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X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia - Quinjet
Skills: N/A

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Them. Them. Them. Them.

Michelle quickly picked up on what Tinley was putting down as Kingston on his own, did not a "them" make. She was low on options. Her power was only going to make things more complicated, a complete stranger was just as dangerous to them as she was, and how on Earth could she explain how she got there, there wasn't supposed to be another soul around for miles. She couldn't fight them obviously, they'd already managed to complete restrain her once today, and so only options were try to diplomacy harder (not a strong suit), run (to where?) or accept her fate.

A fate many seemed reluctant to indulge themselves in, despite the go ahead. Most seemed content with just getting the fuck out of this hellhole. Novikova, Cass and Smith had missed their opportunity and the Sorceress seemed to be concetrated on the portal. Bautista was more conflicted about all this than she was herself and certainly wouldn't be like her to go round switching off the lights on someone elses hunch. The Banners had spent the last 10 years or so avoiding conflict and Michelle doubted either would start now if they could avoid it, leaving only Madame Abercrombie and Monsieur Howlett. It certainly wasn't too late to get knocked the fuck out by her but perhaps Michelle had misinterpreted what was meant by "them".

Either way she wasn't having anyone dig around in her ear or under her blouse for communication devices and so she ditched her radio and ear piece. Slipping a hand down her top, Michelle retrieved her mobile phone from her bra. She inspected it, letting it tumble and spin between her fingers before flicking it on to the pile. Hmm. Neither was she going to allow even her travel squeezebox end up in the Atlantic, grabbing the awkward case out of the hold.

She decended the rest of the ramp, lugging the large leather case in one hand, diary in the other and stepped out into the harsh sunlight. The cold wind from the portal whipped out, thrashing its icy tentacles at anything it could get a grip of, which was very refreshing in small doses but less so in larger ones.

Michelle strode confidently towards Agent Abercrombie, confident she still didn't know what to say to improve the outcome.

She sighed, closing her eyes, "Lets get this over with."

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia - Quinjet
Skills: N/A

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Michelle did not resist the urge to roll his eyes at the man. If he kept going he was going to jeopardise her chances at getting her hands on something that could expose the whole operation, traitors or not.

"We don't need a manhunt, they're right fucking there." Michelle stated, exasperated, guesturing down the jet ramp. "But best of luck shuffling paper and stamping forms Field Operative Agent Kingston, I hope it also exposes their co-conspirators back at HQ."

Michelle hoped that was enough of a clue that he'd get what she had actually meant by "half-cock" because she sure as shit wasn't going to spell it out anymore for him. If he was right and a clandestine sleeper cell just activated, this was much bigger than a handful of their co-workers. Nonetheless, Michelle was reluctant to leave without Kingston, especially while he was threatening to make this more difficult than it had to be.

Michelle scooped up her diary and approached the ramp, chewing over how she was going to ingratiate herself to the inhuman, the ring leader, who clearly already had reservations about her. Not a pleasant position to be in, but an occupational hazard. However, this was Tinley we talking about, not the Tinley she knew, but still undoubtably Tinley, no amount of grovelling or brown nosing was going to change her mind and it would be impudent to talk about their plan before being made a part of it. Michelle figured it was best for Agent Abercrombie to start, if she wanted to start.

A bead of sweat rolled down her nose.Jesus fucking Christ is was hot outside.

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia - Quinjet
Skills: N/A

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Uncuffed, Michelle resisted the urge to get her pound of flesh for purely pragmatic reasons.

No Guns. Stay on the ship.

James was one hundred percent right about one thing. There would be hell to pay, helping the Banners escape was treason. Regardless of whether they were traitors or otherworldly twins, there wasn't any going back the moment HQ caught on. Except of course for herself, who by lay of her hands could cast her own wickedness and rebellion on her ethreal scapegoat, her phantom twin. Even without using her powers, she was an infiltrator, a saboteur, a spy, it would hardly reflect badly on her if she had to momentarily undermine His Majesty the King to keep up appearances and eventually expose the true threat to the throne.

