Change in management {Hive}

"There's no need to suck up anymore, Pix. Tiberius isn't here...". It sure seemed that Pix was doing a lot of brown nosing. But why? Tiberius is gone, he's not coming back. He wasn't in charge, and Pix's loyalty towards Tiberius wasn't impressing his audience. "And Kris is right... did I just say that? Using the laser again would draw unnecessary and unneeded attention. But you may be right, he may not want to kill us. But he left us a fair bit of cash, right? Obviously, he expects us to use it... he expects us to do something, to make a scene - rob a bank, attack the Titans, something... all he may want is that opportunity, so he can swoop in, lock us up as an example". That's a news story! 'Hero locks up radicals who utilized death laser'. "I've been Tiberius' prisoner before, and I don't plan on being a prisoner again". It wasn't even that long ago, really.

"Why do you have this trust for him, Pix? Give me one good reason why we should stay here". Serious question time. Pix appeared adamant that it was safe to stay here, but he hadn't specified why just yet. Now, he has the correct forum to do so.

Nina would just stay quiet and listen to everyone, Pix had a point but she still didn't trust that a clean up crew wasn't on their way, she also saw Quinn's point too, no way in heck was she going to get locked up.

((OOC: QUEUE CUT!))

It was the mark of a true professional who could keep arguing passed the point they had been proved wrong. Pix reclined deeper and deeper into his chair the more Kris spoke, until he was making mouth motions with his hand. He needed to answer persuasively rather than spitefully, but there was something about Zero's complete lack of respect whatsoever that riled Pix, "Oh yeah. A PR nightmare. Like what they did to him last time. Gave him a micro-nation and everything. Gosh knows how he'll bounce back." The assassin was teaching the political buff about politics. Genius, truly genius. "Let's pretend you didn't just forget that he controls the media. And I don't have to ask to know if you think before you speak." Jacka**...

Then Quinn joined in. Pix bit his tongue and forced himself to listen. They were adamant about this laser situation. They may have had a point, though nowhere near as concrete as his own. It would have to be explained to them in terms they could understand. Hugh's mobile rang again, he reached down and dismissed the caller. "Because this is our one resource left. And we're not giving it up for paranoia." Taking a deep breath, Pix continued, "Sorry Kris. You had a good point. But it does not disprove my logic. Substitute death lasers for assassins and I'm still right. TIBERUS would strike now." Pix lifted a table lamp and spoke into it as if it hid a microphone, "Everyone who's coming is already here. We have no powers. We are completely at your mercy. If you let Twisted Fate leave today, you'll never catch him. Never mind all the super assassins you personally trained."

The sprite handed the fixture over to Kris and began pacing, "Assuming maximum competency, assassins would already have all the exits blocked off by now. If we wanted to leave we couldn't. It is already game over. That is why I called you here. To force TIBERIUS' hand and get an answer to this question before it became an issue. Before it warped our minds." Living on the run was not a life. Not for all of them, "I never said he wouldn't sell us down the river. I said let's not give him a reason to. If we go into hiding we upset him. If we tread carefully we do as you claim. We survive."

The next person to try and contradict Pix would receive this immediate reply, "We can debate this or you can stop being a coward and prove me wrong. Walk out that exit! A katana through the throat validates your argument."

((Current Posting Order: Izzy, Faye, St, Amag, Emmz, DD.))

Blake scratched her ear and blinked. Arguing was starting to hurt her sensitive hearing, who would have seen it coming. It was noise right? Not emotion...that's a weird thought. "Kris, even if we did that I can tell you personally that...Tiberius knows about all of it. There's a reason he never lost you." She didn't seem to be holding together amazingly, and the way Quinn was talking was NOT helping her. She was even paler than usual, she looked almost paranoid.

"Regardless...I don't...really feel safe here. We can get new resources from Remy and Kris so...that's good right?" Was it? She wasn't even sure anymore. She wasn't sure of anything, really. "So maybe we can...just get out of here? Him knowing where we are is...still really dangerous. Whether he plans to kill us or not, because he's not one of us..."

Remy smiled and scratched his chin. He appreciated the praise, he really did. Though he couldn't help but wonder why he cared about what would happen here. He could leave whenever he pleased, and no firearms could or would stop him. He could then proceed to live his life on the run, as he always has. Tiberius would never find him. BUT...He did feel somewhat obligated to help these children.

