Zan Zar Zameen: Ready to go

[x-dominion.livejournal.com]

Garrison assembles his volunteers prior to leaving.



"Alright folks, I'm sure this is the part where Scott gives a big speech, but I'm really not that kind of leader. We're flying out in about six hours, so I want to make sure we're all on the same page before we do so." Garrison Kane leaned against the window sill in one of the empty lounge rooms, as his 'team' had arrayed themselves on couches and chairs around him.

"First, and most importantly, everyone is technically traveling to Afghanistan on their own business. Officially, I am the only representative of the Canadian government involved. This has nothing to do with the X-Men either, in case something comes up." He pointed out carefully. The Professor had asked whether Kane thought the X-Men would help, but he'd turned down the offer. Right now, there wasn't anything more than a murder case involved, and it was only Kane's instincts that made him think it might be larger. More importantly, the Canadian government had made no hints towards involving the X-Men, and if something went wrong, it was possible that they could end up making things worse. The X-Men weren't exactly low profile any more. "I had a chat with some friends, and they provided some fake identifications and passports for everyone. The stack is on the table."

Tommy looked up from the medical chemistry book in his lap, not exactly pleased Kane had pulled him out of the lab for this. He had most of the chemicals down, so he thought, but it never hurt to be sure when it was people's lives on the line. Jewelry was one thing, but a slight chemical imbalance in the human body could be fatal. He looked then at the pile on the table with a slight nod of his head, glad that they were going under assumed names. The last thing this mission needed was his name coming out and the FOH picking it up. Then he looked back down at the book, filtering out most of what was said, except for the important parts. This was his part of the operation and he would be damned if he fucked it up.

"The situation is pretty straight forward. Two Canadians were found dead after they were reported missing from the aide station near the refugee camp outside of Mazar-e-Sharif. The camp was established months ago, following a major earthquake that struck northern Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. It houses mostly those left homeless by the earthquake, or people from areas where the damage destroyed access to basic services like water or power. The rumour is that some of the tribal groups have been swept into this camps as well, as a way to help tighten Taliban control." Kane outlined the situation quickly. "According to Canadian intelligence services, the entire area has an unsavory connection to illegal activities; mostly drug production and trafficking in people; slaving, in other words. There is a possibility that the aid workers who were killed might have found something going on with the camp."

Shifting slightly on her perch, the arm of the chair Jono currently occupied, Paige absently curled her fingers into the nape of his hair as she watched the people in the room listening to their orders, as it were. A debriefing. It felt odd, odder still knowing she wouldn't be changing into her suit or climbing into the jet. She tried to straighten, tried to look like she could be counted on. "So our job is to make sure it doesn't happen again," she stated and found herself answered with a nod.

Kane pointed over to Jono, Paige and Monet. "Jono and I are going to talk with several of the non-incarcerated tribal leaders, to see if they are willing to talk. I've got a couple of ideas how to bypass our Taliban watchdogs. Paige and Monet are going to go into the camp itself. There's a telepathic process that the Professor will do that imprints a new language centre over your existing one. Psionic mumbo-jumbo aside, basically we're going to use Sooraya to make Monet and Paige's native language to be Pashto. That means once the process is done, Sooraya will have to translate for us, since they won't be able to speak English again until any psionic, like Jono, issues the psychic command. We're going to put them both in the camp as new arrivals, and see if they can dig up anything."

Monet blinked. "So, will I be able to talk to other people, if I go all..." she waved her hands. "Telepathic at them?"

"You'll have to talk to the Professor, but the process is only supposed to basically swap out your current native language for a new one temporarily. I don't think it would effect anything else." Kane replied.

"Cool."

Jono raised a finger, then pointed at the bandages covering his face. "Point of order, mate. How exactly are we going to get these tribal leaders to talk to us. Even speaking Pashto, you and me, we're kind of a bit on the pale side to engender trust in the locals, you think?"

"The aid station has surprisingly good contacts with them. Doctor Watts assured the government that they'll at least meet with a representative. Now, be honest or be able to be with a Taliban interpreter, that's another story. Unfortunately, there isn't much else we can do unless you've got a mate in the tribe you haven't mentioned."

"Now, one of the more curious factors is that there's a madrasah, which is an Islamic school, that is not far from the camp with a unique philosophy. Basically, they've tied the more violent fundamentalist Islamic sects with a pro-mutant message straight out of Magneto's playbook. Apparently, they even have the Taliban a little nervous, and like to talk about the conversion of mutants to believers, or their eradication. Thanks to some help from a family friend of Sooraya's, their leader, Abdul Sabur Taraki is looking forward to meet someone who, even if not one of the faithful, is a loyal follower of the well intentioned infidel, Magneto. John's going to get the grand tour, with Sooraya in as the new pupil." Kane's expression was that he obviously wasn't happy about using the young girl, but there wasn't much he could do about it. "We're not looking to start a holy war or an exchange of religious viewpoints. The madrasah has made threatening noises about the aid station in the past, and I just want to be able to eliminate them as a suspect in the killings."

"Wait a second," John said. "You're giving us fake identifications, so what does this Abdul Sabur Teppan-yaki know about us? Are these people going to be introduced to Sooraya Qadir and John Allerdyce or little Miss Muffet and Mister Fake ID?" He just needed to be clear on that one as Kane had made a mention of Magneto. So what did they know of them? Of him?

"Oh, they know that a known mutant terrorist needs to travel under an assumed name." Kane said. "But they know who John Allerdyce, former buckethead sidekick, really is. You just get to be your charming self."

Sooraya didn't want to be going to the madrasah; not only did the leader sound like a very frightening man, but the refugee camp could possibly hold any number of people whom she might know. She opened her mouth to suggest this, but shut it again. Obviously Inspector Kane had spent a long time coming up with this plan, and she had agreed to help however she could. Even though the thought of traveling to her home country - her own 'backyard', as Professor Farouk had called it - without getting a chance to search for her family was maddening, she knew there were more important issues to focus on now.

"Finally, Tabitha and Tommy are going to the aid station itself as the newest volunteers. They can use the help, and hopefully if there's any factors with the two who were killed that might not be in the report; friends, lovers, arguments, whatever, maybe the two of you can wriggle that out. Doctor Jane Watts is the head of the aid mission, and she's the only one that knows that you're mutants. If anything goes wrong for any of you, you need to head for the aid camp. Even if it all goes to hell, I'll get us out and take the flack from my government after."

Kane took a deep breath. "So, this is the thing. It's likely that all this was just a simple murder. Unfortunate, but an isolated incident. The reason I'm dragging you all in is that I need to be sure of that. Best case scenario is that you get a trip to Afghanistan, and maybe help out some people who could use it. If something happens, focus on getting out of it safely. I asked you guys because of your skills and your abilities. I'm not trying to recruit a strike force or anything, alright? So just be careful."

"Does this mean we're posing as Canadians? Or just volunteers from the States helping out?" Tabitha asked. "Because I may need to pick up a can of 'Eh,' and a rudimentary knowledge of hockey."

"Just tell them you're from Vancouver. Any other questions?" Kane said, rubbing his hands together. "Alright. Pack for the Third World."