uber morlock
08-06-2003, 01:22 PM
The alarm had woken Alex Summers up at the time he had requested. He rolled away from the bed, and staggered to check himself in the bathroom mirror. With thumb and index finger he rubbed the night’s growth of stubble and swept back the hand to move the hair out of his face, flashed his teeth and checked his profile. Fine, supposedly.
Refreshed from shower and shave, Alex paced his hotel room in the regulator costume. A sad truth, Alex thought he’d at last gained enough control of his gift to be without it. He’d got himself into this state, always when he had this build up of stress did his power get out of hand. Despite the expectations placed on him when he worked in X-factor he’d never had the focus of his older brother, Scott. He was in his brother’s shadow more than ever, and felt all the more guilty if he tried to leave it, which is why he always returned.
It is though, isn’t it? He asked himself. Alex took a swig of the grapefruit juice to wake himself up. Mid-way down the glass the phone rang, and he answered, quick enough to stop the tone in short order. He’d let whom ever speak first, couldn’t be to too careful.
“Hello? Alex?” Came a woman’s voice,
“Speaking” he replied. The caller’s voice was uncomfortably familiar,
“Alex, its Valerie Cooper are you busy?”
“Valerie, what are you doing calling me? I suppose you used the perks of your new post to pinpoint my precise location.”
“Naturally, but I didn’t contact you to bandy sarcasm. It’s imperative that I speak with you.”
“So talk, you know I’ve no arrangements for any press conferences today.”
“I’d rather we meet in person Alex, I have a file you may be interested in seeing.”
“Okay Val, but could you…” he was cut short.
“I’m at the plaza, I have about half and hour before I’m due at a Commission meeting. Have you had breakfast, I’ll order a breakfast.”
“Sure Val, thanks.”
The receiver was placed at the other end. Irritating woman!
Alex stood up and rummaged for clean clothes, he’d rather not go as Havok, but he’d need to wear that damn costume under his civvies at any rate. Ready, he descended to the ground floor of the hotel, and emerged into the bright early day that brought with it the sites of Washington. He’d had a close call with Jamie the other day, and Alex didn’t feel comfortable being sat in the open.
At the Plaza Alex approached her none too hastily. As he had guessed Valerie Cooper was dressed up for the formal brunch and sat beneath a café canopy with a copy of the ‘Post’. Alex sat opposite and waited as she folded away the paper.
“Miss Cooper,” he emphasized the coup “you’re looking healthy.”
“Mr. Summers I’m glad you decided to meet with me”, she spoke as if he had been given a choice.
“Perhaps you could tell me why you wanted to see me so urgently, I wouldn’t want to keep you away from your meeting.” She smiled slightly at his mock concern and gestured for the waiter to bring them coffee.
“I hope you didn’t mind me taking the liberty of contacting you like this, with all this business about the president’s Operation Zero Tolerance I didn’t quite know the best way of reaching you.”
“You handled it professionally but why contact me?”
“On a level, I thought you would be the one more interested in what I have to show you.” She took an office file from her case and slid it across the table towards Alex. The binding was clear of any stamp marks that may have said classified, but Alex knew Val wasn’t stupid, persistently aggravating but not stupid. Alex flicked through the file, there wasn’t much in there, but enough to intrigue him.
“Okay Miss Cooper you’ve piqued my interest.” She smiled briskly behind the coffee cup, then her expression became intent, trying to read his reaction as he examined the pages.
The contents of the file were focused on a government proposal. “This seems to be about the re-opening of X-Factor, I don’t understand”, he said with some confusion.
Valerie sat forward and assumed her official government demeanor.
“I’d like you to be in on it Alex, be the new team’s front man so to speak. The government is keen to see this proposal pushed forward and are willing to expand the idea further, Falls Edge, hmm?” She cocked an eyebrow. “The thing is a majority has formed against the President’s call for Operation Zero Tolerance and wish to see a not quite so drastic solution to America’s GeeCee relation’s.”
“Solution !?” The young man was clearly outraged. “You got that straight! How do you see this working anymore than the last time? I’m not sure about this Val, is the plan to patrol the streets with mutant hunting Sentinels as back up!? If so you can count me out.”
“It wouldn’t be that way, we did a lot of good when we had the team, believe me. With X-Factor as a sponsored team there will be no need for the Sentinel program.”
Alex saw she was earnest, and although he was dubious as to the proposal’s success he felt he needed this chance, always in his brother’s shadow he thought again.
“Supposing I agreed who would be on the team?”
“I have this in hand, an old friend of mine has agreed to snoop around for likely candidates. The government was amazing quick to push this scheme, faster than I would have expected, so I had to call him up, fortunately he agreed, he may be persuaded to join himself, I believe you know Forge.” Alex smiled privately, he wouldn’t tell Val about meeting up with Madrox until the time was ripe. “What are you smiling about Alex Summers?”
“Old times. Alright Val I’ll check it out.”
“I need to get going, I’m due at that meeting.” She drained the coffee from the cup then prepared to leave. “I’ll wait for conformation from Forge and ask him to meet up with you at Falls Edge. Oh yes, in the file you’ll find an envelope, I received it this morning without a post-mark. It’s information on the whereabouts of an acquaintance of mine, it looks as though somebody is keen on the idea re-acquainting us. I’d appreciate you looking out for him for my sake. I’ll be in contact.”
Curious, Alex thought, Val looked troubled. He watched her as she turned away walked across the plaza she turned into the park and was gone.
He flicked at the file again, the envelope was tucked in the back. Alex took a quick look inside, the name read, Gibney, Kyle.
