#but he tells himself 100 times: hes my teammate hes my teammate hes ny teammate

[cxlvins]

...000. INTRODUCTION.

helloooo lovelies ! my name is evan (he/him), i’m twenty-two and from the gmt timezone ! i’m super excited for this to open because i’ve got so much muse right now. i’m down for any and all plots, seriously, i love plotting ! this is calvin, he’s an angry mess of a character, but he’s fun to play, so ! if you just wanna get to know the character, you can skip past the other sections and just focus on personality, i’ve also put some wanted connections in there too ! if you would like to plot, then either shoot me a message here or on discord (heterosexual? how vintage!#8600) or alternatively, like this post and i will message you !

caution: alcohol, drugs, mental health, death.

›› ✱ xavier serrano, cismale, he/him. you’ve met calvin marx, right? they’re around twenty-three and a twitch streamer. they’re all about thrift store clothing and the faint smell of cologne and cigarettes, hence why they’re known as the spitfire around town. everyone knows them to be pretty gregarious but i’ve heard they’re actually sort of volatile, too… don’t tell them i said that, okay?

...001. BRIEF HISTORY.

calvin grew up very underprivileged for the first 11 years of his life in brooklyn, ny.

his father died when he was 5 years old to a drug overdose, leading his mother became a single mother to him and his younger sister, essentially meaning that calvin had to grow up and be the ‘man of the house’ without having a choice.

because of her new single-mother status, calvins mother had to work 3 different jobs in order for the family to pay rent (a cleaner in mornings, a store assistant in the day and a bartender in the evenings), which meant she was rarely home and left calvin to raise both himself and younger sister.

from a very early age, it was apparent that calvin suffered from anger issues, dyslexia and adhd, constantly getting into fights at every opportunity, his complete inability to focus and never managing to make it through a week at school without a phone call home.

these issues remained untreated, due to his mother putting it down to the ‘boys will be boys’ ideology, and concluding that calvin was just an energetic one at that.

because of this, calvin fell into the wrong crowd pretty quickly and settled into his mindset that he was never going to achieve all that much anyway, because no matter how hard he tried, he could never score well on any test at school.

at the age of 9, calvins mother met, fell in love with and soon married a former client for whom she cleaned for.  calvins new step father was incredibly wealthy, due to being a successful franchisee and also being very largely into stock trading.

calvin, his sister and mother were all moved to his home in cherrybrooks, which calvin struggled to adjust to, as he missed his friends back north.

now having access to as much money as he want led him down an early path into experimenting with drugs and alcohol, which soon became a bad habit.

although he wanted to drop out of school, his new step-father would not allow it, which became a large source of conflict for the family over the course of the next few years.

failing to graduate high school at age eighteen, calvin couldn’t deal with living with his family any more and left the house to move into a small apartment, 30 minutes away, with a roommate (possibly a member of the clique).

calvins only real passions were for gaming and sport, and as he smoked and did way too many drugs to make it in any sporting profession, he turned his attention to twitch streaming. he began this pretty soon and built up a solid fanbase (which he wanted to call the marxists, but in calvins words, apparently some dead man already claimed that title).

...002. PERSONALITY.

calvin is a naturally angry person who can lose his cool and go from 0 to 100 in a matter of seconds, he rarely gives off signs that he is getting angry until he boils over, so people tend to watch what they say around him.

calvin is self-serving, his feelings will always come before those around him. although he is getting better at managing this, if something will result in calvin gaining something at the expense of somebody else, he will most likely go ahead with it.

calvin is not well educated, so he doesn’t tend to enjoy arguing with words, as he can never seem to find the ones to correctly express how he feels. instead, calvin is much more likely to act physically when something has irritated him (whether this be on a person or inanimate object).

calvin is an awful liar, he cannot lie to save his life as his face always tends to show when he doesn’t agree with an idea/opion/thought that somebody says. because of this, he is very outspoken, and will just say what he’s thinking regardless of if it’s going to hurt somebodies feelings. he’d rather upset them with the truth, than get caught out for lying.

calvin is an extrovert and gains energy from being around people - the more people the better, because of this, he has become a major party animal and loves attending any and all parties that is going on, despite if he’s fond of the hosts or not.

calvin is a heavy user of drugs, alcohol & cigarettes. this is primarily down to his naturally addictive personality and constant need to feel like he’s happy, so that he doesn’t get sad again. there will rarely be a day where he will not  be intoxicated in some way and he will have a cigarette at least once an hour – and that’s on a good day.

calvin is very much into sports. although not a natural athlete, nor somebody interested in playing sports competitively, calvin loves watching any and all sports, and he likes to play them when he can. due to his smoking habit, he can’t play sports for too long, but will always give it a good go.

similarly to this, calvin is very much into gaming. calvin loves fast-paced games, because they manage to keep his attention despite him not having a very long attention span. most games that he plays are first person shooters, and he’s usually the guy on the mic screaming when a teammate fucks up during online play. a big appeal to him was that games were the only thing he could focus his mind on as a child.

calvin is very much a boys boy, he genuinely abides by the bible of ‘ bros before hoes ‘ because he’s stupid.

calvin hates movies but loves tv, he finds that watching moves involves sitting still for too long, but tv allows him to take more breaks and keeps his interest for longer. although. he’d probably trade both of them for a chance to leave the house.

...003. TRAITS.

[ G R E G A R I O U S ] (+) — a person fond of company; sociable.

[ I N T U I T I V E ] (+) — using or based on what one feels to be true even without conscious reasoning; instinctive.

[ F O R T H R I G H T ] (+) — direct and outspoken.

[ V O L A T I L E ] (-) — liable to change rapidly and unpredictably, especially for the worse.

[ V E N G E F U L ] (-) — not willing to forgive or excuse people’s faults or wrongdoings.

[ H E D O N I S T I C ] (-) — engaged in the pursuit of pleasure; sensually self-indulgent.

...004. WANTED CONNECTIONS.

CURRENT BEST FRIENDS — Possibly a boy squad? I live for a good boy squad. This person will have similar interests to Calvin, or be able to tolerate his volatile mood.

CHILDHOOD BEST FRIENDS — Someone with a similar upbringing from Brooklyn, most likely they grew apart when Calvin moved to Wilmington.

RIDE OR DIES — Although he primarily looks out for himself, I’m down to have Calvin have one person who he’s loyal to and will refuse to betray, we can come up with a fun reason for why he cares so much if you’re interested in this one.

HIS ROOMMATE — Somebody that moved with Calvin into his current apartment when he moved out at 18.

