Not Until We Are Lost

The newest change of scenery was a gigantic pirate ship. It was different, just like everything else she'd seen since she'd landed on the Centurus and then at that resort. Since she hadn't returned to the Centurus in between the resort and here, Natasha thought that it was likely that she had left one screwed up situation for another. She would adapt and roll with the punches like always, but that didn't make this any less off-putting. Even super-spies needed time to catch their breath now and again.

And catch her breath she did. She'd gone from the midst of battle with monsters in all forms to the relative peace of this vessel. She knew better than to expect the peace to last for long, but she would take the breather when she could get it. She just had to hope that she was able to locate Bruce quickly. It was very important that the Hulk not make an appearance on this ship if she could help it.

She would go searching for him soon. For now, she took a moment to look over the side of the ship and just take in the view. There were creatures swarming beneath the surface that made her uneasy, but the view itself was breathtaking. Ocean sprawled in every direction for as far as the eye could see. The sun was just dipping below the horizon, splashing pinks and oranges on the waves and across the sky. It was beautiful. Though she knew full well that beauty could conceal a much darker nature. She supposed that time would reveal what was in store for all of them on this ship and in this sea.

Aurora wasn't sure if she would ever get used to traveling across realms against her will. It wasn't unheard of where she came from and it wasn't her first, nor likely her last time. That didn't make the experience of waking up in a strange place any easier. It didn't take long to discover that she was on a boat. At least the clothes that she'd been given were more proper than at that resort. She had a full skirt and a bodice to go with her top. She looked more like herself, even if the clothes were of a lesser quality than the dresses she usually wore. She would take what she could get at this point.

She was worried about her husband and child, of course. But she was also worried about Mulan. She'd left the warrior in the forest without even getting to say goodbye. Had Mulan been brought along too and they simply hadn't found each other? Or was she left behind to wonder where Aurora had gone?

Maybe it would be a relief. She knew that she'd gone to Mulan and asked for more than she had a right to. She knew that she'd put an unnecessary burden on the other woman. And yet, she couldn't see herself trusting anyone more.

There had been someone barking orders on deck a few hours previously. It had at least given Aurora a chance to figure out where she could help the most. She pitched in as she could, though she wasn't exactly the usual type for hoisting sails. She still gave it her best effort and manned the sails as needed. For now, there wasn't much work required in that department so she simply waited and watched those who came and went on the deck. Maybe she was hoping for a familiar face. Maybe she just wanted to know more about this strange group of people. From what she could gather, they were from a hodgepodge of realms and so far she hadn't come across anyone from her kingdom or the neighboring kingdoms. It made her a little wistful for home or even for Storybrooke, and certainly for the forest and the warrior who'd taken her under her wing more than once.

She knew the rocking of the water before she even opened her eyes. The sounds of the ship as it moved slowly, listlessly. She knew that they weren't going anywhere by the way the waves rocked it.

In a flash, Sympathy was up and out of the big comfortable bed. She looked around and realized that she was in the captain's quarters, just where she should be. She dressed quickly and burst through the door onto the deck, a great smile on her face.

This, this was where she should be.

This was what she should be doing.

Her eyes scanned and found no sign of the crew, which meant there wasn't one. She was going to have to motivate her fellow travelers. Well, it was a good thing that she could motivate with the best of them. Her crew was always loyal. Unfortunately, the pirate imagined she was going to have to begin with fear.

With her heavy boots, Sympathy tromped to the middle of the deck, making as much noise as possible. She then slammed her foot three times down as hard as she could.

"Get up! Get up! All hands on deck!" Her voice rang clear and strong in the sea air. She felt more alive than she had since she'd started this ridiculous journey.

A hard breath.

Diana squinted her eyes closed tightly for a moment as she inhaled a sharp breath.

When she forced her eyes to open again her vision was at first a blur. Then it was met with sunlight creeping through a porthole in the wall. It was unlike the window she had been so used to seeing, the quadruple panes of glass that made up the beachside view...

A push from the bed and she sat up slowly, mindful of the feeling that something hovered over her head. Her eyes tilted from the window, upward, and she beheld a series of wooden slats with what seemed to be a mattress atop. There was a body there, above her. She could hear the twist and turn of the last remnants of sleep.

Not far beside them another warm body lay restless.

Diana didn't like this at all. Not in the slightest.

