5807/Hunting Daniel Sousa

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Hunting Daniel Sousa
Date of Scene: 31 March 2021
Location: Apt 137 Abcde Prescelta - Forest Hills Apartments
Synopsis: Peggy and her team continue to hunt for Daniel, which leads them to the home of the young witch Abcde Prescelta and... eventually... the man himself. Emotions run very high.
Cast of Characters: Melinda May, Daisy Johnson, Peggy Carter, Bobbi Morse, Abcde Prescelta, Daniel Sousa




Melinda May has posed:
To say they didn't get a lot of sleep last night is understating it quite a bit. It was well after midnight by the time Melinda convinced Peggy to call it a night. After all, it's not like Daniel was the type to go walking an unfamiliar neighbourhood at 2am. Nevertheless, the print of the surveillance photo the pair used in every coffee shop and bar they could find in the Forest Hill and Rego areas of Queens wasn't nearly enough to give them any solid leads.

Which means waiting for Daisy really was the best choice.

Now, some few hours -- and a light, forced breakfast -- later, May has the laptop open and offline again, showing the reports and photos and videos Caldwell gave her to Daisy. "If I went through one way," she tells her friend, "it's entirely possible he's come through this way." A beat. "He just happens to have even worse timing than I do." Because, sure... show up when SHIELD is completely on the rocks, why don't ya, Sousa?!

"We need to find him. Fast. Talbot's looking for him, I have no doubt. Realistically, we know he's got to be somewhere in this radius." A paper copy of a map of Queens is on the table, too, a red circle that outlines a small circumference around the 112th police precinct. "Daniel can't walk much further than this without help." She grimaces faintly. "It's possible we'll need to expand the search, but... let's start here."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Daisy has been on and off with staying at the safehouse, often rotating through others, helping in set up a safe network infraestructure for the agents now that their main one had been compromised and others simply justifying it with 'I got to go talk with my bowl'. Whatever that meant! But it's not as if she sometimes wasn't heard talking to herself at the room she shared with Jemma at the place.

Today was one of those days she was coming to stay at the safehouse, so arriving and getting those news about hunting a long-dead man? She blinks a few times, "What the ..., you mean the one with the chin?" give it to Daisy to focus on the chin. But then again there had to be a *reason* she had sort of hanged out with Grant Ward, right? But then it's time to get to work.

"It's a good starting point." She agrees while doing her study of the images they got, "But still a lot to comb through. I found a few things about that woman with him.." she turns her own laptop over to may, some info on Abcde showing, namely a newspaper pic of her near War Machine. "She was at this spot. By collating the photos there's a 90% chance this is her." she points to a school album picture from Huntington, West Virginia.

Peggy Carter has posed:
The main reason Peggy wasn't half asleep was adrenaline and worry. She can go a lot of days on her body's own chemicals, even if she's starting to run low on the emergency juice after a whole weekend on high alert and a whole night. Still, she's on her second pot of tea now and has managed to put a few bites of cold Indian food back for breakfast (unless someone else cooked something a bit more appropriate. She had no taste for food, only knew she needed fuel.) "I *hope* he ended up bedding down somewhere safe. I don't know if that magic woman is... safe, but she looked more scared than vengeful in that video, so hopefully she is. If he'd just get off his leg and take a rest, he'd be able to go farther. Troublesome for us, but..." Peggy's voice is overly concerned. Protective. Almost too protective.

It's very possible it is the tone in her words that might clue Daisy in about how much the 'chin' matches the man in the photos that hang through the front room. Her wedding photos. The old SHIELD photos. This isn't just an old agent Peggy's trying to help recover, but her husband. That might also explain the slightly too wide, too bright nature of her eyes, glassy with exhaustion and emotions but pushing through. She gulps back another bit of tea and looks over the woman's data, "Okay. That's where she's *from*. Can we find where she lives *now*?"

Melinda May has posed:
"She's a ways from home," May says, looking at the yearbook photo. She glances to Peggy, feeling the bombardment of the woman's ragged emotions and consciously channeling them into something, for her, more usuable -- which is to say that tight resolve that is her maintstay. As for breakfast food? Really, May simply had a bagel with some cheese. Quick, easy, less likely to give heartburn later. Which, with all this tension and emotion running around, unfortunately, is something May's learned she needs to think about.

Thank you, oh-so-much, Terragenesis.

"We need an address. Place of employment. *Something*." A beat. "I mean, I suppose we could try reaching out to War Machine..."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Daisy has set into that usual attitude of hers when she knows one of her friends is stressing out, whether due to a mission or, in this case, a more personal one. And that is to have that confident look of someone that is sure all will be fine. It has to be! So she simply smiles at the question and offers a nod. "No name to the picture unfortunately BUT ..." and she alt-tabs swiftly to another window. "She *is* a writer. Apparently writes fanfic, magic stuff. A teenage girl coming to terms with her powers." Daisy does get a bit of a color to her cheeks. Has she read it? Most likely... Might be she is even a fan..

"I have an idea, if she is projecting herself to this character then she most likely has a cat, we can hit one of the vet shops in the area. They normally have addresses of the owners." a look between them. "But regardless of if we choose to go along with this or not we should get going on the way." she knows the urgency of it all.

Peggy Carter has posed:
One more bite old cold paneer, and Peggy's shoving the old container back into the fridge. She stands up from the kitchen table and Daisy might get a nice shock of what the older woman is wearing -- she almost looks hip with the kids, as it were. She's in a pair of dark leggings tucked into knee high brown leather boots, a casual black camisole beneath and a button down shirt worn open over top of it. It's the most boring, modern thing that Peggy's ever worn around other agents. She's even just pinned her hair back into a pony tail today and isn't bothering with make up, though that somehow makes her look pale and unfinished. Raw. Peggy's always perfectly put together. She now looks like an uncolored photo compared to her normal self.

"Daisy's right. Time to start hiking the streets again. The cat is a good idea. Even I wouldn't have thought of it, honestly. And, if we're lucky, maybe they are out looking as well..." Peggy's voice holds in reserve a tired, quiet hope as she looks back between May and Daisy, confirming they are both ready. She then tosses her brown leather bomber jacket on, since that is still in style, and moves for the garage door. Enough of them that they need to take the SUV again.

Melinda May has posed:
May reaches for her jacket -- her look hasn't changed dramatically, though she does add a ball cap and sunglasses to the look -- and the map. She pulls the car keys from a pocket. "Let's roll."

Twenty minutes later, she's guiding the vehicle -- whether it's Daisy's old van or Peggy's SUV -- down the streets, not far from the 112th precinct. "Where do you think we should start, Daisy?" she asks, having trusted that the woman brought what she needed to maintain a mobile network so she can continue to work her digital magic while they hunt. Maybe the younger agent can't break into surveillance systems quite so easily this way (or maybe she can), but May's profile on the girl they're hunting suggest keeping an eye on her digital footprint is a good idea.

"We're looking for a twenty-something writer type. Maybe a cat lover. Probably overwhelmed by everything that's been happening, even if she's used to all the weird shit magic brings."

Speaking of... She draws the vehicle into a gap by the sidewalk, in something that will pass for a parking space, and sends off a quick text to Wilcox, letting her know they're in the area and hoping no one's on to the secure burner, yet.

Bobbi Morse has posed:
Wilcox hears the buzz on the burner and types back a reply "We have an Agent on the ground in Queens. Agent Cape, I can message him to meet up with you if you like. He's searching for the magic source. -W"

Melinda May has posed:
<<Do it. Thanks.>> May texts back, before glancing to the others. "We're going to get some magical help."


Daisy Johnson has posed:
Daisy had reverted back to the old Skye days. The goth makeup, the darker clothes by way of black jeans and a t-shirt with the letters 'Punk is not dead'. Hair was up in a ponytail too. Though she takes a moment to look over Peggy's outfit with a blink. Now that's a surprise. A look shared with May and then a nod. Time to go. She snaps the laptop close, tucking it into her backpack and she is ready to go.

When May takes those keys out of the pocket there's just a little challenging look of 'I drive', but eh, she doesn't fight it too much. It's not a Quinnjet afterall! And besides, she has work to do.

Her laptop is open on her lap while they go to Queens, the sound of her taptapping on the keyboard heard. "Magical help?" she asks May, then back to the computer. "But so.., I tracked her alter-ego, the writer, and it seems she is fond of this shop. Saw a mention on her insta." she turns the computer to Peggy and May. "Cat Queens 'r us." she says. "So let's go there." a look to May and Peggy. "Any of you wants to go in there and ask about her?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
Giving a little look over to May's message, "...if you trust them, sure." The tone of Peggy's voice there says she pretty much doesn't trust anyone, but that includes herself, so she'll rely on May's instincts about this all if they should work with WAND or not. A slight nod of affirmation is give when the other woman makes the call. She then settles into the van's seat, trying to relax as they go.
Daisy's continued hunting gets a little narrow of her eyes, "Her... Insta? I'd still be convinced you all are making up words but I know this isn't the time for bullshitting." Peggy smirks, really having not a clue what Daisy is talking about. "I'll keep eyes out here on the street. I think I'd be most likely to recognize Daniel if he was going by, I know him from rather every angle." She's not blushing as she says that but there are some implications. "Even in jeans. May, care to ask about this woman and her.. Insta-cat?" Hopefully she used that right.

