Trigger warning: child trafficking mentioned

Adeline didn't pay attention to the decor of the room when she went to bed, but in the light of the morning sun coming through the large window, she saw that despite Castor's efforts to keep the house somewhat of a consistent style, Jody had disregarded that and managed to go with a room of pastel colors and a sun mural on the ceiling, plants decorating the shelf under the window, a dress form, and a book shelf full of ribbons. There were a few more things in boxes but beyond that it was fairly spacious and would make a good room for Adeline when she finished it.

What caught her attention when she turned over, however, were the plastic storage boxes all stacked up that were definitely not there last night, and there were a lot of them, placed by the wall between her bed and the door. There was a small white note taped to the closest one.

Adeline slowly got up, moving her hair out of her face as she took a moment to wake up from her slumber. She then swung her feet off the side of the bed and stood up making her way over to the plastic boxes, squinting so she could read what the note had said on it.

In a fairly good handwriting, the note read: "I hope you didn't like any of your coworkers. Had to kill them all to keep your secret."

Frowning, she flipped the note over to read more.

"You were scared for a moment, weren't you? I retrieved every traceable item in your flat, and any personal belongings I found, wiped the place of DNA and fingerprints, as well as removed your lease documents and you and Klaus from their digital records. Did the same with your work records and his. With Cait's work on erasing you both completely from the digital realm, you should be in the clear now. Welcome home, Anastasia - M"

She smiled to herself once she finished reading the note, setting it aside before popping off a lid from one of the boxes. She let out a soft sigh of relief when she saw her clothes in there, tired of wearing Cait's clothes. Not that they weren't comfortable or cute... she just preferred her own.

She dug through one of the boxes, pulling out one of her plain white button-up shirts along with a beige skirt that fell down to her knees. 

She grabbed all the items she needed before she opened the door, hearing chatter down the hall from the few that were up.

She made her way to one of the nearest bathrooms, which happened to be Jody's and set all her stuff down on the counter, closing the door behind her.

It was still fairly early but being Monday, everyone was up and about.

It was the usual chaos as people scrambled to get ready for work, Caitrina being the only one not present in the kitchen/dining room (other than Muiredach), passed out in her bed still.

"Did you talk to Uriah? Because I think he has some leads on this case with Montgomery," Castor was saying to Raegan as he took the coffee from the coffee pot and poured it into his travel mug. "I think he wants to go down to the station with you today."

Jody was flipping pancakes on the stove while they did this, a bunch of different toppings in little bowls all around to put on the pancakes for everyone. She had been up before anyone else doing this while getting ready for school. She was wearing a loose knitted mustard yellow cardigan over a white linen shirt tucked into high waisted white washed shorts with embroidery all over them, and black panty-hose under that with some chunky autumn boots. 

Runa came over and downed some of the black coffee after Castor was done with it. Her hair was now black and very light pale pink with bangs on her forehead, still shoulder length. And she was dressed punk but trendy which wasn't a surprise. She was always up to something when it came to her look.

Raegan glanced at Runa with an odd look at the change of hair but disregarded it, taking a sip of her coffee, "I haven't talked to him about the case, no." she replied to Castor with a tilt of her head, "But I will."

"Raegan, I was going to talk to you about that case with Montgomery—" Uriah said when he walked in with his head in a journal of scribbled notes, wearing jeans, a grey t-shirt, and a brown leather jacket.

She shrugged as she glanced over at Castor, "Whatcha got?" she questioned, placing her cup down so she could fix the messy bun on the top of her head. She was in a white tank top, black cargo pants with a white cardigan pulled over her shoulders.

"Well, nothing concrete yet, just ideas—but Caitrina did stalk his activity and found he had watched a concerning amount of teenage anime and if you know anything about that—"

"Anime is for pedophiles," Runa said plainly as she ate a pancake at the table.

Uriah shrugged. "Precisely," he added in a humored tone. He then looked at Castor. "No offense."

"You watched anime?!" Raegan gasped out then started laughing, "Oh now that... that is never being let down."

He rolled his eyes. "I watched one anime in highschool. Get off my back—"

"Excuse me! Coming through!" Jo said as she moved past her brother after she finished the pancakes, some in a plate in her hand as she ran down the steps to the basement.

"She knows Muiredach doesn't eat sweets," Runa commented after she left.

"Just let her do it. It makes her happy," Uriah sighed.

Jo opened the door to the basement carefully but put a hand on her eyes. She heard him messing with something and the light was on so she knew he wasn't in bed yet. "Are you dressed?" she asked innocently.

Muiredach couldn't help the soft smile that spread across his lips because she did this kind of thing often. "You're safe," he said as he used a small tool to combine a couple of wires carefully in his fingers.

She took her hands off her eyes and trotted down to his workplace where he was. "I have some pancakes if you want any. They're still warm," she told him and set the plate on his desk on top of some blueprints.

He held back the softness that wanted to show itself in his expression, her thinking of him like that. It was adorable, admittedly. He couldn't believe she was related to Castor...

Pancakes weren't really his thing. He wasn't one for sweets at all. In fact, food was sustenance for him more than anything else. But he couldn't turn down such a sweet gesture. He stood up from his work and gave her a polite smile. "Thank you, Jody."

She grinned back at him and turned on her heel to skip back up the stairs and leave him to get some sleep. She didn't want to be late either and she seemed to always push that.

When she came back up to where the others were and put her apron away. "Gonna see if the others want some before they get cold!" she added as she jogged across the room.

"Don't bother Cait, she'll bite your face off," Castor said as he grabbed his briefcase and headed out the door.

"No the other two!" she replied to him from the hallway.

Running down the corridor, she found the old gym and knocked on the door.

"One second!" a voice called from behind the door, followed by the sound of shuffling. The door swung open suddenly, revealing Klaus standing there shirtless, his bare chest on display. He had on a pair of light gray sweats that sat low on his hips, while his hair looked a bit damp from the shower he had just taken. A few strands fell wildly across his forehead different from his usual neatly combed back hair.

"Oh, Jody!" he said with a smile, his pristine white teeth on display.

Jody's eyes went wide like a deer in headlights, her entire body freezing up in shock, something surging through her as if she were paralyzed by electricity. She was trying so hard not to look at his torso and that was evident in the way she was looking into his eyes, her cheeks red like a tomato. "I..." she started but she couldn't get anything out of her mouth after that. Despite her eyes looking into his, she couldn't even process his eye color because her peripheral and brain were only soaking in the look of his chest and abs... such toned... abs... and pecks... and everything else...

His brow arched slightly at her sudden look of shock. "Jody? You alright, love?" he asked, lifting his arm to rest it casually against the doorframe.

She was frozen and she couldn't seem to even move her lips. Her big brown eyes were stuck to his and there was hesitation in her, her mind racing with thoughts that she absolutely did not want to be having in this moment. 'Ugh! Jody! Say something you idiot!' she thought to herself. "P...peck-cakes—I mean hot cakes—I mean... um pancakes... w-we have... I made pancakes...?" she stuttered while still not looking down and not even blinking.

A chuckle emitted from his lips at her stuttering. "That was very nice of you, thank you. Just leave some out there for me."