A GOOD INFLUENCE ON CALVIN — One of my favorite connections for Calvin to have is somebody who knows all of his flaws and attempts to help fix them. They’ll have to be patient, though, as Calvin doesn’t see himself for having any issues.

SOMEBODY HE IS A BAD INFLUENCE OF — On the opposite, I love when Calvin has somebody that he can introduce to bad things, corrupt easily and get a kick out of watching the commotion.

EXES ON BAD TERMS — Cheating on each other is usually an easy one to go with, but if you want, we can think of something more unique as to how it all fucked up and why they now hate each other.

EXES ON GOOD TERMS — Maybe they still occasionally fuck? There could still be an attraction there, but just no romantic chemistry. Alternatively, they tried it and both just couldn’t see it going anywhere.

EXES WITH LINGERING FEELINGS — There’s a ton of different reasons for why there’s still lingering feelings. The feelings could be one-sided or both ways.

EX FLINGS — Started as friends with benefits, one of them wanted more, the other didn’t, they decided to stop before someone got hurt.

FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS — No romantic intention, just a good way to kill time at 2 AM, or maybe it’s easy to know you have someone to go home to if you don’t find someone at a party.

FRIENDS FOR NECESSITY — This friend may not have that much in common with Calvin, they may not really get on in day to day life, but they are always there to get high, attend a party or do something dumb. an easy person to talk to when they’re both bored and wanna get out.

HIS YOUNGER SISTER — If anybody fancies a second character, I’m always down to have Calvins sister in the roleplay. They can either get along or not, we’ll just figure out the details.

EX FRIENDS — Used to be close but now aren’t, plenty of reasons as to why.

ENEMIES — Despise each other, seeing this person literally makes Calvins blood boil. Possibly sexual tension too if that would work, if not, they can just fight a lot.

WILL THEY / WON’T THEY — Lots of leading on and teasing each other, maybe they both think they’re stringing the other along but it turns out neither of them are interested? Maybe they start out not interested and it backfires later, by that time the other could’ve lost interest.

ANY OTHER IDEAS YOU THINK WILL WORK !

...005. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

Calvin is bisexual but heteroromantic, so any sexual-based connections can be taken by any gender.

Calvins Pinterest can be located here. Please note that it contains triggers for alcohol, drugs, blood & violence.

[push511]

June Member of The Month

                                Congratulations JR Rubinoff

His attitude is forever positive. JR jumps right in to our community of crazy CrossFitters and contributes his knowledge and support. He is an awesome teammate and starts each WOD with a smile.

Even after a long and tough week JR will still make the time to show up at PUSH and put in work.

*** JR has approached new heavier weights and higher boxes with a positive and fearless attitude.  He continues to push himself - all while supporting and cheering on his gym friends.  JR has put in the hard work and it is really paying off.  

*** Makes the time to get to the gym. He works so hard and is an absolute joy to have around. Our community is better because he is here.

JR loves to work out early, come join him at 5 am for a Free Class

*** JR is both a mentally and physically strong athlete - and willing to put in the extra effort to better himself, and reach his goals. JR also has an incredible personality, friendly demeanor, and is a pleasure to have around!  

*** JR is a pleasure to work out with and has been an awesome personal training client and member at PUSH. He always shows up and puts 100% effort in to our sessions and to classes. Even with a busy work schedule he makes time to come in and work on his goals, which he’s been crushing! Not only that but he is always lifting up others and brings positive energy to the gym!

*** To say that JR has been going on a journey to better themselves through mind and body is an understatement. He’s gone above and beyond what most individuals would have to endure when stepping foot in a CrossFit gym and has continued that path to greatness. JR has been a beacon of excellence for an underrepresented community, and has become a pivotal member in the PUSH community as well. Strong, determined, incredibly fun, understanding, supportive, and while he may be fighting his own struggles, his smile and joy lifts those up around him. While there is change in his life, we never want to see him change who he is. Thank you JR!

*** JR has been an inspiration in the gym! When he sets a goal and puts his mind to something, he goes for it regardless of any obstacle. The effort and determination put into every workout shows and as a result, JR has hit some awesome PRs. He's the first to congratulate and complement everyone else while being humble. So I'm glad we finally get to recognize and congratulate you! Keep it up!

*** JR brings positivity to every class and loves helping people become more mobile and learning how all the body pieces work together.  If one thing we can all learn from JR to help us in life…do more deadlifts!  Congratulations keep rocking!

*** JR is always a blast to work out with and is always incredible supportive of his fellow athletes. He's put hard work into the gym, his nutrition, and personal development and the progress he's made at PUSH, especially over the past year, has been so exciting to watch! Well done, JR, keep it up!!

Let PUSH help make your day better - Free Consultation

                                  Words from JR

Started CrossFit:   August 2011 after being "graduated" from PT after ACL and ankle surgery! My friend Kevin opened a box I started by doing "box jumps " on a 45# plate and squatting to a 24” box to continue my rehab and I was hooked.

What is your fitness background: I played a lot of softball and ran a lot of track and cross country. I was always into lifting (bench, squat, dead lift, press). I ran track and cross country until freshman year of college, then found rugby. Played rugby in college and in an adult league. I worked as a personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist until I went to PA school.

Favorite Movement: HEAVY Deadlifts (duh) and DU

Least Favorite Movement: Wall ball, thruster....wait we will be doing these later

Occupation: Physicians Assistant in general surgery

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family: I was born in NY city during a heat wave in 1984 causing my dad to buy his first AC unit (he said he got free ice cream because of the brownouts caused by the heat wave but I think he was trying to make me jealous.)  I grew up and lived in NJ for most of my life (Bergen county as a kid, central NJ for college, and Monmouth county after college). I graduated Douglass College (Rutgers University) in Political Science and Women's studies in 2008 . After undergrad  I worked as a personal trainer and lived in Ocean Grove NJ with my dog Rory. During that time, I played A LOT of Rugby. In 2009 I tore my ACL, LCL, and messed my ankle up pretty bad. After 2 surgeries and a lot of rehab Rory and I started CrossFit in 2011.

In 2012 I moved to Pittsburgh for PA school and Graduated from Chatham University in 2014, I worked in medical oncology for close to 4 years at Shadyside Hospital in Pittsburgh PA then moved to Maryland in May 2018 where I started working at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore.   I live in Crofton, MD with my partner Erika and 3 roommates. I have 2 cats one name Schrodinger (she goes by kitten) and the other one’s name is Schrodinger’s Cat (she goes by cat). I have a younger brother Sam who is 32 and lives in Brooklyn and is a standup comic. My dad and his wife live in NJ. My mom and her partner also live in NJ.

