2013-03-12 - Let Them Eat Cake

Today, the protests are back. They are marching in front of the Xavier's Institutes gates, sometimes blocking part of the road if not all of it as they march in circles waving their signs which read: 'Go Home Muties', and let us please ignore the sheer stupidity of that one, 'Muties are Evil', well, if they claim membership to the Brotherhood maybe, 'Die Muties Die', geez, can that guy just get some education pleaze?! In either case, it isn't like they are awe inspiring or even artistic, or intelligent. Then again, when is bigotry educated? Well, there was that one book written by the Europeans on how different ethnics had different shaped skulls and thus smaller brains. ... Right, that wasn't very educated either, moving on!

Hope Summers has returned to the planned location across from the Institute, though she's hanging out in a tree right now hiding from the protesters and talking very quietly to herself: "And I have three brain cells. My name is Mutie Hater #3. See, #3 for three brain cells." So she's bored, and it's better to mock then cry at seeing all the hatred. But she's also unusually alert for a girl snarking to herself, keeping an eye on comings and goings along the road as it isn't too busy to begin with anyway, even with the protesters parking at the sides of the road and getting in the way of everyone else that has better things to do.

Paige Guthrie had alerted Laura about the mysterious armed stranger who seemed to know lots of stuff about her and the school and claimed to be a friend of Laura. And that they were to meet today at this time, in this location. And.... an anti-mutant rally. Oh joy. Paige goes up to the edge of the Institute and says to the protesters, "Muties go home? What does that even mean... Why don't YOU ALL GO HOME?" She then sees where Hope is and points her out to Laura. "That girl right there. Ya recognize her? She said she's a friend of yers."

Laura does not, in fact, recognize over Hope at all. The girl smells -strange- then. As well as Laura having gotten a message someone knows her and wants to see her that she doesn't know of. So, she's done the logical thing in advance and asked anyone else she could grab to come with her in case backup is needed. She takes a breath, looking over at the girl, ignoring the protesters, "Are you from my cousin?" Her eyes search for anything familiar in Hope. Any sign of her family.

Hank McCoy had emerged from his hole tm, aka his lab. He'd been doing that of late, he'd returned to his old self not hiding down there. It was just as mysterious that he'd stopped as he started. Perhaps that mutant he was trying to help was healed or died. But he stops to see the girls outside engaging the protesters. the classical tune he'd been humming dies on his his lips, he utters barely audibly, "Oh my stars and garters!" Then begins to head for the front door as quickly as his furry legs (and hands) will carry him.

Over the sound of chanting and bigotry there is the sound of an engine. It's a low, throaty growl, a motorcycle that's as much about power as it is about agility. From down the street comes a tall, lean man riding said motorcycle, with a pair of sunglasses and a long, terribly impractical coat. He slows as he sees the crowd in front of the entrance, and frowns. "Well, dat's jus' wonderful."

Hope isn't easy to spot, she takes some searching for. Paige knows the general area where to find her though, because she's in the spot she promised to meet Laura, across the road from the front gate just...up. The protesters haven't noticed her, but then again, they haven't thought to look up. As Laura leaves Paige once she pointed out Hope, moving around the protesters, she may overhear the quite mockery of Hope, which has a certain edge of despair to it. But it's the soft spoken words of Laura from below, that causes Hope to almost fall out of the tree!

"Oh!" Hope is turning to look down at Laura, "Laura!" She then quiets down, "It's really you!" The smile is bright and warm, her face lighting up. She sounds a little breathless and very, very happy. I mean seriously, who is /that/ happy to see Laura?!

The protesters on the other hand seem to chant louder, "Muties go home!" And one of the men gives a very obscene gesture toward Paige!

From down the road, a black van is driving slowly, but steadily through the congestion, it is a bit behind the motorcycle still. The front door of the mansion bust open and out comes Hank at full run on two feet and one hand. He looks like a silverback gorilla charging. A blue gorilla in button up, sweater vest, bow tie, and khakis with glasses but a gorilla none the less. He lets out a grunt of frustration and a slight snarl as he scoops up Paige and tosses her over one shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He back side now showing to the crowd and Paige seeing nothing but sweater vest. "Dear haters of Homo Superior, this concludes the entertainment portion of our evening. We the staff at the Xavier institute do not expressly agree with the opinions of singular members of the student body. We recognize that it is your first amendment right to freedom of speech and protest peaceful on public property. Though I will humbly remind you that any acts of trespass will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I now return you to your regular programmed hatred of me for being born with a specific gene that chose to express itself."

