10134/That's Not Weird, Is It

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That's Not Weird, Is It
Date of Scene: 20 November 2019
Location: Harlem's Paradise - Club
Synopsis: Dazzler and Multiple Man hit the town. They are almost definitely banned from Harlem's Paradise.
Cast of Characters: Multiple Man, Dazzler




Multiple Man has posed:
What harm can come from an app? A simple thing, really. Safe as Nerf guns. Get out and meet more people, they said. But I am more people, he was quick to reply. That was not the answer you give to a psychic trying to get you out of their hair. So Jamie himself out there. No filter. No curtain of normalcy. Who would believe it anyway when it comes to Multiple Man?

Not even Jamie, that's who.

He matched. He avoided. He matched. He ghosted. He matched... and he kind of freaked out a little bit. So he put himself out there. In Harlem. To meet up with none other than Dazzler. An X-Man of repute. A star in more ways than he can point out. He even put money on it. She won't respond. Damn. She did. There went a hundred. Double or nothing, he picked a place. Harlem's Paradise. It was either this or the Fifty-Fifty and strip clubs don't often make the best first impressions. That's a second date or parents anniversary kind of thing, you know?

He made it past the door with a bribe and a smile. He found the bar quicker than he should have but it was either that or just stand in the middle of the club, looking out of place and out of his mind. Something about wearing an overcoat in a club. He wasn't listening to the bouncer earlier. So he stands out. He's used to it. Face tattoos are fun like that. Tall, dark beer in hand. Did he use too much cologne? Oh god. Did he forget cologne?! No, no. It's in his hand. Pulled from a pocket, he spritzes at himself. The cap turned wrong, he sprays an unsuspecting woman right in the eyes. She's cursing at him in Spanish as he tries to offer a wet nap he stole from a sleazy pool hall in Bludhaven.

Dazzler has posed:
Apps are dangerous things, as Alison is quickly learning. Of course, there were some initial ones that were just.. No. Just no.

But much like Jamie there is a continued mantra of get out there, make connections. It's hard, being a popstar. Even one that hasn't released anything recently makes it pretty difficult, she's still visible. Well known. People KNOW HER.

When she arrives there is no hiding the fact that she's here, that she's arrived. Maybe she counts on the recognition to get her into places like this, because she has zero trouble getting past the bouncer. And she's dressed for the club in a black dress full of sequins and glass beads that make a sort of shimmering light all their own.

What it does make hard, though, is getting from the door to the bar, but she eventually manages it just in time to hear the woman cursing at Jamie, her brows lifting upwards and she starts to turn around and go right back the way she came. But she doesn't, instead she clears her throat.

Multiple Man has posed:
The club isn't exactly crammed to the walls mid week but the popularity of the place is enough to keep them active at the expense of less popular locales nearby. Even so, the appearance of Alison Blaire has an immediate reaction. Jamie himself is in no wqy immune to this. People turn. People look. Jaime's eyes widen for far too many reasons to count. A little human stick of dynamite is yelling in his face, unaware of the commotion outside her own. Finger in his face but not touching. Ignoring the noisy lady, Jamie just now realizes what he's done. "Craaaaaaaap. This is gonna be in a magazine." A hand goes to the back of his neck, a sheepish smirk on his face as Alison -almost- skips out on it all.

People watch. Point. Talk. They always do. He's made a living on those habits. So when Dazzler clears her throat, Jamie offers an upnod in greeting. Lopsided, semi-appologetic smile on his clean shaven mug. "You know, you almost made it back out. Almost." He says, which turns a furious latina in red on Alison. Who -immediately- shrieks and changes tune. Madrox takes the opening and steps around the previously livid lady in scarlet. Putting himself between the two. "Hi. I accidentally maced her with Polo Black. Glad you could make it and prevent my grisly murder."

Jamie is not dressed in club chic. He's wearing the exact same thing he wears every day. Green, form fitting shirt with goldenrod yellow geometric design. canvas slacks. Boots. Stupid smile. He honestly couldn't decide what to wear. So he didn't. "I should have picked Red Lobster, huh?"

Dazzler has posed:
Almost. But in the epic words of that one movie, it doesn't matter if you win by inches or a mile. That's relevant right now, right? She didn't win. She's come in second. Although, the yelling woman and the fact that yes...this is going to be in a magazine, might make this coming in last.

