"You people keep coming out of the woodwork....we're kind of busy so if you don't mind would you please just go the hell away?"

The person stood still and Jaden felt his eyes narrow as he looked onward and then felt the energy around Aria and Aura. He glanced back at the pixie-girl and gave her a small smile - she was quite the little firecracker wasn't she? Well, what did he expect from Hydrogen? His eyes settled on the person and he kept a calm tension within himself. Jaden didn't have to guess that it was dangerous for two of their kind - was that even a good term for this? - going head to head, and it made him tense as he kept his eyes locked on the man watching them from the shadows. His top priority at this instant was getting the three females and himself safely to Clay's home where they would be protected. Jade glanced at Chloe who was standing wide eyed at him much like Aura and he sighed as his focus returned to the person.

"This is bad...the tension is to heavy and that puts not only ourselves but other's at risk....Aria...she can make fire....I don't even want to think what....wait a minute..."

"Aria! I need you to come here....I have an idea okay?" his eyes locked onto her blue ones and instantly he was met with shock and anger from Aura.

He hated to resort to begging but he really didn't want to fight these people - and he was tired of the run around. However, he had much more important matters to handle.

"Please....miss Aria?"

Aria flinched, but extricated herself from her sister's possessive grip. "I'll be okay, Aura... Promise." She said, coming up to stand next to Jaden. "What do you have in mind?" she asked quietly, her hands wrapped tightly around her forearms so that if anything burned it would just be her skin and flesh. She hissed at the stinging pain in her wrists from her blistering hot hands and forced herself to untense, lest she burn herself up completely.
Not good, not good not good. Aura thought, fuming (both literally and figuratively) behind them. She's going to get hurt and it'll be all your fault and you'll have to explain it to your parents. Or not. They don't know you're elemental. She sighed and buried her face in her hands rather than watch whatever Jaden wanted Aria to do.

"Listen closely..." he got down to her ear and he felt the girl turn blood red before he smiled just a bit.

"I want you to startle him...flare up a bit and make a flame screen so we can get out of here without bloodshed...I may be a bit dark, but I have a low tolerance for a need to murder or harm someone...so please....miss Aria? Can you help me with this?"

Jaden felt the girl go red and shake before she stared at him and he looked at the wounds on her arms, saw her trembling, wide eyed stare at him and he smiled gently and placed an arm around her and she went frigidly still as he braced himself for potential failure, death, and or a mix of multiple outcomes all into one. His main objective for being so close to her was so that he could scoop her up and bolt when they got the chance. Yet he doubted that a certain older sister got that vibe because she was giving off a Hell hath fury upon thee energy that made him feel as if someone had walked over his grave.

"Just let her understand that I did this with the purest of intentions....I really don't want to fight the she-devil today."

His attention fell back to Aria and she glanced at him and momentarily their eyes met and he gave her a small reassuring smile before placing a hand atop her head as the person from the shadows became closer. The girl flushed and Aura raged while Chloe stared wide eyed at them as he looked into her eyes again with a gentle calmness. He felt a small flare of danger and gave her a look of reassurance once more before he spoke softly to the girl.

"You can do it Miss Aria...I have faith you can."

Dan stared slackjawed at the absolute shitshow that was unfolding before him. The male of the group was making threats, turning his wristwatch into a whip or something, the two that looked like sisters were having mental breakdowns, and-- That's when he heard the man's words.

"The hell do you mean, 'you people'? You got somethin' against Americans, you limey fuck? Think you're better than me 'cause you call a cah an "auto" or whatevah the fuck? HUH?" Dan was beyond pissed now. "LEAST I AIN'T THE ONE TAKIN' GIRLS WITH ME TAH SECRET TUNNELS TAH FUCK 'EM. AIN'T THAT RIGHT? YOU'RE GONNA FUCK 'EM! RAPIST! RAAAAAAAAAAAAAPE!"

Dan started screaming, loudly. Definitely loud enough that the man searching for them above could hear. This limey fuck was in trouble.

Chloe scooted away from Aria when the girl sparked dangerously--if not for that helium bubble, she realized in plain shock, she could be dead or permanently disfigured--and cast Aura a spooked glance from wide green eyes. This evening had gotten just weirder and weirder, and she was starting to wonder if Jaden had been mistaken about being an iron elemental, and pondering the possibility that testosterone could be an element. She shook off the thought. This was a bad situation. Terrible. Perhaps unsalvageable.