Remy has brought his bike up to the edge of the protesters, leaning on one leg to support part of its weight as he waits for the crowd to clear out. He looks vaguely amused by the entire affair. "Y'all ain't got...jobs...or somet'in'?" He asks laconically of the rowdy crowd. "Kids at home? Somet'in' better t'do wit' yer lives den come out here an' heckle folk? I mean, 'f y'all do it on de internet y'get de added bonus o'not havin' yer faces associated wit' somet'in' like de Westboro Baptist Church."

"Who are you...," talking to, but Hope doesn't finish as she looks back over at the crowd and what Paige is doing as she opens the front school gates after being all...metal-tastic, and threatens a protester face-to-face. "Oh my...is she NUTS?!" Hope sounds panicked, and scared, honestly scared. This isn't going according to plan at all! And she almost falls out of the tree she is hiding in across the road from the front gate and near the protesters.

In the meantime, the protesters are slowing when the school gate opens and hangs open. But the worse of it? Is that moment Paige ripped off her skin and clothes. They start throwing words at her like Harlot, slut, stripper, devil-woman! The man that gave her the obscene gesture jerks back, "Don't touch me break! I'll get dirty! You don't even wear clothes! What kind of things do they do at this place?!" And a piece of rotten veggies is flying toward Paige from someone that opened their trunk nearby. Yep, this is going well....course that is about the time Hank comes to Paige's rescue, and a very highly educated raw of....

"Wow, that is just...amazing." Yes, Hope is admiring Beast right now! And her panic level starts to lower, but she suddenly appears more alert, looking about attentively, "Something bad is going to happen," she says quietly for Laura to hear. "Something very bad. There is going to be an attack, it can't be let to happen." She knows there is a mutant attack today, but she didn't think anyone at Xavier's would do it until Paige busted out, but that was stopped. Still...

That is when the black truck slows down and starts to turn about, as if it will head back away rather than go through the worse of the traffic jam. That is when the back doors burst open from the black van and a bluish-green mutant is pushed out of it. The doors slam shut then and the van starts to speed off. The protesters aren't noticing anything strange, as they are busying gasping and yelling at hank, and one of the protesters still trying to hit Paige with rotten things. Though one calls back to Remy having heard them, "They are freaks of nature! Against God's law!" Yep...darn them...why, oh why did the crusades happen and prove churches are allowed to hate? Oh wait, then the witch hunters. Humanity still needs to grow up, alas.

The bluish-green mutant though stumbles to his feet, and looks about. He has a misshaped face with rows and rows of teeth, and a long lizard-like tail that sweeps from side-to-side. Some of the vehicles are hiding his immediate view from the protesters as well, but Gambit would be sure to see him, and so would Laura and Hope from their position - or at least Hope. And Beast and Laura? They would likely smell him. Something...wrong, foul...chemical drugs. It's a sour and bitter smell, easy to catch for them even if they aren't close to him.

Scott Summers also comes running from the direction of the Mansion behind Hank, not even having had time to swap out to his visor. He's a plenty swift sprinter, but nearly so swift as the hairsuit and well-dressed Dr. McCoy. Still, he doesn't exactly look winded when he comes to a halt in front of the crowd, moving just past Beast as he heads in the opposite direction with their almost-wayward hayseed, and simply folding his arms over his chest and regarding the mob impassively before speaking.

"HEY! Have I got your attention? Good. You know all those mutants you're so afraid of? The ones that you worry might hurt a lot of people if they get out of control? Well..." He tilts his head down, lowering the glasses -just- enough to let those in front of him see a bright flare of crimson light beneath it...

"Yeah. I'm one of those. And I lose control -really- fast when people crash my front lawn without asking nicely."

