Searching For An Angel

September 23, 2015:

After Joels arrival at a SHIELD scene, Agent May goes looking for him.

New York

Characters

NPCs: None.

Mentions:

Plot:

Mood Music: None.


Fade In…

After yesterday's incident with the most recent 084 and the surprise drop-in visit from a glowing, winged individual with healing abilities, May decided to try to lure the individual in for a chat. Of course, she's not at all sure how to do so. But she's got one idea, and it's kind of a really stupid one.

So, possibly to hedge her bets, as she's sent Simmons off to prep a travel kit with everything she could possibly think might be needed, she uses her Leyline Pendulum to get in touch with Jesana, and tells her where to meet them.

At May's chosen location — a small, quiet park near the center of Staten Island and pretty well deserted by this time of evening — she looks to see if the two women are ready, then sheds her jacket and leaves it in the car. This means she's essentially without any of her usual weaponry, only the knives in her boots and the throwing daggers up one sleeve remain.


Jes is there and looking ready. She's wearing a jean jacket over her summer dress and has two throwing knives on either side of her hips and a pistol sheathed at her back beneath the denin coat. Just in case. This plan is.. different. Very interesting though and she's got a couple of thermoses underneath one arm. She's also trying not to drool. Said thermos contents are smelling reallllly good right now, even without any meat.


Simmons looks at May with a slight air of disapproval, this plan is not to her liking at all… "You know Agent May, I could do that… you're much better with weapons …" But if the senior agent doesn't accept her offer, she'll continue. "These drugs will make it seem like you're… dead… lay down and I'll administer them to you while Jes does her thing."

Please, please, don't let things go wrong.


Generally, Joel stays very high in the air, letting the smog of the city and the various lights that continually move over it mask most of his travels. Today isn't different really. He's too obvious when he's flying low, because he's his own personal spotlight, so staying high is necessary at lot of the time. He's tired tonight, he went to a few of his usual hospitals, which is always tiring. Joel fiddles with the paper sack in his hands as he cruises along, tempted to eat some of the contents NOW, but, well, probably better to wait, than risk dropping any….


Melinda May considers Simmons for a few moments, then nods. "Fine. I hope you don't mind permanently staining that clothing." She nods to Jesana, then waits for the biochemist to hand her the syringe of drugs they're planning to use.


Simmons stutters and looks at May with very, very wide eyes. "Unghhhh… ok" she looks pale enough as it is! Removing her jacket and handing it to May, she lays down in the agreed area - "Do it…"


It takes a moment for the change in plan to register with Jes, she's thinking about the blood and how hungry she is and how she mustn't drool in front of Pretty Scientist Lady whom Jes and her Hormones are *still* going nuts for. She turns to look at Jemma just as she's being injected and growls softly in alarm. Jemma is the doctor! The incredibly hot, incredibly oblivious to it Doctor!

Jesana doesn't have any healing powers, doesn't even know yet if she can learn them. She'd desperately wanted to offer to do this instead of May, May is far more important. The native american is still very pregnant however and obviously couldn't. Now looking like she's going to kill someone if this goes wrong, Jes expertly pours and drips blood over Jemma and back several yards to make a trail. She's a hunter and knows how this should look. After a last worried glance at Jemma, Jes moves over to May's side. Still rumbling softly with worry.


So far, no response from angels or anything else from the sky, but they've barely laid the "bait." Fortunately, the area they chose is pretty well lit, or this might be entirely hopeless. Joel isn't a viglante, and doesn't lurk over dangerous areas at night. And so, seeing activity in an always quiet and deserted park from afar does ping a bit of curiosity, but he doesn't do more than slow a little. What is going on down there?


Melinda May shrugs Jemma's jacket on quickly so it isn't lying about strangely (too narrow in the shoulders) and then kneels down to check Jemma's pulse. Because she wants this to look a little more genuine. "Jesana. Stay alert."


Jesana didn't really ask what it is they are trying to catch and she's in her human form so her scenting ability is diminished. Plus, Joel is overhead and not likely to be scented anyway, if he has a scent. It's probably a good thing. Jes's experience with angels being limited to the one (supposedly) who ruled over the level of hell she'd rested in safely, Maanacalladiusphilothosphius. And of course the angelus. Which technically aren't angels.. whom Jes hates with a burning passion because they've tried to kill her instead of, or in adittion to the bad guys every time she's encountered them. So she's alert and ready but is mostly focused on ground level. When she does glance up she frowns slightly. "Is there something up there?"


