Participants:
| Scene Title | Cruel Angel's Hypothesis |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | A whole lotta intel comes to light. |
| Date | October 15, 2013 |
Magnes and Elaine's Home
It's the middle of the afternoon, late 2013, and Magnes has asked Elisabeth and Isabelle to take a seat on the couch in the basement, and handed them the file he's been pacing around with. He asked them to come over to tell them some rather important developments, though this seems to be the big, most pressing one to him.
Name: Peter J. Varlane
DOB: 3/22/41
DOD: 5/11/2010
Classification: Special
Designation: Cellular Replication
Observation: Bishop, Robert
Role: Non-affiliated, executive management of pharmaceutical arm of Company, Biomere Corporate Holdings LLC.
Notes: Antisocial personality disorder stemming from untreated adult-age trauma. Willingness to perform morally questionable activities provided proper reinforcement. Strong familial loyalty.
Not Company material. Keep on close observation.
Pinehearst Update 5/11/10: Accidental death via collateral damage in FBI raid on Company holdings. Survived by wife, Donna, residing in Costa Verde, CA.
FAMILY NOTES
Marital Status: Married
Spouse: Donna "Dawn" Varlane (née Ashford)
Date of Marriage: 11/8/1960
Children: Son (Magnes J. Varlane; deceased), Daughter (Felicia Varlane; deceased), Daughter (Unknown; estranged)
MAGNES J. VARLANE
DOB: 2/8/68
DOD: 2/8/88
Notes: Exposed to what would later be classified as the Shanti Virus during a family trip to India in 1973. Survived for 14 years with the disease. If assessment is correct, longest-recorded survival time for Shanti Virus. Health was maintained by father's ability. Died 2/8/88.
MAGNES J. VARLANE (Alpha Clone)
DOB: 2/8/88
Notes: Biologically replicated from original son by cellular copy of brain tissue by way of Pete Varlane’s ability. Clone created at newborn development level. Claimed to be birthed at home, normal birth certificate filed. Afflicted with Frontotemporal dementia and Huntington’s disease. Attempts at curing, both Evolved and non have only mitigated and delayed new onset. Believed to be repercussions of cloning process.
MAGNES J. VARLANE (Tertiary Clones)
DOB: Varies
Notes: Biologically replicated from Alpha clone. Typically suffer fatally degenerative cerebral issues within 2-3 years. Cloned from Alpha Clone’s current age, born “fully adult” but with some psychological irregularities. Unknown number of tertiary clones active at any one time. Each requires cerebral tissue sample from Alpha clone.
MAGNES J. VARLANE (Aberrant Clone)
DOB: 5/7/2006
Notes: Biologically replicated from Alpha clone. Was abandoned after believed to be experiencing cerebral decline. Has managed to stay plateaued at higher than expected functional levels since cloning date in 2006. Brought in for bag and tag examination. Appears to not be suffering from other tertiary clones’ degeneration. Pete backed away for wider observation.
Magnes crosses his arms, wearing his white button up and black tie, wordlessly waiting as the two share the file between them.
It takes a moment, when they seem to be almost done, to say, "Aberrant Clone."
Allowing that to linger in the air, he then says, "I'm seven years old."
It's difficult to read his emotion behind it. It's perhaps something like shock, or some deadpan almost-humor at the absurdity of it all.
Elisabeth reads the file, and then reads it again. Blue eyes narrow thoughtfully. "Well, now…. That might explain a lot of things, Magnes." Like… some of the crazy superhero antics and other things. "Assuming this is true of you as well as the one here… certain kinds of behavior and impulse control can only be developed through interaction and age, as I understand basic brain development." She had a baby — of course she read at least some things on how an infant's brain develops from conception to some later age!
Shaking her head, she sighs heavily. "Are you okay?" she asks him. Because that's the most important part of this — whether he is going to be okay. And then tackling the second elephant in the room, she observes in a low voice, "And since I don't believe there is such a thing as coincidence when we're discussing all of this madness… are you thinking that Isabelle is the unknown?" Because that seems a reasonable question in this instance.
