13729/That Dynamic Duo: Logan and Laura

That Dynamic Duo: Logan and Laura
Date of Scene:	16 August 2021
Location:	Backyard - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Children frolic in the pool under the careless eye of Logan. Jean Grey, Logan and Henry McCoy (who made scrummy food)get updated by Laura McKinney on the Morlocks and the Case of the Missing Children.
Cast of Characters:	Wolverine, Phoenix, X-23, Beast

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Wolverine has posed:
    The sound of the cicadas is an ever-present white noise in the background of the mansion's backyard. Just that steady drone with the occasional croak or ribbit from a frog trying to still be heard. Sometimes a cricket chimes in but fails to counter that monotone whir of those many insects off in the distance. Not to say there aren't higher life forms enjoying the evening in Summer. A group of students are off near the pool enjoying some swim time before the mandatory closure at 9pm...
    Yet another policy that is in place for the school is that at least one adult or faculty member has to be around when students are making use of that facility. It's somewhat loosely enforced at times, since with a myriad of powers some students sneak in. But with Logan slouched on the deck in one of the lawn chairs, a laptop opened and being perused... he was already there. Which led to a small exchange.
    "Mr. Logan?" Jessica the silver-haired student with the irisless eyes smiled sweetly, "Would you be nice enough to keep an eye on us while we go swimming?"
    "Huh?" Logan had barely looked up. "Sure kid, whatever."
    "Thanks!" As she ran off with her five other friends.
    It was only afterward that he looked up after shutting the laptop and scowling at himself that he realized...
    He was trapped. At least until the kids were done. Ugh.
    Maybe he could pawn off the duty on someone else?
    Hopefully.

Phoenix has posed:
Trapped. Like a rat. Or a Wolverine. Aware of the exchange, and the realization, if only from Logan's body language and expression, Jean pads up onto the deck on bare feet. "You walked right into that one," she says, a smile both on her face and in her voice. "You should remember, never let yourself be distracted around the students, or they'll trick you into /something/."

Jean steps to the side and settles to one of the other lawn chairs. She stretches her legs before her and watches the pool for a few moments, enjoying the combination of relative peace and chaos. The chaos all created, of course, by the six kids playing in the pool. "How's your summer?"

X-23 has posed:
"Oh, crap," said under her breath. Towel over her arm, in a one-piece swimsuit that doesn't hide the scars she has garnered in fights since childhood, Laura scowls at Logan as she debates turning back into the bathhouse.

She caught the ultra-cute conversation with Jessica and decides to go into the pool area if for no other reason than to rub it in. And, talk to the head of the school who she has managed to miss after her recent return until today.

A smile lurks behind her deadpan expression. "Professor Grey. Logan," she nods to them both. "Life guard duty, Logan?"

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy's emergence into the evening cacophony is rather understated, but it smells DAMN fine. It seems Hank has been busy at the barbeque, which isn't uncommon in the summertime, particularly at the School where he is less in competition for being the Grille Master. Balancing a couple of very large platters, he hums as he makes his way to the pool deck, the smell of sausages, chicken and beef reach sensitive nose-hairs along with his special marinade, condiments and buns of various kinds. Board shorts and a hawaian shirt are mandatory it seems.

All of this is ferried poolside, along with a little dance at the last few paces, to set the large trays down off his meaty hands, onto waiting lawn furnishings of the iron-wrought table kind.

"To whomsoever it might concern... grub's up." Is cheerfully noted to the evening air, whilst serving himself a 'dog and chicken in a bun.

Wolverine has posed:
    Looking up, barely sidelong, Logan's gaze falls upon Ms. Grey and she'll hear him take in a deep breath. She probably knows what's coming. It's not the deep breath in. What comes is the loooong labored exhalation as if the man were the most put upon man in the world. Not a sigh, this is more masculine and growly even as he shakes his head.
    "Wasn't students, was just student. The one. The others showed up like..." He lifts a hand and uncurls the fingers, gesturing as he fails to complete his metaphor or even start it. Instead he just shakes his head.
    The cicadas continue to sing, and somehow the laughter of the students seems to be right at home with all of it. Logan looks across the way and shakes his head, "Alright. One thing preying on my thoughts."
    Then at the sight of Laura's wandering out his nose crinkles slightly as his expression somehow gets partially more sour. Though with him it's hard to tell for sure. "Two things preying on my thoughts."
    Which is the moment when Laura makes her way to them. He greets her.
    "Kid."
    But then his nostrils flare slightly as his eyes slip slideways toward the approach of the comestibles, then to their chef. A grunt is heard when he murmurs, "You keep this up, McCoy and the students are gonna think it's like our job to feed them and junk."
    Perish the thought.

