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Summary: Former supervillian, Theo makes his presence known after half a decade of hiding.
Date: June 10, 2020.
Log Title Trust
Rating: PG
NYC - Mutant Town
The air has a permanent stench of burning rubble and death about it. Most of the buildings have been reduced to nothing, as Mutant Town was where a large battle between mutants and sentinels took place, with the sentinels winning. Many mutants lost their lives the day the sentinels destroyed the area. The neighbor hood has become a burned shell. The Homeless people tend to find small areas to hide and sleep amongst the rubble of Mutant Town but nowadays, not many people find reason to travel here. Occasionally you can find graffiti on the wreckage spouting messages to loved ones who died here.
The smoldering wreckage that is Mutant town is quiet, other than the distant sound of moving sentinels. But there is something else here, too. A small spidery machine clambers across the debri, a camera neck coming forward from it like a snake, scanning a dead body. There is a click when it finishes, and it continues on, searching for something. But what is it exactly? That may take some greater investigation.
Out on the hunt for things like food, cigarettes, alcohol, soap, anything that can be deemed necessary. Daisuke has paired up with Chloe and the two have headed to Mutant Town. An odd place to try to find supplies since it's just a wreckage but that also means not many people have been through here as they've just kind of viewed it as a waste land. He's got a backpack over one shoulder that has a few things thrown into it that he's found and he's got that signature 'M' over his eye that marks him as a mutant. "I'm gonna check over in this building." He says before stopping short and looking over at the dead body. "Did you hear that?" He asks in regards to the click.
"Hear what?" Chloe asks distractedly, chewing her way through a handful of brown grass. "If you're checking that building I'll do those four." She gestures towards four rather large, if unstable looking, buildings. "Meet you back here when I'm done."
Mikhail heard that two of the other rebels had gone out to hunt for supplies and has decided to join them incase of trouble, he knows Chloe and Daisuke's scents well by now so had no trouble tracking them down, he's dressed in a pair of black shorts and is covered in mud and blood, he arrives on the scene just in time to hear the click.
The small spidery machine jumps up into the air, and folds the legs inside. It hovers around, coming in sight of the three, first toward Chloe. It hovers forward, the snake like neck following her with the camera eye. It sets down a few feet away from her, the legs coming back out.
Those who remember Theo's creations from before the sentinel attack might find the design familiar, though much more advanced than the last time anyone had seen his toys. The legs carry it closer. The machine is only about a foot tall, the main body maybe six inches in diameter.
Figuring the click was just shifting rubble, Daisuke shrugs and gives an affirmative to Chloe. He steps into the rundown building, scanning it for weaknesses so he knows where to step, he spots something that makes him say "jackpot" before turning around to tell Chloe what he found he spots Mikhail and spidery machine. He curses in Japanese and runs out of the building. "Chloe…we gotta problem." He says getting ready to attack, the problem is, his attacks are loud.
Chloe rolls her shoulders, then adjusts her grip on her energy spear. If the machine does anything even remotely hostile she's ready to carve it into sections. "A new kind of Sentinel?" she muses. "If not it's going to have to give me a reason not to cut it into scrap metal pronto."
Mikhail jumps back from the spidery mechine and growls, he does not like metal things that move, they can't be trusted, he clenches his fist tightly and runs over meaning to slam his fist down on it, hard.
A moment passes, the small unit continues to fix on Chloe, and then it suddenly gives a chime off. "Identity verified. Access Granted." The belly rests on the ground, and the top of the machine opens up.
Many miles away, an alert goes off in Theo's bunker. He sits up from his workbench, and spins around on his chair. Quickly hopping to his feet, he checks the monitor to see Chloe's image, with a smile, he hits the transmission button.
A hologram appears before the trio, it's Theo that appears, in life size transmission. "Hey there, Chloe," he says. "It's good to see you still alive." Nobody has heard from Theo though since he abandoned Magneto's Brotherhood, before the sentinel attack, so it's been a while since he's been on the grid.
