[center][h2] [u]LOST AND FOUND[/u] [/h2][/center]
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[indent][indent][color=80ffbf][b] L O C A T I O N:[/b][/color] Somewhere in New York City
[color=80ffbf][b] T I M E:[/b][/color] Present Day [i][b]([/b][/i] July [i][b])[/b][/i] Sometime around 5 PM[/indent][/indent]
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          Benjamin shut his bedroom door with his side. He shifted to the dresser drawers as he tugged one after another open. His hand snatched his boxers,  jeans, and blue tee shirt into its fist. Wasting little time, Benjamin dropped the blanket. He rushed off to the shower to rinse off the clinging remains. About ten minutes later, Benjamin turned off the water and reached for his nearby towel. Dabbing away the droplets, he stepped out onto the tile.  

          Wrapping up by yanking on his shirt, he looked at himself in the mirror. He paused long enough to shift his bangs back into place. His hand dropped his towel into the hamper while he walked back into the loft turned game room.

          His gaze found Athena on the couch and munching a few of the snacks Emma left for them. Awkwardness filled him, but he didn't let it stop him. A few inhales later; he broke the thickness in the air.  He stepped out in front of her, blocking the TV screen while he towered over her.

          [color=chocolate] "We need to talk. How did you know what I was?" [/color]

          Setting aside the snacks, Athena regarded her best friend as he came out of the bedroom, blocking her view of the television. With a sigh, she rubbed the back of her neck, uncertain of how to address this.

          [color=ff99cc] "Do you remember when I told you about the car accident I was in? A few years back, that landed me in the hospital?" [/color] she asked.

          [color=chocolate] "Yeah," [/color] Ben snitched one of the treats before lowering himself into the seat beside her. His eyes observed her as he took a bite, chewing it slowly. 

          [color=ff99cc] "When I woke up, I found out I had. .. uhm, well," [/color] Athena paused, rubbing her hands on her thighs anxiously, [color=ff99cc] "abilities. And, uhm, sometime before that, I had the pleasure of meeting Morrigan." [/color] She waited for the information to sink in.

          Benjamin's brow arched. He stopped chewing and swallowed his bite, setting the cookie back on the tray. 

          [color=chocolate] “Morrigan? Who's that?" [/color] He leaned over the edge of the couch. 

          Athena looked down at her lap, unable to focus on Ben as she would have preferred, feeling a sense of discomfort for being out of her element. [color=ff99cc] "Someone of the Fae, she took me under her wing when I nursed one of her ravens to health. She was my exposure to the supernatural." [/color]

          He snapped his fingers, the pieces of the puzzle fitting together in his head. [color=chocolate] "That explains that scent. You're magical, aren't you?" [/color] 

          Benjamin's demeanor relaxed as he leaned back, resting into the corner of the couch. He watched her, waiting for an answer. 

          She nodded. [color=ff99cc] "Yes, but the accident—I died, and I know I did." [/color] Her voice was soft, clutching her hands together in her lap. She was fiddling with her fingers, trying to stave off nerves and anxiety. She hadn't talked about that day in-depth with anyone else aside from one person.

          Benjamin frowned. His mouth went dry, and he swallowed to wet it again, his heart still in his chest. His eyes looked hard at her as if trying to register her words. He looked about to say something but closed his mouth. 

          Athena fell off of the conversation. She became lost in her thoughts regarding the circumstances that surrounded both her death and her grandfather. For a few minutes, she had forgotten she was even in the same room as her best friend and was instead somewhere else altogether, the realization of what happened a surreal experience that she still hadn't fully come to terms with.

          [color=ff99cc] "Oh, uhm, yes," [/color] she murmured, shaking her head. Her skin was paler than it had been moments ago, a little disheartened, but she forged forward. [color=ff99cc] "But, after that and while I was recovering, I found out I had—well—gained inhuman abilities that made me different. The doctors said I shouldn't have woken up with the injuries I had, but I did anyway. They can only assume that it was a side effect from coming back from the dead." [/color]

          Her tone was joking, but there was weight to her words that impressed a seriousness in the subject.

          Benjamin rose upright and shifted to the bathroom. He strode with a purpose as he disappeared for a moment. Running water sounded brief before it stopped. With a glass in his hand, he returned and held it out to her. After she took it, he settled back into his seat. 

          [color=chocolate] "I'm not sure what to say. Sounds pretty terrible." [/color] He wished he could offer condolences, but the time had long passed by. It wouldn't help anymore now. 

          Barron waited. Hearing the conversation turn from Morrigan to the tragic and rather cliche backstories these heroes seemed to have, and the less Ben thought of Morrigan, the less chance he could pick any unease that Barron would have upon entering the room. Duff, however, was just about to bust down the door if he kept him back any longer, and so, with a smile, he entered.

