Chapter 9 - Tentative Alliance

K's mission to take down any incarnation of the Weapon X project wasn't over by any stretch, but since rescuing Chelsea, she'd stepped back and had begun playing general to a handful of those that were more than happy to help take them down.

But over the past year or so, things had been shifting, and for the first time in a while, K found herself with more information than she could move on. But not for the same reasons. She couldn't move on it because it was abundantly clear that the military officials in question had finally wised up and started using actual volunteers. Nothing that she, James, Daken, Laura, Wade, or anyone could find showed even the most benign of manipulation on the recruits that were in the special unit.

"It's not even special forces," K said as she finally sat back, glaring at the intel in front of her.

"I'll still keep a close watch on it," Laura promised, with Gabby nodding along and looking serious.

"I wish you wouldn't," K said, turning her way. "If they spot you and decide to take advantage, Logan won't be the only one ticked off about it."

Laura bristled. "I'm not going to get caught."

K held her gaze for a long time before she turned the computer around to show Laura that she had, in fact, been caught on camera. "They don't know it's you, but that doesn't mean that they won't try to catch you. It's too much of a risk. Stand down."

"So - what?" Gabby asked, crossing her arms and glaring at K. "We just … let them go on unchecked?"

"No, of course not," K said.

"She wants to handle it herself," Daken said with a smirk.

"No," K said, shaking her head at him.

"She wants me to do it," Wade added.

"No," K insisted. "We'll monitor their systems. I've got an in through their tech. If you think that the programmer isn't watching what they're up to, you're crazy."

"You're going to use Stark," Daken said flatly.

"No, I'm going to use his contacts." K corrected.

"Any excuse to harass him," he said with a smirk.

K turned to stare at him openly. "If I thought he might even begin to trust you enough to let you in the building without knowing something was up, or you doping him with pheromones, I'd send you. But since you can't…"

"She's got you there," Gabby said under her breath as she smirked at Daken.

"Listen," K said as she held Daken's gaze. "I'm not letting Tony know about any of this."

He narrowed his eyes and took a few steps closer. "You're going to use his system, aren't you?"

"Where do you think I got the footage of Laura?"

"And how much of this does Logan know about?" Laura asked, arms crossed.

"All of it," K said easily. "I keep him in the loop since the baby thing."

"Is that your way of announcing another one?" Daken said. "How excited are we supposed to get about yet another brat between you?"

"I'm not pregnant,you insufferable pain in the-"

"Where is Logan anyhow?" Wade asked as he stepped into Daken and pushed him away hard enough that he bounced off the wall.

"On a mission with Kurt," K said. "He'll be back soon enough, but he knew he'd miss you."

"So, it's just a holding pattern for now," Laura said, looking disappointed.

"If there's anything we can move on, I'll let you know," K promised. "But right now, it looks like it's all on the up and up."

"So … is this where we all do the big, snuggly family thing?" Wade asked, sounding positively excited over the prospect.

"I'm going to see babies," Gabby announced. "I know there are always babies here … and at least three of the new ones are in our family, so …" She grinned at the four of them, saluted, and headed for the door. "See ya!"

K let out a sigh as she watched where Gabby disappeared. "We can just observe for now. I need to fill in Scott before he has an aneurysm. I'm sure you three can come up with something to do that won't blow this whole thing up." She gave Daken a look more than the other two and stopped long enough to reach up and rest her hand on the side of his head. "Don't. Push."

But that really only left Wade skipping off after Gabby and Laura rolling her eyes as she turned to keep the two of them out of trouble if she could. And Daken …

Daken decided to simply go upstairs for a cup of tea before he headed out to find something worth his time to do. Of course, he avoided the elevator so that he could avoid close quarters with Wade … though that had him smirking to himself when he saw that K was a few floors above him doing exactly the same thing.

But when he stepped out onto the main floor, he nearly ran into Jana. "Stalker."

Jana pulled back so they didn't actually hit each other and then rolled her eyes at him. "You're the one in my house, Daken. I didn't have to go anywhere."

"Visiting family," he said dryly. "Seeing as I have an overabundance of it."

"Yes, and you take such good care of them," Jana said, matching his dry tone and with a smirk.

He let out a little huff, though he was at least tactful enough not to point out that she had changed direction and was, in fact joining him on his trek to the kitchen. "Lies. Filthy, hateful lies."

"It's alright; some people can't handle hearing the truth," she said in a falsely sympathetic tone.

"What do you want today?" he asked. "You know you can text me when you want a ride for new ink. Or ... " he looked her up and down critically. "Color. Consultation."

"Yes, and the designer dress looks great against the vibrant blue; I'm just not wearing it around the house," she said, waving her hand at him.

"Pity," he said.

"Oh, so you want me to wear it while chasing toddlers? Good to know you're in a rush for excuses to buy me a new one."

He gave her a dry look and sounded entirely bored. "As if I needed an excuse."

She smirked for just a second and shook her head at that as they headed down the hall, though she did have to take a second after that before she decided to answer his question from earlier. "I'm not doing anything right now," she said.

He nodded his head lightly. "Tea. I'm looking for some tea. And likely a vain attempt to avoid rugrats."

"The tea's in the same place as always, but I can guarantee you'll be attacked by kids," she said, sounding highly amused by the prospect.

He made a derisive sound but continued on his path. "I'm beginning to think my father does this just to torment me."

"I didn't realize you were so thin-skinned you couldn't handle toddlers," Jana said dryly.

He narrowed his eyes at that. "They're so needy."

She smirked as they got to the kitchen. "Oh no. How horrible it must be to give someone else your full attention!"