"I... a-a-a-alright. Did you—were you able to use the gym shower okay? It's not as nice as the others—were you able... did.. Did you clean everywhere—Oh my gosh okay I'm just gonna shut up—" she interrupted herself and lowered her head in embarrassment when she muttered that last part.

He let his hand slip down the door frame before bringing it up so he could tilt her chin up to look at him. "Yes, the gym shower was fine, but the bigger question is are you alright? You look like you just saw a murder."

She almost fainted suddenly when he touched her and it was like she was struck with lightning or turned to stone by the White Witch. 'Oh God why? Why did You make him like this? Is this a sick joke?' she asked herself as her inner dialogue went nuts. 'I think I'm pregnant.' She let out a small giggle that she quickly stifled and pretended it was a cough. "Me—no—yes—yes I'm okay—yes the shower was—what I was trying to say is that I'm glad you could have this room—we can move the exercise equipment—unless you want it—n-not that you need it at all I—you look—you're... you... you look good—I... You don't need to..." she stuttered and her hand was on his abdomen for a second as if she was trying to explain something but she removed it at once with a panicked look on her face. "I don't know why I did that," she said immediately. The girl was talking as if she had the heartbeat of a rabbit and right now she probably did.

"Dammit Klaus! What did I say about putting a shirt on?!" Adeline yelled out, fast walking down the hall so she was standing a little behind Jody. Her hair was partially pulled back now, what wasn't pulled back fell in loose curls down her shoulders. "Get a damn shirt on- Jody I'm so sorry." she said smacking her brother, pushing him back in the room so he would put a shirt on.

"Hate to break it to you Adeline but women love it." he winked in Jody's direction, grabbing a white t-shirt off his bed that he had thrown carelessly.

Jo let out a squeak but covered her mouth.

Adeline rolled her eyes at him, "Stop talking. Put your shirt on." she said sternly.

"Okay, okay I'm going!" he replied, pulling the shirt over his head

"Thank God—I'm a virgin," Jo shot out but then realized she didn't mean to say that out loud and covered her head with her cardigan.

Adeline had to laugh at her random outburst, shaking her head. "Oh- are those pancakes?" she asked, changing the subject entirely.

"Yeah, she made pancakes." Klaus said, now in a shirt as he leaned against the doorframe.

"Am I missing a hallway discussion?" Raegan suddenly interrupted them, standing next to Adeline. "Hey Klaus! Nice abs." she said, pointing at the tight fitted white shirt on his frame.

"Thanks Rae." he said with a small shake of the head.

Jody was slowly banging her covered head against the wall during this conversation but then she stopped with her head resting there. "Do you guys want some?" she asked in a voice that said how much she was struggling.

"I'd love some! Although, no syrup, it's too sugary." Adeline replied, her face turning up in slight disgust.

Raegan threw her hands up slightly, "What's up with this house and no sugar?!" she exclaimed, walking away from the group.

"Syrup is just... far too sugary." Adeline shrugged, "It's like drinking pure liquid sugar, bleh yuck!"

"No syrup got it!" Jo said, glad with the excuse to leave and took off down the hall with her sweater still over her head, running to the kitchen at once.

Adeline watched her dash off into the kitchen, her attention turning back to Klaus. "You just had to answer the door shirtless." she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Wait a second- shirtless? and I missed it?! Damnit!" Raegan replied with a fake pout. "I'll go ask Uriah to take his shirt off before work." she shrugged leaving them to hear back into the kitchen.

"Well good morning, did you sleep well?" Klaus asked his sister, shutting his bedroom door behind him.

"Yes, I did. Glad I wasn't in Cait's room." she replied with a soft laugh thinking about the times she would hear her throw up.

"I'm sure she is feeling just dandy today." Klaus replied, walking into the kitchen with Adeline following behind.

"Uriah! Take your shirt off!" Raegan yelled out once she was back in the kitchen.

He looked at her and slowly clueless confusion set into his expression. "What?" he asked with a mouthful of pancake.

"Ugh! I'm just such a goober-brain! Why can't I act normal around him?!" Jody demanded in anger while she drove, Runa just on her phone analyzing data. She hadn't responded in ten minutes.

"I need to be more like you; even tempered and cool and not caring about other people at all. I'd be more content," she continued. "I just don't know what overcomes me—it's like I see him and my heart stops, you know? But why? It's not like I haven't seen a good looking hunk before. Am I just nervous around him because of our history? Is there something deeper to it?"

"Can I walk to school?" Runa asked her in her usual monotone voice, considering jumping out of the moving car.

"I just think I need to try and find some way to relax or I'm going to go insane. I mean this can't be happening long term. And I don't know what else to do. What would you do? Wait—don't answer that—you're fifteen. But let's say you had a fifteen year old that you were nervous around, provided you could be nervous... and then you just... you just fell to pieces like how would you get over that?"

"You're making me want to commit suicide."

"I just need answers. I need a solution. Runa help meeee!" she whined.

Rune took in a long breath and looked ahead at the city that was passing them by. "Jody... I have some bad news for you."

She was interested at this and looked at her with her brows knit together. "What? What is it?" she asked worriedly.

"Klaus said your arts and crafts room was stupid."

"...What?" she asked, as if this was some horrible personal insult.

"Yep. Now shut up and take me to school."

Jody couldn't believe it. Her entire world was on its head now. That... was so unexpected. And it changed her whole perspective of him as she slowly took that in, silent for the rest of the drive.

Within five minutes, it seemed, everyone was gone from the house, leaving Adeline and Klaus there, Cait still sacked out in her room and Muiredach sleeping in his room as well because the bastard was nocturnal and Caitrina was hungover...

It was odd... how quiet it was in the house, so void of the usual chaos. It made the house seem so much larger somehow.

"Draw four," Klaus snickered as he set down a card that he drew from his hand, placing it down on top of the discard pile. "Also, Uno." He smiled devilishly, holding the one card in his hand up for her to see, obviously doing it to tease her.

Adeline looked up at him from the cards in her hand, her lips drawing into a thin line. "How?!" she exclaimed, as this was the third round of this game and he somehow had won every time.

"Luck," he replied before tapping his finger on the separate pile of cards that hadn't been touched yet. "Now draw four."

"You suck," she replied, having no real comeback to shoot back at him. She reached her hand out, letting a soft sigh fall off from her lips as she added them to her pile. "You won anyway, why do I have to draw?" she pointed out.

Klaus threw down the card, that devilish smile still on his lips. "Because you still had a turn." he replied, leaning back against the couch as Adeline threw her hand down into the discard pile. "Do you want to play that new multiplayer shooter game?" he said, picking up his cup of tea and taking a sip out of it.

"No. I don't want to play your weird nerdy boy games." she replied, standing up off the couch, taking the mug that once had tea in it to the sink.

He pretended to act hurt by her words, placing a hand upon his chest and tossing his head back. "How dare you call them 'nerdy boy games-' those are games for men!" he exclaimed teasingly, bringing his head back up to see she had that straight face look upon her features.

"You're a child," she replied, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge.

"Everyone is a child at heart, Addy," he said in a singsong voice, pulling the pillow he had next to him into his lap.