They weren't in the resort, this felt safer than that. And the gentle rocking motion suggested that there was a ship of some sort instead of actual ground. Diana knew ships of all sorts, her own people had built such vessels for travel. She was quite familiar with them.

Sitting up, the tall warrior goddess minded the slats and she realized the strange garb she was wearing. It was unlike her usual attire, though somehow she had managed to keep her bracers and the tiara. What had become of her lariat, however, was a good question indeed.

"By Hera..." She breathed, tugging at the tight fitting clothes, the miles of skirting rumpled and coursing up her legs as she moved. What was this trickery?

A few days in, and Ray still wasn't sure what to make of the pirate ship. He'd peeked over the rails of the ship and seen some pretty terrifying things moving just under the surface. Or perhaps that was little more than his imagination acting up. Somehow, he thought the former was more likely. He was imaginative, sure, but he didn't expect this group to land anywhere safe. Not while they were currently at the mercy of aliens who seemed to thrive on putting them in dangerous situations. Just like the resort, he anticipated that it was only a matter of time before they were forced to face off with the things lurking below the surface.

In the meantime, he'd taken to scouring the ship for anything that he could tinker with. It was slow going because there wasn't much in the way of electronics or any sort of tech at all. This was even worse than what he'd had access to at the resort. At this point, he would give his left arm for the outdated desktops they'd had in the business center at the resort. He needed something to work on, some way to keep his mind active.

He finally settled for taking apart one of the rifles available on board to see if he could modify it. After he'd done his chores for the day, he grabbed a seat on the deck and focused on taking apart the gun to see what could be done with it. There were plenty of guns on board, so he figured that it wouldn't matter if he borrowed one to try to improve it. He didn't pay much attention to his surroundings as he worked, though every so often he muttered an equation or some other insight to himself.

Gathering the fabric of her skirt in her hands, Lois set off to see if Clark had been among them this time. The world had changed so abruptly; Lois didn't like waking up with memories of the previous world only to find that a new one awaited her that was much different than the last. When she had awoken originally, she had no idea that they were on a ship in the ocean, and that all they would have to wear would be pirate garb. She couldn't refuse the clothes and she was thankful to be out of danger, but she was ready for actual stability.

And Lois prayed to herself that the weather would hold out and that if they did get storms that the ship would hold up. She had not been able to see any land at all and she doubted strongly that she had the endurance to swim into waters like that. She didn't want to even begin to fathom what might lay beneath the waves.

No. She needed to find Clark and get her bearings.

The rocking of the ship didn't deter her, she actually liked the gentle sway. It was the entirety of the atmosphere that had her anxious.

She stepped up to the deck of the ship, the heels of her boots clicking against the wood. The spray of the salty sea met her and Lois breathed it in. It was a very large ship now that she stopped to actually look at it. The sails were large and she could hear the wind flapping against them. The mast and beams were gigantic. It would take a whole crew to man this ship, and who was driving?

Lois turned to the helm and found it vacant of life. Maybe the Captain wasn't awake yet? That was not a sight Lois had expected, but it didn't seem as though the ship was in any danger as of that moment. So that was a plus.

Her eyes swept the scene and she moved toward the front of the ship, sticking to the sides. She stopped and peered down at the water and sighed. This was going to be a long day.

Ray had managed against the swarm of creatures that threatened to overtake the resort, though he couldn't say how much longer he might hold out. He really could have used that suit of his, but he knew that it was about more than just the suit. If the man wearing the suit didn't know how to handle himself in a crisis, the best suit in the world would be little more than an empty shell. He was still learning and the beasts were not exactly the trial by fire that he could have chosen. But he'd done what he could.

And then he'd woken up in a strange bed, in strange clothing. He wore a white shirt with puffy sleeves, covered in a vest that looked like little more than rags, with pants held up by a sash of sorts that again looked a little worse for the wear. Was this really how it was going to be from now on? Not if he had anything to say about it. Though he would need more time to discover who their captors were and time to tinker and build before he really could have anything to say about it.

He felt a rocking sensation and looking out the porthole in the cabin showed nothing but aquamarine water stretching out to the horizon. He drew in a breath and looked again. Then he wandered out of the cabin and made his way towards what he believed would get him above deck. Once he did make it to the deck of the ship, he couldn't help but stare yet again at the view stretching out on all sides.

