Re: Steve/Stephen
"Yeah, that sounds good. If I hear anything that might get us closer to the final destination, I'll let you know, but at this point, you're guess is as good as mine." Of course nothing was as it should be. "If you're worried about teleporting inside something, one of the beaches or the Hollywood Sign might be better just because there wouldn't be any buildings, standing or destroyed. The sign might give us a better visual of the city and possibly a better chance for these people not to be arrested again."
Steve quickened his pace so he could move more boxes in Stephen's place, since it was obvious that he'd never finish the job on his own. "The energy, it needs to be a specific frequency for the computers to pick it up, radio, electric and quantum; that's what John said. Your magic is unlikely to use those same frequencies. Try using it, because we'll need to know if your portal will attract attention anyway. Use it, see if it raises any flags, stop using it if the terminators come to your barrack. That's all. You don't have to suffer through this."
He sighed. "While I like John very much, you don't need to have your hands or magic to lead. Leading is about mental ability, being calm and thinking logically." None of which Stephen seemed to be doing. "Let him deal with the tactical stuff, since he knows it, but you stay in charge, and in the meantime see if the magic works." He looked around. "Do it now. If they start sensing something, we'll know, and everyone is here. It'll be impossible for them to track you."