1963-10-31 - The Bomb is Gone
Summary: After getting the bomb out of Akihiro's head, Kitty checks in with the fellow who told her to pursue it in the first place.
Related: Missing Pieces Plot
Theme Song: None
sinjin kitty 


Last night had been weird. Once the immediate danger of being in such a terrible vicinity to both the carnage of Akihiro's exploits and the bomb that had been in his brain had faded, she had, rather promptly emptied the contents of her stomach. Periodically. On the walk home. All while begging Piotr not to pay attention to her wretch. Undeniably, Kitty had been ridiculously sheepish this morning following her very obvious sick, and had vanished upon waking. Which was early. Thanks to not sleeping. Some nightmares are more real than others. Mutants being seen as destructive tools rather than people? Truly the worst reality for Kitty at this moment.

She'd roamed the city for a bit, and had went ahead and grabbed puzzle books of various sorts before coming here, to see her friend(?) now released from the hospital. She raps quietly on the door and calls through it (in the event that John can't come to the door): "Hey John, it's Kitty." There's a pause. Knowing full well speech is a thing that evades the reporter, she states, "If you'd like me to come in," without having to come to the door, "knock once. If I should just go away… knock twice." Evidently she's not sensitive about people wanting her to scram.

*

There's a long pause, then the chains are drawn back — more than once — and the deadbolts thump. Sinjin is there, hair scraped back into a ponytail, bathrobe open over his pyjama pants to reveal what remains of all the bruising and the bandages, the latter still covering him from hips to ribs. He beckons for Kitty to come in, leaning on the doorknob as he makes room for her to get past.

His apartment looks like he's been working — stacks of papers and notes and reference books — but maybe it always looks like that. When she comes in, he closes the door and locks it behind them. He fishes a pad of paper out of his left bathrobe pocket and a pen out of the right so he can scrawl «I'm thinking about getting a dog.» on the top sheet of the pad. The window is open but someone has installed bars over it.

*

Kitty slowly steps into the home when invited, and apprehension despite the invite. Her expression edges on severe as she tucks her hands into the pockets of her faded wash jeans. She reads the note and manages a small nod. "Probably a good idea." Her lips press into a thin line. "I can't imagine…" she frowns and emits a sigh. "What happened, it's not even close to being okay. No one would ever suggest that it's okay." The frown deepens. "I'm so disappointed in what's happened. In how it happened… in…" her cheeks flush. "This is a land of freedom, of opportunity, we're supposed to be better than this."

*

«When it comes to power, no one's better than this,» John writes clearly. «I've had worse, though.» He gestures for her to sit on the couch. «What's going on?» he asks, showing her the pad before shuffling toward the kitchen.

He moves like an old man but, given the full prescription bottles sitting on the coffee table, that's partly his own choice. There are four: anti-anxiety medication, anti-depressants, and two different types of painkiller. The first two predate the attacks on him, which suggests that saying he's had worse isn't bravado.

*

With a sigh and faint frown, Kitty remembers herself. "I," her face pales, the memory on the surface continues to be one she'd rather not have, "found Akihiro. Well, my boyfriend and I did. It took some work, but a Japanese kid with knives that retract into his hands gets notice." Her eyebrows draw together with something unspoken and she manages, "The deed is done. He's free." Her lips purse and she notes: "It would've killed him. Utterly destroy him."

*

Sinjin rattles around in the kitchen, then makes his way back over with two mugs in hand. He must have just made tea because the pot on the coffee table is steaming. Then again, it's John. The chances that he's just made tea — if he's not drunk, and sometimes even if he is — are usually good. He sets the mugs down, then sags into a recliner before making another note.

«Heard there was an explosion out Brooklyn way. Glad it was just the bomb and not him.» There's sympathy in his face as he writes. «Thank you,» he puts at the bottom, before he shows her the note.

*

Kitty's shoulders sink and she blinks hard at the last. "It's fine, I just…" her jaw tightens. "It was bad. What they made him do… it was bad. Like bad-bad. Like the government is overreaching and engaging in vigilante justice while not actually being a vigilante kind of bad." She swallows hard and her fingers curl around the mug. "The moment the bomb was solid it went off. My boyfriend threw it. We're lucky no one was hurt. The damage would've been…" her head shakes.

*

Sinjin gets up slowly but it's only to come, gingerly, sit next to Kitty and attempt to put an arm around her to comfort her. Being right isn't very much fun for him these days. He's warm, maybe unusually so but that might just be his mutation, and smells of cigarettes and antiseptic and tea. Maybe she'll allow a little comfort from someone who's terrible at accepting it himself.

*

There are so few people that come close to understanding Kitty in the mess that is Weapon X. John, however, presents rare opportunity to not have to explain herself. The warmth doesn't seem to divert her, and she leans into the arm at her shoulders. "What makes it worse is knowing that would've been me." Her eyebrows lift. "Like… they were looking for an opportunity to make me like that."

*

Sinjin manages to handle the notepad and pen with one hand, balancing it on his knee while he writes. «That would have been a mistake on their part. You wouldn't have tolerated it.» He gives her a little squeeze with the arm around her shoulders. «It would have cost you but you would have paid it, I think.»

