6425/The Framework: Prove It To Me

The Framework: Prove It To Me
Date of Scene:	03 June 2021
Location:	Panic Room, Carter-Sousa Townhouse, D.C.
Synopsis:	As Sharon sneaks out of the Carter-Sousa house, and Peggy joins her daughter for an overdone Memorial Day dinner, May goes to see Daniel. It's time he puts his money where his mouth is and proves he's not lying about the so-called Real World.
Cast of Characters:	Melinda May, Daniel Sousa
Tinyplot:	The Framework

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Melinda May has posed:
As Peggy goes to join Lily at the table with her hot dog, Melinda descends into the basement. She pauses briefly at the base of the stairs -- away from view by anyone for this short moment. It's long enough for her to scrub her face with her hands and rake her hands through her hair, pulling on her roots with tight fists. She closes her eyes and forces her breathing deep into her diaphram, letting the breath settle in her bones. It's not enough to push away the fear and anger battering her from directions she doesn't understand, though it is enough to insulate her just enough that she doesn't feel like her body is *quite* going to fly apart.

She schools her features and moves to the hidden panic room, knocking on the door in a distinctive pattern. Through the intercom, she says, "Daniel, it's Melinda. They're gone. Let me in."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel has been pacing almost the entire time he had been in the panic room. Generally speaking he was a patient man, but being confined away from the people he cares about when danger is coming is something else entirely, it leaves him restless. Melinda's voice brings an end to the pacing however and he moves to the door, "One sec," he says and undoes the multiple locks meant to keep people out and steps back from the door moving to lean against one of the walls while May enters the panic room.

Melinda May has posed:
May's expression is grim. "It was Morse and the Doctor," she tells him without preamble. "They've openly threatened Melly -- and the other kids -- if Peggy doesn't obey them. I suspect, if they find me here again, they'll kill me." She's not making any move to return upstairs.

She searches Daniel's face for a long moment, trying to see if, somehow, she can feel his emotions like she seems to feel Peggy's. It's not... clear to her, yet, though. "Peggy is sitting with Lily. We have a few moments. We need to talk."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel nods, "Sounds like it," he says of needing to talk and gestures to the sofa in the panic room while he takes one of the chairs. "Ask me what you want to ask I'll do my best to be straight with you but I'm not going to give up anyone else, just telling you there were other people was dangerous enough."

His body language isn't as open as before, their previous talk upstairs having wised him up some.

Melinda May has posed:
"Sharon just left," May notes, as Daniel lays out his ground rules. She actually does move to sit on the sofa, however. That's actually somewhat telling, given it's not her usual habit. But, then, she's not feeling herself right now, either. "She arrived hot on their heels. Started spouting the same story you gave us." She eyes him for a moment. "Then, she threatened to kill herself to try to prove it to us."

Does she really need to tell him how badly that's shaken Peggy? She hides her own upset well, but Peggy... just doesn't have that in her any more. Not really. She's been out of the game too long.

"Tell me again what you believe is real."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel lets out a low whistle at the news about Sharon. "She didn't hurt herself did she?" he asks, he assumes by May's word choice she didn't die, but still the concern is there from Daniel. "What I *know* is that this world is fake, a construct made by some big computer in the real world, you, Peggy, Morse, Fitz and some others were sent to investigate it for SHIELD and it had automatic defenses that pulled you into some sort of cryopod looking things and started running wires through your skin, it's keeping you alive, feeding you, filtering out toxins but your minds are trapped here.I got in by some of the sciences folks hijacking the computers signal and letting us sneak in, but my real body is maybe a few feet from you and Peg's pods with some fancy rig on my head putting me in here."

Melinda May has posed:
May doesn't look like she believes him. But she's also clearly mulling it through. "For the sake of argument," she says slowly, "let's pretend I believe you." Yeah, she doesn't. Not yet. But she's talking. She's *listening*.

"If your people have been able to jack the signal, as you say, does that mean you can extract data? Find things? Find people? Gather intelligence?" Odd questions, maybe. Melinda has never been one to ask random questions, however.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel will take what he can get when i comes to people being at least willing to listen. "Sounds likely, I know they're able to watch and record what we all see, so it's possible we can find something in here," he says before it hits. "You want me to use the rig up in the real world to try and find Melly don't you?"

