Log. July 25, 2007. New York City – Whispers Warehouse.

A wonderful breezy day is nearing an end, as the sun beams through the far stretching streets of New York City. But this particular building gets the no sunlight on the inside but rather more toned down lighting not pitch black, but not fluorescent either. In this rather well air conditioned warehouse is stored probably the most famous mutant safe haven this side of the Mississippi. Off center of the middle is a rather retro dance floor with the multiple changing lights, with a DJ against the back wall, spinning tonight’s music. A few feet away is a large empty section of building with a few twines of rope circling it off, as the designated 'Get your ass handed to you' sector. A tiny arcade is tucked away in the corner with only a few pinball machines. Against the last wall is a full size bar, with drinks for all ages, and all tastes. That makes most of the space unclaimed, by objects, but it is taken by a rather large group tonight, sitting comfortably near 200 mutants and human fans alike.

In the back of the warehouse, were people stand when they aren't really up to dancing to the music and just want to listen, is a graduate of Xavier's. The dragon mutant isn't that up to dancing at this moment as he just looks around the dance floor. Kaji's eyes glance over at the bar, and he hms to himself before he starts to head over there. Weaving his way through the people in the crowd as he makes his way over to get a drink.

Silence sits at a table, sipping a whiskey, observing the clamor subduedly. The gunslinger's calm, taking a moment to relax. He bears his guns, his permit, but that doesn't stop his relaxation; though he keeps studiously away from the arcade. He keeps away from the get your ass handed to you section as well; it's a sport he can't agree with -but that doesn't mean he won't enjoy watching others.

Feeling more competitive today than he is flirtatious, Rene has taken his place in the corner with the pinball machines. A black corset is wrapped around the boy's torso, the back somewhat obscured by loose blonde curls of hair. A pink plaid skirt sits on his hips, and knee high, black buckle boots complete the rather intense illusion of gender-bending he is so expertly aware of possessing. Silver bracelets and necklaces wind over the cylinders of his limbs, and studs fill his piercings. A determined look is in those blue eyes as the pinball machine has by it's side a literal wizard; though Rene is rather bad at the game itself.

Oz himself is in the shadows near the door, leaning against the wall. Not much has changed from his normal dress, save for the fact that his usual worn pair of black jeans has been replaced for the night by leather pants, he’s got more earrings than usual lining his ears, and his eyeliner isn’t as smudged as it usually is. Dark eyes aimed at the door, the Irishman is obviously waiting for someone to arrive, passing the time by rhythmatically opening his Zippo, lighting it, and closing it, before repeating the process.

Riding boots clomp on the floor to nobody's notice due to the excess amount of noise in the building. The owner of said boots is wearing the other parts of the gear, sans helmet which is securely attached to the backpack that the rider takes everywhere with her. With a turn of the head she smiles at the Zippo player and walks over, "No fireballs in the building, Mr."

Gabriel stands in the back, looking at the crowd today searching all around, his fingers clasp the barrel of a dart, waiting for someone to come up and challenge him, the once brand-new dartboard he stands at has more holes than there should be around the bulls eye area. In here he does not use his harness to hold his wings back. They stand much above his head now that he can stretch every once in a while now.

A pretty calm night, thus far, a few fights have broken out, but only in the ring where they're supposed to. The Bartender who's relatively free at the moment tosses a rag over her shoulder and whips her hair over her back, before leaning forward into Kaji and asking, "You want anything sweetie?" She is often payed to flirt, but Kaji doesn't have to know. The DJ pops on the speakers and goes through his schpiel on what songs comming up, as if he was preparing for a commercial break, when he last says, "So I'll be right back y'all." POOF. He teleports off stage to go to the bathroom. Two pinball tables away from Rene another gender challenged teenager sits with crazy flipper fingers, dropping the ball ocasionally as they take a long glance towards the flowermage. As Bridget and Oz begin their conversation more mutants bustle in, one with spikes from his shoulders and back, with a girl in hand, completely covered in ice, as she walks mist billows down from her. And Gabriel finally gets his challenger, "I'll take you on." He says as he pulls out his own set of darts from within his wristbands that extend up to his elbows.

Kaji glances over at the bartender, arching an eyebrow at the 'sweetie' but he just waves it off for the moment. "I'd just like a soda. Something to pass the night. Very light on the ice," says Kaji with a small smile before he looks around the place once more. He spots Gabriel and chuckles slightly for a moment before he just takes a seat at the bar, glancing over towards the ring for a moment.