Joel moves lower. Which means yes, his light is apparent. In fact, it gets a LOT brighter in the park, the same way the whole area lit when Joel made his appearance the last time May saw him. He's barely a humanoid shape, just a ball of swirling brightness, gold and edged in silver, the wings showing when they're fully spread, at this distance. He's hesitating, or stopped up there, for some reason.


Melinda May makes a point of NOT looking up, pretending to try and revive Simmons. No, she's not trying chest compressions yet, but she is pressing her hands to the thickest part of the blood that Jesana poured onto the biochemist as if trying to stop the bleeding. "Yes, Jesana. That's our target. Non-combat," she says lowly in the hopes that the glowing man overhead own't hear.


Jes looks back down and sighs. Alright. She won't attack. First anyway. Maybe this thing won't want to fight a pregnant lady? She can hope. Another thought enters her mind. Maanacalladiusphilothosphius had been.. beautiful. Like the most beauitful person you could ever imagine or hope to see. It was unearthly and awesome and yet the only effect it had on Jes then was the overwhelming desire to punch the bastard in his aweinspiringly beautiful face. With a brick. Well, she'd managed to reign that desire in then and she'd been in Hell. Surely she can do it here too. Jes walks over and squats by May. Easier to get back up than kneeling for her at the moment. "She's gonna be okay, right?" Jes takes advantage of Jemma's prone state to gently stroke her hair back.


The ball of light does a cautious circle over the park, the light getting stronger, enough to singe some of the upper leaves closest. It's a search manuever, and the intention is probably blatantly obvious: he's checking for evildoers in the bushes, using the extreme light like a searchlight. A few raccoons run for cover, and a stray dog, but no slasher evildoers.
After that pass, the light drops heavily to a far lesser level, as if to anticipate not entirely blinding people, and Joel comes directly towards them: but he doesn't dive-bomb. He'll just seem like he has this sort of moderate drifting speed. He's still hard to look at directly in the dark park, he'll add bright shapes to retinas very quickly; even his gender or much more is hard to make out. He pauses, though. Why aren't they reacting to him? People ALWAYS react, usually to ask for aid or to scream that he can't take their loved one, and so on. Something is wrong here. But he can't ignore the clear injury, either. "Do you require aid?" Joel calls out. His tone is clear and loud; the young man can project.


Melinda May looks over at Joel FINALLY when he drifts closer, and answers his question while still keeping her hands pressed to Simmons' blood-stained torso. "Please."


Jes idly watches a racoon run off. Huh. She hasn't eaten one of those since she was a pup and just learning to hunt bigger game. It wasn't very good and gave her nightmares and she's suddenly not so hungry as the memory surfaces. The light she'd saw is getting brighter and there is a hint of burning leaves in the air. A downwards gust of wind brings a scent of …sunscreen? Jes blinks and looks up finally. She squints a bit and then tries looking off to the side.

That's better. Well damn. He looks all nervous and cute. Jes sighs. These fucking hormones. She's not going to get through this with her sanity intact at this rate. She has to bite her lip to keep from calling out "It's okay. We aren't gonna hurt you." Seriously, if she finds out her Father got her pregnant… she is going to kick him in the junk. And maybe break his nose. Asshole is laughing at her right now, she can hear it even if no one else can.


The angelic man seems to decide they're safe, and continues his approach. He'll come over directly, wings flaring and then closing behind him, and he'll bend over Jemma. If he recognizes May he hasn't reacted. His glow reduces, which makes him a bit easier to see - low twenties in age maybe, but doesn't have any electric beauty thing going on. He DOES bring his repressive field with him: all magical objects, beings, and spells within 25 feet are going to be very heavily dampened.
His attention is soley on Jemma, squatting by her and setting some brown baggie down near his leg, to extend both hands to her, perhaps sensing for life. And immediately kicks into a churn of golden glow from both hands. Fireflies of the golden magic spiral and flick into the air, delicate tendrils twisting over his fingers, and lighting Jemma's features with amber, gentle infusion.


Melinda May moves back a bit when Joel approaches the still unconscious Simmons. "I'll admit we have an ulterior motive. I wanted to talk with you about the incident yesterday, where you helped several injured people." She looks down at Jemma, who should be starting to recover in the next few minutes, unless Joel's actions speed that process up some.


