A Weekend Pass (Jake and Tabby)

[almira]

Jake went outside with Tabby, looking at the horse-size bird in the sky, slowly descending toward them. Tabby took off her obnoxiously bright hat and started waving it around. Jake inwardly winced; didn't she get that they were still being chased by cops? As the figure got closer, the outline blurred and the next thing Jake knew, he was looking at a rather tall man with braided hair...and wings. Wings! Jake had to consciously stop himself from gaping at the descending figure. Jake shook his head, thinking it was some kind of drug-induced vision. He still saw the guy, he shook it again, same result. The hawk-man-thing landed on the roof, and it seemed that he and Tabby knew each other quite well. The hawk-man walked up to him, booted feet clicking softly on the concrete of the roof.

>>>"Agent Thane Whitefalcon, brother! What kind of trouble am I getting you two out of exactly?"<<<

Brother? Odd, but not altogether unpleasant. Jake shook the proffered hand, wondering exactly how many more people like this Thane the Bureau had. Jake blinked a few more times. Hard.

"Uhh, well, homicidal NYPD officers for one." Jake blinked a few more times. Harder. There, he was finally convinced that he wasn't on a hallucinogen. Jake heard sirens again. These guys just wouldn't give up... "Actually, could I tell you on the way to your safe house? You do have a safe house, right?"

[Tabby Whitman-Foster]

"Coffee? Done, Thane." Tabby grinned and turned to Jake, suddenly wondering how exactly this was going to work. Jake pretty much summed up the situation in one good sentence and Tabby decided to add, "They shot at him. And then me. So...Yeah." She almost felt like saying something about it being the first time she had ever been shot at with real bullets, but she kept that to herself.

>>"Actually, could I tell you on the way to your safe house? You do have a safe house, right?"<<

Tabby wrinkled her nose a little and looked at Thane. "Well...Not one here in NYC, but if we get out of here, the Bureau will send a truck to come get us. I have them tapped into the GPS on my phone, but I think first we need to get out of this situation. And I know I've had enough people shooting at me for one day."

[loki]

Thane made a face. Something didn't add up; why had the cops been shooting at them? His fierce amber eyes settled on the still-gaping man with a touch of suspicion. Cops weren't the brightest lot, but anyone who would put their life on the line to protect innocent people had Thane's respect, and he wasn't ready to dismiss the younger man's culpability just yet.

His frown deepened and feathers ruffled when Tabby informed them that there was no BPRD safe house in New York City. Thane could've swore there was one, it would make sense after all. Incidents frequently popped up in the big city, so wouldn't having a place to lay low for a while close by be merely common sense? Bah, what did he know? He was just a field agent.
Thane sighed and rolled his shoulders before saying, "Well, what about the bureau Bureau? Couldn't we coordinate with Quantico and use an FBI safehouse for now? I know it would take some time, but the local fuzz probably already have the dragnet out and are moving to the roof - LOOKOUT!"
An NYPD search chopper thundered by and Thane shoved Tabby and her friend back into the building just in time to avoid being spotted. "You see? Let's get out of here!" He walked back out onto the roof again. "Alright, I can carry you guys, but not far, and it's gonna have to be one at a time. So decide now who's going first and where we're going."
The glow returned and he was a huge hawk again.

[almira]

Jake was shoved back into the roof access entrance, harder than he thought possible, Thane must've been much stronger than he looked. He almost lost his balance, but caught onto the edge of the doorway in time to save himself from an embarrassing fall.

>>>"Alright, I can carry you guys, but not far, and it's gonna have to be one at a time. So decide now who's going first and where we're going."<<<

It seemed like they didn't have enough time to contact anyone that Thane and Tabby knew, so they were on their own for now. Jake looked over at the newly-formed giant hawk standing on the roof right next to him, and decided that he'd better get used to seeing things like this, as they would probably start happening more and more in the near future. A slow grin slowly spread across Jake's face, he really wanted to see how good at flying this bird-man actually was, if he could keep up with Jake, who has long prided himself on being able to "fly" without the use of wings.

"Here, I can take you to one of my safehouses, it's on the outskirts of the Downtown area though, it might take a little while to reach. Since I'm the only one who knows where it is, and I don't think you can hear me when flying me around," he pointed at Thane "I'll lead."

The mischevious grin returned to Jake's face, along with an overwhelming need to test out Thane's ability. "Try not to fall behind." With that, Jake waved to both of them, turned a 180, and proceeded to sprint for the opposite side of the roof, going about 30 km/h. When his foot slammed into the upraised concrete edge of the roof, he jumped to the next building-top, a gust of wind giving him the few extra feet of height he needed. Jake landed, crouching, and breathing lightly, he turned around, waiting for Thane and Tabby to come into view before he set off again.

