2013.09.22 - Prelude

The sun has set across the Genosha island, but the city of Hammer Bay rarely sleeps. The same could be set for the woman known only as Prelude.

To say that her office is nothing special would be an understatement. It's single room once existed as a studio apartment, a place she once called home. However, she moved to another apartment as her popularity grew, alongside her income. It simply wasn't safe, in a city like this, to mingle work too closely with the place where one lays her head.

The office itself is usually immaculate, but Prelude has simply been working too many long hours lately. The long desk that sees most of her presence is strewn with pamphlets, newspapers, and printouts captured from the island's limited access to the world wide web, its disorderly nature sewn together with stacks of handwritten notes scrawled upon paper ripped from a yellow legal pad. A laptop computer, designed by Apple in California (™), rests idly upon the desk, its desktop packed full with open browser windows.

As for Prelude? She's taken some time to clear her head. The fourth floor studio office is given a long view of the city below by way of three long bay windows, and she stands next to the northernmost window with a tired expression. A smartly purchased dress adorns her frame, just flattering enough to disarm those with wandering eyes. It falls below her knee, where bare legs are tucked into a pair of blue heels, and the jacket that normally covers her tatooed arms has been cast aside upon a chair nearby.

With a sigh, Prelude reaches to undo the bun her black hair has been tied into, letting it fall upon her shoulders. That, paired with the cigarette she so shamelessly lights inside the office, and the exposed tattoos on her arms, gives her the appearance of a middle-aged professional who once ran with the punk circles in her younger days.

"Church of the Hooded Angel," she mutters beneath her breath, taking a long drag of her cigarette before shaking her head in silent dismay. "Venerators." Sighing deeply, she moves to sit upon the edge of the bay window, drawing one leg up to hook an arm around it so that she might rest her chin upon her elbow, blue eyes lost in consideration of the bustling and lawless city spread out before her.

Nate can't say he dislikes Hammer Bay. It is fairly dangerous, it is fairly chaotic, you can't trust the agents of law and it is full of mutants. More than even in Mutant Town, US. He is more comfortable here than in the shinning Metropolis. But that is probably not a good thing. A sign he has not fully adapted this world.

What would happen if Magneto takes over? Would Hammer Bay be more like New York? Possibly. Although they can say good-bye to democracy. Then again their democracy is kinda crappy right now. Yes, Nate has doubts. But he also has orders.

He is covering Hope and himself with a psychic 'don't look' field. A trick he is copying from more skilled telepaths (like Rachel) but that feels simple enough. It won't protect them from security cameras, which is why he got a hoddie too. Not the best disguise, but at lest it covers the distinctive white streak of his hair.

Also using his telepathy, he makes sure the woman is alone in her office before knocking at the door. He nods at Hope and glances around cautiously. "Y'know, her power might be a good thing to copy for this very interview. Or I could scan her, but that is... well," stuff that Xavier wouldn't like. Of course what he doesn't know can't hurt him.

Since arriving in Genosha, one of the people with that group of X-Men has been keeping a bit of a low profile. That person being one Hope Summers.

But to be honest, that is sort of what she's use to doing. Keeping a low profile. Keeping her head down. Watching. Waiting. Learning. Usually in the worst parts of 'town'. But in Genosha, is there a place where one can really call any part 'good' or 'bad' given the turmoil and political unrest? After all, even the parts of the island nation that look good from the outside have issues that aren't well hidden these days...

But anyways, as the teenaged redhead sticks close to her 'uncle' she grins slightly before letting out, "I'll try. But you might want to do your check anyways, just to play it safe..."

The knock at the door comes as a bit of a surprise. Prelude lets out a silent gasp, before jerking her head toward the door. "Mother of God," she mutters, and quickly snuffs out the cigarette in a nearby ash tray. Leaving the bay window, she rushes to her desk and quickly tries to put things in order. "At this hour?" she asks under her breath, clearly surprised by the rapping upon the door. "I swear I need to hire a damn secretary." She abruptly looks up and calls out, "Coming!"

Quickly throwing the jacket over her shoulders, Prelude takes a moment to check her hair in the reflection of the now-sleeping laptop monitor. She straightens her jacket and steadies herself, before walking toward the door and adopting her best smile. Clearing her throat, she unlocks the latch then pulls the door open, looking toward those who wait outside. "Oh, um. Hello?" she asks, cocking her head slightly at the two unfamiliar faces. "I'm sorry, did you have an appointment?"

