2512/Showing Up is Ninety Percent

Showing Up is Ninety Percent
Date of Scene:	18 July 2020
Location:	Penthouse - Kord Co
Synopsis:	Peter gets called to the boss to explain himself...while someone uses the pool in a non-traditional way. It's that kind of night.
Cast of Characters:	Ted Kord, Peter Parker, Cassandra Cain

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Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord is starting on a late supper, in this case a meat lover's pizza, flown in by drone and good and hot. A sixer of Blue Moon at hand he opens the box, takes in his bounty... and the phone rings. He glares at the phone even as a drone fetches it over. "Thank you Bobo... Hello, this is Kord. What? Parker? Send the kid up, it's nearly eight! What was he doing? What? This is not going to fly. Tell him get his bony butt up here now!"

Ted rubs his race and tells the drone, "Get another plate and a couple of soft drinks, please." He closes the top of the pizza box to keep the pizza hot and waits, watching his private elevator.

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter stuffed the mask in his back pocket before pulling on the lab coat. He is about to leave for Lab 12 when Karl, the security guy, steps into view.
"Mr. Parker?" He says in that polite yet stilted way. He was Serbian, had left with his family when things got hot in Sarajevo. A man immensely glad to be a U.S. citizen. "Mr. Kord requests your presence immediately. Before you start your shift."
"Ohhhkay?" Peter glanced to Glen, who smirked. "I'll...be up shortly."
Glen chuckled. "That's what you get for slacking..."

Peter sighed. He sorta expected it to happen. "Lead the way, Karl."
Karl nodded as they headed to the elevator. "You good young man, Parker. I'm sure it nothing."

A minute later, the knock at the door came, and the security guy said crisply to the closed door, "Mr. Parker, sir."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord gives Karl a thumbs up and a look that says, "Scram." He points to the sofa. "Peter, it's nearly eight. Your team has gone home. You should be home. What gives? Why are you showing up now? And I have to ask, does Aunt May know you came here? Because no way do I want to endanger future apple pie deliveries. I mean I will throw you under the bus in a heartbeat. I closed three deals with that pie. Anyway sit down, have a slice if you like... did you eat?" A drone flits in and deposits several soft drinks on the table.

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter blinks and looks nervous. "Uhm, yessir, I'm sorry I missed the presentation. I'm sure Glen was able to show how we beat the metal fatigue issue without me. I just...well, I was having trouble on the subway."
Yeah, becaise Dr. Connors had a Lizard flare-up and had hidden in the sewers near the Blue Line.
"It was just a little technical issue, and it got resolved..."
When Spider-Man, toot toot goes his horn, brought Lizard into custody.

"I'll do my best to keep it from happening again, sir."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord shakes his head. "You don't seem to grasp my concerns? It is eight PM. You're no good to anyone worked to a frazzle. The presentation was BS. Glen didn't need you. Your aunt said you were forgetful but... sheesh! Peter, do we have to reduce your hours or reschedule? I like my people to be productive. If you show up for unpaid overtime just to stay afloat... I'm not happy. Now what do you need me to fix for you?" Ted serves up a slice for Peter and puts it in front of him.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
There's...someone outside the window. Of the penthouse. Behind Ted's back, where Peter can see it, a human head is sticking down from above. Hair dangling upside-down, a face peers in through the window curiously. Female, not there for too long, and possibly asian? Whoever it is spots Peter, locks eyes with him, and then gives a grin. And pulls back up out of sight.

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter is about to speak when he sees something behind Mr. Kord. He blinks, sees the grin, holds up a finger...and then she is gone again. Owari, having some fun at his expense? No, there was some difference.

He looked back to Mr. Kord, realizing he looked COMPLETELY foolish, and realized there was a Rubicon he had to cross. He never got to with Tony Stark...and maybe that had been the trouble.

Maybe Mr. Kord would understand.

"Uhm...I would like to explain. But...could you perhaps close the blinds or shutter the windows or something...?"

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord would be a o.O if he were an emoticon right now. "Privacy mode!" he says and the drones rush to draw blinds and secure the windows. He's 90% sure this will be worth the explanation and that still leaves 10% that says Peter is wound a little too tight. He does take a bite of that lovely and rapidly cooling pizza. "Okay, this better be good," he says after he takes a swallow of beer.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
The drones report that there is a human on the wall. Not the roof, the wall. It appears to be heading toward the back wall, moving with remarkable speed. No major weaponry is reported.

Outside, the person whose name is Cass puts a piton into a small groove, then uses it to swing on a spiderwire line around the building. She smiles as the breeze blows into her hair, the hot sun being relieved by that. And the rooftop having a stiff wind of its own. No place like that to be on a hot day, unless there's a pool. Hey, she checks for signs of a pool..

