The boys had been up all morning, backing and cooking. They were planning a nice lunch for everyone, but were making festive pies in the meantime. Even after everything that happened on the asteroid, Jayden and Jaden still felt out of place and generally unwanted at the mansion. Taking after their Mother, the twins never showed it in front of the others. They were torn up inside would only let one another know about it.
Coming back from the entrance hall with Coulson, the boys hurried and prepared plates for everyone. Hearing Waya's message, they figured that the others would want a slice too. "Sorry about that." Jaden said.
"Waya can be a bit... cranky sometimes."
"She has good reason." Agent Coulson said standing in the kitchen, always a bit stiff or maybe too relaxed, it was hard to tell. There was something just generally
off about the guy. "You all do for that matter."
"We're a lot stronger then you think."
Jaden asked as he sliced the pie and served the agent up a slice. This was a pretty big lie. The twins knew everyone here had issues that were a direct cause from their parent's disappearance, but they both understood that no one could know about it. Especially not these agents.
His brother brought out the cool whip and set it before him with a spoon. "Sort of like a family itself I guess." Jayden added, lying too. Maybe everyone else banned together, but the twins still were on uneasy grounds with the others. They only thing that kept the twins sane was pretending everything was fine and they were wanted.
"I think your parents would be proud." Agent Coulson said. "I'm aware of how many people left after they disappeared. It's admirable the way you've all stayed on after what's happened."
The twins forced their usual fake, smile at him. "So-" they spoke as one, "How is it?" they asked concerning the pie.
After Agent Coulson took his first bite he mulled it over and swallowed. "I can honestly say that this is the best pumpkin pie I've had."
The
twins smiled genuinely to one another before going back to prepare slices for everyone else. "Did Waya mention where she wanted us to meet so you can say your announcement?"
"It's not exactly an announcement." Agent Coulson said "More of an... awareness report."
Eliza came into the room, staring at the floor as she wondered over towards the fridge. She knew that Coulson was here, she didn't care, she needed food and something to eat and then she'd head down to her lab again.
"Good afternoon Miss Burd." Agent Coulson said nicely, though like always he never really showed any true emotion.
ELiza ignored him, like she ignored most people these days; she opened the fridge and began to rummage through the insides. What to eat? There were a few left overs, a few pieces of food she could put together... maybe make a sandwhich...
The twins looked at one another after seeing Eliza's rude acknowledgment of the agent. Having to cover for Waya AND Eliza might prove to be a challenge. "Morning cuz!" they chimed. One of them grabbed a plate with a fresh slice of pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top and held it out for her.
"How about a sweet breakfast for a sweet little lady?" asked the other.
Eliza stared at the plate in front of her nose, but the look she gave the twins was one of almost sheer malice. She reached up to snatch the plate from her cousin's hands before picking up the pie from the plate and chomping hard on it. She chewed half the pie, looking at the twins as if she didn't care if they were insulted. She felt like murdering things. Many things.
Rhydian walked into the kitchen and headed straight for the fridge. He opened it, pulled out the gallon jug of Powerade, and turned around. The cap twisted itself as he turned. It dismounted from the bottle and walked to sit onto the counter all by itself. He started chugging from the bottle and then 'noticed' Agent Coulson. He stopped and raised the jug in his direction. "Afternoon Sir."
Waya followed Rhydian inside and stood by the counter, disgruntled that the twins were being so hospitable to Agent Coulson.
Despite Eliza's rudeness and glares at the boys, they smiled through it, understanding her pain about recent events. Nevertheless, two more sad faces surely wouldn't cheer her up, so they kept it glued on their faces. "Hey Rhydian- breakfast?"
Jayden asked, handing him a plate of pumpkin pie and whipped cream that they had just baked.
Assuming the others were on their way,
Jaden started to prepare plates for everyone.
"Breakfast was hours ago guys."
Rhydian said simply as he took a forkful of the pie. "Good pie though."
Phinagin came in and stood as far away from Rhydian as possible and refused to even sweep his gaze past the area he was in. He waited patiently for Coulson to begin.