As of this very moment, the other Red Guard Elite Squads weren't going to smite her off the face of this plane of reality because there was a "realer" one that was superior in a way worth fighting for. Even if James could persuade her to pick sides, the very imminent danger wasn't accounted for in his tirade, it was 2 on 10 at best, and one of those 10 was the GOD DAMN HULK. Michelle had had enough incapacitation for a day and there was no reason they wouldn't do it again or worse unless she gave them one. The only conscious and potentially sympathetic expert on disappearing might be one.

Michelle's thoughts swirled, her furrowed brow was red raw from all the rubbing needed to facilitate all the big brain thinking. There was so much to unravel and she hadn't the brainpower to structure it and also make sure she wasn't killed. The first big problem was even if it were true, what was so wrong with this one that Logan, self admitted oracle of both strands, was on there side? Although this was not something Michelle was ready for an argument on. And secondly, even if it was worth fighting for, was it worth blowing this insignificant (in the grand scheme of things) mission and being this suspicious this soon when as far as we knew it, it was 11 versus the world? The biggest quandary was why Niah didn't know whether they were telling the truth or not when she, as far as Michelle understood, had incredible powers of elucidation.

"I'm going to trust Bautista's judgement on this," Michelle replied, "If she's unclear, I'm unclear and with the Hulk outside still HQ might just have to get in line. We can't afford to go off half-cock here, Kingston."

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia - Quinjet
Skills: N/A

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Michelle wouldn't have liked what Wolverine was insinuating by "picks fights too" if it weren't for her focus on the crushing revelation that if people that only remember the "real reality" needed to told who she was, or is, or used to be... Anyway, the jist was some of her collegues had no recollection of their time together because other Michelle wasn't part of the Red Guard, she was with the X-men. It was hard to process, but it explained somethings (maybe?) and it gave her a lot to think about on her journey back into a chair.

Dominika's remark was equally confusing on many levels that were perhaps well explained by their being a real reality she knew nothing of, but did nothing to elucidate it for her. It was almost an accusation, as if she believed she'd chosen Cass over Tinley for team leader, which she also didn't understand at all, for any reason other than they were the ones having the conversation. If Michelle wasn't a Red Guard then Tinley could have been completely different to the one she knew.

Did this mean she was buying it, this whole extra reality thing?

People were heading outside to confront the Hulk, which may or may not have been working, all she knew was the thumping on the jet stopped. Michelle wanted to know exactly what was going on outside because it sounded an awful lot more like talking than fighting, but she was Bautista's prisoner now and had doubts she'd just let her walk off to find out.

"Niah, do you remember me?"

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia - Quinjet floor
Skills: N/A

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"Shoot you... in the back?" Michelle reiterated quietly, perplexed. Why would she shoot her own colleagues? It was as if she'd used her powers on her already, the Cass she knew wouldn't have put it so coldly to her. It was tough for her to imagine, even if she was from a different reality, that Agent Reed wouldn't have known her own Agent Diggby that she went on adventures with for the good of Mutant-kind, did she not remember the Academy where they first met? Their travels together? Their stake-outs? Their nights off? Surely a Michelle had been there in one capacity or another.

Wolverine spoke up, interrupting Michelle's train of thought and making light of her predicament. She sat up for a better view and wondered if he had his healing factor stripped of him and was frozen to the floor the Hulk was soon going to rend asunder he might better appreciate her panic. Michelle was calm though, all she just had to remind Agent Reed that she would of course help them and she'd be free, resolving her number one problem, except that Agent Bautista had other ideas. Michelle protested at first, but gave up shortly there after as without her legs free she couldn't escape. Without her arms to support her weight against her coiled legs, she laid twisted on one shoulder, cheek pressed to the cold cabin floor, staring at the cockpit siding. Fuck.

"Seems like your team doesn't want my help, Cass. Thanks for helping me with the Auto-pilot." Michelle stated morosely.

