January 20th, 1974

Busted
Everyone heads back to the Candy Castle club after Sonny's funeral. It's been a dull, grey day and the atmosphere in the club that night is absolutely dour. The club is pretty empty that night save for the Stranger crowd who have begun an impromptu wake for the departed Sonny.

Byron arrives with Oscar in his crazy airbrushed van.

Skin scowls at the side of his van as they get out and head inside. He looks around for da crew, needing armpumps and brewskies.

Pulse is hanging out with his new friend, Rand McNally, and his book Atlas of American Roadways 1972.

Prodigy stands away, detached from the group. While it was Sonny's wake, he seemed to be busying himself with pen and paper, writing a bunch science bullshit down on the pad.

There are some unfamiliar faces here tonight. Everyone stops milling around when they see Byron come in, he takes to the stage on his own and grabs the microphone. "It's hasn't been an easy few months for us. And truth be told it's not going to get easier. But we need to pull ourselves together now more than ever. I see some new faces here, I want you to know you're among friends and if there's anything you need from me or anyone else. Don't hesitate to ask."

Skin pipes up. "All friends here, people. We gotta have eachother's backs."

Pulse builds something kind of amazing while that Prodigy kid plays with paper.

Pogo has been back a day or two, and just just hanging out with Milou instead of the others. She prefers the company of the DOG.

Pulse throws a paper airplane at Prodigy.

Pulse 's paper airplane is design specs and a brusque note: "finish me!"

Pulse hangs out with Pogo and the dog, immediately after throwing the airplane.

Pogo just ignores Pulse, his dog is cooler.

Skin waves at prodigy when he sees Pulse interacting with him.

Prodigy: takes the paper plane from his hair, it landing right in it, and opens up the prints. Prodigy looks over at Pulse for a moment, pushing up his glasses. Challenge accepted.

Somewhere near the bar a man is argueing loudly with someone. His strange speech mannerisms have an almost familiar ring to them.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy nods to Skin as well, just to be polite.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse: Hey. I'm glad you came back.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo pretends to be deaf, to the deaf kid. Tact.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin heads over to the commotion after giving Pulse a salute. "Whoa whoa, calm down man!"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse returns Skin's greeting.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse leans slightly, repeating himself after shifting position. In case Pogo didn't hear him.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy fills in the blanks for the schematics, working very quietly. He occasionally looks up at the commotion.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo turns and looks at Pulse, answering simply, "Had to."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo indicates the dog, and then stands, heading away.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse: Wait- Are you leaving again? Or are you staying?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo goes over and asks Skin what's going on, somewhat incoherently, as usual.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin shrugs, he's trying to figure that out himself.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy looks over at Pogo, thrown off by her accent. He forgot it was awful, and now he remembers.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo: Nat abletoo figgurit out ey?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse studies Pogo and Skin for a moment, expression mixed, then heads over to Prodigy. "Hey."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer looks about, frowning. She folds her arms over her chest, burrowing a bit deeper into the seat she's taken out of the way. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy holds out the prints to Pulse when he's close enough, nodding. "Finished. What did you need it for?"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#261a12;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">At the bar, the trouble seems to be coming from a middle aged man picking a fight with another patron. He looks really drunk. "Umlookin fer someone so just baggoff ya fucks. APRIL! APRIL?"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse: Everyone. Can you build it?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo drops down and hides behind Skin, or Pulse. Whoever seems handy

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse: I have to go.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin looks back at April. "Hey he'll talk to you, go talk to him."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse ditches Prodigy to head over to shouty guy. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy stares at Pulse's back as he ditches, holding the plans out still. "...Yes." He says to no one.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo looks terrified that Pulse is heading over there, like she might try to stop him. The moment passes though and she just hides behind Oscar's back.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: Ugh, c'mon. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo: Fukinel! Aycoodkilem!

