18878/Mutants Growing Horribly - Pt 1

Mutants Growing Horribly - Pt 1
Date of Scene:	26 August 2024
Location:	West Bushwick (Mutant Town)
Synopsis:	Heroes investigate homeless kids vanishing off the streets. They're being drugged and vanishing. Whomever is doing it is going to pay.
Cast of Characters:	Emma Frost, Luca Bandoni, Billy Batson, Tandy Bowen, Tyrone Johnson

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Emma Frost has posed:
A lot of kids in Bushwick had it hard. They might have been abused, they might have been abandoned, but whatever the story was for many of them, ther ewas a deep, ingrained trust against anything 'official'. That could be shelters, it could be the authorities, it could be the Genoshan Embassy. For many, living out on the streets, consistently homeless was simply the way they lived their lives. Many of the local shelters had adapted to checking in on many of these small groups, trying to figure out how to get them the support they needed, but that merely drove many of them further away.
    But, the shelters still had their ways to keep tabs on the kids from a distance and keep track of them. Over a few weeks, in all the chaos of the Purifiers, of the coming of the end of the world.. They had noticed something with several groups of the teenagers. They had gone missing.
    Hitting up their usual haunts had found them abandoned, and no signs of where the kids might have scrambled off to. Enough for the shelters to discretely put out word to the local community that something was up and to keep an eye out. Many of the locals that knew how the life was were helping indirectly.

Luca Bandoni has posed:
On one hand, Luca Bandoni definitely qualifies as 'official' - he is FDNY. On the other hand? He's also a common face in Bushwick. He's the guy that checks in on these homeless kids to see if they need medical attention that they're afraid to seek. He's the guy that shows up randomly in the shelters with fresh produce, bread, meat - the fixings for parents and their children to eat healthy meals. He's the guy that'll pick up a basketball and play with these kids until the sun goes down on his days off shift.

He's everyone's 'favorite uncle'. He's one of the good ones, one that people feel good about opening up to because if there's something that he can do to help, he will. He never judges, he never looks down, he never asks questions. He's just there.

Of course the missing kids hit his radar and raised all sorts of alarm bells. So much so that he's actually spent a night or two just hanging out in those abandoned haunts just to see if one of them might sneak back.

The didn't. That's bad.

So he's back now, mingling with the homeless community at large, as he so often does. Tonight he's brought along with him a whole shit-ton of White Castles, onion chips and chicken rings included. Not his usual healthy fare, but not something he's not done before. He also has some nice cigars tucked away in a pocket to hand out to any of the older men.

Another reason Luca Bandoni belongs here? He's one of them - not just a mutant, but a mutant that doesn't belong to any big group. There's no X on his shirt and no Brotherhood insignia in his underwear. If one little thing in his life had been different, he could have been these people. He knows it and it shows in the respect he pays them in spades.

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson lived on the streets almost since he could walk. Becoming a Vasquez kid erased little of his hard edge, but he still spent everyday on the street trying to get cool stories in the more colorful parts of town. His clothes were very broken in, because he never threw anything away. To say he was frugal was an understatement. Even now, when he was making good money, he tended to bank some, live cheaply and give the rest to his siblings and friends.

Missing kids struck very close to home. Darla had helped him dye his hair blonde. He had vintage (damaged) wrap around shades. He spent a day scuffing up his sneakers. his hoodie was tied around his waist, an improvised sack for his few belongings.

Now he waited for trouble to come to him. On the streets that never took long.

Tandy Bowen has posed:
Sometimes in Bushwick they're Cloak and Dagger. Today they're just Tandy - and Ty, floating intangibly at her side. Known entities in the neighborhood for making some of the more problematic elements change their tune... or disappear, should the need arise. No judgement, no shame, just quiet help to make things a little bit better than they were the day before. They've been these kids, and they're not really that much older than many of them, not yet. That they have a somewhat safe place to put their heads at night is by virtue of luck, but being on the run isn't new. Going off grid isn't new. But this many disappearances so close together...? Well. It reminds Tandy a little too much of that Christmas where her ignorance and good will got her and Ty turned into what they are. So they're asking careful questions, the sort the cops won't bother with, just trying to get enough information for stopping things before they get worse.

