X-Factor Casefile: The Sting: The Sting

[x-invisiblegirl.livejournal.com]

IT's time for the finale, and there's a plan!

There was a buzzing almost palpable air of excitement about the building that always seemed to crop up whenever a Worthington came to visit. It was as if everyone had suddenly stood up and decided to step it up a gear as if to say "Yes Mr Worthington, we're always like this. We're just awesome aren't we." The floors sparkled a little more, the people stood a little straighter and the lab experiments bubbled a little higher, and all the scientists threw themselves at Warren to explain how their ideas would be the ones which would make the money millions of dollars, if only they could get some of that precious funding. It was almost a circus as they all tried to promote themselves and put down their fellows as Warren was led through the building on a tour by the harried administrators.

Lorna walked slightly behind Warren with her golden heels clicking on the floor. She was wearing a white Viscose Ribbed dress made by Gucci. The dress itself was worth more than five of her paychecks. Warren had picked out the outfit, if Lorna was going to play the part of his assistant than she would have to look the part. In her arms was a binder filled of important documents and a briefcase, that actually really did belong to Warren. Her green eyes looked at the people that were around them, it seemed like they were a little full of themselves. Looking over at Warren and just raised an eyebrow.

Warren hated doing these tours.  It drove him crazy how everyone fauned all over him for no reason other than his money.  To be fair, he liked the same reaction in women, but in scientists? No thanks.  Walking tall, he looked around and sighed.  This was one of the smaller pharmaceutical companies, one that his father had recently acquired along with Biotech.  In all honesty, he knew little about what this company did, other than it was bioengineering. Vaccines maybe? Nanites? He wasn't sure, and frankly, he didn't care.  He just knew that this operation was important to Sue's safety, and to that of mutants.  Vivisections. Nasty business.

"I should hope that all proposals have been completed and are ready to looked at," he said in a bored tone to the general manager, Marcus.  The other man nodded, his head bobbing like a bird.

"Yes sir, they're in my office, which of course, is at your disposal.  Please, feel free to sit and look them over."

Warren gave him a cold stare.  "I will. I do not wish to be bothered while I look at them.  Eliza," he said, motioning to her, "is my eyes and ears while I am occupied.  Ensure she gets a full tour. I will expect a detailed report afterwards."  Marcus nodded again (or had he even stopped nodding?).

Catching Lorna's eye, Warren tried to give her a reassuring look without breaking the facade.  He had to be the businessman here.  If they were separated, that would give him a chance to witness what the police would attempt to do before he could step in.

She smiled charmingly at Warren, "When have I ever failed you Mr. Worthington?" She turned to the other man. "Shall we continue?"

Confident that Lorna had this, he disappeared into the office, door closed but the blinds open to do his work. From what he understood from Bobbi, the police would be arriving mid-morning.  Sue was ...somewhere, but he didn't want to say anything to her, just in case her cover was blown.  Warren had to admit, there was a certain sense of thrill coursing through his body right now at the thought of this sting.  The fighting piece, it wasn't always his favourite thing, but this..the subterfuge, the planning..it was right up his alley.

So he waited, phone right in front of him in case Lorna or Sue needed him, and he perused proposals.  Work still had to get done.

Or did it, Warren didn't have to suffer the wrath of his million messages too long, barely 20 minutes later the sound of vans pulling up outside preceeded the stamp of boots as 7 police officers brandishing weapons burst through the doors drawing shrieks from the staff. "Nobody panic, we're just here for a Miss Eliza Nuane." came the confident declaration as they started searching through the staff comparing them to a photo they all possessed."

"What's this all about," Warren asked, coming out of his office.  It was a larger group than he'd thought, but that was alright. Lorna was off to the side, not in direct view of the men searching the building, which was good. This gave him time to try to de-escalate, so that later on, he could take complete control.  Standing up as straight as he could, he marched right to the man in charge.  "Do you have a warrant? I hardly think this is proper protocol, considering you've barged into my business without even a by your leave."

"When it comes to public safety we don't waste time with things like that," the apparent leader countered as he roughly brushed passed Warren looking at the picture on his clipboard, "What would you rather, we left hardened criminal floating around the streets? Infact, " he swung around and jabbed the executive in the chest, "You're the boss, don't you run any kind of security checks on your employees. How're you supposed to keep all these people safe when someone like this is working here?"

Warren gave the man a bored, chilled look.  "I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about.  I assure you that there are no <i> security </i> issues here. Now if you don't mind, I'd like for you to leave. There's work to be done."

"Work right," the man glanced around the office, "I know about the kind of work you do here tossing away millions while we're trying to save the city on the breadcrumbs you leave us. And when we should find a need to come here you want us to leave? I don't think so, bud. Now are you gonna give her up, or am I gonna have to arrest you for obstruction of justice? One arrest or two, it doesn't bother me."

This was it.  From the corner of his eye, he saw one of the IA team, disguised as an IT tech, giving a slight nod. That meant that the team was in place, and he could allow it to start.  Motioning Lorna over to his side,  Warren finally spoke. "Here is Eliza, but I don't know what you're expecting to get.  I'm afraid I can't allow you to be alone with her, nor to allow her to leave the premises without a court order; however, in the interest of working together, I can provide you with space if you truly feel this interrogation needs to happen."

Lorna walked over from where she was hidden from view, "Well though I am flattered that I am being sought after but I would like to know why. I don't recall breaking any laws." She said, her voice gave nothing away. Her years of training as a Brotherhood member kicked in at that moment and she went with the flow. Already she calculated how many guns were in the room and had them all pinpointed.

