Xaviers!

Leo stood by the doors to the kitchen, watching for more piranha dogs in case there were more. The doors had been propped open so the evacuating "inmates" could pass without a code being entered every time. Enough of the evacuees have treated him like the secret final member of the Court that it was getting on his nerves. Still, he continued to do as Chase asked.

Several of the patients mentioned finding the dogs themselves. Some even claimed to have killed one. It was likely however that if there was more of them out there, they may have injured or even killed some of the unpowered mutants and, satisfied with their hunt, had retreated to their lair. Where ever that was.

Eventually , the Deer-Man came about for his turn at a ride up the freight elevator.

Leo raised a brow at the Deer-Man. He had seen him before but couldn't remember if they had ever spoken, as the drugs Evo gave him made much of his experience hazy. Still, he was surprised to see another "Primal" there.

"Hey," he said, "I think I know you."

"Oh?

Ya might at that, but I wouldn't know if you did." He laughed.

"Wish I could tell you your name. I only remember you being called Subject Nine."

"Should be easy enough to find in X-Corp's files though."

"Huh." He furrowed his brow, trying to think if he could remember anything about this, but couldn't recall.

"Where do you remember me from?"

"A place I'd prefer to forget. We and several others were targeted because we were in situations where we wouldn't be missed and subsequently abducted. They injected us with an experimental mutagen and, well, this was the result," he said, motioning to himself.

"You were lucky he only wanted predators for his future personal army."

"Am I?

No offense, but bein' put inta' solitary here didn't make me feel too lucky, mate."

He winced inwardly at putting his foot in his mouth like that.

"Sorry. You're right. You wouldn't have been here or there if you were lucky," he said with nervous newbie energy.

"Yea... it must be obvious I'm new at this."

The Deer-Man shrugged.

"Comforting or hero work?"

"Both If I'm honest," he said, a little embarrassed.

"I'm better at the punchin part than the talkin part."

"You're lucky then I guess in that most people don't expect heroes to talk." He joked back.

"You'd be surprised then by how many of us don't know when to shut up," he chuckled.

"Not really. I met The Court. Caterpillar in particular never knew when to shut his bloody mouth."

"Is your attitude towards them what got you put in solitary?"

"Among other things." He replied.

"Lots of us in solitary, cuz it's difficult to power dampen us without makin' us sick, right?"

"Ah, yeah, I've been there. Solitary and suppression sickness, if not at the same time. Wouldn't wish either on anyone."

"They didn't have the manpower to deal with constant suppression sickness, but Queenie had more than enough power to keep us all in line if we were split up."

"She might not be as powerful as she led you to believe. We found a power amplification device where we came in."

The Deer Man shrugged.

"Whatever. She's gone now, along with her little cronies....

Cept the ones you all want to try to turn into 'upright citizens'."

"They were kidnapped and brainwashed into their roles just like everyone else here. For all we know they were innocent people before this. We know Cheshire was. And Alice turned out to be the sister of one of our team members. As for Hatter, she clearly needs psychiatric help."

"I'm not sayin you have to forgive their actions as they still made choices, but remember that they're technically victims here too."

"And Queenie?" He asked. "Ain't like she was a normie.

Where does one draw the line between victim and abuser?"

"I'm no philosophy major, so I can't answer that."

"But Queenie isn't looking like a victim in any way. Brainwashing people puts her firmly in the villain column."

"We sayin' that her actions ain't manipulated, jus' like your friends?" He asked.

"She's not like any friend of mine," he answered, not seeing his point.

The Deer-Man shook his head, his rack of horns gently going in a circle with him, threatening to accidentally graze a other passing by.

"If you say so mate.

My turn up. I'll see you topside. "

"Alright," he answered.

As the Deer-Man walked away, he said, "I'm Leo, by the way!"

'I'll keep that in mind! The others call me Rory!" He called back.