15482/Magneto and the Train

Magneto and the Train
Date of Scene:	05 August 2023
Location:	Rural America
Synopsis:	The X-Men, along with Captain America, race to a remote farmland area to stop Magneto before violence can break out. Magneto is detained by the enigmatic Black Team 57 and it's cocky leader.
Cast of Characters:	Rogue, Erik Lensherr, Piotr Rasputin, Monet St. Croix, Stepford Cuckoos, Illyana Rasputina, Raven Darkholme, Steve Rogers, Tabitha Smith, Jean Grey
Tinyplot:	The Ohio Mutant Conspiracy

---

Rogue has posed:
In the vast stretch of the rural east coast, a freight train adorned with the distinctive logo of the Center for Genetic Improvement thunders on its journey from Atlanta, Georgia, to the nation's capital, Washington D.C. A long line of train cars displays the unmistakable emblem, each one bearing the promise of groundbreaking genetic advancements.

As the train barrels through the picturesque countryside, the contents within these train cars remain shrouded in mystery, poised to be submitted for examination by the US Government. With the early evening sun casting a golden hue upon the land, the train's destiny is a pivotal element of the dramatic situation unfolding between Mutants, and the rest of the world.

Earlier:
Charles Xavier had gathered a group of X-Men in to the Operations Center to discuss the situation from top to bottom, including everything that the X-Men knew so far about CGI, Doctor Arnold Bachland, and this mysterious mercenary security team that showed up at the courthouse in Bushwick. Known as 'Black Team 57', some of the X-Men witnessed the team keeping the 'peace' within Mutant Town, via fairly uncooth tactics. Using strange weaponry, and full masked helmets, the black clad team of security personnel quelled several potentially violent uprisings with their very uncommon tech weaponry, and equipment. Using energy shields, stunning weapons, and body armor that seemed to keep them vastly more protected than common personal defense garments, Black Team 57 showed themselves to be well equipped, well trained, and quite alarming in their effectiveness in stopping random violent mutants.

During the meeting with Professor X, an alarm was sounded by the X-Men security systems, as a message from Magneto came through. Magneto was reporting that he had discovered the location of a CGI transport train, carrying with it the drug that was causing all of this madness, supposedly enroute to Washington for government appraisal.

Professor X feared the worst, and has sent his X-Men team to the Master of Magnetism's location in this rural landscape of grasslands, trees, and natural beauty, where a single train barrels with a mighty roar down the tracks of idylic countryside.

Now:
The Blackbird's engines hum, its bulkheads vibrating, as the Jet roars toward the scene, in hopes of stopping something terrible from happening that might tip the scales of balance toward the anti-Mutant favor in Washington...

Erik Lensherr has posed:
It had not been difficult to locate the train with its proud livery hauling its freight. It had been a long time since he'd worn his own such 'livery', his helmet and suit. Sleeveless tunic and cape in black, blue and silver. He'd tracked the train for some time before flying ahead.

He stands now in the middle of the tracks, his hands raised before him. The subtle magnetic field stretches out to him like the finest of strings, imperceptible to others but as familiar to him as an old friend. The subtle change tells him the train approaches and his eyes open.

A hand raises before him, fingers splayed, and the air around him seems to grow heavy. The train, a moment ago hurtling towards him across the tracks, begins to groand and creak with the scream of stressed metal. The tracks begin to buckle, the locomotive itself blares its horn as it slows of its own accord. There's chaos in the air, sparks of blue-white electricity arcing from his fingertips and eyes.

The train is lifted from the tracks for a moment, individual wheels warping before it lands back upon the tracks with an almighty clang. Unable to progress forward, it stops and the Master of Magnetism rises into the air.

Piotr Rasputin has posed:
    In the depths of the Blackbird there is a low rumbling deep voice that seems to thrum and growl as it offers words in its native tongue. Piotr Rasputin, seated in the back in his armored form and beside his siter, finds himself speaking in a steady way, those R's rolling and his tone clearly one of concern. And, for those that know him well, some hint of self-flagellation.
    He turns in his seat and gestures toward Illyana with one metal-clad hand. "Kak ya mog byt' takim egoistichnym? Vozmozhno, v to vremya, kogda ty nuzhdalsya vo mne bol'she vsego. Vot yesli on okazhetsya nepriyatnym chelovekom, to vo vsom vinovata budu ya!"
    He rests his hands then as he looks ahead, fists digging partially into the seat in front of him. He shakes his head touching one hand to his brow. "Chto, yesli on plokho k vam otnositsya? A yesli on beschestnyy chelovek? Akh, bud' proklyat moy egoizm!"
    Yet as they go he tries to focus on the task at hand, still though sparing an occasional glance sidelong at the small blond Russian sorceress queen.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Over in the back of the Blackbird is Monet St. Croix. She's wearing a red bodysuit with leather straps hooked around it, with a yellow 'X' buckle on her hips. Her lips are terse in a frown. "The circumstances will likely be hostile." And adversarial. She was hoping that Magneto would be accomodating.. But whom knew how it would go? And likely for the best that Lorna was not here.
    She goes to fold her hands together as the Blackbird would go along.
    "Has he made any proclamations or statements so far?" Even as she goes to take out a data-padd to look over for details of the train that had been 'seized' and the route. Was there anything on the train or along the route of particular notice that might explain it's targeting? Magneto would go after something for a purpose.
    So if theycould figure out what it was.. Then perhaps they would be able ot help better negotiate a stand-down. It wouldn't come to a fight. It..
    Couldn't come to a fight.

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
Perhaps a surprising presence at the meeting with Xavier, or presences in this case, were the Stepford Cuckoos. The blonde girls weren't usually part of the operations yet they had been pressuring the good professor as of late to get a chance into being part of the team, an aspirant to full member. A pressure came mostly from Sophie, the apparent leader of the group, and perhaps not something shared by all of them as only three had joined this mission. Sophie, Esme and Celeste. The others? They weren't telling where they were.

The trio now finds itself settled on the back, perfect look-alikes, clad in simple leather bodysuits that had been provided by Xavier. Their eyes are glowing which is a telltale they are using their powers? For what? They aren't telling either. Though there's a eery-like aspect to the trio, sitting perfectly still, hands clasped with each other's.

"We are close." they say in unison. "We sense the void of his presence." a beat, "He is here."

