2010-02-28: Lockdown!

Players:

Scott_icon.jpg Lorna_icon.jpg Bobby_icon.jpg

Rashmi_icon.jpg Kael_icon.jpg Mikhail_icon.jpg Mike_icon.jpg

Summary: When lock-down is declared, some students learn that even the X-Men know to fear the machinations of Mister Sinister.

Date: February 28, 2010

Log Title Lockdown!

Rating: PG-13


Xavier Mansion - Atrium

The Atrium is large room with four corridors leading off in diagonal directions to the classrooms and dorms. A large window looks over the front courtyard. The Atrium has also been turned into a social area for students and teachers, with chairs, tables and a television set. Since its a main area of passing, it is encouraged that people keep things to a respectful volume.


Mid-day at the mansion, and with the sudden disappearances of some people in the mansion, Scott is faced with a hard decision. He has a piece of paper in his hand, and moves over to the cork board. He tacks the piece of paper on the announcement board and steps aside. The announcement being 'By order of the Headmaster, the school is officially in lockdown. Please refer to your student handbooks for proper procedure. Hard curfew is in effect for all students. X-Force members and X-Men are called to duty to patrol the school. Any questions should be addressed to Headmaster Summers.'
Scott gives a bit of a sigh before looking to his watch and starting to move back to the school wing.

Lorna is holding up. Not perfectly well, mind you, but she is holding up. Nevertheless, the magnetic mistress seems to have lost a few shades of color. Her hair is bedraggled and haphazardly pulled back, but wavy strands of green fall errant around her tired face. Lack of sleep has left dark circles below her eyes, and she is fidgety with a caffeine fix— or maybe that's something else. The former avatar for Pestilence is stepping into the Atrium, and her wavering eyes are on Scott. She clears her throat, eyes the paper as he tacks it up, then looks at him again. "Hey," she finally manages.

When the Headmaster emerges from his office, even the newer students have learned that Something Important Is Happening. Thus, the moment the gossip mill notes Scott's presence in the school proper, students begin to trickle into the Atrium to see what's going on.
Among the first, the very same redhead who'd been butting her head against the database security so very early in the morning.
Clearing her throat as Scott turns away from the corkboard, she nerves herself up to get his attention. "Headmaster… Is it true, that it's this Mr. Sinister guy that took them…?"

From the direction of the school wing; most likely getting out from an afternoon class in time for lunch, is Kael. With Scott near the announcement board; and with Lorna looking the way she does, the aerokinetic picks up his pace of walking. He doesn't say much as he tries to slip his way towards the board to see what Scott posted up. Once read, he looks back at Scott. Then as Rashmi speaks to him, Kael moves to stand near her. Voicelessly asking the same question with a look on his face.

Mikhail has been looking for the Headmaster as even he has heard about the missing students, so he has many questions, hes dressed in blue jeans, a light grey t-shirt, a dark grey jacket with two purple strips around the shoulders, a wood bead necklace (like the ones surfers wear), black and purple sneakers and his now blond hair is gelled into spikes, as Rashmi has asked his first question, he stands next to her and Kael.

Bobby's class had apparently just let out as well, and he strolls down the hall in the direction of the announcement board where the kerfloffle is taking place. "Wow, is there a meeting and -I- wasn't invited? I normally would really be offended…that is, if I actually cared to begin with." He gives a big grin, then eyes Lorna and her disheveledness. "Hey babe, you alright? Not able to catch the Sandman lately?" he smirks lightly, before glancing to Scott. "Hey broski, what fun are you doing away with this time?" he jokes lightly, folding his arms as he leans against the wall.

Mike the Sometime-Car steps off the elevator, image inducer OFF, because he forgot to turn it back on when he finished in the gym. He stops abruptly when he sees that there is apparently a gathering, then walks over to stand behind or beside Rashmi.
"what's up?" he asks her, in a very quiet voice.