Melinda May has posed:
May nods simply. No point beating around the bush. "You asked me how you could prove what you say is real. So. Yes. Find your daughter."

She is sitting still, resisting the urge to figet with concentrated effort. So, even for her, it's something of an unnatural stillness. "Peggy is a hair's breadth away from total breakdown. She's staying strong for the sake of the kids, but... it can't last. She's not the woman she used to be. She's... gone soft." She doesn't mean that cruelly, a regret in her tone that acknowledges it. "She will *not* leave your kids. If you can't see that..." She shakes her head.

"It doesn't matter. The point is, she won't begin to listen to you while Melly is at an Enlightenment facility. The way I see it, I have nothing left to lose here. Morse told her outright that I killed you. She doesn't believe it. She thinks I hid you, protected you. Maybe I did. I really don't know, any more. I was trying to keep you from becoming the Doctor's latest experiment." Her lips press tightly together for a moment as she focusses herself with a tight breath. "I felt your neck snap, Daniel. I *know* you died. But you're sitting here, spouting what must be nonsense and complicating our lives exponentially. And I can't explain it. As far as I'm concerned, you're either an malfunctioning LMD or you're telling truth. Or I've finally gone insane." There's always that.

"I'm giving you a way to prove yourself to me one way or the other, so I don't have to put a bullet in your head for real. I don't expect to survive this. Even if I can get Peggy and the kids to safety, the Doctor won't ultimately let me escape. I know too much." Fatalistic, maybe, but -- in this world -- she's not wrong. "And he doesn't take either failure or betrayal kindly." She shrugs mildly. "I've done everything I set out to do. I promised you I would save your family. I'll keep that promise. But I need you on board to do it."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel's eyes round in surprise at the news May killed the other him. "Wow they really did a number on you in this place, huh?" he asks sympathy in his eyes. "Anyhow, what you're saying makes sense," he says. "I should be able to get back to the real world and find Melly, but you've got to understand one thing, Melly, Lily, and Michael don't exist outside this simulation, I know we need to help them or Peg is going to lose it, but if it comes down to saving you Peg, Morse, Fitz or any of the others and them we have to pick the real people." Though some of the resolve he would have had about this before meeting them is gone now, and he moves on quickly.

"Anyhow, you got an ICER? I need to sleep to go home and it doesn't sound like we have time to wait for me to get sleepy."

Melinda May has posed:
May's eyes flash just enough. She's trying to hold it together, but the very idea of saving Morse and Fitz is... Not. Happening. She won't argue the point right now, however.

She gives him a tight, wry smile. "I can put you to sleep," she assures him. Of course, it means switching out one mag for another. Some HYDRA tech got smart and realized ICER rounds that could fit in a standard .45 were much more useful over all. "Though, we'll need to close that door so the sound doesn't carry."

Soft, though she may be, Peggy will recognize the sound of a gun in her own home. Only the soundproof nature of the sealed panic room will prevent that.

Alternatively, she could just knock him out... That may be uncomfortable for both of them, however, on more than one level, given the last time she had her hands around his throat.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
If Daniel catches that look he doesn't speak on it, he only nods about putting him out and moves to close the door and lock it. It wouldn't do for Peg to walk in on any part of this given what May had told him about what happened here.

Once that's done he moves back to the chair and sits, "Okay, I'm ready," he tells her, bracing a little for the shot.

Melinda May has posed:
May rises, pulling her weapon and switching out the mag with brass shells to a mag with blue chemical slugs. "I suggest you take the couch," she tells him. "It'll be easier to convince her you fell asleep there than it will to have you sumped in the chair." Not to mention, she can toss a throw over him there and make it look natural.

Once he's moved, she takes a moment to aim at him. Her nostrils flare a little and her jaw tightens. "Good luck," she tells him. Then, she fires.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"Right," Daniel says moving over to the couch and laying down. "Neat trick with the ICER," he says of switching the mags. "And May, thank-" he begins before the slug does it's work and he's out like a light, laying limp on the couch.