When Blake started to break down he walked over and patted the girl on the head. It was definitely rough being her right now. Did he know exactly what was happening? Not really, but he could piece it together. "She has a point kid. If he never lost you, he knows all your existing contracts. Whereas on the other hand, he had difficulty tracking me down." This was a conundrum. "Of course, this is assuming we're even correct. The sprite might be the one who's right here and you could all be fretting about for nothing..." This was something Remy couldn't stand. Down here he was completely blind. He was used to holding all the cards before him, controlling everyone. Now he was in the backseat, and he was itching to force that car off the road for no other reason than to take the wheel again.

"Here's my proposition. I do suggest that we leave this base." He knew Pix wouldn't like this bit of the plan, but it would get better. "I have dozens of anonymous contacts in Jump and Steel. I can set us up with a new base of operations, and then we move on."

Kris' heart was racing, he sat down holding his head, he was feeling literal fear. His heart felt like it was about to explode, he was having a panic attack. He hadn't had one since he was 14. Kris stood up and grabbed a file to fan himself as he walked around the room, he was sweating profusely. Kris took off his Hive communicator and threw it on the table, "I-I-I-I don't kn-n-now if I-I can do this anymore.... I-I-I have no where to go, I have nothing, he knows it all, I can't do what I did last time it won't work. OH God, please help me...." Kris grabbed his chest, it hurt like nothing else. But then Kris processed what Remy said and he got riled up, he pointed at Remy, "OHOHOHOH, you're not safe either! Remember how he was in your desk within two days of you doing what caught his attention? He wants to find you, you're found, simple as that!" Kris collapsed on the chair, wishing for the pain to go away, and it seemed the more he wanted it gone, the more it hurt. "It's game over, man! Game over!"

Kris' panic attack, whilst looking fairly amusing actually reminded Quinn of something. Her communicator. Well, she used an ear piece, it was linked with the HIVE and certain people within the Guild - not naming names. It could also be tracked, traced to her. Something she didn't appreciate. Quinn removed the ear piece, throwing it down onto the floor. She then proceeded to leap off the counter she was sat upon, her foot landing on the ear piece, crushing it. There, that's one safety measure done. To the World she was dead, and now as far as she is aware; her movement untraceable by Tiberius.

"Safe or not, look around the room, Pix. None of us want to stay here, and it's not exactly our 'scene' is it. No, this is a place for a 12ft tall bug to hide, and we're bug free". For the most part they were all old-teenagers/young adults. An abandoned oil rig was not their place, and they were free from Tiberius. It's time for change, to move on, and that starts with leaving this place. It's time to find a new home. "We don't work for Tiberius anymore, we don't need to function like Tiberius had us function. We can do what we want, when we want. I'm done being a slave to Tiberius, but if you, Pix. If you want to dress up as a bug and bark orders, go ahead. But make sure you've got tickets to Comic-Con first". Oh! That mainstream reference! What?!

Gilda was late, as usual, but even later than usual for once. Still, she had impeccable timing for walking in. Blake seemed to be...off , Kris definitely was freaking out, and everyone except Pix looked like someone had punched them in the gut. Gilda looked at of them with one raised eyebrow before the realization hit her. "Ohhhh, you're all freaking over getting disowned and junk." Gilda said, plopping down into her favorite chair.

"dunno what the big deal is. If he wanted us to be dead, we'd be dead. Okay?...well, you'd all be dead. I'd be fine. Maybe move out of his country, maybe go to Europe, see what's up with that place." she said while lounging. She liked this place....a bit at least, she wasn't going to some rinky dink hole in the ground just because half the team was paranoid assassins. "As long as someone keeps the electric bill up to date, and I'm staying here. If you all leave, don't expect me to help you move....and don't expect invitations when I make this place into my home. Hook up some satellite tv and junk. Maybe throw parties." she said with a smirk.

Gilda wasn't willing to leave. It had been more than a decade since she had a real home. This was it now. She wasn't going to leave just because of these people not liking what used to be here. "This is, and will be my home, whether or not you guys stay....Blake and Nina are allowed whenever. Pix, kris, magic dude, you show up I'll bust you over the head."

Nina gave a sigh, it was true, if Tib was going to kill them now they'd be dead, she walked over to Kris and grabbed him by the shoulders and slapped him "snap out of it Kris! If you haven't realised, he's got everything on all of us, friends, family, everything, its not only you, so quit being such a drama queen and calm the heck down" she said as she stared at him right in the eyes.

