xp_logs | Long distance call

Pete gives Essex a call.

"No. Bring me the Wraith era files. We have copies on-" Essex stopped as his cell phone trilled. "Look, Dr Cornelius, just get your team's work together. I need those numbers. Hello?"

"Essex?" Wisdom sounded tired. "Charlie's a bleeding idiot, but he's managed to get Storm to pretend sanity for now, and Betsy's woken up. What happened?"

"Mr Wisdom." Essex blinked once, surprised at the voice of the English agent. "I see your search has not had you terminated yet. To answer your question, yes, Ms Braddock has likely awoken. Her surgery was a success."

"No, I know she's awake. Apparently, she fell out of bed and onto the journal system. And no, I'm not dead, but I am in France, which is probably worse. Mostly, I'm calling because I want an accurate picture of what happened, and don't think I'll get one out of anyone that thinks you're Satan."

"How terribly accurate a picture. Ms Braddock has regained consciousness by now. Excellent." Essex said. "Well, Mr Wisdom, due to the stunning idiocy of the staff of that school, I was forced to mimic them by using the students for my own means. Frankly, the only other options I had available was to ask Major Grey Crow's team to invade."

"I was waiting for that to happen, to be honest. Look, for what it's worth, I've told the kids I think they did the right thing, and I'll stand up for them as much as I can from overseas, but I've got to make find Emma my top priority." Wisdom paused for a second. "I'd like to say I think you did the right thing too, but it ain't my place to judge that one. You did what I'd probably have done."

"Thank you, Mr Wisdom. I agree that what I did was not the right thing, but the best thing available. I suppose that is the nature of those of us grounded in reality." Essex said. "Mind you, Xavier is treading a dangerous ground. Whether he intends it or not, his school is looking more and more like a terrorist training camp to analysts in the United States government."

"Shit. Not a surprise, and christ knows I'm worried about it turning into that even if Charlie doesn't mean it to, but I really don't fancy the odds that it won't be the next Waco if it's getting that bad." Wisdom sighed. "What are the odds of convincing them it ain't then?"

"They have lessened. Apparently, my presence was seen as a moderating influence." Essex snorted, darkly amused. "Past that, I don't know. Xavier has some respect in Congress, but the real political operator was Dr Grey, and with her gone... I may have struck a deal that will help mollify some of those baying for blood, but I know that there are openly hostile agencies under the surface now."

"Never really met Grey, but yeah, things seem to have gone downhill since she died. Look, my contacts in the US ain't what they were. Can you do me a favour, and keep me up to date on what you're hearing? I want to have enough time to get the kids out of the way if things go really wrong."

"I can." Essex paused for a moment, tapping his pen. "Mr Wisdom, I am going to tell you something in the strictest confidence. Something that could very well put you back into the official loop on the intelligence trade. Interested?"

Wisdom blinked, and stubbed out his cigarette, free hand fumbling for the packet on the desk. "Of course."

"In a sop to NATO after the Iraq debacle, USAMRD is teaming up with allied scientists for a new program set in New York at the Triskelion facility."

"Wait, the US government are sharing their toys? What's the catch?"

"Personnal sharing. The normal flow of technology has shut down from Germany, France; most of Europe. The US' own restrictions have killed a great deal of their own genetic research. Realpolitik is that they are losing the SPB race, and countries like Russia, China and the Middle East are pouring funding into it like water. If they want to catch up, they have to make a concession. However, there is a bait and switch set up for the US and the UK alone."

"Yeah, I saw some of the results in the Mid East meself a while back. It was killing one in ten test subjects at the time, but they didn't seem to worried about that." Pete lit a cigarette. "I'm not surprised the US wants in, though. So what's the bait and switch?"

"Muir Island. The real research into the ULTIMATES program takes place there. They have some window dressing at Triskalion; Pym and his bunch. I heard Ross is now involved. Stark is funding the bio-mechanical research. However, all of the alpha and omega level research is being switched to Muir Island as a semi-autonomous station." Essex smiled thinly. "My research, of course. Under my direction."

Pete smiled wryly to himself. "And to think, I got fired over interference in Muir. MacTaggart knows?"

"Gave me the keys, lock, stock and barrel. Which bears the question, Mr Wisdom. We can link you back to intelligence assets if you'd be willing to do a favour for me."

"Well, if it's me immortal soul, I sold that for a packet for fags and a win on the horses when I was 16. But if it's anything else, then I'm listening."

"I don't trust Charles' lackies with those students. If you're willing to keep the supply of information flowing from the mansion, I will see to it that you are hooked into the intelligence assets at Muir Island. We might be able to play one off the other in case of an issue,."

Wisdom grinned. "Done and done. I ain't terribly happy with half of them being in charge of kids, either."

"You realize that if this gets out, both of us will be serving quite large prison terms."

"Damn. Because everyone knows that neither one of us can keep his gob shut." Pete rolled his eyes. "Listen, I'm going to have to get going - Braddock's just walked in the front door of the hotel, so he'll be up here in a minute with another wild goose chase for us. I'll be in touch, and you've got me mobile. I'll keep an eye on the kids."

"Right. I will let you know when Muir is ready. You will have to sneak out for a few days to set up your clearence. You will need to select a project name for your unofficial 'team', I suppose is the best term."

"Let me know when. I'll think of a suitably stupid name in the meantime."

"Goodbye, Mister Wisdom." Essex clicked off the phone and rubbed his goatee, wondering is exactly how to play this new angle.

Wisdom looked at the phone for a seconed, wondering if he'd made a mistake, and went to answer Braddock's hammering on the door.