But a star to her very core, the woman gets a smile. Even when Jamie moves to step between them she keeps her attention on the woman, a hand lifting, one finger held up. She's begging for a moment from him and his explanation because very clearly the words are addressed to the previously angry woman. "I am //so// so...so, totally, sorry. Really, so sorry." She lifts her hands to her chest, pouring it on thick, "Please, your drinks tonight are on me to make up for it. But if you'll excuse me, I need to steal him away."

There's no wait for a reply, instead Alison moves with the long practice of herding and side-stepping to try and get him moving away from the woman even as she lowers her voice, "The club is fine. Really, it's fine. You might have maced your lobster with Polo Black instead, and that wouldn't be good. Very bad tasting I bet."

Multiple Man has posed:
To be fair, Jamie thinks to himself, this could have all started off worse. He's not bleeding, SHIELD hasn't shown up with black bags and he's almost certain that he wasn't followed by a werewolf. This last concern is becoming a tad upsetting.

His head ducked backward a bit as he recoils ever so slightly at the upheld digit. Brows furrow low in vague annoyance even as he chuckles under a breath to himself. Alison hammering the generousity down, possibly saving herself more headache than she'd like. Jamie is of little help. He sips his beer. Thumb jerked back over shoulder at the placated woman and company. "Hold on now, I'm pretty sure she said something about my grandmother and a farm animal. Gam-Gam doesn't get disresp-"

Her herding technique comes in handy. The skill definitely well worth the practice when it comes to getting Madrox moving away from the start of another scene. The corner of his mouth hitches into a self-amused smirk. Punchably smug, it's been said. "She didn't say anything about the taste. Just the whole occular inferno thing. They really should put a warning label on the box." They did. A glance back ovet shoulder and Jamie passes an insufferable wink back to his new nemesis. He gets the bird. He's more a cat person. A hand lightly rests at her back as they move away from the bar, he leans close to hear her over the music. A mellow, slow walking jazz groove. "I'm honestly surprised you're here. You look great. It's been, what? Two years? Three?"

Dazzler has posed:
They've safely escaped, and that is all that matters to Alison, because it really does save her from a lot more mess and drama later on. Now the woman has a story to tell all her friends, and potentially make money off of if she knows how to make that happen.

"Gam-Gam?" This is received with an amused laugh, but then she's quiet as they move along, and he just keeps talking about things. Inferno eyes, warning labels. There are sounds made, indications that she's totally listening to him and in fact not just focusing on finding a place to go sit. When he says that she looks good, she flashes a smile at him, a sign maybe that she really is actively listening instead of just looking around.

"Why wouldn't I be here? Seems reasonably safe." Unless those werewolves turn up. Or SHIELD with their black bags. Or angry "fans". "As it been two or three years?" She shakes her head a bit, then glances towards the dance floor before asking a more important question, "Sit down somewhere or you want to dance?"

Multiple Man has posed:
Jamie may just turn a buck on it himself it the story swings back his way. Okay, he wouldn't but he'd agonize over it until the oportunity faded or a case sidetracked him. Finishing his beer to free up his left hand, he hands off the empty to a complete stranger. The man looks confusedly at the empty glass and then the retreating pair.

"Gam-Gam." Jamie says confidently. While she's looking for paths through the crowd, openings to take, Jamie is watching... well, everything. It helps when you're in more than one place at once. As Alison and Jamie weave and dance through humanity, -another- Jamie Madrox leaves the restroom and hits the bar. There, he begins an awkward conversation with a woman in red. Jamie OG? He's probably the one with Alison. Probably. Right?

"Oh so many reasons. Reasonable safety being chief among them. No disease-touch gremlins. No robotic terrorists spouting corporate approved death threats. Not even one single, solitary brainwave sucking hyper ninja." Jamie tsks in mock disapproval before the question is asked. His heart stalls. Decision. Decision. A glance back at his Dupe proves fruitless. Bar Madrox and Lady in Red both flip him off. "Errrr... Dance. Yeah. I think I can keep up. Spent a year on stage myself, you know."

Dazzler has posed:
There is probably something good about the fact she doesn't appear to notice the Jamie Madrox at the bar, because there might be no dancing. No drinks. And there might be a second woman mad at him all in the course of....five minutes? Is that a record?

