No Love in This Elevator

Participants:

ash_icon.gif ina_icon.gif magnes_icon.gif peyton_icon.gif roderick_icon.gif tommy_icon.gif vincent_icon.gif

Ivy Paige played by:

gillian_icon.gif

Scene Title No Love in This Elevator
Synopsis A strange assortment of people find themselves stuck in an elevator when the power goes out — and then some find their powers go out.
Date April 8, 2010

Upper East Side The Waverford Building


At 4:45 p.m., it’s almost the close of business hours at the Waverford Building. Built in the 1920s, the 30-floor tower is a busy and bustling center of commerce in the Upper East Side. Retail stores and restaurants take up the street-level base of the large corner building, while each suite above is rented out to tenants of various industries: medical, legal, financial, and media businesses all claim the Waverford as their base of operations.

The workers in the various offices are beginning to wrap up their phone calls, log off their email, and gather their coats and briefcases as they bide their time. Clients’ hands are shaken as they are thanked and welcomed. Patients are hurried to the counter to make their copayments and fill out the insurance forms. Everyone wants to get home as soon as possible, especially when traffic is worse than normal (and in NYC, that’s saying something) due to the unseasonal and unnatural storm, but business doesn’t stop just because Mother Nature (or an atmokinetic) decides to blow a bit fiercer than usual.

On the 30th floor, Peyton Whitney steps out of her financial manager’s office, tucking a file folder into her Balenciaga bag. The elevator doors slide open, and she gives a smile to the man who passes her on his way out before ducking inside and pushing down.

The elevator is a large, commercial one that's seen better days. Mirrored walls, peeling wainscoting, and carpet that's just a touch mildewed speak of its age, though there is a reassuring sheet of paper on the wall saying that it has passed inspection as recently as 08/03/2009.

Everyone knows those sheets can sometimes be faked. Who actually checks the validity of these things? Not Ina. Fresh from her dentists appointment, running her tongue over her teeth, she's scooting in behind Peyton, matching bag on arm and settles off into her corner of the elevator. Out comes a little compact mirror, flicking the top open to peer at her newly cleaned and whitened teeth.

*BING* It's only a few seconds before the moving elevator stops again, this time on the 29th floor. The doors slide open and in glides an impatient black man. A scowl on hif face, and a butcher-paper wrapped package tucked underneath his arm. A scowl on his face and hand stuffed deep into a pocket of his oversized and underwarm coat, dark eyes sweep the women inside, taking them in with a quick paranoid glance. He moves between them, stepping to the back of the elevator before turning around and takign up residence in one of the corners.

Magnes isn't really paying much attention to who's on the elevator when he steps into the car on the 29th floor, wearing his zipped up black leather jacket that stops above the knees of his black dress slacks, with black snow boots under them. He has a black leather briefcase in one hand, and is looking over a few files in the other. He's on Tracy Strauss-related business right now. "God please don't remove my spinal cord when you read this." he mutters to himself, leaning against the wall without looking up.




 Standing in front of the metallic doors of the elevator, on the 28th floor, Roderick tilts his head a touch, a mirrored image of himself does the same thing, though a bit warped in the scratched and dull surface. A hand slips out of the pocket of his black leather jacket, to scratch the scruff of his jaw. His eyes drift down his rather scruffy looking attire. His gray-blue t-shirt with dark blue at the neck, probably the sleeves too if they were not under the jacket. His jeans have a few holes, but that's kinda how he bought them, the toes of his boots, peeking out from under the cuff of his jeans.

He had shown up that day to see his lawyer and drop off a few things. He truly hated lawyers, he had to deal with them a time or two in his life, however, they have their uses. The Brit was ready to get home and relax, maybe a few beers. Maybe see if Kain is talking to him after the other day.

The chime of the elevators arrival has him straightening, both hands in his pockets again, his chin lifting a touch as the door open. A glance to the others in it already, her flashes a cocky grin as he steps in, moving to wedge his back in a back corner.

When the elevator dings and the doors open, the 27th floor has a short haired blonde woman in heavy winter garb looking flustered. She hesisitates, looks into the descending box with people already inside, and then pulls her big bag up against her chest and hurries in, moving against the wall to settle in next to the buttons. Even though the Lobby button is already lit up, she presses it again. Like it matters. It's what people do. Especially when in a hurry. Once that's done, she hugs the bag against her chest again, like others might hold a pillow. Maybe she's worried about someone stealing it— lots of important things going on in this building. But her weight shirts around, back and forth.

Ivy Paige follows elevator ettiquette. No looking or talking to the random strangers on the elevator.

Ash steps onto the elevator off of the 25th floor, waiting for the doors to open before he peers into the elevator car. He steps within and moves towards the back of the elevator, knowing that he more than likely the elevator will make plenty of stops on the way down to the bottom floor. He leans back against the wall, head tilting back and eyes closign, his hands stuffed into his pockets. Security cameras would have shown the man coming from a private investigator's office, and the papers with the man's name on them would signify as much as well. Not that those papers are held out long. THey are folded up and put in his pockets before his hands go into them. His eyes catch sight of Magnes in the elevator, a curious look sent his way, not that the kid would probably recognize him, but it's the only familiar face in the elevator.

Peyton doesn't pay much attention to anyone, her eyes on the light-up numbers above the door as they descend. When Magnes enters and doesn't notice her, she raises a brow, looking amused at his mutterings. "Who," she says, leaning past Roderick and Ina to speak to Magnes, "is going to rip out your spinal code and why?" she says with a bit of a smirk. "I couldn't imagine you saying anything to upset anyone…" Sure, she's teasing him — he's the type that says the wrong thing without realizing it, and wonders what he did wrong. Like her wardrobe malfunctions.

