A Gift Of Blood And Steel (Open to Mansion Folk)

[ngm_villains]

WHO: Stephanie Shaw, Others
WHAT: Stephanie Shaw is taken by Vargas and left out for the people at the Mansion to find. 
WHERE: The Mansion gate
WHEN: Early morning 
WARNING: Description of trauma and violence. 

Stephanie Shaw had called a press conference with as many media outlets as she could access- while it was nominally to clear the air about her legal situation involving Shaw Industries, many wags suspected that she would be admitting to being a mutant like her brother. No doubt it would have been a very dignified moment, well-rehearsed and delivered with equal measures of honesty and tact. Vargas had actually taken the speech off of her. It was impressive enough and had she been able to say those words on a wide stage, they may have had some impact. 

She'd never got to the presentation to deliver her message. Vargas had seen to that with his men. A toxin, administered with minimal force through a mere scratch from his blade had removed her mutant powers temporarily, leaving her effectively helpless. Ironic that a woman that could have survived a fall from the top floor of the Empire State Building would be so vulnerable to such a slight wound. But he knew her fiendish powers well, had seen them at that party. Taking her was not difficult. The driver and the attendant had to be slain, but their deaths were quick, virtually painless. It was up to God to judge them now. 

He'd made sure she was conscious as far as he could, for the process of making her a suitable gift for her alma mater. She'd tried her best to be defiant, but she was too used to shallow scrapes and minor bruises to be at all prepared for the sensation of dislocation, of cutting. It was important that she be left alive, so he could not use his blade too liberally- and it was unsuitable to engage in dismemberment, as it was difficult to say how long she would be obliged to remain alive from the time she was deposited and the time she was discovered. She'd finally gone unconscious of course, and it would be easier to transport her thus. 

Shinobi had said to kill her, of course, but Vargas cared not for his commandments. He had been useful in showing the way to her, no more and no less. He expected that Shinobi's boy would come to kill him and that suited him just fine. This was a holy crusade. He had been chosen as a champion, to show humanity that the mutants could be torn down, defeated. 

Dislocated limbs were easier to work into the grill of the gates, a sign stating "The First Among Many" in Latin affixed to the gate above her. She was bloodied, bruised, unconscious and in serious need of medical attention, but she would survive for at least the few hours that would likely elapse between then and the time she was discovered. Twisted bits of metal were made into manacles holding her in place. He'd dressed her in white wrappings, which would slowly turn to crimson as blood seeped. And with that, he left. 

Comments

[nohoundsallowed]

Rachel was up early in the morning to go over her lesson plans and scheduled appointments for the day. She had a steaming mug of Earl Grey floating beside her as she checked over the day's planned activities.

Though something out of ordinary intruded on her quiet time. Pained thoughts. Pain that no one on the grounds should be feeling. Rachel's brow furrowed as she grabbed the cup of tea before it hit the floor. She set it on her desk and rose up to investigate.

She followed the weak and tremulous thoughts out of her office. There was barely anything to follow, but she found a weak thread. She sent a thought to Doug to check out the security cameras as she followed the barely there consciousness out of the school.

She stood on the front porch and squinted down the long drive. There was maybe more shadow there then should have been. The redhead's feet lifted from the ground, and she cautiously floated toward the front gates.

It could have been a trap, but Rachel was following the pain. The pain she sensed got stronger the farther she floated down the drive, making her know she was heading in the right direction.

When she saw the body hanging on the gate, she froze for a second. Her eyes slid to where the reporters had camped out across the road from the gate. She launched herself over the gate. Whoever was now a part of it shouldn't be there.

She sent in hard to ignore telepathic messages.

Doug, forget the security cameras. Get Hank and Cecelia up now.

Lorna, I need an EMP pulse. Send the leeches at our door to get new equipment.

Keep all students away from front door to the medical bay. I'm bringing in wounded.

When she touched down in front of the gate, she recognized who the bloody mess twined with their gate was.

"Flonq."

Rachel sent a low grade telekinetic pulse behind her at the level cameras would be held at. It would be enough to bump the cameras up and away but not enough to make the cameramen drop them. She waved her hand and made the bars Stephanie Shaw was wrapped around and in loosen their hold on her. The metal of their gates was no match for the power of her thoughts.