Paige Guthrie is suddenly scooped up and put over Beast's shoulder. "Hey! Mr. McCoy I'm just...! HEY... they can free speech all they want but I have free speech too to call them A BUNCH OF RACIST YAHOO MORONS!" she shouts the last part at the protesters. When she's put down she yells back at the protesters, "HEY SINCE YALL ARE SO INTO SCRIPTURE MAYBE YA READ MATTHEW 7:2?? HUH? YKNOW?"

She composes herself a bit then quotes, since she actually -is- a religious girl, "Judge not, that you be not judged! For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you!" She then crosses her arms and hmphs.

The situation is rapidly escalating, between the mutants ready to defend their home and the extremists who are on the verge of rioting with the least provocation. And even then, Laura's attention is elsewhere. Over on Hope. Over on the lizard mutant. Over on the truck that seems to be fleeing right after having dumped him. Unable to draw a bead with what is going on. She reaches up for her communicator and speaks into it  The chemicals. They're reeking. She can't identify them, but she knows that this is a setup. She gestures over at Hope, "Whatever it is, we will deal with it later." On their history, if it has or happened yet, and figuring out what has gone on, if anything. As the black truck zooms away, she tries to memorize the licence plate and look at it, then jerks her thumb over towards the strange lizard thing, "He needs our help."

Beast looks at the freshly arrived Scott, hey it's the voice of reaso... Then Slim opens his mouth. Hank whispers, "Oh Fearless Leader, not one of your most tactical decisions enraging the villagers with pitch forks. Oh look Gambit is opening the gate." Then Paige goes on her personal statement of curing hatred by using the bible in a very loud tone as she yells at his sweater vest. Hank sighs, "Is this what it was like hanging out with Louis the XVI and Marie Antoinette? Least she didn't yell let them eat cake." That's when Hank catches sight of the 'new mutant' and sniffs the air. "Cyke, we have a problem." He points the mutant out and lets Paige down.

Gambit has not actually started to open the gate. Instead, he's turning to look at the lizard that was just dumped out of the van, frowning. His mind reels, trying to get gears into place well enough to think of something to do. He plants one foot against the ground and uses his hand to rev the motorcycle's engine, drowning out most of the shouting from the protesters. Rnggggrgggnnggrgnnnnggg! "Y'all seen how dem Occupy protests turned out, neh? New York cops ain't 'lways real kind t'what you migh' call political activists. Y'all better move on, you end up in jail wit' no shoes on." While he does this, he moves the bike a little, turning it sideways to insert it between the crowd and the lizard mutant. Is he protecting the mutant, or the humans? It's not clear. "G'wan now, scoot, I hear tell dere's a sale at Whole Foods on Bigotry-O's."

Hope gasps when Cyclops comes out the door, her...grandfather? He's so young! And of course, then there is that lovely magical display of, "What the...," her brow wrinkling. She wants to groan, but swallows it as she puts Paige's yelling to the back of her mind and scans the area again, actually agreeing with her without being religious. The van is gone! In its place, is a strangely acting mutant. "This is it," her gut tightening. She moves to leap out of the tree branch, her knees bending to absorb the shock.

Laura will notice the license plate is missing, and the van is not slowing down in its retreat.

Hope nods firmly, "He looks confused and distressed. Something isn't right." She can read body language, but she can also tell the mutant will lash out quickly as well. Her eyes look directly into Laura's then, "Let's go." It's almost as if she has done this before, the simple trust lying out there.

The protesters let out a scream of fright some of them, and they leap back from Scott's show of manliness. One of the braver ones - or is that more insane - throw a rotten veggie at the now closed gate. And just as Hope and Laura are moving in toward the lizard-like mutant, one of the protesters calls out and points, "Hey, look, there is another one!" And one can see how the violence is about to break out; especially as when attention is drawn to him, the lizard-like mutant suddenly lets out a nasty hiss that sends spit all over the place.

The lizard-like mutant's tail sways from side-to-side in an agitated manner, his fingers flexing with claws. Feral...and he has next to no control. The lizard-mutant then starts to run toward Gambit, who is ironically closest due to being on his motorcycle. It is not registering friend or protester.

