A Diamond's Edge, Open

[Mystic Frost]

[CF: Four Times Square: "The Diamond Line"]

"You're inciting a rebellion."

The Queen of Diamonds sat across from the clean shaven man and his light hair, deceptively charming for his role in current affairs, one leg hooked over the other. The diner was just bursting with people looking for an evening meal; clatter of dishes and the never ending hum of conversations washed over them every second. A public meeting place to allay any concerns about being set up. Easy to blend in. Well, perhaps easier if you weren't made of living diamond.

"I am offering you the opportunity to do the right thing, without fear of reprisal," she corrected. Her voice was cold, steady, and lacked any sense of levity at the corners of her finely chiseled lips or in the way the light reflected off and through her translucent eyes.

The man settled back and turned his head to the side, his eyes still fixed on the woman across from them. A fellow mutant "whispered" something in his ear. Slowly he leaned forward again and stared at the potential new "associate" of their growing group of malcontents. "And why would you do this?" Everyone always had an angle. She wasn't here about money. She'd said as much, and how could some affiliated with Emma Frost possibly need more money?

The diamond woman didn't uncross her arms that'd been fixed over her chest the entire length of their discussion, not even to offer a "kinder" or "more open" demeanor in this little exchange. "Because you are vulnerable. You move, they strike where you are weakest--family." The two "advisers," "guards," or whatever they considered themselves looked uneasy at her stating their obvious tactical weakness compared to a state military force that would be sent in to stamp them out by whatever means necessary. "They capture or kill them, your ranks break. The entire movement dissolves. Take them out of the equation it becomes harder to strike from the shadows." Not impossible, however. They still had plenty of weaknesses as a militia, but one thing at a time.

"What if we decide our group isn't needed? What if things turn out the way the politicians promise?"

A fine, diamond eyebrow rose. "When does anything happen the way politicians promise? Assuming it did, however, you resume your lives wherever you wish. However," the Queen uncrossed her arms and legs in order to lean forward as their eyes were locked together, "they will come. In force. You will find secret facilities with officially unsanctioned experiments being conducted on mutants. It has already happened; they have simply expanded the program."

"We need time to discuss this."

"As you wish." Her right hand drew back as she sat up perfectly straight again, a small device left on top of the table. "Call me when you have made a decision. Just know the longer you wait the harder it may be to secure their escape."

Slowly the Queen stood to her feet and gave them three a slow nod before she moved toward the door. Her boots softened her diamond footsteps, though it did little to keep people from staring as her radiant figure drifted out of the diner. There were others in the city to find. Those not willing to just sit by and wait for the trucks to start rolling down their streets and people to be herded into them for "processing."

As much as Emma would prefer a bloodless solution, she wasn't going to wait until someone fired the first shot before she started assembling Plan B.

[Mystic Frost]

"Miss Frost, it is a bit late for a meeting," the Mayor of New York City calmly intoned as she set foot in his office. "Not quite office hours."

Emma smiled, now her pristine and radiant, Human self again. She slowly strode toward the desk before settling back in one of the plush chairs set across the desk from the Mayor himself. "You do have Armed Forces on my front doorstep, Mayor," she replied just as calmly. Not exactly the real reason for such an impromptu meeting so late in the day. Certainly provided a little bit of incentive for the man to agree, however. One of the most pressing reasons was the opportunity to scan their beloved Mayor to see what his involvement in recent events where and if there was anything of note in his possession.

"Yes," he sat back in his chair as he gazed upon the White Queen for a moment. "An unfortunate situation. Your subsequent actions, however, may galvanize the mutant community to riot."

"On the contrary, Mister Mayor, what I said will help prevent riots. If the State of New York no longer wishes Mutants to roam its streets without constant surveillance, I will provide Mutants the opportunity to relocate somewhere without that requirement," Emma replied, maintaining the appearance of her social call as she slowly worked him from another, intangible angle. "However, the Armed Forces surrounding my property may cause an incident if a group of mutants tries entering through the front door."

A small smile tugged at the Mayor's lips only for a moment. "Now that interests me, Miss Frost. In your announcement you mentioned mutants would have another means of reaching you? And where, exactly, will they be relocated? That building can only hold so many people before it becomes a Health and Safety matter."

Emma gave an ever so quiet chuckle, a polite laugh at the not-so-subtle prodding. "As Mayor you could help me avoid any unfortunate incidents by ordering the Military to interfere with people approaching the building. You could even publicly announce the decision of the legislature are not in the best interests of the city." Another test to uncover the scope of influence while her telepathic skills were used to locate far more important information. "For my part, I have done all I can to avoid any altercation. I have no desire to personally become a martyr or have anyone seeking assistance be turned into one."

"As Mayor of New York City it is my duty to abide by the law of the State of New York, and the orders given by the Governor, Miss Frost. I am afraid my hands are tied regarding the presence of the Military in Times Square. If I could do anything, I would; almost every business owner there has lodged a complaint about it affecting tourism." Which was all strictly speaking true. The Governor held the power in this situation; though he could try to persuade alternative methods if it were politically or personally expedient.

"Perhaps you should direct them to Senator Kelly's office. Provided the Senator ever returns their calls. He has yet to accept my gratitude for bringing the 'Mutant Issue' to the national stage in a way the media cannot afford to ignore it any longer," which was merely a device that would help focus the man's thoughts on matters concerning the Senator to speed up her telepathic search.

An ever so soft and short sigh escaped the Mayor. "I'm sure he's just indisposed with other matters."

No recent contact, but--

The door to the office blew inward with a bang as it ricocheted off the back wall. Emma shot to her feet and spun around to face the intruders interrupting her evening session with the Mayor when she went still and stared at the three people stepping through the doorway and fanning out inside the office.

"Mayor. Emma Frost. Consider yourselves our prisoners."