Mystique
Villains 
Raven Darkholme is not a woman to be trifled with.
Posts: 107 
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Post by Mystique on Dec 3, 2016 17:12:58 GMT -5
Had it not been for Barbara's interference Mystique may have attacked Arcade for what he did. It reopened some of her still healing veins and caused a little more bleeding in her abdomen. For all she knew, he never meant to partner with her. He was just another human that wanted to kill her like some kind of dog. Such a disrespectful act as shoving his fist into her gaping wound could well have solidified that image of him, and she wouldn't stand for it.
But then Barbara intervened and asked if she was okay. Given their earlier exchange of words, it came as a small surprise. Not a wholly unwelcome one, though. As her body restarted healing, she winced and shook her head. "I do not need a doctor," she said through her teeth in pain. "I will heal on my own. I'm sure that Sohn einer Hündin will be disappointed to learn that." She covered her wound with her hand again, trying to stop the bleeding to expedite the healing process.
She looked at Barbara, a weak smile on her face. "Thank you, fraulein. Your concern is appreciated, but I will be fine. I have survived much worse at the hands of my countrymen. I will simply need some rest before I try something like that again."
Her appearance shifted back to the woman that had first walked through the gates in Coney Island. She hated her blue appearance, despite all her talk about pride. She hated the way she looked and some small part of her did want to be normal. Any trace of her German accent was gone now. As if it was never there.
After a deep breath and a sigh, she looked at Barbara once more. "The media will want to hear a statement about the explosion. I can say something to them on my way out so they clear out of the park. I don't have to name who's in charge."
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Post by Artie Cade on Dec 3, 2016 21:40:15 GMT -5
It was an odd mix of emotions that Artie was feeling. Rage at Mystique for ruining his mask and exposing the scars he was never too terribly proud of. Fear that his twinge of madness back there might provoke Mystique into doing something rash. Hate at himself that he continued to make such a poor impression on Barbara...he'd really come to like having her around.
He calmly picked up the shattered pieces of the mask and set them on a nearby table top and turned to the two ladies in the room.
"Yes, do that," he said calmly as he wheeled his leather, high backed chair over to Mystique, "Sit first, recover. Drink?"
He hobbled over to the globe and poured a glass of whiskey, handing it to the sometimes-blue-woman.
Artie then moved over toward the monitors and began to shut Room Seven down as it had been cleared by the maintenance Ticktockmen. As he did, he took out a spare pair of spectacles and placed his handkerchief over his head to cover the scarred side of his face. He then put the spectacles on to hold it in place and turned once again to those present.
"I think..." he said as he lit a cigarette and leaned against the monitor station, looking Mystique up and down, "We have ourselves a tentative arrangement here, wouldn't you think that's wise, doctor?"
He looked for a moment up at Barbara before his eyes moved back to the woman before him.
"And you'll be paid. And given lodgings on my turf." he concluded.
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Cheetah
Villains
This sort of thing doesn't happen to Barbara Minerva. I don't let it.
Posts: 129
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Post by Cheetah on Dec 3, 2016 22:16:14 GMT -5
Taking a breath, Barbara mentally stepped back from this situation as everyone else also appeared to do the same. The three of them were a volatile combination, but then again, under the circumstances, one could understand their reactions. Artie had been injured financially, socially, emotionally, and now physically. Mystique was simply acting out all the rage and persecution she had likely suffered, and that finally slam into the exit door probably hadn’t helped things either. Barbara? She disliked not being in control of the situation, which was any situation she was involved with. Tempers flared and she reacted as anyone used to getting her way would. Now they were all suffering their own individual consequences.
“What a group we make,” she muttered to herself with a sigh. “I don’t doubt that you can heal on your own, but I think it is a bit more than simple concern when your ribcage and organs are visible.” As Mystique shifted back to her fully human self, Barbara looked back at Artie, now making himself presentable. That garnered a look of pity from her and she walked over to inspect the shattered pieces of his mask. It wasn’t too different from a broken vase, Barbara could even piece it back together herself. “If the edges are clean, this can be repaired, even if it is only a temporary fix.” She doubted that he would want to wear cracked mask for the rest of his life, but the procedure to make one of these appliances was probably costly in both time and money, and, as Mystique said, the media would like to hear a statement. The shapeshifter could be a face to the public for the time being, but eventually Cade would need to be seen, preferably without the handkerchief.
