11020/Skulking out the Sinister

Skulking out the Sinister
Date of Scene:	04 May 2022
Location:	Underground Laboratory Complex
Synopsis:	The X-Men sneak into an old lair of Mister Sinister's. Where they find things showing that he's been keeping track of Scott and Jean for decades. How far back do the monster's webs weave?
Cast of Characters:	Monet St. Croix, Megan Gwynn, Logan Howlett, Kitty Pryde, James Proudstar

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Monet St. Croix has posed:
It had been something of a lucky break for Xavier's after a long period of research. Previous scuttled remnants from one of Sinister's smashed up labs had after painful reconstruction retracted steps to a location some of the equipment was manufactured. Some further surreptitious and very careful reconaissance had confirmed yes, there was something deep underneath the ground.
    One of thsoe ever so popular abandoned amusement parks.. Over along an abandoned Boardwalk in Detroit. A place that had all the grandeur of waiting to be repurposed as the latest incarnation of Murderworld. Late at night.

Megan Gwynn has posed:
Megan Gwynn had been pretty idle lately, but with all the rumours of things and stuff going on, she felt it was time to stretch her wings and prove herself. So of course she jumped at the offer to come along and check out a potential lab of Sinister's. Who is to say it's still got any useful information in it after being totaled, but it's still worth a shot right?

"Annnd, of course it'd be an amusement park.." she makes a face and shivers as she teleports everyone there, peering around warily. "I mean dont get me wrong, I loove amusement parks, but when they're abandonned, they're just kinda, creepy.."

Logan Howlett has posed:
Wolverine dressed his black and grey stealth mission suit, was set as the point man for this particular mission. Logan seems unphased by the creepy nature of the abandoned theme park. But then again This Man walked in the smoking wreckage of a nuclear attack.

"you watch too many scare movies pixie" He says in a stern tone. "Don't worry about spooks in the dark and worry about the hostiles in the base we're here to infiltrate."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
They've seen a few scary things in their time. This was just another on the list. And being high up here would mean ordinarily that they would have to sneak all their way through the facility, however deep it went.. Then likely have to fight their way up and out against everything collapsing inwards.

Which was why Pixie made everything so much easier. It was still, however, a freakish abandoneda musement park.. And the entrance was righ tunderneath the hall of mirrors and the tunnel of love.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde is unphased as well. Both in the figurative and, at the moment, literal sense as they arrive at the park. "One benefit of growing up in Chicago," Kitty comments. "WGN. Grow up on Bozo the Clown and the whole creepy clown, amusement park thing just doesn't really happen," she says as she looks around. She two is in a black X-man costume with dark trim.

Lockheed is his normal purple self, but for the occasion, Kitty has dabbed some eye black on him in a haphazard camouflage scheme to help the purple space-dragon blend into the night.

She pulls out her phone on steroids and checks for wireless signals or anything else out of the ordinary in the EM spectrum. "Just glad we were able to get a lead. Piecing all of that back together was not fun. Even for Hank. I think he got split ends."

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar is that rarity among tanks. One who can move with the grace and skill to disappear into the darkness. His size would seem to make it an improbability but as he moves from shadow to shadow, using any cover to block line of sight. He is dressed in black, t-shirt, raw denim jeans, military style boots. His eyesight adjusts to the darkness, his hearing provides a higher standard of quiet. Even his nose attuned for danger a back up to Logan's own. He pulls up the rear of the team also anchoring their way out.

Megan Gwynn has posed:
Megan Gwynn is also dressed in the black leather stealth uniform of the Xmen, although there's not much she can do about her bright pink hair. Hey, at least it's got black streaks in it, so maybe that will help to blend in with the shadows a little at least.

"I mean, dont get me wrong, I actually love clowns, I dont get why they always have to have all those scary killer clown movies. Heck, I had a toy musical clown when I was a kid." But this..Meh..

She just makes a face at Logan as they continue to walk and waits for one of the more experienced Xmen to take the lead while she brings up the rear. "Sooo, which way?" she grimaces as they walks through the hall of mirrors and tunnel of love. It'd probably be more romantic if it wasn't worn and broken and empty.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
The way in is down. Because abandoned labs are always down. Or dug into volcanos in the Savage Land. One would think that they had lots of issues when it came to maintenance from that. The mirrors would be cracked in the hall, and the tunnel of love had long since had all the clean water filtered out, now just filled with gunk and mud.

There were, however, some trapdoors likely used for maintenance folks. And Kitty's spectrum sweep of the area would give them some idea of how deep to go.