Joels actions do… speed up the process… and Jemma coughs and splutters as the healing energy courses through her. "Nggghhhh… " licking her lips and blinking several times, she looks up at the glowing form above her … "Uh, hi!"


Jes is relieved to see Jemma wake but also alarmed. She can feel the magic dampening field. So can her baby by the feel of it. If she had needed any further proof after talking to the druid, here it is. She growls softly in reaction before she gets ahold of herself. It's probably just a defensive measure. "Sorry. Your.. magic.. thing is uncomfortable." Jeeze. As many magic users as she knows, she should probably know a bit more of the lingo. Jes sneezes. Holy light magic. Lots of it and right in front of her. Deciding the best thing to do is stay squating and not make any sudden moves, that is just what Jesana does. This is May's thing anyway. Maybe next time she'll ask what she's 'trapping' before hand…


Joel nods once when Jes speaks, but clearly isn't actually registering the content of her statement, not yet. He's giving Jemma his full attention. "There you are; welcome back," Joel says in a supremely warm bedside manner. He clearly IS actually pleased to see her healthy and awake, it's all honest. "You'll be just fine," he assures her calmly; he may lack an angelic beauty magic, but he has a strong depth to his blue eyes that doesn't NEED it. But he's then starting to inspect the injury 'sites….' And actually takes in what May said. He jerks his eyes to her in confusion. "…What?" Joel asks quickly, in alarm, not following. His glow intensifies a little bit, as if defensively, which with his proximity to Jemma, will be a little uncomfortable. The anti-magic doesn't increase, though, it stays as is.


Melinda May hasn't so much as reached for any of the weapons still on her person. "First off, I wanted to thank you for helping the injured people. Second, I wanted to ask you if any of the people you helped might have said something that will give us more clues about who is leaving these devices that are causing so many problems."


"Uh, thanks …" Jemma looks into those blue eyes and blinks for a moment. Of course, Joel will work out she's not injured at all, and she struggles a little to sit up. She still feels a little woozy - those drugs work very effectively - and she shakes her head to clear it a little. Looking to Jes, she makes sure the young woman looks ok and then looks to Agent May.


Not a fan of the anti magic shield, which is probably still clear on her face, Jes looks up and studies Joel. He's not got that unearthly beautific thing going on she doesn't want to immediately punch him in the face. Or drag him into the bushes. Which she'd also slightly been worried about. "Dude, your light is a little bit.. blinding.. but we really don't mean you harm. This was just the only way we knew to get ahold of you." She isn't gonna lay all of the blame on May or Jemma. If he gets pissed off then she'll protect the other two as best as she can. Jes smiles reassuringly at Jemma. Aww she checked on me! She's the one that took the dangerous death faking drug. If Jes was coyote right now she'd be licking Jemma's cheek and wagging her tail.


Joel … isn't sure what's going on here, exactly. He's not dense, but this was a bit wild and bizarre for his usual weeknight. He decides to go for the most important part, and directs this to Jemma: "….Did these women hurt you?" She doesn't seem as hurt as he thought, so he starts to stand up, wary of the other two, as if unsure what to make of them. But he's figuring some of this out. "You injured her to ask if I interviewed the injured while I healed them yesterday?" Joel asks, working it out. He glances at from May to Jes without a lot of expression change, but he looks down over her. And the light level drops rapidly. He doesn't turn off - hardly - but he tones it way down for Jesana's comfort. It makes a bunch of things suddenly evident: he's suntanned, and actually pretty dirty, he has bloodstains on his hands and forearms, streaks of it on his face and hair; his clothes are somewhat clean but are very faded, repaired in places by hand, and he's underfed, he has a hollowness that the light usually covers.


Again, May doesn't make a move when Joel backs off a bit, and when he asks Jemma if she's all right, May's only reaction is to look at the biochemist. It's silent permission to tell him the truth, Simmons should be well-trained enough to see that immediately. As much as she wants to offer the explanation, she thinks the now wary young man will likely accept it better from Jemma. At least, that's what she's gambling on.


"They didn't injure me. It was a drug to induce a deep sleep. And I participated in it, willingly." Even if it was at the last moment. "We didn't know how to find you, and there's scant information available on you. We thought you might respond to an accident." And it seems they were right.

"I'm Jemma Simmons, Dr Jemma Simmons, SHIELD R&D" she'd offer her hand… but you know… blood. The young man gets a critical once over, she notes the gauntness and the faded clothes. She's also sure that May's noted that as well. "Jesana, are you well?"


