13825/Keeping an eye on HYDRA

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Keeping an eye on HYDRA
Date of Scene: 12 January 2023
Location: Avengers Mansion - Rooftop Pool
Synopsis: Kate Kane visits the Avengers to talk with Janet, Natasha, and Alison about possible HYDRA issues. Felicia Hardy makes an appearance as well.
Cast of Characters: Janet van Dyne, Natasha Romanoff, Kate Kane, Alison Blaire, Felicia Hardy




Janet van Dyne has posed:
The Avenger's pool is, perhaps, one of the better-secured areas in the entirety of the facility. Light scattering fences, acoustic interrupters, and drone interceptors give the Avengers who use the pool a place to relax and conference in comfort. The pool itself is already a vulgar display of New York wealth and power, and it's added to by the sunlight lamps and IR emitters that make it a great place to get a tan even in during an afternoon in the dead of winter.

"I'm not concerned with some gangbangers fencing Mexican cartel guns," Janet remarks to the others. She's sitting primly on the edge of a chair, applying suntan oil to her bare legs. The socialite's in a black bikini with bright yellow piping, a set that matches right down to a pair of four-inch stiletto pumps that must have been hand-painted to match. "But these were guns we clocked from an old HYDRA arsenal. And I've heard rumors of energy discharge weapons being used up in Maine and down into Virginia. If HYDRA's getting into the drug trade, I'd like to know what they're up to, and why."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
From the recent meeting with the president and various representatives of other hero groups, Natasha Romanoff has been reviewing information. For now, at the pool she's listening over to Janet's conversation while a holo display in front of her scrolls with various reports from the Avengers files and SHIELD logs of ongoing Hydra activity, intelligence, and rumors.
    "Quite possible. Or they're simply looking to space out older weapons for money, contacts.. Or just to stir up trouble in general. Higher casualties from fights with drug runners, more violent turf wars.. All those sorts of things could play to their hands. They don't need to be directly benefitting from it." She would muse while glancing at Janet. "And do you happen to know some of this from your own efforts?"

Kate Kane has posed:
    Kate Kane's definitely not nervous. She's just off balance. Rooftop pool, daylight, Janet discussing arms shipments while applying sunscreen. It's not exactly the usual grim, dour meeting in a dank cave.

That's unfair. The Batcave has a perfectly functional climate control system to minimize the dank. Still, she's relaxed enough that she's not standing like a statue. And she's foregone going for a full costumed appearance, there's even some pale bare skin peeking out of her jacket. If she's wearing a swimsuit it's under her sensible leather jacket and jeans.

Riding a motorcycle from Gotham to NYC in a bikini is a level of wild abandon even _she_ balked at. She shrugs as she lingers by the pool, eying Janet and quirking an eyebrow, "I mean, could just be they need the cash. Drugs and guns are pretty lucrative." Her lips quirk in a half grin, "I haven't seen too much in the way of hints of anything in Gotham. Then again, most cartels ship their drugs into town than exporting. Something about the locally made stuff having a higher than zero chance of turning customers into chalk-faced corpses."

She shrugs again and toys with the zipper of her jacket with a frown, "Might explain why I ran into Sabretooth trying to find someone in Gotham. I'll make sure to ask him politely when I find him."

Alison Blaire has posed:
Alison Blaire!

The Dazzler!

Why is she here... Is it so they get a discount when booking her at events? That is very possible. There's some economic dynimos in the Avengers and she wouldn't put it past them to dangle membership in the organization for an organizational 'pricing scheme'.

Regardless, how could she possibly pass up the opertunity to shoot the shit with a couple of the worlds finest heroes? Never you mind that she's booked for the opening of a club LATER TONIGHT. She's a whole-ass adult with an assistant and everything. Laying out on one of the chairs in a silver and white bikini with triangular intersection patterns with an obnoxiously oversized pair of sunglasses resting over her eyes.

Absently strumming a guitar laid upon her abdomen while the others talk shop about gun/drug smuggling. All very important things, to be sure, just very much outside her wheelhouse... Unless they want a song about it.

