Falls Edge, home

[Doctor Valerie Cooper]

Valerie nodded at Martinique as she entered the room, she had expected her, as was the request. As for airs of charm in her tone, well that small piece of deceit was chalked up Martinique's character. Doctor Cooper knew full well that the woman had knocked and did not need to be reminded of it, however 'politely'.

"Yes, come in."

She waved not looking up. Her secretary, the young Private had left the door open in the expectation that the British woman was following Valerie some distance behind and had also left a clear plastic tray with a pitcher of water and a single tall glass. Upon the lit up desk, the administrator for the Fall's Facility had a small pile of manila folders. Preferring to have the tactile and 'old school' styling’s of a folder that could be flipped through, Val traced a finger over the sections previously highlighted.

"I'm so glad that you've been able to find you way so easily. I'm sure you will become more than familiar with the layout of the base in no time."

There was a mixed layer of matter of fact with a brief but fleeting air of sincerity. The truth was, Val was short on time, the pressures of the job and it left her sounding very direct, to put it mildly.

"I'm well aware of your previous tenure with certain Mutant terrorist cells. I am also led to believe that you have a number of competencies with numerous fire arms. Physically you appear to be well conditioned, but appearances can be deceiving with you can't they?"

It wasn't so much of a question but rather a statement. Val was simply going over the files that she had received and formulating a picture of Lady Mastermind in her head. The combination of a militant combatant and rebellious nature did not fill Val with feelings of security. Certainly not towards nation wide security. There had already been failed trials at reintegrating former mutant criminals into X-Factor. Valerie had fought hard to close the book on that subject and yet somehow somewhere, a higher up in the heirarchy had signed the right piece of paper or paid the people that had the big rubber stamp for approval.

"I have to be honest with you Miss Wyngarde. I don't know exactly where to place you on this team. There are certainly some exceptional skills that you have, and yet I feel that if you were to be put to the test.. Well, let's just say I don't expect you to be much of a team player."

Valerie eyed the brunette before her. The woman's character was questionable, her powers made her unpredictable and it was clear that Martinique was certainly dangerous. The only thing Valerie could fathom from the short time she had known her, was to direct Mastermind towards a target and hope to high hell that the collateral damage from the experience didn't outweigh the bit of good she might provide.

It was a tall order to prove her wrong.

[Alexander the Great]

Denali breathed in deeply as she examined the external injuries while she simultaneously visualized the internal damages. Every time she began the process it felt like something she’d never done before; the energy surging through her body, the racing of her heart as it wanted to pound out of her chest, all of this was like something new. Her vision would be blurred when she opened her eyes, save for the area of her prime concern, being the body of the man before her.

Another exhalation.

Carefully she placed her hands on the affected area and began her work. The energy was released in the form of a tingling and sensational heat. The warmth was soothing for both parties involved in the therapy. She moved her hands mere millimeters away from his body and almost instantly the healing process began as bumps and bruises began disappearing from the agent. Denali then moved her hands to where they were touching lightly; she could feel the broken and disfigured bones in the man’s thoracic cavity.

The uneasiness of the bones popping back into place flowed to her spine causing her to twitch slightly. The process continued for a couple of minutes until Agent Stevenson’s vitals and heart rate became stagnate. He was still unconscious but would survive.

“That’s it?” Dr. Ryan questioned Denali, “I woulda figured your mutant mojo would have him running around like a regular Steve Rogers.”

“I cannot drain my energy any further. He will be at 100% for another week or so,” she replied in an even tone. She didn’t have enough energy to respond to his sarcasm.

Dr. Ryan pulled out a chair and placed it near Denali, “Sit,” he recommended although it sounded more like a command. He took out a chair for himself as well and placed
his right leg on the seat of it. He leaned forward and rested his arms on his knee.
“So--“he hesitated, “--what exactly did you do? Did you heal him?”

“Not by myself. His will to live was strong; that always makes it easier for me to speed up the immune and recovery systems for a short while.”

“Interesting. If there was ever a more useful mutant power, I’m sure it’d be yours. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not expanding my horizons or anything, I just respect good medical work.

“I looked up your file before you got here, so how does a girl from the Indian countryside make it all the way to working for the US government?”

“A series of unfortunate events starting from the manifestation of my abilities shortly after birth.”

“Oh so you’re one of those ‘born muties’, I see.”

“Actually I am the incarnate of the goddess Mariamman.”

“Please. You’re just an albino from the slums. Don’t get too full of yourself, sister, you should know that you can’t fool a doctor.”

Denali finally tired of the Doctor’s incessant badgering at the same time that he got tired of her as the effects of the magnificent thing she had just done before his eyes wore off.

“Anyway, good work or whatever, my team’s got it from here. Vanessa said not to work you too hard. If I had it my way, though, you’d be working ‘til that mojo came outta your ears. We’ll give you a ring when we could use your abilities.”

