12556/Yule Regret It, Beast

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Yule Regret It, Beast
Date of Scene: 14 December 2020
Location: Hank's Room (North Halls), Xavier's School
Synopsis: Sandy and Hank get into an argument, which turns into a very revealing phone call.
Cast of Characters: Beast, Sandra Billings, Pixie
Tinyplot: Mutant Cure


Beast has posed:
He couldn't bear it. He couldn't stand looking any longer at the screens in his private lab, at the answers arrayed before him. He had analyzied the samples from the 'raid' from dozens, if not hundreds, of different angles. He had run comparative simulations, cross-vector retro-synthesis observations, the works.. and in the end....?

Everyone in the school paused when they heard the roar of anger reverberating through the school from the basement upwards.

When some of the staff approached Hanks private domain, they sound the blue fuirry scientist amidst the ruins of his lab. Almost every deviuce had been upturned, every screen broken. The scientist's lab coat was torn, onbe of his glasses lenses cracked, and he was breathing, panting really, very hard. Without a word he pushed through them..

And now he sits behind his desk in his suite, leonine head clutched in his hands and eyes clenched shut.. a bottle of brandy half empty beside him but no cup.

Sandra Billings has posed:
"Hank?"

The door opens up to reveal Sandy, dressed in a pair of jeans and a baggy sweater that hangs off her shoulder. It's probably one of his. "Hey, everyone is really worried about you. I figured I'd stop by and make sure that .. you were okay."

As she looks around the room, then back to him, her eyes are filled with concern as she reaches out to place her hand on his shoulder, giving him a gentle squeeze.

Beast has posed:
Hank doesn't say a word when Sandra enters his quarters. He could hear her the moment she arrived to this wing, smelled her scent her down the hallway.. Yet he didn't move when she opened the door and entered. Didn't react when she spoke to him. Nothing at all..

Not until she gently squeezed his shoulder.

Then he jerked, pulling away from her comfort.

"Don't..." he rasps. "Do not.. Do not touch me.. Do not try and comfort me." he says, eyes still clenched. "They have every right to be worried about me. Just not for the reason they think."

He grabs the bottle in his paw and plants it against his lips, draining about a quarter of it in one chug, then sets it down VERY carefully on the desk... Like he is afraid he would do something rash and break it. Desk /and/ bottle.

Sandra Billings has posed:
"Henry, what are you talking about? Of course I'm going to try and comfort you. I love you. What is it?"

Sandy says with a worried tone in her voice, peering up at him with is expressive brown eyes. "Come on, stop drinking and take a seat. Just talk things out with me." Rounding the desk to face him, she blows some bangs away from her face. She plants her hands upon it, feeling it creak beneath her weight a tad as she applies some pressure.

"Who should be worried about you and why?"

Beast has posed:
He seems unable to turn to face her, unwilling to open his big blue eyes. He almost seems to tremble, like he is trying to contain something within him. Sadness? Anger? Or perhaps a rage BEYOND anger.

"No, you cannot comfort me. Literally, you cannot. You do not. You do not UNDERSTAND." he says between grit teeth. "But.. But you will. Oh yes, you will.. and the others will to. They will understand WHY they should be worried.. about what I did."

And with that he swipes surface of the desk clean, ibottle and papers and pens flying. The wood-like surface, so mundane, lights up with virtual buttons hovering millimeters above it's surface.. a virtual screen floating in the air like a 2D pane of light.

"Call Dr. Daniel Brightman.." he hisses, and the desk-computer's mini-ai starts placeing the call. "If he does not answer, hack his phone, his laptop, whatever. I /will/ talk to him."

Sandra Billings has posed:
"Hank, you're sounding irrational and bordering on evil scientist dramatics. So, baby, I'm going to need you to take it from a ten and dial it down to a five because you're starting to worry me. Do I need to call one of your freinds in here to help out? I haven't seen you like this before."

Sandy watches him fling stuff off the desk, then looks back to him. Her brows furrow some in concern at the name. That sounds familiar, but nothing that is causing a light bulb to go off.

