xp_logs | Operation:Xorn: Facing Demons

Betsy comes face to face alone with the one person she honestly truly loathes.

Betsy stood the moment she felt the chill sweep through her. She looked up in time to see Essex striding into the room and steeled herself for the ensuing conversation. Calm, calm. Stay calm. "Let's keep this brief. You said you wanted to speak with me, so here I am. What do you want?"

"Reaching Xorn is going to require a substantial psionic signal. As the paramount psychic in the area, it falls to you for the responsibility of maintaining a cohesive brudge between all of the elements." Essex took a seat, uninvited. His eyes held nothing by mild curiousity, a look unlike the devil should have.

"I figured as much considering what you laid out so seamlessly in the meeting," she replied tersely. Her arms crossed over her chest. "How do we know that Xorn won't lash out the moment he feels our presence, a survival mechanism of sorts? He could quite literally will us to our deaths and while I am all for God and Country. I do not want to risk the lives of those I care about on a flimsy hope that this plan may actually work and you have yet to offer any reassurance to the contrary."

"I have no reassurances whatsoever. It is equally possible that rescuing Xorn will result in a higher death toll than we could imagine. Your psychologist will need to be as good as she believes herself to be to convince him escape is revenge enough, if the term even bears comprehension for him." Essex' voice was pleasant, as if he was discussing home renovations or a job opportunity, not helping plan to rescue of the most powerful mutant to date.

"Get off your sanctimonious high horse for one bloody second and realize that this matters," Betsy spat angrily.

"Sanctimonious? Intriguing that I am the one accused of that." Essex replied mildly. "I do not have an answer for you, Miss Braddock. Xorn is simply beyond our abilities to anticipate. If you want reassurances, I do not have them. It is as possible that you will all be killed as it is you will be successful."

"I'll accept that," she gritted out. "For now. But why do you care? You've always shown me that you could care less for this world and the simpletons that occupy it. Is it really only about self-preservation? Or do you actually truly give a damn about what happens?"

"Have I, Miss Braddock? As you may recall, I parted ways with the school over my concern for your health and the lives of the students there. I have spent more than twenty-five years in the dedicated study and expansion of knowledge on genetic mutation, the ancillary effect being the enrichment of thousands of lives." Essex leaned back, his expression still neutral. It was obvious that he wasn't at all offended by her words, nor was he attempting to defend himself. It was more like a teacher, carefully pointing out the errors of a student. "I am attempting to assist Xorn because he asked me to."

"That's all well and good." Betsy studied the man across from her with a grim look. "Your message and concern have been duly noted. Now please leave."

"Of course, Miss Braddock. Best of luck in China." Essex paused at the door. "I should have very much liked to have seen Xorn again." He said, and was gone.