12574/Ant-Ten HUT

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Ant-Ten HUT
Date of Scene: 25 August 2022
Location: Scott Lang's House
Synopsis: Scott forcibly recruits Rhodey to go undercover with him for the plot of National Treasure 3.
Cast of Characters: Scott Lang, James Rhodes




Scott Lang has posed:
     It was just an ordinary house in the suburbs, a slightly drizzly day keeping it from being sitcom perfect. That and the occasional football sized ant that crawled over the front of it or could be sometimes spotted elsewhere in the yard waggling their antenna on alert. Inside things were even more, chaotic one might say. Scott doesn't have his Ant-Man suit on but what he does have on couldn't exactly be called normal fashion either, a business jacket thrown over a tanktop with torn jeans on his legs. Somehow that wasn't the strangest bit though as there were the wigs, at least ten strewn about the room on mannequin heads, while a case of fake facial hair sat on the coffee table. Currently rocking a set of sideburns that almost reached his jawline and a wig that looked like it belonged on the set of Grease, Scott examined himself in a mirror on the living room wall while Cassie picked through the case of facial hair.

     "Here try this one Daddy!" she exclaims holding up a stick on swab of hair, Scott applying what looks to be a soul patch to his chin.

     "Hmm, maybe Peanut. I dunno, still gotta nail down this identity. Hopefully Rhodes can help me get a handle on this," he answers while waggling his chin to test.

James Rhodes has posed:
Lang. Just the name inspired some dread in James' mind as he maneuvered his car down through the suburbs of New York. The man was a friend though, and so he answered the call as he put his phone on silent and pulled up in front of the 'ordinary' house. Checking his watch and ensuring the locator was on, he slipped out of his Benz and adjusted the collar of his salmon polo before making his way up the front entry to knock on the door.

    "Scott!? It's, uh - Rhodes - James!" he yelled half heartedly while glancing around the block. Now this kind of place seemed a distant memory, from days as a young lieutenant, and the unease at arriving at a decidedly -normal- house was evident on him.

Scott Lang has posed:
     When the front door opens to reveal the madness within Scott may as well be some clown-themed villain given his ridiculous get-up, probably taking a second to identify as by now he has also put on a pair of glasses...that don't have any lenses in them. "Hey Jim!" Scott shortening James without asking if it was OK, or even necessary given it was the same amount of syllables. Before Rhodes might have a chance to change his mind Scott has a hand on his back and is ushering him inside, two large ants scuttling by underfoot, one carrying what appeared to be a fake nose in its mandibles.

     "Come in, sit down, make yourself at home. Cassie this is Mister...sorry Colonel Rhodes right? Oh hey lemme clear you a spot," Scott offers moving a large box full of clothes that appear to be freshly purchased from Goodwill and shoved inside willy nilly. Still not having explained a thing he grins wide and waves a hand about at the mess. "What do you think? Quite an operation right?" as if expecting Rhodes to be impressed even as the 9 year old girl turns about to show herself getting in on the fun wearing what looks like a Fu Manchu beard that hangs almost to her knees.

James Rhodes has posed:
"Uh, just Jim is fine..." Rhodes offered - clearly caught off guard by the entire scene. "Retired colonel. Not the same thing," he tried to explain with a forced laugh as his gaze turned this way and that to regard the ants. Coming face to 'face' with Cassie, he offers a quick smile as the spot is cleared and extends a hand. "Nice to meet you, miss - James, at your service Ms. Manchu" he offers quickly before sitting down and finally letting out a sigh.

    "La- Scott, what in the -world- is all of this?" he asks, taking the liberty to lean over and rummage through the box beside him on the couch before lifting out what is clearly a woman's night gown. "Did Tony send you my e-mail about the Corps' birthday? Uh... we don't normally go for clowns... I had a guy I had to NJP once for beating up a clown,"

Scott Lang has posed:
     "I'm Cassie. You need to get your ears checked," Cassie bluntly responds, clearly not getting the joke before she pulls the fake beard off and announces, "I'm getting a snack!" and runs off to the adjoining kitchen, at least a half dozen ants scuttling after her as if they understand her words, or just know a human in the kitchen means a chance they too might get some food. Especially if it's the little one, the girl seeming entirely unfazed by the oversized insects.

     Scott meanwhile is shaking his head. "What clowns? I don't...OK there's one red nose I think in the other box but no. Look I know a guy who, well, you know I did time in prison and I reformed but I have some friends I made back then who, well, didn't reform QUITE as well if you know what I'm saying," Scott finally getting to some sort of point in a roundabout manner as he removes the Grease wig and swaps for a mullet. It's not an improvement. "Anyway they're not all like, super bad guys and one heard there's this thing gonna go down but he doesn't have the details so he passed it to me so I could look into it. And like usually I'd just shrink and hang out till I heard something but, well, it's complicated," Scott both explaining a lot while saying little, and none of it having a thing to do yet with a retired colonel or current Avenger. Scott does at least pause for breath in his ramble as he slicks back his mullet and asks, "Want a drink?"

