Bonder and Batteries

Participants:

abby2_icon.gif alec_icon.gif

Scene Title Bonder and Batteries
Synopsis It's Alec to the rescue as he comes across Abigail with her non-functioning scooter. She doesn't know who he is but over the next while as they fethc a new battery, it becomes pretty evident who he is and there's a wee bit of a heart to heart and even some generosity on his part.
Date May 24, 2009

Lower East Side

The Lower East side is one of the oldest neighborhoods in New York City. Starting south of East Hudson Street and west of the East River, it is also bordered by Chinatown and the East Village. Tenemant housing is very prominent here, as well as many religious structures and more than a few excellent kosher delis and bakeries. For those in search of entertainment, the Lower East is home to many bars and live music venues.


"No. No, no, no, no, no, no" Abigail's hands are on either temple, fingers in her hair and holding onto the dark red locks. "This is not happening. Sweet heavenly father this is not happening" The healer curses, in her own way. The engine had just up and quit. just like that. "no, no Lazarus, please, you can't die on me, I don't have Elvis to fix you" Abigail whines, kneeling down beside the shimmery pea green and cream colored scooter, hand laid on it's seat. "Come on, I don't know how to fix you"

Alec is not a psychologist, but he knows a damsel in distress when he sees one. Sadly, he cannot hear her cries due to the helmet on his head and the whine of the powerful engine between his knees. Sad… because he may have laughed himself retarded. He lets his bike purr to a stop as he flies past her, then turns it around and comes back. The visor flips open, "What happened?" he asks, trying not to show his surprise when he sees who it is. Well now. Didn't expect that.

"I dunno. It's broken, I think. It just stopped" She's no where near in tears, it's more upset that it's broken. Classic Vespa, really classic. Something that was lovingly resurrected and fixed. "I dunno how to fix it. It's not like it's a blankety blank blanking tire. I can change a tire" she'd read up on it and practiced on changing it. She sighs and shoves her key into the lock so that she can lift the seat and grab her messenger bag from inside. "My mechanic's not answering either" Grumble grumble. Sunday of all days.

Alec quirks a brow and reaches up to tug his helmet free, "Want me to take a look at it? Outside of being devilishly good looking and remarkably charming I'm also handy with a wrench." he patpats his much less classic Hyabusha as it purrs next to them, making the sound that only tons of power can make when crammed into a tiny space.

Abigail looks up and over from her crouched position, taking a good look at Alec. Handsome, well yeah, but she's not swooning. Likely not even if she was in the market. "If you know anything by all means, please, I'm gonna miss late service" Grim line set to her mouth as she clutches her phone in her one hand, ruffling her red hair in the other. "I shoulda taken a stupid mechanics class instead of british history" Southern tones are drawn out and slurred. She'd kick the scooter's tire if she didn't dearly love the thing.

Alec just quirks a brow, "Service?" he asks in a tone that suggests he's more curious then anything. The thought of church doesn't even cross his mind. He hops off the bike and fishes a set of tools from the saddle bag, "Let's see here…" he moves over and squats next to the scooter. He pauses and then offers his hand, "Alec." he says by way of greeting, "Nice to meet you." he then turns his attention to the engine and does the 'guy' thing.

Why do people always want to shake hands. ignore it! Ignore it! maybe he'll not offer to shake. So instead of taking the hand she pretends to not see it, shifting around to make room for him near the back of the scooter, working the latches that keep the engine and storage covered. "Church service. Nice to meet you Alec" Oblivious to who he is. "It just stopped. I checked the gas and it's fine, everything that I do know, is fine. Won't even turn on anymore" She pats the seat of the bike. "Poor Lazarus"

Alec reads people well, one has to when one is in his … well, many lines of business. The fact that his name doesn't register surprises him but he doesn't let it show. "Well, if it won't turn over it means you have battery issues most likely." he says evenly, letting his hand drop and not seeming to take offense at her lack of shake. "Which means we have to purchase you a new one. We could jump it, but it would only last until the next time you cut it off. If that's the case, you may be having troubles greater then your battery, namely your recharger, they call it an alternator on cars. Let me test the voltage on the battery and we'll see." he offers a reassuring smile and plucks up a doohickey from the other saddle bag where his regular work stuff sits, "Lazarus huh? Lazarus, meet Liz, Liz, Laz." he points at his bike, apparently named 'Liz'.