Janet van Dyne has posed:
Janet shakes her head minutely at Natasha and Kate. "It's-- well, ok, HYDRA never really got a foothold in the drug trade on the East Coast," she explains to them. "The Mafia and the cartels beat them to it. They've got a market share but hardly a dominant one. At least, as far as I know," she admits. "The situation south of Maryland might be more complicated than I'm really dialed in on."

"I mean, like, the obvious concern is that we don't want cartel gunfights with alien weapons tech," she admits. "That's bad. But I'm trying to trace the weapons pipeline and I'm coming up empty. The new cartel has locked down the New England area pretty well," she explains, with a Significant Look for Natasha. "Imports and exports are pretty tightly controlled and the street fights are at a lull."

"The biggest question is what their angle is. Is it just trying to disrupt potential territory they want to explore? Or are they trying to disrupt the cartels in this area to pull their focus from something else in the USA?" She starts applying the oil to her arms. "You'd be amazed how much product is moving through Phoenix right now. All those Boomers are spending their golden years high off their tits."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
With the others out there to enjoy themselves, Natasha's paying all her attention to her duties. Thena gain, she's never been good on the 'relaxing' end of the spectrum, if that's even osmething she can do for real. She would glance over at Kate, "Try superior firepower and stay at range. His healing factor makes it incredibly difficult to drop him, and then to keep him down. He's also a very experienced, cunning combatant. Do not engage in melee, you will die."
    THen offering another suggestion.. "Try using something to restrain him. Adhesive pellets, glue ones.. Bolas. Things that he can't simply rip or slash his way out of. Do remember he's stronger than most in the city, however."
    At the response from Janet over and nod, "All possible. They could also have multiple plans and payoffs. It's a low investment, high return for them that can pay off in many ways." Meaning Hydra shipping guns.. And drugs.

Kate Kane has posed:
Kate's head bobs as she drops herself onto one of the loungers by the pool and huffs out a sigh, "Yeah, HYDRA getting into gun running and drugs for the hell of it seems pretty unlikely. And this looks a little more... blatant than 'We want to test experimental power-giving drugs and junkies are a readily available testbed' thing."

She shrugs helplessly, like this sort of organized and _logical_ criminality isn't something she considers herself an expert in.

She flashes a lopsided grin to Natasha, almost rueful really. "Yeah, I mean, I'd have shown up in costume, but it's in the shop. Turns out he can cut through ceramic polymer armor. Luckily he didn't get too deep. Walked off a mag of .45s like it was a soft tickle too."

Kate almost scowls at that. Most Gotham criminals have the good graces to fall down and _stay_ down if the bullets actually get into them.

She slowly eases herself back on the lounger with a bit of hesitation on her left side. "Well, hopefully someone's got an agent on the inside or something. I mean, if they're just hoping to cause havoc to lessen security around some secret facility, that's going to be two and a half pains in the ass to narrow down without some kind of intel."

Alison Blaire has posed:
"HYDRA has always been very specifically interested in destablization, right? That's the jist of things with regards to them? I'm way out of touch on my HYDRA knowledge.. but if that IS the case, wouldn't working within these criminal organizations.. by supplying them arms.. give them a leverage into other means of corruption?" Alison, the guitarist, peers over at the trio discussing this particularly nefarium with a raised brow over her comically large glasses.

"You put that kind of unilateral authority into the hands of a global organization who has a super big hardon for fucking up the infrastructure of world politics.." She shrugs one bare shoulder, frowning gently as she strums at her guitar, "It doesn't take a world class detective to figure out how shit-tastic that'd be for everyone. Never even minding the fact that a gunfight between Cartels using highly advanced HYDRA arsenal would be problematic on a micro scale. Hand-held mini-rockets and lasers that cut through actually anything in the hands of those sociopaths doesn't need 'long term agenda' to be problematic..."

Her pinky extends out towards Kate, nodding. "Whatever they're planning, dollars to donuts, it sucks from the ground all the way up."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
Janet snappoints at Alison. "I keep /telling/ Tony, you're not just another pretty face," she bids the singer approvingly.

