arrays | [ open ] we'll keep dancing til we die

New York City is full of beautiful people. It's this fact that allows Lydia her camouflage as she moves through the club. She's just another beautiful face, lost in a sea of bobbing bodies, controlled by the beat of the music.

Lydia isn't listening to the music. She traces a path along the edge of the dance floor, listening with her mind, rather than her ears. She had sensed the budding Break Out and it had brought her here, to the club. Ignoring the throb of the music, she curses her petite height as she scans the crowd, trying to find him. Him? Yes. Definitely him.

Even in a club like this, Gale stands out, if only for his height. He's one of the taller people in here, and he's already gotten plenty of attention from the ladies here, whether they express it outwardly or he just so happens to "hear" it. Sometimes it's hard to stop from hearing the thoughts of those around him, but it doesn't always hurt. It's gotten him more than a few hookups since it started - nothing permanent, nothing real, nothing that matters - and he's taken full advantage of these developing powers and plans to continue. He's already found ways for them to help his family. Using them for a little fun never hurt.

He feels her attention more than he hears it for once, instinctively turning to see who it is. And, Gale realizes, she's a bombshell, with something in her eye that tells him she's here for something more than a dance or two. Maybe she'll be the one tonight, he wonders idly, offering her a faint smile as he opens his mind to listen.

I wouldn't mind dancing with you, actually. But we have more important things we need to talk about.

Her smile doesn't falter, even as her mind registers surprise. Lydia's a strong enough telepath, but putting her thoughts into the minds of others always requires just a touch of push, and the ease with which she's able to slip into Gale's mind takes her aback.

Inclining his head, Gale doesn't even register the possibility that she may be like him. As far as he can tell, he's simply reading one girl's mind in a sea of them, with plenty close by echoing the same sort of thought - let's dance. He can sense the surprise from her, but only muses on it briefly as he approaches with a smile.

"Too busy to dance?" he asks. Best to play off what he heard as if he'd gotten the impression that she had somewhere else to be, he'd learned. That way, it doesn't come off so creepy.

"I told you. We have more important things to talk about." Up close, how tall he is becomes immediately apparent, and it makes it difficult for her to keep an easy eye on their surroundings. But also - the connection with his mind, something about him makes her feel tugged toward him, and it's like nothing she's felt from all the other Breakouts she's helped.

But another consciousness tugs at the corner of her brain, and without having to delve too deep, she's certain - Ultra is here. She needs to get someplace where she can look around, and try to get an idea of an exit strategy.

"But let's dance anyway." she says abruptly, grabbing his hand and pretty much trying to haul him onto the dance floor. She can buy time by blending into the crowd.

Eyes narrowing, his immediate thought is to wonder if she's like him - after all, he can't be the only one, right? So even as she pulls him to the dance floor, he ventures to ask, You can hear me?

"Why the change of heart?" he asks aloud, sinking into the routine of the dancing with some unknown girl in a random bar. The rhythm is easy to match, but she seemed determined to get him out of here, and not for the same reason as most of the other girls that drag him off somewhere.

She has to lift her feet a bit because he's so tall, but now that they're among the throng she's a little less worried about being immediately spotted. She tilts her head back so she can look at him, but also so he can see the fact that her mouth isn't moving.

Yes, I can hear you. And you can hear me. And the change of heart is because Ultra is on its way and you don't want them to catch you. Did you think you were the only person this has happened to?

Aloud, she remarks conversationally, "Wanna get out of here?"

Dancing is a little difficult to focus on when you're in the middle of a telepathic conversation like this, but Gale manages to keep swaying to the music regardless.

No, he replies, the scoff clear even in his thoughts. I knew there had to be others, I just didn't know where. And I've never heard of Ultra.

It's easy to guess why they would want to catch him, though, even if the intentions for doing so remain cloudy. Gale is not a big fan of having his freedom taken away, however, and it sounds like that's what they're out to do.

"Okay," he says. "What did you have in mind?"

It's not too difficult for Lydia, but she's been at this longer.

"We need to leave." she says, "And before we can get far away enough we need to get out of this building." It's the reason she's slowly drawing him to the edge of the floor.

