind taking position behind her. Excellent, all of her Generals are present.

"I have gathered you all here today because the path we have been sent on is being threatened." Dr Cross started off her speech. "The masquerade we once had has been pulled from underneath our feet by NEST, and their allies. Which is why we have no choice but to discuss how we are to handle this new threat so we may resume our research without being obstructed."

The crowd started chattering. Discussing what Dr. Cross just said between themselves.

One of the men on the balconies, a European man in his thirties with prematurely grey hair, and a rockin' suit, stood up to his microphone, and spoke, "With all due respect Dr. Cross, the reason why we have this issue in the first place is that you let the scientists under your control run [i]outside[/i] of your control. We would have never ran into this problem if you were competent enough-" 

Dr. Cross narrowed her eyes at the man. "[i]Nathaniel.[/i]" She hissed his name, cutting him off. She knew that he was one of the fellow Chairmen of this organization (The Western Canadian Branch). "If you were to let me finish, I was going to explain that [i]someone[/i] betrayed us. Every Hands base has a self-destruct function in case it was discovered - and the system was mysteriously destroyed." 

Dr. Cross pressed a button on the panel that she was standing out, and a orb at the center of the room projected an image of a tall woman with blue eyes, red hair, and wearing rather modest attire. "This is our "rat"." Dr. Cross announced - well, they suspected her of being the rat in their organization, but it didn't matter. Long as she had a convenient scapegoat. "Megan Jervious. A former woman of science, and Metahuman. We lost track of her after the first lab fell. Only problem is that her ability allows her a complex and powerful form of Shapeshifting. She could literally be anyone."

Ignatius rudely pushed his way over to the microphone, and spoke into it. "REAPER is searching for her...." Searching a look of ire from Dr. Cross. "And we will murder her."

"... But how does this relate to our current predicament?" Another chairmen spoke up, a thin, African-American woman (Seemingly Egyptian with a bit of Sudan) that wore a purple suit similar to Dr. Cross. Eliza, that was her name. Head of the South-Eastern Branch of the Hands of Science. "All I've seen you do so far is try to excuse yourself, instead of discussing how we're going to deal with this. I don't care who ratted us out - NEST is pushing in on my operations, and a group of vigilantes destroyed one of my best labs in Florida." Eliza narrowed her eyes. "I. Need. That. [i]Handled.[/i]"

Dr. Cross nodded her head. "In these dark times, I feel as if the [i]real[/i] problem is that we are so [i]separate[/i]." She started off, pausing to let the words hang in the air. "There are seven Chairmen, and we all act like we're our own islands."

"What are you getting at, Cross?" Nathaniel asked. 

"We've been treating our grand goal of introducing a new age of super-science as some sort of race." Dr. Cross said. "A stupid little school science competition - Tell me, how many of you have made any major breakthroughs, or otherwise done more than stroke your [i]scientific egos[/i]...?"

The question went unanswered.

... That is, until he spoke. 

"I am close to making a breakthrough that will change the very face of the world of Metahumans." Another chairmen spoke - but he was one of the few Chairmen insistent on keeping himself mysterious. He wore a suit, and a mask over his face with a snake-symbol on it. The Chairmen of the North-Eastern Branch. "And once I am finished, it will help the world, and save lives."

"... You don't have to stroke your [i]scientific ego[/i], [i]Suan-Ni[/i]. We all know what you are working on." Eliza said, bored.  

"That isn't my point, either." Dr. Cross said, rolling her eyes. "The point is that, if we are to survive, we have to unite, and put all our resources towards destroying all threats to our organization. We have REAPER, and they're on par with NEST." Dr. Cross shrugged. "However, they have assembled an elite Task Force here in Verthaven, and they have proven themselves to be effective in countering us. With every battle, they get stronger. They garner more support, and they learn much more of our tricks. While our scientists are getting put in cells. Our REAPERS being put in morgues."