Scott looks over to Lorna, and shows some emotion that he rarely does show. A grimace appears on his face, and the unmistakable signs of worry are there, a little muted, but there. "You alright?" He asks Lorna, before looking to the now mass of students that have gathered. The Headmaster very truthfully looks to Rashmi and shakes his head. "There's no way for us to know for sure who it was that took everyone, not at this point. But there are some similarities between all of the abductees. Your maturity is going to be appreciated while we investigate further." That last bit directed towards Rashmi herself, as her login was used in several failed attempts to access restricted files.

Lorna loses her voice. She steps back as the students begin flocking. "Nevermind. Later," she mumbles to Scott. Really, though, her demeanor is all the reply the Headmaster needs to his question. Her fingers slip into the pockets of her jeans, eyes shifting over Rashmi. Sympathy leaks into her drained expression, but it is quickly cut away as she looks sharply at Bobby. It's that look she's given him countless times in the past. That one that says: humor is dead, and your bullshit isn't currently on the guest list. She doesn't reply to the Iceman. Her attention goes back to the students. Once more she softens, but she can't seem to feign something more reassuring than a correction to her slouched posture as she faces them and their inevitable questions.

Rashmi has the good sense to look chagrined at Scott's emphasis on her age, eyes dropping to the floor. "Sorry, Headmaster," she murmurs. "Just… I know it's that mark he left, that put Jono and Skyler in Medical… and Mr. Carerra was having problems with his shoulder hurting…" Shaking her head, she lets the issue drop. "Is there anything the students can do to help? Um… I mean, besides following the rules."

Kael looks back at Mike and Mikhail as they come into the group, then he looks back at Lorna. Concern obvious on the aerokinetic's face before he looks back at Scott. He sets his jaw to stop him from snickering at that last night, and he looks over at Rashmi and whispers, "Told ya ya should've asked." He looks back at Lorna for a glance before his attention goes back to Rashmi. See? Asking helps.

Bobby gives a mock sigh. "So that means we can't have our annual Bobby-Day Outdoor Festival, complete with Egg Race, bouncy castle, beanbag toss and free balloons for the kids? Damn, they're -really- gonna be disappointed, they were looking forward to it this year. And so was I."
Bobby frowns…"Especially the bouncy castle." He mock-pouts, before grinning a little. Hey, someone's gotta try and lighten the mood a bit. Glancing back to Lorna, Bobby shows a bit of concern…usually he at least gets a 'shut up, Bobby' out of her. "You ok, Lorn? You look like you got dragged behind the short bus or something…no offense." Heh. Always the charmer, is Bobby.

Mikhail can smell the worry and fear in the room, it worries him that its coming from the teachers as well, "Is Mr Sinister connected to the Sentinel that was found on the grounds?"

Mike stares robotically at Mr. Drake doing some sort of "Hi, now that I'm not in front of class, I'm the class joker," and sniffs the air … he doesn't smell nitrous oxide or any of the several other strange things that would say "Beware, mind altering chemicals" though, and Rashmi is all seriously being yelled at… Ah, caught hacking. Should've reminded her, VPN and remote servers are your friends.
He starts to ask, "Sir? Is there anything we can do to help?" but when Mik asks about the sentinel… he is completely distracted.
SENTINEL?!

"Like I said, there was a connection between all of the abducted. We don't want to make a bad situation worse by assuming it's Sinister." Scott offers up in his own signature way, that intimidating but yet not intimidating demeanor. He looks around, looking to the grouping of chairs close to the announcement board. "Here, sit down, guys." He says, moving to group the chairs so that he can talk to everyone as he takes a seat of his own. "Okay, you guys really want to help out?" He asks, looking to the students gathered.
Then he hears Mikhail's question. "No…that's something else entirely, Mikhail." Something ELSE that he has to explain now, wonderful! "I know some of you have already tried to access the files on Mr. Sinister and some other incidents. I'm going to say this once, don't. Not right now. There's a reason we have them encrypted so hard, and why Mr. Carerra worked so hard to make sure those without proper access were not able to get in."