She twitched slightly. It was getting hard to keep a cap on all the chlorine that wanted to billow out of her. She was forcing herself to breathe like a normal human being: Oxygen in, that's it, good good good! Now carbon dioxide out, no one wants to smell pool here. Gooooood. It was, however, increasing in difficulty.

Chloe stared right at Dan, who she wasn't happy with after the remark back in the café, and shouted over his ridiculous rape allegations, having forgotten for the moment about the terrifying man. "What is it you want, asshole?" Her eyes glinted subtly in the failing light. Chlorine wafted into the air. She stopped herself and remembered the possible kidnapper. Shit! Now he would not only hear them, but she was risking giving away their location with her swimming pool stink.

"What? I was talking about the fact that in one single day I've run into four people who can use element based powers! I have nothing against Americans! I AM AMERICAN! I JUST LIVE HERE!" Jaden snapped as the person stared at him.

God, he didn't need this person running his mouth right now - and then the idiot began running his mouth about the tunnel, and then he began screaming out rape. Jaden took a deep breath wishing he could breathe fire momentarily and then he looked to Aria who still stood beside him and was currently staring wide eyed and red faced at the man. Jaden really disliked people who jumped around like that and didn't read the situation. He felt an expression of tired annoyance come onto his face and he looked at the person.

"People like you make me feel like I need to go to a confessional....and I say that because there's a Church right there!"

He felt Aria faintly laugh as the other person sputtered and he felt himself beginning to question his sanity - and the sanity of the four Elementals with him. He then looked at the person and took in a deep breath.

"Who the hell are you anyways?" the person then shot him a disgruntled look. All the while Jaden felt as if he should just snatch the person up - maybe tie him up? - and drag him to Clay's home.

Aria bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, focusing on the gas streaming from her body. Pushing it forward into a wall in front of them, above them, something that would screen them off entirely. She heard what the man said and froze and looked up at him, terror rushing through her. But... Jaden wouldn't do that. He wouldn't. He certainly had plenty of opportunities, and even Aura couldn't stop him....
Aura lunged for the man, thankfully to trip and fall before she could get through the barrier of hydrogen. "You're one to talk, you bastard!" she shrieked, her skin gone bone-white, her blue eyes icy and furious. She held up her hands, fully intending to suffocate the man by wrapping him in helium.
"Aura, no!" Aria shouted, shoving her sister back to the ground lest she run through the barrier of flammable gas, breaking her sister's concentration and thus the bubble of helium around the man. Almost there... almost there...
Her left hand flicked out, she snapped her fingers. The sparks leaped onto the barrier, putting up a screen of fire that blocked everything behind it from sight. And then she fainted, falling against Jaden, only scarcely remembering that she said "Run." before the world went black over her.
Aura saw her sister collapse against Jaden, and was up on her feet in an instant, catching Aria, her eyes gone icy as she glared at Jaden. "I'll thank you for not making my sister do violence against the world!" she snapped, gathering Aria up in her arms, trying to suppress her own shaking.

"Thank me later!" with that he took off hearing the shouts of the person behind them as they bolted before diving behind a set of shrubs.

Aria was out cold, and admittedly he felt a little guilty as he looked at her and Chloe watched them as Aura shot death glares in his direction and he kept them down as someone ran by shouting into the night. As soon as they were gone he made them silently follow him through the tiny alleyway and then into a small back garden before he walked up to the backdoor of the large, old, brick Victorian house. There was a noise of someone shuffling, the sound of a few things breaking, and then the noise of a cat yelping as someone stepped on its tail and the person apologizing while they waited and Aura tried to keep her sister up. Jaden turned with a sigh and grabbed the tiny girl and pulled her into his arms while he saw the surprised and guarded expression from both girls while he waited for the door to open. In seconds, it swung open and there stood a man between his late thirties and early forties with a slightly scraggly beard - needing a good shave - a bit long hair, and askew circular wire frame glasses - dressed in a pair of night clothes, bedroom shoes, and a housecoat. he yawned and then looked at them.

