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With the police obviously on their way and a prisoner - or two - secured for questioning, Hannibal leaves the club to go meet the others at their office. Nothing in Manhattan is a half hour away via subway and the club wasn't too far away anyway so he takes the tome to grab a bite to eat first. That the office is located in a tenement instead of an actual office building or something else more suitable gets a raised brow but he climbs the flight of stairs and raps on the door.
*
Ava slipped away from the scene as quickly as possible once the sirens started. Too many bad ways for things to end if she was actually picked up by the police. Not the least of which would be the knowledge of what a bad spy she was. So when Hannibal shows up at the office, she's already there, munching on a hot dog she picked up on the way back. She peers out the glass window for a moment first, then cracks open the door to give him another of those searching looks.
"So…Who're you?" she asks, taking a bite of the hot dog without moving out of the doorway.
*
"Now that's an interesting question." Hannibal answers, leaning a shoulder against the door frame. "Who am I? A helpless passenger on the train we call life? A seeker of truths? A guy standing here waiting to be let in? Call me Hannibal King, Madam Tesla."
*
Ava wrinkles her nose at the nickname, taking another bite of her hot dog as she watches him. "Those are not answers," she points out. "You were at that club. You were able to fight back against…whatever that was. But that doesn't mean that you were there with a good purpose in the first place." She considers him for another moment, chewing.
"I am Ava," she finally says, stepping to the side to leave just enough room to walk inside.
*
"Let me guess, you're a philosopher." Hannibal says, walking into the apartment/slash office without making any effort to avoid brushing against Ava on his way in. "Now we get to debate what a good purpose is and to whom. I should have studied." Once inside, he looks around then takes a moment to study Ava in turn. "I'm a dick." he tells her cheerfully. "A private dick. I was told there was something strange going on at these parties so I thought I'd take a look for myself."
*
"I am not a philosopher," Ava assures, dry, as she closes the door behind him. "But I am someone who knows that not everyone actually means to do good." She's also someone with no problem using non-lethal ammo on civilians, apparently, so 'good' may be a flexible concept.
She takes another bite of her hot dog, leaning against the edge of Jessica's desk. "And there was definitely something strange going on there. I have seen strange things, but creating something from nothing but fears? That is something different."
*
Hannibal takes a seat on the couch, an arm resting along the edge of the couch as he puts on ankle on the other leg's knee. "Magic's a possibility." he allows, going back to what Ava suggested last night. "It doesn't quite feel right though. Calling up someone's deepest fears, making them visible and physical - sort of - while also having a separate illusion off to the side watching? And the cultists looking like they were popping pills?" He shakes his head. "Nope, doesn't add up."
*
"I have never heard of a pill that could give people powers," Ava shakes her head with a frown, manifestly uncomfortable with the idea. "If there were something so simple, someone would have sold it to a great power some time ago. We would be seeing fights. We would be seeing people with new powers they can't control. Doing much more than just trying to frighten some fringe elements in a warehouse."
*
"Who said it was simple?" Hannibal points out. "For all we know, it could be a complicated alchemical rite that takes a lot of time and money to perform and he, whoever it is, just put it in pill form to make things easy. Or maybe they already had powers and the pill just makes them stronger. Who knows. That's why we brought a friend to talk to."
*
"But again, why give it to a group of people who are only dealing with a warehouse full of unfortunates? If it is difficult and expensive, then it would make sense to only use it when necessary." Ava takes the last bite of her hot dog, brushing her hands off before setting them in her lap. "An enhancement, maybe," she allows reluctantly. The reminder of their captives gets another grimace. "Zealots do not usually talk."
*
Hannibal shrugs a shoulder at the question. "If I knew the answers, we wouldn't need our friend to tell us." he points out. "And zealots can be compelled to talk. Once he wakes up, we'll see what he has to say. My money's on ending up with more questions that we start with."
*
"That is how it usually goes." Ava tilts her head, watching him. "Where did you hear there were strange things going on? We came across it in during another investigation. Other connections."
*
"A colleague told me about it." Hannibal explains. "Someone came to him about a missing kid. He knew I was in the states so handed it off to me once he found out there was more to it than just a missing person.. I specialize in the strange. It pays the bills."
*
"You are late to the party, in that case," Ava smirks, twisting to look out the window. "There was some sort of portal just a month ago. Vampires, demons, strange things of all sorts had tried to make this neighborhood their home. It was only closed off about a month ago. But there would have been plenty of strange to pay the bills then."
*
"It's why I'm here. The news spread over to England, of course but it took some times to wrap things up. And then it ended." There's a resigned shrug and Hannibal continues. "But I thought I'd take a look around anyway in case there was anything left over. The park seems back to normal though."
*
"It does," Ava nods. "And here as well. At least as normal as it can be, given everything that happened. You did things last night," she adds. "You are…not simply human."
*
"Neither are you." Hannibal points out with a smile. "Nor your friends. We should start a club for those of us who are not simply human. Solve crimes, beat up bad guys, go to movies, play cards. Low stakes only. I'm not very good." he adds, in a tone that clearly says he's lying.
*
"You are currently in the club house." Ava gestures around them with another smirk. "Although I'm not certain if everyone is not entirely human. It would seem to be the case, though." She hops off the edge of the desk, stepping into the kitchen to fill a glass of water from the sink before she comes back out. "Hannibal. That is an unusual name."
*
"My father taught ancient history at the university. My mother didn't know how to say no. I rather like it now. It's very different from all the Joes and Johns. Makes it easy to remember and brings in clients." As Ava gets some water, Hannibal asks "So, is there a story behind you being an Eveready battery?"
