[OOC: For "today" the shower is turned on all day, since they aren't actively following Mathews' schedule. That said, in the future the shower will on be available from 8am to 9am except under special circumstances.

Also: it was mentioned elsewhere that some structure or activity might help the group RP together. Just let me know if you guys want to fast forward at any point or have something occur to occupy your time and attention.]

"Who wants the shower first? It probably shouldn't be me since I don't know how much hot water we have and these are probably going to take a while.” She paused momentarily, a look of distaste on her features. ”It's probably a given they're watching us. I don't suppose any us has a power that would let us tell if there was a camera in the bathroom..."

Caleb remained silent as Caden started to answer Heather’s question. The idea of privacy was something that had occurred to him when he’d seen the mirrors in the bedrooms. He hoped, for the kids’ sakes, that the mirror in the bathroom wasn’t anything more than simply that, a mirror. He himself didn’t care too much; he’d spent too much time in locker rooms to really mind too much, he told himself, no matter how creepy random doctors watching his every move may be. And after a week in the woods, he was ready for a shower no matter what scientist or security guard decided to watch.

Besides, as Caden said, it wasn’t as if they hadn’t been naked in this facility before.

"Anyway, if we now know our daily schedule, I'd like the shower after lunch."

“Actually,” Caleb said, shrugging apologetically at having to correct him. Hadn’t Caden been paying attention...? “The guy said the showers would only be on in the morning for an hour.”

He glanced at Heather. He wanted to hop in the shower as soon as possible; the idea of hot water after his camping trip and this fiasco sounded like heaven. But that wouldn’t have been that adult answer, and, laughing a bit at himself with a good-natured smile on his face, he shrugged again. “I’ll shower whenever. Doesn’t matter to me.”

Heather shuddered again at the thought of strange men watching her while she showered. Having it pointed out to her that they had already undressed her once - she hadn't thought about it, but now she was sure she'd never get the image out of her head.

"I think I'll shower with the lights off." She muttered to herself as she absently began detangling one of her braids.

““Actually the guy said the showers would only be on in the morning for an hour.”Caleb reminded him "I’ll shower whenever. Doesn’t matter to me.”

"Might as well go first, no one else seems to be jumping for it. Like I said, I should go last so..." Heather shrugged, trying to hide how squeamish she suddenly felt.

((shoooooooort poooooooost... EXIT STAGE LEFT))

"Might as well go first, no one else seems to be jumping for it. Like I said, I should go last so..."

"Alright." Caleb nodded and drained what remained of his juice in one gulp. She didn't have to tell him twice. He stood up and walked to where the selection of scrubs rested, and pulled out a shirt and some pants that seemed to be about the right size. Tucking them under his arm, he turned toward the bathroom and walked away.

"Be out in a bit," he called over his shoulder before disappearing behind the closed door.

"He's either way braver than I am or way more desperate for a shower...." Her left braid was about half way undone.
Heather glanced at the two other occupants of the table. She definitely wanted to start discussing escape plans, but as she herself said, they were probably being monitored.Caleb said his power was telepathy. Maybe that's how we can communicate silently. Of course I think of this after he's sent to the shower.

((Hmm.... it seems conversation is dying down. Partially my fault for not posting much (at all) recently, sorry about that.... Anyway, Dante, if you have something in mind for us to do, you may want to instigate soon. I have an idea for a discussion Caden will start, but it's for dinner today or breakfast tomorrow. Also: hope your muse comes back soon, Tokala! ))

Caleb responded with a shrug, saying “Actually, the guy said the showers would only be on in the morning for an hour.” Oh, right; duh.... Caden hated his short-term memory sometimes.
Heather suggested "might as well go first, no one else seems to be jumping for it. Like I said, I should go last so..." which got a quick "Alright, be out in a bit," response from the oldest member of the group, who proceeded to select some new clothes before entering the bathroom.
Alright then.... Caden thought, unsure of where the conversation would thus go next. He looked back and forth between the two teenage girls for a moment, then reached for the juice and poured himself a cup.