Melinda May has posed:
"Talbot doesn't have magic, far as we know," May reassures Peggy. "And I trust Wilcox. Right now, if she says Caldwell and Cape are on the level... I'll go with it." Doesn't mean she won't be covering her ass in the meantime.

She nods, though, as the other woman suggests she's most useful watching the surrounding area. She's not wrong.

May tucks her phone away and pulls back out into traffic, heading for the shop Daisy suggests. "It's a place to start--" the instagram lead. "Let's take a look at it and see what we're walking into, first." Daisy may be the better choice.

It doesn't take long to get there.

Bobbi Morse has posed:
    Agent Cape is waiting for them outside the Cat Queens 'r us. He looks like he could be related to the Keonigs. Short with a bowl hair cut and a large mole above his lip. He oozes little model figurine war game convention nerd. He's got on a trench coat and is holding out a crystal on the end of a string over a compass.

    Cape was told what May looked like and he gives her a nod when he sees the group arriving. He is not really a field agent, though WAND is a bit weird like that. Their analysts are often in the field. He offers his name, "Reese Cape, I've been expecting you. Was already in the area, scopin' the place out." He's trying a little too hard to impress the agents of SHIELD. "Nothing suspicious so far," he concludes. Besides him perhaps.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Sometimes Daisy forgets about Peggy not exactly being from 'here'. She smiles though and does a quick explanation of it. "A place for people to be vain and post pictures, mostly of themselves." then a grin, "Or of their cat sometimes.." she casts a look out to the Agent waiting for them. "What is -he- doing...?"

"Hello, Cape. I am Daisy." a glance over to the shop and then back. "We got this spot here as the one the girl brings her cat. So .., she should live around here. There's a lot of vet shops in these neighborhoods so I wouldn't even dismiss it being one of these buildings around us.. And okay, we will be right back, Peggy."

"Can you .., what is the purpose of that?" she asks of the crystal ball. But you know what? They are on a mission, so she just moves in to the shop, suggesting over to May. "Want to distract the receptionist and I take a look at the computer?" it's all very illegal, but they are Agents of SHIELD!

And they have an Agent to save.

Peggy Carter has posed:
Peggy doesn't remain in the van, but she does remain *near* it. Just far enough she can see over the hood and give the whole few block raidus as much of a scan as she possibly can past buildings and without getting up onto something high. She looks a bit confused at Daisy about 'Insta', but will ask more about this narcissism tool later. She looks over as the other agent meets them, dark eyes giving Reese the once up and down, but she doesn't introduce herself. She's remaining slightly separate, watching their backs and looking for any tails or follows that might have come with this WAND agent whom she doesn't know.

"Stay safe." She mutters quietly to them, "I've got eyes out." As the group heads for the shop, she gives them a slight good luck nod, but remains out the outside, their hovering protector. Now she's looking for both Sousa's shape on the streets and anyone that might be suspiciously following them.

Melinda May has posed:
May can't help but wince a little as Cape presents himself. Caldwell was dicey enough. But this guy? She resists the urge to facepalm. It's probably a good thing she's not in WAND. Their training requirements would change slightly. Or, more accurately, they'd be *augmented*.

She slides out of the van and greets the WAND agent briefly. "Try not to draw attention to yourself, Mr. Cape," she says to him. "We'll be out shortly." She hopes.

She gives Daisy a nod and slips her jacket off and lays it inside the van, before she adjusts her top so that she's no longer quite so 'imposing'. Then, she sweeps into the office. "Help!" she says, moving straight toward the receptionist. "I need help!" She leans against the counter, looking a little panicked, a little wild. "The dog just came right out of nowhere. I'm afraid to move it. Please. Please, come help!"

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Daisy is moving in a bit after May, hands in her pockets, just sort of there, maybe waiting for someone to come out? She looks inconspicuous even if she quirks a brow up at May's approach. Nice one.

Because poking at human curiosity is always a good way to go. Specially where it comes to accidents. Ever saw all those people stopping on the highway to look at an accident? And considering they are in a vet ... The receptionist looks alarmed, tapping on a 'buzz' and speaking. "We need a nurse out here, in the street." she says quickly before stepping out of her post to join May, moving to the door. "Where was it?" she questions, curious and a feeling of worry in her. She truly cares about animals.

Daisy makes her way over, around the desk, lowering herself to a squat so she isn't seen and starts to type on the computer quickly, searching. Now how to find this elusive girl. She gets the db about cats. Black ones? Most likely. She starts opening up medical sheets quickly, looking for Abcde's pic to show up.

Bobbi Morse has posed:
    Cape nods his head seriously to the serious agents of shield and says, "Scrying for magic." He wonders just why they're going in to a vet but hey, not his department. He gives Peggy a nod and says, "Crazy, right?" His attempts at being personable are not likely to be successful. The crystal and compass are put away, "Nothing strong here, not like near the police station." Sunglasses come out of jacket pocket and are worn.

Peggy Carter has posed:
As Cape tries to make small talk, Peggy swallows back her hackles. The man is risking arrest or worse just by talking to them, the least she can be is nice. She doesn't look directly at the agent, but keeps a slow walk around the area, eyes scanning as she goes. "...Would her apartment likely have something magical...around it? A guardian or... shield or something? How close would you have to be to trace that?" Peggy asks softly on her next walk by the agent.

She then reaches into her old bomber jacket and pulls out something that's got to be incredibly ancient and dread -- a pack of dried out Lucky Strikes. Still, smoking is a better excuse to be pacing than anything. She hasn't really in ages, but she taps one of the fragile, dead leaf smokes free and slips it between her lips. Matches come out of her pocket next and it's a miracle that one manages to strike from the old vintage box, but it does. She barely winces as she drags in on the thing. Just like a cigar, don't inhale.

Bobbi Morse has posed:
    Cape says, "Oh yeah a witch like that? definitely. Or if the big magic hits again, like a beacon. If we find her apartment, we can walk down the hallway and probably find the right room. Caldwell and I don't usually go _in_ to buildings though. We usually stay in the Crystal Ball. C&C, we're a team that can't be beat when it comes to tracking magical weirdness."

Melinda May has posed:
May moves to the door of the vet, the bell jingling as she plows through it -- possibly startling Peggy as she goes. Very likely startling Cape. She holds the door for the receptionist and nurse, however, pointing down the street, away from everything they're doing. "It's down there!" She doesn't spare Peggy or Cape the slightest glance, though she does track Daisy very briefly. Then, she's jogging ahead of the two vet workers, leading them on a wild goose chase.

Or phantom dog chase, as the case may be.

When they reach the place where the dog is supposed to be, where her non-existant car should be, she makes a great show of running halfway out into traffic -- just enough to set the stage, but not so far as to truly endanger herself. "Where did it...? My car! The dog! I--" She looks helplessly at the women who followed her, pulling on all the emotion she's been trying to suppress over the last few days. Tears well up in her eyes, her breath comes high in her chest, fluttery -- all the panic Peggy swallowed down set free. "It was *here*!" She insists. "I left my car and my purse and..."

Melinda May puts on the show of a lifetime.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
While May is off leading the poor nurse and receptionist on a goose chase Daisy continues to type, going through another one and ..., hol' up. She goes back to the last file and studies the face of the woman snuggling her cat. Yea, sounds about right. And Mittens is it?

She quickly writes down an address, along with the name. Abcde? Curious. She springs back up to her feet, a quick look over to make sure there's noone around besides a woman coming in with her dog. "Uh, are you the receptionist..?"

"No, I thought I saw my cat back here but .., no. I am getting antsy as they are being looked over by a doctor and ..." she trails off and then says. "Anyway, I am going to catch some air.." she gets out of the vet.

As for the receptionist and nurse they look sympathetic, specially the nurse, walking over to give a pat on the back to May. "All will be fine, here take this card. It's for the nearest precint, they can try and find our car." then the receptionist. "Hey, I am getting a page, we are needed back in there." she tells them, and then off they go.

Daisy wanders out, approaching Cape and Peggy. "Hey, I got an address." she hands the paper to Peggy, with the address and name of the girl in it.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Alright then, we start seeing if we can get into buildings, maybe... If this search doesn't yield anything. That's the long way, but this is her vet and the precinct isn't that far, so she's got to be somewhere around here, right?" Peggy rasps out over another drag of her entirely too stale cigarette. That was probably a poor choice, but she's there now. Her eyes go wide as May dashes past but she carefully doesn't watch the woman or the vet techs who are following her. She's looking other places.

"...look... thanks for the help. This all works out, I'll owe you a pint for three. I prominse." Peggy mutters to Cape, that being as close to welcoming as she's been yet. But at least she doesn't seem ready to dart or be turned in. The fact that no one has yet come down on their heads helps a lot. She looks up then as Daisy comes out of the place with that news. An honest to god smile crosses her features, shocked but with happy excitement for nearly the first time in a very long while. "Great news. Alright. Just need to... head over there and hope, right?"

