The McIvor clan
Cait had given Marshal an inscrutable look over the side of the can of pop as she finished the dregs. The same crooked smile was there, in spite of her lips having to form the right shape to drink of a can without spilling, but her eye suggested that she was searching him. Shaking down his words for honesty and motive.The appraisal lasted barely a second, and she seemed satisfied with what she'd found.
"Thanks. I appreciate that. For the record - glad you're okay too." Her voice hadn't regained the pitch it had when she was joking with the kids, belying a serious side to the otherwise jovial nature she seemed to have a tendency to display. She gestured for him to follow her out to the deck, herself reunited with the hotdogs and tongs, opening the patio door and smearing mustard and ketchup over the rest of the window before Rhiannon could clean it. There was an exasperated sigh from inside which Cait either didn't notice or purposefully ignored.
"You know your way around a grill, Marshal? I guess we don't have to worry about getting all smoky-smelling, huh?"
Despite her question, she was obviously not giving up grilling duty. Cait had the fire lit once again and put the tongs down before she started clacking them again in her impatience. After a few moments of watching the temperature gauge slowly climb upward, arms folded as though looking tough would make it heat up faster, she lolled her head to the side to look at the man beside her.
"So, you a football fan? Man, I don't even know if you have the same teams here...does 'Go Pats' mean anything to you?"
Welcome to the Suburbs. Population: Odd.
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Monkey Kitty
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Re: Welcome to the Suburbs. Population: Odd.
Marshal Knox
Marshal could see that Cait wasn't surrendering grill mastery no matter how he answered. He grinned.
"Sure," he said. "I'll be your sous-chef."
He took up his role of handing her supplies, and started to set the dishes out on the picnic table as they talked.
"Yeah, I know the Pats," he told her. "I don't really follow football, though. Hockey, some. But I'm not that much of a sports guy. I know, I know - I look like I would be. But actually, I'm kind of a movie buff. How about you? Got a favorite team? And how about a favorite film?"
This felt... surprisingly easy. Yeah, it was just small talk, it should be - but Marshal couldn't remember the last time he'd just talked to someone about nothing important. Not to SHIELD doctors about his 'condition' and SHIELD therapists about his feelings. Just... talked. It was nice.
Marshal could see that Cait wasn't surrendering grill mastery no matter how he answered. He grinned.
"Sure," he said. "I'll be your sous-chef."
He took up his role of handing her supplies, and started to set the dishes out on the picnic table as they talked.
"Yeah, I know the Pats," he told her. "I don't really follow football, though. Hockey, some. But I'm not that much of a sports guy. I know, I know - I look like I would be. But actually, I'm kind of a movie buff. How about you? Got a favorite team? And how about a favorite film?"
This felt... surprisingly easy. Yeah, it was just small talk, it should be - but Marshal couldn't remember the last time he'd just talked to someone about nothing important. Not to SHIELD doctors about his 'condition' and SHIELD therapists about his feelings. Just... talked. It was nice.
Re: Welcome to the Suburbs. Population: Odd.
the McIvor clan
She grinned at him over a shoulder, pleased that her conversation topic met with approval. Cait had half expected a two word answer. It was nice to see Marshal start to relax a bit. Even though a fire and rescuing someone would get anyone nervous, it had been pretty plain to see that those things weren't what made this man nervous. No, she had a very strong suspicion that it had to do with the mysterious S.H.I.E.L.D. At least the government was staying out of their backyard long enough to give them all some breathing room.
"Oh, I have favourite teams for all the sports - even hurling! Love it all. Movies...well, I'm not so up on modern film. I admit, I'm into classic horror. Love those cheesy black and white flicks. You might have to hit me with your top ten and catch me up! Unless they're all like rom coms or something..."
