We're back.

[x-cable.livejournal.com]

Rather anticlimactic, all things considered. Kurt's with us and not too badly hurt - obviously, since we brought him back on the cargo plane - although he's going to be a while in recovering. He's down in the infirmary, with Amelia giving him a thorough going-over.

Sadly, we didn't bring back any explanations as to precisely what the hell was going on. Magneto was there - we spotted him at the end of a hallway, but picking a fight in the middle of a hospital, even a shady private clinic that was holding Kurt against his will, was not really an option.

I'm almost sure he meant for us to see him.

If anyone wants my opinion, this was some sort of a test, to see how we'd react. I can think of at least three incidents while I was at Mistra where we were lured into demonstrating how we'd respond to a particular situation; it can tell an enemy a lot, so long as they're not throwing away anything too valuable. Given that Kurt was obliging enough to traipse happily into their hands, the bait came at no cost to them, even. And after the ambush they pulled with the Blackbird, it's fair to say that they were probably wondering how that might change the nature of our response to something like this.

Note for the security-minded: how whoever it was knew to pass that package with the evidence for where Kurt was to Suzanne has some nasty implications, given that she's not been out in the field with us yet.

I'm going to call Amanda and tell her Kurt's back and able to have visitors.

Comments

[x-storm.livejournal.com]

Testing us to see how we operate without a jet? I think if we have enemies with that much free time and that sort of inclination on our hands, we ought to be more worried than we are.

At any rate, I am glad you are all back safely.

[x-cable.livejournal.com]

To see how we operate in general, 'Ro. Not just the jet. If I was them, I'd be wondering just how much more cautious we were prepared to be, after what happened the last time. I think we supplied them with an answer.

[x-storm.livejournal.com]

My comment still stands. Though I suppose it is better he arrange things like this than try and take over another laser...

[x-cable.livejournal.com]

Well, if he got something really important out of all of this, that's even more worrisome, because we have no idea what it is.

My brain is so not cut out for this sort of business.

[x-dominion.livejournal.com]

I wonder if it's tied in with the earlier kidnapping, asking over and over for things that they couldn't possibly know and using kid gloves in terms of physical violence? According to the files, most of the Brotherhood are experienced in one form of terrorism or another and they like hurting people a lot, so maybe they're breaking profile by trying subtle for once? Put us on the defensive, get so caught up in securing people and the mansion that we open up a big opportunity somewhere else?

[x-forge.livejournal.com]

Kid gloves? I note it wasn't you beaten and dismembered at the hands of that lunatic.

[x-dominion.livejournal.com]

Forge, you were in the hands of a bunch of trained sadists for days. I'm not dismissing what you went through, but the Brotherhood's profiles should have had them breaking bones and cutting off digits inside of 90 minutes, so there has to be a reason why they didn't, just like what Magneto wanted with Kurt, because it obviously can't be to make us one man down when he had the chance.

[x-forge.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is a different case. Nightcrawler's a moron.

[x-dominion.livejournal.com]

Huh. Alright then...

[x-forge.livejournal.com]

Check the files. This isn't the first time he's voluntarily handed himself over to the Brotherhood.

[x-roulette.livejournal.com]

So, a question, next time Mystique attacks/does something/shakes her scaly blue ass, can we just assign Kurt's retrival team before he takes off again?

[x-forge.livejournal.com]

Seriously, I'm making one of those Venn Diagrams - you know the circles that interlink to show overlap between two or more groups? And I'm labeling one side "X-Men" and the other "People providing aid and comfort to the Brotherhood" and guess whose name falls right in the middle.

Cable, I don't think you have to look too far for the security leak.

[x-roulette.livejournal.com]

I know what a Venn diagram is, you dolt.

I don't think our security leak is Kurt. (Security leak? FANTASTIC!) His heart's in the right place, head, generally not so much.

[x-wallflower-.livejournal.com]

Wait, what? We've got a security leak?

[x-forge.livejournal.com]

Someone gave Miss Chan information on Nightcrawler's condition and location. Given that she's not been out in the field with us, that means that the Brotherhood either has been close enough to visually monitor the mansion - or that someone gave them information that wouldn't be accessible to the outside world.

[x-wallflower-.livejournal.com]

Could they have drugged Kurt in some way? Magneto was at the hospital, wasn't he? There's drugs you can give people to get them to tell you things.

[x-roulette.livejournal.com]

This wouldn't be an issue if he would just quit doing it in the first place.

Seriously. You know the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and hoping for a different result every time...

[x-wallflower-.livejournal.com]

Well, yeah. Maybe he needs a session with Dr Samson or something? There's giving a person a chance at redemption and then there's ignoring the fact that they've refused you how many times before.

[x-roulette.livejournal.com]

Maybe more than a few sessions. There's forgiving and then there's "gullible"

[x-wallflower-.livejournal.com]

From what I've seen on the files, Kurt has sort of had to be forgiving. His family isn't exactly known for not screwing up. Problem with that is, he probably thinks he can save all of them considering others have been in the past. It doesn't always work that way though, no matter how much you might want to believe otherwise. Hopefully after this time he'll have learnt that.

[x-forge.livejournal.com]

No, he doesn't have to be forgiving. Some people are beyond redemption. To believe differently is naive. Cost me an arm learning that lesson.

[x-wallflower-.livejournal.com]

I think Ghandi and Mandela would disagree with you but they probably didn't have to deal with super powered beings that could rip you in two.

[x-roulette.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm all for redemption and every thing. But when it's starting to really compromise the rest of us, it's like, figure out your priorites. Either stick around and protect the people who've been good to you or keep running off and getting screwed by the blue psycho ho-bag.

[x-sway.livejournal.com]

Forgive my need for clarification as I'm still going through the files, but am I to understand that Kurt and Mystique are somehow related?

[x-roulette.livejournal.com]

Ooooh. Yeah. Check the file marked "Mystique dodecahedron."

Also? Hi! I'm Jennie.

[x-sway.livejournal.com]

Hi Jennie! Thanks for the pointer. I'm trying to start from the beginning and work my way through the files, but there are quite a few to get through.

[x-roulette.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they take a while. You can skim files here and there. Like mine. Totally boring and usless info.

[x-wallflower-.livejournal.com]

I'd think Kyle's file would make for more alarming reading. How many times has he been kidnapped now?

[x-wildchild.livejournal.com]

Hi, you don't get to make that joke. I get to make that joke. It's MY joke. Also, it's not actually FUNNY when you do it. When I do it, I'm making fun of myself for something that totally freaks me out. When you do it, it's just rude.

[x-wallflower-.livejournal.com]

Wow, that was quick. Other people have made that joke, you know. And you haven't come down on them like a tonne of bricks. What makes me so special?

[x-wildchild.livejournal.com]

It's like the dog jokes. Only a couple people are allowed. If you don't know if you are, you aren't. It's a thing.

[x-wallflower-.livejournal.com]

Alright then. I'm sorry for making a joke you weren't comfortable with. Maybe come talk to me off journal next time though?

[x-wallflower-.livejournal.com]

Hi, what Jennie said. By the way, I don't think we've met either. I'm Laurie.

[x-sway.livejournal.com]

Hi Laurie. I'm Zanne. It's very nice to meet you.

[x-sway.livejournal.com]

Regretfully, I didn't get a good look at the woman who handed me the files, although I can say with some certainty that she was neither blue nor scaly.

With regard to the security issue, I am concerned that the woman was able to identify me in particular, but I'm more interested in knowing many people were in town the other day that she could have potentially passed the files off to. Was I simply the easiest person to get close to, or was it more targeted?