2012-02-22: She's Gone

Players:

Connor_icon.jpg Travis_icon.jpg

Summary: Travis goes to tell Connor Rashmi has gone missing.

Date: February 22, 2012

Log Title: "She's Gone

Rating: PG-13


NYC - Four Arms Apartments (Connor, Rashmi and Robyn's Apartment)


This log follows [[There's A Chill In the Air]]

It's already late at night and Rashmi was supposed to be returning home from her date with Travis around now. There's a loud thump on the door followed by the sound of a fist pounding against the wood. "Connon! Robyn!" Calls the panicked voice of Travis as doesn't care if he causes the neighbors to look out and stare. He's still feeling weak from the fight earlier in the evening but right now letting Connor and Robyn know what happened is the most important thing in his mind.

With Robyn over at his family's for dinner for the night, Connor was left to his own devices in the apartment. So at least the place is now immaculate, just having finished cleaning the kitchen when the knock comes. So when he opens the door it's a bit surprising to see him in a t-shirt, shorts, and an apron that says I heart-symbol Pi. His eyes flick around a moment, and then he asks the obvious question, "Did something happen to Rashmi?"

As soon as the door opens it's like Travis almost falls in. He nods in answer. "She was taken by ghosts." He knows it sounds stupid as he says it. "We were walking home, through the park and it got really cold and then there were three ghost women and they wanted her. We split up and ran but they caught up and we couldn't hold them off. When I woke up she was gone."

Moving to catch Travis, Connor helps him over to the futon couch and settles him down there. Back into the kitchen he bring back a can of Dr. Pepper that's almost ice-cold and cracks it, settling it in front of the other young man on a coaster before he says, "Allright, start again… I need to parse this. She was taken by what?" But he is also a model of effiency, going over to the table by the door, and opening the locked drawer under it to take out one of Barnes' phones… Rashmi's spare. He comes over and starts thumbing through for their security number.

Travis settles in the couch and takes a few deep breaths. He takes the Dr. Pepper and takes a sip before speaking again. "Ghosts. She was taken by three female ghosts." He shakes his head. "God Damnit!" He says angry about the situation. "We were walking home from the ballet, through the park that's right around here. Thomas Square Park or something like that. It got really cold, dark and quiet. New York is never quite." He says shaking his head. "They said they wanted her to come with them, to join them. So…we ran. I mean, they're ghosts ghosts don't really hurt people, they can't but these, they clawed at your soul." He says shuddering. "I couldn't hurt them, neither could she. We tried to split up to make a run for it, but it didn't work. They all eventually gained up on her and made her choose. I said I'd find her…"

Connor nods to Travis, and then dials the security line for Barnes, and quickly outlines the details he was given by the other man. Then he hangs up and puts the phone back, locking it away before coming to sit down, "There's going to be a team sent to the kidnap site to check it over for you. Then someone will be here to check on you as well, Travis. Are you allright? You said their clawed you." Looking him over once, then he continues on, "I know Rashmi's in trouble, but she's tough. She's been in worse since you've known her… and I promise… we'll get her back. I got her back from Nero, I know we can rescue her from where she is now. But is there any details that stand out. I need you to think." Sounding intensely focused, almost like he's interviewing for something he'll write about later in one of his short stories.

Once Connor tells them the details it will seem that Travis has already altered them on his way over as he did press the distress button while trying to protect Rashmi. "I know, I hit the distress button a while ago. I called while I was on my way over here just, you two are like family to her and I had to tell you." He looks up at Connor almost with disbelife. "Am I alright? No. My girlfriend was kidnapped by ghosts and again, there was nothing I could do to stop it." He sounds angry but not with Connor. "Yeah but it didn't do anything physical it was like they were sucking the energy out of you. I just feel weak is all." He says looking away from Connor. "I told you all I remember."

Shaking his head, he then puts his hands up a moment to stop Travis. Moving off, he comes back with a grid-paper notebook, and a pen, and sits down, "That's not what I mean… the mind is a really powerful computer. You get details you never even realize… how many of them were there? What did they look like? Did they have accents when they talked… if they talked?" But before you can answer, he takes a deep breath, "Travis… I am trying not to panic myself, allright? Focusing on the details is the best way I can help. Right now Rashmi is probably telling whoever kidnapped her exactly what's going to happen to them. Politely, and nicely… and then she's probably going to let it all out in private. But if she's going to be strong in the face of an enemy, so do we. And that means… using everything they've given us without knowing."

"I can't help but thinking the worst Connor." Travis says taking a deep breath as he continues to sip on the can of Dr. Pepper. "There were three of them, women. All women and they were dressed funny, like old time funny. They were pretty when they weren't attacking but when they did, the got ugly and decayed looking." He tries to remember the other questions so he can answer. "They did talk but I don't remember an accent because it sounded….ghostly." He dosen't know how to explain it. "I'm supposed to be able to stop stuff like this from happening to her."