"Uniting..." Eliza trailed off for a moment, almost sounding like she was scoffing it off. "You wanna know why we're so separate. Our [i]scientific egos[/i] is really what's keeping us apart." Eliza started laughing. "You know, thank you for introducing that phrase to me. I love it." 

Dr. Cross thought about throwing the Wendigo over to her balcony - but that, while hilarious, would only cause even more divide in their organization. "... We have no choice but to swallow our prides, Eliza. This might go against our plans, but we need to work towards destroying NEST. Our secret alliance is no longer profitable, so they must go."

"What do you suggest, Cross?" Suan-Ni said. "We make [i]weapons? I[/i] for one, refuse. I want to help people - not destroy them with weapons."

"It's a [i]bitter[/i] obligation to science, Suan." Dr. Cross noted. "We have to make compromises and sacrifices to achieve results. I know this more than anyone." She sighed.

"... So, who's with me?"



[hr][h1][i][color=Dodgerblue]Lihua Vuhong[/color], & [color=Red]Meifeng Vuhong[/color].[/i][/h1][hr][hider=Massive Attack - Paradise Circus][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEgX64n3T7g[/youtube][/hider][hr]


Next few days after the climatic breakout of PR-1 - or as he would prefer to be called Peter Brooke - Lihua has been... relaxing. Trying to sort out her life and her problems. While she hated to admit it, she was looking up a few therapists - for herself, and [i]Meifeng[/i]. They both needed help, and they both needed to swallow their pride. The mature woman was sitting in her kitchen, enjoying a little bit of alcohol - the rest of that Baijiu. It was expensive, so she was going to enjoy it. She turned her head towards the window, and sneered. It was almost ten o'clock and it was raining cats and dogs outside. [i]Something's[/i] behind all of this, but she appreciated the break from the bright and sunny days. It reflects her glum mood. She took a another sip before she realized that she was joined by another person.

Meifeng, wearing a T-shirt, and a pair of bright-red boxer shorts. Lihua instinctively adjusted her white bathrobe, tying it shut before her daughter could see her with her bra out. She perked up, and gave Meifeng a curious look, asking her in their native language "[i]Meifeng, what can I help you with?[/i]" She was hoping.

"[i]I just wanted to, uh... talk you about something. You know.[/i]" Meifeng shrugged as she sat down on the table across from Lihua. "[i]We haven't had one of those in a little while.[/i]" She shrugged again.

[i]If this has anything to do with my alcohol consumption, I'll hit her with a sock of batteries.[/i] Lihua thought to herself. She was going to give Meifeng a chance, at least. She placed the glass of alcohol on the table, and perked up. "[i]Yes? I'm listening.[/i]"

"[i]Just a... what's been going on lately.[/i]" Meifeng scratched the back of her neck. "[i]And I don't mean your drinking problem. Heh. I loooooong came to terms with the fact my mom's an alcoholic.[/i]" She started laughing as she put a wide grin that bared all her teeth - even though her teeth were also scraped by that aberration's claws.

"[i]I am not an alcoholic.[/i]" 

"[i]Sounds like something an alcoholic would say![/i]" Meifeng teased.

Getting a little annoyed with her daughter, Lihua implored her to get to the point, "[i]Can we get to it, already?[/i]"

"[i]Alright, alright... relax.[/i]" Meifeng put her hands up as her smile went flat, and her eyes closed. "[i]I've been wondering a little bit about Anna... She hasn't talked to me after....[/i]" She trailed off a little bit. It did hurt the girl deeply that Anna would cut ties with her like that.

"[i]Your lesbian moment.[/i]" Lihua dryly inserted.