"Wow." There was a sort of childish awe to his voice.

What little kid hadn't dreamed of being a pirate at some point in time? This might not be a situation of his choosing, but he could still marvel at the coolness of it all.

Lois could feel the gentle rocking of her body as if she were back in the cradle of her youth, tucked tenderly beneath a blanket bearing pink clothed teddy bears. She could almost hear her mother's soft voice whispering in a sing-song manner a breath of a lullaby. So soothing and almost too real. A content sigh escaped Lois' lips and she was smiling though she didn't realize it. No, she had been fast asleep but was now on the cusp of waking.

The nightmare she had before the peace settled in had felt terrifying, too real. But it had only been a dream. She had been running as fast as her legs could carry her from a danger that seemed present no matter where she went. She recalled the snarls, the wet dripping sound of drool as it escaped the beast's maw and fell to the floor. She recalled the weight and smoothness of the silver sphere she had held in her palm and fingers moments before she had hurled it in effort to distract.

Where had Superman been?

Oh, right. He hadn't been there to save her because he didn't exist in that world. An infinite sadness had crept into her bones and had taken hold of her. But she didn't show it to anyone, not even Clark. She could never show that to him.

Her eyes saw brightness pushing it's way through the darkness of her sleep, and with a groan Lois rolled over to try to grasp hold of the last lingering sensation of peace. It was fleeting, however, and as earnest as she was the serenity escaped capricious and giggling from her outstretched fingers. Lois' eyes opened slowly and she pushed back the comfort of the sheets that had surrounded her, finding herself in a room full of sun light.

That rocking sensation had not been in her dreams. She felt like she was on a boat of some kind, now that she could see to place it. Confused, Lois looked around at the other bunks, vacant but made neatly. Had that monster really been a nightmare? Had she been here the whole time? No, that didn't seem right. It couldn't have been right. She didn't imagine all of that.

Lois frowned and knew that their captors had to be responsible for this. For their newfound placement. Was it safe?

She had to find out. She needed to find Clark and figure out where they had ended up.

So, in spite of her confusion, Lois rose and took off to face the day ahead.

The ship rolls and turns with the waves, unmanned at the moment, she is adrift. The wood creaks and cracks, the noises of a well cared for vessel on the water, adjusting as it must to stay afloat. The sails flap in the wind, too loose to billow and catch the breeze that they so crave.

Every bit of the deck is empty, the galley - empty, the store rooms - empty. All waiting for the bustle of life that they were made for. Only the bunks have bodies in them. Asleep and unaware that they've been moved. Taken from the danger of the island and the staff-abandoned resort. Taken from the teeth of monsters. Maybe even literally.

The waters around the floating ship are teeming with life. Things that would eat the haphazard crew just as quickly as those things on the island were looking to do. But the ship, something about it, keeps them from capsizing it and spilling the morsels into the water. Those aboard are safe as long as they stay aboard.

Food, clothing, fresh water, nameless pirate liquors, all of it is there for them. All they have to do is stay alive and man the ship. Luckily for them, they have one in their number who can help. Will they realize?

Though the sun beats down, the breeze cools the air. The temperature is not blistering, but rather refreshing. The smell of the salt fills it, and the sounds of sea birds calling is carried on it. Waves lap against the wood gently.

Natasha didn't have the chance to note the time when all hell broke loose. She just knew that one minute, things were quiet along the beach. And the next, not so much. Something came galloping her way with a loud roar. She found herself looking into the face of something that was gigantic, scaly, and a had a mouth full of teeth. She smirked a little. Kind of reminded her of the aliens that had tried to take Manhattan. Granted, she'd had a full team backing her up then, but she wasn't going to just roll over and die for one thing that looked like it had been whacked repeatedly with an ugly stick.

She pulled out both her guns and aimed for the thing's face. If it got close enough, it would taste the sting of her bracers. But she had to hope that bullets would take it down before it got too close.

She also had to hope that this was the only creature loose in here. If anything else got in, she had a feeling that Bruce's other half would make an appearance. If that happened, she would need to be nearby to help talk him down before too much damage was done. The Hulk was a good ally to have in a fight, but he was still as much a wild card as anything else. She just had to hope that she could make quick work of this creature and find Bruce.

Lois stilled herself, wrenching her eyes closed tightly for a second to make herself focus. Her heart raced with terror but she would not let it get the best of her wits. Not now.

