Summary:Hank and Catseye journey to Mutant Town to check up on the girl afflicted by the Freakshow, Hunter guides them Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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It is been a over a week since Amur Khatun's appearance in Mutant Town, and Meriweather's horrific awakening to her mutant power at the 'hands' of the FreakShow. Hank has been more than a tad busy, but finally freed up some time. Packing up a medical bag along with some far from mundane sensors and other gear, Hank picked up (not LITERALLY) Cat and they got to ride into the city. Some 90 minutes later, they're in the vicinity of the attack, and he parks his blue '79 Ford Grenada.
"So…" He asks Cat. "If my nearly perfect memory is correct, the girl's name was Meriweather, and her parents are Roil and Beetle, the mother being Beetle. Correct?" Yes, he fact checks his nigh perfect to her -actually- perfect. "Do you know where they live?"
Catseye looks innocently at Hank, big innocent kitty eyes. "Maybe. Lots of damage. People move." Nope, not going to admit that she can track them by scent, smell their coming and goings. "Best check with Pride. Will know where they are now." And if they are willing to have Hank see the little girl. Alas, with the fight and her feline form having been on YouTube it's not like she can deny having been involved. Not a lot of purple lions wandering around.
Not a lot of ginormous, incredulous-sized tigers wandering the streets either. Both Hank and Catseye would have the situational awareness to know that the car is moderately distinctive, and apparently well known enough that Pride observers have singled it out and are keeping a close eye on the occupants. Given his history with them, Hank could easily assume word has likely been passed, hand-signal to hand-signal to let Diya know he is here if she didn't spot him by nose or ear already.
No sign of any of that just yet, of course.
"Cat, just because /my/ senses aren't as keen as they were, I know your own capabilities quite well." Hank ponders a moment, his free hand stroking his chin. "Of course you're well aware, and that means that you have a reason…beyond 'cat'…to say this, and so I will indeed seek out the Pride and see what happens."
Hank grips Catseye's shoulder and scritches a bit, a warm smile offered to let her know he's not mad at all, though she'd smell his anger if he were. Regardless, he'll look for one of the Pride that he knows if he can find one. Yes, he assumes that word has been passed but that doesn't mean he's not going to look. That's just lazy!
Catseye just gives Hank a big kitty innocent eyes blink-blink. Sorry, not going to lead stranger to someone's Den. Is not acceptable behavior. Yes, Hank is good guy. Yes, Meriweather's family is good people. Is not the point. "If DoctorHank had been in fight, how would Summers react to Catseye just bringing DiyaFriend down to lab to see him?" The fact that Scott is simply Summers says VOLUMES about the way she feels about him.
At first none of the faces around are those Hank would immediately recognize; some seem vaguely familiar, but those whose names he knows? Not yet. That changes after another five minutes or so, as Weather emerges from the depths of one of the alleyways to stand just far enough towards a still-working streetlamp - and aren't those a rare breed in Mutant Town? - to be seen. And then he stands there, visibly waiting while pointedly not staring at Hank's car, the older black man instead apparently discussing something with a younger, shorter man nearby and still mostly in shadow.
Oh yes, the Cat-ian condemnation of a one word name! That's a fairly epic denunciation for the girl. He squeezes her shoulder once more, and then nods slowly. "I confess, I hadn't thought in quite those terms. Thank you, Catseye, you're a great friend and valued as my keeper…I mean -assistant-. It is probably telling that Cat probably wouldn't shed on Scott either, because, shed fur is love.
Yes, the car is pretty distinctive, there's not too many people driving here in the first place, and HIS is /old/. Once he sees the familiar face, he smiles to Cat. "If you haven't met him, I've got someone I'd like you to meet." Hank moves towards the elder black man, and smiles. "Hello brother Weather, this is my friend Catseye. I don't suppose you'd know where one might find Beetle, Roil and Meriweather?"
Catseye nods politely to Weather. Then smiles at the three cats that have emerged from an alley to great her. She goes down on one knee, her tail up and happy as she scritches the kitties, chirping softly to them as they rub up against her. The cats chirp and trill back, rather than meowing at her like they do to humans, and Catseye pulls a bag of kibble out of a pocket, pouring it into three separate piles to avoid squabbles. Sorry, she's around mutant town fairly often, but interacts more with xats than people.
The older black man turns as Hank approaches and nods. But he offers a warm if brief smile when Catseye approaches and is so warmly welcomed by the feline contingent. He watches this for a bit, and then glances back to Hank. "Good evening, Brother." He eyes Hank very closely, silently, for a good two minutes after that. Then he glances up over Hank's shoulder and his eyes widen slightly, before returning their focus to Hank.
