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Summary: Zoya tries to start some trouble with Index and Queztal not knowing the two are SHIELD agents.
Date: November 24, 2010
Log Title: Raising Suspicions
Rating: PG-13
NYC - Mutant Town
Mutant Town, also known as District X, has become a haven for mutants. This section of town doesn't care what you look like, accepting all mutants no matter what their appearance. Most of the businesses in this section of town are mutant run ranging from small convenience stores to clothing shops to restaurants to night clubs. The buildings here aren't the high rise buildings you might find in mid-town but most are about 5-6 stories high. Mutant Town might not be the most luxurious section of town, in fact it's fairly run down, but this section of where mutants are safe and welcomed regardless of race, religion and culture.
"So this is mutant town," says Index flatly, gesturing about the area. It's not that he's not a fan of mutant town, and he can 'pass' for a mutant if necessary. What with the ability to make things appear and disappear into and out of nowhere. It's just that he's unenthused to be in any part of town that has nothing particularly shiny in them. Theatre! Culture! Shopping! Wait, shopping? No, yeah, shopping is fine too, decides Index, nodding slightly at that in confirmation. Maybe he could get a fedora. Or pick out costumes for his class. That would be great. "It's one of the safest place to be an open mutant in the city, but overall one of the most dangerous places. Kind of a shame."
"Apparently." Quetzal says to Index with whom he's walking with. He's a mutant but it's not really obvious and that German Shephard walking next to him could be just another German Shephard. He walks with a cane and slight limp and is dressed in a button down shirt and jeans, nothing overly fashionable. Very plain. "Though I have to admit, I do find it interesting that there is a section that is dedicated to mutants."
Zoya is of a peculiar breed. She's a woman that cares for other mutants, even if they're annoying do-gooders at heart. By the same token she despises humanity as a whole and would be perfectly happy to help oblivion along and wipe out every last one of them by force. Every coin has two sides, though because of this she's actually a lot more passive within Mutant Town than if she set foot outside of its protective aura and back into Manhattan proper. There is a catch, though. Despite only getting here the other day she's become territorial of the mutants' space, and not everyone here looks like a mutant. This holds true for the two gentleman who appear to be walking through the area, quick to earn her undivided attention as the odd ones out. They look human. She's willing to bet that they -smell- like humans. If they are, they're in the wrong side of town right about now. From the roof of a nearby building Zoya swings down to the fire escape, jumping down flights of stairs like normal people would hop over cracks in a sidewalk.
Index doesn't really notice the mutant jumping down fire escapes, if only because, well, that's not so unusual in a place like this. Given the opportunity, lots of mutants like to flaunt their powers. "Yeah, I know. But I think it's kind of unfortunate that they've got to establish this kind of a place. Sorry to sound doom and gloom, but there should be no fear of living elsewhere."
"I understand completely. I've never really suffered because of being a mutant, it actually opened a lot of doors for me." Quetzal says but then he went in to the military and SHIELD where they were happy to use his gifts. His walk is slower than normal and the dog next to him is doing it's best to act like, just a dog. "And you're not sounding doom and gloom. Not everyone is so lucky, I think one student, Dashenka, she seemed happy to get away from Russia. She mentioned Escaping."
Zoya jumps across from the last landing to the opposite wall in the alley she's hiding in, diving out across a dumpster to greet the filthy cement once more. Once at ground level she wastes little time in ducking out to the street, falling into position behind those two men and their dog. As they continue their slow tour down the street she has ample time to close the distance behind them, pale eyes set in a look of absolute determination. To anyone that catches glance of her she might have the look of someone looking to destroy something, ever edging closer…
While Index might seem unsuspecting, he's been a spy for several years. He can tell when people are sneaking up to him, and he puts his sunglasses on over his eyes, making them appear out of seemingly nowhere before he pulls out his cellphone (god, it's awesome, so many features), also out of thin air opening it up and checking using the reflective surface of the screen to check behind him, but makes it look like he's just a tourist taking a picture. "Yeah, some places… it's just not looking good in some places." He tilts his screen slightly so that the angle if Quetzal looked at it would have Zoya in the field of view.
Like Index, Quetzal has been an agent for many years and where he might not spot him, the Dog, Verde, has picked up on Zoya's prescene. So he knows when the picture is shown to him and responds with a nod. "No it is not. Though Verde here is picking up some interesting…scents to the city." He pats the side of the dog and continues walking. "Though it is a shame about Mutant Town, it could be a nice place."
