The Trans-Siberian Hustle: The Train Job (3/4)

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On the ground in Vladivostok, Scott makes a voice-scrambled call to set up the critical part of the All-New and Expanded Grand Plan.

( Just call me Deep Throat. )

Scott and Piotr take a train ride. Piotr brings vodka. Yes, the vodka is part of the plan. It's helpful having a local expert along when you want to put one over on the criminal underworld.

( Two minutes and ten dollars say that they are all unable to look at anything but their navels. )

Scott gets into the freight car and finds the crate containing Gideon's cargo. The girl in the box is a little disoriented, not unexpectedly.

( It's all right. I'm here to help. I'm not with them. )

Sam plays catch the train. Then he gets to play ‛knight in shining armor'. As he gets the girl out of there, someone else gets put in the box.

( One Kentucky Cannonball Express coming up. This can be a mite loud. )

Meanwhile, back in Vladivostok, Alison and Nathan arrange to have one more angle covered.

( We could use some help. )

The Trans-Siberian Hustle: Sometimes You Can Play A Player (4/4)

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Nathan stands on a rooftop in the snow and keeps an eye on things. He is possibly pouting just a little at the role he finds himself in, but doesn't let that stop him from doing his part of the job.

( He had to just sit tight, be patient. Not something he was particularly good at. )

As the meeting starts, Gideon's security detail, delayed by the snow and rushing to meet their boss, runs into a spot of trouble. Cain doesn't precisely meet his match, but he does meet someone who can hold their own.

( Just a friendly ambush. )

Haroun tackles the flyer in the group, focusing on keeping her from getting to her boss.

( Why was it that every powered flyer but him had some sort of defensive bodyshield? )

Kurt finds someone who likes to play with knives.

( It might have worked, if he wasn't dealing with a professional gymnast and teleporter. )

Alison takes on an energy-projector who is somewhat lacking in her follow-through - surprising, given her employer, but Alison takes full advantage of it.

( Next time, don't play around. )

The X-Men's diversionary tactic works exceptionally well, leaving Gideon with precisely one mutant to synch to at the meeting site. He opens the box and gets a nasty surprise. Pete enjoys himself just a little, but sadly, doesn't get to have quite as much fun as he'd hoped.

( Next time, I'm fucking travelling business class, alright? )

The two teams regroup at the Blackbird, and Scott and Alison take stock.

( Everyone all right? )

Nathan and Pete hook back up and stop for a bit of a breather before heading back to the plane. Pete laments how minimal the violence was. Nathan gets a precognitive flicker and a nasty little idea as to how to rub Gideon's nose in things. It doesn't take much to talk Pete into it.

( The rest of you got to have all the fun. )