The Portal Whines

March 07, 2016:

Another portal in Midtown Manhattan - at least this one didn't blow up.

Midtown Manhattan - New York

Characters

NPCs: None.

Mentions:

Plot:

Mood Music: None.


Fade In…

Jemma is rarely without company these days. In fact it seems like she's never alone. Which is pretty much right as she always accompanied by two SHIELD agents. Something about her being a disaster magnet.

"It's been a while since we saw them try to use a portal…" The biochem is talking to Agent Carmichael somewhere near Midtown Manhattan, the areas' cordoned off and there's a glowing, silvery oval standing vertical in the area. "Last time this happened, there was someone with a remote … "

"We're scanning now, Doctor Simmons. We can't … wait… "

On the very edge of the crowd, is a woman… holding something. SHIELD Agents slowly filter out and around.

Jemma had been doing more 'hand to hand' training when she got the call.


Audrey had been training with Jemma (or more accurately, training Jemma) when the call came in. And with nothing more pressing demanding her attention, she decided to come along. One more person to keep an eye on the scientist might not be a bad thing, after all. When it comes to the science, she's not entirely following along, but she's definitely able to keep an eye out for disturbances around them.


Tiny had been surviving, a little work here and there alongside his fellow escapee when Death needed a hand, but otherwise he'd spent his time…learning to read of all things. Not quite there yet, but he was improving, the man had set out to try and find the "Trisk-thingy" he still hadn't quite remembered the name of and cash in on an offer to try and understand the powers he'd been discovering. Pure chance or fate had lead him to be crossing the road ahead when a familier collection of suits and perimeters draws his eye.


Casting Audrey an apologetic smile, Jemma murmurs "I owe you lunch for this, I'm so sorry." but turns her attention back to the Portal "Those things normally aren't sta—" as she speaks, the shimmering silvery oval seems to shudder and objects closest to it, start to get drawn in.

"Get people out of here, Carmichael, and we need that remote." Jemma still hasn't had a lot of success in operating the 084's that seem to create these things.

The SHIELD agents start to close in on the woman … and when she realises she starts to run, towards Tiny. Fast! Faster than a normal human should. At the same time, there's a wave of Psychic energy directed at the Agents and people standing around Jemma, as well as the biochem herself, urging them to fight … each other. Two agents succumb and one is thrown into the biochem, knocking her flat.


"I really don't have anything more exciting to do," Audrey assures Jemma with a faint smile, still keeping an eye on things around them. "Besides-" But then there's running, and that means there's work to be done. Much as she'd like to chase, there are SHIELD agents for that, and she has a scientist to cover. She steps closer to Jemma just in time for an agent to run into her, reaching out to try to catch her. "Careful," she calls to Jemma, jaw setting against the unexpected surge of anger. "They're trying to mess with our heads."


More psychic interference brewing, but this time? Tiny is blissfully unaware of it at first. Walking towards the gathering with his hands in his pockets, the kryptonian hybrid's eyes widen at the sudden sight of agents rushing each other, one knocking the scientist he'd been seeking to talk to down while the running figure comes towards him. Audrey he doesn't recognize, but Tiny is already half-expecting trouble this time. Another one of those daemonite things? Time to find out.

As the woman comes fleeing his way, the big guy steps back like he were going to let them pass…before a hand reaches out for a nearby trashcan, hurling the thing like a cannon-ball at the running figure.


Audrey finds herself under the attention of the SHIELD agents who move in on her … clearly not appreciating her being there. Go figure. Her timely catch though, saves Jemma a sore backside!

The portal shimmers and stutters, still dragging things closer "That portals not stable! Carmichael, have we found the remote yet?" the biochem fights the compulsion herself, good thing she's been practicing.

"We've identified a woman, Agent Simmons, but she—- she's just been stopped by a tall, darkhaired man… well a trashcan…"

As the trashcan hits the woman, she deflects it easily, crushing it as she does. In her hand is a device and she's holding on to that for dear life. "Get that device…" one of the Agents calls. The woman stares at Tiny with narrowed eyes and he can feel that mental pressure again. This time though, it's not trying to possess him - this woman is trying to compel him to let her by.


"What happens with a portal that isn't stable?" Audrey asks Jemma, moving to a position where she can keep an eye out for the scientist. Given the psychic pressure going around, she doesn't pull any of the weapons she carries. But there's one thing she can try, at least. Might as well test out these things' senses. Focusing on the woman, she weaves a pitch-black net of darkness over her head, trying to block her view.