She had now found her way back over to the couch, plopping herself back down onto the plush cushions. She gave him a soft smile before her eyes fell down to her hands, her facial features suddenly seeming to soften.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Klaus said, catching the sudden change in her features as he took another sip of his tea.

"I don't know... I guess I just feel like this sudden change is because of me not being careful enough," she admitted, referring to the reason as to why they were here is because she chose to use her powers, in public. "If i would've been more careful—"

"Ads," he said sternly, setting his cup down on the coffee table in front of him, "you saved that man's life," he pointed out, clasping his hands together in front of him.

"I know but I used them out in public. If it wasn't for Muiredach I could've died." She sighed out, looking away from him.

"But you didn't die. And we are safe, they have no clue where we are." He moved his head slightly so she was in her line of sight, his features soft. "They don't even have the evidence anymore. It's gone," he explained.

"Yes but now our lives will never be the same again," she said, her voice sounding stressed as her head whipped back around to look at him. "What about all your coworker buddies and—"

"Adeline, I barely even hung out with them," he shook his head as his brows furrowed, "the only time I saw them was on shift or if John and his wife invited everyone over for barbeque."

"Yeah but Klaus we can't even live a normal life anymore." She frowned.

Klaus's brows furrowed together at this, a soft scoff leaving his lips. "Living a normal life is boring, Adeline. Plus I would say our lives are rather completely far from normal." He reclined back into the black cushions, kicking his feet up on the coffee table. "You did nothing wrong. That man is off somewhere living happily—with his family, might I add, all because of you. He was on the brink of literal death, there is no way he would've survived with how major those injuries were," he explained, his gentle body movements conveying nothing but truth and defense for his sister.

"I guess..." she said with a sigh, leaning back against the couch cushions.

Klaus brought a hand up to rest on her shoulder gently, "This is a good thing for us Ads. We get to meet some new people, gain some life experience—plus you can get yourself some friends as you seem to lack in that department," he chuckled softly.

"I have friends!" she defended.

"Your weird coworkers don't count. I have never seen you go out and hang with them outside of work and, quite honestly, I didn't want you to," he stated plainly, "Last time I went anywhere near that little posse of paramedics they kept cat-calling me and making weird sexual gestures with their hands..." he cringed, thinking back upon those memories, regretting the fact he even allowed those memories to even resurface into his brain.

"...Did you forget the fact you were thrown into the back of the car and constantly sexualized by Raegan?" Her brow rose slightly at his response.

"Your coworkers dressed up as furries for your work Christmas party," he shot back.

"Okay, true, fair enough." She nodded her head in agreement, lying back so she was now sprawled out onto the couch.

There was a long peaceful silence that came upon them as they got a bit lost in their thoughts but Klaus changed the subject when he broke the quiet.

"Wanna watch Grease?" he said suddenly.

"Oh hell yeah," she agreed quickly as Klaus reached over to snatch the remote of the table.

Cait came from her room then and scratched her messy bedhead that had Castor's tie woven through it somehow and completely stuck. "Adeline...? What are you wearing? You look like you're about to go door to door selling Bibles," she said with a frown.

Adeline furrowed her brows at Cait's comment. "What do you mean? It's just a regular button up and a skirt!" she replied.

"Girl I haven't seen anyone dress like that since nineteen ninety-seven and I wasn't even alive then. You look like you're in one of those cults that forbids women to wear heels that exceed a quarter inch," she joked.

She glared at Cait, "I'm sorry, did you want me to walk around with my tits out?"

"Oh hell yeah, take it off! Now it would be a party," she joked.

"No, I do not want to see my sister's tits!" Klaus called out.

"Ha—Oh..." Cait balanced herself. "That was a dizzy feeling. I'm gonna go." She turned around and tried to go back to her room but tripped and fell on her face.

Runa sat leaning against the back of her chair during class, watching her teacher and keeping vigilant for anything helpful to open cases the "family" had.

"Alright, everyone. Phones down and School Pads up. Time to... 'lock in' for class, yeah?" he asked with a nervous smile, desperate to appear hip to his subordinates, apparently. It wasn't a good sign for his mental health.

The students all stared at him with a bored and dead look in their eyes as the silence lingered.

He cleared his throat. "Right but let's get to it."

Name: Clark Jones.

Family: Gretchen (cat), Spleens (cat), and Chives (cat)

Status: teacher, unpopular with the other teachers.

Relationship status: Gay probably but it doesn't matters since he's been single since 2134

Flaws: desperate, lonely, sad, spineless, self hating, ambitionless. Of little consequence.

The students began to pull out slick tablets that were programmed with their daily lessons but supposedly un-hackable to get the internet on. That didn't stop Runa and Cait jailbreaking it when they were bored one night.

She didn't need it. She kept an "invisible' earpiece in at all times that connected her to Cait or Muiredach if she ever needed to.

As they all did this, she glanced at one of the alternative but popular girls in the class.

Name: Nora Montgomery.

Family: Greg Montgomery (father), Kelsi Montgomery (mother). Elise Montgomery (sister).

Status: Mid popularity but desires to climb higher.

Relationship status: bisexual (like everyone these days). Single, but crushes on Kian Hault, a smoking skateboarder, collector of box television sets, and texts left on "read".

Flaws: pride, self absorption, rebellious behavior, unintelligent like most. She tries to hide that she cares if she's popular, while desperate to gain approval and admiration from others, even those who are lower on the food chain. Is drawn to like minded individuals who appear to "have her back." This should be simpler than hacking into a school computer.

She was doodling something and by the hand movements, Runa realized she was the teacher getting smashed by a piano.

She thought about this and then picked up a ponytail holder from the ground before she shot it towards the teacher with incredible accuracy, hitting him in the back of the neck while he was talking and writing on the digital board at the front of the room.

He turned around and Runa was so good at looking innocent she acted like she looked up and saw that for the first time, stifling a laugh and looking around the room for the culprit.

He just went back to what he was doing, letting it go this time.

Runa caught the gaze of Nora and lifted a popular gang sign to her, the girl smirking back in amusement.

After class, Runa was out in the hallway by the water fountain, watching a bully stick some loser's cyberfurry head into it with boredom on her face.

"Hey, Piper!" someone said and Runa turned to see it was Nora who came over, mid chuckle. "You left this behind," she said and gave her the hair tie she had thrown.

Runa cracked up and grabbed it. "Stop! You're gonna get me caught!" she said with a personality that was so far from what she was usually like, you have thought she switched bodies with Jo or Adeline.

The two stopped and watched Mr. Jones walk by and when they were in the clear again, they laughed more.

"Okay, he so deserved that, though. He was cramping hard," she said, using slang she had to look up before school.

"I have no breath at all. That was so funny. It shouldn't have been. But it was. I think I'm just way too used to all these pathetic robots that the moment anything out of the ordinary happens I'm like 'yes'," Nora went on, proving herself comfortable around Runa which was good.

"I'm the same way! I can't handle the lull. It's insufferable. Like literally kick me out of it."

"Right?"

"Girl if I don't do something actually fun to break me from this zom routine soon I'm gonna throw myself."

