Arise X-man || Focal Point
Oct. 31st, 2021 01:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsBackdated to October 31st
Trigger Warning: Trigger warning for future adult themes, dubious consent, and emotional manipulation.
Laurie visits Essex at his Lab in New York.
Laurie smiled at the Lyft driver as she exited the vehicle beside the gate of the complex Essex had directed her to.
It seemed a normal enough area, a gated light industrial complex with a sign out the front extolling all entrants to please report to Reception upon entry and a note about wearing PPE. She'd left Darcy at the entrance to the physiotherapist with an excuse that she should go to the party and that Laurie wanted some time to herself.
It hadn't taken more than a little push with her powers to get Darcy to agree, and when she was back she'd give her another push to forget whatever questions she might have that weren't directly related to what Laurie wanted her to know. It wasn't that she enjoyed deceiving her...was Paramour the word? No, that was for an illicit affair. Lover sounded just as tawdry. Girlfriend would have to do then, at least for now.
God, she just wanted this to be done. She'd explain to Darcy sometime later, and if things were bad, then they were bad. She couldn't let possible future problems stop her from what she was here for.
It took her mere moments to walk from the gate to the entrance of the large building. There was a muscular-looking woman with blue hair sitting at the Receptionist's desk. She wasn't sure whether she was surprised, or if it was more of what she expected from the reclusive Scientist.
"Good Morning, I believe I have an appointment to see Dr. Essex?"
The woman rolled her eyes and jerked a thumb towards a set of double doors. Through it, Laurie found herself in a large open space. Areas were carefully sectioned off with glass and plastic barriers, and she could see an array of medical and scientific equipment; some she could identify, some she couldn't, and some that looked like they came off the set of a science fiction movie. Past that was a loading area with wrapped pallets on skids and more typical industrial equipment. Off to her left was another set of rooms, from what she could see, some kind of office or living quarters, different than the stark laboratorial nature of the rest.
"Dr. Collins." Essex emerged after a moment, trim in his dark suit and white coat. Beside him was a young man, mid to late teens she guessed. It was clear he was related to Essex, with similar sharp features. But he was taller, and the shock of auburn hair clearly didn't come from the dark-haired man. "I'd like to introduce you to my son, Adam."
"It's actually Nate. Nathaniel Adam Essex Junior. Only Dad calls me Adam." He said, giving her an easy smile.
“Nate then,” Laurie responded with a smile before turning her attention back to Essex. “Dr. Essex, I only have a few hours, we should begin.”
"Take a breath, Dr. Collins. I understand your urgency, but a few minutes won't change anything." He turned and touched Adam on the arm. "You might as well go back to the lounge for now. We should be along in an hour or so." Nate nodded his head as he left. "Now, if you'd like to follow me, we have some preliminary scans and tests to run, in order to understand just what we're dealing with. My people took the liberty of intercepting the packets of medical information you sent to several leads to review. I must say, it isn't surprising that you ended up looking into quacks and witch doctors."
Laurie walked with him, her curious gaze taking in their surroundings as they moved further into the complex. Several times her hand itched to look over the equipment and experiments she could see in just a short scan. She could honestly say she was impressed and had the situation been different, had Essex been different, she might have been happy to spend this time picking his brain.
"I have had no hope of a resolution for months, a condition that began to affect my ability to contain several emotional consequences that were not conducive to my current living arrangements. I have a feeling what you will request of me would be frowned upon by my people, but they have no say in the matter given how truly desperate I am." Laurie's explanation was matter of fact, a listing of symptoms without the accompanying emotional attachment. "That is to say, you found me at an ideal moment, Dr. Essex. How truly advantageous for you."
Essex fought back the urge to roll his eyes. "Dr. Collins, if I was the tremendous villain you assume, do you not think I would have dispensed with the pleasantries by now? Moved against the mansion. Despite both Xavier and your mansion's towering egos, I honestly care very little for any of you. My plans have always been based on the recovery of my son. Only a fool would assume otherwise."
He waved to a seat at a complex-looking machine, as an MRI built sideways. "As always, you are more than free to leave at any time. But if you feel you need to continue to insult me, perform the reluctant woman making a Devil's bargain, I assure you, I'll find other venues for the treatment I need and you can enjoy chasing miracle cures for the rest of your life. Are we clear?"
Laurie took a seat in the machine, making herself as comfortable as it was possible to do before she answered. "Of course, I apologize for my 'pretentiousness', as my friends would call it. I am merely trying to come to terms with the good fortune you have provided after months of personal failure. Forgive my inability to quite believe you are not a 'gift horse', but I will try to be less insulting, and more trusting."
"Dr. Collins, I don't need you to trust me. I don't need you to like me. I honestly couldn't care less what your opinion of me is. But if you are approaching this from nothing but paranoia or looking for an angle of my evil ways, I can't trust you being effective with your end of the deal. And if not, you are worth precisely nothing to me. Do you understand?"
"Dr. Essex, I understand you implicitly." Laurie relaxed back and gestured for him to begin whatever testing process he required. "Perhaps we might start again?"
"No, we will start." He turned on the machine and stepped back. "There will be a little discomfort but it should pass quickly." He said as tiny jolts started up and down her body.