"But yeah, that's why we're having the confab," Janet acknowledges, nodding at Kate and Alison both. She frowns slightly at Kate's apparent soreness, and quirks her head at her with a silent concerned inquiry. "HYDRA's long-term goal is world domination, but they're as much a victim of economics as I am. Hell, Steve said there are HYDRA elements that have filed taxes for years with the US Government just to make sure they stay off the IRS radar."

"I've got the New England cartels on lock right now, don't ask me how or why," she tells Alison and Kate. "I'm asking questions there. My first concern is seeing how regional this is. A few dealer shootouts is one thing, but if HYDRA is actively arming cartel hit teams and pushing out along multiple lines of attack, then that's a sign that they're into something much bigger than drugs. Right?"

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would nod over at Kate Kane, "Even armor piercing rounds aren't as effective as one might like due to all of his muscle mass and ability to heal rapidly. I've not tried armor piercing hollowpoints. They might penetrate into him partially and tehn detonate, which would be more disruption for his healing factor. In theory. Perhaps high explosive rounds. The more bodily trauma he takes, the harder it is for him to regenerate as quickly. But even when down, he can b eup again in minutes."
    Her nodding over at Alison, "Exactly. Even if they don't take charge of matters themselves, it acts as an excellent way of destabilzing a region and giving them a network of favors to call on later. Even letting them dispose of older weaponry that they would simply warehouse or scrap."

Kate Kane has posed:
Kate peels her jacket off once she's laid out on the lounger, and that apparent soreness's source seems fairly evident, a long, pink scar across her ribcage on her left side... though it's fading to just another faint mark that could probably be touched up and hidden with makeup for a gala event. Of course, this being an Avengers pool meeting, she hasn't bothered with any makeup, so it's really just one of a tapestry of faint and fading marks from her 'nightly hobby'.

And once she's reclined, she seems entirely comfortable in her own bikini top, plain black, no colorful accents or bat insignia. She's got that Green Beret tattoo on her arm though, that adds a little splash to break up the vast expanse of pale white.

She nods to Janet and heaves out a sigh, "Well, Gotham's been quiet as far as any ongoing drug wars..." She pauses for a long moment, lips pressing into a thin line. "Gotham's been as violent as it typically is, but there hasn't been any _spike_ in violence." she allows, as a more realistic assessment than 'Gotham is in any way peaceful.'.

She bobs her head in agreement with all the opinions, "Definitely something to keep an eye on. And really, going at things through some sort of massive drug war to destabilize a state and keep us occupied with the big, obvious fire while they do something shady and underhanded definitely sounds a hundred percent like something HYDRA would want to do."

She groans herself and shakes her head slowly, "I swear, the IRS. The one thing everyone is afraid of. I mean, the paperwork alone if they take an interest..."

Alison Blaire has posed:
"You think I'm pretty?" Alison says with mock surprise at Janet. Of course she does... because she is.

Both hands lift up from her guitar in the universal sign for 'respect' when Janet says not to ask how she has the cartel under thumb. This doesn't even seem to surprise her or... honestly seem out of the realm of possibility. She just rolls with it. This is Janet, after all.

Resuming gentle strumming, she nods to the trio, "IRS are serious business... I'm pretty sure they are the emmbodiment of fuck around and find out." Lead with a joke, then another nod, "Yeah. They don't really strike me as the kind of group that suddenly becomes more interested in profit. If they're supplying weapons, or securing cartel favor, it's to push their own agenda and not for some bottom line. They may have a surplus of weapons to offload, but they're up to something and it's a whole lot worse than the war on drugs."

She peers over her glasses at Kate mentioning Gotham having no spike in violence and smirks, "If I was going to start a major push of violence to destablize a government... I mean no offense, but I'm probably not starting in crime city. Who would even notice? And the ones who DID notice, wouldn't even tell anyone. They'd just fix it, call it a tuesday, and rub on a little Icy-Hot on their shoulders."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Natasha, I'm going to suspend your subscription to Guns&Ammo," Janet threatens the Widow. "This woman is obviously in pain, and-- will one of you get her a drink?" Janet demands of the various robot attendants around the pool. "She's clearly parched and will soon die confused of deprivation."

