nextgen_citizen (nextgen_citizen) wrote in marvel_nextgen,
@ 2010-11-28 23:16:00

Entry tags:

I was minding my own business when....
The shoot for his latest movie, The J-Team, brought him back to Boston for the next two weeks and Austin Caine found himself excited at the prospect. He'd get to hang out with Anya again, if her schedule allowed, and they could go out for burgers again or just hang out and talk cars or motorcycles. She was a fun girl to be around and Austin liked when she'd call him up to chat or ask about things like going to the Stark Charity Ball.

Maybe he'd take the time out to get fitted for a new tuxedo today after filming wrapped.

Right now, he was on set working with Christian Bale, who played the leader of the J-Team, Julian Jameson. Austin played Jarrod Jennings, the technical support guy of the group.

"The good news is that I can have the zero-watt generator built in two days, J. The bad news is that it'll have to be stationary unless I can call a friend of mine to help with the work. She's tough to track down, but she's worth every penny in the brains department." Jarrod says, and Austin smiles inwardly at sneaking a shout out to Anya into the movie.

"Make the call, J." Julian says.

Less than thirty feet away, a catering truck explodes and everyone is thrown to the ground, knocked senseless from the blast.

Austin is pretty sure /that/ isn't part of the script.

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nextgen_citizen
2010-11-30 07:19 am UTC (link)

Austin wanted to say she was bluffing and that she was full of crap. He'd paid damn good money to make sure his past got buried and stayed that way, and he wanted to believe that Anya didn't have that kind pull.

However, she was Stark. And she was flying around in better armor than they had in Tron. The limits of Anya's capabilities were being redefined every second and Austin Caine isn't sure that the people he hired to give him a new life are good enough to hide him from her.

"You are the single most infuriating woman on the planet." he says, looking away from her.

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anyastark
2010-11-30 07:24 am UTC (link)

"It's genetic," she said. "My father says that of my mother."

Her voice dropped and she became more serious.

"Austin, let me help. I'm not a spoiled rich kid who doesn't know how to do anything. I've been taught my whole life how to take care of myself and protect those I care about. I care about you and I want to help you. There's very little that I'm scared of and very little that I can't handle."

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nextgen_citizen
2010-11-30 07:35 am UTC (link)

"Anya, if it was just about courage, I wouldn't be questionin' you. You just saved me from bein' killed a couple times over without even thinkin' about it. Moreover, you been dealin' with stuff that most people never have to know about in their lives.

I know you aren't scared." Justin says, reaching out to lay his hand alongside her cheek.

"I'm not who you think I am, Anya. I'm not who anyone thinks I am. If this stuff got out, it would ruin my career and possibly get me sent back to jail. Yes, I said /back/ to jail. I did a couple of years when I was younger." he says.

Austin sighs and looks around at the city from their rooftop.

"How much time do you have?" he asks her.

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anyastark
2010-11-30 07:41 am UTC (link)

It was her turn to look away and not think about the warm hand on her cheek. "Not all of us have spotless records," she said. "We make mistakes and we pay the price for them. Some mistakes are bigger than others."

She would never forget her time as Lady Mandarin. The faces of the people she killed would always haunt her.

She looked back at him.

"As much time as it takes. Let's go somewhere more private." She offered a hand.

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	nextgen_citizen 2010-11-30 07:57 am UTC (link)
	"Okay. I trust you, Princess." Austin smiles, taking her hand. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

anyastark
2010-11-30 07:59 am UTC (link)

"Don't call me that," she said as the faceplate slid shut. She took his hand and put an arm around his waist.

A few moments later they were at Thunderbolts Headquarters and in Anya's lab. Thankfully Syd was else where.

Anya slipped out of her suit and put it away.

"We'll have as much privacy as we need here. Have a seat and start talking."

The floor opened and two chairs rose up. Anya fell into one.

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nextgen_citizen
2010-11-30 08:17 am UTC (link)

Austin blinks again at the high-tech seats. "Okay, that's new."

He sits in the other chair and tries to relax, still not sure that he should tell Anya any of this.

"I guess I should start at the beginning. My real name is Jeffrey Thomas Templeton. Nice to meet you, Miss Stark." Austin says.

