[center][color=salmon][h2]Christina Lavender[/h2][/color]

Christina listened attentively and quietly as Patricia recounted her experiences in the manor recounted her experiences inside the mansion. She occasionally gave an [color=salmon]"mmm-hmm"[/color] or a [color=salmon]"yeah"[/color] as Patricia spoke, but for th most part, her lips were sealed up to the end, when Christina took the letter. [color=salmon]"These are tax-...oh."[/color] Christina read through the letter quickly, scanning it thoroughly. After finishing with the letter, Christina looked up at Patricia again. [color=salmon]"Oh, don't cry, Patricia..."[/color] she said softly, giving Patricia another gentle hug. [color=salmon]"It's fine. You're going to be fine."[/color]

Christina looked around to scan the area, seeing nobody near close enough to eavesdrop on them, before speaking again. [color=salmon]"I think with all you've gone through...you deserve to know...a little bit. Come here."[/color] Without waiting for Patricia's input, Christina practically dragged her into the shed. [color=salmon]"Alright, here's the deal about Zero. Zero is a very mysterious, very powerful group of villains. Super elite. They only accept the most powerful of villains into their ranks, and they're kept to very high standards. Fail once, and..."[/color] Christina ran a finger over her neck. [color=salmon]"They remove you. Permanently. Very methodical, very deliberate, and very insensitive to human life. They kill anybody that gets in their way, former allies included. Their leader is a man named Commander Zero. He is...well, we believe he's the strongest villain in the world right now. He could nearly level this entire city if he wanted to. His top 7 enforcers are called the Seven Seals. They're all extremely powerful villains in their own right."[/color] Christina ran her tongue over her lips, thinking of what to say. [color=salmon]"The girl you met, Malady, is one of the Seven. She's Commander Zero's daughter. This letter you gave me, though...it's interesting, to say the least. I'll have to tell Powers."[/color]

Christina chose her words carefully as she spoke. [color=salmon]"That's basically the gamut of Zero, or at least, what I can tell you. I wish I could say more, but to be truthful, the idea of them that we have right now is mostly conjecture. They're very enigmatic. We've gotten reports of them using some type of machine, but...we can't be sure about anything, what the purpose is. For all we know, it's just a very elaborate torture device."[/color] Christina paused, looking at Patricia again. [color=salmon]"Don't worry, though. You're just as safe as you ever were. Zero is not an organization that likes to strike directly. They operate by proxy...obviously, the Gugliano family was their latest envoy."[/color] Christina scratched her chin. [color=salmon]"I'll relay all this to Hugo, obviously. I mean, Director Powers. He told me that I'm setting a bad influence by calling him 'Hugo.'"[/color] Christina smiled weakly, before turning serious again.

[color=salmon]"Listen, Patricia, Zero is serious business. If anybody finds out that there's an entire organization of villains lurking around in wait, our credibility will be shattered."[/color] Christina opened the door, looking out to the Gugliano's manor again, where some of the Division X agents were flocking about. [color=salmon]"This is Division X-level classified intel. So be careful with this info, alright?"[/color] She thought for a moment. [color=salmon]"I imagine Director Powers is probably going to re-brief you and the rest of your hoodlum friends over there, anyway, so no need to tell them...but make sure this doesn't spill out in casual conversation, alright?"[/color] Christina smiled at Patricia. [color=salmon]"On another note, you were very brave here today. Director Powers will be very pleased with you. With all of you."[/color] She glanced down at her watch. [color=salmon]"He's due here soon. Not only did you succeed tremendously here, you got him out of an ICOSA meeting. Two birds in one stone."[/color] Christina stepped out into the moonlight fully, patting Patricia on the head. [color=salmon]"Oh, and by the way, you're coming with everybody else to HERO One. Spectator exposure- the weird bat thing you were talking about?- can have weird effects. Odds are you're perfectly fine, but in an abundance of caution, we're going to monitor you at the hospital for the night."[/color] Christina looked back at her watch again. [color=salmon]"I'm going to go talk to the medics real quick. You did great, though, Patricia. Truly."[/color] With that, Christina walked over towards the ambulance, leaving Patricia alone to mull over this new intel. 

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