Participants:
| Scene Title | Everyone Is Suspect |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Ryans corners Corbin to enlist him in information gathering about the Alton case. Everyone is suspect, especially after a nervous agent informs Ryans his girl is hurt. |
| Date | May 11, 2010 |
Fort Hero: Library
"Ayers?"
The quiet rumbling voice is familiar to everyone in Fort Hero by now, belonging to the aging Senior Agent Ryans. As he leans into the entrance a hand slaps onto the door jam, gripping it as a foot come off the ground so he can lean in further looking for the other agent. After a slow glance around, he moves into the library further brows furrowing slightly.
His shoes tap lightly on the linoleum flooring. "Corbin… you in this place somewhere?"
Being stuck at the Fort during the recent blizzard hasn't helped Ryans' paranoia, which his daughters out there without him to protect him. He's kept himself busy, planning a team meeting without Crowley. He didn't need the Assistant director there to hear what the old man had to say. That meeting is partially why Benjamin is seeking out Corbin, he needs the other agent to look through some records.
There's one unwelcome guest in the archives that shows his face first. A white face, with big black markings over the eyes, pointed, like eyebrows making a quizacle face. The archives on Fort Hero didn't have a cat before— but when it seemed he was getting stranded out here, Corbin couldn't leave the cat to freeze and starve to death in the store on Roosevelt Island.
A few moments after that white head peeks around a bookshelf, there's the man being spoken to, "Right here." Stubble overgrown a little, hair curling into his eyes, he's not been taking the best care of himself, but at least he can speak.
The cat seems happier to see him, or perhaps… decides to mark Ryans as his. By running up against his legs and purring loudly.
Blue eyes of the senior agent drop to the cat as it moves to rub against his leg, Ryans shows nothing but patience as he's claimed by the cat. Oh wait… look, a ghost of amusement, before it falls away and Benjamin is looking up at the man he's seeking.
"You look like hell." He observes solemnly, before carefully, stepping past the cat towards the other agent. "Your beginning to look lie, Crowley." His voice is lighter as he attempted to joke, but still it's that soft tone that makes it fall flat.
"I need you to look into a few records for me, for the meeting." Ryans dives right into business. "Former Moab inmates, if my source is correct." He offers up a slip of paper, with two names written on it, James DeVille and Harold Clarke. Two names that Rebel mentions to Ryans during their conversation.
"Crowley and I have a lot in common," Corbin comments quietly, as he reaches out to take the piece of paper, and glances down at the cat, who continues to weave and purr loudly. "Gabriel seems to like you. He always used to attack me, but he's lightened up a bit…" Since Hokuto died. "I think he was possessive of Hokuto after a while, and figured I kept taking her away, but…" Now he's the hand the food comes from, the water comes from, and the warmth. Might seem odd he lets the cat follow him into the archives, though, when his room on the Fort Heroes campus might have bookshelves too.
The names are glanced over, and he responds, "I'll see what I can find, but just cause they were in Moab, there's no promises we were the ones who processed them. Homeland Security liked to flex their muscles a bit, but who knows." They may have been in Level Five first.
"Who are they?"
"Rebel's men. Sent to collect James Alton." Ryans lets it sink in that, those men were not associated with Stillwater guys… at least not connected. Shifting his weight and leaning closer to Corin, his already quiet voice lowers further, "He claims that they were murdered in the basement of the Corinthian the day I was attacked." He points to the two names. "Chances are, killed by the same men that came after me and Jimmy."
There is a chill in those blue eyes as he looks at the other agent. "This does not go beyond us, for now, Ayers… but there is a chance, it was an inside job." There is a significance in that look his gives when he says those words calmly. "And even more so… I could have been the target. I don't trust Rebel, but I am not going to completely brush off what he said."
Corbin has partially disconnected.
Them being dead and probably not suspects in the attack changes things a bit, but Corbin nods, lowering his blue eyes back down to the sheet of paper, and then putting it away into his jacket pocket. "An inside job. Like how inside are we talking?" he asks, looking around the archives. It's pretty lonely down here, just a few guards near the restricted section, but they're not close enough to listen in, and can barely see them— cause he can barely see them. The shelves are in the way.
Gabriel's finally stopped assaulting Ryans legs with affection, and instead moves back toward the man who owns him, settling down and looking up at him, tail flicking. It almost seems impatient.
"I don't think there's been anything connecting this with the other cases— What…" He winces a bit. "What was going on with Campbell." Which was in a report. Part of it, at least. Some parts were classified, beyond the Senior Agent's Level.
"Possibly, very inside." Ryans voice says those words with deadly seriousness. "I was personally contacted to deal with this alone. Linderman asked for me, by name… and Martin delivered it."
His eyes search the younger mans face, seeing how he does or doesn't take it. "Stillwater was bought up by the government… but I agree with what Rebel says… to have the knowledge of me that they have… especially to see this face and connect it with a nearly 60 year old man. They have to have to be getting their info from some source." His hands spread in the helpless gesture. "It could even be something such as 'Batsu' helping them, since we know who he is.. and that he had information on Company. I simply don't know, but at this point I can't rule anything out."
"Had. He wouldn't have had information on your deaging," Corbin says, offering that much as he bends down to pick up the cat, which continues to purr and even starts to groom his shoulder a bit. Not that his jacket needs it! More and more affectionate these days, the cat— At least with a few people. Used to be he'd get called a monster, but he's settled down.
"I'll see what I can find out on Stillwater. Who might have connections to them." But an inside thing… worries him.
Seems it just isn't slowing down for them, even when it seems like it should. "I'll also access your file. See if I can find anyone in your past with the Company who might have a grudge now that you're back, see if anyone filed complaints against you."
There is a short firm nod from Ryans, instead of protest about his own file being opened, "That sounds like a good idea, thank you. I don't know how much to believe Rebel's information, but… again… not taking chances. I've received reliable information from shady sources before."
Lips press tight in thought, "I'm half tempted to contact Lazzaro… however, the prick just might try to remove me off the case." And Ryans isn't letting that happen.
There is a sound of a throat being cleared nearby. "Ryans?" The young man addressing the older man, seems to be a touch nervous about interrupting, especially when the man turns to look to him. "I… sir… it's urgent."
"If it's urgent, go ahead. I'll get to work in the archives immediately. I'll take a radio in with me so that you can tell me if you want anything else added to the search," Corbin says, kneeling to put the cat back down, so he can gather up paperwork to take back into the table, all the while watching to see what this urgent news might be.
Without intentionally nosing in on it and eavesdropping.
"Alright… " The old man starts, but is interrupted.
"Ryans… sir… it's Delia."
Now that gets Rynas attention and his turns on the young man. "What about her?" The words growl out, there is a dangerous tone to them already, as if expecting the next thing the kid has to say. "She's hurt… Attempted kidnapping. She's…." The messenger takes a step back as anger replaces that calm look. "S— she's at St Lukes."
Fingers curl into fists and Ryans turns back to Corbin, his eyes almost seem to flash with is anger. His works shake with it, as they are bit out one by one. "You dig up everything you can… I don't care if you have to get into Crowley's or Linderman's files… Anyone that seems suspect. I want to know what the fuck is going on." Whoever is going after Ryans and his family has gone and pissed in the wrong pool.
A sharp glance at the kid of an Agent, before he heads for the door. It takes considerable strength of will for Benjamin Ryans not to go running out of that door, but there is no doubt from the look on his face, no one will stand in his way.