          [color=9e0039]"Benny boy!! Done with your little chat? Because you made adults worry, and I don't want to bend you over and whoop that ass, but I will if I don't understand WHAT The FU&$ happened to you this past week!!?" [/color]

          Upon hearing the doorknob click and open, Benjamin's head jerked over to it. His eyes widened then lowered into annoyance. Tension tightened across his jawline, but he bit his tongue against the acidic remark blooming in his head. Benjamin inhaled then exhaled. 

          [color=chocolate]“Benjamin. And I'm only just starting to recall that. So take a seat, and I'll address it. It's not like you missed much." [/color] 

          Duff edged around Barron and peered at Benjamin, their eyes locked. Immediately, Benjamin got a flood of what Duff had been through since his departure. They both stiffened, and then relaxed. A confused look snapped onto the older man's features as he dragged his feet to the nearest chair. 

          Athena started, flinching when the door opened, and two strangers barged into the room. One felt, for all intents and purposes, [i]wrong[/i], and the other felt like Benjamin. Another werewolf? But, what wasn't keeping her focus was the other wolf, but rather, it was the man with a loud voice and a feeling that reminded her of death.

          Though a little disconcerted, with practiced ease, she hid her expression and shifted to one of bewilderment. She didn't know who these men were, but they knew Benjamin, and in turn, he knew who they were.

          [color=ff99cc]"Who are you?"[/color] she asked.

          [color=9e0039] "We're Family," [/color] Barron said, chuckling. [color=9e0039] "That's a lie; however, with his Dad, we might as well be. Name's Barron, Barron Vanderbilt. Not that it probably means anything to a squirt like you unless you gamble. And I'll stand, thank you, goldie." [/color]

          Benjamin rolled his eyes as he faced Duff to speak. 

          [color=chocolate] "On the night I vanished, I had a kid around my age mysteriously appear in my room at the hotel. I don't know what ability he had, but he told me he could reverse what happened to me. I asked him to reverse the wounds and he did. And the next thing I know, he opened a portal and I stepped through it. I wound up here without any memories or anything about turning into a werewolf. I didn't recall until Athena asked me what happened within the last two weeks." [/color] 

          He paused for a breath. 

          [color=chocolate] "I wolfed out before you came in. I don't know where the kid went or many details. Everything is still pretty fuzzy." [/color] 

          Benjamin waited to see what Duff and Barron thought. His eyes turned to Athena and gave her a small, apologetic smile. 

          Athena could only give Benjamin a small smile in return, shifting her gaze to Barron and the other wolf in the chair. He honestly gave her the explanation she needed.

          Barron slapped Duff's right arm. [color=9e0039] "I Fu%^ing knew it. SUPERS, always showing up messing with time and space like it's their business. Give a kid a nuke, and he'll call himself Radiation King or some shit." [/color] Then, he turned to Ben with a stern look and continued. 

          [color=9e0039] "I'll let Duff work out some punishment. Since he's the one teaching you the ropes and the one that's put in mortal danger. Fu%^, I'll probably need to call Joseph too. Ugh. Well, I'll deal with that later. For now, we'll need to figure something out with this kid you met, should he come back; can't have you finally killing Duff now." [/color]

          [color=chocolate] "I didn't plan on this happening. I think I irritated him enough that he won't come back." [/color] 

          "I'm not letting you out of my sight, that's for sure," Duff grumbled as he bared his teeth, his eyes flickering a bright golden. But it faded when he settled back into his chair. Benjamin frowned at spotting Duff's fingers digging into the fabric and slightly ripping it. 

          [color=chocolate]"Now that you found me, safe and sound, what happens now? Are Daniel and Lorrie still unaware or…" [/color] Benjamin trailed off, letting Duff or Barron explain the details. 

          [color=9e0039]"Well, the folks are still blissfully unaware. Perks of being me! However, that kid is still my new priority. Supers love getting involved in places they don't belong, so let the adults worry about that. Also, Duff is your Uncle now. Get used to that since that's what the Maid thinks; she's probably fine in the head. Might need a few more aspirins in the morning, but nothing worse than that." [/color]

          Athena rose to stand, disliking the feeling of vulnerability of remaining seated. While she might not know what was happening, she needed answers to the myriad of questions. [color=ff99cc] "Excuse me," [/color] Athena said with a set line in her shoulders. A determination was etched into the edges of her body, although she knows that she should be wary of the man dressed in clothing that was out-of-time with the current fashion.

          [color=ff99cc]"This might sound rude of me since I'm interrupting, but how are all of you connected to Benjamin? What did you do to Emma?" [/color]

          [color=9e0039]"Ah, yes, the girlfriend speaks up. Well, this might be a long story, but I'm an interested party to all this, so let's cover the basics. Should we have the maid get some snacks, bloody meat, perhaps? I feel we might be here a while."[/color]

          Benjamin frowned, though, he noted that Duff's head perked up. His expression soured a bit at that. 