Alex thought for a moment and then entered the cafe. He'd gotten himself into something again and he certainly wasn't going in alone. He approached the pay phone.
Placing a coin in the slot he dialed the number Jamie had given him yesterday.
Refreshed from shower and shave, Alex paced his hotel room in the regulator costume. A sad truth, Alex thought he’d at last gained enough control of his gift to be without it. He’d got himself into this state, always when he had this build up of stress did his power get out of hand. Despite the expectations placed on him when he worked in X-factor he’d never had the focus of his older brother, Scott. He was in his brother’s shadow more than ever, and felt all the more guilty if he tried to leave it, which is why he always returned.
It is though, isn’t it? He asked himself. Alex took a swig of the grapefruit juice to wake himself up. Mid-way down the glass the phone rang, and he answered, quick enough to stop the tone in short order. He’d let whom ever speak first, couldn’t be to too careful.
“Hello? Alex?” Came a woman’s voice,
“Speaking” he replied. The caller’s voice was uncomfortably familiar,
“Alex, its Valerie Cooper are you busy?”
“Valerie, what are you doing calling me? I suppose you used the perks of your new post to pinpoint my precise location.”
“Naturally, but I didn’t contact you to bandy sarcasm. It’s imperative that I speak with you.”
“So talk, you know I’ve no arrangements for any press conferences today.”
“I’d rather we meet in person Alex, I have a file you may be interested in seeing.”
“Okay Val, but could you…” he was cut short.
“I’m at the plaza, I have about half and hour before I’m due at a Commission meeting. Have you had breakfast, I’ll order a breakfast.”
“Sure Val, thanks.”
The receiver was placed at the other end. Irritating woman!
Alex stood up and rummaged for clean clothes, he’d rather not go as Havok, but he’d need to wear that damn costume under his civvies at any rate. Ready, he descended to the ground floor of the hotel, and emerged into the bright early day that brought with it the sites of Washington. He’d had a close call with Jamie the other day, and Alex didn’t feel comfortable being sat in the open.
At the Plaza Alex approached her none too hastily. As he had guessed Valerie Cooper was dressed up for the formal brunch and sat beneath a café canopy with a copy of the ‘Post’. Alex sat opposite and waited as she folded away the paper.
“Miss Cooper,” he emphasized the coup “you’re looking healthy.”
“Mr. Summers I’m glad you decided to meet with me”, she spoke as if he had been given a choice.
“Perhaps you could tell me why you wanted to see me so urgently, I wouldn’t want to keep you away from your meeting.” She smiled slightly at his mock concern and gestured for the waiter to bring them coffee.
“I hope you didn’t mind me taking the liberty of contacting you like this, with all this business about the president’s Operation Zero Tolerance I didn’t quite know the best way of reaching you.”
“You handled it professionally but why contact me?”
“On a level, I thought you would be the one more interested in what I have to show you.” She took an office file from her case and slid it across the table towards Alex. The binding was clear of any stamp marks that may have said classified, but Alex knew Val wasn’t stupid, persistently aggravating but not stupid. Alex flicked through the file, there wasn’t much in there, but enough to intrigue him.
“Okay Miss Cooper you’ve piqued my interest.” She smiled briskly behind the coffee cup, then her expression became intent, trying to read his reaction as he examined the pages.
The contents of the file were focused on a government proposal. “This seems to be about the re-opening of X-Factor, I don’t understand”, he said with some confusion.
Valerie sat forward and assumed her official government demeanor.
“I’d like you to be in on it Alex, be the new team’s front man so to speak. The government is keen to see this proposal pushed forward and are willing to expand the idea further, Falls Edge, hmm?” She cocked an eyebrow. “The thing is a majority has formed against the President’s call for Operation Zero Tolerance and wish to see a not quite so drastic solution to America’s GeeCee relation’s.”
“Solution !?” The young man was clearly outraged. “You got that straight! How do you see this working anymore than the last time? I’m not sure about this Val, is the plan to patrol the streets with mutant hunting Sentinels as back up!? If so you can count me out.”
“It wouldn’t be that way, we did a lot of good when we had the team, believe me. With X-Factor as a sponsored team there will be no need for the Sentinel program.”
Alex saw she was earnest, and although he was dubious as to the proposal’s success he felt he needed this chance, always in his brother’s shadow he thought again.
“Supposing I agreed who would be on the team?”
“I have this in hand, an old friend of mine has agreed to snoop around for likely candidates. The government was amazing quick to push this scheme, faster than I would have expected, so I had to call him up, fortunately he agreed, he may be persuaded to join himself, I believe you know Forge.” Alex smiled privately, he wouldn’t tell Val about meeting up with Madrox until the time was ripe. “What are you smiling about Alex Summers?”
“Old times. Alright Val I’ll check it out.”
“I need to get going, I’m due at that meeting.” She drained the coffee from the cup then prepared to leave. “I’ll wait for conformation from Forge and ask him to meet up with you at Falls Edge. Oh yes, in the file you’ll find an envelope, I received it this morning without a post-mark. It’s information on the whereabouts of an acquaintance of mine, it looks as though somebody is keen on the idea re-acquainting us. I’d appreciate you looking out for him for my sake. I’ll be in contact.”
Curious, Alex thought, Val looked troubled. He watched her as she turned away walked across the plaza she turned into the park and was gone.
He flicked at the file again, the envelope was tucked in the back. Alex took a quick look inside, the name read, Gibney, Kyle.
Alex thought for a moment and then entered the cafe. He'd gotten himself into something again and he certainly wasn't going in alone. He approached the pay phone.
Placing a coin in the slot he dialed the number Jamie had given him yesterday.