![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
x-scion.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
xp_logsJean and Angel interogate Julian as to what is going on in Los Angeles.
Backdated to November 26th.
Angel's body temperature was, normally, high enough above a normal persons that it was noticeable. Not enough to draw attention to her when she was out but "walking toaster oven" was an apt description. Now, though, it was more than just noticeable - it was almost uncomfortable as she rounded on Julian.
"What the hell is going on?" she yelled, arms gesturing for good measure. "You need to come clean right now, Julian, or so help me ..."
"Okay, to be fair," Julian held up his hands, "I told them to stay put and I told you," he pointed to Jean, "that I didn't want any assistance with this."
"I don't care what you said," Jean said simply, folding her arms.
"You are 19 years old and extremely deep in over your head. I know you think you can handle this, but even if I were in your situation I wouldn't be able to take this on all by myself. So drop the bravado. We're going to help you, whether you like it or not. I know you're scared, but we can help you. This is what we do. You aren't doing this alone."
"How could you have been so stupid?" Angel asked. "After everything that's happened back home, after the team - this is what they're there for! This is what we do! Jean's got, like, a million years of experience just on her own!" She was pissed and confused, not knowing how anyone wouldn't think the X-Men wouldn't be able to help.
Julian fumed as his arms crossed over his chest, "Yeah, and if I'd gotten anyone else involved there was a chance McPhearson wouldn't show."
"And yet...he did," Jean said.
"There's a chance of anything but it's a risk you have to take. The odds are better with help you know it. Alone never works. Even he knows that. He doesn't show up, he still doesn't get what he wants. He still has to play. He needs something from you," she said, studying him thoughtfully.
"So, the question is, what does he want, and what does he have of yours?"
She was beginning to have an inkling but she wanted to hear it from him.
"He wants me to do a few jobs for him- things that will solidify me as a villain I'm afraid. And unfortunately, I haven't got a choice in the matter, since..." Julian paused, looking over to Angel who was still fuming in the corner. "He has my family."
Jean slowly nodded. It was making sense now in explaining his actions, at least, and why he was so eager to see his family before. The next time he started thinking songs on repeat, however, she'd think twice. But a part he mentioned had her curious.
"Why does he want you to be a villain? What purpose would that serve?"
"Who is he, exactly?"
For her part, Angel looked rather stricken at Julian's admission. Still angry at him but realizing that something bigger than that was going on, she turned to Jean and tried to get her mind in one piece again. "He's a punk, that's what." Gesturing slightly, Angel ran over the incidents that had happened to them the last time they'd ended up at Julian's family home. Being attacked, the "turf war", anything that sprang to mind. "He's been wanting Julian for a while."
"He doesn't like losing control over people..." Julian could not have possibly felt smaller in that moment if he'd been hit by a shrinking ray. "I assume you're up to date on the gang activity out here, the Lords of War?" Julian explained the various actions that had led him to Xavier's doorstep, something he'd only shared with Nathan and Inez before- then launched into a lengthy series of corrections as to what Angel had just laid out. "So that's it. If he can't have me...no one can...god I just sounded like a chick..." he immediately regretted saying that.
Holding back only a little bit, Angel slugged him in the shoulder. It was reflex. Really.
Jean tried to hold back a smile but a tiny one crept up.
She nodded to Julian. She'd been extremely busy that month and was only able to glance over the mission report, but Angel and Julian's summations helped immensely.
"We need to find out his game plan," Jean said. The trouble was getting close enough to him. He seemed like the type to keep his tracks covered.
"For what it's worth...I'm sorry," Julian did his best to look apologetic.
Angel sighed. "That? We'll talk about later. Right now, we need to focus. Later, I can kick your ass. Totally looking forward to later."
Backdated to November 26th.
Angel's body temperature was, normally, high enough above a normal persons that it was noticeable. Not enough to draw attention to her when she was out but "walking toaster oven" was an apt description. Now, though, it was more than just noticeable - it was almost uncomfortable as she rounded on Julian.
"What the hell is going on?" she yelled, arms gesturing for good measure. "You need to come clean right now, Julian, or so help me ..."
"Okay, to be fair," Julian held up his hands, "I told them to stay put and I told you," he pointed to Jean, "that I didn't want any assistance with this."
"I don't care what you said," Jean said simply, folding her arms.
"You are 19 years old and extremely deep in over your head. I know you think you can handle this, but even if I were in your situation I wouldn't be able to take this on all by myself. So drop the bravado. We're going to help you, whether you like it or not. I know you're scared, but we can help you. This is what we do. You aren't doing this alone."
"How could you have been so stupid?" Angel asked. "After everything that's happened back home, after the team - this is what they're there for! This is what we do! Jean's got, like, a million years of experience just on her own!" She was pissed and confused, not knowing how anyone wouldn't think the X-Men wouldn't be able to help.
Julian fumed as his arms crossed over his chest, "Yeah, and if I'd gotten anyone else involved there was a chance McPhearson wouldn't show."
"And yet...he did," Jean said.
"There's a chance of anything but it's a risk you have to take. The odds are better with help you know it. Alone never works. Even he knows that. He doesn't show up, he still doesn't get what he wants. He still has to play. He needs something from you," she said, studying him thoughtfully.
"So, the question is, what does he want, and what does he have of yours?"
She was beginning to have an inkling but she wanted to hear it from him.
"He wants me to do a few jobs for him- things that will solidify me as a villain I'm afraid. And unfortunately, I haven't got a choice in the matter, since..." Julian paused, looking over to Angel who was still fuming in the corner. "He has my family."
Jean slowly nodded. It was making sense now in explaining his actions, at least, and why he was so eager to see his family before. The next time he started thinking songs on repeat, however, she'd think twice. But a part he mentioned had her curious.
"Why does he want you to be a villain? What purpose would that serve?"
"Who is he, exactly?"
For her part, Angel looked rather stricken at Julian's admission. Still angry at him but realizing that something bigger than that was going on, she turned to Jean and tried to get her mind in one piece again. "He's a punk, that's what." Gesturing slightly, Angel ran over the incidents that had happened to them the last time they'd ended up at Julian's family home. Being attacked, the "turf war", anything that sprang to mind. "He's been wanting Julian for a while."
"He doesn't like losing control over people..." Julian could not have possibly felt smaller in that moment if he'd been hit by a shrinking ray. "I assume you're up to date on the gang activity out here, the Lords of War?" Julian explained the various actions that had led him to Xavier's doorstep, something he'd only shared with Nathan and Inez before- then launched into a lengthy series of corrections as to what Angel had just laid out. "So that's it. If he can't have me...no one can...god I just sounded like a chick..." he immediately regretted saying that.
Holding back only a little bit, Angel slugged him in the shoulder. It was reflex. Really.
Jean tried to hold back a smile but a tiny one crept up.
She nodded to Julian. She'd been extremely busy that month and was only able to glance over the mission report, but Angel and Julian's summations helped immensely.
"We need to find out his game plan," Jean said. The trouble was getting close enough to him. He seemed like the type to keep his tracks covered.
"For what it's worth...I'm sorry," Julian did his best to look apologetic.
Angel sighed. "That? We'll talk about later. Right now, we need to focus. Later, I can kick your ass. Totally looking forward to later."
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}