Use the Force (Pete Wisdom)

[Xavier]

Professor Charles Xavier was in his chair completing the rooming schedules for new applications. He had a few meetings with staff today but none seemed to be as important as his one with Pete Wisdom. The Englishman had asked to present a plan to Charles and as he was always interested in new initiatives from his staff he had a feeling this was something to do with the X-men, his force for good in the world.

He heard the knock at the door. A few months ago he would've simply got up to the door and welcomed him but alas now he was confined to the chair thanks to Erik Leshnerr and was still getting used to moving around in it. He raised his voice to a level that could be heard and rolled himself so he'd be closer to it as he said "Come in..."

[wisdom]

Pete slowly pushed the door leading to the office open, nodding a curt greeting to the man behind the desk as he entered. He’d been waiting for a chance to bridge a new idea to the man for the last few days, but had been waylaid by the various on goings about the school. “Thanks for agreeing to see me, Professor.”

He paused slightly as he readied himself for what he was about to say, knowing full well that in all likelihood it wouldn’t be well received by the telepath. Still, in light of recent events Pete knew that it was the right course of action. No, it was the only course of action. He just needed Xavier to see that. He subconsciously straightened his back, clearing his throat and readied himself for what had to be done. “I’ll cut to the chase, I know you’re busy and all with the school. We need to talk about Magneto and what he’s doing... And most importantly, what we’re doing to stop him.”

[Xavier]

Xavier let him in. Inclining his head in greeting and replying with "Not a problem Peter...if I were ignoring people's ideas this school would go down fairly quickly" he then rolled himself behind his desk and put a hand out. "Please. Have a seat and tell me your idea" he sensed a slight eagerness about the idea...and yet an uncertinty, perhaps about the idea or perhaps about Charles' reaction to it, time would tell which one.

He listened carefully to the opening statement, he was correct in his assumption that it would be about the X-men. So far Charles had tried to avoid the subject of dealing with his old friend but he knew that most people believed he had to be hunted down. "Erik....yes, Erik is a....difficult situation. The problem I see is that I do not wish it to seem I am...taking revenge on him, despite his terrorist actions I'm afraid after his attack any action I took against him could seem quite personal." He cleared his throat, giving him time to think of something to continue "But your an intelligant man...tell me Peter, you must have some plan on how Erik could be brought to justice..."

[wisdom]

Pete nodded his head and gratefully accepted the proffered seat, for some reason slightly more comforted by the fact he wouldn’t have to stand to make his argument. He listened carefully to the man’s speech, taking in each word and assessing it. He couldn’t afford to slip up if he was to get his point across, and he had to carefully weigh his responses against the professors if he was to sway any opinion to his side.

“Justice? That’s a heavy word you’re throwing around, Professor. But I’m afraid it’s not justice we need, but something else entirely.” He took a deep breath and decided to bite the bullet, grab the bull by the horns. “What we need a countering force; we need something that is willing to go beyond what you are doing here.” He punched his right fist into the palm of his left hand. “Diplomacy, good intentions... Don’t get me wrong, I have the upmost respect for you and your ideals, you know this. But...”

Pete trailed off and regarded the man behind the desk cooly for several seconds. “It’s not enough. I hate to say it, but we need to fight fire with fire. I understand your need to keep up appearances, but it needs to be done." He frowned slightly and ran a hand through his hair, knowing the next few words were going to be the biggest gamble in this conversation. "If you can't personally front it, just authorise it. I'll take it from there, you wouldn't need to know any more than that."

[Xavier]

Charles sat, hands folded on his desk as he listened to Peter's proposal... the whole idea brought Xavier in to a dilemma. It was territory which was uncomfortable for the head teacher.

This group...which is what Charles decided that Peter was talking about, was the equivilent of a mutant army...that was something that he considered immoral and extremely dangerous...but at the same time he knew very much that it could be needed. Esspecially if Erik were to gain any followers.

Letting out a breath he begun his responce "Well...I understand your meaning Peter, I really do...but I could see this getting out of hand. Who exactly would be in this...force? the students? do you see any of those children being able to 'fight fire with fire'? my dilemma is...Whilst I don't agree with it, I can see your reasons...so tell me a little more. I want to know exactly what you plan"

[wisdom]

“The kids? Maybe one or two, those that could handle it. Those that have seen what’s coming and know they can’t sit idle, no offense intended. They’re stronger than you’d think, half these kids are variable spitfires to coin the term. But first off I’d like Hartley and Marco, those two are essential, and I’m sure you’d agree have more than enough experience in doing what I purpose.” He said it simply, not colouring his words and purely trying to lay out the truth as he saw it. There wasn’t any point afterall, the man before him could read people even without the use of telepathy. Any other time Pete would laud such a skill, but right now, sitting the other side of it so to speak, it was slightly daunting. “As for my plan?”

He interlaced his fingers as he spoke to illustrate his point, “We need a tight knit, small group, a response force if you will, that is capable of, as I said, counteracting the threats that face us. Threats not just from Magneto, but from other sources.” He gave wiry smirk and shrugged, “We’re perhaps one of the biggest fears of the world at the moment, people with powers that are beyond control. Let’s face it; we’re public enemy number one, Charles.”