As Stephanie was loosened from the gate, Rachel did her best to make sure the young woman was gently held and carried.

"I've got you, Stephanie. You're safe now."

With a carefully constructed bubble holding Stephanie, Rachel rose up and headed toward the mansion as fast as her powers would let them.

[hellfire_empath]

Brooke was oblivious to what was going on around the Mansion. Mostly because she'd just been magicked into the Mansion by Alexander after another one of their trips abroad. It wasn't a habit yet, but it very well could become one. She was falling for him.

Hard.

That scared her to no end. Despite being an empath, emotions were one of those things that Brooke had never really been comfortable with, and dating, being someone's muse, falling for someone...there were so many emotions wrapped into that.

Now that she was back on homeground, though, she needed to focus. She had a training session with Rachel, and after that, she was determined to track down Bobbi and try to befriend the little girl. Sure, Rachel had said that Brooke couldn't recruit while she was a guest at the Mansion, but that didn't mean that Brooke couldn't form friendships and alliances that she could use down the line, right?

Brooke smoothed down the green skirt of her lace and organza dress and checked to make sure her earrings were in place before heading out into the Mansion. She'd go to Rachel's office first, hoping that the flame-haired telepath hadn't noticed that Brooke had been missing all night.

[nohoundsallowed]

After getting Stephanie safely into the hands of Hank and Cecilia and into the surgery, Rachel took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Brooke needed to be told, and Ray had to be the one to do it. Not that the redhead was remotely looking forward to it.

Despite Ms. Wyngarde's paranoia, Rachel didn't keep track of where Brooke was at all times. There were plenty of other people leery about her presence at the school to do that. So, Rachel hadn't noticed Brooke had been gone all night.

She was in her office, cleaning up the tea and things for Brooke's appointment. It would be one place where Rachel knew the empath would be. Also, she could tell Brooke without an audience.

[hellfire_empath]

Hey, Brooke didn't know what Rachel did and didn't keep track of. But considering that Brooke was the proverbial snake in a rosebush...

Still, she held shifted the small box of freshly made lemon-and-anise pizzelle from one hand to another and gingerly knocked on the door to Rachel's office.

[nohoundsallowed]

"Come in," Rachel beckoned as she decided against sitting behind her desk. She moved to stand beside her desk and wait for Brooke to sit down.

She did raise an eyebrow at the small package the brunette was carrying.

[hellfire_empath]

Brooke smiled at Rachel as she entered. Gingerly, she set her black and white clutch down on one of the side tables near the entrance of the room and walked in, the scent of freshly brewing tea gently wafting into Brooke's nose. She set the tin down on Rachel's desk and said, "Cookies. For the tea. They're lemon-and-anise flavoured." She lowered herself into her usual seat, smoothed her skirt out, and crossed her legs all lady-like.

Then she looked up at Rachel, feeling...something.

Wait, no. She knew that feeling. Now that she was letting Rachel in, she realized that she knew that feeling all too well.

She shot up from her chair. "What happened?"

[nohoundsallowed]

"We're not having a normal session today." She considered telling Brooke to sit back down. But Ray herself could catch her or move the furniture if things went further awry than she was expecting.

"Stephanie was attacked and left at our front gates. She's in surgery now. We'll forgo our regular session so you can leave for the Infirmary when she get out."

Marcelo

[pyroprincess]

She'd insisted on making the call herself, despite being strung out on drugs and needing help holding the phone. To be specific, some short brunette girl was holding the phone to her head. It sounded pathetic, and it wasn't much better in appearance, but she was calling Marcelo.

Hopefully he wasn't too busy stalking down to search for her not to pick up.

Marcelo, mi amor .... She tried to push the medicated fog out of her mind and keep her thoughts clear talking to him.

[vesper_verde]

Vesper was crawling back into the penthouse. He had spent all night scouring as much of New York City as he could looking for Stephanie. He was reaching to shut the window behind him when one of his leg pouches rang. He took a minute fumbling his phone out in the hopes it was Stephanie. He got the phone out, looked at the number, and did not recognize who was calling him.

Then he realized he was wearing his cowl with the Bluetooth integrated. He tapped the activation button.

"Hello?" His voice sounded a bit gravelly from his voice modulator.

