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Val hadn't normally been one to leap at an assignment given by Master Lin, probably due to the voice in her head that reminded her that she needed to stay put at Kings, but something about this one told her she should venture outside those dark walls.  Besides, she was itching for any type of adventure.

Adventure was... rare for little Val.  She was small, and a quiet brunette.  The reasoning was simple; she was supposed to use Kings Dominion as a place of shelter, a hiding spot until her father came and got her.

That's pretty much all Kings Dominion was useful for.  Other than the couple tricks about detectable poison or unique ways to kill someone in seconds, Val knew most of the things she was taught because her father had been training her since she was a small babe.  But she played dumb, stayed quiet, never made a noise or made an effort to stand out, knowing that this was just a temporary spot, she didn't need or want to be here much longer.  And she wouldn't have to.  She just needed to wait it out, and stay ready for when her father came back to get her.

More than anything, she was surprised Lin had included her in the assignment of tracking down a so-called murderer and bringing him down to their school so Lin could ask him some questions and recruit him.  Lin knew who her father was.  She doubted anyone didn't know the infamous Armando Rojas at this point.  Even though she didn't act like her father was the leader of the Grey Vipers, she still had his blood running through her, and everyone knew she could cut a bitch if she wanted to.

Val lifted her head, having been gently biting on her thumbnail as she was listening to Lin speak.  She removed her thumb from her mouth and crossed both her arms, nodding.  "Count me in."

After joining Willie, Maria, Billy and Saya on the trip outside of their campus and into the real world, they tied him up and put a sack over his head before getting him seated on a metal chair that was surely uncomfortable, but Val didn't really care.  After they were situated, she spun on her heel, ready to make the journey back to her dorm room and leave the poor Latino boy in the hands of the toughest group of kids she knew - plus Billy.

"You're not gonna stay and see what this guy has to say for himself?" Billy spoke up, stopping Val from walking out the door.

"Yeah, word is that he killed dozens of orphaned boys," Maria said with a mischievous smile.

Val's face remained still, showing just how bored she was.  "Yeah, I heard what Lin said."

"Don't look like no psychopath to me."

"Can't judge a book by its cover."

"But you can judge one by its smell." 

Val scrunched her nose up in agreement.  It surely had been quite some time since the kid took a shower.  With the flick of a wrist, the bag was off the kids head so he could see his surroundings, and the small group could get a good look at him.  Including Val, who didn't look shocked, only confused.  Her eyebrows slightly furrowed as she overlooked the poor skinny boy.  This was the mastermind behind planned arson?  This was the boy who single-handily burned down an entire orphanage?  She didn't buy it.

And he definitely was too cute to be homeless or to be thrown in jail.

"He's cute," Maria noted, reading Val's thoughts out loud.  Not that she would ever admit that she agreed with the other Latina, or admit her feelings about any boy - no matter how cute he was.

"Yeah.  Total "Hobo Fancy" cover boy material.  What you say, mad dog?"

"You the psycho that did the boys' home massacre?"

"Pretty tough barking at a dude tied to a chair," the Latino said.

"Untie this punk-ass bitch," Willie demanded. 

"All right, but my money's on Hepatitis Harry."

"Forgive my students," Master Lin said as he took a seat.  "They forget that viciousness serves only to make them look weak.  Billy, if you'd be so kind," Billy walked over and untied the boy from the seat and took a couple of steps back when he was done.  "Are you satisfied with your life?" Lin asked, folding his hands together.  As Lin talked, the students moved their positions and stood on either side of him.  They all faced the Latino and waited for him to answer Lin's odd question.

"Me?" he raised his eyebrows, leaning forward.  "Yeah.  I eat trash and I sleep in piss.  Everything according to plan."

"Speak to Master Lin with respect," Saya spat as Val crossed her arms.  Both the girls looked more intimidating than the guys, with Saya's tattoos and dark lipstick and Val's signature look; slicked ponytail and thigh-high leather heeled boots.  Both the girls wore black which contrasted with Maria's bright red dress and huge curls.

"Master Lin can eat my shit," he said with no hesitation.  Then he took a moment.  "Who the hell are you people?"

"What's important is that we know who you are, Marcus.  And that we know what you've done.  You're a killer.  Few value this particular proficiency, but I do.  What if I told you there's a home for people like you?  A school where you'd be surrounded by your peers."

Val squinted her eyes, hoping that the sketchy hobo would get the memo despite how little information about the school that Lin gave away.  No one really wanted to go to school, so Val understood if he wasn't as interested as Lin wanted him to be.  Some people in the world just did things that they had to, not everyone wanted to grow up to study the deadly arts.  If anyone knew anything about that, it would be Val.

"Only what? I dress up like a Viking so you can take tasteful pictures?"

Val blinked, her gaze turning to the floor.  She already knew where Hepatitis Harry stood on the idea of studying at Kings.  It was a shame that she wasted a badass rescue on a regular hobo, but she kept her lips sealed and waited, just like she was used to doing.

"I'm offering you a chance to harness that fire inside you," Lin said.  "To master the deadly arts."

"The deadly arts, yeah," his eyes trailed to the floor briefly.  "That, uh that sounds great.  You know, this all seems really sane and normal, and y'all look like a fun bunch, but, uh whatever this is..." he got up and grabbed his backpack, getting ready to walk out of the meat freezer.  "Later, days."

The group stood in silence.  Val tapped her fingers against her forearms.  All she could think about at this point was taking her high ponytail down and sliding into her bed to catch a couple z's before the next day.  "Well, that was fun," she said before turning swiftly, her straight hair flying behind her so fast it seemed it could cut like a blade.  "Next time you wanna waste your time on a junkie, feel free not to invite me," she said in a strong voice, even though inside she felt the Latino was more than a homeless nobody.  She would never admit that out loud.

"That son of a bitch stole my wallet," she heard Willie comment before she closed the door of the meat freezer and walked away from the oddball group, shaking her head to rid the thoughts of the cute curly-haired boy.

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NOVOCAIN