Murdersphere Mosaic [ManXMan] [BoyXBoy]

Chapter 7 Part 2 Escalation

I get off at the station closest to Mutant Town only to be stopped by a team of Guardsmen, one male, another female, just outside of the entrance to the subway station..

"I.D. please." One of them asks.

According to their thoughts, I look "suspicious."

I show them my SHIELD identification and they make noises of disbelief. I take off the shades and the hat and say. "Nick Jr. knows who I am, verify it with him."

"Why aren't you out here helping?" The female Guardsman asks.

"Fury Jr. told me to stay out of it." I say. "And considering how I look, I think it's obvious why."

"How do we know you aren't a mutant terrorist?" The male Guardsman asks.

And via telepathy, I respond. "Because I am Talent, just like you and none of the others who look like me are... unless the IC Continuity Police have gotten completely out of control."

They start a moment, and then relax, handing me back my card. "Do you know what's going on?" They ask. "We've been told that SHIELD is evacuating tonight and the Guardsmen are going with them." The female Guardsman says.

"People have been disappearing." The male Guardsman adds. "Mutant Town is almost a desert, this neighboorhood is empty."

"Are only Talent being taken, or native and Talent?" I ask.

"How can you tell?" She asks.

"There is a boundary layer of thoughts where the immersion ends and your internal dialogues take over." I say. "No matter how deep in you are, you know our stakes are... different."

I sense a sudden concern from both of them, and a little fear. "You don't know about the evacuation?"

I shrug. "Nah, but I can fly in space without a ship. So, I'd just take up space for someone who really needs it." I swallow. "People are disappearing? Are they being pulled into sidereal space and evacuated?"

"We should not talk too much." The female Guardsman says looking around. "There may be producers watching and too much still-time is bad."

"We've checked and you're okay mutant." The male Guardsman says suddenly. "You escaped Xavier's but don't expect any help from us."

"Make it real." I send. "Go ahead and shove me."

"I'm sorry." The female Guardsman says and give me a light shove, but with a very believable growl of disgust.

I give them hurt eyes, while I put my id back in my pocket and I walk away, head down.

"Stay safe guys." I say and break contact heading up the street to explore with my eyes and my mind. There are people still present, but they are understandably afraid, whatching chaos unfold on their monitors.

Of course in some neighborhoods, the SHIELD crackdown is resulting in unrest, angry yound people taking to the street demanding action and answers. Curiously the Guardsmen are not interfering, letting them demonstrate.

I have ambled to edge of Mutant Town when Smythe contacts me.

"Go away!" she orders. "The citizenry around here have clued in that white haired, green-eyed, black men are nothing but trouble and they will attack you."

"What's up with the evacuation?" I ask.

She starts and is silent for a long moment. "The official story arc is that the Skrull fleet has been sighted and we are going to to intercept and fight them in space."