7204/City Fall: Briefing SHIELD.

City Fall: Briefing SHIELD.
Date of Scene:	11 April 2019
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	May meets with the Shadow for a second time. Threats are discussed. Secrets are revealed. Skye is grounded.
Cast of Characters:	Quake, Shadow, Melinda May
Tinyplot:	City Fall

---

Quake has posed:
As far as Skye is concerned, this meeting is well overdur, consider May has been skirting the edges of the Birds for *how long* now? Of course it's going to take a little bit of casual sneakiness - one doesn't just throw that down into the middle of the table and yell "dinner!".

Okay, sometimes Skye is that blunt, and she may well be this time, but she's not told May yet, as if things go tits up, she needs the deniability.

However, she really didn't expect the meeting place May picked. It reminds her of home.. Well, the place she'd never known as home: China.

Surprisingly, she treats the place with utmost respect, which may not be at all something May could have seen coming.

Shadow has posed:
    Perhaps it's the quiet of the meditation. Or perhaps the Shadow, too, respects the solemnity of a house of prayer. Whatever the reason, this time around May is aware of the Shadow's approach well before they make their presence known.

    The black-clad figure that seems to materialize right out of the shadows it casts. They nod once at Skye, then turns to May with a formal chinese-style bow - left hand covering right fist, one warrior to another signaling peaceful intent - before sinking down into a lotus position opposite May.

    Silence reigns for almost a minute, a gesture of respect for the peace of the temple, before blue eyes meet May's and the Shadow speaks.

    "Agent May. An interesting choice of venue."

Melinda May has posed:
May keeps meditating right up until the Shadow speaks. "I choose carefully, based on the reasons for meeting." She hasn't so much as glanced toward Skye, but it's almost patently clear that she intends for the younger agent to get over here and sit down to join them.

"You wished to speak with us on an important matter."

Quake has posed:
Skye had felt the passage of their guest through the spaces of the monastary long before they spoke. At first it had been a niggle of sound out of place - air being disturbed, disturbing things. And then it had been the subtle sway of things along their path - things most wouldn't notice, or hear, or feel, but were now in Skye's ballpark of normal, especially when she's listening for them.

She does wait until May speaks before heading to join the pair, her lips flitting along an amused line of a smirk, nodding to Shadow before taking up a seat. Her posture is easy and relaxed, though it would be wrong to think she's not also aware of their surroundings - listening and feeling out for vibrations that shouldn't be lest they be visited by unwelcome and uninvited guests.

For the moment, she bides her time on introductions.

Shadow has posed:
    The Shadow nods. "I do. You may or may not be aware that in recent weeks there has been a noticeable uptick in the number of criminal cases dismissed, light wrist-slaps and flat-out pardons even for criminals caught in the act. While normally I would agree that street-level crime is not within SHIELD's remit, my investigations uncovered something deeper."

    The Shadow produces a single coin that appears made of solid gold and places it on the ground between them and May, where it catches the light of the meditation candle and gleams almost enticingly.

    My informants in the underworld spoke of a question asked, 'Do you have a coin?'. When I personally questioned one of the judges whose conviction pattern had changed, mention of the coin produced this - although he could not recall when or how he'd received it, or why he'd dismissed several cases."

    Blue eyes flicker for a moment before the Shadow continues. "You may be aware of the attraction it holds even now. When I noticed it, I consulted with a mystical expert, who believes it may function as a conduit for telepathy or mental influence, which neatly explained the how, but raised the question of /why/ -- while the scheme is unquestionably effective, it represents a disproportionate investment just to keep a few muggers, burglars and the occasional drug pusher out of jail. My hypothesis at the moment is that some as yet unknown group is getting ready to make a /big/ move into the Tri-State Area, and this is their opening gambit..."

Melinda May has posed:
Listening to Shadow's explanation, May looks at the coin when it's set in the grass, then pulls a small and slim blade from inside her jacket to push the coin about and flip it over as if studying any embossed symbols or characters on it.