[pyroprincess]

"It's me." Stephanie sounded a bit loopy from pain medication and the reception was probably less than perfect from the fact that another girl was holding a phone to her face. She'd have used speakerphone, but her voice wasn't really strong enough to do that.

Also, she wasn't sure if Dr. McCoy would put a kibosh on her phoning if he saw her. It was all being done a little serreptiously.

"Stephanie. It's me. I ... I got attacked by someone. Hurt, badly, but I'm at the Mansion now. They'll help me."

[vesper_verde]

"Querida," he breathed. It was something like relief. His shoulders sank a bit as some of the worry he had been carrying all night slipped off. She was alive somewhere. He could track down somewhere.

"Atta-what? Mansion? Your old school?" He immediately started peeling himself out of his outfit. Though he left the cowl in place so he could continue the phone conversation.

[pyroprincess]

Stephanie shifted and something felt out of place and she couldn't help but groan in pain. It'd not left her entirely since she'd come to consciousness. And it probably wouldn't stop being her companion for some time yet, if it ever did.

"My old school. They have a hospital." Stephanie replied, trying as best she could to think rationally.

"I think, I think you're going to have to take care of me for some time, mi amor."

[vesper_verde]

Standing in the middle of the floor in just his cowl and underwear may not have won him any fashion awards. Nor leers because his girlfriend not there. Marcelo licked his lips and tried to catch up with the information.

"Then I'm coming there," he replied with rock solid certainty that he didn't feel. "And I'll take care of you, Stephanie. I just have to find a sexy nurse costume that fits."

Humor was good for distraction, right? It distracted him as he made empty gestures in the air to figure out what he should be grabbing besides pants.

Alistaire

[pyroprincess]

She'd waited for a day or two to contact Alistaire. Because she needed to have her head clear to talk to him, because their conversation would be about business. He wouldn't be allowed to see her without, at the least, her specific request. While she had become some sort of poster child for a "redeemed" Hellfire Club child, Alistaire had friendly contacts (to say the least) with Selene, a figure rather viscerally hated by many at the Mansion. For very good reason.

She kind of hated Selene too. But right now, there were more important things to deal with.

Hopefully he wasn't too busy with his mutant clubbing to pick up.

Re: Alistaire

[alisa_lebeau_v3]

Alisa groaned as she heard the annoying noise coming from Alistaire's phone. Part of her wanted to toss it out the window for the ring tone he used, but she knew better. Rolling her red on black eyes, she handed the phone over to Alistaire and went back to toying with the cufflinks on her dress shirt.

"Please answer the phone, Boss. You don' pay me enough ta answer it for you." She said with a wink. Despite being annoyed, it was her job to ensure Alistaire was happy and protected. The same deal went with the entire Shaw clan.

Re: Alistaire

[hellfire_child]

"I pay you more than enough, but I'll tolerate your insolence for now, until I have time to deal with it." He drawls casually, even as his gaze sharpens. This apartment was a mailbox compared to what he was used to, but he'd had to avoid all his 'legitimate' housings so long as his father and whatever thugs he'd hired were on the move.

"I've kept my ear to the ground to make sure you weren't dead, but it's good to get it from the horse's mouth, auntie." He answers. There was no-one else who would have been calling his burner phone.

Re: Alistaire

[pyroprincess]

"No, but only because Shinobi's thug has his own agenda, I'm pretty sure. His name was Vargas. Superhuman physical attributes all the way down the board. Crazy, but not stupid. He meant me to be a wider message."

Stephanie took a moment. "He told me where Shinobi was. It could be a trap of course, but I have a feeling this Vargas wants Shinobi gone nearly as much as we do, but for different reasons. I figured he was pulling the strings from France in the shadows of your good friend Selene, but apparently he's been in Boston in the first Hellfire Club building."

"I talked to my lawyers. They've nearly cut through the red tape. Our assets should be unfrozen in days." Once their assets were clear to go, then was an ideal time to strike- if he died, it would look more suspicious.

Re: Alistaire

[hellfire_child]

For a long minute, only Alistaire's breathing would hint that he hadn't hung up.

"Auntie... I won't ask if you 'do' trust me... but can you trust me?"

Re: Alistaire

[pyroprincess]

"I need to, because I can't kill the bastard myself." She actually smirked slightly, though he couldn't see it- he'd be able to hear it over the phone. "I know we have had, and will continue to have our differences, but I also know you can make things happen when they really need to."