"Oh! Well I am having a party tonight at my dad's place. He'll technically be home but he'll leave us alone. Since the divorce he and mom kind of compete for affection so they tend to go overboard. Which is a pretty jammed silver coating if you ask me."

"Are you inviting a certain skateboarder?" she asked quietly in a way that insinuated something.

Nora put her hands to her face. "Stop! Is it that obvious?!"

"Unfortunately, yeah."

"Dammit. Yeah I am. I mean I did it in a super cooled out way so hopefully he just shows up through someone else you know?"

"Smart. Well hey, count me in. Hit me up with the time and place. Here's my Hive." Runa dropped her info into Nora's phone with a tap.

"Added! Oh—gotta get to Conservation Class," Nora said and took off, almost bumping right into someone with a VR headset on who threw his arm around and smacked a student in the face because he couldn't see him.

"So... what do you say? Are we in business?" Castor asked someone around his age—maybe a tad younger—with wild black hair and a thin build, chaos in his eyes, as the two stood before the first hole.

He grimaced. "Ah see I don't really like to just say 'yes' to stuff—I also don't like saying 'no' to stuff either. Both of them seem so final, you know? I kind of like to just ride the wave of life and see where it takes me."

'Can I kill myself?'

Castor was well practiced at putting up with any and all kinds of people... and he smiled at him. "I get that. Well I suppose when this water you call life carries you into my firm after the reality of no one being as thorough as us acts as the wind in your sails, let me know..." 'What am I even saying? I hate myself.'

"Ah Kingsley is that you?!" Someone said; a rather large and broad shouldered man in thousand dollar sunglasses. He approached with a smile. "I thought you were still in rehab! Oh I'm just kidding. Or am I? I guess you'll never know for sure—" he said to Castor's potential client.

"Ah, yes, Nelson isn't it? Well don't be too hard on yourself for that one. Humor is a difficult weapon to wield," he told him when he shook the man's hand.

"You're not thinking of going with his firm, are you? I heard their top lawyer got arrested for putting crack in kids' toys. Ha! Hm kidding again of course—or am I?" he added with a sudden serious look.

Castor put away all of the things he would have rather said to him in order to take the high road. "As much as I am sure your intentions on being here are admirable, I don't believe young Teller over her is quite comfortable being the yardstick in a penis measuring contest—"

"Yardstick? What kind of men are you dating Romeo?"

"I'm not—..." he clenched his teeth to force back what he wanted to say.

"I tell you what, let's make it easy for him. Winner of this game gets his business," Nelson suggested.

"Oh I'm—" Teller tried to say.

"I'll take the challenge. Though I'd hate to embarrass you further than you already are, walking around with those trousers on—"

"What's wrong with my pants?!"

"They look like they were torn off a boy's department mannequin at Dillards. It's a good thing you don't have much to boast down there or else a poor seven year old child would basically be flashed-"

"Hey—this guy is so mean, don't work with him—" he told Teller with a fake crying face.

"You're not even crying—You're a lawyer, how are you this bad at lying?"

"That's enough! Let's settle this like men..." he said as if he was prepared to get in a fist fight. "By hitting a tiny ball into a tiny hole with a stick."

He gave a nod and with confidence he strode over to the tee with his club to get the right stance. He eyes where he had to hit it and concentrated, getting the angle just right...

He swung back and then forward, kicking up grass with his club...

He stopped awkwardly... the others just surprised and confused as he flattened his lips in defeat and embarrassment but he himself wasn't... well he wasn't really all that shocked...

He was about to make some excuse about his wrist being out as the awkward silence continued, when he heard buzzing. He reached down and grabbed his phone to answer it. "Susie, what is it? Is everything okay?"

"Yes, why do you sound so panicked?" Runa asked, her back to the brick wall of her school building, hearing some distant kids smoke Jade and hit each other with pipes around the backside of the establishment.

"Oh... is she okay?" Castor widened his eyes.

"Henry..." she started with disappointment. They always used fake names in public. "Are you using me to get out of an uncomfortable situation?"

"Oh my God the whole leg?! I'm coming to the hospital right now!" He lowered the phone to tell Teller he had a family emergency and took off.

"Did you embarrass yourself golfing again?"

"No! I did not," he said when he was far enough away that he was in the clear around the back of the club. "...alright maybe I did. But what did you need? This better be good and not just telling me that Cait did something stupid like broke her leg using her duct taped board again."

"Let me get the others on—"

"The others? What? Why?"

"You'd think having a stripper in the Police Department wouldn't be allowed..." Uriah said as he watched Raegan's coworkers put dollar bills into a fake fireman's underwear.

"Eh, Mikayla couldn't afford a bachelorette party. This is the next best thing," Raegan replied with a shrug. The place was adorned with pink decorations and penis shaped paraphernalia.

Uriah's phone buzzed with old James Bond music and he picked it up. "Gretchen? What's wrong?"

"See? I'm not the only one who expected someone to be hurt," Castor said.

"Shut up," Runa replied. "Martin, is Evelyn with you?"

"She is," Uriah said.

"Connect her."

They went into Raegan's office but also took out ear buds and both put one in to listen and talk with them.

"What's up sweaties?" Raegan said, slipping an earbud into her ear.

Uriah frowned at her. "'Sweaties'?"

"I feel like she's mocking us again but I don't quite understand that one. I sweat very little," Castor said.

"I don't perspire," Runa said.

"No, of course you don't. You'd rust."

"When I see you next I'm going to twist your nipple—"

"Wait—guys can we get to the point of this call?" Uriah asked.

"Thomas, you're lying if you don't sweat through a t-shirt. Say no and you're getting called gay," Raegan said.

"Oh so because I wear the appropriate deodorant and attire for the activities I do and avoid making pit stains in my clothes like a disgusting swamp troll, I suddenly like to suck another man's knob?" Castor defended.

But he looked over when he saw a groundskeeper look at him funny before walking away.

He smiled politely.

"So defensive. Tell me, is that how you get your clients? Giving them the goods—wait no that would be cheating." she replied, looking over at Uriah.

"Don't make me remove you from this call," he threatened her.

"Nooo, okay, I'm shutting up." Raegan said, using her fingers to zip her mouth.

"Susie, get to it. I just got a text from Kat that said 'do you have a fire extinguisher in your office?'," Castor said when he read a text from Cait.

"I wanted to tell all of you to be home at four. Sharp as a razor blade. I have something important that's come up. Don't worry, it's good news," Runa said, looking over at the guys in the distance who were whacking each other as one fell down unconscious and his friend said "oops".

"You couldn't have said that with a group text?" Castor asked.

"Oh I could have... if you answered those."

"I missed one text one time—"

"Sounds good. We'll be there," Uriah interrupted their bickering and hung up.

"Hey! I didn't get to say bye!" Raegan said with a groan.

"You're a mess, you know that?" he said with his brows raised.

She grinned and nodded, "I have been told that by you before. I take it as a compliment."

"I think you would take anything as a compliment at this point—," he said with a small chuckle.

There was cake suddenly thrown against her office widow, making a splat against the glass as both of them jumped a little and looked back at it.

"Are they drunk?" Uriah asked with concern.