"Brother McCoy?" Weather asks, clearly a bit confused. "We recognized the car, and Ms. Catseye. But … we thought you must be a friend. Not … you." But someone apparently figured out the truth and signalled him. Welcome to the mysteries of the Pride.
"We would not make a habit of telling anyone where to find that young family." Weather explains. "We called upon friends to help relocate them, with all of the attention brought from the incident." He nods again at Catseye as he says this; she would surely understand, as she was there. "I suspect Hunter would prefer we disappear you, and then take you to them, rather than tell you where they are."
Hank is well aware of the affinity for Cat to other cats, and vice versa, her feline greeters draw a contented smile from Hank. Little known fact - cats only 'meow' as the equivalent of baby speak, when they meow at their human companions it is because they're too deaf to hear their /real/ communication properly, like Cat's trills and chirps. A faint frown, he can't really hear them anymore, that's one thing he misses - his super senses were also stripped away in the controlled and reversion.
"Brother McCoy." He confirms. "I've…changed physically a bit, but I'm still me, brother." He accepts that he has intel from an exotic source, hopefully there's not a bullet in his future!
"Whatever protocols work, I don't want to put anyone at risk, but I think after her ordeal that young Meriweather could use an examination by a competent Mutant expert. Go ahead with the disappearing, I won't make any trouble."
Catseye stands from where she was communing with the kitties, and moves to stand beside Hank. "Would like to see HunterFriend again, yes?" Her tail is still up and cheerful as she looks at Weather. She isn't going to comment on Hank's new appearance. In truth, ever since the change she hasn't commented on it at all. She said what she had to say before he risked his life trying to revert it, he made the change anyway, it's done.
Weather considers for a few moments, and then nods. "Very well. Ms. Catseye, would you be so kind, please, as to walk down the street two alleyways. You'll know the right place when you smell it, I am sure. Head into that alleyway, and go deep enough, if you don't mind, to disappear from the light of the street." That said, Weather nods encouragingly and waits.
Hank, Weather puts into the care of his short, stocky friend. "Plug, take him to Tinder. Tell her to put him on the railroad." Weather nods to Hank, and offers to him, "Travel safely, Brother McCoy." That said, Weather then glances back up over Hank's shoulder, then turns around and heads into the alleyway to disappear. His work here is done.
Plug gives a non-committal grunt to Hank, then turns and heads the opposite direction through the street, away from where Catseye was directed. They head across the street, then down a block … and then Plug steps into the space of a small sidewalk-side booth where an older woman is packing up her wares, apparently various incense and herbs. He murmurs only, "Railroad." to this woman, rolls his shoulder towards Hank, and then turns and keeps walking down the street.
Said older woman looks at Hank only briefly, and then gestures towards two rolled-up cases. "Pick those up, would you?" she asks, and then leads Hank into the alleyway to a van. She unlocks the van, opens it up, and has him hand her the cases once she has her own items stowed as well. "Head to the front of the cab. Be there in a sec." She juggles a few more things, then shows up at the front of the van and leads Hank to the deepest part of the alley. Then she pulls out a rubber-headed mallet and raps it on the brick wall, Shave and a Haircut.
Count to five, and then the wall opens up to reveal all that brick is mounted on a steel plate and is in fact a disguised door. An older, but still buffly big and hale man with red skin gestures Hank inside, then pushes the door shut after Tinder says to him, "Railroad." Hank is then led down into the basement of that building, through a disguised tunnel to another building, and then up, up, up to the roof of that building and then to a series of interconnected roofs. This keeps up for a while, and then finally the red-skinned man guides him down off the latest roof … right into Hunter, who is standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall across from an apartment door.
"Change?"
For Catseye, when she follows her directions, she does indeed smell a familiar feline scent in the alleyway: that of a mighty tigress of her acquaintance. The alley is in fact largely empty, devoid of anyone and anything other than scraps of trash … until a head pokes over the roof line above. "Ssst." Hunter offers softly, and gestures towards the fire escape.
Catseye will find herself led across quite a few rooftops as well, able to check on several colonies of feral cats in the area, until the homeless veteran woman climbs down a fire escape, pushes open a window, and climbs through into the hallway of an apartment building, then closes the window behind Catseye. "Merriweather." the woman mentions, and gestures towards the door to an apartment. She knocks once, stands to let someone on the other side see her face, then steps back and lets Catseye go ahead. Then she leans against the hallway wall and waits for Hank's arrival.
