July 13, 2015:
More visits to the incarcerated Cyclops and Red Phoenix
Halls of Justice - Metropolis
Characters
NPCs: None.
Mentions:
Plot:
Mood Music: None.
Fade In…
Within the Hall of Justice, there are holding rooms. These are the places where cooperative individuals under arrest are held. They've not often seen many visitors, for most people who end up in JL:A custody aren't exactly the cooperative sort.
Scott Summers and his daughter, Rachel 'Grey', haven't been on speaking terms for the past day. In fact, the two haven't been together in the common area of the holding room since; for Scott's part, it wasn't entirely intentional. He simply didn't know what to do.
There's a heavy book upon his lap, titled 'The American Justice System: a Comprehensive History'. He's made it through three quarters of the book, which explains the tired look about him. Beneath the ruby glasses, there are bags under his eyes.
Thank God for small miracles.
Since a couple of oversized gods decided to march on Metropolis, Kate's been doing her best to coordinate between the JL:A, the metro police, and the various forces moving in to help deal with the problem. She's no mage, but she's hung around with enough of them to help translate problems for the laymen. Eventually, though, she needs to take a break. And hearing that, for some reason, they've got not just Rachel Grey but one of the X-Men in the holding cells, she decided to investigate for herself.
"Okay, I am on the Council," she's telling the guard on duty. "Also, I can handle it. Please don't make me be a dick, I'm the nice Hawkeye." Apparently the last works, because the next thing, she's walking into the holding room, a stack of paperbound books under her arm. And given her attire, it's clear why the guard might have had some doubts. The yoga pants, ponytail, and the tank top don't exactly look like on duty gear.
There's a flash of light near the Foyer that accompanies the arrival of a stepping disk which descends to reveal a Jericho and Illyana. The hacker had, after his visit with Scott and Rachel, gone more or less straight to Illyana to tell her… where the Fearless Leader was. He figured she'd want to chat with him herself. He's present because, well, that last one had seen a rather emotional Scott and he wants to know if the man's calmed any. Or indeed, if there have been any developments.
Captain America cleared them for a return visit, not that it matters as another Councilor is here, so he follow's the blonde's lead. Surely the guards won't argue, right? Not after the speech Kate gave them.
Illyana is at least dressed in working attire. Which… well. It's a costume. So it does look a little outlandish. Not as much as Hawkeye's outfit. Really. Who would wear that much purple? The blonde doesn't bother with chitchat, coming in on the heels of Kate, and just rides in her wake. Besides, does anyone really want to put themselves in front of that narrow-eyed glare?
Illyana may be a new addition, and so probationary, but she's at least fairly recognizeable. Hopefully that'll make this mostly painless. Until they get down to Scott, at any rate.
When the door becomes unlocked, Scott maintains the wherewithal to avoid sighing. He looks up, about to say something undoubtedly snippy, when the words catch at sight of Kate.
And Illyana in her wake.
"Well." He closes the book and sets in on the table. "That's unexpected."
Dry as ever.
Still, he's a polite man who remembers manners. Standing up, Kate receives a stiff upnod. "Bishop. Magick."
Its all code names, here.
"Hi. And…" Kate looks over her shoulder as others arrive, smiling tightly. "And also hi," she greets, making room as other people start filing into the room. "I brought you some sudoku," she says, taking the books out from under her arm. "I wasn't one hundred percent sure what to bring someone you're technically supposed to be keeping from escaping when you're also not technically detaining them and you think the decision to detain them is pretty pigheaded in the first place. Miss Manners just doesn't cover that stuff. But I figured I'd lose my mind if I was stuck in here, so anything was better than nothing."
Jericho's eyes flash as he comes in last and lets the door be shut behind them. "Told you I'd be back with company. Feeling any less snappy today?" No Rachel in the room which tells Jericho all he needs to know without asking.
"Well, there he is." The hacker says to Illyana with something resembling a sigh. She'd taken the news… well… she'd taken it.
"Hey there Kate." Jericho gives the younger Hawkeye a wave. They've worked together before though nothing recent. Just haven't been running in the same circles.