Illyana Rasputina has posed:
When the Rasputin siblings get to speaking in their native Russian, they could be sharing the finer points of a good recipe or possibly discussing tactics to conquer Europe. Their dialect isn't the cultured airs of St. Petersburg or the shiver-inducing clip of a Muscovite, but something much older, tinged by the black-lapped forests of the eastern Rodina. When spoken thus by the angelic blonde, the Siberian cant practically invokes a shiver to the ears. "Skazhi mne yeshche raz, pochemu ya prosto ne teleportiruyu ves' etot poyezd v svoyu imperiyu? Togda my mogli by ispol'zovat' diplomaticheskiye zhesty bez ugroz grazhdanskomu naseleniyu." A quick flick of her hand doesn't produce anything more than emphasis, a warming breeze of spring to counteract Piotr's thoughtful, steely winter.

Her gaze flashes, and for an instant, he receives a glimmer of her smile. Not a rare thing, though the dark upturn of her lips is always fleeting. It's never a good idea to unlatch from the seat of a supersonic vehicle, even if teleportation happens to be an option. Craning around to see her brother, though, she pokes him with a finger into that ossified metallic exohull of his. Not unlike her own, but his is the purer. "Ty dolzhen priyti na uzhin. Ili v Limbo s etim poyezdom i yego soderzhimym. Togda ty sam uvidish', kak khorosho vy oba byli dlya menya. I chto on ne chelovek, sosredotochennyy na sebe, v otlichiye ot etikh svoyenravnykh kozlov."

A beat, as she flexes her fingers. The light shimmers off the creeping vambrace curling around her leather glove. "Erik soglasilsya by so mnoy, da?"

"You know he would. See, it will all go very well."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Having attended the meeting with the X-Men, invited by Charles Xavier himself, Mystique wore her usual white costume, without the Smurf skulls, and listened to the report in silence. What emotion she might feel isn't revealed on her face, or in her yellow eyes, even as she joins the team on the Black Bird, she kept it to herself and kept her opinion to herself.

The chaos of this new so called cure had been consuming her life, the Asteroid being opened up to any mutant who wanted to escape the threat that was now heading down the tracks toward Washington DC. A part of her wanted to destroy it, to use explosives and ensure that no mutant could ever be forced, but the majority of the cobalt mutant's thinking was to let it play out, to wait and see if the faith she was attempting to have in humans was worth it or not... had she chosen correctly by siding with the X-Men's way of looking at things?

Steve Rogers has posed:
"Captain Rogers," the disembodied voice of JARVIS announces to the Avenger's Assembly Room. "There is a social media video posted in the last 3 minutes of Magneto flying over the Eastern Seaboard. I have calculated his trajectory and cross referenced it with other data. I am concerned he might be heading to intercept a train belonging to the Center for Genetic Improvement. I can go over the recent events involving them if you wish more context."

Steve's coffee mug is set down as he swivels his chair towards the console that the on-duty Avenger occupies. "No need, I've been keeping up on it," he says. He pulls up a display where Jarvis plots the path of the master of magnetism, along with the train. The display shows the two intersecting closely enough that JARVIS shows an 85% probability Magneto is intending to intercept the train in some fashion.

Rising to his feet, Steve reaches for his shield. He hesitates only a moment, knowing it isn't the best item to have should things go poorly with Magneto. But hopefully it won't come to that. Touching his hand to his comms earpiece, he transmits. <<Wanda, it's Steve. I need to head down the coast to have a talk with your father. No, I'm hopeful we might avoid actual trouble, I don't want to take you away from your mission. I'm sending you the coordinates,>> Steve says, tapping on the computer. <<If you could manage to telep->>

A glow of magenta energy swirls about a spot in the countryside a few dozen yards away from the train tracks, leaving Steve Rogers standing there leaning over what had been a keyboard and finishing, <<-ort me down there... Right, appreciate it. I'll check back in.>>

Tabitha Smith has posed:
It's still summer, so warm weather beans busting out the good stuff. By that Tabby is in the back of the plane wearing one of those uniforms that could generously be called an armored tennis dress. Long sleeves, loose pleats, mostly black with a yellow stripe from high collar down to the hem only broken by the shape of an X at her lower midsection A red leather jacket with pockets for all kinds of stuff like snacks and tools over it while a ponytail is bound up and red tinted Ray-bans sit on her nose. Yellow boots on her feet in a sensible flat tread keep them safe.

There's a grin as she catches Colossus trying to be a big brother. <<Hey, there's a line forming to break the Doctor's hands if he hurts our favorite Blonde. After she gets her kicks in.>> she says in a barely passable Russian. Conversational at the most. <<Big girls take care of themselves. We just be there for the hugs when she wants them.>> Ex-girlfriends get a good spot ahead of the beating up shitty exes.

As for the actual job. Tabby hmms and makes a frowny face. "So they like started putting that cure gunk in dart for yet? Should we start getting Hankto cook up some MGH for everyone in case of power loss?" there's some pretty huge concerns she's got but hasn't exactly been about to find out some things.

Jean Grey has posed:
Jean is sitting up front at the controls (not that the plane can't do most of everything on autopilot), wearing her official X-Men uniform, the blue and yellow one with a bit of armor plating. It's nicely suited to a squishy human, and famously prone to getting demolecularized and transmuted into a different outfit that is a bit more of a 'statement.' For now, though, none of that! This is about keeping a tense situation from getting any worse, after all.

As the Cuckoos confirm the same thing she's looking for - the notably hidden mind of a familiar face - she looks back over her shoulder. "Alright, let's get ready to deploy. At this point, first order of business is keeping the situation at hand from escalating any further. From either direction." They have a decent view from the air as they get closer, and even at a distance it's obvious that the train is not going much of anywhere. "Train looks like it's already out of comission. I'll scan for-"

While she probably covers all the usual cursory things, the crew of the train and a survey of the surrounding area, she's surprised to notice an unexpected, if familiar presence basically just standing in the nearest cowfield. <<Captain, you down there alone? The X-Men are en route.>>

As she's explaining this, the warning light for the rear ramp starts doing its thing, letting them know it's time to disembark. Probably sensible to not all be in the airplane, given who they're talking to. "Alright folks, let's get out there." She sets the plane on auto, and unfastens herself from her chair.

Rogue has posed:
In Westchester:
Charles sits at the monitor station with Scott beside him. Both are observing from cameras built in to the Blackbird's systems, Scott has his arms crossed over his chest. "I should be there, Professor." The man in the fancy ruby hued sunglasses says. Charles, without looking away from the screens, replies softly. "Scott. I need you here. Something isn't right about all of this. I have failed to reach Doctor Bachland directly. Without the ability to talk to him, and with so many enigmatic events surrounding this situation, we can't send all of our personnel to one location. We have to keep our strength evened out."

Scott doesn't look happy about this, but he turns his eyes back to the screens to observe from beside the Professor.