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia - Quinjet
Skills: N/A

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"Keep swallowing that pride, Michelle." She instructed herself as others laughed, "This is what you get for living up to stereotypes."

The fun evaporated in the room when ice materialised around her feet and Agent Clarke dropped to the floor. This was not a game, somethin' was fucky, an increasingly familiar feeling. Michelle hadn't even begun trying to work out Sapphire's motives when Tinley gave it away, she made Sapphire put them on ice and in Michelle's mind immediately drew the faction lines. For whatever reason, she, Darkholme, Clarke and Kingston, plus anyone Sapphire failed to freeze before falling unconcious were no longer aligned with Tinley. Michelle then watched as one by one her frozen colleges were knocked out. With the shotgun taken away it was only a matter of time before she was unconcious too and with the Hulk on the way, it was a death sentence. The fact that only frozen targets were taken out told her that everyone they wanted incapacitated was, and now she really was alone against them.

Novikova, in trying to persuade her girlfriend Agent Smith to join her, gave her an out. She spilled the beans on what they thought was going on, what had motivated them to attack their own team when a great green killing machine was on his way to royally fuck us up. This world wasn't real.

"I knew it! I fuckin' knew it!" She exclaimed, "You fuckers have been behaving odd all afternoon!"

She didn't know it, not for sure, there had been a moment or two but otherwise had been pretty consistent, but she hoped they'd buy it atleast long enough to establish what was going on. Michelle would have liked to bounce on her toes but she was still stuck, so instead she had a pretend victory wriggle in place, but not for long, the ship shifted unnaturally. She toppled over on her ass and the fear of Hulk was struck back into her. From her unique vantage point on the floor, she saw a flash of radioactive green through the window. She was going to wait on negoiating her way out of her cold shackles to when she knew they trusted her again, but with the Hulk present it became a more urgent issue. Michelle decided it was still best to ask politely.

"GET ME THE FUCK OUT OF THIS ICY DEATHTRAP, HE'S HERE."

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia - Quinjet
Skills: N/A

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Terrifying. Michelle was now certain that the Hulk coming over the horizon was terrifying.

Agent Bautista confirmed Michelle's suspicions when the call suddenly dropped, they'd made it a problem the Hulk can solve. Michelle rubbed her temples, once we hit cruising altitudes and speeds we were safe from the Hulk, until then the Quinjet little more than a multi-million dollar hovering sardine can and right now we weren't even hovering.

"What an absolute fuckin' meathead."

Careful to remember to not leave the dangerous loaded weapon unattended, Michelle and her shotgun moved up to the front of the craft, repositioning the seat height and heads up display to compensate for her short ass. Michelle ran through the checklist, Aux. Pump - off....Altimeter - Set...Fuel Gauges - Checked... Auto-pilot - Engaged...Lights - Not a fucking chance...Camera - No Hulk yet... Action!

Action?

Fuck it, she was too old for this kind of quantum, electronic, technoshit. Disguises, Sharp edges and Moving parts were more her thing. She hated that she couldn't even get the VtoL going herself when it counted but being smushed by the Hulk made this way more important than maintaining her pride. They'd probably seen this coming, she hadn't exactly made her motives unknown and her track record was... sloppy, and were no doubt ready to clean up her mess. None the less, she still had to play her part in the pantomime. Michelle got out of the seat and whistled shrill and loud like her grandaddy taught her.

"Someone come unfuck the autopilot!" Michelle called down the ship, gesturing at the now vacant chair.

What a signature Michelle thing to do...

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia -> Quinjet
Skills: N/A

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The landscape shimmered, wavy patches of refracted sky obscured where the sky met the dusty vista. Michelle tried to imagine what it would look like if The Hulk did come bounding over the horizon; if he was truly as ferociously fast and powerful as the system said he was he would simply surface out blue in a single bound, breaching majestically like a great green dolphin of certain hospitalisation. The scoul, the rippling muscle tissue, the clenched fists, the effortless, graceless impact on the environment.

