The drive back home was relatively quiet; none of the students were feeling particularly chatty, exacerbated by the fact that there was a machine-gun toting SHIELD operative riding with them at the back of each van.  The mistrust cut both ways – the men were worried that they might accidently be turned into a puddle if one of the mutants so much as sneezes, while the students had enough experience with law enforcement prior that they preferred to keep their mouths shut, rather than talking among themselves and divulging some snippet of what really happened back at Times Square.

The full facts of the disaster were starting to come to light at this point.  Incalculable material damage, about a dozen people dead, and half of Manhattan left without electricity and running water.  Eyewitness have identified Mutants as the culprits behind the disaster, and both presidential candidates were already preparing their talking-points for the evening news.

Not that any of this was known to the students.  Their phones were all busted during the incident – melted into slag, and only good as paperweight.

The two vans slowed down and stopped.  Then there was the familiar sound of the Manion’s gate squeaking open, followed by that of tires rolling over gravel.   Turned out Director Fury wasn’t lying after all – he did bring them all back home after all.  Most of them, that is.  Frank was still missing, as was Kate…
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:28, Fri 27 Nov 2020.

Zoey found herself in the unenviable position of being seated nearest their gun-carrying guard. She was acutely aware of the cold tactical-black metal in the palms of the cold tactical-clad man. No one is talking, everyone is consumed with the weight of recent events. Zoey is wondering if the U.S. release of the new Pokemon DLC will be delayed because of this. She hopes not, though Meltan might be getting censored...

Zoey couldn't help but keep sneaking glances at the guard. She was sure he was doing the same. Finally she can't stand it anymore and leans ever-so-slightly towards him. "You don't need to be afraid of us," she tries to reassure him, voice barely audible over the vehicle's engine. "Only those with the best control of our... qualities... were invited on the field trip."

She wasn't sure if her efforts at kindness were wasted or not, but if she eased his mind even the slightest it made them all safer.

---

Being closest to the guard also meant being the closest to the back of the van, which meant Zoey got to be the first to leave. She immediately makes a beeline for the other van, looking for red hair and mentally calling out for Tabby Cat. Unfortunately, Zoey's thoughts found no company inside her head. She wasn't worried however; Tabby could look after herself. She was more concerned about the missing muscle boy who had finished off the melty-mutant... hopefully Director Fury or his men weren't holding him responsible for what happened.

Zoey returns to Professor McCoy's side, squeezing his (very ample) hand as she watched her fellow students and awaited what happened next.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:55, Sat 28 Nov 2020.

Noting the missing mutants, after they're through the mansions front gates but before they go about doing anything else with the mutants they're carrying, Ana Sofía quietly takes a moment to do some snooping about.

The guard's fingers tightened over the rifle's grip as Zoey leaned closer to him.  Her supernatural senses sniffed the accelerated heartrate, the overactive sweat glands, an adrenaline surge.  The man was afraid of her, even though he knew the young girl meant him no harm;  she might think she’s in full control of her powers, but one little mishap and who knows what she might do to him?

Before his flight-or-fight instincts could take over, the van came to a complete stop.  The agent riding shot-gun jumped out of the vehicle and wasted no time opening the back door for the students – the sooner his mission was over, the better.

Out on the driveway was an entire entourage was out for them.

First was Professor Xavier, sitting upright in his wheelchair.  Standing to his right was the regal Miss Munroe, and to his left their math teacher, Mr. Summers.  Accompanying the trio was a young woman who could have gave any Victoria secret model a run for her money.  She wasn’t shy about it either, dressed in a skin-tight pink shirt that looked like she would have difficulties breathing in, and dark leggings.

“Rogue; take Professor McCoy to the infirmary at once”

Beast weighted over 350 pounds, but the young woman effortlessly picked him up and cradled him in her arms as if he was a toddler.  Xavier followed the two with his eyes until they were safely inside the mansion before he turned to the rest of the students:

“Is everyone alright?”

As Ana Sofía is making sure the students all get out of the transport she says, "Professor, I think we're mostly good. But Kate is missing."

After getting finishing getting the students out, Ana Sofía does not rush inside. Instead she moves along slowly, looking overhead and trying to listen for sounds on the wind.

When she sees just how much of a hair trigger the guard is on, Zoey rethinks her action. Lesson learned: they're not all like the Director, and this... SHIELD... isn't any safer for them to be around than any other uniform.

---

Such feats of strength were part and parcel around the mansion but Zoey was confident that she would never get used to them. It was so... effortless. They rarely toppled over from an unbalanced load or sank into the ground when it couldn't support their weight. It looked like lazy CG happening right in front of her. Bizarre!

Rogue in particular was an odd case; in Zoey's opinion she was more of a Spellthief, and with a body like that she could have passed as the often-mocked misspelling of Rouge.

To the master of the household Zoey gives a thumbs up. Then, she frowned. "One of the boys is missing too. One of the muscly ones."

Still paying attention to the sky Ana Sofía replies to Zoey's comment, "I believe he's approaching. By helicopter if I'm not mistaken."

Sure enough, the sounds of rotor blades preceded the arrival of the black chopper.  It was impossible to tell them apart, but as it turned out it was one of the two they spotted back at Manhattan.  Once it landed a short distance away a couple of agents helped Frank out of the helicopter.  Their help was necessary, as he was still very much handcuffed

"Hey guys," he said, coming off the helicopter.

Frank turned his back to the agent and waggled his fingers, indicating his cuffed hands. He had warned the agents that he was bulletproof, and they'd still tried to get physical with him; he didn't want to completely antagonize them by snapping the cuffs off. He could have done it easily, but then there would have been shouting, and maybe shooting, and he would have needed to completely humiliate them for no real gain. It was easier just to keep them on. But now that he was home, he wanted them the hell off already.

He needed to scratch his nose.

"Do you mind...?"