Battle of Washington (any and all!)

[Jack Russell]

Tugging nervously on the collar of his battle suit, Jack emerges into the hangar. He had passed Storm in the foyer, and the look on her face had almost been enough. They all knew this day would come, and it seemed so soon--too soon.

His entire future is at stake now.

He tries not to think about the time to come if things go awry. Jack inhales deeply, knowing that it doesn't take just an animal to smell fear; trepidation spreads worse than any disease. Rolling his shoulders back, he attempts an assured gait, straightening his back.

Jack's ensemble doesn't resist his musculature, moving with the ease of fitted mesh. It has more qualities of a second skin rather than bulky body armor or stiff leather. He needs to be able to move. The rust-red piping is a nice touch, although he'd sooner do without. The suits are mere identities in the fray. He'd lose his the moment he stepped into the battlefield, but he won't be that hard to find.

Nodding to Logan and Warren as he approaches, he tugs on the hem of one of his gloves, venting his silent nerves by kneading the leather between his forefinger and thumb. "Ready as we'll ever be, right..?" he asks, trying to meet their gazes without thinking about his distant, grisly demise.

Sensing more arriving, he glances across the hangar. A stiffening of his back is a response to the pair, and the best he can do is offer an inflexible dip of his chin. He won't ever completely forgive himself for letting Danny become infected, even if the consequences are far, far less than they could have been. No sulking.. you can't change what's already happened. Just move on. Somewhere in his face, a reassuring smile ventures to relax the muscles in his countenance, but it never quite makes it.

He tugs at the collar again--This is just the deciding point of my eventual death...--feeling a slick, fine line of sweat. no pressure..

[Toni Craft]

Normally she loves getting to go out for a ride in the Blackbird. She even loves it when they don’t let her fly (she can’t really be that bad at steering the damn thing, can she?). But in the dark interior of the jet there’s a sort of doom-and-gloom kind of feeling that’s downright infectious.

Toni tries to shake the dread off as she reties her boots for the third time, but that little nagging, itching feeling keeps tugging at the back of her skull. The world’s entire future is sitting in their leather gloved hands...not the kind of pressure Toni’s used to. She really didn’t like the future. It was just so darn depressing.

Done with her boot, she lifts her foot and braces it against a ridge in the Blackbird’s bulkhead. She tries to look cool, calm, collected, even for her, but that’s not really going to happen.

A few familiar voices float up through the open doorway and Toni leans over to peak out at the hangar.

There all just milling around, chatting anxiously with one another until the rest of the team arrives. But at least it looks like there’s going to be a half decent group of good guys to work with. Toni stands and wanders into the doorframe, stepping heavily down the stairs into the hangar, finding herself settling into her familiar, joker’s persona again.

“Dudes and dudettes, I do believe this is the day of our reckoning.” Maybe the thoughtful look to the sky, the expressive hand movements, and poorly attempted British accent are ruining the moment. But hey, if she isn’t going to be the team clown, who is? “This is where we choose to change history. To bring about a new world and a new civilization. To boldly go where no man or cousin or walking banana has gone before.” Logan’s staring at her, “Now what’d’ya say we all get our superhero butts to Washington so you folks don’t have to worry about me turning into that supremo bitcho I was in the future. Come on, I know you all love me too much to let me change. Even you, little Log-iwog-ikins.” By the looks of the glare Logan’s giving her, maybe that wasn’t the best motivational speech ever.

[Josh Dalton Worthington]

> Now what’d’ya say we all get our superhero butts to Washington so you folks don’t have to worry about me turning into that supremo bitcho I was in the future.

Ororo's voice calls from up the boarding ramp. "I would say that is a very good idea. We have no time to waste."

The team files into the passenger compartment of the Blackbird. Ororo drops into the pilot's seat and raises the boarding ramp.

Above them, sunlight streams into the hangar as the basketball court retracts. Ororo takes the plane upwards over the mansion, and then kicks the bird high into the sky. Out the windows, the ground rapidly drops away.

"We don't have much time to talk - at our speeds the capitol is only a hop away. Josh, I'd like you to run the briefing so I can concentrate on our target. I'm concerned about being a possible target for the Air Force..."

Josh nods. "As all of you know, this is the deciding moment for our future. At this point in time, we can either keep the world going on a similar course, or if we fail, well..." He looks around. "Most of you were there. It sucks." There are a few chuckles, but they seem a bit forced.

