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Summary: Connor lets Robyn know of his plans.
Date: June 28, 2020
Insane And Brilliant Plans
Rating: PG-13
The Future - The Underground - Meeting Room
One of the bigger tunnels has been turned into a meeting room for those who are plotting the next stab at freedom or the next sentinel attack. There are lights hanging from the pipes above and table in the middle of the area where people can stand around as there isnt really room for chairs. Papers and maps cover the table and there are boxes on shelves with information thats been gathered. This is the only place down in the mutant tunnels that has some electricity from a small generator that's charge via mutant powers and its used sparingly so that the Rebellion can gather information to make their next move.
Mid-Afternoon, and while it might be a fair day outside, indoors it's a bit chaotic. People moving around, the sounds of children in the halls with everything ranging from laughter to tears, complaints grumbled out over the evacuation like a subharmonic growing through the underground. In the face of this for the moment, Volk has retreated to the meeting area, where he has an old map of the region and is updating some notes on it from his PDA.
Even though some might consider Robyn as non-combative cause of his wheelchair state, he's not moving. There's too much to do and even though he has been following Connor and Rashmi's rigorous training he's also been spending quite a bit of time outside of his body just trying to set things up for tomorrow. Wheeling into the room he finds Connor and smiles. "Connor…good, I need to talk to you about two things." He says wheeling himself next to his friend.
With a bit of a wry grin, Volk writes down on a page and slides the pad over to Robyn, -Then two things first. One, I told you to put on those crutches we got you, and stop wheeling yourself around. The other? Is this whole thing going to turn into like with Wolverine? Because if so, someone needs to warn him I'm bogarding his schtick.- And then he begins to fold up the map slowly, and turns to watch Robyn's response.
"Like what with Wolverine?" Robyn is completely confused by that and for the moment he intentionally ignores the crutches comment. "Okay first things first, well…I'll tell you the thing that you're gonna probably smack me for but…I saw James again. For the last time." He has no intentions of going back to see him again as much as he would like to. "James…he's our enemy on the inside if that makes sense."
A brow is arched, and then a sigh is given before Volk comes around the table and gives Robyn a smack on the back of the head. Then finally he sits down and motions with his hand for Robyn to continue, before dragging the pad and paper over and writing down, -Again. Tell me everything.-
"You know if you're gonna be hard on me I should start not answering you unless you start talking again." Robyn says more giving his friend a hard time about missing his voice. "Anyway I went to see him again just cause well…I really do have a lot I need to make up for but anyway, he showed me a map, he knows me too well. He really does, he started pointing out positions where he suspected me of possing people and he showed me where he suspects us to be. He's with Jinx…he's making her a hunter. I think to protect her. It's the only way he can watch out for us and with what he's doing, it's the only thing he can do to protect his clan." He's using Connor's words to see if he gets it too. "He did something I wasn't expecting though."
Volk writes down on the other side of the paper, -Continue, please. I'll ask questions after.- But he sits back and begins taking notes and writing out some other things on the pad as he watches the other man. There's no comment or reaction to the jibe around speaking, merely a wrinkling in his eyes and a narrowing of them for a moment.
"He shot me with something, that caused my powers not to work so I couldn't jump out. Scared the hell outta me." Robyn admits shaking his head with a slight smile. "He started asking questions about the base, threatening me and even though I know why he wanted that info and that he's protecting his clan I could not do it. I don't trust him anymore. He tried threatening me with anything…I really would have let him kill me Connor if it ment not telling him about this place. Once I told him I didn't trust him, he told me he'd take care of the guard. He told me to shoot him…I did. He waited until I was able to jump out and right before I did he said one thing to me…and…I need to tell Rashmi this one thing cause. If I tell you what he said, don't go and tell her before I do, got it? Cause if I'm wrong, it would crush her." Robyn says before he finishes wht happened.
The man gives a nod of confirmation, and then Volk writes down, -Go on. You have my word.- Looking at the paper a moment and then smirking softly before he then writes down, -Lucas caught and attacked Tooth last night. I had to break it up. Some nice claw-stabs under the ribs for my troubles, but Tooth didn't aim to kill. Lucas however did. And none of us can afford the hyena to die yet. There's too much going on.- Sighing at the end as he flips back to where he was making his notes before, still watching intently.