((I know I'd be okay skipping to dinner if you guys are, so we can have Caden's discussion without worrying about messing with whatever Dante may have planned... *shrugs*))

(seconded)

Lunch was heralded by the arrival of two uniformed guards armed with all the makings for sandwiches. The food was left on the table with another pitcher of juice and some utensils. Mathews did not make an appearance, though he later watched a recording of the event on fast forward.

Dinner was a slightly bigger affair. Three guards came in with a cart full of hot food. The table was set properly, and the guards obviously expected the prisoners to sit and eat as a community. One guard stood by the door, silently observing the proceedings. The second put a pot of soup, a plate of bread, and vegetables on the table. The third walked over to the wall and taped up a schedule.

The schedule read:

7:30 - Breakfast
8:00 - 9:00 - Showers
9:30 - Gym available
10:00 - 12:00 - Individual Physicals
12:00 - Lunch
13:00 - 14:00 - Leisure Time
14:00 - 14:30 - Outside
14:30 - 18:00 - Leisure Time
18:00 - Dinner
20:00 - Lights Out

"If you're good," the guard announced, breaking the repressive silence, "leisure time will include access to books or other specifically requested entertainment options. If you have any questions - important questions," he added quickly, "knock on the door and someone will respond."

Without himself waiting for questions, the guard and his companions exited A-Block, leaving behind the rich smell of hot beef stew.

Heather settled down in what she now considered her chair, her belly and spirit warmed by actual food three times that day. The promise of books and outdoor exercise gave her hope but...

"Do you think this is real?" she asked her roommates, "The nicer treatment, I mean. It seems rather abrupt. Plus, wouldn't we be a lot less hostile if we had started out in rooms liket his instead of cages? Are things really going to get better, or are they placating us before we get lined up and shot?"

"Do you think this is real? The nicer treatment, I mean. It seems rather abrupt. Plus, wouldn't we be a lot less hostile if we had started out in rooms like this instead of cages? Are things really going to get better, or are they placating us before we get lined up and shot?"

Caleb shrugged as he began ladling soup into their individual bowls. It smelled wonderful, and he still hated the fact that he was anticipating their food so much. But two good meals and the prospect of a third, as well as clean clothes and no cage, made it easier for him to be in somewhat better spirits. Having showered earlier and convinced one of the guards to let him shave--albeit supervised--around lunch, he also felt miles more closer to human, or at least himself, than he had in the morning.

“I don’t really know. But I think we’d’ve been hostile regardless.” He sat, snagging a piece of bread. “At least this way they know we’re aware of the alternatives.”

But the cage room is better than death. He chewed a bite of the bread, leaving the thought unspoken.

Heather dipped some bread in her bowl, letting it sop up the broth. "True," she acknowledged. "Still, some of our treatment seemed purposely designed to invoke ill-will." She took a bite of her bread, relishing that she was getting good food. "It could have been a warning, or it could have been to ingratiate us towards the person providing the better conditions, Mathews in our case. Either way, right now my goal and theirs are the same. I want to know what I can do with my power, and I don't want to die." Of course, once I know what I can do, that will be a different story. Then they won't know what hit them.

"True. Still, some of our treatment seemed purposely designed to invoke ill-will. It could have been a warning, or it could have been to ingratiate us towards the person providing the better conditions, Mathews in our case. Either way, right now my goal and theirs are the same. I want to know what I can do with my power, and I don't want to die."

“I don’t know,” Caleb said again, speaking around a mouthful of stew. If he really thought about it he could think of a few things he would have done differently were he in charge of this place… but that also wasn’t exactly a comfortable line of consideration. He swallowed his food and then continued, looking at Heather with a wry grin. “But I guess there are worse plans than Stockholm Syndrome, right?”

It felt a little strange to him to be talking to some fourteen-year-old about the motives of an underground, potentially-run-by-the-government operation, but he would take what he could get. And the kid seemed a little old for her age, which said something. Besides, the more he chatted, the less time he had to spend alone in his own head.

“I agree with you on that last bit; it’ll be interesting to see what all we can do.” He replied, almost laughing at how normal it felt to say it. What we can do. Christ. Everything was backwards in here, and comic books weren’t normally his thing. Hell, he hadn’t even watched Heroes even though his friends were obsessed with it.

