16180/Spider at the Swordfish

Spider at the Swordfish
Date of Scene:	26 October 2023
Location:	Swordfish Bar (SHIELD)
Synopsis:	A Spider and a Redhead talk at the Swordfish.
Cast of Characters:	Mary Jane Watson, Julia Carpenter

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Mary Jane Watson has posed:
It was getting harder and harder lately for her to keep up with things. It was phones. She had too many phones. All of them separate from one another. One was her 'normal person' phone, when she'd chat with Aunt Anna or Aunt May and just catchup and say hi. Next was her 'work' phone, aka SHIELD. With all of the different levels of encryption and things that she was reasonably sure she didn't know ninety percent of.
    Then there was her 'friends' phone, by which she meant Spider-comm (which still needed a better name). All of them fiddled with to make sure they were separate, encrypted, and that she could tell them apart. Different buzzers, different senstaions, different styles and setups. It meant for a slagging time if she had to handle more than one call at a time.
    So, at the Swordfish, having just come off-duty from a trip over to the Asgardian Embassy for something or other, currently Mary Jane was at the Swordfish, watching some replays of the American League championships and waiting for the food to be served.

Julia Carpenter has posed:
Julia only had the two, thankfully. Preferring to keep her personal and professional lives as separate as possible, she chose to keep a burner phone for her personal. The work phone does come with all kinds of encryptions and protections and generally only receives calls or texts from one number.

Having agreed to the meetup, Julia arrives at the Swordfish still in her 'work attire', not quite ready to give up her secret identity. It certainly lets her stick out, but it's currently her only real protection, too. Approaching the table Mary Jane is at, she takes a seat opposite her and gives a nod. "Hello again."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
It's a life problem. Some people are just addicted to everything going on. Mary Jane is alas one of them. She's wearing the uniform of an off-duty SHIELD trooper, as are most of the folks in the bar (some are in full combat loadouts, mind). There's a wave from Mary Jane at the approach of Julia.

"Hey, glad you could make it. Just wanted to catchup where we could relax a bit more." if the feds try and peep in on a SHIELD off-duty facility, they get what's coming to them.

Julia Carpenter has posed:
"I certainly appreciate that.. not often I get to relax these days," Julia offers a quick smile before glancing around the room. "I can see why you picked this place. Not a lot of people would be willing to invade or spy on anything here."

Letting out a slow breath, she leans back against the chair and asks, "So what would you like to know? I don't know a lot, I'm kept somewhat in the dark, but I expect mine isn't the only agency that operates on a 'need to know' basis."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would nod, "About as.. Reasonable as you can get here if you're not going to want to head offworld." Because being paranoid enough to head to another solar system to avoid being listened in on or going ot a nearby parallel dimension was a totally reasonable lifestyle choice.

Mary Jane would gesture, "WEll.. Whatever you want to go into. You sound.. I suppose a high qualified and technical 'meh' would be the term for your state in life but you're not here asking me to help you fake your death so it just could be onerous."

Julia Carpenter has posed:
"I've heard about the Spaceport, but I'm not sure I can afford one of those trips. At least, not without saving up a bit first," Julia offers wryly before giving a nod. "But it would certainly cut down on the possible surveillance."

Pausing, Julia thinks on what to say, what she *can* say. "I work for The Commission. Sort of like the Suicide Squad, but I work solo, taking down smaller threats that don't rate that kind of Hail Mary play. Supposedly, there are supposed to be other agents.. but I've never met any in the years I've been with them." Frowning faintly, "And... well. I submit reports on my missions. But... I've seen the filed copies. And MY work is being attributed to a team of agents I've never met. So... something is going on."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would nod for a moment, thinking. "So, it means that you're being used for someone else's PR internally. You're a disposable asset, when you work well they get the bureaucratic credit. If you mess up, you're not an official asset." Tapping at her chint houghtfully.

"Plus they probably save a lot internally only having one person do field duties when they're justifying the expenses for a full team. So you're a dry cleaner."