Her little joke, however, is interrupted. The flourescent lights flicker and crackle for a moment, casting strange shadows on everyone's face for a long moment as they threaten to go out for a moment. The elevator continues its fluid journey down, so perhaps it's only a bulb that is burning out. One can hope.

Suddenly, however, they are plunged into darkness for a moment and the elevator seems to drop faster for a torturously long five seconds before it too lurches to a halt. The safety light comes on, casting a sickly green glow over the elevator's inhabitants.

Peyton can't help but to squeal, backing up and grabbing the brushed metal railing that encircles the carriage.

'Aw christ" That comes from Ina's lips pretty quick as there's flickering and she grabs to the bars as well so she doesn't topple in her heels. Someone who still wears heels in this weather. The plunge has her heart in her throat and looking up at the door and the numbers above, an oofs when it stops and emergency brakes clamp "Okay, who was the shit head who broken the weight limit" Bad joke, crass joke, but she's looking around while devoting one hand to whipping out her phone to flick on the screen and give off illumination. To also call her dentist. "Just great. This thing better not be stuck.

"Ah, Peyton! I'm just running errands for my boss. Just some random statistics she's not gonna like." Magnes grips the bar when the elevator stops as well, and a tendril of gravity quickly laces around her waist. He also notices Ina before the light flickers out, and pulls the iPhone from his pocket. "Wasn't me. I really hate elevators, and now I'm stuck on one of these things…"

A series of curses spew from the gangster's lips like beer from an overturned bottle, bits and pieces from half a dozen languages. Someone is multilingual, at least when it comes to gutteral oaths. The hand in his pocket wraps tighter around it's security blanket, the rubberized grip of a chromed .38 revolver. The package under his arm slips a little, until he clamps a wing down own it like a Pro-Bowl reciever. It wouldn't do for his bundle of cashish to hit the floor and get scooped up but one of the plebes in the cage with him. 'Someone hit the E-Stop button and poke it back in again. See if that starts us up again.' Useless advice from the back of the car.

Slouched in the corner, Roderick has a somewhat board expression on his face as he does as most would, watch the numbers tick down. As Peyton leans past him, blue eyes drop and brows lift in sudden interest. Well, hello there. His mouth tugs up in a smirk as he eyes the young woman leaning over.

Then the world goes dark and his stomach tries to lodge itself in his throat, to be thrown forward a few steps into whoever is infront of him as it suddenly stops. He murmurs a soft, "Sorry, mate." pushing himself back into the corner, eyes cast upward.

"Well, this is just bloody beautiful." The accented words a full of sarcasm. I can paint the future, but I couldn't bloody well paint this? A heavy sigh, escapes through his nose.

Like some might have expected in this situation, there was an outright scream. And it came from the blonde woman in the front. Ivy stops with the elevator catching, breathing quickly as she looks around in the dim lightning, finally looking at some of the people present. But then she turns back to the pad with the buttons and begins pushing the red one. E-Stop, whatever it's called. Red usually means 'something bad has happened get us out of here'. And she pushes on it frantically. If some people are calm and collected, she's the opposite, pulling the bag against her still while she pokes with one hand. Please, please let us get out. Her eyes are frantic, as she tries to figure out if she's pushing the wrong button— which is when she just starts to press a lot of them. She doesn't care if it opens on the 19th floor, as long as it opens.

She doesn't care if it opens on the 19th floor, as long as it opens.

Ash looks up as the light's flicker like that, the man's eyes narrowing. He looks around a bit, and as darkness takes the elevator he grabs onto the railing and pulls himselof tight back up against the wall, bracing for that quick fall. When the elevator stops he flexes his knees lightly, absorbing the impact. His eyes cast about in the elevator slowly, moving from face to face in the green light. "Christ has nothing to do with this lady." He mutters in response to Ina's comment. He himself leans back against the wall much as he was before, only arms crossed in front of his chest instead of hands in his pockets.

His eyes flick towards Magnes at his comment about his boss. "Sounds like a great fucking boss kid." His eyes turn towards the guy with the package and the bright ideas, a smirk on his lips. "Emergency stop won't work with the power out bud." The blonde Ivy, just gets a soft snicker from him, noting more at the moment, his eyes go down to the floor as he waits to see whether the power will return or not.

The lights flicker again and then come on, and there is a slight whirrrr but the elevator does not restart. The pushing of the button also starts the alarm ringing, which doesn't do much to ease tension.

Peyton glances from Magnes to Ina to the woman hysterically punching the red button. At one point she might have been that woman, but being stuck in an elevator isn't scary after being stuck in a shipping container after getting kidnapped by Humanis First. She frowns at the woman. "One push would work if it's going to work, lady." She's not the nicest girl sometimes. She reaches for the emergency phone and waits for someone somewhere to pick up.

The phone is picked up three blocks away by the elevator company's crew leader, Dino Devito. "Power outage," he immediately states. "We have four elevators out and only two crews in the vicinity. Snow's slowin' us down. We'll get to you when we can. Your maintenance man already tried the manual key but it's no good. Sorry." He sounds like he's talking with his mouth full. Peyton hangs up and sighs, turning to relay the information to the unhappy people in the elevator.

"At least there aren't any screaming kids with us," she adds, though her dark eyes glance at the woman she shoved away from the control panel.

"Christ has nothing to do with a lot of stuff and I sure as hell wasn't praying" Ina retorts, a glance to the hysterical woman. Hooo boy, here's a winner. She's plunking away on her phone once it's repeated what the jerk eating his lunch says. «Stuck in Elevator. Call in other floor manager. Be there when we're sprung» Presumably to whomever she works for. 'Someone get the lady a xanax would you?" Ina's not exactly miss comfort herself.

