Ellie spent a good 5 more minutes inside the museum before deciding to head off. She pulled out her phone and send a message to her Dad, reading: 'Home in 20 minutes, do you want me to pick up some groceries while I'm At it?" Ellie pressed sent and awaited at response, all the while walking outside of the museum. She couldn't help but look at the closest security camera, peering into it curiously. "I wonder who's behind the security cameras..." Ellie muttered. She shrugged it off and continued to make her way out of the museum, still with that thought in mind.

Sebastian jumped slightly when he heard another voice behind him. Turning around and seeing the man standing there, complimenting his power. "Oh...thank you." He said as he twisted his shoe on the ground as if he were trying to squish a bug. When he looked up, he saw the man had stunningly dark eyes, forcing Sebastian to continue looking down. He tried to speak more but all that would come out were hushed whispers. When the man commented on Hugo he lifted the rabbit and looked at its face. "Oh, heh. This is just Hugo. He's a stuffed rabbit I got when I was younger. He and I have been through a lot together." Said Sebastian confidently until he realized he just told this man that he had shared hard times with a stuffed rabbit. "I'm Sebastian by the way." He whispered, offering to shake the man's hand.

Eli took the kids hands and shook it firmly. "Sebastian huh, named for Saint Sebastian, meaning venerable, nice name. My mother named me Elijah, Elijah Ford." He let go of the boys the hand and stood next to him. "So, tell me more about your conduit power. It seems really interesting, I don't think that I've ever seen anything like that... Ever now that I think of it. Also, your rabbit is kinda creeping me out a little." He had seen a lot of different powers, elemental, lights, even smoke. Yet they were all made of something tangible, finite, something that you see or feel. It was amazing to see something that wasn't perceptible be controlled.

Sebastian blushed and stuck Hugo in his backpack. "Just for a while, Hugo." He whispered to the rabbit before zipping up the bag. Turning back to Elijah, Sebastian made eye contact and then looked down again. Recalling what Augustine told him when she performed many tests on him, he explained his power. "Well I uh." Sebastian hesitated for a moment, what if he scared this guy? Well he asked. "When people die they give off a special energy and I sort of manipulate it into these ghost things. The people at Curdun Cay said it was called Phantasm Manipulation." Sebastian hoped this guy wouldn't just reject him like everyone else. His power was sort of on the darker side but it wasn't his fault. All he wanted was to be loved by someone. He felt a twinge of guilt when he remembered his foster parents and how they "Loved" him. Why didn't that feel like enough for him? It felt almost fake. "Are you a conduit?" He asked kicking an invisible rock.

Eli patted the kid on the back somewhat roughly. "Let me guess, your conduit power isn't something people all that crazy about, huh? You blame them, it is kinda creepy, utterly bad ass and unique, but still completely creep." Eli started to look around and see who was watching them. He was half expecting someone to scream pedophile or child molester before too long. "Check this out kid." he raised is hand to the kids eye level, the sounds of birds chirping could be heard as the palm the of his hand came to light and a ten second show started. Lighting came out of his hand soon took the form of a stick figure, for the duration of the show the stick figure did a little goofy dance.

He was never able to get too much detail out of things like but he always had fun when did it. He always thought it was an impressive display of control over what he considered an uncontrollable force. Though it was simple and stupid for the most part. Eli never grew tired of things like this, it was always mesmerizing to him. Ever second of it was a wonderful thing that he wished could go on for another, and another after that. Yet the noncons were always a little scared about it. He had trouble faulting them for it. Here some crazy ass lunatic stands with a with a child controlling a force of nature that was hotter than the surface of the sun. He smiled as the show came to an end. "I love doing that. Though I think some women like it a whole lot more." The mischievous grin and the wink said a lot more than he did,

Sebastian stared in awe at the little stick figure dancing across Eli's palm. Gently laughing whenever it did something funny. "That's so cool! How do you do that?" He asked, amazed by the control it must take to use an ability to that level. He was still smiling when the stick figure faded away and the small dance was over. Although, when he heard Elijah's comment it made him blush and he stared back at the ground. "That's pretty cool. All I can do is scare people to death...literally. Sometimes I wish I had a nicer power. Maybe I could shoot rainbows of love and happiness at people. But instead I get stuck manipulating the energies of dead people. What kind of power is that?" He asked as he conjured a miniature reaper phantasm in the palm of his hand. Staring at it intently before crushing it as a hissing sound emerged from his closed fist followed by a ghastly green vapor.

"Dude you're still a kid, you got plenty of time to learn how to use that power of yours. You just said you can manipulate it. It's your power, you define what it is and what it isn't." Eli said with a shrug of his shoulders dismissing any feelings that the kid might have attached to his statement.

