2012-03-27: A New Hope

Players:

Kai_icon.jpg Spider-Woman_icon.jpg

Summary: Jessica meets with Kai to discuss his past, present and future.

Date: March 27, 2012

Log Title: A New Hope

Rating: PG-13


Barnes Academy - Administrative Office

The administrative offices of the various shield agents and academic administrators as well as the small army of secretaries and clerks it takes to keep a school running smoothly are connected to this module. The central module has a large counter bisecting it with various school functionaries behind the counter at work stations or manning the desk.


After recent events and once Kai's rested up for a few days, and been well fed, he's escorted into one of the offices. Standing against the far wall, with her arms folded across her chest, is Spider-Woman. She's dressed in the red spandex that seems to cling to ever inch of her body, leaving little to the imagination, and her dark hair frames her face. She's had an odd feeling about the boy since she met him and now she's happy to confront him and ask him a few questions.

Kai hasn't really said a whole lot since what happened the other night but knows that he'll eventually have a lot of questions to answer and things to answer for, seems like the time has come, as he walks with those escorting him Kai can't help but wonder what will happen to him after he's questioned. As he's left in the room with the fully costumed Spider-Woman he gulps, she's not planning on beating the information out of him is she?, "…", he waits to be spoken to.

Once the door is closed and the two are along, Spider-Woman bows her head in greating to Kai and motions for him to sit down. "So what shall I call you, Kai, Mr. Oaken, Thirteen or is there another name we weren't able to figure out." She says only taking a seat at the table once Kai sits down. "Now things can go as easy as possible for the situation you're in or they can get worse, it all depends on you. Now, are you willing to turn over a new leaf?"

Kai returns the nod of greeting and sits down where instructed before speaking, "I don't know, my name is Thirteen but outside of HYDRA i'm Kai, i don't know what i'm called anymore", he looks down at his hands, "I can't keep doing what i've been doing, I'm willing and ready to face whatever penance i owe".

"I didn't ask about a pennance nor did I ask if you were willing to pay it." Spider-Woman says, and it's hard to see if she's staring at Kai through the white fabric in her mask that covers her eyes. "I also asked what I should call you, first maybe you should decided what you want to be called. Then you should decided if you're willing to turn over a new leaf."

Kai sits there for a few moments going over the questions asked and what happened the other night in his head, the image of the XIII snake sticking out firmly, "Kai. My name is Kai", and in reasponce to the other question he nods, "Yes, completely", for some reason not being able to see the woman's eyes is unnerving Kai all the more.

There's a smile that forms on the lips of Jessica as she hears Kai say 'yes'. "That is good to hear Kai. You are not the first HYDRA agent to go rogue nor the first to want to turn over a new leaf. As long as you're willing to work with, and for, SHIELD, we are willing to give you protection. We need to know everything you know about HYDRA and the project you were part of."

Kai nods, "What do you mean by work? like as an Agent?", he was pretty sure this was a precursor to jail, not a job offer, he cirtainly didn't think they'd be letting him anywhere near the general public for a long while, "I'll tell you what i know but i was kept in the dark about a lot of things, though i've had plenty of time alone to go over small details that i do know and i think i've managed to decipher a lot of the small things i remember".

"The more you give us, the easier things will be for you." Spider-Woman says as she adjusts in her seat and then stands up. "It all depends on you Kai. Work meaning employed by SHIELD, maybe trained as an agent, maybe trained as a janitor." It's hard to tell if she's joking. "I know how HYDRA works better then most. I also know how much they can mess with your head."

"Up until New York i was kept in the same room except for missions and tests but i'll tell you everything i know", Kai runs a hand though his hair, being a janitor has gotta top being locked up for the rest of your life, "So, do i just spill or are there specific things you wanted to know first?"

Jessica looks at Kai for a few moments and then sits back down, hands folded in front of her. She leans fowards a bit and smiles faintly. "Kai, I've been in a similar situation as you are, manipulated by HYDRA, forced to believe in things that aren't true, they're good at messing with you and brainwashing is one thing they're really good at. So how about you talk, give us what you can and we can ask questions that would fill in the blanks."

Kai nods his head and does his best to return the smile, "Ok from the begining then, I am subject XIII of Project Ares, I've met who i'm sure is another subject by the name of XII, we weren't told that we're part of the same project but the marks on our backs are the same other than the numerals, he's a pyrokinetic and if i'm XIII and he's XII it stands to reason that there could be at least 12 others including him being made to do the same thing as me", he frowns for a moment as if a thought just occured to him, "I don't know what exactly we are but a mutant i met says i seem to be some sort of mix of species".