"Hello what do you....MY GOD JADEN! WHAT HAPPENED?"

"We're being trailed....can you hide us for a bit?" the man nodded and swiftly they were taken into the shelter of the old home.

It was full of traditional nineteenth century decore and style, a warm fireplace lit in the living room and antique lights lining the walls and hallway where a rich oak stained staircase and waynescoating stood. The walls were plaster and original, a rung was at there feet and forward was another room, a dinning room and kitchen.

"Take a seat in the living room....I bring you all some tea and the first aid kit!" with that he was gone and Jaden moved to settled Aria on the sofa before he watched Aura settle next to her on the ground, Chloe sitting in a chair not far from her and Jaden settled himself before the fire to stretch out rather cat-like and then grab the poker to stoke the fireplace.

Why was he so eager to help these people? Was it because for the first time in forever, there was someone who actually knew what if felt like to be different? He sighed and moved to sit with his knees pulled to his chest for his head to rest on while he watched the three girls and waited for Clay to return with tea - don't ask him why - and a first aid kit. He supposed the twenty questions game was going to return now, and he took a deep breath.

"Questions?" he asked.

Chloe could only gasp and shudder out a breath of chlorine while throwing an arm over her eyes in order to shield them against the sudden wall of fire that Aria had created. After a split-second of disappointment that their pursuer hadn't had a chance to answer her question and the irritation at how lightly he seemed to take rape, she turned away, squinting to protect herself from the light of the flaming gas, and faced Aria, Aura and Jaden. In an instant she was at their side again, worrying over Aria. That girl was so young. She didn't deserve to die so soon. A fortunately chlorine-free sigh of relief came out when she realized that Aria was still breathing.

She followed them reluctantly into some middle-aged guy's house--something that made her very uneasy--and sat pensively on a chair, watching Aria and hoping anxiously that the girl would wake up and be alright soon. It wouldn't do to just sit here, though, not so close to where the incident had happened. There would be no time for talk. Chloe's mind was set.

"They'll know we're here," she said decisively, standing back up. "My chlorine smell, that hydrogen explosion, and that asshole's yelling were pretty much just screaming our presence." She narrowed her eyes at Jaden in an expression that challenged him to disagree. "I'm going to see if puffing out chlorine and running far away from here will put anyone off our trail." With that she strolled back toward the front door, whistling quietly. She'd had enough of being taken places she didn't want to be and told what to do.

Aura rose to her feet indignantly. "Yes, I have questions. What the hell was that about? Why were you touching my sister? What makes--What makes you think you have the RIGHT to touch my sister? To hold her like that? What makes you... What makes you think that this, that any of this, is okay with us? We have a family we need to go home to or they'll worry about us. What makes you think that we wanted to be rescued and dragged into this mess?" Her voice was rising, still pitched like she had inhaled a few lungfuls of helium. "We didn't want any of this. I don't know what compelled us to walk into your cafe today, and I don't understand what's happened this evening, and I'd like some answers of who you are and... Why you protected us. Because you could have run and just left us for that crazy person. You could have left us for that man to find and escaped yourself. And I'd rather like to know why."

"She's going to get us caught, does she realize that?" Jaden seemed to be thinking out loud - he knew he was, and though he hated admitting it, Chloe was right about finding a way of leading the guy away, but he failed to tell them a detail about Clay. Not that at the moment he was to concerned about that. His worries lied with the their safety, and how Aria was faring.

He was actually very glad to see she had been able to control her powers - he remembered how many times he accidentally warped something because of the Iron concentration - and that meant if she'd done it once, she could do it again. He thought momentarily and then looked at Aura who was watching her sister closely. And then she exploded on him and he felt himself sigh as the girl finished her high-pitched rant. Aura had a surprisingly powerful set of lungs on her.

"I was trying to keep her calm, and help her focus on her powers....I didn't mean to come off as offensive or perverted - I apologize. And I also don't know what compelled you and her to walk into the cafe today....maybe we're...drawn together like magnets? Who knows...."

There was a pause as he pondered her questions and then felt himself shiver as he recounted the words of Clay when he'd told him more about his element. It was as Chloe walked back into the room and kept a pensive look on him that he looked at the two girls.

