Players:
Summary: Vinny vists the Genoshan Embassy to bring Magneto up on current events
Date: April 4, 2011
Log Title: The 411 on NMO and MGH
Rating: PG
NYC - Genoshan Embassy
The neo-classical building was built in the late 1800's and is one of the few buildings in mutant town that resembles old New York Architecture. The facade is colored and textured like high-grade marble, but is actually made of steel. Inside there is a large foyer with a sweeping staircase that leads the second floor where many doors lead off to public offices (such as taking applications for emigrating to Genosha). The Embassy is complete with a medical facility and Grand Ballroom, where the official functions occur.
Early evening and Vinny steps through the doors of the Embassy, looking around for a moment or two before heading into the building and looking for the reception desk. In addition to his usual attire he's wearing a Bandolier of water bottles sealed with simple corks across his chest, and a a pair of similarly sealed canteens on his belt. It looks like the mutant has seen some action recently as his fur is still streaked with scorch marks.
Magneto has left word that if Vinny should show up again, he should be informed, and Vinny escorted to a meeting room. Assuming all this happens — the iffy part is whether Vinny allows himself to be escorted anywhere — Magneto will show up in that same meeting room within five minutes of Vinny walking through the front door. In the meantime, a security guard has asked Vinny if he needs anything — water, food, writing materials — and informed him that the Mutant Master of Magnetism has left a standing order for security to cooperate with Vinny in whatever he wishes. What is Vinny's wish?
Vinny pauses as the guards show up and explain the situation. He figured after the last few visits he was gonna run into somthing just walking in so for the moment he cooperates. Though if they check him for weapons they'll find he's carrying a 12 inch bush knife in his vest that he refuses to relinquish on the grounds of it not being safe to do so, even here. A search would also reveal a smartphone of the same type used by Xavier's staff, apparently DNA locked to only be usable by Vinny.
The guards make no attempts to take Vinny's knife, water bottles, or phone from him. They are calm, polite, and professional, and leave him in the meeting room to wait once he assures them that he has everything he needs.
Moments later, Magneto himself arrives. He's in full armor, including helmet, and sweeps into the room in a billow of cloak. "Good evening, Mr. Wilks. Thank you for your assistance thus far in retrieving our people from those who would abuse them." He sweeps to the head of the table and seats himself. "What may I do for you tonight?"
Vinny stands from where he was sitting when Magneto enters the room. "Just doin' what I can to help out, course Dingo ain't makin' that easy. He's why I'm here tonight, he's gotten himself in over his head and unless he's reigned in he's gonna get alot of people killed."
Magneto steeples his fingers. "I am afraid that our Dingo has a tendency to go off in all directions without informing me of his actions beforehand. He hasn't changed that policy this time, either." He indicates Vinny should sit again. "Please, enlighten me. I haven't had time to peruse all of the reports on mutant activity and this 'Kick' chemical, and if you would be so kind as to bring me up to speed, I would be most grateful."
Vinny nods and sits again. "Kick is being provided exclusively by a recently formed group in mutant town called tha New Mutant Order. Buncha thugs and cowards that up until two weeks ago were hiring thier own thugs to stage robberies and attacks on shopowners in Mutant town that won't side with them just so they can swoop in and play hero. They also been spraying Kick in the faces of random mutants ta make um go totally gonzo. Tha stuff boosts yer powers but drives ya barkin' mad in tha process."
Vinny sits back a bit "Two weeks ago they held a rally in Thompson Park, most folks were there ta tell um to get outta town. During tha rally a couple vans filled with hired goons with tranq guns showed up, they were harvestin' mutants for MGH labs. The NMO hid behind a force field and let myself and a few others try ta fight them off.. then they gave Dingo kick."
Magneto lifts an eyebrow. "A dose of Kick boosts powers and makes mutants go 'gonzo'? And Dingo got a dose? The man is more than capable of going 'gonzo' all on his own, with no encouragement whatsoever."
He sighs and leans forward, hands clasped on the table. "That explains a few things. Now, on to more important issues: this so-called New Mutant Order. Are they mutant or human or a combination? Do you have any idea how much Kick they currently have, how they distribute it, or where they are now? Any idea of the number of people they command, or the areas they prefer to operate in? How about how the Kick is made?" His eyes glitter within the shadows of the helmet. "Tell me everything you know."
Vinny nods "Well once Dingo got kick he went nuts, claimed he could turn tha NMO into an army, take over tha entire city and turn it into a New Genosha. Already tried ta "Annex" Chinatown. The NMO are all mutants, they claim ta be the last line of defense between Mutant town and tha rest of the city. No way to know how many there are, most of them dress in plain clothes with only a few in thier usual red and black colors. They stay hidden till they slink out of the shadows to cause trouble. Though now with Dingo backing them up they're gettin' bolder. He's hopelessly hooked on the stuff, crashes hard every time it wears off and needs more each time. So far we got no idea where tha stuff is comin' from, only that they're likely not makin' it themselves. Miss Frost said the stuff was made from somthin' called "Sublime" if that means anythin' to ya."
Magneto says, "Room. Search keywords: Sublime, drug, New Mutant Order, NMO, Kick. Correlate." He doesn't move as the screens around him light up as the computers here come alive. "One assumes that this 'Sublime' is a rare substance, else we would have heard of it before." He considers for a moment, the shadows within his helmet shifting as the screens around him flicker with activity. "We don't have enough information to discover, as yet, what it might be. However, we do know Dingo. He appears to be deeply involved with this New Mutant Order, so the first order of business should be to reel him in."