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter waits until he is sure the blinds are closed and all the security measures a CEO would have are set in place. He nods, looking around once more, then reaches in his back pocket, then pulls out a fistful of fabric and tosses it towards Ted's large desk.

It spreads out as it lands, turning just slightly, and then the mask of Spider-Man is looking up at Ted from the desk with an almost clinical detachment.

Rimshot, please?

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord looks at the mask. "Well it's a fair job for sure... you got the lenses in the mask right. You're telling me you're having time management problems because you ****ing cosplay? Seriously? Peter..."

A tell tale in the desk lights and he forgets what he's about to say. "Peter, stay here... we have some nutcase outside... again. I'm going to deal with this. Boys! Defend Mr. Parker!" six large drones immediately form a cordon around Peter as Ted strips down to his beetle costume and pulls his mask on. He buckles on his gunbelt as he heads for the door. "I thought all my rogues are in jail... maybe it's someone for Booster. Bobo follows after Ted.

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter watches Ted Kord suit up and move out of the room with a purposeful air.

Well...THAT didn't quite go as expected. Then again, if the kneejerk reaction is that cosplay is easier to figure than superheroing on $5/day, maybe that's a point in his favor.

Maybe he'll just wait until Mr. Kord returns with something that can't quite be explained away so easily...

Ted Kord has posed:
Meanwhile one of the drones picks up the mask and hands it politely back to Peter.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Oblivious to all of this, the lady causing the mid-meeting chaos finds a nice spot in the shade. She leans back and pulls off her hoodie, letting the crop top do instead, and sits on the fabric of the removed article. Leans back and lets the rooftop wind blow her hair, closing her eyes, and watches the bots flit past in the air.

She smiles. No pool, but there's always a nice breeze this high up. And the two guys can catch up when they get bored. Neither one of them is really a bug anyway. Silly super suits. She says, dangling over a 1000 foot drop like it's a lounge area.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord emerges sweeping the pool area with his BB gun. Nope. Then he looks up on the penthouse roof and sees Cass looking all winsome and cute. His eyes widen, then narrow in an 'Oh yeah kind of way. "Oh... it's you. My little friend from China! Well I'll deal with you in a bit... open the pool for the lady and get her a bottled water or something. Put out some pretzels. I'll be back in a bit!" He wags a finger at Cassandra. Decides he may as well rip out the security system at this point and hurries back to Peter. "It's okay, it's a lady I met the other night. Apparently she likes climbing buildings. Now what were you going to tell me, Petter?" Cosplay. If it were LARPing he might get fired on the spot.

Peter Parker has posed:
The drones duly note Peter's position has changed since Ted was standing in front of his desk. He is now sitting against the wall, his back to it...
...both feet planted on the wall...
...and about halfway up the wall. He picked a bare spot of wall, so he doesn't knock off any artwork, because the art aren't knockoffs either.

He isn't wearing the mask, but that the ONLY part of the costume he is currently not wearing.
"I was...about to explain my poor attendance?"

Cassandra Cain has posed:
In the background, a splash highlights the entry into the pool of the one who caused all of this chaos. How much of her outfit SHE's wearing has yet to be determined, but apparently a giggle isn't out of her vocal options.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord is shocked for a moment. He has seen stuff though. When your sexy Brazilian frenemy can turn to fire, your other frenemy has a power ring and you are best buddies with an ADD time traveler, you build up a resistance. He waves the drones off. he walks over, ever the engineer and makes sure there is not obvious trickery. Micro suction cups? No the wall is too porous? Gecko style nano fiber hooks? Peter could retire early with those. No wires. He blinks and mutters, "This is the best damned excuse I ever got! It's an honor to meet you! I'm a fan of your work. I... I feel like we have a lot in common somehow." The splash and the giggle draws a look from him. No superheroes before h... well that's hardly a flsttering word... superpals before gals! He extends a hand to Peter.

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter detaches from the wall and drops lightly to the floor. He looks a little embarrassed, though. A CEO, his boss, a fan of HIS work?

"I...normally...uhm, sorry." He extends a hand to shake Mr. Kord's hand. "Yeah, I...this is sorta the reason I've been late so often. I get sidetracked by people needing help, the occasional villain...it's also why my school attendance tanked the last couple of years."

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Completely underwater. Swimming in the sky, a person could get used to this. You can't hear what's outside, so she wouldn't do it for long. It'd get on her nerves; she's used to being alert for danger. Water is a buffer, a darkness on the senses. She floats outside, eyes staring upward into the shimmering blue of the water-filled sky.