Instead, she's taking off her jacket, stuffing it in her large purse and then easing herself down to sit on the floor. 'Been here, done that, we all just have to sit and keep calm. We're not gonna be plummeting anytime soon. Unless you more brawny types want to force open the door and see if we stopped near a floor or stuck between?"

The fist curled around the his security blanket is whiteknuckled, but it's a good thing no one else can see it. 'Breathe slowly,' the aging thug offers to the girl who screamed. 'We don't want to run out of air.' What an asshole, the elevator isn't airlocked, it's not likely that half a dozen people would cause anyone to pass out, but Tommy is just the kind of prick who likes to cause trouble, instigate in this kind of situation.

Catching his reflection in the elevator, Roderic can't help but feel a bit amused at the brawny types comment. He is far from brawny. Hands slip out of the pockets of his leather jacket, "Good thing I don't have any place important to be." He comments dryly, the back of his shaggy head bumping against the wall behind him.

His head turns to look at Tommy, looking somewhat amused, before his head rolls back so that his eyes are cast up at the roof of the elevator, brows lifted slightly. "I wonder how long they will leave us here." Roderick the ever helpful. "At least it's warm, so could be worse."

The buttons aren't working. The blonde woman looks franticly over at Ash, in a they're not working way, and then to Peyton. It might be Ivy is hurt by the words, but it's hard to tell. The phone is taken away, and she slumps back deeper into the elevator, only to get another scare from Tommy, "We'll run out of air??" she squeaks, actually breathing a little worse. She could definitely use a xanax, but— instead she starts to kneel toward the floor, curling up a bit.

And then there's a surge. Of something that at least one person in the compartment would recognize. The power just went out.

Not the power in the elevator, that's been out for a bit now, but the power. It's like someone just reached in and turned Evolved abilities right off.

Ash watches Petyon answer the phone, and he watches her face while she's speaking. When she sighs as she hangs up he nods his head a bit and tilts his head back once more, a light bit of laughter easing from his lips. He arches an eyebrow at Ina, a knowing smirk on his lips at her comments about Christ, but he doesnt' retort, just smirks and watches those around him. "Oh for fuck's sake…" he mutters at TOmmy after his comment. "Now she's just going to scream more, thank's a fucking heap." He shakes hsi head in rather obvious irritation. He looks towards the women as she freaks out again, his eyes scrunching up as she squeaks like that. He sighs and his head gives a slow shake. "We're not goign to run out of any fucking air… and opening the doors is a bad thing. Soemtime sit can cause the elevator to release… or… so I've heard."

He chuckles for some odd reason, then looks around at everyone before he just closes his eyes and leans his head back with a soft thunk against the wall. His eyes flash wide open though, head tilting to look around the elevator, and now there's a dangerous look on his face, eyes looking to each person, except for Magnes that is, he knows the kid's power, or thinks he does, and turning people's powers off is not it. He shifts a bit against the wall before he continues his search of people's faces. Not going to say anything and reveal what he is, and potentially who he is, but hoping someone else gets grumpy about losing thier powers.

"I think we're somewhere between 20 and 21. I was watching the numbers and 21 had blinked off but 20 hadn't blinked on yet," Peyton says helpfully, nodding to the numbers above the door. They are all lit now. "I don't think you can release the elevator by opening the doors, though. If we're closer to one or the other, we can probably climb out. Or we can just sit and wait. At least they know we're here, right?"

She leans against the wall, glancing down at Ina on the floor, then looking at each person as she talks. Her words halt a little at the dangerous look on Ash's face before she continues. "Anyway, there's no reason to freak out. There's plenty of air — There was some guy who was stuck in an elevator for like 48 hours. I saw it on Youtube. We may have more people, but we're not going to suck up all the air in what, maybe the hour it takes them to come to us? And we're not going to go plunging to the ground floor. It's just a power outage, not something wrong with the elevator itself."

The former socialite rummages in her bag, coming up with a pack of Juicy Fruit gum and holding it out. "Gum?"

"I think we're somewhere between 20 and 21. I was watching the numbers and 21 had blinked off but 20 hadn't blinked on yet," Peyton says helpfully, nodding to the numbers above the door. They are all lit now. "I don't think you can release the elevator by opening the doors, though. If we're closer to one or the other, we can probably climb out. Or we can just sit and wait. At least they know we're here, right?"

She leans against the wall, glancing down at Ina on the floor, then looking at each person as she talks. Her words halt a little at the dangerous look on Ash's face before she continues. "Anyway, there's no reason to freak out. There's plenty of air — There was some guy who was stuck in an elevator for like 48 hours. I saw it on Youtube. We may have more people, but we're not going to suck up all the air in what, maybe the hour it takes them to come to us? And we're not going to go plunging to the ground floor. It's just a power outage, not something wrong with the elevator itself."

The former socialite rummages in her bag, coming up with a pack of Juicy Fruit gum and holding it out. "Gum?"

"Gum" Ina will take a piece, evil eyeing the guy who sets off the other woman with a roll of her eyes. great, asshole in here with them. "Listen, don't freak out the panicker's alright? That can just end up really bad. What if she has a gun in her bag? Or a knife? Or something else? Jeeze, way to be an asshole" Ina rolls her eyes, looking to the curled up woman and with a sigh, starts over on her knee's, not caring who's really in the way and forcibly making room. "Hey, what's your name?" A piece of gum taken from the socialite and waggled to the panicker. "We got air. Guys being an asshole, we'll be fine"

The aging thug is one of the 'brawny' ones, but it's concealed by his oversized coat, along with who knows what else. There's no move towards the doors as he holds down his corner, it's more important for him to keep hold of his package than to get out of here quickly. 'We won't run out of air,' Tommy confirms. 'So long as you stay calm and don't use up more than your share of air.' His voice is steady and strong, like he may know what he's talking about. He doesn't, but he sounds like he does, and right now, that's the most important part. 'One guy makes a lot less carbon than six or seven,' he notes. Yeah, he's not so good at the science part.