James Rhodes has posed:
    "The mo-" Rhodey begins, before giving up and shrugging in a helpless fashion, tossing the gown back down and slumping into the chair. "I think I could use one - what..." he began, finally focusing on Scott for all of a few seconds before rubbing the bridge of his -proper- nose and then massaging his eyes. "Do you have a beer? I have to drive but this is absurd, but... Scott, who -cares- about any of this?" he asked incredulously. His attempt to empathize was evident, but the strain was moreso.

    "What are they -doing-? What're you gonna do, go undercover as Kid Rock?" he asked while waving a hand around in the vague direction of the mullet "Why not just shrink and then kick some a-" he stopped suddenly. There was a blink as he quirked his head to the side, "You of all people haven't shown your daughter Big Trouble In Little China?"

Scott Lang has posed:
     "Yes I have beer. I am a single divorced Dad who's an ex-con," Scott reminds for the first time frowning since Rhodey arrived. OBVIOUSLY he'd have beer though he makes no move to go get one. Instead he takes a seat on the arm of the couch as every cushion is filled with cheap disguise material. "And like I said I WOULD go as Ant-Man but according to my buddy they've got someone in this, I dunno, gang, syndicate, cartel, whatever who can like, see and hear EVERYTHING. He doesn't think they're psychic or nothing like that but he said this guy could read a newspaper over someone's shoulder from a half mile out and would shoot mice in the walls when he heard em skittering. So I'm not sure shrinking is an option to spy on these people, if I go small enough he can't notice me I just wind up staring at atoms, it isn't very helpful you know?"

     None of that still obviously explaining why Rhodes was there, Scott chewing his lower lip a second before he clasped his hands together and leaned forward. "Anyway I called you cause my buddy, what he does know is they're planning a heist. At the Marine Corps HQ in Virginia. Thought, you know, maybe you'd know what they're after? Any clue?" Scott remains solemn as his eyes flick to Rhodey's shoulder and he notes, "Beer's here." Rhodey might just feel a slight pressure on his shoulder, a look over revealing a very large ant very close to his face large enough to hold a can of beer in its mandibles.

James Rhodes has posed:
    "At Quantico? Scott, I mean, there's reall- jesus christ!" Rhodey yells, leaning forward and resisting the urge to jump up as a hand swung about. It stopped just short of a punch and instead the hand opened to accept the beer and offer a tenative nod to the ant before quickly turning around to Lang. Out of sight, out of mind. "I mean, what was I saying... what the hell..." he rambled for a moment, shifting uncomfortably.

    "There's really nothing of -value- at Quantico, I mean, the museum has some stuff about Boot Camp, and there's some Medal of Honor exhibits, stuff like that... but... it's just a boring base," he offered in frustration as he cracked the beer and took a sip, staring pointedly away from Scott's impromtu circus wardrobe.

    "A lot of 'artifacts' as they call 'em, and exhibits about the Marine Corps history... uh...hell," Rhodey mused, taking another sip. "These guys are serious? You've got some Carrie type, and they want to hit Quantico? Are they political? Maybe they just want to hit the school?"

Scott Lang has posed:
     "My buddy Luis didn't think they were terrorists or anything. But yeah when I was poking around I kinda came to the same conclusion, it ain't some top secret R&D facility or big weapons depot. Just old artifacts surrounded by a lot of soldiers. Probably some files there in cabinets you don't want getting out but..." Scott pauses, something niggling in the back of his brain. Artifacts, heist. He shakes his head trying to push it away.

     "Like they're a gang with a couple metas, mutants, whatever but nothing unusual he saw, pretty low-profile. But the Marine thing got him spooked, I think Luis is convinced they keep the nuclear launch codes there or something..." Scott trailing off again. Codes. He sits up a bit straighter as his eyes go wide.

     "Waaaaaait a sec. Big Trouble in Little China," he nonsensically states as he rushes over to the TV and starts digging underneath through a cabinet of dusty DVDs. Everyone streams these days after all but he still had some copies. "Cassie never liked it, I may have left The Thing on one night when she was here and now she's got an irrational fear of Kurt Russell," he explains. No wait, that didn't explain anything that was happening before Scott looses an 'AH-HAH!' and pulls out a DVD to thrust in Rhodes face. "National Treasure! Rhodey, there are RELICS in DC in a SECURE FACILITY that bad guys want for seemingly no reason? Don't you get it?!" he rambles excitedly as Nicolas Cage stares at Rhodes off the DVD cover with the same kind of blank expression Cage always wore when he wasn't going berserk in his movies.

James Rhodes has posed:
    "Terrorists don't waste time on museums," Rhodey began, interjecting slightly as Scott rambled and he sipped his beer. If nothing else it was amusing before he realized there was serious thought and concern going into the rant. "What does Big Trou-" he continued, leaninng forward and resting his elbows on his knees as his brow furrowed in apprehension at the narrative. There were a couple of thoughts going through his mind - this guy -was- an Avenger. AND an ex-con. But... then National Treasure came out.