Silence closes his eyes briefly, enjoying his drink, observing the flow of traffic around him. He is a creature that keeps to himself, however; the mutant is composed, and keeps his own bubble of personal space about him with a combination of ignoring the world, and lazy half-hearted glares.

Silence closes his eyes briefly, enjoying his drink, observing the flow of traffic around him. He is a creature that keeps to himself, however; the mutant is composed, and keeps his own bubble of personal space about him with a combination of ignoring the world, and lazy half-hearted glares.

Closing the lighter one last time with a smirk, Oz pockets it. “Depends on who I’m gonna fight in that ring later if I find anyone interested in it.” He answers. “I promise nothing.” With that said, he reaches out to pull the blonde closer, lips quickly finding Bridget’s.

Bridget's lips curl upwards into a smile against Oz's before she leans back. "Bad Oz... it's not Saturday yet." The medic's head tilts as she notices a few familiar faces, one of which located at a table, she gives a slight wave towards Silence before looking back to Oz, "Don't get too beat up. I'm not in the mood to be nursing people tonight."

Yoruko has come in with a few of the other students. Heard that it was a cool place and felt she should get out. Currently she is looking around to spot people she knows. Bridget for one, though it looks like she is with someone. In her hands is a glass of something that is probably the teen equivalent of a mixed drink. Something to be sociable with.

Liam does not 'mingle'. Or he didn't. It's one of those things he'd never learned but was informed he should. The whole, 'getting to know your fellow students' sort of thing. He enters behind a group and for a moment just lingers there. His eyes scan the room. Must. Find. Familiarity. He sees Kaji. Eh, good enough. Hands in his pockets, the boy wanders over to his 'friend'. " 'ey." I'm here, you seem to know what you do in places like this... /help/. Yes, all of that is meant in one grunt of hello. He's just that good.

The place is gaining more people than it is loosing. More and more students from Xavier's are shuffling in, and the over all noise of the room increases as the DJ returns with a poof as he finishes his urination. "I'm back yo's!" He shouts before putting on a rather bass heavy song. Kaji's request of soda is rather quickly tended to, and the bartender taps his shoulder as she puts the glass down in front of the dragon mutant. Silence is left alone, as people are generally more considerate here than in other places. Rene's little fan has finally worked up the courage to head over and talk to the pinball playing wizard. "Heya cutie." As they lean right up next to him. Bridget and Oz are silently hustled out of the way of the door as they are being somewhat rude, blocking the entrace. In walks a youngish man around twenty, and the only thing that draws him out is his cowboy hat. which is tipped to Bridget, Yoruko, and anyother females in direct view of the door. He quickly makes his way to the edge of the dance floor and leans against the support beam, holding up the ceiling. Gabriel's opponent just stares momentarily at the board, "Psh, try this." He says before he turns around and throws it back towards the people that way. They all jump in fear before the dart turns around and sips through the air to land right next to Gabes. The place is rather loveable, an excellent retreat.

Kaji looks behind him, swiveling around in his chair to look at his friend. "'ey, Liam. Have a seat, order a drink. Enjoy yourself," says Kaji as he motions to the seat next to him. He turns back when he's tapped on the shoulder and he says, "Thanks." Before he looks back at Liam, taking a small drink of his soda. He chuckles slightly as he looks around the place and he says, "Surprised you found this place." It's not like its hard to find, but still, credit where credit is due.

Silence's eyes, the color of clouded gunmetal, lift, turning towards the pinball machines briefly, then to the DJ. He listens to the music a bit, and continues to sip his drink. A relaxed smile quirks at the corners of the man's mouth. See? Being social isn't that painful.

Rene's attention is stolen away by the appearance of a new face. Despite his bubble probably being invaded, Rene cracks a somewhat infectious smile. "Hey. Looking pretty good, yourself." The compliment is tossed back almost on instinct, and Rene gives up patting at his pockets in favor of perching his hands on the corners of the machine. He leans on it with one toe propped on the floor under him.

Giving a scowl as he is forced to move, Oz wraps a possessive arm around Bridget’s waist as he does. Please no hitting on the blonde, unless you want bodily harm. “C’mon, love, might as well wait at the bar or arcade or somethin’ ‘til the fight ring is open for a challenge.” He would prefer the bar, but once Oz sees a familiar head of hair in the arcade, he can’t help but go there first. Yeah, he may be embarrassed about hitting on Rene way back when he was in Angelika’s body, but Rene doesn’t know it was him. And hopefully Bridget will never figure it out. “Nice boots, Blondie.”

Bridget nods, "Well, they're good for riding in..." She glances over to the bar area and then to the dartboard area, leading to the approaching winged mutant. "Hi Gabriel!" She ends up tugging Oz in the direction of the bar, figuring there won't be much protest in approaching the alky-hol.