Illyana and Kate don't really know each other, but the blonde made it a point to review who was on this team. It's not a team like she's used to, and that throws her a bit. The other woman gets a polite nod before Illyana turns her attention over to Scott. Her hands set on her hips and she brings the weigh of that cold, plae gaze over to the X-Men's leader. "What in Hades name are you doing, Cyclops?" It's not her usual mocking, this has a real 'wtf' edge to it.
"Aspect." The hacker is last to enter, so last to be greeted. He'd also narrowly dodged being flipped the bird last night, so the offhand remark earns him a rueful smirk from beneath ruby glasses. "Well, since Rogers isn't here being Mister Gung-Ho, yes. I'm feeling less 'snappy'."
Not entirely the real reason, but it's an easy out for the time being.
Walking forward, Scott accepts the books from Kate with a less rueful grin. In fact, the expression becomes almost thoughtful. "Thanks."
Was that… in reference to the sudoku, or the fairly straight forward admonishment of how much bullshit the X-Man is wrapped up in? Hard to say.
"Not quite losing my mind yet," he adds. "Ask me again when they send me to Gitmo."
Crossing the room, he sets the gifts down next to his reference book, before walking back over in time to get the Stink Eye from Illyana.
"You want the short version or the long version?"
"Steve's, uh." Kate rubs a hand at the back of her neck, perching on the edge of the table to get a better view of the big picture. "We've sort of had it out before. Already. Over the whole…Orleans thing. He means well, for what it's worth. Which I know isn't a whole lot when he's meaning well in your general direction."
She flashes a brief smile toward Jericho, but it's Illyana's comment that draws most of her attention. She's read the blonde's Red Team bio, for what it's worth. Keeping up with people is her speciality. But she's still an unknown, which makes her interesting.
Jericho settles in behind and slightly to Illyana's left. He's never really heard her take that tone with fellow X-Men before. In fact she'd held him back from really laying into them eight or nine months ago. But it is really a bit shocking and he gathers that it could, potentially, put her in an awkward position. To say the least.
"He was awful well meaning last night." The hacker murmurs to Kate. Of course, several people were being 'well meaning.' Ask Rachel how 'well meaning' Scott was.
"Just give me the important bits." Illyana says, her tone still a bit clipped. "Save the touchy-feely for later with cocoa when I want to laugh at your pain." At least some of Illyana's usual mocking humor is starting to creep into her tone. "Also, what are the likely outcomes and what do you need from me." No 'prove to me you deserve my help', just 'what do you need'. End of story.
Illyana's X-Men: Red profile is kept pretty polished by the DCI PR team. No mention of portals to Hell and not a ton of substance on the woman herself. The JL:A's dossier that Oracle supplied likely has a bit more background information but any way you slice it, the woman's got closets in her closets of secrets.
"I know he does," is Scott's answer to Kate's observation on Rogers. "S'why I've gone this far. He's the one who suggested Rachel turn herself in." A glance is given to Illyana at that; more of the picture revealed. "I'm the one who convinced her to do it."
Perhaps surprisingly, Scott isn't taken aback by Illyana's tone. She's one of his, in a manner of speaking. He'll be the first to call one of his X-Men on the carpet if they step out of line, but he's got the good sense to look at things from her perspective. That being said, he reaches into a pocket and produces a small, digital recorder, which is promptly shut off. Apparently, this stuff will go off the record.
"Blame him. Technopathic interference, or something."
Scott sets the recorded down and turns back to face the others, happy enough to remain standing. "When Rachel returned from Bahrain, where she'd seen the Sentinels in action, she wanted to do something about it. To use some contacts at the Russian and Chinese embassies to put pressure on the U.S."
He stuffs his hands in his pockets and leans up against a support pole. "I authorized it. It's… they're pushing sedition, and frankly, that's what it is. Some things went south on her op, and the can was blown wide open." Obviously. "I came to Steve, for one reason because that asshole Fury never answers my calls, but mostly, because he's one of the few government types I know, and I really didn't want to saddle this on Agent May. Rachel made a misstep, there's no arguing that, but it's the kind of misstep than can boil over. So, I told her, whether she turned herself in or not, I would go. I was in charge of the X-Men when the call was made, so it's my responsibility to answer for it."