Zoya isn't a tracker. The exchange between the two goes unnoticed, she's focused on other things anyway. Before long though, she makes her move. Her pace picks up, moving to come around the side, the opposite side that the dog is on out of principle. Without warning her expression has completely changed to just another friendly city face, calling out from the side "You two are not from around here, no?" One must learn their targets first, for her to rush in and make a stupid mistake of attacking one of her own kind… Unforgivable.
"I'm from New York," says Index, easily, but he's suspicious of anyone who would stalk him the whole way here. He finishes taking a picture of one of the buildings, so that his cover does not seem suspicious, and then disappears the phone back into his inventory where it was before. The motion of his eyes are no longer readily visible because of the sunglasses he now wears. "You sound like you're pretty new in town, though."
"I live in the city as well." Queztal says and he even speaks in the same accent at Index which makes it sound like he's American born. "Is there something we can help you with? Perhaps..directions some where?" He's counting on Index's knowledge of the city for that one since he doesn't come up to the island that much. He looks over to his side letting the German Shephard, Verde, keep his eyes on Zoya what he feigns a sort of disinterset in the situation.
Zoya lightly rolls her shoulders, admitting "New enough. But not so new that do not know what part of town dis is. Is dangerous place if cannot relate to those that live here, are both drawink bit of suspicion. You do know where you are..?" she meaningfully asks, gaze shifting from one individual to the other. To Queztal's inquiry she gently shakes her head, "Am alright. Is you two am worried about. Are not many who come here to take in sights, if understand me."
"Mutant town, yeah, I know where I am," says Index, raising his eyebrow over the lens of his glasses in amusement. With one finger, he touches the ridge of the sunglasses and seems to just make them vanish away to look Zoya in the eyes, "Lady, I'm glad you're concerned for my safety here, but don't worry about it, okay?"
Quetzal smiles at Zoya and can't help but chuckle a bit. "Raising suspicions? May I ask how two men, walking a dog, raises suspicions?" It's said almost casually as he reaches down to ruffle Verde. "We are not here to sight see Miss, if I wanted to be a tourist I'd grab an oversized camera and gawk at the Statue of Liberty." Yes, he's playing a bit on the Japanese Tourist sterotype.
Zoya actually shows a grin as Index gives her a simple display of ability, lightly holding her hands up as she offers a slight bow of her head. "That is tink, you see," she offers back to Quetzal. "Look too normal. Look of businessmen, no? See around dis place, most here are either too obvious of what they are to hide it or are not dressed as cleanly. Look like took wrong turn on way to find coffee. Am sure I am not only one to have noticed, had to see what was goink on."
"Well, I'm the only here who's a particularly sharp dresser," says Index, looking over Quetzal up and down for a moment to make sure that his assertion is correct. And it is, at least in Index's opinion. "And kid, I think I'm old enough to wear whatever I want, wherever I want. 'cause if I want to look damn fine? I'm going to. And maybe I am going to get coffee. Isn't there a coffee place around here? I'm pretty sure there is." Are you trying to divert customers and take away from mutant business? Huh? Huh?! Index decides that last bit is too confrontational and keeps it in his head where it belongs.
Quetzal looks down at his jeans and shirt and gives a shrug. "Yes, I am very much a business man…umm.." He looks over at Index and asks. "What kind of business is it we do?" He's definately got a bit of the tounge and cheek going. "I don't know, but I could go for a lemon tea myself. I haven't got to enjoy a nice lemon tea in a while." He looks over at Zoya. "Can you recommend a good place for coffee? Preferably in this neighborhood, since you do know it so well."
Zoya motions to Quetzal, "Are wearink buttons. Are more dressed up than lot of people around here." Gees, these two aren't giving her a lot of slack. It's almost as if they suspected she was going to assault them or something! Back to Index she pointedly replies "Could not care less what you want to wear, but realize makes you stand out in bad way around here." Pause. She hasn't been called kid in a very long time now. Right back to Index she goes, about to tell him that she wouldn't have a clue where to go. It's not until the last part that her mind shifts gears, leading her to point down the street. "Down to light, take left, keep goink for while." The directions are vague because she doesn't have the slightest clue where the nearest one is, let alone one worth doing business with. But, she's willing to bet there's something down that street that would meet the criteria they're looking for. And, if not, it isn't her problem.
"There's one right nearby, actually, mom and pop kind've store owned by a nice couple, round that corner and down two blocks. Given that one's a hydrokinetic and the other manipulates heat, they make a terrific coffee duo, and it doesn't go to supporting human majoritarian corporations," notes Index, shoving one of his hands into his pocket and then touching the bridge of his nose to return the sunglasses to their rightful place. He answers Quetzal and says, "Business? I don't know if selling shit on eBay is a business." As an aside to Zoya, he adds, "Though it can be very lucrative!"
