two, two, two logs in one! ETA: make that three! [closed]

[youbarium]

WHO| Carlos and Steve Rogers | Carlos and Charles Xavier | New prompt for Sabriel in the comments!
WHAT| Passing on rebellion info to ALL of the Marvel movie characters! ...and Sabriel.
WHEN| During the days after Penny's announcement.
WHERE| The Speakeasy
WARNINGS/NOTES| The Capitol is going to spin these meetings as dates. According to the Capitol, Carlos was just using Cecil the whole time for Arena sponsorship, and now that Cecil isn't useful, Carlos is dating again. Who will he ensnare with his terrible charisma and heartbreakingly perfect hair next??

Except Sabriel. Who even knows what that's about. Maybe he's trying to learn her witchcraft or something.

FOR STEVE AND CHARLES:

Dimly lit and comfortably loud, the Speakeasy was a perfect place to have a sensitive conversation. Carlos didn't know the codes to get into the back, but the bar itself was private enough, with its secluded tables and constant background noise. Carlos had arranged this meeting over the network on a filtered channel, pitching it like a chance to get drinks and talk. He didn't mention anything about District 3, and didn't bring up anything about the Arena.

Carlos was getting better at this sneaking-around-and-lying thing, and he hated it.

But personal ethical scruples aside, Carlos was easily spotted thanks to the glowing drink in front of him. He wasn't actually drinking it. He was just staring at it morosely. At one point, he takes a small device out of his pocket and scans the glowing green glass, but his heart clearly isn't in it. Carlos pockets the device again, and sighs.

FOR SABRIEL:

Second verse, same as the first. Carlos had been in and out of this place several times over the past few days, and when he'd heard Sabriel had died in the Arena, he figured that here was as good a place as any to discuss magic.

Also, Carlos didn't know Sabriel very well, and had wanted to ask about that debt he owed, somewhere without cameras. He had taken more care with his communications with Sabriel, since inviting a minor to a bar was strange enough to cause suspicion -- he'd slipped her a note under her door, asking her to meet him here at a certain time, to talk about her magic, and that debt.

Carlos had already been here for half an hour. Arriving at different times would minimize their chances of attracting attention. He was flipping through network posts on his communicator, but it didn't look like he was paying much attention. He looked a little listless, actually.

Comments

[aboveangrybees]

Steve was more than happy to accept Carlos' offer, he needed a break from watching the arena unfold. It was a personal thing, but it was still the cherry on top of all the other horrible that had happened lately. He needed to step away.

So he did, finding himself with a beer as he slides into the seat across from Carlos, the despondent air around the man palpable. Maybe they both needed the distraction - the kiss was all over the television, Steve even saw it, so it wasn't hard to guess where this mood was coming from.

"Is that supposed to glow?" Steve didn't actually care about the answer - though a glowing drink was a bit much for him really - but it was somewhere to start.

[youbarium]

"I think so," said Carlos. "It's what they gave me when I sat down here. I've got a bit of a reputation around here for being a scientist, and things that glow green are always more scientific than things that aren't." It's hard to tell if he's deadpanning or being serious. (He's serious.) "I thought about trying to figure out what was making it glow, but...I can't seem to focus on chemical processes today. Or physics. Or thermodynamics. Or any science at all, really."

This might well have been the first time that an event in Carlos's life had left him unable to perform science.

[aboveangrybees]

Steve took it as deadpan, but mostly because he's seen more scientific things glow blue in his time. Still, even if he doesn't know the extent of Carlos' love for science, he gets what that means for a scientist in general. That's like Banner saying he can't do science or either Stark saying he can't focus on engineering.

The loss of a loved one is hard.

He wants to say something, but he doesn't know this place isn't bugged. But he can't go silent either. "With my art, I found that when I was worried for my closest friend - or upset for or by the jerk - my passion for drawing suffered. It's something that comes back though."

[youbarium]

"You're an artist?" Carlos asked, coming out of his funk a little. "I never would have guessed." His tone made it clear that he didn't mean anything by it. It was just surprising, given all that he had observed about Steve Rogers.

Carlos was grateful for what Steve had to say, he really was. It helped to hear a sympathetic voice, and although Cecil wasn't what Carlos had asked Steve here to talk about, it was a weight off to be able to talk about this without having to act like he didn't care. Steve might notice that Carlos's manner was guileless: his expression was a little surprised and a little curious but not nearly so guarded as it had been everywhere else, everywhere with cameras.