“I’m satisfied by her performance,” Barbara agreed, looking the other woman over. It was amazing how quickly she could change and be someone else entirely. Barbara almost envied her, but then again everyone on earth would probably be the same way. “Once the reporters are dealt with, what should the next steps be?” she asked, looking towards Artie, reassuring him that he was still the boss of this operation.
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Mystique
Villains
Raven Darkholme is not a woman to be trifled with.
Posts: 107
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Post by Mystique on Dec 4, 2016 1:42:01 GMT -5
Begrudgingly, Mystique took a seat, temporarily aloof to the fact that she was bleeding on leather. Her rage had calmed down, but the pain hadn't subsided yet. She was beginning to wonder if entering into a partnership with Boss Cade was a smart move. Well, better to be at the right hand of the devil than in his path. If this was how he tested new blood, she would hate to see what he did to his enemies.
She accepted the drink handed to her, but didn't drink yet. She sniffed it, more curious than concerned if he had poisoned the drink. She was immune to toxins and poisons, so it wouldn't do anything to her, but she still didn't trust him. It was hard to trust a human anyway, given her past experiences.
"I appreciate the offer," she said, a little softer, "but for now I will make my own home. I don't trust easily and until we are on better terms, I would rather not give away where I live." She sighed and took a sip from the glass. It didn't taste tampered with, but that was no reason to let her guard down.
Her breathing was heavy as her muscle tissue knit itself back together, slowly hiding the bone that had been exposed. "I can tell the reporters that 'the organization I represent' has declined to comment, but we assure the public that this act of violence against our fellow Americans will not be tolerated, and we will rebuild. And, of course, the sentimental, 'our hearts go out to those wounded or killed in the attack,' to drive it home. Keep it vague, but hopeful. They eat that kind of story up."
Her eyes no longer met either of theirs. As far as she was concerned, they were allies but not friends. She had no reason to treat them like friends. Not yet. Barbara could perhaps be a friend. Cade? She wasn't sure she ever wanted to see his face again.
"Of course, it's up to you. Personally, I don't care either way. But you would benefit from better press, direct or not."
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Post by Artie Cade on Dec 4, 2016 11:32:51 GMT -5
"Wait no..." Artie said as he held a hand up for silence and his eyes searched one of the far walls as he calculated the plan that had formed. He stood and limped toward one end of the room and began to pace, that grin of his slowly spreading across his face.
"...we need to emphasize and report that this was the work of Wilson Fisk. We'll have my boys in blue confirm that evidence was found that could be a potential link...take the heat off of us and focus it on ol' Willy. Even if just to kick his fat face when he's already been having problems keeping his part of town under control...there's a way to spin that."
Artie giggled as he blew smoke at the ceiling, leaning on Barbara as he approached her and looking back at Mystique. That was an idea. Turn the public eye on the so-called Kingpin when he was hurting most in his own territory. Certainly would be a sensational enough story for the press to want to go wild with it. They'd always eat up a good story that focused on a popular name.
Taking another drag on his cigarette and puffing smoke rings at the ceiling, Artie looked Mystique up and down, mildly fascinated at her healing.
"I don't have any image to maintain in this town," he said, simply, "The less I'm talked about the better, so I'm not looking for good press for me. Just bad press for Fisk."
He permitted himself a small chuckle of satisfaction and nodded slowly, turning the idea over in his mind.
"And with someone on my payroll who can look like Fisk..." Artie purred, "...it could all be quite a show."
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Cheetah
Villains
This sort of thing doesn't happen to Barbara Minerva. I don't let it.
