The Vet and the Rookie

Toshi:
*Since the escape of the one R.UN.ner she had taken to avoiding Pole. She wouldn't have been able to do that if he hadn't been called away to oversee some other projects. So far all she had gotten from him were several terse letters and emails about her involvement in the incident none of which she had responded to. It would only be a matter of time though before he would decide to handle the matter personally. She hated being at odds with him, but he had to learn she was a member of this team too. Sighing she steps into the Café. Not seeing anyone around, which was a surprise, grabbing a coke she moves over to a table sitting down to think. Perhaps she should send him a note.*

Gash:
*He strides through the double doors, glinting in the overhead white lights. All black and purple metal, the blades retracted at the moment. His presence here is odd...Gash is a rather solitary person, quiet and impassive. It's often joked his career choices had been Cyhunter and serial killer. Some whisper he'd gotten bored with the later. He moves straight through the room, head never turning. He does, however stop at Toshi's table a moment, offering in that whisper of a voice that sounds like the rustle of dead leaves* Evening, Toshi...

*Lost in her own thoughts she hadn't paid any attention to the person entering. It wasn't until he spoke. Jumping she looks up at him. She knew she hadn't meet him, but from her review of the files she knew who he was.* Hello Gash.. *He had been considered like Pole to work with her before her powers were able to be controlled. From what she had read in the files she was glad they had chosen Pole. Not that most others would see a difference between the two. Then again few knew Pole the way she did.*

*The metal head inclined once, then straightened again...as close to a human gesture as one would get from the Hunter. He knew the Hunter before him by file only, but he called it up on general principles. Assigned to work with 'Pole, hmm? If he were still even partly natural, he would have chuckled. He'd never met Toshi, but he'd met Warpole once early on...only the two Cyhunters, and maybe Scratch himself, knew what had transpired in that meeting...but 'Pole had given Gash a wide berth ever since. Of course, most people did...his voice systems were eerie at best, harsh at worst, and he was known to operate virtually without remorse. Be it by duty or psychosis, those were the case details. The medical teams knew his work on sight.* Seems...quiet.

*Smiling she nods.* Yes it is.. I think though that this is the quiet before the storm. Would you like to join me? *Waves to one of the chairs at the table. While most of the others were put off by the Cyhunters she had gotten use to Pole's appearance. In fact she still was a little bothered by his human appearance. In some ways he was no longer her Pole. Although he wasn't quite as intimidating as human.. Which may be a plus when they did meet face to face again. At least she would be able to tell him she had done well when the R.UN.ner had escaped. Had even saved the lives of two other GUARD. Shaking her had from the thoughts of pole she turns her attention back to Gash.*

*He paused a moment...she'd offered him a seat. This wasn't usual...even if the operative in question didn't find the Cyhunters odd, most found Gash odd. But, after hesitation, he stepped over the bench and slid down onto it, folding his arms on the table in an almost human gesture.* You expect another runner attack, then. *This time, the whisper was more like sandpaper over stone.*

*nods* They seem to be bolder.. From what I have read of the records they have never before been so bold as to attack any HQ. They have done so twice now. *She can't hide the bitterness in her voice as she talks about the attacks. The first attack had killed off everyone she knew, but Pole. She had also, ended up lost and alone on the streets for several months before Pole found her. Tilting her head she looks over at him.* You've been hunting them for a while. What do you think about their actions right now?

*He paused a moment, mulling the question over.* They're lying low for now...the question is why. Either they're readying to assault this base, or they're hoping to enjoy their victory as we rebuild. *The whisper was, of course, dead impassive. The speech modulator bypassed any ability to put emotion in words...and those who had heard his sonic assaults in the field had reason to suspect why.* Regardless, I've put in a request. I'm returning to active duty. Now that Pinpoint has resurfaced after the...incident with the telepath, finding them should be easier.

I hope so… I hope I can talk Pole into letting me get out.. *He had to.. She wasn't a child anymore.. Well she was, but still.. She didn't have a problem with going out with one of the older more experienced hunters. After so many years of being confined to her sterile environment she wanted out. The day she and Becca had snuck off to go shopping had been so much fun.*

*The modulator hissed...the whisper equivalent of a 'hmmmm'. The Cyhunter's fingers flexed slowly, curling against the table and stretching again. They were beginning to wear grooves in the surface.* I'll make a recommendation. Right now, we need everyone we can spare in the field.

