[hr][hr][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/FKJKRczH/the-gifted-591b350cc9ba7.png[/img][hr][img]https://i.postimg.cc/vTYLXJqK/giphy.gif[/img][/center][hr][hr][center][@Nallore][@FantasyChic][@BlueSky44][@Achronum][@Trainerblue192][@KazAlkemi][@Framing A Moose][/center][hr][center][h3][color=f7941d][b]Washington D.C.: September 10th, 2020 - 1:20 PM[/b][/color][/h3][/center][hr][hr][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/WpKJC0mt/image.png[/img][/center][hr][color=f7941d][b]The Penthouse - Shaw Industries...[/b][/color]

	[color=E0F6FD]"The information I have given you thus far, darling, is how I can extend a hand to meet you halfway,"[/color] Emma explained. [color=E0F6FD]"I appreciate that I must earn your trust, and that you must earn mine, but we are true family. Related by blood and by X-gene. I want you to be a part of the foundation of Genosha, Leighton."[/color] 

	Reeva and Emma exchanged a quick glance after Max's request. [color=B1C1EB]"Of course. The White King is running a session at the moment and I am certain he wouldn't mind having two more to spar."[/color]

	Emma chuckled slightly, shaking her head a bit. [color=E0F6FD]"Erik plays... [i]rough[/i], to put it delicately. But please, do follow me,"[/color] Emma said, standing up from the couch and motioning for them to follow her to the Training Room. 
	
[color=f7941d][b]The Training Room - Shaw Industries...[/b][/color]

	Polaris' eyes widened slightly as the White Queen managed to get the helmet off of Magneto. She had a gut feeling that Magneto was playing easy with them - no one ever really managed to get that helmet off of him. The X-Men had trouble with it and they routinely fought him with all of their might. [color=A9F8C7]"You need to try harder, Father!"[/color] Lorna snapped, enraged at the idea that he was treating them like children and not like decorated warriors. Clenching her fists, she sent more metal rods flying at her father's face, but he once more deflected them harmlessly. 

	Metal clearly wasn't working, so Polaris ran at Magneto and kicked him in the gut. The Master of Magnetism fell backwards, heading for the ground. But his magnetic prowess saved him, as he stopped his fall and came up to his proper height, levitating about ten feet off of the ground. He deposited his helmet back on his head firmly. [color=FF5733]"Good play - now, the aerial portion."[/color]

	[color=11FCBC]"I've located Jinx and the Three in One - working on sending a remote signal to their collars now. The Scarlet Witch is also there."[/color]

	[color=FF5733]"...Aid her as well, Sage,"[/color] Magneto said without much urgency or feeling at all.

	The door then opened, revealing Emma, Reeva, Leighton, and Max. [color=E0F6FD]"Hold, please,"[/color] Emma requested. Up in the air, Magneto turned his gaze down on the new mutants and Polaris redirected her attention as well, metal rods still suspended in the air around her. [color=E0F6FD]"I have two more for this session."[/color]
	
[color=f7941d][b]The Raft - Location Classified...[/b][/color]

	[color=red]"It's common knowledge that Pietro decided to join the X-Men!"[/color] Wanda instantly snapped back at Jinx. Her anger and sorrow were coloring her thoughts and decisions, obscuring any friendship that existed between Jinx and the Scarlet Witch. 

	Jinx's words wounded Luminous, the egotistical experiment glaring at him. [color=silver]"I'm going to enjoy ripping your heart out,"[/color] she threatened. It was her method of choice when it came to executions and the principle reason as to why S.H.I.E.L.D. had locked her up in the first place. 

	[color=3D5DC3]"Bold of you to assume we take orders from you,"[/color] the Three in One said in unison, staring at Jinx. The triplets had lightened up slightly towards him, knowing what Emma had done to his mind earlier that day, but his instruction to [i]shut it[/i] ruined whatever good will they had amassed towards him. 

	[color=377E4B]"I am the world's most brilliant mind, which is precisely why I don't need to tell you any of that in order to formulate a plan,"[/color] Doom pointed out. [color=377E4B]"And I would not allow myself to be in this facility unless I [i]wanted[/i] to be here,"[/color] he then added. Maybe it was the truth, maybe it was a lie in order to save face and protect his wounded ego. [color=377E4B]"They'll bring lunch soon. They collect utensils afterwards. Do with that what you will."[/color] The hint would be clear enough - if Jinx wanted his collar off, he would just need to figure out a way to keep his utensil after the lunch trays were brought by. He could then use it to pry the box on the back of the collar open and from there, it was just a matter of knowing the 4 digit code. [hr][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/5yqyXQGW/image.png[/img][/center][hr][color=f7941d][b]New Mutant Underground Hideout...[/b][/color]

