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X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia - Quinjet
Skills: N/A

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"Keep swallowing that pride, Michelle." She instructed herself as others laughed, "This is what you get for living up to stereotypes."

The fun evaporated in the room when ice materialised around her feet and Agent Clarke dropped to the floor. This was not a game, somethin' was fucky, an increasingly familiar feeling. Michelle hadn't even begun trying to work out Sapphire's motives when Tinley gave it away, she made Sapphire put them on ice and in Michelle's mind immediately drew the faction lines. For whatever reason, she, Darkholme, Clarke and Kingston, plus anyone Sapphire failed to freeze before falling unconcious were no longer aligned with Tinley. Michelle then watched as one by one her frozen colleges were knocked out. With the shotgun taken away it was only a matter of time before she was unconcious too and with the Hulk on the way, it was a death sentence. The fact that only frozen targets were taken out told her that everyone they wanted incapacitated was, and now she really was alone against them.

Novikova, in trying to persuade her girlfriend Agent Smith to join her, gave her an out. She spilled the beans on what they thought was going on, what had motivated them to attack their own team when a great green killing machine was on his way to royally fuck us up. This world wasn't real.

"I knew it! I fuckin' knew it!" She exclaimed, "You fuckers have been behaving odd all afternoon!"

She didn't know it, not for sure, there had been a moment or two but otherwise had been pretty consistent, but she hoped they'd buy it atleast long enough to establish what was going on. Michelle would have liked to bounce on her toes but she was still stuck, so instead she had a pretend victory wriggle in place, but not for long, the ship shifted unnaturally. She toppled over on her ass and the fear of Hulk was struck back into her. From her unique vantage point on the floor, she saw a flash of radioactive green through the window. She was going to wait on negoiating her way out of her cold shackles to when she knew they trusted her again, but with the Hulk present it became a more urgent issue. Michelle decided it was still best to ask politely.

"GET ME THE FUCK OUT OF THIS ICY DEATHTRAP, HE'S HERE."

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia - Quinjet
Skills: N/A

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Terrifying. Michelle was now certain that the Hulk coming over the horizon was terrifying.

Agent Bautista confirmed Michelle's suspicions when the call suddenly dropped, they'd made it a problem the Hulk can solve. Michelle rubbed her temples, once we hit cruising altitudes and speeds we were safe from the Hulk, until then the Quinjet little more than a multi-million dollar hovering sardine can and right now we weren't even hovering.

"What an absolute fuckin' meathead."

Careful to remember to not leave the dangerous loaded weapon unattended, Michelle and her shotgun moved up to the front of the craft, repositioning the seat height and heads up display to compensate for her short ass. Michelle ran through the checklist, Aux. Pump - off....Altimeter - Set...Fuel Gauges - Checked... Auto-pilot - Engaged...Lights - Not a fucking chance...Camera - No Hulk yet... Action!

Action?

Fuck it, she was too old for this kind of quantum, electronic, technoshit. Disguises, Sharp edges and Moving parts were more her thing. She hated that she couldn't even get the VtoL going herself when it counted but being smushed by the Hulk made this way more important than maintaining her pride. They'd probably seen this coming, she hadn't exactly made her motives unknown and her track record was... sloppy, and were no doubt ready to clean up her mess. None the less, she still had to play her part in the pantomime. Michelle got out of the seat and whistled shrill and loud like her grandaddy taught her.

"Someone come unfuck the autopilot!" Michelle called down the ship, gesturing at the now vacant chair.

What a signature Michelle thing to do...

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia -> Quinjet
Skills: N/A

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The landscape shimmered, wavy patches of refracted sky obscured where the sky met the dusty vista. Michelle tried to imagine what it would look like if The Hulk did come bounding over the horizon; if he was truly as ferociously fast and powerful as the system said he was he would simply surface out blue in a single bound, breaching majestically like a great green dolphin of certain hospitalisation. The scoul, the rippling muscle tissue, the clenched fists, the effortless, graceless impact on the environment.

Terrifying? Awe inspiring? Michelle couldn't make up her mind except that it was about time to get out of the sun.

Everyone appeared to have filed back on to the jet in swift fashion, a quick check through the windows at the front of the house confirmed this. Michelle's short and uneventful vigil was over, and picking up her feet, she skipped back to ramp. With one final check, Michelle slammed the ramp close button with the same energy she'd slam Ellen Page. As the golden sunlight finally yielded to the closing of the jet's exterior, she was bathed in the softer, bluer artifical light of the fluorenscent tubes over head. Michelle was desperate to remove the body armour, but things were pretty tense in the aisle of the Quinjet. Tinley's mind control was going to wear off eventually and when it did, it wasn't obvious they'd continue to co-operate. Despite the perspiration, the body armour would stay on and in case things got messy, she'd keep the loaded gun too.