"The whole Sentinel program's an ugly trap," Kate grimaces, shifting until she's cross-legged and looking between the others in the room. "If you fight it, it's because you're afraid it's going to stop you from doing something bad. If you don't, they pretty much get to set up mutant concentration camps. Politically speaking, they set things up pretty neatly."
She wrinkles her nose, looking toward the rooms off this area. "I appreciate where you're coming from, Cyclops. I appreciate where all of this is coming from. But I don't like them getting their shot at the X-Men. You taking responsibility as their leader also opens them up to blame as a whole. Which is the last thing we need right now."
Jericho could have a number of things to say about this. Information is kind of what he does and when it comes to special operations warfare… well he is a professional, at that among other things. That said he opts for his usual, listen much, speak little approach for now. Plus he already offered Scott his help. Any answer Illyana gets is information he didnt get last night. "Totally my fault." Jericho smirks. He's no technopath but it'll do.
Illyana might argue Jericho on the whole technopath bit, given what his power taps. Illyana listens with a slight forward tilt of her head, nodding at various points, Not like she needs to assure anyone she's listening. The blonde's attention is like a knife. "It's gonna be really hard to keep your ID out of things." She points out, more than warns. She's sure he's thought of it. "So skip to the second. What do you need from me to help this come to an end I'm gonna live with?"
"Rogers, apparently, has a meeting with the President over this," Scott answers Illyana. "He believes that he can convince Upton to let this blow over. So, I'm not sure if anything should be done, aside from some contingency planning."
Scott breaks off, moving away from the others. He hasn't slept - the way he pinches his nose, it shows. "I know it's a risk. But the last thing they need is a reason to push the Sentinel program into domestic, or worse, civilian police affairs. I'm trusting Jean and Charles to keep the school out of this." A pause, where he looks toward Kate. Jericho was in the know already, and the younger Hawkeye clearly has his side on this. Something she hasn't yet explained, but there it is.
To Jericho, he asks, "If shit goes south, how quickly can you erase everything there is about the name 'Scott Summers' from the world?"
Despite a long career spent on what most would consider the wrong side of the law, Gambit does not have much experience with detention facilities. It's a strange, but unique experience to find him heading towards where Scott Summers and Rachel Grey are being held. Along the way, his keen vision notes a few weak points in the Hall of Justice's security apparatus. Some are dummies, meant to trick people, and others are genuine. It takes experience to tell the difference. And while he may not have been incarcerated, he knows a thing or two about keeping people out.
Arriving at the visitors section, he sarcastically asks, his question aimed at the leader of the X-Men, "you want mebbe Gambit to get you out o' here? It not too difficult. Besides, if we get caught, then at least I get to meet dat Wonder Woman."
"Aw, c'mon, not right in front of me," Kate throws up her hands when Gambit comes in with his offer. "Seriously, Kate Bishop, Hawkeye, Avenger!" In yoga pants, tank top, and ponytail, sitting cross-legged on the table without a bow or arrow in sight. Yeah. She's terrifying.
"I don't know if I missed something, but I didn't get the sense the president was super fond of Steve right now," she continues to Scott. "So. I mean. I could be out of the loop, it's been a weird few months. But I'm pretty sure with Traverstein's registration bill on the table, he can't be too buddy buddy with Cap unless he's also seen to be getting something out of it, which…is a whole different can of worms, you know?"
Rachel had been in the other room of the cell, listening with her ears and her mind to the conversation going on in the other part of the cell; of course she was careful not to even brush Illyana's mind, she had heard stories of what happened to psychics who read that mind.
NOPE.
"Well Dad, why wasn't that your first plan?" Rachel didn't like captivity and it didn't take a psychic to figure out that she wasn't a big fan of Cyclops great turn in, "…." She opens her mouth to speak before she lets the words trail off, not bothering to finish her words before nodding to the others.
After a moment of silence, she replies to Gambit, "If I wanted to get out, this prison wouldn't do much."
Jericho's eyes glimmer in thought. "Potentially quite fast if I have enough warning." Such a thing is baltantly illegal but he has done it before. kstly for himself while running from Hydra. "More difficult will be controlling acess to the associations with that name." Like a certain school's tax ID. In otherwords, he can vanish Scott, in theory, but that doesnt mean the school might not suffer for it, to say nothing of the other X Men.
