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Summary: Dingo calls Magneto for help when Lil is kidnapped. Magneto calls Rashmi for advice.
Log Title: A Delicate Situation
Rating: PG
NYC - Four Arms Apartments (Roof)
The roof looks out over the city the best it can. Since it's only a few stories high and is one of the shorter buildings in the area the view isn't that great. There's an old pigeon coop up here that's long since been used and other than the door, that's the only other thing up here. There's a small railing around the edge that's just one bar with a few posts, nothing to really prevent anyone from going over the edge. Over all those it's a nice quiet spot to go and relax.
Scene
Dingo frowns as he looks over the railing of the roof, pulling the cigarette out of his mouth and ashing over the side. He shivers a bit as the wind picks up again, causing his duster to billow out behind him. The man paces back and forth a few times, pulling out his phone and glancing at it. It is not quite the time when he had asked Magneto to meet him, but it would appear that he is impatient. He puts the phone back in his pocket and pulls out a sheet of paper, glancing down at it and reading it once more. The paper crumples as he makes a fist, scanning the sky again.
By the time the younger man has put his phone back into his pocket, Magneto is in that sky, soaring straight down out of the clouds to the top of the building. His cloak flares outward around him as air and dust flow out and away from his descent, a wavefront of arrival. "Dingo." His voice flows out behind the dust, even as his boots touch down. "You requested a meeting." The cloak settles. "I am here."
Dingo hears the voice and turns to face the man. "Magneto," He pushes his goggles up on his head. "Thanks for coming. I assume you've been following the news?" He pulls a rolled up couple of sheets of newsaper and holds it out to the man. The first is the story about Dingo attacking the police. The second is an article Jameson wrote up about Dingo and Carmencita after Dingo went to…Persuade the man to try writing a more accurate article. "I gave Rashmi a week to find the cops that shot Carmen, but I've just run out of time." He offers the man another set of papers. One is a warrant and the other is a note made up of newspaper clippings. "They arrested Lil. And they want me to attack the mayor or they'll have her killed."
Magneto takes the papers and examines them, not hurrying. "I have spoken to Miss Franklin, and have given her leave to use the Embassy's staff and other resources on this matter," he says. "For the time being, I am not persuaded that your usual blunt approach is the best to accomplish our goals." He glances up at Bruce, icy eyes glittering from within his helmet. "This matter with Lil may change that. I must ask, however: has Lil ever applied for Genoshan citizenship, or has Nowhere ever been an establishment that the Embassy has used for catering or other work?"
Dingo shakes his head. "Lil has helped us in the past with a few things, especially when we were setting up the trap for those shooters." He looks a little on edge. "I usually use her to do things for me when I'm hunting down enemies to mutant kind. She is useful, she is trustworthy…She's my friend." He looks a little sad. "I don't know why they arrested her. Someone at the pub said they had a warrant for robbery, but she's never broken the law that I know of…Aside from helping Dingo." He shakes his head, "They must know that. There must be someone who knows who I am who's been talking with the police."
"You have not been remarkably adroit regarding concealing your civilian identity, Dingo. I imagine even a regular police sweep would be sufficient to tell them who you are." Magneto waves that part of the problem aside. "But Lil… yes. Hmm. There does appear to be a major irregularity here, and it is aimed at you, if I do not miss my guess. I believe calling in Miss Franklin would be wise." He reaches into a pocket for a cell phone… or at least for a device that looks like a cell phone.
Dingo nods. "Yes well. I keep getting Avengers in the bar. They tend to be able to pick me out real quick. All because of some kid that went to Barnes who figured me out. Turned me in to his superiors, probably in all the databases now." He shakes his head. "But that doesn't fix this." He points to the note about Lil. "I'm not gonna go after the Mayor. He's not done too much against us and that sort of thing would open up Mutant Town to a shitstorm." The man paces back and forth again, "And I can't turn myself in. I doubt they'd let me. They'd set me loose to attack the Mayor or they'd hurt Lil." He stops pacing and glances at Magneto. "I know a mutant here who's powers can basically nullify mine. I want to set up a fight with the Avengers and have them arrest me."