Oil all applied, Janet settles back into her own lounge chair and reaches for her rum and coke for a few sips. "Natasha, is there any chance you and Alison could look into something for me?" she inquires of the spymistress, including Alison in the look (and making it more statement than request, but). "It looks like this pipeline is coming up from Florida, but that doesn't sound right to me. I'm thinking it might be more in the Midwest. Maybe not as far as Texas, so... Missouri, maybe," she suggests. "Jefferson City is a major meth shipping route. If it seems like the weapons and the drugs are coming in at the same time, it'll give us a better idea of where they're really operating out of."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Listening over to the others, Natash would fold her hand over and deadpan at Kate, "I presume you have constant issues when it comes to ensuring what I presume is the great amount of funding you have to redirect to cover your nightly expenses doesn't turn up on any audit. But then the rich are quite well known for thier ability to avoid taxes." She would quip to Kate while moving to fold her hands together then.

As Jane goes to speak, there would be a nod from Natasha, "There's a higher risk of exposure in Florida due to the greater population size and more limited scale of the port facilities. I'll go to track shipping records and see what I can get back to you." She wouldpromise Janet, "I might not be capable of doing the forensica analysis myself so if I can't fin danything I'll be sure to get them to you."

Kate Kane has posed:
Kate rolls her eyes at Janet, "Jeeze, it's like you _don't_ get stabbed or slashed every couple of days... I mean, I barely even eased up on my crunches this morning." Because that's totally rational, and not just a sign of Kate's force of will and... worrying lack of self-preservation. But then, it takes a certain lack of self-preservation to dress up in a bat-themed costume and leap off rooftops. Especially for free.

She grins crookedly at Natasha, shoulders lifting and falling, "I mean, it's just a _little_ creative bookkeeping, you know, a decimal point slips now and then." She hums softly, "...I feel like finding leads in the meth shipping hub of the midwest shouldn't be terribly difficult... you find a group that's _too_ professional, or... they're using actual meth dealers as a liason and they'll slip up and babble. That's a pretty solid plan."

Alison Blaire has posed:
Ali nods to Janet, "Shouldn't be too difficult to organize." She reasons, still strumming her guitar tunelessly, "Could put together a concert basically anywhere with a day or two notice. Call it a 'surprise block party' event." She tickles the cords and glances up at Nat, "Nat could come along as my tour manager, get her access to some of the shadier side of setting up said concert? Teamsteers, possibly even cartel if I request very specific things be present in my dressing room."

She says with a sly grin.

"I'll book an opening act, that'll give us both time to do some snooping while they're up on stage.... besides, I really need to start doing more touring, ANYWAYS.. so this works out on all fronts."

Snap pointing from the side of her guitar at Kate, "That's because I /don't/ get stabbed or punched. Specifically, I avoid letting anyone get close enough to me to do either before I vaporize them into little bits of 'use to be stabbing or punching' chunks." A beat pause.. "Usually."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Girls' got a point, Kate," Janet advises the vigilante. "There's a reason me and Nadia don't exactly have a long list of former rogues. Kill 'em the first time, do it right, they don't come back around for round two." Janet may be a vain and sometimes shallow thing, but the tone of her voice helps to remind that she is *chillingly* unconcerned with the prospect of manslaughter.

"But the plan's a good one. I like Kate's idea, so maybe run it past her once you're there and see if she spots any patterns you two come across," Janet bids Natasha and Alison.

"OK, so, serious business done, the next question: anyone have any good gossip lately? The rest of this meeting is booked out for drinking and snitching, so if you have some juicy details, let's hear it," she declares with a brisk efficiency.

Felicia Hardy has posed:
    "Heavy talk for a pool party," pipes in a voice that comes more with a sultry purr. A leggy lass with long, white hair makes her way up to the pool area, clad in a metallic cyan two-piece that compliments her eyes and barely contains her... amusement at the dour chat she's barely overheard on the way up to the roof. A sheer sky blue pareo is wrapped around her hips and she's idly adjusting a straw sun hat as she gazes around at the gathered.

