[video | locked]

[tendnottoweep]

[ 90% encryption, locked to: Tony Stark (both), Bruce Banner, Bucky Barnes (MCU), Peggy Carter, Sharon Carter, Dorian Gray, Dinah Lance, Kyle Rayner, Billy Costigan ]
I'm contacting all of you specifically because I have reason to believe you have the initiative and resources to deal with it, and the sense to keep it from getting out to the general public. Those of you I don't know personally, James Barnes listed your names as people we could trust; do us a favor and don't prove him wrong.

Several months ago, I found a lab under the city, at more or less the same time a group of foreigners found the alleged cloning facilities. There were organs in jars, medical equipment and anatomical charts - ad they had people there, foreigners I recognized from early in our time here.

A couple of them were alive and responsive, but they weren't themselves anymore. There wasn't a person inside them. And another was... [ She presses her lips together, for just a moment, before going on. ] Dissected. Taken apart, like they were studying him. I ran into several kedan there who told me this was normal procedure for them. Someone brings them the bodies, and has been doing so since before any of us arrived, but they don't know who, or how they're selected...

[ She takes a deep breath. ]

This may not be new information to all of you. What is new is that Captain Rogers was investigating it, and now he's gone. We can't afford not to find out what's happening and why. I know that he spoke to Commander Evandau about it, but I don't think we can count on him to have the same... priorities we do, or that he's not involved. I'd like your help taking up where Steve left off.

...I will add that there's a chance this is connected to Malicant. It's certainly... not dissimilar to what my team ran into tracking down one of Evandau's leads. It's also possible that those who know too much about it are the ones targeted to be removed - I know it sounds like a conspiracy theory, but the Emperor seems to believe it too, and I can't say Steve's disappearance isn't connected. If you don't want a part in this, tell me now.

[ 90 % encryption, locked to Evandau ]
I understand Captain Rogers spoke to you about the lab under the city, some time ago. I'd like to know what progress you've made in finding who was behind it.

Comments

text; encrypted 90%

[definingfuture]

I'm in. The more we can figure out, the better off we all are.

[text]

[tendnottoweep]

Good. Glad to have you on board.

I'm trying to get a little more intel on the current situation. If I find anything new, I'll let you know.

[text]

[definingfuture]

Is that all you saw?

Can we get to that lab now or is that gone too?

[manofiron]

So you've been telling the Emperor of the world that's experimenting on foreigners that you, and other foreigners, are involved in trying to stop said experimentation?

Am I the only one who thinks trusting these people is a little unwise?

[tendnottoweep]

[ She narrows her eyes. ] I didn't tell her anything. I didn't speak to her personally either - I got the information secondhand.

Steve thought it would be worthwhile to see how Evandau reacted, and I didn't argue. If they are behind it, they knew we knew the moment security responded at the lab.

[manofiron]

Yeah, because that's a good plan.

[ He can't help thinking strategy was somewhat lacking in the 40s. Natasha has never struck him as a naive, credulous idiot, though. He expects better from her. ]

Did it ever occur to anyone that maybe Evandau's playing you? Pretending to be on your side, helping you out, the whole friendly "trust me I'm on your side" bullshit so that he can close the trap later?

Video; Piggybacking that encryption

[raptorcanaria]

[By the time Dinah responds, she's dealt with the shock of her first reaction - Oh god, Connor - and looks nothing but professional.]

Count me in. I've been getting restless without something to do anyway.

[tendnottoweep]

[ She nods shortly. Dinah is one of those she's least sure of, but they worked well together the last time - she seemed worth the risk. ] I thought you might be.

[raptorcanaria]

[Dinah's honestly please to be included. Looking at the people replying it doesn't look like there are many people she knows, so it will be an interesting way of building up cross-universe alliances as well.]

Step One's a return to the lab, I guess?

audio; 100% encrypted; private

[imaginate]

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

[because he just had an "oh God, Connor" punch to the gut.]

audio; 100% encrypted; private

[raptorcanaria]

That depends. Does what you're thinking involve a lot of alcohol?

[angermanaging]

You think there's an independent faction of kedan operating under M's influence, or direction? [Mindful of the direction not to say its name out loud outside of the palace (better safe than sorry), Bruce just uses "M".] It would fit.

... And, uh, thanks. I'm in. [Unsurprisingly.]

[tendnottoweep]

I think it would make sense. It fits with the pattern we've seen and everything I've heard about it, and if Evandau or the Emperor were removing those they didn't need... I think they'd have made different choices, in many cases.

