epidemiology | [closed] what you seize is what you get

[ Asking Scott to join him on this had been a no-brainer; he needed someone with good judgement, thoughtful, who'd back him up without steamrolling him. As cool as Lance thinks Scott's powers are, he's hoping neither nor his bayard will actually see any action. Fingers crossed.

As they watch the protest unfold from across the street, Lance can't help feeling a little out of his depth. With Voltron, things were usually as simple as 'get in, kill the Galra, get out'. This was otherwise more involved. ]

I don't think my spec power will work on this many people at once. [ He's talking about Persuasion, which is most for de-escalating one-on-one. ] How do you figure we should do this?

[ Scott's coming to suspect he might only be good at beating up supercreeps. No wonder his older self ran into trouble; Xavier wasn't ever teaching them how to handle something like this. They'd be a visible symbol, an open example of the best of what mutants could be, and they'd done good...but not good like this.

It's time to get creative. What would Kamala Khan do? ]

Two-pronged argument. We'll get as many as we can with appeals to their sense of justice, via guilt if necessary. Subtle, just try to lean on them to get them to do the right thing. And then follow it up with the suggestion that it'd be easier to just get it done and cover it up than continue arguing it. It's gonna be a huge mess, you know? Better to just avoid as much trouble as possible, they're not getting paid enough to face down an angry mob, et cetera.

Alright, sounds doable. [ Lance crosses his arms, considering the building. ] Wanna see if we can find a back entrance? Doubt we'll get much of a welcome through the front door.

[ People look about ready to throw rocks, and the anger is justified; it gives Lance the heebie-jeebies to think of parts of him being suddenly...at risk of just shutting down. Gross. ]

Good idea. We'll be more effective if we don't have to fight our way in just to talk.

[ They'll have an element of surprise. Of course, they'll also probably scare the shit out of the scientists, but that might also work in their favor. Scott would prefer people do the right thing because they want to do the right thing. But he's prepared to make an argument through subtle intimidation as well.

Scott's just going to pick a likely-looking alley, and start trying to find a way around the building. ]

There's no way they're not also panicking about this. Even if it's just panic about their bottom line.

[ Above street level but not so high as to be inconvenient, Lance and Yusuke sit crouched under mismatched roofs. Grey, sludgy rainwater tumbles through the gaps and hammers against the tin tiles they're pressed against. It's a cold and miserable day. ]

According to Rost, these guys do a run on this level every five minutes, but the circuit isn't always the same. [ To prevent--pretty much exactly this, probably. ] We'll either have to find a way to hold it down, or take it out as soon as we see it. Without getting caught.

[ Being drenched and made to wait for some ridiculous sign has Yusuke on edge. He's frowning, hunched in on himself as he squints down at the sidewalk. ]

It's been ten minutes.

[ Or it hasn't even been close to that and Yusuke's just tired of waiting. Complaints won't make their target show up any faster, and yet— ]

Are you sure this is even the right spot?

[ There's nothing else to question. Lance's plan is sound. Yusuke's hood is tugged up around his ears. shadowing his face. It looked cooler before the rain soaked it. ]

[ Lance is trying not to be nervous, and Yusuke isn't helping. He grits his teeth, keeping his eye on the street. ]

Hold your horses, I know the info was right--

[ He cuts himself off when the drone rounds the corner, accompanied by (crap) a Vakdir. Pedestrians seem almost to scatter at the woman's approach: she carries herself with an intimidating gait, the stun baton at her hip swinging with her walk.

Plan, quick, think...Lance turns to Yusuke. ]

You take the drone, I tdistract the lady. Okay?

[ Already he's scrambling towards the edge of the roof, Bayard retracting into his hand. ]

[ Honestly, the toughest part is finding the clothes.

People on the upper levels look the part; not just in the way they hold themselves and their discreet augments, but in their perfectly coiffed hair, perfect silicone faces, perfect manicured nails. Honestly, Lance and Veronica fit right in. Except for clothes.

Rost has, after much sartorial deliberation, outfitted them with a designer suit for Lance and a two piece set for Veronica; admiring the glint of his gold cufflinks in the mirror of the fourth floor mens' bathroom at Gunterson, Lance feels like he looks pretty sharp. He fixes his tie, his hair, and tosses his jacket over his shoulder, very trust fund baby. The finishing touch are a pair of gold-rimmed glasses.

He walks out, having stashed his old stuff, and waits for Veronica to join him by the glass and concrete staircase. The whole place has the feel of an old establishment, while still being undeniably sleek and modern. Everything is blindingly white; Lance feels exposed. Their contact, Carla Nilsson, is a professor here, but it won't be as easy as walking up during office hours. ]

[The only thing that Veronica wears that belongs to her are her shoes and her jewelry (the same set of pearls she always wears, a gift from her dubious father, now covered by a protection spell from Sieglinde). She had brought along her heels because it's what she's most used to getting around in, but she hadn't had much of a chance to wear them. Now, they're undoubtedly the part of her outfit that suits her the most: her skirt, while nice, is a little longer than she'd prefer, but the blazer and blouse combo does the trick. She looks posh enough, but a little like a teenager trying to make a play at being an adult.

Which, to be frank, is how she dresses normally. Veronica just likes a little more control over the measurements, pattern combination, and more. This does the trick, especially combined with her hair and makeup, but she wishes she had brought along her own clothes to handle this venture (which is something Lance unfortunately knows all too well, since she hadn't hidden her chagrin over having to borrow someone else's posh-looking clothes when the majority of her Hathaway packing involved clothing).]

If there's anything we need to read, I'll pass it along to you, [she says, falling into place beside him.] My glasses aren't along the lines of "fashionable eyewear." Too practical for that. [Even for someone who comes along on a mission like this with high heels and pearls that she's kept concealed.]

Beyond that, I know what these people want to hear. [It's a statement made with confidence about her ability to manage people in the upper echelon of a world. But frankly, Veronica knows all too well that she'd fit in perfectly here.] I trust that you ... trust that? [An odd statement, but she doesn't want Lance to feel diminished in any way. She's been very conscious of that lately, not only with her teammates, but with the people here in trouble.]

[closed] what you seize is what you get

RED TAPE ▸ SCOTT

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BIG BROTHER ▸ YUSUKE

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MY FAIR LADY ▸ VERONICA

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