She randomly decides to make a game of it. Training. She'll stay under til one of the guys shows up. Why not? It's just air.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord nods and after a moment remembers to let go of Spider-Man's hand. "I can understand that. Of course. I tanked a couple of deals myself. I... secret identities are a lout of work, Spider-... Peter. I wow. I give you credit. You have a lot on your plate. All right, never let it be said the Blue Beetle failed to extend professional courtesy to a fellow superhero. Let me have a day or two to figure something out for you. Right now... I got an engaging but kooky martial artist type could probably take me out in a second. Personally I think she's either a clone of Lady Shiva or Lady Shiva found the Fountain of youth... so put your mask on. I want to see what the heck she got into."

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter looks around, then says, "Uhhh, yeah. I think I saw her already. Lemme get my civvies back on, having me around will be easier to explain than why I disappeared and Spider-Man showed up."
And with that, he slips his pants on, sliding the gloves and the web-shooters off at the same time. He takes the Spider-themed backpack...and turns it inside-out, as it now looks like the green-and-gray backpack he cam in with. One shirt, labcoat and mask stash later, and Peter Parker, the Not-Fired, is shouldering the beat-up-looking backpack and looking completely normal...if a little sheepish.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Hm. Three minutes. A challenge, very cool. I wish I had an internal monologue so I could be snarky about this, but it really is a good way to train.

What's seen isn't that complex really. The sky, the stars, and a girl in lotus position on the bottom of the pool. Really a good way to hide, assuming anyone were looking. She'll use it someday. Right now, she's meditating.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord steps out and looks around. The drones pointing and hovering worriedly help. CEO Ted Kord, the Blue Beetle doesn't waste any time, diving into the pool to attempt to grab the young lady and get her to air. Sploosh! Man of action and passion!

Poor Ted.

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter steps out behind Mr. Kord, looking around with a puzzled frown. (Hey, that rhymes.) He isn't detecting any imminent threat, unless the girl can suddenly drown them like Hydro-Man.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Yes. Ted tries to grab the lady in the water, and a thrashing obscures vision for a short time. If there were a -censored- bar it would be in place, as Cass' eyes snap open and she defends herself by removing the hands placed on her body and replacing them with Ted's face on the bottom of the pool.

She emerges from the water then, looking grumpy. And fully dressed, the only thing she took off being the hoodie, which she grabs up and slaps onto her back. She looks at Peter, then back at Ted. Then lifts her nose and walks off the roof.

You know. Like it's normal. And no, she doesn't wear a mask.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord has goggles with padded rims and a face shield. It still hurts like Hell. Is that a nosebleed starting? He surfaces and the mask slips back with servo muscles. Yep, nosebleed. He had worse. "Hey! What's the big idea?! I though you were int rouble and... you hit me with the building... somehow... where are you going? Sput splut pftui! HEY! I'm talking to you... missy!" He belatedly climbs from the water, blood running down his face."

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter blinks and runs to the edges of the building to look down at where she disappeared. He had a feeling she did not just commit suicide.

On the off-chance she DID, though, he can have a web-shooter ready in 1/10th of a second...

Cassandra Cain has posed:
She's still there (I know, totally not the Bat Fam's motif, gasp!) She's plummeting off the roof, already a few stories down. She hooks the branch of a tree in passing, slowing her fall. Legs hook another, and she's going sideways in 1/12th of a second, and then she's out of sight into some bushes and gone.

Spidey's vision catches something that most wouldn't though. She looked up when she was falling, and she was...calm. Almost bored, as if this was just as fun as painting a wall. With a small brush.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord goes over to the edge and looks down, ready to deploy the building nets. Nope. "She Batman'd out on us. I still have no idea who she is. All right a mystery to solve for another day. I need to wipe the security cameras in the penthouse. Uhmmmm you get home to your aunt... oh Hell. Let me fly you over. We'll discuss where to put you where you can work flex time and some remote assignments. I'll. call the Bug." He wipes at his mouth and nose.

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter turns back to Ted and takes a deep breath. "I'll do whatever I can to contribute. I'm sorry to make this a problem for you..."

He didn't want special treatment, but he did want to do a good job.

"Right...okay, then. Thanks, Mr. Kord."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord shakes his head. "This is not a problem. Peter... I'm an odd duck. I have a genius level IQ, the equivalent of a couple degrees, at least... there aren't a lot of people I can talk to. I'm really lonely sometimes, even with my best friend around... who acts like an idiot sometimes. To have a person I can really geek out with is a joy. And the superheroing is gravy! Anyway... I will fix things as little as possible to accommodate your saving lives. I promise I will let you work your way up the ladder. I will not use my position to extort apple pie. All that. But I am flying you home to get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow is a school day."