View source for 13675/The Fabulous Adventures of Mr. Kellogg and his Psychedelic Dream Machine

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2021/07/28
|Location=St. Peters Village, Pennsylvania
|Synopsis=SHIELD acquires an evil mask.
|Cast of Characters=9664,93,125
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:9664|Phobos (9664)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A month ago the case of a copy-cat serial killer came to the attention of WAND when curious circumstance were revealed surrounding it. James Kellogg was a man who had taken the life of three citizens of St. Peter's Village in the early 60s. The circumstances were shrouded in mystery and to some degree secrecy. There had been a tumult in the town at the discovery of the bodies, law enforcement agents attempted to capture Mr. Kellogg but he resisted and fled, only to perish in a blaze within the confines of his ancestral home. It had been a horror show of a case, and only one piece of photographic evidence remained of Mr. Kellogg.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It was a photograph taken by one of the victims in the moments before her apparent death. A blurry image of a frowning man reaching out to grab at the camera, hard to see, hard to gain detail even when examined and enhanced. Yet one thing could be agreed upon through the years... that the image was haunting with how the face glowered and frowned, as if this was a tragedy beset upon it.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yet a month ago another body had been found, slain in the exact same way as the victims from the Kellogg case, necks twisted and bodies burnt by an acidic compound. Normally something for normal law enforcement to handle. Though one thing brought it to the attention of WAND. And it was the fact that in the single photograph, in all images of that photograph, all replications, even artistic interpretations of that ghastly photo... the leering face was no longer frowning and terrifying. Instead now it was smiling. Seemingly changed in every publication. The text still would state it was a frown, only now... no frown.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Which is why Special Agent Perkins of WAND was dispatched to aid the investigation and was to be a liaison for the detectives of the area.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tonight, however, an emergency warning went out to the teams on standby for ready duty. Agent Perkins sent in a frantic deadman's switch alarm triggered only in the most dire of circumstances when an agent has no time to send information or details, and only requests one thing.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Help.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Which is why the Quinjet was landing with a rush of thrust from the engines as the vehicle starts to set down in one of the nearby fields to where the signal was triggered.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Natasha Romanoff (93)}} has posed:'''<br>Natasha didn't like this. At all. Already this entire situation was creepy as hell. She had spent time looking over the books and details in the file. All it did was make her uncomfortable. It didn't give her any answers. <br><br>Then that alert came in.<br><br>She was in her office when the info came through on her cell phone. She opened the drawer to her desk, putting her weapons on, then headed to the Quinjet.<br><br>She didn't pilot this time. Instead she was in the back with the response team. As they approached their stop, she rose out of her jump seat and moved toward the back where the ramp would drop once they were on the ground. A sway of the ship had her reaching up a hand to the strap nearby to steady herself then she looked to her teammates.<br><br>"Have we gotten anything else at all yet?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:125|Mockingbird (125)}} has posed:'''<br>Buckled into a jump seat, Bobbi field strips her gun, ICER rounds in a clip on the next seat. She frowns in thought as her hands go through the automatic motions. Some people eat to soothe themselves, Bobbi takes weapons apart. <br><br> With a final clack of precision machined metal, she slips the clip back into the ICER pistol and looks up at Agent Romanoff. "Not a thing. When was the last time we answered a dead-switch alarm? Whatever it was, he didn't seem to see it coming."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:9664|Phobos (9664)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The field the jet was setting down in had been overgrown, tall grass fluttered as the engines roared and then shunted down when the wheels of the vehicle set down. Blue and red lights flashed off in the near distance, the colors sliding over the silver hull of the Quinjet without.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Within the jet the Tactical Response Team escort was readying their own gear. Just two of them at the moment though they had the heavier armor used for a heavy action operation. Once the vehicle set down the rear door started to whir as it descended, letting the SHIELD agents see the flashing lights and the emergency vehicles that seemed to be surrounding an old three-story Victorian home that was set atop a hill. <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A quick glance would let them know that SWAT was on scene already, as well as local law-enforcement and a state trooper. SHIELD showing up would likely seize authority considering the emergency level and the deadman's switch alarm.