Go Diego Go

Participants:

alexander_icon.gif brian_icon.gif diego_icon.gif eve_icon.gif hagan_icon.gif helena_icon.gif teo_icon.gif

Scene Title Go Diego Go
Synopsis Diego is added to the ranks of Phoenix.
Date November 20, 2008

Piccoli's Delicatessen

Everything about Piccoli's is welcoming. There's a large, cheerful neon sign mounted on the roof, the interior is brightly lit and spotlessly clean, and the old-fashioned decor is more reminiscent of mother's kitchen than a successful business. Since the doors opened in 1946, Piccoli's has been best known for pastrami, hot dogs, corned beef, and salami. The wait can sometimes be a little long, but the prices are reasonable and the food is always worth it.


Another night in Piccoli's. Seriously, it's sort of becoming the unofficial hang-out of Phoenix members. She's having dinner yet again, and this time she doesn't start the evening alone - one of the Brians is with her, and out of the goodness of her heart, she bought him dinner too, because his scruffy vibe sort of made her feel sorry for him. "So tonight's about bringing someone in. Kind of like I did with you." she says, her tone kept low so as to avoid curious ears.

Secret mission? Secret mission! His first assignment that isn't really an assignment is being taken very seriously. There are two men outside of the place that are identical matches to the one inside. That is of course if their faces were visible, beanies, glasses, collars and scarves disguise these two as they await Diego.

On the inside Brian gives a little nod. He originally protested Helena's offer, though he eventually indulged her. Taking a bit of whatever that is that he happens to be eating. The young man gives a glance up to the woman. "So I asked this girl out the other day." He offers. "She said no. Cause she has a girlfriend." He arches his brows as if to define how truly awkward that is.

The Masked Men may or may not note the black towncar that approaches. When it stops and its passenger disengages himself from the back seat, however, they likely take notice. Diego doesn't give either of them a second glance on his way into the deli, though. He's clearly just come from the office; custom tailored suit with power tie, long pea coat, and even standard rich-guy form fitting black gloves and long black scarf. Despite his somewhat out-of-place appearance, he doesn't waste any time in spotting and joining the Girl Wonder and Duplicity Man. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Traffic, and all that."

Helena grins. "Was it one of our girls? We've got a couple who bat for the same team. I trust it isn't a problem? In general, I mean. I mean, homophobia seems even more stupid when you think that some people are well, for lack of a better word, speciest, nowadays." She looks up and spots Diego, giving him a smile. "Not a problem. Go order some food if you're hungry, it's really good here. We're not in a hurry."

"He's here." It comes before Helena could even see Diego, then the man walks in. Brian gives him a bit of a smile and a nod before looking back to Helena. "No. Not one of ours." Brian gives a little sigh as he looks to Helena. "Just sucks, you know? I don't know. She was nice. I thought I might've had a shot." A little shrug. "And she's British. Neat accent." Brian asserts.

Diego raises an eyebrow at the byplay between the two before taking a seat across from Helena, wherever that puts him. "Ate earlier." He comments as he takes off those silly gloves and stuffs them into one of the many conceivable pockets in such an outer coat. After all of that, Brian gets a nod. "Far be it from me to interrupt on your conversation about British chicks, but…"

Helena hazards a guess. "Ygraine?" But she shrugs it aside, and beckons Diego to sit down as she sips her soda. "I took a guess that you might have questions about the countdown widget that's gone up."

"What the fuck?" Brian asks with wide eyes towards Helena. He glances over at Diego with an apologetic look before looking back to Helena. "How did you know?" How many Ygraine's can possibly be in a city, anyways. Two men identical stand outside the place, fully covered from head to toe, keeping watch.

"Call it professional curiosity. Have to hand it to you, I've got more calls coming in because of that damn thing than you might imagine." Diego looks over at Brian at his slightly over the top reaction and that damn eyebrow gets raised again. "One might deduce that she knows this Ygraine." Captain Obvious, to the rescue!

