6263/Knocking on the Hydra door.

Knocking on the Hydra door.
Date of Scene:	18 May 2021
Location:	Hell's Kitchen
Synopsis:	Quake and Midnighter are informed by the mysterious hacker, Friday, that there is an ambush ready to happen on a SHIELD safehouse. As expected it turns out to be a very bad day for the Hydra agents on the scene. In the end Friday escapes, and Midnighter gets a first contact in SHIELD!
Cast of Characters:	Daisy Johnson, Lucas Trent, Friday

---

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Hell's Kitchen. It's very familiar grounds for Daisy Johnson, former SHIELD hero and now SHIELD ..., terrorist? The change had been rather abrupt, but what's true is that even with that 'label' there was still work to be done. Hydra was out there, pulling the strings. Endangering her Agents. And they had to be stopped.

It was what had led her here today, a 'ping' in her usual search for communications, an encoded help signal, some hacking to discover a particular safehouse had been compromised. A safehouse for SHIELD agents. Messages had been sent but to no avail. Transmissions weren't reaching the agent. Something was up..

Gathering a quick team, comprised of both some of her Warriors, Inhumans working with SHIELD along with normal Agents they set off towards it. SUVs, lighter armor under more normal clothes. This was a mission of both rescue but also trying to be unnoticed by the authorities.

<Alright, Davis. Keep it steady, we are almost there. Elena you will be with me.> She says to the ones inside the SUV, finishing to strap an ICER gun to her leg.

----

Elsewhere certain info about things starting to heat up on Hell's Kitchen, related to SHIELD and Hydra, reaches certain ears...

Lucas Trent has posed:
The hacker collective called WYLD STALLYNS RULE might not have been the best in terms of brevity or originality, but they were actually quite very effective at tracking and collating data on disavowed intelligence agents. A matter of knowing what resources would be needed, finding places where internet was being pirated at the specific rates needed for their needs. Honestly, the nerds had explained a lot of it to Midnighter until he'd almost choked one of them to death and he finally just told him the important part.

Where.

So, he's doing the rooftop thing, looking down on the supposed safehouse. He has his mask pulled down in place, his body armor on, flexing his gauntleted hands as his eyes flicker over the building, rapidly considering points of entry and egress, potential defensive configurations and the best way to make it all tumble in with the rightly place bit of mayhem. Midnighter always brought mayhem.

But that Van over there had been there a little longer than it should have been to be harmless. He wasn't the only one sniffing around this dog's behind.

Friday has posed:
-- Two hours earlier. --

Feet up on her desk, Isabella de la Torres idly was flipping through her online folders. "Hydra, Theft, Cryptocurrency. Bleh. Ping. Ping, who's pinging me?" She moused over the alert, then raised an eyebrow as she read. Old favour called in, trap going down. Details in attached file. Do not respond, urgent.

She'd read, quickly, while reaching for her gear bag. She'd known that contact - she'd saved him from some danger, not too long ago. It's good to have people owing you, sometimes. Then she'd looked through her 'contacts'...

-- Now. --

"I am not remotely stealthy," she tells her headset. The hacker she has on file tonight is new, but he's about to learn how she works. The big grin on her face, as she hits 'send' to drop her infodump to the interested parties, that's just fun.

Midnighter and the girl should be alerted to her presence about...now. The police will get a call in fifteen minutes. You know, because chaos.

In her bright red longcoat and hat, she stands up tall. Right in front of the front door. And smiles, as she starts to walk forward.

You kids and your stealth. Over both of their comms, she says, "Hi! Glad you could make it, let's knock shall we?"

Daisy Johnson has posed:
The street seems mighty calm. Perhaps too calm. Just having reached dusk. And besides the woman standing right in front of the door in redcoat and hat there are other signs. The van strategically across the street. The front of the building across the safehouse where one may capture just the shiny glint of what may be a long range gun.

Fearless hacker? Or Hydra? What's true is that no one has started shooting yet. Maybe they are waiting to get the Agents sussed out, or for more to appear.

Daisy listens to her comms, a frown. That voice is familiar. "You. Again." they had talked before. Hacker to hacker. And now here they were... An SUV goes around a corner, approaching and coming to a stop. "What are you doing here? And what are your intentions?" the door of the SUV opens up to reveal Daisy stepping out, another woman coming out the other side of the SUV and they both looking at the door.