Tell us something we don’t know about you: I am scared of squirrels (like terrified) to the point that my senior year of high school I almost missed the cross country state sectionals because I fell after running away from a squirrel during a training run and needed 3 stitches on my knee.  

Words to live by or Favorite Quote: “Just keep swimming” Dori “you’ll pass out before you die’ “Just pick up the bar”

How has CrossFit affected your life outside the gym: CrossFit has given me the confidence in the fact that if you keep “chipping away” you really can accomplish anything you put your mind to, even if it means breaking everything into singles. It has taught me that weaknesses aren’t a bad thing; they are just things you need to focus on and as your weaknesses improve you always find something new to work on.  It also has taught me to focus on my own process and not worry about what other people are doing around me; life and workouts are scalable in the sense that the only way to get stronger in the long run is to really assess and start where YOU are.

What do you enjoy most about PUSH: The coaching, people, and all the dogs. Moving to a new city is super stressful especially when you don’t know anyone. PUSH is probably the most accepting environment I have ever experienced as a human and as an athlete. To be able to have such awesome programming and all-around great people to sweat with is amazing and something I am very grateful for.

Fill in the Blank: I like…whiskey I eat… a lot I do… try to practice meditation every day and try to live mindfully I am… transgender (and do not mind answering questions or talking about it)

Meet JR and the rest of the Fit-Fam at PUSH - Free Consultation

[avengershumanresources]

Dust to Dust (5)

Summary: Where did Hydra come from? An idea? A twisted dream? For an organization that spans centuries, it kept relatively quiet until contemporary times.The Super Soldier serum wasn’t dreamt up over night, but was the product of numerous experiments both unethical and violent over the course of the century. It was going to be the end of all conflicts between good and evil. Scientists died trying to determine the next level of the serum, only for it to be stolen by enemies. Back and forth until one side had the advantage.

Mabel Foster was everything the ideal woman should be in 1914. She was well brought-up, wealthy, educated and the heiress to a large fortune. When her father died in a much publicized U-boat attack by the Germans, Mabel made a decision that changed the course of history by enlisting in the French Army during WWI.

After an ambush gone bad, Mabel found herself captured by an early group of Hydra.100 years later she’s discovered in a desolate Hydra base and is taken by the Avengers for safe-keeping and questioning. Little do they realize that all of their destinies and pasts are directly connected through the nest that Hydra weaved.

Pairing: Bucky x OFC (Original Female Character)

Rating/Warnings: Mature- Graphic violence, torture, PTSD, smut

(Masterlist found HERE)

“You’re a liability.  You’re a little much for me.  So they pull back, make other plans.  I understand I’m a liability.”

– Lorde (Liability)

Central Park- Manhattan, New York, NY- May 1940

“Ah forget them,” Bucky threw a rock across the walkway.  A few passersby glanced up at the distraction and shuffled along.  The boys had been stood up for a date that Bucky was positive would have turned out well for Steve.  The girl was shy, sweet and sharp minded; the perfect match for his less than lucky friend.

But apparently she had other plans in mind for the evening.

“I’m used to it by now, Buck,” Steve shrugged and stuffed his hands in his pockets.  “I should probably get going though, I promised Ma that I’d grab some medicine for her.”

“She said she didn’t need it until later,” Bucky reminded him, rustling the blonde hair on his friend.  “You should really take a break and relax for a bit.”

“But she’s-,” he began to argue but his larger friend held up a hand.

“She always made sure I rested and relaxed when taking care of you, someone needs to do the same thing for you,” he reasoned sharply.  He hopped off of the park bench and scanned the surrounding area.  “I think I saw some hotdogs a little bit over.  My treat.”

“I can afford a hot dog,” Steve insisted with a scowl, but reluctantly followed after his friend.

“Sure you can Stevie,” Bucky smirked.  “But I got paid today and lord is it burning a hole in my pocket.”

“I’m getting two,” the blue eyed young man grinned and Bucky punched him in the shoulder playfully.

“For a little guy, you sure eat a lot,” he snorted, twirling on his heel to grin at a passing group of girls.

“I gotta keep my energy up to deal with you,” Steve shoved his friend along the pathway until the young women were out of sight.  “You’re exhausting.”

“And you’re a rude punk,” Bucky practically whined.  “You gotta learn to relax and have a little fun, Rogers.   The girls can tell.”

“Girls are the last thing on my mind,” Steve mumbled while the duo stood in line at a hot dog vendor.  “Well, maybe not the last thing, but they’re pretty close to the bottom."

“They can sense it,” Bucky pointed to his forehead and shifted to a serious frown.  “Some kind of mind reading or something.  They know.”

“They don’t know anything, I think you’ve been reading too many of those science fiction pulps,” Steve snorted before gesturing for his friend to pay for their food.  “You did insist on paying, didn’t you Buck?”

Bucky snorted and shook his head, taking a large bite out of his snack.  The sun was beginning to set on the park while the boys wandered the paths aimlessly.  Eventually they found themselves in the Sheep Meadow.

“Shame they got rid of the sheep,” Steve sighed with a frown.  “Would have been neat to see them.”

“Of course you’d get weepy about some sheep,” Bucky teased.  Steve didn’t reply, instead dropping down in the soft grass on the hill.

“It’s good to feel things sometimes, Buck,” Steve reminded him quietly.  “Even if it means getting weepy about sheep.”

Bucky leaned back into the grass next to his friend.  They stared up at the violet sunset in silence.

“You ever think about where you’ll be in ten years?” Bucky asked his friend in all seriousness.  Steve shifted slightly before speaking.

“I’ve always assumed I’d croak it,” Steve replied dryly.  “Though a wife and family would be nice.”

“You’re too damn stubborn to die and we both know it,” Bucky pointed out.  Steve laughed at the comment, shaking his head through the chuckles.

“You got me there,” he relented.  “What about you?”

“All the time,” he murmured.  “I wonder what my girl will be wearing when we fall in love.  What color her eyes will be…”

“Who’s getting weepy now?” Steve teased with a small punch toward Bucky.  The brunette allowed a laugh, but continued looking up at the first few stars of the night in silence.

“Yeah, I’m just secretly a huge sap,” Bucky laughed before hopping back to his feet and turning to his friend.  “Race you to the other side.”

And like always, Bucky would hold back while his friend wheezed through the steps.  And like always, he paid their subway fare back to Brooklyn.

Natasha had explained to Mabel that there were ways to get the brown color out of her hair aside from waiting for it to grow out.

This conversation arose after she caught the younger woman digging at the blonde roots of her hair and frowning in the bathroom mirror.