[Tabby Whitman-Foster]

As the helicopter flew overhead, images of every military video game Tabby ever played that included dogfights rattled through her mind and the fear of suddenly being gunned down via helicopter suddenly became overwhelming. Thane shoved them all back into cover and Tabby saw her flame-red hair whip up in the rotors drafts, it was that close. Tabby took off her brightly colored hat and self consciously stuffed it in her parka pocket.

>>"Alright, I can carry you guys, but not far, and it's gonna have to be one at a time. So decide now who's going first and where we're going." <<

"Jake first. I mean --" Tabby began, but Jake had a better idea -- A good and perfectly sensible idea, especially given his fantastic abilities.

>>"I'll lead."<<

Jake then jumped from the roof and flew over to the next building. Tabby blinked once and said, "...He flies. I may or may not have forgot to mention that to the Bureau. So I guess it's you and me playing follow the leader."

OOC: Wasn't sure how Tabby would hitch a ride with Thane, so that's why I ended it like so. Thane, feel free to have Tabby hitch a ride however...she would hitch a ride.

[loki]

//OoC; Ha ha, not an issue ;P//

Thane's hawk form prevented him from displaying the full range of emotions he felt at the moment, but his puffed-out feathers and raised crest clearly dileneated that the hawk was not pleased with something.
He had seen the spark of competition in the kid's eye; while Thane would gladly indulge under different circumstances, this was hardly the time or place. Besides, how the heckarooney was he supposed to race with Tabby on his back? And that whole 'you probably won't be able to hear me when flying around'? Far too close to an insult for it to sit well with the massive raptor.
As for flying around...

Thane did stand a bit straighter, fierce eyes glittering with curiosity, when the kid performed his little stunt. Ok, so the kid had some air bending powers or something? (Thane did watch way too many cartoons) Ok, that was kinda cool, but the were-hawk was the BPRD's number one aerial specialist for a reason: The sky was his domain.
Once this was over, he was going to have to show the kid who was boss.

He shook in a very dog-like fashion to smooth out his feathers then beckoned Tabby over with a wave of a wing. Now it was time for one of his favourite tricks; Thane was capable of stilted speech in his hawk form, very much like a parrot. Now while he didn't sound exactly like himself, at least he didn't have the funny, nasally voice a parrot had. Not everyone at the bureau had seen him talk before, so this would be funny.

"Okay Tabby, you are going to lay on my back, your arms around my neck and your knees squeezing right behind my wings. If you sit like you would on a horse, you will put much pressure on my flight muscles and we will not go far."
Bleh. That always made his throat feel wierd.

Once he was satisfied with her position, they lifted into the air - with much labouring on Thane's part. His small pink tongue lolled from the side of his open beak as he beat his wings hard to follow the kid.
Dagnabbit, when had he gotten so out of shape? Too many cartoons and extra large coffees. Although no fewer than a dozen quips pertaining to Tabby's weight entered his mind, he kept them to himself for a number of reasons - namely needing every molecule of oxygen just to keep them in the air.

[Tabby Whitman-Foster]

Tabby looked between Thane and Jake for a few moments as the hawk seemed to be a little miffed. She almost smiled, but kept it suppressed. No time for joking around; they needed to get away without any fun bullet holes in them.

>>"Okay Tabby, you are going to lay on my back, your arms around my neck and your knees squeezing right behind my wings. If you sit like you would on a horse, you will put much pressure on my flight muscles and we will not go far."<<

Tabby jumped a little bit at the strange voice issuing from a talking hawk. "Yeesh, Thane, you almost scared my Wheaties outta me man!" It wasn't every day a huge hawk just suddenly talked to you, and Tabby wondered for a second if the amount of time she had spent at the Burea was really being spent in a mental asylum. She shook her head and awkwardly mounted Thane before laying flat and wrapping her arms around Thane's neck. "Let me know if I start choking you." She said before placing her knees behind his wings.

"Yeek!" As they lifted off, Tabby squeezed her eyes shut -- She wasn't a big fan of heights. She was able to keep one eye open as they flew to the next roof over, seeing Thane's tongue hanging out in a comical way like a dog. A hawk-dog. A dawk maybe? As they landed on the roof, Tabby looked down and saw a SWAT team preparing to storm the building whose rooftop they just left. She shivered slightly. "We better get away from here fast, guys, and be covert -- especially since they probably have an inkling that Jake can fly."