Sirens can be seen rushing past Zoya and the two SHIELD agents and a large gust of wind blows past them and down the street knocking over a few trash cans and anything not bolted down. Exitting from an alleyway nearby, Drew Daniels, aka Agent Texas Twister, speaks into a com and two hooded criminals are placed into a waiting SHIELD van and taken off. Taking off his white cowboy hat, Drew wipes off some sweat and then spotting some fellow SHIELD agents, he begins to walk their way as all the hullabaloo has ended and quiets down. Dressed in standard issue SHIELD gear aside from a few knickknacks making it clear this agent is no New Yorker. "Howdy, pardners." Drew says upon reaching the group, and tips his hat to Zoya.
Bowing his head every so slightly in respect to Zoya, Queztal responds with a "Thank you." He then looks at Index and smiles. "That actually sounds like quite the place for coffee. More people should be appricative of a business like that." Since he does make a living off of his powers. "Selling on Ebay so professional recycler." He jokes. Then Tex shows up and Queztal raises an eyebrow. "Well you do know how to make an enterance."
Zoya is starting to see that, as well… When the cowboy approaches the trio, of all of the people around here, and so casually greets them all, something is seeming very, very off. She may not be the most familiar with SHIELD but she recognizes fancy gear and professional tactics when she sees them, and this guy with the hat is somehow involved. Furthermore, he seems awfully comfy around the other two. Needless to say, Zoya's damned suspicious. Even three on one are decent odds for her, until other things are factored like in high quality gear, tactics and lots of backup in armored vehicles. Tex receives a slight wave back from her but on the inside she's guarded something fierce.
Index tilts his head at Texas Twister when the dust settles, "Uhh, hello there." Always these games of make believe with Index. He's more interested in Zoya's motivation for 'warning' them than anything, even greeting a fellow agent. He answers Quetzal and says, "Yeah, pretty much. Nothing wrong with that. Gives plenty of free times to do whatever." To Zoya, he asks, "So how long have you lived around here?"
"Sorry, gents. Got called in about some threats against mutants. Caught to fellows from Purity about to attack some innocent little mutant girl, so I took care the situation. What brings you down here?" Drew asks the two before turning to Zoya, "Mam. Nice to meet ya, Agent Daniels." He tips his hat again all gentleman-like and then extends a hand to shake.
Quetzal reaches into his pocket and pulls out a pack of cigarettes. "Do you mind if I have one, and if not, would any of you like one?" Yes he's even offering to Zoya. He then listens as Index asks Zoya how long she's lived around. "And your accent, Russian?" He asks as he's got a thing with languages. "Coffee." Quetzal answers to Tex.
Well now, this is a bad situation to find one's self in. Zoya doesn't know what to do, but it seems pretty clear that whatever she does it need be graceful. When Tex offers his hand she takes it with her own, briefly. She'd feel better keeping her arms to herself, just to better hide the fact that she's carrying weapons that she really shouldn't be. On top of that, now a lot of people are asking her questions. Questions she'd rather not deal with, aside from being offered a smoke to which she can easily shake her head. "Are correct," she confirms Quetzal's question. "Have not been here long, am still..how do you say, settlink in." And also looking for an easy way out of this conversation before the fecal matter really starts to strike the oscillating unit.
"Interesting," says Index to Zoya's answers. He refuses the cigarette, since smoking might interfere with his singing voice, but notes, "Feel free." To Zoya he smiles slightly and adds, "For someone who's just settling in, you seem to have formed a pretty strong idea of the looks of people who should and should not be here. But you're just issuing warnings, of course. Not thinking to hurt anyone." With that, Index's raises his sunglasses to make it very clear he is looking over her weapons before letting them drop down again. "Right?"
Shaking Zoya's Tex offers "Nice to meetcha." And picking up that she is Russian, "Privyet." He smiles widely and then takes the proffered cigarette, "I don't mind if I do." He takes it from Quetzal and lights it moving away from the non-smokers.
Quetzal lights up his own cigarette and inhales deeply as he leans on his cane. "Sorry, old habits die hard." He says as he dog takes a step closer to Zoya and sniffs a bit. Verde's just acting like a regular ol' German Shephard. "It seems that you're quite passionate about the neighborhood watch. It's good to have someone looking out for their neighbors." He says with a wink and smile.