"[i]Well, no - I thought it[/i] was [i]like that.[/i]" Meifeng shrugged. "[i]Guess it doesn't work out like I hoped.[/i]"

This was certainly a... less than comfortable topic for Lihua (Given that if her daughter is gay, it'll stop her [i]glorious[/i] genes from spreading), but she was going to give her full support. "[i]All I can say is that you should try to talk to her through other means. If she truthfully doesn't want anything to do with you - then, oh well. Her loss.[/i]"

Meifeng nodded her head. "[i]Oh yeah, I forgot to ask you about those two Asian boys that Trevor found. Why were you asking about them?[/i]"

"[i]Hmph.[/i]" Lihua grunted, looking blankly into her glass. "[i]Some woman I met in Chinatown was looking for them - but here's the time, that basketcase set them out into the city with zero way to track them.[/i]" She shrugged. "[i]It was by[/i] chance [i]that you were with them. And they weren't grabbed by the Hands.[/i]"

Meifeng wryly grinned, baring her teeth again. She shrugged, and kept her shoulders shrugged up. "[i]Hey... this is Trevor we're talking about. Like they're that much better off with him than the Hands.[/i]"

Lihua snickered. "[i]True. But, with all the trouble[/i] you [i]get in, I wouldn't say you'd be any different.[/i]"

"[i]Oh, you're so mean.[/i]"

"[i]Speaking of all the people you choose to associate yourself with....[/i]" Lihua remembered. "[i]I know can't control who you talk to, but I suggest that you stay away from that red haired wrench.[/i]" Lihua took a sip of her alcohol.

"[i]Look, I know you and her had that little spat-[/i]"

"[i]It has nothing to do with that. She seems like the type who'd get in trouble - and drag you down with her.[/i]" Lihua shrugged. "[i]I[/i] have [i]gotten you out of NEST punishment before... but if you're determined to join NEST, you need as little marks against you as possible.[/i]"

"[i]I do, but[/i]..." Meifeng tried to answer, but realized that there was little point in talking to her adamant mother about it. She would still give Reyna a chance. She nodded her head, and stood up. She walked towards the door, casually speaking, "Alright, mom, I'm going back to my room."

As she watched her daughter walk up, there was something that she wanted to get off her chest. "[i]... Before you go,[/i]" Lihua started off, getting Meifeng's attention. "[i]There was something I wanted to talk to you about.[/i]"

"[i]Yeah, what is it?[/i]" Meifeng turned back around and firmly planted her behind back on the chair.

"[i]Let me tell you a little story from the job...[/i]" Lihua said as she downed what was left of the Baijiu, and loudly tapped it on the table. "[i]I can't share[/i] too much [i]about it. I'll get yelled at if I tell a teenager confidential NEST information. But let's say there was[/i] a very bad man-"

"[i]... You don't have to say it like I'm five, mom.[/i]" Meifeng put her hand on the side of her face, and rolled her eyes.

"[i]How about you listen for once in your life?[/i]" Lihua hissed, and earned zero response from Meifeng. Which she took as [i]listening[/i]. She grabbed her glass - but it was empty, she forgot. She sighed. "[i]As I was saying... There was a very bad man. Who hurt a lot of people, and was going to hurt a lot more. NEST stopped him - but he lied his way out of our grasps, and hurt[/i] more [i]people. And when NEST cornered him, he had one last person in his grasps.[/i]" She paused for a moment. "[i]So, we were hit with a choice. We either let him go, and save that person - at the cost of hurting far more people down the line... Or we stop him for good at the cost of one last life.[/i]"

"[i]Is this why you haven't been going to work...?[/i]" Meifeng asked, sounding a little somber.

"[i]I wasn't the one that had to make that choice,[/i]" Lihua was quick to inform her, "[i]but that isn't the point. Tell me, Meifeng...[/i]" She dramatically slammed her glass on the table. 

"[i]... Was there a [/i]right [i]decision in that situation?[/i]" Lihua asked the question.

"[i]Um... Can I know more? Like who was this 'bad man' and who was he going to hurt? I gotta-[/i]" Meifeng asked.