[almira]

Thup-thup-thup-thup-thup...

Jake's eyes widened at the sound, they'd send a helicopter after them? He then realized the most probable cause of this and winced. The police must have gotten a glimpse of Thane. A gigantic bird of prey, easily large enough to terrorize the population was much more worthy of a helicopter's attention than little old Jake. Well, maybe not so old, but you get the point.

>>>"We better get away from here fast, guys, and be covert -- especially since they probably have an inkling that Jake can fly."<<<

"Damn, I think they saw you, Thane..." Jake hoped that Thane's hearing was enhanced along with his vision, so he could point out where the sound was coming from, as in the veritable wind-tunnel of buildings they were in, it echoed all around.

"I guess the only thing we can do is stay low" The word rolled off Jake's tongue like raw sewage, there was nothing more detestable than the ground, to him at least.

[loki]

Well pardon me if I'm not built for subtlety, Thane thought with irritation. Hawks were birds of speed and strength, not stealth. He'd done his best not to be seen! What more did they want from him?
Manning was going to have a fit.

But more urgently, he couldn't maneuver with Tabby on his back. Her extra weight and the obligation on his part to make sure she didn't fall off made it impossible for Thane to pull off any aerial acrobatics.
So when Jake suggested they go to ground - very reluctantly, Thane noted - the were-hawk approved - for them, at least. His special jacket was still in that alley, and Thane highly doubted he'd be able to make it back there without being seen; moving around ground level without it was out of the question. Manning would love that.
Thane's talons left furrows in the concrete as he landed and practically threw Tabby off before reverting to his human self. "Actually, that might not be a bad idea. I can draw off the helicopters, and I trust you two can make it to the safehouse without getting caught by ground forces, yes? Tabby can give me a call with the directions when you two are safe and I'll shake off the helicopters and join you..."
I hope! he refrained from adding. He'd been shot in the past, and it wasn't fun; and rifles have come a long way in two hundred years.

The helicopter, approaching from the north side, drew Thane's attention. "And it looks like we don't have time to argue. Go on!" Once again he adopted his hawk form and lifted into the air, all but launching himself in the direction of the incoming police chopper.
Man, when this was all said and done, he was going to need a good doobie to go along with that extra large coffee.

[Tabby Whitman-Foster]

Tabby was slowly beginning to panic at the dire feeling the situation had taken on. And she felt partly responsible, since she couldn't be of much help. This was why she didn't go on missions. She was basically useless unless someone's mic fried or their MP3 player refused to work. She randomly spewed out several foul curses and looked at Thane and Jake. "Not about you guys, I swear." She kicked a rock on the roof, anxiety filling her. She was dead weight.

>> "Actually, that might not be a bad idea. I can draw off the helicopters, and I trust you two can make it to the safehouse without getting caught by ground forces, yes? Tabby can give me a call with the directions when you two are safe and I'll shake off the helicopters and join you..." <<

Tabby's face fell at the way Thane trailed off. For the love of-- Oh man, did this suck. She felt like arguing with him, but suddenly the helicopter appeared. Thane shifted back to hawk and Tabby grabbed Jake's arm. "Let's not waste his time, man." She hoped that time would be the only thing Thane lost.

OOC: Sorry if this is hard to reply to. I thought about having Tabby do a running jump from the roof with Jake, but I wasn't sure how that would go down. And stuff.

[almira]

>>>"Let's not waste his time, man."<<<

"Dammit, he probably doesn't even know his way around the city..."

Some SWAT officers were rappelling down from the 'copter before it went chasing after Thane. Tabby grabbed his arm. Jake looked at the SWAT officers, then back at Thane, then back at the SWAT officers, then at Thane again. "Dammit! Hold on!" He really hoped she would, they were going to be flying, literally this time. Jake ran, Tabby in tow, toward the opposite edge that the SWAT teams were on, jumped off, and eked every bit of power he had left in him to speed them on their way. This wasn't the time for subtlety anymore, it was the time to get the hell out of there. Jake and Tabby were catapaulted far, about 5 city blocks far, in the center of a small tornado about 70 feet up off of the ground. They landed roughly, and Jake leaned against an alleyway wall to catch his breath. He had about one more push left in him, and then he was finished.

"Safe house is...a few blocks that way..." Jake's arm rose, pointing down the alleyway towards his place. "Just give me a bit to catch my breath..."

[Tabby Whitman-Foster]

>>"Dammit, he probably doesn't even know his way around the city..."<<

That was...probably true. Especially since most agents spent 97% of their time in the Bureau anyway. Tabby's brow crinkled in worry. When this was all over, Tabby was going to have to buy Thane something a little stronger than coffee...