"Baby, please." She reaches out to grab one of his paws, giving it a squeeze. "Look at me. Talk to me. Breathe."

Pixie has posed:
The phone buzzes and rings for a few moments. At first it doesn't seem like anyone is going to answer. And then there is a click and a high pitched, but professional female voice answers. "Good afternoon, Melrose clinic, Dr. Brightman's office. How may I help you today?"

Beast has posed:
Hank doesn't ignore his paramour, but he does hold up a paw, and single digit, to communicate that she remain silent. When the receptionist picks up he then clears his throat and forces his gravelly voice to be as controlled and refined as possible.. But there is still an edge to it.

"This is Doctor Henry Philip McCoy. I need to speak with Doctor Brightman. Now. Regarding an emergancy consultancy upon which patients lives, or deaths, are hinged." he intones.

Sandra Billings has posed:
Giving a frown, Sandy folds her arms over her chest and tilts her head towards the phone. She doesn't look pleased to be cut off.

Pixie has posed:
The receptionist seems to hesitate a bit. "I'm sorry sir, but Dr. Brightman is a very busy man. If you need to speak with him, I can always set up a...Oh..Doctor McCoy? You are..My apologies sir, one moment please, I'll transfer you.."
Another click is heard and the sound of relaxing elevator music can be heard. This goes on for about seven minutes or so before another click is heard, and a voice, perhaps familiar to Henry answers.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Brightman, how may I help you?" he sounds tired, his voice that of an older man in his early sixties, although he sounds patient and kindly in spite of the exhaustion in his voice.

Beast has posed:
You know, Hank is probably gonna catch some crap from Sandra later but.. at the moment he doesn't care. Because he's gonna be catching a LOT of crap from MULTIPLE people before all this is over.. And he will deserve it. He knows that.

"Daniel." he says, keeping his voice as level as possible. "Daniel Brightman. It has been a long time, has it not, Doctor? You were the Professor in the join Government and Brandt Corporation Sponsered Lab at the university. I knew I remembered you."

"I am going to keep this short and succinct, Doctor, because I remember you being an honest and studious scientist, and years of orbiting each other in our related circles has only reinforced that first opinion of mine." And then he takes a breath. "Where did you get /my/ 'cure' process data from, Daniel?"

Sandra Billings has posed:
Wait, what did he say? 'His' cure?

Sandy blinks a few times, then squints at Henry in a tight thin line of brown eyes. She places her hands once more on the desk, gives a tiny bit of pressure, followed by a loud 'crack' of wood beneath her fingertips.

She mad? She's mad.

Pixie has posed:
The man's voice on the other line gives a brief pause, and then, "Ahh, Henry, old friend. It's been too long. How have you been?" her voice seems warmer than it was before, but tired too. "But of course you didn't call just to say hello, did you.."

There is a soft sigh before he continues. "Henry, you know we worked on that data *together*. Although you are the one who initiated the project, I am the one who finished it. I only thought it fair that that information not be destroyed. Besides, I thought you wanted to remain anonymous. But if you wish to accept half the credit, then I am happy to make some changes."

Beast has posed:
Hank's impassive expression barely coneals the anger he is radiating and he leans foreward, on the desk, his claws gripping the side.. nails slowly digging into the woodas he collects a breath.

""We only worked on it together 'old friend' because you caught me using lab resources developing it. You discovered what I was." he corrects the older man, but then his own voice softens. "But.. you didn't turn me in to the administration. And you tried to help me. For that I will always be grateful.. and thankful." he admits. "But you know what it did to /me/, Daniel. And I /destroyed/ the files.. The samples.. everything. The only remins were in my head..." and that brings him to a stop... and a realization. "..And inside yours." he says even more softly.

"Daniel... Please.. You need to stop. We have no idea what the long terms affects are. You've seenw hat I look like now. All my simulations show that this avenue to a cure can't work. It has very dangerous and deadly possibilities. You need to halt the treatments. At least let /me/ peer review yuour findings.."

Pixie has posed:
"Henry, Henry, you know my intentions were all honerable. However, you are right. I would never turn you in, and at the heart of it all, you KNOW that this was all about my daughter. I wanted so desperately to give her a normal life..And now she can finally have that."

