View source for 6489/City Fall: Evolution of a Neighborhood

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2019/02/13
|Location=Club Evolution - Mutant Town
|Synopsis=Frank investigates some missing lowlifes, and he and Jubilee find out about an upcoming Mutant hiring fair.
|Cast of Characters=1233, 59, 7620
|Tinyplot=City Fall
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:1233|Shredder (1233)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7pm, Club Evolution is just opening for the evening. Mutant town has been a little different lately. Less hecklers. Less Friends of Humanity. More missing persons of those variety. The seasoned fish-skinned bartender, Roy Mackleby, pulls a couple of glasses down from the shelf, serving a couple of the early guests as the stage hands work on setting up for the evening's performance. Thumps on microphones and sound checks are starting.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:59|Jubilee (59)}} has posed:'''<br>Having decided to take a night out on the town, Jubilee, the walking firecracker and X-Man is currently settled at the bar, waiting for the music as she engages in small talk here and there with a few customers. She's dressed in a pair of snug black pants and a shimmery silver top with a fabric belt wrapped about her waist with braids that dangle to one side in colorful gold and white beads. Her fingers drum along the bartop as she nurses a diet coke of some type.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:7620|Frank Quaid (7620)}} has posed:'''<br>Captain Frank Quaid finishes firing off an email as Lieutenant Zoe Lopez parks their unmarked Suburban at the curb near Club Evolution. "You know we have people for this now, Frank," Zoe says as she looks up and down the sidewalks on both sides of the street.<br><br>"Sure, but I can't get a donair on the way back from driving my desk," Frank says dryly. He opens his door and steps out into the evening air. He also looks for trouble while Zoe walks around the SUV to join him. Together, they walk toward the club. Frank shows his badge to the bouncer and reassures him there is no problem. Then he walks into the club proper. Frank and Zoe each scan separate halves of the room for trouble and familiar faces, but see nobody they know to be in trouble. They stand out as they walk to bar, both dressed in business clothes. Frank sits down at the bar, while Zoe leans with her back against it so she can watch the room.<br><br>"Two coffees, Roy," Frank says to the bartender. He has been into Evolution often over the years, but this was the first time since the new Special Crimes Unit was created. "This is Zoe Lopez, she's in that new Special Crimes Unit that's been in the news," he carries on conversationally. "Gonna be a slow night?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1233|Shredder (1233)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Well," Roy answers, "It's Wednesday, so I don't imagine it'll be too busy. We stay steady enough," he offers. "How's detective life? Haven't seen you in a bit since you started that new post, what was the group again?" the bartender asks as he polishes part of the bar near Jubilee. He turns to go to the coffee machine on the back shelf, "Here or to go?" he asks, knowing that it could be that the detective and his partner are called out at any minute.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:59|Jubilee (59)}} has posed:'''<br>As she chats up a friend next to her, Jubilee is as usual, a beacon of energy. She uses her hands quite often expressively as she talks. "I'm telling you, Yankees are gonna win it all again this year. Mets got no chance." She tells her furry companion as she gives a quick spin on the bar stool. "Noooope. Yankees all the way." She says, cutting her friend of as they try to dispute her. She's a lifer fan it seems. Giving a casual glance to the pair of feds, she sizes them up subtly, then passes a smile to Roy before taking another sip of her soda.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:7620|Frank Quaid (7620)}} has posed:'''<br>"To go, please," Frank answers Roy. He catches part of Jubilee's conversation, her dynamism would be hard to miss in a busy room and the club was far from busy yet. Frank gives her a quick once over and a brief smile. It's a decidedly non-sexual, appraising look, sizing her up. "They put me in charge of Counterterrorism, if you can believe that," Frank continues to Roy. "So I've got the tactical teams, terrorism, and special crimes; supers and stuff. You know, the easy stuff."<br><br>Roy accepts his coffee with thanks and takes a sip before he continues. "Speaking of which, I've been hearing some rumours. Anti-mutant skinheads disappearing, problem people getting beat, that kind of thing. I don't want to a look a gift-horse in the mouth, but it's raising eyebrows. You heard anything?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1233|Shredder (1233)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Might be considered heresy, but I still got my money on the Braves," Roy comments absently as he hands Jubilee's friend the ordered beer. He gives a quirk of the smooth and slippery eyebrow, and then looks back to Frank. As he hands the coffee, Roy shrugs, "Sounds like a good day to me," Roy says with a smirk. "Don't know if there's anyone that's been down here sayin' they are knockin' off haters, but then, they probably wouldn't come announcin' it here, what with some like yourself that come in."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Another person orders a drink, and he pours it and slides it down the bar with his usual accuracy. The patron stops it with his mind, lifting it into the air. "Gonna see if I can keep from spillin' all night this time, Roy," he announces.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Great, Eddie," Roy comments to the new patron. "That mean you are gonna stay under three this time?"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Oh yeah, gotta get my resume together tonight, got that fair comin' up." The levitated beer tilts slightly as it floats to the man's lips, and he takes a drink. "See, easy." <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Roy looks back with a smile at Frank and Jubilee that implies a shared amusement at the man's party trick use of his powers. "Anyway, some people been sayin' the town's safer lately, maybe got another hero in tights that decided to patrol this part of town or somethin'."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:59|Jubilee (59)}} has posed:'''<br>Shrugging her shoulders upwards, Jubilee doesn't appear to be jumping into the conversation in regards to vigilantes. She tips a wink to Roy. "Yankees. You can't say such lies in New York. That's how you get shot by nice old ladies."