Or getting vengeance for the missing, if they can't.

Tyrone Johnson has posed:
Ty's job was to back Tandy up, to loom in the background. Call it establishing their bona-fides. He cared about the people on the street, being a fugitive from the law and homeless himself. But now he could do something to help people like him, good people (or even some bad ones) who wound up in crappy circumstances and just needed someone to keep the pressures of the street off them. A little. There were monsters that haunted the streets. Hungry things, looking for fresh faces. Innocents.

Like he and Tandy used to be. But now _they_ were the monsters, but the sort that aided rather than preying on unfortunates.

Emma Frost has posed:
The locals are worried. Everyone is keeping an eye out. The thing is that most of them also know if the kids -think- they're keeping an eye out then they'll book it. Teenagers and pride don't make these sorts of things easy. So it mostly ends up with the local folks in the neighborhood going about their business, looking out of the corners of their eyes for anything weird, and trying to come up with 'excuses' for why they happen to be somewhere that under normal etiquette they shouldn't be.

The streets were rough. No matter what part of the world you would be in. That level of wariness is easily identifiable in the eyes of those that are here to help - they're worried about the kids and wanting to keep them safe. Luca's with folks from the local shelters who are passing out food tos ome of the homeless and talking about sports. Tandy and Tyrone catch a group of older homeless mutants that aren't -quite- Morlocks hanging around passing about booze. It smells -really- bad though. It's definitely not something that anyone would drink short of it being freezing and someone wanting to try and dull the pain while they were freezing.

Billy fits in pretty easily wtih a group that's playing soccer. They're littler though - kids under ten that are talking about with one another. They seem to be however clustered together without anyone older around them. That sets off alarm bells.

Luca Bandoni has posed:
As one of the kids that Luca's more familiar with darts by in an attempt to 'snatch and run' with those little bits of indigestion in a bag, Luca snags him by the back of his collar. Kid's about sixteen - someone Luca's helped out with his younger sister when she was sick, someone he checks on regularly. He's not on the streets, but he might as well be. He's trying to raise his baby sister in an abandoned tenement along with a slew of others like him. "Woooooah, slow down there Marcus!" Luca's smiling as he says it of course, "Where's the fire?"

Normally he would have just waved or yelled something of a greeting and let the kid run past. But this isn't 'normally'.

"How you been, dude?" is how he starts the conversation. No sense in pressing too hard to start.

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson carefully unties a sleeve of his hoodie, he pulls a worn and much used army surplus cook kit out of it. Then he produces a bag. He quickly acquires some urban tumbleweeds, old newspapers and flyers and builds a small fire bordering it with some rocks. Then he shakes out the bag, which has unpopped popcorn kermels into the kit. He shakes it rapidly, trying to avoid burning the popcorn. this was always the quickest way to make friends. Make food. The popcorn was a cheap purchase in a dollar store. The kit was from his street days and a prized possession. Pop pop pop...

Tandy Bowen has posed:
She lets Ty do lookout while she talks quietly to the older mutants with the booze, occasionally applying a little bit of light to a wound or sore. Healing isn't something she can do, not without being under extreme duress, but since the bacteria from infections don't belong - at least not in those amounts - she can purge it out of them as long as it hasn't sat in too long. So that's what she does, a little bit of light and then some more traditional care - peroxide - that makes one of the men curse and take a swing of the rotgut they're passing around. He looks better already though. Not much, but a pinch of color in his cheeks as she wraps him up and hands over a small bag of supplies. With luck, it'll see him through until the wound's closed up, but if not... well, it's not like she won't be back around in a few days. Especially with missing kids.

