2012-12-12 The Baxter's Unlikely Visitors

Secrecy was tantamount to the method Kwabena Odame was moved from the X-Men Secret Base in Westchester County. Regardless of how it was done, he'd asked to be left with his motorcycle in Brooklyn. The helmet perched upon his head serves to mute his identity, while also blocking out harsh light from the setting sun as he rides into Manhattan and makes way for the Midtown address given to him.
When he pulls up at the indicated intersection, he peers up at the high rise building before him, narrowing his eyes just slightly from beneath the shaded glass until the light turns green, at which point he peels off and into the building's parking garage.
Five minutes and one parking ticket later, he's walking out into the lobby, helmet tucked under his arm. He has the appearance of any normal guy, really; black leather riding jacket, a pair of unremarkable jeans, and boots that seem to find their fashion and design note somewhere between 'combat' and 'biker'.
What makes him seem at least somewhat unique is the mismatched eyes - one a natural brown, one a quite unnatural silver. As he steps out, he looks about with hesitant suspicion, his footfalls slow and steady; cautious as he looks around at the lobby, searching for an information desk, a security desk, something that will not get him into trouble.
It's one of those jobs that Domino takes not for the money or the thrill, or to keep her skillsets sharp. This one is all about her own peace of mind, and some amount of friendly support of Kwabena can find any from her involvement. She's still lugging around the tri-city area in her 'borrowed' navy blue SUV, a discreet enough vehicle despite its lumbering size and horrific economy figures. Still, she manages to race a bike with it out to this place.
And wins.
Dom's leaning up against the wall to the parking deck's elevator, black and dark purple glasses masking her eyes, because -that- doesn't happen to look shady in the slightest. She doesn't have long to wait, spotting the familiar figure rapidly approaching. "Hope three's not a crowd."
Onward, to the lobby and beyond. This should be interesting.
There's a brief pause when Domino is spotted, and the grin that curls at the corner of Kwabena's mouth is slower to form than usual. It would figure that she'd be here. He didn't need a babysitter, but he wouldn't mind the guide. As he takes to following her, the African merely remarks, "Four would be a stretch." As they walk into the lobby, no doubt earning quite a few unappreciative stares, he makes it a point to keep his eyes forward.
"Where are we going?" comes a sideways murmur, before casting a convincing but entirely faked smile to a suit-dress-wearing businesswoman who walks past, looking upon Kwabena as if he were some kind of drug dealer.
Babysitter? Oh, hell no. This isn't Domino's business, Kwabena can see to his own matters. She's along in order to hear the verdict for herself, from someone otherwise unconnected to any of this Latverian nonsense. Kwabena can see her inclusion however he likes. Far as she's concerned, this other mutant is still a security threat to the entire team. Moral support, sure, but it's mostly about tying up loose ends. One way or another.
"Good thing I didn't bring any friends along."
Her companion might look like a drug dealer. Dom's not much better off. Like a Goth chick cosplaying from the Matrix cast. Without another word she leads the way. If all goes well, she'll go to the elevator and get them to the appropriate floor and door. Why yes, they have an appointment, thank you very much.
Once inside the elevator, Kwabena breathes a small sigh of relief. "Dat would have drawn too much attenshan," notes the Ghanaian. There is a brief respite in the conversation, which is filled with a rather terrible Musak rendition of 'In The Air Tonight' by Phil Collins, complete with woodwinds mewling through the melody and a factory-preset salsa beat.
Kwabena turns and glances toward Domino, something between a scowl and a humored smirk on his face, before he turns back to watch the floor numbers rapidly increasing. "Elevetah music," he mutters. "Dey could do bettah."
Dom looks like she's distant, though the change of expression with her companion is noticed. "Yeah, we don't stand out at all around here, do we." Man, when did this go from bring normal and friendly to tense and uncomfortable..?
Oh yeah. After getting back from the other side of the planet.
