Nick Jackson (throttle_jockey) wrote in x_2012, @ 2011-01-25 20:15:00 |
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Entry tags: | hermes, valkyri |
Who: Hermes, Valkyri and the Sentinels
What: The Sentinels come calling.
When: Tuesday afternoon, lunch time
Where: Sisters of Charity homeless shelter and clinic
Warnings: None
Nick was in the shelter helping the nuns as they were short handed of volunteers and the clinic was overstaffed that day when it happened. It was the normal lunch crush, the line going slow because everyone wanted to stop and chat with Nick and the nuns but since everyone was in a good mood and food was guaranteed, no one was pushy or rude to hurry up. The current popular topic was football and Nick was obliged to discuss since the nuns were familiar with the sport in the most vague of ways. The talk of football Nick was having was with a regular as the man slouched against the wall, plate in hand, eating while Nick scooped mashed potatoes into the top left sectioned off portion of the three sectioned plate. He was having a good time. His date with Sabbah was that night, he’d had an actual honest to god good night’s sleep, and he was feeling generous. When he finished up the lunch crowd he was going to get everyone at the clinic the best damn pizza because he’d bet that none of them would’ve eaten yet and he could afford it for once so why not.
His debate about who was going to the Super Bowl was cut short by a sudden hush and a wave silence so profound Nick could hear the flickering of the fire on the gas stove behind him rolled over the previously boisterous crowd. From his angle he couldn’t see who’d just walked in but it didn’t take but a moment before a man clad in all black with a wicked looking rifle held loosely in his arms stepped into view followed by three other men, all similarly dressed. Nick didn’t have to see their backs to know the word SENTINEL was printed across their shoulders in white. No one could mistake them for anything other than what they were.
The men looked carefully and methodically around the room as one of their robots thumped up behind them and stood in the door way blocking anyone from coming in or going out. “We’re looking for a mutant,” the one in front began. Nick’s hands clutched the counter, his knuckles going white in fear. Oh god oh god oh god they found him. “Jonathan Fellows.”
The relief Nick felt was fast, cool and nauseating. They weren’t after him, he had to tell himself repeatedly. There was some shame that he was so damn relieved but he shrugged it off. He was only human. He knew they already knew where Jonathan was. The Sentinels had facial recognition software in the helmets they wore and their visors were down. They’d probably already scanned the whole crowd by now. The jerks were just playing with them, giving them a “chance” to turn on on of their own. Little did they know that not only were the men and women mutants, but they were also homeless. The homeless could be ruthless when it came to surviving amongst each other but once one of their own was threatened by an outside source, the shields went up and the phalanx locked into place. It went doubly so for homeless mutants.
No one was talking so the Sentinel turned toward the nuns. “We’re looking for this man,” the leader said pulling out a photograph and holding it up for the sisters to see.
“I’ve never seen him before. Furthermore, you are trespassing on private property owned by the Diocese of New York. I would suggest you either return with a legitimate search warrant or leave. Now,” Sister Margaret said, her voice quite steady as she looked into the eyes of the leader with no sign of fear. Everyone had a past. Even a nun. Sister Margaret had been assigned to some of the most desperate places in the world in her years of service to the Church. This man was not going to phase her.
The man looked around the room carefully. “Fine. We’ll check the clinic next door.”
“That’s also private property owned by the Diocese and he’s not there,” Nick spoke up. He had no clue if the guy was over there or not but he was not about to let the Sentinel walk over there and hassle Sabbah who would no doubt get angry and indignant on behalf of her patients.
“We’ll see about that ourselves,” the Sentinel replied turning back toward the clinic. Nick made a move to follow but was held back by a gentle hand of one of the sisters who shook her head.
“The back way,” she whispered, jerking her head toward the back door that the kitchen used for deliveries.
Nick was out the door and in the back door of the clinic in the blink of an eye just as the Sentinels to walked in the front as if the owned the place. He glanced over at Sabbah and opened his mouth to tell her what was going on when the leader of the Sentinels spoke. “Mutants. We are looking for this man,” he announced holding up the photograph.
The nurse who was currently manning the front desk looked at the Sentinel with wide, cat-slitted eyes, clearly unsure what to do, just as Sabbah came out of the back room, clearly alerted to the disturbance in her clinic.
“Unless you are here as a patient, you can leave. Now. This is a private, fully licensed clinic, owned by the Catholic Church. You have zero authority here. Leave. Now.” Sabbah was every bit as firm as Sister Margaret. They had, in fact, discussed this before such an altercation could occur. She was within her legal rights, and she wasn’t about to back down.
The Sentinels looked over the people carefully as Nick stepped out of the back room also, prepared to hurtle himself at the men and the robot if need. “We will return and if we find you have been harboring this dangerous mutant, you, all of you, will also be arrested, registered and tried for aiding and abetting a known and dangerous mutant.”
“If you don’t have that warrant, I’ll have you arrested and tried for trespassing on private property and harassment. In fact, if you don’t leave right now, I will do so regardless. The security cameras have recorded your serial numbers. Don’t think I won’t be filing a complaint about this.” The west liked to portray Arab women as meek. They were not. Sabbah was all but bristling with righteous indignation.
The Sentinel remained stony and impassive, his expression difficult to read. He looked them all over again then turned and left with his men. The busy clinic didn’t relax until the last of the rumbling thuds of the robot died away. Nick let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and walked up behind Sabbah. “I have a feeling that won’t be the last we see of them,” he murmured cupping her elbow briefly in a gentle display of affection. “Might wanna beef up the security on this place. If we can.”
“We can,” she murmured, then turned to look out at the people waiting.
“Gentlemen, and ladies,” she nodded to the three women waiting nervously. “I treat anyone here who needs it, regardless of their legal status. That said, if you are concerned about them you might wish to make arrangements to see me... outside of normal hours. Pass the word?” she said, knowing they’d take her meaning.
With a sigh she turned back to Nick. “I’m going to finish the last of my patients for the day, then get back to Haven. Do you mind if we... stay in this evening? Maybe get the Thai as take away?”
“Of course. I’ll grab it on my way home. I’ve got to get back and so do you so I’ll see you in a few hours,” he murmured. He thought about kissing her forehead but decided against it. He didn’t want to chance her canceling their date because he was being affectionate. Instead he gave her a smile and squeezed her elbow once again before leaving out the back way.