2014-01-17 - SDR: Young Avengers... ASSEMBLE!


 * This is the first part of a Two-Part series**

"Seriously, I'm not in the mood for this," the purple-haired teen snaps over his shoulder as he boots in the door to the Mancave. "Why the /hell/ were we not told when it happened? I'm going after them, America, and this Magneto dude can kiss my ass."

Adam Turner, code name: Raptor. Fifteen, punk-goth, and a total pain in the ass. If you put him and Clint Barton side-by-side, the resemblance was uncanny-- not that either of them saw it.

He looks around the room, looking for other fellow students of the Academy-- someone has got to be willing to storm Genosha with him, if that's what it takes.

Entering down into the area, dressed to kill - that is, dressed in her costume and full regalia, is Finesse. She takes one look at Adam. "Considering your skill demonstrated in our last encounter, it is very likely Magneto will kill you." Yes, Finesse really knows how to encourage someone and boost their confidence, doesn't she? She moves into the area, tapping on her computer, eyes flickering across the screen. "He will not, however, kill Julian." This, she seems as confident of as her prior statement about Adam's ability.

America scowls as she follows after Adam looking not very pleased herself over the situation. The fact that she'd been worrying for a couple of days now about the whereabouts of Clint and Natasha didn't help the fact that her mood had gone from annoyed to 'ready to punch a bitch.' "Guy's name is Magneto, I don't think that's a good indicator of your success if you use any metal on you."

John is Hanging around the Mancave when the Door is kicked open. John's worried about Hawkeye as well. Cyber is hanging out, literally. Hanging from the ceiling near the Pole. As John listens Cyber shakes his head as he says. //~And what exactly do you expect to do Raptor? Against a mutant that can manipulate any metal subject to magnetism. Who has the resources of an entire Island Nation of Mutants and is considered one of the most dangerous beings on the planet?~//

Cyber Let's go from the pole area to glide down to the ground. John of course says, "I am worried about Hawkeye too, And Finesse is right. He'd most likely kill us. Add to the fact we are all still in training. I don't think our chances of a successful rescue are very high."

"You know what's awesome about bows?" Adam replies to America, giving Finesse a pointedly 'ignoring you' look. "It's a wooden stick, a string, firing a stick with some feathers on the end. I will find some futzing PLASTIC arrows if I have to, but I'm not afraid of some mook in a helmet."

He glances to John. "We can't just sit here and do nothing. Julian is one of us. /Clint/ is one of us... or, whatever. A mentor guy." He narrows his eyes. "And yeah, maybe this guy won't hurt Julian. Maybe. But Hawkeye's a regular guy, like me, and he doesn't seem to like humans much. So... sorry if I don't like the whole 'sit down kid and let the adults handle it' idea."

Finesse doesn't look to John, but her voice carries to address him, in her same practical manner to which she spoke to Adam. "It is highly probable that if Magneto wished to kill you, he would simply crush you with your own suit." It's what she would do, afterall, were she in Magneto's position and had his abilities. She taps a few more keys, then raises her cool brown eyes to look at him. "And it is likely that if he wishes to kill, you and Adam would be casualties. America would survive; her density and capability to sustain damage, deal damage, and flight make her more difficult to kill. There are several ways in which I can evade damage, but the type of attack most likely to work on myself would be telepathic." Again, more typey-type on the computer pad as her attention is drawn there again.

"And while you are aiming your arrow that will miss it's mark, either the ground beneath you would buckle and rise, or you would be speared through the back of the head by shrapnel. Perhaps your arm. Or hand." Then, she looks up to Adam again. "And you have not even considered the possibility of other mutants that are on Genosha. Such as Pyro. Or Sabretooth. You could put thirty arrows in Sabretooth, and he wouldn't be slightly damaged." She shrugs. Points out, "The greatest chance we have success is as a distractionary team. Or, an infiltration team."

America stands with arms crossed around her chest as she continues into the room while others begin to gather as well. "I didn't say be afraid. I just meant be prepared," she explains to Adam with a look given to Finesse, and finally John with a shake of her head. "When has that stopped anyone from trying before? I'm sure as hell not going to sit around. Thing is, we need a TEAM... and so far that's something that hasn't been taught at this place." She knew. SHe'd been here. She'd watched.

SHE knew how to be a team though.