"I wouldn't call it music," she says in a slightly lower tone. "Silence would be better than this crap." Waiting to get to the upper levels is never all that fun. Good thing it's a quick ride. She's out of the car the instant the door slides open, stepping out into the lobby beyond. Maybe up here on the top three levels they'll appear to be a bit less out of place, but that might just be wishful thinking on her part. Even being inside of this building puts her on edge, this is not the sort of place she's typically running around in.
Doctor Reed Richards, possibly the smartest human on the planet, works diligently in his... Wait is this a junkyard or a lab? Pieces of machinery, wiring and other bits of metal just seem to be everywhere. Controlled chaos isn't the word for what this is. Anyway the 'lab' is roughly the size of the interior of the building. Walls have been removed and so has parts of the ceiling, it seems, in certain areas. As sparks fly from the welding of his current project. The sound of the visitors chime, through means of a warning system he had just installed in the lab, goes off in an annoying plethora of chimes, bongs and whistles. "Susan someones here." He starts. "Sue?" He waits a bit then rolls his brown eyes. "Hello? Okay, fine I'll get it. Not like invading Latveria is going to be easy or anything." Sleep deprived and needing a shave of course he's a tad grouchy. But anyway off to greet. Grabbing his visual scanner, what some would call a pair of futuristic sunglasses, Reed stretches his head out of the lab down the stairs and into the reception room.
Upon reaching the reception, the bodiless head looks over the scans and then to the two individuals who decided to pay him a visit. "Greetings and welcome to the Baxter Building home to the world famous Fantastic Four. I'm Doctor Reed Richards or as you may know me: Mister Fantastic. How can I be of service to you today?" the spiel sound rehearsed and judging by his tone used all too often in the last few days. As his head moves closer he receives data from the scans, unobtrusive ones of course, both received on the ride up. "Interesting. Homo Superior." he starts as he looks Domino over. "Hmm the particles encompassing your body are all in a positive state." He says, as from out of nowhere a hand appears and start to rub his chin. "So I'm guessing your abilities reside... damn! Why didn't anyone tell me I needed to shave." he quickly interrupts himself and is a bit embarrassed. And as soon as it comes it's gone. "What was I saying again?" He pauses as he tries to remember what he was talking about, but before anyone can speak. "Ah yes, you can manipulate the probabilities of situations. Fascinating." As he finishes with the woman, Reed attention is then turned to her companion.
"At least give us de originahl," retorts the Ghanaian, before silencing himself when the doors open.
Following his companion out, he's first struck by the haphazard way the entire space has been laid out, and second, by the -noise-. "Jesus!" he curses, and reaches up with a hand to protect his left ear until the sounds die away. However, when a bodiless head stretches over to greet them, that look of annoyance falls away, and his eyes widen just so. As Reed moves on to examine Domino, Kwabena's head slowly rotates to look at her, only for his eyes to be distracted by Reed's own self-distraction. Then, back to Domino they go, before blink-blinking in rapid surprise.
A plaintive stare comes over the Ghanaian's face, and he motions toward her with a definitive gesture. "I -knew- it. I damn well knew it!" He shakes his head at Domino, lips pressed into a thin line, before he turns and looks back at Reed. He's about to speak, but the words are abruptly caught in his throat when he actually takes a moment to get a good look at the manner Reed, or well, his head and hand, have come to greet them.
What should Domino expect up here? A literal talking head doesn't fit into the equasion any. The introduction that results confirms that they have the right place and all, though it's an -unnerving as hell- introduction. It's just a head. Connected by a string of ..skin. "Great, the guy's made of Laffy Taffy," she mutters under her breath. There isn't much time to finish that thought, standing there in a slouch with arms folded in front of herself, her questionable attitude running at an all time high as she's flagged right then and there as being a mutant. When her -particles- are brought to everyone's attention her posture shifts slightly, her guard starting to go up.