"I still want to know where they drove off to in the car," Klaus said as the movie came to a close and the credits began to roll on the screen.

"Who knows?" Adeline shrugged, standing up and smoothing out her skirt to keep it from looking like a crumpled mess. "Are you hungry?" she asked, making her way into the kitchen.

"Yeah, what are you thinking?" he asked, grabbing the remote from the coffee table and turning off the TV.

She hummed as she thought about what she could make. "I might be able to throw together some pasta?" she told him, opening the pantry to look for some noodles.

"Sounds good to me." he said with a shrug, placing the remote back down onto the coffee table.

"Hey, Adeline! Can you do me a favor?" Cait said from her room and when she came out there was a towel wrapped around her foot, soaked with fresh blood. " Can you put some fairy dust on this or wha'ever?"

"What the hell did you do?" she questioned, setting down the box of noodles she had taken out of the pantry. She then quickly made her way over to Cait and kneeled down trying to examine how she had cut her foot open.

"Chat told me I can't do my knife trick with a real knife... regrettably they were right but the incident got me thirty-five new subscribers so joke's on them," she said carelessly.

"Maybe you should stop letting your subscribers manipulate you into injuring yourself with sharp knives..." Klaus said with concern.

"Why?" she asked like that was a weird thing to suggest.

"...Because you're literally bleeding..." Klaus pointed to her foot.

She scoffed. "This is hardly the thing to bitch about. I had an organ stolen once."

"A–What?" Klaus asked in shock, hos brow flying up in confusion.

While the two were talking Adeline had placed her hands upon Cait's covered wound and healed it, a soft glow emitting under her palms for just a moment. She stood once she was finished with the towel in her hand before speaking up, "I honestly don't want to know." she shrugged, taking the towel to the laundry room so she could soak it in stain remover.

"Ah wow, that's so cool. Thanks superhero," she said as she admired her blood covered foot. "I thought Addy was alone out here. Only heard movie playin'."

"I'm keeping her company." Klaus said with a grin.

Adeline rolled her eyes as she tossed the towel onto the laundry floor, deciding she would get it later when she wasn't wearing white. "I was just about to make pasta Cait, so you want some?" she asked, walking back into the kitchen.

"Nah I'm gonna go down the hill in this skateboard because chat says I can't," she said as she held up her board that was taped together with duct tape. "Wait—you two were like... just hanging out together? Not yelling or throwin' things or trying to see who could make the other black out first?"

Klaus turned and looked at Adeline with a confused look before looking back at Cait. "I mean we had a pillow fight? But that was the most of it..."

"Why would you try to make the other black out?" Adeline asked curiously, putting the pot she had found onto the stove.

"That's what siblings do. They're not friends. They're littermates—we don't cuddle and talk about the weather. Do you seriously not even hit each other?" she asked like this was just so insane.

"I mean I smack him... sometimes bite if he gets too cocky." she shrugged.

"She dug her nails into my arm and made me bleed because I threw a red shirt in with her whites." Klaus added.

"HA! Now that's the sibling relationship I remember," Cait said with nostalgia. "Three brothers. All in the military now. On a good day we were lighting each other's clothes on fire. On bad days we went for lethal assaults. Some fond memories of that..."

"We also spent quite a while apart so some of those years were robbed from us." Klaus replied, kicking his feet up onto the coffee table.

"That's true," Adeline added, pouring water into the pot.

"Ah so less hospital visits aye?" Cait joked. "Welp, speaking of which, I'm gonna go record myself riding my broken skateboard. I'll let you know if I get fatally injured. You might have to come out and heal me again—man I'm so glad we have you. I get to do so much more fun shit now! Woohoo!" Cait started towards the door.

"Glad I could be of use..." Adeline said, giving a thumbs up before glancing over at Klaus. "Stop it." she said sternly.

"What? I didn't say anything!" he defended, though his face showed as if he was about to laugh.

"Piss off," she replied, rolling her eyes and adding noodles into the pot of boiling water.

Klaus then busted out laughing, smacking a hand on his knee.

"This is gonna be awesome!" Cait added before slamming the door.

"You know that raccoon really came out of nowhere—" the redhead was explaining as Adeline was healing her leg, both sitting on the floor in the living space. "I thought they were nocturnal..."

"It was probably sneaking food, then you rudely interrupted it." she said with a laugh before standing up and looking at her. "Okay enough stupid shit that injures you." she said with a pointed finger.

"Is the raccoon okay?" Klaus asked with a fork hanging out of his mouth.

Cait glared at him and threw a pillow his direction.

"Aye! Watch it!" he called out, dodging it before it collided with body. "That raccoon is probably scared right now. That raccoon probably didn't even get food for its family because of Cait."

"Klaus shut up." Adeline rolled her eyes at him.

"You know how many starving raccoons are out there?" Klaus teased.

"How about you go join them? Bring them food." Adeline shot out.

"Um, no they live in the dark and hiss at everyone. The only person closest to doing that is emo Batman in the basement." Klaus pointed out.

"Hm. You know suddenly I'm in the mood for raccoon soup. I'm gonna grab Raegan's hunting rifle," Cait said smugly and got off the floor.

"No! No Cait! We are not getting Raegan's rifle for anything!" Adeline said quickly, grabbing her arm in an attempt to stop her.

Cait laughed loudly.

The door to the garage opening made Adeline nearly jump as she was deep in a puzzle, Klaus waking up suddenly as he had dozed off on the couch to Kiss or Kill? playing on the television.

Runa came in with Jody.

"Three fifty-nine. Fine. Not bad despite how we were crawling," Runa said with attitude.

"I'm sorry—I actually go the speed limit," Jody said back with equal sass.

Adeline peeped her head over the couch, looking who had just come through the door. "Hi guys!" she said with a wide grin.

Klaus just gave a small wave, still waking up from his mini nap.

"Hi Adeline!" Jo said back with a huge grin. She then wiped away said grin when she added, "Klaus," in rather a cold way before turning her chin up and walking briskly to her room.

Klaus looked at Adeline, confusion written all over his face. "What did I do?" he asked.

Adeline gave him a small shrug before standing up.

Just then Raegan burst through the door, a pair of sunglasses on her face. "Ha! We won!" she said, throwing her hands up and taking her sunglasses off.

"Yes, imagine that. Maybe because I actually slow down when I see children crossing the streets," Castor said as he walked in behind her.

"Hey! I did stop... well I came to a pause then yelled at them to move." she said, turning her direction to where Adeline was standing. "Oh, hi Adeline!" she said in excitement, derailing the previous conversation.

Uriah came in, blinking a few times and shaking his head. "Remind me to never get in the passenger seat with you again. I felt like I was on the back of Muiredach's motorcycle..." he told Raegan.

"You rode bitch on the back of Muiredach's motorcycle?" Castor asked him as he poured himself a drink.

"I was—not for fun—it was an emergency!" he defended.

"Riding on the back of his motorcycle is... that's scary... real scary..." Adeline commented

"Right, exactly, his driving is worse than mine!" Raegan called out, plopping herself on the couch.

Castor laughed loudly. "Darling he could drive from a helicopter, across the top of a moving train, and into a shot glass. You busted your bumper off chasing a drug addict down eighty-fifth."