Having Brian and Daisuke, and these other students, taken again has definitely taken a toll on the magnetic X-Man. She had just spoke to Brian, and hearing and seeing all his terror had filled her with all the determination in the world to do what she hadn't been able to do the first time: save them. So far, she was failing again. This was putting her right back in that nightmare, and those memories she had had locked away of hers and their transformation and torture were reeling in her like angry ghosts. Lorna is in agony, and she isn't replying to Bobby at all. He gets the kind of cold shoulder that even he can feel, and she follows Scott. She remains standing while everyone moves to seats. "There is a difference between helping," Lorna adds unsteadily, "And just being in the way. Albeit a little hard to discern in these situations. Just keep that in mind."

Rashmi glances back at the other students, moving tentatively to one of the open chairs and dropping down, hands pulling her hair over her shoulder to worry at her braid as Scott, then Lorna, give their views on students trying to learn what they probably shouldn't. "…All right," she says after a moment's silence. "I'm sorry, Headmaster… just… Those are our friends, that're missing. I… We all know it'd be stupid to go looking for them, but… Even still, we just… want to do *something.* Just so we can think like we're helping get them back, you know?"

Kael follows the headmaster over to the sitting area, but he stays standing. "I've been sitting in a classroom for the past two hours. I think I'll stand." He speaks with a light laugh, he likes remembering he has legs. He blinks a bit as he looks over at Mikhail; shaking his head in a bit of annoyance before he looks back at Scoot. He gulps a bit. He doesn't know if saying this'll bring him good or bad luck but. "Personally, sir," his tone is soft. And he speaks when he has a chance to not be interrupted. "I'd really appreciate a chance to help out. More than just following the rules." His eyes look over at Lorna as she speaks and he bites his lower lip a bit. Now doubt rushes through his mind. He looks over at Rashmi as she talks, and then looks back at Scott. Waiting for his answer. Or judgment.

Bobby merely shrugs as he is ignored by Lorna; eh, not the first time that's ever happened, and most likely won't be the last. He takes a seat, intent on trying to figure out what to do, exactly, with the others. "You know if you need my help, you got it…" he replies. "I mean, I know you might not be able to use my fabulous powers for anything useful, but…y'know….they'll be there in case ya need em."

Mikhail walks over and sits down where Scott instructs the students to sit, and waits for Scott to explain whats happening, when its explained he'll offer to help as well.

Mike hasn't been spending ANY energy thinking about this stuff because he didn't really know. Not eating? Kind of removes the commonest vector for transmission of rumors: the cafeteria. That, and he's been focussed on schoolwork for a change, and on doing his side project in the auto shop. But … several students abducted, again, and they have a connection in common? There's a faint vrooom sound as his engine revs to provide more power to his processor.
He asks, his voice a bit flatter and more robotic sounding than usual from stress: "Mr. Summers, what IS the connection then? Who was abducted, and are the rest of us at risk? And if we're supposed to be here to learn how to protect ourselves from this sort of thing, then how does classifying and encrypting the information on someone who appears to go out of his way to abduct students help us to do that? If we're simply going to be in the way, then why are we here where we make a good target?"
Well, there's the kind of questions that made Mike so very popular with the administration of his previoous schools.

"He doesn't abduct students. He abducts subjects he wants to experiment on." Scott leads off saying. "I know more than anyone in this room on how evil that man can be, and you do NOT need some of those images in your head. You cannot un-see what is list/ed in his specific file." Scott's being absolutely truthful there. Some things are better not seen. "Nevermind the fact I don't need to explain why I encrypt files and have them classified, Mister Drakos. And the purpose of this school has always been, and will always be to learn to control your powers, not to learn how to use them in combat. Let us get that straight right there." His answers to Mike were probably not the ones he was looking for, but they will have to do. "If I do see evidence that there has been hacking attempted. And trust me, you will not be able to get around that encryption. Will be handled accordingly." The headmaster now addresses Rashmi and Kael. "Try and have fun, play a game, go to the lake and fish. Keep from being idle, take more Danger Room sessions. But most importantly, try and think of something else. Keep your friends in your thoughts. Keep the other students, especially the younger ones in good spirits." Being on lockdown sucks, but it doesn't mean it's always the worst experience.

