2013.10.20 - Suicidally Dangerous

The trip from New York to Kenya took much longer than Jean would have liked. No surprise, of course, forced as she was to use public transportation and keep her movements unlikely to arouse suspicion. And the boat trip from the mainland to Genosha itself seemed to take forever -- though, in reality, it was the shortest part of the whole trip.
But the telepath has a lot on her mind -- very little of it good. All she knows for sure, at this point, is that it's high time she brought out the big guns. 
That said, she's not set subtlety aside. The customs check is uneventful. Even the telepathic scan -- a scan no one but another telepath would realize was happening -- goes off without a hitch. Of course, it helps that a) Jean was prepared for it and b) she packs a lot more skill and power than the poor sot who's job it is to scan the incoming passengers. So, as far as the psi cop is concerned, the good doctor is nothing more than a visiting consultant coming to help out at one of the clinics in Hammer Bay. 
The best part? It's not precisely a lie. (Definitions matter.) 
 
Rachel's done that same trip twice now, and it doesn't get any more fun through repetition.
What it has taught her, though, is how long the whole process takes, so when Jean finally clears customs she'll find Rachel (not to mention Nate) waiting for her, having arrived only a short time before Jean's ship docked. Shift's message that Jean was on her way might have been annoyingly short on details, but it gave Rachel enough to know that she should dress the part. The younger redhead is dressed professionally, in a suit (courtesy of Jocelyn), and just about the only thing she's not doing is holding up a card with Jean's assumed name on it. There's really no need with this much telepathic power concentrated in one spot, after all.
<< Welcome to Genosha. >>
Rachel's telepathic voice slides into Jean's mind, together with the sense that Nate is listening, too.
When Nate heard Jean was coming, he decided staying in Genosha was a better good idea, after all. He can fly from New York and back quickly, but it tires him quite a bit.
The con is that he is a highly visible mutant, and Magneto no doubt has telepaths in Hammer Bay. So he lets Rachel go receive Jean while he remains in the background. Not far, though, because the harbour's restaurant serves Kenyan coffee. |"Welcome to Hammer Bay, Jean. This is a fun place, but watch out for you purse. Kinda lawless compared to America."| 
~ Thanks, ~ Jean sends to both time travelling telepaths as she maneuvers around a small gaggle of people who meet and greet one another. ~ Fun trip, ~ she says dryly. Stepping up to Rachel, she greets her in a continental fashion that wouldn't be terribly out of place in this place so far from America. She then smiles as, together, they start heading to meet Nate at his restaurant. She chuckles softly. ~ Yeah. I've been here before, ~ she tells Nate. ~ Not during Magneto's current reign, but, still... My purse'll be just fine. ~
 
<< I know. >> Rachel replies, equally dryly. << I can't decide which bit I liked best, flying coach or hoping the boat wouldn't sink. >> She holds her position and lets Jean come to her, but greets her warmly once they actually meet up. With a bit of a smirk, she takes Jean's bag, playing up to the part she's assigned herself - even though she's also clouding the minds around them just enough that no-one will pick up on their familial resemblance too easily. Making them not notice that Jean was carrying her own bag would be child's play, but Rachel's clearly getting some enjoyment from her role.
She falls in easily alongside Jean as they move to join Nate, and Rachel too smiles at the idea of someone trying to snatch Jean's stuff. << I'd like to see someone try. I could take notes. >> She adds easily, before her eyes slide sideways to look at Jean, her curiosity already getting the better of her. << As much as Nate likes the coffee, I know that's not why you're here. >>
|"The coffee is great,"| admits Nate, which is probably addicted by now. The pickpockets do tend to prey in tourist-looking people like Jean, but they no longer seem to be able to focus on her. So no free lessons. |"But yes, why have you come all the way here? Shift didn't say. Is it because the elections?"| 
Given how long Jean's journey has been, she's actually glad to hand her case over to Rachel. It's not excessively heavy in any case -- she's not intending to stay long. It's just enough to make those that need to believe her cover story. 
~ And don't get me started on what passes for food... ~ she says dryly, a mental glyph of gratitude added to the clear thought as Rachel shoulders her bag. She chuckles at the rest. Yes, she'd probably have fun with any would-be thief. Especially on an island where mutant powers don't need to be hidden. 