"Elena, keep your eyes out on the streets. I am going to approach." she murmurs.

Then it's time to move, she making her way over and towards Isabella, hand atop her ICER but not yet having drawn it.

Meanwhile that glint on the window appears again, now more pronouncedly, zoning in on Daisy as she is walking and ready to shoot.

Lucas Trent has posed:
Midnighter doesn't have a formal communication network, but his gear doesn't work that way anyway. Midnighter was designed to be a post apocalyptic superweapon, so he just steals what he needs, wherever he needs it. So he's piggybacked onto the local communications enough to respond to Isabella's teasing words.

"Careful waht you wish for. You just might get it."

He spots that sniper in the window up there, cocking his head for a moment. Could shoot him, could warn the agents below, could relay info to the mysterious hacker. Could do nothing and just watch the blood flow and try to pick the truth out of the pieces. He didn't have any skin in this game yet. But he was mighty curious and frankly, he felt like busting heads.

He moves with terrifying rapidity, sudden as lightning, moving from stockstill to full tilt boogie, reaching the edge of his roof and, with a massive leap, careening through the distance until he crashes through the sniper's window, unleashing his trademark ultraviolence on anyone on the other side.

Friday has posed:
"Honey, there is nothing even remotely confusing about me," says the response over comms. "I'm going to knock." She stands right up front, loud and proud. The sudden motion and shattering glass makes her grin widen, and she adds, "Or we could just go in, apparently."

She raises an eyebrow, hidden behind the brim of her hat, and lifts a dark-skinned hand. Empty before Daisy's eyes, she opens her finger and turns the hand, and magically there's suddenly a tool in them. A heartbeat passes and she says, "Auto-key. I'll draw fire, you do what you like. My intentions are to have as much fun as possible."

Almost unnoticed, she slides her tool into the door and clicks it open. Then she crosses her arms, leans her back against the door, and whispers, "Oh, the horror, the horror! Come on then, save agents, get milk. All that jazz."

Then the door is creaking, and she's tipping into the building. Probably to get shot.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Daisy is approaching carefully, eyes on the street around. All too calm indeed ... And what is that-- The crash through the window alerts Daisy, springing her to action, an order into comms, <Davis, Elena. Get to the safehouse, get our agents out.> urgency in her tone.

And then that 'infernal' hacker is just going through the front door! Well then! "Don't--!" she shouts as if trying to protect the woman..

Because indeed shots is what is heard from the other side, peppering the door and the area near Isabella, which may make her just have to move fast to slide out of the way! Though she does have a good look at the entry corridor to the house, along with the two men dressed in black, armored clothing that are shooting her way from the corner of another door ahead.

Daisy focuses, sending out her own vibrations, one hand up and pointing to the door as some of those bullets get deflected out of the way, a shudder going through the whole house as if a very small earthquake had hit it. Apparently the SHIELD terrorist Quake has just arrived.

Not that she can deflect all of those bullets, so Isabella may have to really mooove and weave out of the if she wants to keep that coat bullet-free!

--

Upstairs, when Midnighter crashes in through the window he comes across a pair of men as well, one with a sniper who looks mighty surprised. Surprised enough to not even get out of the way and taking the full brunt of the man's arrival with his chest. Which makes him fly off to wall. The other says something to his comms and draws out a gun, prepared to shoot!

Lucas Trent has posed:
Midnighter snatches the gun right out of the hand of the man who draws it on him, his other hand grasping at the enemy's wrist and twisting until he hears tendons pop and bonds grind. Midnighter closes the rest of the distance until he's looking into the man's eyes, the smile on his face making it all the worse as he casually tosses the gun over his shoulder.

"You were already in trouble. Then you had to pull a gun on me. Do you know what I Do to people who pull guns on me? Let me show you."

The screams of the man can be heard echoing from upstairs, as loud as any alarm. When he's done, Midnighter flicks his gauntlet, splattering blood and gives the man he sent into the wall one more vicious stomp to the skull as he makes his way towards the stairs.

He presses a button on his helmet and, low-pitched enough for him to hear, the song "Ballroom Blitz" begins to play as he plummets down the stairs and begins to dismantle Hydra thugs.

Friday has posed:
While Midnighter is going full combat makey-screamey upstairs, Isabella nee Friday is about to be shot full of so much lead she'll likely be able to hire out as a pencil tomorrow. Except that she'd been expecting exactly that, and the sudden gunfire as she's leaning against the door make her sideslip.