Magneto nods as he dials. "Yes. The fallout from obeying these people is destructive to everything we have built thus far. Besides," he glances up and the smile he gives Dingo is very, very cold. "To use the force of law against rogue elements of the police force? Sweet revenge, and politically devestating for the rotten elements in this city's government."
Still smiling, he holds the phone up to the side of his helmet. It sticks there. "Hello, Miss Franklin. Magneto here. A word, if you will."
Rashmi responds, "'….Okay. Um. Sure. *heavily muffled, as though the phone is being covered* Is there anything else I could use?'"
Bruce begins pacing again as the man calls Rashmi, running over what he can do in his head. He'll have to hunt down Vinny and convince him to fight with him. And he'll need to get ahold of one of the Avengers too. It shouldn't be too hard to find an Avenger, the real trick will be convincing one of them that he's not setting them up for some sort of trap. The man stops pacing and turns to Magneto again, waiting to see what Rashmi has to say.
Magneto crosses his arms, listening. He watches Bruce as he replies, "I do not know if you are yet aware of this, but the second bartender for the public house known as Nowhere has been arrested on an apparently spurious robbery warrant, and the primary bartender has received a note claiming that she will be released if he attacks the Mayor. This is not acceptable. I believe your professional advice is required."
There is a long silence, then the sound of Rashmi's side being unmuted. "I'll be right there. *Don't let him leave.*""
Magneto raises an eyebrow at Bruce, then speaks further into the phone. "I do not intend to. However, he has suggested a mock 'takedown' between himself and an obliging Avenger or two, if he can arrange such. As an alternative to targeting the Mayor."
Dingo fidgets with his goggles and begins pacing again, listening to Magneto as he speaks and nodding when he mentions the takedown by an Avenger. "It'll just be difficult to convince one to catch me and then let me go afterward. Then again Rashmi seems to not hate me as much as some of the others…Like your son." Dingo shakes his head. "Maybe Justice? Iron Man? They seem less unreasonable than the others."
Magneto signs off on his phone call and unsticks the phone from his helmet. As he puts it away, he gives Bruce an amused look. "I am not the best person to speak to regarding the reasonableness of various official heroes," he comments. "My bias would show far too clearly. However." His tone turns brisk. "Miss Franklin is on her way. I do know that she knows several of the Avengers, and she may have some advice on the matter, as well as the larger problem."
NYC - Genoshan Embassy
The neo-classical building was built in the late 1800's and is one of the few buildings in mutant town that resembles old New York Architecture. The facade is colored and textured like high-grade marble, but is actually made of steel. Inside there is a large foyer with a sweeping staircase that leads the second floor where many doors lead off to public offices (such as taking applications for emigrating to Genosha). The Embassy is complete with a medical facility and Grand Ballroom, where the official functions occur.
It's not long at all, before Rashmi barrels her way into the Genoshan Embassy, pausing inside the lobby to lean over, gasping for breath. While she has started a more physically intensive series of classes at school, two weeks does not give the bookish sort the personal resources to travel however many blocks as close to a dead run as she could manage. Finally, once she's certain she can take anther step without falling over, she strides further in. "Sir? Sir, it's Rashmi!"
Bruce nods and crosses his arms, glancing over the rooftop as he waits. He leans forward suddenly and narrows his eyes. "I think that's her, she just entered the embassy." He turns back to Magneto and pulls down his goggles. "Shall we?" He waves his hand toward the embassy and disassimilates, traveling down to the ground as a sand storm and reforming as a human when he lands. He walks toward the embassy and enters through the front door.
The guard blinks a few times, "Dingo! What are you doing here?" But Dingo just waves a hand and moves past him, his duster billowing slightly as he walks quickly down the hall to where Rashmi is standing. "Thank you for coming so quickly."
Magneto nods and rises over the railing, dropping toward the front doors of the Embassy. He raises a hand to the guard. "Timothy. If you would alert the security center, I would like to know everything there is to know about the comings and goings around Nowhere for the last twenty-four hours." He leaves the man to execute his orders and strides in after Dingo. "Good evening, Miss Franklin. Thank you for your alacrity. Have you any immediate advice?"