At the Train:
Magneto succeeds at stopping the locomotive without any visible reaction from it on the whole. In fact, as it settles back down on to the tracks, it just lays there like a mighty metal worm, wounded and dying, if not deceased already. With the X-Men arriving, they'll see the situation unfolding though, and many who have the ability will quickly begin to notice that there is no life aboard the train. Not even a conductor, not even a mouse hiding away inside it somewhere. The entire thing is devoid of life.

Running on automation? If cars can do it in this day and age, a train most certainly can though, right?

Steam starts to pour out of the underside of the broken vehicle's engine car, coming out from beneath it as its systems begin to roll offline. It knows its damaged, it knows its not running any longer. It's just sitting there, now motionless upon its metal road.

Whatever lies within it, is simply waiting to be taken now.

Erik Lensherr has posed:
"You are perhaps the only human I respect, Captain," Magneto calls down to Rogers without taking his eyes from the train, "Or, should I say, the only one I have ever expected not to err in matters of honor. But this matter does not concern you. It is beyond the scope of your experience, and dogged adherence to the writ of law must end where madness begins."

There is another scream of metal as he reaches a hand out towards the train. He's not rushing himself. The top of one of the carriages begins to sheer and tear away like he were opening a tin can. He's already sense the familiar weight of the Blackbird in the sky. He makes no effort to reach out for it or manipulate it. Let them come. He's in the right here.

"I have need of what this train is carrying. I must be certain."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Well, Magneto has whatever it is that he's after. So is there something on purpose here or is his presence more theatrical? THe mere fact that he's after this shipment itself rather than something closer to a larger populated area suggests so.
    She's rather wary of the Cuckoos with them - they've always been creepy, even by her standards. And as the ramp on the Blackbird opens, Monet goes to rapidly launch herself over with flight! Moving to head along the ramp while laso offering an arm over for any that would need carried. They weren't up that high but going in with a sprained ankle would still be rather undignified.
    So the group is heading in to.. Talk to Magneto? Confront him? She's not bothering to try and scan his mind. Instead she's scanning ahead if she can to try and pick up what she can from other minds. THe passengers on the train? Civilians int he area? Hopefully she can pick up something from sweeping the commoners.
    As they deploy she can make out peripherally what Magneto says - all right, he's definitely after something.

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
That sudden appearance. Where did that new figure come from? The trio blinks quite noticeably and they look between themselves in their seats, "Did you sense it?" "Yes." "That power." "Chaos." that last word spoken by Celeste, the girl biting on her lower lip. They all look unsettled for a couple of seconds until it's finally time to go and they get up in unison, Sophie reaching to grasp Celeste's shoulder. "We will be fine."

<<Miss Grey. We can establish a communication link between the team if you so wish.>> Sophie again now mind-to-mind with Jean, her eyes blinking blue as again her powers are used. There's an eagerness felt on Sophie though as she mind connects with Jean, as if she had a desire to prove herself useful.

But then it's go time, the trio nearing the ramp. Celeste again looks doubtful about this whole affair of jumping out of a moving jet yet as the TK from Jean takes hold some relief is visible before the three sisters begin their descent, hands together, long blonde hair whipping in the wind.

<<We are sensing no one inside the train.>> They send through a mind link, <<Empty of life.>>, a beat, <<Empty of minds.>> a frown appearing on Esme's face. She isn't liking this one bit.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Waiting and watching as each of the X-Men choose how they are getting down, Mystique actually grins almost wickedly. The X-Men loved to make an entrance. Leap from the Black Bird and into action, most having a way to ensure the fall didn't kill them. For the blue mutant however, there was only a couple of possible choices available.

More and more this situation was seeming like a trap, a trap set for whomever it was that might go after this shipment and the trap was sprung by her own leader. It put her in a tough place, to see him hovering below and moving the train cars around, and realize that for the first time ever, they weren't in agreement. It almost pained her really, but the the thought crossed her mind quickly before she shoved it away and once again compartmentalized and locked away her emotions.

Noting the large metal Colossus heading for the ramp, she takes a couple of quick steps through the Black Bird and attaches herself to the large man's back just as he was leaping toward the ground. The option had presented itself and she took it, even if he wasn't entirely in on the choice.

When he hits the ground she leaps away with a polite, "Thank you, Colossus." And comes up on her feet still looking up toward Magneto... letting him see that she was there.

Steve Rogers has posed:
Hearing the familiar female voice hook into his comms, Steve Rogers replies back, <<Just me so far, Dr. Grey. Hopefully we can keep this from escalating. Your team is welcome as always.>>

He begins walking across the field towards where Magneto is standing on the tracks before the train. "Thank you sir. I have great respect, for mutants and humans alike. What is it exactly that you are ascertaining that leads you to such lengths?" he asks. Trying to keep this a negotiation and not have a fight break out.

Captain America flashes a glance over to the X-men as they being to emerge from the plane. He gives a tip of his head towards them. "Wanda is on a mission at the moment. Helping a lot of people. Mutant and human alike. Or else I believe she'd want to be here and talk to you as well," Steve adds to Magneto.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
While her functional uniform might be good for small arms fire when it hits center mass, she still has a few spots that aren't protected. So worry about power nullification is a pretty valid concern. Not just for her own sake.

Everyone else when the train is found started disembarking. Tabby adjusts the sunglasses on her nose and humms a few bars of Van Halen's 'Jump' before she has her turn. "Good thing I remembered underwear!" she jokes and lines up. With the army of telepaths aboard the, non identical blonde telepath looks around. <<So between all of us we should be like able to muscle any resistance to sleep?>> she asks right before the Emmalings probe about

<<I call trap. Like with that Quinjet that Swiss Cheesed by van. Bet there's drones and stuff inbound?>> that actually gets her pausing and looking back at Jean. She liked that Van, she liked the Blackbird. She's only flown it once but still. <<Magik can get us home, but like a trashed plane is pretty expensive evidence we're here right? Might make us look straight sketchy.>> she points out another sudden tactical concern. Or possibly experience as a semi-former criminal.

She's been hanging out with Cable a lot. So maybe some influence is rubbing off.