Catseye shifts to half-form to go up the fire-escape and up the side of the building to the roof. Clothes are uncomfortable in half form, rubbing the fur the wrong way, but its better for rooftop-running than smoothskin will ever be. The time to visit the feral cat colonies is appreciated, Catseye feels more at home among cats than among most humans or mutants. Hunter herself is greeted with a headbutt and purr. She understands that shifting isn't easy for her friend, but… tiger. Hunter gets treated like a cat.
Meriweather and her family are greeted with a smile, "Hihi, not sure if remember Catseye from otherday. Wanted to see how littleMeriweather was doing, and DoctorHenryMcCoy was worried too." Her nose wrinkles and tail curls with feline amusement. "Hunter sent DoctorHank longway, but be here soon." She doesn't bother shifting out of half form, not in Mutanttown dealing with a child who remembers her in furform, if she remembers at all.
Hank will briefly grip Weather's shoulder with a massive mitt, then smiles to Plug even in the face of grunted non-committal. "Of course." Shouldering his own medical bag - roughly the size of a medical duffel, he picks up the the cases indicated. "Lead on, MacDuff." He is quite calm, even amused - though he doesn't show it - at the run around. Security IS important, he gets that. He even agrees.
And then he runs into Hunter, and he nods slowly. "Yes, my original appearance before I mutated myself further on accident years ago. Deliberate and controlled reversion." Hey, at least she's talking to him! That's something. She can smell he's a bit anxious, and it spikes when he sees her. She's a friend, that anxious would spike as he looks to her, waiting to hear what Hunter has to say. If anything. The woman is frustratingly taciturn sometimes.
Most would expect Hunter to rebuff Catseye's physical affections, but she does not. She cannot - quite - purr in human seeming, but she churrs softly and rubs against the purple-furred girl. Her tiger may not be out, but she is never far away. And that is why she makes a point of letting Catseye visit the colonies; cats may be loners, but they are still a loose-knit but real community.
While Merriweather only remembers Catseye a little bit - purple fur is a great giveaway - Beetle and Roil remember her quite well. When Beetle opens the door, she reaches out immediately to embrace the half-form teen, hugging her firmly. "We were too overcome, that night, clinging to our daughter, to thank you properly. Thank you, Catseye, for fighting for our beloved Merri."
The teen blushes a bit in protest, but does not argue too much, not after all she has been through. Roil watches all of this, his arm still in a sling but much improved in just a week; not only is he a mutant, but he lives in a community of mutants, some of whom are only too happy to lend a healing hand. "Hunter … the Pride have done well for us, looking after us, keeping us safe. The authorities … they showed up within hours." But this family was already gone to safety.
The Pride are very, very good at looking after their own. And their own is the whole of Mutant Town, townie and homeless alike. Bar none.
For Hank, Hunter is always taciturn. In English. And she's not exactly loquacious, even in Russian. "Big brain." the veteran woman offers in her usual mushy-mouthed English. "Never stop." She shrugs, rolling her shoulders. She gives him a long, long look, then glances up, those eerie green eyes of hers - so evocative of Amur Khatun - meeting his through the glasses only briefly. "Happier?" she asks, as if she actually gives a damn.
But use words? Bah! Who needs 'em!
Hunter gestures to the door. "Inside." Naturally, she keeps that huge predator presence of hers outside the apartment housing a still-skittish child.
Catseye chuffs in amusement, "Authorities in hours, but the Pride in minutes, yes?" She tilts her head, looking at Meri. "Manifestation is hard. And is different for each mutant. If all were same, if was predictable, would be easier. Catseye manifested at birth, shifted to kitten when birth-mother abandoned, and grew up Cat." She focuses, and goes back to smoothskin. "Is as close to normal as can look. Took Telepath to go inside head, teach Catseye how to be smoothskin. Gave Catseye language, taught how to wear clothes, use hands." She looks at the teen. "Is no shame in needing help."
Even in smoothskin form, Catseye has cat-slitted eyes and a lavender furred tail. The nails aren't claws, but are a little too thick, a little too sharp. Her hair is the same fluffy lavender as her fur coat in lion form… no, she might be smoothskin, but she can't pass as human.
