007 ✫ Voice

[useofaswhat]

[Is there a reason Mal is hijacking the network to publicly ask something he could just bug the Avengers about? Why yes, yes there is, and once again it comes down to the fact that he is a terrible warden. He doesn't know Natasha's room number, he can't reach her by communicator, he's hardly met half the Avengers, and thanks to reading through the logs he knows some serious shit went down that he was and remains helpless to deflect. She's given him no choice; he needs to get in touch with her, so he'll do it. He'll call her out.]

Anyone seen Nicole lately? You might know her as that crazy redhaired Russian killing machine? If anyone's talked to her or knows where she is, let me know.

I'm kinda worried about her.

[Private to Tony]

Hey you, loudmouth. What happened with your friend?

[Private to Simon]

Saw what you looked like as a kid. [Note the barely-hidden amusement. To his childlike mind, young Simon had registered as a sentient punching bag.] How bad didya get worked over?

Comments

[lastincident]

Just overnight.

[ Yup they're a secretive bunch. ]

[useofaswhat]

Gorram, that woman can hide like smoke in a cloud.

[lastincident]

Yes, she can. [ He gives a small smile, but it's gone quickly. ] She'll come to you when she's ready.

[useofaswhat]

[His laugh is there and gone just as quickly as Bruce's smile.] I don't think the Admiral's got that long.

[lastincident]

He better. [ Ivy's been here how long? If Ivy's got that kind of time, Natasha certainly does. ]

[useofaswhat]

Then I hope I got that long. [The more he sees of Natasha, the more he sees her similarities to River. And that's not a very encouraging comparison.]

[lastincident]

So do I. [ Bruce is quiet, for a moment. ]

Have you ever read Dr. Zimbardo's work on the nature of evil? I'm sure the library has a copy.

[useofaswhat]

Can't say I have. I learned all my nature of evil outta the Bible. Why?

[lastincident]

Zimbardo is infamous in my era for certain experiments in groupthink, human dynamics and the definition of evil outside of a religious framework. The Stanford Prison experiment was a prime example. He later refined his work from his early group power dynamics, and uses his work to explain how certain situations can make monters out of otherwise moral men.

I'm not going to go into the whole of his work -- if you're going to warden Natasha, however, you should be familiar with it. I think it can relate. Especially the concept of bad apples and bad barrels.

[useofaswhat]

She ain't a monster! Just – she don't know how to be a person quite yet 'stead of an attack dog. That ain't evil, that's just confused. [Someone's a little protective of his inmate (and everyone his inmate reminds him of).]

I'll check it out, but doc, all due respect? I don't need a study to tell me bad times make bad folk of good people, or that they turn out more.

[lastincident]

I know who the monster on the team is. [ And it isn't Natasha. ] But you're right, it isn't her.

Suit yourself.

[useofaswhat]

Hey! Cryptic! No cryptic 'less you wanna explain it!

[lastincident]

I'm sure you'll figure it out.