"It's true, my knowledge of British lesbians living in New York is limited to a very small list." Helena says, with a grin. "She's thinking about coming on board, and her girl is a member." It should be noted that the conversation at their table is kept low, and not at a volume easily overheard if one doesn't walk right up to them. She looks back to Diego. "So my question to you, because recently it's been made clear to me that people have different ideas of participation, just what do you want to do with us?"

Hagan has been in a foul mood the last couple of days. It might be related to the limp and lacerations on his face that are half-covered by strands of wild hair. He lingers outside the deli for a moment, to finish his cigarette, before exhaling, tossing the butt towards a garbage can and shouldering inside. He trips once past the door, which causes weight to be put on his painful ankle. He lets out a rather undignified cry of pain and a colourful curse in another language.

The door is opened as Eve walks in and she stops to ruffle her hair a bit. She was hungry and so she decided to come to this particular restaurant to eat. She had no idea that Phoenix was going to be here and she tilts her head curiously as walks in completely and closes the door. Her eyes study everyone sitting at the table but she hasn't said anything yet. When Hagan falls behind her and Al helps her out, Eve smiles softly at Alex, "Hey Alex." she says softly and nods her head at him.

Blinking at Helena, Brian shakes his head. "Jennifer.. Our Jennifer??" A look of sadness touches him. "That's just not fair. For the entire male human race. That's an outrage." He whispers before pointing his face at Diego to follow along in the conversation. But his sentries at the door pick up the people coming in and like a good boy, he reports them all in little whispers to Helena. "Alex just walked in with some wounded guy, Eve came in right behind him." Even though his back are to the people entering, he is very aware of everything they do.

"Yes, its truly a tragedy. Its like.. the Bomb all over again." Diego remarks to Brian before turning his attention back to Helena. "You know, I'm /pretty/ sure we had this conversation once before. You know, I offer what of my resources I can and my limited skill set to be put at your disposal, you help me keep some of my more aggressive colleagues in the dark. I mean, I'm not sure how much more clear we can get unless you want me to draft a report that'll let you choose things off of it like a menu."

Helena's eyes slide over to Brian. "Don't make me hit you." she says succinctly, before returning her attention to Diego. "Point." she says. "But like I said, I've had some recent issues come to my attention. So if you're still inclined, I'd like to bring you in. You're already on the network. I'm willing to give you access to our primary safehouse, maybe start working with our security. We've got information incoming that's going to require action after it's processed." The new entrants are regarded, Alex with a smile through the window, followed by a curious gaze as to Hagan, and a reserved nod of acknowledgment for Eve. Her attention then goes back to the table.

Poor helpful guy. He happens to grab the arm that a bullet grazed. Hagan lets out another choked murmur of paint, then straightens himself. "I'm fine. Really. I fell on a porcupine." He reaches out to use the counter for support and pushes a hand through his hair. He's trying to retain his dignity, but that's hard when so many people saw him nearly fall on his ass. "Go ahead, go ahead of me. I'm going to take a moment."

Eve merely nods her head at Helena and the others and proceeds to grab herself a table, it isn't to far from Phoenix's table. Her heels click on the floor and her dress rustles softly as she sits in a chair and looks at a menu not sure what to order, or to say to the group at the table. "Nice seeing you." She says loud enough just so that Helena and the others could hear.

Diego can only nod as Helena addresses him. "Actionable intelligence…" There's an odd moment of mystification on his face as he says this, but its gone nearly as soon as it arrives. "Sure thing. Obviously the more I know the better I can assist in… whatever it is you have cooking, but I'll bring my cookbook either way."

"Hey, you, long time no see," Al says to Eve, affably, actually daring to ruffle her hair as he passes on towards the table where Helena and crew sit. Hagan gets a polite nod, but Al doesn't insist in helping further.

Helena nods. "One of my people is outside. I don't know if he has plans or not, but regardless, we'll be needing to take a ride in your swanky town car, unless you'd rather do it tomorrow." Eve gets another nod and Alex a smile, but Helena's pretty much focused on Diego.