Then her power is pegged. Converted into words, out there for all three of them to hear. Dom's jaw is actually hanging open slightly, part of it shock that this man could identify her power. Part of it is utter disbelief that he would -do such a thing.- On the inside, she's debating tying that silly putty-like neck of Reed's into a knot to see if he'd still be able to breathe afterward. That creepy, invasive, boundary-overstepping son of a--
"Yeah, -thank you,- Stretch Armstrong," Domino practically reviles. "Now I'll never have a chance of playing Blackjack with the guy. Feel free to stop analyzing me anytime here, -I'm- not the point of focus." Grr. At least this guy can't also psychically read her history. Right..?
Reed is silent, and is oblivious to Domino's remarks. He's in research mode. As he looks over the other man, he again scratches his stubble covered chin. "Hmm." And with that the glasses come off revealing a pair of brown eyes that have seen things only a few can say they have or even want to. <You must be the gentleman I was told about?> Reed says to the other man in what sounds like to be his native Ghanaian language, sure the accent is off, but he's working on it.
In any other setting, Kwabena might have made some witty remark about Domino's outburst. However, he can almost feel that he's being examined, and would like nothing more than to look away, but he can't. His mismatched eyes meet those of the other man, showing their surprise when he not only speaks in the Ghanaian native, but manages to lick the Afram Plains dialect in ways few who've never lived there could.
<You have assumed correctly,> he answers, speaking the dialect perfectly. He'd not spoken his own language in a very long time, and it made him almost homesick. Almost. They would never have accepted him back home, especially not now, and it was with a bittersweet tone that he switches back to his accented English.
Also, for Domino's sake. He knew her well enough to know that she would -despise- them exchanging words in a language she likely didn't know, and clearly, Reed had already rubbed her pissy itch. "Kwabena," he offers, failing to provide his last name or his pseudo-codename. Today, he's just Kwabena. The name that doesn't exist. "You are de one who has been studying the nanotechnology in my blood," he confirms. "I hope you have found something worthwhile. I am running out of time."
Indeed, the nanites in his blood stream are fast running out of the narcotic devised by Victor Von Doom. If their effects weren't countered, negated, or otherwise repaired soon, he would have to go -back- to Latveria, or die a painful death.
Wonderful, now everyone is talking in a different language. Domino doesn't know this one. Seriously, Richards is going to out her like that then completely leave her out of the remainder of the conversation? Yes, congratulations, you can copy Kwabena's tongue. Now how's about going back to something a bit more traditional for the rest of the class?
Kwabena takes care of it before she can voice any of her concerns. It's ..well. It's refreshing. She never enjoys feeling vulnerable. Even the simple exchange from a moment ago laid her life more open than she ever really wants it to be. In turn, the defense mechanisms have started to fire up. She's ready to go on a total warpath and leave a trail of destruction in her wake. But, she won't have to. Probably. From behind the relative safety those dark tinted lenses provide she glances to Kwabena, studying him with the same sort of intensity that Reed possesses, though without the benefit of fancy tech or the brain of a super-genius. Kwa may well have taken a proverbial bullet for her, there. Point to him.
"You seem to enjoy giving things straight up, Richards. So let's hear it."
With a smile Reed's hand returns to his body as his head starts to follow. "Very well ma'am. I have examined your blood, sir, and the nanites within it. Tricky little things, but not too complicated. Perhaps you can fill me in as how you got them from Victor von Doom though." That little bit of information was not passed on to him, however he was able to decipher Victor's design easily. "But I think we should take this conversation somewhere else. So if you will both please follow me to my lab. Allons-y."
He hides it well, but Kwabena is on pins and needles. When Richards remarks that they are 'not too complicated', he breathes out a soft, soft sigh of relief, before casting his eyes over toward Domino for a very brief moment. "You know his designs?" asks the Ghanaian while his eyes snap back toward Richards, showing obvious surprise. "Dis could be ahn edvantage."
Decidedly setting down his motorcycle helmet on a table that doesn't seem to be -too- cluttered, he looks again toward Domino, shooting his eyebrows up while giving her one of his looks. "Dis is entirely too weird," he mutters aside to her while taking up the pursuit.