Julia Carpenter has posed:
Julia points towards Mary Jane and taps the tip of her nose. "More than that, though. I don't think I've been getting sent after actual threats. Some of the people I've brought in... some of them are meta's, or mutates, or mutants... but not really bad people. Minor league petty ante criminals at best. And some of them are just... people."

Shaking her head, she looks at Mary Jane, "I think it's worse than just departmental embezzlement. I'm sure you've noticed that I have similar abilities to certain other spider-based vigilantes. Except, I've never been bitten by a spider, of any kind. I underwent an athletic study to make a little extra money, and I was accidentally injected with a mix of venoms and poisons from the Amazon. Didn't die... just... this." She motions to herself.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would frown over and tap her chin. "You're right, that's.." She would purse her lips. "Yeah. And.. If you need some folks to offer contacts with to check into it.. This is a bit above my pay grade. Both on a biochemistry level and a secret government conspiracy level." She would think.

"I can give you a couple of folks to check with depending on how official or unofficial you want to make poking around on both ends."

Julia Carpenter has posed:
"I have some data I've been collecting on The Commission... I'm pretty decent with computers. I've been trying to make copies of everything I could safely get my hands on. I made copies of all my reports, and got copies of the reports that get filed. Some other data that's encrypted, I haven't been able to break it." Julia leans forward and looks to Mary Jane.

"I want to do some good, that's why I agreed to work for them in the first place. But I'm not okay with hurting people that didn't do anything to deserve it." She lets out a breath and shakes her head, "I just... whoever can help all this stop. Valerie Cooper. She's the one in charge, she was a friend in college back in Denver. She's the one that got me onto the athletic study, and she's the one running The Commission."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would just look over at Julia for a moment. "Valerie Cooper? That woman has a -very- involved reputation." That's putting it politely. "I don't know her but everyone thinks she's on or off the elvel so there's no consensus. I'm definitely not any help with that. Dunno, maybe try and hit up one of the Avengers? They tend to be good on tracking that level of stuff if you're worried someone's abusing the system. Or here.." She waves a hand as indicative of SHIELD.

"But you'd probably need to kmnow someone that could handle that sort of thing beyond a field agent that's been around a year."

Julia Carpenter has posed:
Julia gives a nod and offers a wry smile, "And there's the rub. I can't just 'go the Avengers'. And I don't know anyone in SHIELD... I literally moved here a few weeks ago." She gives a small shake of her head and raps her fingertips against the tabletop, "I've been trying to put out feelers, but what I can say on the job is... very limited."

She glances down, then looks back to Mary Jane, "I don't know who to reach out to... but, if there's someone you know of that can do something with what I have... then maybe I can get free of the Commission."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would take a breath, "I'll see what I can do. I'm at the low end of the pole so it'll take awhile. But I can try and find someone. And you probably just can show up at the Avengers Mansion and say you're in trouble and need help and that will work. Or the Justice League. You can probably find someone by asking directly." She would smile a bit. "Just look out for Captain America."

Julia Carpenter has posed:
Julia gives a nod and offers a half-smile, "Oh I know that feeling." Low man on the totem pole. She snorts softly and shakes her head, "Really can't. It's not just me that's at stake. And I'm not endangering anyone else." Pushing up to her feet, she gives a nod, "I should probably head out before Valerie starts wondering why I've been here for so long. Told her I was trying to make connections with other agents in the city, get some lines on who they've got me after this time."

She gives a quick smile and nod, "Thanks for hearing me out. I'll be around the city, I'm sure we'll cross paths again."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would give a salute, "Take care. If I can figure out someone to pass along to you, I'll forward it." She'd ask for contact information,b ut gets the expectation that might be a bit paranoid for Julia. She would go to stand up and then go to pay for her food and drink.

"Just don't do the vanish into thin air thing while my back is turned. That's -really- creepy."

Julia Carpenter has posed:
Chuckling, Julia shakes her head, "Sorry, no teleporting for me. Some of my powers are more psychic in nature than spider, but nothing that allows for disappearing." And true to her word, she just.. walks out of the bar. The webs will come when she's outside.