He remembered all the times that conduits told him that he would be nothing more than a wanna be Cole McGrath. How pissed it made, and how much it bothered them. Even within the walls of Curdun Cay thats what they wanted out of him, what they trained him to be. He hated every second of it. Every second of them trying to make him into something he didn't want to be or had no use being. He was never going to do their bidding and he knew deep down he was not a hero, nor some savior of man. He wasn't Cole, he never wanted to be.

Most of the cab ride seemed to be in silence before they stopped at the address that she had given the cab driver which was a medium sized concrete building. "Ah home sweet home," Scorn said, paying the cab driver and getting out, waiting on Sam before walking forward and talking ",It's not much but I'm looking at some other places as well, for now this is the main place while the others ar..." She stumbled as something scuttered by her feet and she shot a shadow bolt at it annoyed.

"Damn Dustman, I told him not to leave his toys wandering about," she said slightly annoyed ",He's a conduit as well. Metal manipulation. Favorite thing are those crab or spider or whatever metal creatures. Good alarm system but they can be annoying. Just watch your step sometimes."

She went up the steps and knocked on a door, a makeshift hole in the door opened and then closed. The door then opened itself with them being greeted by one of the white hooded Reaper conduits."Ah good to see you guys made it back after whatever you did, you know Sam, she'll be staying with us so be good." As usually they didn't say anything, she wasn't sure what Sasha had done to them but they never spoke from what she knew, or if they did speak it was mostly a jumbled mess of gibberish that she didn't pay much attention too, as long as they understood her and obeyed they were perfectly fine.

"So you want the grand tour or just find a room?" she turned to Sam.

Sam was surprised at how similar Scorn's story seemed to be to her own. Sam didn't even really think about the unlimited power of controlling shadows until she realized how Augustine had to neutralize Scorn. At least she'd found a kindred spirit in New York. "I think I'll have the grand tour. No use finding a room in this place if you can't really navigate I suppose."
Sam shrugged, watching the white hooded Reapers with interest. She wondered if they could even talk at all, or if they were just silent because it suited them better. She hoped it was latter, she couldn't imagine being silent all the time because she had no choice. She waved at them as she waited for Scorn to start the tour. The Reapers seemed nice, not like a gang at all, really.
Sam didn't really think she didn't have a choice whether or not to join them, but she felt compelled to do so. They had a nice place to stay, and didn't seem to be all that aggressive. Maybe they were secretly heroes, like in her comics. Sam had always wanted to be a hero like those guys, but it seemed that her powers prevented her from doing so. Maybe with the Reapers she could change the way things were, and gain new control over her powers. She could be a hero, here.

"All right then lets begin here," Scorn said entering a large area ",This is where all the plans and other things come into play, still needs some organization but for now it works which is nice. Dustman has hacked some of the camera's around town which over there can be watched as survelliance, still some minor glitches but nothing to bad or hard to fix, Dusty just needs to go and tamper with the wires some more at night."

She pointed over on one side of the room where a desk was set up with a few monitors all with different videos playing and watching those who walked under the camera's gaze."For hopefully catching one of those Syndicate scum," Scorn added before moving on ",This is where also the kitchen and dinning area is, whoever had this before us never quite seemed to of finished it but at least the bedrooms were done above which can be found by going up the staircase over there." She once more pointed another area across the room where staircase lead up to the next floor."

"Oh what else? That wall is my planning wall or at least telling the others what needs to be done and then the door over there leads to an interrogation room, whenever we do find one of these Syndicate guys we need answers so that's what that is for," she said ticking off her fingers and pondering what else needed to be shown ",Oh and that entrance way over there leads to another living area, has a TV a few books, and a couch, for those moments when we aren't so busy or bored. Now I guess it is time to head upstairs."

With that she disappeared and then reappeared by the staircase, waiting fo Sam before coming up."So the first six rooms are taken by me and the others but you have free choice of the other four and feel free to do what you want with it. This is my room in case you need anything and I'm not downstairs or out and about, probably find me here organizing thoughts and plans. The next few are the conduit guys. This is white reaper 1's room, then white reaper 2's room, oh and here is the Dustman's room," she said, as they could hear some mindless gibberish of the Dustman talking with metal scraping ",Mostly leave him be at times, he is a bit of a grouch. Then it's the three orange Reapers. So for now that's about everything here, busy expanding and making things better over time of course." She noted in her head she had to give the guys names. For her it was rather easy to tell them a part oddly enough for who they were but she began to realize calling them reaper 1 and reaper 2 wasn't going to cut it with new recruits. She added that to her to do list.