"How many escorts you want, Hel?" Brian asks as sweetly as he can to the woman, tilting his head a bit with a smile. Aww. He's adorable. His eyes slide to Eve who is granted a little wave. Alexander is mostly ignored, Brian can't remember WHY he's mad at him, only that he is.

In short order, Hagan's ordered and has recieved a pastrami sandwich and an iced tea. He pays for it, then straightens himself up and starts to shuffle-limp towards the door and out into the street. It's not been a good week.

"Now works for me." Die states simply enough. He even goes so far as to pull his gloves out of his pocket, but waits to slide them on. "How many, indeed. The car only seats five. Uncomfortably."

Alexander's just about to seat himself, but at that little exchange, he hesitates, "Ah come at a bad time?" he wonders, in that molasses-slow drawl, blue gaze darting between Diego and Helena.

Helena rises as well. "I'm going to show Diego where I live." she says. And where she lives is the library, which means: new recruit. "So we're kind of slipping out while you're heading in, unless you'd care to get yours to go?" Then to Brian, "Just one is fine."

And as soon as Helena says 'just one' the two men standing outside the Delicatessen leave their posts, going their seperate ways into the world. Brian stands and places himself slightly behind Helena. Ready to follow wherever she lead.
Diego raises from his own place at the table. Action. Those gloves are replaced, but otherwise he stands silently and waits for the others to arrange who's coming, going, staying, this, that, or the other.

Eve merely nods at Helena and chuckles at Alex as he goes to sit. "How ya been, big guy?" her eyes are focused on Alex at the moment.

"I'll be along, catch up later,"Al says, utterly relaxed. "Think I'll eat here. Eve, mind if I join you?" he wonders, before placing himself in the line to order.

Helena slides her hand onto Diego's arm. After all, he's kind of dapper looking. Then just because it's amusing, the other arm gets slid into twining with Brian's. "We're off to see the wizard!" she announces, and out they go.


New York Public Library

Once upon a time, the New York Public Library was one of the most important libraries in America. The system, of which this branch was the center, was among the foremost lending libraries /and/ research libraries in the world.

The bomb changed that, as it changed so much else.

By virtue of distance, the library building was not demolished entirely, like so many others north of it; however, the walls on its northern side have been badly damaged, and their stability is suspect. The interior is a shambles, tattered books strewn about the chambers and halls, many shelves pulled over. Some have even been pulled apart; piles of char in some corners suggest some of their pieces, as well as some of the books, have been used to fuel fires for people who sought shelter here in the past.

In the two years since the bomb, the library — despite being one of the icons of New York City — has been left to decay. The wind whistles through shattered windows, broken by either the blast-front or subsequent vandals, carrying dust and debris in with it. Rats, cats, and stray dogs often seek shelter within its walls, especially on cold nights. Between the fear of radiation and the lack of funds, recovery of the library is on indefinite hiatus; this place, too, has been forgotten.


Helena has Diego drive his town car to within a few blocks of the ruins of Midtown. After that, they getout and walk for a bit, and Diego will find himself led to one of the more discrete entrances of the New York Public Library - the branch with the lions in front. Within the first hallway, they are greeted by sentries. Helena turns to Diego. "Our protocol for a first timer includes a patdown and being relieved of any firearms. It'll be returned to you before you leave."

It feels like only yesterday when he was going through this. To be fair it has only been a handful of Brian's. The young man stands at Helena's side. The loyal mutt, ready to obey any beck and call of the younger woman. As they enter the building, more Brian's are present. Some of them are the ones that will pat Diego down. The Brian with Helena doesn't even glance at them.

Diego reaches inside of his coat and pulls out the Gun of the Day; a Taurus .45 revolver. He pulls out the little tab, slips the chamber out, and pops the rounds into his hand. These go into a pocket before he offers the weapon to Brian. "Not my first time at the dance, Helena." His tone is completely serious but at least he offers a wry smile to go along with it. He's making no secret of doing a total evaluation of the building as they pass through it and the security in place.

