2020-06-13: Lord Have Mercy

Players:

JamesF_icon.jpg RobynF_icon.jpg

Summary: Robyn takes the fight to James' door step and demands answers. James provides some his ex-friend doesn't like. Someone dies.

Date: June 13, 2020

Log Title Lord have Mercy

Rating: R


The Future - Salem Center - Hunter's Den

The surrounding area that serves as the Hunters Den is as expansive as it is diverse. Looking much like an extended bivouac, tents and improvised shelters stretch for blocks in all directions. For those with the means, makeshift bars and eateries offer a change of pace from enlisted foodstuffs, while other structures offer questionable forms of entertainment and more. Beyond the archway, in stunning contrast to the outside shantytown, the Mall has been renovated into a well defended headquarters of sorts offering the Hunters elite a temporary respite from the war and a place to rest, shower, eat, and rearm.


It's late evening when James gets the call that his handler is asking for him. It's a concept that seems to only exist for several of the feral hunters: specialized humans responsible for assignments, duties, and more. And, in all honestly, only slightly removed from a zookeeper. Inside the Den's main building, James makes his way to her room. He closes the door and tilts his head, saying nothing. Without as much as a twinkle of emotion in his eyes, he begins to disrobe, eyes never leaving hers, expression blank but to all that would know him well: absolute disgust. Hands on his pants, he stops short of removing them, giving the higher-ranking person a sensing look. The look turns to uncertainty, as if a practiced script suddenly changed, "There is another reason you called me?"

Inside the body of the handler is a mind that's not hers, it's Robyn as after two days of resting the best he could, he jumped in side her mind and called James into her room. As James starts to disrobe, he does his best not to say anything or comment, just acting normal. "Yes, Tooth, there is another reason I called you. I wanted your honest opinion on what happened out there last night. You were there, you were in charge of taking care of Nightcrawler and things went to hell, what happened?" Maybe Robyn just wants to hear James's words on it, maybe he's just trying to fool him for a bit before he reveals it's not Mercy inside that head.

James tilts his head, "We've already discussed this. There is more?" He blinks and crosses his arms over a shirtless chest that's rather unscarred for having taken .30 cal. "I did what was asked. Nightcrawler is gone. I was wounded and had to abandon the site." Or run, depending on your perspective.

Mercy just nods and has the look on her face like the answer isn't to her satisfaction. "Do you really just do whatever anyone tells you and not feel anymore?" Robyn asks inside the body of Mercy and finally she looks up at him and looks in his eyes and there is a lot of anger in there it seems. "Let me ask you another question. Does the name Jessica mean anything to you….James?"

James answers with a confused look, the script is changing again, and he's never adjusted well to that. Especially when asked random, odd questions, "Jessica?" He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his notebook, "Jessica Heathe? 2018. Grid: 23-36. 15-degrees west of Mark 0-9." He looks over at Mercy, "I don't have a time or date estimate—or another Jessica written down." Book goes back into his pocket as he steps forward; nose active, "Why?"

A mug that is on the desk that 'Mercy' is sitting at is picked up and thrown against the wall close to James. "I didn't ask for fucking statics! I asked if the name meant anything to you! Or is it impossible for you to feel anymore? What about the name Rashmi, or Luke or Volk? Do those names mean anything to you anymore?" The voice an angry and it's obvious that something is off.

Whether it be the programming or that he's playing a part so well he's forgotten when the acting ends and he begins, James finally starts to respond less neutrally, more naturally. The mug breaks, the hyena flinches, the world stops. The only sign an ever so slight tremble in Tooth's hand, "Audrey 2."

"I'd love to kill you myself right now if others didn't deserve it more than me." Robyn/Mercy mutters as he finally stands up and stands as close to Tooth as he can. "Audrey 2….what, is that supposed to remind me that you were once a good person, that you were once my friend cause I haven't forgotten -James-. Just like I haven't forgotten what you've done. What you've become. What was it that caused you stop feeling, huh? What was it that made you decide to destroy the lives of people you used to call your closest friends? WHAT WAS IT JAMES?"

It's all the confirmation the hyena needs. He charges, hoping to put his hands around the woman's neck, something he's been wanting to do to this body for so long now that it's nearly impossible to keep from getting carried away. "You will not lecture me, not after all I have done for you!" He puts his hands' over the slower human's mouth, his muzzle pressed to her ear, "The rules changed, Robyn. I had to change with it! You will NEVER understand that."