Gabriel seems to have a person who wants to challenge him. "Nice shot my friend, though my accuracy has never been knocked down." He takes another dart from his hand, and looks between the two darts. "In the middle, right in the bullseye, do you disagree?" He turns around looking at Bridget and waving one of his jet black wings to her instead of his arm. Careful aim is given to the dartboard before Gabriel releases the projectile, knocking right in the middle of the two darts.

As Bridget gets closer Yoruko gives her a nod of greeting, and if close enough a soft 'hello'. Liam is also greeted as he approaches Kaji, as she sits pretty close to the other student she knows. Her gold eyes do focus for a moment on the dart game and the challenge.

Liam's eyes narrow and his upper lip curls ever so slightly in a scowl, flashing a rather pointed canine. This is probably his current equivalent to flipping Kaji off. Raising to simply give the other boy a two-fingered 'salute' seems too energy consuming. Lazy. He does manage eye contact with Yoruko, a nod and what is could be interpreted as a friendly smile is directed towards her. Hey, someone who /doesn't/ annoy him. "Drink...?" His attention is yanked away. "Like...an actual drink?" Like /Guinness/ or /Whiskey/? The boy couldn't even hope for cider but... alcohol was alcohol and he hadn't been able to have a drop of it since he left home.

The Music fades almost as quickly as the room goes entirely white. The sound of your own voice is silenced in a single moment. Then slowly things begin to come back, vision returns as your eyes refocus and the silence grows to quiet distant hollers, which grow to be full out moans and groans of pain and anguish. A large black pillar of smoke billows out of the middle of the entire warehouse, and the support beam is gone, which leads to another problem: The roof is slowly collapsing in, and the multiple fires aren't helping in the matter. It seems that those farthest away, near the walls, and far from the blast are the ones left alive. The people in the middle of the building are mostly dead, except those with gifts that would aid in the force and heat from a C4 blast.

As the music fades along with the room going white; Kaji's body goes on the defensive and scales cover the rest of the body; as they were on his torso only before. His arms are crossed over his face as the explosion reaches the outside part of the warehouse and Kaji's knocked off of his seat and is slammed into the back of the bar. When his vision returns, Kaji groans slightly; to add to the groans and moans already there and he stands up. Glass falling off of his shoulders and out of his hair as he looks around. "Liam? Yoruko?" calls Kaji as he looks around, coughing slightly as he tries to get air back into his lungs after the call.

Between all the people around, and the fact that she was concentrating on the people at the bar, Yoruko had minimal time to prepare for the blast. The fact that something was going to happen came to her just as the explosion occured. She had enough time to try to shout a warning, but that was covered by the blast. Pushing herself down she manages to get partially under the bar for cover. One hand up to shield her head the other wrapped against her stomach. At first she doesnt react as kaji calls out to her. It could be she doesnt hear him. There are some tears in her clothing that ooze blood and a few bruises.

Silence hisses in pain as his vision returns, and his first thought is: Dead again. C*cksuckers. His next revelation is his stomach feels like it was suckerpunched, he has no idea where his whiskey went and ... there is a strangely familiar looking limb not to far from his gaze. The man groans in pain, or perhaps in shock. Shit. That is a piece of his leg. His. leg. Shit. This is what he gets for relaxing. This is God's way of saying he hates J.B. Hickok. A lot. Justin is sure of it.

How did Bridget end up on the pinball machine? That is what Bridget would like to know. However as her senses slowly come back to order, with a faint ringing in her ears the woman's first reaction is to breathe in quickly, head tilts upwards, a small trickle of blood coming from her forehead as she looks around, dazedly. Eyes widen, mind going down the list of those familair faces she actually saw prior to the blast "Oz?! Gab?!" Bill?!" Kaji's shout for Yoruko is drowned out by the sounds of panic Bridget's fighting to be heard over.

Having looked back as the word 'Blondie' calls out from a familiar voice, Rene's vision gets alerted rather quickly to the whiteness. An instinctive black shield flies upward at the consequential noise and silence of the club--The Frenchman may not be any sort of veteran, but he knows a blast when one crops up. Having dwarfed one earlier in the week, this instance is almost pre-calculated. Anyone in the backmost part of the arcade is behind a bulbous wall of darkness now, the only instance of the blast that of a wave of heat in the air. Unfortunately, Bridget is now perched on the outer machine, which now reads TILT in flashing red.