She then looked to Pix "whether we stay here or not, we need to make a decision soon, we can't have this much unrest in the team" she said as she also took her communicator out of her ear and put it on the table.

This wasn't good. Quinn had rolled a small snowball down the mountainside and now it threatened to crush them all. The only reason Pix was fairing so well was that he'd rationalised it for himself. This whole stunt; transforming HIVE into sitting ducks, an irresistible target, had convinced him that their old boss was not looking to twist the knife in their backs. A good thing too. Hugh would have stood no chance. There was no use fearing the inevitable, and even less use fearing the non-existent. What he couldn't understand was why his friends were acting so irrationally. They seemed to comprehend his logic now but it hadn't prevented Blake and in turn Kris from anxiety attacks.

Many were in favour of leaving the base for little greater reason than bad juju and what ifs. Pix offered no greater retort than general murmurings of 'it would be a waste'. At Kris' panic attack, the sprite retrieved the lamp he'd handed over and then looked about concernedly, a little embarrassed actually. Nina took responsibility for that breakdown, the stinging slap causing Hugh to wince sympathetically. And then Gilda sauntered in. When the callous Thanagarian had finished offering her thoughts, Pix was left with vague gratitude that someone besides himself held the contrary viewpoint.

Finally, the Kitsune turned to Hugh and summed up what was most important. Pix nodded, cutting off his mobile as it once again rang, "You're right, Nina. I think we all know what has to happen." The sprite walked to the centre of the common room, "Before this goes any further you guys have to vote me into leadership." The voting makes it sound diplomatic!

((OOC: Posting Order: Izzerz, Faye, St, Amag, Muse, Emmz, DD.))

((Sorry its been a few days. Band Camp.))

Blake had already destroyed her communicator beforehand, so she just sat curled up in a ball. When Remy scratched behind her ears she stopped and purred for a second before blushing. "Stop doing that." She hissed, biting her lip.

After listening carefully to the discussion at hand, Blake looked up and flicked her ear at Hugh. "You? In charge? Don't take this the wrong way Pix...but you're a goddam coward..." She realized how bad that sounded outloud and just fell silent again. This isn't how you're supposed to get friends...

"...I think I'd rather Tiberius shoot me than have you as leader...". Quinn would say rather quietly, muttering under her breath. "Aaaaaaaaand what qualifies you to be leader, anyway? The fact you were Tiberius' lapdog for a little while?". Quinn said with a smirk, hoping to ruffle the feathers of Pix a fair bit. Anyone could be leader now, anyone! "This is a clean slate, for all of us - some more than others. We don't have to operate how Tiberius wanted, we don't have to have the same goals as Tiberius would have. We can do whatever we want...". Fresh start, fresh slate, fresh goals, fresh everything. Rawr!

Kris shook off his panic attack after being smacked, he looked at Nina and gave her a quick Thank You. He then saw everyone ganging up on Pix, so he walked to his side, "Listen how many of you have led anything? I have and Pix has, and I ended up getting everyone under my command killed." Kris looked at Blake and Quinn, they must've known exactly what he was talking about it. "Pix is the one who's been in charge of us before, and we managed to get a freaking death laser out of it! So look, he may be questionable at times, but he's saved my life before, so that proves that he cares about the team. He has to care to not let the annoying one die." Kris stood by his friend's side, smiling down at him.

"Sure, be leader." Gilda said, smiling. The title of leader wouldn't mean anything in this group. Pix had no leverage, not against her anyways. She would enjoy the look on his face when she disobeyed on of his 'orders', just as much as she would the first time one of his missions failed, and every time after that. She didn't think Pix was used to full out failure, and would be glad to sit back and watch as it was introduced to him.

But, as leader...you get to choose where we stay, right?" she said stubbornly, shooting a look at Kris.

Nina sighed and folded her arms "in all honesty I think Pix is a good choice for leader, the fact Tib trusted him to be in his position is exactly why he should be leader, if Tib trusted him then why can't we? We need someone who has a good head on them and knows what they're doing, I know Pix might not seem like he has but if you think about it, he was the one who helped on all those missions we went on" she said, she knew the others would probably hate her for saying it, but she genuinely thought Pix was one of the smarter and more organized out of them all.