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[color=bc8dbf][sup][b][u]Location[/u]:[/b] [color=a2d39c]”Innocuous” Warehouse[/color][/sup]
[sup][b][u]Interactions[/u]:[/b] [color=a2d39c]Collab with [@Mintz], Beth [@sassy1085], ‘Strong Boy’ [@canaryrose][/color][/sup][/color]
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[color=a2d39c]‘What am I implying? Sheesh, I wonder…’[/color] Was the first thought to run through Leon’s head as he chose to defuse the situation on his own terms. Seriously, the girl’s just been running around helping all these drama dropouts instead of doing the actual mission? Either she seriously thought they were in danger, or she’s an idiot. Surprisingly, Leon felt inclined to believe neither of these feelings. 

When she teased him by reflecting his statement, Leon couldn’t help but give a derisive snort and a smirk. [color=a2d39c]“Deflection’s not the best look on you, sweet stuff.” [/color]He gave her with a small wink. [color=a2d39c]“But if you have to know, then…” [/color] Giving a small tilt of the head, a mischievous look crossed his face. [color=a2d39c]“Think of me as the good luck charm here. I’m around, so you can be certain things’ll end up how we want.” [/color]

However, when Nilin went straight into a cutting retort on his haste to accuse her, his ego was a tad bruised. She might have a point on that...So Leon decided he’d keep his mouth shut and let her explain. For now. However, when she began pointing out where she supposedly saw SSV heading and gave her plan for how they should proceed, it left a nagging doubt in Leon’s head. 

He ended up getting distracted in his train of thought when Sparkles finally spoke up again, having sorted themselves out after he freed them from the cruel grip of science fashion.[color=a2d39c] “You have a point, they don’t seem wise enough to have backup. Much less the sort of backup that’d get the drop on me…” [/color]A bite of resentment reaches through his statement, no doubt bitter about the embarrassment of being blinded by a lab coat. [color=a2d39c]“Also, for the record, Sparkles, I’m very focused on the mission, though I’m not sure we can say the same about some others…” [/color]He says, giving a sideways glance at Nilin….Before he takes another swig of his soda. Yes, very focused. 

[color=a2d39c]“I wouldn’t be too sure about that count. At best, it’s two versus….Four?”[/color] Leon was going to say three, until a blondie built like a brick wall but dressed for a fuckin’ press conference walks onto the scene, starts asking about SSV (at least, he assumed. That dumbass vigilante is a GIRL?...Pretty impressive voice modulator then, Leon’d have to admit), and introduces himself rather unconvincingly as ‘Strong Boy’, or Sam, if they so preferred. 

Leon knows he’s not the most aware guy all the time, but this rank of something foul. It didn’t help when he spared a glance back to the way he came in, seeing a bunch of equally crisply dressed Men in Black looking assholes casing the joint. Not suspicious at all. 

He spared his two companions a glance, catching Beth’s skeptical look. But...Actually, Leon could make this work, as his neutral expression shifted into a grin. [color=a2d39c]“Glad to have you on board, Strong Boy! You came just in time for my plan. No offense to yours, uh…” [/color]He suddenly realized he didn’t know this girl’s name. Awkward...Well, without a name to give, he just nods towards her so that the point is made. 

[color=a2d39c]“Here’s what I’m-” [/color]To his annoyance, a new distraction hit the scene as the ‘pop’ of a smoke bomb was heard, and he whipped around to find the source, flicking back on his phone’s flashlight. It was....The same place she’d popped out of? That feels a bit stupid, no matter which way he cut it. He tried to puzzle together the purpose of that move, but shrugging it off, continued. [color=a2d39c]“Yes. Plan. Sparkles!” [/color]He points to her, then over to the smoke clouding the open ventilation. [color=a2d39c]“Fire off some shots into the vent. At best, you hit the target and put her out of commission for us to nab up, and at worst, well...You’ll make sure she definitely isn’t there.” [/color]

Oh, he liked giving out orders like this. Maybe he should try being some team leader? Eh, having to boss around all the weirdo heroes that could show up sounds like a pain though. But moving on....[color=a2d39c]”Strong Boy, you can go check out that area.” [/color]He points off through the warehouse to...Exactly where Nilin had pointed out. [color=a2d39c]“If ya find nothing, then secure the back entrance of this place to make sure we don’t end up hoodwinked here.” 

“And last but not least…” [/color]Leon turns his attention back to Nilin, and surprisingly, grinned. [color=a2d39c]“...I think we can both agree that we haven’t seen eye to eye here so far, so why don’t you come with me, and we can make sure neither of us are pulling something, mmm? In fact, I think I have an idea where we can check out…”[/color] Between Beth and…’Strong Boy’, the ground floor was pretty covered, but there was a second floor that was currently unexplored. It’d be a safe bet to check up there too. 

Her eyes narrowed, biting the inside of her cheek to keep herself from speaking up and causing another verbal altercation. She would let the small digs at her go when it came to focus because while she appeared to be out of it or unconcerned, she was just focused on a different side of the same mission. Unfortunately, Nilin was now left to wonder where this had gone so wrong for her. She had been so close to keeping everything in her control and now it slipped through her fingers like sand. It was clear that the multiple distractions had left it open for her to lose the reins on the situation, no doubt luck was involved in some way for him, not her this round. Mister Fortunate over here having a strong willed personality didn’t help either since he seemed to be enjoying being in charge and yanking the reins from her. 