Jeremy came in, frowned around at the people seated and said to Waya "I thought you said everyone was in here? Where's Maribel?" Had Waya just forgotten about the girl? Or had Maribel snuck home without telling him...
"She's not feeling well right now."
Junior told Jeremy as he came in. "Still kinda ickey all over I guess. We can brief her afterward."
"I suppose you all are anxious to hear what I have to say?" Agent Coulson asked. He'd only take one other bite of his pie and it sat relitively untouched on his plate at the moment.
The twins hurried and passed out plates to everyone with a slice of pumpkin pie with whipped cream and a fork. When Coulson began, they backed away and leaned against the counter.
Jeremy took his pie with a small "thank you boys", a half smile on his face as he took a bite from it. Fattening, but it's not like it would make a difference to his figure. "Somewhat" he said honestly to Coulson "Though i'm starting to wonder if you didn't do this for the pie."
Waya sat her pie to the side, untouched. She knew the boys were more than proficient with the baked goods but there were things more important right now than culinary delight.
Junior hopped up onto the counter and took his pie with a nod of thanks to the twins.
Coulson smiled his blank smile to Jeremy and began to get on with it. "We've reason to believe that you all might be in danger."
"Oh yeah, cuz that's news."
Rhydian said as he finished off his pie. He set his plate down on the counter and it rolled itself over to the sink.
Phinagin, who was eating his pie with a bone fork sticking out of his finger spoke up. "I think that we might be in a little less danger if SHIELD left us alone."
Eliza was just standing in a corner, scowling at the plate in front of her as she continued to eat her pie. She was getting short tempered now, unless Coulson spilt what exactly was a threat now she was just going to leave the room.
Waya was indifferent to this news. He always had a tendency to pop up with "You're all in danger." every few weeks.
"Our Intel is unclear but we believe that there is a rogue mutant searching for the X-Men." Coulson continued. "We are unable to pinpoint his location with our technology but it's understood that he may be on his way here. Perhaps to do you all harm."
"How do you know it's not some dude who wants to join?" Junior asked. "I mean, he could need help or a place to feel safe."
"He's put four people in the hospital." Agent Coulson told Junior. "It's doubtful he;s only looking for a roof and a hot meal."
"So?"
Jeremy was the one speaking, staring down at his pie as he did because he didn't want to look up at the others "A lot of people decided to put me in the hospital. Mutants aren't exactly being thought highly of, it might have been self defence."
"Where was he last spotted?"
the twins asked, untieing their frilly, pink aprons.
"Two of the individuals he attacked were mutants," Coulson told Jeremy. "Witnesses say they were attempting to rescue the two under the focus of his attack. The incident happened in Boston and that was the last place anyone has seen him sense."
"Boston?"
Waya asked. "Where exactly?"
"The Massachusetts Academy." Coulson replied and the group knew of their own school's history with that of the late Emma Frost-Summers. Though they themselves had never attended there; the Boston school as most called it, had often been a haven during the two times their school had been destroyed.
Phinagin had no idea what the importance of that school was. "So he attacked some people at an academy? What's the big deal with that?"
"The Massachusetts Academy is the sister school of this one, Phinagin."
Rhydian explained nonchalantly. "Was anyone seriously injured, Agent Coulson?"
Jeremy had to admit, this was NOT looking like self defence... that blew his theory out of the water. He crossed his arms, frowning slightly and thinking for a second before saying "And what makes you think he's coming here?"
Just then, the kitchen door lazily opened.
Maribel groggily peeked in. Her hair was a mess but she was completely wrapped up in a thick quilt, making it difficult to see her face altogether. She had been woken up by the message Waya had sent and was coming down to see what was going on. Upon seeing the agent, Maribel sniffled and stepped back, a bit embarrassed to be seen like this.
Upon seeing Maribelle enter Agent Coulson's reply came not only vocally, but in sign language also. "Those injured will survive, but one remains in a coma. It was overheard that he was searching for the X-Men and for now, you are they."