Posts: 129
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Post by Cheetah on Dec 4, 2016 19:36:29 GMT -5
Mystique being suspicious of, and checking, the alcoholic drink had actually been a rather smart idea, one that Barbara herself had overlooked. Then again, she wasn’t used to having drinks spiked with anything. Most of the society she was acquainted with didn’t do such things. The fact that Mystique did take such precautions spoke volumes about the woman. Hoping she could reassure her that what she had been given was safe, Barbara knocked back the remainder of her own drink. She would either understand or she would take it as some entirely different sign. Possibly that Barbara was not taking this situation well. But there was still the matter of the woman bleeding. It wasn't much, but she couldn't ignore the scent of the blood. It was just on the other side of distracting her for some reason. Walking over to the traditional liquor cabinet, Barbara retrieved two handtowels and offered them to Mystique, hoping they would help stop the bleeding. She lingered for about a second or two too longer than needed before realising it and returning to standing by the control panel.
Truthfully, the rivalry between Cade and Fisk didn’t matter much to Barbara at the moment. She hadn’t met the other man and knew very little about him aside from what Artie had told her. Of course, that was all potentially a skewed perspective, but some of it could be truth. Either way, if push came to shove and things got too hot, Barbara could always cut ties with Artie. Merchandise would be lost, but those things happened. Of course, that would also be something she'd hate to do. Artie was a good partner and, like her, he didn't like giving up what was his, not when they both worked so hard to claim things. Besides, she was starting to like the little man, possibly seeing him as more than just a partner.
“Hmmm, why would Fisk want to hurt or damage an amusement park operated by a… do not take what I’m about to say personal, but rather think of it as an image of sorts, a reclusive cripple who only wants to make people happy? Having evidence that he did it is all well and good, but the ‘why’ of it is the key,” she said, adding her own two cents to this idea. “Too frail a story and it falls apart, too complicated and it might cause more trouble than it’s worth. You also need to take in the account of Ms. Mystique here. I know you are offering her a salary and want to smooth things over, but, and this is simply me stating the facts, so please do not take it as anything other than that, she is injured and we don’t even know if she is willing or able to do what you ask. Appearing as myself or you is not that difficult, since we're all of similar size, but I believe you’ve told me that Fisk is a large man. Very large.” Barbara was speaking based on what she had only seen, having no knowledge of shapeshifters. But then again, who did? “I’d rather we not lose an ally so soon after gaining them because we took her for granted and pushed too hard too soon. Am I making sense here?” The last thing they needed was for Fisk to collapse and turn into a blue woman.
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Mystique
Villains
Raven Darkholme is not a woman to be trifled with.
Posts: 107
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Post by Mystique on Dec 6, 2016 1:20:45 GMT -5
Barbara's almost submissive tone was very telling, and probably very intelligent on her part. It told Mystique that Cade was sensitive enough about his - well, I suppose you could call it a "condition" - that he sometimes needed to be reassured that he was still ultimately in charge. The mutant took note of it, eying the man. Besides, the day may come that she'd need to wear his face, and ... Wait. That wasn't a bad idea.
But Barbara kept spitballing ideas and Mystique began getting a clearer picture of what the best strategy would be. She liked the idea of shifting the blame onto Cade's "business" rival. It took all of the heat off of the mutants and shifted it to someone that would be better off behind bars.
Without a word, Mystique stood. Fluidly, she shifted into the spitting image of Wilson Fisk, size and all. This was not the problem. The problem - and by extension, the flaw - was that she could not imitate his mass. If someone put her on a scale, they'd know she was a fake. But, for all intents and purposes, she was a perfect duplicate. "Don't be so quick to assume," she said. "My abilities do have limitations, though." She hated to concede the fact, but it needed to be said. "If someone decides to check my weight, I'm done. I can try to duplicate his mass, but that's when I feel the strain. Too long and I'll pass out."
She glanced back at Cade. "As long as what you're planning doesn't require me to stand on any kind of scale, I think we're in the clear." She opened her mouth to speak, but quickly closed it again. She realized that the cackling madman might just have some kind of scheme and she found herself intrigued. "What do you have planned?"
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Post by Artie Cade on Dec 6, 2016 2:30:38 GMT -5
"Nuts, Barbara," Artie said dismissively, his eyes darting back and forth in quick succession as he thought, "A plan is forming...it's gotta be Fisk."
He stood and opened his arms dramatically as if caressing a picture before him that no one else could see.
"You, Ms. Mystique...." he began, "You'll talk to the reporters....I'll flank you with two of my boys in blue. Make it look extra official, yeah. You say that we've got hard evidence that the deed was perpetrated by none other than Mr. Wilson Fisk or his affiliates."