Lorna stares at Scott really, really hard when he makes a particular statement about knowing more than anyone in here. Actually, he does, but she's still nonetheless filled with an almost irresistible urge to punch him through a wall, but that's mostly due to misdirected and pent up rage. Her fist clenches around a crackling arch of static, then slackens. She stops staring daggers at the Summers boy and turns her sincerity to Kael instead. "I won't have more students hurt or missing on my conscience," Lorna says curtly. "There will be no vigilantism or attempts at heroism. The rules are what you have right now. The Headmaster has spoken appropriately about what we are dealing with. Sinister doesn't just break bodies, he breaks minds." Her voice chokes the slightest, "And I expect that you leave dealing with him and finding our missing… students to us, and remain within the mansion until it has been resolved." If it can be resolved. Her eyes turn to Bobby. "You know we are going to need you, Mr. Drake."

It's nearly audible, between Scott and Lorna, the way Rashmi's expression goes from hopeful to crestfallen. Pursing her lips, she stares at the ground, nodding. "…All right, Headmaster," she says after a moment, reaching over to put a hand on Mike's shoulder, forestalling him. "It's okay. He's right, there's probably a whole lot of good reasons they lock it up. We just… have to trust them, I guess, you know?" Drawing in a deep breath, she turns back around, getting up from her seat. "Thank you, Headmaster, Lorna. I should tell the rest of my team what's happening, though… A lot of us really like Jono. So… let us know if there's anything more constructive we can do, please?"

With those answers, the teen looks a bit put down at them. Kael was hoping for something a bit more exciting other than 'Do what you've been doing.' He looks over at Rashmi for a bit, and then the crackle of the static gets his attention; and he looks over at Lorna. Taken back by the anger he catches just a glimps of and then he lets out a very nervous laugh. "I know, ma'am. I won't do anything of the sort." Least he won't tell anyone about it. He gives her a smile, albeit a slightly fake warm one, "Trust me." He looks back at Rashmi and Mike before he looks back at Scott. "Mr. Summers. While we aren't here to learn how to use our powers for fighting. There're a good many kids here that can use them defensively. Is there a chance that we can have someone help us with that?" He lets out a bit of a nervous laugh. Hey, Squad Leader. Best person for Kael to ask.

Bobby grins a bit and shrugs. "Ya, well, I didn't want to like…y'know…totally mess things up or anything by tagging along. I tend to do that quite a bit." Ahem. We won't mention the whole 'drunk' incident from a few days back. Hee. "…just keep me away from alcohol," he mutters to himself, under his breath, before glancing up and smiling again. Nothing…nothing…! "But anyways. If Kael is lookin' for someone to help the kids with that sorta stuff, I'd also be willing to volunteer! I think I'm pretty good with the kids…" he shrugs. "At least that's what I hear, anyway…" he chuckles. "I have no idea WHY, exactly…but…y'know. Whatever."
Bobby + Danger Room = Good times had by all (people named Bobby).

Mikhail looks at Scott, "Is that everything or is there something you're not telling us?", "Also we need to see the files, if he came here how would everyone defend themselves?", he doesn't measure trouble just by what people say, he can smell the teacher's fear as well.