"Named your bike Liz?" Abigail smiles at the irony. "Lazarus. Because my mechanic pretty much brought him back from the dead in the scrap heap and they all deserve names" Abigail can appreciate "Liz" though. The news about the battery though. 'Where in the good lords name do I get a battery for my scooter if it's the battery? It's not like they just sell then at Walmart" Wahllmar she pronounces it. "A boost'll do me, to get it running if that's the issue. Anything, till I can get it home, or to the nearest.. scooter… place" Up from the ground she rises, hands on her hips.

Alec grins a bit, "Liz. One that got away." he explains simply, "Bought her about, oh, a month ago?" he wishy washies his hand to show he's not sure. "Actually, vespa's are pretty easy to get batteries for, they used to run on the old boat batteries, and decent mechanic can get one that'll fit and work fine. Shouldn't take much really." he smiles reassuringly, "Jump it is." he puts his tools away and starts to dig out some cables, "Real danger is if it's the recharger, that could put you back a pretty penny."

Please don't say that. The pretty penny. Well. If it does.. "Thank the good Lord for living close to where I work. If it is, i'll just pick up more shifts. What do I gotta do then Alec? Anything? Or just stand back and pray that it's not the recharger?"

Alec chuckles, "Well, if for whatever reason it's not the recharger, then you should be good for a little while. The battery will recharge as you ride so long as the charger's good. It'll mean you should take it for a long run around a couple of blocks, make sure you build up a good charge in it before you stop it next time. Then, if in the morning it starts again, you'll know you left the lights on or there's a short of something, which is cheaper and still fixable. If it's dead in the morning…" he gives her a meaningful look.

"If it's dead in the morning it means that I need to find Elvis and have her work her magic and work my credit card" Abigail smiles. "Didn't leave the lights on, it's daylight. Thank you very much Mr. Bonder, for this. Your chivalry in this day and age, I am very grateful for"

Alec snorts, "Chivalry is dead kiddo, luckily for you you're a friend of a friend otherwise I'd be trying to get into your pants." Alec's charming enough, but he's still a guy and he tends to be dreadfully honest… about little things anyway. It keeps people off their game usually. "But, if you wanna think of me as a knight in shining armor I'll take it. I could use all the good PR I can get these days." he offers her a disarming smile as he attaches the leads to the batteries.

Friend of a friend. Which makes her wonder who that friend is and… There's a hint of worry and distrust in the eyes of the red head. "Please tell me your friends name is not Adam Monroe. Because if it is, then i'll ask you to take your stuff and leave, I don't need his … friendship"

Alec just chuckles and points a thumb at his bike, "Why do you think I named her 'Liz'?" he asks as he stomps his starter and fires up his bike, letting the charge help out her wee scooter. "Otherwise I woulda named it Adam, doncha think?"

"Oh" Well, color her surprised, and a little red cheeked. "Liz never mentioned any Alec Bonder. I don't see her often but.." but she's always had no problem telling Abby stuff that was phoenix related. "How'd you know I was a friend of hers? I don't exactly run around with a big ol' sign that says 'friend of Officer Harrison' on my back do I?" She mock looks over her shoulder.

Alec snickers a bit, "Oh I'm sure she mentioned me, just not sure she used names that were flattering. Bastard, fucker, cocksucker, these may have been mentioned, possibly 'that guy I'm gonna shoot in the face', but that's a bit long even for her." he grins at Abby and nods at the scooter, "Try to start her up." he suggests, "No sign, but I know who you are. I'm spooky and stuff like that."

Oh. Him.

The flare of knowledge is easy to see, even as Abby moves, straddling her scooter in her skirt and leather jacket, starting up her scooter. Trying to at least. Nothing. Not a single thing from the scooter and there's a dejected look on her face. "Well… fuck" She swears.