*She can't help but laugh.* Go ahead.. I don't think it will do much good.. Pole has a tendency to be over protective where I'm concerned.. He always has a thousand excuses of why I shouldn't go out. *Still chuckling she shakes her head.* Pole has been wonderful to me since I was a child. I tend to think of him as a brother.. The only family I've ever known. I know how stubborn he can be.. *Sighing she leans her elbows on the table her chin resting on her hands.* I'll have to sneak out.. Show him I can do the job. *As soon as the words are out she groans.* I didn't mean that.. *Of all the people to let that slip out around..*

*Were it not structurally impossible, one would swear Gash smirked. At the entire affair...her sneaking out, and 'Pole keeping her in.* Would you like me to...discuss the matter with Warpole? *He had only recently heard about the Cyhunter's cloning of his body, and was anxious to see how he'd react now. As a cyborg, they met on equal footing...almost. Now...the modulator hissed again, short bursts of static...was the hunter chuckling?*

*Blinking at the static his she gets the feeling he is laughing at a private joke. Shaking her head she decides to take a chance.* Um… No.. But.. *Hesitating she wonders if she is doing the right thing.* Would you.. Would you help me sneak out? *Biting her lip she waits to see what his response will be. Surly Pole couldn't complain if she were with Gash. Not another Cyhunter like he had been. She knew how strong Gash was and how ruthless. Who better to train with?*

*Blast shields lowered part way, the cyber equivalent of narrowed eyes...then, realizing how much it would piss off Warpole, the shutters snapped up and he nodded.* Agreed. I will even allow you to select the R.UN.ner targetted. *His fingers only now stopped flexing, the grooves ground deep into the tabletop. This was good....back into action, and partnered. Sure, she probably didn't have the appreciation for his tactics Dayre did, but this should work out fine.*

*Smiling in relive she held her hand out.* Partners? *Her mind already going through the files of known R.UN.ners. She didn't want to go after one of the more experienced R.UN.ners, but then again she didn't want the weakest either.. There had to be on that would be good.*

*He seemed to regard her hand like a slab of meat a moment, then curl one rather large black metal hand around it.* Partners, at the moment. *The head inclined once, then lifted again.* Have you chosen a R.UN.ner? I'd prefer to begin as soon as possible.

*She doesn't even seem to notice that he is metal and not flesh. Raised as she had been metal was more natural to her. For years she had only been able to physically touch Pole without protective garments being worn. Grimacing at his question she shakes her head.* No.. I know I'm not up to any of their stronger people. I thought to check the computers on recent sightings and go from there. *Unlike most GUARD she didn't have the implant that allowed for instant communication, access to the system or teleportation. Since she had been in France her wristbands that controlled her shifting had been modified to add in communication and teleportation circuits. It was this that Pole was still using as a reason to keep her from going out.*

*Retrieving the large metal appendage, he paused a moment, as if weighing things. Indeed, he was running a check, seeing who was best suited to the pairing...in truth, few of the R.UN.ners that came up in the search were ideal...with her powers reliant on touch, it could be tricky.* Agreed. Perhaps you should retire, then.

*Realizing how late it is she nods* Yes.. I'll find a good candidate in the files tomorrow and let you know.. *Once she figured out who to go after she would then have to stock up on supplies for the DNA samples she would need. Smiling she stands up.* Night Gash..

*He nodded, standing again and stepping over the bench.* Sleep well, Toshi. Big hunt tomorrow. *He turned a moment to regard her, the metal shifting to a hint of a grin...his forearms bristled sharply with blades for a moment, which snapped back in shortly after. The modulator hissing static in a kind of computerized chuckle again, he turned and made his way out the doors. No matter what, Gash would always be 'the creepy one'...*

*Watching him leave she follows him out heading down the all to her room.*

*He turned the opposite way...perhaps he'd train a while. Be sure his reflexes were up to snuff...he could always shut down briefly tomorrow.*