Despite any intention otherwise, Mike hears the same thing he has always heard from administration: we know better than you do what's good for you, no matter how sucky it's all in your best interests, run along and don't bother us with your silly concerns. And this place was starting to seem different.
He remains standing, motionless and not apparently responsive outside, a completely mechanical sounding, "Yes sir." Not even reacting to Rashmi's attempt to distract him with reality.
Supposed to get instruction in how to control his powers, yet he has not gotten anything different in any way from what his father told him: Do not merge with anything except that one vehicle, do not let anyone drive you when merged. Wait no, things HAVE been different here: they've got more and better vehicles to refuse him access to! But clearly saying anything about this would be counter-productive and probably just earn him detention of some sort.
(This excursion into robot-teen angst brought to you by the letter S and the number pi!)

"Students old enough and experienced enough can help out the X-Force to patrol the school. There's not much more investigating at the places to be done." Scott says, before looking to Mikhail, and if only Mikhail could see his brown colored eyes. "You do not have to see the files, Mikhail that's it. You will not see those files one bit. You do not need to see people experimented on, you do not need to see the others as their bodies were after we found them again. And you cannot defend yourself against him, not one bit." He's not going to keep things back from either of the two ornery teens right now. "You want to know what he can do? He can keep all physical attacks from harming him, he can attack you telepathically, if you have it, he can beat it. And he would love nothing more than for someone to try and fight him." Scott's just about had it from people not trusting him in this situation. "Now, if anyone thinks they are going to be able to defeat Sinister, and actually goes after him. He will not hesitate to kill you just for the trouble and that's if you're lucky, worse, he can turn you into an experiment."

Lorna is about to reply to Bobby when Mikhail makes that comment. If time could slow without an ability to make it do so, it would have in the moment that she looked away from Bobby and to the student. She is tight-lipped as Scott makes his case to the young man, but it's clear a storm of so much rage and terror is brewing behind those green eyes. "You RUN," Lorna adds to Scott's reply. "If he comes. You run, you fly, you disappear." The sincerity of her voice becomes very unstable, but remains hauntingly earnest.
"Think nothing. You do whatever you can, because when he has you— its over, and there is nothing left to fight but your own insanity." The air crackled yellow around her, and her eyes whitened and hummed with fearful energy as the ghosts broke free of her cracked mind, and she grieves almost openly for the plight of her missing students. Logic kicks in and tells her to leave. This was not how she should be seen. Not exactly good morale or PR for herself.
She convulses imperceptibly as she turns on a rocking heel and rushes out, taking control of the ionized atmosphere and muttering "Just run." behind her hands, which are now covering her face.

When the headmaster and Lorna start to speak rather forcibly to Mikhail; Kael's cellphone vibrates in his pocket. Stepping back, he gets a perplexed look on his face before he looks back at the group and rushes to a safe place of the school. Away from the yelling and everything. Now why would his mother be calling him…

Rashmi drops back into her seat with a thud, eyes wide, as Scott and Lorna start to lose it at the students. Looking back and forth between the two, knuckles white as she wrings at her hair, she manages a very small nod, and an almost inaudible. "…Okay…"

Bobby sits there watching Lorna's response to the situation, his expression falling to one of concern. He remembers that whole situation as well, and how absolutely traumatizing it had been. He shakes his head to himself with a sigh, rubbing his forehead with a hand, and biting his lip as he tries to decide what to do. As Lorna finally runs out of the room, Bobby glances up. Without hesitation, he hops up and gives chase. "Lorna, wait! Wait for me, alright? …dammit don't run so fast!" He then disappears out the door after her.

Mikhail just sits there while Scott rants at him and his eyes widen as Lorna runs off, he then stands up to look Scott right in the face, "If we have no chance, then call Magneto".

The tirade by the headmaster actually snaps Mike to attention for a moment. His eyes light briefly while Scott explains. Huh. So, if the headmaster feels completely helpless against this one, so why are we here making a tasty target sandwich then?
The light goes out at "experiment" though. The thought is driven home as Lorna, one of a handful of people here who could terrify Mike as badly as Magneto, is driven to fleeing. So, it's true that we cannot fight him, cannot help other people fight him, cannot research him, cannot do anything whatsoever. Wait, he did say "keep your friends in your thoughts" which is the code the faithless and the officials use for "pray for them" …
Yeah, that's a nice cold splash of ice-water on the selfish whineys. Pray for them. Sinister may be powerful but he isn't all-powerful. Mike suddenly has body language again. He says, "So the best thing we can do becomes all we can do anyway. Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Summers." And that time, it's barely mechanical at all. However, the look he gives Mikhail is … robotic. Because thankfully his face won't make the expression of "what the hell are you thinking" that it would otherwise happily adopt.

