Raining flames (Open)

While all the chaos was going on a few blocks away Lance was taking a long stroll, finally managing to sneak his way away from the mansion after a few weeks of being cooped up. Most of his injuries were healing nicely and much of the bruising was gone, his bones were just about fully fused together again, and he had smaller bandages around his midsection and along the cut on his forehead. Generally Lance was doing heck of a lot better then when he had when first arriving back to the mansion. But being there had been getting on his nerves, laying or sitting around doing nothing wasn't his thing. It just made someone feel like they were going crazy after a while.

Today though Lance had stolen one of his few chances to slip away, knowing he was rather good with stealth and might be a while before anyone realized where he was. Well maybe save for Professor X. Even he might have sensed Lance's intention to sneak out but had yet to contact him to come back, so perhaps if he wasn't over doing it then he would be just fine. Besides he was really only going for a walk. What was the harm in that? Nothing from what he could see but as he continued to walk Lance was making his way around the corner but nearly ran right into Neila as he did.

Lance wasn't expecting to run into Neila but when they did collide it certainly made him flinch, still feeling some soreness and the collision brought that back somewhat. As if that was really needed. But he blinked at her sudden snap at him and her remark of calling him an old man. Did that really just happen? She didn't look but a few years younger then himself. But the main question was why was she in such a hurry? And then that's when he heard the sirens that made Lance tense up slightly, especially now that he was a little unnerved by the sounds that made him fear of running into more cops like the ones that had tried to beat him to death those few weeks before.

"No way am I sticking around."He muttered as he turned and bolted, causing a few people to quickly move away and stare in wonder after the young man. Though Lance was tempted to leave the young red head to her own doings he really wondered who she was and if she too was on the run from the police and firemen, which there was only one way to find out. Changing his course he quickly took off after the fire user, knowing she might hate it but he wanted to know what that had been about and what her hurry had been.

Sure enough when she was in sight Lance quickly called out,"Hey wait a minute!" Though would she really slow down long enough they could at least talk? Even for a few minutes? He certainly hoped so because he really wasn't suppose to be running as fast as he was now, and if the others knew they would certainly tell Lance off about it. Not that he was doing this on purpose. And the young X-man doubted Neila would stop until she was somewhere safe for if Lance's hunch was right she would be no different then when he too was a criminal at one point, having out run the law several times in the past.

Lance rolled his eyes, seeing he would be dealing with one of the typical attitude, loner types already. Well that was a pain in the butt and he hadn't really talked to the girl yet and still she continued with calling him an old man. Was she really just doing that to be insulting? Well she'd really have to do better then that, it took a lot to irritate Lance and simple name calling was just childish in his book. And she wouldn't be getting away that easily that was for sure. Of course like her he wasn't keen on running into the police or being questioned so he did something he knew by second nature, hiding in the first spot he found suitable to avoid being found.

Carefully slipping in behind some crates, which took some work to squeeze through he quickly ducked down just quick enough before some of the police were going by. It took some minutes, though it felt like an eternity before they finally moved on and the sounds became fainter. When his own instincts told him it was safe Lance once more squeezed from his hiding spot, at first tip toeing to check it was indeed clear before he went on searching for the girl, having followed her through the alley ways to this spot and making him shudder as it only reminded him of the abandoned warehouse. "Alright look I've followed you through those alley ways, hid from the police, and I don't plan to leave."He called out, knowing his voice would echo through the abandoned buildings. But maybe he could appeal to something she was familiar with..."And you know we're not so different as you think, having to face trouble, dealing with rivals, pulling crimes, avoiding the law...that's the kind of life you live don't you?"He asked loud enough for her to hear.

Well that reply as certainly no surprise at all, in fact Lance had expected it as much. He'd be quite surprised if he gotten something totally different, but he wasn't done yet. "So your one of those kind who works alone huh? Kind of sad you know, sometimes working in a group might get you a better chance at times and maybe some solo ones here and there but that's just from my experience."He said casually, leaning on the wall of one of the buildings as he watched Neila, knowing he was going to irritate her but he was definitely stubborn. "Do you always stick to this area to do your hits?"He added as he wanted to push a little to see what exactly she said.

So she hadn't had the best luck when it came to groups and allies, something he had somewhat known but had been mostly trusting of his family until he went against them. "I see."Was all Lance said at first until he listened to her final words and glowered slightly at that. "Because I haven't always known a good life as you might see me as now lady, quite honestly when I said I know that life it's because I have known it."He said to her in a slightly more serious tone to show he wasn't just saying it.

Shifting slightly to a better position Lance continued,"My life was a middle class, common family kind and I wasn't aware when I was young I would be using my fighting skills to help in the criminal life that awaited. From the time I was ten up until I was sixteen all I did was robbery, some armed might I add, breaking and entering, a few hits here and there, and evading the law. For the most part my life was on the streets and my family has been three generations of the criminal underground so I know this life is rough and hard, learning to trust becomes something of the past. When I was seventeen all I did was live on the streets before I had a second chance for a better life."Lance explained, this being the true first time he came out with his past to anyone, none the less a stranger. "So yea I care, because it's hard to see others having to suffer that life and not being able to do a damn thing about it."