Jes stands when Joel does because she doesn't kneel or bow before anyone. She does hold her hands out in a placating gesture though and looks very surprised once she's able to see better. "What.. are you hurt? She hadn't been able to smell that blood over the sunscreen and pigs blood on Jemma. And why does he looks half starved? For the second time her idea of an angel seems completely different than the reality. What doe she know though? She's Coyote's daughter and while she's been to Hell, Heaven is never likely to be open to her. She smiles at Jemma and refrains from sighing. She's pregnant, not helpless. "I'm fine. Just a little.. uh. Surprised. You look like you need food." She says to Joel. And he does. She's also noted the clothing, all her clothes and she doesn't have alot of them are second hand but they aren't patched. Of course, she goes without wearing the damn things whenever she can so… "Sorry, Jemma. It'll wash off though… I'll.. uh.. I'll find you some soap." Yeah that definitely sounds less weird and creepy than "I'll help you." Maybe she should just.. shut up. Yes, that's a good idea.


This is certainly shaping up to be a weird night. Joel just tries to roll with it. He nods slowly at Jemma. Well, he can accept her explanation. And then watching May. "…That was you last night. With SHIELD," Joel says, finally placing May. He didn't pay much attention to her last night. He rubs his hands off some on his clothes, and doesn't question whose blood it is, at least not yet. He passes a wrist over his eyes and forehead, shoving some of his hair back behind an ear, a gesture he clearly does a lot, since there were some other smears in that same place. Jesana's comments about his diet cause a blush. He blushes with his aura, too. All of it fluxes, the wings sort of flutter uselessly. "It's not my blood. I had a busy night," Joel says, and swaps the topic deliberately to something he knows they'd rather talk about: "A few of them talked about hearing a high pitched noise, last night. Like a whine, before a flash of light."


Melinda May sheds Jemma's too-small jacket, but keeps it in her hands so it doesn't end up blood-stained as well. She glances at the biochemist when Joel offers what he learned last night, mentally noting that it matches the other reports. "Yes. Call me May. And that matches the other reports we received." She has indeed noticed all the details about Joel, and after a moment of deliberation offers, "There's a safehouse nearby." Part of why she chose this park. "Everyone can wash up and we can order in some food."


Jemma stands, slowly… she's still a little unstable on her feet. She certainly hasn't noted Jes' 'interest'. "I'm sure there'll be a shower at the safehouse, with body products. But thank you, Jesana, that was a job well done."

"They heard something?" Simmons blinks at Joel… she needs to check her notes. "Did they mention smelling anything as well?" Looking to May, Jemma looks intensely grateful "That… would be lovely, Agent May." She's deliberately holding her hands still, she doesn't want to spread the blood any further. "If we can…"


Jes looks relieved that Jemma didn't catch her change of words mid sentence but also chagrined. She hadn't meant to embarras the Joel. Her thoughts are all over the place lately but that doesn't excuse her comment. She knows what it's like to be poor. She wouldn't have expected that of an angel but.. well, actually she'd never given it any thought. Not his blood, and he just healed Jemma and healed people last night? And no one is taking care of him? Her protective instincts surge up and Jes growls softly. "Yeah that noise sucked. I'm just now getting my hearing back to normal. Her stomach rumbles loudly at the mention of food and she smiles at Joel.

"Yeah food sounds good. They just want to talk about these events, you might have a different perspective, or have seen something that no one else has. People are dying and we can't figure out why." He must be able to sense ill intent or something, at least its likely, so Jes let's her real emotions and the honesty behind her words show. She's capable of masking her real feelings or lying so well with tone and words and body language that even the best often think it the truth. Right now she's absolutely sincere, and very curious about this guy, if he leaves she won't be able to learn more.


"Smell? Yes. A strange smell. I don't remember exactly. It didn't seem important, I'm sorry. ….. and I can wash later, it's all right," Joel says, dismissive of his personal condition without even much of a thought. He focuses on Jesana, as if quietly thoughtful. "You mentioned feeling bad near me before. I purge magic nearby ….I'm causing you discomfort?" Joel questions Jesana, with a dismayed, sad tone. He's used to it. "If you have more questions you can contact me by phone, I don't want to see more of those emergencies. ….but I'll come help, too, if it's needed," Joel adds, and starts to pat down his back pockets, wings flaring open as if they were counterbalancing his movement. "I'd rather go home for now." He's a horrible liar. REALLY bad. It's not so much a lie though as a misdirect: the intent is to stop making Jesana uncomfortable, he may actually not go home. That's probably obvious too.