And in they go. "Hear it is." Helena says. "We've got the place divided up, some private space, mostly communal. We're allied with another group, their thing is moving people away from situations. We're a bit more…proactive." She looks at Diego. "I'm guessing you weren't aware of the government facilities which have been experimenting on Evolved?"

The gun is taken as the younger man examines it a little bit. "Nice." He murmurs before pawning it off on one of his duplicates at the door. As they enter the library, Brian turns to walk backwards as he speaks to Diego. "Welcome home man." He says cheerily with a little smile. "You came just in time, we're getting cable installed next week."

Diego can't help but shake his head a bit. "Home is where the heart is." That little tidbit offered his attention returns to the seriousness of the here and now. "Experimenting on? No… after seeing the CIA's black sites I can't honestly claim to be surprised, but no. What do you mean… 'experimenting'?"

"The project we presently know about involves on-site DNA testing to detect the Evolved gene." Helena says as they head for a study table. "Something that can be used day to day. Like at airports or in schools or police stations. And what do you think they're going to do with those that are tested and not registered?"

"Eaten." Comes Brian's quick response to the question. The comic relief of the group. Or at least the attempted comic relief of the group. With that the man goes to make perch on one of the tables laid out. Hugging his knees to his chest he watches Diego and Helena.

"Beaten, tortured, killed, Stockholmed… registered. One or more of the above, I'd imagine." Somehow Diego does not seem nearly moved enough by those possibilities. "Although, given that I was in the dark on the entire project, I'm hoping you have a more detailed answer to the question."

"Our first project involves the countdown. It's…an errand of mercy, and not related to that. Just putting ourselves on the map, situating ourselves as being different from PARIAH, reminding people that Evolved can do good things, too. But I'm waiting on the particulars with regard to the facilities Evolved are disappearing to, and when I get it, that's where we'll be turning our attention. I'm not sure what further details you want, but for now, that's our agenda."

…says Helena. She and Diego and Brian are at a study table. Absently, she reaches out and ruffles Brian's scruffy hair. Because he's like a puppy.

And there's Al, sauntering in just as he said he would, looking rather thoughtful. Not that that's saying much, considering it's him. He's in shirtsleeves, comfortable despite the chill, someow.

Stretching his neck out Brian smiles at the affection, and apparently isn't debased by being treated like a puppy. Though the happy puppy looses the happy part once Alex walks in past his duplicates at the door. He remains silent for now, Brian is seated atop the table, Helena standing next to him.

"You planning on taking down an entire government facility, when you get this intel? Or just busting people out." Diego, for the most part, does a good job of ignoring Happy Puppy. Or at least Happy Puppy being /treated/ like Happy Puppy. He's not sitting there holding his hand up in Brian's face or anything absurd to ignore the man behind the affection. "And what exactly happens when the countdown hits zero?"

Helena and others are gathered around one of the study tables. Helena takes a seat. "In answer to your first question, it depends entirely on the quality of info we get and what kind of luck we have with surveilance. Ideally, we do liberate those being imprisoned. If we can't, then we at least want to get evidence we can release to the public." She withdraws her hand. "As for the countdown…" she smiles. "Miracles. A child cured of terminal cancer. People being fed. Clean rain adding some erosion to the worst parts of midtown. Medicine for those that need it and can't afford it."

"You know, Hel." Says Puppy. "I've been thinking about this prison stuff. You know, we could find them." Brian murmurs to her, quietly. Though this is off topic, he feels the need to voice his bright idea. "I could get caught." He suggests. "One of me. And then we'll know exactly where I am." Then he smiles at the Miracl project talk.

"It's gonna be like fuckin Christmas." A bright smile is painted on his face now. "I hope we all dress like elves when we're passing the stuff out."