"[i]No.[/i]" Lihua harshly cut her off. "[i]Not for confidential reasons. Only because I want you to make your own conclusions.[/i]" Lihua held the glass by the top, gently swishing around the last drops of her drink, and watching. "[i]The person responsible could be a mass murderer, a terrorist, or even a man with the greatest intentions, but employs[/i] ruthless [i]means to achieve success...[/i]" Lihua trailed off. "[i]And that[/i] last [i]person could be a saint, your best friend, or someone just as bad... but I want to know if you think there was a[/i] right [i]decision.[/i]"

Meifeng thought about it really hard. Her eyes were drifting across the room - noting how [i]harshly[/i] Lihua's eyes were staring into hers. Almost like her gaze was piercing through her. This caused a little bit of a conflict in Meifeng. If you save one person, he could kill a lot more. At the same time, should you play God and sacrifice one person just to bring an end to this all? Is it worth it? Meifeng didn't notice it yet - but Lihua did - but a small trickle of sweat dripped down her forehead to her cheek. What situation forces someone to make a decision like this...?

"[i]I[/i]..." Meifeng trailed off, awkwardly turning her head to the side. "... [i]I don't know. I can't say that there was.[/i]"

"[i]Exactly.[/i]" Lihua said, and a half-smile formed on her face. The child was finally starting to get it. "[i]In life, you won't always be presented with a[/i] clear [i]right decision or wrong decision - nor will you always have a third decision. You'll have to make your own decision, and you'll wonder whether or not you made the right one. Some people will have you for it, but it's the price you have to pay.[/i]"

[i]Okay, mom's acting a little weird now.[/i] Meifeng thought to herself as she listened to Lihua. A part of her wanted to brush it off, but she couldn't. There was something in her telling her that she'll have to listen. "[i]What?[/i]" Meifeng shrugged, bringing her hands to shoulder-level, palms up. "[i]You're giving me life tips now?[/i]"

"[i]Yes.[/i]" Lihua matter-of-factly answered. "[i]Think about it.[/i]"

"[i]Um...[/i]" Meifeng trailed off, feeling conflicted about this whole change in conversation. "... [i]I think I'll go now.[/i]" She said as she pushed the chair back and stood straight up. She walked out the door without another word, from herself or Lihua.

"[i]Life is full of blurred lines, and there are very few absolutes.[/i]" Lihua said to herself. 

"... [i]You'll understand that some day.[/i]"


[hr][h1][i][color=Springgreen]Cindy Gabrielle Keagan[/color].[/i][/h1][hr][hider=Darious - Hot Hands][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZvQiOxddT8[/youtube][/hider][hr]


All this god damn rain. Like Jesus.

Cindy wanted to play some god damn tennis for once.

She let out a sigh, as she started playing her violin. It wasn't perfect, but she wanted to practice. Which she was doing for the last few hours. Just out of sheer boredom. This rain was starting to get annoying. Though, it was ten at night, not like anyone wanted to do anything at this hour. Cindy loudly sighed, before she kept going. Right now, she was in her room, she lived in an apartment in Knightdale Rows with her father - their mother was somewhere else at the moment because of... family issues.

"Hey baby girl," Cindy's father, Jackson Keagan, poked his bald head into the room.

"Dad! Knock." Cindy was quick to note, as she stopped playing the violin. 

"Oh, sorry." Jackson said as he walked into the room, and leaned up against the wall. "Great to see that you're still practicing you're violin."

"I'm just practicing it because there's not much else to do with all this rain." Cindy shrugged. 

"I know." Jackson shrugged. "There was something I wanted to talk to you about..."

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Heard that two NESTies came by the club a few days ago lookin' for somebody." Jackson noted. "Don't know the details, but they were pretty important."

"Yeah, they were looking for Trevor about something." Cindy nonchalantly said, followed by a shrug of her shoulders. "I don't know [i]what[/i] the hell that white boy get into... that's why I don't ask." She started laughing.

