Prompt Post: ROUND SEVEN

[oakenshields13]

ROUND SEVEN IS CLOSED

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Methods of Deduction (AU) (TW: dehumanization, torture, homophobia, ableism) (1/?)

[tawabids]

This is going to end up a lot longer than I meant it to be, but I hope the original author of Searchlight finds it okay, at least! I'm really enjoying writing this universe, horrific though the subject matter is.

---

August 17, 1967Doctor Henry McCoy gazed through the roof of the isolation chamber, one palm pressed on it for balance. He was leaning so far over the shallow pyramid of glass he was almost kissing the surface, and he reached up to catch his spectacles as they began to slide down his nose

Methods of Deduction (AU) (TW: dehumanization, torture, homophobia, ableism) (2/?)

[tawabids]

“Until when?” Moira asked, hurrying after Henry as he left the viewing room at a trot, scribbling reminders to himself on the crumpled wrapper. “Henry, what do we do with him

Methods of Deduction (AU) (TW: dehumanization, torture, homophobia, ableism) (3/?)

[tawabids]

Henry groaned and ripped his latest draft off the pad, scrunching it as small as he could and tossing it into the bin. He dug his fingers into his hair and massaged his scalp, trying to plough out the headache that was worming its way between his eyes. What was he supposed to write? He felt like such a fool - he’d assured the board that the NA-01 tribe were the first truly tame mutants in any laboratory in the world. He’d spoken in conferences and to packed lecture halls of the progress they’d made, of how they’d uncovered an untapped branch of study in mutant social behaviour, of how gentled and cooperative the collared animals were

Methods of Deduction (AU) (TW: dehumanization, torture, homophobia, ableism) (4/?)

[tawabids]

“Sir

NB: USA-P-00108

[tawabids]

I should clarify that one-oh-eight (USA-P-00108) is Angel, just in case anyone was confused about Raven's number being different from in Searchlight.

Re: NB: USA-P-00108

[tawabids]

Searchlight author here, and "find it okay" indeed. I am amazed by this. Moira is a scientist again! And the glass ceiling, and her continued ability to have twice as much chutzpah as anyone else on-screen...

The abbreviated names (Dee-Kay and so on) are brilliant! Of course no one's going to say the whole code number, and I'd wondered how the scientists would refer to the mutants... I'd imagined it might be Rise of Planet of the Apes-like, where they'd maybe get nicknames based off abilities or physical attributes, but this works SO WELL and I love Charles being M-1, haha.

And oh my goodness, the scientific arrogance and "helpful" suggestions about keeping mutants captive and Hank advertising this stuff on the scientific circuit, and oh poor Angel, and I'll just be over here hitting "refresh" now.

Re: NB: USA-P-00108

[tawabids]

:DDDD yaaaaaay!

I thought about attribute-related nicknames, but decided that would humanise the mutants too much!

I'M PRETTY MUCH ADDICTED TO THIS UNIVERSE. THANK YOU.

Re: NB: USA-P-00108

[tawabids]

Obvious anon is obvious.

Dude, you're basically the only reason I come looking for updates on this kinkmeme. THIS IS AS AWESOME AS ALL THE OTHER AWESOME THINGS YOU KEEP WRITING. DUDE.

Re: NB: USA-P-00108

[tawabids]

I DON'T KNOW WHICH ANON YOU ARE BUT THANK YOU :)

Re: Methods of Deduction (AU) (TW: dehumanization, torture, homophobia, ableism) (1/?)

[tawabids]

Yes, finally! Please update soon!

Methods of Deduction (AU) (TW: dehumanization, torture, homophobia, ableism) (5/?)

[tawabids]

The first time that Henry really saw - really understood - that GRB-M-00001 was dangerous, was soon after their fly-winged mutant arrived at the facility. She was a difficult one, skittish and a biter, hard to catch if she got away from the handlers and even harder to restrain because Henry didn’t want her wings damaged. Since the only exit from the enclosure was through one of the wooden-barred doors, however, he figured she could be left to her own devices once she was placed inside.