    "Lot of lovely faces too," she tsks, nodding to the collection of famous folks and social elite. Though one Ms. Kane does spark her interest, a snowy brow lifting. She hadn't heard of the heiress spending too much time outside of Gotham. "And -you-, my dear, murder on the mind today, too?" she flicks her gaze over Janet and shakes her head, moving towards the bar. "No gossip from me, I'm afraid. The holidays are jam packed full of social functions, unless you want to hear about the changing of the diplomats at the French Consulate.."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would nod over at Alison, "Whatever's effective. It's good to have more options available and neutralize them in the most efficient way. Your's will be very quick to setup and make contacts with. There's already the established reputation and ifnrastructure present to take advantage of."

Attention back to Kate over and smirk. "Wouldn't that more be about nine or ten? Or your funding is much lower than I had thought it was. I suppose a rounding error is different depending on who you are." As Janet would speak up Natasha would give a nod over in agreement to her commentary.

One final look given at the entrance of Felicia, "Ms. Hardy, might you want to try and take a great many things from those that they've been tkaen when we've tracked them down?" Why not take advnatages of one of the best thieves on the planet when you have her available?

Kate Kane has posed:
Kate rolls her eyes and exhales slowly, "Hey, I haven't exactly got a long list of former Rogues of my own, and a certain _other_ bat-themed individual would be a colossal pain in my ass if I just went and started permanently retiring Gotham's newsmaking set. ...He didn't seem to catch wind of my run-in with Firefly and the Birds, but in fairness, we didn't actually light him on fire. It was a bluff." Yep. Definitely a bluff. They did not come perilously close to setting Firefly _on_ fire. That's... just Kate's memory mixing things up.

Then Felicia's arriving, and Kate's train of thought is temporarily derailed. But it's a minor derailment, she doesn't even pull that tired 'peer down over her sunglasses' move at the thief's sashay. Is it because she doesn't have any sunglasses?

Yes. Yes it is.

But she's also got to get her mind back on track to defend her honor from these assaults, eying Natasha with a lopsided grin, "Well, I mean, I'm not supposed to /admit/ to the tax evasion, right? Even if it's for the public good?" And then her head cranes to peer at Janet, eyes narrowing, "And that's hurtful. I mean, snitches get stitches and I _just_ got rid of mine this morning." She heaves out a sigh and shrugs, arms stretching up above her head, "Plus, I mean, the only gossip I've got is literal tabloid gossip from Gotham, and if half of what they printed was ture I'd be off in Cabo with a ballerina right now, and yet here I am."

Alison Blaire has posed:
With all the bitniz done, Alison resumes looking exactly as blonde, pretty, and talented as she was a moment ago, but now with less seriousness. Gently strumming her guitar where she lays, one leg up so the curve of the six-string rests against her raised knee. "There's a big soccer thingy opening in Gotham that I've been booked for... old friend discount, of course." Because why the hell else would she do a concert in Gotham.

"I've got tons of juicy goss on who's dating who at the mansion, but I'm not sure if I'm suppose to even talk about the mansion." Everything is so muddy. Secret Mansion where she learned to be a Mutant. "Suffice to say it is very clear to me that anytime you put a group of teenagers together, mutant or otherwise, they're going to engage in recreational dating. Like a pass-time."

The tuneless strumming takes on something more cohesive.

~ Part of the glories of being a teen, in a world where nobody loves you
Is dating within the same social scene, lip locking the girls in the movies do

It's awkward, for sure, and the staff are busy debating
It's twenty twenty three though, so why are we stigmatizing: relations?

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Yeah, Alison, I couldn't *imagine* living at the Mansion," Janet tells the singer. It also helps allay any concerns about secrecy; Westchester's not exactly an open secret in the Avenger's, but the senior team members certainly have been briefed about the X-men's home. Janet's even been there herself a time or two. "And I'm not even a mind-reader. I don't know how Emma didn't go insane. I don't mind a little admiration from a stranger but I'm sure after a few weeks around randy teens, I'd cut a bitch."