"The changes in conviction patterns and severities was brought to my attention, yes. This, however, wasn't." She considers, then looks at Shadow. "The judge you questioned, did his pattern of conviction change back to normal after you removed this coin from his person?"

Quake has posed:
There's a small frown from Skye as she listens, and wisely, also does not touch the thing.

She has to confess, her time has been caught up in entirely too many other projects to have followed this one, and it's all news to her, both on the SHIELD front, and the Birds as well. Not that the Birds function like SHIELD does (and even SHIELD doesn't always function like SHIELD does), and often that's the way of things - a problem comes up, is dealt with, and is gone before it's necessary to drag everyone into it.

This, however, is beginning to sound bigger than the usual, and if magic is involved... Well, there was WAND, but magic was still one of those iffy areas for those who called the Triskelion home.

"Mmm, not that I'd meant this to be so abrupt, but I'm thinking now might be a good time to cut through some of the bullshit and introduce the two of you to one another."

They both get an apologetic shrug from Skye. "Uh.. so. Turns out you know each other, mostly. Kind of. I've spoken to each of you about the other. We've just never got to do this before. I just think it might help us have some conversations if we all know who we're dealing with."

"May, Shadow. Shadow, May." A not to and between each. Then to Shadow, "This is the recruit I've been telling you and Oracle about." To May, "Surprise This is one of the others who helped form the Birds."

Shadow has posed:
    The Shadow nods to May. "It did. They have also taken to publishing their findings in each case, perhaps to reassure themselves as well as others that they serve Justice, not whatever master lies behind these coins."

    At Skye's admission, they turn to look at the young woman. With only their eyes visible between the brim of their hat and the crimson scarf covering their face it's hard to make out expressions, but Skye gets a definite sense of raised eyebrow before the Shadow turns back to May and inclines their head. "I see."

Melinda May has posed:
May nods to Shadow at that extra tidbit of information about the judge, and then she turns a visibly raised eyebrow at Skye. "And you were going to tell me about this when, Skye?"

She puts her blade back into her jacket, perhaps to avoid the temptation of throwing it?

Quake has posed:
Someone else might look guilty, but Skye hasn't the grace to.

"Wasn't my call at first," she tells May simply. "You were being considered and watched over. Being who you are in SHIELD it's not like I could just tell you every last detail. Just like I couldn't tell everyone here every last deatil about you."

Oracle knew. Mostly. If anyone ever questioned Skye's ability to keep her mouth shut, they consider this moment in time.

"Been doing this song and dance of relaying for long enough. Figured if it wasn't now, it was going to be never, and I think you've proven yoruself."

Shadow gets a direct look, Skye repeating, "I think she's proven herself. She's more than ready."

Shadow has posed:
    The Shadow matches Skye's look with one of their own, then nods and turns back to May. "I suspect that is a longer discussion the two of you will wish to have in private at some point," they continue with just a trace of wry, amused understanding in their voice. "But for now, permit me to explain. Like any system, the law is vulnerable to abuse because it has to play by its own rules if they are to mean anything, but those who break the law are not so constrained. In the past few centuries, crime has organized into the equivalent of a business, complete with accountants, cost/benefit analysis and employee insurance..."

    "There are quite a few vigilantes on the streets nowadays who can be counted on to stop muggings or thefts, or back alley drug deals. But all too often, those who /supply/ the dealers or organize the break-ins go untouched -- or when they are caught, they go free quickly because they've learned how to work the system. Bribe a cop or two to destroy crucial evidence, exert pressure on a judge to rule in your favour, make inconvenient witnesses disappear, and all but the most airtight cases collapse."

    They gesture at the coin, a case in point. "This is a new and disturbingly more streamlined approach to the concept, which is why I felt it necessary to bring it to SHIELD's attention, but combating organized crime is the core reason why the Birds of Prey were founded, because a single vigilante can only accomplish so much."

    The Shadow pauses for a moment, then continues. "We operate outside the law when we must, because the law can't touch those we fight. We combat crime not at the flower, but at the root. And we take in those who want to make a difference, but can't quite manage it on their own."