	Veil grimaced, agreeing with Sapphire's assessment. Even if they tipped S.H.I.E.L.D. off about what was going on, the odds of the agency doing anything about it was next to nothing. Mutant lives weren't a priority in this country. The X-Men were beloved because they were seen as being [i]the good ones[/i] - everyone else was a walking weapon of mass destruction, not even seen as a living being with fundamental rights. [color=935DB8]"Right, we're on our own then,"[/color] Veil sighed. [color=935DB8]"I'll make some calls to others in the Underground, let them know that we aren't taking refugees except for on a short term basis here... If we're going to bring these assholes down, it'll take all of our resources and attention."[/color]

	By her count, they had about fifteen people here that they could count on. She could divide everyone into three groups of five. No one would be caught off guard by themselves then hopefully and made into another one of Sinister's playthings. If the groups were any bigger than that, they'd have trouble fighting effectively in those small spaces. No matter how much she didn't want this to be a deadly battle, Veil knew realistically that it would happen. She needed people she trusted in each group. [color=935DB8]"Okay, three squads. First one - me, Jack, Moonwalker, Spark Plug, and Blink. Second one - Colossus, Casper, Glimpse, James, and Negasonic. And third one - you, Havok, Sunshine, Feedback, and Magik."[/color]

	[color=935DB8]"Sound good?"[/color] she asked Sapphire. Two of the groups had teleporters and if she remembered correctly, Glimpse was a bit of a speedster, so everyone should have easy getaway options. [color=935DB8]"Vulcan should be fine here if you can maybe give him enough drugs to knock him out for a few hours?"[/color]

	In the dining room, Colossus considered Moonwalker's suggestion. He wasn't in charge of the Mutant Underground, so it wasn't his call as to whether or not they went off on missions. [color=B0B4B0]"I do not know if there is water,"[/color] he answered. They had been in this new place less than an hour. [color=B0B4B0]"Supply run, da, maybe... But now is time to end Hounds. Supply can wait. Sinister, nyet."[/color] 

	[color=D48FFF]"If Sinister isn't already in the wind,"[/color] Blink pointed out. She didn't know too many details about what had happened, but she had gotten the basics that while she and Negasonic were gone, Vulcan had attacked at the hospital and the others had walked into a trap at the Cherry Bomb karaoke bar. [color=D48FFF]"If I were him, I would have left town, hired some mercs to hunt everyone down who got in the way, and come back once they were gone."[/color]

	[color=FAFD95]"...Maybe I can give my brother a call, see if he'll come and take Vulcan,"[/color] Havok suggested, looking away from his newly discovered third brother. [color=FAFD95]"That or we just beat the shit out of this guy, make sure that he doesn't wake up this time."[/color]

	On the staircase in the entranceway, Negasonic rolled her eyes slightly at Feedback. [color=E33B19]"You're a horrible liar,"[/color] she told her bluntly. She was about to say something else, but her phone buzzed and Negasonic quickly went back to texting, writing what looked like a lengthy paragraph to Yukio. 

	[color=6B576F]"Belasco,"[/color] Magik coldly, glancing over towards Feedback. [color=6B576F]"The demon who imprisoned me in Limbo, forging a portion of my soul into a bloodstone."[/color] Her words were quiet, quiet enough that her brother fortunately couldn't hear, yet loud enough for the other teenage girls on the staircase to listen. 

	[color=#DAF7A6]"...I killed some purifiers,"[/color] Sunshine answered, feeling somber for a moment. [color=#DAF7A6]"I'd do it again. But... I want to murder Sinister, Shaw... My mother... The judge..."[/color]

	[color=E33B19]"Deadpool. He's fucking annoying,"[/color] Negasonic chimed in, before going back to her phone. 

	On the couch in the entranceway, Casper was a little bit surprised to see James come back and apologize so quickly. He reminded him a little bit of his brother. [color=DBA1DE]"Sure, why not? I love those [i]Extreme Home Makeover[/i] shows,"[/color] he added at the end, smiling slightly. He loved seeing the ruined, crappy buildings turned into warm and inviting homes. Sure, it was largely just camera angles, staging, and better lighting - but it spoke to him. If a horrible Katrina damaged house could be made whole again, maybe Casper himself could be healed too. 

	[color=DBA1DE]"I should find Jackie - he kinda freaks super easily. He drinks way too much coffee,"[/color] Casper mused. A vague image flickered out of the corner of his eye and he tried his best to ignore it, hoping that it was his mind tricking him and not the ghosts returning.