Michelle took a seat, placing the shotgun across her lap. She felt sufficiently safe with Kingston brandishing both phone and weapon at Lance. This had to be pretty scary for both of them, Lance and his sorceress friend, but they'd come round in time and realise that none of us wanted it to escalate to this point. Their lack of faith brought us here.

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia
Skills: N/A

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Michelle flicked the safety back on and holding it by the stock, let it swing down to her side pointed at the floor. Tinley had successfully defused the situation and Novikova's impromptu plan wasn't needed. It was a relief that she didn't need to discharge the shotgun and nobody got hurt.

Michelle knew that they weren't out of the woods yet, the boy had called his father, an understandable move, and he would no doubt be on route to our location. In Michelle's mind there were three scenarios, Kingston's calm and authorative tone would communicate to Banner that he should show up in the mindset to negotiate or the Hulk was already on route, in which case, they might already be in huge trouble. The Hulk's impressive land speed massively reduced the window they had to get prepared in and the Hulk's surprising air mobility meant even the jet was at risk being dismantled midflight. Any inkling that Hulk was on his way meant the captives needed to be out until we could reestablish communication with Banner.

The last scenario was what kept Michelle anxious, what could Banner achieve on his drive home? Michelle thought to keep these concerns to herself however, no need unnecessarily hurt morale.

What next? We just had to wait for now, securing the captives was being taken care of, Kingston had the open line, Michelle was reluctant to go back outside but somebody had to secure the perimeter and she was the one in the "I work in security" cap. She sighed and quit messing with her eyelid, the job was the job.

"I'll go watch the road an' radio in when Banner shows."

And with that she followed Maria and the magical girl back into the heat.

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Banner Residence, Sydney, Australia
Skills: N/A

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Michelle wasn't going to argue with Mystique's "quick and quiet" plan, it guaranteed the capture and thats what really mattered. Building a relationship with the target could trick them into hoodwinking his own father into cooperating, while an excellent idea, guaranteed nothing.

Then the house shook and with suspicious timing, Novikova gave up her true motives. Michelle heart began to race, she couldn't shake the feeling something wasn't right, but then she never could. She trusted these people with her life which meant even though she trusted them to get the job done, she believed what they said when they said it. The little gears grinded in Michelle's mind as she tried to weigh it up under time pressure. Fortunately for her, someone beat her too it. Kingston, despite his occasional boneheadedness, saw the situation as it really was, the gambit. This reassured Michelle, and put her doubts at ease, despite the unprofessional behaviour on the jet, Novikova wasn't involved. She knew that Novikova knew we absolutely didn't want either of them dead so to tell them they were going to die? It was a ploy, if it weren't Tinley would have said something by now.

Her heart back in the game, Michelle's mind set about how best to play her part. She now played the part of a bad guy, a killer, and in her hands she weilded a weapon that despite its somewhat futuristic aesthetic was still easily recognisable as a pump action 12 gauge boomstick. Michelle took cover in a door way and raised the rifle to her chest. Safety off, coils hot, finger on the trigger.

"Too late, motherfuckers." Michelle spat as she chambered an ICER round menacingly with an indiscreet pump.

The scene was set.

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia
Skills: N/A

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Michelle gave an obedient nod to Agent Darkholme, message recieved, and a cheeky wink to Cass in return. Michelle propelled herself out of her chair with gusto and followed out, only stopping at the locker for essentials and to drop off her most precious book. Shotgun loaded with night-night rounds, a kevlar vest over her otherwise civilian clothing, a black "I work in security" cap and sunset aviators. Bad-ass Status: Certified. Michelle resisted the urge to chamber the first round, she'd save that +2 to Michelle's persuasion check for later. Michelle hopped off the jet ramp, landing with an exaggerated knee bend.

"Superhero landing."

Michelle circled round to the back where Mystique, Tinley and Kingston where already waiting by the now unlocked door. From here it wasn't very clear how successful the front team were, the door was closed but they were still talking. Michelle wanted to let them gain entry first, even if that meant a breach, with the focus on them it would make a clean shot easier. If they could talk their way in even better, let them ride with the crew, make them feel part of the squad saving the world from another massive threat because, truthfully should everything go to plan, they were. Michelle checked her watch, while Dr. Banner wasn't present the objective was really uncomplicated, get the boy in the jet, however it wouldn't stay this way forever.

"They've got 5 minutes to establish a rapport with the hostages," Michelle whispered, "failing that, I'm not going to ask so nicely."