“Okay. Just let me know,” she replied back flatly, hoping to never see the man again. It was not often that she wished evil upon someone, but she had a sense that the Doctor was not a complete loss to bigotry. She decided to offer a partial olive branch, “Thank you for your trust, Dr. Ryan.”

“Yeah.”

Perhaps she was wrong.

[Kidpool]

Blood! Blood! BlooOooOOOOoooOood!

Crouched in the air ducts which crossed above the infirmary, the young Wade had cracked open a root beer and a bag of Doritos. The scene below was totally, completely, and utterly better than cable TV. Even HBO. He had so just seen a guy's guts. Which was a lot more interesting for him than the Mother Theresa doing the whole 'lay on hands' motif in a far less interesting part of the medical ward. Not that the sister act was all that bad to put eyes on. All said, Wade would give her about a six. Maybe six-and-a-half. The face and the ass were there, he supposed, if you liked ethnic. Which, he couldn't imagine why anyone wouldn't. A honey was a honey was a honey. But that honey definitely needed more in the chest.

There had been a real purpose behind why he'd slipped into the facility and crawled over the medical room, but that goal had gone the way of the dodo with the distraction provided by the glimpse at surgeries and injuries that his high perch offered. He was just enjoying the show now.

At least until he realized that he'd just gulped down the last of the root beer. Holding the can upside down, the boy frowned behind the mask in irritation. Whoever he'd stolen those from had better get off his ass and run out to the store for more!

You'd think people would be more considerate toward their uninvited guests...

That irritation at being out of soda only turned to further disappointment as the gore was mopped up, swabbed up, and stitched up until there was nothing interesting going on. What had he come down here for?

Tacos?

Yes... no... the kid! The kid, first. Then he'd get tacos. Except Wade hadn't seen a kid. Had the government lost him maybe?

This job was shaping up to be a complete waste of time. Were it not for the free root beer.

[iceslushee]

Sam took Forge's advice and nodded, he eyed the direction that Val had taken and what he proposed was the wake of force of her departure. The imaginings quickly discorporated from his mind as Forge continued to speak, Guthrie ceded to the speech and had to agree. "Ah hear ya Forge. Ah'd hate to be the one that gets on that woman's bad side." He was bringing himself back to a modicum of composure. "And thanks again, ah mean it."

Letting the last few words dwell in his mind as he was led towards the indoors, Guthrie revised those words that had been said by the Doctor. There was a lot to be said for preparedness and it was often true that plans were not so often followed but re-evaluated given the situation. It wasn't his position to argue what had transpired but to simple take what he was given and do his darndest to resolve the situation with least amount of casualties. A comforting thought..

"Ah'll take that into account Forge. Your right o' course. And we could surely use both your abilities and your tactical know how in the field."

Sam's thoughts raced to that of the would be saviour of the Mutant race and the same such man who had saved his and the rest of X-Factor's behind mere hours before. Cable was in the infirmary and damaged a great deal in the fight with Nimrod. The man had been a father figure, a friend, a teacher and a soldier at arms. Sam knew that Nathan would sacrifice and risk anything for the sake of the future, he just hoped that this team was worth that right now.

"Your going to the briefing room? Ah'll be with you as soon as ah've finished."

Cable would have to wait, as Forge had said don't unwind too much. He gave a short courtesy nod and left Guido and Jamie a look."Reports under mah door clear?" There wasn't much time left for response as he would have to follow up with Denali as well. Perhaps a quick look in on Nate and his condition as it was in the same locale.

Cannonball refreshed slightly from a burst of energy and purpose, marched in the opposite direction of his team-mates, towards the elevators. A sentry posted as guard acknowledged him on approach and pressed a button to open the doors. Sam mouthed his thanks and stepped inside. Scant few moments later he was presented with the sight of the ward and made his way directly to where he could see Medic.

There were a number of medical staff buzzing around like a swarm of angry bees attending a number of known faces and some staff that Sam had only seen in passing. The Kentuckian placed a hand gently on Denali's shoulder. "How are ya feelin' Doc?" It was a pretty broad question and although he didn't have a great deal of time to cut the fat, he decided to bestowe upon the clearly tired woman some empathy.

For a young woman who had barely been spat out of training to have survived the mission's debacle and largely unscathed whilst many others had fallen around them took a lot. Sam smiled and waited patiently, he could make out some of the machinery connected Cable and point of someone who had very little experience in the medical realm, Sam thought he looked ok.

[Lady Mastermind]

"Yes, come in. I'm so glad that you've been able to find you way so easily. I'm sure you will become more than familiar with the layout of the base in no time."

Martinique nodded in response to Valerie’s comments, then watching the blonde’s finger trace the stacks of manila folders. It was apparent the head cheerleader of X-Factor had her work cut out. One thing was for sure, the illusionist mutant felt a small bit of relief, glad she wasn’t the one having to do the amounts of paper work – something humans from the American government felt like was necessary. A roll of the eyes, Martinique thought of the crazy world humans like to surround themselves in, trying to suppress mutants having a place in the world as if they want to hide in delusion. The clear ugliness of normal humans made Martinique realize she joined The Brotherhood of Mutants with Magneto in the first place.