"I was born in Austin, Texas. My dad was named Jacob Templeton and he served in Vietnam. My mother's name is Jerica. She's a red head, too. I've got a younger brother, too, but we'll get to him." Austin says.

"Anyway, when Dad came home from the war, he was a different man than the one who left. Mom and some of his friends said that the things he saw made him long to effect change in his own world. So he came back, got a job with one of the big auto chains and started what he'd called a 'brotherhood' built around a love of fixing, repairing and building cars and bikes." Austin says with a smile. He'd learned a lot about cars by fixing them with his dad.

"Dad and eight of his friends formed the First Nine of the Devil's Tribe Automotive Club. You'd have to come to one of our parties to understand the name." he tells her.

He goes on to elaborate that the club held rallies on free speech, marches for equal rights for people of Color and tried to help out the poor and homeless in their small town.

"From time to time, they did a few things that would be considered shady to get the money needed to organize events and take care of their families. Dad didn't like doing it that way, but there were a few guys in the organization that liked earning easy money and didn't mind shooting someone to get it." Austin says.

"I grew up in that life and I felt the same way for a long time, too."

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	anyastark 2010-11-30 08:19 am UTC (link)
	Anya sat and took it all in. "And something happened," she said, not asked. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

nextgen_citizen
2010-11-30 08:34 am UTC (link)

"A lot somethings happened, really. My dad died when I was young and my mom married his best friend two years later. My step-dad, Carl, took over as leader of the organization and had a kid with my mom, my brother Jared, or Jerry." Austin says.

"Jerry and I were expected to become Tribesmen and to take over the reins one day when Carl is done. So that's what we did. Carl was one of the guys who liked the idea of easy money, even while the club helped out around town. We got into smuggling, gun-running, and a lot of other things young boys shouldn't learn how to do." Austin says.

"The critics say I know how to sell action sequences and shoot-outs; if they knew the secret of my success, I'd probably never get another movie deal again." Austin says quietly.

"Anya, have you ever done something that you /knew/ was wrong deep down, but you kept doing it because you just couldn't stop?" he asks.

"Maybe it was the thrill of being 'bad' or just being able to say you were doin' somethin' no one else had the guts to, but you kept doin' bad stuff because it was what you were taught?" he asks.

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anyastark
2010-11-30 08:50 am UTC (link)

She looked away for a moment.

When she spoke her voice was even, emotionless and detached.

"Yes, I do. I know what it's like to do something bad and you can't stop doing it. By your own actions or by someone else's actions."

She took a deep breath. She never told anyone outside the life what she was about to tell him.

"I formed this team to give those of us with not so shiny and spotless pasts a second chance," she started.

"When I was fifteen I met this older guy. He was smooth, charming, handsome, and knew exactly what to say and how to act to get me interested. Right after my sixteenth birthday he drugged me and kidnapped me. He had a clone made and decapitated it, sending the head to my parents to make them think I was dead."

"I was taken by man named the Mandarin. Had a big thing in for my father. I was brainwashed and turned into Lady Mandarin. I was turned into his weapon, his instrument of trying to take control of a world wide underground empire."

"As the Lady Mandarin I killed countless in his name. They were people who opposed him. While they weren't innocent themselves, I just cut them down as if they were blades of grass."

"So I understand about having something in your past that you don't want others to know about. I know what it feels like to carry around the guilt of your actions."

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nextgen_citizen
2010-11-30 09:01 am UTC (link)

Austin's heart bled for Anya. He never imagined that someone like /her/ could understand what it was to be ashamed of her past. Growing up, Austin wanted to be Simon Williams and live a perfect life.

A perfect life that he thought Anya had lived. Austin got out of his chair and went to kneel in front of Anya.

"Hey, stop that. You didn't have any choice or control over the things you did. You said it yourself; this guy took advantage of you and made you do things that you wouldn't have done otherwise." Austin tells her, taking her hands.

"I understand not talkin' about it, Anya. It eats me alive some days, the things I did for the club, for my family and just because I felt like it. I didn't think anyone else could really get it, but you do." he says.

"And from where I'm kneelin', it looks like you made pretty good with your second chance, Anya Stark." he grins.

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anyastark
2010-11-30 09:12 am UTC (link)

She squeezed his hands. "I've worked through it. He can't touch me anymore or hurt me." As far as she knew Temujin was still in SHIELD custody and unable to do anything.

