xp_logs | Trouble is coming...

Sooraya encounters Sayyid. Things don't end well...

Muttering angrily at herself Sooraya hurried trough the corridors of the hotel to head towards the small shop that was located downstairs in the lobby. “Of all the things to forget, I forget some pins for my hair.” Shaking her head she firmly punched the button of the elevator.

She knew it was better not to be alone, but she figured that for a quick walk to shop in the hotel it would okay. She only had to get one little thing and she could get it quickly. She was already wearing one of the outfits she had selected when she had gone shopping with Clarice, loose camel pants, a long blue tunic and a camel blazer. The scarf was only loosely wrapped around her head since she couldn’t fix it without said pins.

Sighing in relief when the elevator doors pinged open, Sooraya made a bee line for the small shop. Quickly she got the pins she needed and hurried back to the elevators. Catching a glimpse of a familiar figure from the corner of her eye, Sooraya turned towards it, intending to say good morning. When she saw who it was however, she completely stiffened, her eyes widening almost comically.

Sayyid strode towards Sooraya his arms spread apart in greeting and a self-satisfied smile spread across his face, "Sooraya! So good to see you, I just knew that you would come home again. It is the way it must be."

It only took two seconds before her legs started turning into jelly and she hastily glanced around, searching to see if there was anyone who could help nearby… Of course, just to her luck there was no one.

Sucking in a deep breath she stood up straight and faced the man before her. “Sayyid… I am surprised that you showed your face here.” With great satisfaction Sooraya noted she had kept most of the tremble out of her voice.

Sayyid smiled at Sooraya, "Where else would I be, my dear?" he asked as he closed the distance between them. He reached out to tug her scarf back into position, "I see you still insist on dressing in this ridiculous fashion."

“You are awfully loose with your hands for someone who claims he wants to go back to the old ways… I thought you were not supposed to touch me…” Sooraya retorted back carefully, her eyes still shooting back and forth. Searching for either a way out or hoping one of her companions would come down.

"As your Wali, if I don't look out for your best interests then who will?" he asked. "Surely not those friends if yours you're looking around for so desperately? You may call them your friends, but they will never truly understand you, or appreciate your place in the higher destiny."

“You say you are my Wali?” Sooraya was careful to keep her voice low. “And that you look after my best interests… I’d say you look after you own interests first and mine and everyone else’s when it fits in with your ‘higher destiny’.”

A part of Sooraya was wondering what the hell she was doing… Another small part was thoroughly enjoying the slight chance to kick Sayyid’s… buttocks…

"You are an orphan yes?" Sayyid continued without giving Sooraya a chance to interrupt him. "So you must have a Wali; and as your imam... as a concerned friend who else could do it but me."

He looked at her a trifle sadly, "I would never put destiny before your best interests, they are after all one and the same. What is best for you is also best for our race and indeed the entire planet." He smiled, "A happy coincidence."

“That is what you believe.” Sooraya muttered softly. With another deep breath, she faced him once more: “You know I do not agree with that. What do you want, Sayyid?”

"Just to talk to you", he replied. "I've been worried about you, all your friends have. Running away to America like that, leaving us all like that, even Leyu. See how much she missed you." As he spoke he pulled a picture out of his pocket and showed it to Sooraya, reaching out with his powers to strengthen the influence he had cast on her at the start of the conversation, clouding her mind to prevent her from running for help.

Sooraya quickly glanced at the picture, seeing a picture of Leyu asleep on a concrete floor. “How do I know this isn’t something photo shopped?” She demanded, fear now faintly audible in her voice. Her mind was feeling fuzzier then before and she shook her head to clear it.

Sayyid raised an eyebrow, "Why would I need to photoshop it?" he asked. "You know the truth of the matter Sooraya. Ring her if you wish." he held out a mobile phone to the young mutant.

“No, Sayyid. I still don’t believe you. I can just be a similar voice.”

Sayyid laughed, "Modern phones have video do they not?"

Hesitantly she reached out with her hand and accepted the phone from him. Turning it around she saw Leyu, knocked out and still on the same concrete floor as the picture. Suddenly a hand appeared in the image, pointing a gun at the Japanese girl’s head. Sooraya let out a slow sigh and handed the phone back. “All right, Sayyid… It seems I have no choice… What do you want from me?”

"What I've always wanted" the older mutant replied, "For you to willingly accept your place in the grand destiny of our race. Leyu has already agreed to play her part. Are you going to walk out of here and join her?”

“What will happen to Leyu if I say no?” Sooraya asked, but she already felt there was probably only one choice she could make.

"I'm afraid that this wouldn't turn into the happy reunion which I was hoping for then." Sayyid replied.

The implied threat was very clear to Sooraya. “I don’t have much of a choice then. You want me to say yes willingly… You have my yes, but it was not given willingly!”

Sayyid just smiled, "That will change when you accept the truth of your grand destiny." He gestured to the stairs. "Shall we? I have a car waiting at the back for us."

He stopped her at the foot of the stairs and removed an inhibitor collar from a pocket. "You understand, this is simply a precaution my dear," he said as he moved to clip it around her neck.

Sooraya closed her eyes as she felt an essential part of her being locked away. She threw one last glance at the hotel before she stepped in the car, leaving the last of hope being rescued at that moment behind.