"Were you?" On stage. Alison considers it, then she reverses, "Were you dancing on stage for a year?" Because these are very, very important distinctions, and she realizes that there are still probably half a dozen potential problems she didn't address.

Like what stage. Was he good. Was this real or just a nightmare. "Come on then." If he's going to embarass her on the dance floor, she might as well front load all the nights embarassment and awkwardness to get it over with. She starts to move out to the dance floor as the song switches over, and it's not at all a fast song. Which might or might not help the potential awkwardness.

Multiple Man has posed:
It is assuredly -not- a record. For a man capable of making every choice at once, he seems so damned dead set on making the wrong ones half the time. Half may be short-selling the duplicating degenerate. It likely wouldn't be great if she knew there was a third Madrox back at the office, playing video games and drinking absinthe from a sippy cup.

"I were." Madrox confirms with an easy, relaxed baritone. He nods along as he looks for an opening to hit the floor and do his level best to not bring shame to himself, Alison, this club and mutant kind. "It had ups and downs. Got to pick my own music though, so that was nice." He says it with a light, faintly bemused smile. An eyebrow arches high, the M etched into his face wrinkles with early worry lines.

Jamie doesn't keep the woman waiting. They get room. When Alison Blaire is on a dance floor, people notice. Especially when it's with some half mad, mutant wanna-be Sherlock. The song switches. Jamie cricks his neck and offers a hand before letting the other hand rest at her hip. Fingers drum. "The Hot House in Chicago, incase you were wondering." A wink then. "You smell nice. Not at all like Polo Black."

Dazzler has posed:
"A str..." Oh, oh, she almost said it. But she's saved from asking if the stage be danced on was at a strip club, or if there was a pole involved, by his statement of where it was. Which is impressive. There's a very noticable reaction to the name drop as her eyes widen a fraction, "That place is legendary."

It's a bit of an awkward moment where she misses the hand because she's just so stunned about the other. But there are people watching, and that sense of always being in the public eye kicks in and she reaches out for the offered hand as she drags her focus back to the reason they were talking about stages in the first place. Dancing. "Thank you, I almost wore the Polo Black, but instead I decided to opt for my favorite girl...Shalimar. I'm glad that she didn't let me down."

It'd be easy to wait for him to take the lead, he lead sort of already. But Alison doesn't wait, instead she begins to let the music lead and dictate the dancing. If his eyes fail him, the hand on her hip can certainly help out by cluing him in to the dancing as she begins to move. "So, explain this to me...How'd you end up at The Hot House?"

Multiple Man has posed:
That expressive and often times betraying arch of his right eyebrow returns. His lips twitch with the threat of an explosive smile. The faint tilt of his head. Cheerful. Self-satisfied. Her reaction was worth it. "Ansel Badams. That's what I went by. Had a whole theme. Haven't been back since. Still get Christmas cards from the guys."

As The stunned realization fades and Alison snaps back to the situation beneath her feet, Jamie patiently waits. Her fumbled reach covered by his quick yet not stern grasp. "I think she's got the upper hand for a reason. Shalimar. Going to remember that."

Inwardly, Jamie is relieved beyond words when she takes the lead from him. Letting her dictate the pace, the flow of it all, Multiple Man proves to be no slouch at all. His hands don't wander, his boots don't mash her toes. He steps in close and actually dances with her without a second thought. Natural. Easy. Shockingly light on his feet. "I saved one of the dancers from a beat down. He said he couldn't pay me but he knew who would. Made some friends. Drank too much. Amateur night. Next thing I knew, I was oiling up and stretching before a set. Happens all the time." He chuckles quietly. Breath faintly minty. Sweet tobacco. Amber beer.

Dazzler has posed:
Her toes are greatful, because while she might be wearing boots they aren't the kinds with steel toes, and instead are the kind that sport too tall heels that add to the dangerousness of dancing and getting her toes smashed on. Twisted ankles waiting to happen, right there.

"Shalimar is worth remembering." It's an easy agreement that he should remember, even if she's slightly curious about why he wants to remember. Or suspicious about his reasons. One hand in his leaves one hand at loose ends, so after a moment she lifts her hand to settle it on his shoulder. It is oddly formal for a moment, she realizes that, and adjusts her hand to instead settle on the back of his neck. "Sounds like quite the adventure, I can't say that I can relate to that kind of random adventure."