    There was a huff and a derisive laugh as he looked around, waving his now empty beer about, "Ants? Another? Scott, listen man... that's a -movie.- There aren't any secret codes in anything at Quantico. What, do you think the guys planning the invasion of Tarawa ALSO sketched in some kind of plan to rob Fort Knox after they were done?" he asked, breaking into a wide smile. "All you're going to steal from Quantico are military ops from some 60 or 70 years ago!"

Scott Lang has posed:
     Surprisingly it worked. The call for another beer, the ants in Scott's home largely the most well-trained ones he had and able to take at least a few commands in English without the need for electronic control helmets. Though without Scott giving the order they do get a LITTLE confused as Rhodey soon has a half dozen circling around him all holding beer cans. Well, one has a Pepsi, but he has the spirit. Scott meanwhile drops the DVD on the table and stands up.

     "Rhodey I spent months last year in space traveling to an alien world on the other side of the galaxy. Remember? Right after we fought a giant kaiju monster off the coast of Hawaii? If you think the plot of National Treasure is too outrageous for real life I don't know what to tell you," Scott reminds him, taking another glance at himself in the mirror.

     "Even if it ain't, they're still criminals up to SOMETHING. Look we go in undercover, see what we find out. If they're just drug smugglers we call the cops, easy peasy. But if they're up to something MORE," Scott's grin almost ear to ear. Wait did he say 'We?'

     "We'll have to get you an undercover look too. I mean I know you've got a helmet on most of the time when you're working like I do but these guys are pretty smart..." By now Rhodey might notice Scott's eyes drifting to one of the bewigged mannequin heads littering the room. A look over his shoulder would reveal it's the one that has a giant afro that hasn't been in style in about 50 years. Scott may be paying another visit to HR all too soon.

James Rhodes has posed:
    "Aliens and 'kaijus' or whatever are one thing, Scott, but... National Treasure?" Rhodey asks incredulously, grabbing the whole host of drinks from the ants. This was clearly a hole he was taking a ride down into now, and they'd probably go quick. Even the Pepsi. "People back then were -dumb- it wasn't... it wasn't ALIENS. This isn't the pyramids or something, it's the god damn Marine Corps Museum and a school for stupid boot officers!" he exclaims, cracking another can. Then another. The first wast he Pepsi.

    "What do you want me to do, play Undercover Brother with you?! This is... insane, I mean, no offense Scott, but i'm a -little- more well known than you," he continues in an almost defensive fashion. Obviously being War Machine next to Iron Man had something to play in the outrage.

    "We'd need... I mean, man... I broke into a car once and i've maybe smoked weed like... five times. The only 'thug' I know is from movies!"

Scott Lang has posed:
     "Hey if people aren't expecting you they barely look beyond the first few details. And if you make those details crazy enough, that's ALL they look at," Scott advises. Was there, a method to his madness? "And hey don't worry, I've got this. Loads of experience being a criminal," the extremely whitebread looking single Dad says as his daughter calls from the kitchen, "Daddy, DavAnt is playing with the toaster again," with a sound of mild concern in her voice.

     "Coming Peanut!" Scott calls back likes it's just another ordinary day in the family. Yeah, career criminal, he looked it as he clapped Rhodey on the shoulder. "I'll get all the gear and details worked out with Luis to get us an in, you maybe dig up what you can on what they could be looking for at the museum. I'll give you a call when we're ready to go in, right?" Scott barely giving Rhodes time to protest, going so far as to hold out a fist for a bump, and when it in all likelihood isn't returned for good reason goes and just bumps his own fist against Rhodes knuckles clutching the can...and even does the exploding fistbump with a 'kshh.' "We got this," he reaffirms as a smoke alarm goes off in the kitchen and Cassie calls out with a bit more alarm, "DADDY!"

     "COMING! DavAnt in the sink! Peanut get the burn cream...the one in the bathroom, the kitchen one is empty."

James Rhodes has posed:
    Rhodey returns the fist bump, if only tenatively as his jaw hangs slightly slack and he considers everything that just transpired. He even flares his fingers from around the beer can before immediately downing it and going to crack another as he listens to the calls from the kitchen. "Scott! I didn't say I was -in- i'm just... vaguely in!" he called as his friend rushed into the kitchen.

    As soon as the smoke alarm goes off he jumps up, almost slamming into one of the banisters as a combination of natural reactions and alcohol throw him off some. "Scott! Who or WHAT is DavAnt?!" he calls, tapping at his watch as his glance turns up toward the roof to find a smoke alarm and he calls aloud. "Just don't land on the house, Homer!" he snaps to... no one? before trying to tap at smoke alarms. "This -isn'-t a good start!" he finishes, moving to join Scott in the kitchen.