"Ashford." is all Magnes says to that. "And this is exactly what happened. In 2006 is when my father abandoned me and said I could be replaced and stuff. I was born only months before I told my father I wanted to go live on my own and didn't want to go to college yet."
There is silence from the brunette woman as she looks down at the files. Face unreadable as she goes through the facts. The name Ashford peeking out at her. Nose wrinkling as she looks back up at the other two centering her gaze on Magnes just like Liz. “Are you okay?” Reiterating Elisabeth's earlier questions. That is important to both women, his stability.
“You're a big fucking seven Mags.”
Forehead wrinkling as Isa spreads her hands and then looks up at the ceiling. “I have news too.” And the pyrokinetic walks out of the room before coming back shortly with a file of her own. “I.. uh.. did one of those ancestry websites.” A shrug of her shoulders. Handing it over to the two, they seem to be files on the entire Ashford line. What’s most notable is that Thalia and this timeline’s incarnation of Isabelle were alive. “Parents still dead but I’m alive? .. and apparently living in fucking Manhattan… and…my sister. Thalia is living in Costa Verde..” trailing off as she looks at Magnes and then Liz. “Where your mother lives.” This last bit should make Isa more excited but it's making her confused. “Do you see that?” Pointing to the line that's the most wild of all.
“Your Mother is my fucking great aunt.”
"I'm okay, I mean… other than the possibility that I might suddenly degenerate and implode or something, the fact that my entire life is a lie, you know, things like that." Magnes shrugs, clearly bothered, but then he listens to Isabelle.
"Oh and I guess I banged my cousin oh well!" He just throws his hands up and starts walking in random circles around the basement.
"We're going to Costa Verde. But before that, I have other things to tell you. Like, the fact that I'm working for Pinehearst now." he randomly drops that bomb, despite all of his current stress.
Pulling in a slow breath, Elisabeth looks between the two of them. “Holy shit,” she murmurs, dragging her hands down her face. Magnes has just handed her something of a shitstorm. “Wait, you’re what? When the hell did that come down?”
As she sits there with Isabelle, her mind is working fast and furious. “Your research. They realized what you’re working on,” she answers her own question. “Okay… I have about 500 questions for that part, but since we’re on the part of disclosures here, it might be time I make mine as well. The Liz that lives in this world… was not born in this world. And I wasn’t born in ours, Magnes. This machine they’re working on… when Michelle got it running last time? People came through. Just like we did from Alaska. We cannot allow Arthur Petrelli to be the man in control of this tech. But we already agreed there’s really no way to stop this mess. So… I’m okay with a keep your enemies closer strategy here, as long as you understand he’s probably doing exactly the same damn thing. How many of us does he know about?” The last is a demand — Magnes doesn’t keep secrets well.
“I've already been getting tickets.” Whether Magnes was gonna join or not, she was going to California. The admission that he's with her. Makes her smile. Alright.. Cuz.” Running her tongue over the front of her teeth. That didn't really feel to weird, not at all. Isa listens to both Magnes and Liz’s confessions and she holds onto the arm of her armchair with a dazed expression.
“Alright!”
She yells and hops to her feet before walking into the kitchen, cabinets open and slam. The pyrokinetic reruns shortly with a bottle of… no not her moonshine that's in the fucking basement though Izzy has half a mind to grab it. Maybe after this round, it's alcohol and it's brown. And she slams three glasses down, “All these fucking secrets and enemies and fucking, god damnit!” shoulders roll the last bit of her mutterings said a bit louder than the rest. Thrusting a glass in Magnes’ hand and then in Liz’s with a look that reads if you don't fucking drink with me I'm going to burn this whole world down, Isa slams back the whiskey and rapidly pours another drink. Looking Glass.. Pinehearst. Other worlds. She's dizzy and she wants Shaw here.
“Okay, please.” Massaging her forehead as she sits with legs open and elbow on knees cradling the drink in her hands. “Explain?”
