xp_logs | WENDY: Finding Their Marbles

Remy and Ororo gather some necessary information in Chicago.

Remy was waiting for Ororo when she exited out of one of the back doors of the Chicago Social Services building – she didn't know how he knew where she'd be, but she was grateful. She didn't think anyone had noticed her during her search of the offices but she wasn't about to stick around longer than necessary to find out.

"I have an address," she told him, striding along as quickly as she could down the narrow alleyway. A glance over her shoulder reinforced that no one was following them, and she allowed herself to relax a minuscule amount. From what she knew of the city, they could reach the approximate area of the halfway house by taking one of the ell trains, and so she nodded towards the nearest station and turned her steps towards it, eager to cover ground as quickly as they could.

"Where is it? Not another hospital..." Remy muttered, not wanting a repeat. They had some cash for once, but it wouldn't last forever and Chicago was a dangerous city to work. The police, despite their reputation, could be dangerously effective in the city, and the organized criminals pounced on what they missed. You didn't grift long in Chicago if you wanted to keep your wrists intact.

"No... this time it is a halfway house of some sort. I believe they specialize in mental illnesses... Judkins's file was quite thick," Ororo said as they walked. "He has gone from one social worker to another, and it seems not long ago they just... gave up and put him there for lack of anything better to do."

"Dat's de way it works most of de time. Think dat de foster families dey stuck me in got reviewed once a decade. De streets ended up being almost safer." Remy said sourly. "Halfway house is good. Get dere fast, get Landin de hell out before de rest of dem catch up wit' us."

"I doubt it will be that easy," Ororo said, putting one hand on the railing as they climbed up to the tracks above the city streets. "Even if the other teams have not made it here yet, Arcade will not let us do this without some obstacle to overcome. It would make his 'game' less enjoyable." Her lip curled in contempt at this - her anger at being used as another pawn grew with each day.

"Dat's Arcade. Still, he'll play de game fairly straight wit' us. De other teams will get help, but he won't intentionally sabotage us. Would ruin his sense of de game itself." Remy had heard enough about Arcade to have a feeling about how his mind worked.

"Wonderful. How chivalrous of him," she responded dryly.

"Considering what he's holding over us, we're lucky dat we got a chance in de first place." Remy snapped, the brief flash of anger raw in the cold air. It only lasted a second, as he slowed and then stopped, finding a bench to sit down at and pause for a moment. "I'm sorry, chere."

Ororo came to stand in front of him, hands on her hips, her expression guarded. "Do not apologize," she said eventually, pursing her lips. "You are correct. And I should not be complaining." Her speech seemed to grow more proper and clipped as she wrestled a tighter grip on her emotions. "I will not do so again."

"Don't be stupid, 'Ro. We're stressed and tired and we've barely started dis shit. Try and add both of us tiptoeing 'round each other on top, and we won't even get out of Chicago." Remy shook his head and stood up. This was stupid. They needed to get moving, and he had already made things more difficult for her. "Come on. I'll buy you a hotdog after de daring rescue. How 'bout dat?"

"Only if there is extra relish," she replied without much humor. Remy was right, they needed to work together if they were to succeed at this. But that didn't mean she was enjoying this, or that she could forget the sword hanging over them.