Xavier watched the Cooler remove the pistol, and smirked. It almost had the impression of someone saying I Told You So, but Xavier had no intention of elaborating on such a smile. He turned and looked at the medical clip-board on the end of Tessa's bed, and smiled. "Your name is quite original, Jane Doe."
Xavier scanned the clipboard, flipping through the few pages, nodding to himself. "My proposal goes as this, mister assassino. Jane Doe here is of importance to me. After seeing what she could do last night, and you saw as well... Her ability to shift form has great application beyond the obvious. If we allow her to be a destructive force, she will damn you, myself, and everyone else in this city. The moment a military brass hears of a creature capable of such... immunity to damage, I suspect the first option after planes dropping very indiscriminate bombs would be a malfunction at the local nuclear reactor. So clearly, we have reason to fear this young woman, beyond the fact that she could eat us both."
Xavier turned to Tessa now, and his smile was very gentle. He was unbuttoning his shirt as he spoke. "Young lady, I have a proposal for you. Do you see that there is no way you can continue eating people, causing destruction like you did last night, and live? Eventually, fire will be sent out to cleanse Nexus' streets, and if things get out of control fast enough, I doubt there will be another massacre before that happens. You could be a game-changer. So, what I'm asking is... Partner with this strapping young gent here."
Xavier pulled off his button up shirt and jacket, revealing a blue T-Shirt with skulls on it underneath. He then slipped off his slacks, revealing blue skinny jeans underneath them. Xavier quickly removed the jeans and shirt, leaving him in just his snugly-fit boxers, which made him seem showy. He showed no embarrassment as he tossed the shirt and jeans to Tessa. Xavier then slipped back into his slacks and shirt as he continued.
"I will not force you to partner with him, and by extension, myself. It is your choice. I cannot stop you, and an unwilling ally is a backstabber in the making, anyhow. I just want you to understand this fully. I saw how you were last night, and in his presence, you are someone different. You stand to lose nothing and gain everything by aiding him. And sir,"
Xavier addressed the Cooler now, "if she agrees to it, keep her safe. I want her to not get dissected, if possible."
Xavier was now fully clothed. And he had said all he wanted to. Tessa had incentive to stay near the cooler, lest she bring about her own doom. And the Cooler had incentive for the same reason, plus money. Xavier wanted them to realize that the situation could be very bad, and their actions could bring about horrid things.
Xavier was now dressed again, shirt tucked in, looking spiffy once more. He smiled, said his goodbyes, and stepped out. Outside, were the two SWAT team members, standing over the several bodies, along with several cops who had since arrived to investigate. Xavier's men were notoriously good liars, and Xavier could tell the situation was under control. As he walked by, he heard some spiel about a super with the power to control minds. Oh, Supers really were game-changers. They took all the old rules and threw them into a closed window, for the ******** of it.
Xavier walked down one hallway, then another, until he found himself in one of the hospitals labs, where a couple of doctors were looking at blood samples. Xavier moved into room, the door closing behind him. One of the doctors looking up, giving Xavier a questioning look. Xavier immediately said, "Health and safety inspection."
and that was that. He moved through the lab, eyeballing glass shelves, with labeled plastic cylinders, filled with red blood. Most of them were there so that they could be analyzed, the people whom's blood was in the containers needing certain tests so they could be diagnosed for this or that. However, Tessa's medical sheet said her blood sample had been taken an hour before Xavier arrived. Obviously, a normal hospital could not be expected to analyze and provide detailed reports of a blood sample that came from a being more multi-faceted than swiss army knife.
So Xavier would do them a favor and take such an overbearing workload off their hands. Xavier spotted it. The only Jane Doe in the place. He pocketed the plastic contained with the guile of a proffessional pickpocket, and then nodded to the doctor, and walked out of the lab. Now, he had something to do. This was good.
Tessa The Shapeshifter
-~-{[( The Creature Can Only Be Human For So Long )]}-~-
Tessa was silent the whole time Xavier was present. Whenever he made eye contact with her, it was hypnotic. Like staring into headlights. Like emotions that consume that, control instinct. She felt sick to her stomach. She still didn't know what she was, or who she was. Tessa did not have words to describe a personality, or thoughts to place next to memories. So many things swirled in her mind as Xavier walked out, and Tessa was struggling to cope. "If I get away from you, I'll start killing again." Tessa explained simply to Johnny. If he mind consumed her body, she would be spread so thing... she would have no control. Whatever she was would be submerged, drowned underneath so many feelings, thoughts, and wants and needs.
Tessa looked up at Johnny, and felt cornered. Xavier didn't have to say it too terribly directly. He had made it seem like the girl had a choice, but she didn't. If she allowed herself to become a shapeshifter again, she would die. Everyone in the city would die. That wasn't good for anybody.
Tessa slowly, weekly stood up, pulling the iv out of her arm with a light cry. She then slipped the jeans on, which fit her a little baggily, but not bad considering the difference in size between Xavier and herself. Tessa put the t-shirt on over her hospital gown, and then took the gown off from underneath the shirt. She winced anytime she had to move her left shoulder too much, because the wounds still caused her pain.
Tessa stood there, barefoot, wearing baggy jeans that were long enough to double as shoes, and a shirt that draped her small form like a poncho. Ontop of that, her hair stuck up in funny places. She was not beautiful today. "I'll go with you... for now..."
