wrong place, wrong time (anyone)

[Bree Marcus]

Bree entered the cafeteria supremely unaware there was anything going on. She had missed the gunshot sounds and the announcements. She hadn't gone through any of the hallways where people were running or anything. She was completely caught up in her head where her French lesson had brought back memories of her mother still living. She wore a melancholy smile on her face as she walked past some Hispanic youths carrying guns, though her expression was mostly covered by her mass of blood red hair.

One of them grabbed her by the arm and almost pulled her off her feet. "Look, another red head, Amigo, you could have a collection," he said harshly, laughing as she tried to pull away. Bree screamed and swung her cello case, trying to hit her captor. She did a glancing blow against his arm, which caused him to release Bree and she scrambled away still dragging her instrument.

Another burst out with laughter. "Don't worry, she looks like she would be cold as ice anyway," he jeered, as the first one looked angry and vengeful.

"After Phan, I will teach her a lesson," he swore, angry that she hadn't wanted his advances.

[felipe]

What the hell was going on? Felipe knew the sounds he'd heard were those made by guns. He'd come across that sort of shit back in Sao Paolo. But here? Bradford? That wasn't what he'd expected.

He'd been making his way to the school cafeteria when the third such sound had rung out, intending to see if he could find someone who could tell him what was going on and where they should go to stay safe. The only fault in that plan was that he was unknowingly heading towards one of the scenes of conflict.

He came to a halt when he saw some kids of a similar ethnic background to himself. One was pawing at a girl. She screamed and whacked the youth with her cello case, causing him to release her. The guns made it clear to Felipe that they were part of whatever was happening in the school.

He strode over to the girl and wrapped an arm around her, drawing himself up to his full 6 feet 2 inches.

"Hey, homem. Desembarace-se, a menina é meu," he snarled, telling them to back the hell off from his girl. Ok, so he didn't even know her name but he'd acted on impulse.

The Hispanic youths stared at Felipe, stunned momentarily, it seemed, to be addressed in their native tongue. The one who had grabbed the girl reacted first, smacking the butt end of his gun against the side of Felipe's head. The Brazilian toppled, unfortunately dragging Bree down with him. Felipe's attacker turned the gun around and took aim.

"Leave them," snapped a companion. "We have to find Phan first. We can play later."

The youth looked set to ignore that advice but the wail of a siren outside seemed to shake him out of his intent. "Later, querido," he sad to the girl and hefting a kick in Felipe's side he ran after his fellow gang members.

"That seemed a better idea at the time than it does now," Felipe admitted with a wry wince.

[Bree Marcus]

Bree got up on her knees as her dress wasn't designed for sprawling on the floor. "Life is like that. Everything seems smarter before we actually move," she said as she examined his head. "Get some ice," she told a guy standing nearby. She pulled a handkerchief out of her back pack and wrapped the ice he brought in it and gently put it to her handsome savior's bruise. "You should stay still for a bit and then if they are truly gone we will get you to the infirmary. Thank you for saving me. I am sorry it brought you to such grief."

Bree had never had anyone protect her before. It was a good feeling even if it made her feel terribly guilty. "My name is Aubrey Marcus, by the way. But my friends call me Bree and after this I think you can qualify for that. Are you from Silver or did I just miss you before this." She was very good at missing people. Part of being invisible was not noticing others. If you really saw someone they were more likely to see you in return.

[felipe]

"Obrigata, Bree, and you are more than welcome," he replied. "I am Felipe. Felipe Vila Nova." He took over holding the impromptu icepack and offered her a smile that he prayed relayed confidence rather than confusion and fear. "But I think we should stay here. They haven't gone far. This is my first day here. I was supposed to start at Silver this morning. Fate seems determined to make my initial day at my new school as difficult as possible. But who is this Phan they are looking for?"

"A teacher. Mr Phan is a teacher," answered a nearby boy.

"A teacher? And these people seem to want to kill him," mused Felipe. He rummaged in his pocket, frowning when he belatedly remembered leaving his phone in the locker he shared with Vic. "We might be safer outside. Is there a fire exit close by?"

The helpful boy pointed and Felipe got to his feet, slipping one hand beneath Bree's elbow in case those gunmen returned. He examined the door. A simple bar release. Felipe grasped it...

"Back off!" shouted an accented voice. One of the gunmen... no, two... had come back. "We have ourselves a nice little hostage situation, eh hombres?"

Felipe lifted his hand clear of the bar and took a few paces backwards.

"All of you... on the floor!" yelled the gunman.

"We should maybe do as he says," whispered Felipe and - as one - the figures in the cafeteria dropped to the floor...

[Bree Marcus]

Bree squeaked as she was pulled to the ground again. She felt very vulnerable out in the walk area. "Maybe we should crawl to the tables?" she asked in a low whisper, afraid they might become the center of attention again. She didn't care so much for herself but she didn't want her new friend to get hurt again. She already felt guilty about his head.

She looked and it seemed like their attention was on the struggling girl one of them was carrying and now there was two boys rolling on the ground. Those she recognized. They were younger guys from Gould. She knew Saint slightly from working extra time in the art room. "Should we try it?"