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia
Skills: N/A

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It really wasn't like they had anything better to do. It woud have been great to booze it up too then and there but she neither had the healing factor to recover nor the telekinetics to fetch it without leaving her seat. If her team needed aid, and they shouldn't, Michelle didn't want to be weak link because she was inebriated, it wasn't fair on the rest of them. They could get hurt or worse, Michelle didn't want to be in that debrief. Drinking could wait till atleast the trip to the Australian safehouse. Accordion however, might not.

Agent Kingston returned with a sit rep, which Michelle was pretty sure they didn't need delivered personally. She rolled her eyes. The talk with Wolverine had clearly done Agent Reed some good though, that or she just wanted to pass the chewing out along, but she was making quick work of Agent Kingston's decision making, which Michelle was in agreement with. In fact she couldn't have said it better herself.

Jumping back into the conversation she was having about capturing the Hulk.

"I have huge doubts about the green guy getting involved, I think as long as we have the boy and we don't make this a problem the Hulk can solve, Dr. Banner will come quite quietly. I think he'd rather rely on his wits and his deftness of touch, to guarantee his family's safety." she replied, adding, "if I'm frank, I'm much more worried about that."

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia
Skills: N/A

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Michelle wasn't going to argue with Mystique's decision, it was a understandable set of sensible choices. If Mystique didn't feel the need to put herself on the ground team, Michelle didn't need to be there either. They were cast from the same die, stealthy characters, and while they could both reintroduce themselves to Lance and Banner as many times as need be, if a fight were to break out both of them would be better off not thrusted immediately into the fray. They were both, in Michelle's opinion, better suited to step in during the confusion to bag and tag the objective.

This is how Michelle satisfied her neurosis, the truth behind her faith in the plan was she looked up to Mystique too much. On TV, reading about her with Daddy in the paper, research projects through out school and lectures through out boot camp, Agent Darkholme had been an ever present figure in her life ever since she was a little mutant. Michelle was inspired most by her uncompromising, unapologetic nature, especially when it came to her mutantity.

As the other sub team filed out of the jet Michelle took advantage of the quiet cabin, setting her diary down in the seat adjecent, unfolding her legs and stretching in her seat, something about flights made her back stiff. The Inhuman and her partner in crime returned looking appropriately chewed out, but they'd regained their composer after a quiet computer search or two. Michelle was surprised though that Agent Reed wanted a drink so soon, considering last time. Classic Cassandra.

Michelle laughed, "How could we not celebrate the catch of the century?"

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia
Skills: N/A

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Her warnings fell on deaf ears, even if they didn't take any notice of her suggestions, her observations were still true. It was rather like they cared more for the letter, and not the intention of job and would be happy to bring back Banner comatose and paralysed from the neck down. Michelle got the impression some of them were spoiling for a fight, that they wanted the Incredible Green Rage Machine ready to punch their lights out the moment they rap on the door.

Michelle's train of thought was disrupted when the weird non-mutant recieved a slap. It was not on, in Michelle's opinion. Embarassing for everyone involved, herself included. Michelle couldn't imagine any of her mutant colleagues being displined like that, mind you Michelle couldn't imagine any of them doing something to deserve it. The situation left Michelle feeling uncomfortable.

Discussion continued. More thought out plans were being proposed and they were moving away from absolute disaster scenarios. Michelle thought that perhaps she should have more faith in SHIELD negotiators. Her job wasn't to recruit him, it was to capture him so that he could be recruited. To that end, capturing the boy were excellent leverage and two of them turning up on the doorstep was less intimidating than all ten. She still had concerns, but she was going to have to compromise somewhere.

"So we scout out the place. If Banner is home we just wait until he isn't? Then we can safely send Agent Novikova and Abercrombie who between them should see enough thoughts and alternative futures to dupe Banner's son and his squeeze into coming with us." Michelle summarised, "My biggest concern is Lance knows not to trust us already."

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia
Skills: N/A

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Mission Discussion encouraged Michelle to take her nose out of her Diary.

"You want to ransom the Hulk's son?" Michelle interjected, "and if that doesn't work kill Humies until he just gives himself up and spills the beans?" Michelle shook her head. "We need to be in his good books if we're going to get him to finish the Super Soldier Project with us. He can and will eventually outsmart us, him being a brainbox is precisely the reason we're doing this and I dare to think what a secretly vengeful Banner with SHIELD resources and the trust of those swooning nerds from R&D is capable of."

"My suggestion?" Michelle pre-empted, "We demonstrate to him why we need more good guys with powers to beat bad guys with powers. We manufacture large mutant-supermacist attack on Lance's campus to draw Bruce out, local law enforcement won't be enough to deal with the terrorists meaning, unless he wants to Hulk out and use his personal brand of hyper-violence on a University Campus to solve the conflict he'll have to choose between us or waiting for his league of super friends to show. Either way demonstrates that SHIELD was right all along. If that doesn't work then we can consider kidnapping."