Oz tries to move as soon as he registers the fact that something bad is happening, doing his best to try and shield Bridget from any kind of flying debris or glass... And it might have worked if the shockwave hadn’t caused him to fly violently off his feet and into the mirror behind the bar. With a grunt of pain as he falls to the floor below, covered with shattered glass and alcohol, the Irishman lets out a slight yell. Alcohol in cuts. Ow. Managing to push himself up on his knees, Oz ignores the glass cutting into his hands and the sting of alcohol, ears ringing from the blast. Looking around quickly, he tries to find Bridget in all the chaos, since he can’t hear anything other than that damn ringing. Feeling blood tricking down his neck, back, chest and arms, he ignores it all for now. He has to find Bridget and get them out of here.

Gabriel is currently slammed face down on the ground, his wings flailed out. His wings and torso are being pinned down by some of the debris from the top of the warehouse. Gabriel's head makes no move, and he is unresponsive.

Liam's never asking for alcohol in this place again. Apparently bad things happen. His senses went haywire. The noise sent him to his knees, his hands over his ears before something else sent him flying into a wall. Ouch. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, what the FUCK was that noise? Why couldn't he see a god damn--he'd closed his eyes at the white, trying to block it out... His nose was assaulted by the scent of things burning, dust, a smell he couldn't place and... and two he placed far too well. Panic and /blood/. His eyes squint open slowly. Something is on top of him. Something hard and jagged. A growl of pain and he pulls himself out from under the debris. What once had been a cabinet is... no more. Large splinters of it are sticking out of him. His vision is hazy and it isn't just because of the injuries he's taken. He feels taller than normal and he hasn't even stood up on his... oh shit. The feral creature that has taken Liam's place is flailing desperately for coherent thought, thought beyond the smell of blood and the fear. Kid didn't stand a chance. Full feral mode. Damn. The gold eyes of the creature survey the damage. Fire. A low growl comes from his throat. Something had come into the den and hurt the /pack/. This was unacceptable.

The place is a total disaster, glass is everywhere, mostly around the bar and the arcade area's though. People crawl and scurry around on their hands and knees as if trying to rebuild their ant mound. The only person running around right now is Oz as his super strength help'd cusion the blow for him somehow. The roof creaks again on top of the few remaining supports but they aren't holding very well. One of them begins to bend causing more noise, and the fires close to another are awfully large, and it sparks up flairing, getting closer and closer to the bar as it eats more and more of the safe haven. Right now the only though is of survival of one's self and of the ones one knows and cares about. Get OUT!

Kaji shakes his head a bit, brushing more debris off of his body as he looks around. That's going to leave a nice bruise. He can't scent any of his friends out since the smoke and blood covers mostly everything up. He coughs form the smoke and looks around; the first thing he sees is Liam...in full feral mode. "Shit," says Kaji bluntly and straightforward as he then looks around for Yoruko. From his spot behind the bar, and partially into the back cupboards, he sees her under the bar and he crouches down and heads closer to her. As he gets closer, he can smell blood more clearly and he growls to himself as he says, "Yoruko. Hey, come one. We have to get you out of here." He reaches out to put a hand on her shoulder and shake slightly. Trying to get her to his senses and to get her away from Liam.

Everything is aching right now, but whether its not being hurt as much as she feels or if it's just the MA v2 PE picking up the slack, Bridget slides off of the machine... tentatively, feeling around gently for the bookbag which miraculously landed next to her... complete with helmet. The helmet is retrieved and put on before the bookbag is slid back on. She blinks looking around, taking in the damage and looking for those she got no response from when calling their names. "OZ?! GAB?! BI-" She pauses, seeing the familiar black feathers which cause her running, "GAB!"

Laying still Yoruko tries to take stock of her condition. Bruises, cuts, mostly superficial damage. Her sides hurt where /something/ hit her hard. Slowing her breathing, so she doesn’t hyperventilate, she pushes any pain to the back of her mind concentrating on readying herself to get out of here. Just then Kaji shakes her shoulder causing her to open her eyes slowly and move her hand down. "Kaji.. we should leave." her voice rough from the smoke." looking around she notices the supports are not going to hold for long. Giving Kaji a mental push she murmurs "now"

Eyes widening a slight bit as Oz notices the rather large wolf, it gives him a bit more incentive to get out from behind the bar and find Bridget, ignoring everyone else. Blinking as blood runs into his eyes (apparently he’s bleeding more than he thought) Oz shakes his head, trying to get rid of the ringing in his ears, and not much succeeding. Fuck. Looking around as best he can with the smoke, Oz shakes his head again. He thought he heard... Yeah, there it is. Faint through the ringing and what he can hear of the panic, but that’s Bridget’s voice. “BRIDGET!?”