Connor writes down what's noted, and then looks up to Travis, and while his eyes do not show the sparkle of pity that they should, he does have some emotion in his voice, "No… I understand. But two things I learned from my uncle when he taught me how to fight. First is that you have to expect to get hurt. And two is that you have to learn how to lose." Setting the graph paper pad aside, he puts one hand on the other young man's shoulder, "You did everything you could think of. You also did the smart thing. In the end, if they'd hurt you to the point you couldn't contact anyone, we wouldn't even know. Barnes will be coming and they have resources and people we don't have sitting right here. They'll help. But you need to help them help her. Do you understand?"

"Learning how to lose a fight is one thing, learning how to lose someone you care about…there is no learning that." Travis says shaking his head. "I know I am going to help them get her back. I'm not just going to sit around and mope." He says taking a few deep breaths. "Listen, I know she's your best friend Connor and I know that you care a lot about her but it's not easy. I'd be out there looking for her if I even knew where to start."

"You start at the beginning." Connor replies, and then moves off towards his bedroom, "Let me get changed… I'll be right back. And Travis…" He then pauses in the bend in the hallway, right next to Robyn's oddly shaped room, "There is no learning. I failed her in Africa. We tried to rescue people from a truly evil man… and my mistake got her captured. I blamed myself for it, pushed myself to the point where I almost became the thing I was fighting. I've learned since then… when this happens, your best weapon is that fear and that anger. Don't let it use you, and it becomes your tools." With that he vanishes into his bedroom.

"You're forgetting, I've killed to keep her alive." Travis says quitely as he's far from proud of that fact. "Rashmi and I are both alive cause I killed someone to make sure we stayed alive. Because….I did what I did that other boy and a woman was killed. I can't let her die because if I do…." He takes a deep breath. "If I do that woman died for nothing. She died so Rashmi could live and I need to make sure that woman didn't die for nothing. Just like I need to make sure I didn't kill that boy for nothing. You're not the only one who failed in Africa Connor." He says putting the Dr. Pepper down and standing up as he goes to look out the window.

Connor comes back out, but instead of street clothes, he has on his X-uniform, and is pulling on his riding jacket over it to cover up most of the obvious signs of his allegiances. It also covers up where the Spring-blades and their reloads are kept, making him look almost like a modernized version of the V character ala the movies. Once he has the jacket slipped over, he goes and picks up his smartphone, slotting that in a pouch, and a couple more items, "First assumption… it's magic. Since I don't know any mutant ghosts, or alien ghosts. And they sound more like magic ghosts. So… we need someone who knows magic. That's kinda not my department, but there has to be someone local short of Doctor Strange. I mean… this -IS- New York, right?"

Pausing, Connor takes his phone back out, and taps a couple panels, and his face turns pensive, "You're not the only one with problems…"

"I never said I was." Travis says to Connor as he finally takes his glance away from the window. "I've already watched one person I care about get murdered, I don't care to go through that again." He says his voice flat as he says that. "I don't know, magic? I never took that class with the fairy. Maybe I can see if she knows anything at Barnes." He folds all six arms against his chest and leans against the window pane. "I'm just scared Connor, scared of the worst."

Walking up behind Travis, Connor looks out the window as well, "No… security notice from the school. Another student went missing in the woods outside the mansion, taken by some kind of wolf-beast. Another one's phone is off the grid, and we can track pretty much world-wide if we need." He shakes his head once, and then takes a breath, "I know you're scared… and I feel like a… well… a dick for not seeming to empathize." Pausing he then turns away and digs into a drawer to take out some spare money, fitting it into an pouch locked in the belt of his uniform, "I'm worried… but I'm also trying to help you too. If I don't keep myself calm and focused, I'll start cleaning, or go work out, or something else just as useless." Lastly, a couple spares for his meds, about 3 days worth, and then popping his dose for the day, "We'll find her, and she'll be allright. I promise."

Travis looks at Connor for a bit before extending a hand to him. "We do this together okay? Anything I find out from Barnes I'll tell you, and anything you find out from going out to do your thing, you tell me. Okay? We both care about her and I'm not going to pretend I am the only one that does." He gives Connor a small smile and shakes his head. "Don't promise she'll be allright, you can't promise that. We can both hope it and believe it though."

The hand is taken, and shaken, before Connor nods, "Believe the worst, promise the best, and usually you meet it someplace in the middle." He says with a slight smile, "I'm going over to the Embassy. Magneto has one of the most comprehensive databases I know for individuals of note the world over. If there's anyone in New York who can help locate Rashmi, he'll have something I can use there. Once I get something, I'll call you… meantime… you need to get ready for SHIELD. Write down ANYTHING that comes to mind, even if it's a stupid detail, make sure that when you remember it's either there, or you tell someone. Don't give up. There's got to be clues in what you saw."

Travis nods to Connor. "I won't keep anything from you, I'll see if I can dig up what they were wearing for you cause it looked old." He says not having a clue about fashions through the ages. "Looks like Barnes just pulled up….with my Mom." He says looking out the window. "I'll call you tomorrow Connor and thanks. Good luck." He says as he heads out of the apartment to meet up with SHIELD to go back to the school where he'll have to tell everything again.

Connor walks with Travis towards the door, and replies as he holds it open for the other young man, and then follows him down the stairs, "Good luck to you too. I'll be in touch."

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