"I'm basing our plan of attack off the historical records we viewed in 2027. There is a serious riot happening right now outside the US Capitol Building. When this happened 'the first time', we had no idea where to start and how to help. Hopefully, that should be the difference. If we can break this riot up, we may be able to prevent key members of the US Senate from being injured or killed. That's our first priority." Josh points at a diagram of Capitol Hill.

"Secondly, we know nuclear launches factor into this disaster. Unfortunately, the mental haze affecting this crowd is not a problem at the Pentagon yet. So... we can't go charging into the Pentagon to solve that problem until it starts, unless we want to go down in a hail of gunfire." He glances at Toni and Logan. "Not all of us are bulletproof."

"As soon as we get word that there's trouble there, we abandon our efforts and get ourselves over there." Josh changes the screen to show the street route between the two locations. "They're not far from each other... but the Potomac River is in the way. If we can, we'll jump on the jet. If not... flying, automobile theft... whatever works. We're probably going to get separated in the chaos." He looks stressed. "I'm not trying to tell you to go crazy here, but if you have to break laws to succeed... do it. We'll deal with the consequences later."

[Toni Craft]

As much as she loves the Blackbird, couldn’t it have a window or two in the back? You know, so she can at least look at the clouds or something? Anything to keep her mind off the fact that Logan kind of smells and there’s way too many of them jammed into the tiny little cabin.

“I'm concerned about being a possible target for the Air Force..."

“Why are you worried? The last time we tried to not be a target didn’t you end up going all Twister on their asses? Not that I’m complaining, really. Bobby’s a lot more pleasant to look at when he’s not a smoldering lump of barbecue.” Really, what is that smell? That has to be coming from Logan. It smells like her grandpa’s old woodstove stuffed full of manure-covered kittens, and then lit on fire.

At least the Wolverine’s stench is a half-decent distraction from the impending doom they’re all possibly facing. Although Josh’s little pep talk does little to distract Toni after he starts talking about “nuclear launches” and “hails of gunfire”.

"Not all of us are bulletproof."

“Roger roger on that, Josh-o-mundo. And if you folks could all concentrate on not being bullet sponges for this whole flying snafu, then I say we all have a potluck when we get back to the ‘stute. I’ll bring the meatballs. I make an awesome pot of swedish meatballs.”

"I'm not trying to tell you to go crazy here, but if you have to break laws to succeed... do it. We'll deal with the consequences later." A smile blooms across Toni’s face at Josh’s little statement of permission.

“You sir, are the best leader ever. Of all time. Since the dawn of the dinosaurs.” She scratches her chin. “I have a question though. Now — and this is totally theoretical — if stopping the bad guys involves me having to steal (and subsequently keep) some politician’s Audi GT3 — or an equally as sexy equivalent — that’s okay? Because if it is, then you are awesome incarnate. Awesome incarnate covered in sex, chocolate, and then lit of fire.”

[Josh Dalton Worthington]

> The last time we tried to not be a target didn’t you end up going all Twister on their asses?

Josh raises an eyebrow. "Obviously you didn't finish reading the end of that particular mission report. They then got spiked with a missile and everyone on board would have died if it hadn't been for Magneto." Josh coughs. "So. Better to avoid detection completely, right?"

You sir, are the best leader ever. Of all time. Since the dawn of the dinosaurs.

He tries not to roll his eyes. Toni was just trying to lighten the dire mood, but he was sort of trying to impress on everyone the seriousness of this moment. "Okay... partners this time. Toni, I want you and Jack to work together. Storm and Logan will comprise another team, and Danny, I want you to stay with me. Warren will act as a scout and forward recon - no one can really keep up with him in the air, anyway." Josh catches Warren's eye, who nods. With their mental link, the two of them generally paired up. The almost preternatural awareness it afforded had given them the edge many times. This time, though, it made more sense for Warren to do scouting. More of my talents lie on the ground... and I want to make sure to keep an eye on Danny. It was the boy's first major combat action.

— or an equally as sexy equivalent — that’s okay? Because if it is...

This time he really does roll his eyes. "Toni, this isn't carte blanche to do whatever the hell you want. It is me trying to get across the seriousness of this. We've got to succeed." He looks across at the assembled mutants, and then over at the GPS. "We're coming up on Capitol Hill now. Any questions?"

He answers a couple last minute items, and then the meeting breaks up into smaller groups. Josh glances over at Danny. "You've been pretty quiet. Anything on your mind?"