Because, you always put the important things in an evil lair in the most secure area. Furthest from everyone and everything.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Wolverine sniffs the air and gets down to feel the ground and put his ear to the ground to listen. He looks around as if looking for something. Logan grumbles a bit. "anyone think to check for security measures?" I can feel the something... Smell it too. Electrical. maybe cameras or motion detecting trip lasers. tread carefully"

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde stops to look in a mirror at herself, and Lockheed who is on her shoulder. It makes her look short and stock. "God, we look like Logan," Kitty says to Lockheed, her lips quirking in a grin at the teasing comment. She moves on to the next one which makes her look thin as a pole.

"Ok, down we go," she says, when they find the trap door. Kitty sticks her head through to glance around. "No explosives or other worrisome things on it," she concludes before they continue and head underground. "There's some signals, but seem to be deeper," she responds to Logan.

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar has a decision to make whether to stretch his flight ability hovering down the verticle path or to work his way down hand over foot using his phenomenal strength to lower himself. He raises his eyebrows at Logan. But does as he's bade lowering himself through the trapdoor hovering over the floor as he inspects for traps, "Yeah, pressure plates, no power until you complete the circuit so no reading. Nasty. Move where I move." James leads the way using his climbing skill and flight to mark a path without tripping anything

Megan Gwynn has posed:
Megan Gwynn wrinkles her nose at the smells of old dirt, dank water, probably sewage too. "Ugh, what a dump. So sad. Must have been nice once."

She nods to Logan and Kitty and keeps her senses peeled as they walk down the tunnel, peering at herself in some of the funky mirrors and making a face. "Got it!" and as it's probably pretty dark down here, Pixie draws her soul sword, using its brilliant pink glow as a light source in the dim tunnels. "I suppose there's only one way *to* go, isn't there.."

Once they're through the trapdoor, Pixie peers into the hole, and as she realizes just how deep and how steep the tunnel descends, she sighs, shaking her head. "This..Might take awhile, and it's turning into a sheer drop. However else they got down here before, we're gnona have to improvise now..Alright, everyone get in close, I'm gonna port us down there..Sihal Novarum Chinoth!" and hopefully with everyone in close, she will surround them once more in pink light, teleporting them all the way to the bottom.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
It's always at the bottom. And thanks to Megan they can go -right- on down there past all the security, the layered defenses, the sensors, the traps.. It makes things ever so much easier as the group is ported on down deep to the lowest level.

And they're in a dark hallway. Grey. Sterile. They've come out over in what looks like a.. Reading room.

An old candelabra in a corner and an oil powered lamp (currently dark). A table with a book on it and a large chair. An ancient looking copy of Charles Darwin's 'The Evolution of the Species' smelling ancient with worn pages. On a hook on the wall, an old victorian gentleman's outfit.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde stays within arm-reach of everyone, should something bad happen. They make it to the sparsely decorated room without even though. After waiting for those with a nose for danger to indicate the way is clear, Kitty moves into the room. She looks about with a curious expression before moving over to the bookshelf.

She eyes the titles without touching anything just yet. "Curious," she murmurs, before walking forward and sticking her head through the bookcase to see if there's anything behind it.

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar raises his eyebrows at the porting body tensed as he waits for the worst, which never materializes. He exhales slowly, taking in the room with sight, scent and sound. He closely inspects the book on the table, "Think Hank wants a souvenir? Might even have notes..." He inspects the room for any signs of secret passages, strange drafts, randow odors shifts in the dust pattern.

Megan Gwynn has posed:
Megan Gwynn is grateful that she was able to teleport them to the bottom safely..It's often risky if you cant see where you're going, but thankfully she caught a glimpse before she ported. And when they land, she blinks, peering around curiously.

"Ooh, this is..Lush. I've always liked these things.." she steps towards the lamp, fiddling with it, trying to get it to work. Light is always an issue when you're down in a deep dark hole in an abandonned place. "so what's with all the books nad stuff? And ooh, what an amazing outfit!"

Oh wait, what were they looking for, again?

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Kitty going to poke her head through the wall finds a faded looking ancient notebook that looked decades old. On the cover of it the heraldry of an orphanage 'State Home for Foundlings, Nebraska'. Various scrawled notes within there of a near indecipherable nature. And a set of old, Ruby Quartz glasses carefully preserved in plastic.

The air is still for James. But it's got a lsight change i temperature coming from one direction.. Behind teh bookcase a covered door.

Someone certainly played to tropes. As Megan goes to flick the light on, the lamp would light up. The scent within. . Not oil.

Blubber.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty takes a closer look at the notebook and glasses, the latter causing a distinct frown. She remembers the earlier cloning of their teammates by Mr. Sinister, and had to fight clone-Scott during the rescue.