Just when he'd grown to start expecting something, things had changed. An odd world for the former lab experiment. The man steps around, feeling that compulsion in his head to move wrestle with his knowledge of what this thing probably is and what it could do. Grunting, the man continues to block the path and starts walking forwards. Yeah, he'd fallen back on the only ability he knew he had: a good right hook.


"These ones seem to blow up…." Jemma actually sounds rather concerned. They really need that remote.

As the veil of darkness settles around the woman, it causes her to falter for a moment … just in time for Tiny to reach her and deliver that right hook which actually has impact - not a big one, but enough to rock the woman and cause her to drop that device.

"Get it, Lawson." One of the agents calls as another dances around Tiny and the woman trying to dart in and pick it up.

It doesn't take long for the woman to recover though and she's moving again … long, sharp talons appearing in place of her fingers - and she rakes at the Kryptonian as she tries to rush by. SHIELD agents open fire as she does, hitting her with ICER darts … but to little avail.


"Let's skip that part, yeah," Audrey agrees quietly, her voice made a little distant by the concentration she's using to try to keep the psychic influence out of her head. Training and practice are good for something after all. "Too bad we don't have any of the stuff that's good for stopping them," she grimaces.


Tiny doesn't exactly do a great job at dodging those claws. But it's a hard habit to learn when nothing you've encountered so far has actually really managed to hurt you. He's knocked back, new rents showing in his shirt and jacket from those claws as he grunts and tries to dive after the woman. She's damn fast, faster then him as far as he can tell, but he's still stubbornly trying to stop the creature.


As the woman moves past Tiny, Lawson is knocked flying as he tries to scoop up the remote. The portal is really shuddering now and there's a high pitched whine … It's not too far from Jemma and Audrey, and that pyschic pressure is abating as the woman tries to escape.

The woman herself, is laced with ICER darts… which don't seem to be doing a thing to her - she's still moving fast and she's nearly away. The SHIELD agents won't switch to live ammunition, not whilst there's a civilian in the way.

"Tiny, let her go …" Jemma calls after the man.


"Let's move," Audrey murmurs to Jemma, reaching a hand for her shoulder and starting to move toward the remote. "Don't think we've got time for someone to bring it back to you right now." She still doesn't draw any weapons - too much chance of hitting a civilian or giving in to that wave of psychic pressure - but she's moving.


Jemma breathes a sigh of relief as Audrey starts moving them towards the portal. The whine is earpiercing now … they don't have long. "If you get it, Audrey, hit the top button three times then the bottom." she won't wait for the other woman to give it to her, time is of the essence after all.

As they move, the biochem keeps an eye on Tiny, hoping he really doesn't give chase.


"Top three times, then the bottom," Audrey repeats with a nod, hand tightening on Jemma's shoulder as another pair of fighters tumbles in front of them. "The psychic aspect is definitely a problem," she notes almost clinically, loosening her grip on Jemma's shoulder to keep moving toward the remote.


The remote is now within Audreys reach, Jemma still following behind. All she has to do is grab it and operate it - and she'd better do so soon. "Can you get it …" Jemma stumbles a little as they move.

"Yes, the psychic aspect is. It's something I'm working on…" the biochem admits as she straightens….


"Down," Audrey replies simply, adding pressure to Jemma's shoulder before she makes the dive for the remote herself. Three times on the top button, one time on the bottom. Because while blowing up would end that awful psychic pressure, it wouldn't really be a happy ending.


Jemma doesn't need to be told twice, as Audrey presses on her shoulder, the biochem ducks. Good thing Audrey is athletic and quick … as she depresses the last button, the portal shudders one last time and …. seems to retract into a pyramid shaped grey/black device.

As the whine stops, Jemma raises her head and looks around … shaking slightly herself. "That was close …" looking over to Audrey, checking for visible injuries "Are you ok, Audrey? That was well done."

In the mayhem, Jemma's lost track of Tiny. She'll send some SHIELD agents out after him - if only to make sure he's alright and in one piece and preferably, not possessed by a Daemonite.


"All in one piece," Audrey assures the doctor, all too happy to hand the remote over to her. Before she accidentally pushes an emergency button or something like that. "But if these things are under control, I should probably let SHIELD handle them. Investigation isn't exactly my specialty," she smiles faintly.

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