Piotr Rasputin has posed:
    At what Illyana tells him at the first his answer is to merely lift his hands and spread them apart, as if surrendering responsibility for whatever she said, his answer is a rumbling reply as he looks pensively forward. "Vozmozhno, umy boleye velikiye, chem moy, prishli k takomu vyvodu."
    He seems to calm a little, catching his breath. At the second sentence she speaks as she nudges him in the side he finally seems to spare a small smile, then the first word in English he has said for a bit, though that R still rolls rather nicely. "Perhaps." Then he bites that his lower lip, the sound a slight squeal of metal heard. "Very well. A dinner then."
    Yet when she mentions Magneto in those last few words his only answer is a slight widening of his eyes and the expressiveness one such as him possesses in his eyebrows as he shakes his head ever so slightly. Though he does spare an apologetic look for Tabitha's small telepathic commentary.
    When there comes the word from Jean and he pushes himself to his feet, the flight chair complaining rather unhappily at the shift of the armored Russian's considerable size. He gets to his feet and moves toward the ready line, prepping for the disembark. A look over his shoulder is given as he awaits the others to line up. And if there is need he will offer a pair of broad shoulders for one of the others to hold onto as he descends. A nod is given in turn to Mystique when she makes use of the large Russian. He gives a grunt of approval and then the next moment. They proceed to fall. With style.

Jean Grey has posed:
Jean, walking back from the front of the plane, is the last one out, although her attention is already with those who go ahead of her, providing safe descent from the moving plane. As they jump, she focuses her thoughts toward the Cuckoos, some of the few people more comfortable in that mode of communication than she is, even if the rest of this is a little new. Celeste herself gets a gentle brush of encouragement, as much thought as spoken. <<Don't worry, I've got you.>>

The whole thing is a bit of a try out for them, field training for the young women. <<That'd be a big help if you can. Load off my mind, and you three have a whole lot of bandwidth.>> She takes the intel in stride, but continues more on the pre-briefing. <<If it comes to it, there's not much you can do to Magneto, so I want you all focused on everything else. Empty train could mean empty, but it could also mean more shielded. We've seen these Black Team guys running some fancy tech of their own, and there's every reason to expect them on site. Mind the perimeter too. If you sense any civillians, give them a nudge in a different direction.>>

At last, she steps off the ramp into the open air, with it closing up behind her. The Blackbird immediately goes into a sharp turn, pulling away from the would-be 'conflict zone.' The woman immiates a comet's descent as she flies, with her own trail of fiery red hair.

<<M,>> more briefing. <<Without Rogue, you're our flying brick. If things go sideways, go for the helmet. That's our easiest take-down. But for now...>> And this goes to everyone. <<Let's give Cap the space to work.>>

Meanwhile, Jean never quite touches the ground, although she comes to hover near where Piotr has, and then starts toward the train. "If anything starts shooting, we've got my shields and Pete for cover." As for Tabitha's worries: <<The Blackbird can outrun anything, if it comes to it, and we've got alternate escapes if we need. Eyes ahead.>>

Rogue has posed:
In normal circumstances, this area would be so utterly perfect for an Americana painting. Off in the distance there's even a visible farmhouse with a red barn, and a tall windmill that is gently moving. The rest of the area is just serene, and peaceful. It's just here, at the train tracks, that the devastated locomotive breaks the serenity, with steam pouring out from under the disabled lead car.

But no movement, no life, as Magneto starts to peel it open like a piece of fruit.

The first car that he rips asunder, exposes crates of all sizes, lining shelves that went from floor to ceiling of the shipping car. Some of the crates are metal, some are wood, some are even cardboard reinforced with plastic wrapping tightly wound around them.

None of it looks like the kind of thing you'd store such an important shipment inside of though, and Magneto might feel the desire to keep ripping, keep tearing....

The X-Men are left unphased by any defenses here, it seems they've just found Magneto, ripping open a potentially government-alligned laboratory's train, like there were no laws, no repercussions for such actions. This is not the Erik that has been living at the mansion for months now, this is the Erik that was before.

More train cars await the Master of Magnetism.

Erik Lensherr has posed:
"Are you asking why I am not simply letting this batch of mutant-killer reach its destination?" Magneto asks, pausing in his 'attack' on the train to regard Cap again, "Because your government are cowards. They see difference and fear it. They have always done so. This 'cure' is an affront to natural law. I am not a man who wastes his time in the belief of higher powers, but if your nation stands indivisible beneath Him then why do you exhaust yourselves scurrying to undo what He has made?"

The faintest flick of his wrist tears the top off the carriage clean away and it crumples in the air like a sheet of paper. The heavy lump of twisted metal is dropped to the ground, the weight of it half-embedding it in the dirt. His head still turned away from the carriage, looking down to Cap.

"It should not be in their hands. They are like children with an atomic bomb. It must be known. Understood by those for whom fear is not a default. If it can help my kind, then it will be made to help them. It will not be used to eradicate them."

The Master of Magnetism's attention turns to the arriving X-Men, and the allies they bring. His expression is difficult to ascertain beneath the helmet he wears, eyes almost glowing with that fundamental, physical force roiling under his command.

"Well, Charles," he calls with the voice of a classical orator, knowing or presuming that one of them is in some way connected telepathically to the Professor, "How nostalgic."

Finally, he turns back to the train. The roof of the carriage now gone, he floats forward through the air to look within. He continues to rip into the train, shucking the carriages and hurling the scrap metal aside. Millions of dollars worth of damage done so easily, barely raising a sheen of sweat on the man's brow.

But then, he uncovers them.

A group of soldiers not unlike a SWAT team, though with more expensive gear. All wearing rebreather helmets except for one who wears a black ballcap. Their eyes all turned up to Magneto.

No vaccine.

Only trouble.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
There's nothing immediately that catches M's attention. Shouldn't there be some sort of reaction to Magneto? What is he after here in the first place? SHe's not picking up anything of true terror tumbling from it - just the equivalent of packing peanuts. Has Magneto been tricked here? There's something strange going on.

At Jean's instructions, she sends a reply back <<Yes Ms. Grey>> That will bedangerous. Very, very dangerous. She's seen how fast that Magneto can react using his shields before - or just slamming up a big piece of debris. Monet goes to start working on calculations for her best short range speed, the amount of strength she can put into a strike in passing without risking injury to Magneto on impact, how fast his reaction speed is, the amount of debris around that he could use as a shield.. And ultimately comes to the conclusion that despite her calculations, her chances of success will be rather minimal.
    Magneto has been doing this a very, very long time and knows very well how they'll fight. And she's nowhere near as strong or as fast as Rogue. But she'll do her best.
    As the soldiers come out, Monet goes to frown. Ah, yes, they've been played. She goes to try and immedaitely scan one of the minds of the soldiers - particularly the one that has the ballcap. He's the one that stands out - he'll be cocky. Or she will. Hopefully enough for htem to have useful information. Maybe. But there's definitely something up here. Even as Monet goes to try and scan the mind she lets out a cry of pain in the air, spasming for just a moment before reorienting herself. <<Significant.. Telepathic defenses>> That hurt. She has to hover in place for a few moments as if trying to shake her head clea rof the pain. It HURT.

