@atombomb.

[artistecon]

It's an ancient artifact of unimaginable power caught in the hands of a terrible villain who will use it for death and destruction. It's also in the house of a very affluent man who has a house stuffed with all sorts of other goodies. This, Fantomex has stated outright at least once, is the only reason he's going on this little suicide run.

"The facility," he drawls, turning his accent up a little, "has some of the most state-of-the-art equipment on the planet. It's much too dangerous for your average X-Man."

He gives Jean a significant look as they sit in EVA, flying over the scenic Italian countryside. Of course it's a high tech facility in a beautiful Italian villa. Who do you think he is, Cable? A man must have some class, some panache. Style is substance.

"Any questions?" He steeples his fingers over his chest, swiveling in his chair to face her. Classic. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't just a little excited for this.

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[atombomb]

Jean rolls her eyes in response, choosing not to remind him that he is the very same man that bled all over her the first time they met. That's in the past now, and seeing as he's being so cooperative at the moment, no point in bringing that up.

"I'm less worried about the civilians and more worried about what trouble you might get into before I manage to get to you."

She's still not positive that she trusts him -- not for sure, not 100% -- but in the moment, she has no reason to distrust him and the X-Men are no strangers to bending things a little if it benefits their interests. EVA can act as a middle man between her and Fantomex, but trying to manage the chaos two places at once might be stretching things a little. She'll just have to be quick.

Jean's arrival at the villa goes mostly unnoticed. She wants to get a better feel for the room and for the Duke before she makes her move, so she becomes a blind spot - there and present, but her telepathy keeping her just out of everyone's view. Reading his thoughts is like taking a dip into a shallow pool, but she's easily able to pick up a few clues as to just who Karen Grant should become.

Found our friend. How's it going, EVA? Is he in?

[artistecon]

Fantomex's connection with EVA isn't psychic, so it can't be hacked by psychics. He doesn't feel it in his head. He feels it in his nerves. A twitch of his fingers, the angle of his spine, hmm. EVA is checking in on him. Well, it's nothing she doesn't already know. Fantomex pantomimes a yawn.

EVA sends Jean a message back: He's almost in the vault. He is disappointed by how simple the code was. How are you doing, Ms. Grey?

That's EVA, eerily polite and endlessly curious.

[atombomb]

The duke is a man with simple -- perhaps predictable -- tastes: dark hair, light eyes, an attractive face, and a voluptuous figure. It takes very little to make herself appealing to him, and when she's ready, she lets the curtains drop. Jean takes a glass of wine from one of the trays circulating the room, blending in seamlessly with the crowd. He already has company, but the man standing in his presence is an old acquaintance on a diplomatic visit from Austria and he's "come bearing gifts" -- a detail that Jean can use to her advantage.

"Ah, there she is," the Austrian announces, suddenly turning his attention to Jean -- or, well, Karen. "Carlo, this is but one of the many gifts I have brought for you. I would like you to meet my friend, Ms. Grant."

He's much shorter than I imagined he'd be, but so far so good.

[artistecon]

Fantomex is now inside the vault, EVA supplies. She can't quite see through his eyes, but there's a vague sense, here and there, of adrenaline. He runs his fingers over a diamond or two, and then begins opening the lockbox keeping the security system in place. EVA understands implicitly.

He wants to know what kind of jewelry you like.

[atombomb]

Mm, never been very big on jewelry.

Jean gives the Austrian a reason to dismiss himself, leaving her and the Duke alone to get to know each other better. It isn't long before he's found himself an opening to ramble about his greatness for a good ten minutes, Karen faking interest the entire time. There is nothing a man like him loves more than being given an opportunity to boast about himself and the pretty young thing stroking his ego is the icing on the cake.

But I'm going to require a drink once we're all done here. Something a lot stronger than red wine.

[artistecon]

The security system is antiquated, which is good, but also cursed, which is bad. You can't hack a curse. You can just get electrocuted by a Sumerian thunder demon. His name is Anzu, he's covered in feathers, and he doesn't like the color white; bad luck all around. Fantomex shoots it in the head a few times, but the thing's lived for countless centuries. Bullets mostly slow it down, and Fantomex knows he's lucky to have that.

He doesn't have to tell EVA what's happened. She felt it. Jean may feel it as well, the stinging, full-body pain that only electrocution can provide, and then the rush of fear and worry lingering in EVA's mind.

So EVA only gives the most pertinent information. A demon is in the vault. You will need a cover story... he is buying you time.

[atombomb]

Well, there goes the wine.

Now he definitely owes me a drink.

She's too ladylike to chug it, so she hands the glass off with a promise that she'll return, and once she's gone, he'll find himself captured by the sudden desire to tell the first person within an earshot all about his newfound love of cigarette boat racing and hardly remember who Karen Grant was.

"I see you've made a friend," she says, announcing her arrival in flame. I mean, scary demon? This calls from dramatic and the Queen of Extra that she is, she goes for dramatic effect, letting the cosmic flame burn away at the gown she'd been wearing and replacing it with the familiar black leather of X-Men Costumes Past. "And here I'd been hearing you're not very likable."

[artistecon]

There is something of the other side in Jean Grey. Anyone who says they don't see it is lying. The woman has died and lived again more than once, more than twice. She has taken a chunk of the next life with her, and it swirls around her now, flame for the betrayers and the liars, false gods and thieves.

Fantomex's nerves are still screaming from the shock, and he's racing to get out of the way of the thunder or fire. He's about to watch the battle of two gods; he'll be lucky if he's not melted in the process.

"I don't really think," he says, taking cover behind a marble pillar replete with intricate gold carvings, "one should trust Logan's word on being likable."