ArchivedLogs:All Bad Plans

All Bad Plans
Dramatis Personae Micah, Jax, Anette
In Absentia	1 November 2014 '
Location <NYC> Evolve Cafe - Lower East Side
Spacious and open, this coffeeshop has a somewhat industrial feel to it, grey resin floors below and exposed-beam ceilings that have been painted up in a dancing swirl of abstract whorls and starbursts, a riot of colour splashed against a white background. The walls alternate between brick and cheerfully lime-green painted wood that extends to the paneling beneath the brushed-steel countertops. There's an abundance of light, though rather than windows (which are scarce) it comes from plentiful hanging steel lamps. The walls here are home to plentiful artwork available for sale; though the roster of prints and paintings and drawings and photographs changes on a regular basis it has one thing in common -- all the artists displayed are mutants. The seating spaced around the room is spread out enough to keep the room from feeling cluttered. Black chairs, square black tables that mostly seat two or four though they're frequently pushed around and rearranged to make space for larger parties. In the back corner of the room is more comfortable seating, a few large black-corduroy sofas and armchairs with wide tables between them. There's a shelf of card and board games back here available for customers to sit and play. The chalkboard menus hanging behind the counter change frequently, always home to a wide variety of drinks (with an impressive roster of fair-trade coffees and teas largely featured) though their sandwiches and wraps and soups and snacks of the day change often. An often-changing variety of baked goods sit behind the display case at the counter halfway back in the room, and the opposite side of the counter holds a small selection of homemade ice creams. A pair of single-user bathrooms flanks the stairway in back of the cafe; at night, the thump of music can be heard from above, coming from the adjoining nightclub of the same name that sits up the stairs above the coffeehouse. It's another cold-wet evening, the rain picking up throughout the day on top of Halloween's drizzles the night before to make things quite sad and soggy outdoors. Evolve is warm, however, bright and colourful and filling up with an impressive Saturday night crowd. From the looks of the /also/ bright and colourful people, in many cases, a fair number of them are meeting up prior to the club opening for the night. Micah is just returning to a table with a tray, a pair of steaming mugs atop and a plate of mini cinnamon rolls between them. He slides this to the middle of the table before taking his seat. "I got an extra little cup of the icin' for you," he informs Jax with a smile as he sits. His dress is typical for a non-workday: faded jeans, boots, and a blue and green flannel shirt worn open over a darker green tee depicting a jubilant T-rex holding a pair of adaptive reaching aids under the heading 'UNSTOPPABLE!' There is a hint of shininess about him, though, stray gold glitter in his hair and on his skin that has resisted showers since Halloween costume removal the previous night. Jax's Bright And Colourful is kind of typical for him; he tends to look like he's heading to the club even at midafternoon on a weekday. Today he /really/ looks it, though, glitter-dusted black skinny jeans and a metallic silvery-blue tee that looks (both in its tightness and in its kind of wet-look-shine) half painted on him. His hair glistens, too, black locks silver-streaked with a sparkle that kind of matches his husband's leftover hair-glitter. The metallic blue makeup on his lips and dusted over one eye finishes the look (the other eye has a blue eyepatch with a silver dragonfly embroidered into it.) His smile lights up, bright and sunny at his husband's return. He reaches out to snag the cup of icing /first/, swiping his tongue right through it. "I mentioned lately I love you? /Little/bit of love. Oh man. This is jus' what I need right about now. This week's kinda /called/ for extra sugar." Anette steps in the door, wiping wet hair out of her face as she makes her way in out of the rain. The rest of her seems pretty dry though, covered by a long trench coat which she proceeds to unbutton, though she never actually removes. She aims straight for the counter to order a chai tea. While she waits, she stands to the side shivering and looking over the crowd, giving a faint nod to Jax and Micah when she spots them. "Y'have, but that doesn't mean I get tired of hearin' it." Micah's grin only widens further, his chair scooting a little closer to Jax's