Issue 1 Downtime

After many hours of catching up on sleep, it was late in the afternoon when Gideon and Lora returned to street where everything had transpired the nightmorning before.

"Yes, that would be the bullet hole, all right. I doubt that there are any other that fresh.

"So where were you standing at that moment?, Mr. Zalesky asked both of them.

"Lora was standing almost right in front of the bullet hole," Gideon said, "I was maybe a half a step behind her."

<"So the shooter was aiming ahead of you and fired just a little bit earlier than intended. Is that right?">

<"Yes, that seems right.">

<"And what did you do immediately after that?">

"We took cover behind the dumpster," Gideon said, "Tried to find the shooter with my powers, but he covered his tracks pretty well."

"I see." He looked to the other side of the street. "I think we've found the level of the parking deck that you were fired at from. Follow me."

"I wish we had not been as drunk as we were. Or as off of our guards. I would have liked to have chased the asshole down," she said aside to Gideon.

"Would have been better than cowering behind a dumpster," Gideon smiled. "Would like to ask them how they covered their tracks so well."

"I know. It could have been a flatscan otherwise, but the shooter must have been a telepath, or a had a telepathic shield, or something."

"Drugs, training, tech, genetics," Gideon said, "Too many options. Real question is why is somebody trying to kill you, eh?"

"Things have been getting complicated between the three factions. I cannot help but think that this was some sort of inside job. Probably Fedorov."

"Do not go throwing around such wild accusations so lightly, Lora. This might not have been any sort of inside job, and I do not want any further trouble within the Troika unless we can definitively find the shooter. And heaven and hell only know there are plenty of flatscans who would like to hurt us."

Something tells me that that is exactly what the shooter wants us to think, Lora thought loudly enough for Gid to hear.

Possibly...It was too specific...

"I can think of several easier ways to hurt a mutant community," Gideon said, "None of them involve using a telepathically shielded assassin to target your daughter."

"We will explore every possibility. I just do not wish to heighten tensions when it is not necessary to do so just yet," the crocodile grumbled out.

They walked up a staircase to the third floor of the deck. Several of Mr. Zalesky's men were looking the area over.

<"Well, I definitely smell gunpowder here, sir,"> one with vaguely feral features said as they approached.

"This would probably be the correct angle, too. Is this where you were shot at from?"

"I am not sure. I never got a look at the shooter at all. I do not think Gideon got much more than a slight trace of his presence, either," Lora said, looking over to Gid.

"So we have to assume that this was the right place and work from there." He rubbed his...chin (snout?) thoughtfully. "Are there any other details that you can remember?"

"He was using a laser sight," Gideon shrugged. "He didn't really give me anything to work with."

<"So he couldn't even just use his scope to aim,"> Yuri scoffed. <"Shitty sniper.">

<"I am afraid that we cannot find anything else of any use, sir. The trail immediately runs cold."> It was the man named Ilarion, the middle-aged fellow that they had seen the day before.

"You couldn't even smell anything else, Semyon?"

The semi-feral shook his head. <"Just the gunpowder. It makes no sense, but it's the truth.">

<"Very well. Wrap it up, gentlemen. I'll see you all tomorrow,"> Mr. Zalesky said at last.

<"Do you need an armed escort, sir?,"> asked Yuri.

<"No, I think I can deliver Lora and Gideon home in one piece.">

Mr. Zalesky, Lora and Gideon walked away after that, and it looked like the rest of the crew was preparing to leave, too.

"Something is, how you say, funny about all of this."

"Something, yes," Gideon said, "Somebody gave an amateur expensive equipment or went to the trouble of finding one who is a telepath. Bit much, eh?"

"Especially for them to just miss. I agree with both of you. Still, I do not want you to speculate about this with anyone else for now. Too much is at stake."

"...I understand," Lora said, with an exasperated sigh.

"I don't intend to cause an international incident while I'm here," Gideon said, "Though I might be tempted if somebody shoots at me again."

"I understand how you feel. I know that I cannot tell either of you where to go or what to do at this point, but I think it would be best to plan your activities around daylight. If you need to go anywhere at night, of course, I can arrange a ride for you. Above all, stay safe."

"We will."