There's a nod from Jessica and she keeps a mental note to remember Project Ares. Oh how she wishes she didn't blow her cover as a double, double, agent with HYDRA, finding out would be much easier. "What was the point of this project Kai? Did they ever give you an objective? Spout anything that might almost seem like…religion." She also tilts her head at the boy for a few seconds frowning. "Can I see these marks on your back that you're talking about?"

Kai shakes his head, "I wasn't ever told the point of Ares as a whole but if i had to guess? Ares is the Greek god of War, how better to fight a war than super-powered soldiers whom have only known HYDRA their whole lives, it takes morality out of the equation and they're unwaveringly loyal", he stands up, turns so his back is facing Jessica and lifts up the back of his shirt, just under his left sholder is what looks like a brand with the Project Ares symbol and the roman numerals XIII, "They didn't need anything like religon, i've been in HYDRA all my life, it's all i knew, what i was doing was my purpose my reason for existing, i never questioned it before living in New York and being around normal people, good people".

A gloved hand can be felt on Kai's back as it gently touches the symbol. "But what war? Sorry if I'm asking a lot of questions but the more you can give us, it would help greatly. What did they train you in?" She asks trying to get every little detail she can from the former agent of HYDRA. She taps her lips for a second as if pondering a few things but she waits until Kai is done speaking before she answers.

"I don't know, Ares might just be there to referance the sholdier part, i was taught to do as i was told and not ask questions, seems like they didn't train all the independant thought out of me though", Kai keeps his shirt up aslong as Jessica is examining it, "I was trained in many different things thoughout my life, unarmed combat, firearms, archery, blades, servalance and less successfully, blending in, hell they even managed to train my pain threshold, honestly before caring about things started clouding my judgement i was deadly, trained completely to kill before anyone knows what i'm doing, if people hadn't made me start to care… i don't know what other damage i could've done".

Jessica finally decides to take off her mask and if Kai recognizes her as Jessica Drew or not, she really doesn't care. It's more that she needs to make this talk more personal at this point. "So what was it that made you care? What sort of things started to change?" Her voice isn't harsh or firm but actually soft as if she sympathises with him. "What made you question your motives and training?"

Kai sits quietly for a moment after Jessica reveals herself and thinks about his answer, "I'm not sure when it started exactly, but just being around people who liked me and made me feel normal mustve started it, after a while i wasn't trying to help people to keep up an act, i started wanting to help them even a few times when it could endanger my mission i stayed to helpand if i couldn't help i felt guilty, i just started feeling things that i didn't really have a name to put to, i think it's just being around humanity that did it and feeling like i'm part of it", he sighs, "I'm not really making sense am i?"

Jessica shakes her head. "Actually you are. For years I struggled with the question if I was a woman with spider-powers or if I was a spider with woman-powers. HYDRA has a way of making things seem right, when they're horribly wrong. Now when I ask this next question I'm not accusing you of anything or doing this to use against you." And if to prove it she stands up and turns off a camera and what appears to be an audio recording device. She gathers a piece of paper and a pen. "This is so nothing is on record as being said by you. If you know the names of the people you killed, or why you were sent to kill them, that would help us greatly in the purpose behind Project Ares."

Kai frowns and seems to be deep in thought for several minutes, "Like i said before they never really told me much and some of these go back a few years but i've always been more curious than i should be, i listened", he's quiet for another moment, "No real connection that i can think of, some small time politians, scientists, god, i remember a family, a few i know were seen as a threat for some reason or another, but they seemed more like tests than anything", he sighs wishing he knew more, "But, i can tell you why i was sent here, i was sent to find the school and infiltrate it to learn more and eventually get more of HYDRA in, might of been other members of Ares".

"Do you remember any names though?" Jessica says pushing the pad of paper in front of Kai so he can write down. "You said you listened, anything you might have heard, any little detail. You don't have to answer today but if you remember tomorrow, two weeks from now, two months from now, it would help." She then takes a deep breath and looks at Kai. "We figured that part out, now how much does HYDRA know that you learned about our school here?"

Kai takes the pad and starts writing down the names he remembers, the earliest going back about ten years, as the list gets longer Kai gets more of a haunted look on his face, "They know it's a school for young people with cirtain skills, that you're not just looking for powers, you're looking for potential, they have names of staff members and where the school is, you hide most of the schools secrets well and for that i thank you so much".