to let him trace a hand down the other man's back. "Guess it's a good thing I got that almond whipped cream on your cocoa, then. If I'd known it was gettin' that reaction, I'd've picked up /two/ extra icin' cups." His fingers curl in to provide some scritching along with their petting. "S'also a good thing Halloween was just yesterday. Imagine Spence could use some help gettin' through all that candy without puttin' 'imself in a diabetic coma." His free hand reaches for his chocolate chai, not as impressive looking as Jax's drink for the lack of mounds of whipped cream on top, pulling it closer for a tentative sip of the hot liquid. The movement only partially hides the tightening of his expression at his own mention of candy. "Ion was talkin' 'bout sneakin' in t'feed Dusk." Anette's nod interrupts his saying anything further on the topic, returning her greeting by lofting his mug in her direction. "Bet they'd give y'more if y'went back and asked," Jax says shamelessly, just as shamelessly leaning in to the scritching. "Don't know how coma-y Spence is gonna be he was bouncin' off the /walls/ half the night --" He shakes his head, turning a quizzical look up to Micah. "... sneaking Dusk candy?" It takes a second for his brain to catch /up/, really, but before he's actually on the right page his attention is caught by Anette. He offers her a bright smile, glittery nails curling in a wave. Anette takes her ordered drink and a chocolate chip muffin and, at first making her way to another table, overhears the other two discuss Dusk and makes a sharp turn back in their direction. "Yeah, sorry...don't mean to but it but...I've been out of the area for a bit. I only just heard about Dusk and...well, mind catching me up on it?" she says, quietly keeping her voice down as she grabs a chair and sits down, not waiting for a response. She tries to keep her emotions in check but a bit of frustration and anger seeps out in her words. "I'll hafta pick y'up some more once that's gone, then," Micah gives in easily. When it's something as simple as /sugar/ to make someone happy, he's more than ready to comply. "Mmn. Too many days of that, though..." He chews at his lower lip at Jax's question. "Well, he /said/ candy. But he /meant/ me. I told 'im it was a bad idea. An' maybe we could just maybe...get some blood packets in there but... If it were me? I'd almost rather have the /people/ than the food. Even for a minute." His gaze dips down into his mug. "I know it's still a bad idea, I just can't stop thinkin' 'bout--" the words cut off as Anette approaches. "Evenin', hon. Ain't much t'update. He got a guilty verdict for /lookin'/ like he'd attack somebody unprovoked. An' he ain't been gettin' fed like he needs. We're waitin' on sentencin'." Jax wriggles in his seat, bouncing slightly at the promise of More Sugar later. For the moment, he just licks at the tub of icing again, reaching out to curl a hand around the handle of his cocoa. "Y'know, there's blood /inside/ you, s'even better than a blood /packet/ right?" He's probably not being /helpful/ on the subject of Bad Ideas. He looks up at Anette, bobbing his head in a nod to her, though this time his smile is a good deal dimmer. "Hey, honey-honey. He's -- yeah, Micah's about got the sum of it. Some human /shot/ him an' he's goin' to jail for defendin' himself. Ain't gonna get a sentence till week after next but --" His head shakes, teeth clicking against his lower lip ring. "They ain't given him so much as a taste'a blood since trial started. Two more weeks, he ain't gonna make it." Anette shakes her head, gripping her chai tightly. "God dammit...so that's it? They're just going to let him...whatever happens to him when he doesn't feed? So the plan is packets? How the hell do you sneak blood into a jail cell?" She gives a faint chuckle, taking a sip of her drink. "What about locking one of the guards in with him? That should do the trick." She leans back against her chair, "Where do you even get blood packets?" "I know there is. That's why it's even more temptin' to... Two birds with one stone, right? Could get 'im fed an' /be/ there at the same time. But there's not exactly any /privacy/ in jail. We'd just get caught, wouldn't we?" Micah looks to Jax with this, since he'd be the expert on being in prison amongst the present company. His expression clouds, jaw tensing. "Die. Starve t'death. That's what happens." He doesn't answer the how question. "Yeah, him attackin' a guard would be /awesome/ for gettin' 'im a lighter sentence. They'd /kill/ 'im, you'd better b'lieve. An' as starved as he is right now? He likely ain't even good