Think...think...

A hard breath and her eyes opened slowly. She had to think of a way to get herself out of this presently bad situation. There was no Superman here to come whisk her out of the line of fire, not that she needed to be rescued...okay, okay, she knew she had a bad habit of getting herself into some sticky situations and it wasn't just because Lois knew Superman would be there to save her if things took a really bad turn. That was just the risk of the job. But try as she might to sniff out a scoop, nobody here had been talking. So she was risk-free when it came to chasing down a lead. It had been too silent, honestly.

But could she blame the staff for vacating? She had seen the twisted metal door laying in the hallway and a strange shadow slip away in the opposite direction of the carnage. How could anyone miss a noise like that? It had motivated her out of bed to investigate and so Lois really couldn't blame the staff for leaving. One of their own had been murdered and there was no one to blame but one of the people here. It didn't sit well with her, she didn't want to be the next one laying on the floor. She wouldn't. But the thought of such a thing had not been too far from her mind at sight of the scrap of door.

And now there was a drooling, hungry monster sniffing the area just a turn down the hallway she was now trying to hide from. It looked like a hyena, and once in a while a giggle would creep over her skin from the beast nearby. She had to get it away from her without drawing attention to herself.

Lois nodded at herself slowly, and then turned to peer around the corner of the wall she was concealed behind. The beast had its back to her and the exit was just beyond it. Of course. That was just her luck.

Snapping back around the corner to avoid being seen, Lois assessed her options. She could run for it and risk it. But she doubted she could out run that thing. And if she had a gun or any kind of a weapon she had a feeling there wasn't just one. Others would hear the noise and come see what was up. Something was telling her to get outside and to get to higher ground. She had forgotten her weapon in her room, not having planned to use it, and it didn't add up to try to go back for it.

No, she would have to act and fast.

A small metal decorative sphere lay near a foot. Lois knelt slowly and reached out, retrieving it easily. She stood and turned quick, lifting her arm upward. With all of her might she hurled the sphere over the hyena thing. It bounced pleasantly against a wall near the exit door and then rolled down an ajoining hallway. The beast snarled and leapt off after it to make sure it wasn't something tasty.

Now all she had to do was run.

Mary had gotten cagey in the time spent at the resort. She knew that it was probably asking for trouble to wish for some action, but she didn't do relaxation well. Certainly not forced relaxation. Once she found her guns, she had a feeling that it wouldn't be much longer before something came along. Or before she found her family and they all decided to take their chances outside the wall. She hadn't expected the wall to come down. In hindsight, she probably should have. She was glad that she'd started carrying her gun and a few strategically hidden knives everywhere. She felt too exposed without a weapon, and she'd rather be armed than go swimming and put her gun down. She was extra glad when the goblins showed up.

A group of about fifteen or so burst into the kitchen when she was preparing a meal. She didn't hesitate to drop her serving utensils, and dive behind one of the counters for cover. Defense strategies first, even if she was the sort to run headlong into danger. There was a reason that she was still alive, after all. She at least tried to be smart about it.

"You little bastards picked the wrong kitchen," she spat out. "I've been just waiting for something to shoot."

She peeked around the counter and fired off a round of shots, feeling a surge of satisfaction as she spotted bullet wounds on at least a few of the goblins before she ducked behind the counter and started moving again. Never stay in one spot too long. Always keep moving and keep shooting as long as you had bullets left to shoot. Her dad had taught her both those things.

The staff had abandoned their guests because of the death that loomed over them. They would not service people who did not respect life. There was a secret underground shelter, undiscoverable by anybody who didn't know about it already, and that's where they all went. To keep themselves safe. To make sure that another of their number did not die. They would stay there until these visitors left, which they would soon, and then reemerge and take care of whatever fallout the resort suffered from their absence.

Because of their seclusion, the resort would suffer.

It didn't take long.

Without somebody taking care of the wall and repairing it daily, the structure became weak. At first it was just a trickle of monsters. Hyenas and other opportunity-based creatures that only strike when there's some kind of advantage. But then others began to actively push against the broken places, more intelligent things. Stronger things.

The wall crumbled in a few spots, and everything from the jungle surged forward, smelling different life forms on the other side. Eager to get to the resort they were kept away from at all times.

Horrors the mind couldn't even imagine, some that might seem familiar. All lusting for blood and death.