Bobbi Morse has posed:
    "Sweet ride," Cape says about the van that the agents turned up in. "Hey you should all be really careful. Witches range from evil to good, paranoid to perfectly fine and this one is in to some deep dangerous blood magic stuff. Like, rip the blood out of a living man kind of bad. I hope you know what you're doing," he says with a warning, "I should come, just in case." He takes out of her coat pocket a different purple stone on a piece of string and says, "So, who here is the best fighter? this here is a magical shield talisman. Spin it really fast and it'll deflect magical attacks. Well, weak ones anyway." He holds it out wondering which agent might want to take it.

Melinda May has posed:
It's several more moments before May gets back to the van. She takes the card she's given and she spends just enough time on the sidewalk, pretending to call while *not* hyperventilating, to let the duo get back inside the shop. Then, she takes a careful route back to the van and her jacket.

As she slides it on, she glaces to Cape. Her eyes are a little red, but they're dry now. It's not often she plays the helpless female card. But, occasionally, it works.

She extends her hand for the talisman. She can always hand it off to one of the others. But she can feel Peggy's discomfort for the man radiating from here and, when it comes to who's the better fighter -- Daisy has the advantage of an active power, which neither she nor Peg do. "Spin it really fast?" she says. Then she nods. "Thanks. We're going to try to talk her down, first." No sense gathering more attention.

Still, she considers the suggestion of bringing him along. Her lips purse. "In the back," she tells him. "Keep your head down and make sure you do what we say." Because if he screws this up for them, May will personally find the spells necessary to turn him into a toad.

Or worse.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Red eyes. She *was* crying? Daisy makes no comment. She is perhaps surprised at the emotional range, but then again she is still finding out the way her new powers work. She offers a nod to May, "We got the address." she says with a faint grin. She is clearly pleased. "Abcde Prescelta, that's her name. She lives very close." the talk about who the best fighter is? Look, Daisy was mentored by May so of course that she will point to her, "She is." though at the refusal she says, "Better to be safe than sorry, maybe." just a suggestion that the pendant should be brought.

She joins Cape in the back. "Welcome to my van, Agent Cape. Enjoy your stay." then nods. "And careful, we *are* being actively hunted by law enforcement." she settles down, buckling up for them to resume their ride. "It's just a few blocks down." she popping up the GPS.

"Alright, lets find Agent Sousa."

Peggy Carter has posed:
The very quiet, but very active excitement from Peggy is probably half overwhelming to May. On the outside, the older woman is quite good at hiding it all. She's giving a calm, distant smile to the van, her brows arching at Cape's offer of the talisman, but she nods to one of the other women. Peggy is good. She's not super human good. She's not focused, calm, bad ass good right now either. And honestly? She'll always give her team defenses before she takes them herself. She nods in approval as May takes it, trying to settle back into the seat and remain calm. Trying. She's a strange mix of hope and fear to hope layered between the excitement of the hunt.

"I'd say we...shouldn't all go in, that might just terrify or overwhelm her, but if she's that dangerous we might all be needed to take her out. And protect Daniel, if he's still there. I... don't think he's her hostage. The video didn't look like that..." Peggy frowns at the thought. "And yes...she could just call the PD on us, would be as dangerous as throwing a spell at us, just... slower." Peggy considers how to handle this, sinking back a bit deeper as she thinks. "We...don't need to give names. Our names might be known by now. If someone just tells Daniel that Michael's mother is here, he'll know what that means."

Abcde Prescelta has posed:
    Cape nods his head to May and gives her the magical deflection talisman, then gets in to the van. He can't wait to tell Caldwell he went on a mission with actual Agents of SHIELD. The Crystal Ball is life and his love but this is exciting.

    To Daisy he says, "Oh yeah I have my WAND badge but law enforcement agencies never know what to make of it. Sometimes they even call the number and that just gets them more confused. Eventually they just let us go about our business. I think some powerful mage must have blessed us with uninterestingness when we were founded. That's the conspiracy I'm going with anyway."

Melinda May has posed:
Oh, May's taking the talisman. She's faced off against magical foes before now, and is unfortunately certain she will again. Thus she's perfectly happy to have a little extra 'edge' in her pocket. She takes it and she puts in in her pocket for now. Then, she slides behind the wheel.

"Address?" she asks. And when it's given, she eases the van out and heads for it.

"Let me go in to start," May suggests. "I can read the room more quickly than either of you." Translation: She knows *exactly* what *everyone* is feeling, right now. Which means she'll know if Ms Prescelta is panicky or angry or some other form of threatening almost before it shows on her face -- *if* it shows on her face. "If it's safe, I'll bring you in." A beat. "Or, if things to to hell, you just come on in." Like that was ever a question.

She glances to Peggy. "Are you sure you don't want to come in? Daniel will know our faces best..."

She listens to Cape's theory about just why WAND is so often ignored. "Too bad you don't have any talismans to extend *that* spell. We could use a few don't-look-here sorts of charms."

She glances back briefly to him. "You're on magical monitoring duty, Cape. I want to know when we're nearing any strong source and, if you can actually tell me, how dangerous it's likely to be." Like... is it evil blood magic coming to kill her or something.

"Don't be afraid to intervene if there's clear and present danger."

She pulls the van into a visitor parking spot outside the apartment building and looks up at its height. "We don't even know if she's home."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
A thumbs up is given when May speaks about wanting to go first. She is still looking over her computer, looking for info on Abcde now that they have her name. She seems like a pretty normal girl. Looking at her online activity one wouldn't really tell about her penchant for magic." but then again that goes for most agents in SHIELD. And some of their most dangerous foes! ".. besides her rather overwhelming fondness for cats.." insta-shaming. Oh dear..

"So .., she might just be someone innocent in the middle of all this?" Daisy looks up to Cape, "You mentioned blood magic? What do you mean with it? Do you guys got any footage or knowledge of what powers she may have?" nothing like going ready.

She steps out of the van when they park it, looking up at the building, then to Peggy. "Michael's mother.., got it." a smile. She may understand the implications of that, or at least imagine! "We are going to find him." she reassures Peggy, then over to May. She has point!

Peggy Carter has posed:
As Melinda says to let her go in to start, Peggy's jaw tightens just slightly. She is impatient. She's desperate to see the man she lost decades ago without even getting a proper good bye (minus the phone call the other month). Thinking of having to wait another five minutes? It rustles something awful in her. But Peggy also knows that emotional reaction is the exact reason she shouldn't go in. May has defenses, Daisy has her gifts. Peggy should stay behind.

She hates it.

"I'll be... here... then." SHe mutters to the two as the van pulls to a stop out front of the place. A bittersweet, tense smile crosses her lips, but she remains in the van with Cape, the little make shift com they've been using still stuck in her ear. It's not the great SHIELD stuff that takes subvocals, but it'll do and it wasn't on the SHIELD network.

Abcde Prescelta has posed:
    Cape says to Daisy, "Only what we sent to Wilcox, who passed on to Agent May." He shakes his head though and takes out his compass and scrying stone on a string. He lets it start to spin and the compass starts to twirl. "Well there's something in this building for sure, so we're in the right place. About normal for a mild dose of magic. Probably protection spells given she's a witch."

    Cheerful fellow Cape is, "I don't actually know how to do magic, so I can't help you with that," he says to May somewhat sadly. "Actually I've never met a real mage or witch or warlock or sorcerer or sorceress or.. there's a lot of names. Magic user. I've never met one before. I'm not sure what's going on with this Abcde person but I'm interested to find out."

Melinda May has posed:
May gives Peggy a sidelong look. "You can't very well watch my six in the van, now can you?" she says dryly, suppressing the twist in her gut that is all of Peggy's spiking, hidden emotions. Daisy's curiosity and Cape's excitement are cakewalks in comparison. "Daniel knows us. You're coming. I just want you to let me in first, so that you're not the one that goes down in a shower of flesh and blood, if this goes badly." She shakes her head. "*One* of us needs to still be in one piece to bring Daniel home. And that means you. Now come on."

She gets out of the van and walks around to open Peggy's door for her. Once the other woman is out, she looks at Cape. "You're *really* lucky I'm not your training officer," she notes dryly. "'Intervene', in this case, doesn't necessarily mean with magic. A good old fashioned 'Duck!' can be helpful." As can a bodycheck or another handy talisman, but she doesn't bother saying that. It's likely a lost cause. She may need to have words with Palamas later, however.

Jesus. Even when they sent FitzSimmons out into the field alone, at first, they gave them basic training. And they were never alone until they were sure the training took.

She shoves her hand into her pocket, wrapping it around the talisman there. Then, she heads for the apartment. In the entry vestibule, she looks at the pannel of buzzers. She looks back at Peggy and the others. The wheels can almost be seen turning in her head as she aligns what they know of Prescelta, the profile she's put together, versus what *could* happen. Then, she gambles...

And presses Prescelta's buzzer.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"Shower of flesh and blood? Really..?" Daisy eyes May and her .., pitoresque way on how wrong things could go but she moves closer to the door, ready to follow the others in. She is just the goth groupie now, or at least apparently. But with the tech stuff out of the way she would mostly be serving as backup to the rest of them.

"Come on, Cape. Stay close. Also, you are going to have to lose that trenchcoat in the future.. Besides it making you look like a weirdo it's also suspicious as heck." there, training started.

When May presses the buzzer she looks up at the building's profile, at the windows. Perhaps looking for a light being on the apartment they most likely know as being hers.

