xp_logs | Higher The Hope: Rescue

Blink goes looking for Hope and Laurie and finds more than she bargained.

She quite didn't know why she was going towards the direction of the cell block. Probably because she knew somewhere deep down it was the only way of shaking of the purple woman in the black leather chasing her.
 
And at this point, letting the lavender she-vigilante get what she wanted was probably in Sarah's best interest. Holocaust had been a means to an end, and when it came down to it, she wasn't willing to stick by him - or any of these people - if it meant surrendering herself. Her fight for a better future would continue, but only if she was around to keep it going. Azazel could take the fall this time. He was basically an idiot anyway.    She turned a corner, following a mental map toward the mutant who'd landed her in this mess in the first place.   

'Tag' took on a whole new meaning when you could teleport, "Surprise!" Clarice chirped, resisting the urge to meme. It was difficult. Her fist met with Scanner's nose solidly, then she grabbed the other woman by the hair, wrenching her down, "Who or what's in these cells?" she demanded. Each was locked and she had no way to look inside. Without information, she was porting blind and that was a risk she wasn't willing to take...yet.   

As if the physical fight even mattered. Scanner's body went limp, and she projected a few feet away, a larger version of herself hovering down at Clarice. A condescending smirk appeared on her face. "You're a smart little girl. Who do you think?"   Pursing her lips, Clarice narrowed her eyes. Smartass. Fun powers, too. "I wonder what would happen if I cut your body in half," she mused, "Would you end up dead or a disembodied ghost?" it was an interesting question. "Get your ass corporeal and we won't have to find out today."    

"Oh please." Scanner snorted, as much as it was possible to snort when you were a living hologram communicating psionically. "You X-Men are all talk. We both know killing other mutants is hardly in your mission statement." She ignored Clarice for a second, trying to scan the area for other mutants. "Besides," she added after a few seconds, "your other vigilante assholes are nowhere near here." At least, not that she could sense. "But my friends are. So if you want your useless worthless astral ice queen back, you best get a move on."   

Without warning, Scanner returned to her body and jabbed Clarice in the stomach with an open hand.    

 Doubling over with an oof, Clarice smiled and pulled a dagger from her boot, shoving it into Scanner's thigh in one smooth motion. "Talk's over rated," she stated, pulling it out and wiping the blade on Scanner's shirt.    Opening a teleportation disc, she entered the first cell.    

 "Who?" Hope struggled to raise herself on one arm, her ribs still aching fiercely. "Who is there?" Laurie was on the ground nearby, very quiet, as was Goose. "Who is there?"      

Now that was a voice she was excited to hear! "Clarice," she said softly, eyes adjusting to the low lighting in there. "I'm your rescue," she paused for a moment, "and the rest of the team. We've been looking for you guys. Let me take a look at you really quick."   

"I... I am okay..." Hope muttered softly. "What about Laurie?"    

Laurie was slumped against the wall, gaze focussed on the corpse of Goose. The slight tremble in her hands and the rising and falling of her chest, the only indication she was still amongst the living.     

Moving to Laurie, Clarice immediately checked her pulse, then her eyes, "Laurie?" she asked, gaze moving to the third body in the cell. Stroking Laurie's hair for a moment, Clarice turned, checking the body, then teleporting it away. She didn't send the man far, but it was far enough. That was a start.    "Is she... is she okay?" Hope asked hesitantly.   "She's okay," she reassured the teen, though there were varying levels of 'okay' and Laurie qualified for 'not dead.' "Let's get out of here," straight to the med lab for them both.   "We're going home?"

The question shouldn't have sounded so... confused or disbelieving. "We're going home," Clarice agreed, radioing to the rest of the team and shooting a message to Cecelia so she could prep things.
She let out sigh of relief, sinking back down to the ground. Her ribs hurt too much to do otherwise. "I'd like that." She muttered softly, closing her eyes. "It's been too long."

"I'm going to take Laurie first, then I'll be back for you in a minute," Clarice promised, giving Hope a hug. Laurie's lack of responsiveness worried her. A lot. She didn't want to freak Hope out more than she already probably was though. Carefully moving over to Laurie, Clarice held her gently before teleporting her to the medlab.

Hope kept her eyes on the place where Clarice had disappeared with Laurie, hoping very hard no one would show up... There was nothing she could do to defend herself with her ribs... Luckily, a few moments later purple disk flared back to life...

"Your turn," Clarice said, emerging from her disk for Hope. She was able to teleport both girls simultaneously if she'd had to, but this way Cecelia could get started on Laurie first. Plus, it left her energy levels better in case she was needed to teleport more later. "Let's go home, kid."