As their thoughts turn to business, however, though her external expression remains pleasant and neutral, the grimness in her telepathic sense of self can be clearly felt. ~ No. ~ she replies shortly. ~ The elections are the least of my worries, now. We have two, possibly three much bigger problems. ~ 
She glances to Rachel as the reach the cafe and make their way within to meet Nate. ~ Jocelyn told me about 'Dr. Milton's' lab. ~ Yes. Even telepathically, there are air quotes around the doctor's name. She knows damned well that's not his true name. 
~ I don't know if Rachel's had the chance to mention it or not, Nate, but Dr. Milton -- Magneto's personal Mengele -- has a vested interest in us. ~ And by us, she clearly indicates she means anyone with the Summers/Grey bloodlines. ~ He also has a vested interest in three of the students back at the Institute. So much so, in fact, that he managed to circumvent our defenses and teleport in right under our noses. He kidnapped Monet St. Croix. I'm sure of it. And I'll be damned if we're not going to get her back. ~ As for the third thing? ~ I need to see his lab for myself. I need to know exactly what he's studying -- what he wants with all of us. ~ She is, after all, the X-Men's best resident geneticist, with Hank McCoy currently on sabbatical.
 
Rachel feels the shift in Jean's psi-pattern before the other woman speaks, and knows in that moment that the pleasant reunion is over. She can't help but feel a little disappointed, even though she was expecting it. The news about the elections draws a mental wince. After all the focus Shift has put on the elections, she has to wonder how the sudden change in priorities will sit with him.
<< Three? >> Rachel's question is asked before she even thinks about it. Magneto, Sinister... what doesn't she know? Holding the door for Jean as any good assistant should, Rachel answers Jean's look with a rueful smile, unable to divine her opinion of their little adventure from the brief mention. Crossing to Nate's table, Rachel puts down Jean's bag but remains standing. "Coffee?" She asks, and glances at Nate. "Need a refill?"
Even as she's asking the questions, though, she's still responding telepathically. << We had a conversation. >> Rachel puts in quickly, to let Jean know Nate's up to speed. And, non-verbally, she communicates the sense that Cable was involved as well, and a certain curiosity regarding the older man, and her apparent connection to him. Something she means to follow up on.
Rachel's expression, so carefully calm, clouds when Jean passes on her explosive news. Rachel's fingers tighten on the chair-back they'd been lightly resting on, but it's only the mildest reflection of the anger that pulses through her psi-pattern. << Damn him. We might not have much time. He's... >> Ruthless. That was what Rachel would have said. It's the impression she got, but if Jean shared Jocelyn's experience she'll know that, already.
There's one other thing that needs to be pointed out, though. << You know where the lab is? We talked about taking it out but... we're sure to draw Magneto's attention. >> There's no sense Rachel's shying away from the confrontation, though.
|"I know 'Milton'. As Sinister, a monster responsible of the deaths of countless humans and mutants in genetic labs in my world."| Nate thought the information had reached Jean, he should have made sure. |"He is also a powerful telepath, a shapeshifter and nearly impervious to physical damage."| There is much, so much more to say. And much anger. Sinister killed the man that raised Nate. The thought escapes before he can recover control.
He sighs and closes his eyes. "Refill? Always," he mutters to Rachel. |"Monet."| He guards his thoughts better, but he knows that proud, pretty girl. |"We were going to raid that lab, but waiting for when Magneto was not in the island. We can't wait now."| 
With a puttering sound, a small, junky old motor scooter rolls up to a cramped, parallel parking space nearby the seaport. Upon it is another African who blends into the crowd, this one wearing a loosely fitting white shirt with a deep vee and flowing sleeves, a pair of khaki pants, and sandals.
Shift absolutely despises what he's wearing, but if there's one thing he's damned good at, it's blending in.
The bulky helmet is locked to a chain that fixes the motorbike to a post. He was late, yes, but that was intentional. Scattering their arrivals and what have you. Regardless, the sunglasses don't leave his face until he's within eyeshot of the others, and neither does he remove the ball cap from his bald head until he's inside that cafe.
