2126/A Little Check Up

A Little Check Up
Date of Scene:	16 June 2020
Location:	Alex and Emma's suite - Hellfire Club
Synopsis:	Shaw and Tessa come to check on Emma, Tessa has some information about Sinister.
Cast of Characters:	Emma Frost, Sebastian Shaw, Tessa

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Emma Frost has posed:
Emma was mostly confined to bed to recover, per doctor's orders. She could get up and around in a very limited fashion, sure, but given she had several internal stitches that need to heal, she's been spending her last few days alternating between sleeping and working on her tablet on the new teen club for the Hellfire.

Her apartment had been redone during her absence, and Alex Summer's keycard had been upgraded to take advantage of some of the Club's amenities such as the gym and the like... he was officially living here now. It would be likely to someone with Tessa's deductive skills that it would likely not be long until the young man might be purchased a VIP slot and his application for membership brought to the board... but. That's not too important now. Other than the apartment no longer being an empty, pristine showroom and now more of a comfortable home, it was still Emma's domain, even if she shares it now.

Emma herself is on the couch, not in her bed, though she is mostly reclining against one of the arms. A few prescription bottles are scattered on the coffee table, along with an empty and half full bottles of sparkling water.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"Room service." Sebastian Shaw knocks on the door, albeit after it's already open (he had texted to let her know he was on the way down a few minutes ago). He does, however, carry a medium-sized tray of some of Emma's favorites from the various establishments. Alas, no beer to wash them down while she's on prescriptions, but there is a couple fresh bottles of sparkling water. He moves to place it down on an empty patch of coffee table, even if he has to shift a few of the prescription bottles aside.

"How are you feeling, Emma?" Shaw doesn't make to sit down without invitation, but he does study her, trying to do some assessment of his own even beyond the simple question.

Tessa has posed:
    Tessa's eyes briefly turn to Shaw with a slight squint behind her spectacles, but she otherwise no-sells the moment of levity. She does, however, affix an abormally kind smile to her face, so the normally so-polite-it-loops-back-to-stoic personal assistant is at least putting appropriate effort in, even if she can't quite break her shell.
    She has a tablet slung under one forearm and a bouquet of white roses in her free hand as she gives a small, respectful bow of her head and shoulders. "Ms. Frost." She says before she straightens up, "I was relieved to hear of your recovery. I hope that you're doing well."
    Her eyes briefly scanning over the room and taking in... well, everything remarkably quickly. Quick enough that it may just seem like an empty pleasantry when she says, "Your home is lovely."

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma actually looks hungrily at the food-- she's been mostly nibbling on bland stuff like rice and similar for days, with little hunger to show, but the interest likely indicates she's on the mend, at least. "Better," she says. "Thank you, Sebastian," she nods towards the tray before reaching out and grabbing a chunk of pretzel and a little of the cheese. "Sleeping a lot, but the doctor says that's because of the painkillers." She gives Tessa a smile. "Tessa. Thank you... for the flowers and everything." She shifts a bit to leave more room on the couch. "Please, sit. I'll admit this one is more comfortable than the one I had in here before."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Sebastian does move to take a seat, albeit on the far end of the couch, leave space for Tessa between them.

"I come bearing one more gift beyond just food, although from Tessa's estimation it's not quite so grand as I might have wished. But it appears she has found something that may be related to your recent ordeal."

He gestures for Tessa to take the seat between them and notes, "I haven't heard it myself yet. We came down as soon as she informed me she had something."

Tessa has posed:
    Tessa takes her seat after Shaw; inclining her head slightly with a soft, "Thank you." before she sits between them.
    She lays the flowers down carefully and straightens her tie with her newly freed hand before she nods her head when Shaw finishes speaking. "A starting point... and a curiosity, regarding our perpetrator. We felt you had the right to know first; though I will not belabor the point if the subject is... unwelcome at this moment."

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma leans over on the armrest a bit, peering at first Shaw and then Tessa. "No, no, it's fine. Whatever you've found out, maybe it will help us find him." She takes another couple of pretzel bites and nibbles at them.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Shaw nods, "Let's hear what you've found, Tessa." He settles against the couch, getting comfortable, and makes a gesture indicating Tessa can begin at her leisure.

Also, he steals a bit of pretzel. The scoundrel.