Peggy Carter has posed:
With that prompting from May, Peggy certainly doesn't argue again. She smirks to the woman, "Yes, ma'am." She offers with a little wink, but then there's a brief wave to Cape. "Stay safe. Oh..." She reaches into her pocket, pulling out the old school set of ear pieces. It's her last spare one right now. "We're on channel 848. Yell if you need us." And with that, Peggy follows the pair out onto the street and up to the apartment building.

She's restless in the hallway, heart in her throat, head slightly spinning which she'll attribute to lacking sleep, adrenaline overload, and any number of other things. She just slightly leans against the wall, doing her best to look casual and annoyed like they are waiting for their friend to open the door and could care less about anything else that's happening. But leaning there does give her a better view of the whole lobby, including May's back, and she's keeping hyper aware for anyone on their six. Daisy's comment to Cape gets a momentary, husky voiced laugh. "Come on, it's spring...trench coats are back in. Right?" As far as Peggy knew, they never went OUT of style, but she never really caught up with fashion either. Then she's looking back to the buzzer, trying not to drown in her own impatience. And back to the lobby.

Abcde Prescelta has posed:
    Cape shrugs his shoulders, "I can carry lots of stuff and it keeps me warm and yes as she said trench coats are back in." He seems a little taken back by Daisy's sudden criticism after he complement her van. "Channel 848, got it," he says and puts the piece in to his ear.

    Abcde rests the cleaned clothes down on the coffee table. Sousa's clothes. She pauses as she hears the buzzer from the apartment complex doors. For her apartment? She goes over to touch the screen that brings up the image of who is out there. "Yes?," she asks over the intercom and then notices Peggy Carter.

    The image from Daniel's wallet of himself, Peggy, and their baby Michael jumps right back in to her minds eye. She gets a touch excited, but then tempers herself. This could still go badly. You never know with spies. Well, Abcde certainly doesn't. Daniel is the first one she's ever met. A very quick visual check that her wards are in place, her broom is by the exit.. what more can she do? She buzzes them in to the building.

Melinda May has posed:
May takes a breath to answer when she hears the click of the door unlocking. She looks up at the camera, looks around to the others, and then gives a friendly wave to the lens before yanking that door open. "Stay alert," she says softly to them as they enter. But, really, she's playing this one straight. Attracting any more attention than they have to is *not* what she wants to do.

In the elevator, she stands mostly still, save for the subtle shifting of her weight on the balls of her feet as she tries to tune out Peggy's impatience. By the time the doors open, she is working her way mentally through the second stage of a tai chi kata in an effort to focus.

But the doors do open and, moments later, she's knocking on the door to Abcde's apartment.

"Ms Prescelta?" she calls softly. "Daniel? It's Melinda May."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"If you want to carry a lot of stuff get a fanny pack." A beat, Daisy looks back to Cape. "Actually, no. Don't get a fanny pack." nope! Brrrr... But then she grins up at the Agent. "Don't worry, just trying to put you at ease. Have you been out on the field much, Cape?" give it to Daisy to keep the WAND agent entertained. But it's good to know what they can expect out of someone who is supposedly here to help.. and may know a lot more than them about magic. Which will come in handy.

The door opens and they are let in. "Well, easier than expected. Maybe we won't get blasted to smitterens..." this she says while they ride the elevator.

She follows over and then focuses when they get to the door of the apartment, letting her senses expand. Looking for how many may be inside the apartment.

Peggy Carter has posed:
As the buzzer just opens the door, Peggy blinks. That was unexpected. Her dark eyes go back to the street, triple checking they aren't followed and no one is harrassing the van. "...that was easy. Maybe we won't get blasted. Maybe they're setting up a blast corridor to trap us all inside." Peggy admits tensely. After the last few days, she does not comprehend how things can go easily. It makes her more wary.

But she follows inside and to the elevator, waiting for everyone else to enter before she slips into the interior and gives that lobby one last look. Paranoia's the name of the game nowadays. Then they're out, headed down the hall, and Peggy's fingertips very slowly shift to be right next to her ICER under her jacket. She's ready for this go go quite badly. She gives the other agents a single nod of ready as May calls through the door after knocking.

Abcde Prescelta has posed:
    Cape hmphs at Daisy but then smiles. "Once or twice. Mostly me and Caldwell stay in the van."

    There's two in the apartment. A small someone and a big someone. Mittens and Abcde. No Daniel. Abcde listens to the knock, picks up her wand in her left hand and grips it tightly. She takes a look out the peep hole and sees someone identifying themselves as Melinda May. The time traveller?

    Peggy has the right face and May has the right name. She does what any regular person would do - accepts that the evidence adds up and takes it at face value.. these are Daniel's friends. She opens the door and steps back to let them in. Better in than out where she controls the magic.

    "Come in. Sorry," she says and lifts a hand, "Before you get too disappointed Daniel isn't here. He went out looking for ways to find .. you." She motions to May and then her eyes stare at Peggy as if she were a ghost come back to life. "Peggy?," she says.. inside, her excitement is growing. Fangirling in fact. A love story stretched across time fell in to her lap and you better believe she's going to put pen to paper. "But you look the same as you did in the photo...," she says with confusion.

    Then to May she says, "And you really travelled through time?" Just how much super secret stuff has Daniel been telling her anyway? Then her eyes flick to Daisy and Cape and she furrows her brow, "Morse?" she assumes. Those are the only names Daniel has given her so far.. "...and guy in a trench coat." Despite the excitement, there is still wariness and also fear. Things haven't been going well in the last two days.

Abcde Prescelta has posed:
The apartment is best defined by how one imagines a writers home to be. There's an old wooden broom in the corner next to the balcony. Papers every where. Several tablets, a desktop computer in the corner and of course Daniel's clothing folded neatly on the coffee table. A big screen tv against one wall facing the couch and an Alexa on the book shelves listening to everything being said.

    The kitchen, when glimpsed, looks like chaos in motion - perhaps what one might imagine a witches kitchen to look like; a combination of spell making and food making goes on in there. The door to the bedroom is slightly open and dark inside. Mittens, her black cat, comes out and peers at the guests with interested disinterest. Tail flick, he runs past them and jumps up top of a book shelf in to a cardboard box.

Melinda May has posed:
At first, May gives Abcde a polite smile. As the woman starts rhyming off names, however, she... shakes her head and eyes Peggy. "I don't suppose he can do the same damage here I could have done then."

So, her smile becomes a trifle wry as she addresses their hostess. "I did. I don't recommend it." The fact Daniel isn't here, however, is a huge disappointment. She glances to the others. "As to the how and why's of Ms Carter... unfortunately, that's classified." She wants to be friendly, but she's not giving away secrets, if she can help it.

She looks around. "Do you know when Mr. Sousa might be back?"

Daisy Johnson has posed:
A nod is given back to Peggy as they get ready for the door to be open. What would waiting them on the other side? An evil witch blasting them with magic? Crazy bloodletting and voodoo sacrifices? Zombies?! But nope. It's just this cute girl with her cat Mittens.

When Abcde refers to Cape by the trenchcoat Daisy gives him a *look* that seems to say 'see what I told you?'. Yet with Abcde saying Daniel isn't home Daisy nods, looking at the others and murmuring. "She is telling the truth.." what? Is she a mind reader? Maybe lie detector! Or .., maybe just Quake. Who knows! But she seems certain about it. Daniel isn't here.

And while being mixed up by Morse brings a faint smile to her lips, and perhaps makes her wonder exactly how much Daniel spoke of them she shakes her head. "I am Daisy. Daisy Johnson." a look over the girl's wounds and a small frown coming to her lips. But she will be letting others go in first. She is here for backing up.

A glance is given over her shoulder to the corridor and then back to Abcde and she says very quietly. "Love your books.." again the blush. Yes, she is a fangirl.

Peggy Carter has posed:
The cat gets a jerk of Peggy's eyes and she's very glad she didn't actually have her hand on her ICER because it might have been drawn out. But the paranoia isn't quite that bad and it's a heartbeat later that she realizes the little black streak is a feline. She gives Mittens an odd, quiet smile, "Hullo, lovely." She mutters to the cat in greeting because she's still polite, and then she looks back to Abcde.

It takes every inch of her willpower to school her face to not show disappointment and elation all in the same moment. He *was* here, even if he's not now. He's alive and well enough. This wasn't some trick. Peggy takes in a slightly trembling breath against her galloping heart and gives a slight nod. "I am not surprised. We were searching most of the night for him last evening, honestly. And after a bit of sleep, went out to do the same. I'm just glad we... landed in the right spot, this time. You've been quite kind to give him shelter. Thank you." Peggy's voice is as neutral as possible, clipped British accent trying to be professionally warm without just screeching and asking where he's gone. Daisy's confirmation that the woman is telling the truth just makes Peggy's hope soar a bit more. A slight chuckle edges her breath as Daisy admits to liking the books. Well, that's a good fit in the door.

"Ah, yes, I am... Peggy. It's a long story but... I haven't seen my husband in over sixty years and I'd very much like the chance to...catch up. Do you know if he planned to circle back soon or... if we should go looking for him in a specific... area?" She echoes Melinda's words, excitement only just contained. She misses and loves the man so damn much it almost hurts, though probably only Melinda is as keenly aware of that as she is.

