<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/1w6Sw.jpg)</div><hr/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>  Name:</strong>Abigail Brand<br/>  <strong>Title:</strong>Agent Brand or Ma'am or Miss. Not 'Hydra-Hair.'<br/>  <strong>Affiliation:</strong>  Resistance<br/>  <strong>Location:</strong> Port Said<br/>  <strong>Tags:</strong>Open, Nightcrawler<br/></span></span><hr/>The Suez Canal Authority Administration building somehow had escaped any major damage to the battle and thus was still being used as the resistance councils headquarters. The sun still hadn't risen as the Council was assembled again, this time at Director Brand's behest in order to discuss the recent revelations brought to her by Nightcrawler. Her vision panned around the now somewhat crowded basement conference room, noting Count Nefaria, just like before, was on the opposite end of the table flanked by an Italian Navy Admiral and one of those anonymous HYDRA types, probably an officer. Only in the wake of Apocalypse would the three of them be seen together.<br/><br/>Then again, that went for most everyone in this room.<br/><br/>As soon as everyone was settled, Director Brand decided to cut straight to the point. "Let me cut straight to the point. Apocalypse, the mutant in charge of this whole thing, heard about our victory and according to my scouts and intelligence, is planning on attacking us directly in the immediate future," the Director said in a frank manner. "And this time they aren't coming after prisoners. They're going to kill us all," she stated matter of factly. "We have to make preparations."<br/><br/>Almost immediately an uneasy atmosphere suddenly filled the room, with people exchanging curious glances and shifting of positions in seats as Abigail let her statement sink in. Unsurprisingly, it was the HYDRA goon who spoke up first, confronting Abigail immediately. "How did you come by this intelligence?" the HYDRA officer asked pointedly.<br/><br/>"I'm not revealing the sources. If they wish to, they can do so at their leisure," Director Brand replied immediately. "But I can assure you the intelligence is reliable," she then added.<br/><br/>"What's the time frame?" one of the Egyptian Generals then asked.<br/><br/>Director Brand shrugged. "Soon. But we probably won't know until our scouts to the south report of advances," Director Brand then stated, her eyes falling on Count Nefaria as she panned across the room, making sure to show that she wasn't intimidated by him in the slightest by his presence or his antics or his allies. "Regardless we should make preparations in making sure we remove all of the refugees and noncombatants from Port Said. If they cannot be sent offshore, they should be sent to Alexandria. Furthermore, in case we're overrun, we should make preparations for withdrawing to Alexandria along the Coastal Highway. With all of the transporation capacity tied up with the refugee evacaution, we're not going to be pulling off any Dunkirk operations."<br/><br/>"Why are we even considering retreat?" Count Nefaria suddenly asked, his voice almost booming through the chamber, unable to block out as he rose from his seat and stared right back at Director Brand. "I admire the fact we've evacuated almost all of the refugees, but while Director Brand heads up the evacuation, I would prefer to focus our efforts on the offensive. We have managed to strike a decisive blow to the enemy and much counterattack while the enemy is off balance.Before he can regroup."<br/><br/>"We've -," Director Brand started to reply.<br/><br/>"No we're not," Count Nefaria stated, arguing down her point before she could even make it. "This is an opportunity," he said raising a finger to her as if the gesture alone would silence her. "If what you say is true, and this Apocalypse mutant is going to attack then we must not abandon the opportunity presented to us. By exposing himself, he will have commited a grave error and we must take advantage of it."<br/><br/>"We barely held last time. What we need to do is offer a tactical retreat as part of a strategic offense," Director Brand tried to reason, her logic turning a few heads of those wearing military uniforms. "By not allowing him to dictate the battle, he'll expend energy on assaulting Port Said and allow us to fight him on our terms and further extend his forces, his lines of supply. Buy us time."<br/><br/>"NO!" suddenly shouted one of the civilian leaders, one of the Sheikhs or Imans that she had lost track of that represented this militant group or that political party or some other private militia. "No more time! Everyday that we wait, more of these mutants are created. More innocents perish. How can we retreat when the enemy offers battle? This attack, it is a sign of their desperation, not strength! We have shown them our power, and they fear it now!" the man shouted to a degree that surprised even Director Brand, as she found herself struck silent momentarily.<br/><br/>Capitalizing on the unexpected opportunity, Count Nefaria spoke up again. "Did you not defend Port Said in order to hold this area as a bastion to counterattack Apocalypse in Cairo after all? What changed your mind all of a sudden?" the villain asked pointedly as Director Brand frowned a bit at the corner of her lips as she realized Count Nefaria knew about her plan with the nuclear warheads.<br/><br/>She narrowed her eyes, wondering if he'd reveal in front of a room full of Egyptians that her master plan was to detonate a nuclear missile, an Israeli one no less, over Cairo in order to eliminate Apocalypse, if needbe. Glancing over to Agent Hariri, she saw her fellow Agent turn a shade more pale. Her face said it all. If that secret was revealed, neither of them were likely leaving this room alive. Nuking an Egyptian city that was still likely filled with thousands, if not tens of thousands of Egyptians, even if under Apocalypse's control, was something that they wouldn't be able to reconcile.<br/><br/>But instead Count Nefaria smiled, realizing the advantage was his. "You do not speak because you know it to be the truth," the supervillain stated. "I think our dear Director Brand has been overwrought by recent events. The destruction of her base, the death of so many of her people, and the fact that ever since she landed in Egypt, her people have been... retreating," he said grimly, driving the verbal knife into her ribs. "We should forgive her for this. I know personally she is not plagued by defeatism, but of weariness and stress. It is natural for a woman like her to be reluctant to risk even more, when she's lost so much already," he then added, suppressing the urge to smile as he used even her gender as her weakness. "Plus, being a mutant, she's had to overcome great mental hurdles in choosing to side with us over her brethren. That is the mark of true bravery."