"I'm well aware of your previous tenure with certain Mutant terrorist cells. I am also led to believe that you have a number of competencies with numerous fire arms. Physically you appear to be well conditioned, but appearances can be deceiving with you can't they? I have to be honest with you Miss Wyngarde. I don't know exactly where to place you on this team. There are certainly some exceptional skills that you have, and yet I feel that if you were to be put to the test. Well, let's just say I don't expect you to be much of a team player."

Ah, mention of The Brotherhood – very nice play from the human ordering mutants around. Martinique put on a smirk and nodded her head as she stood there in front of Valerie and her hands crossed behind her back. Finally, the British brunette was prepared to speak. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to take a seat,” said a lower toned Martinique as she immediately took a seat in the chair sitting in front of Valerie’s desk. Martinique crossed her legs delicately, place her elbow on the chair’s arm for her hand to hold her head, while then looking up X-Factor’s superior.

“Let’s talk about deceiving, shall we? Understandably, I played with the bad kids on the playground Doctor Cooper. I was one of the few robbing other kids of their lunch money as apart of Magneto’s gang of misfits. But that my dear is in the past. As far as I see it, I paid my dues in SHIELD prison.”

Before Valerie might get the urge to say something, Martinique quickly held one finger up, therefore showing ahead of time that she’s not done talking just yet. Valerie wanted to talk about deceiving and trust, well the former villainess is glad to speak on the subject at hand. “The key word Doctor Cooper is that I was with The Brotherhood…at one time. But if you think I’m the only one who can’t be trusted, then you’re wrong. Look into your gang and the people you play hard ball with. While I was in prison under that bloody reform machine, I was being raped! And this was by one of you…the supposed good guys.

“Appearances can be deceiving, but it is in our nature to sometimes take risks. After all, even the people we love can turn out to be cruel. And who knows Ms. Cooper, maybe someone you love might be cruel and you just don’t know it yet. But only you have to take that risk to find out. You don’t know me from atom other than my past. It is up to you to take a risk on me.”

By the end, Martinique’s eyes had seriously narrowed on Valerie. True Valerie had the right to be suspicious of the brunette, but to seemingly talk about the suspicion without even so much seeing a alternative motive in play first – it seemed a bit offensive. Instead, Valerie and the government should be talking to the one person who has played the deceiving card already, the man who raped her. Not Martinique. “I took a risk complying with all the demands your government wants. After my rape, I have no reason to trust you and the rest of humankind, but I have continued to do what has been asked of me including surgery. Surely at some point, I deserve a gold star if not already.”

[MultipleMan]

Jamie offered a sympathetic glance towards his chum, but decided against reasoning with the man's missed judgement. It was more fun to watch what happened anyway. Multipleman shrugged and returned the smile. "Oh yeah buddy, she's just a fantasy away that one." Observing that folks all around were getting the hint that it was time to leavesky, Jamie made good with his promise of kitchen delights.

With Guido stilling hamming on about relationships and particular couplings that might or might not be insubstantiated rumours, Jamie just continued to humour his gossipy friend. "Oh yeah and the way she flicked her hair then, sure fire signals going. Not very subtle, not to us keen observers hey Guid?" They get a room.. That could spell all kinds of problems, Jamie raised an eyebrow but dismissed any thought of condoning or otherwise.

Stepping out of the fresh air and into a more controlled, sterile air conditioned environ of the base interior, Jamie marvelled at his own return home. Sure it was like calling a dentists office your home, but the base had all the hallmarks of a place you could rest your head. Besides he kept most of his personal stash here, it was as close to a place he could call home anyway. What with home being neither here nor there. He once had a place all to his own, years ago. Long before any heroics, back when it was just him and the 'suit'. His parents had passed on whilst he was young and he'd managed to a point to be independant. Ever since meeting up with the FF and Xavier however, Jamie had just been like a bird, home was were ever he rest his head.

Meandering through the halls of the facility, Jamie's thoughts had been interrupted by his ever present companion. He smiled, at least there had always been a dependable friend to have along for the journey. "Well I'm glad our stomachs are in agreement buddy o'l pal. A few cold ones a bit of hot sauce and the smell of searing cow would make me more than a happy camper. In fact I should still have a few root beers back in my dorm. I'll just shuffle off and grab em."

Hearing the voice of Sam and the order, Jamie spun and gave a quick salute. "Yes boss, and glad to hear the spine clicking back into place. You give em hell, I'll use my best crayola and bob's your uncle the XF back on top." Apropriate or not, Jamie's smile was sincere enough to know that the kidder had made his point and would follow to the T, his superiors'.

Approaching Guido in private, Jamie tossed a sidelong glance. "Let's see about putting you all in black with a few speed stripes, who knows maybe the motif will run and we can get a new costume set, rather than this.." He pulled up some ripped portions of his own clothing and thought it best to do a wardrobe change along with retrieving his root beers. A few hand signals and he was off.