From inside the house, Rhiannon couldn't help but overhear the outdoor conversation as well as the ones indoors. Cait sounded...different. There was still an edge there, of course, her sister never really did seem to lose that awareness. Even when she was inside with the kids and everyone was obviously safe, Cait never let her guard down completely. To see her almost at ease, well, made Rhys a little jealous. Is this what she was like when she wasn't around family? Did her coworkers get to know her like this?
"Mom!"
Rhys stirred from her reverie, immediately focusing on her daughter who looked a bit worried despite the sharpness of the tone she'd just used. The girl was holding out the bunch of radishes she'd asked her for and she wondered just how long she'd lost focus. She offered a brief smile of apology which was met with a sigh and a rolling of eyes from her tweenager - which brought a sigh of her own. Cait was at least partly to blame for this newfound attitude of Charis', she was sure of it. She sent her out with the fruit tray and buns to get people moving outside to the cleaner table. Ewan followed close behind with the jar of relish in one hand and the other feeling for the edge of the door frame and little Annie following Charis like a shadow. Smiling to herself, she added the radishes to the top of the potato salad, stuck a large spoon in it and turned to face George.
"You know, it really is a comfort having other metas around the children - even if they aren't the same age. It's been hard on the kids having to keep secrets."
She grinned at him over a shoulder, pleased that her conversation topic met with approval. Cait had half expected a two word answer. It was nice to see Marshal start to relax a bit. Even though a fire and rescuing someone would get anyone nervous, it had been pretty plain to see that those things weren't what made this man nervous. No, she had a very strong suspicion that it had to do with the mysterious S.H.I.E.L.D. At least the government was staying out of their backyard long enough to give them all some breathing room.
"Oh, I have favourite teams for all the sports - even hurling! Love it all. Movies...well, I'm not so up on modern film. I admit, I'm into classic horror. Love those cheesy black and white flicks. You might have to hit me with your top ten and catch me up! Unless they're all like rom coms or something..."
From inside the house, Rhiannon couldn't help but overhear the outdoor conversation as well as the ones indoors. Cait sounded...different. There was still an edge there, of course, her sister never really did seem to lose that awareness. Even when she was inside with the kids and everyone was obviously safe, Cait never let her guard down completely. To see her almost at ease, well, made Rhys a little jealous. Is this what she was like when she wasn't around family? Did her coworkers get to know her like this?
"Mom!"
Rhys stirred from her reverie, immediately focusing on her daughter who looked a bit worried despite the sharpness of the tone she'd just used. The girl was holding out the bunch of radishes she'd asked her for and she wondered just how long she'd lost focus. She offered a brief smile of apology which was met with a sigh and a rolling of eyes from her tweenager - which brought a sigh of her own. Cait was at least partly to blame for this newfound attitude of Charis', she was sure of it. She sent her out with the fruit tray and buns to get people moving outside to the cleaner table. Ewan followed close behind with the jar of relish in one hand and the other feeling for the edge of the door frame and little Annie following Charis like a shadow. Smiling to herself, she added the radishes to the top of the potato salad, stuck a large spoon in it and turned to face George.
"You know, it really is a comfort having other metas around the children - even if they aren't the same age. It's been hard on the kids having to keep secrets."
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Monkey Kitty
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Re: Welcome to the Suburbs. Population: Odd.
Marshal Knox
"Oh, I just love Sleepless in Seattle! It's amazing how insomnia can bring two people together..." Marshal broke into a wicked grin and a chuckle once it was clear he could not effectively fake knowing what the movie was about. "Kidding, kidding. I'm an adventure movie kind of guy. Spielberg is my favorite. But those cheesy old horror flicks are gold too. Maybe we could have a movie marathon sometime, pop some popcorn..."
He realized he had kind of vaguely suggested a social plan. That was weird for him. But she probably wouldn't take him up on it, anyway...
His phone buzzed on the table. The call display said Ginny. He hastily silenced it - but as soon as the call disconnected, it buzzed again immediately. Marshal could almost imagine that the device was being insistent. He shut it off and shoved it in his jeans pocket.