"No, we can't kill James. He's our enemy on the inside." If that makes any sense since that's the best way Robyn can look at James. Someone who isn't your ally, isn't your friend anymore but yet looking out for you in a fucked up way. "He caught me with the claws just as he left. Hurt like a bitch but at least it's not my body and I jumped out right before I could feel the guy die, but I knew he was gonna. You don't want to know what that felt like Connor. You really don't." If Robyn was in there for one second longer he'd probably would have felt the death before being forced out. "She's alive, she's always has been."
There's a pause from the man, a considering look before finally he frowns and then writes down, -Doesn't change the plan any way. You see… For all Tooth believes in what he's doing, he has not stopped to consider one important thing. I've been holding back. I've played him as much as he's played us. I have some clue of what his game is, and how to keep everything on the board, but to do so, I have to hurt him. And hurt him bad. I'm going to go to a very dark place for this, and it's best none of you come along.- But once that's written down, he flips his paper over and shows his first question, -How long until Jinx is scheduled to be turned into a Hunter?-
"Two weeks. The thing with James is that he's being cryptic right now and he kept talking about his Clan, I understood that. Then he mentioned that she's still alive, I am pretty sure I understood that. I can't tell if he wants us to recuse Jinx or wants to keep a close eye on her. But in two weeks she'll be sent for processing. James is just trying to keep his clan safe and I told her to protect Jinx. I dunno…you can take that how you want Connor." Robyn says as he has been trying to do a lot lately but he's finally feeling like his head is clear.
The next question comes up on the next page, -How long did the affect of what you were tagged with last?- Volks head tilting back and forth almost predatorially curious, a couple breaths taken before he fishes behind him and pulls off a canteen of his own, drinking and then sharing with Robyn.
"Fifteen maybe twenty minutes? No more than a half hour. It was a dart he tagged me with. It was like he was counting on my return and made sure to keep me there." Robyn take the canteen and takes a dring with a sigh. "Ya know, if this is ever over, once it ends, we all have too much to pay for."
Volk takes his notepad and writes down, -Robyn. You're an idiot. You're looking at the pieces and not the puzzle picture.- Then he goes over to the board used for meetings and writes down INTEL. Under it #1 - The Hunters are beginning to pinpoint our location. #2 - They have a new weapon designed to null mutant powers for up to 30 minutes to facilitate capture. #3 - Any and all intel that Tooth will see in the next 12-14 days, Jinx will see as well, learning by his side. #4 - By kidnapping Jinx, and getting her to talk, we have a mainline on the battle plans. She's smart. But for anyone else, she can just as easily play dumb. #5 - Tooth is positioning himself to lead a Hunter assault team against us.- Finally done with all this, he pats the board and looks at Robyn, then taps the side of his head.
Robyn sighs and glares at Connor. "Seriously, you think I don't know the Hunters are begining to pin point our location? And they've been able to nullify mutant powers before, this isn't a new weapon. And I think he -wants- us to get Jinx. That's why I said what I did and didn't I tell you that James is leading the attack a while back?" If Connor is trying to tell him anything new, he's not really.
Circling it all, Volk then writes to the side, -Game and Rules-. Then he steps back and looks at it, before turning to look at Robyn. After a moment of pondering, he then goes back to his pad and writes down, -Tooth is only confident when he believes he has the upper hand. He will taunt, and push, and everything he does is to gauge your reactions. Like a predator, he will nip at your heels and drive you until you're too tired to move on, or can outrun him still. We have to continue to play by his rules of engagement, so he will continue to react predictably. Rashmi is set up already. She will be the stalking horse to carry him right into the trap he assumes he's falling into. Only, this isn't the trap he thinks it is. So far as both sides are concerned, those Hunters he's bringing are dead. They're to cover for his next move. Which is Us.-
The page is then turned and he writes down, -I think we should keep a token force lead by Rashmi and myself here to play his game. It's already in the works. However. Once Tooth is in play? How willing would you be to take Jono out and see how much of their little den he can rip apart before the Sentinels show up. Shell game him. Break the rules right when he's got his phyrric victory, and show him we don't need him. Only then will be really be ready for what's to come.-
"Connor…you know I'm pretty much game for anything. What do you mean by take Jono out like…take him out like out of the picture or like take him out and go to this den together?" Robyn then nods with a smile. "Whatever you want, tell me to do it and I will. We're in this together. I'll be at your side no matter what, you know that Connor? Also right now anythign you /or/ Rashmi want from me, you get. You're the only people I'll answer to…and do anything for." And Robyn means that. "Just to let you know though, Jono and I…hopefully he can work with me. Him and I aren't exactly friends anymore. Stubborn Brit."
