5724/Astral Flux: Grant Again

Astral Flux: Grant Again
Date of Scene:	06 November 2018
Location:	Triskelion, New York City
Synopsis:	Jessica Drew interviews Aaron Grant, one of the telepaths of the Shadow King.
Cast of Characters:	Shadow King, Spider-Woman (Drew)
Tinyplot:	Astral Flux

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Shadow King has posed:
    The various people the SHIELD has obtained related to the telepathic attacks are grouped together, but none of them have access to each other. There were four cells, but now one is standing empty, ever since Dr. Ken Arnold somehow got to his lab tech and simply walked out.

    Several new lab techs are present, and the security around the telepathic prisoners is very tight. Nobody much interviews them in person: it is all done through a digital video interface. A single room has access to speak to either Madison Nikols or Heather Lee, and another room has access to speak with Aaron Grant and the cell that Dr. Arnold was formerly in.
?A visual into the cells provides what the three are doing:
    Aaron Grant is watching television. He's watching some old sitcom while eating some fruit he was given that was left over on his lunch tray. He isn't otherwise very interesting, some books near him on his cot.
    Heather Lee is writing something by longhand in a journal.
    Madison Nikols looks very much like she usually does, unconscious and staring at nothing at the ceiling. Readouts suggest she's probably not even dreaming very much.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
Jessica had just finished her workout, and originally intended to go home afterward. But the things that Flash said to her played over and over in her head. She felt sorry for those cloistered in the rooms. Even Madison, who probably didn't even know she was there. Perhaps if she stopped by unannounced, she could have some time to talk to Aaron Grant before anyone came in to usher her out. Or worse, to kill Aaron. She kept a sharp eye out for Derek on her way to the grouping of rooms, and now she stands at the door, watching a monitor above it as Grant watches television. Televiception.

Knocking lightly on the door, she cracks it open and leans inside to see his reaction. "Hi...Aaron? I come bearing contraband." It's not contraband. It's just two large chocolate chip cookies she picked up at the bakery earlier to counteract her workout. Maybe they'd be better spent here. "Are you accepting visitors?"

Shadow King has posed:
    Aaron jumps a little, he wasn't expecting his door opened right then; he was focused on the show, grinning at it stupidly. So she caught him looking dumb. "I. oh. Hi. Okay." He absently clears some of the books aside self-consciously, then just entirely gives up on even trying. It isn't like he's going to impress anyone, it was totally a futile instinct. He just sits there, but does mute the show. "Contraband?" he questions, curiously looking at her hands.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
Jess smiles and holds out her hand, with two thick, home-made looking cookies with chocolate chips and chunks. "They're Chocomonster Chunk, my faaaavourite," she announces with a smile. "It's not /really/ contraband, but yer not exactly gonna get these on a tray around here, right?" She's not much different than she looked while working out. Hair pinned up, tendrils escaping down around her face and neck. She's wearing a black SHIELD zip-front sweatshirt with only the neckline of her SpiderWoman costume showing, red with gold webbing, showing at the top where it's slightly unzipped. And black sweats. And black sneakers. Far from colourful, but she's clearly dressed for comfort and function.

Shadow King has posed:
    Aaron accepts both, then blushes and offers one back. "Stick around and have one with me?" Aaron suggests, hopeful. He's starved for company. He does have a chair in addition to his cot, and he gestures at it in a manner of invitation. He adjusts to sit cross-legged and start to unwrap the cookie from the plastic it is in. Aaron's more cleaned up than she last saw him: his treatment has improved, as he hasn't been a problem for anyone.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
"How about I have half of one? Otherwise that workout just went right down the drain." She grins and carefully breaks hers in two inside the plastic, then unwraps it and sets the wrapped other half next to Aaron, taking a seat in the chair. "They been treating you all right since the last time I saw ya?"

Shadow King has posed:
    "I don't get enough exercise to even have one," Aaron says while he does unwrap his to eat anyway, picking parts of it off to eat slowly. He isn't given many cookies, but he wasn't kept hungry either. Aaron shrugs at her question. "If I'm going to get to survive I sort of want to go back to my life. Not that I have my job anymore. Probably not a girlfriend either."