Terrifying? Awe inspiring? Michelle couldn't make up her mind except that it was about time to get out of the sun.

Everyone appeared to have filed back on to the jet in swift fashion, a quick check through the windows at the front of the house confirmed this. Michelle's short and uneventful vigil was over, and picking up her feet, she skipped back to ramp. With one final check, Michelle slammed the ramp close button with the same energy she'd slam Ellen Page. As the golden sunlight finally yielded to the closing of the jet's exterior, she was bathed in the softer, bluer artifical light of the fluorenscent tubes over head. Michelle was desperate to remove the body armour, but things were pretty tense in the aisle of the Quinjet. Tinley's mind control was going to wear off eventually and when it did, it wasn't obvious they'd continue to co-operate. Despite the perspiration, the body armour would stay on and in case things got messy, she'd keep the loaded gun too.

Michelle took a seat, placing the shotgun across her lap. She felt sufficiently safe with Kingston brandishing both phone and weapon at Lance. This had to be pretty scary for both of them, Lance and his sorceress friend, but they'd come round in time and realise that none of us wanted it to escalate to this point. Their lack of faith brought us here.

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia
Skills: N/A

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Michelle flicked the safety back on and holding it by the stock, let it swing down to her side pointed at the floor. Tinley had successfully defused the situation and Novikova's impromptu plan wasn't needed. It was a relief that she didn't need to discharge the shotgun and nobody got hurt.

Michelle knew that they weren't out of the woods yet, the boy had called his father, an understandable move, and he would no doubt be on route to our location. In Michelle's mind there were three scenarios, Kingston's calm and authorative tone would communicate to Banner that he should show up in the mindset to negotiate or the Hulk was already on route, in which case, they might already be in huge trouble. The Hulk's impressive land speed massively reduced the window they had to get prepared in and the Hulk's surprising air mobility meant even the jet was at risk being dismantled midflight. Any inkling that Hulk was on his way meant the captives needed to be out until we could reestablish communication with Banner.

The last scenario was what kept Michelle anxious, what could Banner achieve on his drive home? Michelle thought to keep these concerns to herself however, no need unnecessarily hurt morale.

What next? We just had to wait for now, securing the captives was being taken care of, Kingston had the open line, Michelle was reluctant to go back outside but somebody had to secure the perimeter and she was the one in the "I work in security" cap. She sighed and quit messing with her eyelid, the job was the job.

"I'll go watch the road an' radio in when Banner shows."

And with that she followed Maria and the magical girl back into the heat.

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Banner Residence, Sydney, Australia
Skills: N/A

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Michelle wasn't going to argue with Mystique's "quick and quiet" plan, it guaranteed the capture and thats what really mattered. Building a relationship with the target could trick them into hoodwinking his own father into cooperating, while an excellent idea, guaranteed nothing.

Then the house shook and with suspicious timing, Novikova gave up her true motives. Michelle heart began to race, she couldn't shake the feeling something wasn't right, but then she never could. She trusted these people with her life which meant even though she trusted them to get the job done, she believed what they said when they said it. The little gears grinded in Michelle's mind as she tried to weigh it up under time pressure. Fortunately for her, someone beat her too it. Kingston, despite his occasional boneheadedness, saw the situation as it really was, the gambit. This reassured Michelle, and put her doubts at ease, despite the unprofessional behaviour on the jet, Novikova wasn't involved. She knew that Novikova knew we absolutely didn't want either of them dead so to tell them they were going to die? It was a ploy, if it weren't Tinley would have said something by now.

Her heart back in the game, Michelle's mind set about how best to play her part. She now played the part of a bad guy, a killer, and in her hands she weilded a weapon that despite its somewhat futuristic aesthetic was still easily recognisable as a pump action 12 gauge boomstick. Michelle took cover in a door way and raised the rifle to her chest. Safety off, coils hot, finger on the trigger.

"Too late, motherfuckers." Michelle spat as she chambered an ICER round menacingly with an indiscreet pump.

The scene was set.