"So I'm guessing your family is new to the neighborhood?" Marshal asked conversationally. "Haven't seen you around before. I look out the window a lot. I swear I'm not a creep. There just isn't much else to do."
Just booze and pills, and he certainly wasn't telling Cait about that.
"Oh, I just love Sleepless in Seattle! It's amazing how insomnia can bring two people together..." Marshal broke into a wicked grin and a chuckle once it was clear he could not effectively fake knowing what the movie was about. "Kidding, kidding. I'm an adventure movie kind of guy. Spielberg is my favorite. But those cheesy old horror flicks are gold too. Maybe we could have a movie marathon sometime, pop some popcorn..."
He realized he had kind of vaguely suggested a social plan. That was weird for him. But she probably wouldn't take him up on it, anyway...
His phone buzzed on the table. The call display said Ginny. He hastily silenced it - but as soon as the call disconnected, it buzzed again immediately. Marshal could almost imagine that the device was being insistent. He shut it off and shoved it in his jeans pocket.
"So I'm guessing your family is new to the neighborhood?" Marshal asked conversationally. "Haven't seen you around before. I look out the window a lot. I swear I'm not a creep. There just isn't much else to do."
Just booze and pills, and he certainly wasn't telling Cait about that.
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Monkey Kitty
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Re: Welcome to the Suburbs. Population: Odd.
George Collins
It took George's brain a few seconds to catch up; 'metas' wasn't a familiar term. Once he got there, though, he exhaled sharply.
"So you know, then? About me and the girls."
His brain was spinning. This could be dangerous. What if the McIvors told the Kree? What if they told the wrong Skrulls? The latter would normally be a lot safer, obviously - but by one impulsive action, George had managed to make some enemies on his own side of the war, too.
"How much do you know? I... hope it goes without saying that... that if the word spread of this, it would be catastrophic for us. Can I count on your discretion?"
His look was pleading; he really had no other options but to hope he could rely on the McIvors. That or run in the middle of the night and hope for the best, without SHIELD.
It took George's brain a few seconds to catch up; 'metas' wasn't a familiar term. Once he got there, though, he exhaled sharply.
"So you know, then? About me and the girls."
His brain was spinning. This could be dangerous. What if the McIvors told the Kree? What if they told the wrong Skrulls? The latter would normally be a lot safer, obviously - but by one impulsive action, George had managed to make some enemies on his own side of the war, too.
"How much do you know? I... hope it goes without saying that... that if the word spread of this, it would be catastrophic for us. Can I count on your discretion?"
His look was pleading; he really had no other options but to hope he could rely on the McIvors. That or run in the middle of the night and hope for the best, without SHIELD.
Re: Welcome to the Suburbs. Population: Odd.
Cait McIvor
"Hey, sure, I'm down with getting some film culture. Adventure is definitely something I can get behind."
Her voice trailed off as Marshal's phone interrupted the moment. Out of habit, she glanced at the screen even though it was certainly none of her business. The way he powered down his phone told her that he didn't want to talk to Ginny, so he probably didn't want to talk about Ginny. That was fine. Things seemed to have a way of coming up, so she didn't pursue the subject but went along with his offered topic.
"Heh, wow someone who looks outside instead of at a screen? I think that makes you interesting, not a creep!" She paused as she rolled the hotdogs around on the open grill. Just how much should she let out? In a way, just being from out of town was a fine story, but it wouldn't explain why S.H.I.E.L.D. set them up in the community. And if Marshal was nervous around the government entity, it was only fair that he know of their involvement in their move to the suburbs.
"Yeah, we're new - in a lot of ways. We actually got ported in from another dimension along with a bunch of other people a couple of weeks ago. S.H.I.E.L.D. set us up here while we wait for them to figure out how to get us back. I guess they wanted us outside of the city due to our...y'know, specialness."