"Do you know anything about this guy?"
Junior asked. "Is he a mutant? What are his powers? Real information, so we know how to prepare."
Eliza grit her teeth, sighing slightly and crossing her arms; she did NOT need this right now, she was busy, or at least she was trying to be. She still wasn't driven to inquire what this was about though, she wanted to just leave and get on with trying to figure out how to get her machine back. Or how to get the parts.
The twins glanced at Jr then to the agent, "Better yet, instead of an empty warning, why didn't you bring anyone with you?"
"You know-...people WITH GUNS."
"I considered that." Agent Coulson told the twins. "But I did not want to offend you by bringing the notion that you all could not defend yourselves."
"Good call."
Waya said darkly. Her pie still sat on the counter, untouched. Not because the twins weren't capable of making an awesome piece of pie, but because eating in Coulson's company felt a little like Percepphony and the pomegranate seeds.
"Still"
Jeremy muttered under his breath, it wasn't as if they had a very good run with defending themselves. He shrugged slightly and looked over to Waya, he would probably find himself on guard over the next few nights, just leave his body and drift through the hallways without being seen.
"If you like we can station a few sentinels." Agent Coulson offered. "Our ONE agents are some of our best and most trusted."
"That'd be nice."
the twins noted.
"At least something that could give us a heads up. Speaking of which-"
"-Is there any estimation to when this guy is gonna be here?"
"within the hour if you like." Agent Coulson told them.
"We need to talk about this..."
waya said sounding dubious. She knew the reformed sentinel program had washed all the mutant killing programming and that they'd become a staple of United States security. Still, she didn't think it was a good idea to have half a dozen walking around the grounds.
Maribel didn't really know what was going on, but she didn't like the sound of it very much. Slowly, she backed out of the kitchen and listened through the crack of the swinging door, hidden completely under her quilt.
"I dont think that will be necessary."
Phinagin said as he tossed his plate into the sink. "We are perfectly capable of defending ourselves and if my classmates fell otherwise I can have one of my father's special military grade security and special defense systems here and running in an hour and a half." After saying this he turned to Waya. "I already requested it, it should be here today anyways."
"I think the people who know what the hell a ONE agent is"
Jeremy said slowly "Should really be the ones to vote. But... I do remember Sentinels... and no, I don't want them near me..."
Rhydian took a moment to access his neural chip, his eyes glossed over in a strange black with a variety of 0s and 1s moving swiftly across them. "The Office of National Emergency, most commonly referred to as O*N*E, is a government agency best known as the originator of the Sentinel squads that were assigned to protect/observ
e the X-Men and the remaining mutants after the event known as M-Day, which reduced the number of mutants on Earth to a very few hundred. The Sentinels employed by O*N*E are Mark VIII models which, unlike most, require pilots." The gloss over his eyes dissipated and he spoke in a less robotic voice. "The original Sentinels primary programming was to protect humans from mutants, but after numerous failures against the original X-men, they were somewhat decommissioned and many were reprogrammed. Under O*N*E, they commissioned Sentinels that required human pilots, giving the power of the robots the unpredictability of the human mind. The original Sentinels simply couldn't react fast enough, with human pilots behind the wheels, they are far superior in that matter. I don't think it would be a bad idea, as long as we are permitted to at least chose which of the O*N*E pilots we were to receive as guards."
Maribel still listened in from the crack of the door to Rhydian's explanation. She didn't completely understand some of the english words that he used, but tried to assume he was talking about some sort of protective weapon...like a tank, perhaps? Turning, she coughed into her quilt. Even though a week had passed, she had seemed to be unable to pass the sore throat she had since the asteroid field trip.
"So that's two for yes and two for no." Waya said, "What about the rest of you?"
"Make that three for yes." Junior said. "If this guys as bad as he sounds then I'd prefer we had more backup." He looked at the twins, expecting them to agree with him considering what they'd said earlier.
Jayden and Jaden nodded, "It was too close to call up on asteroid-m. Let's get help this time around just in case."