As he follows the retreating head and hand, Kwabena tries not to find it all too awkward. He couldn't hazard an educated guess, not really, but his only supposition is that Dr. Richards has some sort of genetic mutation, just like himself. "How ah you familiar with Victah Von Doom?" he asks, while walking carefully down into the lab so as not to knock anything over.
Oof, that accent... Been around the world, met (and killed) countless people. Domino's still struggling with Kwabena's speech as it slowly reverts back to an accent so thick she could practically cut it out of the air with one of her blades.
"Yeah, that's the damned truth," she mutters back to Kwabena as they follow Reed up into the lab proper. Getting -into- the lab, that's an experience all of its own. It's like a scrapyard for electronics, and gods know what else. "Feel like I just stepped onto a Doctor Who set," she mutters while looking around the vast amount of clutter. "Or James Bond. Wonder where Q's hiding."
Part of her finds it curious that this guy would be so comfortable letting the two into what has to be a very sensitive environment. That's a lot of blind trust to be investing in unfamiliar people. Aside from finding just the right trigger to grate on her nerves, this Reed guy doesn't seem all that bad. He just needs to learn when to keep his mouth shut and everything'll be shiny.
Sue Storm was on her way home from volunteering at the clinic when she happened across a rather unusual individual. Well, technically, he happened across a little gang of muggers too stupid to recognize her and the unusual individual stepped in to 'inform' the muggers of the errors of their ways. After they were dealt with, Sue employed her usual politeness and invited the Daredevil to accompany her to the Baxter to meet with Reed. Why? Does it matter?
Riding the elevator didn't really seem the red-clad man's style, so Sue conveyed them both via force field to one of balconies leading off of the residential area of the Fantastic Four's headquarters. This one in particular opens off of an odd side of a large common room -- maybe it was designed to accomodate the flight-capable? Anyway. She keys in the code to open the doors into the building and steps through first as she addresses Daredevil. "Thank you again for agreeing to drop by. I know Reed will be happy to meet with you."
Daredevil is quiet as they ascend up to the Fantastic Four's balcony and common room. The sounds of the city melt away as they get higher and higher. As he steps into the common room, the smell of ash and cigar is quite strong. "I've noticed you doing a great deal of work at the clinic, Miss Storm," he says with a nod. "I do know who you are, so I couldn't really pass up the opportunity. It is not terribly often that a kid from Hell's Kitchen gets a chance to come up to the Baxter Building."
Daredevil is quiet as they ascend up to the Fantastic Four's balcony and common room. The sounds of the city melt away as they get higher and higher. As he steps into the common room, the smell of ash and cigar is quite strong. "I've noticed you doing a great deal of work at the clinic, Miss Storm," he says with a nod. "I do know who you are, so I couldn't really pass up the opportunity. It is not terribly often that a kid from Hell's Kitchen gets a chance to come up to the Baxter Building."
As Reed's head slowly returns to his body he glances to the man. "Oh you well you know the old saying: We went to school together? Well we literally did. We were once friends, then intellectual rivals and now he's my nemesis." That's the simplest way for Reed to put it without mentioning the other man also wants him dead. As his head finally returns, Reed stands up from his work revealing his slim figured form. "And Q wouldn't know what to do with half of the equipment here, miss. Besides he's a fictional character. Someone you would only see in comic books or a word based computer game." Reed pauses then looks aimlessly forward before coming back to reality. "Now you were here have me do what to them again? Exterminate the nanites or did you want me to reprogram them or did you want me to help you produce the chemicals that their ingesting?" While Reed would hate to destroy them, being that thy fascinate him, he will do what must be done. But before Reed can say anything more the sounds of whistles, pings and dings annoyingly jammed together into single tone fills the lab. "Oh for the..."