The sound that had awoken him had not been a pleasant one. At first Bruce figured it was just part of a dream considering how uneasily he slept in this strange world, in this strange bed. Not that this was the first time he had been swept up into a world not meant for him, but this one was far worse. At least the dinosaur-ridden atmosphere was predictable. Predictability lowered the chance for risk, which also lowered the chance that the Other Guy would sprout out unnecessarily. It was easier to fight something one was familiar with when the fortune pushed the tide that direction. But in this case it was like fighting in the darkness against something you could never truly see. He had fought aliens before, but still...that was not by choice. He had not gotten there until much later after the fighting had started and Bruce had never been one to intentionally throw himself into the line of fire with the first strike. No, he was willing to let a scene play out as far as it could, usually, before he got involved.

But that sound...

At first it sounded like a low humming, some noise that reminded him of a swarm of wasps defending their nest. A constant buzzing sound. Once he was awake and knew for sure he wasn't dreaming, Bruce pushed himself out of bed slowly with his head cocked toward the sound. What was that? The unknown was nagging at him because it was a familiar sound...something he could place, and as refreshing as that was it was far too close. It was inside the resort. Right outside the door.

Bruce tensed instantly. Slipping very quietly out of his bed, he pulled on what shoes he could find and grabbed hold of the tire iron he kept next to the bed on the night stand. It offered him little comfort but it was a better tool than what lay beneath the surface of his skin. And it was a much safer alternative. Not that it would fair against a swarm of insects but it was better than nothing at all.

The door to his room opened slowly and when he stepped out into the hallway he saw nothing. The noise had gone as quickly as it had come. That was funny. And unsettling. Not bothering to close the door as he was too caught up in the moment, Bruce tightened his grip on the metal bar in his hand and crept slowly down the hallway. A turn into the next corridor and there was the source of the noise. Giant bees. Almost as large as a basketball and they hovered in a swarm mid-way down the hallway. His eyes widened and he stopped dead in his tracks.

Suddenly a tire iron seemed not so bad a weapon of he could avoid a stinger or two. But it was risky changing in the resort. Too risky. There were too many people that could be sleeping and he had the potential to tear down the entire building in a matter of carefree moments. No, he couldn't change here. He had to find a place to lay low.

A careful step backward, Bruce tried not to make a sound. But then his foot stepped on shards of a broken urn that lay on the floor and instantly the swarm was turning and heading straight for him. Bruce winced and lifted the metal bar, batting at one of the giant insects as it flew straight at him stinger first. This was not a good day to be a man or a bee. One went to the floor, twitching lifelessly. But that seemed to irritate the swarm even more.

Dropping his weapon, Bruce turned and fled back the way he had come. He bypassed the open door to his own room and raced around fallen debris and through corridors. His heart raced as he ran, and he could already feel he energy surging through him that couldn't be mistaken for adrenaline. He only wished it was that tame. The buzzing was growing closer, he could tell, but he didn't look back. Nor could he stop despite the burn in his lungs.

Just as he turned the corner he saw it. The big, beautiful blue police call box. The TARDIS. It was hanging out there as if it were waiting for him and without a moment to spare Bruce rushed the doors, kicked them open and slammed them shut behind himself. His brown eyes burned with neon green and he pressed himself hard against the door in efforts to keep the bees out as well as to catch his breath.

What a hell of a way to wake up.

Annabelle was not here. Even though the Doctor had told him as much, and as much as Cavan trusted the Doctor despite his oddities, maybe even because of them, he'd still gone looking. Not willing to really accept it until he saw for himself. And why did he care so much that she wasn't around? Cavan had no way of explaining it to himself. He'd never experienced anything like this before. The emotion was entirely new to him.

While he'd searched, he'd tried to determine the answer, time and time again he'd come up empty handed.

But it was true, she was nowhere.

It felt a little bit like mourning, what he did next. Something else that was wholly new for the boy. He hadn't even mourned when his father had died. Missing and mourning. What had this girl done to him?

The week following, he was more than a little bit withdrawn. He didn't go into social areas where he might be forced to speak to other people. Cavan kept to himself, taking food to his room, spending time sitting on the beach and watching the waves, but doing it on the opposite side of the island from where the people usually went. The resort staff had managed to find him some books, but they were all bodice ripping smut.

