Summary:Steve touches base with Christopher about the status of Klau and his mutated flowers as well as the upcoming mission to Genosha. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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Christopher Powell always seems a bit out of place in the SHIELD building. Firstly, because he's young and he looks young. Secondly, because he's not in a suit or some other uniform most of the time, and thirdly, because people tend to mistake him for a delivery boy with his courier's satchel and all, the part time job that he does while he's taking classes at the University. It's a fate to which he has become accustomed, even when he's there on official business.
Currently, he's stopped by to make a report on the latest mission that he'd been on as Darkhawk, and having done that, is on his way back down from the office which he had been visiting.
On the other hand, Steve Rogers can't make it ten feet down the hallway without feeling the need to return a greeting or else be marked as rude or unsociable. He's got a manila folder in-hand, specific research pertaining to Genosha itself, and he's paused to speak with one of the techs from R&D about the odd flower bulbs they'd confiscated from Klau's men. They haven't made much progress on an antidote, but there's the possibility of a vaccine, the tech reports.
"Good to hear, Dr. Poderick. Keep us updated," the Captain compliments succinctly before moving on towards his office. Long strides take him briskly past clumps of agents comparing notes (or water-cooler talking, even odds as to which), and it's about when he's opening the door to enter his personal office that he espies Christopher down the hall.
"Agent Powell." Steve pitches his voice to carry but not to attract too much attention. "Have a moment?" His smile is polite and reassuring; no trouble here.
Christopher Powell, fortunately, feels no such compulsions, nor does anyone care whether he greets them or not. There are some benefits to being almost entirely unknown — the lack of general harassment and judgment being only two of them. He strolls along through the halls with his hands in his pockets and his head down, assuming no one will pay any attention to him, and largely, they don't. That is, until his name is called out, clearly enough that he looks up from where he was walking.
"Oh, uh, yeah, sure, of course," Chris says with all the eloquence and professionalism of a pizza delivery boy. And with that, he halts his escape and instead heads over towards Steve's office, ducking inside once he reaches the door. "Hey," he says after he closes the door behind him. "What can I do for you, sir?" Well, that's polite, at least.
The door to Senior Agent Rogers' office closes and shuts out any curious looks and attention alike. He gestures to the chair opposite his desk before walking around to the opposite side. The manila folder is set down before he gestures the holographic desktop away with a wave of his hand, still something quietly amusing in its near-magical appearance to the Captain, and he then pushes the frame on bendable arm off against the wall.
"Wanted to see how you were doing. Mission to Genosha's coming up soon here. There's also some updates you need to be aware of." In his grey button-down and black slacks, Steve sits and interlaces his fingers over his belt buckle. Christopher gets one of those mildly intense gazes, the man's eye color made more blue yet by the hue of his shirt. "Conversation meant to be in that order," he adds, smiling just a little.
Christopher Powell makes his way over to the chair opposite the desk and settles into it, resting his elbows on the arm of the chair and taking a look around the office, the holographic desktop noted for only a moment, not out of any desire to spy on it, just kind of as a matter of fact glance that it's there.
He's dressed in a pair of jeans that are at least not ripped, a pair of black chucks, and a grey hoodie over his plain white t-shirt. He looks the quintessential college student. "I'm alright," Chris says, which is the truth. He seems alright, looks alright. "What kind of updates?" he asks, apparently following the prescribed order.
Steve nods. He's not one to pry unless absolutely necessary; he also knows that young Powell will speak up if anything is critically out of order with his person. "Nothing wrong with alright." The man reaches to pluck the manila folder and open it up before himself. He glances up at Christopher again.
"Klau's been quiet since we hit him 'nd his operatives over at the Disaster Zone. Both a good thing and potentially a bad thing; the man could be rallying forces or more weaponry, probably both if this is the case. If they moved, we haven't gotten word of where to just yet. Regardless, clock's ticking on Genosha."
Christopher Powell's person seems to be in order, at least by all outward appearances, but then it's not his outward appearance that is usually the issue, but his mental state. But, that, too, seems stable for all intents and purposes. Besides, he presumes Steve's asking because he's an Avenger, and SHIELD, and Chris' well-being will impact his performance, not because they're buddies and he wants to know about homework or school, so he keeps it brief and businesslike, and then settles into the seriousness of the situation at hand. "Good in that he didn't immediately retaliate, which might mean that he didn't have the resources, but bad because he might be gathering those resources all this time," he nods. "Has anything else been moving into the DZ? I haven't seen anything. So I'm guessing he's either found a new hidey hole or is doing a way better job at hiding it." He then asks, "When do we leave for Genosha?"