"Oh and don't worry about the other Reapers and the Dustman right now. They don't talk from what I know. No idea what the last Reaper leader did. I think mind control or something but they don't seem to have the ability of speech after it and mostly speak in gibberish. You'll get use to it," Scorn said with a shrug.

Sam watched as Scorn pointed out the features of the base. Maybe she had been a little hopeful in the whole hero bit, but Sam had convinced herself that the Syndicate guys had deserved this. They were hurting people, and she couldn't just let that slide. As they came to Reaper's and Dustman's rooms, Sam was sad that the previous leader had all but rendered these guys mute.

"Can they write? Maybe we could ask if they have names already." Sam asked, after Scorn said that the underlings mostly spoke gibberish. "I just think that it's a shame that they were forced to be like this."

Sam sighed and realized that it couldn't be helped that they couldn't speak, but at least she had somewhere to crash for the time being. Scorn said she could decorate the room to Sam's tastes, but all of the Sam's worldly possessions were in her bag and on her person. She didn't even have a change of clothes at the moment, but she figured she'd do something about it later. Clothes could be washed, but food couldn't just appear out of nowhere.

"I should go up to my room and drop off my bag, then. I don't really own much, so decoration isn't something that I usually do. Besides, when all this Syndicate business is done, I wanna move on. Maybe I'll go see Canada next. I hear Niagara Falls is nice, and I'm just no good at staying in one place." Sam had thought about settling down once before, but the two problems were obvious right off the bat. One, she was Conduit with fearsome powers, and two, she didn't like sitting in small rooms for a long time. She'd miss the sky every night, and the fresh air blowing across her face.

"all right but a room is always open if you ever want to come back," Scorn said though on the inside she was disappointed that Sam wouldn't stay. She needed people who would stay longer then just finishing off the Syndicate and moving on. Perhaps she could still somehow convince her but that would be something to do at a later date.

"As for the others, yes they can write so it probably would be wise to ask names, they just never bothered to try and write them down before when I found them," she shrugged. She never had been all to interested to learn their names whatever they were ",I wouldn't say they were forced to be like this, from the little I found out in Empire City, most of the Reapers and the Dustmen chose to follow there respected leaders, mind control was just part of the first Reaper leaders means of making sure they didn't change their minds after they chose to follow her. As for the Dustmen, I don't really know why they don't speak well, perhaps the first leader did something to them as well."

"Still as for your room do whatever you want with it, even if you don't have much you can probably think of something to do with it," Scorn added. Her room, which no one ever saw, was covered with drawings, nothing to fancy but some would find them disturbing no doubt. She did it to keep her sanity, or what little bit she had of it so she wouldn't loose herself entirely. Yet despite it's disturbing appearance on the walls, it was well organized and all her items were kept in specific locations oddly. The contrast between the walls and the organization of the room was somewhat ironic. She could care less on the disorganization of the appearance of the walls but the floor and items had to be in the right places.

Her world burned in front of her eyes. Years of work and hiding were disappearing in front of her in an instant. She had nothing left and nothing to show for what she'd been through. The sirens could be heard looming closer to her, she instantly muted it out. Silence

Within the fire, her friends screamed. They expected Nadiya to help them, to save them from the inferno. But what could she do? She wasn't fireproof. She had warned her roommates not to touch her lab, to not enter her room without permission. Later, the firefighters would find out that it was a bunsen burner from a meth lab that started the fire. Apparently, someone forgot to shut it off, causing the entire motel to burn at the lighting of a cigarette. Nadiya didn't look away. She just stared at it, trying to let it all sink in.

I've lost everything.

She didn't see her friend get blasted out the window at the explosion of the fire, but she did see a char coaled body laying on a bush in front of the building. The other tenants of the building screamed as they rushed out of their rooms. Some were too high or too smashed to leave their rooms, causing them to burn as well. To Nadiya, none of that mattered.

My computer.

Months of work and coding lost. Scripting and chemical formulas destroyed. Math equations and torrented programs erased. Years worth of data have been lost, all thanks to the incompetence of a single acquaintance. This is why she'd rather live alone. Other people simply get in the way. Silence. All I want is silence.

The remaining people in the building, trapped by the flames of the fire, lost all hope of survival upon seeing Nadiya leave. Without any remorse or hesitation, she turned away from the building and walked into the streets of the city, letting the firefighters finish their job.

Sam nodded at what Scorn said. At least these guys were with her now, and not with that old leader. She sounded like a terrible boss to have. "Well, I suppose they're a bit better off now. At least they have some free will to stay or go." Sam hoped. Sam had to remind herself she knew very little about Scorn's actual personality. Sam figured that the other girl was being too friendly to act like this all the time.