Alec winces, "Sorry babe. Tell you what, you hop on and I'll give you a ride to the store, see if they don't have an acceptable battery to last out the day and tomorrow you can drive it to this 'Elvis' person of yours." he disconnects the leads and wraps up the cables, packing them away. "Way I see it I owe you too."

"My mechanic is missing. If you're that man, then you probably know that already. I'll try and find someone though. Elvis worked on this for free because I scraped her rear off a highway after she done messed up" Keys start locking up her Scooter, worried someone might opt to try and break it down into pieces in the time it'll take to try and get a battery. But the messenger bag over her shoulder, marking down the type of battery, Abigail seems resigned to at least doing something. "I hope you haven't gone around and talking about my gift have you? Or what you heard those… nights" Like the screaming.

Alec shakes his head, "The tailed me first." he says with the tone of someone quickly growing tired of justifying himself, "And while I might be a bit of a bastard, I'm not a total dick. What I learn I keep to myself." he unhooks the extra helmet off of it's place at the rear of the bike and hands it over, "Besides, if I did that don't you think she'd stop talking about me and start hiding the body?"

"She does have a temper on her when it's riled" Abby agrees. Her own green helmet with it's white stripe is slid over her head, visor up so she can talk. His extra helmet is waved off as she prefers and trusts her own to someone else. "Didn't know they tailed you. Sorry, I'm not Phoenix, or ferryman. I'm… rogue. Bout the best thing to describe me. Not even a faction I'm just.." Abby shrugs, clipping the strap into place.

Alec nods his head, "Yeah. I'm just the help now. Worthy cause and all that." He grins over his shoulder at her, "Hold on, this beast has a lot of power and I like putting it through it's paces…." he flips his own visor down and waits for her arms to slide around him. Once they do, talking becomes a moot point. Alec drives fast. The whine of the engine fills the ears of those atop it and the world whips by with alarming speed. At least he stops at red lights!

Up onto the motorcycle, one last glance for her scooter and the red head is holding on for dear life, arms around his chest. The side of her helmeted cheek pressed to his back and watching the world go by much faster than it does with her scooter. Mind you, her scooter goes much faster than most normally do anyways. Thank you Elvis. No point in talking, Alec wouldn't hear her.

The world slows, eventually, and comes to a gentle stop. Alec drops a leg off the peg and props the bike up, "You can lemme go now, unless of course you're just fishing for a hug." he quips as he cuts the engine and glances back at Abby.

"I don't like touching" Little wonder really, from what he'd heard from Liz's apartment. But it dated further back than that. But she lets go, quickly and as soon as possible, sliding off the bike and removing her helmet.

Alec huh's, "Must make sex a real bitch." he says as he tugs his own helmet free. "Which makes me sad." He turns to her, "So, what's the plan beautiful?"

Yeah, she doesn't generally let her mind devolve to thinking about what happens between a man and a woman. "Plan was to get a new battery?" That had been the plan unless it had changed while on the back of his bike. "Last I knew, and then get me back to my scooter so I can get it home and see if I can find my mechanic. Mr Bonder, also, I'm not them, the burning bird. So I don't rightly know what came between you and them. I'm just someone they know with useful skills that they call on when it's needed"

Alec chuckles a bit, "Alec. Not Mr. anything please. I'm not that old yet." he sets the bike in place and engages the lock before tucking the helmet under and arm and heading for the store's doors, "Alright then, battery shopping it is." he eyes her, "Ever consider using a different mechanic?"

"Gonna have to. She's the best I've seen and she worked for free" At least she's not walking into the store clueless and likely to get sold the wrong thing that she needs. "Mr. Bonder" She's slightly old world. "So I take it you and Liz aren't doing so well?"

Alec barks a laugh, "She's punched me in the face and then threatened to shoot me twice." the greeter at the door hears those words and just gives Alec an understanding nod of his head. One imagines the man must be married. Alec just winks and then leads Abby back through the giant place towards the automotive area, "Mostly she's mad at herself for liking me and not seeing that I'm a manipulative cockbite. It turns out that informing her that I've been a manipulative cockbite for like three times as long as she's been a cop and thereby had the advantage, wasn't a good decision." he smiles fondly, "She's so /serious/."