Not out, but in. The door's partly open and that's enough. Her clothing seems somehow to make her slick, the sidways lean of her body giving her enough to let her roll when she hits the floor. And then she's one one knee, closer to the shooters than they'd been planning. The wave of energy from Mighty Daisy slaps bullets out of the air, but the SUPER OBVIOUS woman in bright red also makes the gunmen alter their targeting, to try and shoot her, shoot her, SHOOT HER!

"So predictable," she says as she tosses her hat at the one on the left's face, giving her just enough of a gap to dive through. And then both of their guns are making odd clicking noises, as Friday is past them with a handful of clips she's grabbed out of their weapons, now empty, and moving into the building.

She left them, weapons dry, and went further in. Wow. What a bitch...

Daisy Johnson has posed:
As Isabella slippery-slips past the two agents, leaving them hanging without their guns loaded there is a momentary pause. Click. Click. Trained as they are it only lasts a second though, they reaching out for another clip and starting to slip it in. Unfortunately for them a second is all Daisy needs. When Isabella is already going up the stairs Daisy comes after, like a juggernaut, using a little 'push' from her powers to have her feet lift the ground as she jumps, hitting both goons with concussive blasts that sends them against the walls.

Another shake rocks the house.

She pursues Isabella up the stairs, all the way up to the second floor, right where Midnighter is coming down from. It almost turns into a mexican standoff between the trio, Daisy tensing just so before ......

-----

The mission was simple for this clean-up crew. Seek out SHIELD safehouses, root them out, bring some in for questioning. The others? Dispose of them. For that they had even given Claus one of their dwindling 'power' bracers. Infused with power they had stolen from Inhumans, all due to Dr. Whitehall's work. This one in particular? Lightning.

So as the three of them have that momentary pause on the second floor? A bolt of lightning comes flying out from the room on the other side of the corridor, followed by another, enough to put some hairs up on end with the crackling electricity running through the building...

Though if one of those bolts hit? Oh, a lot worse...

Lucas Trent has posed:
Midnighter makes a sneering face as he sees the bolt of electricity. Not his favorite kind of opponent. His abilities came from nanotech and biosynthetic implants. Lightning wouldn't mess him up as badly as a proper EMP but it still wouldn't feel good. Not a damn bit.

Better not get hit, then.

He comes across Daisy first, meeting at the landing of the stairs, although he keeps tucked behind the corner so he doesn't make an easy shot for the lightning thrower.

"You're not the girl with the voice in my ear. Which makes you SHIELD. Who's she, then?" he asks. He's got blood on his hands, quite literally, still dripping as the body of one of the Hydra agents slides down the stairs next to him, one of Midnighter's punches having literally gone throug his chest and out the back.

Friday has posed:
"Well, blert," Friday says as she finds herself not facing an enemy. She sticks out her tnngue, replaces her hat on her head, and then catches a lightning bolt right in the center of her back.

What, you were expecting things to go perfectly? The woman shakes all-over, then drops into a hunched position. She appears to have had some kind of protection against such things, but nobody can 'dodge' lightning. not unless you're super powered.

Which I think we can all admit, she's just proven that she is not.

So to answer Midnighter's question, the lady in red is an idiot. That's who she is. Yes.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"Good question." Daisy says with a bit of a frown. Clearly they are both in the dark about who exactly Friday is! Yet answers? Oh, they are cut short by the lightning bolt hitting her squarely on the back. Enough to make Daisy wince at it. Still, she hasn't fried up to a crisp sooooo ...., small blessings?

Yes, lets go with that.

She immediately jumps forward to be in front of the shakey-one. Curse that protective bend of Daisy! A look to Midnighter. "I am going to call his attention with something he can't resist." she says, "Take him out when I do so.."

Attention then goes to that room where lightning was 'flying' from. "Hey. Schmuck. I am Quake. Come and get me." she sending another vibration through the corridor as it to provewho she is. And apparently they do seem to have a 'hard-on' for this Agent. Inhuman? One of those active Agents against the glorious Hydra?! Oh how much the Doctors would praise him for this capture! Or death .., Claus doesn't care.

So when Daisy ducks into an adjoining room Claus comes out, bolts shooting wild and an eager look in his expression.