"We'll be fine if we just stay put." Magnes says firmly, until abilities are suddenly not working, and he stumbles into the back wall, grabbing the rail. "What the hell? My ability's not working." he says in sudden surprise and slight panic. Being on an elevator is suddenly a whole lot more alarming.

There's a solid sounding thud from overhead and the stalled elevator jars like a steel cage under assault from a curious great white.

If this were a movie, it'd likely be something damp with talons and fangs and sizzling acid for blood. But it isn't. So it's not.

Vincent is fairly dry by contrast, dark suit impeccably crisp save for where he's landed flat on his back just now. The elevator shaft stretches sooty grey overhead, cables twanging into the pitch of a vanishing point somewhere far above and all manner of mechanical components designed to tear unwary explorers limb from limb quiet at his side. First and foremost he rolls away from those, brow knit over dazed irritation while he reaches across himself to fumble for the latch of the ceiling hatch. Probably not the first he's checked in the last few minutes. …Just the first one he's had to check as a tangible human being.

Anyway. He mutters a quiet, "Son of a bitch," into his shoulder and jerks the hatch up as well as he can. "Everyone okay in there?"

"Oi…" Roderick says his head coming off the wall, gaze going to Tommy, a hand scrubbing at his mess of blonde hair, "How about we not upset the lady? We have to deal with each other for a time, I'd personally like not have to listen to her panic the whole time."

Then the kid stumbles, and he glances at Magnes, brows lifting. "Ability?" His hands moves to rest on the bar, on each side of him. He shifts away from Magnes, putting a few inches of space between himself and the kid. "You, don't happen to have that Evolved Flu do you?" His eyes narrow at him, thoughtfully.

Then something hits the roof above him and he jerks, ducking down. Once he's sure the elevator isn't falling, he straightens, "Bloody hell… You okay up there? Sounded like you landed solid on your arse." He glances at the others before looking up again.

Ash watches everything that Peyton and Ina are doing, and listens to what they're saying, and it only serves to widen the smirk on his lips, though that smirk is still stained with the alertness from when thier powers went down. His eyes pull over towards Tony and he just shakes his head at the man, apparently done trying to get him to shut up. Never know how people will react in stressful circumstances after all. Magnes' loud statement earns a hefty snort from Ash, amusement flashing across the big man's features.

"What? Weren't scared so long as you had your ability kid?" He arches a mocking brow at him, though if one were to look close there's a waryness bordering on fear in Ash's eyes as well. The thunk on the cieling sees him dropping down into a crouch and settling back into the corner, waiting to see what drops through the cieling. The words don't caus ehim to relax, if anything he tenses up further, eyes narrowing up towards the man who's face is now visible in the green emergency lights. "Lady, calm the fuck down allright? Freaking out isn't going to change shit. Calming down on the other hand… could change… everything." Yeah, he's kind of pegged her for the null since no one else appears to be panicing and losing control of themselves." He looks at her meaningfully, waiting to see if she gets the meaning of his words.

The blonde woman just keeps curling up into her little space, jumping at the noice on the roof in shock, looking up at it like she's expecting the ceiling to fall down on them. And there's someone up there! But the ceiling isn't falling, so she pulls her knees up and holds her bag now against her side. "Two days— we could be stuck two days…" she mutters quietly between breaths, like she still believes the no air thing. What if they still suffocate? What if this is a different elevator? What if—

So many what ifs. Her shoulders shake. "Want to get out. Go home. Should have taken the stairs." Why didn't she take the stairs? If she could see anything other than the elevator collapsing in on them in her head she might be able to calm down enough to apologize. Or turn her ability off.

"Your ability's off…?" Peyton echoes, turning to look at Magnes. She tries for a moment to use her own power, and nothing. She gives him a subtle shake of her head to say so, a hand going up near her eyes to indicate her power — but he doesn't know it, does he? She's certainly not going to say it aloud in an elevator full of strangers. That's just asking to be killed or kidnapped or lobotomized or all of the above.

The thud on the ceiling seconds after she stated that there was nothing wrong with the elevator has Peyton squeak, staring up with wide eyes, face paling as she takes a step behind whomever's closest — it turns out to be Roderick, though she is taller than him by an inch.

When the man above peers down at them, she tilts her head. She's met him before … Vincent Lazzaro! "We're okay, are you?" she asks, pointedly. "And why are you on top of the elevator? Are you fixing it? I think we might have a negator in here…" You think? Because that's why Vincent is on top of the elevator in the flesh, right?

"Or maybe it's some sort of negation gas…" she adds, looking up at a vent.

Ina with one hand, settles it on the negator's hand, looking up at the thump of something on the roof of the elevator. Rescue? Maybe, maybe not. "It'll be okay honey. Pretty damn frightening, I know, but he's talking bullshit out of his mouth. I mean, look at him. Just a wanna be thug" But Tommy keeps rattling off at the mouth and with her other hand, she's digging into her purse, scowling when she finds what she was looking for.

There goes a waterbottle from Ina's purse, cacluated to hit Tommy in his groin with no small amount of force when she lobs it. Men don't like being hit in the package "Listen, fuckwit. Stop saying shit that's going to set her off. Sit down, shut the fuck up. Or when we get out of here, I'll make sure that you're going to be wondering just how much oxygen you can suck in through a straw in your throat" Whether she can back up the threat or not, who knows, but she sure as hell doesn't look like she's kidding, nor intimidated by his gangster appearance.