Her accent is that of a woman who was born and raised in South Africa.

"No appointment, sorry," replies Nate, offering the woman his best smirk. "We would like to talk with you anyway. And we might be able to help you with the current political turmoil. Oh, I am Nate, this is Hope." That is possibly one of the weirdest offers Prelude has received this year. Nate and Hope are just teenagers. Why did Shift think this was a good idea?

Time to take advantage of Prelude's truth-catching power. "We are mutants, of course. Two of the most powerful mutants in the world. Two of the few mutants in the world that could kick Magneto's butt all the way back to Bastion if necessary. Give us half an hour, okay?"

As the power of 'Prelude' is copied, Hope subtly adjusts her stance as she tries to sort out just what she can do, and how she does it, without trying to actually, and actively use the power. Not that there's much of a chance for the moment as Nate and Hope enter. On the other hand, the redheads green eyes do deepen and grow for some reason...

But anyways, as Nate makes his introductions, Hope just smiles faintly, and nods. After all, his explanation does work.

"Of course that is if he really does need it to be kicked in the end."

The moment Nate begins to speak, Prelude's ice-blue eyes take upon a similar transformation of their own, the color getting just a shade brighter. She looks back and forth between Nate and Hope, the latter getting a brief gasp of surprise. "Are... are you a copier?" she asks, leaning toward Hope as she registers the change in her eyes. "Oh, for Christ's-- well, come on, then." She steps aside, heels clicking upon the wooden floor as she permits the two entry. "Hurry."

Prelude's eyes look back and forth in the hallway beyond, as if anticipating that this might be some kind of a trap. As soon as the two teenagers have entered, she closes the door and locks it behind. Only then does she turn to face the two, arms crossed. She's silent for a few moments, eyes still shining a bit brighter than they should. She notes that these two could very well be her own children, given her age, and though she looks young for it, the irony is not lost on her.

Perhaps that is why Shift entrusted them to this task?

"Well, we shouldn't be talking about 'kicking butts'," she quips. "That's the kind of talk that starts wars." Oh, she knows she shouldn't entertain these two, but the temptation is simply too much. If young adults like these two have come to the point where they have to seek her out, perhaps it's time she started to listen. "Come on, then, have a seat." She walks across toward her desk, gesturing at the set of chairs opposite where she normally sits, facing the windows. "I guess the two of you already know who I am, but, I'm Prelude. Just Prelude. Can I get you some water? It's bottled, only the best."

Nate steps in, giving the studio a careful examination before pulling down the hood and accepting the seat. "Is this place safe to talk?" There could be bugs, after all. He goes as far as checking nearby minds to signs of spying. "Hell, no. We are trying to prevent a war, not start any. Hmm, some folks think keeping Hammer Bay independent will prevent one." But Prelude will feel he is not sure, himself.

Copier...?

That term actually causes Hope to grin as she's ushered farther in. And yet at the offer of a drink, Hope shakes her head.

"No. But thank you."

And yet at the explanation from Nate, there is a slight nod.

"Hence what I said about if ot needs to be kicked."

"Well I should think it's a safe as anywhere," replies Prelude, who has adopted a frown at such words from a young man. "This isn't the cold war."

Taking her own seat, Prelude leans forward, resting her elbows upon the half-organized desk. She hasn't done a thing to hide any of the pamphlets, which range from the 'Unify' posters that have been cropping up to the 'Buy Our Health, Not Our Votes!' and 'We Are Worthy' propaganda.

Prelude rests her eyes upon Nate for a long moment, lips slightly curved into a coy grin. "And some folks think otherwise," she counters, essentially calling his partial bluff. "Some folks seem to think that an independent Hammer Bay will only result in a hostile motion out of Bastion."

Prelude has little to hide, and with Hope copying her powers, she'll be able to feel, through the heightened awareness of body language and tone of voice, that Prelude is being honest. It's to Hope that she looks next, while coming to a few potential conclusions of her own.

Those conclusions wipe the smile right from her face.

"Are you two responsible for this?" she asks, while slipping a couple of the propaganda posters their way. "These have been popping up all over the place." With a stern expression she looks between the two, waiting to catch them in a lie she hopes not to see.

"Uh huh," Nate picks the pamphlets. Shift's work. Jocelyn's work. No idea who or what. "Pretty sure I know who started of two of these. I am not supposed to say, though. Sorry. I am not much for political and propaganda games, myself. I just want to prevent a human-mutant war. No one can win that war, believe me, I have seen where it ends. Magneto is drawing a lot of mutants to his cause. He is an aggressive autocrat, and very powerful personally, so other rules will feel threatened by him. The stronger he becomes, the more afraid they are going to be and the more they will be willing to invest in anti-mutant measures."