Her phone comes out, double-checking for any security on the items, before she retrieves them and brings them back to where the others can see them. "Looks like he was hanging onto some of Cyclop's glasses," she comments, leaving them in the plastic before. "Wonder if he's saving them for reproduction. Or harvesting them for any DNA. We can find out back home."

She starts looking through the notebook then.

Logan Howlett has posed:
"use code names. no real names. you don't know who is listening down here." logan says in a hush tone.

Logan looks through the book case and finds a well loved original leather bound 1916 printing of Eugenics. "of course this sick bastard would be in for this."

Logan smells the blubber oil. "only a few places that could still be bought from, mostly Japan"

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar sighs softly and moves to investigate the breeze from the bookcase looking for a door.

Megan Gwynn has posed:
Megan Gwynn blinks and wrinkles her nose at the smell of blubber. "Eww...Gross.." but at least it's a reliable source of light. She nods to Logan, walking towards the notebook on the shelf. But Kitty gets there first. "soo...See anything of interest in there? I dont imagine he'd leave too many valuables or secrets down here if he's no longer using this lab though.." But hey, it's worth a look afterall..

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Kitty's sweep indicates no security on anything. In the notebook, there are pictures. Of children at various ages. Looking miserable in the way that children growin ginto teenagers at an orphanage would be. In neat, precise cursive would be notes on them. Height, weight, disabilities.. Small hairs that had been cut and notes to the side on various physical stats. Further in, of all things some sketches in faded pencil and.. Sudoku puzzles and a crossword puzzle faded into illegibility.

Apparently even abominations needed hobbies to pass the time.

James opening the bookcase carefully reveals another walkway into a lab. Up above some automatic lights flickering on set against the droning of a rusted through industrial fan. Large glass tubes lining the walls. In them bodies in various stages of preservation. Redhead. Female. Teenager. Large hump on back. Deformed face. Redhead. Female. Young adult. No eyes. Three fingers. Older redhead. Female. Middle aged. relatively normal looking. Faded in glass. Upon closer inspection skin like yellow flakes.

Various cabinets lining the walls that had small items lining them carefully assembled. A computer in the center of the room amongst old looking equipment. Ancient looking, with vacuum tubes.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde is taking her time thumbing through the notebook, though glancing up frequently to keep an eye on what's going on. "Notes, tracking orphans. Mutants quite possibly," she comments after getting the gist of what the book contains.

She stows it, and the glasses, in a pocket and then turns towards the hidden door behind the bookcase. She walks in behind James, Kitty's lips pressing into a line at the sight. This is all too familiar, unfortunately. At least this time there isn't a Jean clone making a whirlwind of glass shards to tear everyone apart.

"Any idea how long since someone's been in here," she asks James and Logan, knowing their sensual acuity.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Kitty's sweep indicates no security on anything. In the notebook, there are pictures. Of children at various ages. Looking miserable in the way that children growin ginto teenagers at an orphanage would be. In neat, precise cursive would be notes on them. Height, weight, disabilities.. Small hairs that had been cut and notes to the side on various physical stats. Further in, of all things some sketches in faded pencil and.. Sudoku puzzles and a crossword puzzle faded into illegibility.

Apparently even abominations needed hobbies to pass the time.

On the wall, lazily taped in place would be a picture of another girl. Not Jean. Her sister. A few faded hairs taped beneath it.

The scents of the place would give it a feel that here hadn't been used in years. At least.. At least since Scott had lead the charge that had freed everyone that Sinister kept as prisoners at the Foster Home in NEbraska.

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar glances towards the contraption with the vacuum tubes, "Umm, Shadowcat, you might want to see what that's about. He looks about ears tuned for heartbeats other than the four of them. "Not sure it takes usb... " James never made it this deep into on of these labs, "Years. This is a museum of horrors."

Logan Howlett has posed:
"First time in a creepy MFer's lab?" Logan says as this is old hat to him.

"be thankful I don't smell any corpses around here." Logan carefully looks around.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Kitty is able to with some effort dig up data from the seemingly ancient computer. But decyrpting it back at the Mansion will no doubt take a lot of effort. Even beyond the failed clones, about the place things are scary.

A small notebook with things jotted down from Abraham Erskine. A memento? Tucked away on a wall is a family chart. Jean Grey, Older Sister Sarah. Some hair samples. Parents.. Grandparents.. Cousins.. Great Grandparents.. A twisted, large family tree with pictures, notes, and the occasional hair follicle or small item pressed to it going back at least a full century.

How long /had/ Sinister been watching? Waiting? Skulking?
    The group is able to in turn teleport out with their data, some collected items for future analysis.. And far, far more questions of a disturbing nature.