“Somehow, though, I doubt that ‘leisure time’ will be what it sounds like. I mean, looking at the schedule?” he leaned over in his chair to squint at it from where he sat. “There’s what, gym from 9:30 to 10, then physicals, then 1 to 6 we’re left to our own devices except for half an hour outside? That doesn’t make sense to me.” And then something else occurred to him, and he frowned. “And it’s kind of blank between 6 and 10. Huh. Wonder what that time’s going to be used for…”

Heather suppressed a grin. One doesn't plan to have Stockholm Syndrome, so hopefully that meant Caden saw her compliance for the act it was and was playing along.

"It could just be staggering. I mean, we don't know how many guards and doctors are in this facility and there are a lot of us. 'Leisure Time' could just mean time they have nothing for us to do, so they post some guards at the door and call it good.

What excites me (much as I hate to admit it) is the 'alternate' forms of entertainment. I doubt any books they have are geared towards my age level (Though I'd be thrilled if they had something like Le Mort d'Arthur) There's not much room here for a foosball table, so I'm thinking board games or video games, either of which I'm happy with. Honestly, if I have to stare at the ceiling much longer, I will break out into random pub songs.

"It could just be staggering. I mean, we don't know how many guards and doctors are in this facility and there are a lot of us. 'Leisure Time' could just mean time they have nothing for us to do, so they post some guards at the door and call it good.”

Caleb nodded at the girl as he ate, conceding the point. Heather continued. “What excites me (much as I hate to admit it) is the 'alternate' forms of entertainment. I doubt any books they have are geared towards my age level (Though I'd be thrilled if they had something like Le Mort d'Arthur) There's not much room here for a foosball table, so I'm thinking board games or video games, either of which I'm happy with. Honestly, if I have to stare at the ceiling much longer, I will break out into random pub songs.

Caleb smiled faintly, feeling a strange fondness for the girl--the mention of foosball and Arthurian legend put him in mind of his sister. That thought brought mixed feelings with it and he hid his frown as he took a drink from his cup. Thinking of Rachel hurt, just like thinking of anything else of real consequence did at the moment. Distractions he reminded himself, and opened his mouth to respond to Heather with something light and unimportant.

He was surprised, however, when the quiet, younger man spoke up first.

"I'm not much of a singer, but I'd definitely be up for a good board game. Got any ideas?"

“Board games… hm, dunno,” Caleb shrugged. He didn’t really have any favorites that he could think of. Clue was fun, he supposed, but board games had never really been his thing. He had always been the one running around out-of-doors, or, if stuck inside, messing around with video games with his buddies.

But still, talking about ways to waste time was better than thinking about people he’d probably never see again.

“I’d be up for anything I guess. Don't know that many beyond the classics.” Halo and Modern Warfare were more his bag than a game of Sorry, but if board games were what the others wanted, Caleb could deal with it. What was the game Rachel seemed to enjoy lately? “Maybe… Catan? Is that what it’s called? My sister likes it.” Crap. He shrugged again, ignoring the twinge he felt talking about her. “Something to do with wheat and sheep and trading cards with each other. Might be fun.”

“Board games.... hm, dunno," Caleb said, shrugging. "I’d be up for anything I guess. Don't know that many beyond the classics. Maybe… Catan? Is that what it’s called? My sister likes it.” He shrugged again, (Caden noted the repetition,) “something to do with wheat and sheep and trading cards with each other. Might be fun.”
"Settlers of Catan," Caden said, "My siblings like it, too. And yeah, it's pretty fun." He had a spoonful of soup before adding "though I'm more of a chess/Go player myself. Not that I'm all that good, but I like the thought," he finished with a smile.
Casandra, though, was fairly good at both - at least better than Caden. The smile lingered as he thought how you would not expect Sandy - bubbly, somewhat head-in-the-clouds Sandy - to take to abstract strategy games like that.
He then remembered he had still forgotten to ask one of the guards or scientists about his necklace. Oh well.... maybe I can ask one of the scientists during the "physicals" time tomorrow....