"Can we maybe, possibly, not.. use such language around me? Please?" He's worse than Teo. "I guess it's a matter of two wounded ego's then? Since she trailed you and you trailed her?" She looks left and right as they go. "She calms down. Eventually. She had a couple broken bones after someone we knew came after her for information and then me. She was upset with me. Really upset with me. But she's over that now, it seems"

Alec shakes his head, "Abby," he doesn't stand on tradition much, "in my line of work ego gets you in more trouble then anything else. Trust me, I have no dignity or shame and I'm extremely self aware." something about that statement seems to amuse him because he barks a single laugh, "Self aware… oh that's priceless." he shakes his head, "I do many things, but violence isn't one of them. I have a foul mouth and love my vices more then I should, but at heart I'm a gentleman. Violence is for those who's ability to logically handle a situation has failed miserably. Simply put, violence is for the stupid and the lazy, I'm neither." he pauses, then adds, "And I'm a coward. Totally okay with running away like a little girl." see? No dignity what so ever.

She doesn't know how to handle him. She really doesn't. "Mr. Bonder.. just.. how much do you think I know about you?" At least she's not the only one to turn tail and run. "I don't know what you do for work only that Liz was upset with you and that you're privy to how my.. night are spent"

Alec shakes his head, "Oh you know absolutely nothing about me." he admits just as freely, "But I need a sounding board and currently you're kinda stuck with me so tag… you're it." he offers her another of his crooked smiles and stops before the battery rack, "Ta-da. See if they have what you need. Oh, and just so you know, I'm an engineer. I build things, like right now I'm one of the cheif specialists working on the bridge."

"I can see why she wanted to shoot you in the head" She mutters, kindly, under her breath. Digging out the piece of paper, the red head squats down, comparing what she wrote down with what she see's. "I'm just a bartender" Who heals. "Going to school to be an EMT. But it's good. That the bridge is being fixed. Then they can get the cops out there and clean up that hellhole"

Alec chuckles a little, "I'm a reformed ne'er do well, a street hooligan who saw the errors of his ways and has turned himself into a productive member of society." he eyes her, "EMT huh… seems like a good fit. I should ask why not just a doctor, the full on sort, why stop at an Ambulance?"

"I'm not smart enough for it Mr. Bonder. Before you say like other have told me that I'm as smart as I want to be, I have a GED, and that's it. I've spent the last two years working at a diner and then a bar. I was home schooled. I'm not the kind that gets into Medical school and I surely am not the kind who can afford it in the first place. I'm affording by the good graces of a mysterious benefactor who pays for my books and my tuition and a very rent friendly apartment" Succes… failure, not the batter. over to the next shelf. "I also don't like taking money for God's gift. EMT will do me right proper and I won't be needing to actually pray to god for to help anyone"

Alec blinks. Gods gift. He smirks at that too, "First time I've ever heard of anyone calling something that came about the evolution a religious boon." he says with a small smile, "Good PR though I imagine. And I wasn't about to give you a line of feel-good crap about being good enough. Maybe you're not smart enough, maybe you don't have it in you to be a doctor…" he shrugs, "Either way it's nice to know someone else out there realizes that not everyone can be whatever they want to be." Behind the goofy smile and the attempts at charm lies an extremely cynical hard man. It's something in the eyes.

"Thank the heavens cause I don't need another lecture. It's tough enough as it is" now there really is success, there's the battery she needs. It's scooped up in her arms with a glance to the price tag. "Okay, check out Mr. Bonder and then you can get me back to my bike and show me how to install it" Someone out there who's not rah rah, go go, you can do it, reach beyond your stars. An EMT she can do. Doctor? No. There's not gonna be a Dr. Beauchamp in the future. "And it is, to me, Mr. Bonder, a thing of my religion" Come on. Healing. How religious an ability can you get. "I lay on hands, and I mend the hurts if the good lord provides"

Alec nods his head, "Of course you do." he says in a tone that suggests that while he understand she beileves it, he doesn't. "We'll have to agree to disagree." he leads the way back to the registers, taking the battery from her to carry it himself without seeming to realize he's doing it. He really /does/ like to be a gentleman, "So, other then being a good church going gal who heals the sick and drives a Vespa, what is there to the life of an Abigail Beauchamp?"