The Raid

[hellfire_child]

"He believes servants shouldn't be seen. Anyone in the brownstone while he's there is securely on his personal payroll, and deserves whatever they get. Measures have been taken to evacuate the houses on either side, so shot penetration won't inflict any casualties. We are going to be the only beings walking out of that building today. Four floors. Clean them all out. Is that understood?"

"Sir."

"Fine. Let's begin. Alisa... proceed. Bring the front wall down, and the rest will follow you in." Alistaire gives the command.

Re: The Raid

[alisa_lebeau_v3]

"Oui, Boss. Jus'.... nevermind. I will come an' extract you once de task is completed."

Upon Alistaire's orders, Alisa opted to dress in a full SWAT tactical outfit, which covered her face up properly. Cracking her knuckles She walked over to the front wall and gave it a good hit, bringing most of it down in one punch. She gave it a second punch just to be sure, and then walked in, extending two stun batons that were on her sides as she walked.

If one of Shinobi's guards came running at her, she hit them with one of the batons. It sent a jolt through their body and knocked them out of her way. She was never a killer and she was NOT going to start now.

Re: The Raid

[hellfire_child]

Before the smoke of Alisa's entrance has cleared, additional security personnel follow in behind her, opening fire on the inhabitants. Kill shots are put into the ones already downed as well. Allowing time to recover is unacceptable.

The last individuals to exit the van... all have the same face. Alistaire, in triplicate, enters the fray. Each one brandishes an identical sidearm and combat knife, and is flanked by a pair of more heavily armed guards.

Re: The Raid

[alisa_lebeau_v3]

She cursed under her breath, seeing the additional security take out the men she already downed. Alisa honestly saw no point in killing men who were already down and unable to defend themselves. But she had no say in this matter. She was Alistaire's sword, and he finally commanded her to do something.

In the back of her mind, she honestly wondered if her boss thought this whole thing through. Killing off these goons too soon would leave her unable to draw more rage. And if she had to go back on her reserves... or if she had nothing to draw upon, it could be a big problem. But she never questioned or back talked Alisatire on a command. Instead she just worried about him, more than herself.

"Clear dis floor before de next one." She ordered the extra security, pressing a button on her tactical suit to use a voice changing module to disguise her own voice. "You all ain' paid to do a half assed job. Make the boss proud, boys."

Re: The Raid

[ngm_villains]

The sudden blast was somewhat unexpected, as was the sight of a large group of mercenaries under Alistaire Shaw's control. Shinobi had bought the best of the best (or so he thought) when it came to guards and hitmen. They were trained in case something like this would happen, but it did not change the fact that it was an unimaginable scenario for them all!

They started to swarm the invaders. The weak fell quickly, and the strong continued to battle for a few minutes longer before falling. The guards seemed to come out of the woodwork, giving Alisatire, his shape-shifters, his mercenaries, and Alisa a run for their money. But it was painfully obvious that they were over-powered, despite the fact there were more of them compared to Alistaire's group. This fact just made them more dangerous, as they no longer had anything to lose.

While groups of Guards went after the Alistaire Shape-shifters (All believing they have the true Alistaire, a group swarmed Alisa, managing to tackle her down to the ground briefly. All giving Alistaire a nearly uninterupted path to Shinobi, as his guards were completely distracted now.

Re: The Raid

[ngm_villains]

Shinobi knew what was coming. His son had come to try to kill him, just as he'd attempted to murder his father some years ago. The sounds of combat came closer and closer to him and it became increasingly clear that his guards were not winning the battle outside. He set down a half-empty bottle of whisky and drew down an elegant blade from the wall in front of his office.

Specially made contact lenses would allow him to penetrate any mere tricks of the light. He could see on multiple spectrums simultaneously- all the harder for his boy to hunt him down and kill him. But ... in truth, discretion was the better part of valor and he punched the door to open up and take him into an escape tunnel.

The boy would have hell to pay for unleashing this in the city if he was ever connected to it. And if Shinobi survived ... well, he would see to that. And he would survive.

Everyone always underestimated him. They were fools to do that. He'd kill the boy himself one day.

But today, he needed to get out and survive. Alistaire had made his throw of the dice. He wouldn't have the resources to attempt it again so easily.