Approaching the table, he withdraws a series of local tourism maps, setting them out upon the table. "Alright, den," he says out loud, and with a much heavier accent than is normal. "It took some few owah to track dese down. For travel? Into Bastion?" He taps each brochure, one after the other. "Dis, you need. All of dis." He seats himself, grinning at them outwardly, though behind his mis-matched eyes he can't help but notice the consternation on their faces. "You have American dollah, or Kenyan Shilling?"
"A coffee would be great," Jean says aloud, keeping up the fiction. "It's been a very, very long trip." She lowers herself into one of the seats, letting Rachel fetch the coffee as the 'assistant' would. 
~ Sinister, ~ Jean echoes. ~ Apt name. ~ It certainly describes him well enough. The Pale Man. Sinister. Yes. It works. 
As Nate outlines the man's skills and abilities, however, the eldest of the three telepaths lets out a telepathic sigh. ~ Oh, grand. That's just... awesome. ~ No. That information hadn't reached her before. However, it's not nearly as surprising as it perhaps should have been. She saw too much in Monet's mind for to be surprised. 
She glances to Kwabena as he makes his appearance, and let's Rachel, as the 'local assistant' make the deal for the map. She simply gives the polite, curious, somewhat wary expression an American visitor would naturally give the pushy intruder. Telepathically, however, she expands the conversation to bring the non-telepath's mind into their easy link. 
~ Jocelyn told me there were two labs -- the one in the hospital and the one in Bastion. If Sinister has taken Monet, as I believe he has, then I doubt we'll find her in the hospital. It may be the safer lab to hit, but it's not going to give us either the information we need, or any chance of rescuing Monet, if she really is here. ~ And, apparently, Jean's fairly convinced she is. 
She gives Kwabena, telepathically, a wry smile, and brings him up to speed. ~ There was a breach of Institute security. Monet St. Croix was abducted off the grounds by a teleporter who's signature traces here... to Dr. Milton -- Sinister. ~
 
Rachel manages a cheerfully accommodating smile despite the serious conversation going on behind her eyes. "No problem. I'll be right back." Leaving Jean with Nate, Rachel walks briskly toward the serving counter, stepping adroitly around the tables and the other patrons. She gets served pretty quickly, which is /surely/ coincidence rather than another benefit of telepathy, and is soon heading back to the table with three cups of coffee in her hands.
<< Any good news for us, Nate? >> Rachel asks, << He must have some weaknesses? >> Rachel deftly shares out the coffees and then takes a seat, all the while keeping up the conversation in her head. << And if not... I guess we settle for smash, grab, and run? >>
Feeling a familiar mind enter, Rachel's attention is pulled toward Shift as he approaches them, and she keeps a commendably straight face. As he settles in with them, Rachel moves her chair closer, and makes a play of scrutinising everything he's laid out in front of them. "Which gets me the best deal?" She asks him aloud, forefinger tapping one of the brochures for effect. "And I know the exchange rate." She adds in a firm tone.
<< We can't hit both at once. Not if Sinister's as tough as Nate says. And... >> Rachel hesitates, then adds. << He had plenty of support ready when he detected our telepathic intrusion. They teleported in almost immediately. >> She glances at Jean, before picking up her coffee and blowing on it to cool the surface before taking a sip. "Not bad." She remarks to Nate. << We could check. >> She suggests. << But I doubt it'll be as easy to get in this time. >>
|"The good news is that I killed him anyway,"| states Nate bleakly, including Shift in the conversation. |"Enough telekinetic pounding and he stops moving. The bad news is there could be all kinds of genetic and cybernetic monsters protecting the labs. Perhaps some of them former 'patients' of him,"| he pauses.
Or maybe not. Nate really does not know if this 'Pale Man' would be as bad or not as the one he knew. |"I'll tell Jean all the whole story later."| Via memory dump, if needed. She probably can handle that better than Shift or himself. |"Are more X-Men coming?"| 
|"... Damnit."| Kwabena can't help the flood of thoughts that come to the surface. Had Bobby been there, had Kurt been there, perhaps... but no. The anger is clearly misplaced, and he recognizes it, quickly. On the outside, he's still shooting the lot a shit-eating grin, but inside? He's realizing that things just went from 'bad' to 'worse'.
