Room 228 - Harold Marks, Charlie Wallace

[Harold Marks]

Harold walked in with his bags and surveyed the room. "Not bad, helluva lot better than the plane ride." he thought as he got out his laptop and began unpacking.

[Harold Marks]

After hearing Charlie's thought about using him as an alibi Harold flew in through the window of the room to wait for Charlie.

[Charlie Wallace]

((Sept 2: After the checking out the protestors))

Charlie wandered in, and started to strip as he walked through the door. He had only managed to take off his shirt before noticing Harold standing there.

"Uh, hey, protest over already?"

[Harold Marks]

Harold dosen't look pissed. Annoyed? Yes, but not angry. "Alibi?"

[Charlie Wallace]

"... Christ, you're a telepath?" He said with a look of annoyance to match Harolds.

"State your case, I need to get ready regardless."

He said while heading into his room to grab a change of clothes, a black fedora and a pair of sunglasses.

[Harold Marks]

Harold tries to relax. "I didn't mean to overhear. But screening out the protesters takes quite a bit of focus and other things slip though." Harold sighs. "Listen, do what you've gotta do. I understand. You've got some hardcore shit going on. But, if you're going to use me for a cover story, at least let me know."

[Charlie Wallace]

"You specifically weren't a cover story, I just needed several people to hear what I'd be doing incase anyone went snooping around. Next time you hear a thought like that, ignore it."

Charlie emerged wearing everything but the sunglasses.

[Harold Marks]

"Good to know, and I can screen pretty well usually." Harold looks at Charlie's outfit, particularly the black fedora. "Going to meet Bogart?" he said with a smirk.

[Charlie Wallace]

"Makes it harder to recognise me. For the record, this is a legit job. Wish I could fill you in on the details but I haven't gotten them yet and if word got out I was divulging details of my little odd-jobs I'd loose them."

[Harold Marks]

"Understood. If you decide you need some help, let me know. I've got decent telekinetic skills to go with the telepathy."

[Charlie Wallace]

"No offense man, but we met like a day ago. I don't know your capabilities and that could get me killed. Not to mention that'd break protocol and that would definately put me on their bad side. I want this gig to go off without a hitch. I don't want to loose it and be forced to resort to not-so legit business opportunities."

[Harold Marks]

"Just thought I'd make the offer. Just....be careful."

[Charlie Wallace]

"Please, I went to Xavier's school in New York. Anything that can be thrown at me probably already has. Later."

With that, Charlie was out the door like a gunshot.

[Harold Marks]

(Later that evening)
Harold was hunched over his desk. "I'm gonna murder that Best Buy clerk. New stable Windows my ass..." he grumbled, trying to get the campus wifi to work with his laptop...

[Charlie Wallace]

Charlie's voice could be heard shouting in french from down the hall. He opening his door and, upon slamming it, he switched to english. He was now carrying a backpack, had a couple blood soaked toilet tissues in his nose, and was speaking on a pay as you go phone.

"No, that's shite and you know it. I told you to be up front with me and you weren't. Do you have any idea how bad this makes me look if the feds were watching me? The worst of it was the whole 'last job, double pay' crap. You owe me another job after this fiasco. Recluse, I heard what you said earlier, you don't need to repeat it. You used me as fucking bait to catch your mole and now you're throwing me out the door like a cheap hooker. I'm a body gaurd and transporter for you guys, not a tasty worm for you to use to catch a big fish."

"Why am I making such a big deal about this? SHE USED TO WORK FOR THE BROTHERHOOD! I don't care if it was a different branch then in the one US, I don't care if she was testifying against them. I am under suspision of BEING IN THAT ORGANIZATION. It's all connected, and now they either think I'm trying to screw them over or just trimming the fat like they accused me of in the US. My accounts are never going to be unfrozen if they think that I might have transfered to a different country's cell. You can't vouche for me because you work for a different country.... If they're being such dicks about this, imagine how they'll be if they think I'm working in espionage for another fucking country. No! Don't 'see what you can do', JUST DO SOMETHING!" With that he pushed the end button on the phone and threw it against his door.

[Harold Marks]

Harold's eyes went wide for a moment, then regained his composure. "Didn't go well?" he said, trying to sound casual as he continued to fight his laptop.