And he read them anyway.

He had tried, and failed, to procure alcohol from the bar. It seemed like the right thing to do, to sit on the beach and get drunk and mourn the loss of Annabelle. Of course, part of that couldn't be done without the booze.

Holding one of the trashy romance novels, Cavan got himself a slushy fruit concoction from the restaurant that had within it an island of plastic complete with tree, monkey, and umbrella. The glass it came in was more of a bowl. It was perfect for his plans of reading out by the water. Tucked under an arm was a bag filled with sunscreen and snacks. He knew there would be a giant umbrella and fluffy towel waiting for him because there always was.

Mouth trying to reach the straw, Cavan turned to make his way outside.

( Read more... )

It had been a strange few days at the resort. The staff had disappeared and for some reason, the even emptier halls felt eerier. Laurel didn't mind having to fend for herself in terms of food and cleaning and fetching her own towels for the pool, and so on. But she did have to worry about what might have happened to send all of the staff away. Or what might be coming down the pipeline that they could see whereas the abductees could not.

She'd spent this particular morning in the gym and was just coming out of that room when she heard snarls. Which was strange, to say the least. She looked around, only to see a pack of gigantic hyena-type creatures. They were a bright crimson, but resembled hyenas in shape. And in the laughter-like sounds that bounced around the hallway once she spotted them. She silently ran through her options in the split second or so before the beasts would pounce. Running on its own wouldn't do much good. So she whirled and knocked over a table lining the hallway and adorned with some decorative vases. The vases shattered as they hit the floor. Laurel didn't wait to see the reaction, but turned and made a beeline for a nearby exit.

Once outside, she found a tree to climb. She just had to hope that the mutant hyenas couldn't climb trees too. There were coconuts on a nearby palm tree that would have to do for attempting to take them out before they went looking elsewhere for prey. She had to wonder how they'd gotten in here. And if they'd gotten in, what else was lurking in the resort?

The silence was thick and it hung in the air like a shroud. Diana could feel it on her skin, the heavy energy. It felt heated in a way, unkind but she couldn't place exactly why. One answer she did receive was not one she had expected nor was it one that made her happy in any way at all. It was far too quiet. The resort seemed abandoned of its usual personality; there was no one waiting to greet them at the front desk, no one serving drinks at the bar. Even the maid was not to be seen nor was the whisper of the squeaky wheel of her utility cart that she pushed as she went from room to room to freshen the linens or gather old laundry. No one to prepare food, the kitchen had been vacant save for a few frozen meals that had once looked freshly prepared.

It was curious and yet frightening how still everything was.

Diana didn't like the feeling she was getting, her skin crawled with it. She shivered and frowned as she padded softly down the hallways looking for anyone that might still be there, staff or current resident. There had to be someone, she doubted she was the only one left on this planet. What was the point in singling her out when she had done nothing to warrant such a reaction.

The gym was empty, Laurel was not there. Diana felt a touch of disappointment that the blonde was vacant from the area. Nothing.

"By the stars..." Diana breathed as she turned. Another few steps and she trekked down the long hallways, heading out toward the pool area. Was someone out there? She had to make sure. Perhaps flying would help her get a better idea if anyone was roaming about outside. But the idea was met with the fact that there almost might be dangerous creatures that claimed these skies. She had seen no birds, no flying creatures yet, but that didn't mean they weren't there.

Pushing open the door to the pool, Diana stepped out into the sun and narrowed her eyes as she peered at the area. Why was it so quiet?

It didn't take long for Mary to notice that the staff was entirely missing. There was a note left at the front desk that they refused to return until they no longer had reason to fear for their lives. Coupled with the blood spatter she found in another portion of the hotel, she had to believe that one of them had been killed. Whether through the fault of a member of their group or not was the question. She didn't know everyone they were traveling with. Not anymore. So she didn't know what they were capable of. That worried her.

What she did know, however, was how to survive. If there was no one cooking or cleaning, then she'd do what she could to fill in those gaps. She'd certainly managed with less help. And while she thought that everyone here should be able to fend for themselves, she recognized that cooking to feed a large group was a good way to manage their food supplies. She just didn't want to think about what would happen when the food was completely gone. Fresh ingredients were used first, and she tried to cook for a large group. Anything unused was stored in one of the refrigerators for anyone to help themselves. She tried to spread the word as best as she could, hoping that someone else would be willing to chip in and hoping that people would know where to look for meals.

