Orlando-Florida

[artemis]

The drive to Orlando didn't take that long, before they stopped at one of the hotels. Just as they checked in, Sekhmet got a phone call.

"Yes" She rolled her eyes, Python, well bad news she wasn't in New York. "Try Orlando, Python. No I'm not kidding." She hung up finally and both she and Psylocke left.

"Pyro sent Python to get me, just in the wrong state!" She motioned for Psylocke to get in and they drove towards the airport.

[shalimar]

Pyslocke smiled while they headed to the Orlando Airport. She heard the part about Pyro and wondered what it was he had sent her for. "What did Pyro send you for, Sekhmet?" She had a feeling she already knew the answer.

She spotted the cargo plane over head as they arrived at the airport.

[Juggers]

The plane banked sharply and descended and Cain was once again reminded of why it was he hated Florida. It was hot for a start. Plus it's airfield was as comfortable to land in as a bed of nails. At least a commercial flight had passenger comfort at heart. Python had no such interests. Besides, the bulky cargo plane wasn't exactly built for luxury.

There was a bump and a slight screech as tires made contact with run-way and then Python was yanking back on the breaks and the aircraft rapidly slowed to a comfortable roll that carried it onto the exit-way.

"Ladies and gentlemen we have arrived at Orlando International, external temperature is a humid twenty-nine degrees and it is nine thirty seven am local time. Thankyou for flying air-Python, please stow your tray-tables and return your seat-backs to the upright position before leaving the plane!"

Cain gave Python a long-suffering look, "thanks for that," he said, "where are we s'posed to be meetin' 'em?"

Python gave the barest minimum of a shrug and rolled the plane into its allotted hanger. "Well, I've told them which hanger we've been given and I'd rather not leave it if we can possibly avoid it." The plane creaked to a stop. "Keep public exposure to a minimum if you know what I mean."

The Juggernaut grunted and sighed, "well we'd better not 'av to wait long, I 'ain't sittin' on my arse in this place all day."

He'd given up with his catapult project and had just about exhausted all possibilities for entertainment that he could find in the hold.

"Me neither," Python replied and propped his feet up on the flight controls, "the sooner we can turn around and get back to Genosha the happier I'll be and ... " he stopped, suddenly noticing something, "have you still got that cash stuffed in your pockets?"

Cain pulled a twenty out and grinned, "yeah, just in case I need somethin' y'know!" He said brightly.

Python shook his head, "yeah, you never know when you might need that spare thousand or two."

[artemis]

Sekhmet followed Psylocke's gaze and shook her head. "Probably Python." She heard the other question and shook her head in answer. "You'll find out later." She knew what hanger were in, but they could make them wait. She drove into the airport and turned swiftly parking the car. "Let them wait a few minutes."

Three minutes passed before she motioned for Psylocke to follow her. The two of them started walking back towards the hanger before she continued. "So, Psylocke, do you really want to know why Pyro sent me?" She asked as they walked in throuhg one of the hanger entrances.

There was clearly laughter in her voice and she knew it would carry.

[shalimar]

Psylocke looked at Sekhmet and smiled at the look on her face. Clearly she didn't like Python. As they walked through the entrance to the hannger she smiled. "Bloody Hell, Sekhmet. I do want to know why he sent you." Quietly she laughed, she had a feeling this was to irritate the hell out of Python.

Not that she could blame her.

[Juggers]

They hadn't been waiting long. Python had manager to tune the radio into a local station and was listening to a Jerry Springer-esque show featuring families with problems that really shouldn't be aired in public. Even Cain was amused.

"Why the hell would you wanna talk about accidentally shaggin' ya sister an bein' caught by ya mum on a public show?" The Juggernaut quizzed.

Python shrugged, "some people will do anything for fame."

The shrieking of the interviewees had about reached a fever pitch " ... an then ... once my ma had done found us ah only looks down ta find ma sister's a man!" The studio audience gave a theatrical gasp.

Cain roared with laughter, "bollocks," he yelled holding his sides.

At that point the hanger door banged open and two figures entered, talking between themselves. There was a peal of female laughter that managed to reach them over the sounds of the radio but the spoken words were lost.

"Not too long at all," Python said happily.

Cain stomped into the back of the plane and threw open the access ramp.

"Mornin' ladies," he shouted cheerfully.