(he'd catch his buddy in el' kitchetorium within the next post)

[Guido]

With a short reminder to hand in mission reports, the X-Factor team leader took his leave. Guido gave Sam a nod, and listened with a smirk as Jamie made his 'crayola' joke. "Writin' a report's the easy part." Guido grinned, as they stepped into the base interior. "I just feel sorry fer any poor sucka that's gotta read 'em all. I always like my bedtime stories ta have a happy endin'."

Jamie headed off to his room to change into his non - destroyed costume. A change of clothes sounded like a great idea to Guido. Once he'd had a wash, a shave and a set of new duds, the Russian fiasco would seem like ancient history. He'd be able to approach the report with a clearer head. A few minutes later, therefore, Guido was positioned in a shower cubicle, soaking himself under a jet of refreshing hot water.

Luckily, for Strong Guy's adoring public, the dirt and grime washed off his body far easier than the feeling of failure and humiliation. The reminder of this came to him again as he felt a sharp stinging pain from his injured back as it was pelted by the spray of the hot water. Guido clenched his fists and gritted his teeth against the sensation, but allowed it to continue.
Finally pulling himself together, Guido turned the water off and dried himself down.

Grabbing a clean uniform and dressing himself, Guido wiped the layer of condensation from the mirror on the nearby wall, and studied his reflection. Not quite the iconic superhero look. His appearance added to the comic relief personathat he'd spent his life hiding behind. It was time to put the mask on again. Guido spread his mouth out into the toothy grin he was associated with. Snapping his fingers and giving his reflection a double thumbs-up, Guido made like the Fonz. "Eyyyyyy! Lookin' good."

His mask complete, Guido headed over to the kitchen area. He'd meant what he'd said earlier. A healthy body equals a healthy mind, and it was clear to Guido he could do with a little of both. Rummaging through the kitchen cupboards, he found an unopened packet of pasta and some vegetables. Guido shrugged. "Guess ya never know 'till ya try."

[Doctor Valerie Cooper]

Wyngarde took her seat just as she had announced. Val looked up and barely battered an eye. Duely she returned to her notes and gestured vaguely with her free hand.

"Please"

Valerie stopped reading and held her breath as the woman before her began to talk. She was slightly annoyed at the kind of one up manship that was taking place, but it was necessary to find out more from this personal meeting. It was true Cooper didn't know Martinique, though so far there wasn't anything that was all that surprising about the woman to the good doctor.

"Robbing the 'kids' as you called it, is treading lightly around the charges that were layed out for you. Unless your bit of conditioning has let you forget the number of homicides in your wake?"

The dues that Mastermind were referring to were hardly repaid. There were protocols and the nature of the mutant registration act meant that they were to be enforced. As far as crimes went, being born was the British woman's main concern for worry. At least with them, she had a better chance of living as close to a free life as could be expected.

"Oh?"

The revelation stirred something within Valerie but she did her best to hide any outward appearance of the fact. Doctor Cooper had a strong resolve and was not easily shaken, but the mention of what had transpired between Martinique and some prison staff, had caused the woman to remember an all too familiar and equally unpleasant situation between herself and one of the former X-Factor team members.

"They seem to have missed that bit of information in the hand over"

Valerie made herself shuffle the papers and busily put the thought of Alex out of her mind, with a telepath hand, it did not do her much good to think on anything that could be easily snatched out of the ether. This self imposed guard that she put up made Valerie ever more the stone face unreadable woman. Determined to have her words adhered to. Not missing a beat, Val followed the Brit's gaze and intercepted her speech, interupting at the first break that transpired.

"Yes Miss Wyngarde you are absolutely correct, risk is what reaps the most reward. Don't forget that thing with risk, is that there is a chance to lose everything. I know enough to know what you are capable of. Precautions have been made to limit your abilities effectiveness. However I just want to remind you, so that it is said; I don't want you toying with my staff under any conditions."

Specifically she meant herself. Valerie had her own set of secrets and expected them as such to remain well within the confines of her own head. Having someone on the team with the ability to reach in and project all manner of simulation and as realistic if not more than the play thing that Forge had created for X-Factor's training was unsettling to say the least. To top it off, Martinique had the personality trait of one that would exploit others for her own gain. Something that Val was all too familiar with.

"Be a good soldier and follow orders, you'll find that your time and rehabilitation will be well worth the reward. Who knows, you might enjoy working on a proffesional unit for once."

Valerie opened her desktop drawer and stared at the contents. The SHIELD badge, staring up at her. Did a known fellon deserve to wear this? Even in rehabilitation could that risk really be taken? The blonde breathed deeply and hovered her hand over the items.