Lucas Trent has posed:
Midnighter has reflexes that have been referred to as post-human by the people who designed them, but most simply call them terrifying. He moves like a high speed car, rapidly coming in from the side on an intercept course as the Agent with the lightning goes after Quake.

Lucas lowers his shoulder and center of gravity enough to do an old-fashioned shoulder tackle right into the guy's ribcage, sending him flying and spinning end over end into the wall at the other end of the hallway and likely breaking every rib on one side of his ribcage in the process.

"Nice toy," Midnighter says. "Better stay down or I'm going to stuff it up your ass."

Friday has posed:
While there's something to be said for electroshock, the pain attached is not quite the rush that Isabella had been wanting out of this. Her teeth chatter ing, she ...

Twitch.

Vosc_tn Iroon tln-, nu i ~ C ni ir nmOm ccurat ,yn ni ir nfl

The woman bangs her hands on her head, trying to get her brain back online. The double vision of the guy and the lady taking down the whoever it was, that's...that's fine enough.

She frowns, then she glances at the way that Midnighter came in. Maybe it is time to take the rest of the evening off..

When the two look back at her, she's gone. There's a sound of fabric fluttering in the window, but the Woman in Red has 'done a bunk'. Even hurt, she's leaped from the window. The SUV outside would catch her picture. Red coat, red hat. And then, gone.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Yea, Claus knows not to try and move. Busted up as his side is. And the damn bracer appears to be malfunctioning. So there's a urgle that leaves his lips that sort of seems to mean 'Ok'. Though soon enough he will most likely be unconscious..

Daisy steps back out of that side room after Midnighter handles the guy, a sharp nod offered before she goes to look at where the 'Lady in Red' was. "Hey, are you bette--" a pause. Not there anymore. She grinds her teeth. Escaped, eh?

<<Always on the move, is it? Well, for what it's worth thank you, Friday.>> Daisy says over on comms before asking her own Agents. <<Elena. How are our agents?>> The response comes soon after, <<Taking them out now, we will start the relocation and ..., police has been called. They will be here soon.>>

As Isabella is sliding out she can indeed see a few agents getting out, a couple of other Agents directing them to the SUV they came in.

"I'm Quake." Daisy then says to Midnighter, eyes assesssing him. "Who are you?"

Lucas Trent has posed:
Midnighter looks to where Isabella had disappeared. "Slippery," he says. He's intrigued. She's obviously got her own agenda, but, then, so does he.

"Midnighter," he says in answer, meeting Daisy's eyes directly. "A covert agent who's been on the outside for most of the last twenty years. Now you're in my shoes. And I have to admit, it got me curious. What did SHIELD find that was so dangerous that they had to burn your whole agency down to keep it contained? I spend most of my time trying to uncover the big lies. Plus, maybe I can offer your lot a few tips about how to stay under the radar. If you're interested."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Midnighter. Now there's a name that rings a few bells. Specially to her former hacker self.

"So you are him." Clearly Daisy has heard of the man. She presses her lips to a line, eyes on his directly as well. The reputation is known, and while she doesn't know the whole story she knows that what he is saying is true enough.. So she dips her head. "Secrets that a lot of people in high places would prefer to keep secret." is what she replies.

The proposal does come with a touch of a surprise though but after a moment of consideration she nods. "We might. Any help we can get is welcome, and I have heard of you enough to be aware you don't mess around."

"How could we contact you?"

Lucas Trent has posed:
Midnighter reaches into one of the pouches on his belt and draws out a thumb drive, passing it over.

"That's a code key. It has instructions on it. I don't have a formal organization, but I have friends. If you use that, it will get a message to them, and they will get a message to me. I respond quickly. Not many people have one of those."

"I don't trust you, of course. But I don't trust anyone. That said, everything about what's been done to you smells to high heaven. And I'm keen to punish whoever's responsible."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Quake catches the key, a brief look on the drive and then finally a nod. "Likewise." About the not trusting part! No spies worth their salt trust one another after all.

"This was just the tip of the iceberg. But they have been steadily hunting for us." She explains. "Hydra.." which speaking of..

<<Davis, hope you got some space on the trunk. I will bring in a special guest.>> And she goes to pick up the unconscious Claus. Interrogation would be at the base. Over her shoulder she says. "You better get out of here before the cops arrive."

And then she jumps out the window with the Hydra agent, her vibrations cushioning her fall by pushing up and then she running to the SUV. And then the SHIELD team is off!