Spotted! {Lani}

[Justin Marshall]

Justin was starting to get used to the differences between being a cop in a big city and being a security officer at a private school. For one, kids who got in trouble here weren’t really into hard crimes (well, most of them). They weren’t in gangs and they weren’t selling meth. Even if they came from a poor background, they’d been snatched from the streets around puberty, before their opinions about the world would truly solidify. Some of them didn’t enjoy being at Hammel, but it was a stable environment with written rules and consequences. There was hope for them here, at least.

Anyway, the environment took some adjustments on Justin’s part. He wasn’t expected to put people in handcuffs and book them into jail to cool off for a night. These were just teenagers full of hormones, emotions, and rebellious spirit. Even though Justin had been one of them a very few years ago, he had forgotten what it was really like after seeing so much rot in the world. It had a desensitizing effect.

The student was clearly nervous and trying his best not to be noticed, with his hood pulled over his head and choice of seat in a corner. He seemed to shrink away further, if that was possible, as Justin got closer. Of course the kid insisted that everything was fine, which was a lie. Justin immediately scanned the rows of seats for any other students causing problems, but Dr. Neville was still lecturing without any technical difficulties.

”How about we go right outside and talk for a few minutes,” he said calmly, standing and indicating the direction of the door with a nod of his head. He hoped to make it clear that there was not another option. He took a path behind all of the seats and out into the lobby, and didn’t say anything more until the door shut behind both of them, muting Dr. Neville’s speech that continued on the other side. Justin knew this class was probably required for graduation, and didn’t plan on keeping him long if he decided to be honest.

Justin turned back so he was facing the boy. As a policeman, he’d learned not to let the suspects tell their story freely unless he wanted to hear a lie every other sentence. It was better for his head and more efficient with his time if he asked yes or no questions, like a rebuttal in a trial. ”What really happened in there, dude? Are you planning or part of any sort of prank with another student?” It wasn’t the most charming of introductions, but the sooner he figured out the problem, the sooner this sad-looking guy could get back to his graduation requirement. ”Don’t bother lying, I’ll be able to tell.” He added as an afterthought. Sometimes it worked, and sometimes it just made them want to test him.

[Lani Hunter]

The cave was dark and Lani was welcoming the adventure into the labyrinth, it would at least keep the ghosts at bay. But lurking in the depths of the depression was something far worse than a beast. Or perhaps he was a beast. After all, a crazed telekinetic was no better than a beast when cornered. Lani's eyes were no longer on Dr. Neville, even if he hadn't been listening he had been watching through hooded eyes. A breath of life was all that animated Lani at the moment. He felt that if there was any possible way he could be more empty he would have to die to find it. Unluckily for this individual he did come across one of the few at Hammel who really was into hard crimes. Not drugs maybe but Lani had recently renounced his association with a mob boss, granted a small man under a larger organization, but the situation could not have been more tipped against him.

Lani also hadn't come to the place young. He was old and hardened as a criminal when he came to Hammel. The rules had been a hard adjustment and even now Lani wasn't taking them well. Depression or no depression Lani had been just as stubborn and combative as before. Perhaps he was less inclined to confront people but he was starting to get dangerously close to getting caught. Letting his emotions lead him to take risks he would never have made of sane mind and getting close to being caught. So when the man approached him Lani's painfully beating heart increased the rate sending bolts of cold agony through him at an increased rate. Why was this happening to him? Oh yeah, he was an idiot, that's why.

Lani's heart sunk as the man suggested they move their conversation outside. Lani was in no mood for a dialogue, give him a lecture please but don't make him have to interact with the situation. He would have to become present in reality and right now reality hurt. Giving the man a brief 'do I have to' look Lani realized he was not going to win by protesting. He would only cause a scene and the last thing he wanted were all eyes on him. All eyes looking at him, judging and hating him. Lani shuddered at the thought and clenched his jaw to keep his teeth from rattling at the idea. He was positively frantic to get out now. Forcing a sullen sigh between his teeth he rose and followed the man out. He slouched doing his best not to look the man in the eye. He bit his lip so caught up in his own pain that he didn't even realize how guilty he looked.