"I work in Old Lucy's" Abigail proffers up, relinquishing the battery. She's fine with him carrying it. She's already getting her wallet out in anticipation. "Take classes at Columbia that I need before I can enter into the EMT school. I guess, you were listening in not long after I'd been brought back from Staten" She breaks out a credit card , getting ready to wait in line. "And yes, Old Lucy's. Where the girls dance on the bar every hour and hose down people with water and tequila"

Alec grins a bit, "So the choir girl who spends her days walking on water and making like the Christ Child spends her nights tending bar at a madhouse. I gotta tell you kiddo, I like you more and more with every passing breath." he holds up the battery so the lady can scan it. He offers her a flirty smile as if it was as much habit as anything else.

'And I"m starting to see why she wants to beat you in the head, but why you're also pretty much her type" Abby answers. The total rung up and card passed over, in a few moments it's signed, everything squared away and Abby has a battery for her scooter. "You should like, apologize. Olive branch it first"

Alec chuckles a bit, "I hear she has horrible taste in men." he says with a grin, not at all denying Abby's words, "I did apologize, the night I told her everything I had found out and again when I ran across her on the ferry. She's not the sort to let a grudge go lightly though." he eyes her, "Am I really so frustrating?"

"Sorta" Abby points out. "I don't really know what to make of you, so. Have you thought about just cooling it for a bit? Or maybe, you know" She racks her mind. "well, asking someone that she knows, to you know, vouch for you? Or speak good of you, that you've reformed from the jerk you were?"

Alec shakes his head, "No." he admits freely, "Because I haven't reformed. I'm still a jerk, the difference is now I'm a jerk that works for their side. Look, I'm a pleasent man, really. I don't smoke, I rarely if ever drink, my chosen vice are, sure, varied and wicked, but nothing horrible or unspeakable. I build buildings, help raise communities destroyed in disasters natural or otherwise, and I'm very very good at it. I make no apologies for the way I am. For the things I do? On occasion, sure, but for just being me?" he waves the thought away with a hand before strapping her battery onto the back of his bike. "I am simply what I am, and before she found out I knew her secrets that was good enough for her. Either it's still good enough now that she knows I know, or it's not. But until she decides I'm still gonna hold out hope." For a moment something like regret flickers across his face, but it's gone quickly, "She was the only one that I know that liked old movies and music as much as I do." he tosses a leg over the bike, "Hop on beautiful, lets get you back on your own wheels."

"I think, really, that's it's the whole betrayal of trust thing" she points out. 'Not so much that you know her secrets. And if it was just her secrets that you knew, I doubt there'd be this much… REOW" Abby makes a little hand motion of claws and a hissing sound. "It's that you know some of mine.. and others"

Alec nods his head, "Understandable, which is why I'm not pursuing her. At this point the decision to speak with me is hers and hers alone." he straps on his helmet and once more waits for Abby's arms before kicking the beast to life, "Trust me, your secrets aren't so dark as others I keep."

"No, they aren't" She agrees. "But ti doesn't make them any the less important and personal" Helemt now slid on, visor down, she settles on the bike and her arms around the other man.

Alec is still for a moment as if the argument of knowing someone's secrets was an intimate thing hadn't even crossed his mind. He glances over his shoulder at Abby, the visor of his helmet hiding the sharply cryptical stare he gives her for a moment. Hrm. He turns back forward and with a squeeling tire and a puff of white smoke they're off to the races again, breaking speeding limits, but not so much as to be singled out. He pushes the limits, he doesn't break them forcefully.

And Abigail's once more holding on, just as tight, glad for the red lights. She's wondering what the hell that look to her was about. What? Did he think that she liked him knowing that she woke screaming in the middle of the night about men cutting out tongues with glowing green eyes or other things that plague her dreams. No. It was personal. She didn't like that anyone knew. Was a matter of pride more than anything.

The scooter is soon before the pair of them, and pulls up along side it. He tugs the helmet off and sets it aside before going to get the tools from the saddle bag, "I know it's likely very little consolation, but if you like I could destroy the record of your conversation with Liz." he offers without looking up as he starts to remove the old battery. His tone is flippant, as if it weren't a big deal at all. Pay no attention to the feelings behind the curtain.