Abcde Prescelta has posed:
    Cape lifts a hand and says, "Reese," to introduce himself. Abcde looks a touch disappointed, "I was half hoping you'd say your name was Michael." Cape peers at Daisy and mouths, 'Who is Michael?'.

    Abcde smiles and says to Daisy, "Thanks. I'm writing a new book right now.." totally about Sousa and Carter. "I assume Daniel will be back late afternoon. He didn't tell me where he was going and he is a bit slow on that leg of his. I gave him some good pain killers though."

    She shakes her head a little that Daisy seems to know if she's lying or not. In her home. She glances at her sigils of protection once more - they're fine. How then? "I don't .. well. It's the least I could do given what happened." Now she's the one keeping secrets, even as her arm starts to mentally itch. It's purely psychosomatic she tells herself. She really hopes it is. "Him and that other guy arriving so suddenly. Daniel seems to be confused by everything modern!," she says with a small laugh.

    "You're all welcome to stay and wait for him to come back. I'll make coffee and tea if anyone is interested?" The wand is twirled between her knuckles artfully and then slipped back in to a small wand holster at her side. She's not too worried because they haven't tried to shoot her like HYDRA did. "Hey so you're all.. fugitives? Daniel and I are confused why the government is hunting for you. Did you really nuke the amazon? That seems excessive.."

Abcde Prescelta has posed:
    Mittens puts a paw over the edge of the box and eyes Peggy, since she talked to him. A small blep of the tongue and then a big yawn showing off his fangs.

Melinda May has posed:
May falls silent for a moment or two, working through her mental kata to try to keep the overwhelming excitement at bay. And then there's Daisy's fangirling. And even Prescelta's own curiousity and apprehension and... The agent inhales a gentle breath and lets it out softly. "We'd actually appreciate that," she says, offering a small smile.

She agrees with Daisy. Daniel's not here. She can't feel him. And she should be able to sense him.

As for the question of being fugitives... for just a moment, May's eyes flash and a hint of her anger over all that escapes. There are just too many damned emotions flying around here for her to keep them entirely under control. "No. We did not. That was HYDRA. All of it was HYDRA." She just has to say it. "It just happens to be the world's biggest frame job."

But, hey, look on the bright side... The witch hasn't twigged that Daisy is Quake. Saudi Arabia Quake.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Daisy also has her .., opinions about SHIELD being hunted. And it's all very new, she feels that anger seeping out. It leading to all that happened in Afterlife. But she reins that in and nods with the others, silent for a bit and stepping to join within the room. She casts a look around the place, the chaos. She grins a little and makes her way to a window to keep a look out in the street. Just in case.

"They have been playing the long game. But we will take get them..." though something perks her curiosity and she looks at Abcde. "You mentioned another man?" she furrows her brows.

"Has the man been staying with you too?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
"...They explained it better than I can right now." Peggy's still too mad and, more than that, too guilty about it all. The fretting in her face is clear, the wish to go out and just start looking around for Daniel even though she knows that's a fool's errand. He WILL be here. They just need to WAIT. She's not good at waiting. She breathes out slowly and begins a quiet pace of the apartment, "But no... that... *definitely* wasn't us. Would swear it on my life, or blood, or whatever you blood mages need to make such promises." It might be a sloppy promise, but Peggy's in a mood and she needs this woman, as well as Daniel, to know that they can be trusted.

The question from Daisy about if Daniel's staying here is a logical one, but Peggy didn't entirely think it through until this moment. Then a slight screw of her nose come, a moment of jealousy that she swallows back as fast as it's there, but it might buffet against May's calm as well. She's not that rude, but the woman is young, lovely, spry, and didn't have a child (ages ago now). It's a natural reaction, especially when the Brit has all her emotions too close to the surface. "I...I'm glad someone's been taking care of him... He pushes himself too hard."

Abcde Prescelta has posed:
    Abcde wanders in to her kitchen and puts the kettle and the coffee machine on. She wanders back in and places down a plate of macaroons, "I was going to surprise Daniel with these. Hazelnut crushed macaroons with vanilla filling help yourselves if you're not allergic to nuts or gluten or lactose." Back in to the kitchen she goes.

    "That makes more sense," she says as she gathers clean mugs for people to drink from and returns with the pot of coffee and a pot of tea. "About HYDRA. They attacked me and Daniel yesterday and they took the other guy and killed the shop keeper and honestly it was pretty terrible. So no, he hasn't been staying with me.. I hope he's okay. He will be especially confused coming medieval times. At least Daniel was from mid last century," she says as her heart sinks and her mood darkens a touch. "First encounter with terrorists and then Daniel tells me they're the same nazis that Captain America fought in world war 2. That kind of blew my mind," she admits.

    She disappears back in to the kitchen and comes out with more cookies on a plate, "Ginger snaps in case that appeals more." As Daisy gets closer to the window, which are too large doors leading out to a balcony, Abcde holds out her hand and whistles. The broom that had quietly been sitting in the corner snaps across the room in to her grasp and she takes it in to her bedroom. "Didn't know if it was going to be HYDRA who found me first or you guys, so, I was being prepared. How did you find us? I thought Daniel would find you first."

    Cape pours out coffee in to a mug and picks up a macaroon. As quietly as he can he whispers to May, the one in charge, "All my magical things have gone dead in here." Then he sits down to nibble on his macaroon.

    Abcde's eyes widen and she pauses in place when Peggy says 'blood mages'. It clear she's touched on a nerve and she forces a smile back on to her face, but May can feel the utter panic in her mind all of a sudden and she pours herself out a mug of tea and grabs a ginger snap to try and mask her dismay at the chosen wording by Peggy.

Melinda May has posed:
Blood mages. Medieval guys. A wicked spike of jealousy from Peggy and then dismay and even panic from Prescelta. May's head twists slowly, almost like she's trying to crack her neck, but without the force or sound effects. Then Cape is murmuring to her and the senior agent finds herself struggling not to just bolt for the balcony doors for a breath of fresh air.

But she's been in worse spots -- or so she keeps telling herself.

She doesn't touch the coffee. Beyond the fact she doesn't much like the stuff, she doesn't need that caffiene. A cup of green tea, however. She'd love one of those. Or a bottle of Haig. That'd be perfect.

She redirects her attention to Prescelta. "Would you... mind telling us what exactly happened?" she asks her gently. "How you found Daniel. Who this other man may have been? You encounter with HYDRA and... at the precinct?" Although she doesn't know it, she's actively projecting her need for calm into the room. It's not strong, but it's there, just a subtle encouragement to relax, somehow. "I imagine it's difficult, but it would very much help us understand what's happened."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Medieval man? That has Daisy quirking her brows. All this is very ..., peculiar. And it happening just as SHIELD is getting broken apart... Coincidence? She doesn't believe in them anymore. Arms fold together and she leans her shoulder against the window, just a brief comment about the flying broom, "Okay, you put the broom in witch ...."

But other than that she stays quiet, taking in the place, making sure this isn't a trap. Or that hydra won't swarm the building. They were all in high alert after all. And staying in the same place for a long time? That might not go too well.

She is calm though, and relaxes just a notch even if she doesn't go for the coffee or tea. Or biscuits ..

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Oh. The...Medieval man. Of course. Not Daniel, of course he's staying here. But... the man, he came through at the same time? Did he say anything in particular?" Peggy stares over the woman a bit deeper, seeming to well realize she set something off when she said blood mage. She frowns abit more, "And I didn't mean to...offend. Just, you do magic, and are all cut up, and there was a lot of...blood... On that one video. So, I just figured... Blood mage. But we're not here about that. You were protecting yourself, right? We've ALL done things fighting back against HYDRA we're not proud of. So...don't sweat it, hoenstly. But... if you could tell us everything that happened, step by step, that might help a... lot. We're trying to understand how Daniel got here in the first place, much less everything that came after..."

Abcde Prescelta has posed:
    Nibble, a small nibble on the ginger snap. She sips the coffee next and then starts to calm down. May be it's the comfort food and drink doing it.. probably May. Mittens' ears perk up and peers with a stare of death at May. Flexing and unflexing his claws as if that were somehow warning enough.

    Calmer now, Abcde raises an eyebrow and looks to Peggy as she describes the video and May asks about the police station. "Okay you're all saying things at me right now which don't make a lot of sense.. so.. I'll level with you given Daniel is likely to tell you everything any way..."

    She takes a seat and folds one leg over the other. "I have been trying to figure out who has been spray painting elemental summoning glyphs as graffiti all over Queens when I thought may be they might have learnt such spells from a book.. and if a book then may be an antique shop. So I went in to the antique shop and then this..." she pauses.

    "Okay I get that I'm a witch and everybody thinks the worst of witches for all time but if you could just pause that instinct for a moment - I swear to you I'm a good person." She takes a breath, calm, "So this mirror grabs me and starts talking to me. It shows me these two people. Daniel and this other person. How they die.. over and over and over again."

    "I didn't realise I was dealing with a djinn ... and it tricked me. I tried to use my magic to make it stop and it used my magic and my words to, I suppose, grant a wish." She frowns deeply, annoyed with herself, with the creature. "I tried to make it stop.. and it interpreted that to stop their deaths and to stop tormenting me. It laughed at me, then the mirror exploded and cut me all over and it used my blood to bring Daniel and the other man here.. to our time."