Needless to say, Mabel was ecstatic to go back to her natural blonde hair color.  The darkened hair had been thrown together in a panic and left a bitter reminder to her of what the past had held for her.  She was finally ready to accept the future and who she was, and that meant getting back to basics.

Wanda arranged for the stylist to come to the compound, apparently there was still a bit of apprehension in letting her back into society.  Mabel didn’t mind though.

She wasn’t sure herself if she wanted to go back.

The process was something else entirely.  Hairstylists today were basically chemists compared to the older women who carted around bows and hair fixtures in her day.  Natasha tried her best to explain the process each step of the way, but eventually was distracted by a topic of interest by Wanda.

Mabel listened to the two women chatting and closed her eyes while the stylist washed the bleach (which Mabel quickly learned, was not the cleaning product) out of her hair.  The movements were so soft and gentle that she didn’t even realize she’d fallen asleep.

That was until she was tackled against a wall, a solid metal object hitting the floor with a clank.  

Blinking in confusion, she looked around at the women.  The stylist had finished packing her supplies and stood in horror at the entrance of room.  Natasha had her hand pressed against Mabel’s wrist and an elbow in the crease of her neck.

When she looked at what she’d dropped, she realized that she’d grabbed a decorative metal figure off of the shelf near where Natasha and Wanda had been sitting.

Wanda was trying to usher the stylist out, while Natasha was trying to gauge Mabel.  The redhead stared deep into Mabel’s eyes before loosening her grip on the woman slightly.

“You back with us?” she asked with a quick scan of Mabel’s features.  

“I believe I am,” Mabel replied slowly.   “Though I don’t remember leaving.” Natasha pulled her arms down, but kept a defensive stance.  She was ready to intervene if anything else were to happen.

After Wanda practically shoved the stylist out of the room, she joined the women and looked Mabel over with a cautious gaze, her eyes flickering red.

“We should probably get you upstairs,” Natasha frowned at Mabel.  Upstairs meant the lab.  And the lab meant that there was a problem.

Suddenly Mabel no longer felt like an out-place-guest, but a monster to be cautious of.

The walk to the lab was mainly silence interchanged with murmurs between Natasha and Wanda.  Mabel didn’t blame them, she clearly had been triggered by something and had intended harm.  If she’d been in their shoes, she probably would have made the call to shoot on sight.  

Passing a reflective surface, Mabel was able to catch a glimpse of her new hair.

It was reassuring that she looked the way Mabel Foster was supposed to look, even if she’d never felt so far away from herself in her life.

“You didn’t hear?  Apparently Foster went haywire and started attack Nat and Wanda when she was getting her hair done,” Sam and Clint were sharing a pizza, chatting between bites.

“I told them it was a bad idea,” Sam tutted under his breath, not realizing that Bucky had joined the pair in the room.  “Can’t have a psycho-murderer wandering around.”

“You’re too kind,” Bucky commented, grabbing a slice for himself.  Clint snorted on his bite and started to cough through his laughter.

“Man, you know we’re cool,” Sam rolled his eyes.  “Your brain isn’t on the fritz anymore.  But I’m sure you remember the damage you single handedly caused in an afternoon."

Bucky definitely remembered.  It was impossible not to.  When someone’s mind only knows vengeance and anger, a lot of progress can be made.  Negative or positive.  Spite was a powerful weapon.

“So what happened?” he questioned, only hearing the latter half of the conversation.

“Victorian Sally lost her shit a few hours ago,” Clint summarized reaching for the last piece.  He snagged it before Sam even glanced down, and smirked victoriously in the flying Avenger’s direction.

“Edwardian,” Bucky corrected with an arched brow in Clint’s direction.  “But we only keep you around for your good looks, so don’t feel too bad.”

“I thought that’s why we kept you around, tall, brooding and handsome,” Clint threw a crumpled napkin at his teammate.

“I’d recommend stopping by the lab though.  Wanda, Steve and the science twins have been locked up there with her all afternoon and if it’s anything like your treatment-,” he grimaced.  “Maybe having someone who’d been through it before would be helpful.”

Bucky wasn’t so sure.  There were a few times he broke down in the most vulnerable ways- and having an even larger audience didn’t help.  The broken lab equipment that suffered probably could speak more truths than arguing with the archer.

“Yeah,” he shrugged.  “I’ll check it out.”

He started toward the elevator and barely heard Sam make another comment.

“They’re all gonna die.  I swear, make my words,” he insisted in a hushed tone.

Perhaps in theory, pulling her memories and seeing what her exact triggers were would have been a good idea.

But by the third hour of Wanda digging through her mind and replaying the years of abuse and torture she’d suffered, Mabel was beginning to think otherwise.

This particular memory was a gruesome one- and it didn’t even involve Hydra.

It involved Joseph Rogers final moments; and Mabel could sense Wanda’s pain as she experienced it for the first time.

The joke was on them- Mabel replayed that memory hundreds of times as a reminder of where her last shred of empathy and humanity had left her.

“Ok, Wanda take a break,” Steve’s voice pulled the women out of their connection and both girls exchanged a similar look of pain.

“I’m very, very, sorry,” Wanda murmured miserably.  She looked worn down, Mabel realized.  Perhaps Mabel’s life was more exhausting than she’d credited it for.  There was certainly a high body count that she’d been associated with.

“Buck, you can come in,” Steve looked toward the lab door, his face a mix of pity and frustration.  “How are you two feeling?” he looked between Wanda and Mabel, frowning at their lack of responses.

“I may need some rest,” Wanda admitted after a heartbeat of silence between the group.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Dr. Banner chimed in.  “There’s a lot to dig through and it seems like we’ve barely covered anything.  It’s better to keep everyone in their best shape.”

“What have you found out?” she could hear Bucky muttering to Steve in the corner.  The blonde haired man glanced over at her and then repositioned so he could better talk without her listening.

They hadn’t found out much, aside from the exact words that sent her into a frenzy with Natasha and Wanda.  So, Tony had suggested that Wanda try to pull information that may have been hidden in the depths of Mabel’s mind.

The problem was that she couldn’t even remember words being placed there, so they were dissecting as many traumatic memories as possible to find anything.

Tony had remained uncharacteristically quiet throughout the process, only occasionally glancing up from his computer.  His presence was primarily data related, though he did come up with the original suggestion when similar methods to Bucky wouldn’t work.

He only really moved when Wanda practically collapsed and Steve caught her before she hit the floor.  Dr. Banner volunteered to help move her to her room and the trio disappeared through the lab door.