"You know what Castor? Shut up." Raegan said, "You are still sweaty."

Uriah chuckled.

"I think Muiredach almost hit a few pedestrians when he saved me, honestly..." Adeline added

"That sounds like fun, I got thrown into the back of a trunk in my shorts." Klaus said sarcastically.

Practically talking right over the top of Klaus, Uriah pointed at Adeline and said, "Almost. That's the key word. We have had a lot of 'almost's—"

"He did hit me once," Castor pointed out.

"Yeah but that was on purpose," Uriah replied.

"Yeah, no one cares that you got hit," Raegan said to Castor waving out her hand to brush him off, "Now tell me, was it hot?"

Adeline's face showed pure confusion, "You're asking me if him hitting a few pedestrians is hot?"

Raegan scoffed, "No not that exactly... just him saving you." she smirked.

"Raegan... really?" Adeline said, rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

"She didn't answer the question," Uriah said quietly, smiling with amusement as he walked to the kitchen.

"So to get to the point," Runa interrupted. "I got invited to an A list party tonight. Which means—"

"You said you hate those parties. You said they make you want to swim directly into a boat motor—" Uriah told her.

"I stand by that. But the reason I will be attending is because this happens to be the daughter of a one Gregory Montgomery."

"That guy that you guys thought was buying child porn?" Cait said when she came in and stole Klaus's granola bar to eat it herself.

"A suspect, but yes," Uriah said.

"Aye! That was mine!" Klaus said to Cait, tossing his hands up in the air.

"What kind of party is it?" Adeline questioned.

"Your usual drinking music borderline orgy most likely," Runa said without a care. "Should be easy to snoop. The point is we need a plan for how this is going to go down if I find something. Should we move to the table to strategize?"

"Oh! I'll get the potatoes!" Jody said behind Uriah, startling him.

"No... no. Not a Clarence Meeting for God's sakes please," Castor sighed. "I can only take those in small doses."

"So... who all is going to said party?" Adeline asked, brow slightly raised.

"Just me. As good as Uriah and Raegan are at going undercover, they're a bit tall to be ninth graders," Runa remarked as she pulled out blueprints for Nora's house and put them on the table.

"Adeline could disguise as a ninth grader." Klaus quipped, "She's short enough."

Adeline glared at Klaus before getting up and grabbing a pillow off the couch, smacking him with it hard.

"Hey, ow!" Klaus yelled out, using his arms to try and protect himself from getting pelted by the pillow.

"Well you three can take care of this one by yourself I'm sure. I have plans," Castor said as he leaned back against the long table beside the wall that had the drinks on it, his free hand on the edge of it.

"You? You never have plans," Cait insulted.

He glared at her.

"Oh! Is it a date?!" Jody asked with excitement, a bowl of grapes in her hands.

"With who? Gandalf?" Raegan asked casually, getting up so she could take a grape from the bowl Jody was holding.

He gave her a look with a small unamused hum before he looked at Jody. "It's not a date, but it is... well no you're too young to discuss such things," he remarked.

She gaped. "What? I'm a huge grown up! I can handle anything!"

"You can't even say the word 'penis'," Runa told her.

"Yes I can! I just... I just don't because it's gross."

"Then do it."

"I... p... pasta—"

"That wasn't even close—"

"Shut up!" she gave Raegan the grapes and fled.

"So what sorry bimbo has to be subjected to your weak moves and twink-like body tonight?" Cait asked with her arms crossed.

"Amala Dara. The Hindi queen of the high class zoning boards—"

"You make government work sound kind of gay, Castor, I have to admit," Runa remarked, making Uriah laugh.

"Oh I know her she's so pretty!" Jody shouted from the hallway.

Cait scoffed. "She's not that pretty," she commented with spite.

"Cait's a bit jealous, eh?" Klaus said, taking the pillow out of Adeline's hand and shoving it behind his head.

"Jealous? Of her? She's a high class prostitute with good skin. If Castor wants to waste his time on that, he can. I just thought he had higher standards," she replied with a sharp tongue.

"Sounds like jealousy to me..." Klaus muttered.

Cait glared and grabbed a lighter from beside a candle as she stood behind the couch Klaus was sitting on, Uriah having to grab her arm to stop her when he came over.

"What about Uriah? You're just gonna leave him?" Raegan asked Castor, setting the bowl Jody abandoned in her hand on the coffee table.

"You wouldn't dare." Klaus taunted, quickly moving so he was out of arm's reach of Cait.

"Klaus, don't. I would rather not have to shovel your ashes from your room tomorrow," Castor remarked.

"Like you would ever clean up anything," Cait remarked.

"I clean all the time!"

"Because you have a major OCD problem! Don't act like it's to help anybody!"

"Seriously? Am I going to have to separate all of you into your rooms again?" Uriah asked like a scolding father, his hands on his hips. He then looked at Cait and stole the lighter from her hand. "After what happened a month ago. You're not allowed to use anything that creates fire."

"I was just making french fries—"

"Oo daddy Uriah over here." Raegan said, using her thumb to point to Uriah.

"Mm, please don't call me 'daddy'," Uriah said uncomfortably but also amused.

"Wait- you started a fire by making french fries...?" Adeline asked curiously, "Some of you should be banned from the kitchen." she added.

"Caitrina started a fire making salsa. How? I couldn't tell you. You don't cook Salsa. You don't even need to be by an oven. But she managed it," Castor said.

"How- Actually I'm not going to ask." Adeline said, plopping down onto the couch next to Klaus.

Before they could continue this conversation, the front door opened and someone came in with a large plastic box of something. "I hope I'm not interrupting—Actually I don't care—deliveries!" he said. He was a young man about mid twenties in a nice suit, short dark hair and clean shaved face, unassuming height. Spoke with an American accent.

Jody peeped her head in when she heard this. "Oh!" she squealed and skipped into the main room with everyone.

"I... wait weren't there only seven of you last time I checked?" he asked with confusion.

"Adeline, Klaus, this is Mark. He works for me and he lives nearby—"

"A decent drive, actually—" he muttered.

"Less than thirty minutes is nearby," he interrupted him. "We get our deliveries sent to his place and I pay him extra to bring them to us," he finished explaining.

"Oh nice to meet you Mark." Adeline said with a grin.

"Hello Mark!" Klaus waved.

"Whoa." Mark took off his sunglasses. "Why hello there," he said flirtatiously. "Adeline? That's a pretty name—"

"Tape it down, Mark. She's not interested," Caitrina stopped him with an exasperated tone.

"Oh you got a boyfriend or somethin'?" he asked.

"She needs one!" Klaus yelled out, earning yet another smack on the arm from Adeline.

"No, I don't have a boyfriend." Adeline replied.

"She will though," Raegan said, smirking "not with you Mark, sorry, someone who isn't a delivery boy."

"I'm a personal assistant but thank you that's not hurtful at all," Mark said plainly.

Klaus held his hand up, "Um, who are you hooking my sister up with—"

"Shut it Klaus, I'll find someone. They don't call me the matchmaker for nothing." she shot out. "Now, what good drugs do you have for us?"