Wood for Sheep )

Heather nodded. She had heard of the game, but hadn't played it. "Sounds good. Though I wouldn't mind being able to veg out with a good video game either." She then sighed. While this was a pleasant topic of conversation, at least relatively speaking, she had to get out the idea that had been knocking around her head all day.

"I've been thinking about it all day and I think we're meant to be a stealth or infiltration team. I create cover to move in under, Caden scrambles the cameras, Jacinta can be a living Flash grenade if we run into trouble, and Caleb telepathically coordinates us from above."

Caden had a few more spoonfuls of soup as Heather mentioned playing video games. Caden had an old N64 that miraculously still worked fairly well, but didn't really follow video games much after that. But then the teenager abruptly changed the subject.
"I've been thinking about it all day and I think we're meant to be a stealth or infiltration team. I create cover to move in under, Caden scrambles the cameras, Jacinta can be a living Flash grenade if we run into trouble, and Caleb telepathically coordinates us from above."
"I wouldn't say I could scramble cameras," Caden said after a moment of silence fell among the four following that statement. "All I know about my powers is they have something to do with electricity. While it would be interesting to know what my ability actually is, I don't have any desire to go through the morphing process again anytime in the near future."
It was a good thought on her part, though, especially considering the tidbit Matthews had dropped early that day. Caden was as comfortable with the idea of being on a strike team about as much as he looked forward to going feline again - actually more (less) so. But so it seemed - or at least Heather's brainstorm made perfect sense.

(I PAVE MY ROADS WITH SHEEP AND WHEAT o_o)

"Settlers of Catan," the younger man responded, and Caleb made a sort of ah! noise of assent. That name definitely sounded correct. "My siblings like it, too. And yeah, it's pretty fun… though I'm more of a chess/Go player myself. Not that I'm all that good, but I like the thought."

Caleb nodded noncommittally, not wanting to admit that he had been confused until he realized that ‘chessgo’ was in fact two different games. He would play chess if that’s what was available, but it wasn’t really his thing. And while he had heard mention of go once or twice, he had no clue what the game was about. Something related to chess, I guess, Caleb mused as he finished his bowl of stew.

Heather responded with a nod. "Sounds good. Though I wouldn't mind being able to veg out with a good video game either." Caleb would have agreed wholeheartedly with that, but before he could swallow his mouthful and respond, she had continued on once more. "I've been thinking about it all day and I think we're meant to be a stealth or infiltration team. I create cover to move in under, Caden scrambles the cameras, Jacinta can be a living flash grenade if we run into trouble, and Caleb telepathically coordinates us from above."

Huh. Caleb looked askance at the girl, surprised despite himself. Heather seemed rather well-informed for a kid her age. He knew, intellectually, that adults constantly underestimated kids. It was different to experience it firsthand. And while the idea of them working as an infiltration team was somewhat intriguing, what really caught Caleb’s attention at this particular moment was the suggestion of Caden messing with the cam--

"I wouldn't say I could scramble cameras," Caden objected. Caleb sighed inwardly. So much for that idea.

"All I know about my powers is they have something to do with electricity. While it would be interesting to know what my ability actually is, I don't have any desire to go through the morphing process again anytime in the near future."

“Isn’t that the truth,” Caleb groused. A portion of him hated the idea of transforming. But the rest of him wondered how easy it would be to be able to turn into a bird and, potentially, fly away from this godsforsaken place.

Not without Abel, he thought fiercely, taking a sip from his cup.

“Training us in stealth infiltration seems a bit counter-intuitive, though...” he trailed off, frowning. Their captors had to have been banking on something more than simply the fear of death to keep them all in line. After all, any skilled under the umbrella of ‘stealth infiltration’ could theoretically be used to break out of the facility.

Caleb didn’t imagine that everyone would be willing to work for these people simply on their say-so. But maybe that had something to do with why only the four of them had been chosen from this project? Maybe his roommates, like him, had a bit more to lose in this situation than the others. So far as he knew, no one else was tied to another prisoner, but maybe they were all keeping it quiet the same way he was.

“...but I guess it makes as much sense as kidnapping people to force them into military service to begin with.” Caleb forced a half-grin, attempting humor. “Must’ve known that an attempt to re-issue a draft would fail if it ever came to a vote, right?”