Tyrone Johnson has posed:
Ty kept an eye on Tandy as she did her Angel of Light thing but he went to go talk to some of the local sex workers. He got along well with them, never being a client, being stupidly devoted to Tandy in ways obvious for anyone to see, and being a black male who cared for them, helped them score food, watched their kids if they needed it. Business was apparently down, apparently, and there was an atmosphere of fear. Most of the them were older than the set that were disappearing, but news spread fast on the streets. Survival tactic.

Emma Frost has posed:
Marcus is 'caught' running past LUca goes to let otu a squawk and a grumble, "'Ey! I haven't done anything! Didn't even take Keefe's wallet 'when he accidentally dropped it!" That of course doesn't mean that he didn't have anything to do with said 'dropping' in the first place, nor did he actually retrieve it if such a hting did happen. A few of the other kids go to glance over at Marcus as they go to let out a few chuckles at him, none moving to intervene. But still keeping an eye on him. Luca is Marcus' friend after all. Marcus had a pretty blatant mutation - head was purple, slightly swollen, and made him look like an off-color Star Trek alien with a wobbling head.

Billy immediately gets the attention of a bunch of the kids that were playing. They all knew what that was. A few who were taking a break from the game would jog over towards him - they couldn't be more than eight or nine, eyes looking over at the popcorn with 'want'. However, there were a few of the older kids (not that much older, something definitely was wrong here) that were turning away from it to keep a blatant eye on them as they did so. The automatic sort of small alert that would go out from street kids that ran along like a network.

The rotgut that the men are passing along among themselves is definitely bad. Really, really bad. Enough to pick up Tandy's attention no doubt really. It shouldn't be hurting them that much. Homeless at that age had the constitution of Russians just about when it came to chugging swill. So they definitely shouldn't be staggering about that much.

Luca Bandoni has posed:
With one hand on Marcus' shoulder, Luca leans and in murmurs, "Let's talk, kid. Just you and me, a'ight? I know you're worried about these kids. I know some of them are probably your friends. I'm worried too and you know I'll do whatever I have to to get them back." It's not a lie, there's not one single syllable of any of that that's a lie. He'd walk through the fires of Hell to get those kids back - he's proven it time and time again, especially with Marcus. Wasn't it just a month or so ago that he had one of his many many many NYPD relatives make charges on the kid just 'disappear'. Corruption in the NYPD or compassion?

He doesn't /force/ the kid to go anywhere. He just nods his head toward a more secluded spot, the entrance of an alley. "Savannah and Kevin? When's the last time you saw them?" He keeps his voice at just a murmur, not drawing attention to the subject matter of their little, thus far one-sided conversation.

Marcus had a little thing for Savannah, probably still does.

Young love, nothing like it. And her older brother, Kevin, is pretty dope too.

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson starts handing out popcorn to any kid willing to hold their hands out. It turns out quite a few are willing and more. He son has his whole mess kit out to pop more corn. "It's cool, there's plenty. I got lucky and came into a big bag of the stuff. I'm sick of it. Here you go. I just got into town. What's the news?" He keeps his tone casual, keeps the corn popping and flowing. He nods to the wardens of the smaller ones. "You could be having some while you're checking me out. I'm C.C. from Philly."

Tandy Bowen has posed:
The rotgut smells worse than usual, and Old Bluey - on account of his normally vibrant blue eyes - is already looking peaky again. There's a jostle and Tandy "trips", accidentally smacking into the bottle. It doesn't break, but what's left in it starts leaking on the concrete. Tandy gives Ty a look, then the package store down the street, and slips him a $20. She wouldn't normally ask him to do this - and she definitely wouldn't normally use her tithe money on it, but from the smell she just knows that what's in it is even fouler than usual.

There's a flurry of apologies and curses, and Tandy ends up sending some light into each of them, just enough to purge out anything really nasty. It won't do anything about the alcohol itself, but whatever is making it smell so much worse than usual...? That thins out, if nothing else.

Tyrone Johnson has posed:
Ty is grateful for the save because LaToya is back on her tirade to, as she so delicately puts it, wife Tandy the fuck up and get her off the streets for good. All his protestations about a lack of income and means to keep her in the style to which she deserves gets laughed off and he'd got a great idea to get her off his back once and for all. A quick opened portal and he and Tandy's $20 disappeared, to reappear a few minutes later with a bottle in a brown paper bag and a goofy grin on his face.