"Who calls you a matchmaker?" Uriah asked her.

"Everyone at work— Uriah eat ass! Now what goodies did you bring?"

Uriah blinked, not expecting that but chuckled nonetheless.

"Alright let's see here..." Mark began when he started digging through the box on the floor in front of him. "Hello Kitty Cookbook," he said when he took out the first package.

"Ooh!" Jo giggled and ran up to grab it from him.

"...wood burning kit," he continued.

Uriah came up to retrieve that.

"...A book called 'What to do AFTER You Have Mastered the Female Orgasm'..."

Castor took that from him.

"...a body spray called 'Beach House Slut'..."

"Ooo that's mine!" Raegan said getting up and making grabby hands for it.

Uriah held back a laugh.

"...fake blood..."

Runa walked up to take that.

"...something that sounds like what an Iron Man suit is made of so it's definitely for Muiredach..." He set that down. "...and a pack of three hundred 'slightly used' condoms..."

"Oh that's mine," Caitrina said as she came up to get it.

"Whoa- slightly used?!" Klaus said a bit surprised.

"It just means the box was opened—don't get any ideas," she said back to him.

"Addy can you take Muiredach's package to him?" Jo asked her while she unwrapped her book with excitement for it.

"Oh! Yeah sure." Adeline said standing up from the couch, collecting his package from Mark.

"Careful he bites." Raegan teased.

"I'll make sure he doesn't." Adeline said, shaking her head slightly as she headed off to take the package to him.

"I bite... I'll bite you real good, if you want... only if you want though—did I say that out loud?" Mark said awkwardly.

Castor looked at him. "You better watch it before I give your job to Clyle—"

"Sorry..."

Runa was suddenly there and she reached up to twist Castor's nipple and he shouted in pain and bent forward, smacking her hand away as she just smiled. "You thought I forgot, didn't you?"

He scowled at her with disbelief.

As Adeline made her way down the steps, she cradled the box in her arms, being careful not to disturb him. She wasn't sure if he was asleep or working, not having had a conversation with him to know much. Once her foot landed on the last step, she brought her hand up to gently knock on his door with her knuckles. She stepped back slightly so she wasn't so close to the door, wondering if she had just woke him up.

She didn't hear anything on the other side but the light coming through the bottom of the door indicated he was indeed not sleeping.

She carefully pushed open the door with her fingertips, looking up as she made her way into his space. She glanced around the area in amazement. She'd seen it briefly when he'd saved her, but there hadn't been enough time to really take it all in.

The space was large and it was ironic that Mark had mentioned Iron Man because it reminded her of the workspace that was in the old MCU film. The garage door was closed but the long windows that looked out over the cliffs let in lots of natural light. To the left of Adeline there was space that was set up more for living, with a bedroom and a bathroom and some minor furnishings like a sink and table. But it was mostly cluttered with equipment, the towel soaked with grease. The floor was dark concrete and the color scheme of the space matched that of the upstairs house.

There was a car parked down here as well that looked unassuming but black and expensive. No doubt this was what he used to get her things from her apartment. Any crazy gadgets were likely hidden to not get attention.

The workspace was most of what this was, with all kinds of machine parts, robotics, weapons, and different gadgets for things like vehicles or just for his gear. She didn't really know what any of it was just by looking at it all, but spotted a laser that was peeking out of his armored bracer on the table. There were a couple of modest targets down here and a dummy with burns and slash marks in it, as well as bullet holes.

On one of his workbenches she saw something that was like a metal skeletal hand shape with tiny wires and things, incredibly delicate but still in its first draft by what she could tell. It almost looked like it would fit over someone's wrist and hand but for what, she wasn't sure.

He was standing over in the corner of the space where his monitors were and keyboard, papers and printed pictures scattered about the desk/table in front of him and things hanging up on the walls too that he was trying to connect, scribbles and lines drawn from different areas and things circled. He looked deep in concentration about something, his back to her, as he was wearing a black high collar long sleeved shirt with the sleeves pulled to his elbows, dark trousers on as well.

She carefully made her way over to him, scared that even the slightest wrong move she would knock something over and manage to break it. When she reached the edge of the table, she stopped and gently placed the box down on the table. "Figured you might need this," she said as she took a slight step back, her hands now folded in front of her skirt.

He was surprised to hear her voice, as he thought it would have been Jody. She was the only one who ever bothered him down here, unless Raegan was drunk. But he softened his gaze from the serious one he had it in, glancing down at the package. He didn't really smile, she found. But his eyes would hold a gentleness to them that was equivalent to a polite smile someone who showed more emotions would typically make. He picked up the envelope. "Thank you," he said softly to her before he walked over to his workbench and set it there.

As he did this, Adeline's eyes scanned over the area he was at when she found him, seeing some pictures of a young boy with dark skin doing different activities, the same kid. And the papers around him reporting him missing. There was loads of information written about in the same handwriting as the note he had left her before.

"How are you finding life at the compound?" he asked her curiously when he came back to the desk. "Do you miss living alone yet?" There was a hint of humor in his eye when he added that.

"Oh, you know... the usual. I'm sure you're familiar with it," she said with a soft laugh, absentmindedly fiddling with her fingers. "It's definitely a huge adjustment from working twelve-hour shifts every day and coming home to a quiet house to... well...." she trailed off.

His expression adjusted just a tiny bit as if waiting for her to finish that thought and wondering why she stopped.

"A lively household." she finished. "Probably the most social interaction I've had beyond coworkers and Klaus." she then turned and looked around her, picking up on the fact she couldn't hear anything that was going on above them. "I can see why you reside down here..."

"Mm, this space was still under construction when I moved in. So I finished it and stayed here. I don't bother them with what I am doing, and they don't bother me... Seems everyone is happy with that. But I'm grateful they want to help Runa and I with our endeavors... I'm grateful they're able to keep her safe," he added quietly that last part, his eyes scanning the space before him for a moment in thought.

Although the final part of his sentence was quiet, she caught it. Naturally she had a lot of questions she wanted to ask but she didn't wanna pry that out of him just yet. This was only their first real conversation together.

"They're an amazing group of people— Well, all of you are. I admire what you all are doing for this city." she said, turning her head to look out of the windows.

"We do what we can... I think all of us have emotional ties to this city... and wish to see those who prey on the innocent put behind bars where they belong..." He looked away for a moment. "Not. that any of us out here are any better than those locked up. Not truly... But we have to defend good people..." He looked at her, his eyes taking in her features briefly. "People like you."

Her head turned back to him at his words, a subtle smile on her lips. She unfolded her hands from in front of her taking a couple steps closer to him to glance down at what he had been studying before she came in. "Is this one of your cases?" she asked, looking over the pictures that were splayed out.

He took in a breath and looked down at it all. "It is. Single mother in the slums was out working, left her eight year old boy at home. When she came back he was gone and the door was open... nothing to go on..." he told her.

She frowned slightly, her eyes looking over every picture. "Taken right from his home... a cruel world we live in." she said sadly.

"I just received the case so I haven't had a lot of time to solve it yet—" he stopped when he got an email and quickly looked at the screen to his left. He used his finger to pull it up and read the text: Here's that favor you asked for - Anonymous.

