Love is All You Need (IC)

[Avenger Assembled]

"A trip, huh?" Mark hmmed. "Well, this is a great time for trips, I guess. We're all graduating soon, about to go off and maybe...maybe separate. Not you guys," he added quickly, "you guys are great! But me! And who knows when we'll be adventuring together again?" With surprising perspicacity, Mark asked, "Does this have anything to do with what you were asking me the other day about Blackstone? Because if you guys want to visit the jail, I know people on the staff who can get us uniforms and everything."

[Electra]

Erin pursed her lips. She trusted Trevor's tactical judgment, but it was still a hard pill to swallow. "Not exactly, but sort of," she told Mark. "We're talking about going back to Anti-Earth. I made a mistake last time I was there, not doing what I knew was right and trying to get my double out of there." She turned to look at Mark full-on, studying him. "We could definitely use you on the trip, but only if you're not going to get squirrelly again about your own double."

[Avenger Assembled]

Mark swallowed hard, looking at Erin, then Trevor before he spoke. "I understand. I've been talking that over with Dr. Marquez, and he thinks I did that because I was overcompensating after my dad left. That I was so eager to see some good in any version of myself after seeing bad things happen to my family that I...I did things I shouldn't have. I'm sorry," he said, not for the first time to Erin. "It was a mistake. You can trust me to let the other Mark, and the other Trevor, and whoever, sort out their differences against each other. Just because I won't kill someone doesn't mean I have to get involved the way I did. And if we can rescue more people like Daisy, or you, or anyone else those people are hurting...well, that'd be great too."

[Gizmo]

"Singularity is not Erin," Trevor spoke up abruptly, though his tone remained measured and low. "The Blank isn't me. Can't keep thinking of them as versions of ourselves." The young man's expression was grim as he folded on hand over his other fist and rested his chin atop them. "Every world we visit, that's what gets us into trouble. There are commonalities, can use that, but they're distinct beings." He looked between Erin and Mark. "We do this because Singularity is a person who needs our help. Nothing else."

[Electra]

"You're right," Erin told Trevor, "but just because we tell ourselves that doesn't mean it's not going to make things weirder. We still have to go in there and know we're going to see these people with our same faces. I agree that she's a person who needs our help, and that we should save others if we can, if the opportunity arises. But we can't hope to have like a mass exodus or something like that. Singularity can't join the resistance because A, she's crazy, and B, she's killed dozens or hundreds of them. But other people there, maybe they could join up. If we can find a way to really help Talos and his people, it could solve a couple of problems at once."

[Avenger Assembled]

"I can blow up the school," said Mark suddenly, as if a look of decision had crossed his face. "I've been practicing in the Doom Room, and I can blow up a space as big as Claremont and do it without killing anyone inside. I know what you're thinking," he said to Trevor, "but they can't guard against my powers, they don't work like that. I can blow up the gas mains, the water lines, everything at once. The biggest accident they've ever had, so they can't shield against everything all at once. And while they're dealing with that, we can go in and rescue people." He licked his lips. "It'll be a really big distraction, and it'll make the Syndicate look very bad if they can't control a place like this. Maybe some of the students like Daisy, or just the ones who want to leave, will have a chance to get out, or join up with Anti-Talos."

[Gizmo]

Trevor looked a Mark silently for a moment, giving the reality warper time to fully explain his proposal. Gradually and with supreme subtlety, a new expression pulled at his mouth. It lacked the curvature to be called a smile or a frown, more akin to a carefully contained baring of teeth. After another beat, the young man raised and extended a fist toward Mark, knuckles upward. "Perfect," he commended. He knew The Blank would have layers of contingency plans in place, but the sheer scope and magnitude his friend was suggesting would keep the white clad sociopath busy.

[Avenger Assembled]

"Really? You think it's a good idea?" Mark looked as surprised, and flattered, as if Mr. Summers had just commented he looked intimidating, or if Hellion had said he looked sexy. "I mean, great!" He exchanged a fistbump with Trevor and added, "I mean, I was hoping all those practice sessions would pay off, and I guess they did!" He'd been worried about those practice sessions, but evidently no one worried that much when you took out simulated copies of your school every week or so. "I mean, just...just cut right to the chase and take the whole thing out, you know? Hex...Hex won't think at all, but even he won't have any idea what did it."

[Electra]

It took Erin a moment to process the scope of what Mark was talking about, but soon she was nodding along as well. "The whole school," she repeated, "that won't be a blow they'll recover from too easily, even with their own Doctor Metropolis, if they have one. Especially if you can get the equipment, the computers, that goddamned white box, all of that while you're doing it. We'd pay back Talos, and it would mean we shouldn't need his help getting in and out." She dug into her candy and unwrapped a roll of Smarties thoughtfully. "That means the main problem is going to be Pathos. I know Alex could take me out, no problem. I don't want her doing what Medea did to me back at the Sanctum."

[Avenger Assembled]

"Well," said Mark thoughtfully, "Alex has a really strong mind, but her body is much less so. I bet Pathos isn't that different. She's got their Assault to protect her, and she'd need to build up her mind to compete with their Sage, or Scarab, or whoever. If we can get close to her, we can knock her out, or stun her, or whatever." He hmmed. "Trevor, you've got that anti-telepath mojo, right? You could sneak close and hit her on the head, or tase her or something. Even if she got suspicious, she might think it was just the Blank plotting against her, not people from our Earth."