Daken rolled his eyes at that but started up the water once they stepped around the kids blocking the way. "How do you stand it? You have to hear every little thought that goes flying around. And when it's all about toy cars and … God only knows what … how do you not slap them?"

"Well, for one thing, I'm not a monster anymore," she said simply before she shrugged. "And for another, I was trapped in Sinister for years. Thoughts like that are a welcome break from what I was forced to listen to before."

He didn't react as he waited for the water to heat up, though he did offer her a cup for herself too.

She watched him for a second in silence before, finally, she added, "And I can actually tune them out. I don't have to hear their every thought if I keep my mind to myself."

Daken didn't ask before he dropped a green tea bag in both cups. "That sounds reasonable, actually."

"Which part: tuning them out or appreciating the break from tortured final thoughts?"

"Tuning them out," he said, shaking his head as he poured the water into the mugs. "Unfortunately, I can't." He made a little face, but stopped her from taking her mug. "Wait for it to steep."

She tipped her head at him for a moment, leaning against the counter. "Everyone has their drawbacks to their powers, but not all of yours are passive." She held up one hand and wriggled the fingers. "I'd know."

Daken smirked at that. "Yes. Those are more fun."

"Those you can control," she said.

"And are more fun," he insisted. "Do you know how entertaining it is to start a sudden mob?"

"I wouldn't call it entertaining," Jana said, shaking her head. "But I may be biased; I'm on the team that has to break up the sudden mob."

"You're missing out."

"And you're thinking too narrowly," Jana said.

"Ah, and now it's time for the speech," he said, nodding slowly.

Jana snorted. "No. Now, it's the part where I tell you it's harder to stop a mob than start one, but of course, I've never seen you rise to that challenge."

"Well, maybe it is for you," he said. "And I have, in fact done that. It's just as simple."

"I've never seen it," she said.

"How sad for you," he replied before he took the teabags out and then pushed her mug toward her.

"I know. I'm really missing out on a good show," she said with a smirk as she took her mug. "The whole team rendered superfluous as soon as you arrive on the scene. An entire afternoon to myself instead of fighting idiots. How droll," she said, imitating his tone.

"I'm not playing hero," he said flatly. "Commendable effort, but the answer is still no."

"Suit yourself," she said with a sigh. "That's what you do."

"It is," he agreed, leaning heavier on the counter. "Whose night is it tonight?"

"Remy and James' girlfriend are putting together some Southern soul food," Jana told him.

He pulled a face at that and shook his head. "I don't know how that boy can stand all the peppers. Totally blows the sense of smell out."

Jana grinned at him. "Is that you admitting that your little brother does something better than you?" she asked.

He looked almost thunderstruck for a moment as he set his mug down. "How in the world did you come up with something that far off the mark?"

"You mean the part where James can handle food you can't?" she asked, blinking at him.

"I didn't say I couldn't handle it," Daken replied, looking at her incredulously. "I said it offends me."

"And anything that offends you can't be tolerated," she said, nodding seriously.

Daken held her gaze for a long moment. "I know what you're doing."

She raised an eyebrow. "What am I doing?"

"More or less admitting that you would rather stick around and watch your father than get out for something more sophisticated."

She looked caught off-guard for a moment. "No…"

"It's fine," Daken said, looking honestly amused with himself. "I think I'd like to see if I can screw with my brother anyhow."

She seemed to recover at last and then shook her head. "Well, lucky for you, he's thinking along the same lines," she said.

"Oh?" he said, leaning a little closer. "You can read ferals now?"

"No, I can speak English," she said without missing a beat.

"And he told you as much," he said, raising an eyebrow. "I didn't realize you were so close."

"I was doing the team outreach for his girlfriend, more or less," she explained. "That's what happens when you have the ability to see powersets."

He looked interested in that much anyhow. "And what does this mystery girl do?"

"She's bad luck," Jana said. "Literally."

"Obviously. Look at her taste."

Jana barely stifled the laugh. "Oh, I'm trying very hard not to have the exact same conversation twice. You two really are related."

He let out a little huff and then took a hold of her arm to drag her out of the kitchen. "You don't have to make up lies."

"I don't," she agreed. "I'm not making anything up. Both of you seem oblivious to it."

Daken stopped and tipped his head. "And … how was it the same conversation, exactly?"

"Well, I stopped it from being the same conversation," she said reasonably. "I'm sure if I'd told you that, considering the family resemblance, you were knocking yourself by insulting her taste, you'd do the same maneuver backwards to distance yourself."

He narrowed his eyes at her for a moment. "Nevermind. I don't want to know."

She shrugged at that. "Like I said. I'm not making anything up."

He turned to head outside. "I think I'd rather spend my time away from the group as long as possible."

"Oh, so you won't be ribbing James over dinner. I'll tell Annie not to set out your plate."

"I will," Daken said. "I'm just not going to get mauled by rugrats before then."

"Too bad. Ariel loves you, and Noh hates it so much," Jana said with a smirk, her arms crossed, knowing that would get his attention.

That got him to stop in his tracks and turn her way with a little smirk. "I hadn't noticed her here."

"She's still jetlagged from a trip to Hala, but I'm sure you'll see her around," Jana said, the smirk only widening.

He took a sip from his mug as he thought it over. "Alright. But next time, we're going somewhere without such a crowd."

Jana raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh, we are?"

"If I have to sit through this travesty, then you can deal with something more reasonable."

Jana couldn't quite stop from grinning outright. "I'll even dress up for it if that's the case," she said, knowing he could scent her attraction and excitement and therefore not hiding it in the least.