Honestly, she really probably could. But maybe not in as humorously random of a way. Either way, as she's mulling something over she continues to move to the music. There's a distinct difference between dancing to impress someone, or how you dance when you know that everyone is watching and dancing for the sheer joy of it. The dancing she does is the latter, the movements loose and easy, comfortable and relaxed even as beats change and speed up or slow down. "I'm going to be up on stage again soon...got asked to guest appear at a concert at one of the clubs in town. You smell nice, too. By the way."

Multiple Man has posed:
"I don't think they could ask for a better endorsement." Madrox states with the light lift of his shoulders. That's when he sees the other him. At the bar. Laughing and drinking with a slowly building group of strangers. The hand at the back of his neck finds him craning back against it. Head tipped back to give her a clearly disbelieving look. "You teach at Xavier's. You're an X-Man. I know for a fact that's not right but my ego appreciates it none the less."

Sometimes a little too observant for his own good, Jamie finds himself accidentally staring at her. That unblinking, invasive stare of someone trying to look past her eyes and into her brain. "Still with me, Sparkles?" He asks with a light laugh.

An uptick in the beat sees him step away, yet not letting her go that easy. "No kidding? That's great. Never have caught one of your shows live before. Between you, me and the twenty people around us? Kinda amped. Is that weird? Ahhhh, screw it. It is what it is." The compliment gets a brief glance away. He swallows hard before choosing his next words. "Now, it's no Shalimar but I do try. New soap. A little pricey but it's already paying for itself. What club? Lux? Iceberg? That spot Thor always goes to? Can never pronounce the name."

Dazzler has posed:
"I'm sure that they could ask for a better endorsement...but maybe I can convince them to give me an endorsement deal." She lifts her hand from his neck, maybe in response to his pulling away, maybe because it helps when she can use her hand to paint across the air between them, little hazy sparks spelling out the word Shalimar for a split second before she breathes the word in a reasonable impression of all the whispery commercials, "Shalimar..."

But in answer to the question she just smiles, "I haven't gone anywhere." Even if her thoughts did wander for a minute, they seem to be firmly back in the here and now instead of chasing rabbits down thought-holes.

"Amped about what? Just in general...or the concert? If you really are amped about that, you should come. But it's not at Lux, or Iceberg, or even Mjolnir." Guess who CAN pronounce it. "It's at Sam Guthrie's club...it's that young ex-Disney singer, Andrea Jackson, it's her concert."

Multiple Man has posed:
"There you go, undercutting your own marketability. Tragic." When she waffles back on the endorsement talk, Jamie snaps his fingers and points with a waggling index finger. "That's better." The space between them sparkling and spelling out that now unforgettable word, Jamie laughs. He can't help it. A free, unhindered and abrupt thing, he doesn't mask his delight at the display. "Yeah. You just sold about fifteen bottles just now and I'm only four of them."

Brazen, emboldened or just letting go of that lingering tension, Jamie pulls her back in close. A sudden tug, that, if she follows... leads to less personal space indeed. "Concert. Long as I'm not trapped in some nightmare realm or anything, yeah. Why not?"

Jamie rolls his eyes with a huff of a sigh at her immaculate pronunciation. "Show off." Says the show off to the super powered celebrity. Hand at her lower back, he tries to keep her gaze directed. At him. At the wall. Anywhere but the bar as Bar Jamie challenges two titanic bouncers to shots. Yup. Keep Alison looking anywhere but that way for now. "Is it just me or does the fact that Good Ole Sam has a club... is a tad bit mind melting? Of -all- the people. Sam. Kentucky Fried Ballistic Missle Sam. Club owner. It sometimes wakes me up at night. The existential terror of it all."

Dazzler has posed:
"Only fifteen bottles?" Alison shakes her head, her nose scrunching up and her face saying it all. Not enough. Especially not four bought by one person. There needs to be more. More imaginary bottles of expensive perfume sold. "Maybe if I make the lights brighter, the letters bigger." She lifts both hands, and starts to show what she means.

Only she never gets that far as she gets pulled back in, closer this time. Instead her hands drop back down, sans any sparkles, "Do you get trapped in nightmare realms very often?" She raises a brow at him, expression dubious and curious all at the same time, "I'm fairly certain that if you do, we could set up something. Like a bell on a string, you give it a good tug when you need...?"