Her drink is drained and replaced almost immediately by a serving robot waiting for just that cue. "Felicia, if you really want to suck up to me, do it in a JvD suit," Janet informs the leggy thief, and curls up comfortably into her chaise lounge. "I'm not saying you HAVE to wear my brand to be on the Avengers, but..." she trails off meaningfully and makes a vague gesture with her drink.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Gossip means little to her as Natasha goes back over to her review of data, adding over to what the others had said and suggested to a separate file. She takesa moment, then goes to consider. "We should have an alternate mainframe setup for this just in case. Hydra can have many different resources onhand. So just in case they've managed to get in our security." She remembered well what the meeting had said.

Felicia Hardy has posed:
    "Looking to have a few things re-homed, Ms. Romanoff?" Felicia casts a smile over towards Natasha, focusing her aquamarine eyes on the other woman. "Have your people talk to my people when you need it done, and we'll see if I can play it where it lies. But you know I'm happy to do so, for fun and profit," there's a wink. Alison's strumming adds a little extra sway to her walk along with the rhythm as it's getting set, and she moves to order a drink. Something bright blue to go with her suit, perhaps. While she waits for it, she leans back and spends a few moments letting her gaze wander Kate. "What -does- a billionaire heiress do when she visits the Avengers Mansion?" she teases, "Making a donation or finding yourself bored and have signed up?"

    There's no condescension or snark from the white-haired beauty, it's more teasing and genuinely curious. Then she rolls her eyes at Janet, "Please, spare me. We'll talk when the 2023 summer catalog comes out..." she crosses her legs at the ankles while she waits for her beverage.

Kate Kane has posed:
Kate has to fight back an actual /laugh/ for Alison's song, even miming applause to the singer for her efforts, "Oh god, I can't imagine that. I mean, I was /military/ educated and... well, a bunch of teenagers and strictly regimented rules?" She lets out a low whistle, "Napalm's less flammable than that combination."

Eyes track over to Natasha and she grins crookedly, "There's always corkboard and a windowless room. The crazed conspiracy theorist index cards and string method is hard to hack."

She flashes Felicia a grin and shrugs lightly, "You know how it is. Gotham's pools are always closed because someone fell in carrying a vat of chemicals and became a costumed villain. And besides, you guys have this thing called the Sun." She gestures down that toned, athletic body of hers, "Maybe I just wanted the free drinks and some Vitamin D."

Eyes shift over to Janet levelly, one brow arching. "The drinks _are_ free, right? Even though I didn't have a swimsuit of yours to bring?"

Alison Blaire has posed:
Ali drums the base of the guitar and snickers at Janet, nodding along with her. "I've got nothing but admiration for the restraint mind-readers have in those situations. I'm not saying I would want to know what they're thinking, but just the flood of consciousness that has to come along with raging hormones." She visibly shudders and shakes her head rapidly.

"That's going to be a hard no from me. I'll stick to shooting lasers out of my fingers, thanks."

She resumes strumming, if only to provide the background music for peoples conversation. Snort laughing at Kate, "Aint that the truth. I'm lucky to have made it out alive. It's like public school, but some of the kids actually explode when excited."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would shake her head over at the offer of a drink, and go back to her holos. Those that know -truly- how to read her expressions would pick up just a smalla mount of amusement over in them. Oh, how quaint they all were! Almost cute. Natasha would lgance at the others.
    "I suppose that is one way to handle funding if it becomes a problem and one needs to nudge Mister Stark just a little more." She would muse. "Or has he mostly sworn that part off?"

Felicia Hardy has posed:
    "Can't even call it a public works project, can you?" Felicia curls her long fingers around the tall glass she's given, shaking her head at Kate. "Soon as someone makes a giant space of standing water, some fool goes and dumps some mutagenic chemicals in it or something..." she rolls her eyes and sighs quietly. "And I'll admit the sun isn't my most preferred place to be but sometimes..." she shrugs, adjusting her hat some. "...there's ways around it. That and lots of sun-screen..." she smiles and takes a long drink.

    "So less of a business trip for everyone here, and more to just enjoy the sun before the next snowstorm rolls in, mm? Soggy rooftops are no fun."