[Alexander the Great]

Cannonball’s hand surprised Denali and caused her heart to nearly jump out of her chest. It wasn’t just the surprise of the touch that caught her off guard but also the weight and size of the hand.“Oh, Samuel,”she gasped, “my apologies, I was in another world."Her constant healing with little time to rest made her tired and her limbs feel heavy. It had been a long time since she had used her gifts so extensively, it was necessary that she begin using them daily to grow more accustomed.

“I am doing better than most, I can say. I am sorry that I missed the meeting with Doctor Cooper, is she angry?” She paused and observed the weary and anxious look on her field commander’s face; something was troubling him in a manner that suggested that he was down in the Med-bay for more than just a casual visit.

“Are you worried about the rest? They will be fine is what I’ve been assured,” she paused and breathed out some CO2 that had yet to be exhaled from the large amount of oxygen she had gathered after the initial shock of seeing Sam. “Do not be too concerned, I will take care of them, I would have done it already but the trip has left me in a weakened state.” Denali was not one for excuses but she did not want to risk her life again, she rediscovered her great value for it.

Her gaze followed the line of the other team members but rested on the one with the white hair. She turned to her leader and meekly asked, “Who is that man?” there was no mention of this mutant, or whatever he was in any of the documents she was forced to read after signing up to work, “Did he save us? I wish I hadn’t missed the debriefing for I left the mission sorely confused.”

This was probably the most talking she’d done since arriving at X-Factor and it was time she figured out the identities of some of the skeletons in the closet of X-Factor.

[Kidpool]

The young Wade had made his way through the duct work out of the medical ward and toward the kitchen. If he abandoned the idea that there was any kid here, then he could at least avail himself of those tacos. Plus... Wade had absolutely nothing better to do. And even hanging out here was better than hanging out at Xavier's Orphanage for Troubled Boys back in his native version of reality. The thought brought back into perspective just where he was. It was odd to think that there were different versions of everything. Alternate Earths along parallel tracks. He wondered what the Wade Wilson of this reality was like.

Sounds of someone rummaging through cabinets and drawers alerted the child to the fact that there was someone already raiding the kitchen. For a second the boy's fingers rested on the pistol butt of the taser that he'd been given in order to bag the bird-boy, then slipped away. If someone was helping themselves to tacos... then this was going to be personal. Grabbing hold of the silver batons hanging on either hip, the small ninja readied himself and slid into a surveillence position over the air vent.

"Whoa."

He knew one of the X-Factorettes was a big dude, but he had no idea just how big was big until he got a glimpse of Guido Carosella up close, the overhead view offering a clear impression of the distorted shoulders and upper arms.

"Guess ya never know 'till ya try."

The mutant bruiser was apparently in contemplation of a packet of pasta and vegetables, which was all well and good as far as Wade was concerned. Just so long as the man stayed away from the tacos, no one was going to get hurt.

Wade was coming for those tacos. Guido merely delayed the inevitable. And Wade could be a very patient kid.

[iceslushee]

Sam pulled his hand aware of the shock he had caused the doctor and he smiled, "Hey no problem Denali, sorry Ah startled you." He closed his eyes and held his hands up to show he was no threat. It was clear to the Kentuckian that the woman was over taxed by using her abilities and could very well be relieved of hospice duty by one of the other staff that hadn't been on active infield missions. "No need tah apologise ah think you could probably get yourself a rest now, Lordy you deserve it." There was a flash of white and the Southerner's almost perfect white teeth formed part of his smile.

He looked away absently whilst the woman spoke and returned his gaze to the machinery that was keeping his team mates and friends in a stable condition. Was Cooper angry? Sam exhaled slowly from puffed checks and rubbed his head. "Yeah she was kind o' pissed, but Ah think it'll pass. Besides that's part o' mah job to take the best n worst for you guys." He explained trying to soften the blow. He stopped and caught her inquisitive look. A ghasp of air which might have been a silent chuckle escaped the blonde and he shook his head. "It ain't no thing to worry yourself 'bout."

It sounded like it was Denali's turn to be assuring and counselled Sam about the condition of the others. He stepped over to the computerised monitor that was at the end of Danni's bed and flicked through the charts scrolling the screen with a slight gesture. He nodded and murmured in response to the Doctor. "Ah know, your a good member of the team and in tight bind you pull through. Stick us out huh, we'll be better prepared next time."

Sam felt a pang in his heart watching Rahne's little chest rise and fall rapidly with the breathing apparatus attached to her and tubes running all around. She was still in her half formed state so should at least have a higher rate of regeneration, but it still brought an amount of emotion to the young man. Long ago he had adopted an elderly brother type love for the little red head and with her only just now coming back into his life to be almost lost was a cold reminder of what could be. It also stirred other memories, ones of Doug. Gulping down and turning from a reverie of not so happy times, Sam caught what was being asked of him by Medic.