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
Celeste positively beams at the encouragement coming from Miss Grey, a wide smile that contrasts with her sisters more stern faces as they focus on establishing that mind link. Esme gives Celeste a 'look', followed by the three joining together in extending her powers to keep the X-Men connected.

And a certain Steve Rogers, <<Mr. Rogers, good day. My name is Sophie, I will connect you with the rest of us so we can coordinate.>> A rather pleasant 'mind-voice' that seems to be coming from one of the blondes that has just landed close to them.

"Sir." It's Esme now, talking over to Magneto, "We are detecting nothing inside. This may be a trap." clearly sharing the same instincts that Tabitha does about this whole situation. A trap that shows itself when Magneto peels off another layer of the train and reveals that group.

"Oh, that isn't good.." Says Celeste, alarmed. But then Sophie steps forward, always wanting to be the hero. <<I will handle this.>> her posture just like she has been training in the mirror back home like she has seen the rest of the X-men do. Heroic. Chest puffed out.

Eyes glow blue.

A moment later she is holding her head, dropping to her knees in pain.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique was preparing herself for what might happen as she listened to Erik speaking. There was a part of her that still agreed with that thinking, but it was the old thinking... the thinking they had both turned away from. She had no idea why this sudden change had come over him, but she did know that there was nothing she could personally do against him.

She wanted to call in Blink, to just take Magento some place safe and away from all this, but the man was his own maker, he chose his own path and now he would have to accept the consequences... she'd do what she could for him, but this... this wasn't him and there was nothing more she could do.

"Looks like we have friends," she comments to no one specifically, not even certain if her thoughts are included in those going around, but at least there was now a target she could perhaps do something about.

"Point me where you want me," she then says as she looks toward Jean as clearly she is the lead for this X-Men action. "I will aid you in any way that I can."

Steve Rogers has posed:
Steve Rogers calls out to Erik while he's still ripping through the train. "This isn't the way to deal with it. This is just going to spread violence. We need to get-" Steve is saying, when the part of the train peels apart that reveals the armed squad waiting inside.

Steve hurries forward to put himself between Magneto and the squad, if off to the side still since he's not in the train itself. "Alright, everyone let's keep a cool head," he says, raising a hand to gesture towards everyone involved. "Erik, you have concerns but ripping the train open isn't the way to deal with them." He turns his head towards the troops, gesturing to them again with his hand to try to keep this from flaring into a fight.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Second to last out since she had been checking on Jean's opinion first but if the plane is gonna fly off and away in stealth. Then hopefully it'll be fine. <<You know the kids miss the Van as much as I do. If just so they don't have to pile into a school bus to go to the Salem Mall.>>

Pour one out for the ride that saved the Princess of the Shi'ar Empire.

Matters currently at hand...

Tabby does actually have underwear. Though technically she's wearing bootyshorts from the same materials as her dress. Including the fun unstable molecules so she doesn't burn her clothes off.

As the team starts catching up with magneto and Captain America she hmms. "Maybe we should get the Professor on Speeddial and speaker. Beats talking through any of us over long distance telepathy." it's an idea.

The emergence of soldiers and that psychic blank spot. It's not just a blank spot, more like a hornet nest the way Sophie ends up with a migraine. "So totes trap. metal train, nothing in it but these guys. Think they were baiting ya Mags!" she yells out. "Bet they're doing it so they can bullshit this as like a act of war thing. Some Tom Clancy crap to take over Genosha." It's an ass pull maybe.

"Which would suck cause if I have to bail on America... Again! I'd like somewhere I can actually go. And not have to witness a genocide. That's been a kind of a problem. Lorna gonna be honked off too if you wreck her home! Only home wrecker here is me!" she keeps on yelling.

The guards she keeps a good eye on. And more than a few basketball sized spheres of plasma floating ready to go. "You assholes like so trolling right now. Like damn, you not getting paid enough. But then, your mama's were pretty cheap too last night!" they technically might be in the right at the moment but these guys get no respect from Boom-Boom.

Piotr Rasputin has posed:
    "You are safe, Mystique? Good, good." Piotr declares as he makes sure that she has set down properly even as he starts to move forward. Yet he keeps his mind's 'ear' open for the situational updates when he moves. He holds his hands up not as if surrendering but more as if trying to convince the men before them to 'stay' and remain calm.
    Though that is the moment when some of the X-Men start to show symptoms of pain or cry out, "Esme?!" He calls to the Cuckoos, though not the right name.
    Back to the soldiers in black, he keeps his hands raised. "Please to not be hurting my friends. This can be resolved in peace..." He gestures to the side, but his words likely fail him. At the very least he makes sure he is at the forefront in case there is weapons-fire brought forth.

Jean Grey has posed:
"It has been a while since we've done this," Jean answers with a smile, apparently in what has been dubbed as Xavier's place. From Magneto's perspective, she may be a somewhat novel, upstart addition to that ages old reparte. But for her? She's been doing this, been dealing with her elders squabbling bullshit since she was a teenager. "Honestly, I very much preferred having the 'other' you around, helping shape the next generation. That's something-"

Another train car gets 'peeled'... and there they are.

It certainly seems anticipated, albeit moreso by Magneto. But even for Jean it's not a surprise, and even a bit of a... relief? That's a weird word, but something like that is felt across the link. That Magneto's suspicions here are not wholly unwarranted. Idealistic as she may be, shady private security armed with inexplicable tech raises every possible red flag.

In the same moment, Sophie takes her shot, and it doesn't go very well. <<Help your sister,>> she quickly snaps to the other two, just a slight sense of reprimand alongside the concern as they go off script. And to the others, <<Get her->> No need. Pete's on it, at least in terms of making sure there's cover.

There's a slight crackle in the air as her own shields go up, just in case anyone gets an itchy trigger finger. But that's still keeping things defensive. Being proactive here? That's the tricky part. And yet an opportunity crops up, from the direction of their less typical ally. She looks over to Mystique. "Think you can use this as a chance to get on board that train? We don't know anything about who these people are, what their motives really are, where their toys are coming from. We can't let Erik go on a rampage... but that doesn't mean I trust them, not one bit."

She flies a little higher, after saying that, out more toward Magneto. "You know we can't let you just go around trashing stuff. Nostalgic or not, the basic rules haven't changed. And making yourself the villain is only going to make people want what they're offering even more." But it isn't only Erik she has words for. Her head turns, down to Mr. Red White and Blue. "You sure all this stuff they're carrying legal, Captain? I don't think 2nd Ammendment protections extend to all of -that-. Maybe you ought to ask to check?"