[Gizmo]

"Hrm..." Trevor's brow furrowed at Mark's question. "Yes. Getting stronger, too, but Alex has proven surprisingly... observant, even without the aid of her powers. Have to assume Pathos is more so. Certainly has more to fear." Working with Eve had given him a better idea of the specific parameters of his odd resistance to extra sensory perception and mental assaults, even as the petite French gymnast had learned to work around it. Assuming The Blank's mutancy mirrored his own closely enough, it wouldn't surprise him to learn that Pathos had her own countermeasures in place. Whether or not those would work on Trevor personally... there were too many unknowns for his liking by far.

[Electra]

"We don't have to take her out," Erin pointed out, a little reluctantly. "I'd love to, knowing some of what she's probably done, but it's not our objective. What we need is a way to get in and out without her seeing us, ideally, but especially without her affecting us. You were able to shield me from Medea," she reminded Trevor. "Is there any way you could make or get hold of some more of those for while we're there? Even partial protection would be something, we can't just go in there cold."

[Gizmo]

"Of course," Trevor nodded immediately. Psionic blockers tended to be only marginally effective against upper tier telepaths, but they could still make the difference between instant domination and being able to put up a fight. "Should bring the earrings I gave you in Dakana, too." The memory caused him to smile reflexively, and reminded him of the occasion before they'd been distracted. Glancing in Mark's direction he cleared his throat lightly. "Well. Won't get everything figured out tonight."

[Avenger Assembled]

"Yeah, but I'm sure we'll figure it out. With your smarts, and my luck, and Erin's combat prowess, there's no problem we can't handle," said Mark confidently. He paused a moment, looking expectantly at the others. A moment passed. "OH. Okay. I'll just be going now." He got up and said, "Happy Valentines' Day, again! Just because things are silly and commercial doesn't mean we can't enjoy them, right?" And with that, he headed out the door, leaving Erin and Trevor to do their thing. Maybe they're further along than I thought, he hazarded. Weird!

[Electra]

"Yeah, I carry them along with my uniform now, just in case," Erin told Trevor with an answering half-smile. She didn't catch the look that passed between Trevor and Mark, but was just as glad when Mark decided it was time to move on with his Valentines Day. "Later, Mark," she told him. "Thanks for the candy." She tucked the card and sweets into the top drawer of her dresser, then looked back up at Trevor. "Guess I kind of spoiled the mood there earlier," she commented ruefully.

[Gizmo]

"Heh," Trevor breathed with muted amusement. "Well, let's not underestimate how much I enjoy formulating battle plans with you," the young man admitted dryly, reaching out to offer Erin his hand. "That said... wasn't sure how much of an event you wanted to make of it, but there are a couple blankets and thermoses waiting in the back of your truck." With a light cough, he shrugged nonchalantly. "Supposed to be a clear night. Could drive a ways out from the light pollution..."

[Electra]

Erin took his hand and stood up, stepping in close to him as she shifted concerns about missions and battles to the back of her mind. "It'll be cold out tonight," she commented, "but I think we'll get along okay. And have a lot more fun than the people trying to go out to dinner tonight. I heard some people talking about their reservations at lunch, and decided I'd rather have week-old caf leftovers. This sounds better."

[Gizmo]

"Thought it might." Never one to be caught without a contingency plan, Trevor had naturally made standing reservations at a handful of reputable restaurants around the city as well, but gratifyingly his first instinct had proven to be correct. Spending the evening in a crowded establishment hadn't held much in the way of appeal. Standing up himself, he wrapped his free arm around Erin's waist with a small smile. "Packed a bit of a basket, too, if you're hungry."

[Electra]

"Master stretegist," Erin commented with a smile. She looped her arm around his waist as well and kissed him as they headed towards the door, pausing just to get her windbreaker and hook it over her shoulder. She suspected that as they got closer to graduation, quiet evenings together might be harder and harder to come by. Erin resolved to take full advantage of this one. Well, maybe not full advantage, because it was pretty cold out, but still.

[Gizmo]

Erin felt a small smile pull at Trevor's mouth as he returned the kiss. "Have my moments," he allowed with wry modesty as they headed toward the school's garage. As promised, the back of the blue pickup had been laden with a stack of thick, folded blankets ranging from soft to insulated camping gear, along with a large covered basket with a pair of stainless steel thermoses protruding from one end. The self-inflating mattress and waterproof tarp, on the other hand, may have suggested a certain level of over-preparation.

[Electra]

They headed out toward Wharton State Forest, driving as far as the roads went and then hiking through the thickest of the trees and into a reclaimed wildlife area that would've been marshy if the weather hadn't been dry lately, It offered a dry place to spread the blanket, and a wide open view of a sky blanketed with stars, which was the point. Erin didn't say anything about it, but the fact that there were still a fair number of stars faded out by the light pollution of Freedom City and further-away cities was oddly reassuring to her. She'd seen this starscape above Freedom City itself, in less pleasant circumstances, and was happy to sacrifice a few stars for the lights of civilization.

Trevor had obviously picked up the picnic dinner from a deli, which made sense given the sort of food he usually kept at home. They ate sandwiches and fruit salad and drank coffee from the thermoses, then stretched out to look up at the sky, Erin's head resting comfortably on Trevor's arm. It wasn't how she'd maybe once envisioned spending her first Valentines Day with a real boyfriend, but that didn't bother her a bit.