'"Could you?" Abigail inquires, crouching down beside him and her helmet put away. A glance up to him and then back down to removing the covers to access the old battery and then letting him take it away. "It would.. be good. I'd like that. I don't rightly know what you have of me but.. Just… Whatever isn't relevant to what you were looking for" In other words, the talks about what she went through, and whatever he might have caught about her nightmares.

Alec still doesn't look at her, instead he seems focused on the job at hand, "I could." he says simply, his tone still easy as if it really weren't a big deal. "Can you hand me that pair of pliers? Your lead is stuck. Gotta jiggle it."

She knows what pliers are and susses them out quickly enough, a slender long fingered hand holding them out for him. "She's hurt Mr. Bonder, Alec. Why did you do it? I can guess why they did it, tailing you. Why they did it first. If it's any consolation, they do it to everyone. They did it even to me. Show'd up at the diner after they first found out what I could do. It was to protect themselves"

Alec nods his head, "Odd. You just asked and answered your own question didn't you?" he asks plainly. "Why did I run counter recon when I spotted someone doing recon on me? To protect myself. If you had been able to spot them following you before they came to you, what would you have done?" he asks as he drags the old battery out and sets the new on in. He starts to reattach it. More involved then on a car after all.

"I tend to do that" A slight groan from the red head. "I'm not the smartest straw in the stack at times. You were protecting yourself. Fair enough. Me?" Abigail watches the connecting, recounting in her mind what she'll need to get to fix this particular issue if it crops up again. "Well now, i'm not you. I'm me. I'm Abigail who places her faith in god wholly and completely. If it's meant to be then, things will find a way to be and the good Lord will deliver in his many ways"

Alec doesn't comment on that and perhaps that's a blessing. His views on god are far less charitable. He eyes the Vespa and nods at it, "See if she'll start."

And nothing says that views have to match. Digging the keys from her pockets, she slides them into ignition. A swiftly murmured prayer and she turns it, the Vespa giving a complaint but it turns and catches. "Thank the lord you came along Mr. Bonder. OR else I'd have still been groaning on the side of the street here"

Alec smiles a little and nods, "Sure thing. Don't forget, if it doesn't start tomorrow once you turn it off, you need to get it into a mechanic right away, otherwise it was just a dead battery and the problem should be fixed. Careful though, don't want to have it die just anywhere. If you have to stop someplace that's not your home, disconnect the leads here and here that way the battery won't drain while it sits."

'Yes Sir" Said a little cockily but with a big smile, making note of the leads and the like. "If you come across any good mechanics, just leave a message at the bar, or come on down" Abby offers. "Your a good Man Mr Bonder. I think.. " Well she thinks a lot of things. "Well. I think Elisabeth will come around, sometime"

Alec chuckles softly, "I'm a lot of things Abigail, charming, funny, moderately skilled in bed but nothing fantastic, and a hell of a poker player, but a good man?" he shakes his head, "I'll settle for an honest man with my friend and a frightening one for my enemies. Just try not to be so naive as to mistake honesty with virtue. You're a cute kid, don't get yourself into any more trouble okay? Cause I don't wanna have to be all heroic and come save you a second time. There's only so much Knight In Shining Armor I can do before they revoke my asshole card." he stands and wipes his hands on a rag before packing everything up. He even straps the old battery onto her scooter for her, so she can dispose of it later.

"Even good people can be assholes Mr. Bonder, or jerks." She points out. "Or murders" Satisfied that everything's in working order and a ringing cell phone in her pocket. "A couple rounds of drinks on the house, should you ever show up at the Bar"

Alec grins, "Now you're just flirting with me. Keep that up and I'll flirt back." he promises as he hops up on his own bike. Another puff of white smoke and he's gone, not waiting for her rebuttal. Inwardly he ponders this turn of events and frowns. Naw. Feeling sorry for someone is a suckers bet. He makes a point of hardening himself again and turns to make a detour. He should go count his various accounts. Counting his money always makes him feel better…


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