A grin spread across Artie's face as he continued, and his long bony fingers clenched slowly into fists.
"They'll eat it up like lemon drops," he giggled, "After all, Fisk's outta town. So of course he can't just appear to defend himself but that COULD look like a cover up for him to make his appearance to screw up other slots of gangland....a-and THEN...we wait it out for the newspapers to print it. We'll catch him off balance. You, Mystique, adopt Fisk's look. His voice. And you turn yourself in to the cops downtown."
He thought about the specific scale issue for a moment before waving his hand as if to bat the idea out of the air.
"Nah, nah somebody like Fisk wouldn't need to be put up like that," he said, "Doubt they'd have a scale that could accommodate him anyway. SO...that night, when no one is the wiser, you break outta the big house. The jail can't be too tricky to handle, they'll need to process...'him' before they can ship him off anywhere else. And then nobody's seen the real Fisk and you in the same area....nobody's the wiser."
He clapped his hands and wrung them tightly as if trying to extract liquid gold from a rock.
"Ohhhhh it's perfect. Just the little jab from me he's been asking for these last few years since I got back."
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Mystique
Villains
Raven Darkholme is not a woman to be trifled with.
Posts: 107
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Post by Mystique on Dec 6, 2016 2:53:36 GMT -5
Oh, that was devious. Better than that, it was clever. Barring the fact that it did exploit her abilities, it gained a lot for both of them. Fisk had a certain reputation among the mutants. From what Mystique understood, he exploited mutants as what could best be described as slave labor. It was something our resident mutant did not tolerate, and she already had her sights set on him as a target. If she could knock out two birds with one stone, who was she to complain?
"Fisk is a showman," she said, shifting her weight. It was an awkward thing to accomplish given her size, but the longer she stayed in this form the more natural it would feel when the time came. "From what I know of the man, he likes his secrecy as much as you do. He's a smart enough man, though, to know if he's going to win back his own people, he's going to need to show them his face. It would be in character for him to make a public statement to save face."
A smirk came across her face. "It wouldn't be a problem for 'me' to admit my guilt. After an announcement accusing Fisk of sabotage, I could wait a few days after he's back in town and come clean." She cleared her throat and improvised a confession. "It is with my sincerest apologies to all that were injured by my bomb. Arthur Cade and I have made no secret of our rivalry and I ordered the attack in a moment of hot headed passion at the risk of losing the progress I've made in Hell's Kitchen. Let it be on the record that I admit my guilt, and I would like to cooperate fully with the law to see reparations move forward for the good of our fair city."
She slowly shifted back to her own form, disguising her own wounds as she did. "An escape would cause the police to hunt down Fisk and bring him in themselves, which means none of the dirty work for any of us or our kind." She looked at Cade again, thinking out the plan so she knew how best to adapt if she needed to. "Less dirty work for us, less reason for any clean cops to suspect any of us have anything to do with it. As far as anyone's aware, I don't even exist, and there's no rumor of a shapeshifter in New York. I'll even be willing to put my own plans on hold until Fisk is implicated. The less people know about me, the better." Until, of course, it was crucial for people to know her. She wasn't about to lose sight of her ultimate goal.
Saying it all out loud, however... It could work. As long as he did indeed get her back out of jail, it could all work perfectly. Even a man like Fisk would cooperate with a false accusation until he had solid evidence he was innocent that would hold up in court. She ran through everything in her head several times and she could think of nothing else that needed to be addressed. It was a surprisingly solid plan.
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Cheetah
Villains
This sort of thing doesn't happen to Barbara Minerva. I don't let it.
Posts: 129
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Post by Cheetah on Dec 6, 2016 7:16:53 GMT -5
Barbara let the two of them talk things over. It seemed that they were set on their mission and she, for obvious reasons, had no part in it, nor did she want to be. It simply wasn't her cup of tea. Artie clearly didn’t need her to bounce ideas off of, he even actively dismissed her and her precautions. But let him be on the path he was currently. He apparently needed this little bit of joy to counter all that had happened in the past hour or so. Mystique was his weapon of choice at the moment, her having abilities and methods that Barbara could only dream about. That thought rankled her, but only briefly. Why should she care what the two of them did together? It wasn’t as if Mystique would be able to step in and take over Barbara’s business. She didn’t seem the type to care about… human artifacts on the black market. She smirked to herself at that. But then again, what were ancient monsters? Couldn’t they have been mutants? That would be something to ponder, wouldn’t it? But for now, back to the matter at hand.