Kates response to Gambits sudden presence gets a chuckle, but then Rachels aout and he's focusing on her, the blonde sorceress and the man with the eye beams again.
Well. The Psychics that Illyana lets into her mind, at any rate. Really, it's just better for people's sanity not to try to bludgeon their way through her shields.
The cajun's entrance speech gets a roll of her eyes from Illyana along with Kate's annoyance. "Please. Either I'm in on it, in which case I can get him out *so* much easier than you, or I'm on the hunting team in which case you're screwed because I know Cyclops too damned well for him to hide from me." She draws in a slow, deep breath then and blows it out through her nose. Rachel's entrance gets a tilt of Illyana's head by way of hello.
"It does seem like things escalated to the point someone was gonna have to come in somehow… But getting a bit of support from your 'out and proud' X-ers wouldn't have gone amiss. And, oh, some council from Bobby's lawyers."
Gambit's arrival marks another surprise in a long list of surprises. "Gosh, I feel so loved," Scott drily answers, before passing Remy a more genuine smirk. He'll not remark on Gambit's adventures in romance. That one can just slide for now.
Kate's mention of Traverstein has that smirk going right away. "Traverstein," he scoffs. "She's gradually turning this system of checks and balances into a system of cunts and balances."
That was perhaps a bit far. He glances toward Jericho, but then looks back to Illyana and Kate. If there is apology, it's in his eyes, and well…
"If it comes down to it, the school knows what to do. We have plenty of emergency scenarios."
Illyana's quip earns her a look that doesn't need eye contact to be clear. "Try it, kiddo." The half-lipped grin clarifies his humor; a humor short-lived when Rachel steps out to join them.
His daughter receives a long look. He's half tempted to simply not answer her, but then it comes out, more like a parent lecturing a child than a leader imparting wisdom. "Because we can't go on sneaking around forever and expect the world not to hate and fear us."
Then, he's firing back at Illyana. "I knew from the moment this hit the ground, it had to be silent. Plausible deniability."
Gambit may play things fast and loose, but he's a pretty reliable guy. It's too bad nobody believes that of him. Shaking his head at Kate's reaction, "Kate Bishop, Hawkeye, Avenger, I'll remember dat one." And he seems to eye her up and down, sitting there, looking so terrifying.
But then he moves on, listening to Rachel and Illyana's back and forth. If they had wanted to escape, they'd probably already be gone. Either themselves, or thanks to their friends. But for his part, Gambit does pull out a deck of playing cards, and idly shuffles them. It relaxes him, and being so close to confinement has him on edge. He won't admit it, not even to himself, but body language can betray you, just as it has Remy LeBeau.
Still, he does give Scott a concerned look, and a serious tone to his question, "how're you holdin' up in dere?" He doesn't ask about Rachel. He knows she's strong enough to put up with this, but Scott, he's more fragile.
"Seriously, right here," Kate sighs at Rachel's talk of escape. "We all know you can walk out of here any time you want. Any of you. That's why people like Traverstein are scared. Because if you can't control it, then it's a threat. Except you're not threats. At least not unless people like Traverstein back you into a corner and give you no other choice."
Kate has exactly no powers, outside of refusing to believe there are things she can't do. But she does have a few gifts. "I don't have all the answers here. Not enough. Not yet. But I'll tell you what I told the Red Team and the Titans months ago. Every day there are more and more people like us in the world. They don't have to follow this path, but if they do…they need a place they can go. And sorry, but I don't think this government registration or Roxxon's corporate sponsored crap is going to be handled in their best interests. You ask me, we need some sort of union. Teams are one thing, but teams are vulnerable. They're already trying to pick the JL:A apart. But if we all stand-"
Clearing her throat, she cuts herself off with a blush. "Sorry. It sounds…really pompous, I get that. But I mean it. If we don't want to be on their leash, then we have to take control of our own destinies."
Rachel smiled at Kate showing pristine white teeth, "I know." She hid a little laugh at Gambit's concern for Scott's fragility, her father was stronger than some others would give credit for though; she knew it.
"I'd rather be feared and hated, with the world safe than loved and respected with the world burning around me." She walked over to a window after her words and looked outside.