He opened up the attachments to see front door camera footage clips, all from that neighborhood during the hours the mother was away.

She turned her head to glance over at the message he received, reading the message that went along with it. "Well I think you might've found something to help you solve it."

"The woman herself didn't have a porch camera... but with this footage we might be able to see something..." He used two fingers to direct the footage to all six of his screens, each playing a different camera. "See if you can spot an abnormality," he told her as he studied the footage as well while they played.

She glanced up at the screens, looking at all the different camera footage. Most of them looked normal to her at first glance, seeing nothing abnormal.

Muiredach's eyes scanned every detail of the less than perfect video feed, watching cars come and go every so often as people entered and left their homes throughout the day and then the evening... the footage sped up so he could look through it faster. His attention was more on the screens to the left and hers to the right, both of them searching together and staying silent as they concentrated.

"Wait, go back," Adeline said suddenly, catching a glimpse of a strange stop that a car made at one of the houses.

He did so with the screen she was watching and backed up, noticing the car when he did. It was a delivery car that looked like it had a glowing sign atop it's roof. And when it stopped at a house, it looked like the man that got out was bringing a pizza to the door but they watched the man's hands grab a child that fought back, dragging him along the sidewalk and throwing him into his car with someone else in the passenger seat. When the car started to drive off, Adeline put her hand up. "Pause it!"

He froze the image and read it as well. It was a Speedy's Pizza delivery car.

"Interesting choice for a getaway car..." he said with thought.

"Whoever it was wanted to blend in to their surroundings to be less suspicious I suppose." she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I do have a heading now I suppose but... even if the pizza shop reported the stolen car... actually finding it is going to be next to impossible..." he said with thought, his eyes still on the screen.

Just then, as if on cue, Jody hopped down the steps to peep her head in. "Hey! I just wanted to let you guys know we ordered some Speedy's Pizza if you want any. I have to go pick it up from the decoy house when it gets there. I think they're close but the little car is spinning... so..." She shrugged and flashed them the picture of the little emoji of the car on the map screen.

There was a strange look in Muiredach's eyes as his gaze drifted from Jo to the ground, his brows pulling together in thought as he began to realize something.

He suddenly left the room and walked past Jo up the stairs on mission. "Raegan," he said when he arrived in the main room, the others stopping from their strategy meeting around the table to look at him. "I need you to find out which Speedy's Pizza reported a stolen car sometime between July and October of this year." He had a way of commanding the room he was in, as he brought with him a powerful presence everywhere he went. So much so that people sometimes would just run when they saw him.

"Got it, I'll be back," she said, hopping up from her seat and hurrying to her room. Curious about how Raegan planned to figure out, Adeline decided to follow.

"Did you guys say you were getting pizza?" Klaus asked when Jody came back up.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she demanded sharply and glared at him for a minute before looking down at his water bottle and smacking it from his hand before leaving.

"Hey!" he called out, snatching his water bottle from off the floor. "What's up with her?!"

"I don't know, something about sewing probably," Runa said, barely paying attention to him as she looked over their plan with Uriah, not even caring about what she started.

"So... how exactly does one check reports of stolen vehicles?" Adeline asked as Raegan sat down at her computer.

Muiredach followed both of them, highly invested in this case.

"I have access to a database with police reports dating back, probably, before you were even born," she said, effortlessly navigating to a website that required multiple passcodes. She scrolled through various reports, adjusting the time range to match the specific months Muiredach had requested. "Let's see..." she muttered, making soft tsking noises as she sifted through the files that appeared on her screen. "Ah!" she exclaimed, pausing at one particular file. After clicking a few buttons, she printed it out and turned her chair so she was facing them. "Found a report on a missing delivery car,  just recently. The person who filed it said the car was hijacked."

"I see why they keep you around," Adeline teased, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed.

Raegan chuckled, picking up the papers and stacking them in her hands. "They'd be lost without me," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Muiredach took the page when she handed it over, finding which location he worked at, before he moved past Adeline in a hurry.

"What are you going to do?" Adeline asked as she followed after him on his way back to his basement.

"I'm going to use their tracking system to find the car," he replied as he walked.

"Well they just track the drivers with their phones, not the cars," she said in confusion.

"They changed it to the cars last year because a bunch of hackers got ahold of their employee app and they decided to put chips in the logos."

"How do you know that?" She stopped when they were in the basement by his bike.

"A rather... unfortunate prank from Caitrina that I had to clean up," he replied as he started strapping on his gear starting with his armored torso piece. "Don't ask."

"...You can't just tell me not to ask... now I'm curious..." she said, placing her hands on her hips.

He smirked a bit, more of a smile on his face than she'd seen before as his eyes looked back at her with amusement. "Curiosity might get you in trouble around here, little 'Addy'..." he replied as he fastened the straps around his chest and grabbed his shoulder guards that were attached to his hooded wrap. "You will find yourself getting answers you never really wanted," he said with a twinge of attitude that didn't hint at things that were bad but more... weird and hilariously disturbing.

"I work as a paramedic, I've heard some... pretty vile things." she said thinking about the things that have been said to her while on her long work shifts.

"Well despite my own curiosity I won't ask... I'm sure you don't want to relive those memories..." he said in a way that almost made it sound like he wanted to sit and listen to her stories for hours, an almost... teasing look in his eyes... before he sat down and strapped on his tight fitted thigh guards with knee plates over his black trousers, already wearing his correct boots with attached bullet proof plating like the rest of his armor.

"Maybe one day I'll share my stories of the many old men who have asked for my number," she teased, watching him pull on his gear. She took a moment to take in his features, looking him up and down. She wouldn't lie that he was a very attractive man. But before she could get too deep into her thoughts she pulled her attention from him and looked away.

He stood and grabbed his weaponized bracers. "Hm... really...? So, what? Are you not a fan of a thirty year age gap?" he asked her in a low and smooth tone, keeping that hint of playfulness in his eyes when he glanced back at her while fastening straps on his arm.

"Yeah... No." she replied, "Half of them don't even remember my name, they call me Alex. Or their memory sucks and they think I'm their long lost wife." she said, giving him a look.

He gave her an amused smirk at this before he grabbed his utility belt and a few more final attachments, along with one of the photos of the kidnapped boy and slipping it into his belt. He walked over to his bike where Adeline was standing and hit the button for the garage door on the handle of his vehicle.

Adeline took a step back to give him space but her eyes glanced to her left. "Is that a tiny nuclear reactor?"

"What, do you think we would use the power grid like peasants?" he joked plainly.

She shook her head and dismissed that with a couple of blinks and a deep breath, changing the subject when she looked at him again while he put on his face mask and hood. "Be careful out there, yeah? I need someone to balance out the insanity that is upstairs." she said sarcastically, a small grin pulling on the corner of her lips.

"Same goes for you. You're rather a breath of fresh air around here," he said before he put on his bike helmet, mounting his vehicle that quietly hummed to life with the orange light strips down the side turning on that matched the ones on his helmet.

She grinned before giving him a small wave before turning on her heel so she could go back up to the chaos upstairs.

He watched her leave before he revved his engine and sped out, closing the large door behind him.