October 7rd, 2020, Jacob Javits Federal Building, New York



If it wasn't for the fact that the Legion had a friend living nearby who owed him a big favor, Freedom Force wouldn't have had anywhere to wash up and change their clothes before their meeting with Valerie.  Jimmie wasn't particularly hospitable, not so much as offering them a cup of coffee.  Quite eager to get the heroes out the door before his wife came back to find their home reeking of sewage, or worse - discover he was aiding and abating a wanted terrorist (or rather, several of them).  The Legion's face was all over the news by now, and deny as he might about not being culpable to the terrorist attack on the UN, his excuses had less of a chance convincing Bonnie then they had Frank and Ana.

With the Legion's help, they managed to leave the house in under thirty minutes, the clones, working together, making sure the place was immaculate before their departure.

Arriving at the Federal Building with time to spare, they were shown into the meeting room reserved by Valerie for their meeting.   She herself hasn't arrived yet, but two other women were already present...
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:10, Wed 10 Nov 2021.

"Oh no, my little lambs!" Mistress exclaimed once they entered the room. She's been worried sick about the younger members of the team, and was quite relieved to find out they were safe and sound.  For the most part.
"What happened?  Is everyone alright?"
This message was lightly edited by the player at 21:10, Wed 10 Nov 2021.

Gwenyth Blake had been assigned to other areas and hadn't the opportunity before now to meet with Freedom Force's members. An extraordinarily beautiful, delicate-seeming woman with iridescent snow-white hair, she could not possibly look further from being a scummy, sewer-dwelling mutant freak. She is currently dressed in a navy blue polo shirt under a pale denim jacket and skirt, both with brass buttons, white nylons, and beige suede stiletto boots. On her hip is a brass basket-hilted rapier and braided whip, and slung over her shoulder on a strap was a bolt-action rifle with a beautiful rosewood stock. She seems a little guarded as the other members of Freedom Force come in.

Before she can open her mouth to greet them Mistress steals the show from her. She frowns a little and deigns simply to do a small curtsy to anyone whose attentions fall on her.

Ana Sofía walks in somberly. "It was a mess, but we salvaged much of it. Price is hurt bad, though. Newton's with him." Then Ana Sofía notices the new person. "I expected to see Fiona with you, Mistress." She turns to the new woman, "Hi, I'm Ana Sofía, or Windtalker."

"Valerie did tell us Price was injured, but not how badly.  Is he going to be alright?" her voice wavered as she already assumed the worse.  If Price's injuries weren't severe, surely Danny could have fixed him up by now.

"We don't know yet," Frank said, entering the room. He took up a spot in one of the corners, best to not physically dominate the room through sheer size. "He was barely alive when I saw him."

Then his eyes fell on the new person in the room. It was hard not to notice her, being almost absurdly beautiful as she was, but there was something familiar about her, too... oh. She really resembled an actress whose name he couldn't remember at the moment. Frank would practically swear it was her, really.

"Hi," he said, stepping over and offering her a hand. "Frank Guberman."

Danny smirked to himself slightly, as he sat down.   Price had been as 'barely alive' as anyone here could possibly guess; but Danny had called the hospital on the way here, after leaving the sewers, and it seemed that Price was, for now at least, stable.   Danny intended to swing by the hospital as soon as he was permitted to, and ensure that condition continued to improve.

He sat quietly, watching the social interactions like nana watching the introduction of a new cast member to Days of Our Lives.

Gwenyth's frown goes from being put out to concerned as she listens to the discussion on Price's condition. The frown quickly evaporates to be replaced by an instant-smile-just-add-water as some attention focuses back on her. It is precisely the sort of smile that celebrities keep in their back pocket at all times, but she manages to make it look genuine nonetheless.

"Hello Ana Sofía!" she greets radiantly. "Hello Frank Guberman! It's a pleasure to finally have faces to put to the names. I'm Gwenyth Blake. Is it true you're dating Taylor Swift? She cocks her head and alights a finger on her lip in a stereotypical girly inquisitive pose.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:53, Fri 12 Nov 2021.

Danny's eyebrows shot up at this, and he looked towards Frank, "Is that you in the sex tape?   We never did see his face, but you do kinda fit the build".

It might have been a blessing or a curse, but it was at that question that Kate was escorted up into the room by one of the general mooks, ie security guards.  At least that's how she would have described them to anyone who asked.

She had been a bit annoyed at Ana when she came all the way here just to be left in the lobby.  So after five minutes of pondering more and more creative ways to let sourceofcookies know she had been more than pleased to be told she was expected to follow the man, Mark she think he said, upstairs.

"Say it isn't true, that you didn't let Taylor Swift steal your innocence!"  Kate cried out in mock distress.  "Also this is the strangest debriefing I've ever heard of..."

And of course Zoey is on Kate's heels. Part of it is that she's her legal guardian and shirking that responsibility has already lead to trouble and worries. The bigger issue that inspired her to follow along was that Kate had started asking questions the events that transpired on that damned island and what had happened behind the scenes was a matter of some personal and professional interest for Zoey now.

"Tank's dating Taylor Swift?" Zoey asks with a wry grin. "Dude, she's like twice your age. Sounds like we got a cougar on the prowl~!"

Major social issues and possible government conspiracies could take a back seat to teasing Frank, at least for a little while.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:54, Fri 12 Nov 2021.

"God, no." Frank had turned a fascinating shade of red by now. The subject was incredibly embarrassing. "One of our publicity hacks made up that rumor to increase the team's visibility in the public eye. I didn't even know he'd leaked the rumor until just now, though. I thought he was just toying around with it.

"My little sister is going to kill me."

Gwenyth giggles softly. "It isn't leaked to the public... ummm, I don't think. It just came up in some conversation or another in the office. Sorry if I embarrassed you." She says sorry, but she's still fighting giggles.

She turns to the newcomer girls. "Heeeey, you're not members of Freedom Force."

Zoey cocks her head at Gwenyth. Jeeze, this girl just radiates ditziness. "Don't worry your pretty little head about it. We're awesome. Isn't that right?" She glances at Kate to prompt her to agree.

Gwenyth flushes, nonplussed. "My head isn't little..." she mutters.

"Wait a second...." Amid the whole 'Taylor Swift' thing, a critical piece of information almost got past Frank without him picking up on it. She said her name was Gwenyth Blake. She didn't just resemble the actress he'd been thinking of. She was that actress. "Don't take this the wrong way, but why are you here, exactly? You're an actress."

If Cooper was going to fill their ranks with fakes, Freedom Force was going to be a disaster. What Blake even a mutant?

Gwenyth's eyes light up as she is recognized. "Oh!! You've heard of me! I'm so happy!" Her happiness is infectious and she almost seems to glow for a moment. "Which was your favorite movie? Please say Blake Versus the Dino Dregs, that was the first time I wasn't shackled to the male lead and I think I really- really got to... oh." Her joyous radiance fades as Frank's actual question starts to penetrate her enthusiasm.

The actress half-turns away, clasping her hands over the hem of her skirt and suddenly looking very shy and vulnerable. "My, ah... my career is on hold while the scandal over my genetic status is settled. I didn't- I wasn't lying to anyone, this was as much of a surprise to me as everyone else! Valerie- I guess she thought that since I already know how to fight, and I'm attractive, maybe I would be a good choice to help turn perceptions about m-... my kind around. You know?"

Gwenyth looks around. Now that she thinks about it, not a single person in this room looks anything but ordinary human. Is this really the best way to show mutant representation? ... Valerie's pretty and, like, super smart, she probably knows what she's doing!
This message was last edited by the player at 22:22, Fri 12 Nov 2021.