Melinda May digs her hand into Jemma's jacket, pulling out one of the cards the biochemist keeps there. Her own cards are in her jacket, in the car. She offers the card to Joel. She can tell he's lying, she's trained with Romanoff on how to catch people's lies. But, if he wants to leave, she's not going to pressure him to stay. "Call us if you see or hear anything else. Or even if you just need a safe place for a while." She doesn't know his back story, but it seems like every powered individual needs a safe place at some point or other.


"I will want to talk to you further." Jemma notices the tells. "This is all very important." but right now, the biochem just wants a shower and to get clean.


"No no, look. It's not discomfort. I was just surprised. Why don't you come and have a bite with us at least." Jes does lie. But she does it incredibly convincingly. She's also refraining from chuckling, he's really kind of cute and seems sweet. He really wants to leave because he thinks he's discomfitting her? If anything she's even more interested. "Then you can go home, if you want, hm?" Slowly, so as not to startle or appear threatening, Jes reaches over to gently pat his shoulder. "Or, you can call and maybe we can try this during the day? Somewhere you feel comfortable." Jes doesn't have a card but she rattles off her phone number, a bit surprised, but not really. She wants to help this guy if he needs it. Can she call him a guy? Do angels have guys? Jes scratches her nose. These are all things she should probably know but isn't about to admit she doesn't. Not even to sate her curiousity. Oh Jemma! Jer winces. She hadn't forgotten exactly, she's just, really used to the scent of blood and it being on…things. People usually aren't so okay with that though.


"Okay, but please don't do THIS again," Joel says, with a gesture to the bloody mess in the park. "I don't, uh— I don't have a card," Joel says lamely, but accepts the one May gives him. Instead, he chooses to just verbally give his number. Special SHIELD agent types probably can remember stuff like that, he'd guess. The card ends up mushed into a pocket with his phone: he was reasonably able to get Jes's number into the phone. It MIGHT be correct. He doesn't startle at all when Jes touches him: he doesn't seem threatened or jumpy. Touch doesn't bother him a bit. He's actually very warm, like a blanket that has been sitting in the warm sunlight. But then he sees Jes is physically close, and shies some; his aura does that embarrassment flux-blush again. "Yes, get clean, and /rest/," Joel insists. As if it's important THEY do it, but he doesn't matter. "Another time… but hopefully you won't need me again," Joel smiles. It's just a bittersweet thing: hopefully they won't need a healer. He spreads his wings open, his intense glow starting to return, and gracefully rises into the air. The wings seem a bit incidental, not terribly connected to his actual flight pattern. But they're pretty.


Joel left his paper baggie by accident. In the baggie is a smaller plastic bag with four slightly stale bagels, an apple juice box that looks like it came from a hospital, and a pink construction-paper card with a child's drawing in blue and yellow crayons of something roughly like an angel and a smaller stick-person holding hands, with a thank-you inside it.


Jes's expressions stays neutral as Joel flies off but his manner and word choice aren't lost on her. After peeking into the bag she growls softly again and that wild, edgy animal anger that keeps people scurrying out of her path rises up in full force. It's probably not so reassuring for Jemma though May's likely felt a similar thing around Fenris. "That is not cool. He only had this to eat and forgot it. Dammit. I scared him off. I'm gonna.." Jes abrubtly cuts off and tilts her head as if she's listening to something. Her expression of anger fades into consideration. "I… " Brown eyes move up to the sky for a moment before she closes them and shrugs her shoulders in resignation. "Yeah. I would. That doesn't mean anything! Just that I'm fucking nuts okay! So shut up and go -" The rest of what she says is a string curses and insults the likes of which only one raised around sailors and mercenaries could come up with. Meanwhile there isn't anyone standing there now but Jes, May and Jemma. Totally not helping her I'm fine, just pregnant cause and she seems to realize it. "Uh. I.. hormones you know? Need food. Low blood sugar?" That's a thing isn't it?


Melinda May would sigh, if it were like her to sigh. She watches Joel leave, then turns to the other two women. "Let's go get you cleaned up, Simmons." She gestures, then leads the way toward the safehouse that's a reasonable walk away.

See, this was why May was going to volunteer to be the 'injured party'. She chose clothing dark enough that blood stains wouldn't show easily.

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