America takes a deep breath and scowls. "Finesse. You're the brains. Figure us out a plan. I can get us in without being noticed, I can get us out in an instant. It's part of my powerset."

“John listens to Adam and swallows as he stands up to the gothic punk and says, "Hawkeye is also a member of SHIELD, He's a resourceful man, and If Magneto has a brain like I know he has. Hawkeye is more Valuable to him alive than dead. Even if it means attempting to use Hawkeye to trade for some mutants in captivity."

John is trying to reason with Adam as Cyber says. //~Please, you wouldn't stand a chance against Magneto, imagine a hail of nails, screws, bolts and such coming at you at nearly the speed of sound.~// Cyber says bluntly, and then to Finesse. //~I could adapt to render myself immune to magnetic force. What I couldn't stop is him say... throwing a Chevy truck sized piece of metal at me. Even as a Diversionary force we would be at best an annoyance. Added to the fact that he has most likely fortified Genosha against invasion or attacks.~//

"Cyber's Right. The best thing we can do is keep out of it, unless they ask for our help. I have a feeling Hawkeye would be pissed as hell we endangered ourselves." John thinks and bites his lip, "Perhaps we are going about this the wrong way. Maybe we should be not looking to break in, but try to locate Hawkeye instead, get his location and tell say, Tony Stark?" America pages: Okay John's off the team. Make us some brownies for when we get back.'

Adam's eyes flash dangerously, his jaw setting in the same stubborn look Clint's been known to give just about any time someone tells him he can't do something.

"All right," he says evenly. "I respect your opinions. And by that, I mean, I'm not incompetent," to Finesse, "I'm not a coward," to John and Cyber, "and I really don't give a damn what your opinion is of me or my abilities." Finesse again. His fists clench. "Julian's my friend. Clint is... my court-appointed parental figure, and I kinda would like to keep him. So, screw all of you-- I'm not going to cower in the basement and hope someone else fixes things."

His shoulders straighten, and he fixes the others with a hawk-like gaze, angry and determined. "This school is supposed to train us to be heroes. Well, nobody became a hero telling themselves and everyone else what they /can't/ do. Maybe it'll get me killed, I don't know. But I'm going, and I'm getting my dad back."

His eyes narrow. "So are we gonna Assemble, or what?"

"I do not have opinions on your abilities," Finesse points out, placdily, to Adam. "I have factual information based on your previous performance." She adds, almost as an afterthought, "And if Tony Stark knows that we intend to go to Genosha, he will certainly attempt to stop us based on his prior activities and actions in regards to previous experiences with him and other missions."

She sits down, makes herself comfortable. "I suggest no plan of attack," she then measures. "And to go to Genosha as simply friends of Julian. Magneto will respect that. No weapons. Simply us. He will likely attempt to have our minds read, by a telepath on the Island. And he will know our intent. But also know we will not resort to force. I also suggest we are certain we show no interest in rescuing those who he came to take. The prisoners. Julian is our primary objective, and our only concern."

"And what if we get Hawkeye killed blundering into a rescue operation?" John says point blank. "We never said you were a coward Adam. Only fools venture where Angels fear to tread. We can be Emotional about this, or Logical. You can't be both." Turning away John is thinking as Cyber comes to approach Adam.

//~John's Right, you need to calm down. I have had many hosts killed when they act before they think.~//

John thinks, "Ok I don't mind that, if you can pull it off. The problem is I won't be able to go. Cyber himself is a Living weapons system. I don't want to give him a chance to take control of Cyber."

//John Knows how I was activated. If Magneto gets that information he might choose to take advantage of it, to claim me himself. Granted I am not forced to obey a host and can refuse to work with them.~//

America purses her lips at the talk from everyone. Finesse had a point but it wasn't one she liked particularily well. She remains quiet listening to the speech from Adam, the explanations from Finesse, and John and Cyber's own hesitation. "Hmm. John's off the team. And Julian is my teammate, and I've worked close enough with Clint and Natasha to consider them that, too. We don't leave teammates behind." Tipping her head to the side she looks across at Adam meeting his gaze. "We're going. You coming, Finesse? Or going to play it safe?"

"I'm glad you're concerned with protecting your own skin, there, Johnny boy," Adam replies acidly. He looks at Finesse, and corrects her. "No, Julian /isn't/ our only concern. We got other people in there too. And then there's the people that whackjob took-- as much as I'd personally like to punch the snot out of each and every one of them..." he shakes his head. "No. There might be some among them that /didn't know/ it was poison."