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin imitates April's voice perfectly. "Banga!"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo leans back and looks at him, clearly disturbed, "Shut it, serious!"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse holds his hand up slightly towards Pogo and Skin, and then waves toward the back room.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: You know what he does! Calm him down before he BLOWS US UP. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#261a12;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">turns quickly to the source of the voice. "April? Izzatyoo?"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Banga turns quickly to the source of the voice. "April? Izzatyoo?"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Glenn motions for the bartender to give him another of the same drink.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy turns the blueprints over, starting to work on the other side. His eyes are rather wide, trying to block out the shitawful voices attacking his ears.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer bites her lower lip, chewing a bit. Her eyes keep looking over at the bar area, then away again. FINALLY she gets up, apparently looking for something.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo looks bewildered, then startled. She knees Oscar in the groin for his trouble, "Ya fucker, lookit what yoodun!"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse will intercept Banga, if he starts heading toward Pogo and Skin.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Banga is cut off from his reunion by Pulse. "Juss lemme fru, kid. I got no quarrel wif yoo."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin seems used to this sort of thing, so she knees him in the leg. He seems nonplussed and hops away.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse: I'm here to make sure everything stays friendly. You've been argumentative the entire time you've been here. Perhaps I can help you.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy began to work on something, to most it would look like a series of lines, with humanoid outline in the middle. Numbers, weird letters, all that good stuff.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo stares hatefully after Skin, but doesn't try to follow him.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo looks around and sits down where Gravedancer is, hopefully out of the main view, "Soory, ya mind?"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo: Da's here, dant wanna deal withum.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Banga regains his composure, clenching his fists in and exhaling sharply. "I just want to talk to her. This hasn't been my night. April can we just talk?" He tries to bob his head around Pulse to see her.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer appeared to have been talking to herself, starting violently when Pogo takes a seat. "Ahh--uh. No. Go right ahead. By all means." She shakes her head, muttering. "Shut up, I don't need to hear it." Blink, blink. "Oh, uhm, not you." She says that last bit back to Pogo.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Glenn swirls his drink for a moment while watching Prodigy's scribblings, then suddenly perking an ear towards the travelers with a perturbed expression.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo indicates Skin to Gravedancer, "Ee's a right fuck, thatun. Sleep withim anee just dant wanna lookitya agin."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse holds up his hands apologetically. "It's not a good day for it, we've lost a very close friend and just had the wake. Everything's been very strange since."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo doesn't seem bothered by Gravedancer's talking to herself, though she does briefly glance around as though wondering if she's sitting on an invisible person's lap.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse lowers his voice slightly, murmuring more directly to Banga.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy stands, looking at both sides of the prints. He blocked out the rest of the talk, tapping Pulse on the shoulder.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin blows Pogo a kiss, the ghost of a grin on his face once again.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo tries to contain her temper.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer blanches, leaning back slightly. "That's....uh....too bad?" She makes a face at the KISSYFACE, since she happens to be looking in Skin's direction.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo clenches her fists and frowns.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin then disappears into the crowd, moving around towards Glenn. You get used to familiar faces...

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo: Haven't seen ya before though, y'new?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Banga nervously clenches and unclenches his hands repeatedly for a minute and then just nods. "I dunwan make no trouble. Tell 'er I'll give'r a few days. But I wanna talk to her."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer: I've...come in once or twice. It's usually a lot more upbeat.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse nods slowly. "Making trouble in a place like this wouldn't end well for anyone. Have a good evening, sir."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer mutters again, her head jerking to one side. "Yes, yes, I can feel it. No need to harp on about it."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo: Gotta friend I can't see?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin walks over to Glenn, standing next to him casually. He eyes his whole getup. "You don't look like you're from around here."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Banga slinks away, looking back only once before he's out the door.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer goes a bit red in the face. "You could say that. Friend might also be a bit strong of a word."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse crosses the room, toward Pogo and Gravedancer. When he arrives, he taps Pogo on the shoulder. "He's left, for now."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Boost makes his way toward Pulse and pats him on the shoulder. "Everything, alright?"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer stares at Boost, pointedly, as he comes up to Pulse who had come up to them.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo ignores Pulse like he's imaginary too.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Glenn nods at Skin, holding his glass up for a second. "Yeah, that's right. I'm not. Place seems a bit busy tonight though." He has an Americanized Irish accent, and a soulless smile.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy takes a deep breath, moving back to his seat to work on whatever the hell it was he was working on some more.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse looks up at Byron. "You should ask Pogo, since it's not my story to tell. But I got her argumentative father to leave peaceably."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: Yeah. You just checking out a new place, or something bring you here?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin seems to be trying for subtlety and failing miserably. He also might sound like a drug dealer.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo looks sharply at Pulse, her lips curling like she's fighting an urge to start shouting.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Boost looks at what Prodigy has been working on. "Are those what I think they are, Caleb?"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo nods her head toward where Skin and Glenn are, "Figgered im out, ees justa queermo."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Glenn glances at Skin, looking him up and down for a second, "You know these folks, fella?"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy: Possibly. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: Yeah. See, I came here for a reason. Maybe, you did too?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy: If you think they are goggles with an odd design and even stranger function, then yes.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Glenn: Sure. I heard this place was a regular riot.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse looks around for a moment, at everyone's faces, lingering on peoples' mouths as they engage in their respective conversations. And then he sits down with Milou against a wall, where he can see everything.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Glenn smirks to himself and straightens his tie, "Could do with a few more ladies, though. Place is a forest."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer stares near Boost, but not at him. She's kind of fixated to his...right? Her fingers start drumming on the edge of her seat rapidly.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000066;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Boost: I suppose these could help us a lot. What else have you two geniuses been working on?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Boost turns his head to Gravedancer. "Everything alright, do I know you?"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo looks between Gravedancer and Boost, and then to the girl's tapping fingers. She excuses herself after glancing to see if her father's still around with a curt, "Seeya."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: Eh, it ain't that bad. You met the boss yet?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo jets over to the bar, edging Max out of the way if he's there so that she can get a drink. She gives Skin the biggest 'you're a fucker' smile she can manage.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer clears her throat. "Uh. No, I was just...admiring...the...architecture? It's a very nice bar." Her head twitches a bit, and she gives a big, toothy smile.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy: turns over the prints over. "Based on observation with Doctor Bannon, the incident, and these schematics, I am trying to map out areas of different between say your brain and the standard homo sapien sapien.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy: Along with potential chemical processes that could be occuring within the body to create the varied effects.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin looks over to Pogo and leans over the counter, talking low. "So are you guys buddies or something?"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse closes his eyes for a moment, resting his palms against the floor.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo: Who?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: Banga. That guy.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin imitates his voice. "April!" <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo rolls her eyes, "Quitet."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer clears her throat again. "Also, this might be a bit awkward, but uh. 'Scuse me." She hops out of her chair, approaching the gap of space to his right. "Hey." She doesn't look like she's talking to him at all.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: C'mon, tell me and I won't bother him. What's the deal?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000066;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Boost: Let me know if you need any help or samples or anything. I'd be interested to know if there actually is any--

