xp_logs | Garrison and Adrienne (Reply)

x-adrienne.livejournal.com posting in

Backdated to Tuesday

Garrison seeks out Adrienne at Harry's to recruit her for another mission. She is less than enthusiastic about the idea of more fieldwork.

Adrienne had gone straight to Harry's after the Blackbird had landed in New York. She felt in desperate need of a shower, something to eat, and a comfortable bed, but her need for a drink outweighed all others. Plus there was the fact that the psychometrist wasn't sure that once she made her way to her room she would ever leave it again. One last drink at Harry's before she hibernated for the rest of her life, then.

Harry gave her a Moosehead as soon as she sat down and she cut off any questions he might have with a savage glare, wanting nothing more than to take the edge off her feelings with some alcohol and enjoy the near-emptiness and quiet of the bar.

"You know, this isn't really the best solution to post-combat stress." Kane said from the space behind her. He'd stopped for a quick shower, and had changed his clothes. Surprisingly, he waved away the offer of a beer from Harry. Both the team and Wisdom's people were going over the plans they'd taken from Zemo's computer. Kane would have been with them, but Wisdom had called with a question about how they'd confirmed Zemo's existance, which led to an explaination of Adrienne's powers, and then a request by Pete.

Which had led him directly to her usual stool at the corner of the bar.

Jumping in surprise, Adrienne spilled her beer on the bar and cursed, whirling on Kane. She felt like flinging herself at him, fists first. She refrained, only barely, from damaging Garrison and hurled the bottle at the wall behind him, causing it to shatter. "Asshole!" she screeched. "You asked me to help you and I got kidnapped! I nearly got killed! I'll show you post-combat stress!" She took a step forward, fists outstretched, white haze of anger clouding rationality.

"Yeah, I know. I was there on the table getting grilled like a steak." He wasn't really worried about her throwing a punch. After all, super strength and super endurance, verses a woman that was small to start with didn't make much of a fight. However, Harry likely would see it differently, as Garrison carefully took both wrists, stopping her from throwing any punches.

"In two seconds, Harry's going to throw us out, and all the other patrons are going to think we're married. Can you take a deep breath and calm down?"

"Don't touch me!" she howled, wrenching her wrists free and taking a few steps back, shocked, appalled by how close she'd come to actually striking Garrison. To becoming the monster she'd gotten rid of years before. Taking Kane's advice and sucking in deep gulps of air, she stalked back towards the bar, not able to meet Harry's eyes for fear he really would throw her out. She contemplated the stool but wanted her back against something solid, so she retreated to a booth and collapsed in it with her arms and forehead on the table. "I'm totally calm," she muttered miserably.

"You sound it." Kane slid in across from her, scooting the drink and a glass of water with it. "You want to tell me what all of that was about? I can understand you being upset about the whole 'marched off at gunpoint' thing, but we're alive and well. According to Miss Munroe, all that happened was you guys were stuck for a couple of hours and then had to escape."

"Stuck? Stuck?!" Adrienne kept her voice to a whispering hiss so as not to call more attention to herself, but her features were livid as she faced Garrison. "They froze a fucking dog as a demonstration. You were nearly grilled like a steak! And you want to know why I'm upset?! I was-" locked up, she nearly blurted out, helpless, useless. Dependent on a bunch of people I don't even know. "I was marched off at gunpoint, as you said," she muttered instead. "Maybe that's everyday fare for you, for all of you, but it's not for me, and I'm not so well-adjusted as to let that one just roll off my back."

"Talking to you reminds me how weird my life really has become." Garrison said with a straight face. Honestly, he hadn't even taken more than a few minutes to consider the danger that they'd escaped, and most of that was anger at his father.

"Look, Adrienne. You're right. This isn't everyday fare for you. It's easy to forget that sometimes out with the team or even out with the Agency. I'm sorry."

The bulk of her anger evaporated hearing Garrison's apology. "Thank you. And I'm glad I could remind you how weird your life has become." Changing the subject, she wrinkled her nose. "Your dad's quite the character."