Vinny shakes his head "Good luck with that mate, he's totally off his nut. Back when he first got the stuff I tried ta talk sense into him, didn't even react when one of the NMO sucker-blasted me ta shut me up. He's so far gone he's callin' himself a God. Sayin' you couldn't stop him before he was on kick and with his boosted powers ya wouldn't have a prayer stopin' him now. Miss Frost seems to know what Sublime is, says the stuff got loose on the campus once before and caused a student ta die." He sighs "The Avengers already know about Dingo and are gettin' ready ta deal with him if he turns inta a threat ta the whole city. Mutant town is reachin' a breakin' point and it could likely be a full-on war against the NMO if things can't be brought under control."
Magneto settles back in his chair. "Dingo has no idea what I can do, should I put my mind to it." He dismisses Dingo's godhood with a flick of his fingers. "But it is clear that he needs to be… curtailed. Preferably as soon as possible." He taps his steepled fingers together. "Once he is contained, he can be questioned as to where he obtains his supply of Kick, and the matter can be followed up from there. Do you have any preferences as to what avenues of investigation you wish to pursue?"
Vinny ponders a moment and takes a breath "At tha moment I been focused on tha MGH boys. Got a lead on them from an outside source and miss Frost and I shut the lab down, course it's just one of many. Havn't been able ta get a solid lead on the NMO yet, course you wanna get Dingo's attention then publically denounce the group. He's been rallyin' those fools in yer name.. he loses that support and he'll come lookin' ta get it back, or put ya out of the picture."
Magneto smiles inside the helmet, cold and cruel. "I have had others attempt to 'put me out of the picture' numerous times. I am still here. I do believe our Dingo will be the latest in that string of failures." He nods once, decisively. "So. You are following the drug trail, and I shall follow the… shall we say, political arm? That leaves the original suppliers, but either you or I might discover the key to them. Is there anything I have missed?"
Vinny shakes his head "That about covers it.. just be carefull, this is what yer dealin' with." He pulls a small inhaler from his vest and slides it across the table. "Kick is inhaled, a favorite Tactic of tha NMO is to sneak up behind tha target and spray it into thier face from behind. If ya run into these wankers do not let one get behind you."
Magneto looks at the inhaler, which twitches on the table-top, then rises into the air. He looks past it to Vinny. "A useful thing to know. Would you like to brief my security staff on this? They are responsible for the safety of everyone in this building, and I do think that it would be useful if they heard, first-hand from you, what sorts of tactics these… miscreant mutants are using against their own kind." He stands up. "Perhaps now?"
Vinny nods and stands "I'll tell what I know, but for tha moment this place should be safe from them. Dingo has this place labeled as more or less holy ground. Course if ya stir the hive up lord only knows what they'll do."
Magneto shows teeth. "They'll react. And we'll stop them. What more needs to be said?" He'll wave the door open, and, "Room. Pipe all reports to my private system. Continue on stand-by." And the screens go dark as he leaves.
Vinny nods and heads out to talk to the security staff. He briefs them on the kick inhalers and urges that anyone entering the embassy be searched for one. He describes the black and red uniforms of the NMO, but stresses that more of them are plain-clothes and wear no descerning marks that label them as members of the group. If one in uniform is spotted, they most be leary of anyone in the area as it's a good bet that at least 3-4 others scattered in a crowd are part of the group. He describes Kyle the only one he knows by name, and his position possibly as a Kick supplier for the group. He also warns of the powers that he's aware of. One member able to generate force fields, another capable of hurling lightning.
The security detail here listens carefully, many taking notes, even though the session is being recorded. Questions are asked: discriptions of the powered individuals who Vinny has seen, what the methods of infiltration and exfiltration of crowds seem to be being used, whether various pictures called up on the screens of the briefing room are photos of NMO members, and if so, if Vinny knows them. Consider it both briefing session and interrogation, if a very polite one.
And from the back of the room, Magneto watches, smiling.
Vinny answers what he can, explaining that they tend to use Kick to cause distractions and confusing by dosing unsuspecting Mutants. He can't identify many members but he does the best he can. The Embassy should have some of thier pictures from when they brought wounded here from the Rally attack.
The security detail will wring every last mote of information out of Vinny before (reluctantly) letting him leave. Magneto is amused, although whether this is at security or Vinny is unclear. "Is there anything else you wish to accomplish, Mr. Wilks?"
Vinny shakes his head "Nope, passed along what I needed ta. Just figured ya'd best be brought ta speed on this since yer the best shot and bringin' Dingo ta heel so we can deal with these wankers, or before he starts a bloody war. If I learn anythin' new I'll be sure ta pass it along."
Magneto inclines his head. "Yes. Thank you, Mr. Wilks. Security will take any and all reports you pass along, if I myself am not available." He looks to the nearest security man, who nods an affirmative.
Vinny nods and adjusts his bandolier a moment, just the fact that the normally passive mutant is carrying a weapon and is prepared to offensively use his powers should be an indication of how far things have gotten in town. "Safe travels ta ya Sir, gotta hit the bricks myself."
Magneto says, "Safe travels to you, Mr. Wilks. May all your luck be good, and may your enemies be overwhelmed with the good sense to surrender to you." He will escort Vinny out.
And once the platypus man is gone, he will look at his security team. Nods are exchanged, and people disperse in various directions… including a small team tasked to making sure Vinny Wilks gets wherever he's going tonight safely. Magneto climbs the stairs to his own office then — he has reports to read.
It's going to be a long night.
Vinny exits the embassy and pulls the smartphone from his pocket. Pressing a few buttons he speaks softly as he heads down the street. About a block away he flags down a cab and seems to be leaving the Mutant town area.