"I'll just put my stuff in the room." with that, Sam slipped into the nearest room and placed her dirty bag on the bed. Sam wasn't sure she could stand sleeping on it, even temporarily. She hated beds, which was mostly why she slept anywhere. It reminded her of her time in Curdon Cay too much. Even now she could imagine large cement hands reaching up from the sides of the bed to hold her in place while she felt her consciousness slipping away. Sam suppressed a shiver. No, this was different. Softer, like a large marshmallow.

Yeah, and the dresser's made of licorice. Sam chided herself. Don't grow attached. This is still dangerous. Sam quickly folded her spare jacket and placed it in the top drawer. When that was done, she took out her 'collection' of comics. It was five stained/torn/damaged comics that she liked to read. She placed them on the dresser, and sat on the bed. It was comfortable, at least. She reflected on the events of the day. Rogue Conduits, the Syndicate, and the museum lead. It all moved so fast, she was glad for the brief respite from it all. She sighed and grabbed her now empty bag to head back out to find Scorn.

Scorn smiled as Sam went and chose a room. Perfect. Even if Sam didn't stay at least part of her plan was working, gaining support. Oh the conduits might of had free will on leaving, but how they left was up to Scorn. After all with the Syndicate about and those norm sympathizing Conduits, she couldn't let everyone go unless they swore some form of allegiance to her. The Reapers and Dustman were easy enough to control, the Reapers worshiped her like some reincarnation of the original leader and the Dustman had no one else to turn to. As for new recruits well an act was easy enough to pull off, make them believe what they need to first and then test them, to weed those that aren't good enough for the group. Though she did hope Sam would see her way, she had a unique form of powers.

She went down the stairs to her fellow Reapers."So do you three get another one of those small fry Syndicate sympathizers?" she asked with some authority. They made some noises that she had learned by now meant no. She frowned and her hands went into fists ",Fine but you better next time, you got it. The Syndicate wants to send a message to Conduits, well I have a message for them but I need one of them, small or large in their ranks." She wasn't thrilled her minions weren't successful. She wanted to get things moving faster then they were and her plan was to methodical to throw out the window.

"Oh also write down your names at some point if you remember them," she said, her hands uncurling from fists as she calmed herself. No she couldn't let loose yet, not entirely. Not until she was certain Sam was staying for good or was at least on their side ",Guess it would be better then just calling you Reaper Orange One and so forth. Do it soon will you too. Are new guest would like it. Also report if the news gets anything on our little message of the billboard. I'm still waiting to see if that was seen yet." She would be surprised if no one had seen it yet. It should stick out like a sore thumb.

Thanks to the 'grand tour' from earlier, Sam was able to make her way back downstairs to the main room. She stopped just before entering, listening to the apparent meeting. She heard that the Reapers were grabbing Syndicate goons to show off as a message, though Sam wasn't sure what kind. It would be useful to have someone who knew the ins and outs of the Syndicate.

Sam also made a note on checking the news for the billboard. It had been quite impressive, and she wanted to see how the world would receive such a thing. When they all cleared out, Sam emerged from the stairs, pretending to not have heard anything. If Scorn was going to keep secrets and play cat and mouse with her true activities, then Sam would play along.

"I didn't have much to unpack, so do you still wanna visit the museum? Might be a good idea to see what the Syndicate's up to there. Or we could hire a few detectives to spy on the place for us, leave a few red herrings for the Syndicate to chase. Whatever you think is the best plan of action, really." Sam didn't want to cross Scorn, so it was better to let the woman be in charge and feel like she had power when in reality, she did not. Sam at least, hoped that she could keep playing along.

She just hoped that no norms would be hurt. She didn't care for them, but if she was on their good side then it wouldn't be so bad to be a Conduit in a city of norms. Sam had no pretenses of them being naive about her powers, but Sam still hoped that the plan of winning hearts and minds would work. After all, it worked for Delsin and Cole, why not her?

Scorn once more put the mask of being a sane person on and smiled."Oh Sam that's good to hear," she said when Sam mentioned she was done unpacking ",I was just conversing with are fellow friends. They will give there names on paper when they get the chance by the way. As for what to do well, I guess the museum wouldn't be a bad idea but I'll have to sneak in. I got into some trouble lets say awhile back by accident." It was far from being an accident in reality. She had been caught carrying something out when she was still new to the city and wasn't allowed back in but hardly anyone would stop her if she found a means back inside.