There, upon the table, his hands casually slide two of the brochures apart. Upon the backside of one is a drawing, made in pencil. It is very similar to the 'map' of sorts that he had made with Nate and Rachel's help, only there have been some... improvements.
In the middle, it simply reads 'NOW'. Upon three of the corners, the words 'Nate', 'Ray' and 'Cable' have been written. Elsewhere are the words 'Apocalypse', 'Magneto', and '4 Horsemen:' followed by the words 'Sinister', 'Abyss', 'Holocaust' and 'Unknown Russian'.
There are lines connecting 'Nate' and 'NOW' through a drawing of a crystal, with a dog-trail to 'Holocaust'. 'Rachel' is connected to 'NOW' through a drawing of a bird in flames. There are question marks by the words 'Cable', 'Apocalypse' and 'Magneto'.
The drawing is casually slid toward Jean. |"We tried mapping out the future, the past, the present. The three of us suspect that there's something greater at work here than Erik Lehnsherr and Genosha. The real enemy, someone far more dangerous, someone connected to all of this across and through time, is Apocalypse. That's the running theory. His Four Horsemen? Pretty sure Sinister is one of them. The Pale Horse. Death."| There's an underlying tone in Shift's thought patterns, one that suggests he's got no complaint with taking Sinister out. Especially now that we know he's abducted a young woman right from under their noses.
"Best deal!" Kwabena laughs, and deftly begins pointing out a number of brochures, using his arm to help conceal what Jean may choose to do with the paper of importance. "Depend on where you ah going." He fixes Rachel with a conspiratorial look, then begins sorting through the brochures, stalling for time. "Let see... let see... one moment, please, I am sorry, I have no time to, what do you say, orgahnize?"
|"The resistance cells are fully operational and independent. I have established supply lines to local weapons trade. Black market stuff. If we need some explosions, eye candy for distractions, I can make it happen in 24 hours. 14, if we're in a real pinch and don't mind me cutting some corners."| Which likely involves some physical violence, blackmailing, overbearing threats, things of that nature.
"Dese two," he finally says out loud, pushing two brochures toward Rachel. "Look, see? See? Best bahgan, right dere."
Thank goodness telepathic thought-conversation moves so much faster than regular dialogue. Even Kwabena is getting used to blasting his thoughts, leaving little space between their genesis and the distraction play that comes from his lips.
 
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Jean listens to Kwabena's thoughts. Frankly, her own thoughts, though she doesn't betray that, echo his. If the team had been together, this might have been prevented. Reaching out almost casually -- as Rachel and Nate can easily see -- she clouds the minds of all those around them, taking the paper Shift produces and slips it into her pocket to look at later. Not, mind, that she doesn't have it memorized already. Eidetic memory is easy when your a telepath. 
~ I believe you're right, ~ Jean agrees. ~ Given all I've seen, though I don't really know him well enough to trust him unconditionally, I am inclined to believe -- or at least accept for now -- Cable's forewarning about Magneto. Let the cells do what they feel they need to do. Sinister is by far the greater threat. ~
Externally, she appears to simply watch the exchange between Rachel and Kwabena, taking a sip of her coffee, brows rising as she pronounces, "Wow, this is good..." 
'Apocalypse' is a new name to her, however. Even so she accepts the information they give her. That's what the team's for, after all -- gathering and sharing information. 
~ I've given this a lot of thought, ~ she says presently, glancing at each of them. She's had the whole trip to think about it. ~ It's riskier, but I think we need to hit the Spire. As much as there may be important information there, it won't be nearly as important as what's kept in Bastion -- away from prying eyes and easy access. And, quite frankly, if I were either Sinister or Magneto, I wouldn't keep a mutant of Monet's ability and recognizability in a place so easily accessible as the Hammer Bay hospital. If she's anywhere on this island still, she's in Bastion. ~ Her eyes turn flinty and her thoughts hard. ~ No one takes students from off the Institute's grounds and gets away with it. No one. ~ 
Yes. The Phoenix is turning Momma Tiger. Fear is an appropriate response. 