<br/><br/>Abigail's eyes grew even more wide, as hushed whispers and literal gasps of shock echoed through the room at the sudden revelation that this strange foreigner who had brought them together wasn't just a bit weird or eccentric, but an actual mutant. Director Abigail Brand was always curious, on an intellectual level, what it felt like to be figuratively emasculated, especially being a woman, and now she could experience it firsthand as the meeting literally moved beyond her, becoming a short and decisive discussion dominated by Count Nefaria over how to properly prepare for the possibility of Lord Apocalypse's attack and a counterattack that would follow.<br/><br/>Occassionally Nefaria would glance at the now silent Director, giving her a bit of a smile or an acknowledging nod, letting her know in a not so subtle fashion that he could've done so much more then just destroy her credibility before the council with a few honest words.<br/><br/>But it wasn't until after the meeting adjourned and Director Brand, surrounded by heavily armed SWORD agents that Count Nefaria let her truly know how easily he could've had her lynched by the very same people she had fought alongside the day before.<br/><br/>As they walked back to the Mosque that was their headquarters, Count Nefaria, alone and unescorted, simply levitated down upon the street before Director Brands platoon sized armed entourage, arms outstretched, palms facing outward as if showing that he was unarmed meant he couldn't wipe them out with a minimum of effort. "Director Brand, I cannot help but feel we got off on the wrong foot," the supervillain stated calmly, his feet touching the ground after making his Superman-esque appearance before her and her escort.<br/><br/>Abigail glanced to her sides, noticing Agent Duchamp and Fisher had their weapons leveled at the supervillain, a uselessly provocative gesture. She waved them to lower their guns and they immediately replied as in response Count Neferia lowered his arms to his side, his face almost beaming with a smile as the sun rose in the distance. "What do you want Count?" Abigail asked, stepping forward and crossing her arms across her chest, still not showing herself to be intimidated.<br/><br/>"I saved your life," Count Nefaria then stated truthfully.<br/><br/>"Then you almost tried to end it a few hours later," Abigail replied, equally honest.<br/><br/>He chuckled. "Is it true? About the so-called Lord Apocalypse coming here? At the head of another army?" he then asked.<br/><br/>"It is," Abigail replied, somewhat relieved that at least for the moment, Count Nefaria had put practical concerns before personal ones.<br/><br/>He nodded. "Well if you trust your 'scouts' then I have no reason to doubt you. I can tell you're one of those heroic types who are pragmatic enough to see the reality of the situation," Count Nefaria then stated. "So let me tell you the reality of this situation. We do not need to be enemies. We can work as allies. We have a common foe in Apocalypse and you have proven useful. That is the only reason I didn't tell the council about your abortive plot to use the nuclear missiles of Zionists to incinerate tens of thousands of their countrymen without the courtesy of telling them."<br/><br/>"How did you find out about the plan?" Abigail suddenly asked.<br/><br/>"Our... sorry I mean some of our allied aircraft saw the wreckage of the Israeli military convoy in the Sinai, right after the Mutants destroyed it. Apparently it was your fault. Your people thought Apocalypse wasn't listening to your lines of communication with the Israeli's when in fact, you led them right to the closest nuclear arsenal that could've threatened them," Nefaria stated matter of factly. "It was a good plan. Very coldhearted of course, but I like that."<br/><br/>Abigail rolled her eyes, provoking another chuckle to rise from the villains lips. "The reason I'm here," Count Nefaria stated. "Is that when this current state of affairs is dealt with, I would like your support in helping re-establish a semblance of authority in this part of the world. I promise that your cooperation will be lavishly rewarded."<br/><br/>Abigail looked up at him. "Here's my counter offer. You help me deal with Apocalypse, and support me in helping re-establish a semblance of authority in this part of the world, and I promise you amnesty for your many, many, many crimes."<br/><br/>The supervillain didn't frown, but his smile disappeared, a drawn out, exaggerated sigh escaping his lips before he looked down at her and shook his head slowly. "Is the reason your so stubborn because of that utterly pretentious broadcast by that Tony Stark fellow? Tell me, what forces does he have deployed in the area? How many battalions? Ships? Weapons? Anything? Or just words from halfway around the world? Only I possess the power to defeat Apocalypse and when I do, only I will have the influence and power to shape the world that follows after." He leaned in even closer. "I've defeated the Avengers before you realize. One lonely heartbroken playboy in a tin suit will be less of a challenge."<br/><br/>"Listen Count... we'll cooperate. Don't worry about that," Abigail stated flatly. "I'm under no illusions as to who the greater threat is here and for what it's worthy, when Apocalypse does arrive here, I hope that you face him down and send him straight to hell because I actually agree, you are the only one who can stop Apocalypse. Not me. Not Tony Stark. Not anyone else. And if you do that, I'll hear you out. But until then... you're just a big talker as far as I'm concerned. No different then Tony only unlike him, you can actually do something about it. Fair enough?" she asked, wanting to sound provocative, but not condescending.<br/><br/>He was Count Luchino Nefaria after all.<br/><br/>Count Nefaria smirked and then barely nodded in agreement, before literally flying off so fast, the resulting shockwave knocked the Director, and her entire entourage, flat on their butts coughing in the dust of his wake.<br/><br/>"What an asshole," Agent Fisher grunted between coughs as she waved aaway the dust cloud that enveloped them.<br/><br/>Abigail however was all smiles.<br/><br/>Maybe Nightcrawler would get the epic showdown that they both wanted to see.