[aboveangrybees]

There was something much more honest about Carlos this time, it made him wonder if it was because his life wasn't in danger right now or for other reasons he's unaware of. Maybe the emotions were too many to push down and bottle up, so, more of them were peeking through. It does have Steve curious.

"I know, I don't really look the type," there's a touch of wryness to his tone, because oh he used to look the type and he doesn't mind that he looks to opposite of that now.

"Though, I wouldn't say artist, it's just a hobby." He gave up that title to be a soldier, to choose that path in life and he's proud of it. Not one day does he regret it, but because of it, he doesn't feel the title of artist applies to him anymore.

[youbarium]

Carlos nodded. Cooking was the closest thing to a hobby Carlos had; science was his passion. Obsession, some might say, but Carlos didn't think so.

But he felt that now was the time to shift the conversation to what he had brought Steve here to talk about. Carlos's manner turned businesslike.

"Steve, listen. I asked you to come here because -- well, you saved my life in the Arena, so I thought I should do something for you in return. The Capitol is a dangerous place. Just as dangerous as the Arena in some ways, and if you die here, you won't come back. I've been here for six months now, and I've learned a lot about living in Panem."

[aboveangrybees]

The shift in conversation has Steve immediately taking Carlos serious, though the topic has him wanting to look around, check for who or what is listening, but he holds off. If the man wants to take the chance telling him things, then Steve will take the chance with him.

Mindy had mentioned the permanent death to him when he first arrived, told him to stay quiet about his rebellious tendencies. But it's still nice to have it confirmed by someone else.

"You don't owe me anything, but any information you're willing to share, I won't say no to. I-" okay, Steve looks around with his eyes, checking, but takes the risk of outing himself with a lowered voice, "-need to know what I'm up against. Six months is already too long for anyone to be here," and he plans to fix that.

[youbarium]

Surprise flickered in Carlos's eyes. He was hoping Steve would be on their side, but he wasn't expecting that. It was both heartening and a little worrying. He leaned in, resting his elbows on the table, and looked Steve in the eye.

"First, don't say anything like that anywhere but here," Carlos instructed, speaking quickly. His voice was low, too, but not as low as Steve's. "The cameras are everywhere. I mean everywhere. The surveillance is very thorough. The Speakeasy is the only safe building in the entire city." Maybe it was a little bit dramatic, but Carlos wasn't doing it on purpose. It was just the way he talked.

"If you can't get here but you need to talk privately, the best place to do it is on a roof. Wind interferes with their microphones, and they can't get good video footage. Being in a crowd also works, but you do run the risk of being overheard."

[aboveangrybees]

Steve can't sit back and wait for chances to come to him, sometimes you have to put yourself on the line and hope it pays off. This was the second time he's done it - he wants to trust Carlos and his gut tells him he can, but his trust has been so tested lately - and it seems to be working in his favor.

Making note of the places and circumstances is easy enough; crowds had been something he already puzzled, but the rest was news to him, the roof was welcomed news. He's had more than enough conversations up there, some of them touching topics he would rather keep the Capitol in the dark about. Caution was key, especially having places that were safe to talk.

Still, he needs to make sure, double check something, "You're sure this place is safe?"

[bindsthedead]

Sabreiel arrived, looking as pale and strange as ever- but there was a strange kind of energy about her as she sat down across from Carlos and glared when she was told that no, they wouldn't bring her wine.

She settled for a cup of tea, and sat down across from Carlos, frowning when she saw his forehead and several of her hopes quietly died.

"What happened to your mark?" Hopefully, he was just covering it up somehow. If it didn't stick through death and subsequent revival... well, she'd find a way around that.

[youbarium]

"Mark?" asked Carlos, puzzled. "Oh -- you mean the mark you left in the Arena? I'm sorry, but it didn't survive the revival process. When they bring us back to life, our bodies are exactly the way they were when we were first brought to Panem. No scars, no injuries, no aging -- or even haircuts," he added. "They all disappear. Like a biological reset. I'm still not sure exactly how the process works, but if you still want me to repay that debt, I'll do my best," he promised.

[bindsthedead]

"Thank you," It was unfortunate- she'd have to find some way to gain access to her powers outside the arena, and baptize someone sympathetic to their cause who wasn't a tribute.