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;On the channels on their comms a voice would lift, "Latest word was Agent Perkins and local detective James Monroe had radioed they had a likely suspect and were going to investigate. The call came from outside the dwelling. The switch fired from inside. Chatter on local law enforcement freqs has more officers on the way. They say they've got the place surrounded. No way for the suspect to get out as far as they know."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Natasha Romanoff (93)}} has posed:'''<br>"Been a while since the last switch," Natasha agrees with Bobbi as she watches the ramp drop, allowing them to walk out into the open air. "Guess we need to find the person in charge." She takes in the emergency services vehicles then her eyes go the house they are surrounding. It was just a house. Admittedly older and worn down a bit but a house. Nothing about it jumping out as strange as she scanned it.<br><br>Then she moves toward the gathered officers, to try and find the person in charge of the scene.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:125|Mockingbird (125)}} has posed:'''<br>Bobbi stands, bracing herself against the vibrations of the ramp lowering and leaning down to get a first glimpse of the lights telling of police presence. Straightening, she makes a final check of her gear, P-90 rifle slung over her shoulder, an ICER slung from the belt of her black tactical suit and follows Natasha toward the assembled forces of the law.<br><br>Over coms, Bobbi comments as they approach, &lt;"That's speculation. As far as they know. How long before they responded to the call? Who has lead on this thing?"&gt;<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:9664|Phobos (9664)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;On the comms that voice from the pilot answers Bobbi's questions. &lt;&lt; Looks like the last check in was around 9 o'clock. Agent Perkins was lead. Her deadman's switch tripped 9:14. &gt;&gt;<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The two high-ranked SHIELD agents were bracketed by the security agents, silent but grim with those faceless mirrored helmets offering little insight to the world. It didn't take long for the four of them to move across the field before a plain clothes officer is moving to meet them. Older, silver-haired, in a blue wind-breaker with his ID pinned to his chest, he's already waving as he closes the distance.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You the people from SHIELD?" As if the jet and the armor and insignias weren't enough. Yet he likely assumes as much as that doesn't stop him from speaking. "Detective Lou Tanner, St. Pete PD."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He turns to continue the walk, leading them toward the 'command' area where many other officers stand. "We got the call about 21:00 hours, dispatch had them making entry around 21:04. That was an hour ago, we're still getting our people in place. SWAT's ready to do a breach and clear at my order. But with SHIELD on the scene..."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Things likely were to be different.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Natasha Romanoff (93)}} has posed:'''<br>Different they would be. It was one of their people inside and the alert triggered was the worst possible. "I appreciate your readiness however," because of course there was a 'but. "We will be taking point. I understand one of your people is inside as well and have no doubt your team is well trained to handle such things. However, we aren't used to working with them and that could be dangerous for them, for us and for the people inside counting on us for assistance." <br><br>She knew they were going to be stepping on toes but Natasha couldn't worry about that so she tried so smooth ruffled feathers as best she could. "Our team will go in and we'll call for your once we have cleared the building." <br><br>She glanced to Bobbi and the two more anonymous members with their mirrored helmets to see if they had any specific questions.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:125|Mockingbird (125)}} has posed:'''<br>The math isn't hard to do. What is hard is imagining what the two, both experienced in the field, ran into that silenced them within ten minutes time. Bobbi's eyes range over the assorted vehicles and officers encircling the house. With a serious nod of greeting to Tanner, she lets Natasha get on with the public relations work.<br><br>"We prefer to work on our own initially in situations like this. Did they give you a sitrep before the switch tripped? Check in to tell you where they were in the house?" She lifts her chin to the center of everyone's attention, gaze returning first to Natasha and then to the Detective.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:9664|Phobos (9664)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Not so anonymous to those in SHIELD, one had the name-tag Aaron. The other had the name-tag of Wilkes. Two Level 1 agents who were on the response teams, mainly there to provide cover for the investigative elements of the team. Not that two agents like the Widow and the Mockingbird needed the support. But protocol was protocol.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To Mockingbird Detective Tanner gave a nod, "Nothing beyond a statement of entering the domicile. But yeah, figured you all would take lead. The SWAT L.T. is champin' at the bit, so you need backup all you gotta do is whistle." He then starts to step back and away, pulling his lapel radio toward his mouth as he walks away, barking out sharp orders for the local law enforcement to be on their toes and ready, and for the SWAT team to hold for now.