Barbara was also not one to break in or out of jail. She had no talents for that, but she would be surprised if Artie didn’t already have a person that could do such a thing or that Mystique would be able to slip out on her own. Having no place in this little scheme of theirs, Barbara let the two of them work out every little detail, content with just sitting back and watching. From what she could tell, this plan had no faults.
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Post by Artie Cade on Dec 6, 2016 18:56:43 GMT -5
Artie nodded eagerly to Mystique and chuckled to himself as he limped on his cane back toward Barbara, grinning up at her with such delight on what half of his face wasn't hidden.
"Well you were right after all, dear doctor," he purred as he clasped her hand firmly in his own and patted it, "A good thing indeed I didn't do away with her."
He turned back to Mystique and moved toward her slowly, the handkerchief still covering the scarred side of his face, and he gave a round of applause. He really was quite pleased with all of this. Hell, if she hadn't just previously looked like Fisk, he might kiss her. Still might regardless. What an excellent spot of improvisation...
"Braaaavo!" he laughed, deciding to hell with it and planting a kiss on her mouth firmly before spiraling away in a sort of waltz with no partner, "Oh it's perfect, I love it, I love it! You're flawless, absolutely flawless! Oh that'll do perfectly, yeeesss."
He meant it as he flopped back into a chair.
"...but you need an alias, have you used one before that anyone would recognize?" he asked, before he began to think for a moment, "Perhaps...no, that's too on the nose, uh...though maybe..."
The mad light in Artie had fizzled out into a low bit of kindling for the moment. He looked back at Mystique, but almost beyond her. His eyes were somewhere else, far away.
"....Locke, I think would do it." he said finally and in a small sort of voice as he sat in thought for a moment before he spoke more cheerily again, "BUT for the moment, you stay and be sure you're healed first."
He retrieved another cigarette and shakily lit it, blowing smoke at the ceiling and turning the plan over in his mind. He looked over at Barbara and smiled in a genuinely pleased manner. Not in intimidation or even wicked glee, just...that today turned out for the better after all.
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Mystique
Villains
Raven Darkholme is not a woman to be trifled with.
Posts: 107
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Post by Mystique on Dec 7, 2016 1:15:55 GMT -5
Mystique couldn't help but notice how quiet Barbara had gotten. It was hard to tell if this kind of talk wasn't her cup of tea or if there was some other emotion at play. It was always difficult to read women. English ones, especially. They always seemed to keep their heart inside their chest instead of on their sleeve, not that it wasn't a wise thing to do.
Then she was jolted from her thoughts when Cade grabbed her and kissed her. It left her feeling dazed and bewildered. Bewildered, of course, because she usually made a point never to let humans touch her, let alone kiss her. The last human that had was ... well, lackluster and undeserving of the expended effort.
But still she smirked to herself, bowing her head to hide her satisfaction. It was one thing to amaze humans with her abilities, but when one appreciated them like this... It was a rare treat. To be called flawless was also unheard of as far as she was concerned. She'd been called may things by humans, but it was never anything as complimentary. She might have blushed if she had less control over herself.
She was about to say something when she caught notice of Artie's distant gaze. There was hardly any fire in his eyes, which piqued her curiosity. Was it the name he mentioned that triggered him? It had to have been. Locke. What did it mean? But, if he was willing to let her use the name, she would.
"I appreciate the concern," she said at last, "but the sooner someone talks to those vultures, the better. Besides, I'm sure you usually prefer the blood to be inside one of your rooms rather than in the control center." She touched her abdomen where her wound should have been, but it was well disguised. A jolt of pain shot across her body, and she winced, but she didn't want to stay here for much longer.
"Barbara, may I ask you to escort me out? I did have a bag on my head on the way down." Though, she was sure she could figure out how to get out by herself if she needed to.