"As for my actions....I never knew anyone was out there with powers like mine....I thought I was the only one...as for my choices? Its imbued into me based upon my element. In Alchemy...you know what that is right? Well...it...states that Iron is the most common metal...it is in everything, living or not....and because of that the elemental using it would have its traits right? Well...there's a reason for my choice to protect the three of you and keep you safe...the Alchemical people called my element Fe....the automic lettering is such...but there was another name for my element."

The two girls stared at him as he looked at them. This dated back centuries, and he knew it because of Clay and because of his father's research into the Alchemical texts in the years prior to his birth and the things he left after Jacob Thurston was left dead on a street corner with unexplainable wounds and singes.

"My element was called Fe - The Guardian. I might be distant and indifferent....but I want to protect people, and its hard when you don't know what your really capable of...I'm sure you've felt that way most of your life like myself....right? Aura? Chloe?"

The doors opened up upon the 5 elementals all together. Though they may not have taken notice to the tall, persian man smiling upon their presence. Mahmoud walked up to them, no fear in his face, the well dressed, slick black suit, with a tie red as the head of a matchstick. He chuckled a bit at the squabbling children as they argued and worried, though he was sure once they realized that he was in their vicinity. Josef had be right, they were indeed what he was looking for.

Jaden felt a discomforting energy and looked up locking eyes with a well dressed man who smiled as he got into a crouch and stayed prepared for what might come. Aura got close to Aria, and Chloe stared as he came closer and Jaden felt a sting of anger as he smugly walked into the room. The tension began to grow as Jade watched the business man, momentarily wondering how he got into the house and found them and where Clay had run off to.

"Who the hell are you?"

Jaden received no answer, but the three alert elementals stared onward at him as Jaden felt his iron bangle begin to stretch and slide down into a whip, it was in that second that he heard the man laugh and an unnatural chill reached through him as he looked at the others and then at the man. Was he - or worse they - going to have to fight this man? Was he like them? Jaden looked him over and he felt that ominous aura before something clicked with him and he stared at the man in a moment of shock and fear before his eyes narrowed.

"No....I remember you....." the man smiled and Jaden tensed all the while praying to anyone who would listen that the man would leave them alone for the time being - if he did that they would have a chance to escape and go into hiding. He felt the Iron on his body begin to form and wondered if just for a moment if he should stop it from forming over his teeth and to his nails - fangs and claws made of iron was a trick he had learned recently - but would he have to use it? God, he hoped not, Aura already didn't trust him and he got the feeling they were about to desperately need that trust.

"We're in for a world of trouble..."

Chloe didn't know why she'd come back, but she really wished she hadn't. She'd thought her idea was a pretty damn good one, and now as she recognized Mahmoud from before, her heart sank. Great. She really really really wish she'd left. Now what were they going to do? She looked at no one but the stranger, staring him in the eyes. Her heart hammered and she struggled not to start breathing chlorine again (she'd just calmed down!), but she was determined not to look scared. Her stone-faced stare was something she took pride in. Hopefully that jackass waiter wouldn't escalate things again, or ask for life details. Maybe this fancily-dressed man wasn't meant to be scary as he came off as?

Try to be calm. Just be cool. Be cool.

"Um...nice tie," she said hesitantly. Unlike the possible elemental who'd started yelling on the street, she was too intimidated to flat-out ask what Mahmoud wanted. She wondered how long it would take everyone in the room to die if she just blew out some chlorine and left. What a shitty thing to think.

"So, I said to him... Oh, look who it is! Hey, brother! The boys and I are over here!"

"Fargus! I'm glad you and your friends are settling down well! So, how did the doctor's appointment go?" Fargus's brother, Leo, made his way over to the shaded knoll Fargus and the gang were staying on. Fargus gave his brother a warm hug and a hefty pat on the shoulder.

"Ah, it turns out one of my ribs is basically all of the hard outer stuff. Like, no marrow or anything." Fargus shrugged. He knew very little about bones, but Gunther's constant lecturing about health certainly put some information in his head.

"That sounds serious. Fargus, I want you to take it easy for the next few weeks. With your ribs like this, I'm certain they won't heal properly. Hey, listen... why don't we stop by my office later today? If what the doctor says is true, I'm sure I can figure out just what's wrong. So, how are your friends doing?"