*

"You don't think so?" Kitty's lips tug up on one side in an ironic smile. "I feel like they resolved to take away my sense of choice." Her cheeks puff out with an exasperated breath. "I just can't believe that this is still happening and no one seems to care." Her eyes turn downwards. "Clearly something needs to change. Somehow."

*

«I think someone like you will always find a way to have a choice,» John writes in careful small capital letters. «And that makes you very dangerous to them.» He looks rather proud, maybe. Or determined.

«I expect they're cleaning house. Eliminating Stryker's loose ends and personal resources. No one cares because it's got some kind of sanction: it's best for the government for that kind of clean-up to take place. What needs to change is — » He pauses and exhales wearily. « — huge. Public opinion needs to change. We need a face of our own out there. We need there to be a cost for doing what they do to us. But, until then. We need more on Colcord. Ideally, we need someone on the inside.» He puts the pen down and shifts so he can pour the tea, then makes an irritable noise as the last wound from Deathstrike keeps him from moving enough to reach from here.

*

Kitty manages a flicker of a smile. "I'd rather die than lose my will for choice." Her smile extends and her fingers tighten further around her mug. "And you're right. We need a better image. What can we do?" Her eyebrows lift at the question. It's an important one. "We need people to see us as not terrifying. As friendly. As good." Her lips quirk into a frown. "And you're right, we need more info on this Colcord fellow." Her lips purse, "Do you know anyone that could get into the inside? Right now… I'm coming up empty."

*

«I'm not exactly a poster boy,» Sinjin writes. «Eventually someone will find out about the even less-desirable aspect of what I am and that won't help us. I was careless before, can't do that now.» He needs to find a way to clean that up. The last thing he needs is, as one of the few mutants who have a public profile, to get arrested for being a sexual deviant. «If you know any candidates other than yourself, let me know. Maybe I can profile them for the Bulletin, if they're willing.»

The Colcord thing requires more thought. «We can't endanger civilians over Colcord. We're fucking civilians. We need help, someone on the inside, I don't know…we'll have to keep looking.»

*

Kitty inhales a slow breath and then nods. "I'll keep my eyes open for ideal candidates. I have a fantastic boyfriend, but he also happens to be Russian," her eyebrows arch. "I'm sure that detail would be problematic." She pauses. Her eyes narrow, "You don't…" she chews her bottom lip "…it can't… it shouldn't…" her eyes close. "I guess. Maybe." She squints. "If we can't find someone else, I mean, if you thought it worthwhile you could write about me."

Kitty presses a hand to her head. "We are civilians. But who on the inside could sneak enough? It has to be someone they don't know. Someone trained for this…"

*

«I am always happy to write about you. As long as it's your choice to be more exposed.» This time, Sinjin reaches his tea. He sinks back into the couch beside Kitty, thinking hard. «What do you know about SHIELD? They're too close to government for me, but they might have someone who would be sympathetic.» He pauses, then writes again. «No. What we need is someone who doesn't know they're giving us information — we if we can find someone who can pick their brain. That would be the safest thing for everyone.»

*

"I'd rather not be more exposed. I'm trying to live a normal life. I know that seems incredibly counter-intuitive." Kitty sighs softly and then finally takes a long sip of her tea. "I don't know if I know anyone from SHIELD, but I have heard of them. I suppose I could try to connect with them on some level. Do you think SHIELD knows much? I mean, theoretically they're connected somehow. Theoretically."

*

«I want to say they don't know. I do. But.» Sinjin taps his pen against the paper. His hands are pale, the damage to his fingernails is a lot more obvious when he's communicating by writing.

«If we can't pick the brains of someone in Colcord's organization, then we have to turn someone inside it. You remember how angry North was about finding out he'd played a role in it all. He can't be the only decent person in too deep. Maybe there's someone who could feed us something, if they thought it would make a difference.» He huffs softly. Irritably. «There's a reason I don't write spy novels.»

*

"You're right. Maybe we can find someone in it. I mean, I don't know anyone that could infiltrate it," Kitty sucks on the inside of her cheek, "but maybe someone already inside knows something. I'll keep my ear to the ground. Someone must still be kicking around." Pause. "You know, I could ask Akihiro if there's anyone." She shrugs.

*

«He needs looking after, that one. Be careful with him. I was young and stupid once, no idea how I survived it.» Sinjin sips his tea, thinking more. «Maybe we can find out what they're cleaning up by tracking back the people they're eliminating. I'll talk to someone I know in the police department. We'll work it out, Kitty. But I think we should keep you out of the papers as much as possible. I'm going to look for someone more likely. Someone who's usefulness is in their presence not their, well, absence. So to speak. You're best in the shadows.»

*

Kitty manages a flicker of a smile. "It's true. I always do better without attention, and can often fly under the radar." Her eyes light at that. "People are people and they all deserve rights. I just want to see them get it. I want us to be considered people. I want…" frustrated, she sets her mug down on the coffee table "…I want things to change. That's all." She forces a smile.

*

«Me, too. I didn't…» Sinjin crosses it out. «I thought I lost that. I didn't. I just got scared. Suppose I have you and North to thank for reminding me what matters. We will change things. Maybe not fix. But change. We already are.»

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