"I've accepted responsibly for my actions and for my lack of judgment." Many hours had been spent in Doc Samson's office. "Brainwashing is no excuse for lack of judgment and for my actions."

She gave him a small smile.

"Now as someone who understands and can help, let me help you so you can move on with your life."

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nextgen_citizen
2010-11-30 09:22 am UTC (link)

Austin sighed.

"Sweetie, it ain't that easy. My step-dad's got the club involved with some really bad people called the Maggia. He runs weapons and things for them to various parts of the Midwest or organizes it through other clubs or gangs. We're on pretty good terms with the Bandidos Biker Gang, and bad terms with the Hell's Angels." Austin says.

"I got a call the week after we met from my brother saying that the Angels were making a move on Loving. They want the organization to stop dealing with the Maggia. I told him I didn't want anything to do with it and my step-dad basically told them to go blow themselves." Austin says.

"I got a call last week telling me to make sure my old man kills the deal or they're gonna hand over my sealed records to Adrian Carver and a few other news outlets.

If that stuff gets out, Anya, not only is my career ruined, but my family, too. But breaking our deal with the Maggia is just as bad; these guys are international criminals and they've got connections.

I'm pretty much screwed either way and I don't want you ending up in the fire with me." he tells her.

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	anyastark 2010-11-30 09:30 am UTC (link)
	Anya idly wondered if Frank Castle was still active and if not, if he would consider coming out of retirement to handle this. "How far are you willing to go?" she asked as an idea came into her head. "There's a possible way to bring them all down at once and keep your identity from getting out." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_citizen 2010-11-30 09:37 am UTC (link)
	"I want to save my family, my club and my career, in that order. I'm willin' to let go of bein' Austin Caine if I can keep the people I care about safe." he says. "That includes you, too, Anya." Austin says. "But I'd like to hear your idea, because you've got one right now and I don't." he says simply. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2010-11-30 08:43 pm UTC (link)
	"I know someone," she said. "He kind of specializes in maggia dealings." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_citizen 2010-12-01 03:14 am UTC (link)
	"Okay. I'm a little unnerved that you'd know actual criminals, but I'm still listening." he says. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2010-12-01 03:58 am UTC (link)
	"He's not a criminal," she said. Well more or less. "But he knows how to handle the mob and is very effective." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

nextgen_citizen
2010-12-01 04:26 am UTC (link)

"Can he be discreet? I really don't wanna go from one group of people holdin' my past over my head to a single person doin' the same thing." Austin says.

"Wait, I'm sorry. You're offerin' to help and I'm bein' a Nervous Nelly. If you think this guy is on the up-and-up, then I trust your judgment." he tells her.

"How do we find your guy?" he asks. "If he needs to be paid, I'll cover it."

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anyastark
2010-12-01 04:47 am UTC (link)

"Oh he won't use anything against you," she assured him. "But you will know when the situation has been dealt with. It will be quite obvious." The Punisher never did anything quietly or discreetly, but he was effective.

"I got it covered," Anya said. Payment would most likely be in the form of information or something of the like.

"Which reminds me..." she said and brought up a holographic keyboard. She started doing a search on his two identities. The information appeared in front of her when the search was complete.

"Goddard, can you please contact Agent Morgan?"

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	nextgen_ai 2010-12-01 04:48 am UTC (link)
	"Of course Miss Stark." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_citizen 2010-12-01 04:51 am UTC (link)
	Austin blinked at Goddard. "Is that your AI-Guy?" he asks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	anyastark 2010-12-01 04:55 am UTC (link)
	"One of the two in the building," she answered as she read through the displayed information. "Goddard runs the information systems and Aristotle runs the building. Goddard, say hello to Mr. Cain." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_ai 2010-12-01 04:58 am UTC (link)
	"Hello, Mr. Cain. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I thoroughly enjoyed your last two films." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	nextgen_citizen 2010-12-01 05:19 am UTC (link)
	"You saw my films?" Austin asks, a little surprised. "Well, thank you, Goddard. If you enjoyed 'em, then I'm glad." He waits until Anya's back is turned. "So what's it like dealin' with a crazy redhead on a daily basis?" he asks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)