Rogue has posed:
Guns up!

The entire team of soldiers stand up when their car was ripped open. The entire team raised their weapons up, as though they were anticipating some form of this to take place. Maybe not exactly Magneto, but all the same, he presented them and they don't at all seem shocked by it.

The one in the black ballcap is at the front of the car, and his heavy rifle is raised right up at Magneto, while the further back along the line of troops you go the more of them start to aim their weapons at the X-Men.

No weapons are aimed at Captain Rogers though.

"Magneto." The man in the ballcap says, a booming voice, his facial features hard-edged with a lifetime of military service clearly his 'style' to his physical appearance. "Didn't know it'd be you. Not exactly surprised, but... all the same. It's an honor to meet you." He announces, his chiseled features showing a sheen of perspiration in the dying sunlight of the evening here on this hot summer day.

"I'm Captain Carmichael." He adds, glancing at the X-Men as he overhears some of what they're saying, but his focus seems to be mostly at Erik.

He does look the X-Men over though, and a grin shows on his face, showing off pearly white teeth that contrast against his deep tanned skin.

"Magneto and the X-Men. Odd how the X-Men are mostly women though..." Carmichael comments as his eyes finally look to Steve. "Captain America... God damn. Even a bigger honor to meet you." The Black Team Leader continues, his scoped rifle still aimed up at where Magneto is. "Captain Rogers. I'm going to have to ask that you please convince the X-Men not to interfere with my operation, as I ask Erik Lensherr here to turn himself over to our control." Carmichael's words start to tighten, start to lose their casual edge, as the gun in his hand starts to get gripped a little tighter.

"Mister Lensherr. You've committed a crime against my employer here tonight, and I'm asking that you come with us to be turned over to the authorities. I will not be taking 'No' for an answer."

The rest of Black Team 57 starts to fan out, some of them dropping off of the open train car, their guns aimed mostly between Magneto and the X-Men now as they take up firing positions alongside the derelict transport train.

Erik Lensherr has posed:
"How shall we resolve them? At a senate hearing? Perhaps a committee meeting? Or we can wait until my species has been erased and clone them like so many species rendered extinct by humanity? You give them too much credit. They are not all like you."

Magneto seems ready to speak further to Captain America, but the soldiers and the raucous shouts and polite warnings from the X-Men contingent draw his attention. He does not descend from the sky, his cape fluttering in the late summer breeze.

"Doctor Grey," he says quietly, despite having known her so long, "Sometimes there is need of a reminder that we shall not go gently into that good night."

When Captain Carmichael addresses him, he is silent for the moment as he listens to what he's being told. He does not speak immediately.

Suddenly, there is a flare of force from him and the walls of the carriage around the soldiers actually warp inwards. But their own equipment and weaponry remain untouched. A look of consternation crosses his face, teeth bared within the shadowy recesses of his helmet.

The shredded metal left in the dirt raises into the air once again, ripped apart like paper in the air and forming several jagged shards that encircle the Master of Magnetism. The gleaming points leveled down at the soldiers.

Should he turn himself in? It would certainly be a better choice if he wanted to continue teaching the next generation like he has been. There's a wealth of experience to share there. But, at his heart, he knows what must be done. He must lead by example like he always has. So his eyes turn to Carmicheal, an almost malicious glint deep within.

"No."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
There's a wince from Monet St. Croix as her mind refocuses over as she muses.. "Actually your employers have no basis to arrest him. You are not acting as a representative of any formal governmental organization." THis is called down to 'Agent Carmichal'. "And even then as one of the royal family of Genosha and a representative, he is protected by Diplomatic Immunity. So regardless of your affiliation with any governmental, international, military, intelligence, or law enforcement organization you have no rights to order his surrender or imprisonment. You have no jurisdiction in the matter."

Well, any sort of attempt that Little MIss Perfect might have when it comes to talking people -down- with pedantics goes pears up - the way everyone expected it to. She goes to tense over then and braces herself in midair, ready to attack. But not doing so yet.

She goes to speak calmly along the telepathic link. <<Orders Ms. Grey?>> Ready to fly along to strike hard and fast if need be. Calculating vectors.. Presuming that on the ground Piotr would take point while Tabitha went to lend supporting fire and she would fly to draw fire away..

Not particularly sure here on this circumstance /who/ they should be defending here. There's tension in her frame for those ones htat can pick up her telepathic signature. Tense and coiled, ready to lash and charge. But holding back. <<I also wonder how exactly that he -knows- of us.>> The X-Men went to great lenghts to hide who they were. So how did this man know? And his employers, in all likelihood?

Because the slag was about to hit the coolant intake soon enough.

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
Sophie's cry of pain comes as a surprise to the other Cuckoos even as the two have rather different reactions. Celeste immediately rushes over to help Sophie up, looking worried. As for Esme? She stares at the group of mercs that dared hurt one of them. The trio's eyes flare in sync once more and their barriers come up, preventing any further biofeedback from Sophie's assault on Carmichael.

<<They are ..., very well protected.>> Sophie on the link to the others. No wonder they hadn't detected them before. Sophie finally staggers back to her feet with the help of her sisters, just in time to witness the destruction being wrought by Magneto.

And then their eyes flare blue once again. Not in any apparent attack but as if they were having an intense discussion between themselves. Esme looks angry, Celeste shakes her head. Sophie frowns.

Almost as if they were deciding which side to take. Eyes trail after the guns being aimed at the X-men. They do not like that.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique offers a single nod, before her body shifts and clothing changes. The white costume is replaces by a solid black catsuit that wraps up and over her head to conceal her fiery red hair. Even as the chance is happen, she moves lower to the ground and breaks into a sprint toward the back of the train. She had her guns of course, they lived in the thigh high boots that went from white to black, but they were only one of many tools hidden in there.

<<Jean, I don't know if you're listening... I don't know if I'm linked in or not,>> she thinks as she makes her way up to the first car. <<But I'm begging you, don't let those men take Erik. I know he messed up, but you know what they will do to him if they take him. What he did here was wrong, but they aren't the law.>>

Several of the cars remained untouched, still resting on the tracks waiting for Magneto to rip them open but where now the target of the professional spy. Picking locks was among the many skills the cobalt mutant possessed, including electronic and computerized locks. Getting into the first car was easy enough, allowing her to begin her work.

The first car, like all the others, contained twenty or so boxes that seemed to hold personal items including clothing, wallets, and other belongings that were sealed up to be shipped some place. In fact, all of the cars contained the same twenty or so boxes, and in the end she managed to find a list containing the names of all the mutants who had volunteered to the lab for the so called cure.