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Natasha Romanoff (93)}} has posed:'''<br>As the officer moved away, the group of agents had a moment. "So we have nothing. Great." She reached up to touch her earbud. &lt;&lt;Get us access to their radio frequency. I want to keep ears on them but do not want us transmitting on it. If their lieutenant is already anxious, he might come rushing in and I want that information before one of us shoots him on accident.&gt;&gt;<br><br>She turned her head to eye the house. &lt;&lt;Also do we have any sort of blueprints or a layout?&gt;&gt; It wasn't necessary but it always helped if they had it. Otherwise it was the old-fashioned way.<br><br>"You thinking rear door, standard two-two?" she asks the rest of her team.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:125|Mockingbird (125)}} has posed:'''<br>&lt;"Yep, just put your lips together and blow."&gt; Bobbi comments over coms as the Detective marches away. She guns two fingers at Wilkes, &lt;"You and me in the backdoor."&gt; <br><br>To the team, "You never know in these old houses. Lots of hallways, small rooms. Probably two sets of stairs, backstairs for domestics. Real easy to hear us coming."&gt; One hand caresses the opposite lower arm, making a micro-adjustment to the baton strapped to it.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:9664|Phobos (9664)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&lt;&lt; I've got you keyed in for local SWAT comm, there's not much chatter until they're in operation but you'll hear if they start to get official on you. &gt;&gt; There's a pause on the comms as the pilot's voice fades. Then roughly fifteen seconds later it returns. &lt;&lt; 1919 blueprints on file with city hall, micro-fiche recorded to data preservation 2011. Will have it up on data display in one minute. &gt;&gt;<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And when that minute comes to pass they'll have that small blueprint display available on their wrist comms or if they choose to go with tactical visors they can pull it up there as well. <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When Natasha turns to the other agents, the electronic modulated voice of Agent Aaron replies, "Sounds good. Two enter go left, two enter go right?" Then a glance is given to Wilkes as he replies, "Roger roger."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Which leaves them to follow Widow's lead.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Natasha Romanoff (93)}} has posed:'''<br>Which put her with Agent Aaron. "Sounds good. Enter through back, clear floor by floor. We'll go right, you two go left." She would be with Agent Aaron. Which was both good and bad. After all, they worked well together but she also shouldn't be in 'charge' of him for reasons. Yet, sometimes things couldn't be helped. "THen we'll meet at the staircase, ascend, and repeat process. Until we find our agent and their officer. Evac of them is priority. We can clear the rest of the building after we have them safe." She took a moment to glance at Agent Aaron. "You getting any vibes from this?" Which might seem an odd question when they worked on facts and not feelings but sometimes instinct counted for sometimes.<br><br>And with that, she headed toward the building, though as she got closer her movements became more keeping clear of views of from windows while using any cover she could. Until they reached the back door.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:125|Mockingbird (125)}} has posed:'''<br>Head down to study the tac display on her wrist, Bobbi keeps the smile to herself over picking Wilkes, though she would never knowingly put a team in danger to play a little joke. The two, senior and junior agents, work well together, which is the bottom line for all operations. <br><br>With a nod at Wilkes, they move out, careful to keep out of full view of the windows, ducking at moments until they assemble at the door into the unknown. Hand raised in the air, Bobbi signals that she and Wilkes will move left.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:9664|Phobos (9664)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The TRT squad members gave a quick nod to each other then slipped their bullpup rifles off their shoulders. A quick check of the weapon, rounds were chambered, safeties flipped, trigger-discipline enforced. As easy as that they were moving around the large tall Victorian standing upon its hilltop. It would seem more grim, more severe, if it had a darker paint scheme. But it was a classic Painted Lady with a pale color perhaps an eggshell yellow with something blue, hard to tell in the dark.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;For the squaddies the world took on a green-tinge as they switched to night vision and began moving. On the SWAT comms a voice was heard, &lt;&lt; SHIELD's going in. &gt;&gt;<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Another voice on the SWAT comms responded with a grumbling tone, &lt;&lt; I feel safer already. &gt;&gt;<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As Agent Aaron moved along after the Widow and the Mockingbird, his modulated voice lifts to answer, "Not getting any vibes from this at all, Agent Romanoff."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Once the team is set at the back door, slipping around an old recycling bin laying upon the sidewalk, underneath some rope that might have served as a clothes line at one point in time, they're able to get situated...<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A quick silent glance around is given, no words nor noise needed. <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The signal is given and the first team enters and breaks to the side, followed by the second team. It's into the kitchen that they come and the house is dark. There's some illumination from dim lamps along the hallways, in some of the rooms that one can see past the kitchen. <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yet the main thing that likely catches the eye upon entry is the crumpled corpse of a heavy-set man that's half on the kitchen table and half off of it, a butcher's knife stabbed through the back and partially pinning him to the wooden surface.