"Maybe -he- is Q," remarks Kwabena lowly, with a single head nod toward the head they are following. "Some freak lab acceedent." He's tempted to banter a bit more with Domino, something they had grown used to, but he was a man of manners if nothing else. Looking pointedly away, he watches as Reed's head rejoins his body.
Well, that makes sense, sort of.
The African's reply is quickly stopped cold as the chimes and whistles go off again. He peers about curiously, but is unable to see who might be joining them. "More visetah's," he muses aloud, before casting a surreptitious look toward Domino. Secrecy was valuable to them, even moreso to her. He wouldn't blame her if she booked it post haste.
Back to Richards, Kwabena clears his throat a bit before answering. "Can dey be extermenated?" he asks. "I am undah de impression dat he's made me reliant upon dem. But, no, I do -not- want to produce the chemicahls dey are producing." Indeed, the concentrated narcotics produced by the nanites are, for lack of a better description, akin to a twisted form of the street drug called heroin. By now, Kwabena's body has developed such a vile addiction to the nanites that to simply remove them or purge them might just result in his death. "Would dere be any way to nullify de effects of de narcotic?" he asks. "Or, perhaps more importantly, nullify de effects of withdrawal?"
The informative about Reed's relationship with Doctor Doom is, of course, noted, however Kwabena does not remark on it yet. The answer explained a great deal, enough for his mild curiosity in that subject to be satisfied.
"He's the nemesis of a lot of people," Dom points out while going back to her usual guarded state. Who knows what might lunge out of this lab at them, or at some other rival piece of technology? Her mind is telling her one thing: Expect the unexpected. Case in point, Richards and Doom having gone to school together. Say -what?!- This would have been good to know before!
Oh, and more company. Goodie.
Dom stands her ground. Running's not going to accomplish anything and, despite some of her past records, she likes to see things through to the end. She'll still lurk behind those darkened glasses, though. And not share a name. She had been debating it, but Reed already knows too much about her. 'Miss' would do just fine for now. "I'd also like to verify that these things are not in contact with any outside sources. Nothing's being recorded or transmitted, correct?" Let's hear it from the resident brainiac. May as well, so long as she's here.
Sue Storm leads Daredevil across the common room and toward the lab area, calling out as she goes. "Reed? I'm home." It's become a habit by now, especially after the time she startled him and he splashed phosphoric acid all over an experiment in progress. She glances at Daredevil as she goes, smiling reassuringly. This is normal.
Daredevil follows along with a stoic expression set on his face or what can be seen. As they enter the lab, it is a wave of different scents and sounds to his senses. He pauses for just a moment at the door but then is following Sue into the lab. He can tell there are three people in the room with one that has to be Reed. His heartbeat sounds....different as he stretches and moves. A very odd sound. He nods towards everyone in turn. He could hear the thick accent through the walls before they entered but couldn't place it yet. And the last...well, the scent of gun oil and explosives marked that one as someone that seems to prefer action over lab science.
"Not these ones. They have a specific functionality." Reed answers Domino's question before stretching his head over to Kwabena. "They're meant to kill you." Giving the man a 'squinty' look as if sizing him up. "What did you do that put you on Victor's naughty list?" Then his head twists and returns to his body. "Hello Susan. We have guests." As he looks to Sue and Daredevil he quirks a brow. "Correction: More guests."
A specific functionality. A rather sour look appears upon Kwabena's face, and he looks up from the assortment of laboratory equipment to meet Reed's look. "Dat is a long story, Doctah." He shakes his head slowly, then turns away for a moment. Acknowledging the new arrivals served as a decent enough distraction from what sounded like more bad news. A pleasant smile is forced onto his face, and he tilts his head in greeting to the others. Casually, he also seems to reposition himself a bit to keep Domino out of the way.
He owed her a lot of favors, that small one might do. Regardless, he turns halfway back so that he can speak in a sideways manner to her. "Do you have any..." He almost says lucky. "clever ideas?"