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
Jessica's eyes go wide. "Oh no! Does she know you're here? How long since you spoke to her?" The thought never even occurred to her. She suddenly feels horrible, even if she didn't exactly have anything to do with his incarceration. Guilty by association.

Shadow King has posed:
    "She probably thinks I'm dead. I don't know. How would I know?" Aaron asks, wryly. "I can't talk to anyone on the outside, or contact them mentally," he says, gesturing a little next to his head, tapping his temple on the right once. "I try not to think about it. But you asked." Aaron Grant looks at his cookie.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
"Would you like for me to contact her for you? I could definitely try. She is probably worried sick. I'd do whatever I can to help you, Aaron." She has paused her cookie-snarfing activities, and she's watching him with an expression of genuine concern. "I know this is hard on you. I wish I could make it better. But it's the least I can do, if you'd like."

Shadow King has posed:
"Let her go. She's moved on I bet. I sort of assumed I was going to be dead by the end of this. I'm not sure that still won't happen. But the network is down, so. I'm not really sure staying here is helping anyone. I've gone over what I know. I made big lists of all the places I opened bridges to. What more could I possibly answer?" Aaron is about half-way through his cookie. He seems mellow enough.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
Shaking her head slowly, Jess furrows her brow. "You're gonna make it out of all this alive. We all are. I know he's tough...I had a taste of what he can do, myself. But..." She trails off, blinking with a shudder, and sighs. "I'll be damned if I let him take you, after you've made it this far. But do we even /know/ that the network is down now? I mean, we got you out of it, but that doesn't mean there aren't others still in it."

Shadow King has posed:
"I guess we don't," Aaron says, sighing. "Just because I don't have to hear the screaming any more doesn't mean the others aren't still trapped. Or worse. Where are you going with this?" Aaron asks, guiltily.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
Jessica shrugs helplessly. "I'm just getting at the fact that, if you weren't protected here, you could be pulled right back into it all. Or worse. Weaponized. Tortured. Killed. I know you don't like being here. I don't like you having to be here. But I'd rather you make it out of this alive and sane. I was just thinkin' maybe you might like some company sometimes, to help pass the time. I don't mean to intrude, of course. But y'know...something besides reruns /might/ be nice once in a while. I could bring over movies. Board games. Books. Or just spend time here, talking if you'd like. Any of that sound interesting?"

Shadow King has posed:
"How about internet access?" Aaron asks, a little cautiously. "I mean. Then I could at least access my Netflix account or talk to my friends. Even if I can't tell them where I am or anything," he says quickly. "I like to watch youtube videos. Or have news. Something like that." Aaron shakes his head, looking down.

    "I wasn't really a weapon. I never felt like that. Just used to teleport. I was a travel agent at best. I'm not very good at telepathy at all, so I was sort of bottom rung with Madison. I think being weaker kept us safer. Not that she was kept safe." He sighs. "How is she doing? What about Heather?"

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
"You know, maybe I can do something for ya there. I'm sure they'll put all the bells and whistles on the security and lock out certain places, but I can't see that it'd hurt to ask them, right? You've been a good boy. I think you deserve a little bit of freedom. I'll talk to them and see what I can do."

Shaking her head, she continues, "Madison's doing about the same. I still have hope that someone can help her. Heather seems quiet, and she's writing a lot in a journal, looks like. At least from what I've seen on the monitors. But they're both safe, too. No way he's going to get to you again, Aaron. Or to them. We'll see to that. And when this is over, life can get back to normal. Hopefully for all of us." She frowns slightly. "Do you know anything about the blocks and shields in the mind that help to protect people from telepathic attacks? I tried talking to someone, but he was more....sorcery, and not telepathic. I don't really know who else to ask."

Shadow King has posed:
"Blocks and shields? I wish. Try Heather," Aaron suggests, sad he can't help her. "If somebody blocks me there's nothing I can do about it. I don't really have shields much myself either. I mean, not more than a normal person. Willpower has something to do with it." He wraps up the little plastic from the cookie and sets it aside. "Madison's dad was really the strong one though. He'd have helped you in a flash. He taught me a little bit of sending. He's probably still in the network or dead."