    Blue eyes narrow in focus. "Understand - we do /not/ recruit 'civilians'. Those we invite to join us have already made their own decision to step into the shadows, often because they feel that society has failed to uphold justice. We offer them training when needed. We offer them the benefit of experience, and a network of people to fall back on. We offer them the chance to make a difference -- and better odds of surviving the attempt."

Melinda May has posed:
May listens quietly and attentively as the Shadow explains. She's not actually surprised by anything she hears, and it's a bit refreshing to have someone put it all out there plainly for a change.

"I suppose I really only one question. Based on the description you just gave me, how do I benefit from joining your Birds of Prey group? I'm already part of an organization whose purpose is to uphold justice by doing the tasks that others might consider unseemly, especially for a major world government. To be fair, your scope of attention is... narrower than SHIELD's."

Quake has posed:
Skye debates offering an answer to May's question, but this is not only not her fight, the answers and questions between the two... ladies... will determine their relationship and understanding of one another, so the young Agent, and one of the founding Birds (how did that happen??) sits back and doesn't interfere.

Shadow has posed:
    The Shadow nods, acknowledging the question. "A fair point. But while I have nothing but respect for SHIELD and its efforts in keeping this world we live in more or less in one piece, the very scope of its remit also limits it. You have an international mandate, true -- but in order to attain that, its founders had to make certain... Concessions, about what kind of situation does and does not warrant SHIELD's attention. Because of that, a tradition has become ingrained that if something does not involve superpowered being and is not a threat to /global/ security and stability, it is not a problem that SHIELD needs to get involved in."

    The Shadow holds up a hand. "This is not a condemnation. In order to operate internationally with at least the tacit consent of most nations, SHIELD /has/ to hold itself above politics as much as possible or risk being unable to counter a global threat because the nation it is based in has denied you cooperation or even access because of an earlier incursion in what they considered their own business."

    "The Birds of Prey claim no allegiance to any nation or authority; in fact, most people do not even know we exist, and those figures in authority who do know can plausibly deny such knowledge. Because of this, we can act with relative impunity against those who believe their power and position protects them. The downside, of course, is that if something goes wrong, we have only each other to fall back on..."

Melinda May has posed:
"Fair enough," May acknowledges, because she knows the Shadow is absolutely correct. There are no shortage of instances where SHIELD presence would not only be detrimental, it would be disastrous.

"Though you did not actually answer my question: What do I personaly have to gain from this?"

Quake has posed:
This is the point where Skye, with a small, sly little smile, murmurs, "Maybe this would be easier if I weren't here?"

Mind you, it really doesn't matter. Unless she gets a block or so away, she can hear the whole damned conversation thanks to her Quake abilities. But Natasha probably doesn't know that. May possibly as well. And if May knows, she might not remember.

Either way, the illusion of privacy is often enough, and without waiting for a reply, Skye meanders off leaving the two to have this discussion without her. She's sure she'll hear more about it later.

Shadow has posed:
    The Shadow nods at Skye as the young woman walks off, then turns back to regard May, those blue eyes seeming to look right through mere flesh. "For one, I suspect you have no intention of letting Miss Johnson go off on this without you if you can possibly help it," they reply with what sounds like dry humor filtering through the voice mask's distortion.

    "For another..." And the Shadow hesitates briefly, something suspiciously like rough compassion in their eyes. "You might benefit from the company of others who understand... /regret/."

    There's something... Heavy... in the way the Shadow stresses that final word, something that feels like someone gently knocking at a door May closed and barred against everyone long ago, of a time and a place that she never quite left.

Melinda May has posed:
May opens her mouth to reply about the comment regarding Skye, but then there's the statement about regret that hits much too close to home for comfort. And if she seemed to be an unreadable mask before, that mask has just turned to stone even though her facial expression hasn't so much as twitched.

It takes her a moment to process and formulate a reply that isn't somehow biting or scathing, and finally says, "If I could, Skye would be protected and kept safely away from all of this. But I can't. So I'll do everything that I do have within my ability to help her accomplish this task."