This left Bucky, Mabel and Tony, all sitting in a terse silence.  

“How are you?” he asked, his blue eyes flickering to the pale Mabel.  

“I am wonderful, Mr. Barnes,” she replied, her tone laced with venom.  She hadn’t meant for it to come off so biting, but her head pulsed in pain from the invasive procedure.

“I’m sensing sarcasm,” Tony announced, a stray glance from his computer.  Mabel swallowed back the sharp response she had planned, instead staring down at her hands.  It really wasn’t pleasant having your most traumatic memories relived, one by one.

In fact, she was rather exhausted, but Mabel was certain that she wouldn’t be able to sleep in her own bed tonight.  It’d be another night locked in a hospital room.

“Just remember, whatever happened, it wasn’t you,” Bucky murmured under the hum of computers and lab equipment.  “It can be a lot to take it, but I’m willing to bet we’ll figure it out.”

Tony snorted across the lab.

“We’ll?” he questioned the soldier with raised brows and an amused expression.  “Didn’t realize you’d joined the team, Tin Man.”

“It makes the most sense, right?” he shrugged the comment off and focused on Mabel.  “Besides, out of all of us, I think I can relate the most.”

There was that, Mabel added mentally.  And the fact that he was the only person who didn’t step around her like she was a bomb, ready to explode.

“Do you know them?  The trigger words?” he edged closer to her, his expression fixed in concentration.

“We found out a handful today,” Tony explained before Mabel could speak. “Wanda and Natasha were chatting in Russian before little Mabel here lost her mind.  But she let loose with random violence, and wasn’t under control like you.”

“Russian for Paris, broken and central,” Tony added.

“They were talking about the bombing this morning,” Bucky noted with a hum.  He looked up at Tony before knitting his brows in concentration with Mabel. For an instant, hazel met blue before Mabel flushed and looked away due to the intimate intensity.

Bucky leaned back into his chair and released a long held breath while in thought.  He started to lean forward and shake his head silently, earning a curious look from Mabel and Tony.

“You look like you have a terrible idea that I’d love to be involved in,” Tony commented, snapping his computer shut and walking over to the duo.  Mabel watched between the two men wearily.  Her head was already spinning.  She certainly was not in the mood for more mind games.

“It’s risky though,” Bucky admitted before sending an empathetic frown in Mabel’s direction.  “Not particularly ethical.”

Then it hit her.

“You want to trigger it,” she realized out loud.

“Maybe we can get you to reveal the rest,” Bucky shrugged.  “I had to listen to every command, we can use that in our favor.”

“Or you’ll kill everyone,” Tony added casually.

Mabel paused, weighing out her options.  She could let Wanda sift through every intimate and personal detail of her life, or they could jump in and see what happened.  Honestly, Mabel trusted Bucky with her safety than anyone else.  He knew what to expect, he knew how to shut it down.

“You two will keep everyone safe, correct?” she clarified firmly.

“It’s what we do, Mae,” Tony replied with a tight nod.  “I still don’t get why Wilson has his feathers in a ruffle about this.  Nat took you down in seconds, and I’m willing to bet that Barnes can cut that time in half.”

“I promise I won’t hurt you,” Bucky added earnestly.  “We’ll keep you safe too.  At least physically.”

That’s right, Mabel mused.  They can’t exactly protect her from her mind.  

“I didn’t think they’d gotten in that deep,” Mabel finally admitted under her breath.

“They’re parasites,” Bucky reached forward and gripped her hand with his flesh hand in reassurance.  “It isn’t you.  They took the worst pieces of us and used it to their advantage.”

“What if I killed innocent people?” she whispered to him, almost forgetting that Tony sat behind her, watching the conversation with interest.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t killed people as a soldier.  She’d pointed the barrel of her gun at plenty of men; but she remembered all of them.  Every life taken, on and off the books- it was her personal sin to amend for down the line.

The fact there was a gap, a hole in her nightmares to be filled, nearly overwhelmed her.

“You were too strong for them to kill you, so they used you as a pawn,” Bucky squeezed her hand and they met eyes again.  The hardened blue that usually shone from him had softened and a small, reassuring smile crinkled the edges of his eyes.

“I recommend making a choice soon, because they’ll be back and Spangles will not be happy about this particular plan,” Tony voiced, snapping Mabel out of the daze.  Bucky’s hand was still gripping hers in comfort, and despite the embarrassment she felt of such a personal gesture, she realized that she needed the anchor.

“Let’s try it,” she decided, her voice raised in confidence.  She wanted to ask what the worst that could happen, but both her and Bucky inherently knew the danger of the task- she was more worried that Tony didn’t realize what, exactly, he was committing to.

“Oops,” Stark pressed a button on a nearby monitor and grinned at the pair.  “It looks like the lab is completely blacked out and locked out.  What a crazy accident.  Would you like to do the honors Barnes?”

Mabel could practically see his mind racing at the decision.  Yet for some strange reason, she needed it to be him.

“It’s ok,” she forced a smile to him.  “I’ll be fine, Bucky.  I trust you.”

At the sound of his name, he nodded stoically and began to speak.  She trusted him.

“Центральный, Париж, Сломанный,” he kept his hand in hers, watching for a reaction.  Tony stood to the side, watching with both amusement and curiosity.  

It felt like both men were mad for even considering such a dangerous task.

It took a second, but Mabel’s eyes dilated and she twisted Bucky’s arm behind his back sharply.

“Qui es-tu?” she demanded, leaping from her spot and seeking out the first weapon she could get her hands on.  “Reponds-moi.”

“Oh no you don’t,” Tony intervened, a mechanical armor surrounding his arm when he grabbed her wrist before she dove at Bucky with a nearby syringe.  

“Laisse-moi partir!” she snarled, her nails digging at the metal edges.   Bucky was a bit impressed.  She was faster than he would have guessed, and her healing advantage didn’t make it too easy of a fight.  If she was a bit stronger, he could have seen Hydra using her over the century instead of him.  “Ou suis-je?!”  

Despite her bloodied fingers, she continued to dig and twist at Tony until she snapped her hand free with a sickening crack.

“She just broke her wrist,” Tony stated in horror, backing away from the woman.  “On purpose.”

She simply blinked at the injury before twisting her hand roughly back into place and going after Bucky again.

“We’re trying to help,” Bucky tried in French.  Instead she hissed a slew of curses and went for his neck with the large needle that she’d somehow secured during her interaction with Tony.

“Soldat!” he tried, his voice raising.  It was a grasp in the dark, but it seemed to work.  Mabel froze in place, her arms dropping to her sides and the needle crashing to the floor.