Thankfully his efforts all work out, and she's not looking at the bar. Yet. Eventually she might think about the fact that she might want her own drink, afterall. She did skip getting one earlier to instead rescue him from being murdered. "It is a little not what I'd have expected. But I wouldn't say there is an existential terror involved in it, although the club plus the girlfriend that is a singer? I forget her name, he's said it a few times. That is shocking...you think she sings country?"

Multiple Man has posed:
"Hey, I'm just a fragrance market speculator. Just doing my job, ma'am." Her disapproval is contrasted sharply by Jamie's amusement. An entirely too bright and straight smile for a guy who gets punched in the head a lot. "Bigger and brighter is always a crowd pleaser, he says without having to raise his voice as much this time.

"Does the C Train count? I've been more worried on that commute than I have uselessly punching Sentinel boots." The dubious narrow of her eyes gets a little laugh. A nonchallant shrug as they navigate the dance floor with ease and more than one confused look. Who is that guy with the letter on his face and what radio contest did he win to get this dance?! "Alternate timeline once. Future thingy. Reay, really could have used that bell and string idea earlier. Kind of hurt that nobody offered now that I think of it."

Something breaks behind her. Jamie smiles wider. Grip tightening for the flicker of a second as one of the beheamoth bouncers lifts Bar Jamie off his feet by the collar. Set to drag the mouthy Dupe out of the place as Jamie Prime(probably) starts to panic. "Okay, so you can picture Sam doing lines off a giant glass table with a black panther base too? How does that not terrify you?" Blink, blink. Jamie looks at her as if she just poked him between the eyes. "Well, I sure as hell do now. Oh god. You think there will be a duet? I should bring a camera. This must be recorded for future generations."

Dazzler has posed:
"Worried you'll..." How does one delicately ask if someone is worried about suddenly being the magical cup from Harry Potter, only in a train instead of a magic vault. So, she doesn't. She leaves the thought unfinished, and instead nods in a very understanding way, "Alternate timelines are incredibly frustrating sometimes."

So speaks some experience there. Which she is certainly not expanding on, instead she reaches up to pull out her earring and hold it out towards him, "It's not a bell, but it can serve until I get you a bell and a string. We'll tie the string to your finger.."

It was going so good, too. Not noticing the Bar Jamie, until something breaks. She starts to look in the direction of the bar, and the evidence of the Dupe that has hopefully not been drinking on her dime with the lady in red, until he both tightens his grip, and asks about duets. She snaps her attention back towards him, "With Sam and his girlfriend? No...I doubt that."

Multiple Man has posed:
"You don't even have to finish that sentence. Yes. Yes, I am." A blanket statement works for the deplorable C train. The reason he bought a classic Cadillac. That he can barely park anywhere half the time. Eyes widen, he's got this look on his face that just screams 'Finally!'. "I know, right? And when you get back, did you really get back or is it just a really similar but different dimension or did the timeline go all Back to the Future 2?" Talk about a classic in this day and age.

The offering of her earring stuns Madrox for a moment. He blinks dully before a lopsided, distracted smile starts to grow. "Now, now. You know what happens if you give me that. I get my freedom and then it's all downhill from there."

He's taking his hand off her waist when she starts to look back. "AHEMHRMHRMPH." He clears his throat exaggeratedly. Bar Jamie sees him and starts fighting back against the bouncer. Now two have him. Then al of a sudden a punch is thrown. Common bouncer gut punch. Unfortunately, now they have two Madri on their hands. "I know, that would be crazy, right?! Say, do you wanna get out of here? I wanna get out of here. You like uh... uhh... " Headlocked Bar Jamie is being dragged past, the new Dupe on that bouncers back. Bar Jamie and Jamie OG meet gazes. "I don't know that man!" Is the first thing out of sober Jamie's mouth. About the unmistakeable mirror image being, well, bounced.

Well. There goes that.

Dazzler has posed:
There is a slight widening of her eyes, "I figure it's never the right one." Because he knows! He gets it! "You know how many times someone tells me something I did or said and I don't //remember// it?"

The earring isn't anything that fancy, or expensive, so she is very comfortable with moving to put the earring into a pocket before she shrugs at the question thing, then there is a whole lot of things happening. The first among that being the Dupe that is quickly being bounced from the club, and despite sober Jamie's exclamation of not knowing that man no one is fooled. Not a single person.