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
Nodding, Jess sighs. "That breaks my heart. Is there any way I can look for him? Maybe at least try to find out something, for her sake? When she wakes up, she's going to want some answers. And I'd rather she have him there by her side than just questions about what happened to him, or how he died."

Shadow King has posed:
"The last I guessed he was... like Paul or Harry. Just... shredded." Aaron shakes his head, seeming to go more distant. He frowns. "I just don't know anymore. It's been too long to even guess." He breathes out slowly. "If possible, I'd like to really know when I can leave. How much longer will this be. Something to look forward to."

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
"Things are still happening, Aaron," Jessica says with a frown. "Things haven't gotten better. Things are getting worse. I would that I had that information to give you. But I don't. I'd be lying if I gave you a time. What I can promise is that I am working hard, and others are too, to put an end to this. It isn't safe for anyone out there. But it definitely isn't safe for you. You'd end up like...Harry or Paul. And I couldn't take that, Aaron. I really couldn't."

Shadow King has posed:
"But sitting in here isn't a life either," Aaron says abruptly, then turns quickly apologetic. "I'm glad I'm not drugged still, honestly. At least I have stuff to do. But I'm not a flight risk. All this stuff squeezing my abilities off... is it necessary? I don't know. I feel like a criminal in here." He coughs and looks down. "Sorry. I don't know. It's okay here. I just sit in this room and it sucks is all."

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
"I understand, Aaron. I promise. I wish it were that easy. But if we make it so that you can use your abilities, then he can more easily find you. And use you. It's a delicate balance. How about this...I promise you, I'll work toward getting you more freedoms, if you'll trust me. And bear with me. Some of it may not be easy. But I won't stop working toward it. Deal?" She looks up at Aaron hopefully. "I don't want this for you any less than you do. I can assure you."

Shadow King has posed:
"Yes. I'm not suffering from not having them. I don't make bridges usually anyway. It's just very strange to talk to somebody and not sense anything at all. Kind of like... I don't know what it's like. It's just weird. Alone maybe." Aaron blushes and looks at his books and other objects near him. "I'm glad to just start with it. Maybe go outside a little again. Hopefully with less giant prisoner collar, but hey, I can dream."

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
"You're not alone, Aaron. I'm here. And I'm gonna be here. Just...trust me, if you can," Jess implores. "I'll do everything in my power to make things better for you. And...and the others, too. Sometimes we have to pick our battles. This one is mine."

Shadow King has posed:
"Okay. Thanks, Spider-Woman," Aaron says, giving her a brave look and smile. "Tell madison that too, okay? Even if she maybe can't hear you. Maybe she CAN, you know?" he suggests.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
"Just call me Jess, okay? And I will tell her every day, just to give her every chace to hear it. I promise." Jess stands and places a hand on Aaron's shoulder. "Baby steps, but we'll get there."

Shadow King has posed:
"Sure. Jess. I kind of like your super-hero name. It makes this feel more.. heroic. Like I'm involved. I've never been able to decide on a hero name. Bridge-Builder is too long winded," Aaron says. She's close to him and there's pheramones and he's rambling a little bit. "Yes. Um. Yes."

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
"Excellent. Well then, maybe we can work on your superhero name together, think? I'd like to help you with that..." Jess says with a smile, as always, and zero clue that anything could be affecting him, either way.

Shadow King has posed:
"Sure. Hole-y man? No. Maybe not." Aaron blushes further, also unaware, but his embarrassment is just amplified. "I've had a long time to think on it and I've never had anything. But I'm not really a hero type. I tried that. Look where it got me." Aaron looks at the walls of the room, and then at her, sadly. "My ability is just escape routes anyway. Not that good."

Aaron looks up as another person enters the room, one of the people that bring him his meals and sometimes interviews about the same things. Their time is up. "Visit me again, okay?" Aaron asks, as their interview draws to a close with the intrusion. He waves, settling back.