Again, she stopped and gave Marshal an appraising look. "The whole mutant thing doesn't really bother you, does it." If Marshal wanted to interpret that as a question instead of the statement it sounded like, he was certainly free to do so, but Cait broke eye contact again to start shovelling the whistling dogs onto a plate. "Because it'd be great to have a run buddy while we're stuck here. If you're interested. I mean, I assume you run..."
"Hey, sure, I'm down with getting some film culture. Adventure is definitely something I can get behind."
Her voice trailed off as Marshal's phone interrupted the moment. Out of habit, she glanced at the screen even though it was certainly none of her business. The way he powered down his phone told her that he didn't want to talk to Ginny, so he probably didn't want to talk about Ginny. That was fine. Things seemed to have a way of coming up, so she didn't pursue the subject but went along with his offered topic.
"Heh, wow someone who looks outside instead of at a screen? I think that makes you interesting, not a creep!" She paused as she rolled the hotdogs around on the open grill. Just how much should she let out? In a way, just being from out of town was a fine story, but it wouldn't explain why S.H.I.E.L.D. set them up in the community. And if Marshal was nervous around the government entity, it was only fair that he know of their involvement in their move to the suburbs.
"Yeah, we're new - in a lot of ways. We actually got ported in from another dimension along with a bunch of other people a couple of weeks ago. S.H.I.E.L.D. set us up here while we wait for them to figure out how to get us back. I guess they wanted us outside of the city due to our...y'know, specialness."
Again, she stopped and gave Marshal an appraising look. "The whole mutant thing doesn't really bother you, does it." If Marshal wanted to interpret that as a question instead of the statement it sounded like, he was certainly free to do so, but Cait broke eye contact again to start shovelling the whistling dogs onto a plate. "Because it'd be great to have a run buddy while we're stuck here. If you're interested. I mean, I assume you run..."
Re: Welcome to the Suburbs. Population: Odd.
Rhiannon McIvor
George's reaction was much more severe than she'd been expecting and Rhiannon made to reassure him as best she could. She set down the salad and turned to face him, radiating a sense of calm and speaking softly.
"I am so sorry to have worried you. When SHIELD said that met...oh right, you say 'mutants' here...that mutants aren't very well accepted in this world, I didn't think that things were quite as serious as they now sound. I admit, I simply made an assumption that you all were, based on little Annie's blood being...unique. Of course you can count on our discretion. I don't want to put your family - or mine, for that matter - at risk. Please forgive my lack of understanding of the situation."
Of course, Rhiannon also realized that she'd put her family's welfare in George's hands as well by full-out admitting that they were all not quite human. Still, she'd felt like he was a trustworthy man right from the start. She still thought that revealing this information to him was a wise course of action, especially with the situation around mutants being so dire. They needed to stick together.
George's reaction was much more severe than she'd been expecting and Rhiannon made to reassure him as best she could. She set down the salad and turned to face him, radiating a sense of calm and speaking softly.
"I am so sorry to have worried you. When SHIELD said that met...oh right, you say 'mutants' here...that mutants aren't very well accepted in this world, I didn't think that things were quite as serious as they now sound. I admit, I simply made an assumption that you all were, based on little Annie's blood being...unique. Of course you can count on our discretion. I don't want to put your family - or mine, for that matter - at risk. Please forgive my lack of understanding of the situation."
Of course, Rhiannon also realized that she'd put her family's welfare in George's hands as well by full-out admitting that they were all not quite human. Still, she'd felt like he was a trustworthy man right from the start. She still thought that revealing this information to him was a wise course of action, especially with the situation around mutants being so dire. They needed to stick together.
Re: Welcome to the Suburbs. Population: Odd.
Tian and Agraylea
"Yes, my lord, we've confirmed the identity of the vessels. They are living in a SHIELD-protected suburb."