That Sinister had the gall to attack the school should be alarming, if Nate cared about those things. Surely Xavier could have fried his mind. Not to mention there are many experienced and deadly alphas among the staff, and a few among the students. Laura comes to mind. Instead, he is mostly angry. But that is typical.
Shift's 'map', though, draws a chuckle, and makes him almost choke with the coffee. |"Man. I doubt things are like that here. Plus remember Sinister was telling that other guy (secondhand memory-image: Scalphunter) about having an army against someone that was sleeping. So maybe Apocalypse is sleeping. That explains why no one except Helspont, who has been around for millennia, and Cable, that is a time traveller, have recognized the name."| 
 
Nate might not sound very pleased to report that Sinister is killable, but it's a weight off of Rachel's mind. She doesn't need to say anything, just inclines her head toward Nate, then flicks her eyes toward Jean, then raises an eyebrow a fraction. She might be the weakest of them, but there's still enough telekinetic talent around this small table to do some truly frightening things if they put their minds to it. Rachel's confidence increases, though Shift gets a speculative look - which meshes well with the roles the two of them are playing - as she wonders if he knows what any of them are truly capable of.
Rachel's eyes flicker down to the drawing, then up to meet Shift's again. What he's trying to do is important, but her inability to help as much as she should is still a bit raw. And the fact that Jean's sitting next to her, the person who she should have gone to by now to fix that particular problem is only rubbing salt into that wound. So Rachel doesn't pass any comment on the drawing, just takes another sip of her coffee as it cools to a more tolerable temperature, and concentrates on the charade she's engaged in. "We want all the options." She tells him. "We don't want to get there and then find we're missing out." She waves a hand in a 'take your time' gesture, as Shift shuffles his paperwork. Jean's thoughts about Cable are noted, and only increase Rachel's curiosity, but she pushes it away as best she can. It's a distraction for another time. Picking up one of the offered brochures, Rachel studies it with a slight frown.
Jean's anger is palpable - and Rachel wasn't going to argue, anyway. << Damn right. OK, we hit the Spire. But once we do - and as soon as we have Monet - we're going to have to pull out. Do we have a way out? >> As she asks, she chews her bottom lip, before putting the brochure down as if she's made her decision. "This looks good. What's your best price? American dollars."
With a nod of his head, Kwabena keeps smiling at Rachel. He's damned good at that poker face, because inside, his soul is becoming increasingly chilled. "American dollars. Good! Only thirty." There is a moment of bartering, where he settles. "Okay, okay! Twenty five, twenty five, good, good."
|"We hit, and we get out."| His agreement thought-wise couldn't be more palpable. |"De telepaths will be de main spear of attack. Hope."| He registers the young woman's name as being a part of the telepaths. As much as he doesn't want her to be involved, she will need to be among them. The team that sticks together, lives together.
And gets out together. This will not be like Latveria.
|"Jocelyn and I can handle the collateral damage. Those of Sinister and Magneto's minions who might try to swarm us."| A glance is given toward Jean. |"She can light me on fire, and she can put me out. Just... stay out of my way when it happens."| A glance is given toward Nate and Rachel in turn. |"We pool our resources, our intelligence, everything we can on Bastion and the Spire. We come up with a solid plan of attack, and at least three measurable retreat options."| Seems he's quoting the Scott Summers playbook on X-Men paramilitary operations. |"We tag our resistance cells to be on stand by, in case this action brings about a full scale war situation. When it goes down, I can notify my ally in SHIELD to be prepared for the hammer to drop. Hopefully, it won't drop. But if it does? This island is as ready as it may ever be."| 
Meanwhile, he's making the exchange with Rachel. His grin fades a bit, and he presents Rachel with a rather unique look. He knows that he's put her through the wringer in the past few days, and his pragmatic approach has been more that of a Commanding Officer than a friend. For a fleeting moment, his expression for her is one of apology, and one of trust.
"Good, good. Everyone!" He stands from the table, gathering up his belongings and stuffing them into a bag. "You will enjoy trip here, I promise." He nods his head to each of them, making a motion to conclude the meeting.
Meanwhile?
|"I'll have Channel alert our friends back home, through Cypher's network. We can have the Blackbird on stand-by for an emergency evac."| 
He lingers for but a moment to see if there's any other business that must be attended to in secrecy.
 
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