"No, it never does." Hank admits, and she can smell the faint chagrin, but also the pride. He does good things, sometimes /great/ things with that brain of his. His love of learning and SCIENCE! is perhaps the purest core of his being. That and his basic decency. He's a good man, he has some limited understanding of evil, but not sufficient to put himself in its shoes - too alien for him. "It feels nice to see myself again, my original self. The fur and the fangs…even after years…sometimes the reflection was a stranger to me." A faint sigh. "I had to give up my attempts to revert years ago, I hit a hard wall, but that changed recently with other things I was working on." A smile as he shakes off the moment of doldrums. "I am happy to see myself again in the mirror, I think the only thing I miss is the super senses, I never realized how important they are in defining one's world."
Hank has enough words and loquacity for the both of them. And a few more besides!
He nods then, and makes his way to the apartment after a respectful and friendly half bow to Diya, the 'Tiger Empress'. Hank enters, and smiles warmly. "Hello Catseye." He nods to Meri's parents, offering a hand. "I'm Hank McCoy, and I would like to make sure that your daughter suffered no lasting ill from her ordeal." He looks to Cat, and nods. "What my friend said is true, first manifestation is a trial - often one's powers come into being at much greater levels in that first release." He turns to Meriweather, and hunkers down to make himself a little less intimidating. "I'm Hank, young lady, will you permit me to make sure you're going to be okay?"
Merriweather seems to like Catseye, or at least does not seem intimidated by her, at least after the first few moments. It helps that she, like Merri's parents, is visibly a mutant and different. That makes the purple-furred catgirl much more familiar and feel safer to her. Like the Pride. "You're a friend of the Hunter?" she asks, shyly, moving close to actually reach out her fingers, watching Catseye carefully to make sure it's OK, then brush those fingertips against her tail, to feel the soft fur. "She's … scary." Scary but good, says the scent Sharon can pick up.
Diya's answer to everything Hank had to say? She takes it all in. Thinks about it. And then finally says simply, "Good." with a little nod. If he's happier, so be it.
Merri is about to ask something else when Hank finally enters. The girl's eyes go wide; he's really big, and looks pretty normal. She feels uncertain. And he's doctory, which is also a bit scary. "You're … you're both friends? Of the Hunter?" she asks.
Beetle watches this with a wry grin, moving around behind her daughter to give her a little squeeze on the shoulder in support. Merri looks up to meet her mother's gaze, and past her to Roil, then back to Hank and Catseye, giving a little nod as she steps away towards the big kneeling figure. "Mom, Dad would feel better, knowing."
Sure. This is just for the parents. Nothing to do with the girl's own fears.
Catseye smiles at Meri, letting the girl pet her tail, teasing it around her fingers. "Friends of Hunter, yes. Hunterfriend understands Catseye better than most. Catseye thinks different, yes? Not bad, but different. and… can be hard to make friends."
Hank nods very solemnly, eyes kind and a smile offered that reveals a fang, so…unusual body shape, fangs, he's ALSO obviously mutant. Just not furry. Maybe that will help. "Do not worry, Merri, I won't harm you. I do need to draw some blood, but I have a very neat tool - see?" He lets Meriweather check out some straws, the latest thing in blood draws. Utterly painless. "And then I'll be able to see if your blood was hurt, I'll need to check your vitals and examine you, but I will stop the instant you feel uncomfortable, or unsure, and you're parents and our friend Cat will be here too the whole time." His smile grows a bit. "And yes, I'm a friend of Hunter's, here…see?" He shows her the Pride arrowhead, letting her make sure it is the real deal.
"So…can I proceed, little one?"
The teen girl's eyes grow wide at the sight of Hank's Pride arrowhead; this clearly means a lot to those who live amongst them. She explores the different tools, and slowly relaxes enough to nod, if shakily, when asked if they can do an examination. She glances over her shoulder, checking with Beetle and Roil, and her parents nod encouragingly. They will be here, watching every second. They may trust the Pride to keep them safe, but they will never trust a stranger with their child recklessly. They have seen what can happen in mere seconds unattended, and will never forget it.
Though painless, the tension when drawing Merri's blood causes light to seep from the brief wound opened in her arm, almost as if it could drip like blood. Her vitals are a bit high - faster heartbeat, higher blood pressure, etc. - but all within the norms for her as a stressed, still afraid teenaged girl.
While they work on this, Beetle comes forward, lightly resting the back of a carapaced hand against Catseye's hand on her daughter's shoulder. "You fought to save our little girl. You have more friends, I would say, than you think. Here, different is accepted, respected in ways it isn't out there."