A man with shaved head and flattened features was speaking into a glowing orb, the cement walls and bare rafters of an unfinished basement absorbing the light so that the man's face was illuminated and little else. His hands were folded before him as he spoke into the orb. Behind him, a woman was stuffing a second body into the rusty chest freezer.
"No, my lord, SHIELD did not detect our presence. We have established a base of operations here and will monitor the situation for an opportunity to strike."
No audible sound came from the orb, yet the woman approached and stood beside the man as he nodded gravely.
"Of course, my lord. We will utilize the utmost discretion."
The light winked out and the pair climbed the stairs to step into a perfectly kept kitchen. Well, except for the blood on the floor. The phone rang, and after a moment's hesitation, the woman picked it up. Her neutral face took on a pleasantly cheerful mien and the voice that came out of her mouth didn't seem quite like her own.
"Hello? Oh, thank-you so much for calling. Of course we saw the fire. Terrible. Uh huh. Uh huh. Well we're fine. Thanks. Uh huh. Buh-bye!"
A brief look of disgust, then her face fell back into perfect neutrality. She addressed Tian, who was busy scrubbing the floor. "The most difficult part of this mission will be not razing this entire fetid pool of useless idiots to the ground."
A grunt of agreement was all she got in reply.
"Yes, my lord, we've confirmed the identity of the vessels. They are living in a SHIELD-protected suburb."
A man with shaved head and flattened features was speaking into a glowing orb, the cement walls and bare rafters of an unfinished basement absorbing the light so that the man's face was illuminated and little else. His hands were folded before him as he spoke into the orb. Behind him, a woman was stuffing a second body into the rusty chest freezer.
"No, my lord, SHIELD did not detect our presence. We have established a base of operations here and will monitor the situation for an opportunity to strike."
No audible sound came from the orb, yet the woman approached and stood beside the man as he nodded gravely.
"Of course, my lord. We will utilize the utmost discretion."
The light winked out and the pair climbed the stairs to step into a perfectly kept kitchen. Well, except for the blood on the floor. The phone rang, and after a moment's hesitation, the woman picked it up. Her neutral face took on a pleasantly cheerful mien and the voice that came out of her mouth didn't seem quite like her own.
"Hello? Oh, thank-you so much for calling. Of course we saw the fire. Terrible. Uh huh. Uh huh. Well we're fine. Thanks. Uh huh. Buh-bye!"
A brief look of disgust, then her face fell back into perfect neutrality. She addressed Tian, who was busy scrubbing the floor. "The most difficult part of this mission will be not razing this entire fetid pool of useless idiots to the ground."
A grunt of agreement was all she got in reply.
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Monkey Kitty
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Re: Welcome to the Suburbs. Population: Odd.
Marshal Knox
"Yeah, I run," Marshal said, replying to the easier part first. "I mean... y'know... probably not as much as I should. But I would run. With you."
The idea of company made exercise a lot more appealing than just thinking about his health.
"The mutant thing is all good. No worries. I mean, I'm not one to judge. I assume you've already figured out that I'm not just some random guy living in a neighborhood full of specials. I'm... don't laugh, okay. I'm one of the so-called super soldiers. That's why SHIELD is so keen to keep an eye on me. So yeah, being a mutant doesn't sound like anything strange to me."
"Yeah, I run," Marshal said, replying to the easier part first. "I mean... y'know... probably not as much as I should. But I would run. With you."
The idea of company made exercise a lot more appealing than just thinking about his health.
"The mutant thing is all good. No worries. I mean, I'm not one to judge. I assume you've already figured out that I'm not just some random guy living in a neighborhood full of specials. I'm... don't laugh, okay. I'm one of the so-called super soldiers. That's why SHIELD is so keen to keep an eye on me. So yeah, being a mutant doesn't sound like anything strange to me."
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Monkey Kitty
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Re: Welcome to the Suburbs. Population: Odd.
George Collins
George nodded understanding that mutants weren't very tolerated here.
