Few days after [Instance]Stark Domesticity.
<Viper> Viper checked her list of things to do and ticked off another one, stowwing the pencil in her bright green bun, she adjusted the collar of her lab coat and went to collect Sebastian from Jessica.
<Shaw> Sebastian tinkered with a small project, sitting on the bed since it was the largest surface, with Sharky curled up practically on top of his feet.
<Viper> Viper, remembering that people liked these things, knocked on the door and waited for someone to come and answer it.
<Shaw> He and Sharky looked up at the same time, and the pet gave a gentle woof. Springing to his feet, the silver corgi hopped down and pattered to the door on short legs. Sebastian was a tad slower.
<Viper> Viper's toe tapped on the floor as her level of impatience climbed. She didn't like waiting. She straightened up to her full height and attempted to wipe away the bored expression when the door latch clicked.
<Shaw> Sebastian opened the door, wishing the agent clone who had fixed the door had installed that peephole he'd requested. It would at least give them the illusion of knowing who was at their door. "Ah," he said when he saw Sarkissian.
<Shaw> Sharky, for his part, bounced into the hall and yipped excitedly at the woman's feet.
<Viper> Viper looked down at the creature and raised an eyebrow at him, "So much wasted potential..."
<Shaw> "Not really. Jessica loves that little creature." He surveyed the woman, then put on a tight smile. "Can I help you, madam?"
<Viper> "You wanted a tour," Viper prompted, turning her attention back to Sebastian when Sharky sat down beside her, tail still wagging on the floor.
<Shaw> "Ah, yes, of course." He measured Sarkissian with his eyes again, then snapped his fingers at Sharky and gave a low whistle. "Inside," he told the creature, opening the door wider to let the dog back through.
<Viper> Sharky obediently went back inside, his nose stayed close to the door jamb in the hope that Sebastian would change his mind. Viper turned and started down the hallway without another word.
<Shaw> Tilting his head and considering this, Sebastian smirked. Turning back to the low coffee table, he picked up and pocketed his phone, then went out the door, holding it open and whistling at Sharky again. He jerked his head for the little creature to follow and caught up with Sarkissian.
<Viper> Viper led the way down a flight of stairs toward the main labs' observation windows. "Unless you wish for a closer look at any of the projects underway, we can see all we need to from here."
<Shaw> "Of course." He clattered down the steps just behind her, then paused and whistled again, holding out his hand to Sharky. The dog blinked up at him, then shifted into a monkey and leaped onto his forearm, quickly climbing to his shoulder. "If they all contain deadly insects and silver abominations, I am most pleased to stay outside."
<Viper> Viper laughed, "There is only one lab containing insects here and my predators are in training in another facility except for the one I keep here. But she is largely for protection at business meetings, I shouldn't need her today."
<Shaw> "So, what is it you do here, then?" He fell into step with Sarkissian, Sharky chattering in his ear.
<Viper> "Testing our products, mostly. Applying new discoveries to various scenarios and seeing what sticks."
<Shaw> "And your products are?"
<Viper> "Many and varied." She gestured him to the nearest window where the technicians were testing weapons.
<Shaw> "Of course," he said drily, turning to look through the window. Sharky had started picking through his hair, and he batted at the creature, catching a little paw and holding it still.
<Viper> "We have a number of contracts that we are expected to fill just like any other legitimate business." Viper explained as she watched the latest tests.
<Shaw> Sebastian scanned the room, his attention pulled immediately to a group of green-clad lackeys trapped in what looked like a blob of foam. Two men and a woman in lab coats circled them, poking and taking samples.
<Viper> Viper smirked, following his eyeline, "Don't tell them, but that one's just for my own personal amusement."
<Shaw> "I've seen something similar used for non-lethal crowd control." His eyes slid sideways to regard her. "I would think you would include acid in the formula," he said, tone light as he bared teeth in his best shark-like grin.
<Viper> Viper laughed, shaking her head, "It's not as much fun to watch them dig their way out of that."
<Shaw> In another area, he saw technicians tinkering with what looked very much like a portable rocket launcher. This, he knew, as Shaw Industries provided shoulder-fired anti-tank weapons for the US government. However, it didn't look like his design, or Tony's.
<Viper> "I hope I can trust you not to steal my designs..." Viper glanced at him, gesturing that they could continued along the corridor.
<Shaw> "I have my own ideas, Viper," he said, following her easily enough.
<Viper> "I'm sure you do... but they're not as good." She smirked in amusement, stopping at the next window which was mostly dark but for the occasional flash of light.
<Shaw> He returned the smirk and stared into the room. Enhanced senses or no, there was little he could see in the flashes other than movement. "And this is?"
<Viper> "Wait for it..." there was a beat or two of total blackness before multicoloured electrical charges exploded from the centre of the room and followed individual channels to their respective corners. "If we can solve the overloading problem we'll really be onto something..." on cue, the lights bubbled back out again and the room made a disconcerting hissing sound.
<Shaw> "Onto what, exactly?" He'd stopped himself from taking a step backward and away. Barely. Sharky screeched and hopped to his other shoulder.
<Viper> "There are an alarming number of mutants with the ability to discharge different types of energy. We can synthesise the energy no problem, but working on sustainable containment for those that are unable to control it is full of road bumps. We're making progress but it is slow."