Both of you.
"This was recent, I wanted to be sure of what was going on. Rich, the one who worked with Michelle LeRoux, came to my lab and, well, it was a long discussion, but by the end I realized that I'd put you all in more danger by not joining Pinehearst." Magnes explains, already taking sips of his drink.
He drags a stray chair over with gravity, and sits across from Elisabeth and Isabelle. "I met with Arthur, we had a long discussion, and, well, they already have a device that'll be able to communicate with other words, this is separate from Looking Glass. They need my help with it, to communicate. I'm inclined to."
Looking to Elisabeth more than Isabelle, to gauge her reaction, he does get to her question. "They know about Isabelle and Elaine, because they live with me and it would have been pretty much impossible to keep that to myself. Not only that, but in about ten years, they'll have a satellite that'll be able to detect people from other worlds."
"This is all… there's not much we can do except try to see if maybe Arthur will actually do some good with this stuff, or try to convince him to. If we don't, we're kind of screwed." He stares down at his hand, admitting, "We shook hands. Either of us could have done something horrible to the other, but it was a show of trust for our agreement. This is the situation that we're in, and it's something that we'll have to live with and hope I make the right decisions with."
"Besides…" Holding up a finger. "I told Tamara to show up if I was going to possibly destroy the world."
Taking the drink, Elisabeth swallows the fiery liquid like it’s medication, the back of her hand to her mouth as it burns all the way down. Fuck. Setting the glass down on the floor between her feet, she braces her elbows on her knees. “That’s… not how Tamara works, Magnes. But leaving that aside…” She pauses, rifling through whatever thoughts are going through her mind at this moment. “We always knew that they might find one or more of us. And we knew your research into Michelle’s work would probably draw their attention sooner or later. It’s fine. I think you made the right call by taking the job.”
That was actually hard to say, because she has a visceral reaction to Arthur. “I cannot begin to tell you that I trust Petrelli as far as I can spit him. But I know he’s been keeping tabs on some of us. Peter made contact with someone about a year ago. He told her that his father wanted him to be a Trojan horse into our group and find out how many of us there are, find out if we were invaders.” She rolls her eyes. “I suppose honestly I’d be worried about the same thing… wondering what people from another fucking timeline want here.”
She looks up at Magnes, her eyes flicking to Isabelle briefly. “I didn’t say anything because there really wasn’t much I could do with it. Everyone’s doing the best we can to protect everyone else, right?” Elisabeth smiles a little, her expression tight. “We’re just going to have to keep on about our business, living a life. We stayed away from Petrelli as long as we could, but I’ve known since we got here that he was probably the best option. So… use it.”
Eyes on both of her friends. Isa drinks more from her glass, hazel eyes pondering. “It's the long con for sure Mags.” Like when she dated this older rich guy for six months and robbed him. Long con. Arthur makes her uncomfortable any one man with that much power. Kazimir.. Edward.. she shudders. “He wouldn't do anything horrible with you. He needs you.” For now. And that really.. pissed Isabelle off. So much so that with a flash of light her head lights on fire.
Brilliant flames of orange and red circle her head and hair, face still free of flames. Gritting her teeth and balling her hands into a fist. “So he wants to be a multi world dicktator.” The flames stay contained to Izzy’s head and she looks over at the pair with a frustrated look.
“You're telling me. We’re gonna work with this piece of shit. To get you home.” The pit of her tummy fills with anxious feelings, Arthur is apparently not someone she could just burn to ash. If he decided to attack Magnes while Magnes works with him. It all proves to be a bit much for the pyro. “If there is one hair out of place on your heads, either of you.”
There's a dangerous look in her eyes as she gulps back more of the drink before refilling Liz’s. “I'll destroy his whole family. And that fucking obnoxious ass green penis tower. I mean really! What the fuck is this? OZ?!” Clearly Izzy isn't taking all this news well either.