Rashmi gulps in one last, deep breath, tugging at the neck of her much-rattier-than-normal sweater. "Don't go," she puffs, swallowing. "For the love of *God,* Dingo, don't do it. And tell me you have proof they threatened you."
Dingo opens a door in the hallway and steps inside, ushering the other two into a small conference room. He pushes his goggles up and turns to Rashmi, shaking his head. "Of course I wouldn't do anything that stupid. I'm gonna look up the Platypus. See if he and one of the Avengers will play war with me and knock me out. If I'm being held by the Avengers I can't attack the Mayor. Not my fault." He motions to Magneto, "I gave him the note, but it's old school cut and paste."
Magneto takes the note out and hands it, along with the other press clippings and other documents Dingo gave him, into Rashmi's keeping. "I do believe that if it can be so finessed without harm to Miss Lil, we should use the hammer of the law on these… persons." He says the last words with some distaste. "It would serve as an abject lesson to the corrupt members of this city's government and their agents that the game isn't nearly as simple as they think it is."
Rashmi takes hold of the papers, lips tightening as she leafs through them. "Well… I know for certain they really do have her. Just, not at the station. And, here," she says, pulling a sheet of paper from her bag, handing it to Magneto. "This is a list of all the mutants arrested recently, most under… questionable charges. The detective told me three of these were legitimate, but the rest aren't. There's three officers involved, plus the Captain and the Lieutenant. … …Lil's in a lot of trouble, Dingo… I saw a picture. Whatever else we do, we *need* to find her and save her."
Dingo smirks at Rashmi, "I thought they were cuffing a few too many of us. But no one listens to the "Mutant Terrorists"." He makes sarcastic little air quotes as he refers to himself as a terrorist. He begins pacing again as Rashmi speaks, snapping his head to the side and stopping when he mentions Lil. "You've seen her?" His finger tips begin to psammify, the transformation slowly climbing up his arms. "We really don't have much time. If we try to get to her and miss, they'll kill her. Granted there's a chance that'll still happen once I'm captured."
Magneto takes the page Rashmi hands him and he frowns over it. "Are all of these persons still in custody?" He says 'persons' without distaste, this time. "I do believe that it is time to drop the hammer of the law on this entire precinct, guilty and innocent alike, and make it clear that it is the guilty that are responsible for such attention. I believe a certain amount of resentment against such attention could work in our favor."
He looks up and frowns at the mention of seeing Lil. "Do you have any idea where she is being held, Miss Franklin? We can't rescue a woman we cannot find."
Rashmi shakes her head. "I don't know. But I think I know who to talk to. About both problems. I know how to nail the Captain, specifically, actually. *And* drum up more public support for Mutant Town in general. Dingo… don't go through with your plan," she says, though it clearly pains her to say it. "You're wanted for *actual* crimes, remember. Whether or not you go after the mayor at this point is frankly irrelevant; if you're in custody, you're *going* to jail." Pinching the bridge of her nose, the redhead makes a noise at the back of her throat. "I'll talk to Ms. Walters and Mr. Stark. The Avengers can rescue Lil. It'll look a lot better anyway. You, sir," she says, pointing to Magneto, "you and I need to start making calls. It can't hurt to try Amnesty International, but that's a long shot. I'm more confident about the CLDC and the Citizens' Commission, though, we need high-volume talking heads and we need them *soon.* I have three confirmed names we can feed them, and the attempted they just tried to lay on you, Dingo, is hopefully just going to be the final straw on top of everything else."
Dingo crosses his arms and taps his foot as he listens to the two speak. He glances between the two of them. "Look, being subtle is not something I am very good at. And I'm not sure I can trust myself to stay out of that precinct if I get one wiff that Lil is in trouble." He rubs his chin and thinks for a moment. "Yes I'm wanted for real crimes, but do they really have a facility that can hold me? They'd basically have to put me in an airtight room that can withstand being struck with several hundred pounds of force. The second they tried to feed me I'd be out." He ponders for a moment. "Granted, I don't actually NEED to be arrested by the Avengers. I just need the police to THINK I've been arrested."