Then, where LaToya could see him, he handed Tandy the bottle and, more importantly, took her hand and slid a gaudy plastic Ring Pop onto her finger.

LaToya's cackle could be heard clear across the street.

Emma Frost has posed:
Marcus, called by the other kids in his 'zone' as 'Bobblehead' would look over his shoulder and give a nod and a sigh, "Savannah and Kevin? Savannah said she'd meet me behind the dumpster 'cuz I promised her some rake." Don't ask what it was. Don't ask what it was. "She was never there. Tried for three days straight in case I got the day wrong. Kevin?" He had to play it cool as Kevin was still an 'older brother', dope as he might be. "'Unno, he hasn't been around in about a week. Someone said something about him getting a score. But Kevin's dumb as someone who likes candy corn. No one's gonna give him a score."

The kids about Billy go to rapidly take the popcorn - regardless of quality, and then one of the ten year olds goes to speak up. "'Ey, thanks." After making sure that he wasn't going to 'infringe' on their turf and was just watching. "Stay away from th upper north west of the north east side of East-Wick." Stay away from a few blocks in the middle of the neighborhood in one section of Mutanttown. "Something's going on there."

Tandy definitely gets something 'off' about the alcohol. It was like having to purge lead out of the man even if he wasn't really noticing it as some yelling going along. The alcohol changes hands over to Tandy and it reeks. The scent is definitely stronger than rotgut and.. Smells like chemicals. Like cleaning supplies.

Bleach.

Luca Bandoni has posed:
"A'ght, walk with me." Luca nods his head down the street. He jostles the med bag that he always carries with him back up onto his shoulder properly. "You'n'me? We're gonna find them, together." No, he's not talking about tonight - but he has a plan. Once they're well out of earshot from everyone else, he continues, "Small, digital security cameras, battery operated, they're a dime a dozen these days." Not really a dime a dozen - the contents of that med bag tonight probably cost him a month's salary. It's why they call firefighting a calling and not a career - the pay is /shit/. "I need you to show me where the kids have gone to ground. Most of them seem to have vanished from, or moved on from, the usual haunts. "You'll help me nail these motherfuckers, right?"

It's a bit further down the road before he asks, "Rake?"

Thought you got away with it, didnja Marcus.

"C'mon dude, you know better." He obviously thinks the stuff is disgusting - and even more unhealthy than the White Castles. But there's still nothing judge-y in his tone. If anything he sounds like a concerned older brother - really, it's how he looks at the kid, a little brother.

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson should call his dad, Victor. Victor's a cop. But Victor has his limits. Upper northwest... he thinks he's got it down for later but the Mutant Town tip is closer, if vaguer. The missing demographic does register on him and... Billy could pass for 17 in bad lighting. He closes up his mess kit, throws dirt on the fire and leaves to wander off, against the little kids' advice.

He wants to help them all but first things first. H's reminded of that little Russian boy he lost track of after the Kaiju battle. Dmitri was it? He can't help everyone. That much was made clear to him. Even a Flash couldn't be everywhere and do everything. He came here with a goal. Some of Achilles' resolve does cling to him. You figure out your goal. A goal is not always 'winning.' You stick to it.

Tandy Bowen has posed:
The men aren't the only ones swearing once Tandy realizes what the smell is. "Bluey, hey. Who dropped that for you guys?" Her voice is hushed behind the crinkle of the ring pop wrapper, and she turns worried eyes on the older man as she passes him the undoctored bottle. "Shit smells real funky, like somebody tipped they cleanin supplies innit, yeah? Who's sellin the doctored hooch? Dagger wants a word with them." Her face is hard as she says it, and in the moment she can feel Ty looming behind her, can tell by the way the men freeze up a little before they start talking. Not that she and Ty will hurt them, but that little bit of fear can be a big help when they need info.