*
"A long one." Ava takes a drink, settling back on the edge of the desk. "Actually, I think I am a mutant, but the power only manifested as an unexpected side effect of something else. Something my mother said, a memory she left me, though. That the answer was in my genes. It makes me think it is likely a mutation."
*
"Useful if you can't get your auto started." Hannibal states and looks around the room. "So. Alias Investigations, according to the card. Club house. How'd you all get together?"
*
"That, I do not know," Ava shakes her head. "I met Remy when I was looking into something and he was looking into something nearby. He introduced me to Jessica. the people here are…interesting. And they seem to be looking out for people. Doing their best to do the right thing. They are flawed, but they are trying. That counts."
*
"The one doing most of the talking was Jessica. I got that part." Hannibal says. "Which of them was Remy? The one who went through the wall or the one playing with fire?"
*
"He wasn't there. David went through the wall." Ava pauses, lips pursing. "I hadn't realized he could do that." Which means it was new. That she stored that information away for later use. "I hadn't met the one with the fire before tonight. It is…a loose group," she muses.
*
Hannibal nods, taking notes of who's who and what they can do. "And Jessica punched him through the wall. And interesting assortment. Are any of you actual PIs or did you all just stumble into things and decide to band together like Maid Marian and her merry men?" Since it's obviously Marian in charge with Robin AWOL.
*
"I believe Jessica and David are," Ava answers, though she doesn't sound entirely certain. "Or at least the place is in Jessica's name, and David seems to know what he's doing. The rest…" She trails off, wiggling her hand from side to side. Granted, she hardly looks eighteen herself, so who is she to judge the quality of PI work? "There is certainly plenty of stumbling. We're all private people. Usually we just…don't ask questions." Which is exactly how she likes it.
*
"So, business as usual." Really, it's the same setup Hannibal had during WWII. Get the job done, don't get much into private lives. "Any of you skilled at interrogation? Because it's a hobby of mine and /you/ would be a huge asset. Do you mind holding some copper wires?" He makes some electrical buzzing noises with accompanying hand gestures to signify flares.
*
Ava grimaces at the question. "I know how it's done," she says, tone flat. And she does. Years of knowledge pulled from someone else's head. Years of experience being on the other end. "What do you mean, it's a hobby?" she asks, the suspicion in her features deepening.
*
Hannibal rolls his eyes. "JOKING." Though a moment later he adds, "It's more a career path." Pause. "Joking! You're allowed to smile here. In fact, it's kind of expected. It says so in the script."
*
"I am Russian. We do not have senses of humor." Ava takes a sip of her water, though a smile ghosts across her features when she sets the glass back down. "Interrogation is an art," she shrugs. "Most people come at it like butchers, and so what they get it raw. Not always good or useful."
*
"Torture you mean." Hannibal clarifies. "It usually doesn't come to that. I have other ways to learn what I need to know which I'll no doubt be using shortly. Unfortunate but it's for the greater good. But here we are getting philosophical again. Good is such a subjective term."
*
"Less subjective than people want it to be, I think." Ava shifts, pulling her legs up to sit cross-legged on the desk, still half cloaked in that oversized cloak with the knit cap pulled over her head. "People know what good and bad are. It's the places in between where they argue. What means do you have?" she asks.
*
"My winning personality and powers of persuasion." Hannibal answers. "We'll see if that's enough or if we need to move onto stronger methods. Which brings us into ends justifying the means territory but we're almost always there when questioning someone is involved."
*
"Unless they are agreeable. We can always hope." Ava sets her elbow on her knee, propping her chin up in one hand. "That was all very strange. I felt…It has been some time since I really lost control over my powers. I've struggled with them, but it's usually because I'm using them, not because…Well, because of nothing."
*
"It wasn't nothing." Hannibal points out. "It was something bringing to life your fears. And I look forward to having a heart to heart with whoever is responsible for that once we find him. Good will then take a back seat to pay back."
*
"That isn't my fear." Ava sounds completely certain of that, a shudder running through her as she looks away. "Or at least it is not my worst fear. Not even close." Which gives her a moment of pause, turning back toward him. "But…psychics usually have trouble with me," she says slowly. "Maybe that tells us something about how this works."
*
"Could be. I still don't think it feels like magic. But, I am wrong now and then. I suppose this could be one of those times." Pause. "I just doubt it." Hannibal gives Ava a quick grin and looks around. "Nice decor by the way. Very early run down."
*
"No, I mean- I mean that if it wasn't magic, if it was something psychic, but psychics usually have problems with me?" Ava hops down from the desk, pacing a few steps. "That would explain why it wasn't my worst fear. Or even much of one, really. Losing control of powers is-" She waves a hand, dismissive. "It's a con man's trick to guess that, most mutants are afraid of losing control of their powers to some degree."
*
"Yes, that's what I thought you meant thus confirming, if true, that it wasn't magic which is what I think it's not." That made sense right? "And I do not like anyone playing with my mind. I'll be making it very clear to whoever did it that they are a very bad boy who deserves a spanking." Hannibal's clearly looking forward to that.
*
Ava quirks a brow at that choice of words. "Well, I suppose that would make them worry, speaking of common fears." She paces a few more slow steps, crossing her arms over her chest. "I do not like having other people in my head," she agrees. "I have had enough of that."
*
"Always nice to have something to agree on." Hannibal says with a smile. "So, shall we wait till our friend wakes up and then ask him a few things?"
*