Diego can only blink at the words that come out of Brian's mouth. Al's commentary receives a distracted nod of the old noggin, but Brian, is… Brian. Crazed bastard. "Elv- ya know, nevermind. I'm not sure I even want to know what kind of thought process bore those words." Diego takes this moment to lean back in his own chair. Back to business, which in this case means Helena. "I'm seriously hoping I'm not the only one with any kind of /real/ experience in on this. What about Hana?"

Helena lifts a brow at Diego. "What do you define as 'real experience'?" She asks. "I was with PARIAH for over a year. We have a handful of ex-military, and yes, Wireless," careful emphasis to reflect how Hana prefers to be referenced, "Is helping. The information is coming from her co-contact and fellow leader of her group. And no, Brian. No elves. It's all going to be done quietly and unexpectedly. Though I may need you. All of you, in fact. Romero will need anchors and we could just put you at every drop spot."

Footfalls drub the hallway, a familiar gait to some and less so to others. Teo lopes out of the doorway a moment later, looking a little more fucked up than usual, though not as much so as he gets sometimes: there's a scab forming on his chin, a bruise smudged around his jaw and a nick in his collar-bone where it shows above the collar of his sweater. Despite this, he looks in reasonably good spirits and less exhausted than he had a few hours ago. There's a grease stain on his shin and a bottle in his hand. Non-alcoholic, for once: the red label and white cursive denotate he's going for caffeine rather than any given depressant. "Buona sera." He waves with his empty hand.

"You look like twenty miles of bad road," Al says, bluntly, from where he's just dropped down at the table. But he kicks out a chair, and pats the table invitingly, as if Teo were a stray Labradoodle he wanted to call to heel. And then he adds to Helena's comment, "Yeah. I'm ex-Army, we got some others around." His tone is casual.

"You got it babe." Brian says with a thumbs up and a little wink to Helena. Though in response to the Elves, his hands come up for a moment then he drops them. "Was joking." He mutters under his breath, shaking his head a little bit. He eyes Alexander for a moment then looks back to Diego. "I'm ex-Awesome. Without the ex." Brian explains. He gives a wave in return to Teo.

Diego has a horrible habit of responding in chronological order. Thusly, Helena gets his first response. "Real experience in this circumstance would be people who have infiltrated an enemy facility to either destroy it or retrieve an objective." What he thinks about any of the rest is anyone's guess, really. At this point, he pushes off his pea coat and scarf, barring anyone complaining about his apparent intention to stick around for a while. Sport jacket? That goes with the pea coat, and the sleeves of his red dress shirt are rolled up, baring tattoo'd forearms. Somewhat jarring, consider his mode of dress… He seems about to say something else, but instead looks over at Teo's roughed-up state and remains silent.

Helena nods. "I've done infiltration stuff. So have many of the people who were PARIAH before now. And I think having an ex-Mossad agent on hand doesn't hurt." Someone comes along, murmurs to her. She nods, and rises. "Small crisis." she says. "I have to go stick my nose into something. You all play nice now. Be back in a bit." And with that, she heads off to one of the higher floors.

Even if Teo hadn't received the memo during his nap on Mr. Powell's floor, the fact that the owner of Stillwater Security made it past X many sentries, exchanged smiling faces with Helena (insofar as Diego isn't smiling) and isn't being telekinetically or multiply punched across the room would have indicated to him that the man is on good standing with Phoenix's constituency. As such, Diego's merely given a once-over out of a straight face, which crumples into a grimace only when Alexander comments, as Alexander is wont to do. "Driving test," he explains, laconically. He isn't, never will be self-conscious enough to hitch his sweater higher or rub his chin, or he would. "I think I failed.

"Better luck next time. What's up? Exchanging war stories?" He had caught the last couple lines, about military experience. Feels like there's a certain overabundance of former soldiers in his life, really. Slinging one long leg over the chair he was alotted, he himself down and sticks his caffeine in his face, none of his motions stiff or slow, but oddly-angled the way one might be conveniently forgetting they're in pain.

"What were you driving, doll? A panzer?" Al deadpans, as he leans way back, slouches down, and stretches booted feet out before him in a pose of studied informality. "And nah. Plannin', shootin' the breeze."

