7629/Jailhouse Blues

Jailhouse Blues
Date of Scene:	26 May 2019
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Matt takes on the Blue Marvel as a new case.
Cast of Characters:	Blue Marvel, Daredevil

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Blue Marvel has posed:
The Tombs in Downtown Manhattan is a tall building done up in a faux Egyptian style. Or so they say. What it really looks like is a giant slab of concrete you wouldn't want your worst enemy to have to live in. Fitting.

On a Saturday the only people going in and out of the main entrance are visitors and lawyers. And there aren't many of them who made the trek through the drizzle today. Usually going inside would be a relief from the wet and grey, but here everything is tired and grey. Not much of an improvement.

Bored and self-important looking sherrifs check everyone coming in for weapons. Anyone who looks too important gets extra screening, just to let them know whose house this is.

The clerk's email said to talk to the Chief Sherrif about seeing the inmate, one Adam Brashear. She had attached a link to a YouTube video of the Sentinel incident. It wasn't especially clear what was going on. Whoever shot the video justifiably feared for their life and kept taking cover. The news just showed after shots of rubble. And the police... They were useless to the point of obstruction. They wouldn't tell Matt's clerk anything about why Mr. Brashear was being held or what the charges were.

Daredevil has posed:
Matt was a frequent flier at The Tombs, thankfully on the visiting side of the safety glass, but it still didn't make it any more pleasant to come to. The place stank of despair, too many bodies sweating, clouds of cortisol, cigarette smoke, anger and fear.

Walking through the doors behind his cane, Matt submits to the standard search, talking amiably enough with the deputies, though he's barely listening. His mind was on his client, the Youtube video to a blind man was a nice touch, sent a message, though by the description Foggy gave, it was evocotive stuff.

Once the search is done, Matt reclaims his cane and saying, "So, one of you guys want to take me to see the Chief Sherrif?" he'd already named who his client was before they let him get this far.

Blue Marvel has posed:
"Uh, yeah, I got it. This way," says a young man. The creak of his duty belt is ferociously loud, and the sound of those boots... They must all wear them. Stiff, chunky soles that thunk into the floor awkwardly. This man's footsteps fall into a pattern. Walk forward, hesitate. Wait. Turn, walk forward. And again. You would think he never saw a blind man before.

The footsteps stop down a hall off the main lobby. Someone is talking with an unusually low voice, the strain in his throat distorting his voice slightly. The intonation rings of some sort of douchebag clever remark. The silence afterward stretches on long enough that the creaking of someone wearing a duty belt shifting awkwardly can be heard. A tone of command, female. But the words are indistinct. And shouldn't be at this distance through the door.

The door opens and a very slight perfume drifts out. That and the unflinching, unhesitating clack of heels gives the person away. Donna Milton, a new rising superstar with a disturbingly perfect track record. Nothing suggests she takes any notice of Matt.

Matt is called in. "You're here for the special," he says. Fast heart rate slowing down, breathing slowing down. A snort of derision so faint anyone else would miss it.

"He's in seg. You can talk to him, but it's on you. If he pulls something, I'm not sending my guys in to get you out. Got it?"

Daredevil has posed:
It's all old hat for Matt the awkwardness, people not quite sure how to deal with a blind guy, it used to be annoying, but now Matt just uses it as weapon, though he spares the guy leading the way tonight, no need to make him more anxious than he already was.

Nodding, Matt says, "Yes, I'm here to see my client Adam Brashear," he says, in reply to calling him 'the special'. As for the warning that there would be no help coming if he pulls something, Matt just smiles tightly. "I think I'll manage." Sure he hand no chance against someone with Brashear's powers, but he wasn't going to let that or Milton rattle him.

"Anyhow, someone want to take me down to seg? Or, if you're guys don't want to go down there Chief, just nudge me in the right direction."

Blue Marvel has posed:
The intake of breath was telling and the tone was terse in his reply. "Nelson, take him down."

Sherrif Nelson leads the way to an elevator. It concentrates the particular odour of the lobby, with a little bit of that off-gasing from fake wood veneer that never seems to stop. Nelson shifts over and over.

The doors open and the smell is antiseptic. The are muffled sounds, some people yelling behind thick metal doors. Footsteps echo. They are buzzed through a heavy door and led inside.

"The special's lawyer is here. Put him in two," Nelson says. Someone answers, presumably a guard, and walks off. Matt is led past where the lawyers rooms are. A door open. "You're in general 2. Table, chairs. Uh. Yeah." Nelson says and beats a hasty retreat. The same door opens and soft leather shoes pad in. "Mr. Murdock, I'm Agent Ferguson, SHIELD. Your client is being held for the deaths of four people yesterday, and violating presidential order 1962-3309, inactivity demand. Nothing you say here can be repeated, under penalty of the Anti-Terror and Special Crimes statute. Understood?"

Daredevil has posed:
"Thanks," Matt says still smiling tight as he takes leave of the Chief and follows Nelson.

"Nelson? Any chance you've got a relative named Foggy?" Matt asks doubting the answer way yes, the Nelson clan was vast but he was fairly sure he'd met most of them.

Once they reach the lawyer rooms, Matt's attention is fixed on Ferguson, SHIELD, well that was new, "I'm Matthew Murdock, Agent Fergeson, I got caught up on his case on the way over. I assume his special confinement conditions won't preclude him speaking with legal representation without monitoring."

Blue Marvel has posed:
"Ah, no. No," Nelson answers and falls silent.