Tessa has posed:
    The stolen pretzel earns an unreadable glance from Tessa that may just as easily be amusement as disapproval. If anyone can read anything useful from that, it's Shaw, and even that may be a long shot.
    "Very good." is Tessa's response as she props her tablet up on her lap and wakes it up. She doesn't actually remotely need it for this, but it's important to keep a habit of maintaining some plausible deniability for having a Mutant brain.
    "Our Mr. Sinister has not been easy to unearth in public records. Though for all my searching, I don't believe he's honestly done much to cover his tracks. They are simply..." her brow lowers very slightly. "Old. I discovered Oxford records of a Doctor Nathaniel Essex who spoke extensively in presentations of... radical theories of Human evolution. Radical enough that he was quickly shunned, denounced, and mocked by his peers.
    "But curiously..." Tessa turns her head just enough to look at Emma, "... his theories closely resemble our current understanding of the Mutant X-Gene." Tessa quirks a brow just slightly. "Though he sought to lable it the 'Essex Factor.'" Tessa's nose wrinkles briefly, and she goes on. "He was married. Had two failed pregnancies with his wife, the latter of which resulted in her death shortly after his disgrace at Oxford. After that he disappears from Historical record." Tessa lowers her head briefly. This is the part that may be hardest to sell, "... This all took place in the late 1800s. However, after considerable research, and the absence of any sort of record of death, I am certain that this is our Mr. Sinister."

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma just blinks. "1800s? So... he's... some sort of old mutant?" She shakes her head and looks incredulous. She had heard it was possible but... "If he's immortal, why does he care about anyone else's x-genes? I mean... immortal, telepathic, telekinetic..." she shivers as she thinks back to her captivity. "What else would he need?"

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Sebastian Shaw says, "Some people always want more." Shaw frowns, looking troubled, "There may be threads here you can pull, Tessa. The man's clearly an egomaniac...playing God and whatnot." Clearly unafraid of throwing stones in his glass house, this one. "Keep sifting through those old records focusing on that "Essex" name. See if you can dig up some more footprints that might match our foe. Perhaps searching some "Nathaniels" in medicine, biology, and particularly genetic engineering as well. We should also consider the possibility, however remote, that he is an undocumented descendant or...creation...of this Nathaniel Essex.""

Tessa has posed:
    Tessa nods once at Emma's initial conclusion of what Sinister is, saying, "That is my operating theory, yes." As Emma concludes, she lowers her head slightly and seems to ponder. "... I prefer to avoid wild speculation when I can, Ms. Frost, but... given what we know, and your accounts of this man... I would guess he fancies himself something of an artist. Or..." Tessa looks forward at nothing. "... a perfectionist."
    Glass houses, indeed. "Of course, Mr. Shaw." She answers affirmatively, though Shaw's offered theory gives her a moment's pause, turning this new idea over in her head. Creative thinking/speculation aren't generally her strong suit. But, again, given what they know of the man, equally as valid a possibility. "... I will dig into this whenever possible, going forward, until the matter is brought to a conclusion the Board will find... satisfactory."

Emma Frost has posed:
Sighing, Emma idly runs a hand over the stitches on her abdomen through her pajama top. "Mm. He was cloning people. I had to deal with a couple of... clones of people I had met before. Like Alex's older brother." She's quick to say, "He's a teacher at the school, and apparently this... Doctor Sinister? Ran the orphanage he grew up in." For now, the X-Men's secrets are marginally safe. "Still. It's highly disturbing. I'm grateful for the increase in security. Alex is getting used to it-- I don't think he's too happy at some of the restrictions, but I think those chafe on the lower classes who aren't used to them more than they do us. He'll learn."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"Hm. Maybe we'll have to see about having a meeting with Alex's brother, see if he knows anything further we can use. If nothing else the location of the orphanage might be someplace we can branch a search out from." Shaw notes, rubbing at his chin in thought, before he shakes his head slightly, "But not an immediate concern. Is there anything further, Tessa?"

Tessa has posed:
    Tessa nods her head. "It's true. If he hasn't managed to return, and if he was using the orphanage for similar purposes-" said so matter-of-factly "-there may well be more to find."
    Tessa shakes her head faintly and says, "Nothing further at this time, Mr. Shaw. I will, of course, keep both of you, and the Board informed whenever I find anything." Tessa looks to Emma properly this time and says, "Is there anything else I can do for you, Ms. Frost?"

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma tilts her head, considering. "No, but thank you, Tessa. But I think I may finish this meal up later... my pain pills are beginning to kick in and I should probably sleep." She slowly pushes herself to her feet. "I might even be awake again when Alex gets off of work." She grins slightly. "Thank you both for stopping by. I hate being confined here, but hopefully I'll be back to mended soon enough."