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Boost watches Gravedancer. "How many have you had?"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo liberates some whiskey, and just stares at Skin while she removes the cap.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer: Er, drinks? None.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: That's not an answer, that's whiskey.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo drinks from the bottle of whiskey, giving Oscar the best glare she can manage under the circumstance.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo glances at the other guy, Glenn. "Ya look likka yooosed caravan salesman."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Glenn turns away from Boost to look at Pogo, muttering, "Samples...?"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo gives Glenn the LOOK, mama. Just like I taught 'ya.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000066;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Boost: X-Rays? I'm not sure how looking at brain chemicals work.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse opes his eyes, watching Pogo and the dudes. Studiously. Kind of intensely for a kid.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo is actually drunk and a pikey.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Glenn: I do then, do I? I don't sell caravans. Folks don't BUY em.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: Don't mind her, she's foreign.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo: Get fuckt, you're fo-ren.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Glenn gives Pogo a sideways glance. "Not really."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo offers Glenn some of the whiskey from the bottle she has, "E's irish too, y'twat."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo glares at Oscar.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Glenn: American now, but yeah. That's right.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: So uh. You two know eachother?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer recoils a bit, rubbing an ear. "Oh, gross." She looks between Boost and the space. "Not...oh, nevermind. I hate this part." She pulls up a chair, sitting down next to the space. AWWWKWARRD.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo: No?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Glenn scrunches his eyebrows. "Yeah, we grew up on the same blarney stone."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: The heck is a blarney stone?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo laughs.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy: X-ray, no. It wouldn't give me any useful insight, other than possibly for the rubber-one. As for someone such as yourself, an MRI scan would be best.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo confides to Glenn in gaelic, "His only power is to make his pecker seem less tiny. Don't mind him."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo sounds like she's babbling crazy to anyone who doesn't understand gaelic.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Glenn rolls his eyes, "Tell me about these samples," he downs the rest of his drink and places the empty glass on the county with a heavy thunk.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: Who-what now?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000066;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Boost: We're trying to figure out what makes us tick. This boy's a scientist. Tell us about this uh....MIB?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: -Oh. Woops.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin moves out of the way so Glenn can hit up Boost. He looks important anyway.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy: MRI. Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Put you in a giant magnet. Can observe your insides with it.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000066;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Boost: And that's safe?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: Don't trust doctors, man.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer tilts her head, gesturing to the empty space. "Run that one by me again. Slower. And less...gross." She pays no heed to any stares.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo shouts at Skin in what we loosely will call english, "Banga's meauld man! Stoopid!"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: ... I'm just kidding, probably.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: - WHOA!