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Natasha Romanoff (93)}} has posed:'''<br>No vibes. Which meant no one inside was feeling fear. That could be a good or bad thing. In her mind, it meant the people who went in were either dead or unconscious. If they were alive and compromised, they likely would be feeling some sort of fear. It was only natural. Yet for there to be nothing had to fall in the other categories.<br><br>As they entered the back door, breaking right, she discovered the answer to at least one thing. That looked far more than unconscious. <br><br>She moved toward the body cautiously, keeping her eye on the door(s) to the room itself. Reaching out a gloved hand, she tried to check for a pulse. It was unlikely but possible so she had to check.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:125|Mockingbird (125)}} has posed:'''<br>The hollow sound of floors in an old house echo under their feet as they enter the old kitchen. Yellowing lino, old cabinets sticky with grease - the Painted Lady's slip was showing, frowsy with age. While Natasha checked for the possibility of a pulse, Bobbi and Wilkes kept their weapons lifted, pointing toward the exits. Wilkes opens the door to a pantry filled with old cobwebbed cans. <br><br>Silently, Bobbi points to a side door, considering the overheard conversation with the junior agent and vibrations. The house is so silent, Bobbi imagines being able to hear dust settling on the old furniture. Then, with a slicing motion of her hand, she and Wilkes break left not waiting on the verdict of death, entering a hallway.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:9664|Phobos (9664)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wilkes and Aaron took the moment to cover the two halls that broke off away from the kitchen proper. One was crouched and the other had a position next to the stove-top that gave them both cover as they trained their rifles down range. It was enough to give some cover while the others investigated the crime scene.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No pulse greeted Widow's touch. The man had fallen, been stabbed through the heart, and part of his rib cage was staved in from the force of the blow. Whatever hit him hit him very hard, strong enough to pin him with that ten inch blade. The blood flow was still glistening and red, only recently turning brown so the murder was perhaps... fifteen minutes old? Less.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A check of his ID would be enough for them to find his Law Enforcement ID, Detective Monroe.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mockingbird and Wilkes move into the hallway left, starting down the path. A door on the right of the hall is pushed open and covered by Wilkes, revealing an old bathroom with white tile. His voice is low and muffled on the comms as he says, &lt;&lt; Clear. &gt;&gt;<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Which lets the team move further in. Agent Aaron gives a nod in Natasha's direction, his faceless mirrored visage offering still no insight even as he turns to take up a flank position to cover her.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Of course that's the moment when a voice lifts further down the left hallway from the living room that is before Bobbi and her partner.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Is that you lieutenant?" A woman's voice, but the voice hums and reverberates with an other-worldly quality. "I somehow imagined you wouldn't be so quiet, you were such a loud oaf at the station I imagined you'd have a hard time reading to yourself without mumbling the words out loud."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Natasha Romanoff (93)}} has posed:'''<br>As soon as it is established he's dead, Natasha moves back to her position near Agent Aaron. A moment later, they are moving into the opposite hallway from Team A. Carefully moving down the hall, clearing any rooms as they came to them.<br><br>As that voice came to them, she froze, going very still and glancing to Alexander. No fear. So whoever that was wasn't afraid. Was this their suspect? Although they were talking like they'd been at the station. It couldn't be their agent, as they would have some sort of fear to have triggered that switch. <br><br>So what in the world was going on? She moved very slowly, silently, in that direction though careful to make sure they didn't leave any rooms unchecked and potentially be blocked in between bad guys.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:125|Mockingbird (125)}} has posed:'''<br>Wilkes and Bobbi freeze. The senior agent points to her ear, both a question and an affirmation that she heard the voice. Then, she puts a finger to her mouth, asking him to remain silent. With a lift of her chin, she signals for them to move toward the voice. <br><br>Wilkes knows the drill, he opens a closet door which releases an odor of mothballs and old clothes. They will enter the room from the door servants would have entered. If Aaron could sense fear in the house, then it would be from Team A who nevertheless, walk slowly down the hall toward the voice.