Gabe still remains on the ground, from underneath his torso trickles a small amount of blood, one of the darts he was carrying stabbed him. His mind is quite active, in fact if one were to reach into it, they would see him struggling to get free again.

Rene's concentration seems to be astounding, even past coughing up some sooty air that finds its way to him even after the push, and the people rushing too and fro around him. One man gives him a small jostle, and this makes him decide to speed up towards the scorched remains of the main pillar. The many dead near the center of the warehouse almost seem to stir now, the rumbling hums made by the carapace of black overhead resounding over what is left. A pulse follows Rene's next step forward; the energy being leaked by the swiftly departed can only help so much, however. There is already a small quiver under the floor as the dirt underneath of that begins to shift aside. The concrete jungle has its fair share of botanical pests, and luckily the summer season finds them immensely restless.

"Oh god...hold on Gab.... Hold on." Bridget utters in her mantra, moving over to the fallen false angel quickly, using the ability of the suit to move as much debris she can from the mutant. She glances momentarily to the direction of Silence's request, "Hold on Bill... I have to help him first!"

The overgrown wolf however seems very little concerned with Kaji this time around. He makes a brief eye-contact but it doesn't seem threatening. He briefly glances upward at the ceiling and then his nose is to the ground. That unknown scent. /That/ is what his mind is focusing on. Burning smell, the sort that made it hurt to breathe. Sharp, caustic... metal and burning flesh, not an easy scent to ignore. He turns his head towards Oz, giving the boy a long sniff. No, kid just smells like blood. The creature growls and stalks through the wreckage. He comes across Gabe and sniffs at him, his nose following the blood stream and for the briefest of moments, he almost looks like he's going to lick it. Ew. No, he doesn't. Thank God. He sniffs at Bridget but he knows the smell isn't coming from her. Gabe however...He can't smell this one well enough. He levels back, his front paws sifting none too lightly with the debris. He's getting them off, but there's only so much you can do with those paws when it comes to 'gentle'.

Silence's leg bleeds profusely, as befits having a limb missing. This. Sucks. The gunslinger swears, applying pressure to the wound, and focusing on not falling too far into shock as blood spurts through his fingers. Gunshots he can take with aplomb. Severed limbs are much, much more painful. He closes steely eyes, dizzy. "I'm dyin' for a drink here," he comments, almost randomly. "Anyone see any unbroken whiskey bottles?"

Kaji gives a small sigh when he sees Yoruko is semi-okay and he nods slightly. "But, I have another problem to take care of. Liam's gone a bit feral and I need you to get out by yourself if possible. Alright?" He backs away from the telepath so she can get out and he looks up at the ceiling for a moment. "I hate my horoscope," grumbles the dragon mutant as he then looks over at Liam, and then past the giant wolf to catch a glimpse of another person. He looks back at Liam and actually whines slightly at an internal 'what to do' moment in his mind. But as Liam goes off to do something else, Kaji sighs slightly as he then looks back down at Yoruko whispering/ordering, "Go, go, go!" With that, he looks around once more. He scents the air once more; catching the smell of whiskey and drinks on the ground and he growls to himself.

With another creak, the heavy material is pushed off of Gabriel... and onto the remains of someone very much not appearing again in this game. The helmeted figure reaches down, checking for a pulse. "Oh thank God..." Bridget murmurs through the open visor of the protective headgear.

Despite Rene's valiant efforts to keep the ceiling up, with his makeshift black support, the fires are literally melting on of the other support beams. The ceiling continues to creak until the beam snaps and falls down, impaling one person, who hopefully was already dead, cause, sheesh. More people are now on their hands and knees calling out to their loved ones, about twenty five in all. Panicking to escape and recooperate.
Yoruko looks over the situation as Kaji orders her to leave. The one she can see that needs the most help is Silence. With that in mind she starts towards him determination in her gold eyes. Mentally apologizing for the pain she might inflict she starts to drag him towards the door before the roof collapses on them. Once outside she will end up collapsing herself near him. (hopefully Kaji can take her back to the school)

The floor gives a loud crack, concrete peeling apart nearly like a loaf of bread in a pair of fists. The next appearance is that of mounds of undulating purple, brown, and green, snaking motions taking over for otherwise non-sentient flora. Rene stands on one side of the fissure, hands lifting to his sides and upward; blue eyes squint upwards through still dirty air, voices registering in intermittence. The slicked and winding roots begin to come out of the ground, leaving sickening clucks of noise behind them and trails of watery slime underneath. The pillar snaps down, and more than a dozen man-width roots go up.

