Burg: Day 5
Lawrence Manor

Lawrence quickly glanced over at Selena as Xandria tried to rephrase her thoughts.

"Hmm, that's the media for you. It's perfectly alright, no offense taken." Malcom glanced around his old mansion before replying. "To be perfectly honest, I'm not really sure what I'm doing, exactly. My original intention was to try and help the city anyway I could and stay up here, alone. Then, other people start showing up..." here he gestured to Selena. ".. that needed a place to stay, so I quietly opened my house to them."

"I'm not planning on letting anyone and everyone stay with with me, but for those that need a place to crash for a bit, then I suppose my house is open... though I don't advertise that fact."

Burg: Day 5
Lawrence Manor

"Ah, that makes sense," Xandria glanced around again. "I really should set up on my own, though. I came here to be out of the way, to disappear, but the more I think about it, the less that will work...."

Xandria chewed on her lip for a moment.

"Thank you for your offer, but I think I had best start out on my own. I'm never quite comfortable until I have my own place and space to think," Xandria smiled sadly. "Though--well, you wouldn't happen to have a map I could take, would you? I'm not quite sure where I am."

Burg: Day 5
Lawrence Manor

"Very well. We all need our own space. If you need anything or any help, just let us know."

Lawrence smiled slightly at the request. "That... is something I can easily do. Follow me, please." A minute later Maclom was in the library rummaging through a desk filled with various maps and charts of both Burg and its surrounding areas. "What kind of map do you need? Just of Burg or of the whole area?"

Burg: Day 5
Lawrence Manor

"Um, well, I've honestly only been here like once, and pretty much all I saw was the arena, the gymnasium, and the hotel. So I know pretty much nothing of this place."

Burg: Day 5
Lawrence Manor

"Then you'll be needing a map of the whole area..." Lawrence mused aloud as he opened a larger drawer and shuffled through more papers.

"So, we you a gymnast or something?" Selena asked Xandria.

Burg: Day 5
Lawrence Manor

"Swimming, actually, that's my sport, and then the Water for Kids program. I competed in Burg two years ago, and then did a WfK program here last spring."

Burg: Day 5
Lawrence Manor

"That is very cool! I enjoyed swimming when I was younger, but never was good enough for competition or anything. I only recently came to Burg, so I've only seen it like it is now. Well, except for pictures from before everything went to the pits."

"Alright, here we go." Lawrence walked around the desk he was at holding a map in one hand and a small electronic device in the other. "Here's a map of Burg and part of the surrounding area out to the desert. And this is an electronic map of Burg, if you want more specific information on the city."

Burg: Day 5
Lawrence Manor

"Wow, thanks," Xandria said, taking them, and inspecting the device. "How is this working? All the power has been cut everywhere else. Does Burg still have electricity?"

Burg: Day 5
Lawrence Manor

"It's solar powered. Not only that, but it's been inside the mansion all this time so it escaped the supernova."

Burg: Day 5
Lawrence Manor

"What, you have titanium walls or something?" Xandria asked, looking up and around again. "Well, thank you--I definitely will put these to good use. Thank you both so much for your kindness. You've no idea what this means to me."

10:45 qn, Day 3
Quadrant 9

"Hello Kat," Sam said as she entered the room. Upon initial observation, he saw that Kit-Kat was scared, terrified even. She'd gone to someone for help and ended up in here. That made him furious, the soldier was not angry at the Doctor. Tamara was just doing her job. Instead Sam was angered by the fact that his dad didn't preform his most important task, the occupation of fatherhood. If Kat hadn't been so frightened of their old man, if he hadn't given her a legitimate reason to feel that way, they might have never been in this situation. Pushing all of those thoughts aside, he stood up out of the swivel chair and hugged.

As for her, Katherine couldn't believe what she was seeing. There, standing in front of her was her brother. The last person she ever expected to find beyond that white door. "Sammy? What are you doing here? Did they bring you in too?"

Breaking away from the hug, he didn't take his arms off of her shoulders. "No I'm, well I'm not special like you. I'm here because this is where my unit was sent after the supernova. We've been helping to bring in those empowered who use their powers for selfish means."

"Then why the freak did I end up here?"

"You know why Kit-Kat. You are here for your own protection, because if dad finds out... Well, what he would do is a heck of a lot worse than what Dr. Lightwood is going to do."

"And what pray tell, is that?"

"She's going to protect you Kat, make you her personal assistant or something. Anything is better then what you can expect back home."

Kat pulled away from her brother, whom she now considered somewhat of a traitor. Sam wasn't going to get her out of here, and he didn't do it then no one would. "And what are you going to do?"

"First things first, I'm going to go have words with the General."

She rolled her eyes. "Last time you did that, he gave you a black eye and you threw him over the kitchen table. Then you stormed out of the house and left me stuck with him for over half a year."

"Well maybe I'll give him the shiner this time." Sam smiled, hoping to win her back over. If there was something in the world they both disliked, it was their father.

"I wish I could be there to see it."

There, that was the Katherine Talon he knew. "I'm going to try to take you into my custody, that way he'll never be able to hurt you."

"Really?"

"Really. I love you Kit-Kat. But I can't keep you safe anywhere else, dad's not the only bigot in this world. This is the best place for you."

"I love you Sammy." They hugged again, finishing their talk. Sam prepared to pull away, but found that his sister wasn't letting go. So he rested his chin in her blonde hair and waited for her to be ready. When she finally let go, he took a breath and mentally prepared himself to leave.

"I'll be back in to check every so often, but the trip up to Burg will take a while. They've only issued me a horse, so I'll be gone for a few months."

"I'd offer to do my teleporting thing, but..."

"Can you do that? Take other people with you?"

"Yeah, it's really cool."

"We'll have to try it some day. Look Kit-Kat, I'm handing you over to Dr. Lightwood now, listen to her. She's the only shield that you've got in this place. Read me?"

"Loud and clear."

With that confirmation, Sam was finally satisfied with the conversation and he proceeded to press the intercom button. "Dr. Lightwood, you are needed in your office."

Burg: Day 5
Lawrence Manor

"The Lawrence generations before me have made many... modification to this old place." Malcom looked around the room with obvious pride at his ancestors work.

"You're very welcome. Glad we could be around to help." Selena said before she gave Xandria a quick farewell hug.

"And of course if you need us or anything, you know where to come." Malcom paused for a moment. "Just... don't tell anyone else about this place. Better for only select people to know of our powers and that there is a collection of us here."

Burg: Day 5
Lawrence Manor

Xandria stiffened slightly, then patted Selena's back and turned to Malcom.

"I will," she said, smiling again. "And don't worry--I know what it means to have a safe place. I don't want you to have to leave your place as suddenly as I had to leave mine. Your secret is safe."

1045 Q9

"Thank you, I will page Doctor Lightwood for you," a receptionist said over the intercom. "She will be in momentarily. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Burg:Day 5
Lawrence Manor

Lawrence smiled and nodded. "I'm sure we'll be seeing each other around. Good luck on finding a place to stay."

1045 Q9

"No, that'll be it. Thank you." Sam released the button and turned back to his sister. "I'm sorry this happened to you, but I do think the Doctor will help you harness your power. Maybe you could do some good with it at some point."

"That's just like you Sam, always thinking about the good you could be doing. Lot of good you did, leaving me with Dad."

Samuel sighed, "not my proudest hour, Was it?"

"No. No it wasn't."

"I'm sorry."

"I know you are."

"Be good Kat."

"I will."