          She was gaining courage as she continued to speak. [color=ff99cc]"First, I'm not Benjamin's girlfriend. Second, I assumed that I'd be in for a story the moment you two stepped through the door." [/color] Taking a deep breath, she crossed her arms. [color=ff99cc] "Please, have a seat, Barron, as it seems that you'll be the one to share the story?"[/color] She glanced at Duff in question.

          Barron smiled. [color=9e0039]"I do like talking about myself and my interests. So, sure. Besides, Duff's terrible at storytime." [/color] 

          Reaching for a pastry and grabbing a seat, Barron began talking with crumbs falling from his mouth. [color=9e0039] "So, I'm a Vampire—the kind who doesn't hate sunlight nor garlic. Though I still think it's disgusting, that's beside the point. I prefer to drain my victims dry—their wallets anyway—hence, I run a rather famous Casino. Ben came to my attention quite some time ago when I first met him and his little group back in New York. Back then, he was still a young pup of a werewolf and out for human flesh, thanks to his runaway Alpha causing mayhem." [/color]

          [color=9e0039] "Following thus far, or do I need to explain more? Otherwise, I have a longer bit before Ben comes under my wing, well, Duff's wing." [/color]

          Benjamin's fingers dug into the arm of the sofa. With an exhale, he remained in place. His protective nature was refusing to let him budge. 

          Athena nodded, wondering when it was that Benjamin was turned, but she returned to her seat next to him. [color=ff99cc]"I am—please continue."[/color] There were parts of the story; she was sure Benjamin could fill in himself, but for now, this will suffice.

          [color=9e0039] "Right," [/color] Barron said as he checked his phone for any other updates. 

          [color=9e0039] "Where was I? Ah, yes, the crazy Alpha. When he turned Ben and was under his control, the boy was a bit wild. I had some fun beating his flesh-eating hungry ass, but I knew I'd need a more permanent solution at some point. I could use a werewolf or two who owed me a favor as there's always something legal they could do for me.

          "So when the boy started losing pack members for one reason or another—life is a complicated bi%^ after all—he started to panic losing his shit too and put himself in the hospital. That's when he met his wolf, Doctor Joseph—a hunter of creatures—and me again! This time, I had an offer he couldn't refuse.

          "By pulling some strings, I found a pack that owed me and Duff fit the bill to take Benny in so the boy could finally get himself together. There's always something happening in our supernatural community, and it wouldn't do any good if Ben started munching on people. I do have an ulterior motive—a wolf that can sniff magic is a rare breed, but I'll cash that chip in later.

          "I think that covers most of it, everything I know and all that matters. Benny boy here can fill in anything I missed." [/color]

          With all of that in mind, Athena settled with humming in thought. Indeed, as Barron said, if anything was missing, she could always ask Benjamin himself. Without a glance in his direction, she gently bumped her knee against his in reassurance, leaving it there to be hopefully comforted by a touch of warmth.

          [color=ff99cc]"So both of them owe you?" [/color] Turning to Duff, she tilted her head slightly in question. [color=ff99cc] "And I suspect I'll be seeing you a lot then." [/color] And she nodded again with her hand on her chin in thought.

          [color=ff99cc] "Then, are you here to take Benjamin back?" [/color]

          [color=9e0039]”Me? No, a kid can do whatever he wants, but his parents will start to wonder where he wandered off. And yes, they do owe me—I stacked the deck, and the House always wins, my dear." [/color]

          Duff inhaled sharply but didn't say much. He just leaned into the chair and watched Benjamin silently sulk in his seat. Without a word, Benjamin pushed up and hopped over the back end of the sofa. He walked to the bathroom for some water and escape. 

          Athena can't be surprised about Duff, but Benjamin wasn't old enough to gamble. At least, what she's aware of was the legal age here in the States. But, the deal Barron mentioned might have something to do with that.

          [color=ff99cc]"Then, why are you here? You could've found out that he was here without flying all the way here from Vegas if that was your intent of just finding out where he went."[/color]

          [color=9e0039] "Adults always manage their problems. And I look after my interests, take care of them, mend any issues before they crop up. Something changed Ben, we know that, and I'm not gonna call it in and half-ass my part. You don't run a business by taking shortcuts—you do it by murdering your competition and ensuring your employees and assets are protected. Speaking of protected..." [/color]

          Barron sitting back his left arm, draped over the couch as he pondered what would need to be done regarding Ben's parents. [color=9e0039]"I suppose something will need to be done with the folks, can't have them realizing their son is gone. Perhaps I'll get them tickets to an adult show some comedy act or another after-hours event so they'd have a reason to send their kid back and make it easier to mess with their memories. Anyways, I'll figure that out." [/color]