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:9664|Phobos (9664)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mockingbird and Wilkes were the first to go eyes on. It took just ten more feet down the hall for them to be able to get clean sight lines into the living room to see the lone figure there who /spins/ around instantly to face them. <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A slim and slender figure with a brown trenchcoat, glistening with what looks to be ichor and blood while... she? Yes she brandishes a heavy poker from the fireplace. In the dim light of the living room one can barely make out her faded blue dress shirt that's tucked into the grey slacks she wears. Yet despite the pool of nastiness and slime that she stands in the eye is drawn upwards to her face. A leering laughing face that's frozen in time, almost seeming alive but instead after a moment recognition would be clear that it's not a face. But a mask that hugs the contours of the person's features. It would be a traditional face of Comedy so often paired with Tragedy, with the wide cheek bones and the laughing eyelets. Were it not for the stream of black blood that seems to flow down from the eyes and the corners of the mouth.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Oh?" That reverberating ethereal voice is heard to say.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then abruptly, "Oh!" As recognition dawns.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Agent Morse. I recognize you. So the clandestine SHIELD people are here. That's... well of course that makes sense now doesn't it?" Which perhaps might be the moment when they may well realize that the figure in the mask is Agent Perkins.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Natasha Romanoff (93)}} has posed:'''<br>Nothing in any of the smaller rooms. Not that there was much there. The dining area. A utility closet. Then the hall leading out by the staircase, which branched off into the living area. Team B moved quietly to the opposite side from Team A, though not in one another's line-of-fire if it came to that. Seeing the person in the center of the room, she raised her gun to keep an eye on her though she did at least have ICER rounds loaded. <br><br>It was only when the voice called Bobbi by name that she put two and two together. Now Alexander might get that hint of fear from her as well because something was very wrong here. <br><br>Had Agent Perkins gone rogue? Turned? Seemed fitting with the mask but there was something more at work here. Voice modulator maybe? Her mind did all it could to make logical sense of what she was seeing.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:125|Mockingbird (125)}} has posed:'''<br>Mockingbird is known for her cool under fire. But, the voice has wriggled its way under her skin. She imagines a creak behind her and wheels around to point her gun down the empty hallway they had just traversed. Swiveling back, she is two steps behind Wilkes who keeps the figure in his sights. Bobbi's mouth opens and then tightens into a line, declining to affirm or deny her identity. <br><br>No field trained operative would act like that. Perkins who like many agents was the embodiment of SHIELD loyalty would never refer to it in those words. The bloody face. In a matter of seconds, Bobbi knows that something is terribly wrong and that there is no sense in the situation beyond SHIELD agents taking care of their own.<br><br>Bobbi makes the barest shrug, gun still trained on whatever it is that stands in front of her.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:9664|Phobos (9664)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"This is lovely, so much attention." The Masked Perkins turns and looks across the distance now toward Widow and Aaron, she hefts the poker but not menacing, more casually as if it was the most natural thing for her to raise it up to the side. "How far have I transgressed? Enough you'll shoot me right now? Wait til we get back to the Triskelion? Oh that seems like an interesting place, we should go there."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The poker lowers and she drops it to the floor with a clang, spreading her hands out welcoming as she announces, "And the Black Widow. Mockingbird. Do all of you have these names?" She tilts her head, "Not those." She points at Aaron, "Not the peons. I don't recognize them."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She turns in the slosh of slime, her shoes squelching in the blood and gore that seems to be... coming from her as well as there in the first place. "I wonder if you're curious enough about me yet to let me kill one of them? Might be important to keep me happy. I am a beautiful and unique snowflake after all. Just one. You choose which."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And despite the curious eerie reverberations in the voice, there is something so compelling about it, so self-assured and charismatic as if this was simply the way things were and she... she was merely explaining it. <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Unsettling enough that it has Wilkes frowning and murmuring on the comms, "Permission to fire?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Natasha Romanoff (93)}} has posed:'''<br>"You...aren't Agent Perkins, are you?" <br><br>It's a gut feeling. Agent Perkins was a loyal agent. Good psych evals. Just recently had one worked up. Going psychotic and killing a police officer and now wanting to kill part of this team was not fitting for her. <br><br>Maybe it was the echoing voice. Or...that was it. The smile. It was the same as the smile in the pictures. The fear she had spiked a bit although one would never be able to tell as she remained unchanged visually. Even her heartbeat remained steady. But her emotional state? Not so good.<br><br>"No one else will be your victim." At least hoping for a surrender she followed up. "Lay on the floor, face down, arms out to your sides."