Unable to see beyond the crowd for the moment, Scott frowns behind his glasses and replies towards Hank, "I'm guessing you mean beyond the obvious one. What's going on?" Then he hears the shouts and cries of "Another one!" and hears Laura's comment over the comms thanks to a cleverly hidden earpiece. "Oh nuts." Then he's moving, not towards the gate, but towards one of the pillars supporting it, rather deftly scrambling up atop it to try to gain a vantage point on the situation, "We've been set up." He says as calmly as one might discuss the weather on a balmy spring afternoon.

Paige Guthrie looks at Cyclops fire optic beams, then at Beast. Optic beams apparently being less of a problem than quoting the Bible. "Yer being a bit selective. You know, my mom always said when you have bullies, use their words against them and don't back down from them, thanks." she says with a bit of sarcasm.

The sudden running lizard mutant is at an angle where Laura is going to be in a race. She gestures over at Hope one final time, "Help me and do something." Then, she's running out and over towards the running lizard, trying to intercept him over before he can reach over to the crowd and start a riot or a body count. She reaches up to her Gen-X communicator and calls to Paige << Can you help us with immobilizing him? >> She means the lizard thing. Paige is the most powerful one in the field, and Laura is desperately hoping over that Paige will have a trick that she can use to stop the thing before it kills someone. Or she has to kill it. She's running after the lizard beast, pushing herself to her limits to try and get in range to intercept it if she can.

Beast shakes his head at Paige, "No, I'm mocking Ol' Fearless Leader much the same as I am you." He then calls out, "Has Spider-Man and Daredevil been guest lecturing again on how to be hated by the general public? And no one inform me?" He's bounding towards the situation and the crazed Mutant himself, "Careful, I don't believe he's in the control of his facilities. And what a time to leave my utility belt back in my lab. What would Batman say? Hmm, I need to have some of those cheap rubber bracelets made up to give out to other heroes." He then lowers his shoulder preparing to form tackle the tail whipping Mutant.

The lizard-man is charging right towards Remy, and Remy...well Remy is not surprised. The Cajun slips off of his bike in one smooth motion, reaching to his belt to retrieve his staff. It extends as he lunges forward, trying to intercept the lizard-like mutant already trying to slice and dice him. "Hey, hey, hey, watch de paint, I jus' got her detailed!" He gripes, apparently of the mind that if he can close to melee range with the other mutant and get /behind/ him, he can use his staff to cut off the lizard's air and knock him out. Mostly gently. "Ya /t'ink/, Shades?" This, the Cajun calls back to Cyclops sardonically.

Hope is already going through her mind what is going on, recapping things. Laura and trench coat guy engaging, wait, is that Gambit?! Grandfather looking overhead, oh gawd, don't think of him like that! Paige called in for back-up for restraint. Beast charging in for restraint. So where does that leave her?! She is suddenly racing toward Remy's motorcycle, not to get on it, but to get between it in the ground, her red hair flying about her face. Her hands are out, gauntlet covered, and her clumpy handguns are strapped to her thighs. "Hold it! He's in pain and /hurt/. Think if it was your brother, your father, or even your son! It doesn't matter if they might be a bit scary looking, if they might be different, they would be hurting and so would you! If you are scared of mutants, think of how a mutant feels when they first find out about themselves! They need you, to protect them, not to hurt them. I know it's scary, but please, /please/, let us /help/ him. And please /go/, so we can concentrate on making him better." Her tone and voice is pleading, her pitch...almost perfect. Scott may pick up on the innate language skills and tones used for leadership, but she is unpracticed and merely trying to wield emotionally moving speech like a weapon as an amateur. It isn't going to work.

The crowd is making it clear, that they are frightened, confused, and not at all big on Hope's words. When one of them starts to get a bat from his truck, one of Hope's hands moves to rest of the hilt of one energy handgun, her expression steeling itself. She's hesitating though, but it would be clear to those not currently engaged in combat, that she isn't going to control the crowd by herself.

In the meantime, Gambit more than hands his hands full. The lizard-man doesn't seem to think he needs to breathe, instead kicking and clawing and when that doesn't work, his tail lashes out to grab Gambit about the waist to either tug him off, or beat him off, so that he can then face X-23 who is a few bounds closer to him then Beast.

