March 15, 2017:
Nate and Illyana return from Limbo and their excursion somehow slipping under the radar and going against.
…But as expected they need help and Storm gives them the final option.
// X-Men HQ - New York City//
Secured, warded, monitored and highly, highly secret, this is the
operational base for the X-Men, containing most of the high tech monitoring
equipment the organization possesses along with relevant specialized gear
for individual X-Men and mission ops.
The facilities themselves include living and sleeping quarters for
the team and guests, a medical facility, storage for supplies and of course
the hangar for the Blackbird.
Characters
NPCs: None.
Mentions: x-23
Plot:
Mood Music: [*\# None.]
Fade In…
Nate would prefer to get back to Nevada and do some investigation, but given they have a few 'live targets' maybe that is not necessary. Besides, he is going to be outvoted. "Alright, fine. Lets go and plan for the next step. Hmm, if Storm is not kicking us out," mock-glare to Laura. "This time we try diplomacy… you know it bad when I am the one making the suggestion."
Illyana keeps her eyes on Laura while she thinks over the options she's been given. Whatever she decided… Illyana would have done it, and damn the consequences. Once that decision is made, Illyana answers with a single word. "Deal." She holds Laura's eyes when she says it. The promise Laura's looking for is there.
With that promise given, though, Illyana turns back to Nate with a grin. "You're our spokesperson? Great! Go be diplomatic." A stepping disc opens vertically before them, large enough for both to walk through together if they wish. "Buzz me when you've found somewhere for me to drop off our guests."
When that promise is seen within those icy blue eyes, Laura's expression will ease a hairsbreadth. She knows that most of the X-Types wouldn't like the thought of allowing the clones to die, even from natural occurrences, but with Illyana it's different.
She understands.
As for Nate and his remark about diplomacy, Laura will simply give him a look, before she offers a singular nod. "Diplomacy." She'll state in those typical blank tones of hers, "Yes." And just like that the slim assassin will make her way towards the circular portal and step through. Once through, her gaze will flick around the room she's now currently within. The medical lab, it seems, a good choice.
Nate is the spokesperson? Dooooomed. "Yeah, you know. When you smile, talk a lot, and make some concessions to get what you want. Diplomacy." Totally the opposite way of doing things Laura has used so far.
Why are they in the medlab now? For once they are have not been injured… "Lets go upside, I don't think McCoy is around. But maybe Storm would be. We can try her office first. If she is at class we gotta wait."
His explanation brings the faintest of grunts from Laura; yes, she understands what diplomacy is. And while his explanation earned that grunt, it also earned another head tilt of hers.
"Let us go then." She states in those flat tones of hers, as she strides away from Nate and towards the doors of the medlab.
Storm is in the X-Men labs, but only for the purpose of laying Acid-Boy to a rest that would slowly defrost him from the body temperature drop that took him below 60 degrees to neutralize the production of acidity from his pores that had already threatened several of their members, burning Angel upon arrival. The only one of the two cocoons birthed.
Electrodes are gathered and rapidly placed along vital conduits of body to machine, as he will need sparked back to life.
Storm is garbed in the Kenyan robe of attire, pale white strips of fabric, clasped in gold and lapis, a coronet on brow, and above her own vembraces burns from contact linger, but do not seem to bother as they pinken Nubian flesh in spots.
No monitor had gone off since Nate and X had left the Bunker, no surfacing, and staying vigilant, trying to keep it together despite the influx… Stom is realizing the weight in Xavier's voic when he asked her. It can be felt, now.
But Storm is a Goddess to most, Queen to some. Leader, here, and when a sensation traces up bare spine she rights and leaves the med-bay, locking that sliding door behind her to keep Acid-Boy safe by fingerprint read alone. The injuries were not on-purpose, no one will harm him… Save himself.
Poised now, that opening tears and cerulean eyes watch and wait.
And… looks like they don't have to run back to the school, as Storm appears just as they get through the door. Maybe unexpected for the white-haired woman, since Laura and Nate left only a couple days ago. "Storm, just the person I was looking for," greets Nate, offering a faint smirk. "Just got back from California through the Magik taxi service. We found a few interesting things there."
When Nate steps through with Illyana, and not an X, a brow perks while arms fold across her chest.
A lean is taken against a tables ledge as eyes dart between the two.
"Those would be?" Considering the departure of X and Nate was done on some very brittle terms since they declined X-Men aid wanting their resources though…
The questioning glance would come to Illyana's placement in this all, but none the less she can wait for the explanations all around, as well as the complications that brought them back without a blip on her tracker.
Nate waits a few seconds for Illyana to return, he 'buzzed' her to come once he saw Storm. Someday she will have to explain him how she manages to know from Limbo when he sends a cellphone message. "See… we did found a Weapon-X lab. And it blew up nicely. But now we have intel on four other places."
Simple. She's warded her room, and left her communicator in it. Communicator buzzes, ward gets triggered, Illyana appears on cue.
Or very nearly. This time she had to make a few preparations. After all, you don't turn your back on half a dozen almost-Lauras lightly.
