4108/Repairing the Cracks

Repairing the Cracks
Date of Scene:	19 March 2018
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Dr. McCoy checks on his frustrating patient, and gets a new project
Cast of Characters:	Iron Man, Beast

---

Iron Man has posed:
The appointment had to be delayed, due to some kind of mysterious emergency. Which, with JARVIS's tone, could really have been anything from another meeting conflicting, to Avengers saving the day, to Tony being hungover. Hard to tell.

But the rescheduled meeting, just a bit later, comes around, and Dr. McCoy is invited up through directly to the penthouse at the top of the tower, instead of one of the meeting rooms. But this is not unusual: the health issues have been of a personal nature. The penthouse is immaculately clean, which suggests Tony hasn't been around there much, and is actively arguing on the phone at the moment, which means he is walking around in a circle near the long expensive couches in the giant living room area, addressing the air through some bright orange hologrammed glasses. Similarly, a variety of screens are on to the side, with scrolling reports on them.

As soon as anything moves at the elevator, though, Tony will change gears. "I'll call you back," he declares and sighs, waving at the screens absently, causing them to exchange over into the medical related readouts he'd prepared.

Beast has posed:
The doors to his office slide open and the blue, furry form of Doctor Henry 'Hank' McCoy aka The Beast lopes into the penthouse with that half simian/half feline gait of his.. actually, his moments seem more fluid then usual, and he is already pretty damned fluid. Stuffed into his oxford tweed, Hank seems.. well.. his mane seems a bit more wild than usual.. He's groomed, ye, but somehow there is something more.. feral.. to his visage.. maybe it's an energy..

He walks directly over to Stark, a metal briefcase in his paw, and thenfrowns as he sees all the displays around them are 'relevant' medical data. "Really, Tony? You think I am going to rely on your in house gear to give me /impartial/ analysis as to your recovery?" he asks? His voice is more gravelly than usual, deeper. He sets the briefcase down on the edge of a table. "I cannot believe it took you so long to open your schedule for a follow-up. This is just like you.."

Iron Man has posed:
"Yes, well. Good evening." Sigh, and cough, with a rub of hand over his jawline. "I've been feeling all right, and my 'house gear' didn't raise any unusual red flags-" Tony answers, flippantly. Not any UNUSUAL red flags, of course, just the usual ones that he expects. Tony is too self-absorbed at the moment to react much to differences with Hank, at least not yet.

Tony is fronting to an extent, he looks stressed out, though not exactly 'tired'. It is an overly focused type of stress. "And maybe it was an excuse to chat you up about a case that's not me," Tony admits freely. And then actually takes in some of Hank's behavior, studying it without comment while coming over to meet Hank partway, eyes moving then to the briefcase. Tech goodies are always interesting.

Tony's dressed for the visit, in terms of that he's not in a suit, just in jeans and a gray t-shirt, the bright glow of the arc reactor evident through the "HOUSE STARK" old school Game of Thrones wolf-head on the center of his chest. And, of course, is still wearing the high tech orange glasses, which are still flashing various things in the lower bottoms of the lenses.

Beast has posed:
Hank snorts and unlocks his 'briefcase' which.. really isn't a briefcase at all. Panels upon panels of metal, like some allow origami flower, unfolding until the briefcase becomes a free standing medical analysis suite designed and built by yours truly. "Yes, and I should trust a system that was programmed by the patient himself." he growls. "A patient whom, while one of the greatest inventors on the planet, does not hold a single doctorate in any of the medical sciences. And a patient known by said medical professionals as being one of the most frustrating people on the planet to treat." he quips as the 'petals' of the devices of the device swathe tony in varying frequencies of light (and other energies).

As the machine gathers the information, he looks up and frowns at Tony, a brow raising as he notes just how tired the inventor is. "You look like crap, Tony. Have you been taking the vitamins I gave you? have you been sticking to the diet regimen I told you to? And before you think about telling me otherwise, remember I am monitoring your entire physiology, down to the neurological and /genetic/ level.. So don't try distracting me with talk about other cases..."