“Pret a respector,” she replied, eyes staring forward.  Ready to comply.

“Tell me,” he paused, his French a little rustier than he would have liked.  “Tell me- who in Hydra is your handler?"

“Docteur Krauss,” came her instant reply.  “Pret a respector, monsieur.”

“What are your trigger words?” he tried, but Mabel looked like she was going to weep while waiting for instructions.  The swirling memories- the darkness.  Bucky knew it well.

“Pret a respector,” she repeated, her voice shaking slightly.  Her hands clenched into a fist.

“I order you to tell me how to control the soldier,” his heart openly broke at the sight in front of him.  She was fighting so hard against whatever demon that haunted her mind.

“Pret a respector.”

“How does your handler activate the soldier?” Tony voiced from the back of the room.  Mabel whirled on her heel to face the armored brunette.  “This is an order from Dr. Krauss.”

“Paris, casse, central, gaz moutarde, femme, explosion,” she recited automatically.  “Pret a respector.”

“Do not comply,” Bucky stated firmly.  She twirled back around and narrowed her gaze.

“Is this the target?” she questioned Tony, frowning.  The genius looked at Bucky in surprise and shrugged.

“I don’t know, are you?” he asked, returning to English.  “Any idea how we snap her out of it?”

Bucky grimaced at the thought before speaking up.  What had Natasha called it the few encounters he’d been forced out of his brainwashing?

Cognitive recalibration.

“We’ve got to hit her in the head, hard,” he answered dryly, bracing himself for the inevitable.

“That is your target, soldier,” Tony acknowledged, amusement clearly apparent.  Bucky knew the man wasn’t his biggest fan, but he never would have expected how much joy he was getting from this, especially after Mabel began to attack.

Mabel practically flew at Bucky’s chest, her legs going for his torso.  He was able to lift her without too much trouble and toss her into a nearby wall.  She hit the structure with a loud thud, but recovered quickly.  She charged for his legs, catching him off guard and tackling him to the ground.

He was holding back, but Bucky was beginning to think he didn’t need to.  She went for a swing at his face before he held her back with his metal arm.  He shoved her to the side and tried to pin the thrashing woman down before he felt something dig into his side.

She’d found his knife, and slid it in nicely between his ribs.

“Dammit,” he cursed, yanking the metal object out and throwing it at Tony’s feet.  “At least keep weapons away from her, Stark.”

“I’m not the one who feels the need to carry an eight-inch blade with me everywhere,” Tony shot back, picking up the weapon and tucking it away from her range.

“Mabel,” Bucky tried after he leaned his elbow into her chest.  She continued screaming in French, occasionally dipping in Russian and German.  Hadn’t she assured him that she didn’t know Russian?  “Foster!  Snap out of it.”

“Over your dead body,” she hissed, before biting down on his arm and drawing blood.  He pressed down on her neck with his metal arm and her head snapped backwards into the tile.

After that, everything stilled.  Tony took a few steps forward hesitantly, and Bucky released his grip from the unmoving soldier.

It felt like an eternity before her eyes fluttered open, taking in the scene around her.  A few pieces of equipment had been sacrificed in the ordeal, and at least one of the walls sported a hole.  

“You with us kid?” Tony asked after Bucky pulled away and sat a few feet away.  The super soldier hadn’t expected such a violent response, though they were able to get some of the answers they sought.  He quietly stood up and grabbed a nearby gauze for his forearm and side.  

She fought quick and dirty, a reflection of the era she was molded in.

“Yes,” she replied, sitting up with a hand on her forehead.  She leaned back on her free hand and looked to Bucky.  “Are you ok?”

“I’m fine, thanks,” Tony was at her side, helping her to her feet toward the examination table.

“You’re not bleeding,” she pointed out, her attention shooting back to her fellow soldier.  “Mr. Barnes?”

“You nicked me with a knife,” he explained, lifting his shirt to reveal the wound.  Already it was beginning to heal amongst the other scars that lined his torso.  “And bit me.”

“Bit you,” she repeated with wide eyes.  He tried not to chuckle as she tried her best to avoid looking at his naked side.  She looked at his shoes.  “Did we find the answers we needed?”

“Have some decency Barnes,” Tony laughed, pulling down Bucky’s shirt and turning to Mabel.  “We know the words.  Now we just need to know the why, hopefully Wanda can help a little with that.  But, it’s going to be mostly you, and being willing to talk it through.”

While Bucky mended himself, he saw a flash of panic in Mabel’s eyes.  He didn’t blame her.  There was some ugliness that needed to be pulled out and from personal experience; it wasn’t pretty.

“Am I allowed to leave?” she asked absently, after Tony read off the words in English.  “To go to my room?"

“As far as I’m concerned, as long as no one says the magic words, you can have the same amount of freedom as before.  Just try to have someone with you whenever you’re outside your room,” Tony reasoned after typing up a few notes on his computer.  

Mabel slid off of the table wordlessly and stood, waiting for Tony to unlock the lab.  She sent a pointed look at him, and he got the message loud and clear.

“They’re probably going to kill us soon enough anyway,” Tony sighed, unlocking the doors.  “I recommend you two getting a head start, they’re about two floors away.”

Bucky knew the last thing either of them wanted was a lecture on personal safety from Steve.  He looped his arm around Mabel’s and pulled her through the door and down an emergency corridor toward the back staircase.

Mabel moved like a zombie- her mind in a daze and her movements slow.  She barely reacted to Bucky tugging her forward, her feet only listening one step at a time.  

They hid away in the staircase, a large metal door closing behind the pair before he turned on the young woman.  It’d been about a month since they’d first met and finally the mask she forced upon herself daily had slipped away.  What he was seeing was a shell of a woman, taken by terrorists and tortured until she shattered.  It was like looking into a mirror.

Bucky did what he wished someone would have done for him, and pulled her into a tight embrace.  Her small frame practically collapsed into him, and she buried her face into his chest, her body shaking while she tried to steady her breathing.

They sank to the floor, Bucky murmuring comforts in her ear while she broke down in his arms.

He wasn’t sure how long they sat like this, but he didn’t move until she stilled.  She’d fallen asleep in a fit of exhaustion.  Twice, she’d been activated that day.  He was honestly surprised she hadn’t dropped down in the lab after their fight.  He stood up, careful to lift her body in his arms so he wouldn’t wake her.  Sleep was such a seldom luxury around here, and he was sure she needed every minute of it.

He began the trek toward their rooms, but paused outside of Mabel’s room when he realized he’d need a retinal scan to open the door.  Unwilling to wake the sleeping woman, he relented and took her to his own quarters, a smaller room tucked away on the far end of the living area.