'My ability is working just fine,' the over-the-hill thug states confidently. He hasn't had time or reason to test it, but a power failure and a power failure has no real reason to affect the 9 ounces of pull necessary to squeeze off a round from the chromed .38 his fist is curled around. The thump on top of car telegraphs the presence of his weapon as his eyes and fist jerk towards the source of the sound upstairs. And then things start to go bad and get worse. His eyes upwards mean that Tommy can't really see anything more than a flash of motion, and the emergency lights certainly don't help. The bottle doesn't hit him square in the junk, but it's close enough to make him convulse a little, and drop the butcher-paper wrapped package. But that's not the worst of it. The worst part is the tightening of his finger on the trigger of his pistol, ruining his heavy winter coat while sending a slow and heavy slug through the roof of the car on the heels of a flash of lightning, a reverberating roar of thunder, and the cloying stench of gunsmoke. 'Cunt,' comes a single word from Tommy's lips as they draw into a rictus grin.

"Vincent. Lazzaro." The entire situation has gone directly to the back of Magnes' mind and he totally ignores mentions of the flu when he can suddenly see the older man peering down at them, and his hands grip the rails very tightly. "You better be five hundred goddamned miles away when we get off this thing, or I'm throwing you down the largest elevator shaft I can findtwice."

He's already pissed, but then Tommy fires a shot, and suddenly there's an object for his equilibrium challenged wrath. "Fucking ass!" He rushes his full weight over, trying to wrap his arms around the man and ram him into a wall, or anyone who happens to be standing inbetween him and the wall. And he's gripping tightly, because he knows if he lets go, without his ability, he's hitting the floor. "I'll pound your face into the ground like you're that asshole up there! That bullet could have bounced off and shot someone important!"

"I'm okay," confirmed with a lackluster kind of resigned indignation, Vincent feels over the low-buzzed bald of his skull as if to doublecheck, but there's no blood there or anywhere else on his person. Probably for the best.

The suit he's wearing wasn't cheap.

"I'm not elevator repair, no. Just making sure nobody's having a heart attack or trying to saw their way out through the — " he grunts as he drags himself up into a crouch in preparation to drop down in with the others, shoulder holstered sidearm hanging exposed and awfully, awfully black under the swing of his lapel, "floor. Excuse me, pl — " and that's about as far as he gets before everything goes to hell. Brow hooded and eyes black, he leans in to squint just enough to track the swift movement that constitutes Ina's throwing arm, upon which three independently terrible things manifest into his awareness at approximately the same time: A man pointing a gun, an escaped convict, and Magnes saying his name in slow motion. He jerks back from the hatch with reflexes sharper than he would've counted on himself to have, the bullet zings past to ricochet through the shaft over his head, and then he's dropping into the mix: Five feet and eight inches of angry-looking federal agent with no ability and no patience either. "Where's the negator?"

"Negation gas?" The words hold surprise as the brit turns to look at the taller woman behind him. "Are you serious?" Not that he'd really care or notice, but still. "What bloody idiots would make something so insane?" Roderick shakes his head in wonder at that…

Then things get odd, the thug gets hit in the junk, a gun goes off that has Roderick's instinct kicking in going for his own while dropping. He stops himself, instead making that hand go to wiggle inside his ringing ear, jaw working as if popping his ears would work, all the while he snaps. "What the bloody hell is wrong with, have you gone completely nutters?"

Oh wait… there is another one. Roderick pressed himself back which does the same to Peyton. "I've gotten on a lift full of eejits." He glances over his shoulder at Peyton and down to Ina. "Ladies present not included… well." He motions to the negator, with a bland look. "'Cept maybe her."

Then the agent drops down near him, Roderick blinks, "Negator? Your guess is about as good as mine."

More soft shrieking from poor blonde girl. There are bullets in this close and tight place. People are being scary. Is it really any surprise that Ivy is now crying by this point? "I didn't…" Her voice is a soft whisper by comparison, buried in her drawn up knees as her hair falls into her face. "We have to… to get out… please… someone open the door…" The ceiling opening might have helped a little, if she could see it, but on top of everything else going on…

Ash grunts at the mention of negation gas. He's never been a good liar, or actor, and the mention of that nasty nasty stuff earns a grunt. It's also a good sign that the answer to the gas is a negative. He moves over towards the doors and peers at them for a few moments. "Unless anyone has a prybar, or a knife, or something like that we're not gettign the doors open.." Normally… he could try to just force them open with sheer strength, but now? not so much. He's a big guy naturally, but he's not that big. Then there's a gun shot, and Ash's head whips around, eyes narrowing on Tommy. "What the fuck?!" His gruff voice, angry now as he eyes the man with teh gun in his pocket. Ash doesn't make a move from where he's at, not trusting his currently all too normal reflexes and speed to keep him out of harm's way. He shakes hsi head, slowly. "A fucking gun…." He grunts and looks down at the floor, lifting a hand to pinch at the bridge of his nose. He glances over to Magnes and rolls his eyes. "Allright helicopter kid… you're threatening the …." Then the kid bum rushes Tommy, and Ash can't help but laugh at the action and the kid's balls. He himself, moves once Magnes does, slipping in at the kid's side to try to restrain the wrist with the gun, nothing else but that wrist, hands moving to clamp around the other man's coat if the wrist is buried in the pocket. "Blonde on the floor." he calls over his shoulder to Vincent. He has no idea the man is a federal agent… should get fun. "The same bloody fucking idiots that don't tell the public the things they do behind closed doors." This is hollered over towards Roderick as he tries to grab hold of Tommy's wrist.