Iron Man has posed:
"It's about the kidnapped mutants," Tony answers, while pulling over one of his kitchen chairs, and sitting down in it to endure whatever scans are required. Considering the wringers he has been through, he's holding up reasonably well. "And the mutant attacks on the mall. We apprehended one of the 'attackers', and I think something medical was done to her," Tony continues, but does pull up his glasses and perch them in his hair. The distraction of flashy stuff gone, Tony's more serious expression comes through.

"I eat the vitamins when I remember. But hey, I even had salmon the other day," Tony adds, with a lift of a finger, as if he'd done some great achievement, sticking to a few items on the diet regimen.

Beast has posed:
Sensors float over and around Tony but hank.. Hank has become very very still... He ignores Tony and his vitamins and suddenly turns on the inventor.. His main seems to be standing up, his teeth bared.. His eyes, catslit behind his spectacles, seem more.. angry now.. vengnful, and he seems to suddenly reach out to grab Tony by the shirt but.. stops himself.. claws balling into fists.

"What.. do you mean.. something medical was don to her.. and what does it have to do with the kidnapped mutants.." he says, his voice a hoarse growl. yes,there is something more feral about Our Doctor McCoy.. like there is a repressed anger, a repressed.. well.. Beast wanting to get free.

"So help me, Tony, if this is some way to get out of your follow up I will find the longest needle I have...."

Iron Man has posed:
"You would think that a long needle would frighten me, but I have been tranquilized by Black Widow while in a headlock," Tony reminds, but it isn't entirely smart-ass. Because he can see there's a Beast right there and he's not a complete fool. He sobers some, taking on more of a calm attitude.

"Do you really think I'd make up the story? I want this kidnapped victim helped, not scapegoated." Kind of insulted. But carrying on, to explain, smoothly. "But it can wait until after the follow-up, so that you'll believe I'm not entirely full of shit." Tony sniffs a little bit, and folds his hands loosely against his knees.

Beast has posed:
Hank glares at Tony, his scrutiny never wavering.. and then his machine goes *PING*, breaking the drawn out silence. "Well lucky for you, the followup is /done/." he mreowrls, and of it's own accord, the medical sensors fold back up into the case and shuts down. "And since it didn't beep, guess what.. you'll live." he tells him, then steps back and massages the bridge of his snout.

"You will have to.. excuse me, Tony.. it's been a bit of a harrowing.. time for me.." he says, getting himself somewhat more calm. Somewhat. Finally he drops his hand and shakes his head. "I have not be completely.. myself.. So please forgive me fi I seem.. short. Tell me about this prisoner of yours."

Iron Man has posed:
Tony had been really interested in the medical item, and had half reached out to poke at it when it is already folding back up. Which is for the best, really. "'Ping' is good, 'Beep' bad? Okay." Tony doesn't question it. Hank is clearly bringing in some anger with him right now. And Tony has dealt with Hulk for quite a while. Same skill set.

"It happens," Tony says, immediately forgiving, apparently. And not dragging for any other explanation. At least there's that, with Tony. A lack of prying.

"Here, I've got visual aids." Because Tony Stark. He lowers his glasses a bit, and pulls up some visuals on his monitors for Hank.

"Last month, four mutants --that we know of-- were kidnapped during the riots while the Internet was still broken. One of which was Jen Wong." A picture is provided of the purple mutant.

"Two of them, including her, surfaced at this mall attack. One of which we have in custody -Ms. Wong, the other... working on him. They both attacked patrons at the mall, sort of went berserk; the footage I have shows them being dumped at the place out of white vans. -- A few people died. There's a lot of call for blood, particularly on Ms. Wong." A pause.

"Jen Wong has some kind of acid hurling ability. I have some samples of that from the scene. Rogers and Nat went to interview her, I'm waiting on their report. But even without that, I think something was done to her. The mall samples have traces I'm not sure what to make of, and it's different than the samples before and after."

Beast has posed:
Hank looks abashed for a moment that he /has/ to be forgiven, even non verbally, but.. It HAS been a rough time. His relationship, the first REAL one he thought he had, fell apart.. His body chemistry has been screwed around with because of that relationship. He was unable to save Frank Underwood, even though he was a murdering bastard, when Mystique disguised as his wife shot the president mere feet away from hank. The backlash after the assassination is tearing down years of his work to find peace between his people and humans..