NA-01’s main quarters, a converted dancing hall with top-notch climate control and large, fibreglass skylights, had half a dozen (exceedingly expensive) close-circuit cameras that watched the play area. Three were positioned above the dens, which were covered with clear Perspex so that the researchers could observe even the most intimate aspects of mutant life. The second day that USA-P-00108 had been in the facility, she flew up and smashed every damn camera. When Henry and several handlers rushed in, they found that one had even fallen down, and GRB

Methods of Deduction (AU) (TW: dehumanization, torture, homophobia, ableism) (6/?)

[tawabids]

When the postdoc returned with a folded blanket from the store cupboard, GRB-M-00001 took it and held out his hand again. He continued his demands until he had almost a dozen blankets, the entire stock from the second floor, which he proudly carried back to the enclosure. For a few weeks, the significance of these acquistions wasn’t clear, until the third lot of cameras was installed - protected by electrically charged cages - and the most unexpected part of the whole story revealed itself. That night, a handler saw GRB-M-00001 spreading four of the blankets over the plastic roof of one of the concrete dens. When the handler mentioned this to Henry the next morning, he realized at once that the mutant had completely hidden this den from view. He and a team of technicians and handlers hurried into the enclosure to see what the mutants could possible be up to

Methods of Deduction (AU) (TW: dehumanization, torture, homophobia, ableism) (7/?)

[tawabids]

August 21st, 1967It was mid-morning, and the handlers were all away on their break when Henry sidled up to the exchange window of the NA-01 enclosure. Empty food boxes lay stacked on his side of the glass, and through the large window in front of him spread the open floor in which the mutants had free rein. Tucked around the corner he could just see the three-walled concrete bunkers in which their subjects slept, and on the edges of the yard were various towers of crates, wooden platforms and ropes - Henry insisted the environment was kept stimulating by changing the play area regularly. The sun filtered weakly through the corrugated plastic skylights. The only mutant in sight was USA-P-00108, who was sitting on a platform high above Henry, her legs swinging over the edge and her gossamer wings flicking to catch the sun

Methods of Deduction (AU) (TW: dehumanization, torture, homophobia, ableism) (8/?)

[tawabids]

Henry felt a shudder run through his body. He didn't think he would ever get used to seeing this. It wasn't natural, it wasn't right. He jabbed his index finger against the glass. "Keep it down," he hissed. "The handlers are in the tea room next door

Methods of Deduction (AU) (TW: dehumanization, torture, homophobia, ableism) (9/?)

[tawabids]

In the cold, tiny chamber, he died slowly. It was impossible not to - impossible for anyone to bear this grief - impossible for the White-Coats to let him continue living in this much pain. Despite all their cold dispassion, they must see how much he was suffering, they must see that destroying him was the only kind thing to do now. Perhaps it was another of their games, to see how long before heartbreak killed him. He tried to make himself small, bleed his flesh into the walls, summon the faintest trace of iron and silty copper from the concrete to smother himself. His lips cracked and there was blood and skin under his torn nails. His throat was raw from wailing. Please let them kill him, please let it be soon, he couldn’t go on. He didn’t want to go on, except to hunt them in return, to slaughter them all - and then the rage overtook him and he’d beat the walls and scream at his own reflection in the glass above his head. He knew they were up there. He knew they were watching. The White-Coats. The child-stealers, the game-players,

Methods of Deduction (AU) (TW: dehumanization, torture, homophobia, ableism) (10/?)

[tawabids]

Angel and Black were sitting by the water, staring at him. A moment later there were cries of unrestrained elation as Blue, Gold and Red sprinted over and leapt onto him, arms around his neck and waist, Blue kissing every inch of his face while Red dragged on his hand, pulling him towards the nearest den.

And there - he choked back a moan - there was his mate, sitting cross-legged in the mouth of the den, holding out arms to him. He fell into the other man’s embrace, clutching him to his chest, burying his mouth into the curve of his neck, breathing in the living scent of him.

“It’s alright,” his mate soothed, running hands through matted hair and hanging from the circle of his arms. “It’s alright. They gave you back.”

Words were cumbersome and tainted, the dominion of the White-Coats. He didn’t want words, he wanted proper language, he wanted thoughts, and he pressed this to the forefront of his mind until his mate responded: Are you injured? Have you eaten? There’s blood on you…

He thought back at his mate, I’m perfectly well.