Hammer Bay Port

[Black Tom]

Tom sneered at the thought of calling her banshee. That's what Sean used to call himself, and he couldn't have that. Thinking for a moment, he recalled an old tale in ancient mythology. "No my dear, banshee's are dispicable creatures that scream to intimidate townsfolk." He smiled as he described a banshee. The image of his cousn Sean running around in rags and screaming at people for no reason filled his mind. It was the funniest thing he'd seen in a long time. Getting back to the point, he continued "You are like a beautiful Siryn. In ancient mythology, the siryns would entice sailors away from there ships with their beauty and their song."

[Siryn]

The look on his face when she mentioned the word banshee was almost funny. Theresa couldn't help but smile at him. "You are like a beautiful Siryn. In ancient mythology, the siryns would entice sailors away from there ships with their beauty and their song, he told her.

She beamed up at him. “Ya really think so?” she asked in surprise. She rolled the name around in her mind a few times and smiled. “Aye, I think I like that.”

Taking a deep breath, she picked up her cloak and asked, “Should I take my suitcase? How long are we going to be gone?”

[Black Tom]

Tom smiled again as she accepted his suggestion. He didn't expect to be around longer than a day. He wasn't going to tell her yet but Magneto wouldn't hesitate to launch an attack if they passed that bill. And if for whatever reason they needed to leave quickly, they would have to drop everything. "No bags needed, we'll buy anything we need. Never take something you don't want to lose." He advised her.

[Siryn]

Theresa pulled the suitcase off the bed and pushed it into a corner to keep out of the way. “Right, we'll buy anything we need,” she repeated, making note of this.

As she got to the bottom of the stairs to head back up to the patio, she turned to face Tom and allowed herself to be eight instead of eighteen again. Looking at him with big blue eyes, she smiled shyly and said, “Thank you so much for letting me into your life like this, Uncle Tom. I missed you so much.” Then she reached out and wrapped her arms around him, knowing that once they left the yacht, it was going to be all business.

[Black Tom]

Tom was powerless to resist those big blues eyes as she wrapped her arms around him. He let his arms slide around to her back. "I'm very proud of you Theresa." He said, chuckling slightly. Thats just not what you would usually hear a father(or pseudo-father) say when his little girl was about to embark on a life of crime. He kissed the top of her head and let go. "We'll be leaving soon, make sure you're ready." He said, putting his game-face back on.

[Siryn]

Theresa just enjoyed his strong embrace as he hugged her back. Most people had never considered him an affectionate or gentle man but she had always seen a different side of him. It was part of why she had missed him so much. He honestly cared about her and was never afraid to let her know that.

Her heart soared as he said, "I'm very proud of you Theresa." That was all she ever wanted, was to make him proud, make it so he never regretted taking someone else's child in and raising her as his own. Theresa really didn't care what they did as long as they were together, like a family should be. If only her mother had lived to be with them as well.....

He let go of her and she knew immediately that he was no longer “Uncle Tom”. What was it that he had introduced himself to Magneto as? Black Tom? She wrinkled her nose at the name.

Draping her cloak and sweater over her arm, Theresa led the way up to the patio and walked toward the edge of the yacht. As the wind blew through her long hair, she resisted the urge to join it in the sky and enjoy the warm air one last time. If they ever made it back here, she was determined to find a quiet beach somewhere and spend the entire day either in the water or under the sun.

[Black Tom]

Tom let Theresa walk upstairs and have her moment in the sun. No doubt things would only get more turbulent from here. The girl was strong though. He had the utmost confidence that she would be fine. Tom looked up into the patio to see if Tharesa was watching him. She was looking up letting the sun hit her face. Once assured she wasn't looking, he started his pre-mission ritual.

He opened the top drawer beside the bed. It was empty save for three pictures. One of Maeve when they were still in school, one of Himself and Cain on a job in Egypt, and in sitting in between the two was a picture of Theresa when she just a child. He stared into the three pictures for a minute, then closed the drawer. "Let's go, Siryn." He said, walking out of the Yacht.

[Siryn]

Theresa had been so absorbed in her own thoughts that she jumped slightly when she heard Tom say, "Let's go, Siryn."

She quickly followed him off the yacht and down the path toward the Brotherhood base again. So much had happened since they took that same walk that morning. Now, however, she was a bit afraid to say anything, not wanting to do something wrong. Tom was now all business and it was best if she just watched what he did and tried to remember everything.

As they rounded a corner on the path, Theresa took one last glance at the safety of the yacht then turned away, as if turning her back on the comfortable life she'd had.

((Continued in Briefing Room))