Shaking his head, Volk erases the board, and then returns to his pad, -No, I want you to head up a strike team. Every heavy hitter willing to go out there and put the hurt on the Hunter base. Wipe it from the map if you can, blow things up… get messy. Make every Sentinel in the tri-state area come after you. Jono, Scourge, drag that aging bastard Magneto out of his hole. tell Addison they all kicked blue puppies. whatever works. While we make it look like we're worse off than we are here while whittling down their numbers. We make it so if he wants to live, the only place he can run is US.-
Robyn nods slowly and a grin spreads on his face. "Sounds great to me. Count me in. Just…I gotta figure who I can lead as. I can't fight like this, or with my crutches as much as I'd love to try I cannot risk it. Sorry Connor but now isn't the time to experiment with new combat methods. And Robin…I want Robin with Blank with me." After all she's a good person to have. "And talk to Jordan to see if he'd come, I don't think him and I are on speaking terms."
Then Volk turns and writes down, -This fits to the overall strategy. There's going to be fallout from the attacks Jericho has planned. And that fallout is going to mean increased Hunter presence, or worse. Once the first blow has begun we need to continue to hammer at them. But ultimately this fighting is just a stalling action. All this war does is engage us in actions that pull resources from the real thing we need to focus on. Ahab. We need Tooth off the board, we need the Hunters and Hounds worried that coming after us is a fate worse than death. No more distractions.-
"Speaking of Jericho…I need you tomorrow Connor. The mission he gave me, that's why I've been 'out' a bit. I've been making contacts 'inside' and we're ready to go tomorrow. I need you for transport to the new home. We might have a better strike team actually after tomorrow night." Robyn says with a grin. "I got Xavier's and I -need- your help there. We're gonna break a lot of people out and you're the only person I know that can get them here safely." Then Robyn goes back to the previous topic. "Okay, yes, I think it's a great plan. And you know what, Fuck Tooth. And I agree if we take out the Hunters we can take out the Hounds, focus on one at a time not together that way we can keep our resources together not spread out.'
There's a grit of Volk's jaw before he takes a breath, and crosses his arms, -Allright.- He writes down slowly, -Domino and Arsenal are still recovering from the Captain America recovery, and I want them for my mission, and I need one other. Either Dingo or Lucas. Not that Lucas trusts me at this point, but this will go a long way to restoring that. Before the end of today, find and talk to Betsy. Check on Storm too. We need to shift our base away from here permanently before the end of this. The Morlock tunnels go far, and they've never been mapped, but that doesn't mean we'll have infinite hiding space.-
"I'm taking Digo with us. Don't forget Daisuke and Chloe, they're good people to have around just Daisuke…isn't good for quiet." Robyn says trying to think who else. "Lucas…just be careful using him. I don't really trust him right now, or Jericho or many others." He admits and it's not that he doesn't trust Jericho in that Jericho will betray them, he just doesn't think the man has his head on straight, was as bad as he was. "So where are we shifting too?"
The smirk returns to Volk's face, -Don't ask me, ask Storm. Of all the X-men, she knows the Morlocks and the Tunnels the best. According to her old Xavier records, she lead them off and on. Correct? If anything, it would mean she would be privy to some of the places we've not made it to yet.-
"I like this Connor, I really like where this is heading." He puts his hands on the table and slowly pushes himself up, straining and there's a wince of pain as he gets himself up right, shaking on his hands. He then moves a hand forward to reset on Volk's shoulder, griping tightly but he's trying to keep himself up. He rests his forhead against Connor's the best he can and grins. "You're a genuis Connor, a fucking genisus and I love every fucking insane brilliant plan you have. I'll follow your insanity till the end." He leans back a bit but still keeps his arm on Connor to hold himself up and it's that obvious struggle. "And you're in on tomorrow night? We're gonna destroy that base and everything that it stands for."
Reaching up and touching on Robyn's hand, he cancells almost all of the younger man's weight and gravity, allowing him to balance. Moving himself a bit he turns and faces him fully. Volk sighs once, and with some strain he says, "Yes." Coughing hard afterwards, and then rubbing his throat to settle the soreness of even one word being spoken with the same forced tone.
"Don't." Robyn says as Connor cancels out his weight. "How am I supposed to learn and do what you want me to if you make it easy?" He says with a smile. Even though every time he falls on those crutches he curses at Connor and it reminds him how helpless he is, he is grateful for it. He works his way slowly as he sits back in his chair with a sigh. "I already talked to one guy at the mutant camp, he's spreading the word."