Waya didn't like the sound of this so far, but there was still two votes uncounted. "Liz, Maribelle, what do you two say?"
Eliza shrugged slightly, frowning at the floor. She closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them there was a strange... smile on her face. She gave a thumbs up, but the smile wasn't one of confidence or happiness... it was the kind of one you gave when you had your own thing planned.
Maribel didn't answer, she was still trying to decipher what they were all talking about. Whatever it was, it seemed dangerous and felt like just another near-death experience.
"We need you're vote on this too Maribelle." Junior said speaking up, not wanting her to get left out, after all, she was one of them now.
Maribel opened the door a little and nodded. Her hands were wrapped up in the blanket so she couldn't exactly explain which side she was nodding for.
"That's another Yay." Waya said, seeing that she hadn't spoken and which direction she'd nodded was still confusing. She'd scooped it off the top of her mind. "I guess that means we're having guests." She said disgruntled, glancing at Phinagin, the only one to vote with her on the issue. "But like Rhydian said, we want to pick the pilots."
"Of course." Agent Coulson said. "I will have some dossiers emailed to you shortly and the sentinels will be delivered once you've made your decisions."
Maribel stayed huddled in the doorway, not too keen on why exactly they needed some sort of military defense in the front yard. Unfortunately she missed the beginning of the meeting from her cough.
Eliza had this odd... twisted smile on her face as she gazed at Coulton, she seemed almost to be plotting something. She did hope that the pilot they chose was narcoleptic...
"Well, I should be going." Agent Coulson replied once he noticed Eliza stairing at him. "I will have the dossiers delivered shortly and your pilots will be dispatched once you contact me." He handed his card to Waya.
"You can see yourself out?" Waya said, taking his card and eyeing his number."
Agent Coulson left them there and left, squeezing pass Maribelle on his way t the front door.
"You know Petal," the twins piped in together as they started to clear the empty pie plates from the counter, "You really should be nicer to our guests."
"He is just trying to protect us." Jaden explained, turning the sink on.
"Would it have been better had he not warned us?" Jayden added.
"And us accepting their help just puts us in their debt." Waya told them. "Or do you want something like what happened on asteroid-M to happen again?"
"Better to have them with us, than against us." Rhydian pointed out carefully. He was hoping to keep conversations away from what had happened on Asteroid-M for as much as he could
"I'm all for big robot dudes to keep us safe." Junior said. "But the more that guy is around the more it feels like our hold on this place slips just a little."
"I'm going to take that thing apart like an onion" Eliza said darkly to herself before turning away and heading outside. She nodded to Maribel as she passed, that strange grin still on her lips.
"Wait-" Jaden said, watching Eliza head out.
"What did she say?" asked the other.
"If you dont like them around then why the hell did you vote for their help?" Phinagin said heatedly. "I have a state-of-the-art security system on its way right now that will be here today and ready to go withing four hours."
"It's not the sentinels I'm worried about." Junior said "It's the organization."
"Yeah, well it's the Sentinels I'm worried about." Waya said. Just thinking of them brought back memories of a time before SHIELD had taken control of the project. If Liz decided to take one apart piece by piece then Waya might just have to find a screwdriver to help her. If she had one major phobia, it was Sentinels. She could deal with SHIELD, they were people, bastards maybe, but still flesh and blood.
Maribel flinched when the conversation got heated. She just stayed beside herself in the corner of the kitchen, shrouded in a quilt.
"It's sometimes nice to let people help you." Jaden said to Waya.
"For once, we won't be alone in this fight." said his brother.
"Why do you think I voted no?" Waya answered "Or do you not remember than six months where everyone thought I was dead?" Of course they'd only been seven or eight at the time, it was no wonder they didnt remember.
"We are never going to get out from under their control unless we stop relying on them." Phinagin said, putting his hand down hard on the counter to emphasize his point. "Otherwise its just going to be them using us as their own little mutant strike force."
Maribel jumped a bit from the suddenness of Phin's hand smacking hard against the table.
"Don't you think our lives are a bit more important then politics?!" asked Jayden loudly.