Phoenix has posed:
Thanks to her powers, Jean doesn't miss much on any given day. And on this day, she doesn't miss the appearance of Laura. Nor the scowl directed at Logan. Her lips twitch. "Laura. How was your day?" And then? Then there is barbeque. Jean's nose doesn't miss that, and she rises to her feet to go snag some of the pickings before they're all taken by the hungry growing monsters that are her students.

It's sausage in a bun she takes. With all the condiments available. Prize in hand, Jean turns and returns to her seat, where she sits as she takes the first bite. "Mmm," she murmurs around that bite. Once it's chewed and swallowed, she glances to Hank. "As good as always, Hank," she compliments.

Turning back to look at Logan, Jean's green eyes sparkle with amusement. "Just the one, huh?" She doesn't finish the metaphor, nope. Instead, another bit of her sausage dog is bitten off. She chuckles as he changes from one preying thing to two. She snickers at the comment given to Hank, but refrains from comment herself. This time. Back to Logan, "What's preying on your mind?"

X-23 has posed:
A nose twitch and a slight shift in the lazy hot air brings tantalizing food to Laura's nostrils. It more than compensates for her progenitor's sourness which she ignores. Green eyes fixed on the Professor, "It's been. Um. Fine. Been up and back to the City a few times but hoped we could talk. Ma'am." The young woman has been socialized, more or less.

Taking Grey's example, Laura walks over to the food table and loads up a burger bun - pickle, onion, tomato, mayo, ketchup, crispy leaf of lettuce, and ends up with a Dagwood that threatens to topple.

A thought occurs to her, "Want anything, Logan?"

Beast has posed:
"Eeegh, it's summer, if I can't be the Flame king for a bit, I'll get all out of sorts. You /do/ realize this is an elaborate ruse to hide my monstrous appetite, I'm sure," Hank grins over at Logan, taking a deck chair and settling on it with a wink to Jean, his vittles loaded with all that he can pile on, on a paper plate. "So it's mostly an excuse to feed -me-."

He crosses his ankles, wriggling shoulders down into the seat as he glances over to the pool. "They swarm, you know. You think there's just the one, but they travel in packs and all of a sudden..." he lets that hang, drop off the conversation platform and plop to the bottom of the relatability depths.

Contentedly he watches the interactions for now, half an eye on the sestet in the pool itself.

Wolverine has posed:
    "M'good, thanks, Laura. Hank can have my share." Logan answers his clone daughter while sparing a glance for Dr. McCoy. Of note, however, is he manages to make the use of her name sound not as awkward as it might seem. Then he's looking back over toward the redhead.
    A gesture is given to the laptop that Logan had been using, it sat there as the X-Man glowered at it accusingly, the twin blue LEDs blinking in what assuredly must be a terrified manner. But then his gaze swept back toward Laura and Jean primarily, though Hank is included in the occasional glance as he speaks.
    "Was goin' down the profiles we have of the Morlocks we know about. Seein' which ones might still be there." Which has him turning to look at Laura a little more directly.
    "Speakin' of, you have any luck with that thing?" Apparently having put her up to something. But he doesn't wait for her answer before he continues to update the other X-ers.
    "There's been some weird things goin' on in the Morlocks' neighbrhood. Tried to investigate a few times, Psylocke too. Each time we went in, got turned around and found ourselves on the way back out. For people like us that's no small thing. Think there might be a..."
    The Canadian mutant shakes his head, scowls, then looks at Laura perhaps for her insight. "A reality manipulator of some kind? Someone that can beat my senses, and Psylocke's telepathy."

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey nods to the young woman. "Whenever you want to talk, just let me know," she says. "I'll make time for you." She eats another bite of sausage dog. Jean snickers again, this time at Hank's comments of feeding himself. "I'm sure," she agrees. She grins and nods at his comparison of young people. "They do tend to travel in packs, don't they?" Like Hank, Jean keeps part of her attention on the kids in the pool, and the rest on her immediate surroundings.

She raises one red brow at the gesture to the laptop, and waits for him to explain that. She listens quietly, finishing the last bite of her sausage dog as Logan finishes the explanation. "Hm. That is odd. Perhaps Hank and I can come have a look with you and Psylocke the next time you try it. Maybe four will succeed where two did not." With no paper plate to dispose of, Jean leans back against the lawn chair's back, and contemplates getting more food.