[Charlie Wallace]

"No, not really."

[Harold Marks]

"Sooo....'bait', 'brotherhood', 'fiasco' and a bloody nose. Mind if I ask?"

[Charlie Wallace]

"Might as well, supposedly they have no more use of me because they found the mole in their organization. And after that I really have no loyalty for those frogs. I was kind of extra help for the French government, they suspected a mole in their organization and were hiring mercenaries to transport a few things. Today I was supposed to get a girl to a secure train to be relocated before a trial. Turns out she got mixed up in that organization, and we got ambushed when I followed the route my handler suggested. He had me follow that course to find out who contacted the thugs that jumped us to tell them where."

[Harold Marks]

"So, they had a Brotherhood member escorted by a superpowered individual and either didn't know or didn't give a shit that you're already suspected of being a member. And then had to fight your way out when some Brotherhood decided to try and bust her out? Did she end up getting away?"

[Charlie Wallace]

"No, I fought them off and she wasn't stupid enough to think they'd take her back after agreeing to testify. Thankfully the goons weren't to well trained, just a bunch of no names, but one got a lucky shot. To be honest, I don't even think they're a real brotherhood cell, just a street gang of angry mutants using the name to inspire fear. I don't think a real cell wouldn't have so many amatuers."

"I'm just glad they dragged us into a dark alley for the fight, I doubt this will even make the evening news."

[Harold Marks]

"Good to know. Need some help with that nose? I think my dad tossed a first aid kit into one of my bags."

[Charlie Wallace]

"The bleeding has stopped but I should probably go to the infirmary to see if it's broken. Ugg, that can wait. I really need to think about damage control. I was asking Lumis to help me out with my financial woes but after this little stunt he might think twice. I somehow doubt that something like this can be kept secret from the staff. At least I have about 4 grand to last me until I need to look into finding more work that'll hire me, overlook my situation, and pay cash."

[Harold Marks]

"Well, the work thing. You've worked for the French. Think the Brits might be interested? As as for Lumis, he might still be willing to work with you on it if you're upfront with him about it, instead of letting the teachers hear about it from other sources."

[Charlie Wallace]

"I had an in with the French, I don't with the English. Right now I feel like I'm waist deep in excrement. Arrrggg, that was my only credible source of income and I refuse to degrade myself to any of the other professions that recuire cash payment and no background search."

[Harold Marks]

"Hrm. Well, there's day laborer type stuff, but that'd interfere with going to school. Isn't weed legal in the UK, or am I thinking of the rest of Europe?"

[Charlie Wallace]

"Don't know, but any narcotic is carefully monitored and you need a liscence to sell and can only be sold in select establishment. Not to mention the fact that the school would expell me in a heartbeat if they catch me making drugs."

[Harold Marks]

"Damn. Have you got enough to last you until Lumis can do something with your accounts?"

[Charlie Wallace]

" Enough for a couple months, yeah."

[Harold Marks]

"Then, and if I'm completely off base or talking out of my ass, please say so, I'd go to Lumis, be honest and upfront with him about what's going on. He's been an X-Man, so have most of the staff, so they know what working for or with the government is like. He's already supposed to be working on getting your accounts unfrozen, so I'm assuming he knows what went on stateside, and he might be able to speed the process along knowing this."

[Charlie Wallace]

"Oi, I suppose. I was just hoping to keep my mercenary work a secret. Can't see them liking the fact that someone who can be sold to the highest bidder wants to be on one of their teams."

[Harold Marks]

"Happy? No. But, I've found that honesty upfront generally makes things go smoother. And it's not like the X-Men haven't taken on people with shady pasts before."

[Charlie Wallace]

"I suppose that's really my only choice."

[Harold Marks]

"At this point? Sounds like."

[Charlie Wallace]

"Well, I'm going to go e-mail Lumis then hit the pub. Thanks for your suggestions, Harold." With that, he got up and headed out the door.

[Harold Marks]

"No problems." Says Harold, going back to fighting with his laptop.

[Harold Marks]

(Sept 7th, Midday)
Harold takes out the leftover cigarettes from the investigations mission. He arranges them in a circle and sits crosslegged in the center. Closing his eyes, he rises in the air, along with the cigarettes, practicing fine manipulation of multiple objects.