O.K., now there are random redheads appearing, who happen to be armed and wearing what looks like a costume. Why does this situation seem familiar? Anyway, best not to think about it right at the moment, more pressing business to attend to. With the crowd's attention turned towards the -other- mutant and Hope, Scott leaps down off the support pillar (on the "public" side of the fence and races around the fringe of the crowd to stand beside Hope. "Tough crowd." He comments with nary a trace of outward humor in his voice. "Look folks, just pack up and go home. You don't like us. We get it. Come back tomorrow if you want to protest some more, but don't make this any uglier than it already is." He's doubtful his words will have any more effect than Hope's but at least there's two of them facing down the crowd while the others deal with the crazed and possibly injured and/or drugged mutant behind them.

Paige Guthrie gets called by Laura for backup on the lizard mutant. So with another 'SHRRRRIIIP' the titanium skin is on the ground. Surely something Jubilee will complain about later since Paige rarely cleans up her husks that she leaves all over the place.... and she's in rubber form.

Why rubber? Because of the perks, obviously. Super speed for one thing - faster than a speeding bullet.

Editor's note: No, not the person you're thinking of, dear readers.

Paige takes off in a blurred run to intercept the feral lizard mutant guy, then tries at first to grab him, but being unable to get a good grip, she stretches first her arms then then her body around him to try to wrap around him in an attempt to bring him down before he hurts someone (or himself).

Laura is aware of the giant teeth on the thing, and the claws. And that lashing tail. There's a slash across her shoulder from a bladed attack - perhaps accidental, perhaps inflicted by the beast or something else. The cut clean, bleeding through as her shoulder starts to heal. Her motion is quick - she's not strong enough to help with immobilizing the creature by grappling, but she can hopefully take care of some of those pointy bits! Her foot claw slashes out, with luck hopefully being able to take off the tail, of the thing if she gets in a good angle and a good strike. If the thing is like a proper lizard, they will grow back anyways.

Hank can hear the tick tock of the terrible crock as it goes to take a bite of Captain Husk. He lets out a grunt and he goes to try to face to face bear hug the lizard, "NO. Get ahold of yourself. Stop it, You're at the Xavier's Institute. Concentrate. Concentrate. Your safe."

Poor Gambit. He really is capable. Most of the time. In this regard, however, he manages to get himself into position, only to discover the reason why one doesn't grapple things with tails from behind. He's smacked away like an irritating gnat and the Cajun barks a sound of frustration, backhandspringing as he does to convert his momentum into something controlled. He lands on his feet in a crouch, examining the situation and deciding if he tries to get back into melee he's only going to make it worse. "Yeh, mebbe y'all come back tomorrow an' we have punch an' cookies." Remy makes a shooing gesture with one hand.

Hope glances side-long up at Scott, and then almost shyly looks away. She's nervous, but her back is straight and her chin is tilted up stubbornly. She isn't going to back down. And apparently the grand showing of putting a hand on her handgun butt made the person slowly put the bat back into his truck. Gun verse bat, you do the math. All the muties are on the 'outside' of the gate now, making the protester realize they may not be outnumbered, but they are still few. "He's right," Hope says, her tone stronger now. "We can be angry at each other, we can misunderstand each other, but when you actually hurt someone, you can't take that back. It's there forever. So go."

The lizard-man makes another inhuman sound as Husk tries to restrain him, but it sounds actually pained and mad at the same time. Enough to send a shiver through most of the protestors who seem to reluctantly be heading back to their vehicles. Though some say snide comments as they start to depart. Hope does not relax the entire time, not even taking her hand from the butt of her gun handle, and she keeps a serious expression, well, at least until Remy opens his mouth. Then she bites her lower lip to stop from laughing, hard.

The claws of the lizard-mutant are trying to reach to tear at the rubber attempting to bound him, and they will cut through it if they catch it. The tail is also deadly as it whips about powerfully, perhaps the most powerful muscle on this mutant feral...and X-23 has quickly figured that out. That is where that inhuman and terrifying scream came from as his tail gets cut off, and the lizard-mutant starts to lose his balance, and then Hank is restraining his mouth that tries to snap at Paige. That only leaves her to deal with failing legs and flaying arms. She can do this. And soon enough, the team work has the creature restrained. It still is not really responding to logic, and it still struggles against Paige's bounds, but it cannot hurt himself or anyone else right now. It's tail just needs to stop that bit of bleeding.

