ax_main | Pietro, Lance, Tessa

Pietro and Lance approach Tessa for information about the Friends of Humanity.

"I mean, what's the worst that could happen?" Pietro asked as they approached the library, where they had been told this Tessa could reliably be found. "Apart from her frying our brains the second she sees us, which is probably a possibility."

"Your brain's already fried, Glowstick," Lance snorted, leading the way down the hall. "Besides, she doesn't have a reason to attack us. We haven't done anything, which is kind of the problem."

“Right?” Pietro snorted and held the door so it wouldn’t drop on Lance’s face, then glanced around the library. “Let’s hope she’s slightly more morally flexible than the average goody goody around here.”

"She peeks into peoples' brains on a daily basis in a school with a billion teenagers. Who wouldn't be?" Lance grinned, nodding when he noticed the girl (or who he assumed was the girl) near the computers. "Look."

Seated at her customary terminal in the library, Tessa barely paused her rapid data input to spare a glance for the two boys. "Avalanche," she said by way of greeting. "Quicksilver. Welcome. Is there something I can do for you?"

Well, that was disconcerting. Pietro shot Lance a sideways glance, deliberate enough that he'd have time to see it, and then returned his attention to Tessa. She was... a little scary. And it was kinda hot. "Hooooopefully, yeah. We--uh, heard you might have some info..." He elbowed Lance.

Lance shot a dark glance at Pietro for the elbow in the ribs, then looked back at the girl. Woman. Whatever. Shit, telepath. Woman. Start talking, asshole. "We heard you're the one with all the details about the FoH around here, and we wanted to know if you'd like to share."

Offering precious little indication she'd picked up anything untoward, Tessa simply nodded as they finished. "I wouldn't go so far as to assert I yet possess all the details, but what little remains for me to uncover no doubt represents only a minor portion of the overall data available. As for sharing, it would be remiss of me not to inquire what you would do, once furnished with such details. And also to what personal advantage it would be for me to do so." The psion's tone never wavered from curt curiosity, but she did offer the pair another, somewhat more considering look.

"Well." Another look at Lance, then back to Tessa. Pietro wasn't used to stalling with his words, but this chick was... weird. And hot. Still. "A lot more than anyone else is doing. I mean, you're a telepath, right? So we might as well tell you. We aren't intending to invite them to a party."

"We're going to take them out of business," Lance said, a lot more to the point. If she wasn't going to help them, then she wasn't going to help them, but he wasn't going to dance around the point. "Not make a media spectacle or any shit like that, but at least set them back enough to put their rallies to bed for awhile."

Tessa suddenly raised her fingers from the keyboard and turned to face the two Brotherhood teens. "That outcome would certainly integrate well with my own objectives," she told them. "Their expansion has been frustratingly rapid, despite my efforts, and I have as yet been unable to ascertain the source of their primary financing. Perhaps a direct assault is the most efficacious approach. However, I would still require something in the way of compensation for whatever specific information you might ask. I have expended no small effort to uncover it, after all."

Huh. Maybe this was gonna be even better than Pietro hoped. Maybe. “We’re willing to entertain an offer. Keeping in mind we’re meeting mutual goals here.”

Lance flashed a look at Pietro. They weren't exactly made of money, no matter how much Quicksilver could steal. Looking back at her, he frowned. "What kind of compensation are we talking about?"

"A favor," she told them evenly. "To be named at a later time. I have little need of financial compensation at this time, and no immediate use for your abilities ... but it is possible I might require your assistance in the future. I am, of course, open to negotiation on precisely what form this favor may take."

“Uhhh... maybe?” Pietro made a face. “What kinda favor? Like, sex stuff, or—?”

Lance turned and smacked the other boy over the back of the head. "What the fuck, Pietro?"

“What?! I don’t know!” Pietro protested. What else could she want from them? F they had anything useful they wouldn’t have come to her!

The cyberpath quickly covered her mouth with her hand, stifling the faint chuckle that would have otherwise been such a significant breach of her usual, stoic demeanor. "No 'sex stuff'." Though the prospect was ... intriguing, it was not a particularly noteworthy consideration. "As you have noted, the school is not willing to undertake preemptive action. That policy is appropriate an institution of learning, I accept. But I am unprepared to close that strategic avenue entirely, should other options appear."

Lance noticed the way she hid her mouth, and barely stopped himself from saying anything about it. Maybe she wasn't like the others at the school after all. "So the Brotherhood's an option that you're keeping open. You know, we could use someone like you."

“Yeah,” Pietro said brightly. His superspeed meant he couldn’t have missed it. She’d almost laughed. “You could try us out via favors. We’re awesome; we’ll win you over.”

"Perhaps," she mused. Tessa studied the pair a moment more, then turned back to her computer, producing a flash drive from one pocket and socketing it into the nearest available USB port with practiced ease. After a series of command inputs, the monitor flashed to life again, data flashing past at a speed only a cyberpath--or perhaps a speedster--could track. In a matter of moments, she plucked the drive from the computer, and held it out to Lance.

"The information you have requested, along with as many additional details as I have been able to uncover, and might prove relevant, is here. I believe your hardware should have little difficulty interpreting the data; simply plug the drive into any available computer." Her eyes continued to betray her amusement, however slightly, despite her matter-of-fact tone. "I will contact you regarding my return favor when appropriate. If this is acceptable to you?"

Lance glanced at Pietro, then took the drive, immediately sliding it into his pocket like it was illegal contraband. "Yeah. Sure. We get the info, and you get a favor. Pretty sure you know how to get in touch with us?"

"Still, gimme your phone. I'll put our numbers in," Pietro held out his hand.

Tessa studied the silver-haired speedster--so like and yet so unlike the school's own--somberly for a moment, weighing his proposition. At last, she retrieved her phone from her pocket and held it out to him.

Pietro quickly entered his number, then dialed it. His phone buzzed in his back pocket. He did the same for Lance's.

Lance handed his phone over without thinking, then turned to Tessa. "Thanks for the help. There's no, you know, decrypty stuff on this thumb drive, right?"

She shook her head. "Nothing in my observations of the Brotherhood thus far lead me to conclude that any of your membership possesses sophisticated programming skills; simply insert the drive, and retrieve the information. However, due to that lack of security, I would advise you to keep it close at hand. None of the information it contains is necessarily dangerous on its own, but, if a detailed file on the activities, membership, and operational hubs of an active anti-mutant group are discovered in the hands of a pro-mutant organization with a history of significant property damage and public disruption ... inferences could be made."

Pietro tossed them both back their phones without warning and saluted. "Understood. Also, we need a hacker."

Lance kicked out at Pietro's ankle. "Subtle."

Eyeing the two Brotherhood teens speculatively, Tessa nodded. "I will take your proposal under consideration," she said.