Everything is slowly going to shit.

But maybe.. maybe this is something that can help start repairing the cracks in the wall of his existance.

He watches the presentation, frowning ever so slightly. "So you are saying.. she may have been.. what? Adjusted some how?" he asks, slowly. "You know I will need samples, yes?"

Iron Man has posed:
"I think she was treated with something, because we need an explanation for the samples being different. I don't know if she was willing or not... that's something for after I get more from those that interviewed her. You're welcome to talk with them too, if you like. Nobody I trust more than Black Widow with interrogation," Tony says. He's watchful to a degree, taking in Hank's emotional issues, but still just... focusing on something else: the case.

"Samples, I have."

Beast has posed:
Hank stares at the picture of the young purple mutant, stroking the tuft of fur on his chin, then sighs. "I can examine the sample.. I can examine her, at least non-invasive. The law only lets me do much without consent from the patient.." he says, though by the way he speaks it is clear he is also thinking of ways AROUND that problem. "Perhaps I can speak to an.. associate.. about interrogating her a.. different way. Not that I am doubting Ms. Rominov's.. techniques.. of course I wil question them as well.." he quickly clarifies. "But if they /were/ altered, we may need more information than even standard science can provide.. as much as I hate saying that.."

Iron Man has posed:
Tony shrugs a little bit, evidently open about it. "Again, she may be really cooperative. I was... at the Triskelion, a friend of mine was shot, so I haven't been able to follow this up as tight as I meant to." Tony rubs his forehead with a few fingers, "But I trust the other Avengers to have done well." The exhaustion rolled in with the comment about his friend. That hit pretty hard, clearly. And seems to probably be the root of that masked stress. Tony doesn't linger on it.

"If you need access to her, I can get you that. And the samples before you go, if you want them. I have way more yellow vomit from this than I know what to do with; happy to share."

Beast has posed:
Hank nods slowly.. then lowers his hand and turns to face the exhausted billionaire. He regards his colleague a few moments, and again sympathy tinges his eyes. "I'm sorry about your friend. I hope they recover.." he offers, sincerely.. because what else can he do and he has been in the same situation himself on many occasions.

"Give me access to one of your labs here, Tony, and I will work on the samples. That way there is a lost shorter communication loop. " Also.. it allows him some space between him and the school for the moment.. something he needs.

"But you need to /rest/, Tony. You need a MINIMUM of seven hours sleep. I mean it."

Iron Man has posed:
"He's hanging in there, he's tough," Tony gives, with a flash of brief smile and simple nod.

"Most of the supplies on this case is set up at the Avenger's Mansion, really. The lion's share of the vomit's there." Yuck. "In addition, Rogue was /at/ the mall attack, and she's staying at the mansion. I'm honestly fine either way, here at the tower or there, but it's probably going to be the better zone to network," Tony suggests. He really IS indifferent about which place: the sort of unaware arrogance of somebody with a huge number of labs, cars, /mansions/.

"Yeah. I know. I've delegated to hell tonight, and I'm going to try to. Or Pepper will beat me. And not in a fun way." Although he smiles a touch at that.

Beast has posed:
Hank rolls his eyes and looks at Tony, shaking his head. "I think Pepper will be the least of your problems, Tony, if you don't get some rest. You are healthy, but if you you stress yourself too much too soon you could relapse.. ANd my warranty is only good for factory defects, not for user fault." he tells him.

He reaches over and picks up is case, about to head out, but then stps.. and sighs.. and holds the case out to Tony. "But, if it helps you get to sleep, go ahead and play with this."

Iron Man has posed:
Tony looks at the case as if tempted, and then winks a little. "Nah. It would be the opposite," Tony chuckles. New projects keep him up, of course. And, well. He has some ideas about how it works, from looking at it.

"Besides, I have enough to do right now." That's sobering. "I'll set up a room for you at the Avenger's Mansion, then?" Tony asks, flipping a small tablet out of a pocket, and keying in some things rapidly.