The clairvoyant cowers, arms over her head when she hears the gun go off, eyes wide as she stares up through the hole it went through, then gets bumped back against the wall when Roderick makes way for Vincent. She turns to stare at the two men now grappling.

"Magnes, stop it, are you stupid? He has a gun and you're going to get yourself or us shot," Peyton shrieks. The logic is there, reasonable and rational, if her tone is a bit hysterical.

Unfortunately, the bullet did ricochet, up above in the shaft hitting somethingimportant in the mechanical pulley system. The elevator gives another lurch, this time accompanied by a creak and suddenly drops another couple of feet before the emergency brakes kick in again. Peyton, balanced compromised already, falls to the ground, looking up with wide doe eyes. "Stop fucking moving!" she screams.

Holy crap he had a gun. Had a gun and nearly shot the guy on top of the elevator who's now inside with a thud. "Likely this woman here" She answers, letting magnes get his manhood on and go at Tommy. The shriek from the blonde garnering her attention again and she squeezes the womans shoulder, a glare for tommy before the stern look is tilted towards the panicking woman, her hand coming to take her chin and make her look at Ina.

"Listen, look at me. You're ability is going off. I don't know if you know if you're evolved, or if you don't, but you're by process of elimination, the one." Ina pulls from that place that she uses when talking with brand new girls on the floor about to head off and sell drinks and are nervous, or calming them down after someone got a little fresh while inebrieted. The car gives it's lurch and it makes even the composed woman look up and around.

There's a firm squeeze of her hands on shoulder and chin. "Listen to me. Take a deep breath. Tune out the jerk over there, of the car. Focus on me. Focus everything on me, do you understand? Breath in through your nose, and out through your mouth with me okay?"

The gunshot surprises Tommy as much as anyone else. He didn't mean to put a slug into the ceiling, really he didn't. But now that he did he's committed to using the piece as his way out of here. There's a benefit to being without powers. You never really get used to having that extra edge, and when it's gone like it is now, you're the one in the room who doesn't lose anything, who is just the same as he was before. His mouth opens in shock as the kid comes at him and tries to bearhug him, the moment of frozen-in-the-headlights at the incredulity of the action probably saves Magnes from being shot point blank. Right away, that is.

But that doesn't help for long as Tommy is shoved back into the corner of the elevator and starts to fight back. For his life, pretty much. Tommy's been in plenty of fights in closed quarters, and his reflexes, his body takes over for him. Teeth bared as he tries to slam his forehead into the kid's face, aiming square for the nose. He doesn't even notice the hand grabbing at his coat, trying to get the pistol under control, at least not until his trigger finger jerks again, sending another of those heavy .38 slugs sailing somewhere. This time, he doesn't even have much control over where it's going.
Magnes grabs his nose when he gets headbutted, then pretty much stumbles back into a wall and hits the ground. He's holding his nose, and there's no way he's getting up any time soon without his ability, or lots and lots of stumbling. "Fucking Vincent Lazzaro!" is what he yells when the other gunshot goes off.

Blonde on the floor. …Right. Lower jaw ajut with ill-disguised tension while the car drops another two feet and the younger trio of men in the corner wrassle for possession of Tommy's .38, Vincent mutters an automatic and highly unnecessary, "Excuse me, ma'am," before he bulldozes Ina out of his way with a hand rough on her shoulder.

From there he has ready access to the negator, who he glances over with a look that's hard to mistake for anything kinder than wary distaste before he hooks an arm around her neck and draws her back into him. Too tight to breathe well. Definitely too tight for oxygen to reach her god-forsaken negator braincells. His mumbled "Sorry," on his way to raising his voice doesn't sound very sincere, either. "Varlane, I don't want you even thinking about your ability unless the car drops."

As another round goes off, Roderick turns into Peyton out of instinct. He's not exactly protecting her, or anything just not anywhere to go in this place. Silver rings glint in the low light as he brings them up to cover his head. Once the ringing stops, he glances at Peyton, gives his a lop-sided grin, blue eyes look at her through the fringe of his bangs. "Sorry there, Chicky. You alright?" Before turning back to the fight.

He's watches Vincent as he puts the woman in a head lock, brows furrow some. "What the….? You can't be bloody serious…" He looks at the agent like he's insane, as he chokes the woman. "Watch here. Let me show you a much more humane and quicker way to do that." Suddenly, Roderick moves forward, and swings a closed fist at the pair on the floor. Luckily for Vincent it's not aimed at him, it's aimed at the poor woman. It is just not her day.

As she's hauled up a bit against the man, the bag she was holding drops. It has paper work— apparently she was filing her taxes. But her billfold falls out as well, with little in the way of cash, some credit cards, and a shiny registration card.

Paige, Ivy. Tier 0. Ability Negation.

There's some struggling, but the lack of breath comes quickly, eyes widening in surprise. A surprise that was probably already beginning to fade out, as the darkness crept up around the corners of her eyes— even before the punch lands on her cheek.

The field drops, as she loses consciousness. Though luckily no teeth.

No. Not her day.

Ash ignores everyone else int eh room but himelf, Tommmy, and Magnes. His hands clamp around Tony's wrist, buried as it is in his jacket. He forces his hand down just as the gun goes off again. Ash's eyes narrow and he pushes the wrist further back. Magnes going down however, presents some really big problems. It's hard to hold a guy with a gun on your own and prevent him from shooting anyone. "Fucking… come on kid…" He grumbles in Magnes' direction as his other hand lifts, intent on blocking any punches or blows that TOmmy might throw his way. "You going to shoot me if I let you go?" He asks in a light growl, his body pressing towards Tommy to try to keep him pinned against the wall. "Kid, you mind getting over ehre and helping me out?" THis is growled loudly towards Magnes since it seems no one is on thier way to help him with the gunman. And would someone please knock the fucking negator out!?" Yeah, Ash wants his damn power back. Then, with a flush through his body, his powers return, the woman's negation field dropping, granting Ash back his strength. Captain fucking America to the rescue? Not really… but hey, a man can dream.