The door slid open without too much trouble and he set her on his bed, pulling back the sheets and tucking her into place.  For someone with so many burdens, she seemed so tiny compared to him.  Tiny and vulnerable.

She rolled toward him and murmured under her breath, shifting so her hair fell over her features.  It was a natural movement, he reached forward and tucked the stray hair behind her ears.

Mabel looked so content sleeping, he’d almost forgotten to set himself a bed on the sofa.

Sure, he had a king sized bed, but between his gentlemanly guilt and her potential horror of waking up next to him, he figured it would be the best bet.

Even if every bone in his body ached after the ordeal.

Paris, central, broken, woman, mustard gas, and explosion.

He thought through the words carefully, trying to think of their connections with the woman’s past.  So simple.  Like his.  Yet they meant enough to bring her world crashing down.

Central Park, Manhattan, New York, NY- May 1911

“It’s too crowded here,” Mabel confessed with a frown.  She looked up at her companion, her arm locked neatly in his.  “Not here, but in the city.  Too many people."

“The pretty rich girl wants to run away?” Samuel teased, that smirk sending an involuntary flutter through Mabel’s heart.  “Where have I heard that story?”

“Mind yourself,” she countered with a small smile.  “My mother would lose her senses; but perhaps status and wealth aren’t everything in this world.”

“My stars,” Sam chuckled and loosened his arm, pulling Mabel to a small corner behind a shrub.  “You’re talking crazy, Miss Foster.  Are you quite all right?  Perhaps it’s the fumes?”

“Sam,” she pulled her hand away, her cheeks reddening at the sudden display, but Samuel held on tight and pulled her a little closer.  “People will see…”

“Let them,” he announced and gave her a twirl.  They continued down the flowered corridor, earning a few stares and running through the falling flowers before they made it to the Sheep Meadow.  Mabel dropped onto the soft grass, rolling to her side and laughing.  Samuel plopped down next to her and took her hand in his.  He gave it a soft kiss before gesturing out to the large field.

“We could move west, raise a huge flock of sheep,” he looked at her excitedly.  “I’m sure you have a lot of experience with livestock.”

“I held a chicken once,” Mabel chimed up excitedly.  His grin spread even further.

“Perfect, but I’ll focus on the business, you’ll have to tend to the children,” he paused and she fell backward into the grass, the plush surface cradling her head softly.

“We’ll have five,” she decided firmly.  “A big family.  Isiah, Mary, Felicity, Joshua, and Sarah.”

“Three girls might be a bit much,” he noted, his voice a little timid at the prospect.

“And two boys aren’t?  At least the girls can whip them into gentlemen,” she giggled.  Sam rolled closer to her and soon the pair studied one another’s faces.

“When do we leave?” he asked in a whisper, his hand reaching forward and tracing the edges of her face.

“Tonight,” she replied jokingly.  “Though you have to get Papa’s blessing first.”

“That might take a while.  I’m not sure the help would be a good match for the great Maxwell Foster’s daughter,” Sam rolled onto his back again and stared up at the stars that slowly began to cover the sky.  “Besides, what about Pierre?” he practically spat the name of Maxwell’s recently taken on ward and allegedly Mabel’s betrothed.

Mabel knew their status differences hurt Sam, but she had meant what she said earlier.  It meant nothing to her.  They could run away and live in poverty the rest of her days and she’d still be happier than sitting in her gilded tower without him.

She crawled over to him, leaning her forearms on his chest and looking straight into his eyes.

“Samuel O’Brien, Papa already likes you,” she reminded him.  “And he’s always ignored mother when it comes to these silly things and she’s the one pushing for Pierre.  I will speak to him, you’ll see.  We will be together.”

Sam grinned brightly and quickly grabbed Mabel by the shoulders for a quick kiss.

“I believe you’re due back at the castle m’lady,” he teased, slipping away before he could incur her lectures.  

Yet Mabel wasn’t in the mood for lectures, in fact, her heart wished she could lay with him in that grassy field for eternity, even with the sheep bleating in the background.

“You’ll meet me tomorrow though?” she sent a desperate look in his direction and he returned to her side, kneeling and kissing her hand.

“For my princess?  Always.”

PART 6

[flauntpage]

Your Wednesday Morning Roundup

The Flyers are back. Officially.

Their 51st year (50th of playing hockey if you take away the 2004-05 lockout year) kicks off tonight in San Jose against the Sharks. That game is scheduled to start at 10:30 on NBCSN. But it’ll probably be around 11 since home openers mean delayed starts. Pack up on Red Bull or coffee to go alongside your cold ones.

We’ve heard about the heralded young group of defensemen the Flyers have for a couple of years now, and most of them are finally up with the big club, for at least some time. Robert Hagg, Sam Morin, and Travis Sanheim join Ivan Provorov and Shayne Gostisbehere in a core that can last the team for maybe the next decade.

But similar to the Phillies this summer, will all of the youngsters play at the same time? Morin and Sanheim were fighting for a roster spot until Ghost got hurt in the third period of the preseason finale on Sunday. Will Ghost even dress tonight? It sounds like he will.

I would think Radko Gudas would be a lock in the starting lineup, but what about Brandon Manning and ALTERNATE CAPTAIN ANDREW MACDONALD? I’m pretty sure Dave Hakstol won’t bench either guy, but he should.

Yesterday’s defensive pairings at practice were interesting, and odds are they won’t be the same come today or tonight.

Besides the defense, I’m really excited to see what Nolan Patrick can do. The second overall pick centered the second line at yesterday’s practice. Is he top six worthy?

Either way, hockey is back.

The Roundup:

Continuing with the Flyers, the players gave the final alternate captain role to Valtteri Filppula and Andrew MacDonald. That Andrew MacDonald. Filppula will be the alternate captain for home games, while AMac assumes the role for road games.

When former Flyer Kerry Huffman saw Ivan Provorov for the first time in a junior hockey program, he knew he’d be something special:

He didn’t come out of nowhere. He didn’t spring on the scene. He has stood out every step of the way.

“A lot of it, too, was not just his game, but how the other kids looked at him,” said Huffman, now an assistant coach with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Flyers’ AHL affiliate. “He had a certain way he carried himself. In the summers when I would see him, he would come in to do skill sessions. He just had a presence to him that jumps out at you when you see it.

“Obviously, when you see a 14-year-old defenseman, you never know what’s going to happen, where they’re going to go or what they’re going to turn into. But he had a lot of raw, innate ability that certainly the other kids don’t have. There are a lot of quality kids who have gone through that program — maybe 10 Division I defensemen. He was just head and shoulders above everybody.”