[felipe]

Felipe had been poised to answer when three things happened - and close to at once. First the closest gunman was struck by a knife, causing all hell to break loose. He pulled Bree down low to the floor, his own body over hers should bullets start to fly. He peered up just a a girl he knew was grabbed and held at gunpoint.

"Jessica!" he breathed in fear. He braced himself to fly at her assailant, reckless to the extreme and stopped only when water cascaded down from the celining and a an alarm rang out, its tone deafeningly shrill. What in god's name was happening now? The school was also on fire? No... someone had sounded the alarm on purpose. That could be the only reason. A diversion? Probably... and at the right moment too.

"Bree," he whispered. "Roll under the table... ok? Keep your head down as low as you can get it." The gangsters were focussed on what was happening across trhe far side of the cafeteria and while he earned to help Jessica he knew this might be their onl chance. The nearest gunman had his back to them and Felipe had already spotted his weapon of choice. A trained fencer, he knew his best defense - and attack? - was to keep his enemy at arm's length and wear him down. Hopefully the other gun-toter wouldn't interfere.

He reached up and back onto the counter and grabbed the long handled serving ladle he'd seen there. He flipped it around and held the bowl part as he climbed slowly to his feet. He walked silently over the the gangster and poked him - hard - in his back with the end of the ladle.

"Hey… deixe-nos classificar para fora isto definitivamente," he said in a deceptively soft voice and as the figure started to turn Felipe lashed out, bringing the solidly made utensil down hard onto his gun hand. The weapon scooted under a nearby table and Felipe smiled at the thug. "Not so big now are you, homem pequeno..." Whatever the others were doing in the kitchen he hoped the distraction would work as he highly doubted this would be a fight he'd win.

[fryn]

<snip from another thread that has some bearing>

As soon as Evan flew out of the kitchen and started shouting words that Takumi couldn't even hope to understand, the Japanese boy darted out and slammed his hand down onto the fire extinguisher, aiming at the gunman who was holding the girl as his hostage. The CO2 stream struck him with full force in the back of his head, sending him sprawling. The foam coated the girl and all of the people close by as well with a few of them sliding over to join the gunman. A couple of boys... then a third... ran in to grapple with the gunman but Takumi had turned to face the other one. The one being prodded with the handle end of a ladle.

The girl had started to fire her own 'weapon' and Taki added his own to hers, liberally soaking both the gunman and ladle-boy. The cafeteria was in utter chaos... as he'd hoped.

[felipe]

Felipe arched his back and threw back his head, chin jutting forwards slightly. His left hand flicked up behind his back to act as a balance as he prodded the gunman's chest once more with the ladle. Not quite accurate as the gun was now beneath a table somewhere and so he was unarmed. Felipe poked again... harder... and the thug tried to bat the ladle away. The Brazilian was too quick, though, and he jabbed towards his opponent's face, never intending to strike but simply to startle. It worked and elipe switched the ladle quickly around, bowl end now forwards. He swung it sharply, satisfied when it connected sharply against his chin.

He'd been about to follow that through with another strike when a cascade of white foam appeared from what seemed to be nowhere. Already soaked through by the sprinklers, the foam stuck to him as if glued, making it impossible to see, let alone move his feet for fear of sliding.

Too late... He moved one foot and went down, ladle flying free and clattering against the serving counter. The thug yelled something and rubbed frantically at his eyes but a blinding swoop of red stopped the guy in his tracks and the smiling face of an Asian boy could be seen after the man had toppled, the extinguished he'd used as a club still swinging gently in his hands.

"Sugoi!" he heard the boy utter and Felipe simply watched in astonishment.

[Bree Marcus]

Bree knew she would be nothing but an encumberment so she rolled under a table and huddled there, waiting for rescue or death, not really sure which she preferred. The police sirens were getting louder so she had a feeling they might make it through this. Until a black clad figure landed near her and blood flowed like a river across the linoleum floors. She began to scream and then couldn't remember how to stop.

[felipe]

Felipe grinned at the Asian boy as he wiped some of the foam from his face. The other boy nodded before turning away, the extinguisher no longer needed (and also empty, it seemed) and left on a nearby table. Felipe stared to push himself back to his feet, struggling to find any purchase on the now slippery floor. The doors had been flung open and police had begun to pour in, making checking on the downed gunman not needed. Besides, he hadn't moved since the boy had struck him.

A scream ripped through the air, causing Felipe's heart to skip several beats. Was there another thug that they'd not noticed? The screaming continued, muffled slightly as the person making the sound was huddled beneath a table.

The girl he'd been with.

Bree.

Felipe spun to face her, unable to miss the body that had fallen sclose by. He had no way of knowing if it was one of the gang members of a student as he didn't know any of the other people at school. Apart from a couple that is.

He reached out a hand to touch her shoulder and he felt he shrink away. Hardly surprising given all that had happened. And Jessica... Where was she? Everyone close by had been doused in CO2 foam and it was impossible to tell one person from another.

"Bree," he said softy. "It's me... Felipe..." He wasn't even sure she could hear him.... or wanted to hear him.