"Well, don't destroy Claire, I dated her." Magnes says while taking more sips of his drink, resting his head back. "Well, I guess this is the situation we have. We'll just have to hope that Arthur means what he says. He keeps saying he isn't the Arthur that I knew, so, let's hope that's true."
"I'll put my all into this, I'll learn this stuff inside and out and become an expert at this interdimensional physics stuff." he says with incredible conviction, then downs the rest of his drink. "Now…"
He stands up, starting to head for the stairs. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go drink as much as possible as I come to terms with the fact that I banged my cousin."
"And that I'm an aberrant clone and seven years old." he adds, for emphasis of why drinking is desperately needed.
Elisabeth takes the second glass Isabelle poured and snickers. “Well…. She’s only your….” She pauses, trying to remember family trees and shit. “Second cousin, I think. So it’s all good. Not nearly as bad as you think. The genetics you share are only a teeny percentage. And you’re a clone, but… who cares? I mean… being seven explains a lot about everything in your life — cuz you didn’t have all the development you needed yet. And aberrant is an asshole’s opinion.” Not that they aren’t all well AWARE that Magnes is mildly aberrant, but it’s not nice to say so like that and make him feel bad! He’s just who he is!
“It doesn’t change a damn thing about the person you are, Magnes. Nothing that you found out changes the fact that you're a good man doing the best you can to be a good man and help the people around you when you can. But I know it’s hard to come to terms with,” she tells him with great sympathy. “Take your time. Drink as much as you want. You deserve it.”
“Ah ah ah ah the specifics make it like worst or better? I really cannot tell.” Gulping more whiskey down she looks up at Magnes. His reality is a bit tougher than hers though Izzy feels for him. A clone? That's a rough life. And not one she would want for herself. “You know Liz is right Magbutt, you're still my best friend, cousin regardless of if you're a clone. You're you. And I guess.. I'm like Uncle Pete didn't outright give up on you.”
He did later though.
“Wait wait wait.” Isa raises a hand. “Are we not forgetting a crucial part to all of this?” Looking between the two. “Ruiz?” Leaning back in her chair as the fire that is her hair snuffs out, smoke wisping up towards the ceiling. “This is you guys’ mission.” Though she loved this world already, it was boring. “I don't see why you're angling and looking at this from one view right? Magnes!” Slamming a hand down on the armchair and smiling over at her friend. “You know that what's the shit.. Amp yea. Think you can swipe some from your fancy new lab?”
There's a knowing look in her eyes, “You need multiple options. Shaw and I could help you with these.. experiments.” Waving a hand and a look to the both of them. “I'm sure he’d like to help too.” Ruiz that is.
"Ruiz is out of the question. It would risk his life, and I know he would want to, but I'm not letting him." Magnes says as he comes down the stairs with a large bottle of some pre-mixed Bacardi cocktail.
It's red.
Then he takes a seat on the same couch as Elisabeth and Isabelle this time, filling his glass. "If we use Ruiz's ability, even if we get Gabriel to take it, we're risking a life. Before we even think about risking a life, we need to weigh if it's actually worth it if there's an alternative that can be achieved through science."
"And yes, the details do make it worse god." He takes a looooong sip of that rum. "The worst part is that I banged her because I missed you. God it's like… god." Another looooooooooong sip. "Arthur was right, we're worse than the Petrelli family. And I have an unknown sister. Next you know she'll turn out to be Delilah or Melissa or something. Ugh." He doesn't dare say Elaine.
"We have to go see my mother, like, ASAP. And you do not tell my mom that I banged Thalia!" he points his glass at Isabelle, accusingly, as if she's already done it.
"Wait a minute… why did they try to make this world's version of me think that both my parents were dead?" he suddenly wonders.
That's… actually a really good question. Elisabeth looks thoughtful. "Makes me wonder if she thinks you're dead. Or … did she even know you were being cloned?" She doesn't get another drink. At this point, this isn't even the worst thing they've heard.