<br><br>Watching Eddie use his powers, she cocks one of her fingers and goes 'pew' as she paffs out a colorful firecracker towards him, looking to startle him a bit. See if she can break his streak of spills. She does though, continue to listen to the conversation, subtly, turning an ear towards them.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:7620|Frank Quaid (7620)}} has posed:'''<br>Frank smiles with Roy and nudges Zoe to have a look at the levitating drinking game. He chuckles when Jubilee sets off a sparkle and shakes his head, looking amused.<br><br>"Yeah, I don't expect anyone to run around advertising, not when there were cyborgs hunting down mutants last year."<br><br>Frank takes another sip of his coffee, mulling over an appropriated pro quo to Roy's implied quid. He leans forward. "People back at the office are on edge right now. Word is, Frank Castle is back. Remember the Punisher?" he shares with Roy. "I'm hoping this isn't him, that would bring down a lot of attention we don't want around town. I'm the last guy going to complain about supers, but it would be a shame if some new kid got themselves in over their heads, you know?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1233|Shredder (1233)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Yeah, yeah," Roy answers, "Was one of them murder hobos that wanna clean up the streets through massacre. Crazy guy. Didn't know he had a soft spot for mutants, though," he comments. "Last thing we need is more heat around here, with all the talk overseas about those sentinels. Got a lot of people nervous around here. I can't imagine too many mutants wanting to draw attention with that kind of thing on the radar."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eddie jumps as the fireworks go off, and indeed it splashes down the front of him. "Hey hey!" he gives a smile and a warning point. "That's no fair, but it doesn't count, didn't get on the floor, see?" Nope, just on him. "But you don't gotta go that far to get my attention," he says, taking the drink and putting on his best suave face. The slightly scruffy Eddie gives a wink at Jubilee, and takes the drink in his hand, then takes a normal drink from it.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Most of them are excited about the hiring fair that's gonna happen soon. Some fancy company is sayin' they'll pay mutants for their powers, tech group of some sort," Roy adds. "Wave of the future and all that."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:59|Jubilee (59)}} has posed:'''<br>"Ha. You wish, Eddie. I'll pay for his drink." Jubilee says to Roy as she slides napkins over to him. There is a visible frown at the mention of those cyborgs as that hit a bit close to home. Though when Roy says something about a company paying off mutants, that yanks her attention very quickly.<br><br>"Wait, say what? Who? What company?" That has her attention completely now as she slides over a few stools to settle in closer to them. "Every time you hear about one of these companies, they just end up trying to weaponize us." Her hand slips her phone out, tapping away on it a few times.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:7620|Frank Quaid (7620)}} has posed:'''<br>Zoe rolls her eyes when Eddie makes his pass at Jubilee. When Jubilee speaks up, Frank gives the young woman a second, more measured look as if committing her face to memory. He catches Zoe's raised eyebrow and looks back to Roy. "She's got a point. The list of companies that've done human experiments on mutants is longer than this bar. Tell you what, I'll look into the company behind this fair, just to be sure," Frank says, pushing to his feet. "And if you hear /anything/ about sentinels in New York, give me a call, 'kay?" Frank says and pushes his card across the bar to the Roy. "Same for you, eh?" he says to Jubilee with a professional smile and pushes another card toward her. Frank drops a few bills too many on the bar and turns to head for the door with Zoe, coffee in hand.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1233|Shredder (1233)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Yeah, sure thing, Frank," Roy says. "They got a flyer right over..." he points at the wall, but there's no flyer. "Well, there was. Some start-up talent company, makin' this their big thing. I'll keep ya posted, and I hope I don't gotta tell you anything about sentinels in the city," he adds. <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Benny!" he yells toward the back. "Somebody took that flyer again, can you print another one up?" There's a 'which one?' that calls from the back. "The one about the jobs!" he yells back. Print a couple, put those little tags with the date on it, maybe people will quit snatchin' them." He shakes his head. "2026 and people still can't just take a photo with their phone. Just a sec, miss, they will get that out here in a minute."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:59|Jubilee (59)}} has posed:'''<br>With a frown on her face, Jubilee reaches out to take the card and gives it a glance over before tucking it into the back of her phone case to save it. "Sure." She says to Frank, despite the distracted look on her face. The energy has been sucked out of her real quick it seems as she goes back to tapping away on the glass.<br><br>As Roy calls back to have another printed out, she says, "Maybe not post it, Roy?" She suggests. "At least not until Frank The Tank here figures out if they're legit? Don't want to send young clueless mutants off to their doom. Just get me the info?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:7620|Frank Quaid (7620)}} has posed:'''<br>Frank pauses long enough for the new notice to be brought out and takes a picture of it himself. He thanks Roy and nods to Jubilee. Then the two police officers make their out of the club and back up onto the street.<br><br>"Wave of the future. You ever heard that and have it be a good thing? Isn't that what they say in infomercials?" Zoe says dryly.<br><br>"Hmph," Frank says. "Just have one of your people check them out. It's probably just another money pit for investors, but just in case. What did you make of the girl in the silver top?" Frank asks.<br><br>"Dunno, Frank. Could just be some paranoid. They've got enough reason to be."<br><br>Frank sighs. "Yes, they do."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1233|Shredder (1233)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The flyer boasts 'Get paid for your skills' and 'Make your mark in the economy!' It has a drawn picture of a woman levitating I beams. "Better than a crane!" she declares on it. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yeah," Roy says to Jubilee, "Well, not my call," he says with a shrug, "But dunno, might be right. Wouldn't be the first time we got the short end, but hey, if it gets us out of the gutter, maybe wouldn't be so bad."<br> <br>
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