"We either step up and do this, or we're no better than cowards. I, for one, am not going to stay here and do nothing just because I'm not superhuman." He runs a hand through his purple spikes.

His voice becomes somewhat authoritative. "You're right, 'Rica. You can get us in. And out, if you need. And Finesse..." he gives her a grudging nod. "We'll try it your way. The /nice/ way. But if it comes down to it, we will do what we gotta to get Jules and Clint and..." he shrugs, "Natasha and the other prisoners out."

He looks at Cyber and John. "Last chance. You in? Or are you staying behind and playing games in the sim room?" His blue eyes are piercing. "This /is/ the real deal, guys. This is what we're /supposed/ to do. Save people. Get our team out. Be the heroes."

"It will be far less difficult to fight our way in, than both in and out," reasons Finesse, to America, and then to Adam. It's not like she's trying to take the lead of the team, however. She was asked to come up with a plan, and she has. "Magneto is proud, and passionate about his cause. He actions show that he also admires loyalty, and respect, to a degree. If we give him the courtesy he sees himself due, he will at least entertain our audience."

She looks back to her datapad, "The probability of altercation is, however, likely unavoidable. But this approach takes the best use of America's abilities to get us out, expediently." Then, to America, she pointedly looks at the girl. "I did not lose my virginity to Julian in effort to help him recover from his experiences to let him go. Also, Clint has not yet shown me how to adjust his arrow concoctions to my sticks in the caps he rendered previously. I only have a few left."

John listens to Adam as he comes right up into Adam's face and says. "I am not concerned with protecting my skin. I just have enough common sense to not go bull rushing head long into a situation without a plan, back up, THAT is Suicidal! You go in there alone just like you are planning. You are gonna get your asses handed to you so damn fast it won't be funny. I'll be surprised if you even get half way to your goal." He tells Adam right to his face.

Cyber chooses to stay quiet. "If we go with Fineses' Plan. A peaceful approach, I'm in. But Adam if your intention is to go off half cocked on a hero rush. You are gonna get yourselves killed."

Adam practically spittakes. "Geez. You... and Julian..." he rubs his temples. "I mean, go him, but damn. Clara's body isn't even cold yet." He scowls slightly. Clara /had/ been his friend, after all.

He shakes his head to clear that thought process out. "Whatever. Look--"

And then John is in his face. Adam's a kid that spent time living on the streets. He understands how respect works.

He also understands how anger and fury work. And losing people he cares for.

So the left hook starts in Baltimore. It flies over a half dozen military bases across the US. It takes a sharp turn over Brooklyn, and crashes into John's face, full-force, somewhere in the middle of the Bronx.

"Say that again, you fucking coward."

".... What." The look on America's face is priceless as she just finds herself staring at Finesse with the look one might expect someone to receive for suddenly growing a second head. "I... TMI. Just... TMI. Mini-Tony Stark," she utters with a shake of her head at the very thought of. Urg.

Then John does something stupid. For a moment she rocks her weight forward intending to stop it but... maybe it needed to be done. She wasn't a babysitter. "We're going," she states, flatly. "We'll try the easy in but soon as we find out where they are, out we go. WITH them if need be."

If Jeanne saw the punch coming, she says nothing. Only asks, squinting at America, "TMI?" She neither seems embarassed, proud, in love, or concerned with the information she just shared. It, much like her assessment of Adam's capabilities, is just another fact in her head. But, clearly she also doesn't spend time texting, or on one of the many social network groups.

Then her gaze shifts to Adam, and John. "You attempt to put too much force behind your fist, itself. It throws you off balance," she tells Adam, helpfully. "Lower the center of your gravity, or you may be thrown off balance easily."

Yes. Jeanne is instructing Adam how to punch John better.

John is knowing what he is doing. As a result he takes the punch, the force of the punch forces John to recoil as Cyber gets up and gets ready to attack only when John makes a motion for Cyber to stay where he is, John Recovers and looks at Adam. "Is this how you solve your problems. With brute force? You don't have an ounce of common sense in your head do you Adam. You are nothing more than a suicidal lunatic." John now bleeding from the nose and lip. "Hawkeye would be ashamed of your actions. I have a feeling he would actually support me, over your desire to rush in." John is of course trying to provoke Adam. But he won't defend against anything.