She doesn't openly acknowledge that word. Regret.

Shadow has posed:
    The Shadow nods, eyes flitting closed briefly in acknowledgement. "Would that we could," they reply. "But we can't. People need freedom to make their own choices and accept their own risks like we need air to breathe -- deprive her of either, and she'd suffocate."

    There is another pause as the Shadow considers their next words with care -- and then reaches a decision. "Sometimes all we can do is let them go and hope for the best, knowing that if the worst happens we'll forever bear the burden even if it was the right thing to do."

    A sigh, and one gloved hand reaches for their face. "I may not share the pain you keep buried - but I recognize its kin in my grandfather's eyes." Natasha finishes as the scarf pulls away from her face and throat. A secret for a secret -- one pulled up without permission, one freely given as apology.

Melinda May has posed:
May can only nod as The Shadow basically says what she's already been thinking, right down to having to metnally brace herself for the worst case scenario as much as it pains her to even contemplate it.

Then the scarf is pulled away and she blinks quickly a few times to clear the disorientation. And .... "Well." She makes a point of not saying Ms. Cranston's name aloud, as there's never an absolute guarantee of privacy. "This explains very succinctly what I have to gain from this association."

Shadow has posed:
    Natasha nods, something of a wan smile at the edges of her lips before she moves the scarf back into place. "And from a more pragmatic point of view - you're aware of miss Johnson's skills, so you'll understand what it means when I say she is in fact only the /second/ most capable computer specialist among the Birds."

Quake has posed:
The conversation isn't so much a surprise to Skye as slightly more personal than she expected. She'd guessed about May's fondness, but she'd been more likely to consider it a by-product of having been Skye's SO, and as an extension of that, tucked under the umbrella of May's mothering a number of the lost ones that Skye and Clint had gone out of their way to drag into the protective circle of their household.

To hear it put rather more bluntly than that, and, further, the suggestion that that protectiveness.. might be held by the other as well? Was something unsettling. Reminiscent of her early days at SHIELD where the merest thought of belonging or fitting in had her ready to run like a scared little rabbit.

The rest of the conversation - the reveal, and it's implications, are almost lost on the young woman as she tries to decipher and deconstruct the other.

If she'd ever doubted, even for a second, that she hadn't a home in SHIELD, there was no doubt now.

It's likely a good thing she's lost in thought when the programming bit comes up. Even if Skye knows full well when she's outclassed, and in this case, by whom.

Melinda May has posed:
This garners a raised eyebrow from May. "Let me guess. Your group's specialist is the one that Skye has been in contact with for the past several months." She knows more than that, but again, she'll keep that information to herself.

"And you're the group's coordinator?" She seems to be the one at least somewhat in charge, from what little She's seen.

Shadow has posed:
    That yields a brief snort. "'Coordination' is a strong word, given how independent-minded some of our members are," she replies. "I am primarily a field agent as well as a source of information and resources when needed... But while it's true that most of the Birds will at least listen to me when I address them, I am... Not exactly the best choice for a face of the team, so to speak."

    After all, a good leader needs to inspire confidence as well as trust, and the Shadow's appearance and demeanor can even set many of her allies on edge...

Melinda May has posed:
"I can't exactly be the face of a team of vigilantes either," May says with just the faintest rueful edge to her voice. "Kind of flies in the face of the whole intelligence spy agency thing. However, I can help your group's members at least understand how teams should work, even if they choose not to use the information themselves. That, and I can possibly help with physical resources."

Quake has posed:
From her position just far enough off, Skye ponders what she hears. It's one thing to suspect a thing; quite another to hear it put so boldly. The rest, well - it's useful information. For all of them. What May can offer to the Birds might not be the original vision, but with May actually aware of who and what they were, it saved Skye a lot of pussyfooting around. The trust building would be invaluable to them all.

As for the Birds, well, SHIELD wasn't as old and as efficient as it was without having gone through some growing pains. Growing pains that could be saved the rest of them.