Hope turns to look back over at everyone as everyone is in their vehicles and starting them up, waiting for the way to clear before driving away...which when the flapping stops, they start to do. Well, least they aren't so vicious as to run anyone over, yet. "Oooh, ouch," when she notices the tail, but then at Laura, her eyes widen a bit, "Are you alright Laura?" Honest care. It doesn't matter if Laura is a fast healer, Hope's instinct is to care.

Scott doesn't order anyone to take the lizard-man to the infirmary. He knows it goes without saying. Just like it goes without saying that the fellow get a very in-depth scan to make sure he isn't a walking Trojan horse carrying some sort of deadly disease tailored to kill mutants or the like. Hopefully they'll find a way to restore him to rationality and find out what his story is. For the meantime, he just watches the crowd disperse. He'll have to have a chat with Paige later about how long she'll be in detention for opening up the gate (significantly less than originally planned due to her part in restraining the feral mutant...but she doesn't need to know that), but that can wait. After all is said and done, he simply says, "Let's get back inside, and someone get a bandage or tourniquet on that tail on the way."

Paige Guthrie is trying her best to keep the lizard guy restrained without getting her head bitten off - well at least she's restraining the arms and legs. Still really difficult though. "Ya know, if anyone could either calm him down or knock him out or somethin, would be helpful, since ah'm not exactly super strong like this and can't hold him forever?" She even tries to calm the mutant down herself, "Easy already, Calm down! Stop with all the thrashin!" Husk looks around, wrapping her legs more securely around the lizard guy's legs. "Erg... Sooner would be better than later?"

It's a bit easier once Beast keeps the jaws shut though so that she doesn't have to worry about being croc food.

Laura is moving to help with dropping the lizard, ready to pounce over towards him then if he makes further moves. That done, her attention urns over to the crowd then, and she narrows her eyes to look over at Hope. She moves to head along then to watch the crowd, and then leaves the lizard thing wtih Hank and Paige if it is not making further threats and is successfully held down, heading towards the redhead.

Beast is making sure Paige is safe. He calls to Paige, "Good work." He seems to be having a harder and harder time controlling the lizard. Then he starts to sweat then all of a sudden. Then Hank drops to the ground collapsing.

Scott had just headed past the gates and is almost to the mansion when Beast collapses, having gone inside to prepare the medbay for the lizard-like mutant.

Hope's hand is off her handgun butt at this point as she moves toward Laura, "You already healed, right?" She does sound worried, but a thump and almost a moment of silence draws Hope's eyes. Her jaw drops open almost, and then she is moving in auto-pilot. "Laura, go get propofol or pentothal...oh, something that knocks someone out via injection!" That works faster. She is then running over to Beast, to try and get him turned over with a grunt as she pushes him toward his back. He isn't a light fellow! She is working as an emergency field medic right now, actually having the knowledge to operate as such, and is checking Hank's vitals efficiently. Her eyes are wide, but each move she makes is controlled and purposeful.

And Paige now has a fun snappy mouth to tend with and to keep away from Beast to boot. She should have a lot of fun.

Paige Guthrie is managing to keep the lizard restrained with Beast's help. Then when he collapses, Paige says, "Mr. McCoy?" She quickly uses her arm to wrap around the lizard's mouth to keep it closed, since she read in National Geographic how it's easier to keep a gator's mouth closed once it's already closed given their weak muscles in opening their jaws.

Once she's no longer at risk of being eaten - again- Paige again says, "Mr. McCoy?" then says into her earpiece to anyone. "Beast just collapsed!" She'd help herself but still has the lizard to keep contained.