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:125|Mockingbird (125)}} has posed:'''<br>Almost Bobbi nods along. The voice insinuates itself terribly and pleasurably into a deep place in her psyche. But it is wrong, wrong, wrong. Natasha saves the thing. She would have ordered Wilkes to fire. <br><br>"Stay ready to kill...it," she croaks, surprised at how rusty her voice sounds. Then, sidling to the side to get another angle on the thing, she steps through an already congealing pool of blood to kick the poker out of reach.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:9664|Phobos (9664)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Come now, we're all adults here, there's room for negotiation. I'll lay down one hand. Like this." The Masked Perkins leeeeans to the side almost theatrically to lightly touch her left hand to the floor while her right leg rises up so she's partially sideways and balanced there perfectly. "I'll lay down another if you shoot that one in the knee. See, we can bargain here. There's room for it."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gore continues to flow slooowly down from the eyelets of the mask, around the mouth. It might seem for a moment that the ichor is just appearing, but then one can see if they look closer in that dim light the way small parts of Perkins' face and neck are decayed and melted, as if that slime was eating away at her over time.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"How about we trade?" She rises back up, hand no longer on the floor, compliance seeming an after thought to the thing. "I'll give you little Miss Abigail Perkins you give me..." The head tilts, almost like a marionette, snapping up and high like someone grabbed the string around her neck and twisted it sideways so she could look so quizzical. "Someone else. Doesn't have to be a SHIELD agent. See. I can give. I'm a giver."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then the poker goes skittering across the floor as Bobbi kicks it out of the way.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Natasha Romanoff (93)}} has posed:'''<br>"We are not shooting anyone for you. Shoot you? Sure. But not someone else," Natasha says flatly. If Agent Perkins is still alive, it's a miracle. But something is controlling her. The movements are creepy as hell and she is feeling the hairs on the back of her neck on end as she watches the unnatural movements of the body in front of her.<br><br>"How about this. You let her go, we'll see about giving you someone else after. A show of good faith on your part. After all, she doesn't seem to be doing very well. I suspect she won't be of much use to you for much longer and you need someone else, thus your attempts to negotiate."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:125|Mockingbird (125)}} has posed:'''<br>"Romanoff, look at the face. Really look. Perkins is gone. Whatever is there is not her. Okay? I'm down with shooting it. ICER round, first." A rising sense of losing control gives a note of desperation to her voice. Fear, so unlike the agent, leaves a taste of iron in her throat.<br><br>Next to her, Wilkes lowers his gun, forgetting orders, his head tilted to one side as though listening to a conversation that the others can't hear.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:9664|Phobos (9664)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Oh, well, in that case..." The voice rises and reverberates as it says that, the tone not friendly at all, as if Natasha said the /stupidest/ thing it has ever heard and just didn't get /it/. Then when it speaks again the voice rises and rises until the last word when it's positively shouting. "Of course, here, fine. Here's your good faith you putridly redolent sow!"<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And suddenly Perkins' masked face /spins/ in place, the harsh crackling sound of her neck splintering and shattering is heard heavily in the quiet of the room, loud enough to surprise Wilkes and Aaron though they both react instantly to draw bead and bring the rifle scopes up to their eyes. To their credit they don't fire first as the body crumples to the floor...<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But then, a moment later, the voice is heard again. "There. Now Perkins is gone."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Natasha Romanoff (93)}} has posed:'''<br>Mentally, there was much cursing going on. Either way, Perkins was likely gone. As Bobby said, for her to be alive looking as she had been through those eye holes in the mask? It was unlikely. Yet the fact it broke the neck of the body yet was still talking? Maybe she hadn't been dead. Course, that didn't mean she was going to live through those sorts of injuries either, even if she had been. <br><br>But the voice was still talking. A demon in the body? Or perhaps in the mask and that caused it? <br><br>"Bad move. Now you will not get anyone else to replace her." As if they would've agreed to that anyway? "Anyone have an evidence bag? We need to bag the body. No one touches anything without gloves. Mask should be bagged separate."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:125|Mockingbird (125)}} has posed:'''<br>The crunch of Agent Perkin's neck turns Bobbi's stomach. Bile rises into her mouth as the voice taunts Natasha. The trigger on her rifle was one click from firing. The muzzle wavers slightly as she keeps it aimed at the leaking body.<br><br>"Move out of the way, Wilkes," she orders harshly. "You heard Agent Romanoff. Gloves out. Who is carrying a body bag or do we need to radio for one?"<br> <br>
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