"No one's hunting anyone right now." Jericho murmurs in what he hopes is a calming fashion. "Geeze." The next few words really only Illyana will catch since they're in demonic and relatively mild curses. Well, for demonic.
"I don't think you want to live the way I did for the last two years, so just sit tight. For now. If it goes pear shaped we'll talk about it then. Meantime…" He nods to Scott and Rachel. "I'll do what I can for you." Which will include helping to shield the school if it comes down to it.
"Kate, if there's anything I can do on this end for you let me know." Remy he just looks over at. Cards. Yeah, cards bad.
Jericho glances over to Illyana to see if she's said all she needs to.
"Well, we're trying to address some of those issues with Red." Illyana notes over to Kate. "Mutants using their abilities to make a living with those interested in doing the community service of hero-ing as an option. But the corporate model isn't one everyone's keen on. Just like the government one. No matter what you do, one size will not fit all. And that's just with mutants."
The blonde gives a sigh and then nods at Scott. "Alright. I'll watch the situation." Which doesn't say what she'll *do* if anything happens. She points at old One Eye. "And if you try to call me for burger delivery, you can suck it." She straightens then, reaching over to drag Jericho next to her and curls her arm through his. "Now. I'm gonna get out of here before I hear anything more incriminating." She tosses folks a smirk before opening a stepping disk below them to jaunt out.
Clearly, Scott agrees with Kate's opinion on the registration act and Roxxon's grandstanding. However, though the fatigue seems to drain off him with each of Bishop's words, Rachel's response is observed with a renewed sadness.
Instead, he turns toward Jericho with a meaningful nod. "Thank you." Not just words; Jericho has been the calm amongst this storm, and he's been consistent. "Keep an eye on what's unraveling with those Army assets that were unleashed in District-X. This all smoothes over as Rogers thinks it will, that will be our focus."
To Illyana, he grins. "How 'bout pizza?" he quips, before looking on as she and Jericho make their departure.
Once they're gone, Scott crosses the distance and puts a hand on Gambit's shoulder. "Been through worse, pal. You know that. Do me a favor though, get with Jean, keep an eye on M-Town? I need everyone on hand for this one, especially someone with your talents."
Stepping away, he glances toward Kate, then Rachel. Kate he's gonna need to have a few long chats with, assuming he doesn't actually end up in Gitmo. Rachel… well. Blood runs thick; he only hopes its thick enough to withstand his hot head.
"I'm gonna try and get some shut eye."
It wouldn't be a surprise if Gambit thought to himself, why do people keep trusting me? But of course he isn't thinking anything of the sort. If he were, at the very least he'd be thinking it in French. He can be a hard one to read. Jericho seems to have noticed the shuffling of the cards, but that's just being prepared. He's never far from them.
Scott seems to have a job for him, and he nods at the request. It's the least he can do for a condemned man. "Dey be alright, Gambit see to it." Babysitting Jean and the citizens of mutant town? There are worst jobs to do. Like he could have to clean up after that mutant with the pets slugs, or whatever they are. Absolutely disgusting mutantion, and he's usually pretty easy going about them.
Moving over to Kate, since Illyana and Jericho seem to have done the magical thing, "it was nice seeing you, Kate Bishop, Hawkeye, Avenger. Gambit be keeping an eye out on you." He winks to her, smiles to Rachel, and begins heading out the way he came… which means through the front door. First time for everything, right?
"Case in point," Kate gestures to Rachel at the girl's response. "The thing is, you being hated is a thing that will set the world on fire. Personally, I like the world. More or less. To the extent that I live here, and things dealing with time travel and alternate universes make my head hurt."
She unfolds, hopping off the table with a shake of her head. "I've got to get back to the housing stuff for the people who made it out of magic armageddon. But if you guys need anything, just tell them to give me a call, yeah? I'll be around." Gambit gets a smirk. "You should probably not call. Just a feeling."
Rachel continues to stare out the window as others depart and Kate makes her comment. She doesn't say anything in response, having said her piece but she does reach out to Kate's mind for a brief moment.
It's possible, the other girl would have some nightmares about just what Sentinels could do if they were not stopped.
That was just a co-incidence right?
Rachel would never use psionic powers to mess with people.