Seizing his hand, she starts to tug him through the throng. Ultra is dedicated to finding us and capturing us. They either turn us against each other or take away our powers completely.

He follows without protest, but not without a healthy dose of suspicion. How do I know you're not just like them?

How can Gale really trust her, even if she is like him? Why would anyone catch and turn them against each other? And for that matter, how could anyone take away their powers?

It's only been a minute or two, and already he's full of questions.

Because -

She starts to explain, but then surprise genuinely registers on her face as she grips his forearms and with surprising force, manages to whirl him around so that their positions are reversed. That plainly isn't enough though, as seemingly out of nowhere she lifts up as best she can given his height, wraps her arms around his neck, and proceeds to kiss him thoroughly. It's a diversionary tactic, one would assume.

Except with the connection of such intimate contact, it also opens up a door into her mind. Flashes - of Lydia watching her parents argue, of her father leaving. Of her mother promising her that she's not strange, she's brilliant and special, of the black van that showed up at their door and her mother screaming at her to run just as one of the ULTRA agents shoved a needly into her mom's shoulder.

Lydia in the streets just after her breakout, using her powers to keep herself alive, to keep herself from being caught. Getting cornered in an alley by ULTRA. Her rescue. Flashes of the underground lair, but by this point Lydia understands what's happening and begins to gently but firmly push Gale out of her mind, even after the certainty that maybe she enjoyed that kiss way more than she should have lingers like perfume as their thoughts slide away from each other.

Unsuspecting, Gale is too surprised to argue when she pulls him down into a heated kiss. Having gone through this with a number of girls before, however, the hesitation is short, and in no time he's snaking his arms around her waist.

And then come the flashes, and his attention on the kiss fades as he tries to process it all. There's a lot happening and Gale can feel it bringing his own memories to the surface - the man at the door bringing news of his father's death five years ago, having to find a job to help support the family and keep them all alive and together, the day he discovered his powers and suddenly everything seemed so much easier...

But then he's being pushed away, and he's too confused to fight it.

"What," he asks quietly when they finally break apart, "was that?"

"That was an ULTRA agent about to spot you and try to scan your mind." Her gaze darts slightly to the side of him. "I think we can try to slip out now. When we go, don't turn your head, but if you look on your right, you'll see her."

She looks up at him. "Gale," she says fervently, "I'm trying to help you." She holds out her hand. It may just seem like she's a girl who's about to make a guy very lucky. In a way, she kind of is.

That isn't what he'd meant, and he has no doubt that she is fully aware of that. She's deliberately avoiding an explanation, but given how often he's done that in his own time, Gale can't force her to say more on the matter without being hypocritical. That's the last thing either of them need.

He looks down at her hand. "I don't know if I really need your help," he says flatly, and though his eyes are still wary, he takes her hand. "But fine. Don't make me regret this."

Believe me, you don't want to find yourself in ULTRA's hands.

She guides him through the club, for all appearance like a hot girl who's just scored herself some action, but he's already got a line on what's going on beneath the surface. She is genuinely afraid for both of them, but she also genuinely believes that she's doing the right thing, and this is a thing she needs to do despite her fear.

When she finally gets him past the exit, the cool air is a shock on her skin after the heat of the club. She closes her eyes and takes a breath before she curls her arm against his, leans in, and begins to walk down the street.

"Gotta get to the subway." she murmurs, leaning her head on his bicep. "Put your arm around me. It'll be easier. You're so tall." It's both a compliment and a complaint.

He does as bid without any more complaints, playing the part as easily as breathing. Gale has been here many times before, so adjusting to this is easy, if strange under the circumstances. Another telepath is the one thing he hasn't encountered yet, and he has to remind himself to stay relaxed to avoid unnecessary attention. Getting tense and watching her carefully like his instincts would have him do is not going to help here.

"Why the subway? Where exactly are we going?"

"I know this might be a revelation, but the subway is generally what one takes to from point A to point B." She grins at him. "And in this case, it's how we get to a place where ULTRA can't find you."