The grizzled white haired man was Cable, "Yes, he saved us. Saved me plenty of times. He's bound to save us again. Ah hope.." Sam hesitated not wanting to get to close to Nathan, as if it might break some spell and the father figure be lost to him again. Sam walked in the opposite direction and placed his hands on some railings for support. "He's um, he's like my father.. Not mah real Pa, but y'know. Since he passed, Nate was the closest thing Ah've had. We was family once. Like the best teacher, friend and brother all rolled inta one." He'd shaped who Sam was today and made him more than a man, and much more than a soldier.

"Ah um.." Sam wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "Ah'm glad to see him back, but it's probably ah dunno. This might sound wrong, but a bad omen." It was true that Cable had saved them, but things were never that simple. He always managed to show in dark times, but in order for that to happen, there was always something often much worse at stake. Sam prayed it was worth the risk. He turned to look over his shoulder still holding the metal rails then turned away again from the vision of the broken hero that had saved them.

[Forge]

In his customary fashion, Forge; the curious mixture of the grizzled and dapper Cheyenne gentleman --remained busy. Since his departure from the rooftop debriefing, he had been steadily collating satellite data from the "Black Russian" SHIELD feeds into the Games Room computer, generating a complex topographical layout, and cross-referencing the time-codes of certain key events for a detailed visual analysis. Breathe again. In actual fact he'd invented the interface for processing data in this fashion several months ago, his role at the moment was little more than for supervision and light clerical duties. Forge kept a steady eye on progress, and wistfully pondered his role in the great plan of things, toying with a moustache-half; curling the blighter and refining the lengthier wisps with his lips.

At this moment, the Cheyenne inventor mused, Val was evaluating the recruitment of Martinique Jason, and to match that, Forge was preparing his own contingency plans should Dr Cooper fly well off her; or dare he think it, anybody else's handle. An action she had demonstrated to fullest effect a little earlier. Perhaps his only hope was that she had worn herself out. Forge smiled vaguely to himself.

He exited the briefing room and left the computer to do it's thing. He had been a good teacher, the machine could be trusted to work for a short time in his absence. To the common rooms, to fish for more pertinent data and X-Factor's field reports. The more colourful reports were no doubt to found in the kitchen. He wasn't wrong.

'Mr Carosella, Madrox. I suspected as much.' Nor did he blame them for being here particularly, which was unusually lenient of him. 'Do you mind if I join you for a few moments?' Genetic splicing wasn't implied in his request. But Forge was already seating himself down at the breakfast bar, and unfurling an electronic data device. He hoped that by this unexpected arrival; the duo would suspect there was something wrong... because there was something wrong. 'Mine is a coffee, cream, no sugar. Thank you.' He insisted.

[MultipleMan]

Jamie proceded to disrobe himself of his torn and tattered garments the moment he stepped inside his dorm. The room was adequate, but it was far from spacious. For someone who could quite easily fill a whole team roster and not in the way that the Guidster filled a pair of sweat pants, he could really have done with a few knocked down walls in the design and made a bit more room to swing a dupe around in. Even in the privacy of his own room, there was well.. no privacy. Duplicates hung around making the usual hubbub of noise and where in most cases making more of a mess than was already present. So any disturbed objects by a would be pilferer went unnoticed.

Jamie stood bare assed in front of the bathroom mirror and let the water pour from the faucets in the sink below to allow time to heat up. A couple of scratches here and there on the image that stared back at him from the wall mounted mirror, reminded Maddrox that he'd just been through one hell of a mission. He grunted and felt the stubble that had built up on his face. Looking side to side, he admired the reflection. At least that copy of him didn't give any back chat. Dunking his head into the basin and splashing hot water all over his face, Jamie could feel the steam from the hot water rise up past him and fill the room. He reached for his shaving foam and went about applying a fairly liberal amount of white substance to his face and watched the gloops of unused waste drop in to the filled sink.

The mirror had a small window of time before it completely fogged up and so Jamie couldn't spend too much time checking out his fake beard, although the white foamy blobs that dribbled from his nose did cause the man to chortle. The sand paper like scrape sound of razor against skin gave him a degree of satisfaction as Jamie cleaned up what he could physically of his appearance and managed to do so with only having to rinse the blade three times. "Now that's efficient." He announced and proceeded to spot a hand full of nicks where he had inadvertently cut himself in the process. He shrugged and placing the razor in the little 'X' cup he dunked his face in the hot bubbly water.

Raising his head up he knocked it against the still running hot water. "Gah son of a.." Still with soap and bits of hair in his eyes and face, Jamie clutched at his cranium where it had been knocked. The noise of dupes seemed to go quiet as the squinting and head holding Jamie noticed the bathroom door clicked close. He murmured a questioning "huh?" and tried to reach for a towel to wipe his face and in the process knocked over the ceramic cup. The pieces shattering upon the tiles, causing Jamie do a little dance fending his bare feet from the impromptu caltrops. Dropping his arm down to the sink in defeat, Jamie scooped a hand full of even more soapy water and rubbed it into his closed eyes. He cleared his throat whilst wiping the back of one hand over his eyes and the other wipe away the steam.