    She takes in a deep breath. "The guy from the medieval times, he ran outside and I could hear him sounding ecstatic and speaking Italian. I didn't really catch what he was saying. And then these SUVs pulled up out front of the shop. I don't know what happened to the guy then.. but men in armor and with guns came in to the store and shot the store keeper. Daniel and I escaped out the back."

    She frowns and sips her coffee again. "I don't know what video you saw, but that blood magic was the djinn, not me. I would _never_ do blood magic, I swear it. And we never made it to the police station. We were going to go there, but then I got a message on my phone warning me that HYDRA was there... so we didn't go."

Melinda May has posed:
As the emotional spikes in the room quiet just a little, May's shoulders relax slightly. She catches the cat's death stare and his flexing claws. "I know the feeling," she murmurs to him ruefully, apparently not interpreting his warning the way he'd like.

Still, she listens to the young woman's story and then glances over to Cape speculatively. She's clearly looking to him for guidance on the magical components of the discussion. Regardless, her mind works through the details.

Medieval guy who was ecstatic to be in the future and went off with HYDRA? That... doesn't sound good. Actually, if she knew what Daisy was thinking, she's agree with her. There's no such thing as coincidence. Especially these days. Not with the sudden discovery of the temple beneath the vatican and Arturo Malevolo's words.

Wait... what?

She says nothing of her thought processes aloud, focussing instead on the gaps in the girl's story. "Would it surprise you to know that we have footage of you in the precinct with Daniel?" she asks carefully, watching the woman's reactions -- feeling them, too. "There are ten minutes missing from the station footage, overwritten in such a way that only our arcane investigations division was able to retrieve. They show you and Daniel in separate interrogation rooms. A detective died. Very messily. And you were clearly the source of the magic that caused it." She holds up a forestalling hand, playing on what emotions she feels and hoping the girl's earnestness is genuine. "I saw your face when it happened. You were horrified. I don't think it's something you intended to do."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Eventually Daisy gets tempted enough to reach for one of those ginger snacks, quietly fetching and popping it into her mouth. She eyes Mittens, fingerwiggling at the true culprit of them having found out where Abcde lived. A wink given almost as if they were conspiring in crime. Because cats are *always* conspiring.

"A djinn? Like the rubbing the lamp type?" she saw Aladdin.... Yet she does look a touch worried, "And is that djinn still..., around?" she then finally asks.

A look to May when she speaks of the missing minutes on that footage. "How worried should we be about this djinn on the loose?"

Another glance to the street as a mini cooper stops not far from the entrance to the apartments.

Peggy Carter has posed:
While Peggy isn't exactly relaxed enough to want the tea or trust it, she needs something to do with her hands that isn't fretting, so she pours herself a cup she doesn't quite drink. She's already half pacing the room, unable to get herself to sit down and relax. Dark eyes flicker between the witch and the door on a fairly routine basis, though as May and Daisy's mind make the jump about a certain Italian gentleman, her own brows furrow curiously. "...what are you thinking, May? No. Go back, not about the precinct, but about the...other man. Something changed on your face." Peggy is too wound up to have made the leap herself, but she's still a profiler and a dear friend of May. She knows the woman's face. Her gaze flickers to Daisy as well, "You're both...thinking something..." And she's stuck on waiting for Daniel to walk through that door. "Daisy's got a good question about the Djinn too. Not exactly a class in the academy about them..."

One bit of reassurance she can give is the younger woman. She looks back to Abcde after a few heartbeats and shakes her head softly, "We...we don't think you are a *bad* witch, or that kind of witch. Hell, you probably saved my husband's life and have given him shelter in a time we're we are all on the most wanted list. I...can never repay you for that. We've got a good sense of people and YOU are not a bad person. So, relax. We're not here to... accuse you of anything. We're just trying to sort this all out."

Abcde Prescelta has posed:
    Abcde nods her head to Daisy and says, "Yes. Though, they're not like in Aladdin. They're much much worse. And.. yes, it is still around and we should all be every concerned about that." Though, she doesn't elaborate further on that because May's revelation has her rather curious.

    "I'm very surprised and also unsurprised. I had this idea that somehow we'd lost time or.. something. We went to the precinct and fought against HYDRA and got away? and you have footage of that? I'm impressed, I don't know how that is even possible. I'd like to see it."

    Cape lifts a hand and waves, "It's what WAND does."

    Abcde glances down at the wand at her hip and then peers back at Cape in confusion. "What?"

    She smiles to Peggy and says, "You're thanking me? I should be thanking you. Everything Daniel told me about you - pioneering Womens rights, forging a spy agency after world war two, wrangling with Stark and some other guy whose name I've forgotten. You're super bad-ass."

    Mittens looks to Daisy and then disappears his head behind the lip of the cardboard box, but leaves a paw hanging out. It's a trap.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
As the mini pulls up to the curb Daniel takes a moment to look around, eyes scanning in vain for anything that looks out of place when /everything/ does. Seeing nobody, he looks back to Enoch. "Want to stay in the car or come with? My friend promised baking and coffee when I got back, I'm sure she'd give you some too...synthetic beings eat right? You, mentioned getting groceries," he says before he gets out of the car once Enoch has made his decision to go or to stay Daniel walks to the door of the building and hits the buzzer for Abcde's apartment since he forgot to grab a key.

Melinda May has posed:
Djinn and timelost HYDRA Heads are not really in Melinda's usual wheelhouse, though it could be argued she's the one SHIELD agent here that has experience with both magic and being timelost. She finds herself getting anxious for Daniel's return (and silently blames Peggy). Her fingers circle slowly over the edge of the arm of the couch where she sits. Give it's rare for Melinda to show any such display of impatience, there's no doubt her slipping control -- nascent as it is -- is indicative of growing fatigue. She can feel a subtle headache starting at the base of her skull and just behind her eyes.

She smiles a little as Peggy seeks to reassure the young witch. No. They're not on a witch hunt. But she's seeing an awful lot of potential complications cropping up around them and its not helping her fraying emotional control.

"We may be able to let you see the footage," she concedes. "But it also means we're all going to need to work together on figuring this out. Because, unless I miss my guess, your medieval guy is probably a HYDRA agent from sometime in the late 1400's or so."

She looks to Peggy, responding to her question. "Huttz spoke extensively of some influential HYDRA philospher --" Yeah, such a thing exists; weird, huh? -- "Arturo Malevolo. He was head of HYDRA in his day. There's no telling, of course, whether or not it was him who came through with Daniel, but if it was anyone less, I doubt he'd have been as ecstatic to see an unknown future like ours."

Then, of course, that buzzer is sounding. Her head comes up sharply, hope swelling in her chest and behind her eyes. (Again, she blames Peggy.) She glances to her friends and pulls herself to her feet, wanting to see the video she knows from their own experience entering Prescelta has.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
They *are* getting onto something indeed, both about the man that came with Daniel and with this Djinn. Daisy looks at Peggy. "I am just .., if this is such an evil entity why would it trick Abcde to bring those two to the present? Specially Daniel as he is a good guy from all you have told me." and has the chin to match. "So *who* is the other guy?" a look to May when she speaks of it maybe being Hydra from the 1400s. She grimaces. "Man, those guys are tenacious if that's true..."

Give it to Daisy to fall for Mittens' trap though. It's an almost unconscious thing, but she *does* miss her own cat now that she is out on the run, so ..., a lil finger extends to the paw to give it a nudge. No claws! It's when the buzzer rings, her free hand reaching and being placed atop her ICER reflexively. Being hunted makes one jumpy!

---

Enoch stays inside the car, looking up at Daniel. "It is better that I do not. Though I believe my work is done for now." he may have spotted a familiar van nearby. "Good luck, Agent Sousa." though he seems to be waiting at least until Daniel goes inside the building. Just to make sure.

Peggy Carter has posed:
A slightly awkward smile crosses Peggy's features as Abcde starts to fan girl a little. She looks down, giving a faint shake of her head and an odd little laugh as she responds quietly, "I wasn't really...intending... on all that. I just did the work I wanted to do, you know?" Then she's looking over to May and Daisy, that embarrassed smile turning more bittersweet. "And look where it's gotten us. International criminals."

May's run down of the Italian philosopher and Daisy's questions make her eyes go a bit wider, "Yes, I remember that part of the report. It'd be an awful strange concidence for him to be the one that came throught but... I don't believe in concidences these days. Especially if HYDRA had interest in this artifact already. It might not have been the Djinn that tricked them, but HYDRA using it... Or a mix of both, really. There's a lot of HYDRA who had a deep focus on the occult and occult entities." She sighs, finally taking a good sip of her tea because it's the best way to calm and focus a Brit. She needs that focus right now.

And nearly drops her focus all over the floor when the buzzer rings. Her eyes shoot wide, looking towards the door and that little camera, Daniel's face in the image. "Oh." And every inch of her starts buttoning up, swallowing back, trying to control the sudden screaming in the back of her head and the sting of tears behind her eyes. May's probably feeling it all, a mix of elation, fear, intense missing him, and incredible love. Even to this day, Peggy was madly in love with the man.