With her cheek leaning against his arm, she knows they project the image of a young couple flush with affection, and that's exactly how she wants it to appear. "I won't make you come. You can tell me to go to hell and leave any time you want between now and when we get on the subway. But once we do, you need to stick with me, and let me show you everything. And then if you still want to take your chance on your own, I'll bring you back myself. I promise."

You can look for yourself to see if I'm lying. If you don't think we can help you, if you don't want to stay, I'll bring you back.

"That's not what I meant," he grouses, knowing she's well aware of the fact. Despite it all, he offers a faint smile. They might as well keep up the show, on the off chance that she's right and this ULTRA is going to come after him - them.

I'll come. I meant, why not just teleport there?

She twines her fingers into his as they make it to one of the subway entrances, gently tugging him toward the downward steps.

A few reasons. One, the further away you are from something, the more difficult the teleport. Plus, they can track it, but not if we go down and deep enough. We just need to get on the right train.

He follows, half a step behind her and letting himself be dragged along like the dutiful boyfriend he's pretending to be.

How can they track it? Do they just plant a GPS, Gale wonders? How would they have done that? When would they have done it? He's fairly certain he wasn't close enough to anyone for that, but then, he was in a club.

Once they're down beneath street level, Lydia breathes a little easier, but she's still on alert. She pays for her fare, and Gale's too, before he has an opportunity to do so himself. She lets out a small sigh as they head for the platform.

Two ways, mainly. Technology, and ULTRA has people like us working for them. Turned on their own kind.

Her lips press together in repressed contempt.

His eyes narrow when she pays his fare, jaw set as he fights the urge to comment that he doesn't need charity. It's a matter of pride; even if he and his family are poor and don't live in the best part of town, Gale insists that they can get by. And because of him, they do.

So, what, they've got some kind of teleportation radar? If he sounds skeptical, it's because he is. What kind of technology could possibly track that? The second point, however, makes him pause.

If they're so bad, why would any of us work for them?

She's cold, and has no problem leaning against Gale because aside from serving as a giant windbreaker, he's warm. And because they're already engaged in telepathic communication, it's easy enough for her to pick up the reason for him bristling.

You can buy my fare next time. I was just trying to be expedient. Hopping the turnstyle attracts attention and we needed to move quickly.

Tilting her head up to gaze at him, her tone is gently reproving.

You're able to teleport, communicate telepathically, and move objects with your mind. Are you honestly telling me technology capable of tracking psychic signatures is that farfetched?

And to his latter question:

Why do people choose to do harm? A lot of reasons. They think ULTRA's going to win and want to be on the side of who they believe will be the victors. Because they've been brainwashed into believing ULTRA are the good guys. Because ULTRA has something on them, threatening their families. Because ULTRA got to them before the Tomorrow People could, when they were cold and alone and scared, and ULTRA seemed like saviors.

You know the answer to that question, Gale. I shouldn't have to tell you.

The subway train arrives, and she steps toward the door as it opens, looking over her shoulder at Gale.

"You coming?"

Edited 2015-01-30 17:00 (UTC)

It's easy enough to ignore the unintended slight and pretend it never happened, but he follows with a scowl, liking this less and less.

Why do they care so much about us? It's true that Gale couldn't be the only one using these powers to his advantage, but it seems like he's missing something important. Why not just go after the dangerous people? It's not like I've broken any laws.

Nothing important, at least. He only does what it takes to survive and keep his family going.

Once inside the subway she tugs him into a seat. She really seems to have a thing for pulling him everywhere, like she's a tiny tugboat and he's a freighter.

Sitting next to him, she turns to gaze into his face. (He's really good looking and they've got more important things to worry about and she's trying not to think about the fact that he's really good looking.)

Why do you keep asking questions you already know the answers to? I can tell you're smart, Gale. And you weren't born yesterday. Ask yourself that question. Why would an organization want to capture and control people capable of doing the things we do?

It's late at night and there's only a few people on the subway. It'll take them a while to get close to the end of the line, and if it's not empty by the time they get to the jump point, she'll have to take him through a few cars. But for now, they're good to sit and rest and talk. Telepathically or otherwise.

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