<Shaw> Sebastian turned to look at Sarkissian. "To what end?"
<Viper> "To help them, of course." Viper's tone was one of surprise (though it was fake), this was an obvious answer.
<Shaw> He snorted.
<Viper> Viper turned to face him, eyebrow raised, "You don't think I'm telling the truth?"
<Shaw> "I think, that much like me, you will help mutants so long as it serves your own purposes." He crossed his arms, sizing her up.
<Viper> "You say this like it is a bad thing but it is okay when you do it?" Her eyes narrowed a little. It made no sense.
<Shaw> "No, it wasn't okay when I did it. For years, I betrayed my own people at the behest of the Lord Imperial... and we've seen how that will end for him."
<Viper> She waved a hand dismissively, "Regardless, you act as though helping mutants will not always be in my best interests. Or yours, for that matter."
<Shaw> "For me, it will be, as I am no longer willing to compromise myself, and certainly not my family." Sharky tugged at his hair again, jumping back to his other shoulder at another flash of light.
<Viper> "You realise I am a mutant, also, yes?"
<Shaw> "Are you?" Sebastian tilted his head, now more interested. "The Lord Imperial never seemed certain of what you were."
<Viper> "Of course I am. I am older than the Lord Imperial." She offered a smirk.
<Shaw> Eyes narrowed, he studied her more closely. "Fascinating."
<Viper> "Now, shall we move on?" Viper was done with sharing today.
<Shaw> "Of course." Sebastian waited for her to move, his eyes drawn to the green bun of hair.
<Viper> She gave a single nod and moved on to the next window, "This is the largest lab after Julia's - our genetics lab."
<Shaw> He debated snatching a single green hair for some genetics research of his own, but refrained. "What areas of genetics are you researching? Mutant?"
<Viper> "Yes... among other things." At the far end of the lab, something brown and chitinous moved in a darkened cell.
<Shaw> Sebastian caught the movement and squinted, then looked at Sarkissian.
<Viper> Viper caught the look and raised an eyebrow at him, "What?"
<Shaw> "I know that's not Broo... but I see a family resemblance."
<Viper> "Some survived," she shrugged a shoulder, "I didn't want to waste them...."
<Shaw> "Are they... sentient?" He moved closer to the window, resting both hands on the frame to peer inside.
<Viper> "Yes they seem to be... but they take instruction very well. They are hive-minded, we think... they respond well to Jessica's pheromones too."
<Shaw> He nearly dislodged Sharky whipping his head to look at her.
<Viper> Viper wondered what she'd said now.
<Shaw> "Has Jessica herself taken part in these experiments?"
<Viper> Viper laughed softly, shaking her head, "You need to have a little talk with your wife about how she met Brooklyn."
<Shaw> "Recently, I meant. Since she has been here?"
<Viper> "Of course not," she rolled her eyes, "Honestly, Sebastian."
<Shaw> "What is the pattern? Your research and projects seem scattered, other than the theme of poisons and insects... and vipers, of course." He ran his tongue over his own teeth.
<Viper> "We have contracts with many organisations, some of our projects are for them, some are because they will be useful. I have to keep my staff busy or they will get bored."
<Shaw> "I see." There was a quiet buzzing in his pocket and Sebastian fished his phone out, looking at the screen. He frowned. "I will need to take this."
<Viper> "Be my guest..." she gestured for him to get on with it and moved a respectful distance away.
<Shaw> After a short, terse conversation with Drake, Sebastian sighed and closed his eyes, tapping the phone against his temple while Sharky chittered.
<Viper> Viper took a few steps back toward him, "Something wrong?"
<Shaw> "Yes, in fact." As much as he might like to remain tight-lipped, unfortunately he would need Sarkissian's help. Again. "Hope Stark is in the hospital. In Washington DC. I... we -- Jessica and I -- need to go to her."
<Viper> "Of course." She nodded understandingly, "Go and fetch Jessica, I will arrange your transport... do you know your way?"
<Shaw> "I believe so, and if not I can reach Jessica." He tapped the phone to his temple again, this time with a slight smirk.
<Viper> "I will meet you at your room, or in Julia's lab - if you wish to wait there, tell Julia to page me." She headed off down the hallway.
<Shaw> "Right." He slid the phone into his pocket and opened his link with Jess. "We'll need a few moments to determine if Jessica wants to go." He'd thought he'd have time to explain things to Jessica, to soften the possible blow...
<Viper> Viper was already disappearing around a corner to go into one of her own labs and organise some electronics for them.
<Shaw> So much for timing, he huffed. Jessica, koibito, I need you. I'm coming to you...
8/18 Instance: Hospitality
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8/18 Instance: Hospitality
Pietro Maximoff [Quicksilver]
Quicksilver: Howisshe?Isshealright?Imusetspeakwithmysisteratonce.
Hawkeye: What is that noise?
IronMan: That is the noise Pietro makes right before he's tossed out of the airlock. ~ Avengers: The Children's Crusade #6
Quicksilver: Howisshe?Isshealright?Imusetspeakwithmysisteratonce.
Hawkeye: What is that noise?
IronMan: That is the noise Pietro makes right before he's tossed out of the airlock. ~ Avengers: The Children's Crusade #6