"What the fuck, I thought you were Department of…" Peyton cries out, cringing back as Vincent starts attacking the woman on the ground. "She can't hurt us — if she's negating us, no one's going to…" but now she's been punched out by the scrawny looking blonde man. "What the hell is the matter with you people!" She stands, tripping over various people as she heads to the controls on the wall, picking up the phone and barking into it: "There's guns and people are attacking each other in this fucking elevator. Get someone here now." She listens for a moment, as she backs herself into the corner, staring at the rest of the people with wide eyes.

"My guys at your building now. Should just be a few moments. They need to reset something and…"

Suddenly there is a whirr as the power of the elevator comes back on. The lights above the door flash, the numbers all going out before resuming and suddenly the elevator starts to move — another lurch that drops them suddenly a foot or two before the safety lock turns on and the elevator begins to move s l o w l y toward the first floor in emergency mode.

Ina's going to get a little verbally rough with Vincent when he's pushing her out of the way, only, she see's what he's doing. Knock the woman unconscious without resorting to beating her in the head. That's Roddy's tactic it seems. She's turning to tell the others in the elevator to shut the fuck up and stop rocking the casbah when there's that second gunshot that's met with blossoming pain in her shoulder as instead of lodging or going through the ceiling of the carriage, it's gone into her.

Idly, there's a thought that she so deserved that for the water bottle to the groin, could have been worse as it sends her against the wall, jaw open and a hand immediately clamping to shoulder. "Fuck" A little loud for such an enclosed space. Holy shit, getting shot hurts. The elevator starts moving though and Ina's shuttling her gaze up to the numbers above the door.

"You don't fucking give me orders, you bastard." Magnes seems almost completely focused on Vincent again, quickly floating himself up before placing his feet firmly on the ground. "You have no idea what I went through because of you, or how much you screwed with my life. I didn't so much as get an apology for what you did!" He holds a hand up, sending a wave of gravity in an attempt to slam Vincent against the wall. "I want one good reason, just one reason I shouldn't shatter your entire body and change your life without asking!" His face is full of pure hatred for the older man, continuing to hold his hand out in a manner that says something bad will happen if he closes it.

At least so far as Roderick is concerned, Vincent can see what's coming. Fist to face and all that, but all he can get out is a hard, "Hey," before knuckles meet cheekbone and the negator in his arms goes slack. Exasperated, he drops her from higher than is probably necessary, letting her do her ragdoll thing rather than guide her carefully down to the sticky floor. Meanwhile, the lights pick up, the elevator's moving and Ina's going down in an arc of unseemly red that jolts Lazzaro's attention sharply after her.

…Just in time for the agent to feel himself go flying.

Curiously, the gravitational connection lasts only as long as it takes for impact to occur. The stroke of Vincent's spine hard to scratched and smudged mirror ripples instantaneously out into a furl of black smoke that washes thick over the wall for the beat it takes to wrap back around itself into the shape of a man. Not where he was standing before, but at Magnes's nine o'clock so that he can swat the butt of his sidearm at the back of the former pizzaboy's skull on his way to swinging it around towards Tommy and Ash. "If anyone in this elevator is interested in being dead on arrival, keep moving."

Magnes' eyes go wide, suddenly flashing back to Gabriel. "Should have stopped his fucking hear—" before a loud *crack* and he falls forward… well, a few inches forward, before he's just floating there unconsciously.

"Hey… She's not screamin' or carryin' on anymore. Not to mention no negatin'," Roderick finds the bright point as he shakes his hand and flexes his fingers, backing up against the wall. "I think it's a win situation." His tone bright considering.

When the car takes to move, Roderick grabs the railings, knees bending slightly as it starts to drop again, and starts to slowly descend. "About bloody time." An impatient glance goes to the lit numbers, watching them, until Vincent slams against the wall. Blue eyes widen slightly at what just happened, looking at Magnes. Suddenly the idea of the negator being out didn't seem like such a good thing.

Roderick glances to Peyton on the other side of the car, "Okay. I'd like to get off here now."

Ina's slumped form isn't missed, Roderick isn't completely heartless as he steps over the prone form of the negator, duck under the unconscious floating person, and to crouch near Ina, "Hey…" Brows drop with concern as he looks over the wound, careful about it. "You'll be outa here soon at least." His head tilts slightly, "You look awfull' familiar tho…" To try and help get her mind off of it.

Ash grunts as the power comes back on, somewhat, a laugh escaping him. "Lock a bunch of people in a fucking elevator for a little while and watch hell break loose." He looks at Tommy then, his eyes focusing in on the man, seeing what he's going to do. When his strength returns and his gribe becomes vicelike on Tommy’s wrist Ash smiles as the man's hand releases the gun. Ash's other hand darts into his pocket, pulling the gun free. He takes a smooth step back from the man, pops the cylinder on the gun open, drops the unused bullets into his hand and then turns the gun, handing it back to Tommy. He's not going to take the man's gun, just the bullets. The bullets in his hand are held there for the moment. His head turns, eyes resting on everyone else in the elevator as he takes a step back and leans up against the wall like nothing at all really just happened. Then Magnes goes and gets all pissed off.

