Jack still glared at her as he slowly lowered his knife. "Right," he said in a bitter tone. He kept a suspicious eye on her as he went through the different scraps of paper in his folder. He asked dismissively, "So who are you and why are you in my home?" He said it as if he really didn't care and in truth, he didn't. At least for the first part. He still wanted to know why this attractive Italian girl was in his lair when no one really should know about it.

He went to the rack of weaponry, took an MP5 and disassembled it, putting the different parts of the gun in a suitcase along with a couple clips. He closed the suitcase with a snap and locked it. He then turned to the girl, waiting for her to answer the question.

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I was cured all right.

"Indeed it has," Addie agreed with her grandmother, "Hey, I am going to run out and grab a quick bite to eat. I just need to get out of the house and sort my thoughts. You can come along, if you would like."

Mama Rose thought for a moment and soon pleasantly declined, "I think it would be better if I stayed here with the child." Rose smiled and bid Addie leave.

Getting in the car, Addie's mind was full of payments and checklists. She started the engine and drove, not particularly sure of where she was headed. It wasn't until she found a nice little diner on the side of the road that she stopped, parked, and walked inside. "A good cup of coffee should clear things up," she thought to herself as she sat down in the nearest open booth.

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[[ Is it to late to join in as Griffin from the movie? I love this movie. =) ]]

((Aaah poop..I've not posted on this since my OP.))

((Joker, course you can join as Griffith. Maybe we can interact somehow to get my character involved more? Your call))

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((and mine? I'm stuck in London, at the moment.))

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Son of Bellatrix

Banner by Pandora

[[ Ok. Sounds good. =) Griffin is heading to Detroit where you said Alex is - Phoenix. Then after that, he could head to London. ]]

Griffin quickly checked his computer in his lair. He had been tracking a Paladin for a while now - and he would eventually get him. His whole life was spent as a Jumper tracking down and killing Paladin’s. They were a threat to other Jumpers as well, not just him. He turned and strode towards his photos that lay scattered on both the ground and the wall. Griffin's eyes scanned the photos and landed on one of a city. He picked it up and flipped it around. It read - Detroit, Michigan. That was where the Paladin would be. He set down the photo on an oak table, then in a second he was gone. Papers scattered as wind was created. Griffin was no where to be seen.

Griffin was now striding down the streets of Detroit, glancing around. He licked his lips and began the search. He was hunting a newer Paladin - those were always easy to take down. He turned down into an alley and froze when he sensed something was out of place. The next thing he knew a blot of light flashed his way. It hit a place that Griffin was in just moments ago. He had jumped behind a person. A Paladin who was gripping an electroshock baton. No words were exchanged, it was just a fight.

The results were this - Griffin had beat the Paladin so much that he was unconscious and had only gotten a small wound along his arm. He jumped to the top of the empire state building, and threw the Paladin off of it. “Bye-bye.” Griffin stated, smirking. He jumped back to Detroit and when he did he began to walk like a normal person - towards the restaurant that stood across the street. Time to get some grub.

"Ms. Winsdor," a loving voice came from over her head. Addie raised her head to see a pair of bold brown eyes staring down at her. "May I have a seat?"

"Um... sure," Addie said, regretting her decision immediately afterward, but she still wanted to find out how this man knew her name.

"Fine weather tonight, isn't it?" the man small talked to open the conversation, and they both chatted on through ordering and the beginning of dinner. After halfway through Addie eating her sandwich, the man had fully gained Addie's trust, and he began to get to the point, "Ms. Windsor, may I oblige why I asked to have a seat with you tonight?"

Addie swalled the lump of food she was chewing and acknowledged his request, "Sure."

"Your son, Nathan is an extraordinary little boy, Ms. Windsor," the man started to explain, "and I would like to ask you for the permission to speak with him."

Regarding her son, Addie was no weakling. She immediately tossed up her guard and set back a comment, "About what?"

"About his talents, Ms. Windsor. He is surely gifted."

"What kind of talents?"

"You surely like to ask a lot of questions, don't you?" the man laughed happily and kindly at Addie who was now reluctant to make any bargain with the man, "Since you are so eager to know, I will tell you the bulk of it. I am sure you have heard of jumpers, Ms. Windsor.."

"Yes," Addie interrupted, "but what..."