He pauses again, seems to frown a bit as he collects his thoughts. "I am truly sorry, for what happened to you. It was..An accident, but perhaps we can use that same cure to turn you back too..?"

His voice does harden a bit thought at the plea. "I can't stop Henry, too many mutants are counting on this cure, the chance to live a normal life. I will NOT stop..However, if you wish to review my findings..I might be open to that. As long as you dont go further than that."

Beast has posed:
While his claws rleax, Hank's shoulders slump as he remembers Daniel's daughter... and he takes a deep breath. "My old friend.. My Teacher.." he says, quietly. This time with tired sincerity. "I understand /why/ you are doing this. Your honour.. it is not and has never been in question. Yes, there /are/ mutants out whose mutations make it hard for them to live normal, or even productive lives. Some whose mutations truly are curses, or physically damaging to themselves or those around them even passively.. Like a man or a woman born in the wrong gendered body, they deserve the right to chose."

"It is too late for me, Daniel. The cure, even if does work, would not help me and what is slowly continueing to..." he stops there, Shakes his head. "But I cannot begrudge you or your daughter, or any other mutant, the right to choose. But I can't see how you fixed the problem with the original treatment. It has the potentyial to have horrednous side effects. Things you could never have forseen, not being a mutant yourself. And I know many of my fellow mutants who think governments will weaponize this against them..."

Relesing the desk he rolls the balls of his palms against his eyes. "I feel caught, Daniel, between two sides here.." he says raspily, but then drops his hands to his sides. "But.. I still believe it comes down to choice. And despite many accepting what they are, And we cannot deny mutants the choice to chose otherwise.. So.. I will come. I will review your treatment. I owe you that, old friend. And your daughter."

Pixie has posed:
His voice seems a bit friendlier. "Hank, you should try it. You never know, it might work. But then again, it is ultimately up to you and I would never force you, or..Anyone else. As for side effects, I...."

Another long pause and a regretful sigh. "Henry, it has not been easy, walking this path. But ultimately it was necessary. There were..Sacrifices of course, but ultimately, they were necessary. I am confident that there will be minimal long term side effects."

Beast has posed:
Hank drops his hands and stares at the phone... Sacrifices? What the hell does he mean by.... Oh, no. Please, no no no.. He has some ideas of what those sacrifices could be. Similar to his own or worse. Sacrifices made of desperation.

The road to the darkest of hells is paved with the best of all intentions.. and in this case, perhaps, the love of a father for his child as well.

But Hank keeps his voice as calm as he can. "It isn't a path you need to walk alone, Daniel." he says, trying to be as friendly as he can, back. "I've been walking a similar one all my life. Maybe it /is/ time you had someone walking with you. Be expecting me soon, Old Friend. We'll figure it out together, okay?"

Pixie has posed:
"Look, Henry, I am not exactly proud of my mistakes. I never intended for anyone to ever get hurt, but..I needed the money and DAMT was only too eager to help me. I just.."

A long, deep breath is heard, as he seems to be trying to figure out how to say this. "Look, why dont you come over sometime. I would appreciate that. Things have been..Frightening, with all the threats too. But I know I'm doing the right thing. I simply cannot stop now."

Beast has posed:
This is going to end up a disaster.. Hank just knows this. ANd he doesn't know who or what to curse. His younger self's fear? Giving Daniel hope all those years ago? The fact that he should have spent time trying to help his daughter's condition even after he left to join Xavier and the X-men? Or the fact he may still try to help Daniel now, or pretend to do so and betray the older man and maybe doom his daughter and others.

He isn't sure he can help win this in any way.

"Daniel.. listen to me. We have /all/ made mistakes, okay? I will try to help you. You can... /We/ can make this right, One way or another. I know you're frightened, built do not give in to that fear.. I'll be over soon. Just.. wait for me."

Pixie has posed:
"Thank you, Hank..I knew you would understand. Please do hurry. The crowds are getting restless." He seems to smile again, "I look forward to meeting with you after so many years.."