"If what he said is true and we are under attack from this rogue mutant for whatever reason, we should be careful. I don't think they would send an agent here if the danger wasn't significant." argued Jaden.
"They have a point." Junior said.
"Or maybe they just want us in their pockets." Phinagin added. "Do you all doubt yourself so much that you would quickly take SHIELD's because of one mutant?"
"We get to chose the pilots. How could this go wrong? The Sentinels are programed to follow the orders given by their pilot and respond only to the pilot's commands. It's not like the old days where they were mutant hunting machines. The best part of this deal is the ability to chose who will be the pilots guarding us." Rhydian tried to explain, "It's the most logical course of action. Coulson was going to have them stationed nearby anyway, at least now we will have them closer...for observation purposes at the very least."
"What he said." Junior replied.
"Look it's too late to argue about this now surely" Jeremy said, fed up of staying silent right now "And I think that right now, if SHIELD pushes for re-paid debts or tries to put us under their control they will come across very badly, considering we are currently a group of very spontaneous" his eyes flashed to Phinagin "and argumentative" his eyes now moved to Waya "kids."
"Kids, speak for yourself." Phinagin said with a glare at Rhydian as he spoke up. " And those Sentinels can watch us just as easily as it watches out for the enemy."
"Not everyone is a damned black belt and militarily trained like you are." Jayden argued. He didn't want to point out Maribel specifically, but Phinagin was a fighting maniac up on asteroid M.
"And why was that anyway, Phin?" asked Jaden
Rhydian glared right back at Phinagin. "You underestimate what I can do now. You think I'd let the Sentinels watch us?"
"Quit it." Waya said speaking up, at everyone. "What's done is done, I might not like it," She was speaking of herself and Phinagin "But I have to deal with it."
Maribel wanted to know what a Sentinel was exactly, not understanding that English word, but whatever it was, she knew she wasn't going to like it. Everyone was talking about some sort of battle that was coming...it really didn't sit well with her. Despite it, Maribel stayed alone by the door, wrapped in a quilt and sniffling a bit.
"Right... so giant ass robot thing coming tomorrow" Jeremy sighed, hopping from his seat "I'm off before this tension gets so hard it is physically used to beat each other to death. Bye.." He made for the door, he didn't want this right now.
Maribel quickly shuffled to the side, not wanting to get into Jeremy's way. She clung onto her quilt and coughed a little.
Jeremy paused... then looked at Maribel and smiled "You should go see Eliza about that cough, she's good with stuff like that. And I think she needs something to distract her right now."
Maribel backed up and kept herself hidden. She nodded to Jeremy, but refused the offer. Maribel had been alone in her room since the incident on the asteroid. For whatever reason, the little French girl was suddenly quite anti-social.
"Well... whatever, I think she's going nuts down there. You should talk to her... even if it's a little bit" Jeremy shrugged, only thinking about the two of their mental states. They were both being rather anti-social, maybe they could do it together.
"I've got some things to take down to her." Waya interjected "I could use a hand." She didn't really need a hand, not if she teleported, but perhaps if she wasn't alone she wouldn't get attacked.
Seeing as the meeting was now clearly adjourned, Rhydian grabbed another drink from the fridge and left the kitchen
The twins popped up, "We can help ya, Petal!" They scurried to her side and stayed proper with their hands behind their backs.
Waya wasn't really wanting their help but it was better than nothing. "Fine, follow me."
Phinagin was going to offer his help, but when the twins seemed so eager to help, he kept his hand down.
The twins smiled and followed Waya out of the kitchen, proud as ever that someone actually wanted their help. ...Or put up with it, either way, they were pleased.
Maribel was quiet glad that the boys had offered to help Waya, she really didn't need any more stress for the evening. Clutching the quilt over her head and around her body, she glanced over at the fridge. She figured that she might as well grab something to drink while she was here. Maybe something would ease this cough she had had all week. The French girl, carefully walked over to the fridge and opened it before pulling out a small bottled sports drink.