"That's pretty conclusive," Domino says to no single person. Maybe Doom had been telling her the truth about Kwabena being dead, they just needed to get a second opinion. Any further thoughts on the matter are momentarily shelved as two more enter the area. One of them she immediately recognizes, though she only bows her head toward Sue in greeting. The business these two mutants are here for doesn't factor in much of a social visit. As for the Devil in red, he must be a decent enough guy or he wouldn't be up here with the rest of them.
Does that mean Dom's not half bad, herself..?
Stay on target, girl. With Kwabena's question being said on the sly to her, she offers in turn "Eradicate every last trace of it in a controlled environment, find a way to work through. This is the place, Reed is your man." If he can't do it, who the heck else is there?
Sue Storm waves hello to Domino and the man standing somewhat protectively between them, then starts introductions. "Reed, this is Daredevil, from Harlem. Daredevil, Reed and a couple of other guests." She glances at each person in turn. "Would anyone like something to drink?"
"Hell's Kitchen actually," Daredevil steps forward with a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth and a nod towards Sue. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Richards. I have heard a great deal about you through the news." He turns to nod towards the other two. He pauses as if listening to their quiet conversation for a moment and then turns towards Sue. "No thank you, Miss Storm."
Reed smiles and a shake of his head to Sue. Which is Reed short hand for he's working and won't be eating anything for hours. "Okay!" Reed says with a clap as he walks over towards his computer. "There are only a few ways to destroy nanites, one being a high dosage of gamma rays. But with the dosage needed would either kill you or if your lucky turn you into a giant rage monster." That's when Reed looks to the man. "And we can't have the latter happen can we?" he says with a shake of his head. "We could always try an EMP, but at the amplitude that is needed, that may damage the electrical field all living beings have." he winces with shakes his head again. " Oh! I got it. This one's one of my favorites. We could shrink down and enter your body and destroy them from the inside, but they may all be connected and there is the possibility they may blow up. Let's not try that."
"What if Von Doom anticepated dis?" comes the African's quiet response to Domino. "What if dat is what he -wants- Reed to do?" He fixes the mercenary with a cold, hard stare. They both knew how devious Doom could be. Kwabena would put such a thing past him.
When Sue Storm makes some introductions, Kwabena nods his head back to her, and then to the man masked in red. "Kwabena," is all he offers by way of greeting. He considers reaching for the flask of liquor secreted away in his jacket, but thinks better of it, and merely gestures a denial of the drink offer.
"No," Kwabena is quick to reply, lifting his hands in a stalling motion. "You... you -cannot- turn me into a rage monstah. Dat would be bad." He draws in a deep and steadying breath, and while listening to the Doctor's musings, a little, unnerving idea keeps itching at the African mutant's mind, echoing back to the moment when Reed explained that he and Doom once were friends, and now, were nemesis. He looks at Reed speculatively, then makes to interrupt.
"Doctah," he begins, hesitant at first, until he makes up his mind to deliver the hair-brained but potentially ingenious idea. "You say dat you are Von Doom's nemesis? I don't suppose you could leave some kind of message, or signal, inside of the nanotechnology?" He pauses. "Something dat might... grab his attention. Make him think you were on the hunt. Close to achieving da kill. Using me as the unsuspecting messenjah." He casts another look Domino's way. "He will be expecting my return, you know, to 'fuel up'."
A remarkably dark way to talk about having one's body subjected to destructive, deviously designed synthetic opiates.
Remember: This man holds Dom's faith as being the single best option that Kwabena has of getting rid of those nanites. We're not off to a wonderful start. But, Sue's offering drinks. Lucky for her. "How about the hardest stuff you can scare up?" she asks the other woman, looking way more serious than she likely should be. And, since introductions are going around, she finally antes up. "Domino." No 'nice to meetcha's,' as usual she's a woman on a mission. The name 'Daredevil' sounds vaguely familiar, however...