This was almost too easy, she had given herself up and Warren Worthington himself was here as a witness. "I'm afraid you're in no position to say anything I'm afraid," he said grabbing Lorna and slipping a pair of handcuffs onto her wrists. "You and your lawyers can meet her downtown at the station if you want and bail her out there." By the time Worthington and his high priced lawyers realized she wasn't at the station the girl would have disappeared from the system and they'd never find her again. "Come on you," he pulled roughly on Lorna's shoulder directing her to the door.

Lorna's green eyes pierced into the man. "No need to pull, Sir." She shook him off. "If I am leaving with you, I am leaving with some dignity. Also, are you going to read my rights? 'You have the right to remain silent...' and all that? And I do have a right to know what I am arrested for. Would look bad otherwise."

"The woman is right," came a new voice.  A man stepped over, and joined them. "Harold Fraser.  Internal Affairs.  There are still rules and regulations you need to follow before you come in here, demanding an employee."  Harold turned to all the employees who had been watching the scene.  "Everyone, back to work. Nothing to see here.  Worthington, you offered a room?"

Warren nodded.  Harold was an intimidating man, which is why Warren had personally selected him for this.  "Right this way, gentlemen.  As mentioned previously, I have no intention in obstructing <i> justice </i>."

You could tell the change in the situation by the switch in the U-men's demeanor, from cocky and arrogant he folding in on himself his eyes darting all over the room looking for an escape. "Oh shit," one of his men whispered behind him.

"I am still confused on what is going, sir." Turning to this Harold Fraser, still playing the innocent assistant.

"It's all under control, ma'am," Harold said.  "Mr. Worthington, the room?"

With a reassuring nod to Lorna, Warren motioned to them to head forward.  Harold already knew what room they were going to use, and this way, Warren could come up behind the fake agents, and herd them.  There would be no escaping this.

Once in the room, the other IA agents stepped in and ensured that no one would be leaving the room.  The fake agents looked scared. Good. They should be.

Harold looked at the people in the room: Warren, Lorna, himself and the agents.  "Now that we have privacy, I'll ask you again -- what is your business with Ms. Nuane? And since you have no warrant and she's been accused of no crime, the keys to the handcuffs please."  He stretched his hand out.

"No crime?! She's a mutant! They're responsible for their so called M-day. They killed everyone! She's a threat to the public and you're arresting us! Do you have any idea how messed up that is?"

Lorna looked at the other man like he was on something, "So you arrested me because you assumed I was a mutant? Where is your proof? Do you have any? You better have proof to call a human a mutant. Would look bad otherwise." Looking back at Harold, "I think I am losing circulation in my hands, sir."

Harold nodded. "She has a point. Take those handcuffs off, or prove you're right."

"Test her! You can't just let her loose, you have no idea the damage she could do!" The Swat officer was bucking at his bonds at the very thought. "We're at a bio-tech facility they can check it in an instant. Only have one of our guys test it, if they hired her you have no idea what sympathies they might have here."

"I can do much damage as a normal human. You do understand that I will be suing you and your men." She shot back at the man. "Your lives will be ruined for this false implication. However I will not deny you the testing. Do it." She said with much confidence.

This was it. Warren was ready to argue, tell this stupid person that Worthington Industries is an all inclusive workplace  but the cold determination on Lorna's face was telling. The woman missed her calling -- she'd make an amazing actress. Instead, he swallowed his pride and nodded.

Harold looked at Lorna and saw that she consented. "Fine. But when that test is negative, I'm taking you down. This isn't the first complaint I've received about you.

"It'll be positive," came the replying sneer, "besides you and I both know no matter what you try you'll never be able to touch me or any of us. So make your threats and lets get on with it."

She smirked. "You will be sing a different tune once we are done here." Lorna was lead to one of the back rooms, where she took a seat. Her arm was prepped and the needle was stuck in and withdrew blood, a good size for the testing. Her breathing was normal and nothing gave away what was really going through her head. Inside, she was hoping this worked. She would really hate to hurt all these people.

The blood went from syringe to machine in a practised motion, and as the lab tech turned to boot up the machine he didn't notice the blonde lifting the vial replacing it with one she had prepared earlier. In all the chaos no-one even noticed the blonde wending her way away from the machine, although, Sue reflected to herself as she sidestepped around an internal affairs detective, being invisible probably had a little to do with that. It was but the work of a moment to step around the corner and then step back and make her way to Warren's side. Her hair dyed a mousy brown and a pair of large spectacles perched on her nose. Even her own father would have been hard pressed to recognize her as she came to a stop next to Warren, "We changed out that system like you asked Mr Worthington."

"Thank you, Sandra," Warren responded. ‎ Taking the results, he allowed his calm demeanor to take on  one of smugness.   "Now, I may not be a scientist, but even I can tell from these results that you have the wrong person.". He tossed the file on the table with dramatic flair.

Harold picked the papers up amd shook hisbhead as he read them. "Accusing innocent people of crimes against humanity, using the m-card. This was your last straw. All of you are coming with me.".   As Harold recited the many criminal infractions that the team had managed to build up, Warren demanded the keys for Lorna.

Unhooking them, he gave them to Sandra. "Don't forget trespassing and unlwful confinment," Warren added for Harold. "Eliza, please, take the rest of the day off. You deserve it."