"ENOUGH!" America strides in between Adam and John to face John. Her eyes glint with anger, and she leans in pressing a finger to his chest. That finger alone could do a good deal of damage if she wanted but she doesn't do more than nudge him with it. "You don't know shit, pretty boy, and let me tell you this: The people who are missing right now are the 'professionals' you keep telling us to wait for. I have been an Outsider, I have been a Young Avenger, and I have saved the world more times than not when the 'adults' were too busy to notice it was even in danger! If you don't have what it takes--And you don't, you really don't--Don't stop those of us who do. We have work to do. Get out."

AS John is pushed back he says, "This Academy was founded with the intention of keeping us from making the mistakes of the professionals America, But your right. I don't have what it takes to be here. A lack of Common sense. I should report you... but I won't I'll let you get your asses handed to you instead." John says and then as he wipes his face clean, "JARVIS Delete myself as a member of the Avengers Academy Effective Immediately." John pulls out his academy ID and then tosses it to the ground. "Sorry I have more common sense than any of you."

Cyber and John start to move away from the group.

Adam looks incredulously at John, shaking out his fist. "Do you even /know/ Clint? He probably would have just said something like what Jeanne over there... actually, whatever. You're a coward. You'll never be an Avenger. It's probably for everyone's best interest you /do/ quit."

And he turns to the girls, giving them a short nod. "Let's get what we need, and meet back here in twenty minutes. Then America can punch us to Genosha."

Finesse watches the exchange with a critical eye, observing, without contributing and not stopping anyone from doing what they want. A scientific observer, unwilling to intrude upon the experiment less the results become tainted. She proves her utter lack of social aquity, by looking to the group, even as John stalks off after verbally deleting his membership. "John is quitting because he does not like to spar?"

"Report me to who, exactly?" America smirks at John with a shake of her head. "I'm not a student. I'm a Young Avenger and as of right now, I'm re-enstating the Young Avengers in this world. Sign up or not, doesn't matter. But we do dangerous stuff--because we're heroes. It's kind of our thing." Looking back to Finesse she explains, "No, he's quitting because he's an over-reacting dramaqueen and upset that people aren't following his lack of leadership skills."

Twenty minutes later, the three Young Avengers meet back in Man Cave. Adam has one of Clint's quivers and a collapsible bow slung on one shoulder, his backpack on the other. "Punch it, 'Rica," he quips with a grin.

All Jeanne is carrying? Her two, solid reinforced plastic escrima sticks; they hit as hard, almost, as metal. Especially when she uses them with the intimate knowledge she has. She merely nods. Once. Suggests, "If you can control it, I would suggest the outskirts of the island. We will approach on foot. So as to be noticed, and showing we either have nothing to hide, and that we are not there to fight or startle the inhabitants by appearing in their city directly."

America had gotten nothing---she needed nothing. Instead she rolls up the sleeves to her jacket to bare her tattooed wrists as well as takes out her Starkphone. It's this she pulls up a map of to look over the coordinators for Genosha trying to get an idea of where to teleport them to. It's then set aside so that it isn't ruined and she reaches up to pull her hoop earrings out. No metal this time. Not her. "Got it. Not expecting warm and fuzzies when we arrive, either. I'll go first to take any fire we might get. Remember--I'm the heavy hitter. If it comes down to a fight, I can take whatever they can dish out. Let me. Give me backup, but let me pull the dirty work till we can get out of there." With that she turns to stare at the wall with her eyes momentarily flickering with a light of their own as it ignites into a bright star of light which she hauls back to punch. "Wish I had Kate here, though," she adds with a grin toward Adam, "No offense. We just make a good team."

"None taken," Adam grins, and as soon as the pathway to Genosha is open, he dives through, headfirst.

"Understood," remarks Jeanne, complicitly. She will follow orders, until she has reason not to. She adds, even as she steps through, "Stay on the course I have outlined. Do not deviate, until there is just cause to." And, she follows Adam.

America nods a single time and then leaps through after the other two. It was weird for those not used to traveling this way, but not as much as dimensional travel. It's like falling through space.. right out into the open air of Genosha on a beach near the city proper. She lands lightly and takes a deep breath letting the star glowing in mid-air behind her disapear entirely. "Right. I don't know what defenses this island has but if they're anything like the Avenger mansion they know we're here already."