"Interesting thought, kiddo. Here's something else we haven't considered." With a look between Kwa and Reed, Dom says "He's capable of turning himself into vapor. Do you think that you, in all of your technological wizardry, might be able to pull these things out of him at the moment which he is no longer solid? Your EMP idea. That shouldn't affect smoke, right?" Kwabena has a notable upper hand, his entire body can change its state of matter in an instant. This could work to their advantage. "Or, if the nanites change state with him, maybe their state could be changed independently of the rest. Literally smoke it out of him."
Sue Storm frowns slightly at the topic at hand while moving off to get the beverage requested by Domino. She does, after all, know where Ben keeps his rainy day stash.
Daredevil remains silent as he listens to the conversation. While the science is probably a bit over his head, he can follow enough for now. He pulls a red glove off of his hand and just draws a finger softly over a lab table as he walks around the lab for a little bit. As the talk of nanobites continues, he pauses and turns towards Kwabena. He remains still as he tries to listen for a difference in him; listen for the nanobites processing. Perhaps he can help if he can hear them.
"Actually I already have something." Reed says as he retrieves a small box. "Using what I had of you blood and with only had a few days to ready this, so I apologize for the lack of a full remedy." as he says this opens the box and pulls out what can only be called a 'watch. As hands out the watch looking device to Kwabena. At first glance the device looks like a normal watch, but the face bears an odd resemblance to the '4' logo the Fantastic Four wear on their uniforms. "This 'watch' is in fact a signal disrupter that will block the signal to the nanites, putting them to sleep so to speak. It will only work as long as it makes contact with your skin of course." Reed states. "I also built in a microscopic injector that will feed your body with the cocktail of chemicals needed to keep you alive. Sadly with the time I was given I was only able to replicate enough of the formula to only last you a week. I'm sorry."
With Domino's suggestion, Kwabena turns and looks at her with a bit of a smirk. "Smoke it out of me?" he asks. "What is dis, tha boy scouts?" His jesting settles, along with the smirk. "It's a good idea, ah suppose, but dat won't resolve the withdrawal symptoms."
In turn, the mutant turns and studies the watch-like device that is offered. Turning it over in his hand, a realization settles in on him. "So, the effect is, it will keep me healthy. For a time." He closes his eyes with a deep sense of relief, knowing that at least for a little while, he won't suffer the periodic intoxications of Doom' microscopic machinations. Curling the device in his hand, he once again settles upon Reed a look of gratitude. "I owe you a great debt, Doctah."
Domino looks to Kwabena once more, "Can't go wrong with the classics." Sue actually manages to come through with her drink request, too. Her day's starting to improve, accepting the bottle with a gesture of appreciation. One that quickly migrates toward Daredevil. "Your friend doesn't have much to say, does he? I'm way out of my league with this stuff, too."
The object that Reed hands over earns Dom's attention next, her expression going utterly blank. "Nice reminder that you're on borrowed time," comes the deadpan observation. If Kwabena goes back to Doom, he buys himself a while longer. If he uses this wrist device, he buys himself a while longer. "Reed, is there any way that you can keep him sustained with that thing long enough to deal with the situation permanently?" A slight hesitation is followed up with "Your work here is appreciated, but you need to understand that he probably won't be able to fall back on anything else as soon as he uses it. Can we count on you to carry him through until it's properly handled?"
'We.' Not 'him.' The white-skinned woman is officially sticking around to help see Kwabena's situation improve. It had been questionable for a while.
Daredevil turns towards Domino as she mentions that the stuff is out of her league too. He nods towards the mercenary. "I'm not much of a scientist." A slightly bigger smile crosses his face as he continues. "I mostly hurt people. Break things." He turns his head as if looking at the entire lab. "This must be what Wonderland feels like." His attention comes to the 'watch' that Reed just gave Kwabena. It has an odd hum to it.
Sue Storm did indeed bring a beverage for Domino, though she opted not to nick Ben's top shelf stuff. Instead, it's a bottle of Jack Red Label. She also brought a glass, and there's a force field-encased wad of ice cubes following her at shoulder height. "I... wasn't sure if you wanted ice." She watches Daredevil's explorations curiously, but missed the exchange between Reed and Kwabena.