Tyrone Johnson has posed:
Ty wasn't a huge fan of chemical means of avoiding one's problems but these guys were old enough to dig their own graves. So long as they didn't take anyone else with them, he was content to let them pass. But poisoning drunks? That wasn't on. The lights around Cloak and Dagger dimmed just a bit as Cloak let his displeasure show just a touch. He wanted to nuzzle her neck, be Ty and Tandy, enjoy some time together. But not while there's mutant kids disappearing. Fun later, business now.

Emma Frost has posed:
Marcus looks over at Luca, back and forth and then lets out a sigh. They're his friends, and something's up with them. Luca's not a bad guy - he's known Marcus for awhile and never done anything wrong. "... Thanks, I owe you. Yer doin' me a solid. And I'm down. Will get some of the other kids too" That was something Luca had never heard from Marcus before, long as the two had known one another. On one hand, that was a sign that Marcus had grown to trust him pretty well.

But on the far more pressing end, the fact that Marcus was openly letting Luca help without an extended period of 'negotiation' and outright thanking him was a sign that Marcus was really, really worried and freaked out. Which street kids never got. And the fact that Marcus was willing to push the other kids and the fact that the other kids might just well help..

The kids talking to Billy give him a few nods once they've gotten chatting over with him and one pipes up, "Goal is jes' stayin alive." ANother goes, "It's livin yer own life. Yer own rules. Makin' yer own choices." The fact the kid couldn't be older than six or seven and saying that proudly..

One of the old folks, a woman that looked like a Russian babushka and spoke barely any English and went on in some horrible mix of Italian and Russian that one would learn to pick up would gesture over at Tyrone and Tandy, speaking rapidly. Roughly translated as a series of obscenities and those idiots taking free drinks from anyone. And also a general willingness to point them out. Even as some of said drunks would yell at her for putting a stop to the flow of free booze.

Luca Bandoni has posed:
"Okay, maybe I was a bit too judge-y on the rake crap. You got any on you? Maybe I'll give it another shot after those White Castles aren't turning my insides to the outside?" Casual conversation as they go about their business. Light-hearted banter. "Last time I tried it, my teeth hurt for a week but maybe... it's worth another shot." He playfully bumps into the kid with his shoulder. Deep down, Luca is really something of a big kid anyway.

But then he circles back to the more serious matter at hand. "Nah, man, you don't owe me shit. I'd be out here without your help anyway, so the way I see it? You're making the job easier for me." Then he wraps his arm around the kid's shoulders, putting him into a mini headlock and actually giving a big old SMACK of the lips to the top of that purple head. He's Italian, they're an affectionate lot and it's not something he hasn't done to each of his brothers in the past, but them blood or Firehouse.

"Now, let's get the cameras up and running. So we can see if we can catch these bastards on tape." Because he's already convinced someone is coming in and taking these kids. "...or at least maybe get another piece to the puzzle.

Billy Batson has posed:
Alone. He was really alone. No sibs. No parents. No friends. Something was coming to destroy Earth and he was here. But... these kids needed help. The world was always ending. He learned that. there was something liberating about being alone. He has no one else to distract him. Oddly even the Greek Chorus in his head (and King Solomon) were silent, letting him think. So even Shazam wasn't around so to speak.

People... never stuck around.

Tandy Bowen has posed:
Tandy nods rapidly as she listens to the babushka, following the angry cadence and pointing fingers more than the actual words. She gets the gist of it, at least, bundling the woman into a tight hug and pressing a $20 and a bar of chocolate into the woman's hand. A nod at Ty and they disappear from sight, reappear long enough to grab one of the pointed-at people - a woman, trying to flee - and disappear again.

They reappear down the street a few minutes later, and the fleeing woman doesn't look back as she disappears into the night. She won't be back, because if she does come back... well, Tandy has promised to introduce her to the scary thing that lives inside Ty. Her eyes scan coolly over the adults as they come back towards the babushka, getting a much friendlier stream of mixed babble this time.