"Here's a copy of the latest satellite scans of the Zone." A small collection of images is slid across the desk towards Christopher, held together by paperclip. There's the standard high-quality full-color scan and then beneath, infrared, ultraviolet, and sub-ground to an extent. All note nothing out of the norm or very minor deviations since the SHIELD group's tactical assault on Klau's presence there. The deviations haven't spiked anyone's concern, nor should they.
"As far as Genosha, could be at any time. Hate to put you on short notice, but you might get the call at the drop of a hat. We'll try to give you enough time to get anything in order if you need to," Steve continues. Again comes the mildly searching weight of those true-blue eyes. "Is the university going to dock you if you're gone for some time?"
Christopher Powell pulls the chair a little closer and leans over to look at the images. He picks them up and looks them over, carefully taking in each of the images before he sets them down again, letting out a little sigh. "Well, I guess that's.. good news.. ish." He settles back into the chair after looking them over and noting the lack of deviations.
"It's alright. I've already gotten a jump on some of the classwork I need to do when we come back from spring break and my part time is just that. I pick up shifts when I can. So I can just pick up and go when I need to." He smiles a little wryly at that question, "Probably. I'm sure that there'll be a prof or two who aren't going to buy whatever story I come up with as to why I'm not going to be around to lectures but I'll make up for it in the exams and papers."
A soft thoughtful sound leaves on a sigh as the Captain looks off to one side, turning in his chair to reach for a pad of sticky notes. Plucking the pen from his shirt pocket, he clicks it and writes himself a quick chicken-scratch note in regards to seeing which professors teach Christopher's classes — just in case.
"If you need a note from the offices, let us know. Seen some amazingly convincing excuses come out of the bullpen when minds are put to it." Glancing up from under his brows at the young man across the desk, he then sticks the paperlet within the area apparently designated by the herd of yellow squares present. Click, and away goes the pen again. "Think we'll have to touch base with T'Challa 'nd the others before we continue on. Looking forward to getting this mystery figured out. Those plants are nothing to be trifled with." This opinion comes with something of a resigned tone and sideways slide of eyes.
Christopher Powell watches as Steve scratches out the note but doesn't really read what it says, if he could even make out the handwriting upside down and from where he's sitting. One brow goes up a little bit, but he doesn't ask. Instead, he says, "I'm sure it'll be fine. But if they give me a really hard time, then sure, I'll talk to someone about it." But he tends to not ask for help, even when he needs it. That's just the way that he is. "Yeah, me too. So, you said that they're still doing research on them? I heard that they can't really fix what they do, but they might have something that could like, innoculate against them?"
"That's what Dr. Poderick just informed me," the man concurs. "A vaccine against the effects of the flower's toxins, though it'll probably be manufactured in small batches at first 'nd relegated to SHIELD use while we work at finding the other stashes. There's gotta be more than this bunch we intercepted." A tired note in his voice is echoed by Steve taking a moment to rub at his temple a few times in passing.
"Still, even if we're in Genosha for a time, there're agents here working at it around the clock. Klau's had his nose pinched; don't think he'll try it again soon."
Knuckles knock-knock on his wooden desk, just in case, and Steve smiles wryly to himself.
Chris nods and looks thoughtful then says, "At least that's something, so those that are working on it can be prepared against it." It's more than they had a couple of weeks ago, anyway. "They could be rare. It could be we got the only ones there were, but you're right — I doubt it. Especially since they're so quiet around the DZ now. They must be somewhere else, just a matter of figuring out where." He draws one knee up to his chest, wrapping his arms around it and resting his chin on top of it. "Oh, yeah, I didn't figure that everyone would just stop while we were in Genosha. I figure they'll be keeping an eye out on the DZ and any movements around the ports and other areas of NYC just in case, too. Maybe even Jersey or Connecticut, just to make sure it isn't coming in from one of the other ports."
"I admit that I will laugh to myself, just a little, if it comes in through Jersey. Agent Barnes always talks guff about the place." Steve shakes his head before he looks back to Christopher again. "That's all I had to touch base with you about, Agent Powell. Appreciate you taking the time to speak to me, I know you're busy as it stands. Keep ready for when the call comes down. If you've got a tux, maybe run a lint-roller over it once more."
On that mildly amused note, the Captain rises to his feet and walks over to the door to open it, all the better to release Christopher to his freedom and the curious eyes of the other agents.
NOW try getting down the hall without questions, Agent Powell!