She is clearly in agreement about Ruiz. "I don't mind asking Ruiz for his input, but no… I'm not willing for him to die just to send us home. He's helped us enough, lost enough to our quest." Liz pauses. "You should be gentle when you approach her," she tells Magnes. "If she doesn't know about any of this… it's going to be a serious shock."
“Oh Magnes don't be so doom and gloom! That's why we test! So he doesn't die.” A roll of her eyes and a wave of her hand she goes to swipe at the bottle she has of whiskey and drinks straight out the bottle. It's one of those nights now. “Don't you think about it. Oh stop that was like sweet that you missed me but now it's errr.” Another pull from the bottle.
She doesn't want to think about but it's real. And nodding her head, “Like I said. Join me in Costa Verde damn it. Let's go!!” They are getting drunker and drunker. “Ah fuck him, Arthur probably fucks his cat or something.” All those rich families did weird shit like that she felt like. Shuddering the pyrokinetic leans back to stare at the ceiling. She's not worried about Magnes not getting her the Amp for Ruiz. There's a sly smile as she whistles a high tone and levels Liz with a stare, “She's gotta point. This might freak her the fuck out so let's be discreet.”
Already thinking of the cover they could use, “Maybe we’re life insurance salespeople!” Or maybe her Great Aunt was married to a dude that would drool over Izzy and she could use that too her advantage, for information. Right. Shaking her head, “What's the worst that can happen?” burp
"We have to consider that the Alpha Clone is still alive and lives with my mother. It… it's only just starting to hit me that my memories of my mother aren't my memories, they're the Alpha Clone's memories. That means she took care of him." Magnes hunches over, sitting his drink down to lay his head in his hands.
"God, I'm really nothing, I'm like, literally nothing." It's all he can really think, all he can come to. "I didn't even have my mother, it's all a lie…"
Isabelle is now on a babbling fit, so Liz tunes her out. Her eyes follow Magnes, and she wraps her arm around his shoulder. Although she was teasing him a little, this can’t be easy to learn. They’ve both learned a lot of things that have hit hard, and she trusts that he’ll bounce back. But he deserves the time to grieve. “You get today to wallow, kiddo,” she tells him softly. “BUt do not ever think that again. Because I don’t give a fuck if you were born of a woman or born of a test tube. That is not what determines who or what you are.”
Her voice is firm but gentle. Elisabeth might be hard on him at times and she might be terribly frustrated with him at times. She makes sure she has his attention, and adds, “You are the little brother that I’d like to beat on the head with a brick sometimes. You are my friend. And you are you — a person is made up of more than their memories, Magnes. They are also made up of their experiences and their actions. And you try really hard to do the right thing, even when everyone else thinks you’re crazy and even when the right thing is the hardest one to do. Grieve for the life you thought you had. Cry for it. And then realize that in so many ways, you are now free. But you are not nothing. I don’t care what they wrote in a stupid fucking file.”
“You're standing right there.” Eyeing Magnes, “You're something alright. Something they couldn't account for. Something that has beat the fucking odds Mags.” Staring forward at him before she's leaping to her feet to hug the man tight. “My whole life has been a lie too..” looking over at Liz. “All of our lives has been but we can make it through together. I know we can.”
Isa releases Magnes to stare him in the eye, measuring him. Worried for him and his line of thinking. She’ll remain close tonight.
"Thanks… I guess I have to remember, I lived into the future, I had Adel, she grew up healthy, I have this whole family, here, and back home waiting for me…" Magnes wraps one arm around Isabelle, then reaches over to wrap an arm around Elisabeth. "I'm a person, and I keep doing things that no one's ever done before. Be a healthy clone, have a baby with someone from another universe, save the world…"
"We'll be fine, I'll be fine." He tries to pull them both in, closing his eyes. "I'll be the best person I can be, I'll hold onto what's real, we'll go meet my mother, and somehow, we'll overcome all of this, like no one ever has before…"
"This stuff, this is where legendary stories come from." he says, smiling, opening his eyes again. "Thanks for being here for me."