As Kai's face grows more haunted, Jessica reaches out a gloved hand and touches one of his lightly. "I know this is difficult Kai, but we're going to help you." Once he's done writing she stands up and turns back on the camera and audio recording device. "Tell me about the day with your roommate." She wants to know why he did it, and what stopped him.

"When i'd got to the point where i was half-crazy from not understanding why the way i thought and felt were changing i had run from here and HYDRA, but a friend of mine found me and kept asking me the sort of questions that would get him killed, so i jumped the wall of his school and even though i pleaded with them not to, they sent me back here", Kai looks away from Jessica, he can't look someone in the eyes while he explains the next part, "Back in the room i felt trapped, i raided the med center and got hold of some pills, my plan was just to end it there and not have to deal but then Jeremy walked in…", its a few moments before he can continue, "I got distracted and realised that i wasn't ready to give up the world, i've been in it for less than a year so i thought maybe i could fix it, push past it. If i could take a life and make myself not care, maybe my mind would repair in some way. But when i tried… and the look in his eyes i couldn't so i touched him so he'd see it all and then i could run again and he could warn the school about HYDRA but he was going to leave and… and… a simple thought cleared my crazed mind, how fast can you run with a stab wound, so i did it, patched him up somewhat and left, how can i just stab someone without thinking about it? what sort of person does that?"

"The kind of person that HYRDA trains to do that." Jessica says as if she's putting the blame on them and not Kai. "Now this might be the most important question, and the last one for now. What made you decide to come back, to turn yourself in? To go to Emma Frost." Basically she's asking why does he want to come clean and turn over that new leaf.

"Because i don't like having my mind work like that, to be able to hurt people without even thinking", Kai clenches his fists, "I didn't want to end up going back to HYDRA and adding more faces to those i've been seeing non-stop when i sleep lately, i won't kill again, i refuse".

Jessica looks at Kai for a long while and there's a flicker of sadness in her own eyes. "Right now we'd like to offer you a place at Barnes again, as an agent in training. Find out your strengths. There will be training and things will be similar as to when you were a student here. But you'd be given your own room in a suite with others. There's just one thing, do you wish to tell Jeremy you will be a student here again or do you want one of us to tell him." She stares at Kai as if testing his response.

Kai sits there for a moment weighing the easy option against the one he knows is right, "I think i owe it to him to tell him myself, not to ask for forgivness or anything, i can't ask that, i don't deserve it but i think it's wrong not to… but what effect would seeing me suddenly have on him…", he sighs, "I dunno but having him hear secondhand seems unfair somehow".

There's a smile that forms on the lips of Jessica and she nods. She doesn't tell Kai, but it's the answer she wanted to her. The answer that helps her believe she's making the right choice giving this kid a second chance. "Hearing it from you might have a better effect than hearing it from us. We'll set up a meeting for you two, but I won't lie, either option probably won't have a positive effect on him." She then takes a deep breath and stands up. "In addition to training and classes, once a week I'd like you to meet with Doc Sampson, just to talk. Maybe help you get a better nights rest. Now, do you have any questions for us?"

Kai nods, "It might, i dunno give him something to be able to…" he doesn't finish his sentance, he's not even sure he know the ending to it, "I only have three questions, will i be allowed up into the city again or am i down here from now on? and my other is if you can find the other Subjects of Ares, will you be able to help them too or are they doomed to HYDRA? and my last, is there a way to find out exactly what i am?, i have this sort of need to know"

Seeing that all the questions are reasonable, Jessica answers them in turn. "The answer to your first qusetion is yes, you will be allowed in the city again though subject to a curfew like before. And it will be strictly monitored." She doesn't hide that from him. "If we find any other subjects of Project Ares I cannot guarantee that we will be able to help them. It depends on if they're willing to be helped, if they want it, and the situation. If one of them is trying to kill us, they might be killed in returned." At least she's honest. "But with that being said, we won't be focusing on destroying them. And for your last question, we can try to help you with that. I don't know if we can but we can set up some tests with our medical specalists and try to help you find out."

Kai nods to show he understands, "Thanks for being honest with your answers, you didn't have to be", he frowns for a moment then clicks his fingers, "The apartment in Brooklyn!, theres instructions on how to find the base that sent me there, i don't know if it would've been cleared by HYDRA yet or not".

"If you give us the address we can send a few Agents to do a sweep and check it out, see if we can find anything further. You've been a huge help." Jessica says before offering Kai a hand. "Welcome to SHIELD."

Kai genuinly smiles this time and shakes the offered hand, "Thanks Spider-Woman…er Miss Drew", might be a little soon but he can't help but feel cautiously optamistic.

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