for a fight." The mug comes to his lips just to force a pause. "That's easy enough. There's plenty of folks at the Clinic who'd help with supply. Either on my behalf or Dusk's." "Ain't a ton'a privacy in jail, exactly. I mean, he'll probably be in with cellmates so t'ain't no privacy /that/ way but actually the guards don't check in /too/ often 'less somethin's up so -- guess it'd be more a case of makin' sure nobody rats y'all out." Jax's teeth continue to wiggle at his lip ring as he muses this over. "... s'pose that'd be more likely if y'brought stuff /everyone/ could enjoy." His brows knit together, forefinger swiping through the whipped cream on his cocoa. "Got a friend who's -- good at sneakin'," he answers Anette. "An' I don't think we exactly got much a plan jus' yet. Mostly just... tryin' to make sure he even /makes/ it so far as sentencing." "It's a shame breaking him out isn't a legit option. It's just so frustrating to be sitting here and not be able to really do anything. It's not going to end well for him, just because he's a mutant." Anette glances curiously to Jax as he mentions his friend. "Well, that works, I suppose. I'd volunteer but the best I can offer is breaking into second stories." She begins nibbling on her muffin, breaking small pieces of it off and popping them in her mouth. "Still...once there is an official plan, let me know. I'd love to help if I can." "Ohgosh, /cellmates/." Micah's eyes widen, mouth falling open slightly in a horrified expression. "They're keepin' 'im locked up with strangers /an'/ he's starvin'? S'just a matter of time 'fore he tries t'feed off someone just 'cause he can't even think straight anymore. I never...even /thought/ about cellmates." He pushes his mug aside to cradle his forehead in his hands for a moment. As Jax continues to talk, he peeks back up over his hands, expression turned skeptical. "Y'think I should do this?" For all the skepticism in his face, his tone is clearly that of someone being told what he wants to hear. "Y'think it'd work? I mean...showin' up with, like, a box of baked goods an' a carton of cigarettes an' askin' people not t'make a fuss sounds. I don't know. Too easy?" He shakes his head at Anette. "The fewer hands in this, the better. There's plenty of plan, it's just a /bad/ one." Again, he peeks over at Jax. "Isn't it?" "Dusk... makes friends easy, right?" Jax doesn't actually sound very certain. "I mean, if he is in with people it's -- maybe they get along? Maybe they don't /want/ to snitch on -- well. Unless he's tried to eat them." His frown deepens as he sucks whipped cream off his fingers. "I think this is all a /terrible/ plan," he agrees readily, "I just think letting him die in jail is a worse one." He taps his fingernails against the side of his cup. "Breaking him out would be..." He actually, for a moment, sounds almost hopeful. But then deflates with a sigh. "I don't know. Maybe sentencing will be light." Admittedly, this /doesn't/ sound hopeful. Anette shakes her head. "Breaking someone out is NOT a light sentence. But that only -really- becomes an issue if we get caught." She purses her lips in thought for a moment before speaking up again. "Is it possible for him to feed regular from a person without killing them? What if we paid off someone, or snuck someone inside, to basically be his personal buffet?" "He does. But apparently nobody's liked 'im quite enough t'be /food/ so far." Micah manages a ghost of a smile at that thought. "No, breakin' 'im out's a horrible plan, too. He'd be a fugitive forever, an' as recognisable as he is? No... An' he can't keep feedin' off someone indefinitely 'less they have an infinite supply of blood. I mean, certain folks with healin' abilities...or even the same person without if /they/ kept gettin' transfusions." He shrugs, adding, "We got the how t'get in an' out, s'all just not gettin' caught. Are we really gonna do this?" "Well, hangin' out with someone an' lettin' them sink their teeth into you is two different --" Jax shrugs, teeth sinking down into his lip again. "Could sneak someone in but -- yeah they'd have t'be kinda. Healy? Though," suddenly he perks, eyes lighting, "we /do/ know a cop in the Mutant Incidents Division who -- might fit the bill on bein' able to help out." Anette seems to perk up at the idea of an insider to help them. "Oh? Who?" She takes another gulp of her chai, drumming her fingers on the table as she continues to brainstorm solutions in her mind. "I know, was just sayin'..." Micah hms softly at Jax's idea. "Maybe. I'd be hesitant t'send 'im not knowin' what he's gettin' into first, though. Folks /in/ jail don't tend t'be very fond of cops. If anyone on either side happened t'recognise 'im, losin' 'is job over it'd be the /least/ of 'is worries." Notably, he continues not to name names on this particular account. "Maybe we could do a dry run, takin' in a collection of stuff 'is cellmates might like. Could get /orders/ on what folks'd like as bribes after that. See what Dusk thinks of involvin' other people, an' who. An' we'd hafta ask if that particular person'd be willin' t'begin with." Micah finally reclaims his chai, taking a longer swallow now that it is cooler. "I'm also tryin' t'get hold of Elliott. See if I can't cash in on connections to at least push harder on gettin' 'im fed in the future. If I'm amazin'ly lucky, maybe she's friends with his judge or somethin', too. I dunno. Gotta feel out what help we can get where." "You think the mayor's gonna care about this case?" Jax doesn't sound challenging, just unsure. "I mean, she ain't exactly been -- if t'was up t'her Dusk'd be in jail jus' for /bein'/ a mutant, this new law'a hers." He crinkles his nose up, dipping his head apologetically to Anette. "Ah -- uh friend of ours works in MID, he -- I don't know, he could maybe help? With gettin' in to Dusk or /somethin'/, I mean, he's kinda their -- problem, ain't he?" Anette nods slowly as they brush over naming their friend. "Alright, fair enough, fair enough...though I've never had much faith in MID. Feels like putting a band-aid on a much more serious problem. But maybe this person can help. So, sounds like our only chance in helping Dusk is to regularly sneak him blood. Now it's just a matter of how we do it." "Think she'd definitely care that someone's bein' starved in her jail," Micah replies with confidence. His head tilts, shoulders lifting slightly, however, to add, "The case is another story altogether. She /means/ well, but...I don't think she always /gets/ the consequences of these mutant-related measures. Figure I can try t'argue the case. An' push for a personal favour. It ain't like we're best buddies, but I'd count her a friend. Least I can do is have her ear. Nothin' ventured, nothin' gained, right?" Micah looks thoughtful, nodding again at Jax. "Could use 'is help just knowin' /when/ t'go in that'd be least likely t'get caught. I mean, we already got the gettin' in an' out part worked. As I been sayin', s'just a matter of avoidin' detection by guards or gettin' ratted out by other inmates." The pensive expression returns. "Could help if we had multiple options. Smugglin' in some blood packets without the whole puttin' people in his cell thing could supplement more regularly with less risk." "I ain't had a whole ton'a faith in them, neither," Jax admits, shaking his head. He takes a large gulp of cocoa that leaves a small dollop of whipped cream on the tip of his nose. "... but what if this /does/ go real ugly? Like they give him /years/ an' years? We can't really just... just leave him to... can we?" He fidgets in his chair, discomfited. "He's /been/ in cages enough, we can't --" With a small sharp shake of his head he pushes back from the table, standing abruptly. "'pologies. M'brain's goin' unhelpful places. I should -- get upstairs, anyway. Tend bar here, Saturdays," he adds to Anette, "you ever want to stop by for a drink." "I was thinking that, but I didn't want to say it. What if they sentence him and he's in prison for years? He's a dead man." Anette watches as Jax stands up and sighs. "I think I'm going to need a strong drink after this all this. Possibly several." “We'll cross the bridge of a long sentence if an' when it happens. S'a dif'rent picture then. S'far as gettin' 'im /fed/, we'll find a way no matter how long he's in there. The rest of it...somethin' t'deal with once we know it's somethin' t'deal with.” The last sentence is more exhausted sigh than words. Micah shakes his head, as if to stop /his/ brain from going unhelpful places. “We got a lotta places t'start. That's good, at least.” Standing, he leans over Jax's chair to give him a hug. And maybe also sneak a nose-kiss to get the whipped cream off of him. “You get on upstairs, sugar. I'll go get you a /big/ thing of icin' an' bring it up with what's left of the cinnamon rolls.” Jax curls his arm around Micah, squeezing back tightly. He gulps down the rest of his cocoa, nudging Anette lightly in the arm afterwards with a nod towards the stairs to the club up above. "C'mon. I'll make you somethin' /good/ an' stiff." Anette stands up smiling faintly as she watches Micah kiss Jax. "Right, we'll figure it out." With that, she follows behind Jax upstairs to the club.