X-23 has posed:
Walking back toward Logan and the Professor, Laura stops by McCoy's chair. "Did you do this?" She holds up the towering burger. "It's awesome. Thanks. I might have two. You're not the only one with a big appetite."

She arrives in time to witness the paternal glower which for some perverse reason makes Laura want to grin. She wouldn't give him the pleasure.

Still, she knows what Logan is fishing for with his question. "Yes. Yes, I did." She hooks a nearby pool chair with her foot and drags it over to sit perpendicular to Logan and Jean. "At least she didn't try to kill me. Though she wanted to, I could tell." She shrugs and looks at Jean, "Marrow, the Morlock took me on a tour."

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy listens, with a glance to the laptop blinking its LED's so suggestively. The urge to sooth the poor computer may be strong, but he resists! Rapidly, there's a lack of a chicken in a bun, the dog considered with a happy expression, as fuel for that brain of his.

He side-eyes Logan as he talks though, half attention being paid whilst he devours, dabbing at the corners of his mouth with a napkin, plate set aside with a rock to hold the plate down.
    "It might help, for the numbers. There's a good many abilities that that -could- be though, not just reality manipulation." He quiets though, lifting eyebrows at the tour-by-Morlock shared. He's all ears now.

Wolverine has posed:
    A grunt is heard as Logan gives it both as affirmation to Jean's inquiry. Then again as his eyes slip toward Laura and she makes mention of Marrow. His head lifts slightly and he nods finally once Hank offers his own angle of insight.
    "Could be a lot of things. We don't have any real numbers or intel on the Morlocks for the last..." A glance is given to the side as if summoning the memories from the ether, then he shakes his head. "Year and some?"
    Which leads him to shifting his gaze upon Laura as he murmurs, "What'd you find? I figure it's not a lot since if it was you woulda come runnin' back to tell me. Right?"
    Which, to be fair, she probably wouldn't. If she'd found out the problem she likely would've taken care of it all herself. So perhaps that final word 'Right' is inflected as it is to press the question. The emphasis even moreso when he repeats it.
    "Right?"

Phoenix has posed:
By contrast, Jean's appetite isn't all that great. She rises to her feet to head for the food only to stop as Laura mentions a Morlock and a tour. Both red brows raise this time. She blows out a breath and nods. "You know to be careful," she says, with a nod that shows she trusts the younger woman. "Did you see anything unusual or worth mentioning?"

For reasons, she doesn't offer any other admonisments to the young woman. Nor does she tell her off for having gone into Morlock territory with no backup. Jean continues toward the food and makes herself up another of those sausage dogs.

X-23 has posed:
Laura's expression is impressively bland. She teases Logan a bit by taking a huge bite of hamburger which drips ketchup on her chin. Though, Professor Grey merits an immediate answer for which she chews and swallows quickly, taking a dab at her chin.

"Marrow took me as far as she could in the tunnels. You have to have a good nose not to get lost down there. She knows where the children are."

Her green eyes move from person to person, "Just not who did it or how they got there." The Morlocks don't know what is going on. They're upset."

Beast has posed:
A little belatedly, Hank nods to Laura's inquiry. "Secret McCoy recipe. I don't even let Cyke get at that one," he informs, nodding slow and solemn. Looking over to Jean, he shares a glance and fixes back on Logan, visually tennis-matching between him and Laura, then.

Ohhhh, nope. No comment there at all, just flights into memory with a soft, almost voiceless chuckle.

Wait a minute, "Children? I think I've missed a step in the conversation here. Or was this in a memo that got lost in my pile of paperwork?"

Wolverine has posed:
    "So she's certain one of them has them?" Which has Logan frowning a bit then he shakes his head. Which with that revelation shifts the focus. He tilts his head to turn blue eyes on Jean and then Hank, Laura having given her insight for now.
    "How this came to my attention was Marrow made a run at me. Said ever since the alien invasion a good number of the Morlocks have cleared out of the tunnels, but the ones remaining there are hard core." He glances back at Laura as if to consider if she would agree with those words before he turns back. "Three kids went missing in the Bronx, up and disappeared. Police have no leads, though they've got the dad jammed up for it. Marrow growled at me some and then said she thought it had somethin' ta do with one of the folks that stayed behind in the Morlock tunnels."
    Shaking his head, Logan murmurs, "We were tryin' ta find out if they did have them or not. Seems she's got a stronger vibe now."
    Then his eyes shift back toward Laura, "Or did she have somethin' more?"