Jackson's face didn't show a hint of emotion. "Look... I know some of your friends are, uh, associated with NEST, but try to keep away from them until this whole mess is sorted out." He shrugged. "I hate for anything to happen to you, or you get in trouble for something you didn't do, and get sent back." It was his greatest failure, letting his daughter get sent to a prison like that. If only he was more attentive.

At the thought of getting sent back, Cindy cringed a little. "I know, I'll be careful." The two exchanged nods, before Cindy looked around for her phone. She thought about it for a moment, before she angrily exclaimed, "Shit-"

"Baby girl!" Jackson chided her.

"Oh, sorry." Cindy said. "I just left my phone at the club." She said as she put down her violin.

"I can - go get it?" Jackson said as he threw a thumb over his shoulder.

"No, it's cool. It's right around the corner." Cindy said, getting up, and looking down. She didn't take a shower yet - so she was still wearing the same outfit she was wearing all day. Long blue jeans, a leather jacket, and white button up shirt with a striped red and black tie. It was cold, because of all the rain - so the girl could get away with wearing heavier clothes in the winter. "I'll just go grab it and head right back." She said as she ran out the door.

"Yeah, stay safe." Jackson said... Just as a precautionary, he called Cindy's phone. Hm. He didn't hear her ringtone.


[hr]


Okay, this was [i]not[/i] a smart idea.

Cindy was rolling down the street on her scooter in the middle of a rainstorm. Rain was hitting her, and soaking her outfit - but that didn't matter. It was like it would literally kill he if she was separated from her phone for too long. She just needed to head right there, and head straight back. She quickly made it to the Candy Club, and unlocked the door, running in. She flicked the lights on, and looked around. Okay, she just needed to remember all the places she was sitting down. However, the phone's flashed with a light indicating that it was being used... Cindy walked over to it, feeling as if she just walked into some shitty horror movie. She looked at it, and realized that the screen was on because her dad just called her. She rolled her eyes, and put her phone in her pocket.

[i]That's the end of that, I guess.[/i] Cindy thought to herself, before making a note to run out the door fast as possible. She got on her bike, put on her helmet, and sped off. Cindy barely noticed the purple light on the roof of the building...

Everything was going to plan (Relatively speaking). All she had to do was get back to the apartment... While she was scrolling down the street - the lights went out. All the street lights went dead, the lines in every other building also went dark. Only thing that was illuminated was the lights of her scooter. First instinct was to slow down a little bit, and take a look around. Streets seems oddly dead at this hour... Cindy turned the high beams on. Either way, she was going to head back to the apartment fast as possible.

She was careful, but she looked at the darkness behind her, and decided to speed up a little bit. Little did she know, there was a human-shaped silhouette in the middle of the street that Cindy just barely noticed. "[i]OH SHIT![/i]" She shouted as she instinctively swerved out of the way. Her eyes were wide open, and she was praying to [i]whatever[/i] God would listen that she would come out of this alive. She was going right for the sidewalk - but she, on reflex, created glass over the right side of her upper body. Creating a shield that would barely work against a high impact crash. However, the girl came to a swerving stop, hitting the back end of her scooter against the front of a car. Creating one hell of a dent, and smashing one of the headlights.

"Sweet lord..." Cindy muttered in relief as she looked over her shoulder. Okay, minimal damage done to her scooter. However, her relief turned into scathing rage as she stepped off the scooter, and took heavy stomps over the place.

"[i]Yo![/i] Are you fucking [i]stupid[/i] or something!?" Cindy shouted at the person, taking slow steps forward with her fists clenched tightly into balls. She slammed her foot onto the ground. Jesus Christ, some of the people in this city are stupid as fuck. Standing in the middle of the street where the power went out?! "Why the [i]hell[/i] are you standing in the middle of the fuckin' street, yo?! [i]In the god damn dark![/i] That's grade-A stupid, yo! You almost made me crash, [i]you dickhead![/i]" Cindy unleashed the torrent of her rage.

A glowing purple eye shined through the darkness of the street.