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: WHAT?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: REALLY?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy: Very sa-

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo stares at him.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer also stares at him.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo stares bloody fucking murder at him.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy stares as well.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse pinches the bridge of his nose.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo folds her arms over her chest and just waits for someone to say something.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: - Nothing to see here, guys.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo: Fooookin spastic

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy Very safe. There are a few risks, but most are exempt from them.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer pinches the bridge of her nose. "There a Caleb here?" The pinching gets more intense.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy gives Gravedancer a wave. "That's me."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer: Uh. So, this'll sound weird but--what was that? F...I? Something like that. 'Pparently they're coming?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: -Oh no. Seriously?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: We gotta bail, man!

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer keeps tilting her head, like she's trying to figure something out.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse cups his chin, watching Skin panic thoughtfully.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy: MRI. Who is coming?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo rolls her eyes at Oscar's reaction.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer: He says...to stay put, don't resist, and don't say anything to them.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer shrugs, broadly.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer: Or, wait.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo pokes Glenn in the arm, "Ey, yoowana havago?"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: We should get outta here. Man, I can't believe they found this place!

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Boost looks to Skin. "What is it?"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Glenn: You do this every night, girly?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo shrugs, looking unbothered.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">P <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">rodigy: ...The cops? <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#261a12;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">There's a clatter of activity from outside and then the distinct squeal of a megaphone being turned on. "Attention, occupants of the Candy Castle. This is the FBI."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: points at Gravedigger. "SHE SAI-"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo: Y'dant noo about sexual liberation? C'mon, who don't?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse is deaf.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer chews her bottom lip again. "Oh. Yeah, them, then."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy: goes back to the prints. "I am not getting that."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: Boss, we gotta get you outta here.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000066;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Megaphone Voice: In fifteen seconds, a team of trained officers will be entering the building. You will all comply, drop to your knees and keep your hands behind your head. If you attempt to resist arrest, we will employ force.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo stows the booze before the cops come in, sitting next to Glenn at the bar with a glass of water.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: or wait, do we? I dunno.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: They won't know me anyway, right?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy: Do as they say.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer stammers out, standing up. "Okay, okay! Don't fight, uh, keep your powers secret. It's not about them." She twitches her head again.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse furrows his brow, watching Skin's response, and everyone else.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Glenn pulls a business card from his wallet and places it in his breast pocket. "Knew this was just trouble."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo rolls her eyes, and sits there. Apparently pikeys hate cops.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: What if I look like one of them and I go back with 'em? Maybe I could find something out.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy: Stop. Just do as they say.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">P <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">rodigy: No mutations. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#261a12;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">There's a moment of unbearable silence. Suddenly, a flood of men in riot gear and toting weapons burst through the club's entrance. "On your knees, hands where we can see them!"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin 's hands immediately go shooting up.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo: Dats apuure dose.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy closes his eyes, doing so without any problem.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin drops to his knees a second later.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse complies calmly, once he figures out what they're saying.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer gestures to the rest of them, then raises her hands up, complying. She whispers. "Oh, shut up. I do not need that right now."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo just stays seated on her barstool.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Glenn gets up and calmly kneels on the ground, hands up. He seems cool as a cucumber, as they say.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo: Too puuuure demented mouldy ferdis, swear...

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#261a12;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The officers briskly move through the room clapping handcuffs on everyone. When an officer gets to Pogo, he yanks her violently off her barstool and onto the floor.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse has a bigass dog next to him.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo shouts as loud as she can when the guy does this.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo flails like a madwoman, it's apparently the way of her people.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Milou looks at Pulse momentarily. Then he kind of strolls out the door past the officers, who are all of a sudden all looking at Pogo.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#261a12;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The cop backs off for a moment, worried he's seriously injured the girl. The other cops fill in the gap and try to restrain her.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy: Is there a problem, officers?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo tries to use the confusion to steal a badge or something. She's not picky

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#261a12;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">With considerable effort, someone manages to get a pair of cuffs onto Pogo. Probably after getting kicked and spat at a few times. The others start to get dragged off outside towards a large police truck. A man in front of the van starts to read back their Miranda Rights.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer just sighs, hanging her head under her hood. "Oh, great."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: Whoa whoa whoa this is not cool.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo: Gobshite, no fookin shit?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000066;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Boost: What are we being charged with?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Glenn politely says while being dragged off, "My identification is in my pocket, Officer. I have no idea who these people are."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse tries to express his deafness to the five-oh. Everything would be so much easier if an officer spoke ASL.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse will probably earn a beating for his trouble THANKS CARTER