"Ms. Windsor," he cut her off, "you are going to have to hear me out on this. I will explain everything to you." Addie shut her mouth and stared directly into the man's eyes for the rest of his explaination. "There are jumpers, and there are paladins. We are at war with each other. Both sides wishing to wipe out the other. Now, Ms. Windsor, your son has the extraordinary ability to jump. I am sure you have seen your son disappear and reappear somewhere else. I am asking you for the permission to provide security for your son."

The man paused for a moment, and, sensing this, Addie tossed in, "I can protection my son just fine, thank you very much." She began to slide out of the booth, wanting to go home and see Nathan.

Waiting for her to get up out of her seat, the man looked over to Addie and said, "There is no use in doing that, Ms. Windsor. The true reason I have come here is to tell you that we already have your son."

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He wasn't sticking a knife in her, but still she thought he wasn't cautious enough around a stranger he'd just met. Lacey settled comfortably on the edge of his bed, her legs tucked up beneath her out of habit, and watched him closely. She breathed as quietly as she could, the tension of danger making her muscles clench subconsciously in case she needed to Jump away from him.

His use of the word 'home' threw her off. She blinked a few times to get her thoughts together and said her name automatically,

"Lacia Giorgi. Lacey."

Home? Jumpers didn't have homes. They could go anywhere, everywhere. Having a home didn't make sense. She chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully, narrowing her eyes on him when he turned around, wary of him even though he had no reason to kill her.

"I'm not sure," she said slowly, still not quite used to speaking. "I had questions, so I followed you. And then I was here."

She shrugged, trying to be nonchalant about her predicament. The gears in her head turned. If she had followed him to his lair, surely he could follow her to hers. So that wasn't an option. He could just follow her anywhere. She frowned at the floor between them. Inadvertently, she had trapped herself into a corner there was no getting out of.

Alex stood upright, she had to get a breath of fresh air after yet another nightmare. Walking over to the doorway, she turned to the side and looked into the mirror and fixed her hair and cleaned off the smudges of mascara that the rain had washed down. She pulled off a short leather biker jacket off a black wooden coat hanger that stood in the left hand side of the small entrance way. Pulling her arms into her sleeves, she took one last look in the mirror.
"Good enough Alex" she smiled to herself as she opened the door and walked outside.

Alex noted that the rain had finally stopped and walked down the street. Checking back every so often, as much looking for a taxi cab as to make sure she wasn't being followed. Relieved to see the street was empty, but cursed under her breath at no sign of a cab either. Alex continued walking down the dark, silent street. It was unusual for the street to be quite this empty.
"Probably the rain" she mused to herself as she kept up her stride.
Her ears caught a car in the distance and turned her head back to see.
A smile crossed her lips as she noticed the familiar yellow of a cab. Sticking her thumb out towards it, it began to slow down and she opened the passenger door and climbed inside.
"To Benny's please" she stated to the driver and the car drove off.

Benny's was a well known restaraunt that always stayed open late. It was a warm, friendly place. The staff and the owner Benny Graziano were always good natured and welcoming. Alex looked forward to the pleasant atmosphere and good food.

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[[ Just to forewarn ya'll... I will not be online from August 3rd to August 9th... So I will not be RPing then because I will be without a computer. ]]

Griffin entered a restaurant by the name of Benny's. He had never heard of it, but then again he doubted that he would not like the food. Griffin wasn't a picky eater.

When he entered the restaurant, Griffin was welcomed and led to a seat near the front. Quickly he spoke in a hushed tone, "I think it would be best if I got a seat back there..." He whispered to the hostess, jabbing a finger towards the very back of the restaurant where some two-person tables sat in darkness. The hostess let out a sigh and inclined her head slightly, "Very well."

Soon Griffin was seated happily, glad that he had gotten to sit where he had wanted. This way, he would be able to observe his surroundings and he wouldn't be noticed as much. He liked to keep a low-profile.

The waiter showed up and Griffin ordered an appetizer dish consisting of oysters and then he ordered a glass of water. That would give him time to eat, and think about what he wanted to order as his main dish. The waiter left and soon Griffin was looking over the menu, picking out the meal that he wanted.

Addie grabbed her bag from the chair and ran out of the diner with a ring of the bell as she slammed open the door. Every part of her did not want to believe the man, but the words coming from him continued to taunt her to the point of believing that her son was truely gone.

Vurmm..