Cursing as he doesn’t hear Bridget answer, Oz is at least as thankful as he can be in this situation that the ringing is slowly going away, his hearing near halfway returned by now. Inhaling as little as he can (over a decade of smoking can make one immune to smoke only so much) Oz squints his eyes against the smoke and light from the fire and blood running down his face and does his best to find her, stepping carefully in a random direction, away from the fire, and towards where he thinks the arcade was. He notices the wings first, though he starts to pass them up, not noticing Bridget until he’s almost on top of her. “Thank the bloody Gods.” He mutters under his breath, kneeling down to quickly inspect her. “Are you okay?”

"Just peachy," Bridget replies blandly, pulling up Gabriel from the floor, pratically cradling him in her arms despite the wings as she glances over to find Bill gone. "Let's get outside!"

Upon moving the debris off of Gabriel, his wings tuck themselves back onto his back. Now more visible is the wound coming from three darts stuck in his side, inspection would find that they didn't hit anything too vital, and he has a couple of cracked ribs.

Sirens are finally heard from outside the building, aided mostly by the holes in the sides of the walls. Hopefully it's a Firetruck, an ambulance, or a mortitionist. Cause lord knows we need both. The roof is beginning to hold, but it's obvious to those in their right mind that the plants must be temporary. The fires themselves are however not being put out by anyone, and a single line of alcohol is quickly enflamed, leading back towards the bar and the inevitable, another explosion. Sorry Kaji, no one seems to car about the liquor.

“Agreed.” Oz shortly answers, before leading Bridget towards one of the holes in the front wall.

Kaji losses his foot for a moment as hte floor cracks apart, and he just gawks at the roots coming up out of the ground. The flames around him only get small bit of attention as he stands within the flames; apparently just fine as he looks towards the other people. Then the explosion hurls Kaji from the bar and slamming into the ground a ways away.

"SOMEONE USE THE DAMN FIRE EXTINGUISHER! THEY COULDN'T HAVE ALL BLOWN UP!"

Silence sighs in relief as he hears the sound of sirens. Salvation. And then he passes outm slumping where he was left. He barely registers the sound of the second explotion, and wonders just what really did happen to his whiskey.

Liam sniffs at Gabriel's uncovered form. He can smell the stuff /on/ him but he knows it's not the source. The wolf growls lowly. This was a useless hunt. The scents were all muddled. He's lingering there, desperately trying to smell /something/. What he does pick up on is the sounds of sirens...and the burning alcohol. The boy might have cursed if he could manage verbal communication, instead he growls at a few of the remaining bystanders. Get the fuck out. Damn, too late. Another explosion. And /shit/ does he feel that one. Maybe the splinters have a healing factor on his side but... He was thrown into the wall. Conveniently by one of those gaping holes. Time to crawl out. Bloody puppy.

Temporary or not, when they touch the top of the journey, the dripping roots sprout smaller tendrils, arm-width fingers crawling like centipedes and forming into the best web that they can. The wetness introduced by the fissure and the roots makes the air humid and hot, and the next explosion tears Rene's attention to the fires. "GET OUT!" Anyone left will hear him, most likely. If they are still alive, that is. He now begins his own trek outward, leaving the plants to grow on their own and eyes checking the fires. Outoutoutoutoutplease.

Kaji isn't too beaten up, though the explosions are going to leave some might fine bruises for the weeks past. Nothing like school can fix. He stands back up and walks his way out of the burning wreckage and everything. He looks around for a moment and starts to head for Liam; to try and get him to shift back…if possible.

Shifting back right now is a /bad/ plan. The creature is COVERED in his own blood and burns. Liam has pulled himself from the building and is just... kinda laying there. C'mon healing factor. Kicking in real fast now would be very ideal... Yeah, shame that thing doesn't work instantly... or as a human.

Log. July 25, 2007. New York City – Brooklyn - NY Methodist Hospital.

In the aftermath of a tragedy, its common for one to be asking themselves, 'Why me? Why them?' For Bridget, those particular questions have long since left her routine. Having been through what many would consider tragedies. She's grown to just view them as life. Although, it doesn't mean that the event didn't affect her. Far from that as she's going through a considerable change in emotions. In this case, anger. It is anger that makes her more than helpful when it comes to the police, even going so far as to offer to give a description of as many of the victims she remembers... which, for her is a lot. They're willing to wait to get that information however as most survivors are being treated for injuries inflicted. Bridget, with her Ma v2 PE suit on under her street clothes was considerably lucky. Not sustaining any noticeable damage below the neck while in the suit was even luckier.