With one hand around his neck and one over the mouth, Mercy-Robyn doesn't move, he just stands there, after all if things get too rough he'll just jump out. He does the childish thing and bites down on James's hand hoping for him to remove it. If he can speak he says the following. "We all had to change James! And fuck you, you might have done a lot for me when we were friends but we aren't anymore. You're on the other side, that makes you my enemy and I don't give a shit what you say. I will never understand you're right, I'll never understand how someone I thought I knew could become what you've become, James." Everytime Robyn says the name James, it's said in a very negative fashion. "Why don't you fucking tell me everything you've done for me besides help me close myself off to everything that matters?"

If a negative reaction is what Robyn seeks, he gets it. James pulls back his hand and doesn't spare the retort with an open paw slap, pulling him…her…right back into a standing position. He gives Mercy-Robyn a shake. "I don't want your friendship. I can't AFFORD your friendship," he roars. "I'm on the right side Robyn, you're ALL just too blind to see it." He moves his ex-friends face to see his, making sure that Robyn gets every single word, "Listen to me very carefully. I am coming for you. I am bringing the best Hunters I can. And I am going to find you all. Do you hear me. I. Am. Coming."

Robyn doesn't care what James does in the body he's in, after all he'll be one having to deal with his handler later. He lets himself be Hyena-handled. "You're such a fucking coward -James-." Robyn says smirking at him. "The right side, you mean the side -you- can make sure you're ass will survive the longest on. I never thought you'd be the type to hide behind a 'bigger badder dog'. I wish I could pity you but you don't even deserve that." Robyn says as her eyes glow purple and James might be able to realize what's coming as Robyn forms a psi-blade and goes to stab James with it.

As Robyn's eyes turn purple, James reacts, springing back over the desk as he tries to put distance between himself and the blade, "You want revenge Robyn? Why don't you walk over here and get it using your own two legs?!" It's a taunt, one he hopes will hit home the hardest. He splays open his paws, giving his claws a little bit of standing room, the smile a grim one, "And you're right. That's me to a T now…you were just too stupid to realize it. As you’ve always been." He waits to see if he'll attack again.

"Pick a place, and I'll meet you face to face James." Robyn says taking the bait even if that wasn't even the intended purpose. "Lucky for me I had a real friend like Rashmi to help me out with my little leg problem." It's been ten years he's learned to deal with being paraplegic. He doesn't attack again but just smile's at James. "You must really hate yourself." Robyn says shaking his head as there is something about his last words that make Robyn believe he's just agreeing with his accusations to agree. What he really wants to know though is what happened, why did this happen to James. "So come on, bring your hunters, we'll be…" There's an odd pause in his words but then Robyn just shakes his head, thinking he's imagining things. "You don't scare me or the others."

James lowers his hands slightly, claws still ready if needed, "I will Robyn, I will. And it will be glorious. And the history books will speak of what I've done for years to come." He smiles, teeth somewhat exposed, speaking as if it's already happen." The hands drop more, "I only hope you have to guts to do what needs to be done." He raises an eye ridge, "I have a favor to ask. One…enemy to the other."

"You're a mutant like us James, a freak of a mutant too. Someone who couldn't ever pass as normal, you'll just be used and written out of a history book since there are no such thing at heroes anymore. Captain America died last night, along with him died heroes." Robyn says as he takes a few steps towards James, getting as close to his face as possible. "I don't owe you shit James. Feel free to ask but the best I'll give you is the courtesy to listen."

James steps forward, muzzle next to Robyn/Mercy’s ear, "Jinx is alive." There's a long pause as he waits to make sure Robyn heard him correctly, "I saw her file today. She's not to be part of this. You leave her alone." His jaw tightens, the muscles sounding like stretched leather, "If I so much as SMELL one of you near her…I will make every bad thing you have EVER heard about me look like child's play." He steps away, giving the other mutant some room as he puts the desk between them. Sarcastically, he offers, "Yes…Captain America. Pitty. I think my biggest regret will always be that it was Kurt and not Steve."

"Jinx can make her own decisions Tooth. If I run into her, I run into her. I don't give a fuck what you threaten." Robyn says as takes a few steps back. "Rest in Peace James Palmer and fuck you." He says as his eyes flash purple once more and his mind heads back his body which is miles away in the mutant base leaving James's handler confused now that she's back in her own mind.

James rushes to catch his handler, giving her a reassuring look as he gathers her in her arms. She's about to speak, but he quietly puts a finger over her lips, "Ssssh…It's okay. You were possessed by a mutant." Cradling her, his look turns dark, "Do you remember all those things you had me do…to get all those favors so I could even remotely function like a human being? Well…I do." His claws flash forward, her world turns dark. The section commander later accepts James’ report that a mutant terrorist has been parading around the camp, possibly singling James out for the execution he played a part in.

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