Ferguson exhales slowly. "Of course," he answers and lets himself out. A few minutes later a door opens and a guards lets a man in shackles and paper shoes in. From the swish of his clothes, he is wearing a jail jumper. Heavy footsteps, deft, no telltale creaks of older joints. Slow, steady heartbeat and breathing.
"Thank you for coming, Mr. Murdock," Adam says, sounding resigned. Educated, lots of time around Boston. "You were recommended, I didn't know if you would have the time."

Daredevil has posed:
Matt offers a much more sincere smile to Ferguson, "Thank you, agent," he says before stepping inside the room and finding a chair, though before he sits, he stands silently, opening up his senses, letting in any telltale buzzing of electronics to suggest there was something set up to monitor them.

Hopefully finding nothing he sits, leaning his cane against the table to wait for his client. When Adam enters Matt stands holding out a hand. No fear, no hesitation, just a genuine offer of greeting.

"You're welcome doctor Brashear, and well, given your situation, I felt I couldn't in good conscience stay away," he says. "If you'd like to take a seat, I am sure we both have a lot of questions for each other."

Blue Marvel has posed:
There is nothing to hear but the lights and approach of Adam and the guard.

Adam shakes Matt's hand surprisingly gently. He waits for Matt to sit and then seats himself.

"Yes, sir, I do," he answers. "The only thing I know about legal issues is what I've seen on TV and dealt with when I was divorced. I get the feeling they don't know what to do either," he adds somberly.

Daredevil has posed:
Matt shakes his head, "Please, call me Matt," he says before taking in the rest of Adam's words.

"Alright, keeping what you've said in mind I'll lay things out for you, but if I'm getting to basic, let me know and I'll step things up accordingly," he says at first before pushing on. "Basically my job is to make sure your rights are zealously defended, what form that takes depends on what you're looking for and the facts of the case. Now, I'd like to hear what you're looking for here doctor Brashear, the report from the arresting officers says you took reponsibility for the deaths and turned yourself, in, so I am guessing I'm not going too far out on a limb by saying you're not looking to plead innocent?"

Blue Marvel has posed:
Adam shakes his head. "It was my fault. I vapourized those people when I took the arm off the Sentinel," he says, doing his best to sound stoic. "And I was going to get locked up anyway. President Carter told me to retire, and SHIELD has been keeping tabs on me ever since." The word 'SHIELD' is gritted out and he sounds bitter. "But that's beside the point. Four people are dead."

Daredevil has posed:
Matt can sense Adam shake his head but doesn't respond to it, not until there's words to go with it. "I can't imagine what you're going through, doctor," he offers honestly. "Nothing is going to bring them back or make any of this feel better," There was a pause, a moment of quiet understanding and reflection. How many times had Matt been close to doing what Adam had done. "But there is some hope for you in the law. Since you've been inactive, the federal government and the states have passed laws protecting for a lack of a better word superheros in these kinds of situations from criminal charges and civil proceedings. With your permission, I'd like to seek protection for you under those laws, and, challenge constituionality of the original presidential order."

He pauses to let that sink in.

"While that's being worked out? Things are going to be a mess, I wouldn't be surprised if CUNY runs for cover, the media jumps all over this, and some anti-meta groups back a wrongful death suit against you. In a word, it's going to be hell doctor Brashear, but, at the end of it, I think you stand a decent chance of being a free man, with the right to use your powers again."

His attention turns to Adam then, his red lenses aimed in his direction. "The question is are you game to give it a shot? Otherwise, it looks like they plan to bury you, and while you might feel you deserve it right now, trust me, that's not justice."

Blue Marvel has posed:
Adam's breathing pauses when Matt says he could challenge the presidential order. He shifts in the metal chair. He folds his hands together on the table.

"I did /years/ of service, went to war for my country. Broke new ground in negative energy physics. Became Blue Marvel. And they took it from me. They sent a.. an /agent/ to become my wife and have my kids... and took my family from me," he says softly. "I don't want to stay in here, Mr. Murdock. I don't want them to take my freedom, too. I don't know how I'm going to square with the people I killed, but I can't be just another black man in jail."

Adam looks up from his hands directly at Matt. "If there's a chance I can get out... I'll take it."

Daredevil has posed:
Matt listens, his face registering the sympathetic anger Adam's words evokes. When he's done, Matt nods solemnly, "I can't change the past, or make square you with the people who died, but I will be happy to make sure you have a future where you have a chance to try."

When Adam confirms he wants to go forward Matt nods again. "Good. It's going to be a hell of a fight but it's one that needs to be fought. For now, try to rest, come Monday when I file my motions, that's when the show begins, in the meantime, I'll send one of my people down here personally to deliver you your client agreement, I'm not quite sure what's allowed under the terms of your incarceration but is there anything you need? I'll do my best to make sure you're able to recieve it."

Blue Marvel has posed:
"Something better to read than month old issues of Time?" Adam quips after taking a breath. "Or access to whatever they've got for a library here. It's not as though I'm an escape risk. If I was going to leave, I would have."

"I really appreciate you taking this case. I heard you were good, and... It's nice to have someone good in my corner for once."

Daredevil has posed:
Matt chuckles warmly. "I am sure we can arrange that much for you," he says. "Probably get your shoes back too, I thought I heard the crinkle of those paper ones when you came in," Matt observes. "Not like you could use your laces to hang yourself either. Some things, they're just going to deny you to be an asshole or because of the rules, but I think I can make a case for books and some better magazines."

"People said I was good?" Matt says feigning surprise. "Rest assured, Nelson and Murdock is a small firm but we definitely punch above our weight class, and honestly, I think I speak for myself and my partner when I say we're happy to be in your corner doctor Brashear. No matter what they tell you and what happened, you're a good man and a hero, doctor, and we're glad to have your back."