When some of the names on the list matched the names on ID in the wallets, Mystique decided to use her comm to call Ritz, one of the Brotherhood teleporters, and start removing the boxes to the Asteroid. In her thoughts she made it perfectly clear that if the X-Men wanted the boxes to go through, she would hand them over, and only the one she had opened previously would be opened.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
"I'm amazed these guys even bothered picking up a contract here. Like be way safer sitting around protecting Saudi interests and corralling wage slaves building all those dickwaving municipal projects that'll just only house the royal family. Bet even with all the sex trafficking of women they still inbred as shit. You guys have the correct number of toes? I mean sure it means you're mutants but not like the fun kind." Ranting and trolling might just be a mood for Tabby right now.

They don't seem to be taking the bait. But she keeps on trying. "We're progressive. Genders, faith, ethnicity, sexual preferences. Something they don't have where you normally work. So I can understand if you feel intimidated." she keeps talking at the guards.

With weapons trained on them she smirks. "Remember we're here to talk buckethead down safely. We defend ourselves. It's you guys starting shit with Americans. Mutant or not. Don't start none, won't be none. Just remember, we repel alien incursions, repeatedly. We survived giant robots trying to wipe us out. What are piddly wanna be mercs gonna do right now?" she points out as those hefty looking bombs orbit and pulse with flames of plasma. And she isn't even the high end of power here.

Steve Rogers has posed:
Steve moves forward to put himself as much between Magneto and Captain Carmichael as he can. "Captain, stand your men down. So far it's just been material damage and that can be worked out by appropriate authorities."

Turning to Erik, Steve Rogers's eyes are full of a sense of understanding, and he says, "The Doctor is right, if you make this a fight then it is just going to gain them converts. It's what they want. Don't play into their hands, Erik."

Captain America glances back between the mercenaries and then back to Magneto again. "I have a compromise. I'll call SHIELD to bring in a plane and evacuate Magneto from the area. And the authorities can take things from there. Without any bloodshed," he says, voice firm on the last point especially.

Jean Grey has posed:
"Anyone got Murdock's number handy?" It's a quick aside back to the team, although Monet seems to have it covered in the short term! In all probability, no one is going to be listening to detailed legal arguments within a few moments here, but Jean continues to play nice as best she can. As before, she directs her subsequent appeal toward the man who stands out as the ultimate legal authority on the scene, in the form of Captain Rogers, while thumbing back at M. "I think that about covers it, yeah. No way these goons have arrest powers, all else aside. For all we know, he ends up in an experimental lab, or they pump him full of their 'cure' against his will."

And, everflowing bastion of hope and faith in a better world that he is, Cap comes through on it.

Which leaves her flying ever closer toward Magneto. "Please," she appeals to him, hovering close enough that the appeal is a personal one, not shouted slogans across open sky. And close enough that she's probably in the same line of fire if the doofuses below try anything. Solidarity, of a kind. "You know where I stand here, where I, we HAVE to stand. Go with the Captain, with SHIELD. So far, this is property damage - your status should cover you, and it will be good press, or as good as we could hope here. Let their insurance carrier try and collect for the damages."

A pause. "Unless they're stupid enough to keep going against the man with the shield."

As for her own orders, echoed back as M presses: <<None of us shoots first. But the Captain's the only one we're recognizing as a legal authority here. Magneto goes with him, or->>

Rogue has posed:
Their guns aren't metal. Magneto realized this very quickly. The guns of the members of Black Team are all up, all picking different X-Men to train their sights upon. Carmichael spares a look toward the trio of blonde girls, and he grimaces at something before shaking his head. "Creepy fuckin..." He trails off under his breath as his eyes go back over to Cap, then to Jean, then finally back up to Magneto who his gun has not been swayed in aim toward.

While staring down his sight at Magneto, Carmichael speaks up again. "Cap..." He says through a hiss of frustration. "As hard as it is for my childhood self, eating school lunches out of my Captain America lunchbox, I'm going to have to pass on that offer. SHIELD isn't what it used to be when you were fresh on the scene. They're as corrupt as a banana is yellow. I turn this Mutie over to SHIELD, and they'll let him loose again." He pauses as his rifle holding hand adjusts his grip. "And as for you, Beautiful--" Carmichael starts to reply to Jean. "I am under direct orders from Senator Stewart Chism to detain anyone who threatens this convoy, or any of CGI's interests. If you have a problem with that, then I suggest you fly your outdated plane over to Washington, and setup a meeting."

The rest of Black Team starts to spread out, side stepping as they start to take a wider open position so as not to be so clumped up together for what seems like inevitable action here.

"Last chance, Lensherr. Come down here, surrender, and we'll all be back at our homes in time for the Tonight Show..."

Erik Lensherr has posed:
Erik hears what they're saying. The discussion of what exactly this group have in store for him. He may not recognize his own sovereign status as far as Genosha is concerned anymore, but that doesn't change notions of the Interntional Community.

But there's a thoughtful look on his face. A gleam in his eyes. Many forget just how sharp Magneto's mind is. How many fields of study both scientific and philosophical he has dedicated his life to. A whole space station orbits overhead thanks to his genius. The creation of the perfect mutant.

"Doctor Grey, Captain Rogers ... if you would be so kind as to stand back."

And then, Magneto holds out his hands. Palms open. The jagged shards of metal fall from the air, landing harmlessly upon the ground with a clatter. He descends to the ground, stepping towards Captain Carmichael. Slowly, so they can see what he's doing, both hands reach up to remove the helmet from his head. His stark white hair waves in the breeze, perhaps a bit longer than normal and nearing his shoulders. There is a subtle wave of his hand as the helmet floats through the air, moving towards one of the Cuckoos so they might pluck it out of the air and hold it.

"Very well, Charles," Erik murmurs under his breath, before raising his voice for Captain Carmichael's sake, "I shall ... what's the phrase? Come quietly."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix is tense up in the air and then muse and consider <<Interesting that he thinks his employer has the capability to order such things. For an underling, that's a surprising amount of initiative.>> She would consider for a moment, hovering in place while being ready to backup the otehrs - or Captain America, if the Agent is going to shoot a thim.

<<I do wonder what President Luthor would think about a Senator that's giving PMC's the authorization to act on the part of the federal authorities>> Now she's just musing over on playing up the internal bureaucratic feuds to see if that would be more effective in the long term than simply beating them up and taking their toys. Ready to fly and charge in but hopefully it's not coming down to that.

Stepford Cuckoos has posed:
Whatever argument the trio was having it seems settled now, the triplets standing in perfect unison as they stare at one of the guards holding a gun at them. It's quite the impressive sight that these guards are able to keep their cool under this tense situation. Whatever is at play here? The trio smiles a perfect, creepy smile, perhaps to unsettle them, prepared for what may be a fight and ...