Magneto nods. "Of course, Miss Franklin. This is why I called you in, after all." He crosses his arms again. "I must run something past you, however. What would be the political and legal repercussions if I should state publically that I consider all mutants to be citizens of Genosha, retroactively, unless they specifically and publically say they do not wish such citizenship? I am aware that the United States may have comments to make, particularly their conservative factions."
He glances at Dingo as he speaks. "Dingo. The authorities not only can hold you, they will hold you. The Sandman has spent a large portion of his adult life behind bars as direct evidence of this. Do not underestimate the ability of the civilian authorities to enact their will."
Rashmi nods in agreement. "SHIELD could hold you. Riker's could hold you. Even without dampeners, anyone with a halfway decent teleporter could lock you in an airtight box and keep you alive." Chewing on her bottom lip, Rashmi considers this question. "Best-case scenario, sir… suddenly a measurable percentage of America has dual citizenship. Worst case? The government takes you up on your offer and deports us all."
Bruce frowns as the two of them shoot down his thoughts of being undetainable. "Right…Well that could be problematic. I'll just make it look like I'm out of commission. It's no secret that after I got blown up in the Mutant Town War I was unable to pull myself together for a few days. I could even set that up myself. Blow up a decoy and leave the sand there. Wouldn't be hard. That might even work better. They'd assume I was still able to carry out their plans and it would buy us a few days at least. I'll just lay low until you figure things out."
Magneto stares at the monitors on the conference room wall, but nothing happens to them; he isn't powering them up this time. "I am considering how useful I would find it to interfere on an official basis whenever we encounter a case like this." He turns his head to regard Rashmi. "Depending on whether the pluses would outweight the minuses. I do not believe that there is enough will in this country's government to go to the point of deporting native-born citizens."
He returns his attention to Dingo. "Or, you might pick a fight with a known mutant. A fight you lose in the manner you just described. You might even be able to shout out something appropriate to signal our opponents that you are trying, if the hero mutants would just get out of your way…"
"That would do *really* well, actually," Rashmi murmurs. "Put on a big, noisy show, get blasted apart… It'd give us a few days, like you said…" The redhead blinks, looking up at Magneto, eyebrows rising. "Maybe it'd be problematic to give *every* mutant dual citizenship… But amnesty doesn't need it. And the Embassy's already Genoshan soil, right? So… just put the word out that in light of recent abuses of police authority, you're offering amnesty to any mutant in need, temporary or permanent as desired, and give special weight to families who need protection. I mean, c'mon, after the demonstrations yesterday I'm surprised it hasn't already been done," she finishes with a grin. "You want to put one in the eye of the local precinct? That's the best way I can think of, off the top of my head, make them untouchable at will."
Dingo nods. "I've got a few ideas of who I can use. I'll set something up for later tonight." He thinks about the situation at hand. "That might still raise problems. You get people like me and Envy claiming citizenship in Genosha and the government won't be happy. Having hostile citizens in the United States? The government is going to hold Genosha responsible." He sighs. "Rashmi, how long do you think it'll take to get her back?"
Magneto smiles at Rashmi. "I do like the way you think, Miss Franklin. I'll have the legal department draft up a resolution tonight, for dispersal as soon as possible." He looks to Dingo and smiles. "I do not think your citizenship is going to be a problem, Dingo. You are already both persona non grata, and in your case, a probable target for deportation, anyway, given your non-US origin. I am not aware of Envy's citizenship, but she can't be any worse than, say, the Red Skull or some other such person, if she isn't a US citizen, or worse than Madame Masque, if she is."
"That's the problem, I don— HA!" Rashmi's eyes light up, and she fumbles in her bag for her PDA, calling up the web browser and tapping away furiously. "We can get all the time we need, that's *it!*" Looking up, she beams a triumphant grin at the two elder mutants. "Forget being quiet about her. She's been unlawfully arrested, and isn't even being held at the *station!* Make a political problem out of it! I mean sure, Dingo, *you're* not likely to carry much political weight, but Lil? She's *harmless,* and anyone who wants a drink in Mutant Town knows her! The Civil Rights Coalition would *riot* if they knew what happened to her!"