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey glances at Logan and smiles sweetly when she gets an immediate answer but he does not. Hah! Double hah hah! But the answer brings her to blink. She even pauses in making the sausage dog, having gotten only as far as the bun. She turns her head to look at Laura. "Children?" She seems to have missed a memo as well.

There is no comment given about Hank's secret McCoy recipe. If she knows, she's not letting on. Just then, her pocket beeps. She pulls her phone out and glances at the screen. A grimace follows. "I need to take care of this. One of you keep me updated," she says, looking between Hank and Logan and Laura. That having been said, Jean turns and jogs off toward the mansion, heedless of her bare feet or the terrain she's going over.

X-23 has posed:
Taunting her father is put on hold, as is the burger in the plate on her lap. Laura acknowledges his unspoken question with a faint lift of her chin. Eyes focused on the middle distance as she recalls the conversation, "Yeah. She talked to me for a bit while we were going to where the kids are stashed. She knows where they are just not how to get to them. Something is blocking them. A psychic block or magical? She doesn't know. Plus, the kids can't get out or won't leave like they are under some sort of compulsion. That's it. Marrow was really uneasy about hanging around there, too. Marrow," she makes wide incredulous eyes at the thought of Marrow being afraid of something and shakes her head.

Two handed she lifts the burger up for another bite, saying in an aside to Hank, "What ever it is, it's great."

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy trots off a little sloppy salute as Jean heads in to take care of business. 'need to take care of this' though, brings him to staring briefly into nowhere and slapping himself in the forehead with a loud smack. "Augh, I knew I was forgetting something. I /must/ go pick up that package for Kit, before he needs it badly." Huffing a breath out, he presses lips together, regarding the 'like father, like daughter' scenario over there. He presses his lips thinner still, twisting them to the side in thought, tapping a finger at the midline beneath his nose.

"You suppose I ought to break out my gadgets and gizmos if we end up going down there?" he asks, innocently.

Wolverine has posed:
    There's that grunt again as Logan takes the information and files it away, then gives a nod even as he shifts his attention on to Hank. "Well knowing then that the kids are there for sure cranks this up a few levels."
    Blue eyes shift toward Hank and his eyebrows raise, "Might be best to go all science-face for this, yeah." When he mentions the breaking out gadgets and gizmos.
    One rough hand pushes through that wild mane of his as he scowls and looks sidelong toward Laura, considering the possibilities. "Figure wire some of us up, monitor it when we make the next run at it. One of us with our senses, a telepath would be good. And what bases aren't we covering? Magic folk? Somethin' like that?"

X-23 has posed:
Chewing, Laura wipes her mouth with a finger then nods to her father. With a glance to Hank, "Marrow being afraid of something makes me think we need all the tools in the box. Psychic. Magical. Gizmos. Wires." Shaking her head, she looks sidelong at Logan, "Morlocks don't strike me as the kind of folk to get easily scared. You know? And, then the kids alive. There is that."

Beast has posed:
"Either Meghan or Kit, but he's pretty untested in the field. Poor kid hit the ground running on getting to America, but sometimes that's the hand you get dealt. I'll have to set up higher up in the tunnels, make sure that it's out of range of the bizarre. I'll load you up with a few sensors, too, as there's a few things that can cause unease that aren't immediately obvious -- best to rule it out, or uncover it. Black noise is one, the opposite of white noise, it's so low that it can cause some very disturbing sensations all unheard by even the most sensative ears. I'll also calibrate a particulate sensor for various toxins in parts per million." Hank taps his lip again several more times, in a slow drumbeat, glancing at Laura.
    "You have enough rapport with Marrow that you think she'd ok a space for me to set up with the others, or do we have diplomatic negotiations to handle, too?"

Wolverine has posed:
    "Pick one ya like," Logan says in answer to Hank's conjecture about who else to bring. He plants his hands on the light metal arms of the chair and starts to push himself to his feet, the seat he's in complaining with a weary creak. "Figure out what you need and if it's more than we got here get me a list."
    That said he gives a nod to Laura and murmurs, "Good job on the recon." A decent offer of approval, but not exactly effusive. He rests his hands on his hips, takes a deep breath, then nods.
    "I've got a few calls to make to get things set up." Then he looks to the others, "Even if Marrow said we're all good, would want to verify, things can change fast with the Morlocks and with her."
    That said he starts to walk toward the back door of the manor on the deck, reaching for the door knob once he gets there. Then, unless stopped, he'll pass on through.