"I see. Yeah. That's gotta be rough. I'm sorry you've had to deal with that. We're... we're something different, though. I guess you'd say 'aliens,' if you had to pick a category. We're not from this planet. And the girls... they aren't my blood. I found them after their parents died. I adopted them. They actually... aren't even my species. They're from a different side of a war. And there are people who aren't going to be too happy about that - especially the ones who want to wipe out my whole species."
***
Two Months Ago
The SHIELD agent stared impassively at George across his desk. "And why exactly did you think that was a good idea, sir?"
George reddened and twisted his hands together nervously. Why did this guy put him so on edge? But their fate was in the man's hands, after all.
"I told you, they needed a home."
"Oh, because they were being abused?"
"No."
"Beaten?"
"No."
"Tortured? Locked in a closet without food?"
"No. No. Nothing like that. They weren't being harmed. But they were orphans. I couldn't just leave them to fend for themselves."
"Oh? And there was no one in the entire Kree Empire who could have taken care of them? There wasn't a single soul who wanted them? No one who cared about keeping them out of Skrull hands."
"I'm sure... yeah... someone would have. But..."
"Then - forgive me, Mr. 'Collins', but respectfully - what the hell are we doing here? Why would you do something so suicidally stupid?"
George was suddenly on his feet, his cheeks now flushed with anger rather than embarrassment. "Because the Kree are trying to murder my people!"
"So you took two Kree girls as what? Revenge?"
"No! No. That wasn't it at all!"
"Then why, Mr. 'Collins'?"
"Because I didn't want them to be raised like that! I didn't want them to become monsters! They're just children. If I could take them away from all that, raise them differently... maybe there's hope. Maybe a new generation of people who are raised differently can end this madness."
"I doubt it, Mr. 'Collins.' I think you've set yourself up to be taken out by a Kree death squad... and created a massive headache for me in the process. But you did what you did, and I don't see you backing out, so I guess we just have to find somewhere to put you..."
George nodded understanding that mutants weren't very tolerated here.
"I see. Yeah. That's gotta be rough. I'm sorry you've had to deal with that. We're... we're something different, though. I guess you'd say 'aliens,' if you had to pick a category. We're not from this planet. And the girls... they aren't my blood. I found them after their parents died. I adopted them. They actually... aren't even my species. They're from a different side of a war. And there are people who aren't going to be too happy about that - especially the ones who want to wipe out my whole species."
***
Two Months Ago
The SHIELD agent stared impassively at George across his desk. "And why exactly did you think that was a good idea, sir?"
George reddened and twisted his hands together nervously. Why did this guy put him so on edge? But their fate was in the man's hands, after all.
"I told you, they needed a home."
"Oh, because they were being abused?"
"No."
"Beaten?"
"No."
"Tortured? Locked in a closet without food?"
"No. No. Nothing like that. They weren't being harmed. But they were orphans. I couldn't just leave them to fend for themselves."
"Oh? And there was no one in the entire Kree Empire who could have taken care of them? There wasn't a single soul who wanted them? No one who cared about keeping them out of Skrull hands."
"I'm sure... yeah... someone would have. But..."
"Then - forgive me, Mr. 'Collins', but respectfully - what the hell are we doing here? Why would you do something so suicidally stupid?"
George was suddenly on his feet, his cheeks now flushed with anger rather than embarrassment. "Because the Kree are trying to murder my people!"
"So you took two Kree girls as what? Revenge?"
"No! No. That wasn't it at all!"
"Then why, Mr. 'Collins'?"
"Because I didn't want them to be raised like that! I didn't want them to become monsters! They're just children. If I could take them away from all that, raise them differently... maybe there's hope. Maybe a new generation of people who are raised differently can end this madness."
"I doubt it, Mr. 'Collins.' I think you've set yourself up to be taken out by a Kree death squad... and created a massive headache for me in the process. But you did what you did, and I don't see you backing out, so I guess we just have to find somewhere to put you..."