Scott looks to Mikhail as soon as he mentions calling Magneto. "Magneto is the last person I'm calling, Mikhail. And do not give me orders, I didn't ask for your advise." Scott barely allowed him to be in the mansion during the demon debacle. He's still trying to come down from the pisstivity he was at before. His voice is calmed now. "Calling Magneto isn't going to be of any help." He says, looking to Mikhail.

'The best we can do is all we can do.' *That* snaps Rashmi out of her own personal freeze, and the look she gives Mike is at first, puzzled, then smoothing. "…You're right," she murmurs… "Mikhail… Not Magneto. He's…. trust me, you don't want his help. Anyone who's ever lived int he City could tell you stories…"

Mikhail shakes his head, "But Magneto is powerful, he'll be able to help, he's all ready offered to help us prepare for an inevitable Sentinel attack", he pulls a cell-phone-like device out of his pocket, "he gave me a way to contact him".

Mike says to Mikhail in something approaching an electronic growl, "You don't call Magneto because you don't put out a fire by throwing gasoline on it."
He walks over to Rashmi, and says quietly, "I'm going to be in the chapel," and he starts in that direction, but wait… "May I go now, sir?" since the Headmaster is actually still in charge and it's rude to walk away from an adult authority without permission, or at least a clear overriding reason.

"Mikhail, STOP." Scott says sharply to the ignorant teen. "Go right ahead." Scott says to Mike, easily now because at least one of the two realize that Sinister is bad news. "I'm the one in charge here, not you. And I will NOT be undermined by a student. This situation is serious, and Magneto is not the right person to help here. There's only two people I can think of who would be able to help."

"Please, Mikhail," Rashmi says, standing up in her chair again. "Listen to him. Trust the adults, okay? They know what they're doing…" Looking up at Scott, Rashmi bows her head. "I'm sorry about last night, sir. It won't happen again. And… we'll try to keep everyone else calm, if we can. Mikhail… I'd like to talk to you later, okay? But right now, I think Mike has the right idea. We'll be in the chapel if we're needed, is that okay sir?"

Mikhail growls, he doesn't mean to it's just a reflex, he's not being ignorant he's just scared, "Then act like you're in charge, make some decisions, who are the two that can help", he nods at Rashmi, "ok i'll look for you later", he turns his attention back to Scott, "If the people i care about get hurt…"

Mike nods to Scott, and heads for the chapel. He's already experienced the joy of trying to get through to Mikhail. He hopes Scott will remove that cellthingy to a safe place though.

"It's alright, Rashmi. You're not in trouble for it. Go ahead to the chapel if you want." Scott says calmly. Before his anger shows again. "I have made some decisions. Like to cut your phone off from calling or texting out. Only to use as a panic button." He informs Mikhail, reaching to grab the phone and remove the SIM card. "You don't think I care about all of my students? You don't know anything Mikhail. So don't you dare make idle threats at me. I've had much, much worse." He says, before starting to make his way to the office. "Oh, and by the way, after this is all said and done, you're on restriction to the mansion for two weeks." That's one thing that he cannot stand from a student, is that amount of disrespect, especially because he is the X-Men leader.

Rashmi finds this to be an *excellent* time to catch up to Mike, so quickly she could perhaps be mistaken for Chloe in a dark room.
"Yes sir come on Mike let's go hurry hurry hurry…" If there's any good way to get most students to move, it's the possibility that *not* picking up the pace could catch one in the blast radius of a furious Headmaster…

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