She wasn’t sure if they were passing luck back and forth at this point or just cancelling each other out which was a possibility. If that was the case, she was more than a bit nervous on how that would affect someone who always had luck on their side to suddenly not be able to have it work as usually intended. Honestly, she didn’t want to have to explain her powers but it seemed as though she might not have a choice. If not for letting him know the possible ramifications to sharing then to inform him that ‘Strong Boy’ wasn’t all that much of a threat in the power department. They all seemed to be reading the room and giving silent signals that this new ‘hero’ wasn’t to be trusted easily enough, spotting a rat a mile away but how the other two went about handling it would change if they or at least one of them were aware of the truth. 

In all honesty, it was clear he didn’t think she herself was being truthful or trustworthy with the direction he had sent Sam on which meant he might not even believe her if she spoke the truth but at least he couldn’t blame her later for not speaking up. She was still nervous about Beth using her powers in here but at least the vent was high enough away from the chemical mess that it shouldn’t be an issue, plus luck was on their side right? She could only hope Sol was working on another way out of here for their new friend. Her eyebrow raised as he turned to her to give instructions, the grin throwing her off a bit until he spoke and she found herself wanting to sigh in annoyance. [i]’Ah, so that’s how it is…’[/i], she thought, realizing he was going to stick to her like glue and limit her as a problem. The keep your friends close and enemies closer kind of deal. It meant anything she tried would have to be sneakier or a fight would be the only way to assist should they find Sol or SSV. [color=bc8dbf]”Fine by me. Lead the way, pretty boy.”[/color], Nilin stated, showing that she was willing to join him in his plan. She could let him know about her powers and Sam once they were a bit further from listening ears. 

Wow. She took that better than Leon expected. His grin softened into a smile, honestly pleased. [color=a2d39c]“Grand. In that case,” [/color]As he begins to step away to the nearest way up a level, he turns back to Beth and Sam. [color=a2d39c]“You two be sure to hold the fort down, eh?” [/color]Giving a cheesy grin and a wink to Sparkles, they head up a flight of stairs...And as soon as they’re out of eye and earshot of their good friend Strong Boy, Leon whips around to Nilin. 

[color=a2d39c]“Alright, first of all, yeah, Strong Boy’s probably here to….I don’t know, murder Scythe or something, but he’s definitely untrustworthy. I also saw some fellow goons outside giving a look-over of the warehouse. So yeah, we’re probably getting deep into shit….More than we already are.” [/color]

Before she responded, however, he gave one interjection before he flipped his phone open to proceed with the next step. [color=a2d39c]“Also, name’s Leon. Be sure to remember it.” [/color]Opening his Phone app, he quickly dialed in a number seemingly at random, and sent them a message...Which, it turned out, was Beth’s phone. 

‘hey its Leon’

After a short pause in his texting, Leon suddenly realizes he never introduced himself to Sparkles either. Though who can blame him? Most people he meets already know him, his hero biz is new territory, and also very annoying territory. Regardless, he pushed on. 

‘Guy you’ve been fighting the dumbass vigilante with. Need you to keep an eye on our new stranger bud. He’s got friends outside, but clearly he has a brick for brains. Just make sure he doesn’t actually find anything, and if he pulls some shit, blow him up. Also maybe check up on the fish guy, he might be a decent extra set of hands. Think he’s still on the floor after getting bola’d.’

Another pause, this time for Leon to check the silence of the warehouse. After he was sure nothing horrible had happened after the message, he gave his last one. 

‘if things get ugly call’

With that, he closed his messages, returning his full attention to Nilin (and readying his flashlight once more; shit was dark, man).[color=a2d39c]”Just finished giving Sparkles a heads up, so we should be good to go.”[/color]

Nilin gave a backwards wave to the other two as she followed him up the stairs, seemingly relaxed with one of her hands in her pocket but she was gently grasping one of her daggers hidden there. They had just made it out of view and hearing range when suddenly, he whipped around causing her to tense and her grip to tighten, almost yanking out her dagger as she thought he might have noticed something she hadn’t. His next words made her relax, thanking her luck that she hadn’t pulled her knife on him because of that sudden movement. This guy was determined to give her some kind of heart attack or something. She had about to speak up to agree with him on his assessment and give her warnings when he cut her off before she had even started. Nilin literally found herself blinking with a slightly slacked jaw, completely startled to have a name to go with him but also….really? Now? Now was the right time for that? At least he was right, that was certainly memorable but she wanted to facepalm. 

Leon’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts and she nodded softly, [color=bc8dbf]”Good, I’m glad she is updated but we needed to talk about ‘Strong Boy’ and something else concerning my powers since it might end up affecting you.”[/color] She stepped forward, snagging his phone and opening the contacts before placing her name and information in it just in case they needed to split up. She shoved it back into his hands as she passed by him, glancing over her shoulder once she got a few steps away. She gave a sweet smile and with a soft tone that didn’t seem to match her words as she spoke up once more, [color=bc8dbf]”Also, [i]Leon[/i], don’t tell me what to do.”[/color]

Leon, for his part in the matter, was left stunned as she snagged away his precious device, shoved it back with her contact info (sweet!), and most jarringly of all...Told him off. It was all he could manage to blink a few times, and only give a nod, the vaguest confirmation that her words reached his head.