The expressionless guy introduced himself as Chris, meanwhile the stone man didn't seem to acknowledge Renat. But as Renat listened to the rock man, he realised there was a whole side to this mutant thing he hadn't really thought about before. Since he had discovered his power, he had been so focused on being upset by it and wishing it away. He'd heard of mutants on the news pretty often, but never actually given them much thought. There were some people that had more reason to hate their abilities than him. And at least his was hidden and did not bother him as long as he did not, consciously or unconsciously, trigger anything. It would be hard, since he'd normally be daydreaming regularly or imagining something he was making a picture of, but he'd survive... hopefully.
Lost in his thoughts, he did not notice Cassie stirring. He got a small fright when Cassie suddenly woke. He was a tad offended and confused that she did not recognise, after she had jumped in front of a shock net for him, but he put it down to her having just woken from some sort of teleport-induced energy-deprivation. And the stone man, Ryan it seemed, did not seem to be paying too much attention to anything - even his sister's request for a phone.
Chris, however, brought Renat's train of thought back to where it was before, but this track was headed in a slightly different direction. Yes, these abilities were a pain, but Chris had a point. They had them, so they might as well use them. Cassie can teleport, that saved me from the net and helped them escape a bunker prison. Chris can read people's bodies like a book, which could help immensely in healthcare. Ryan is probably super strong and or durable, being made of rock. Edith can do weird stuff... Probably something useful. And I can... uh... escape stun cuffs... Renat realised he had yet to find something useful he could do.
Again zoning out, Renat caught only the tail end of what Edith had begun to say to him. Why would she need to restart her life, she's only a teenager... Edith continued to echo his earlier thoughts of the U.S.F. trying to shove 'abnormals' under the carpet, but she then reminded them that they needed to get a move on. Renat then followed the others, his usual quiet self.
When they entered Edith's hideout, Renat felt an impulse to touch and figure out how everything worked. Instead he restrained himself, going and standing near the corner closest to the door and avoiding touching anything. The amount of dust meant this place must have been abandoned for years. Decades, maybe. Yet it still had a slightly cosy feel to it. He chuckled softly, thinking of how - when he a lot younger, - he'd often pretended he had a secret base, plotting the downfall of mean kids. First those on Mars would fall, then all on Earth and the moon too. He had never acted out his plans, unfortunately. They probably would not have gotten far anyway.