As Hank collapses, any chance Laura might have had of dealing with Hope evaporates, "Doctor McCoy!" She runs over towards him as fast as she can, yelling at Paige, "Help him!" Leaving herself to deal with the lizard. Her claws snap out, and she hisses low and ferally, hoping that Paige can help Hank where she can't. Attempting to establish her dominance as Alpha over the frightened thing with her display of claws and having already taken the creature's tail away, so with luck it will go timidly along and inside.

"Hank!" Anything else Gambit might have been concerned with is washed out of his mind. The Cajun leaves his bike behind, outside of the gates, in order to try and make his way to Beast's side. He's pretty good at parkour, if he needs to be, to get to this location. When he does, he skids to a halt on both knees--thank God for those knee-pads on his uniform--and immediately tries to roll Hank over onto his side, some kind of atrophied emergency-medicine learning that was drilled into him when he joined the teams trying to kick in. Of course, Hope is there and helping with the endeavor, which is probably just as well given how heavy Beast is. "Awww, c'mon, Chewbacca, y'can't be quittin' on us jus' yet, gimmie a groan or somet'in' an' lemme know you still wit' us."

Hope is thankful for the help, because honestly, she would have needed a minute or two to succeed with flipping over Hank by herself. "Vitals erratic....NO LAURA!" The sharp command of her voice is perhaps shocking to many that have seen her docile side. "Go get the knockout drug now and tell Scott to get an oxygen mask ready and bring out a medical bed for transporting!" She will need two medical beds for transporting, but Hank comes first. She isn't about to let Laura harm the other mutant in her need to help Hank faster, she doesn't believe what she has heard of the gentle Beast, that he would want that.

Laura, far from happy finally relents to race inside and to let Scott know that Dr. McCoy collapsed and get an oxygen mask ready. She grabs a medical bay transport bed and the knockout inject drug and races back out. Stupid elevator is too slow. This leaves Hope trying to end to McCoy, mostly counting his heartbeats and watching his breathing to see if she needs to do some manly CPR (cause well, imagine trying to pump Beast's chest, he's like all muscle!), while Gambit is soon stuck working with Paige to make sure the crazy drugged mutant does not go crazy. This is when Warren gets pulled into things.

So, red-headed girl with two chunky handguns - one strapped to teach thigh - in what appears to be a uniform is looking over Hank, she's young. Paige is all rubber wrapped about a lizard-like mutant with a missing and slightly bleeding tail - the tail chunk a little bit off to the side thanks to Laura. Hope is quick to take the needle and bottle from Laura and quickly prep it and inject the lizard-like mutant to knock him out. "We need to get Beast inside." Her tone and expression is controlled. "Then we can cart in the other one." Yes, she's actually using a commanding tone! She just hopes the knock-out drug doesn't react badly to the other drugs in the innocent mutant's blood stream.

Over the next ten to fifteen minutes, it's hell. With Warren's help, the lizard-like mutant is stabilized, but Hank...Warren and Hope cannot detect what is wrong with him, and others will be called on for another opinion as well. But slowly, Hank starts to stabilize on his own, and Hope's weapons do get confiscated - at least her handguns do, who knows if the knife in her one boot is caught - and she just quietly says, "I'd like to stay in the medbay with Beast a little longer." Her expression is...haunted, and she keeps her hands clasped in her lap. But she just wants to sit in a chair beside him and not leave his side for a while. The obvious level of care isn't hidden, but she holds back the tears. For all her rough command over Laura earlier, she's really very soft-hearted in times like this.

Beast is down and seemingly stabilized then over in the havoc of the medbay. That is all that matters. And Laura will deal with the mystery of who this strange new girl is and what her origin is later. For now, she sits over by Hank's side, trying to piece together the chaos of all that has happened. Three things. Someone attempted to instigate a riot. This new girl showed up. And now Hank is down.

Angel's arrival was timed too late to truly be of help against whatever the heck happened outside. Nevertheless, arrive he did, decked out in his uniform, feathered wings unfurled, and quickly did what he could to remove the chaos from the situation. "Someone get a breathing bag," he called for Hank, "And call Marvel Girl." Eventually, with the help of a gurney, breathing bag, and some extra muscle, he got Hank into the medbay. It's not until Hank has started to stabilize that he backs away from his long-time friend to try and figure out next steps. "Can anyone tell me what happened?"