After clearing waivers, the team officially loaned Matt Read to Lehigh Valley.

The rookies also got new numbers:

New #Flyers numbers: Morin: 5 Sanheim: 6 Hagg: 8 Patrick: 19 Leier: 20

— Dave Isaac (@davegisaac) October 3, 2017

Check out the team’s self-produced video from training camp.

Flyers anthem singer Lauren Hart posted an op-ed about the national anthem and the protests.

—

Sixers center Joel Embiid was heavily discussed today. He ran. He played tennis. He also got a Rocky video of him.

Embiid won’t play in tonight’s preseason opener against Memphis. Neither will Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot (knee) or Dario Saric (rest). Amir Johnson (right ankle sprain) is questionable for tonight. But we will see Ben Simmons.

Former Eagle Brian Dawkins spoke to the team yesterday.

Over the course of his talk, Dawkins stressed the importance of hard work, and the responsibilities that come along with being a professional athlete, especially in a city as passionate as Philadelphia. He pointed to parallels between the rise of the Eagles to perennial Super Bowl contender during the early 2000s, and the current state of the Sixers.

“To me, there are some similarities, what you guys are starting up right now,” Dawkins told the Sixers players seated before him. He then issued a challenge to the group.

“Going forward, it’s up to you. It’s up to you then to decide what direction this is going to be.”

Brian Dawkins inspiring speech to @sixers today

Told them to at their teammates and tell them

"I got you"@Eagles http://pic.twitter.com/ql4LiyV6rf

— John Clark NBCPhilly (@JClarkNBCS) October 4, 2017

Preseason opener against Memphis is at 7 on NBC Sports Philadelphia+ (formerly TCN).

Meanwhile, in New York:

So my buddy found the reported anti-Knicks ad on the subway in NY. Look at this gem. #TTP NYC http://pic.twitter.com/hEfnmLjWFE

— Ryan Abrams (@RyanAbrams76) October 3, 2017

—

The Eagles continue to get set for the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Even though Carson Wentz doesn’t have big numbers, he’s avoiding the negative plays in his second season with the team, from Zach Berman of the Inquirer:

The caution flag to wave is that it’s still early. At this point last season, Wentz had only one interception. The Eagles were also 3-1. But when the interceptions started coming more frequently, the wins came less frequently. Eleven of his 14 interceptions last season came in losses. In 20 career games, the Eagles are 3-8 when Wentz throws an interception. They’re 7-2 when he doesn’t throw an interception.

No one can accuse Wentz of playing conservatively, either. He’s willing to throw down field and doesn’t always attempt high-percentage passes. His success comes when he demonstrates smart quarterbacking, finding the balance between being too aggressive and too careful.

“I think every quarterback has a number where everybody wants to be single-digit interceptions when the season’s over and certainly have a lot of touchdown passes,” Reich said. “And one thing about Carson, I know he’s never going to play scared. That’s what I love. He still has that aggressive mind-set and that aggressive nature to look down field, but yet the decision making has been excellent.”

Jim Schwartz is searching for answers to the team’s fourth quarter struggles.

Rasul Douglas was one of those players that struggled throughout the game on Sunday. He hopes he can bounce back in a big way this week.

The team added cornerback D.J. Killings to their practice squad after promoting Justin Hamilton to the active roster. They still have an open spot after wide receiver Bryce Treggs signed with the Cleveland Browns.

Jake Elliott’s cannon of a kick against the Giants has turned him into an Eagles legend.

Colin Cowherd called Philly fans “dumb”, but the team clapped right back on Twitter.

—

The Phillies will have a low payroll in 2018, according to president Andy MacPhail:

But reaching the turning point will not lead immediately to contention. Wins and losses will carry more weight in 2018, but the team, MacPhail said, still expects “a relatively low payroll.” The Phillies will instead apply financial resources to other areas such as stadium upgrades, a sports science staff, and boosts to their analytics department. So, there will be a new playing surface and public address system next season at Citizens Bank Park.

A true turning point will come once the Phillies are willing — they are already able — to compete in free agency.

“We’ve already talked to ownership about it and explained to them why [the payroll will be low in 2018],” MacPhail said. “They did not react extraordinarily well in the beginning. Ultimately, they’re OK with it with one proviso: that if an opportunity presents itself, we do not exclude it. They understand the program.”

Bob takes a look at each of the rookie position players.

—

In other sports news, after a slow start, the Yankees got hot in the AL Wild Card game and beat the Twins 8-4. They’ll play Cleveland in the ALDS beginning on Thursday.

Brewers prospect Bubba Derby was at the country music concert in Las Vegas that was the biggest mass shooting in the country’s history. He escaped and told his story:

“We didn’t know where the shots were coming from,” said Derby, who was “about 100 yards” in front of the stage when the shooting began. “It sounded like they were on top of us. Everyone got down. We tried to get as low to the ground as possible. The first thing I did was look for my family.

“I turned around and looked to find my aunt, and I’ll never forget the look on her face. We made eye contact and we thought we were about to die. You could hear the bullets ricocheting. It’s one of those moments where you just want to try to get out of there.”

The NBA is changing the format to their All-Star Game. Two captains, one from each conference, will select their team from a pool of players. Just like what the NHL did a few years ago.

Former Flyer Ville Leino has retired from pro hockey. But he’s still making money, thanks to Buffalo:

Ville Leino has retired from pro hockey. Still gets 1.2M usd for 3yrs from his buyout. #sabres

— Juha Hiitelä (@jhiitela) October 3, 2017

Seems like the Sabres love giving away money. They signed Jack Eichel to an eight-year, $80 million contract extension.

Timberwolves power forward Taj Gibson will become the first NBA player to wear No. 67. He picked the number to represent his hometown of Brooklyn.

The Patriots have their own plane:

Welcome aboard #AirKraft: http://pic.twitter.com/NGBAHvA27T

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 3, 2017

Tennis player Dan Evans is suspended one year after a positive cocaine test. It is a helluva drug.

Very accurate depiction of the Browns:

An actual dumpster fire outside of Browns stadium right now. http://pic.twitter.com/ZcXWma3QVR

— Mark Cerimele (@RealMarkCerimel) October 3, 2017

—

In the news, bail has been set for $5 million after a New Jersey father was accused of killing his two-year-old son after robbing a department store.

The Las Vegas shooter’s girlfriend returned to Los Angeles yesterday.

It sounds like all 3 billion Yahoo accounts were hacked back in 2013.

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