His eyesight had only been returned for a second when a glint in the mirror caught the man's eye. And it wasn't just his eye, following the glint to the blade.. to the handle, the hand holding the handle and the twisted face of the naked guy in his bathroom! It took Jamie another second to realise that this was a dupe, but one that wasn't so happy with that arrangement it seemed. If he had been blinded before, he was certainly fully aware now as the reflection showed the free hand grab for his neck and the other hand holding the cut throat swing to claim its name.

Jamie grabbed hold of the hand grabbing the back of his neck with his left hand and clamped his chin down on it to pin it in place and in one fluid movement, he spun into the attackers strike raising his right and dropping his knees to lower his position on the wet and ceramic scattered floor and gained better stance to ground himself. The duplicates blade missed the mark of Jamie's neck but its edge glanced across the prime's forearm causing him wheeze angrily. The right followed through and instead of striking his opponent it jarred the dupes head back from the chin. Jamie flung the pinned arm away and moved in quick to bridge the gap between them and latched onto the back of the head of duplicate whilst weaving his other arm around the throat and performed a quick frontal hold dropping the clone to the ground softly careful not to cause any kinetic impact during the process.

With the unconscious figure laid out on the floor, Jamie contemplated whether he should dispose of the aspect of his subconscious altogether or to risk a reappearance. The handle of the door moved and a dupe poked his head through. "Hey are you done yet cause I really got to take the biggest... oh shit." He stared at the mess on the floor and Jamie spun his head back to look at the dupe on the floor but he had vanished. Jamie closed his eyes and tried to shake the thoughts of just what had transpired, when he looked down at his arm it was already a half healed scratch with just few splatters of still wet blood. He cursed himself under his breath, "Hey I heard that. Can I use the can or what?" Jamie wiped his hands with his face and undulated. "Yeah fine make yourself at home."

Jamie stepped out of his dorm still reeling from what happened, he was clothed in just a simple green long sleeved top and jeans. His days of streaking the X-Factor faculty where over, at least as of two weeks ago. He'd give them a reprieve, but he had other things on mind anyway. The kitchen was the usual place for a guy to collect his thoughts and his root beer. Jamie gave a casual salute to Guido and nodded at Forge. "Guid, Magnum PI.." he stuck his head in the fridge and foraged as best he could but couldn't locate his stash. That was weird, because they weren't in his room either? "Either you gents partake in my suds?" He was certain none of his dupes had taken any otherwise he'd be burping by now.

[Guido]

As Guido was setting his pasta to boil, he was completely unaware that he was being spied on. He was also oblivious to the narrow escape that his recent turn towards healthy eating had given him. Normally, Guido would just have shoved some steaks in the oven, or whatever other unhealthy, but oh-so tasty, treat he could find, and would probably now be defending himself from the crazy attacks of some ridiculous child.

Guido did not know any of this, however, as he waited for his exceedingly dull meal to boil, or for Jamie to arrive and provide an entertaining distraction. Whichever happened first. He idly whistled a few refrains from an old Irving Berlin song he had stuck in his head...Blue Skies, or something.

The kitchen door swung open, but it wasn't Jamie who breezed in, but Forge. Still looking his very official self, Forge got out some ludicrous contraption.
“That ain't some kinda lie detector, is it?” Guido asked, suspecting this was some sort of mission debriefing follow-through. “'Cause it wusn't me who messed with the Games Room programmin'. Nosiree.” he added, guiltily."Oh, coffee, right, gotcha."

Forge often found himself the butt of Guido's practical jokes, but it was all done in a friendly spirit. Nothing personal. Guido just felt it was his duty to mess with anyone who ever carried the title of 'Government Liaison', but he had a lot of respect for Forge. In fact, Forge was to thank for Guido's continuing heartbeat...something that was hard to say without it somehow sounding strangely romantic.

Stirring his pan of pasta, Guido changed the subject, with a friendlier tone of voice. “So, what's the lowdown on our newest recruit? What wuz her name again? MistressMind?” Guido asked, with a grin, as if to say 'if it isn't, it is now'.
“Val didn't seem too taken. Probably jealous, y'know, of all that attention yer showin' her.”

Bursting into the kitchen, Jamie seemed to be looking for something, and revealed he was searching for some lost brews. Guido shrugged his massive shoulders. “I didn't take 'em.” He pointed a huge finger to the pan full of pasta on the hob. “There's the proof. See, I'm turnin' inta a health freak now, so I should apologise in advance fer any irritating pasta-induced behaviour.”
Guido's eyes narrowed in thought. Jamie's mention of missing drinks struck a chord in his mind. It hadn't occurred to him at the time, but while he was changing clothes, he could swear one of his magazines has been misplaced.
Clicking his fingers, to show inspiration, Guido announced, “hey, might be a coincidence, but one of my...uh...gardening magazines has vanished, too.”