Oz could also be considered one of the lucky survivors, considering he just needed stitches – albeit, quite a few in many various places – and he still has all his limbs. However, right now, he just wants a damn cigarette, and is being denied that pleasure because he’s still at the damn hospital. Still clothed in the same outfit from earlier (He had to fight to keep his shirt from being cut down the back.) the singer has opted to wait for Bridget to get done with whatever the hell she’s doing before going outside to enjoy the deadly nicotine.

With a slight sigh, Bridget gives one last nod to the officer before glancing around for her not-a-date companion. With a hand resting on the bookbag strap she walks towards Oz... giving a tired and somewhat forced smile. A given considering the circumstances. "Hey..."

Looking up, Oz manages his own strangled grin. “Hey, yourself.” He answers, slowly pushing himself up from his seat. “Fuck. Hard to move certain ways that don’t hurt.” He mutters, hands shoving into his pockets as he looks at Bridget. “You alright?”

"I'll live and I don't need to stay in the hospital this time." Bridget replies, "Asking for more would just be greedy."

“I dunno, I figure asking for uninjured ain’t greedy considerin’ we ain’t really receivin’.” Oz bitterly answers, running a bandaged hand through his hair. “Wanna get outta here? I need a smoke like crazy.”

Bridget nods, glancing down the hallway towards the main exit... and the mass of persons out there lying in wait. "Yes... Just not the front entrance."

“Gotcha.” Oz has had his share of reporter abuse. Just, not in this life and not as bad as Bridget. “Sorry ‘bout all this.” He says, before explaining the apology. “I mean, it was my idea to go, and everythin’.”

Bridget's eyebrow arcs at this as she leads Oz down a side hallway, "What? You ignored the flyers mentioning the guy was going to show up? Damn... Bad Oz."

“Don’t knock the apology, love, it rarely ever happens.” Oz replies, already bringing out his seemingly never empty pack of Marlboro’s and his lighter.

"Well... save the apology for when it's /really/ your fault," Bridget replies, opening the door they reach, producing an exit that is thankfully free of obstruction. "Not being born a telepath with no respect for privacy is nothing to be sorry for."

Oz shrugs, lighting a cancer stick and taking a deep breath of tar and nicotine filled smoke, letting it out with a relieved sigh. “Mother of God, I needed that.” The singer mutters under his breath, before speaking louder. “Alright. I’ll save it for if our actual first date gets fucked up.” How far away is midnight on Saturday?

Log. July 25, 2007. New York City – Hell’s Kitchen – Bridget’s Apartment.

Having satisfied his nicotine craving on the way back to Bridget’s apartment from the hospital with about half a pack of cigarettes, Oz is considerably less tense now that he’s increased his chances at lung cancer and is out of the hospital. Duster off and thrown over the back of the couch, the bandages and stitches on his arms stand out starkly, matching the ones on his hands, one of the row of stitches gashing through the cross on his left forearm. The clone is currently sitting next to the long leather jacket, staring a hole through the opposite wall, mind obviously somewhere else.

Bridget's mind is also elsewhere as apparent by her not bothering to lock the door entirely as she heads straight over to the bathroom closet, her helmet carelessly tossed onto a nearby chair in the approach. A less than flattering biggie size band-aid graces her forehead but other than that, the face isn't marred. Sheer dumb luck. Particularly being out of range of Rene's shield.

The chill of the evening air is always refreshing against the pallid flesh of the vampiric prince as he closes on Bridget's apartment, his spirit lifted just enough to avoid an absolute glower as he speeds up the fire escape leading beside her window and whirls into a cloud of mist, all the better to slither in through a crack and snake his way towards the living room. The fog fills the room with a thick blanket before rushing together and growing into the tall vampire's shape, twisting around until the frigid points of blue are centered on the features of the woman's face. "Good evening, Miss Mendel." He remarks in a level, emotionless tone; seemingly several steps backwards from where he was when he met the woman and wrapped back in layers of inhumanity.

Tensing and coming back to the present as Oz notices the fog, his eyes narrow as the fog begins to... make a person. What in all hell? “And who,” He asks, eyes narrowing a bit more, head tilting. “the fuck are you?”

The medic had already opened the closet door and had her hand wrapped around another box of white upon hearing the familiar voice and seeing the familiar face. The hand lowers, drawing the medical kit near, "Alistair?" She blinks, momentarily wondering if the explosion indirectly was causing her to hallucinate. "Is it really you?"