"I can freely admit that I have nothing directly to do with either of those." Which is the truth. As far as Hope knows. And Prelude will just as easily be able to detect that as the redhead is able to detect the truth of the older woman's words.

All though as Nate says that, she shakes her head and lets out a faint 'snerk'.

"I can guess as well, but I won't since I don't have any evidence."

Then though, there is a slight nod. Followed by some words that have a ring of absolute truth that the older woman should easily pick up on, and then some.

"Nate and I have seen the worst war can offer, in ways that defy the imagination of most peoples. Even those that have seen the worst that war has to offer might not believe what we have seen, and what we want to avoid."

"Well they might be games to you," says Prelude, unable to keep herself from viewing the two as, shall we say, less experienced.

If only she knew.

"But there are a lot of people who are starting to buy into this. Believe me, I can tell."

Following that, Prelude seems to focus in upon Hope. Her X-Gene picks up on the subtle nuances that exist in Hope's tone of voice, the way she's perched, the look in her eyes, even the way her skin temperature changes. She knows that Hope is not simply speaking in the melodramatic way teenagers often do. This brings the older woman pause, for it is most troubling. In fact, for a few seconds, the normally outspoken activist is simply... speechless.

With a much quieter voice, however, Prelude still maintains a touch of defensiveness in her demeanor. She leans toward Hope, peering at her. "Then why are you here?" she asks. "Why have you come here, to my office?" She looks between the two, suspicious of where this is going, but unwilling to admit that two people who can't be older than twenty are about to ask it of her.

"I think you know," answers Nate. "Magneto is coming. He is powerful, he has vast resources and many followers, including some alpha-class mutants. Only way Hammer Bay is going to remain independent is if the bulk of the population rejects him, so he will look like a conquering tyrant if he takes over by force. Even then, he could try to take over by force, if he is a conquering tyrant like some believe already." But then there will be butt-kicking.

"Right now there doesn't seem to be a strong opposition to Magneto taking over." He continues. "The city is full of immigrants and there are other problems, like getting food and water and avoiding rampant crime. And the political leaders look timid and divided. Now, I wonder what do you think? It is your country."

And Nate hits the nail on the head so to speak, hence why Hope nods at him as he answers Preludes question.

"Beyond that, we can not say much, if anything. To keep others safe is our mission here. We know that if a fights comes, that we are willing to defend others, but we would prefer to avoid it. Worse, if it looks like we are fighting for you, rather than you guys defending yourselves when it comes to a fight, that it will help provide legitimacy for Magneto, as someone with strong connections to Genosha as a whole by now being fought by unknown who are more than likely outsiders."

Then there's a shrug from the redhead.

"But if fighting can be avoided, without Magneto taking over, it'd be much better for everyone."

"It is my country," answers Prelude after a long silence. "My father decided to invest in the shipping industry, which is when we moved and became nationalized. Most of these ports have his name stamped on them. But back home, in South Africa, I learned a few things from apartheid."

Some horrible things, indeed. Things that are related to a mistake of her past, a mistake that if it were ever to be surfaced, could throw off any chance of her gaining political power. It is a deep, dark secret that she holds close to her heart, something only a telepath could discover if one were taken to mental invasion.

However, for the mimicking powers now borrowed by Hope, she'll certainly be able to pick up on the uncertainty that is paired to that confession.

"Humans and mutants, together," she nods. "There is a growing sentiment in the city for such things, but hunger, addiction, poverty? These are the driving factors that will sway the course of Hammer Bay. Statistics can all but prove that these things are a direct proponent of violent crime. There are people who believe Magneto could put an end to that, and with the resources he's digging up in Genosha? He sure could."

Prelude reaches to pinch her nose, feeling the weight of what has been bothering her for some time. "Nate, Hope..." She lowers her hand, and a look of sadness has come to her. "I'm not a politician."

The confession carries with it the undertones of apology.

Nate listens, and he feels that secret in the woman's mind, but does not pry. Still, if she doesn't want to be a politician, he can't blame her. "Oh, alright. But tell us who else can be trusted to do what is right and stand for Hammer Bay. You must know all the possible candidates in the city, right?"

There's a wince from Hope at that 'apology'. But she does not press the issue. Instead, in the end there's just a slight nod.