Ash smirks a little bit, hsi head shaking. "Kid… revenge is something you do on your own time, it's something personal. It's not something you subject other people to having to witness. And do you really want everyone in this fucking elevator to be able to testify against you? To be able to say you did this to him?" He shake shis head slowly. "PUt him down kid, hunt him later, hunt him when there's no one else to see you take your pain out on him…." Then Vincent pulls his shit and Ash shakes his head slowly. "What the fuck is wrong with you people?" Echoing a certain woman from earlier.

"Yeah, beating the kid in the back of the fucking head is really going to help him with his desire for revenge against you…" He looks at the gun that's now pointed in his direction, a feral sort of smile making it's way across the ex Moab detainee's face. "Mmm… I hope you're awfully quick with that gun if you plan to use it friend. Especially in a crowded elevator like this? And the crowd that's going to be outside of the elevator when it opens?" He tilts his head, then looks up as Magnes begins to float upwards. Ash jumps up and grabs a hold of his clothing, trying to pull the kid back down to everyone else's level.

Peyton stares at the insane men in the elevator car with her. Every single one of them is fucking nuts. She turns to look down at Ina, a 'can you believe this shit' sort of look on her face, when she notices the blood. "Fucking assholes," she hisses, dropping to her knees and pulling off her scarf to press against the other woman's shoulder. "Hold that," she murmurs, pulling out her cell phone and pressing 9-1-1 — somehow, maybe thanks to the hatch being up on the top of the elevator, the call gets through. "Hi, we're in the Waverford Building in the Upper East side. A woman was shot and two other people are unconscious… What? … just send a fucking ambulance, lady!" Peyton's temper is short.

The elevator finally makes it to the ground floor. The doors don't open — perhaps the electrical circuitry to open them is fried by whatever the bullet hit. But a moment later, there is a the sound of metal on metal as the team on the other side pry open the doors.

In the lobby stands three elevator techs and the office's maintenance man, along with several dozen lookyloos who had to take the stairs when the elevator got stuck, all peering in at the hapless group inside the lift. In the distance, the wail of sirens can be heard, as police and ambulance try to make their way through snow and traffic.

"Pretty sure I'm not gonna die from this" Ina manages to snort towards Roderick, looking up towards the rest of the people as she opts to sit there on the floor, red seeping through fingers. Nothing deadly, not going to bleed out in the next minute or four at least. "Just lost a pretty expensive suit though" There's threat's another gun from the guy who just flickered into smoke and then back. Wow, this was just.. this was an elevator filled with evolved people. "Fuck. Am I the only normal one in here?" She doesn't know about Peyton who's stuffing her scarf to stem any blood, or whether Tommy has something. Or Roderick. It's just one of those shocky comments. She seems familiar though, to Roderick. "Maybe I threw you out of the Corinthian at some point in your life?" She is happy to see the elevator doors forced open and people on the other side. "Shit, i'm getting a new dentist. Never coming here again"

"Mr. Williams, while I appreciate your assistance, if you don't make like a gingerbread man the instant those doors open, you are under arrest. You too, P. Diddy." Who is apparently Tommy, if the obsidian cut of Vincent's glare in that direction is any indication. He's breathing hard, more from adrenaline than exertion, and doesn't so much as waver the end of the gun he has pointed between Ash and Tommy at various accusations of insanity or — you know. Whatever. He flips his wallet out of his back pocket as he resumes speaking, badge polished silver under florescent light once he's got it flopped open in clear sight. "Everyone else stays where they are. Keep pressure on her shoulder please. Both hands."

The doors eventually grate open by force and he holds his ground, badge held aloft to those outside with his left hand, .40 held steady in the right. Daring either potential perp to do anything more absurd than running as recommended.

"Noooo… Not it, but I do go to there now and there for a drink." Roderick says with a grin, moving to hold the scarf in place while Peyton makes her call. "Sounds like we have the same employer." He flashes her a bright smile, ignoring the warmth of the blood soaking through it. At Vincent's order Roderick adds his other hand, who is he to argue with the law man at this particular moment. "Sorry." He murmurs to Ina.

Though Roddy does glance at Magnes and the negator and adds helpfully, "I don't think some of them have any choice but to wait there. So your good to go, mate."

Ash looks around the elevator slowly, his eyes flickering from person to person slowly, then to the doors as the car stops moving. Ash's eyes are on Vincent though, the man with the gun, and Ash with no easy way to disarm him, if he even can at all. He nods his head slowly towards Vincent whent he man makes his statement. "That's all I planned to do." He winks at the man though, as he now knows the guy is either COmpany, or government, either one he wants to steer the fuck clear of. "I've been running a long time, don't plan to stop now." He chuckles, as if the whole thing is one big game. The moment those doors are cranked open, Ash turns, and bolts, though he does spare a glance behind him for Magnes, anger written on his face. He doesn't like leaving the kid behind like that, not one little bit.

The aging thug gives Vincent a glance — he doesn't need to be told twice. Dark eyes take in the various victims: Ina, Ivy, Magnes, before he slips out of the elevator, giving a nod to their rescuers and heading off through the lobby for the doors that lead to the cold outdoors.

Peyton closes her phone, her hands bloody with Ina's wound, though she pays this no mind as she slips the phone back into her purse. She gives a slow shake of her head, turning to look at Vincent through narrowed eyes before standing and stepping out of the elevator — not to run, but just to breathe fresh air. A few of the lookyloos snap pictures on camera phones — Peyton Whitney will make TMZ again. Just her luck.

As Tommy and Ash head out of the doors, a flash of red and blue lights run across the tile floor of the lobby, the sirens outside heralding the arrival of the police and the paramedics who come running in — police with guns drawn, paramedics with stretchers.

The time: 5:42 p.m. They hadn't even been in the elevator for a full hour.


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