When he finally steps in the room, he'll see her standing there looking very much not herself but entirely herself. She's in those leggings, boots, and one of his old shirts, but he'd recognize the old bomber jacket she's wearing. Her hair is tied back instead of curly and she has no make up on. Compared to when he's left, she looks thinner and strung out, the pregnancy weight long ago lost and then some. He, of anyone, might recognize she's not quite her healthy shade of pale, but that could come from exhaustion as much as anything. "...D-daniel?" She breathes out quietly.

Abcde Prescelta has posed:
    Claws. Mittens plays dirty. Lures Daisy in to a false sense of security and THEN claws. It's a fun game.

    The buzzer snaps Abcde's head back to the door and she walks over to press the button. On it she sees Daniel and she smiles, "He's back. Daniel that is." She buzzes him in to the building and opens the door to her apartment for him.

    "Well. That's humble of you but he said all the female agents look up to you. I would too if I were a spy in your world. Also, I thought hydra was some nazi organisation? you're saying their medieval too??," she says with a look of actual shock on her face. The world of spies is super weird. The world of magic is too, but they're two totally different kinds of weird.

    "The only thing I really know about him is he's Italian and he got chased down by men on horseback and they were going to stab him to death with their swords... that is, that's how he died until he came through the mirror with Daniel."

    She rubs her bandaged forearm a little bit, it's getting itchy again with all this talk of the djinn. Clearly a hot topic but one she isn't keen on delving in to too much. "Wow is Daniel going to be happy to see you," she says to the group here desperately trying to change the topic of conversation about the djinn. She steps out of the way and takes a sip. This she's going to watch with intense interest.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel looks back into the car when Enoch declines to come with him, "Alright, thanks for the save," he says. "Hope you don't get in too much trouble for breaking neutrality," he says with a sheepish smile. "Anyhow, I've got your number, and I'll get in touch in a couple of days just to check in," he says before grimacing at the bloody mess he had left behind despite the old shirt he'd wrapped around his wounded hand. "Thanks again," he says before he turns and heads towards the buidlding.

When the door buzzes he steps through and then takes the elevator to Abcde's floor, coming to the door and knocking before he turns the handle and stepping through, dressed in his dorky Star Wars shirt, jeans and an I <3 NY ballcap, a formerly white t-shirt wrapped around a bleeding hand, while his other holds onto his cane. "Hey, I'm back we need to find somewhere else to-" his words catch in his throat, his eyes go right to Peggy despite the unexpected crowd in the room and he stands stock still in the doorway, stunned. "Peggy," he breathes. "I- how?" he says, before taking some halting, stunned steps forward.

Melinda May has posed:
As glad as May is to see Daniel -- both on her own and due to Peggy's feelings (feelings that are *totally inappropriate* for Melinda to be feeling right now) -- she pulls back to leave the moment to him and Peggy. It's not like either of them are going to notice *anyone* else in the apartment, anyway. She turns away, retreating into the kitchen, away from *everyone*. Her hands press heavily onto the table. Her eyes close. Her breath, as she concentrates on inhaling and exhaling enough to regain some modicum of flagging control, shudders in her chest. Still, by the time she's sucked half a dozen or so breaths in and let them out, she can at least pretend that she's not unintentionally intruding on what should, by rights, be an entirely private moment.

A month ago, they could have had this reunion and the only way most people would know what they're feeling would be by what they *saw*. Melinda doesn't need to *see* anything.

She's drowning.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Really, Mittens? Claws? And Daisy was distracted by the buzzer, which makes it so she gains a little scratch on her hand, drawing out her hand quickly and sourly. Oh, we will get back to you Mittens. Yes we will. She side-eyes the hidden cat briefly before getting back up to her full height, a look over the window. She spots the mini cooper driving off before her attention is back on the door. "He is coming up alone.." as if to say there didn't seem to be any Hydra tagging him.

There is a sense of anticipation on the young agent. This was a legend afterall. And Peggy's husband. An important moment. And she understands it needs their privacy too. Daisy only gives the arriving agent a greeting grin before she also takes a 'dive' to the safety of the kitchen to leave them alone. Instead her attention goes to May. There is worry on her eyes but she knows the other woman has this.

A gesture to Abcde, "Hey, come join us and let them have their moment together.." she suggests. "And bring Mittens.." because she requires vengeance.

Abcde Prescelta has posed:
    Abcde fans herself, "Oh my Gaia this is the best thing ever." Tears. Her eyes are welling up already. She is SO here for time traveller love story. "I am shipping this so hard," she says. Hands clutch in front of her as she watches with utter delight and glee.

    The kitchen is a confusing place. There are a lot of plants hanging from the ceiling and on the benches. There's an old leather bound book open on a lectern but it's not a cooking book, it seems to be describing, in latin, the formulation of potions. There's a mini-cauldron in the middle kitchen bench and a gas burner underneath it that's currently off, though the cauldron is warm. Inside it looks to be.. stew?

    Mitten's paw claws about for more hand but it's gone. Then the head pops back up to see what happened with the game. Apparently Daisy's not good at the game. He leaves his paw out just in case she wants to play the game again.

    Abcde nods to Daisy, "Fair." She gives a look to Mittens and then glances to the kitchen. Ever seen a cat obey looks before? ..this one does. He jumps down and pads smoothly in to the kitchen and Abcde follows. Her already busy kitchen is suddenly very busy with all the people in it. Mittens jumps up on to the bench and tries to place a paw on May. Does he care about her plight? or does he want food?

Peggy Carter has posed:
Normally Peggy is quite good at keeping track of many lines of conversation. They had a lot of worries on their mind -- the Djinn, HYDRA, this Italian man, how Daniel got here... There were many. But right now, all those worries are momentarily lost. She stares at him under that baseball cap and in that nerdy t-shirt. They'd never seen each other this casual short of going to bed, but then people didn't really dress that casual back in their days. The other women in the room are momentarily forgotten as she studies him, catching sight of that hand, which makes her dark eyes go a little wider. "You're hurt..."

She then sets her tea cup down before she drops it, because shaking hands are near to breaking it. Her eyes flicker to the side as everyone else abruptly just bows out of the room. She can't complain about it, honestly, and then she takes two rushed, unsteady paces to his side before pulling him into a kiss she's waited 65 years to have. She'll worry about his hand in a second. Right now, she needs the kiss and to know he's real. He's not going to disappear.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
For Daniel it's only been a week since he last saw Peggy, or well the Peggy from his time anyhow, though the weight of Peggy's response though makes it feel like it's been as many decades as it has been for her since he said goodbye to her and Michael for his trip out west. Love, surprise and trepidation all war within him, likely adding to the torrent of emotion May is drowning in.

When Peggy points out his hand, he glances down at it, looking up again, to say, "Yeah, HYDRA, I'm alright," but that's all he has to say on the matter before she's kissing him and he's kissing her back just as fiercely, trepidation vanishing from his mind and replaced with a sudden bone deep relief, for the first time since he'd been ripped from his time he felt like he was home.

Melinda May has posed:
If the cat wants food, he's out of luck. If he's actually being *nice*... May spares him a glance, even offering something of a wan smile. Still, her breathing is deep, reflecting combat breathing -- four in through the nose, four out through the mouth. Steady. Slow. Purposeful. She doesn't straighten from where she leans, focusing entirely on her breath.

Then, Daisy is there, as is their hostess. She looks at the younger agent, her dark eyes conveying the maelstrom of emotions she's trying to manage, even if the rest of her is largely returning to outward equalibrium. "I don't want this," she tells her very softly. The words are almost too quiet, though the crisp consonants allow them to carry across the table.

Because none of this is hers. She shouldn't be privvy to this. She's a private person to begin with. The idea of invading others' privacy in moments like this is... quietly horrifying, despite the bright emotions tangled in with the dark.

The joy she feels that Peggy's found Daniel is real enough. God knows Peggy needs him, now. But it's painted thickly with the tar of Melinda's own experience that says: He's going to have to go home... where he's going to die. And Peggy *doesn't* need that.

So, no. Melinda doesn't want this. It's too much. And she's *way* ahead of Peggy on that curve.

Which is probably a good thing for the moment... It won't last.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"I know..." Getting intimate knowledge about what others were feeling could be a blessing, but also a curse. Daisy understood it, casting a faint smile to the older agent and telling her with all the assurance in the world. "We will train, and you are going to master it." for that was what they were meant to do. "How far are you being able to detect others now?" she asks.

Though she doesn't hover too much on top of May. She knows she needs her own space too. But she remains relatively close, showing she is there for support. As she has always been. And with the group now huddled inside what can best be described as the most chaotic kitchen Daisy has been on she makes sure to give two on the living room their privacy. It is their moment! She does approach Mittens though and places one hand in front of his eyes. "You are too young to see this..." But it's just an excuse to give him a good rubbing on the fur before retreating her hand safely. Vengeance!

"So, can I get you to sign me a book another day?" She asks Abcde. Because yes, fangirl will fangirl. And they might as well talk while waiting. Hopefully they won't have to wait *too* long. How soundproof are these walls anyway?

Abcde Prescelta has posed:
    Mittens meows and begins to purr for May, perhaps even a bit stronger when Daisy plays a short game with him that he most definitely won. Abcde can't help but notice how overwhelmed May looks. She begins to get concerned. "You don't look so good.. is there anything I can do to help? I have drugs and I have magic and I have cat," she offers though she's going to need a better understanding of what's happening. Maybe Mittens will be enough, but she's not sure that'll be the case.

