|
|
Post by skybright on Nov 1, 2009 23:32:48 GMT -5
Cole sighed and held up one of the sheets. "'An immediate moratorium on any clinical testing of mutation-suppressing drugs'," He read, " 'Stronger and more serious legislation against anti-mutant activities' -- well, that's suitably vague . . . 'Formation of a task force on anti-mutant hate crimes'." He paused with a frown. "That's something my office has in the works already, actually."
|
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 1, 2009 23:42:55 GMT -5
Vance grunted. "Seeing as the guy who planted the bomb was working for the Health Department, you might have more than one of these people in your bureaucratic woodwork. Making a demand they already know is being worked on might help them look more effective--or pacify a few of their most hot-headed people."
|
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Nov 1, 2009 23:50:26 GMT -5
Cole nodded. "I suppose this makes a bureaucratic housecleaning even more of a priority." He said with a grimace. "The trick is going to be doing it without tipping these people off."
|
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 1, 2009 23:59:17 GMT -5
"There's gotta be more to it than that," said Vance. "This MCF may not be doing a pretty job, but they want to accomplish the same thing we do. We've gotta find a way to bring 'em in line and work with 'em--not sweep 'em out along with the rest of the dirt."
|
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Nov 2, 2009 0:04:57 GMT -5
"I don't suppose they were good enough to leave a forwarding address?" Daws asked Cole wryly.
The mayor shook his head. "These people never do."
|
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 2, 2009 0:12:15 GMT -5
"So what's on the DVD?" Vance questioned. "I'm not holding my breath that any of 'em are dumb enough to go on camera unmasked--but any clue might matter."
|
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Nov 2, 2009 0:22:09 GMT -5
Cole shrugged and moved to the entertainment center. "According to Mickey's note, it's just one of their people reading the manifesto." He said. "One of their demands is for airtime on the news tomorrow -- that's pretty standard. The local news stations are the ones who ultimately decide that, of course."
|
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 2, 2009 23:32:46 GMT -5
"I wouldn't be too thrilled with hearing 'em on TV," Vance muttered. "We've got enough damage control to do already."
|
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Nov 2, 2009 23:43:46 GMT -5
Cole nodded grimly. "My office can decline to release the video to the media, and we can ask them to hold back on broadcasting any copies they receive. Usually they're willing to assist us if it means aiding an open criminal investigation -- and if any of them protest, we can ask for a court order sealing the video as evidence."
|
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 3, 2009 22:11:00 GMT -5
"The question's what the MCF would do if they don't get what they want," Nate remarked.
|
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Nov 3, 2009 23:29:32 GMT -5
"Vandalize a few more buildings and throw around a couple hundred more fliers, is my guess." Daws remarked cynically. "So far they still don't strike me as the types to jump straight into more bombings if things don't go their way."
|
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 3, 2009 23:45:16 GMT -5
"Let's hope," Vance sighed, and glanced at Cole. "I'd still like to see that recording. We've gotta find some way to contact these people directly, and we're pretty short of possible sources for clues."
|
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Nov 4, 2009 0:08:37 GMT -5
Cole nodded and hit play on the DVD player, switching the screen on as he did so. The picture faded in from black to reveal a masked figure in a dark blue jacket, seated behind a folding table. The background of the image was a nondescript drape of fabric that had been pinned to the wall, and Daws made a quiet scoffing noise.
"I see their decorating is straight out of 'Better Lairs and Gardens'."
Cole held up one hand in a silent shushing gesture as the figure began reading from the papers on the table in front of him.
"Citizens of New York," He began, "We are the Mutant Citizens Front. Like yourselves we are free citizens, lovers of justice, whose greatest wish is to live peacefully alongside our fellows. Unfortunately the tyrannical laws and barbaric science of the powers that be make this goal impossible, and so we have taken arms to protest the entrenched power structures which threaten our autonomy and dignity as free persons.
"We, the Mutant Citizens Front, take full responsibility for the bombing of the oppressive and anti-mutant clinic which was carried out this week. We now release the following demands, and warn the anti-mutant hierarchy that any attempt to continue their assault on mutantkind will be met with further repercussions.
"One -- an immediate moratorium on any clinical testing of mutation-suppressing drugs within the City of New York and its boroughs; two -- stronger and more serious legislation against anti-mutant activities within the City and its Boroughs; three -- the formation of a task force on anti-mutant hate crimes, accompanied by a serious and appropriate response to anti-mutant violence on behalf of the City; four -- that this message be freely disseminated by radio and television news in accordance with the principles of free speech and a free press."
The figure looked up into the camera. "The Mutant Citizens Front reserves the right to make further demands, and assures all of you now listening that further actions will be taken if our rights to freedom and dignity are not respected. We are here now -- watch for us."
The video abruptly cut to black, and Cole leaned back with a sigh. "At least they're not threatening any more concrete acts -- not at the moment, anyway."
|
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 4, 2009 0:15:26 GMT -5
"More mutants doing the right thing the wrong way--if they're legit," Vance muttered. "I want to borrow that DVD, unless you can make a copy. We've already dumped an awful lot of work in Jai's lap, but I want to see if he can analyze it."
|
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Nov 4, 2009 0:21:53 GMT -5
Cole shrugged wearily and ejected the disc from the player, handing it to Vance. "I'm sure my office has already made at least one copy -- and there may well be others in the hands of the media already, if the MCF decided not to wait for us to hand it over willingly."
|
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 4, 2009 23:46:54 GMT -5
"Okay." Vance passed the disc to Handy for safe keeping. "I'll drop it off with the Twins in the morning, before I head back to Caddy's place to check up on the kid."
He gestured to the documents they had brought Cole. "I guess you'll know what to do with all that. If you find anything we need to know or take some action on, call me."
|
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Nov 4, 2009 23:52:54 GMT -5
Cole nodded. "I will."
He gestured at the disc. "I have to warn you -- my office has most likely already forwarded that to the police department. There's an off chance that they haven't yet, but even in that case there's not a lot I can do to keep it from getting into police hands -- not without it looking like an obstruction of justice, and sparking an investigation we can't afford. You won't be the only ones looking for whoever that man is."
|
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 5, 2009 0:02:45 GMT -5
"Understood--but with all due respect to your management of this city, I've never worried too much about the police being effective." Vance smiled flatly. "If these people are mutants like us, I'd bet on 'em having the skills to stay hidden from human cops. And if this is just another stunt by G's crowd--there's nothing I'd like better than to see 'em exposed."
|
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Nov 5, 2009 0:08:58 GMT -5
"That makes two of us." Cole stood, putting his hands in the pockets of his dressing gown.
"I'll keep you all notified of anything else I hear -- and anything I come up with to do with that." He nodded at the pile of papers and files.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 5, 2009 0:14:58 GMT -5
"And we'll get back to you with anything Jai or the doctors find out," Vance promised in return. "Good luck with the damage control, sir."
He glanced at Daws, Nate, and Handy, and headed for the door.
|
|