There's a thrum of vibration in the air, like when someone has the bass turned up really loud on a sterio, as Daisuke makes a staff in his hand out of sound, solidifying it. "What do you want." He asks the Hologram since Theo is someone he more knows as a Brotherhood member rather than a someone from Xavier's.
"And more importantly what proof can you give that this is actually you?" Chloe asks, ducking down to pluck another handful of the half dead grass. "Oh. If you /are/ Theo then if you kept in touch with Heather she's been captured. Not many of us Corsairs left now.."
Mikhail stops and takes a step back when the hologram appears, he doesn't really know Theo but he recognises him from the institute, but this isn't a man, it's pretend, he looks over at Daisuke and Chloe for some form of explanation as to what Theo is.
Theo leans back in his seat, "I have a pretty good list of who's captured, not a very good list yet of who's dead, but it's big." he answers. The camera adjusts to view Daisuike and Mikhail as Daisuke cuts in. "Looks like there's some friends with you. Daisuke, long time no see. I don't have a lot to give you to prove I'm really me. But what I want should be clear, there's no time to squabble over old differences these days. I want to destroy every last sentinel that exists, and then see Ahab and his lackeys die slowly and painfully over the course of as many years as I can manage to make it happen in." Given his dealings in the past with people he hates, that's pretty consistent. "How have you guys been surviving?" One might ask him the same question.
Daisuke rolls his eyes at the hologram. "Screw you Theo, there's no time to trust some hologram when there are things out there that learn what we are and how to fight us. Everyday they're coming out with something you and you say 'trust me'? I vote we tear this thing to shreads and continue what we were doing." He shrugs and the sonic staff stays in his hand. "Congratulations, you want what all of us want and are working for. If you want it so bad, how come we don't see your cowardly ass out there on the battle field?"
"We've been living off a stockpile of cakes hidden under the rainbow," Chloe informs, leaning closer to whisper to the robot. "And we milk Unicorns. But shhhhh don't tell anyone!" Then with a grin she pops the grass into her mouth, chews and swallows. "Also for the record. Don't be a moron and drag out killing people. When you do they have a habit of getting lose and causing trouble, didn't they teach you anything in supervillian school?"
Ok, not getting to many answers here, better ask, "Why we talking, when work need doing?", when Daisuke mentions smashing the device, he picks up a metal pole from the floor and gets ready to do just that.
Theo's demeanor remains unchanged with Daisuke's response. "I didn't ask you to trust me," he retorts. "You think you're the only ones fighting? You should know by now that I'm no fool. Trading punches with sentinels only gets you dead or captured. I'm working for a more permanent solution to the sentinels." He smiles at Chloe's answer, but doesn't take the bait to continue the line of conversation.
"I'm glad to see your beautiful face again, Chloe. Unfortunately I can't be with you in person." He adjusts the camera to look at Mikhail. Theo turns to look at a screen to the side for a moment, bringing up the old records of Xavier's to find out more of Mikhail. "Mikhail?" he says with an inquisitive voice. "You're right, there is work that needs to be done. Who I really need to find is Mike Drakos. He's not registered as dead, but there's a lot who aren't. If I had his help, We could end this much faster. Do any of you know where he is?"
Daisuke looks at Chloe and looks at the hologram. "Really, you still find the time to flirt after all this?" Daisuke just shakes his head and is tempted to ask for some of that grass Chloe is eatting as with his metabolism, food is food. "Mike…noone's heard from him in years, since the attack on Barnes. He's long since been missing Theo, more than likely dead. If a mutants been off the radar for 5 years, it means one of three things. One, they're dead. Two, they've hidden themselves good and don't wanna be found, or C, having a picnic off in Maine and enjoying a nice lobster dinner. I'm thinking you're S.O.L."
"A point in favor of it really being Theo," Chloe points out with a grin. "But as for Mike… I was at Barnes. /If/ he is alive then he'll probably be overseas. But honestly I think he died in the fighting 'coz they came down on us hard. I only got out because my squad was on a live fire training exercise at the time."