"And I would still like you to repay it," Sabriel said. She scanned the surroundings, absentmindedly looking for hidden cameras, "In- or out of the Arena."

[youbarium]

"Don't worry about the cameras," said Carlos, correctly deducing her glances. "This bar is a surveillance blind spot. I know there are others, but this is the biggest. There are no cameras or microphones anywhere in the building."

He understood if she was skeptical. After all, he had been, too; Carlos had tested it for himself before he fully trusted the place.

"So what exactly is it that you want?"

[bindsthedead]

Sabriel was struck speechless for a moment as she looked over her surrounding one more time. Then she leaned forward, her expression suddenly focused and eager.

"Information. Like what you just told me," Her voice is steady and calm, "There's so much I don't know about this place... and so much I'd like to learn."

[youbarium]

"There's information," said Carlos, "and then there's information. You know. The kind that will get you tortured if they think you know anything about it. Before we go on, I need to know which kind of information you want." He looked at her very seriously from behind his glasses, which caught and threw back the dim light from the bar. His mouth was a taut line: Carlos did not know how much information he could trust Sabriel with yet, but at the very least, she should know the risks.

[bindsthedead]

"Before I was brought here, I was on the verge of a battle that might have killed me. I know the risks well enough to know I'm willing to accept them," Sabriel said, "I have no interest in being a martyr, but if I have to make sacrifices, so be it."

She drew herself up to her full height, a strange sort of light catching in her eyes. "I want whatever information will help me aid the rebellion... or undermine the Capitol."

[youbarium]

It was a good answer. Full of resolve, very dramatic. Carlos appreciated that. He leaned forward onto the table, folding his hands in front of him. "The first thing you need to know is that you can't get caught. The torturers here are very good at their jobs, and if you're caught, I'm caught, and a dozen others like us are caught too. And then there are the cameras and microphones. I mean it when I say they're everywhere, but the Tribute center especially is covered in them. There are blind spots but not very many, so a noisy crowd or a windy rooftop are the best places to have a private conversation. You'll still be on camera, of course, but they won't be able to hear what it is you're saying." Don't get careless, was what he meant.

[helpmeguideit]

Charles made his way to the Speakeasy, as he had told Carlos that he would. He was there strictly for business. He didn't stop to get a drink, either. He looked around, spotted Carlos, and headed right for him. That glowing drink made him an easy find, considering darkly lit - loud places - made things easy to miss.

He nodded his head in greeting. "It's been a bit," he said.

[youbarium]

"It has," Carlos replied, looking up at the newcomer. He gestured to the seat opposite his, then looked up at Charles with a serious, steady expression. "Look, I'm going to get right down to business. I want to talk about what happened in the Arena."

[helpmeguideit]

"I'm here to talk about what happened in the arena," Charles said. With the assurance that this place was private, Charles was definitely far more willing to be open about everything, as well. "You told me this place would be good for talking, so that's why I came."

[youbarium]

Carlos looked Charles right in the eye. "When you read my mind," he began, "you learned a lot of things that I'm usually much more careful about sharing with people. I want to know what you're going to do with what you saw."

[helpmeguideit]

"Should I do anything with it?" Charles said. "I've been reading minds for over twenty years. I know the secrets of every man, woman, and child I encountered in my youth. I don't do anything with what I know about people. I shouldn't." Treating his ability responsibly was part of learning how to use it.

[youbarium]

"Just having it is dangerous," Carlos admitted. "If the Capitol thinks you know anything about...about subversive elements, they'll take you in for interrogation. And when I say interrogation, what I actually mean is torture." No more euphemisms, Carlos thought firmly. Not here. "You haven't told anyone that you can read minds, have you? I mean out loud, where the cameras are."

[helpmeguideit]

"I understand," Charles answered. "I can't see a reason they'd know unless you tell them, though." Charles was definitely not about to say anything in a place where anyone could find out about the knowledge he had. He was sticking his neck out. This seemed to be a good reason and cause to try and fight.

"No. I've not told anyone. The only people who know are the individuals I've spoken with in their minds."

[youbarium]

He nodded, and even though his expression was still serious, there was clear approval in it.

"Just be careful what you say," Carlos warned. Charles had read his mind: he would know about the cameras and microphones and constant surveillance, and would also know that the Speakeasy was safe.

"I guess the next question is," he went on, "do you want to do anything with the information you got from me?" Carlos was asking, do you want to be part of this?