Today, she'd cooked up 6 lasagnas and frozen two of them. That would stretch out the food supply for at least a little longer. As long as the power stayed on, anyway. She tried not to think about that too much. And if things got really bad, she was mentally preparing herself for venturing outside the wall to hunt.

When everything was cooked and stored in the fridge, she sat down to take a break and eat a piece of lasagna herself. She still had yet to find anyone but Johnny, but she figured that if she hung out where the food was long enough, somebody else would turn up. Assuming that they were still with the group. Hoping that they were still with the group.

Snooping around always had come at a price but often Inque had more than enough to pay it. In Gotham the money flowed freely when one could get their hands on something priceless and mostly unobtainable. But that was where she had the leg up on all of the rest. No man made thing could stop her. No door, no window, no lock. Inque was resourceful enough to know the channels and avenues of travel that most couldn't get through. She was special and that was what made her so deadly.

None would ever hear her coming. She wouldn't use footsteps unless she needed to and even then the soft patter of footfall was a taunt. No, she was as silent as the very shadow. Like the unending darkness that came once the sun sank beneath the horizon, though she lacked a moon and stars to really claim to be part of the night.

The two from the bar had spurned in her the need to overcome and she had been being good for far too long to allow her aggression to continue to remain pent up. None of these people could be taken or sacrificed. And the aliens? Those puppets of people propped on strategic places to ensure that the guests were happy, docile and without need? Hah.

One of those puppets lay dead at her feet now. Inque peered down at it with her black eyes as her arms shifted from the almost too sharp black points back into actual limbs. "That'll teach you to sneak up on someone, won't it?" She offered, voice lifting in amusement. Of course he couldn't possibly retort. How could he when his blood was surrounding her boots? The color was unique, a blueish black. She liked it very much. The sharp slashes evident of the quick fight were what stood out most against the white work shirt.

Inque had travelled initially through the duct work, looking for some kind of hidden room. Anything she could use and take back to the others. She had found something and of course they had sent someone to collect her without knowing what she was capable of. And they had paid the price. "Maybe you shouldn't be so withholding next time someone comes looking," Inque breathed. She folded her arms across her chest, peered up at the closed door that was locked from the outside and smirked. "Time to play. Catch you later?"

A laugh and her arms dropped. The limbs turned black and twisted once more into razor sharp points meant for slicing and jabbing. She closed the distance between herself and the door in an instant, lifted her arms and drove the sharp points through the metal door. In only a few swings she had taken the door down and it lay in a heap of twist and smoke. Her arms returned to normal and casually Inque stepped around the rubble, turned and moved back towards her quarters. She left the mess in the hallway for anyone to happen upon, for anyone curious to discover. But they would never find a trace of her.

The silent killer.

Natasha didn't have enough to do with herself around the hotel. She'd snooped in just about every square inch of the place, but had yet to venture outside the wall. It would happen eventually, but she wanted to be sure that she knew what they were dealing with. Unfortunately, she hadn't learned anything new just yet. She was also keeping an eye on a certain scientist with a tendency to turn into a green rage monster. She did this both from a distance and up close. It was easier when the 'target,' so to speak, wanted someone to watch out for him. No one wanted to avoid a Hulk-sized outbreak more than Bruce. Though Natasha thought that it would be more useful for him to learn to control his other half than it would be to try to avoid him ever turning into the Hulk. She knew more than a little bit about embracing one's darker side to get things done.

On this particular night, she decided to seek Bruce out around dinner time. She figured that it might be easier to have a private meal rather than risking the lines at the buffet and whatever other chaos might be out there. If she were being honest with herself, maybe she needed the privacy as much as Bruce might. She had many public personas that she used, depending on the situation. It was rare that she had the chance to simply be. And while she was still getting to the point with Bruce that he got to see some of her hidden self, it was the closest she got to that level of comfort.

She walked the well-trod path to his room, two doggie bags worth of food in hand. The scent of pasta and cheesecake mingled together as she shifted both bags into one hand to knock. She waited for some form of answer. She didn't question much whether or not he would be in there. She'd started to learn his patterns and where he might be found at any given time. It was survival for herself as much as for everyone else to do so, but perhaps it was seeking comfort in the form of the known when so much else was unknown. Perhaps.