Reed holds up a hand and shakes his head to the man. A suggestion that Reed wants nothing and even says it. "You owe me nothing, my friend. You needed help and I was glad to be of service to you. I do wish I could have done more." he then looks to Domino. His look is blank as he looks at her. "Madame, I only had a few days to create the device that would keep him safe from the nanites as well as enough of the formula to sustain him for a week. And know this before the week is over I shall be able to synthesize more than a week's worth of the formula. However you must understand the human body, even a mutant body, can only take so much outside chemicals before the body builds up an immunity or worse: destroy ones immunity." did Reed just chastise the woman? "And this is only a temporary solution until I can shutdown the nanites and remove them completely." he finishes, his gaze remains locked on the pale skinned woman. "But to answer your question: Yes. Yes you can count on my continued involvement in helping you and your friend."
Floating ice. That ..rather explains what she walked into the last time Dom met Sue. Since she's gone through the trouble the ice is accepted and put to use. "You're a lifesaver." Daredevil earns himself a similar tone of appreciation, "Sounds like my kinda guy. Good pick." The last part is, again, meant for Sue.
Reed's take on the situation seems to be exactly what Domino's looking for, not seeming to get upset in the slightest as the facts are laid out. Once more her head bows forward in acknowledgement, "That's all I needed to hear. I know you're doing all that you can, I just needed to know what we have to work with. We're starting to cut all of this mighty close to the wire, not a lot of room for complications." Variables. Odds. Chances, risks. When it comes to nanites Dom's seriously out of her league, but keeping Kwabena alive is still something which she takes more personally than she would like to. Nothing can ever be simple with this woman.
On the upside, she no longer feels the need to keep a plasma rifle handy when dealing with Kwabena. So, that's cool.
That still doesn't change the fact that she's not the most socially graceful of creatures on the planet tonight. Dom makes her drink disappear in record time. "I've heard all that I need to hear. Thanks for helping with this. And this," she adds while motioning to the glass. That said, she starts to head back to the elevator.
Sue Storm nods to Domino, any ice that goes unused finding its own way to the closest sink in the lab thanks to the force field containing it. She looks from the woman to Reed and Kwabena a bit confusedly. Clearly she missed something along the way. But, whatever it was, it sounds like it's a positive thing. So, as Domino takes her leave, she smiles after her then steps over toward Daredevil, not bothering to conceal that she's walking a few inches above the floor like she would out in public.
"Good evening then, Domino," Daredevil nods as the white skinned woman begins to take her leave. He finds a somewhat clear spot against a table and leans against it. He puts his hands on either side of him as he half sits half leans against it. He turns towards the slightly elevated heartbeat of Sue Storm as she approaches. "It never really stops does it? This thing we do. Fighting the good fight." He turns his attention back towards Reed and Kwabena. "We can win today, but there is always someone trying to one up us, huh?"
It's fair to note that when Daredevil mentions breaking things, there's a certain glimmer of mirth that appears in Kwabena's eye, one that rotates enough to eye the red-masked man as well. He has that unique talent; he doesn't only turn into vapor.
He watches for a moment as Domino takes off, but he understood her swiftness. Her part here was finished, and he would run into her again soon, that much was certain. He refrains from putting the device on just yet, instead turning an appreciative gaze upon Richards. "Thank you, Doctor." He nods his head again, before casting a glance toward Daredevil. "I am begging to learn dis every day."
Sue Storm half follows Daredevil toward the clear area in the lab, but then claims one of those tall lab chairs nearby. "I must have missed something. Did you figure something out, Reed?" She looks at Kwabena with honest concern, knowing Reed can help the man, but unable to stop herself from wondering how soon.
Reed smiles to Kwabena before walking away from the man and towards Susan. "I did and I see you picked up another guest. and who might this one be?" Reed asks curiously as he nods towards Daredevil.
Category:Logs
Category:RPLogs