2019-10-21 - The Key To It All

Summary:

Another lazy sunday… isn't quite so lazy

Log Info:

Storyteller: None
Date: Mon Oct 21 04:23:47 2019
Location: T'Challa's Place

Related Logs

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Theme Song

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tchallamari-mccabe

"Wake up sleepy head. Are you going to sleep all of Sunday away?" Mari McCabe uses her hip to open the door to bedroom, a tray laden with fruit, bacon and eggs in her hands.

Wearing one of T'Challa's shirts, her bare feet pad across the floor till she reaches the bed, looking down at the figure within.


"And if I did what exactly would be the problem?" T'Challa says sleepily, turning to look up. It is Mari of course. In his house, which is where they had spent the night. He shifts himself into a sitting position slowly and blinks. "What time is it?"

Afternoon by the looks of it. That fruit looks good. And his stomach growls so there will be none of him saying he isn't hungry yet.


"You'd miss out on my company on a day when we both have little to do." Mari chuckles as T'Challa sits up. The tray get placed down before she moves to the other side and slides back in. "A little after noon. If I knew you were such a late sleeper … "

She's teasing of course.

"Did you sleep well? For myself, I don't think I've slept so well in a long time."


"Quite well yes." T'Challa stretches a little bit and slide over as Mari makes herself at home. Which he doesn't mind in the least. He reaches over to take some cheese from the tray and chew. It's really… spoiling himself. And her a bit, but mostly himself.

"You found the kitchen stock to your satisfaction I take it?" She should. It is VERY well stocked.


"Quite well…" Mari smirks, taking what's left of the piece of cheese he's eating and pops into her mouth. Spoilt. That's what they are. "I did. And quite pleased I didn't find a cook in there to chase me out. I like the idea of spoiling you a little."

As well she should.

On the sidetable next to her, is the key they found on Rivera and her tablet. Clearly Mari has been looking at it while T'Challa slept.

"What is it a Prince of Wakanda normally does on a Sunday?"


"Sleep. Eat. Go to my workshop and tinker with projects. Most sundays aren't quite so lazy though. I'll have meetings or such." Today he did not and for that he is REALLY quite thankful. T'Challa gets another piece of cheese and some fruit. He chews thoughtfully. Somehow he manages to make even chewing look regal.

"Have you found anything? On the key that is." It goes to a safety deposit box SOMEWHERE. Figuring out where is important but REALLY not easy.


"So just like every other day…" Mari steals more food from his fingers, eyes dancing as she does. Spoiling only goes so far, it seems. "When you've feasted and awake, we should go for a swim. The winter will be upon us soon and we'll lose that opportunity."

Pulling the key off the sidetable she hands it to T'Challa. There's a symbol on the key - that looks like the Chase Bank logo. there's also scratches that show other identifying marks were actively removed.


T'Challa chuckles. "The pool is heated you know." Because of course it is. He would not have paid quite as much as he did for this place without having a good heated pool. "However I am happy to swim with you. Let us finish here."

It doesn't make him hurry in the eating though. No, he keeps doing that at his usual leisurely pace.

"Mmmm. That looks like the logo of a local bank. It is a pity that they seem to have scratched the serial number off of the key. Though we do have her name. I wonder if, knowing the bank, the authorities would be willing to assist us with compelling the bank to give over the necessary information."


"The Chase bank, yes." Mari answers, leaning against T'Challa as she peers at the key. "I'm in no hurry to leave the bed again. And a heated pool is no proof against a chill winter breeze. I'm looking forward to seeing how you enjoy a New York winter."

"The authorities might. Plus I believe Rivera is still in custody. Maybe SHIELD will be able to get the information from her." She pauses. "I should send a message to the woman who helped me initially. Maybe she'd be willing to work with SHIELD though I got the impression she wasn't keen to."

Mari gets it, in a way.

"What is it you were thinking of?"


"Mmm? The Authorities? Oh nothing complicated. Get them to get a warrant. Get them to go to the bank and just make them give up the information on any lock boxes that Rivera has." T'Challa chuckles. He takes another couple pieces and stands up.

"Well, since the day is wearing on shall we get to that pool? Is there anything else you have found that's interesting? Exploring my castle? Come across the dungeon or any secret passages?"


"We can do that in a moment, certainly. And yes, I found your dungeon. It's educational…" Mari is teasing again. T'Challa can see the ex-model think better of the next thing she's about to say. Instead she pulls across her tablet to show him something.

"The Social Media feeds are in favour of Rivera at the moment. I'm not overly worried … just yet. But look at this …" Every post released by Rivera's company receives hundreds of likes and reshares within minutes. "… these all look like seperate accounts, but I do wonder if it is or if it's people she's influenced already."


"Emotional manipulation is a powerful thing on social media. This might be time for a little bit of well timed leaking to the press. Say a source inside SHIELD was to say that she was arrested for suspected possession of, oh I don't know… illegal psychotropic substances capable of emotionally manipulating targets. And that a number of her high profile deals are rumored to have been secured with such substances."

The Wakandan prince smiles. "No one likes a cheater after all. A well timed rumor can turn public opinion on it's head." Which he knows ALLLLL too well. After all he did high stakes politics for years.


"I was wondering about it. It's not the type of thing I usually indulge in, T'Challa." Mari rests her head on his shoulder as she looks at the feeds. "I like to try and keep things clean. Well, mostly. I fight dirty when I have claws."

"Do you think a source inside SHIELD would do that? Or are you suggesting we stretch the truth a little? Saying she has a substance that allowed emotional manipulation isn't such a stretch."

And it would definitely cause problems for Rivera.


"I doubt that the public would really accept that she had an actual deal with a devil so yes. I am suggesting we stretch the truth. If we can find a sympathetic SHIELD officer to 'leak' this for us all well and good but if not we both have media contacts whom I think would run with the story." Because it's sensational and will get traffic and readers and viewers. News is a business and while that is often annoying it can in this particular case be made to work to their benefit.

"It is dirty fighting I will admit but our opponent is fighting equally if not more dirty than that."


"Alright then. I shall speak to Captain Rogers. He's been sympathetic to me in the past." There's a couple of others who might do it as well and she might need them given Steves current condition, not that she knows that.

"Are you finished with your breakfast, T'Challa?" There's no more comment on fighting dirty. "I don't have a swimsuit here … " the smile she gives him is incredibly wicked. "… but I swear I hear your pool calling us…"


"I'm sure you have SOMETHING to wear." T'Challa laughs as he picks up the plate. "Why don't we take it with us." Why not? The fruit and cheese will keep in the open air and they can snack as they swim. Whomever had that rule about thirty minutes didn't know what they were talking about.

"Ah Captain Rodgers. Yes. Steve might do that for us though I should caution you that Steve is a very old fashioned man in some ways. Very honest. Though if he sees it like a wartime operation he may well be more understanding."

T'Challa has NO idea what Steve has been going through recently.


"Oh I have SOMETHING…." Mari uncurls from T'Challa's side and slides out of the bed. "I'll freshen that on the way to pool then and get us something to drink. It's not like you just woke up or anything is it?"

This is really the lifestyle, isn't it… Then again, they work hard and they should be able to enjoy what they've built.

"See you at the pool."


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