[artemis]

Sekhmet smirked at Psylocke and started telling her. A few seconds later the two burst out laughing. She smiled slightly and heard Psylocke. "You know, I really didn't expect him to do that." Then the two of them again, burst into fits of laughter, if they ever got over it, they would be able to finally get on the cargo plane not that far from them. But from the looks of it right now, that wouldn't be happening any time soon.

The laughter stopped when Sekhmet spotted Juggernaut. She glared her attention turning back to Psylocke. Then her cell rang. "Bloody hell." She cast a glare at Juggernaut before she turned and answer. "Yes?"

She rolled her eyes at the answer, of course her contact would be calling her. "And what, ADA Duvall would you need from me, yet again?" She was being pushed to far and her temper was rising, but she held it in check. Juggernaut and Python could wait.

[Juggers]

His greeting was received with another burst of womanly laughter which baffled Cain slightly. He did a quick visual inspection of himself to make sure his flies wern't undone or something. Happily, he was not flying low.

The Juggernaut shrugged. Sekhmets' phone chose exactly that moment to ring, the jaunty little tone echoing slightly around the cavernous hanger. She answered it slightly irritably, clearly it was a call she didn't want to receive.

It had always slightly baffled the Juggernaut as to why people answered the phone to folks they didn't want to talk to. Modern cell phones told you exactly who was calling. If you didn't want to talk to them, then why answer? Cain dispensed with entire affair completely by not bothering to own a phone. There probably wasn't one he wouldn't have broken anyway.

He turned his attention to Psylocke.

"Not dead then," he stated the obvious, "last time I saw ya we were all near toasted by that crazy Grey bitch, how did ya get away?"

[shalimar]

Psylocke watched Sekhmet and shook her head, then she heard the question from Juggernaut. "I know. I teleported out through the shadows. I know how to avoid things when I need to." She turned to Sekhmet and waited until she hung up. "Well?" She asked her, she hoped they wouldn't have to go about another diversion. She smiled slightly when she realized from the look on the womans face that she had refused. "About time, Sekhmet." She told her slightly in a whisper, the two of them again almost coming into a laughter but they held it back. It wasn't the time.

[Juggers]

The Juggernaut shrugged his massive shoulders, "s'alright I 'spose, I'd rather take somethin' head on, but each to their own."

Sekhmet finshed her call, apparently satisfactorily, and snapped the phone shut. Quiet words were exchanged and both women looked amused. This was all something of a mystery to Cain. In fact women had been something of a mystery to him since his teenage years and he'd started noticing them as something more than a nuisance.

Mostly they didn't make sense. Things were simple and straight forward for the Juggernaut, he didn't see the point in dancing around something for the sake of niceties. The sooner something was said or done the sooner you could move on.

Woman tied all these complications to otherwise simple issues, changed mood unpredictably and had a pathological need to wash three times a day. They said things like, "fine," when they were not and, "nothing," when there was obviously something, but then expected you to do the work to find out exactly what it was with absolutely no clue at all.

And they went mental if you got it wrong!

Thinking about it made Cains head hurt.

"So, nice one on findin' Psylocke again, Pyro will be chuffed, got lots of new recruits for us?" He asked.

[artemis]

Sekhmet smiled at Psylocke and shook her head. She had told her contact no. Then she turned at Juggernauts question. "Actually Psylocke contact me, not the other way around." She inwardly laughed, she had told Psylocke about the recuits and the two smiled slightly shaking there heads.

There was no way she was telling Juggernaut. "Sorry, only tell Pyro." The two women laughed at this, of course she was, she had no problems with Pyro. The two of them walked onto the cargo plane, completely ignoring Juggernaut and talking amongst themselves.

[Juggers]

The Juggernaut turned as the women passed beneath his arms and into the hold. "You found her, she found you, just good to 'ave some of the old school back!"

He pulled the access ramp closed with a bang and stomped back towards the cockpit.

Python glanced over his shoulder at the pair of laughing women and grinned, "a very good morning to you ladies, Sekhmet my dear good to see you again and Psylocke, good to see you're still among the living."

He switched off the radio and dropped his feet down from the console.

"I trust we have good news for Pyro? We've been working hard on our advertising campaign and he'll want to know you havn't been idle while we've been hard at work."

The Juggernaut gave them both a smile and strapped himself into the large seat. At least the return flight would have better scenery.