What Skye wasn't sure of was how May was going to take *her* involvement with them. Up to now, Skye has served mostly as that very connection between the two, negotiating resources and assignments that really couldn't be tackled by the spy agency. She wasn't worried so much that she was losing a position as wondering what next moves for herself were - liason, still, or?

Not to mention, she suspected she and May were going to be having a very frank talk after this about all the things Skye and Fury had set into place and May might not yet be privy to.

"Hey," she says, moving closer, and her words making it clear she's overheard, but allowing everyone to pretend she hasn't, "The grownups done talking so I can come back and find out how long I"m grounded for?"

Shadow has posed:
    Those have not been an issue as of yet, although it's always good not to have to rely on a single source," The Shadow replies. "It will be appreciated. But for now I should take my leave," she continues, rising to her feet. "The true leader of the Birds will probably contact you to make themselves known soon - and you and miss Johnson still need to speak in private," she adds with a slightly wry glance at the young lady in question.

    "One last word of caution on that coin -- one of the effects it has is to make whoever holds it unconsciously unwilling to part with it. It may contain other traps as well... And whoever put them into place seems to be playing for high stakes indeed."

    The Shadow bows perfunctorily. "Good hunting, agent May. I look forward to working with you in the future..."

    And with that, the Shadow turns to walk away, fading into the shadows between one step and the next, leaving the two SHIELD agents alone in the garden...

Melinda May has posed:
May moves to stand a moment after the Shadow does, leaving the coin sitting in the grass at her feet. "I will be expecting to speak with said leader then. And thank you."

She looks down at the coin, now even more glad that she's been cautious of the thing since it was set down before. "Thank you for the warning, and good hunting."

She watches the vigilante leave, then looks toward Skye and gestures her over before crouching down and pullinga few items from inside her jacket: a small resealable plastic bag, a sharpie, and an eyeglasses cleaning cloth. It's the matter of just a moment for her to scoop up the coin in the cloth and stuff it into the bag, then jot a note on the outside of the plastic. A second cloth is then wrapped around the whole thing and tucked back into her jacket.

She can only hope that that's enough to keep the thing from affecting her.

Quake has posed:
Skye watches Shadow depart. She's confirmed all she needed to there. It might make for an interesting visit at some point, but for now there is actual business to tend to.

"That stuff you all said? You know I'll be alright, right?" It seems inadequate to all the things she could say, but at least puts it out there that she's aware. And that she appreciates it, even if she hasn't said so in so many words. "You're family."

Skye might have Cal back in her life, and now be aware that her mother isn't dead either, but the other is important too. Maybe more so. For all sorts of reasons May should be aware of.

"Now what?" Knowing full well that talking to is coming - if not here and now, as soon as they get somewhere private.

Shadow has posed:
    ... And behind the wheel of an entirely unremarkable cab, Benny has asked the exact same thing of his dark-clad passenger. "Home, Benny," Natasha replies as she leans back in the passenger's seat. "I've work to do in the morning."

    But there's a smile gracing her lips, because it has been a productive evening. Things are in motion. Information has been shared; tokens of good faith have been exchanged. An understanding reached. SHIELD has been alerted to an encroaching threat, and they have the resources to investigate its full reach while the Shadow teases further at one particular strand in the web. But where it will take them and what they will find there is a good question.

    After all, Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?

Melinda May has posed:
"You'd better be," May says to Skye. "I don't choose my family lightly."

She leads the younger agent out of the temple's garden with her thanks to the caretakers, and can't help but quip as they start back to the Triskelion, "And at some point soon, we need to have a talk."

The sooner they get back to the Triskelion the better.

Quake has posed:
"Neither do I," Skye says simply, lips pursing into a firm line of consideration.

She's easily led back to the Trisk, aware they need to talk. Expecting that talk to be now given the information they'd just received and the impending missions on the docket for both SHIELD as an agency, and in its involvement with other agencies on this very matter (plus a few others).

She holds any further explanations or apologies until then. It could be a long night.