"I guess it wouldn't be so bad, there was some mention of a new Conduit exhibit," Scorn said. She was actually interested and uninterested by it really. She didn't entirely know what to expect out of it. Would it talk about just the norm hugging Conduits or give some insight on other Conduits? Ones like Sasha or Alden Tate, the heads of the Reapers and Dustmen. She hoped so but partially doubted it. Though she was in control of the group now, the past of either group was rather foggy and untold to her besides the little she had found out.

"Guess you boys will have the rest of the day off besides the few things I asked of you just a few minutes before," she said ",Also taking Dusty with you whatever you do. He sits in his room to often playing with his toys, I would rather see him get out. Oh I forgot to mention earlier, pick up that camera also. For the plans after all. Other then that have fun." If the Reapers could actually speak she wondered if they ever got confused by the change of personalities, though she highly doubted they did since they just went about whatever she said to do, no matter what personality.

"Shall we go find another cab then?" she then asked Sam, heading to the door. She just had to hope Sam hadn't heard anything mentioned before, if she did well that was going to put a wrench in her plans but that didn't matter. She could still keep Sam there as long as she needed and if she tried to leave, well she would have to find her way in the dark and shadows, the element Scorn was used to.

Deep down though another side of her fought in her, something that hadn't been there for years, the self that died in her past. It had come back again, struggling against the shadows that now rested in her icy heart but it was fighting for freedom little to Scorn's knowledge. Seems Chloe wasn't entirely dead after all in her.

Sam kept a neutral face on as she heard Scorn talk. It was like she'd done a one eighty. I guess I was right. Her personality switches depending on what she wants… Sam however, didn't show any signs of being nervous. She'd almost had been suspicious about the other's openness and hospitality. For a gang leader, she'd been quite charismatic. The fact that Scorn was hiding the underbelly of her organization meant that Scorn wanted Sam bad enough to lie.

"Yeah, let's go find a taxi. I should be able to go inside easily, since I look like tourist." Sam shifted her jacket, and noticed a stain on the inside. Blood. "I'll, him have to keep my jacket zipped up though. Fighting always leaves my jackets stained on the sleeves and inside."

She mentally checked her blood bag tubes. It was all in order, and she supposed that in order to really make sure everything was coming out as she wanted it to, she'd have to pull all the blood out first. "Oh, you wanted me to demonstrate my power earlier. I need to make sure my blood bag isn't leaking, so I could show you what I can do. I might get messy, so is there anywhere that I won't spear an innocent lamp or something?"

Sam smiled. A real smile. Even if Scorn was crazy, killing Sam made very little sense. Sam was the rook on the chessboard, able to move all around if she so chose, and enemies didn't know about her yet. She had to be used in an emergency, and could cover Scorn should the Syndicate need it. It was strange, even if she was in unknown territory with a psychopath, at least Sam was useful. Besides, the Reapers would be a useful tool for destroying the Syndicate.

"No nothing really to worry about here, if something breaks we can replace it," Scorn said with a wave of her hand though somewhat thrilled to see what Sam's abilities were. Blood was something she had never heard anyone controlling so she wanted to see what it was like.

"Do what you need to and I shall watch," She said happily waiting for the show to begin. This is what she wanted to see the most, other conduit's gifts. Stuff that they shouldn't be afraid of but embrace, to show how the dominated over the norms and were the next step in a new beginning for the world. Norms would go extinct only leaving conduits to rule. That was why Cole and Delsin were weak, they took pity on the norms when they should show how they dominated them, that the norms should show respect to conduits for they were what they could never be in this life, the next step in the chain. They needed to learn there place in society, that they were now only on this planet to serve them in a lower manner while the conduits would shape the world for them.

Nadiya respectfully shook the hands of one of the security guards. The bag of powder slipped into the guards hand while wad of cash was traded into Nadiya's hand. They nodded to each other, and Nadiya entered the museum.

Nadiya wanted to count how much he gave to her, but counting out a stack of twenties in public is never a good idea. Instead, she needed to wait. To make it seem like she was truly a tourist and not some terrorist trying to scout the area.

Nadiya looked at the exhibits and displays while carefully memorizing the context behind each of them. She'd rather not be there, but she may as well make her time there productive. Upon closer inspection at one of the paintings, a security guard spoke to her.

"Excuse me." Said the guard, "You're standing to close to that."

Nadiya nodded to the man, and walked away from the exhibit. Strangely though, the guard followed her out. Walking through the conduit section of the museum, she was surprised to notice that the guard was still following her. Obviously, Nadiya didn't freak out. She walked around as naturally as possible make sure the guard wasn't suspicious of her.