“For that reason the team would need to be covert, off the radar so to speak.” He shrugged once more, and frowned slightly. “Call it a training team publically, or whatever you need to, what this team would have to do... Well, it wouldn’t be good to get back to the press, or the student body.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, leaning back in his chair to regard the man in front of him. “Look, what it boils down to... We either sit back and get crucified, or we take action to limit the fallout of what’s coming. And, as I’m sure you know, that fallout is certainly coming, the war clouds are already on the horizon and the proverbial excrement is inches away from the fan.”

[Xavier]

Well he doesn't want to use the children, that was one weight off the telepath's mind. he didn't want his students in danger and was quick glad that the teacher didn't believe that most of them could take it.

This lessoned the worry in his mind a little, he was also interested in the prospect that his brother was a potential for this group. He raised an eyebrow at Pete but he remembered Cain's words about only sending him out if he wanted a job done...effectivly he was Charles' wrecking ball. "My brother...I'm sure Cain would appreciate being put in this team, but I must warn you. He's far from covert"

Scratching the back of his head he said "I understand the need for this team...believe me I do but you must too understand the risks if this team becomes public knowledge. It would be bad enough if they knew we were mutants....if they knew what we had...cerebro...the Blackbird and this small covert ops team we had we would find being crucified a pleasure. So I need your absolute unflinching that this team idea will not come back and bite us in teh future"

[wisdom]

“Heh, I don’t even think the word ‘covert’ even enters into Marco’s vocabulary, however he has the right mindset, not to mention the right skills and power to back it up. Worst comes to worst and he doesn’t come up to scratch with the rest of the team...Well, he would still prove to be an invaluable component of the team even if it’s as a training role.” That was of course the last thing he wanted to stick the Juggernaut with. Pete could easily see the man wasn’t exactly the stealthiest powerhouse going, but sometimes a scenario called for brute strength, and that was certainly Marco’s forte.

His first instinct was to agree to the man’s question, to give his word that the team couldn’t and wouldn’t come back to haunt them. But he found he just couldn’t, or rather it wasn’t the fact he couldn’t, Pete Wisdom prided himself on the ability to tell a good yarn, but rather the fact that he wouldn’t lie to the man about this. It was too important. “Look, I won’t lie to you... There is a chance that this will come back on us. It’s a slim chance if we play our hand properly, but a chance nonetheless.” He shrugged and slid his beaten looking cigarette packet from his pocket, gesturing as if to either offer the man infront of him one, or to ask if it was alright for him to smoke in the office. “But... The alternative is we don’t have the team and we get caught with our proverbial pants down when the shit hits the fan. To me, personally, I would rather play with slim to none odds than a dead certainty, and you know it will be the way things are going. We either need to step up and make a difference, or find one hell of a hiding spot and watch the fireworks from the sidelines.”

[Xavier]

Unfortunatly for Xavier he was actually running out of reasons to oppose a team, the cihldren wouldn't be involved...it would be under cover and whilst it was possible it could be traced back to the school it was less likely then an attack from outside anyway. He sighed, admitting defeat before nodding to Pete to indicate he could smoke in the office.

Alright...well he could make the team, Xavier would allow that and he knew he could trust Pete but he still needed to at least know what was going on so he would have to put some regulations on him. "Okay...I will allow this, but I want to know what missions you plan on going on, any changes to the team roster and any school equipment you want to use, of course if the jet is to be used you have to make sure it isn't tracked back here. Is that acceptable?

[wisdom]

Pete dipped his head thankfully, sliding one of the cancerous sticks out from the packet and into his mouth, lighting it with a quick and brief application of his power. He took a long drag, using it as an excuse to mull the man’s proposal about cluing him in on what the team would be up to. “Do you really want to know? No offense...The more you know the more you’re involved. Of course, if you’re fine with it, I’ll run the missions and details past you. As for school equipment, we’ll try to keep that to a minimum if possible, the fewer ties back to this place the better for all parties involved.”

He stood up and offered his hand to seal the deal. He knew Xavier wasn’t one hundred percent behind this proposal, but Pete hoped that he’d gotten his point across that it was unavoidable. “So, do we have a deal?”

[Xavier]

Xavier, inclined his head in a nod. Of course he wanted to know what this team was up to. If it was operating out of his school and his staff members were in it then he was implicated no matter what happened. He also wanted to get missions ran by him when he could. It helped him work out who exactly their enemies were and if Peter decided to poke Magneto with a stick and give him reason to attack the mansion he'd want to know well in advance.

Xavier looked as Pete stood up and offered out his hand. He asked if they had a deal. Xavier pursed his lips and gave it one last thought. He didn't want it...but despite that fact he knew it was a necessity to have a team such as this. Although he had a feeling this could backfire the need to have more protection for his students. Raising a hand he shook Peter's and said "Yes Peter, we have a deal"