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Cheetah
Villains
This sort of thing doesn't happen to Barbara Minerva. I don't let it.
Posts: 129
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Post by Cheetah on Dec 7, 2016 7:29:29 GMT -5
“I’m sure that this incident will not completely turn you from your ways, Artie,” she smiled sweetly as he took her hand. “But yes, it was a very good thing you decided to spare our associate here.” It was one less body she would have to deal with, and that actually reminded her of another task. Taking a small pad and pencil from her purse, Barbara began writing her contact information down before handing it to Artie. “Pick the best funeral home for Mr. Cripes and have them telephone me for everything. I’ll have everything set up within short order for him and his family. I’ll even create a story of how he died. The ferris wheel should provide enough of a cover for it.” Thank god for little miracles like that, otherwise how else do you explain to a widow why her husband’s head is nothing more than a smashed melon?
The kiss was decidedly unexpected, if the look of surprise on Barbara’s face was any indication. But their reaction was almost amusing; Mystique’s bewilderment coupled with Artie’s apparent obliviousness to his actions. Or rather, more precisely, his usual manner of not giving a damn and doing as he pleased. It made Barbara wonder if he had always been like this or if something had caused a change in his life. The look in his eyes she caught, one of distance and remembrance, might have been another piece of the puzzle that was Artie Cade. It reminded her of the older men her father would entertain, when they would recall bygone days of both happiness and sadness. She would not press him about it, knowing he would tell in time if he wished, but she did give his hand a squeeze when he looked at her and smiled.
“Yes, of course,” Barbara answered. “I’d be happy to escort you.” She would both escort her out and make sure she was entirely all right. The wince Mystique gave was noticeable, at least to Barbara. So, despite the fact her wounds were hidden, she was not entirely healed. It was a good thing to know, not that she would ever find the need to use it against her. It was just a bit of information to tuck away in her mind. “Thankfully, though called the Rabbit Hole, the path is fairly straight forward. Are we done here, Artie? I’ll let you know how well the reporters take the news.” Not that she would be the one in the spotlight. Let Mystique do the talking. Barbara would just be another watching bystander.
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Post by Artie Cade on Dec 7, 2016 18:22:07 GMT -5
Artie waved his hand toward the door, the smoke from his cigarette dancing like a gaggle of ghosts up toward the ceiling from the red cherry end.
"Yes, yes of course!" he said as he cleared his throat and took another drag, "Apologies, I won't keep you. Best to be rid of those reporters as soon as can be done. Do mind the address of the Wicked Suit, Mystique dear. It would be best to return before things get fun."
A grin spread across Artie's face as he said this and he gave a dramatic bow to both of the ladies before standing straight up again. Tonight had gone so much better than he had initially intended. In fact, it surpassed even his hope that Mystique could merely serve as a killing stroke for that pesky little Laura creature. It was perfect. Delightful. Delicious even. And getting to cause Fisk some amount of difficulty in his absence was especially delightful. He would return to his little empire in disarray. After all, how could he prove anything? Any travel documents proving he was out of the country would appear forged if he himself had walked into the precinct to turn himself in. Perfect. Delicious.
Without another word, Artie leaned on his cane and disappeared through a side panel in the wall, strolling merrily and whistling 'Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf.'
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Mystique
Villains
Raven Darkholme is not a woman to be trifled with.
Posts: 107
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Post by Mystique on Dec 8, 2016 22:33:22 GMT -5
With Artie's blessing, Mystique followed Barbara to the elevator, forcing herself to walk a little more steadily. She was still in a tremendous amount of pain, but she could give the impression that she wasn't. It was one of the things she was best at. No need to make the humans worry about her any more than she already had. Besides, the severity of the injury had already healed to a more tolerable degree.
Once the doors had shut and she and the other woman were alone, she managed a smile and a soft chuckle. "This was not how I expected my day to go," she admitted. "I meant it when I said I thought Coney Island was neutral territory. The idiot that told me that is getting a bullet or two in the head when I get my hands on him."
She shifted her weight, leaning against the wall of the elevator. "I am very curious about you, though. You seemed a little less put together when I was done in that room. Very curious."
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