Peaches and Gunther shrugged. "We've been settling down easy. Haven't had any worries, all things considered!"

Leo nodded, and settled down next to Peaches. "I'm glad to hear that. Hey, feel free to splurge a bit; I've got plenty of money to burn, and I'm sure you'll put it to good use. The clinic's always had its fair share of old money coming its way."

"That reminds me. Why couldn't Fargus have come to you for a check-up?"

"I run a geriatric clinic, Gunther. Unless Fargus is lying about his age, what I can offer wouldn't be of much use to him. I only deal with elderly patients."
Leo glanced down at the lakeside, and saw a familiar face: Herschel Orenstein. "Oh, speaking of which, there's one of my clients now! Old Herschel's kind of a soursop, but you'd be surprised at how much he warms up to you if you're Jewish! Come on, I'll introduce you to him."

Leo, Fargus, Peaches, and Gunther made their way down to where Herschel Orenstein was. Leo, being the one most familiar to Herschel, greeted him.
"Hello, Mister Orenstein! I'm glad to see that you're out and about, despite your condition! I'd like to introduce you to my brothers: Fargus, Peaches, and Gunther! They've just recently emigrated from Scotland, so I've been showing them around! So, how have you been doing?"

@Professor_Wyvern

Jaden watched the man as he refused to answer - only smiling at them in a way that should have been fatherly, but was simply making his skin crawl - He smelt a chemical and instantly knew this man was one of them, and it outright terrified him. The others were watching, Aria barely awake as she frightfully watched the man in the doorway. As this took place Jaden's mind began to fly into panic mode. There were four of them, perfectly capable of taking him down if they pounced all at once - but with all the back and forth on trust between him and the three girls there was no way that was going to happen - therefore, he felt some discontent with what they could possibly do to stave off this man.

Then he heard Chloe muttering to herself and he focused on that while keeping his eyes on the man and his options open. There was fireplace cleaners and pokers by his side all made entirely of pure iron - he could easily use that if he wanted but he knew there was only so much that would come of that. His eyes remained trained as he tried to hear what the Chlorine Elemental was saying.

"Chlorine....Iron...and...what else..."

His mind flew to his father's chemistry work, his work in Alchemical History and his memory fixed on a term used in his textbook in high school prior to him coming to Oxford. The combination reaction between Chlorine and his own element - a type of flamable gas that would very much come in handy - if they survived the colorful blast. He considered it and felt himself shake in tension as he reasoned it out. The man was still keeping his eyes on them and that meant talking was out of the question, but getting huddled close to one another wasn't. Therefore, Jaden made a slight motion towards Chloe who was near to Aura - the three of them on an arms length from each other. He got close to Chloe and the girl stared at him on shock while he kept his eyes on him and his mind settled on trying to figure out what he could possibly do.

"If I activate my element and she breathes out the gas....then...maybe we can make that light a match term literal....please Chloe, take the hint!"

Hershel was napping. His head laid at the back of his wheel-chair and was slightly propped against his right shoulder. What with the weather at this time, truly it was the best time to sleep. For Herschel already fed the pigeons he wanted to feed. With a loud snore he suddenly woke back up, as he reached back for his respirator. He grabbed the mask attached to the apparatus and took a few deep breaths in.

He then placed the mask on his lap right next to his satchel. He turned to glance at the youngster, "See, didn't mind ya at all." He peered his eyes as he realized Dr Leo was there.

He gave a soft smile as he slowly moved his wheel-chair closer to Leo. "Doc, you Haimisher mensch, didn't expect you out here." Before he decided to answer Leo's question, he peered at the group next to him.

"Your brothers huh, so this is your Mishpocha? Scotland you say? That isn't the most kosher place." He peered at Fargus, Peaches, and Gunther for a few moments, judging them of their worth. He slowly lifted up his left hand and wagged his index finger, "You boys attending your Synagogue? The temples here are far better than, Scotland. I'd be surprised if there was even a single temple there. I hope you kids are doctors, you don't wanna disappoint your grandmotha do ya?"

