5762/Changeling: Parental advisories

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Changeling: Parental advisories
Date of Scene: 11 November 2018
Location: A random and entirely too cold parking garage in NYC
Synopsis: May contacts the Shadow to warn Skye's allies about Cal Johnson.
Cast of Characters: Shadow, Melinda May
Tinyplot: Changeling


Shadow has posed:
These are busy times at SHIELD.

    Truth be told, SHIELD is /always/ busy; keeping track of absolutely everything metahuman-related on the planet is a full-time job at the best of times, but in this particular case Acting Deputy Director May is definitely feeling the crunch. Skye has been recovered, (mostly) safe and sound, but between investigating what precisely had been done to her and the sudden acute need to coordinate diving teams and undersea drones to check if HYDRA had any other biochem labs near the deep currents, keeping tabs on Cal Johnson has dropped off the priority queue. Not optimal, but SHIELD only has so much manpower and resources to go around.

    On the other hand, Melinda remembers that Skye is not without allies of her own, and they managed to step up and deliver once before. They might be able to help - and at the very least, they probably need to be warned in case Cal comes after them for associating with his daughter...

    The Shadow doesn't exactly have a phone number that can be called, but Skye can get the word out that May wishes to meet and get a response back with a time and a place. Which is how May finds herself standing in a parking garage in New York at night.

Melinda May has posed:
It's practically mid-November. Parking garages aren't very cozy places even at the best of times. At night even less so. In this kind of cold... well. It's taking all of May's willpower to NOT pace around to try and stay warm even though she's wearing layers under her jacket, and even went so far as to use the honestly tacky scarf Darcy made for her. It's THAT cold.

She knows that Skye trusts these contacts she's made, but whoever they are, they have CRAP taste in covert meeting places. This is obvious. Sound carries with these concrete surfaces everywhere. It's about as unsubtle as possible.

Next time, SHE'S naming the meeting place. And it will be warm. And there will be tea.

Shadow has posed:
    One of the sounds that carry very well are footsteps. Such as the ones she's hearing now - just a bit /too/ well. She's been in garages before; she's snuck through them, fought in them, you name it, often enough to have a good idea of exactly how things should sound, and there's something off here. It's clearly just one set of footsteps echoing, but the echoes all seem to be equally loud no matter where they're coming from, making it impossible to track the origin until a flicker in the ambient light draws her attention to the ground, where the silhouette of a tall figure in a coat and hat stretches out from one of the overhanging lamps despite her eyes insisting there is nothing there casting it.

    And it's moving in time with the footsteps, lengthening toward her...

    "Agent May. You wished to meet?" comes the voice agent Barton had described as "somewhat unsettling" as the shadow seems to solidify, seemingly peeling itself off the ground and from two dimensions into three like a bad special effect from an 80's TV show until the Shadow stands before her, roughly two or three steps outside of lunging range.

Melinda May has posed:
The footsteps are definitely unsettling, and May has a Mockingbird-esque taser baton in one hand almost immediately -- and something else in the other. She's kept a wall at her back so that no one could sneak up on her, and when that shadow pulls a Peter Pan she reflexively flings a handful what looks like a crystalline powder at the figure.

She can hear it now in her head, one of the brothers critiquing her technique. Probably the shorter one with the snarky mouth.

Of course, then the figure speaks up, and it's the contact from Skye's allies. Damnit. All the more reason to insist that she be the one to pick the place next time. "Maybe a little less cloak and dagger next time? This is about a mutual friend of ours."

Shadow has posed:
    The Shadow lets out what was probably a chuckle before whatever voice mask they're using mangled it as they calmly brush the salt off their greatcoat. "Fair point. My apologies; I have something of an weakness for theatrics at times." they reply, inclining their head slightly without taking their eyes - the only thing visible between the brim of the slouch hat and the crimson scarf covering the lower half of their face, sapphire blue and blazing almost inhumanly bright as if looking right into your soul - off May.

    "Miss Johnson, I assume? How can we be of further assistance?"