Trigger Warning: Trigger warning for future adult themes, dubious consent, and emotional manipulation.
Laurie visits Essex at his Lab in New York.
Laurie smiled at the Lyft driver as she exited the vehicle beside the gate of the complex Essex had directed her to.
It seemed a normal enough area, a gated light industrial complex with a sign out the front extolling all entrants to please report to Reception upon entry and a note about wearing PPE. She'd left Darcy at the entrance to the physiotherapist with an excuse that she should go to the party and that Laurie wanted some time to herself.
It hadn't taken more than a little push with her powers to get Darcy to agree, and when she was back she'd give her another push to forget whatever questions she might have that weren't directly related to what Laurie wanted her to know. It wasn't that she enjoyed deceiving her...was Paramour the word? No, that was for an illicit affair. Lover sounded just as tawdry. Girlfriend would have to do then, at least for now.
God, she just wanted this to be done. She'd explain to Darcy sometime later, and if things were bad, then they were bad. She couldn't let possible future problems stop her from what she was here for.
It took her mere moments to walk from the gate to the entrance of the large building. There was a muscular-looking woman with blue hair sitting at the Receptionist's desk. She wasn't sure whether she was surprised, or if it was more of what she expected from the reclusive Scientist.
"Good Morning, I believe I have an appointment to see Dr. Essex?"
The woman rolled her eyes and jerked a thumb towards a set of double doors. Through it, Laurie found herself in a large open space. Areas were carefully sectioned off with glass and plastic barriers, and she could see an array of medical and scientific equipment; some she could identify, some she couldn't, and some that looked like they came off the set of a science fiction movie. Past that was a loading area with wrapped pallets on skids and more typical industrial equipment. Off to her left was another set of rooms, from what she could see, some kind of office or living quarters, different than the stark laboratorial nature of the rest.
"Dr. Collins." Essex emerged after a moment, trim in his dark suit and white coat. Beside him was a young man, mid to late teens she guessed. It was clear he was related to Essex, with similar sharp features. But he was taller, and the shock of auburn hair clearly didn't come from the dark-haired man. "I'd like to introduce you to my son, Adam."
"It's actually Nate. Nathaniel Adam Essex Junior. Only Dad calls me Adam." He said, giving her an easy smile.
“Nate then,” Laurie responded with a smile before turning her attention back to Essex. “Dr. Essex, I only have a few hours, we should begin.”
"Take a breath, Dr. Collins. I understand your urgency, but a few minutes won't change anything." He turned and touched Adam on the arm. "You might as well go back to the lounge for now. We should be along in an hour or so." Nate nodded his head as he left. "Now, if you'd like to follow me, we have some preliminary scans and tests to run, in order to understand just what we're dealing with. My people took the liberty of intercepting the packets of medical information you sent to several leads to review. I must say, it isn't surprising that you ended up looking into quacks and witch doctors."
Laurie walked with him, her curious gaze taking in their surroundings as they moved further into the complex. Several times her hand itched to look over the equipment and experiments she could see in just a short scan. She could honestly say she was impressed and had the situation been different, had Essex been different, she might have been happy to spend this time picking his brain.
"I have had no hope of a resolution for months, a condition that began to affect my ability to contain several emotional consequences that were not conducive to my current living arrangements. I have a feeling what you will request of me would be frowned upon by my people, but they have no say in the matter given how truly desperate I am." Laurie's explanation was matter of fact, a listing of symptoms without the accompanying emotional attachment. "That is to say, you found me at an ideal moment, Dr. Essex. How truly advantageous for you."
Essex fought back the urge to roll his eyes. "Dr. Collins, if I was the tremendous villain you assume, do you not think I would have dispensed with the pleasantries by now? Moved against the mansion. Despite both Xavier and your mansion's towering egos, I honestly care very little for any of you. My plans have always been based on the recovery of my son. Only a fool would assume otherwise."
He waved to a seat at a complex-looking machine, as an MRI built sideways. "As always, you are more than free to leave at any time. But if you feel you need to continue to insult me, perform the reluctant woman making a Devil's bargain, I assure you, I'll find other venues for the treatment I need and you can enjoy chasing miracle cures for the rest of your life. Are we clear?"
Laurie took a seat in the machine, making herself as comfortable as it was possible to do before she answered. "Of course, I apologize for my 'pretentiousness', as my friends would call it. I am merely trying to come to terms with the good fortune you have provided after months of personal failure. Forgive my inability to quite believe you are not a 'gift horse', but I will try to be less insulting, and more trusting."
"Dr. Collins, I don't need you to trust me. I don't need you to like me. I honestly couldn't care less what your opinion of me is. But if you are approaching this from nothing but paranoia or looking for an angle of my evil ways, I can't trust you being effective with your end of the deal. And if not, you are worth precisely nothing to me. Do you understand?"
"Dr. Essex, I understand you implicitly." Laurie relaxed back and gestured for him to begin whatever testing process he required. "Perhaps we might start again?"
"No, we will start." He turned on the machine and stepped back. "There will be a little discomfort but it should pass quickly." He said as tiny jolts started up and down her body.