That brings a smile. "Catseye is thankful. Is very hard to put words in right order. Not stupid, but … different, people assume is stupid, yes?" She talks to Meri, providing a distraction. "Pronouns are hard. Seem silly. Can understand possessives. Every cat understands MINE, yes? But 'she' 'he'… bah. Could be almost anybody. BrightMeriweather and QuietBeetle are different, why should use silly word that could mean either or neither? Catseye's mind not work like that… each person is .. name and traits tied to them, yes? No person is generic. Individuals, always."
Hank was counting on that Arrowhead helping, he's glad when it proves to be as effective as he hoped. He is very careful to make this as painless, and as swift as he can. The girl is afraid, he can't blame her. "Huh, most interesting." He murmurs in that deep deep voice of his when the light bleeds out a bit. A smile to Meri. "You have a remarkable gift, little one."
He looks to Cat as she explains about her naming thing. "Yes, and Cat is a bit put out with me right now, she called me DoctorHenry, not DoctorHank." He DID catch that, but Cat probably counted on it. "Still, she knows she is my friend, and I know she is mine, and we'll work it out, yes?"
To Roil and Beetle, Hank nods. "Alright, I have enough to start with for a more detailed analysis, but it will take me a few days to get the results. For now, let me start by saying she appears to be in good health, her vitals within normal ranges for a girl her age under these circumstances. I would suggest counseling, and I have enough training that I can offer my own aid, or I can refer you to someone who will help if I ask." A sly aside to Cat. "Or Sharon might know someone." Sharon, which he only uses when Emma's around, subtle? Not so much.
Merri pipes up to Catseye, happy to distract herself with conversation whilst she is 'poked and prodded' for her own good. "I think that's neat. Catseye is pretty, and special." Apparently she likes Catseye's language just fine!
Beetle smiles adoringly as her daughter speaks up for a fellow mutant supportively; they are teaching the right values, and that's proof.
Roil and Merri come up behind Merri and listen as Hank speaks about her condition. They nod, perhaps not thrilled with the delay but understanding it. "We … we do what we can." Beetle offers honestly. "Not many professional counselors down here." But they don't hesitate to talk to one another; they try their best to get through. And they're not in love with depending on outsiders. Even nice outsiders.
Catseye nods, "DoctorHank is good doctor, careful with everyone's health but his own." She looks at Roil and Merri, "Catseye was teenager before learned to take smoothskin form, much less language and rest. Adoptive mother is telepath, owe Mother everything." She looks at Merri, "Do not know if telepath could help BrightMerri learn to control her power. But Mother is very good teacher, can ask to help if want."
She ticks off points on her fingers. "Nightmares are normal after this, yes? But if using -powers- while asleep, need help. Loosing temper, getting tired, all normal. Loosing control of power because of temper, because tired, then need help. But is BrightMeri's family's choice where and how to get help, yes? Catseye, DoctorHank give options. Hunter, Pride might have other options. Unless power risks immediate harm, can take -time-, make informed choice." She looks at Roil and Beetle, "Power breakthrough pushes dial to 10, then drops down… some people drops to 2, some 5, some 8, yes? Cannot judge risk -now- by what happened -then-. And if person pushes immediate decision when no immediate risk… person is NOT BrightMeri's friend."
Of COURSE one of the things Hank packed was a selection of lollipops for his patient. Because…well…that's fun, honestly, he likes giving treats when he can. He offers the girl her choice of a several flavors in a small plastic container, and when she's done, he container will just happen to be set aside with a very slick bit of sleight of hand. Oops! Cat will surely see it though.
"Roil, Beetle, I offer my aid, and I /am/ Pride, if not a resident. But the choice is yours, and yours, Merri." He tousles the girl's hair if she permits, just a friendly little gesture.
Hank nods in support of what Cat says. "She's a very skilled teacher, no question. And knows a great deal about mutant powers, not as much as myself perhaps, but she beggars my knowledge of the mind and its working. I know this, if Cat brings her, she'll be here to help." And that's a big admission for the X-man to make.
A faint sigh at her rebuke, but Hank doesn't argue. "I can also give you some meds, they will help with control, and can help if she loses control. One pill will dull, two will will quell, three will induce unconsciousness. Do /not/ give more than three pills in any twelve hour period." It would be bad. He offers the bottle. "There's ninety pills inside." Unspoken is that they can share any unused for other kids, other people in need.
Know what helps the most for a kid? Just being able to be a kid, to set aside the stress about powers and astral entities and terror. Meeting a pretty purple kitty and petting her fur. Snuggling with parents who understand completely and place none of the blame on her. All good things.
