Participants:
| Scene Title | Foot In Mouth Disease |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Some days, men really are from Mars. |
| Date | June 2, 2009 |
Safehouse
The knock on the safehouse door only comes after Liz has called ahead to be assured of a little privacy to talk this time around. She's really careful about coming here, too — considering all that's happening on the streets, she has to be. "Hey," she says to Norton quietly as she comes in. "Sorry to make such a big production of coming by," she says on a sigh.
Trask smiles and greets her with a hug, "Come on in, have a seat" He gives her a little kiss on the forhead, "Can I make you something?"
Elisabeth hugs him in return, her kiss landing on his cheek. "Coffee'd be great, if you have any made already. Otherwise, don't worry about it," she tells him with a smile. "Figured I'd poke in and check how you're doing. Things out there are kinda hairy at the moment."
Trask goes and gets her a cup, "I am sorry…I havn't been watching TV, and there is no newspaper delivery….what am I missing? What is going on?
With a faint pfft, Elisabeth replies, "Well, let's see…. Tyler Case got chased by Detective Myron …. and now Myron's dead and the cops have a warehouse full of evidence that Phoenix did it and is planning assassinate the president." She shoves a hand through her hair. "In addition, cops are being murdered on the streets, and it's starting to LOOK like they may be targeting cops, though it's hard to tell — cops get in the line of fire, it's part of the job and maybe I'm just a paranoid freak. As if that weren't enough, one of the time-travelers is a complete sociopath, a murderer, and he broke into my apartment a week or so ago — woke up to find him sitting on the bottom of my bed smoking a cigarette in the dark. AFTER he killed my neighbor, mind you. And he was begging me to save his young self." She sighs. "And on top of all that, I now have to turn to the bastard who slept with me and bugged my place and shit to make the place more secure. It's kinda like asking the fox to come into the henhouse and make it safe from foxes, right?"
Trask puts the cup of coffee down, he kind of gets more and more pissed as you speak. "Django? Or Alexander?" His face darkens, "I need to get out of here…out there…I need…" He sighs softly, "I'm sorry Liz…."
Elisabeth blinks and looks confused. "Django or Alex what?"
Trask says, "You said one of the Time Travellers"
Elisabeth ohs! She looks startled. "No…. One of the ones who came back from 2019 with Edward Ray. They've been making life hell around here, trying to keep the Company from going down. Probably because THEY were all locked up under Pinehearst's auspices, from what little I can gather about the future." She moves to take her coffee from him, unsurprised to find that he's already fixed it how she likes it. "Just…. been stressful on a number of levels. Kinda rattled me. I've got a new Phoenix ally taking care of the apartment, but as I mentioned? NOt so thrilled about it. He's…. well, whatever. My issues with him are definitely not with his security skills."
Trask sighs softly, "Tell me about these time travelers? What can I do to help?
Elisabeth shakes her head and says, "Not a damn thing until you're out of here, honestly." She looks at him. "I'm hoping to go see the young version of the one that came to my apartment. We did already secure him," if you can call it that, "and we're trying to help him. He's been in Company custody but was broken out. So we're basically trying to get him some help with his powers and get him out of Dodge. Same with the young version of at least one other of them. We're just playing it by ear."
Trask says, "I see and we think changing the lives of the younger versions will make the adults dissapear maybe?" He sits down next to you, sipping a cup himself, "Somehow I don't think that is gonna work.""
Elisabeth shakes her head and looks at him, some level of surprise on her face. "Hell no…. I think helping the younger versions is the right thing to do. Young Niles Wight's in custody because he's got a power that's pretty damn huge. The young technopath I'm trying to trace hasn't even erupted into his powers yet, and I got the impression he was being held by Pinehearst because he's truly a digital ghost in the machine — the kid doesn't have a body. At least in those two cases — and God help me, Tyler Case's situation, where Myron had evidence to CLEAR the kid — I'd really like to help the younger versions because it's just flat the right thing to do."
Trask nods, "I'm sorry…i didn't mean." He shakes his head. "There are a lot of kids out ther eI am sure, being abused by the company. I just have issues with anyone threatening your life to get someone taken care of."
Elisabeth grins a little. "Well…. can't honestly tell you he was threatening my life. Though… admittedly I pretty much expected to be dead." She's actually still far more rattled by that visit than she lets on. "He was covered in blood when he came to talk to me. I … don't know why he didn't kill me. Except maybe he really hoped that I'd be in a position to help his younger self. And for now, that's all I'm gonna focus on with that." She grimaces.
Trask takes a few deep slow calming breaths, "I trust you to handle this Liz….you know that…but if there is anything i can do?
She's ipping her coffee as he speaks, and Liz sets the cup down very gently, moving to get ready to leave. "You know… I've got enough stress right now that this isn't going to come out right, but I'm going to say it the way I'm going to say it and hope that all this time of being friends will soften the bite just a little without taking away the very sincere feelings behind it." Her voice is firm and her eyes steady on him. "I don't need you to trust me to handle my own life, Norton Trask. I'm an adult, and I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself… and based on what you've already said to me, anyone else who comes along in my life. What I really wanted was my friend's ear to rant in about my bullshit week. And maybe that's too much to ask from you while you're cooped up here with a psychopath," she acknowledges. And then she moves to head toward the door. "I need to get to work." With a glance at him, she says, "I'm not pissed, I'm just… agitated at this moment. I'll see you later."
Trask blinks and pales completely, "Liz…I…you know I am here for you…I didn't mean…." He sighs and looks down, "I'm sorry I want to…fix things for you…I…just…." He looks up again, "I'm kinda messed up right now…and … part of me realizes how much I owe you…for things I havn't even done yet…and I just want to take care of you…and I /know/ you don't need taking care of…or want to be….and I have to stop myself.
Elisabeth shakes her head. "That right there is the problem, Norton," she sighs. "I don't realize how much I've changed since going back to work until things like this happen — when you retreat into that 'gotta take care of you' and overly apologetic that you're not out there fixing everything kind of mindset." She looks at him and her smile is apologetic. "That's not what I want from you. I just want you to … be my friend. Commisserate, tell me you're sorry that my week's been shitty and that you're glad I'm okay? That's all I really need most of the time. Just someone to listen who I know I can trust not to take what I say and bite me in the ass with it later."
Trask nods, "I am here fr you, and I am sorry your week has been so bad…" He sits dwn, "I will try to be a better friend liz.
Elisabeth's grin eases a bit and she comes back and kisses him softly. "Thanks. I kinda needed to hear that."
Trask gives you a tight hug a moment and just holds you.
Elisabeth returns the tight hug and says, "I gotta go. I need to check on a friend at the precinct — he's in the hospital."
Trask nods, "I hope he gets better…and Liz…I am sorry again…" He smiles, "I will try to do better."
Elisabeth chuckles at him and leans down to kiss his cheek. "Don't be. You're you, and I love you. No matter what, you're first, last, and always my best friend. Kay?"
Trask smiles, "Go…before I convince you to stay all day and keep me company."
"Heh… not likely right now. They're looking for cops and Phoenix people, which puts a double target on my back. I'm not going to give Harvard any reason to think I know anything or am up to anything," Elisabeth says instantly. "See ya later."