[Alexander the Great]

Denali observed the somber expression that had come upon the face of Cannonball. Although he wasn’t the most flamboyant and gaudy of Team X-Factor, this new found tone was much unlike him. Seeking to comfort him in the best way she knew how, Denali extended her arm and touched his shoulder less gently than she had planned. She drew her hand back abruptly; social awkwardness was one of her flaws as she had never been able to be around other children or have contact with others until she came to America.

“I understand what you feel,” she remarked back, “But, honestly, I cannot relate. I have rarely experienced pain or the loss of any I have met, let alone those closest to me.” It was true that the way her abilities manifested gave great health to those around her. “That is one thing I wish that I was able to feel: heartache. Not ever feeling this has distanced me from other people, but reassures me of my goddess nature.

“Samuel, do you know that I have never even had a significant other? In my culture most girls were married off by the time they are 16,” Denali had no clue as to why she was divulging this information to her commander; she felt like someone who had had a few drinks and knocked down the walls of inhibition.

“Guido’s cute,” she remarked in an off handed way, looking at a crack in the floor near Sam’s left foot, “You know, in a sort of ‘my upper body is humongous’ kind of way.” She looked up and caught a quick glance into the southerner’s deep blue eyes. There was a yawning pause until she broke the silence with the perfect segway:

“I don’t know,” she spewed, “I’m a little tired and hungry. Do we have any more to do today or should I just prepare myself for tomorrow?”

[Kidpool]

Guido's remark about a device drew the young Wade's attention to the object in Forge's hands with much greater scrutiny than before, eyes narrowing in suspicion as conversation began turning toward missing items. Could they suspect something? Had he not been flawless in his stealth? No, when all options had been stripped away whatever was left had to be the truth.

The government bastards had installed an early warning system to guard against taco theft.

Well, their taco security was all well and good, for all the tax payer dollars that must have been sunk into the protection of crispy, yellow corn shell deliciousness. Wade would have liked to have kicked in the air vent and then begun ventilating the three X-Factorettes... but, as they say, digestion was the better part of valor.

It's discretion, moron.

Whatever.

The young Deadpool began to slide away from the air vent, his eyes remaining focused on what he could see of Forge until he'd slid back far enough that he could no longer peer down through the metal slits. The man would have been the most likely creator of any taco guard system. That made Forge the boy's new target. He'd take out Forge.

Then it would be taco time.

[Forge]

The "ludicrous contraption" was what passed commonly for a WiFi device, ala subject to the whims of Forge's imagination. It both relayed positive remarks on the progress of the compiling Games Room scenario, and with a click of an unfortunately large red button, could switch interface and potentially be used to collect a wide variety of sensory data. The object was the latest incarnation of one branch of the old "Scanalyzer". Fond memories... of fighting for his life against magic aliens. Open brackets; feigned sigh, close brackets.

'Polygraphy is one possible use, I suppose.' Forge answered. 'Are you owning up to something now, or shall we test it's capabilities first? --Ignore the device.' Forge added rather than risking the opportunity for an answer. The Cheyenne's last statement, however, only drew attention to the fact that he was pointing and wafting the strange gun-shaped device straight at Guido, and absently making small, thoughtful but disapproving noises. 'Hmm...' He continued in a similar vein.

Forge merely replied with a short nasal laugh, in response to Guido's comments about Martinique and Val.

Admitting it to himself had been rather difficult, but there was something about both Madrox and Carosella that made Forge think they weren't entirely worthless. They had stuck with X-Factor through all it's turbulent misadventures, longer, even, than those he had thought more suited to the role. Perhaps a humbling realisation right there. Scratch that. As one of the so-called Multiple Mans entered the kitchen, the first words spoken at him, immediately had his back up. Distracting him from taking the Scanalyzer readings, Forge levered a disapproving sideways glance at Jamie, as the man began to rummage noisily about the fridge.

'"Magnum PI"?' He considered the reference, testing the words/letters cynically. 'I see. Very well, I'll play along. Plainly a reference, to my involvement in weapons design. Comparing my role to that of being a leading NRA spokesman. Yes, how clever... no, my apologies! Now I understand, this is just my mustache. How stupid of me.' The longevity of any serious dislike against the two was bound to be short lived. It was a gut reaction, he was sorry to reflect. Both team members had either died outright in one case, or suffered debilitating injuries during their line of duty. Not a fair thing to hold against somebody, really. Especially as it was the kind of damage that this Cheyenne inventor could readily identify with. Instead of pushing towards antagonism, Forge just let his retort stand as witty banter and then dropped the matter. He wrapped up the diagnosis he had been carrying out on Guido, when a mystery presented itself.

"'Either you gents partake in my suds?'"

Guido exonerated himself, and drew pathetic attention to his meal. Clicked his fingers, *click* and continued. "'Hey, might be a coincidence, but one of my...uh...gardening magazines has vanished, too.'"

Forge wasn't much interested in this small fry. Until he realised he too had misplaced a few things himself. The matter was probably not important, but he listened with a pursed face and marginal interest anyway, but said nothing for the moment.