"Alistair Konig." He replies with a bow, brow arching thoughtfully as he studies Oz and dismisses him with a shift of his gaze towards Bridget before reaching his fingertips into his coat and pulling out a folded piece of paper for inspection. "I have received your telegraph." He responds dryly, his boots thumping forcefully against the floor as he approaches the coffee table and tosses it onto the surface. "It is me; I apologize for having abandoned you, but business has been quite pressing." He explains flatly, looking the woman up and down and quirking his mouth aside thoughtfully. "What did you desire to know?"

Hackles raising, Oz bares his teeth in a silent snarl at being dismissed, and the whole situation, though he says nothing. Oh, /hell/ no. There is /no/ way God would screw him over two times in a row.

Bridget's head tilts slightly, not quite familiar with Alistair's behavior being like this... The closet door is shut, allowing her to step forward slightly, setting the kit on the chair with the helmet. Despite the scenarios she ran through her head on the chance he did show up... it's so different when it really happens. She was still acclimating to the effects of the bomb... She bites her lip. "...I'm sorry Alistair, you caught me offguard. Just got back from the hospital..."

"Of course." Alistair replies casually, clasping his hands in the small of his back as he turns a steady gaze over his shoulder to stare shamelessly back at Oz, his jaw setting aside inquisitively before he turns back towards Bridget with a nod. "Your companion appears to be excited. Perhaps I should return at a more opportune time."

Glaring at the vampire, Oz mutters under his breath. “I’ll show ya excited, ya bloody damn...” The rest is lost in a string of obscenities.

"Nearly getting blown up tends to do that in people," Bridget replies, managing to explain the hospital visit along with Oz's irritability in one, "A lot of innocent people died tonight." This is so hard. But it's always going to be hard, isn't it? It's better she get this over with. "I'm ... glad to see that you're alright, Alistair. For awhile I was wondering if you were dead...dead."

"I have had to embark on a blood purge." Alistair remarks with a small wave of his hand, turning back to face Bridget, clasping his hands behind his back as he locks his eyes on the woman's and clears his throat. "If you forgive me, this is a most unexpected turn of events. I have come to declare that I am henceforth severing any semblance of a relationship we have shared as of late." He remarks in a more hushed tone, attempting to soften the blow with feigned sympathy but only ends up appearing alien in the process.

"Well, now that you've done it, leave." Oz speaks up, bluntly, if not a bit harshly. "/Bye./" There's some, barely noticeable semblance of victory in his voice. Goody, the Gods were nice to him this time.

"Oh..." Ok...that was easier than she thought. "...Okay." She glances over to Oz, frowning before looking to Alistair, "Thank you for coming by, Alistair. Be safe, okay?"

"Inform your friend to display more respect before he finds himself in an uncomfortable position." Alistair dryly states to Bridget, stretching an arm out to rest on the woman's shoulder and giving his head a small shake. "I was going to offer an explanation as well; it seems only fair to do so in such 'delicate' matters."

Oz growls, though says nothing. He doesn’t know if he can take the vampire or not, but no use heading into a fight he’s uncertain about while not at one hundred percent.

Bridget gives a slight nod as she turns her head towards the other male in the room, "Oz...relax please." She looks to the vampire curiously, "Yes?"

"I have effectively eradicated several lines, unfortunately, the clans had persistently vindictive allies. While I am exterminating the offending factions, you would be in jeopardy simply being an associate." Alistair remarks, providing a slow nod towards Oz and inhaling deeply as the smallest, faintest hint of a smile pulls at the corner of his lip. "I am not John, after all." He says, glancing skyward as he walks back towards the window and reaches forward to tug it open. "I must also remark that you are a nexus of calamity. Not only does the mayhem seem to search for you; it seems as if you search for it."

Oz sits back on the couch, not exactly relaxing, but not looking like he’s about to jump up and try and start something anymore at least. Distracting himself from the conversation by starting to chip what’s left of the black on his fingernails off with a thumbnail. Not that he quite understood what Alistair said anyway.

The slightest hint of a smile forms at the mention of John. He got it. "Well... I /am/ a trouble magnet," Bridget muses, "I guess if I can't avoid it, I might as well embrace it."

What's left unsaid are Alistair's own true distaste, though he decides it may be kinder to hold his thoughts at bay. "A fine eve to the both of you." He offers with a respectful bow of his head before exploding into a whirlwind of mist and rushing back out the window and down to the street. Best to go kill to distract oneself.

“You seriously dated that guy?”

Bridget walks over to the window upon Alistair's departure, looking around to see if she can catch a glimpse of him materializing elsewhere. Arms folding as she hears Oz's question. "I'm betting he's wondering something similar about you..."