    The strange discussion from Daisy makes her rather curious. What are they talking about? detecting at a distance? She thought her world of magic was weird but these people have it in spades - medieval adversaries, time travel, detecting the truth when someone is speaking, tracking her down somehow, and whatever is going on with May.

    Her attention is snatched back by Daisy and she is at a loss for words briefly, "Oh.. uh, Sure! If you'd like." No one has asked her that since the book signing when it came out. "I'm glad you liked it," she says with a smile. "Next time you have your copy and there's a pen..."

Peggy Carter has posed:
As stoic as Peggy is, she never thought she'd kiss him again. Much less smell him, touch him, feel that hand on her cheek. She can't keep that stoicism in place, a few fresh tears finally cutting down her cheeks as she lets the kiss linger an unprofessionally long time. She breaks just enough for breath before giving another, smaller kiss to the corner of his lips, her hand cupping his cheek. Finally, she just lets her forehead and nose rest against his as she tries to get control of those tears and shares quiet breath with him. "It's been...so long..." She whispers, her other free hand squeezing around his back. "I love you...and I missed you... and it's been so, so long. And I'm so sorry..." She's not wearing her wedding ring any more, at least not visibly. She hasn't in a long time.

Where as he looks very much the same, the years have weighted on her. She might still look young -- in her thirties, at least. But she's thin and drawn. There's decades behind her eyes that weren't there before. She looks so damn tired compared to the woman he left. Maybe it's just been a bad few weeks? She kisses him one more time before straightening a bit to look him over with still glassy eyes.

"We should... get you help. For that hand. And sitting down. I can't believe you... we combed the city for you all night last night. Hours..." She doesn't tell him he should stay off his feet. She never coddled him about his injury, but she's clearly worried. A weak, raspy laugh touches her lips as she looks towards the kitchen once he's done speaking.

"It...It's safe. I promise. Could we get some bandaids and maybe something to clean out a wound?" She's carefully rebuilding those walls. It won't help May a lot, but will at least be better than those initial moments. Her hand never leaves his side, though. When the others come in the room, there is a softness about her they've probably never really seen before. Something that just fits naturally next to the man at her side.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel lets himself get lost in that kiss, riding on the feeling that finally in all the craziness of the fututre he found something that made sense. His own are eyes are wet when they break the kiss, his the hand resting against her cheek staying in place even though the kiss was done, knowing she'd want to feel his presence for as long as she could.

"I love you too," he tells her softly, leaning his head against hers, "And it's okay, I'm sorry I got careless and left you alone," he says quietly. "I know I promised that I wouldn't."

There's a second apology for the chase he ran them this one lighter in tone and coupled with a smile. "Not sure how you found me in this," he gestures vaguely with his wounded hand to take in the whole of the future. "But I'm glad you did Peggy," he says before nodding about sitting down and getting his wound tended to. "Sure, sit with me while someone takes care of it?" he asks her.

Then as Peggy calls out to the others, colour rises in Daniel's cheeks, realizing that while his world had contracted to just him and Peggy through that kiss and what followed, they were not, in fact, alone. Still despite his flushed cheeks, he does smile to Peg, saying, "Reasonably safe anyhow," he amends her statement, unable to fully take his eyes off of her. For Abcde, it should be clear he's more at peace than she's seen him since he arrived, that tension that lived between his shoulder blades fading away to nothing. He takes a seat, keeping Peggy's hand in his good hand while he does, he glances up at her, smiling wryly, "It's hard to think of what to say, like the phone call," he tells her, after all what prepares someone for a reunion across time, even living the weird life of an agent of SHIELD.

Melinda May has posed:
"I don't know," May says softly to Daisy. "A hundred feet. Maybe more. Probably more." She glances to Abcde, sensing her concern and confusion. "I'm an Empath," she tells her. "It's new." And it sucks. "I just need some time to collect myself."

But she's grateful of the way Daisy can distract and support all at the same time. She finds herself focusing on the younger agent's emotions because they're the most stable of any of them. And poor Cape... God, he's got to be flummoxed by all this, standing awkward in the corner by the stove or cauldron or... well, out of the way anyway.

Despite all that, when Peggy calls, May lets the others leave the room first. She still needs just a moment or two to pull it all together. When she does come out finally, however, she's fixed a wry smile on her face that's much more like what Daniel might remember from the 50's. Reserved and always with a hint that she knows way more than she's telling. "Did I not make it clear that time travel was dangerous?" she asks him, crossing her arms over her chest for a moment. Then, however, she relents, and her smile softens into something far more reminiscent of Lily Chen than anything that is her usual habit -- blame all the sappy emotions floating around her head. "It's good to see you, Daniel." She eyes that hand. "Even if it's not quite in as unharmed a piece as we would have preferred."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Daisy smiles at Abcde when she accepts signing up the book. But that would have to be for later. Though she was sure this would not be the last time they saw the young girl. Unless she was eaten by a malevolent Djinn. Could happen... Jury was still out on that.

She comes out of the room when they tell it's fine to do so, "Hey, love the shirt.." she tells Sousa before introducing herself, "I am Daisy." giving the man a thumbs up. "Heard all about you, Agent Sousa. Welcome back to SHIELD."

She again resumes her post by the window to keep on the lookout for any Hydra. Someone has to! She leans against the window sill, hands resting on her belt.

Abcde Prescelta has posed:
    Abcde looks surprised again, "Wow." And it sucks. She has read about Empaths. "Sure. Take all the time you need," she says as she flicks her book of potions shut and exits the kitchen, grabbing some bandaids for Daniel's arm. Her supplies are running low after the mirror incident.

    She offers the bandaids to Peggy, since she's quite sure they'll want to tend to wounds themselves now. Her eyes look over the people and the awkward looking Cape fellow. He shuffles to another corner of the living room. Well, whatever the case, Abcde grabs a macaroon and nibbles her creation.

    May suddenly looks so much more cheerful than when she first arrived in her apartment. She makes a mental note to read up on empaths later. "Daniel, you ran in to HYDRA _again_ ? what do they want with you? is it because of the time travel or something else?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
Peggy's mostly quiet now. Her head is reeling and all she wants to do is kidnap Daniel home and enjoy whatever stolen moments she can manage with him. But she's practicing control, quietly folding down onto the couch with him as she accepts the bandaids from Abcde. "Thank you. And...we'll be out of your hair shortly, I promise." She looks to the other women for a moment, "We should get out of the city again. We don't need to bring this young lady any more trouble. Though...give her your burner phone numbers. We need some way to stay in touch. I suspect this whole mess isn't done and..." Peggy's eyes flicker over to Daniel, though it makes something go icy in her heart and stomach, "...we probably need to figure a way... to get you back." Those words are a bit more rasping. She's not going to cry again, but god it hurts to say.

Then she's focusing on carefully bandaging his hand, "Just... to get you home. Then we'll properly clean it." She mutters, happy to take advantage of her eyes being down so no one else can see the emotions she's still warring with. "Daisy, say goodbye to your new trouble friend. Someone check the hall to be sure we weren't followed, and we'll clear out." The slight shake of her fingertips as she puts those bandaids on is probably so subtle maybe only Daniel would notice, but it's there.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel would be more than happy to be kidnapped by Peggy right now but he somehow manages to keep his thoughts on the moment and on business. Though not before spotting the slight tremor in Peggy's fingers, he closes his own around them and then meets her eyes as he's done so many times before, trying to give her something to ground herself with.

Though as things turn to Abcde he speaks up looking at the others. "Actually, she needs to come with us. She's got an injury that's going to take some specialist help to deal with, and," he gives a sympathetic glance to Abcde. "HYDRA is looking for her, the guys that did this to me," he nods at the wound. "They were looking to get me to tell them where to find her, so, I think, until we sort this out, she needs to be with us for her own safety." The look he gives Abcde becoming aplogetic. "I'd say pack up what you need and Mittens and we'll get you set up some place safe," he glances to the others. "Assuming we've got somewhere like that."

Melinda May has posed:
May arches a brow at Daniel's words, pushing all her emotions back down into that tight little ball deep in her chest. As most emotions have evened out enough to allow for her to pretend she's got it under control again, she can put her usual game-face back on. It's a thin shell, as thin as Peggy's veneer of calm, but it will do.

She looks to the young witch and gives her a ghost of a smile. "I suggest you fetch your things. We won't leave you hanging out to dry, if HYDRA's after you."

She looks to Cape. "You, get your ass back to Wilcox and Caldwell -- and the rest of WAND. Tell them about the djinn and that HYDRA's mucking with magic again. We'll be in touch."

She pulls the keys out of her pocket and looks at Daisy. "You drive," she tells her, tossing her the keys (a mute testament to just how unsteady she's still feeling). "I call shotgun."

Then, to Peggy: "You sit in the back with your husband and our newest guest." Her eyes soften as she says it, however. She holds Peggy's gaze for just a moment, needlessly checking in with her silently.

There. Decisions made. She can still do that. "Let's go home," she says, just the faintest hint of a plaintive note to her tone. If you don't know her, you'd miss it. "And we'll bring everybody up to speed there."

Because, really? This is one for the record books.