Busted. Zoya knows that look in Index's eyes. She's used it herself, many times. "Is obvious enough to me," she says at first. "So am sure is obvious enough to you." Oh yeah, she knows that he figured her out. "Town like dis, people causink trouble and needink to be trucked off like that, is not safe place for normal person to be. Is bad for business to have people dead on street, no?" Not that she's opposed to it when necessary. Oh, fantastic, and now the dog's getting in on the action as well. Keep calm… It's always the first one to run that gets taken down. If push comes to shove she can still get away, she's confident enough on that front. To Quetzal she points out "If just moved into unfamiliar place, would you not want to feel at ease?" Hint, hint. "Are too many who would attack first without question." She at least -asks- first, that's what makes her the better sociopath.
"Of course," says Index to Zoya, in that amiable way that indicates not very much amiability at all. He's just a teacher now, but classifying someone as a dangerous person for SHIELD's records is still important. "Of course, of course," he repeats. "You just have to be careful in these places when you're new. You have to make sure you know what you're doing. 'Cause you never know when you come in, insult the pride of someone bigger, badder and crazier than you, you know? Just giving advice, as someone /familiar/ with the area." He also smiles amiably, just to complete that facetious look.
Having just stepped into this situation and not knowing the full story, Drew Daniels just remains a few steps away smoking his cigarettes. Blustering in all willy-nilly is always a bad move on anybody's part but in particular a SHIELD agent.
"I'd want to feel at ease but I think I'd want to know where the closest place I could get sushi and a good beer is as well." Queztal responds taking a long drag. "Also making friends with those in your new neighborhood is a good way to get comfortable as well. Making sure they have your back at the same time you have theirs." It's all said casually without an accusing tone or anything. He'd love to fill Drew in but he doesn't really want to say too much in front of Zoya.
Zoya gives Index a casual smirk right back, "One learns by doink." Now the guy's just trying to intimidate her. Hurt pride? Excellent. It isn't Index that concerns her so much as what he stands for. All three of them, for that matter. Rub these guys the wrong way even once and she may have to find yet another country to defect to. If she got that far. "All comes down to what matters most," she says back to Queztal without explanation. One doesn't seem to be in the near future either as she gives the group a plain smile. "But am sure you all have more important tinks to do with time so will not take up any more of it. Coffee waits for no man, no?"
Looking between the two agents and Zoya, "Well, I have to head back to do the report." He looks to ZOya and nods, "mam….boys." With that he looks back at everyone once more and then disappears off into New York
Of course, Index's pride isn't particularly hurt. Why should it be? Zoya was right! He's not a mutant! Just a regular guy with superpowers. But he's in character. "Doesn't coffee wait for every man? I mean, they don't make it until you order. Anyways, just want to make sure you're safe, kid." There's a double meaning there. He flips out his phone, out of nowhere, seemingly to check a text message.
"And I don't think a bean can really be impatient." Quetzal says finishing up his cigarette. "What do you think?" He says to his dog who gives a bark back like he understands him. "That is very much true, one does learn by doing." He seems to be picking up a slight Russian accent though with speaking to Zoya, like his linquistics is working off of both of who he is talking too. "Today's my day off from…business, so I am not in a hurry to do anything."
Zoya has a feeling she knows what's up the second that phone comes out. The guy's probably going to take a picture of her and try to run a search on it. It's not like he'd find anything but she'd much rather he not even get that far, it would only raise more questions. She needs to find an exit strategy, right now. "Will be fine but am runnink behind," she abruptly replies, trying to turn away from that phone without being horribly obvious about it. Voices from across the street… An interesting car driving by, perhaps. There's other things to look at, it's a big city. The situation has gone from yellow to red, it's time to leave. "Dos vidanya," she offers over her shoulder, not looking back at the pair.
As soon as Zoya starts to look away, Index makes his move. Not that he actually has to move, not with a phone this cool. Just presses a button. It's not the greatest shot, but it will work fine for his own purposes of remembering and classifying the individual. Current classification: Potential threat. He flips the phone shut and sticks it in his pocket. Once the woman is gone, he says to Quetzal, "Well. Welcome to mutant town. Let's get to that coffee place."
Quetzal catches Index's move and smiles. "I should get one of those." A phone filled with so many features it's only sterotypical that a Japanese man should be using it! He watches Zoya leave and shrugs. "Coffee sounds excellent, I'm just glad I got the full Mutant Town experience but I guess there is a set standard for what exactly a mutant looks like." He says as he starts to walk again relying on his cane as he walks along the sidewalk.