Magneto stands down.

The trio's interest in the guards vanishes completely and they focus on Magneto. Sophie takes the helm wordlessly and their eyes flare in a brief moment as their powers manifest.

<<We will find you.>> A small 'seed' being implanted in Erik's mind now that his helmet isn't protecting him from mental influence anymore. A way to track him down to wherever they are taking him.

Steve Rogers has posed:
Steve Rogers has been standing in between Magneto and the mercenaries, facing off to the side rather than towards one or the other. Though as Captain Carmichael mentions taking orders to detain people from a Senator, Captain America slowly turns to face the squad. "I might give extra thought to criticizing SHIELD's in one breath, before stating that you're taking direction on private military enforcement of laws from a Senator," Steve begins.

But before that matter can escalate anything, Magneto lets the weaponized shards of metal fall and stands down. Steve turns towards him, his back to Black Team 57. "I'm still willing to call in a Quinjet for you," he says. Though something in the Captain's expression and the blue eyes hints he might suspect there is more to Magneto's actions, and Steve isn't going to push it further if he says no.

Jean Grey has posed:
There is more legalese. They can go back and forth all they want on who has what authority, but it seems inevitable that no one is interested in treating this span of open field and railroad track like a courtroom. The men in the train draw their lines, in the name of their own apparent sanction, spurious or otherwise. Where reason fails, where the law gives no recourse, the 'default' arbiter remains eternal: pure, naked violence. Jean is ready enough.

But then...

It is very apparent that whatever has just happened, including any exchange between her mentor and his oldest frienemy? It is as much a surprise to Jean as anyone else, and she is out of the loop. "Erik, are you sure-"

But it's a bit of a silly question, something she realizes as quickly as she says it. If she knows anything about the man, knows Magneto even a tenth as well as Charles does, it's still more than enough for her to know that he is not one for indecision. Whatever this is, there's purpose in it.

"Well, if it's your choice..." What more is there to say? And so Jean relents. The same sentiment is echoed back toward the team as well. They're not here to pick a fight, but to stop one. For a brief moment, then, as Magneto prepares her surrender, that she reaches out in momentary uncertainty, before snapping back to handling the team. Tapping a control on her wrist, she signals the Blackbird's return. Although she can't help but make a (sassy!) comment toward Carmichael: "If you don't like this one, my other plane is a space ship."

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Insulting the Blackbird gets a chuckle from Tabby. "That plane might not look like much, but she's got it where it counts. Point five past lightspeed! Unlike you guys and your... Ammo Pouches. You're wives must be disappointed. bet they never shut up about Jody." she points out.

The Plasma swirls closer and closer till Boom-Boom can reabsorb the energy. Briefly looking like she might be on fire as the lights go out. "You know, Magneto like better off bailing with the Good Captain." obviously the one with the shield and SHIELD connections. And probably his own ride in. "Cause you know, like your ride got trashed. I wouldn't offer them a lift. Bet they won't kick in. Gas, Grass, or Ass, no one rides for free! Have fun walking home or waiting for a lift. I'll tell your moms I said 'Hi! when I get back.'. Them anyone could ride for free." she states a little more venomously yet.

<<I bet these are robots. No way a bunch of racist misogynists like these are any kind of cool enough to put up with me.>> she posits. It would explain the lack of telepathic access for most of them.

"Carmichael better hope he has enough USB ports to charge his robot toys here before they run out of batteries. They can't have mine." she states as she turns and with a more casual swaying stride heads for the Blackbird.

Rogue has posed:
The helmeted soldiers continue to hold their guns trained on the X-Men, specifically Tabitha the most since she's got the biggest mouth on her, clearly, and those displayed powers seem the most threatening. But everyone has at least one rifle pointed their way, the muzzles built with a clear strange technology to the conical design of their barrels.

Carmichael, however he might be evading telepathy, seems to just be amused by the responses that he gets from them all. He nods only to Captain America though. "I'm just doing what I'm told. You'd do the same." He comments before he steps to Magneto, and extends a hand toward those that Erik is offering. His hard eyes are locked on Erik's own, as something shoots out of his palm, snaps around Erik's wrists, and slithers its limbs around Erik's forearms. It rattles like a snake as it locks and binds Erik's wrists together. Once bound, Carmichael nods once to Magneto. "Good choice." He quietly says.

It's not five seconds after Tabitha taunts them for having no ride out of here that the wheat field from the farm nearby is suddenly burst through by a massive black vehicle. It's the same black transport vehicles that had been in Bushwick a number of days previously when this team had rounded up a whole gaggle of Mutant volunteers looking to get the Mutant Reversal medication, while some also wanted the apparent deal that would clear their record of criminal charges post-Mutation development in their lives.

One black transport vehicle is followed by another out of the wheat field, until four in total spread out in to a line, parking and awaiting the members of their team. Carmichael nods to his group, who start to move, some of them approaching Erik to direct him toward their transports.

"Good to know the X-Men can see reason." Carmichael says to Jean specifically. "If we ever meet outside of this, maybe I'll hit you up." He adds with a sly grin before his sparkling eyes dance back to Steve. "Nice to meet you, Cap. Maybe we'll work together some day."

Black Team lines up and files out toward their vehicles then, Magneto cuffed and escorted in to one of their heavily armored vehicles.

In Westchester:
Charles stands in the Ops Center, his eyes on the monitor showing the situation from the hovering Blackbird. He looks concerned, but calm. "Scott." Charles says, as Scott's eyes focus on to the Professor's head as he stands a few feet behind his right shoulder.

"Schedule a meeting with Senator Chism." the Professor requests.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet goes to frown as she evaluates the vehicle, and goe sto speak to the comm network <<Please get a satellite backtrack of those vehicles. Where they deployed from and thier route>> This is all very, very.. Convenient.

<<One does have to wonder that this freighter had something important enough that Magneto came here and yet wasn't here. They were baiting him>> This is obvious - at least to her perspective.

Steve Rogers has posed:
Steve Rogers murmurs something sotto voce, though those allowed into the Avenger's communication systems will hear Steve asking Wanda to bring him to her so he can update her.

Even as he sends the subvocal message, Steve Rogers watches as the mercenary captain secures Erik and leads him away. "Captain," Steve says to him, causing the man to pause and turn back. "I'd be sure to take excellent care of him. He has a daughter. One that I don't think you'll want to see when she's angry."

A swirl of scarlet energy comes out of nowhere, spinning around Captain America and making him disappear.