"So. You'll need to know the passwords. They change every week. One person says one and then you have to say the right response password or the other way around." Brian explains while waving to Helena. He slips off the table he is sitting at. "So you probably guessed by now. I'm..There are a lot of me. I'm the best form of communication around here. No cell phones needed." He says with a smile. "So if you ever need me just let me know.." He trails off as his gaze slides over to Alexander.

"Who says shootin' the breeze? Are you fifty?" The young man asks with an upturned eyebrow.

"Seems pretty tricky. Not sure if I can stay on top of that." Diego responds to Brian with that same god damned expression he's had all fucking night. Little bastard. But hey… He turns to Teo when the man makes his oh-so-graceful entrance. "Just getting brought up to speed is all. Call me curious."

This entrance is far more graceful than the alighting Teo had made earlier in the day, so he'll sit around looking as self-congratulatory as he pleases right now. Not too much. He's more insufferable about other things, and busy giving Al a finger half-raised from around his soda bottle, besides. "No. My dirtbike. My erstwhile dirtbike," he adds, with an abruptly mournful expression that probably disambiguinates for anybody who doesn't know what 'erstwhile' means, what 'erstwhile' means. "It got killed. I said prayers." He waves the subject away the next moment. The transition to discussing business suits him.

He already had his face rubbed in it enough, literally, physically, as is visible and self-evident. "We'd appreciate it if you tried. Or came up with something better," he adds, after a moment. "The passwords are to verify your identity in the case of shapeshifters. One asshole in particular. Sylar, if you've heard of him." If Diego hasn't, he loses a few points with the crowd, if only a few. The serial killer is reasonably well known, now, not only for his multiple homocides but, you know, the middle of Manhattan Island being gone.

"I do," Al says, imperturbably. "Works for me, still." He shakes his head sagely at Teo. "Fool, you gonna get your neck broken, and where will the work be, then?" His tone is mournful, though there's a mocking gleam in the blue eyes. He doesn't comment on Diego's curiosity.

Looking back to Diego, Brian gives a little shrug. "I imagine you've had harder things to keep track of. But, your dry sense of humor doesn't go past me mister. You're one funny guy." Sarcasm pours out of the young man's voice though a sweet smile is matched with his tone. "Oh hey. I forgot to tell you guys. I got skateboarded in the face the other day." He chirps, looking over to Teo, reckoning he might care. "Kids putting up anti-evolved stuff. I went to talk to em and they went apeshit on me, cracked me in the face with a skateboard."

"I'll see what I can come up with." Apparently Diego has taken Teo's invitation to come up with a better system to heart. He mostly falls silent once the conversation turns to the general antics of the day, though he does point out to Brian, "We called that getting 'trucked', back in the day." Then he looks back and forth between Brian and Teo, starts to speak, stops himself.

Teo does cultivate a weird habit of caring: he wouldn't be on this side of the war effort otherwise. He looks at Brian's face. Finds it rather devoid of blatant skateboard marks, to his annoyance, in light of his face. "I'm not sure if I resent the kids more or you," he answers, with half a grin to take the edge off his words. He wouldn't have asked Diego to come up with something else if he hadn't wanted him to, so the response is acknowledged with a nod, the latter hesitation subject to an inquisitively arched eyebrow. He'd feel mildly ridiculous asking Diego to speak up, so he keeps his cue nonverbal. Doesn't elaborate, that it's probably only a matter of time before Sylar ganks a telepath, that the passwords upon which everything hinges will quite spectacularly fuck them over.

Things a reasonably intelligent kid tries not to think about every day. "Further along, probably!" he answers Alexander, an instant's self-deprecation that fades into a smile, shrug. "I'll be more careful next time." There's no real doubt there will be one. A beat's pause, and he swivels a look at Grian again. "Where were the little fuckbuckets doing their advertising?"

Alexander opines, lazily, "Hazards of the trade, huh? I hope you beat the snot out of him." He folds his hands over his belly, fingers laced with each other. All he needs now is a rocking chair on a falling-down front porch, with a skinny hound dog underneath it.