"Oh yeah, he's great just so long as you don't need a father figure or expect him to pay any attention to your life." Garrison shook his head. "I don't know. It's all jumbled up in my head right now about him. All I know is that this Baron Zemo thing will likely go badly for everyone else other than him. He'll get out unscathed because he always does."

"Look, about this whole business? I know what happened was pretty freaky, but this guy is a serious threat. He's dangerous to the whole world, so I want you to know what I'm considering when I'm asking you this. Pete Wisdom, the head guy over at Snow Valley, heard about your powers and asked if you'd be willing to come along to help locate one of the pieces of whatever this device is. It's your choice, but I have to ask."

"Sounds like our fathers went to the same school," the psychometrist scoffed. "I knew I had a valid reason for not liking your dad. Other than the fact that it's his fault he- Snow Valley? I knew Emma wasn't running a fucking think tank! I knew she had some sort of secret organization," she hissed triumphantly, before the rest of Garrison's words sunk in. "Wait- you're asking me to do what? Come along? Do this again?" Her voice was rising steadily in pitch and volume, to such a degree that she glanced around quickly to make sure Harry wasn't coming by with a baseball bat to evict her.

"Well, I actually don't know if Emma's got a secret organization, but it's common knowledge around here that Wisdom and some of his people who work at the Center also work with the X-Men at times, or do their own field work." Kane shook his head. "But yeah, I'm asking you to come along and potentially do this again. Because it's important, Adrienne. Despite the comments about getting paid, you know it is."

Disappointed at having her Snow Valley theory shot down, Adrienne crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. "The payment thing was a joke," she agreed, "but you must be joking about the 'do this again' thing, too, because there's no way I'm doing this again." A laugh escaped her as she shook her head. "No way. Kane, the bad guy has a bag over his head. You don't need me. You've got the X-Men and the Snow Valley field squad, or whatever you want to call them."

"I trust them, Adrienne. They wouldn't have asked if they didn't think they needed you."

She shook her head emphatically, any traces of false bravado evaporating when she realized Garrison wasn't going to jump up and yell 'haha, just kidding.' "I can't, Kane. I can't do it. Having to face that sort of madness... I'm not strong enough to do it again. I need to feel safe; I can't- I spent too long being afraid before, I don't want to keep feeling like this..." realizing that she was no longer alluding to the mission she'd been on, Adrienne trailed off, wringing her gloved hands on the table. She hated the thought of letting Garrison down, especially when he said this Pete Wisdom character needed her, but wasn't sure she was capable of coping with another situation like that of the previous mission. "What is it they want me to do?"

"They want your powers to track something. They say it will make it possible under the timeline." Garrison took her hands again, this time unresisting. "And you've been lying to yourself, Adrienne, You are strong enough to do this. In fact, I think there's part of you that needs to prove that to yourself. Look, the guy who asked this, is about as close to family as it can get without genetics involved. If you trust me, trust him. I won't let you down."

Flinching when Garrison took her hands, Adrienne set her jaw and managed to keep herself from pulling away. "I can't trust you, Kane," she responded quietly. "I tried the trust thing once, it didn't work out so well for me." She hoped Garrison would assume she was talking about the last mission, but wasn't entirely sure she cared if he figured out she wasn't. Huffing out a wearied breath, she rolled her eyes. "But you've got my number, haven't you? 'You're strong enough, you have to prove it to yourself.'" It was all true, and Adrienne knew she had to do what he was asking. "Mounties use you as a negotiator, I bet? Fine. I'm in. But just tell me I can hide under my covers until I have to go."

"Deal. I'll even bring you a cheesecake." Kane smiled and squeezed her hands. "Don't worry, Adrienne. No matter what's out there, you're going to be with people who no one wants to make enemies with. You'll be safe."

"Brownies," she corrected with a laugh and a wan shake of her head. "I don't like cheesecake." She knew his assurances of her safety couldn't be counted on, but the words were appreciated nonetheless. "Do you have time for a beer or do you have to get back to babysitting your father and making plans with Emma's secret field operatives?"

"I'm likely deploying soon, so I'll skip the beer. But I can nurse a coke and watch you drink yours."