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo yells at the cops if they start messing with Pulse, "E's fookin DEAF" -- she tries really hard to be coherent, how protective? <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#261a12;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">A man in an FBI jacket strolls up to Glenn and takes the business card, looking it over.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000066;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Agent MacLachlan: Can he read lips?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: Ooh shii-

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse squints uncomprehendingly at MacLachlan.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo shrugs as best she can manage in cuffs. She reacts as though she's been in cuffs a lot.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Agent MacLachlan frowns at Skin. He's frowning at all of them. "You're being charged with conspiracy to traffic narcotics and illicit goods, racketeering and conspiracy to commit treason. Do you all understand the charges being put forth?"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse shakes his head.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo: Dafuq?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: -WHAT?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: Man, I know you! What are you -talking- about?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer: Uh. I'm not sure I can spell racketeering, let alone be charged with it?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy looks over at Oscar, lips pursed and eyes wide. UNHAPPY.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Agent MacLachlan waves for another agent. "Chantel, take of of this one." He points to Pulse. "Make sure he understands the charges. Let's get the rest of them on the truck so we can start questioning."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000066;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Agent MacLachlan: I don't know you. Have we met?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: Remember on the road? You hit my van!

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo: Huh? <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#261a12;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">A hint of recognition enters the man's face. He purses his lips and then shakes his head. "Get them all on the truck."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo hates Oscar so hard right now.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: Man, what's going <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: -ON?!

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse is going to microwave everything you love, Oscar.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Glenn appears to be ignoring everyone there. He doesn't know you hooligans.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo looks at Skin like she doesn't even know him.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#261a12;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The whole lot of you start to get herded into the van, except for Pulse who is being taken by the female agent to another car.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo: Wait, don't!

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo struggles against the coppers as she yells, "I'm jest herewit him! My date! He's deaf, don't runnoff withim!"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: Man, stop doin' this! LAPD! LAPD!

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse does his best to linger, in case he can get Pogo into the same car as he.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo: We dunno these druggies! I swear!

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#261a12;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Boost tries to sit himself near Jessica. "How did you know that would happen?"

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo will whip up the tears pretty readily if they don't let her be wherever pulse is going.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Agent MacLachlan seems to feel a pang of pity. "This one too, Chantel. But we really need to get this all off the street before I get chewed out for holding up traffic."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer leans her head on the back of the van. "Your friend told me. Sounded like it was coming through an old radio though." She gestures with her head to his right, again.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#261a12;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The officers shove Skin into the van, ignoring his cries. "Keep it down."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000066;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Boost: Which friend? What are you talking about?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy waits patiently. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer just preps for the inevitable.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#261a12;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo is dragged off into the back of the black car where Pulse is sitting with a female agent.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer: I can talk to ghosts. One of them was hanging out near you. He knew.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo grabs on to Pulse and rolls out the tears.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: This is not cool, man!

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Boost looks dumbfounded. "W-what."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Prodigy: Calm down.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pulse hugs onto Pogo as best as a handcuffed fella can and still communicate with the officer. He seems to be clarifying the charges somewhat? IDK, hard to tell with all the weird monkey faces and bizarre gestures sign language entails.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Gravedancer mutters. "No one ever buys that. I should come up with a better story."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#261a12;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The rear doors are slammed shut and the van slowly ambles off. It's rather dimly lit back there but you can see each other's faces at least.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#261a12;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Byron snaps back to life. "Right. These are trumped up charges. Or they have the wrong guys. Here's what we do."

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000066;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Boost: No one say anything about your powers. Don't let them catch on. They can only hold us for so long without evidence. And there's nothing in that club.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Glenn looks out the window. He's not involved. Nope.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Skin: It's the LAPD, they don't need any damn evidence!

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">S <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">kin blinks like he said something bad.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo ends up just being pressed against Pulse's shoulder. She says very clearly to the lady cop between sniffles that she and her date just went there for drinks.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#770000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo says this with her face in full view of Robert

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Pogo: My da' even came t'try t'find oos but he couldn't. He don't like Rob 'cause ee's deaf.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#261a12;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Well this turned out to be an awful way to spend a night. All you can do is keep your cool long enough to be released. What will become of our mischievious gang of freaks?

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#261a12;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">TO BE CONTINUED!