Melinda May has posed:
May takes a second -- exactly one -- to compose herself and looks at the shadow person as they apologize and get to the point of the meeting. The figure's attire is not lost on her, nor is the clearly calcuated distance and maintained eye contact.

"It is," she replies to the other. "An individual by the name of Cal Johnson has been a... problem for her lately. As much as I would like to resolve the problem quickly and personally, that isn't exactly feasible at the moment. And, being blunt, if you're known allies of Skye's, Johnson might target you and your group as well."

Shadow has posed:
    The Shadow tilts their head, considering. "A relative, presumably." they reply, falling silent briefly as though sorting possibilities. "Her father?"

    They fall silent again, listening to the rest of May's explanation, then nod. "Given that you consider him a threat worth worrying about, I take it he, too, is somewhat more than human?"

Melinda May has posed:
"I can only presume so. He is... volatile. And when angered he exhibits strength well beyond human normal." She's almost equate him with Banner's less-sociable side, but that would be a terrible insult to both the physicist AND the giant green rage monster.

"To make matters worse, he appears to have contacts and resources. I suspect that he is working with the Jade Dragons or the Hand, or possibly both." Which would be suicidally stupid, but not outside of the realm of possible with that unbalanced lunatic.

Shadow has posed:
    "From what I know of either group, let alone both, that would be... Profoundly unwise," the Shadow comments, echoing May's opinion. "But if he's as obsessed as you imply, it's entirely possible he simply doesn't even consider the consequences as long as they offer him a chance to get what he wants. Does he appear to have any specific plans, beyond presumably 'getting his daughter back' whether she wants it or not?"

Melinda May has posed:
May shakes her head, tucking the baton away in her sleeve again. "No specific plans that I've noticed." Other than something to do with those crystals. But she's keeping THAT card very close to her vest. "But that doesn't mean he has no other plans. As scattered as he seemed to me mentally, I can't rule out any possibilities. There was no way to get a solid read on him."

"If you or any of Skye's other allies find out anything about Johnson -- his location, his plans, anything -- please let me know as soon as possible. I don't plan on telling you how to act on the intel, but I would like to know what you find out."

Shadow has posed:
     "And of course even if he /does/ have a plan, it doesn't have to be one that makes any kind of sense to us. It only has to make sense to /him/..."

    The Shadow nods, half to themselves as they consider the implications, then focuses on May again. "Thank you for sharing this warning. I will inform the others; should we find anything, we will try to keep you updated..."

Melinda May has posed:
"Good enough for me. It might also do Skye some good to hear from friends. Is there a way she could keep in contact with you and her other allies more directly?" May knows that this might be a bit of a stretch, but she's willing to allow a bit of outside communication if it'll help make Skye's days go a bit better.

Of course, this ally of Skye's seems to thrive on being theatrically sneaky, so maybe not. But it's at least worth asking.

Shadow has posed:
    It's difficult to read expressions when most of the face is covered, but the way those eyes crinkle just a bit at the edges convey the grin underneath the scarf more eloquently than May might have thought possible. "I suspect Oracle will be in touch soon, if they haven't already," comes the reply with just a hint of amusement in that distorted voice.

    On that note, however, I take my leave. Promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep. I'm sure you know how it is..."

Melinda May has posed:
May nods to the unsettling individual, and makes a mental note of that name. Oracle. It seems to keep coming up every time this group of allies is involved.

"I know only too well. Have a good night." She again stays where she is and waits for the other to take their leave. Because there is NO way in hell she's allowing someone who plays with shadows to get the drop on her, even if they claim to be a friendly.

Especially if they claim to be a friendly.

Shadow has posed:
    The implicit message is not lost on the Shadow, whose eyes crinkle again in amusement as that probably-a-chuckle echoes again. The figure bows, turns... And fades, footsteps echoing briefly as a shadow passes across a pool of light without anything to cast it, and then May is standing in a garage that on some visceral level feels slightly emptier than it did a moment ago...