He glanced at Leo as he spoke up, "How am I? Today seems to be going alright, but I know I'm gonna be disappointed by the end of it! Oh my grandkids will fail to leave a single message for me. I'm bound to run into some zhlubs with their pants down around their ankles, and playing on their skateboards on the sidewalks." Herschel shook his head, "Damn kids these days. Bit of a pain in my neck, but other than that, all seems relatively normal. You got me on the schedule now for my next appointment don'tcha? It seems to be the only time my kids seem to contact me. 'Oh Herschel, have you made sure you got your check-up?'. Feh, but they never seem to have the time to just go to a delicatessen and have some nice corned beef, or some soup."

Herschel frowned at the thought.

Mahmoud spoke up as the elementals seemed to be getting suspicious of his presence. "My apologies if I have upset you, I was merely responding to a phone call that my associate had made to me."

Mahmoud adjusted his tie, before opening his jacket to show he was not armed (as far as they could tell). "You see, I'm the leader of a group that is in need of people with special talents. Talents like yours. I assure you that my company pays well, and I am free with my money when it comes to my close companions." Mahmoud spoke confidently.

Outside, a group of 5 of Mahmoud's personal guardsmen, a hodgepodge of russian gansters, ex iranian soldiers, Afghans from tribal groups and even a few ex extremists now allied only to Mahmoud's fortune. Ready to raid in if their leader gave the signal.

"And why should we trust you?" Jaden spoke up and kept a close eye on the man now that he'd talked at long last.

Offering to pay them for some kind of service while using their abilities - why did this scream criminal mastermind? Jaden didn't really need an answer from the man as he watched him and prayed Chloe and Aura caught onto what he was wanting to do. One good blast or a burst of toxic smoke would be their only chance to escape this man. And then something came to mind - what if this guy had people outside? What then? Jaden took in a deep breath and placed a hand at Chloe's back causing her to glance his way while he gave her a look - pleading with her to get what he was trying to do as she stared between himself and the man.

Aura was watching as well, Aria barely awake and watching them in fear as the man looked them over - meeting each of their eyes and lingering on himself and the two sisters. What was he planning? What was about to happen? Could they save themselves? Or would someone else have to save them? Jaden felt himself gulp at the other alternative - they weren't going to be saved, this man was going to get them, take them somewhere and they would potentially never be seen again. With a glance at Aria he took a deep breath and made a rather bold choice.

"Chloe...I'm sorry!" before she could say anything he slapped her and she turned a cold eye to him and she puffed out a small cloud of chlorine gas.

If he was lucky he could use his element and - though it made his stomach knot up at the idea - get Aria into a panic and if he did - they could escape in the confusion. A spark lit the air and he grinned as he felt the bangle around his wrist stretch and slither out to form the iron whip. With just the right amount of friction he could heat the iron, use the spark and gas and they could get out.

"We didn't come this far to just get caught!"

Leo Oberschmidt gave a panicky little smile, one that has been trained and tempered through years of fast-paced Yiddish translation, blind-yet-calculated agreement, and nights spent poring over books on Hebrew culture in preparation for hideously vague philosophizing on today's kids and how they relate to the Chosen People. Leo did what he always does, and lied outright. Leo's eyes took on a glazed sheen as he spoke.
"Herschel, I've told you about my brother before. They're both devout Progressives. I know how you feel
about them, but I'm sure I've managed to bring them into the fold bit by bit. Since they just left, they haven't had a chance to practice mikvah just yet, but I've already given them the basics. Don't you worry about old Fargus and his friends, I've got them under control."

Peaches, himself a practicing Roman Catholic, attempted to complain, but was quietly but firmly shushed by Fargus. "Quiet," Fargus whispered, "this guy is, from what I've heard, one hell of a chatterbox. With him, it's gonna be 'yes, sir' only, got it?" Peaches's conspiratorial nod told Fargus all he needed to know.

Gunther played along, and grunted exaggeratedly in agreement with Herschel. "Tell me about it! I've always hated how these kids act like they're hot shit. They look like absolute idiots, and don't even know it!" Gunther always knew how to talk to elders, considering his upbringing. Living in a house with your whole extended family for company does wonders to your multi-tasking skills!

Leo sighed in relief, and grinned at Herschel. "Mister Orenstein, I'm glad your children are talking to you. You know, I know quite a few people whose children have abandoned them entirely! If you ever need someone to talk to, you know who to find!"