A pair of engineers in hi-vis jackets were already refueling the plane ready for take-off courtesy of a call from Python and they would be on their way within half an hour. It would have been nice to get into the airport to buy some in-flight entertainment. A portable colour TV would have been nice. He put it on the list of things to buy once they got back to Genosha. There was no way he was making this many long distance flights again without something to keep him amused.

"So what should I tell John-boy," Python interrupted Cains' musing, "only he's going to want to know before we get there!"

[artemis]

Sekhmet smirked at this. She would figure it out eventually. She ignore Python, her conversation with Psylocke continueing. She knew they could probably make out a few words, but then again, considering how much laughter was erupting from the two women she doubted they could. That was her problem with people in New York. She had few things to do. But then again, she had done other things besides the advertising.

She turned her attention to Python. "Well, Pyro is going to have to wait." A smirk crossing her face before she turned back to Psylocke.

[shalimar]

Psylocke smirked at the reply Sekhmet gave Python. Then she heard the part about the ADA's asking Sekhmet to try a few cases for them. "They did what?" She asked, laughter underlying her tone. When she heard the answer it was clear the two of them burst into laughter. "Wait, they both asked that?" Again they both laughed. "Let me guess the Miami ADA asked that, then put you in contact with New York ADA who asked the same?"

She heard the answer. Pathetic.

[Juggers]

The Juggernaut stopped grinning and his shaved head creased into a frown. Something was definitely up. He looked over at Python whose usually cheerful smile had frozen half way across his face.

The two women continued their conversation oblivious, as if the world revolved around them.

A long moment passed for Cain and Python as each waited for the issue to be addressed.

It wasn't.

Then Python gave a decidedly forced laugh. "Wait huh?" He unbuckled his safety straps and rose to stand in the cockpit entrance, the same half-way cheerful smile still fixed on his face.

"Well you know what?" He said conversationally, "you can tell me now or you can damn well walk to Genosha because last time I checked," he looked at the surrounding aircraft for dramatic effect, "this was my damn plane and if you want to go anywhere on it, you can co-operate."

He smiled the whole time.

"Of course, if you want," he gestured, "there's the door."

[artemis]

Sekhmet raised an eyebrow at Python. "Ok, Python, Short version: Yes I did get more recuits. Long version: Well you don't want to hear that because that includes everything I'm telling Psylocke right now." Then she turned to Psylocke and the conversation continued.

"Actually, Psylocke, trust me, you didn't see the look on the New York ADA's face when I told him I was heading back down to Florida." When Psylocke heard the rest of that they burst out laughing. It was really something, right now they were interested in what Sekhmet was saying.

[Juggers]

Python burst out laughing, a rich, hearty laugh that suddenly stopped and vanished as quickly as his smile. He sat back down, strapped himself in and started doing the pre-flight checks. Switches clicked and dials turned, Python stared at a few, tapped them and nodded to himself.

A few minutes later the engineers finished refueling and retracted the heavy-duty hoses so that the plane could roll free of the hanger. With a few deft movements he reversed out into the taxi-lane and began the slow trundle to take-off point.

The radio popped and crackled, relaying instructions from the control tower about holding patterns and flight plans. Things proceeded smoothly.

Ten minutes and they were in the air, soaring above the Florida wetlands and still climbing. Cain looked down out of one of the tiny windows and watched the swamp-life below flee the shadow of the plane, disturbed by its noisy passage.

Moments later the craft banked sharply and started its climb to cruising altitude. The Juggernaut felt his stomach lurch and his ears popped as the air pressure shifted. Or it could be the lack of food for nearly ten hours.

"I'm bloody starving," he grumbled and began fumbling through one the seemingly unlimited number of storage boxes beneath the seats. The third box contained a bottle of water and a chocolate bar that might have been as old as time. He chomped it down without a second thought and took a swig from the bottle.

"Another thirty of them might hit the spot," he said sadly as his gut rumbled alarmingly. The change of air pressure was clearly affecting more than just his ears. With tremendous effort he scrunched up his face and cocked a leg.

A thunderous burst of flatulence followed which could very easily have been mistaken for turbulence had it not smelled quite so very wrong.

Cain gave the women a wide eyed look of feigned shock.

"Which one of you DIRTY bitches did that?"

[Juggers]

Continued in Connection