Still, in a flash of light, she's in step with Nate as they step into Storm's presence. Illyana lets Nate take the initiative. After all, they did agree diplomacy was his thing. Besides, Illyana suddenly has the feeling that the ice is a little thin, here. "And some unusual souvenirs we need to find a home for."
"How many died?" And with those words from Storm, the chill is evident, right along with the narrow set of gaze that becomes even more so with the downward tip of head towards the duo as they appear. Thin ice, is an understatement.
But from the reprimanding gaze upon Nate, there is a blink and curious slide towards Magik. "Souvenirs?"
Arms unfold and posture rights, and despite the desire not to look, Storm slides a gaze towards Acid-Boy's keep as he has finally reached normalizing temperatures in his thaw and is sparked to life with a yell!
Technician's in white coats go rushing in after admission is granted, but beneath the coats there is a protective layer that coats them. Conduits of sort as well as mediums to balance pH.
"Define your full situation…."
"Please." Her final word sounds exhausted, but looks do not appear so. Deceiving. Makeup is wonders!
"No one died, there were only six guards," replies Nate, frowning at the assumption they went to kill people. Not that he would have pulled punches, but that wasn't the goal. "We got the guards alive, because, well… they were forced to be there. They look like failed version of Laura, Storm. Clones, I guess, but wrong." He gives Illy a -look-. It is not a joking matter. "Not souvenirs, they need medical attention."
Damn right it's not a joking matter, Illyana has them locked up in Limbo and she's not happy about it. She's firmly of the opinion that they should deal with the fallout of the first raid before they plan the next four.
"They're not all there, physically and, from what Nate tells me, mentally either." Illyana's not really sugar-coating the situation. "I have them in Limbo but that's a temporary solution. A very temporary solution. Laura wants to try to help them." Illyana doesn't sound all that convinced herself. "They have all of Laura's most charming features apart from the adamantium. They'll need to be put somewhere secure."
Illyana glances at Nate, then shrugs. Might as well get it all out in the open. "And there's a very good chance that there are more of them to be found."
Storm rocks back and watches the two on a different even keel. A resonanace from Magik has Storm paying further attention, as well as the -look- from Nate.
"How many? I think I have just the girl for them, as long as they are of no risk…
A gesture to the room where Acid-Boy is being restrained and neutralized so he can under-go help.
"One stipulation, as I laid to Nate," A singe digit rises but she knows Magik is a different aspect of the entirety…
"If you want the X-Men to take more of this, then you bring them with you." A dead-pan goes to Nate, as he will relay it to X-23..
"I am tired, tired of providing explanations for things we are unaffiliated."
Nate shrugs. "Look, we have six very sick and possibly dying mutant girls in Limbo. All I am asking is some medical assistance for them; I doubt a regular hospital could do anything. As for the other four Weapon-X places, we got the coordinates," well, Illyana got them. "I am fine with getting more X-Men involved, at least the veterans, and I think we can talk Laura into it. Just, we should move in quickly, and maybe hit all of them the same day. Possible with Magik's help."
Illyana looks at the raised, warning finger, one eyebrow rising slightly in curiosity. "So this was all off the books?" She shoots Nate a look. "Nate, for shame. I didn't know you had it in you."
The demoness switches her attention back to Ororo, unfolding her arms and raising her hands in a gesture of innocence. "Hey, I just tagged along. And incidentally saved them from an exploding lab. I didn't know it was political." Not that she'd have probably cared, but that's beside the point.
Illyana does at least fall silent when Nate makes his more impassioned plea for help, and even chips in again at the end. "I'm up for it. I can get you in and out. Soon as Laura says go."
"It is possible with everyone's help." Storm watches and knows the sings, especially when Magik seems to portray she has no idea…
"Laura will not be the deciding factor if this is an X-Men mission, as said before," The final word one of note: before.
"I will not turn down aid where we are needed for those without wit, but for those who know better.." A leveled gaze then is set for Nate.
"How you evaded the radar is beyond me or… Xavier, to do this - thing. But I will not remove the statement you and Laura well know."
A righted stance and even the locks of mohawk shift under the sudden breeze that does not belong within sealed walls. "You want respite? To call safety? To use what belongs to X-Men?" A light lean to almost go eye to eye with Nate (as this is -his- bag, now).
"Be an X-Man."
A glance then to Magik and two fingers rise to Storm's brow, tipping away in a salute of sorts but an offering. "This is no longer Laura's call if you seek our aid on an underground mission that could diplomatically… Be poor judgement." A tip of head towards Nate, as X-23 is not present.
Ask them, we've been through this already."
"I just flew with Laura there," pretty easy to do that under the radar. It took them just a couple hours to get there. Illyana was just sneaking on them, as usual.
"As for the rest, honestly, I am here to help the X-Men, not the other way around. I have been fighting all my life and it is rare I meet a problem I can't handle by myself. I am not useful for much else than fighting, so I really can't teach the kids, or program your computers, or do research." He shakes his head, then continues. "Laura… she is difficult. She got it bad. Now she is slow to trust and always afraid to get people involved into her problems. So when she asks me for help, that is a big deal for her, and I will do it without hesitation. If she refuses to accept your help, Storm, that is her mistake, I can point it out to her, but I won't reject her."