Phinagin watched Maribel make her way to the fridge all bundled up in her quilt. He had grown concerned for her since she came down with whatever it is that she has come down with. She hasnt been feeling well since Asteroid M and he was beginning to wonder if it wasnt something from their that has caused this. He walked over to her, "Hey, you feeling better?"
Maribel frowned under the shadow of the blanket. In all honesty, the past week or so had been hell, but she lifted her shoulders, hoping not to make Phin too concerned. She was holding onto the sports drink through the blanket, but it slipped out of her grip and hit the floor. Thankfully, the cap stayed on. Maribel bent down and grabbed the bottle, exposing her hand for a brief moment. In the instant they could see that her fingers were dark on the tips and elongated, but she quickly hid them.
"Oh my Lord Maribell! Whats wrong with your hand?" Phinagin asked as he reached into the darkness of the blanket to try and grab the hand to better investigate it.
Maribel became quite worried and pulled back. She didn't want anyone to see. Unfortunately, Phin manged to tug on the blanket rather then her hand. This snatched the quilt out of her grip and let it fall off of her figure. She gasped at the thought of people seeing her like this.
Her fingers were elongated and faded to black at the tips. They even seemed to form to a point at the end. Her iris was black and had expanded to post of her eye. There was only bites of white in the corners. Her neck was the most alarming however. The sides were bulged outward and greyed, as if something was growing inside of her throat. It seems that the reason Maribel was coughing so much wasn't ONLY from a cold.
"Shit!" Phinagin said as he reflexively took a step back. "Whats happened to you?" He said with worry in his voice that this was some sort of mutagen that she had been exposed to on the asteroid.
Maribel grabbed the blanket and tried to cover herself up. She knew everyone would've found out eventually...but she didn't expect it to happen so suddenly like this. The poor little French girl didn't reply and started to tear up, completely embarrassed and ashamed. She was turning into some sort of monster, and soon everyone would know about it.
Realizing his unpolite manner in a situation like this, Phinagin quickly changed his tone. "Im sorry Maribel, that sounded inconsiderate. But what is happening to you? And why havent you told anyone?"
Maribel kept the quilt over her head. She knew that she could only have hidden for so long.. but now what? Bringing her mutated hands out, she signed, 'I was afraid.'
"I can understand that, but we are here for you. To help you through...whatever is happening to you." Phinagin said taking a better look at her hands. "You should go to the medical wing and make sure this is part of your mutation and not some result of an attack on you or something."
Maribel frowned, completely and utterly embarrassed. It didn't help that Phinagin's mutation didn't effect his appearance like hers was starting to. With a sniffle, she signed, 'You think so? This cough was what started the whole thing and....as you see, everything has just gotten worse.'
"Definately. They should have some equipment down there that will tell you what exactly is going on." Phinagin said, trying his best not to stare at any part of Maribel that was changing. "And no one here is going to judge you on how you look, so there is no need to hide."
Maribel squirmed awkwardly, having lost nearly all confidence. She tucked her hands back in, not really wanting to go down to the medical ward by herself. Maybe it would be best though.
Phinagin shook his head as she pulled her hands back into the blanket. "I'll make you a deal. If you take off the blanket covering you, I will escort you to the medical ward and stay with you till they are done." He figured that would be a good way to get her to go plus it would kill the time left before his security system arrived.
Maribel grumbled and lifted her hands, 'That doesn't seem like a very good deal to me." Despite it, she took off the quilt and kept her eyes downward at the kitchen tiles. The mass on both sides of her throat looked quite large...roughly the size of ovular grapefruits.
Phinagin resisted the urge to cringe again as he got a good look at her throat. "Not to sound inconsiderate, but how do you eat and breath with those large lumps in your throat?" He asked as he offered her his arm.
'They don't seem to be cutting off my throat or esophagus at all. Although I have a cough, as far as I can tell it....grows outward.' Maribel explained, hesitantly taking his arm.
"We should be able to figure out exactly whats going on." Phinagin said reassuringly as he lead her to the infirmary.
Stumble!