Imagine that, the one time when Lani was causing trouble completely on accident and he looked far more guilty in his true innocence than he ever did when the guilt did rest in his hands. If that were the case he usually bled innocence so much it wasn't even possible to believe that sweet Lani would be a master thief who would face several hundreds of years in prison for what he had done. With a sigh Lani stuck his hand in his hoodie's front pocket and looked up at the man the hood shadowing his face as his eyes peered out from its shelter. He felt very much like a turtle who would not be coaxed out of its shell. Perhaps he would become a turtle, it was a rather comfortable existence. He stopped abruptly when the man turned to him and he took a careful step back taking himself out of arms reach. No he might be a little beyond insane at the moment but he wasn't stupid.

Lani shrugged unconvincingly and opened his mouth to feed a lie to the man before his last sentence caught him off guard. Frowning with narrow eyed suspicion he rephrased his statement carefully. He shook his head, skeptical. "Nothing happened," he protested insistently. "It was an accident, my power sometimes just... does things, that's all." Not completely untrue, just not so true for this moment. How could he explain that he had had a waking nightmare and freaked out? Such a thing was not good when coupled with the fact that his telekinesis was strong and had a habit of blasting off in random directions. Then how could he explain that his sanity was only so-so at the moment. That would be a great way to get himself off the hook and back to his solitary thoughts. He shook his head. "No, sir, it was an accident." Was it? Lani chewed on his lip. What if it happened again? What if he decided he wanted the whole building to come down? Now Lani didn't have that kind of power but he had done more than shake a few rooms before, who knows with a power fueled by emotion perhaps he could do it.

[Justin Marshall]

This story of accidental power episodes seemed honest enough. Justin didn’t think he was really getting the whole story, but he felt no alarms from his power. Hearing the truth usually eased some of the excessively paranoid thoughts that bounced around in his mind after detecting a lie, and he nodded at the student instead of persisting with more questions. If this wasn’t a prank and this was truly an accident, did he really need to press? The kid seemed nervous and mysteriously guilty throughout their entire encounter so far, and that was the only thing that still bothered him. Then again, what student wouldn’t be nervous if they’d been pulled out of a lecture by security?

”Alright, I’ll take that,” Justin answered slowly. ”Are you sure you can handle sitting in there for the rest of the talk? I don’t know what your power is, but we don’t need the room exploding with the whole senior class inside. You can go destroy something on the practice field if you want. I’ll make your excuses to Dr. Neville.” Yeah, it was a graduation requirement, but surely the telepath would come to a compromise if a student might be putting others in danger. He thought he was offering the kid a bag full of gold, basically, with a free pass on the lecture that nobody wanted to attend.

Justin shook his head at himself as he realized he hadn’t asked for a particularly vital piece of information. ”What is your name?” He asked, remembering how he always forgot such niceties when he was a cop, too. He thought he had good reason, though, when you never knew where people might hide and where weapons might flash.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani didn’t let out the breath of relief he was holding when his explanation was accepted. The only time he had felt relief when around a security officer. Usually his walls and awareness was so high that even if he got away with something his body was buzzing from adrenaline for long after. Lani started to nod but then realized he was being given a way out. His senses sharpened and he looked the man in the eye now suspicion growing. Why would this guy want to get him out of here… Oh. Lani ducked his head at the realization that yet again he was being told he was too dangerous for normal activities. He sighed and reached a hand into his hood and scratched at the burn scar on his neck. Dangerous. Perhaps this man wasn’t saying it outright but it was no different than anyone else. Lani was dangerous.

That stuck a blow that if Lani wasn’t already so numb would have hurt worse, he would have attacked back and claimed he was fine. Lani raised a brow and after a quick weighing of options decided that was best. He was dangerous, at least right now. “Thank you,” he finally said, “I think that may be best.” Lani tried out a smile but it came out more of a wince. “I’ll get credit?” Lani asked he didn’t want to be here any longer than he had to, he was already a super senior because of this power. Lani wasn’t sure he wanted to go yet if he wasn’t going to get credit. Lani’s power was not itching to get out. He really did want to destroy things. The fields might be the safest place right now. Explosive powers were not what Hammel needed in their Talk.

“La-”Lani hesitated, if this man knew anything as soon as Lani said his name he would know that Lani was not the most beloved of students in the security department. Mostly because he didn’t care. He had a ton of class detentions he had skipped, as well as classes themselves. Not to mention sneaking out and missing power training. “Hunter.” He said, not a lie. Maybe he would buy it. He really didn’t want to guy to take back his offer for a worse option of being stuck in another lecture.