Dingo nods at Magneto. "Right, well I'll still try to lay low for a little while." He frowns at Rashmi. "Yes but that's a real concern. Riots in Mutant Town when the closest precinct won't think twice about using lethal force? That'd be a nightmare." He shakes his head, "And WE know she didn't do anything, but they're the police. How easy would it be for them to fabricate something?"
Magneto says, "Coupled with my retroactive announcement of dual citizenship? I do believe the phrase is, 'up to their asses in alligators'." He pronounces this last with clear satisfaction. "That does have a certain ring to it." He glances at Dingo again and nods. "A problem. Perhaps we should arrange a peace march: candles, flowers, and lots of people standing stock still in the street, peacefully surrounding the precinct house. With someone like myself as air cover.""
"No no no," Rashmi says to Bruce, "you don't understand. There's entire *buildings* full of people in New York whose *job* it is to watch for this kind of stuff and raise a stink! And while they're screaming in the *Commissioner's* ear, and Magneto's got the people holding vigil outside the precinct house, with Lil and Carmen's faces on banners? Bruce, they wouldn't *dare* do anything but hold onto her, because the moment she gets hurt any worse? The Captain is screwed, the Lieutenant is screwed, and any officer who doesn't agree to testify against them is *screwed.* We'll be holding them hostage *with their hostage.*"
Dingo nods. "Alrighty. Rashmi? I believe you have friends in both Xavier's and the SHIELD school? Maybe you could spread the word there. I'll hit up Nowhere and collect up some peace marchers there as well. Once I've got everybody set up I'm going to go through with my plan to look like I was knocked out. That way they'll think the one person they think their hostage will work on best is out of the picture. It'll make things even harder on them with that card pulled from their hand. It also puts them in the mindset that they don't have to worry about me popping up and causing trouble for them. They won't be expecting me if I'm needed." He pauses. "Rashmi you knew about this before Magneto called you. How did you find out?"
Magneto crossed the room and keys up an intercom. He rallies the legal department and in a couple of short paragraphs, gets matters underway there. Keying the intercom off, he looks back to the others. "Yes. Thank you, Dingo, for reminding me of that." He waits for Rashmi's reply."
Rashmi nods to the arrest list she'd given to Magneto. "A detective got ahold of me. I was talking to him in the Swamp when you called, sir. He'd *just* shown me the photo of Lil." Shaking her head, she scrubs her face with both hands. "He asked me to forget his name, but he seemed pretty close to retirement. He just… couldn't stand what was going on there, anymore. And I'd shown up at the precinct house the day before, so he knew to get in touch with me."
Dingo raises a brow, "So it's not the whole precinct that's a problem then? Well that's reassuring. But I'd imagine that whoever's on top doesn't have a problem with brutality aimed at mutants." He pulls his goggles down over his eyes again and walks toward the door. "Unless either of you need me, I should go get things set up on my end."
Magneto nods to Rashmi. "All right. I cannot guarantee that your detective will not suffer in this — a peace march and a legal spotlight shone upon that precinct may turn up more than bargained for. But I can say that my primary focus will be those persons directly responsible for the situation at hand."
He'll raise a hand in farewell to Dingo. "Be careful, young man. Even the best laid plans can go very sour, very fast."
Rashmi bobs her head. "The names we want to focus on are Officers Blackstone and Santmire, Captain McIntire, and Lieutenant Fraizure," she says to Magneto, lifting a hand in farewell to Bruce. "There's one more, but I don't know their name, just those four. Probably more, but they'd be silent supporters, rather than active abusers. …Anyway I should get going," she says, shaking her head. "I have to call the ACLU, Mr. Stark, possibly Ms. Frost, the firm… Oh. And email you the recording of my trip to the precinct."
Dingo nods and holds the door for Rashmi as she exits, offering a quick, nonchalant salute to Magneto. "Thanks a bunch. I'll try to disapear tonight, probably hide out in the Embassy for a few days. Let me know if you need anything."
Magneto bows his head to Rashmi. "I shall look forward to the fruits of your efforts," he says, and then he watches her follow Bruce out the door. He crosses his arms as they disappear, and above him, the roof moans. He flicks a glance upward and the moan quietens, dying into a couple of faint clicks and pings. Once it stops, he leaves the room himself. So much to do….
~ Fin ~