Alison's mouth opens, and she starts to say something before she closes her mouth, that dubious look popping up as she stares at him, waiting perhaps to see what he's going to say. There's no yelling, though.

Multiple Man has posed:
Oh, how he does get it. He wishes he didn't but the fact of the matter is, these days... it's almost impossible to tell which memories are his and which ones came from Duplicates. His every day is spent half on the defensive. He opens his mouth to loudly agree but all Hell breaks loose before he gets the chance.

For a second, he wonders why he claimed ignorance. Then he remembers. He's an idiot. Not truly, of course, but he sure does feel the part as Alison stares at him with disbelief and apprehension. "Look." He starts. The dancing, of course, has come to a close. "It's kind of like... " The additional bouncer moves to Jamie Prime and Alison, anger in his eyes. Madrox lets out all the wind from his sails. Shoulders sag. Arms fall low. "It was nice while it lasted, Sparkles." Taking a pack of cigarettes from an inner pocket, he sparks up. Which is frowned upon, to say the least.

As Bar Jamie's get tossed out on the the street, two becomes four. Outside, their uproarious laughter is unheard by the clubbers and superheroes alike. Lifting his hands in surrender, he turns his back to the approaching bouncer and offers Dazzler an appologetic, half-assed smirk. "Guess I'll see you around campus, Ali." Grabbed around the neck with a burly arm, Madrox Prime doesn't resist his own ejection from Paradise. That'd just cause more problems. More Madri.

Dazzler has posed:
"Like..?" Oh, but the answer to that question is never going to come. Not with the bouncer turning his attention onto the sober Jamie. It's a scene, and one that the tabloids are probably going to lap up like cream. Even more so when Alison doesn't opt for outrage or suspicion in the face of it all.

Instead. Shocker of shockers. She gives him the benefit of the doubt that it wasn't all some terrible joke at her expense, and when the bouncer starts to do what all burly bouncers are trained to do, she launches into motion.

"Run!" Run? Run where? How?! The answer comes when she employs a very underhanded tactic and attempts to momentarily blind the bouncer before applying heel to instep.

Does it work?

Will they both get banned for LIFE?

Multiple Man has posed:
There would be talk. Oh, there would be talk. Dazzler! Embarassed by drunken mutant siblings in Harlem! Jamie was not going to live it down any time soon. It's added to the top of a large pile filled with these sorts of moments. It feels more frequent these days but he's a touch frightene to address it. Lately the Dupes seem to be more... independent. For better or worse. Tonight?

Worse. With a touch of better. Nobody joined a cult this time. Small victories, right?

The cigarette snatched from his lips, Jamie gets hauled backward in a full nelson. Arms pinned upward over his head. "Run?!" Immediate pulse drop and floored expression on his face. Eyes wide, mouth open wordlessly. Instinct and training kick in. How do you keep hold of a kung fu master? You don't.

Eyes squeezed shut, Jamie drops his weight. Shifts hips to the left and as the light flares, he doubles over and pulls Burly the Bouncer eyeballs first into it. With a heel to the mans foot, he folds awkwardly. Gasps of shock! Shouts of outrage! Jamie straightens up after plucking that cigarette off the floor. Right to his lips. Five second rule, y'all.

There's a pause for the flicker of a second where Jamie looks relieved to not be the only one making a scene. Then he bolts. Right to those doors and a crew of trouble incarnate Madri.

Yeah. They probably can't come back here.

Dazzler has posed:
What does a world famous mutant singer do when trying to make a scene? On purpose. Make more of a scene.

That bouncer is going to be very angry as soon as he can see to grab people.

Instead of running like she told Jamie to she walks, slow as can be towards the exit, like she wasn't ready for that bouncer or one of his buddies to be right there any second to grab her. She gets as far as the door before she spins around on a heel, her arms flinging up and wide and when she does it there is lights. Lots of flashing lights, it puts the Shalimar sign to shame, and then she sweeps a bow to the room of people paying attention, and those that might have been lucky enough to miss it all until she went and lit things up like a Christmas tree on cocaine.

"Thank you! You've been a wonderful audience...I love you all!" She blows kisses, then finally turns to make a run for it herself without regard for the possibility that she might trip over a Jamie or three outside.