Mikhail drops the pole on the ground and walks away to sit down by a large pile of rubble, uninterested by the convorsation, it's pointless discussing those already lost, he'll join them again when theres something usful to be done.
"Or they are like you three and wandering out in the open to be picked off by a sentinel patrol," Theo answers Daisuke. "Failing Mike, I need someone else who knows as much or more than I do about Sentinel technology to make this happen," he says. Of course, at this point, there probably aren't too many people that fit that description who aren't working for the other side.
Theo examines the three. He's been alone for a long time. "I wish I could say that I can offer you safe refuge," he says, "But one place I haven't been able to hack yet is Ahab's hound files, so I have no way of telling who's side you're on for certain." The camera adjusts to follow Mikhail's exit. "But I can give you some help, still. Of course, with his power he needs no movements to send the command, so he continues to sit quietly in his chair. A second projection pops up. It's a map of NYC. "The following areas are unguarded," he says. "Yellow lights indicate a human civilian presence, I'm sure they won't prove a difficult obstacle for you. Green lights indicate non-perishable foods that haven't been found. You'll need food, those are your best bets." Of course, there are a lot more yellow lights than green ones.
"If help comes in a hand labled 'edible' that'd be great." Daisuke says as he looks at the map that pops up and he looks over at Chloe and Mikhail and sighs. "Theo, thanks for the help, but why the hell are you showing us this stuff? You know that we have searched most the area and we are even going overseas for food. Just the other day Chloe got lucky and got to have a goat feast. We do have our own scouts and recon groups as well. Blink is great for that." Sorry if Daisuke seems a little rude right now, it's just it seems like holographic help is too little too late, but then he was stuck in the camps for a bit obvious by the 'M' over his right eye.
"Picked off by sentinels? Ahhh Theo your sense of humour is still intact I see!" Chloe offers, turning off the energy spear to cut down on things which might draw more hostile interest. "In an urban enviroment they can barely keep up with Mikhail, let alone chase me. Tell you what, if you can make it down to Peru we could meet in person. Catch up for old times sake, there is a rather nice bar in this village I know."
Mikhail has closed his eyes and is listening to his surroundings very carefully, any sentinels in a five miles radius is now heard by him, and continues to fight the impulse to break the hologram.
Theo arches his brow. "Because there are so few of us left," he tells Daisuke. "I have more than enough for myself, there's no use in being proud. I have dozens of units just like this scouring the city for surviving mutants and supplies." He grins at Chloe's offer. "Are you asking for a date?" he says with a smile. I'll be sure to shave." It's clear from Mikhail's scan that none of the sentinels have changed their patrol. It doesn't appear that he's alerted any of them. He looks to one side again. "I don't expect you three to trust me, or even ask you to trust me. See if those coordinates check out. Take this probe with you if you like," he says. "But if you want to make this end, find Hank, or Forge, or Magneto, or somebody who can help me put an end to these things. Ahab won't be able to do much if we can take down his sentinels. Then we'll have an army of angry ex-captured mutants to help take him out."
"Okay, we'll trust your cordinates, but not you." Daisuke says as the sonic staff disappears and he adjust the backpack on his shoulder. "Sorry but I'm not taking the probe with me, and Hank, Forge, Magneto…Magneto is the only one who isn't MIA right now. Oh and I'll give you a small tip Theo. Ahab…he doesn't control the Sentinels. He controls the Hounds. The Sentinels, that's a whole 'nother division."
"If I was asking you out on a date you'd know about it. Since when have I ever been subtle about that sort of thing?" Chloe points out, rolling her eyes. "I was suggesting a meet to try confirm you're really who you claim to be. Plus the bar in question still sells cold beers and after a few thousand miles worth of running I need a cold drink.."
"I don't really care about the divisions," Theo says. "It's all the same cancer." He considers Chloe's proposal. He once had a serious crush on the girl, but he's been past that for some time. "I'd like to, Chloe," he says. "But it'll take me more than a few hours to get to Peru from where I am, we can't all move at supersonic speeds."