[agentx13]

[As touched as she is that Bucky trusts her, there are more important things right now.]

I'm in.

Where exactly is the lab located?

[tendnottoweep]

I got in through a hole in the shell that's been closed since - actually a little outside the city, to the south. If we can find a way to the tunnels down there, I could find it again, but it's likely any obvious routes are guarded.

video; 100% encrypted

[imaginate]

[This isn't anything he didn't already suspect, but it's a different matter to just be quietly paranoid about it, and then have evidence shoved in one's face. He takes note of whoever's responding under the filter. Allies are necessary. Help is always needed, and he's glad he doesn't have to carry this all by himself, or have to guess at who to tell, and how much.]

[Which brings him to Natasha. He doesn't know her, she doesn't know him. All they've got connecting them is Bucky, and Kyle... trusts Bucky to watch his back, which is a lot he can say for somebody who's never actually fought beside him. In a sense, he doesn't need to, they recognise familiar things in each other and are drawn to them. Natasha, from Kyle's perspective, is a different breed.]

[So he lets her read him. Normally he wouldn't, he'd be an utter little shit and let people see the surface: the dork, the incompetent fool who couldn't handle phenomenal cosmic power, because they had to earn seeing the soldier, but this is special circumstances. He puts his emotions aside, focusing on the problem at hand. When he flicks on the video feed he's dressed in simple workout clothes. There isn't much light in the room, but it's not necessary for her to see more than she needs to: although he looks scruffy and tired, his gaze is keen, charged with experience, his shoulders squared, jaw set. His eyes are flicking over the words quickly, and his breathing is utterly, completely steady.]

[Don't prove Bucky wrong, he thinks, wryly, as he opens his mouth to speak, tone brisk, and businesslike.]

It's too much of a coincidence. Count us in.

[A beat, and he clarifies.]

Soranik Natu is the best doctor in our universe, and she's been to the Death plane, where the enemy's base is supposed to be. If you can recall what you saw, she might be able to shed more light on what's happening, if these kedan are working for that end.

[Honestly, he doesn't have any comment on letting Evandau or Eshai know. Evandau, at least, that's someone he might be able to get behind, but he knows nothing of the Emperor. Besides, if they already know, Natasha wouldn't be here to tell them about this. (Or she might be, as a ploy, he can't rule that out). Still.]

[tendnottoweep]

[ Natasha doesn't even bother hiding the fact that she's weighing him, right now, head tilted slightly, eyeing the screen thoughtfully. She trusts James' judgment, but she's always going to make her own evaluations. After a moment, she nods. ]

Thank you. I'll talk to her. She'll be okay being brought in on this?

90% encryption

[lostundercover]

What, exactly, are you expecting from us?

[video | seperate encryption 90%]

[tendnottoweep]

Honestly? I want to make sure this information doesn't disappear if I do. [ Her lips quirk slightly. ] You're the least connected to me, so consider yourself my black box.

I assume you have resources and intel I don't. I don't expect you to share it with me, but if you care to use it to look into this, you're welcome to. If not, I'd appreciate it if you make sure someone else does, in the event that the rest of us can't.

video; encrypted 90%

[depicted]

[Dorian would not have been half so calm if he didn't have Iorveth's plan to keep him patient. As it is, he is very eager to take another possible avenue for finding out what happens to their own. He can't keep watching people vanish like this.]

I'm in. Is the place you found our only lead?

And I have an idea for something that might help, but I'd rather make the suggestion off-network. Just in case.

[tendnottoweep]

Unless Steve found something he didn't have the chance to tell me about... yes, so far. It may be cold, but it's what we have.

You're welcome to come by my suite. Fire Sector, 1B.

90% encryption | private

[alderwood]

Maybe you didn't notice the mess with the turtle dying, but it put a dent in my kedanpower.

[It's a dry, tense reply followed by a brief sigh.]

We made a trip out there, but there's nothing left. Whoever it was, they packed up without a trace.

[tendnottoweep]

How long ago? And should I assume that, since we are continuing to vanish, they're still operational somewhere, or is there another reason foreigners go missing without a trace?

action; eventually.

[trainwrecked]

[Bucky is keeping an eye on the conversations he can see. They are important, but he knows Natasha can handle them. He also knows she's aware he'll be doing what he can, when time comes to act.]

[But... he's here, because.]

Peggy's gone, too.

[tendnottoweep]

What? [ Well that can't be a good sign... and seems a little too close to be a coincidence. Maybe she shouldn't be letting Bucky out of her sight for a while... ]

Do you know when she disappeared?