Tabby cast a worried look back at Thane before she and Jake were suddenly catapulted forward. The wind plastered Tabby's hair to her face and she squeezed her eyes shut, feeling as though her stomach was left behind her. She opened them upon the rough landing, on which she stumbled, almost rolling her ankle. That was all Jake needed...

>>"Safe house is...a few blocks that way..." Jake's arm rose, pointing down the alleyway towards his place. "Just give me a bit to catch my breath..."<<

The sound of the helicopter was faint, and Tabby didn't know if they were being followed or not. She still held onto Jake's sleeve because, if they were being followed, and he was still winded, Tabby was going to do her best to drag him along with her. If anything happened to Thane, and then Tabby let Jake get taken, all of it would have been for naught. "Jake man, you are one strong guy. Just take it easy and this should hopefully be nothing but a memory you can laugh at later." If nothing happened to Thane... After Jake had reasonably caught his breath, Tabby nodded and began taking off in the direction of the safe house in a fast walk. She didn't want anybody to think the pair were running. Upon arrival at the safe house, Tabby stood beside the door and looked around furtively, wondering if Thane would show up soon...or if he was ok. As she waited for Jake to open the door or unlock it or whatever, she shoved her hat on so that Thane could distinguish the pair from any other passerby.

[almira]

>>>"Jake man, you are one strong guy. Just take it easy and this should hopefully be nothing but a memory you can laugh at later."<<<

A pep talk?!? He wasn't some scared kid, but he'd let it slide this time. Next time someone talked to Jake like he was in kindergarten, he would start screaming. Tabby started walking in the direction that Jake pointed them in, and they stopped by the door to his safe-house. Well, safe-apartment, really. Jake walked up the worn and cracked concrete steps and opened the door, not needing a key. "There's nothing to steal in here anyway, even if someone got past my state-of-the-art security system." And by this security system, Jake meant...the door. A weak joke, but he was relieved that they were finally safe (probably) from the homicidal NYPD.

"Uhh, make yourself at home, not that it's much or anything." A way to describe his two room apartment would be "economical", a few chairs, non-perishables in the cupboards, a bed, the necessities. It wasn't a place to live, after all, just a place to hide out for a maximum of a few days to get the heat off his back. He would've loved to go back to his actual apartment, but the cops probably were already waiting there for him.

[Tabby Whitman-Foster]

Tabby raised an eyebrow at Jake's crack about his state-of-the-art security system. She felt like touting her own horn and telling him she could set up a real security system for a very modest price...And by modest, she meant the required parts and some tools. She felt like she kind of owed this guy anyway, for some reason. Before entering, Tabby hesitantly put her hat on the ground before the door, so Thane could spot it...hopefully.

"Thanks." Tabby surveyed the furniture inside and liked it; it reminded her of her dorm room in college, except much more spacious. She took a seat on one of the chairs with a sigh. "It's amazing that you have this much stuff in a safe house. I was half-wondering if it would be a warehouse that was inhabited by crack-heads part time. This is a pretty decent place."

[loki]

The surprised looks that the men within the helicopter wore as a giant hawk came straight at them was priceless.
Sparks flew as Thane feignted to one side and his talons scored one side of the 'copter. If he were in human form there would be a very tight grimace on his face; Thane absolutely hated that sound! And it hadn't felt too good on his talons, either.
But, it had had the desired effect: As Thane sped off in the direction opposite of Tabby and Jake, the 'copter was hot on his tail feathers. Good.
However, the crack of a rifle shot behind him soon dampered any feelings of superiority the were-hawk had. He may be in his element, but all it would take would be one well-placed shot...
Ugh.
Thane didn't want to think about that.

Once Thane was fairly certain he'd given Tabby and Jake enough to time to escape (several narrowly dodged shots later), Thane performed a series of climbs and dives, the large, clumsy machine incapable of repeating his feats. Losing them was easier than he thought - but then, how often did the NYPD deal with intelligent, pony-sized birds of prey? They'd tried, Thane would give them that much.

Swooping into the alley he'd first transformed in, Thane released his hawk form and ducked beside the dumpster that he'd hidden his jacket beneath. He held his breath as the 'copter roared over head. Once it was gone, he flipped open his cellphone and dialed Tabby's number.
"Hey Tabs, gave that metal turkey the shake. Can you give me a general location so I know where to find you guys?" His voice was calm, if maybe a little out of breath; hey, he had just been performing an aerial mambo with a police chopper!