Daisuke nods to Theo and mutters a thank you in Japanese as he heads back to the area where he found something. "Chloe, I managed to find soap and a few boxes of rice and some empty coolers for water here." Daisuke says as he is now more focused on what he needs to do than what Theo has to say, let the two have their reunion.
Chloe shrugs. "I can't offer any more time. It would allow a unreasonable amount of time to plan an ambush," she points out, nodding at Daisuke. "I'll let the General know you're operating and see if she has any reason to want futher contact with you." The general being what Chloe has taken to calling Rashmi, not that many people outside the Rebellion would know that. "To be honest the amount of tech you're using could make you a liability. Too easy to track and too vulnerable to captured technomancers."
Theo nods, "Understandable," he says. "The General?" he asks, intrigued. He hadn't heard of any formal organized resistance, which is probably good, it means they've kept the secret well. "Don't worry about captured technopaths, they'd have to be smarter than me, and anyone who was dumb enough to get caught isn't." A familiar cockiness about his intelligence.
"Someone we trust." Daisuke says to Theo as he comes out of the building with the backpack a little fuller and carring a large empty water jug in one arm. "Chloe, I found toilet paper." He says with a grin as he tosses her something, then something to Mikhail. It's a small red and white wrapped mint. "Found those too, I have the rest in my pocket." The nice thing about these missions is that you get to keep some of what you find. "Okay, let's see. Cigarettes and alcohol haven't been found yet, and of course food, but right now, we're doing okay." Any blankets, batteries and such will also be grabbed up. "Chloe, I think we should try New Jersey or Connecticut sometime soon, they might have some decent malls to raid."
Chloe grins. "You're forgetting that some mutants went across through choice," she reminds. "Not everyone on the other side is 'stupid'. Besides they have more hardware and better backup than you do. So don't try anything stupid okay? We've already got one Corsair that needs putting down and I'd rather not make it two."
Theo gives a smug grin. "Don't worry about me, I've managed pretty well so far on my own. If you want my help, you can take the probe. If you don't, then leave it. But when you see Magnus, make sure to tell him Hardline is still around, and could use some help putting down the Sentinels for good." Another bridge Theo burned, but it's time to build a new bridge. "Maybe I can take you up on that drink sometime soon," he offers. He moves the camera to look at Mikhail again. "You three take care of yourselves, don't be too heroic."
Daisuke isn't gonna take the probe and he turns to Chloe and gives her concerned look. "I wouldn't take it, no offense Theo, but right now our safety is key and I still don't trust you." Hell he doesn't trust half the people in the underground. "Stay Frosty Theo, and don't die." Dai says which is probably about the nicest thing he says to him today.
"How about you leave the probe… There…" Chloe suggests, pointing at an out of the way point on the map. Most likely because of a ruined sewage treatment plant. "If the risk is considered worth it we'll send someone to contact you later on. If not then it's unlikely anyone will steal the probe and try trace you back to base."
"Sounds like a plan," Theo agrees. "This probe will be the one that will be waiting there. Mark it with something you have available so that you can know it is the same probe." He leans forward in his seat. "Thanks, Daisuke. you three do the same," he adds. His hand lifts, and he manually presses the button to disengage the hologram. The small probe closes it's top. It doesn't look like it's made with special paint, so it's surface should be easy to scratch or dent slightly. The camera is still extended, and it looks back at Chloe and Daisuke. Theo is likely still watching, even if he can't be seen.
Muttering softly to Chloe, Daisuke whispers, "I still wanna crush it." Meaning the device but he's not gonna risk using his powers and drawing in Sentinels. "So…do you wanna try one of those places that he said still had food?"
"I wouldn't touch them anytime soon," Chloe says with a shrug. "If it's a trap let them get bored of watching, then we'll strike. For now we stick with the plan and let Theo dump his drone in an open sewer. That way if he's a Hunter or a Hound he'll get the pleasure of having his forces lurk somewhere they'd really rather not be. Which'll be great for morale."