"If that's how you feel, the call is yours."

All though as Nate asks his question, the teenager offers him an almost quizzical look.

At Nate's question, Prelude leans back in her chair. She doesn't even have to think it through, for she's done plenty of that already. A resigned sigh escapes her lips, and she shakes her head. "No one. They're all..." Crooks? Weaklings? Pawns? She shakes her head again. "Nobody else."

Leaning forward, Prelude adopts a conspiratorial twist to her brow. "These people you 'don't know'." She looks between them. "Just tell me one thing. Are they manipulating? Or are they inspiring?" Her eyes glimmer as she looks between Nate and Hope, a suggestion that they'd better not even think of lying about that one.

"I don't know," admits Nate. "They really believe Magneto needs to be stopped. But they also want it done in a way Magneto is revealed as a criminal to the world as a whole. It seriously pisses me they would let people suffer while they gather the proof. But maybe they have more foresight than me. And maybe Genoshans need to learn to solve their problems with minimum interference. Truth is it is not the way I do things most of the time." Back to the butt-kicking mindset, right? "Now, it all seems a moot point anyway. There are no real political leaders in Hammer Bay, hmm?"

No. Hope wouldn't dare lie about that one. Not even if she didn't know what power the older woman had. And yet Hope does answer after Nate finishes, just to make sure that there's no chance for Prelude to believe she's lying by remaining silent.

"I believe they're trying to make sure people know what's facing them, before it can happen. To those that don't want to know, or want Magneto to take over, that could be viewed as manipulating. But to those that might not know what's going on, or those who might not want Magneto in charge, it could be viewed as inspiring."

Then there's a slight shrug before she lets out.

"So you can take your pick depending on how you feel regarding the actions of who ever is behind this."

And as for 'no political leaders', unable to help herself, the time lost girl grins.

"Never count anyone out. After all, strange things can happen."

"Well, a lot of things piss a lot of people off," answers Prelude. "Maybe that's the problem."

Rising, she moves away from the desk, walking around it and over toward the bay window where she was perched earlier. This also puts her on the same side of the desk as Nate and Hope. She looks out the window at the bustling city, thoughtful.

"No, there are no real political leaders. Nobody who can really get this city behind one cause. But I might be able to do something about that." Turning back to her visitors, she says, "If you can get a message to the people behind all of this? Tell them they have an ally in Prelude."

"Okay, we will," replies Nate simply. Did they convince her of anything? Not sure. Shift and Rachel need to know there is a secret in the woman's head that makes her believe she is not a valid option, though. He stands up, "mutant politics are not going to be the same as human politics. You have truth-catchers, and telepaths, and shapeshifters, and precogs, and more. At least that will keep them more honest, nmm?"

"Maybe. Maybe not." is said by Hope towards Nate. After all, there's always one way or another to get around things. Certain 'anti-telepathic helmets' that people in this room may or may not know of are perfect examples of that.

But still...

"Thank you." is said to Prelude as the redheaded teen starts to stand up. "And you might want to keep us in mind if you need help. Especially if things go south around here because no one was willing to stand up and speak up when they should of."

Looking between the two of them, Prelude for a moment gets a confused look on her face. Who were these young ones, and where did they come from? They certainly don't talk like normal run of the mill teenagers, even the mutant variety. Still, she keeps that question to herself, and merely asks, "How can I reach you if that happens?"

Nate has no problem giving the woman his personal cell phone number. Probably Shift will want to setup something more secure later on, but for now his Halo-built phone is a good bet. "Let us know, because chances are good you will see it coming before we do."

If Hope knew whose number Nate was giving, she'd advise against it, and instead would say 'use your telepathy Nate'.

But instead...

Instead she doesn't know.

Just like she doesn't know that Prelude is wondering ho they are. because if she did, she'd maybe let just a little slide out...

Instead, she just remains silent and lets the telepath deal with the issues regarding communication.

Looking down as the number is produced, Prelude takes it in hand and tucks it away. She'll make a point to memorize and destroy it later, for she was a woman of history, and all of this propaganda had a familiar ring to it.

She may still suspect that Nate and Hope are a part of it all. They dodged the answers well enough. And if they were? Then perhaps they are preparing the people of Hammer Bay for every possible outcome. Peace... war... occupation.

"Half an hour, kids," she finally says. "I'm going to have to see you out now." Turning around, she gestures toward the door sternly, though deep in those ice blue eyes of hers remains a glimmer of mirth.

And... a touch of gratitude.