"We talk it through." Roil admits. That's one of his secrets of dealing with his own power. "Then we practice. And we relax. So far, so good." Roil is not exactly the most loquacious man in the world, but he says what needs to be said.
Beetle hugs her daughter from behind, smiling up at Catseye and Hank. "Thank you, for your help. Your understanding. I … I don't think we need any counseling. But we would welcome you back. Perhaps after another week or so we can return home, once the outsiders are gone. Then we can cook for you properly." She and Roil and Merriweather all cook together. It's a fun family activity. "What sorts of things do you like?"
Merri accepts the sucker, when offered, and eagerly strips the plastic off so that she can plop it in her mouth; she's still young enough to see nothing but the fun in them. "Thank you, DoctorHank. And you, PrettyPurpleCatseye." And she grins impishly at the catgirl lady.
Catseye grins at Meri, a spark of teasing in her eyes, "Like fish…" She laughs, "Actually, like almost anything but not -too- spicy. Catseye's senses stronger than human. Can track by smell in furform, smoothskin nose too far from ground. But also means that spicy food hits stronger." She says conspiratially to Merriweather, "Also have sweet-tooth. Love making sugarcookies. Best thing about smoothskin form is tasting sweets, maybe even better than having hands." She likes the name PrettyPurpleCatseye. Is her!
"Then I will say no more, but…I /will/ give you my number, if you need me, call." Hank provides both Roil and Beetle with his business cards, he's even packed a burner flip-phone with a lot of prepaid hours if they need one! Former BoyScout? Why YES! Be prepared!
Hank grins at the offer of a home cooked meal, and a guy of his size and activity levels? Yeah, pretty much can eat anytime. "Actually, I'm with cat, though I'm less fond of fish than she, which is not to say I'm not found of fish, I love it. Whatever you make will be fine, and I'll bring some of Edna McCoy's special family recipe brownies, if you're fond of such?" This to everyone present. He KNOWS Cat approves!
Little Merriweather's eyes get big - huge - and she breaks out in a grin. "Brownies?! Momma, DoctorHank makes magical brownies!" Beetle chuckles at this, and kisses her daughter on the cheek. "Yes, apparently he does. Clearly they are his grandmother's recipe. That's what makes them magical." To mutants like these, that kind of multigenerational familial bond is nigh-unheard-of. And so, it is magical. Mythical.
"We would welcome you both back, and cook. Thank you both, for your kindness, and your help." Roil steps around the ladies of his family to offer his very arm red hand to Hank, and then to Catseye. "And thank you to Hunter, for bringing you." He says the last no louder than the other two, but one has the clear idea he knows she'll have heard him.
Catseye shakes firmly as she rises to depart. "Is pleasure to help. Usually around once, twice a week but often only Pride sees. Surprising how sneaky large purple lion can be, yes?" She chuckles. "If need Catseye, they can pass word." She waits by the door for Hank, then leaves when he exits, making sure the door closes and latches behind her and inhaling deeply to check for scents. Not that she really thinks they are at risk, it's just habit. Caution is trained into her deeply, and guarding BrightMerriKitten is going to bring it out stronger in her.
Works EVERY time. No kid her age can resist Grandma McCoy's Brownies, ain't no power in the 'verse what could! Hank beams to little Meri, tweaking her nose. "Of course they're magical, my grandma passed the recipe down to my mom, Edna. And grandma got it from HER mom, and she from hers…the recipe goes back /five/ generations." Which fact is sure to impress, hell, HANK is impressed! "I give you my solemn word, when next we meet, there will be brownies."
Rising, he accepts Roil's offered hand, and offers a gallant bow to Beetle. "Thank you for your trust, call if you need me, and I'll be back once I have the test results."
He exits with Catseye, staying back and letting her use her superior senses to best advantage, before leading the way (he hopes) back to the car, though likely he'll be run through a lot of hoops again. Diya probably enjoys it!
Hunter pushes herself upright from her spot lounging against the wall as the door opens and the two guests emerge. She nods through the door at the family, and then leans over to butt her head against Catseye's shoulder, giving a little blrrt of sound. "Car safe. Come."
That said, yes, there are more hoops, another complicated route back to the car, which matches neither of their approach routes. This virtually guarantees anyone trying to follow them will have failed to locate the safehouse. And that's the whole point!
"No sign, black armor." Hunter comments as they approach the car. "Still alert, watching. Careful." That said, Hunter nods to both … and then wanders away into the shadows, and disappears.
Hunter is no Batman. But she can be very, very stealthy.