She jostled the keys into the ignition with her hands fervently shaking from fear and blasted onward towards the house. Only hitting a possum or two, Addie turned the corner to the neighborhood in haste with a blaring siren right behind her. "Please Lord, no," she cried to herself and screeching the vehicle to a stop as she slowly crawled out of the car, continuously staring at her grandmother's burning house.

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"We're here!" the driver barked at Alex, waking her rather abruptly from her thoughts and told her the amount for the ride. Alex handed him the money over
"Keep the change" she smiled at him sarcastically as she opened the door and stepped out. She smiled happily as she looked up at the sign above Benny's restaraunt. Walking to the glass door, she pushed it open and walked inside. It was warm and welcoming and there stood Benny at the counter taking orders into the kitchen. He waved over at Alex and smiled
"You're table's free doll"

"Thanks Benny" Alex replied with a smile, waving back at him. Walking to near the back of the restaraunt, Alex sat down at a two seated table and waited for one of the waitresses to come take her order. She didn't need to wait long, the service was always first rate. Benny wouldn't have slackers work for him.

"Hey Alex" said a pretty blonde girl, notepad and pencil in hand. "What can I get ya?" she finished half chewing her gum.

"The usual, Betsy" Alex replied with a friendly smile and waited for her usual order to arrive. She took her jacket off and draped it over the back of the comfortable chair and stretched her arms out. She looked across to the counter and up towards the television.
"Same old, same old" she thought to herself and then gazed around the restaraunt, looking for anyone that could be suspicious. She turned her head to look behind her and saw a rather sullen looking guy, roughly the same age as her, just glowering and scowling at the customers and what looked like life in general. She didn't linger too long and brought her head back round and watched the news on the tv almost vacantly.

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Alex was getting bored. Well, as bored as a drunk could get. He stumbled out of the pub, groaning. His encounter with his friend, a weaponsmith, had ended with a .30-.30 Winchester, and enough rounds to demolish the Pentagon. Afterwards, he had linked up with a couple friends whom had moved to England after High School, and gone out drinking. They had left before he did, about two hours ago. He jumped to his living arrangements, and collpased in a chair, rifle still in his hand. His last thought were 'I'm so gonna feel this in the morning'.

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Son of Bellatrix

Banner by Pandora

(The Joker: Could we have it where Jack and Griffin are in something like a competition on who kills the most Paladins or something like that?)

Jack nodded when he heard that she wanted to ask questions. Questions. Questions are good. No one asked questions at this time of age. All they did was do what they were told like good little children.

He continued to move about idly through his stuff, essentially ignoring her. Finally he gestured her to have a seat on the ragged armchair. He had enough manners, at least, to know that standing in his lair wasn't exactly the most comfortable thing to do.

He repeated, "Questions. So what do you want to know?"

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I was cured all right.

She settled on the arm of the chair he motioned to, still watching him a bit warily though her demeanor was casual. Her thoughts whirred in her head as she tried to think of the questions she'd wanted to ask. They'd all gone out the window as soon as she's accidentally Jumped to his lair. After a few minutes of silently opening and closing her mouth as she tried to find a safe, reasonable question, one hit her in the back of the head like a tire iron.

"How many of us are there?"

He would know what she meant by 'us', she decided, unwilling to call herself a Jumper in front of another person no matter how trustworthy he might be. Uncomfortable on the edge of the chair, she slid to the floor and sat again with her legs tucked beneath her as she waited for his answer.

Lacey had been positive she was the only Jumper, some kind of birth defect. To realize there was at least one was a relief and an excitement for her but she wanted to know how many else there were, running or hiding from the Paladin recruits.

Quickly she added, "And how many Paladins?"

[[ Ooo that would be fun! How about they are just in a friendly competition - so they are already friends and they already know eachother. Is that fine? ]]


Griffin watched as a young woman around his age sat down in a chair at the table in front of him. His attention was quickly diverted to the waiter arriving with the oysters and a glass of water. Once that was set down the waiter spoke, "So what can I get 'ya?"

"I will have the b-b-q ribs. The half rack. Oh, and a glass of beer." Griffin told the waiter.

The waiter wrote down his order then spoke again, "You aren't from around these parts are you. Your accent - it's not American."

Griffin rolled his eyes, "No I'm just... visiting per-say. I had some business to take care of." He stated rather coldly.

The waiter only inclined his head and politely walked away. The waiter did not want to rude and inquire what business the man had in Detroit.

Soon, Griffin was soundlessly eating the oysters.