"Trucked whatever, I got trucked." Brian gives a glance to the other men then sighs with his hands out as if the other men are doing something wrong. "You guys suck at interactive storytelling. You're supposed to ask what happened then." Brian teaches before, asking himself, "What happened next Brian?" He asks, raising his voice an octive higher to make it sound like a different person. "I'll tell you," He says, now in his normal voice, "Some Evolved showd up. A guy who can.. I don't know. Be invisible? Except not invisible. Shadows or something. He beat the crap out of the kids. I was just going to talk to them. I think they attacked me because of this guy. Sounded Irish. And there was a hot chick there." Have to add that part in.

"Hot chicks are good." Diego nods sagely at this precious little bit of information; a peace offering? Common ground? Who knows. But then he goes and fucks up the whole process of trying to make nice with Brian when he suddenly snaps his fingers and very clearly has an Ah-Ha moment. Shooting his attention back over to Teo, "Its still not perfect, but its better. Radioactive isotopes- like the shit they inject in you when they wanna take a gander at your insides. In small amounts they're pretty much harmless. Well, harmless compared to the crater, anyway. You can't see 'em, taste 'em, feel 'em… but you can read them if you're looking. All you need is a geiger counter. Your agents have a little bit on a specific body part; left hand, a foot, somewhere specific. Somebody could still torture it out of one of your agents and disguise themselves, but nobody's honestly going to expect that to be your password, and its not something they could fake last minute if one of those damn mind readers tries poking around in somebody's head."

Helena returns from whatever internal issue she was having, coming down the stairs and looking to see if the boys club is still located over at the tables. "All's well in Library Land." she informs them, and then in dismay, "Teo, what happened to your face?"

"What happened to the hot chick?" Teodoro asks, chiming in with Diego instantly: a little too instantly to be doing more than making a bit fun. The mention of the new Evolved and his ability is, however, noted in a momentary pause, eyebrows up, filing that away for later. "Cool," he says, at length. At least, it has potential to be. "Sounds like a sad bastard," he remarks, a note of agreement for Brian's implicit disapproval. "Seriously, though: wherever the kids were putting up their shit, we should probably get rid of it. Or overwrite it."

Blue eyes click toward Diego, and his expression stills as he listens. Brightens as he listens more. Thoughtful, then tentatively enthusiastic, a flash of tooth. "We should definitely look into that. I don't know about how enthusiastic the others will be: the Company does isotope tracking, and there might be a security or psychological issue there, but it's a damn good idea. I—"

He'd been trying to ignore Alexander's returning to the subject of his face with a question that would require an admission of defeat and pathetic emotional derailment if he were to answer truthfully, but it's unavoidable when Helena breezes back in and does it too. Teo looks exasperated. Scowls at her. "I cut myself shaving," he says. "I wouldn't recommend using a wood chipper. Diego has an idea about a security check system to replace the verbal passwords," he deflects, pointing a finger at the man in question.

"I don't know that I want anyone to be able to track us like that. SOunds too much like the spy LoJack they put in 007 when they made him that blonde guy," Al supplies, arching his brows. "He got in a motorcycle wreck. He's gonna die like Lawrence of Arabia," he offers, with a moue of mock dismay. "But what's this shadow guy you met? You had someone leap out of a dark alley and come to your rescue like Lamont Cranston?"

Brian's eyes narrow a bit as everyone seems to be missing the point of the story. "She touched my face or something. Tried to make me better. I think she was a doctor. Or something. She said somethin' bout working on animals." A shrug. But then Alexander is the one who catches on to the point of the story, much to Brian's chagrin. A frown. "First of all. I don't know who Lamont Canston is." Brian says pointedly. "Secondly. I could have taken out the kids myself. I was trying to just talk to them at first." Then he nods to Teo. "I took em down already." As Helena moves in, a little smile climbs up his lips. "I got trucked by a shadow." He reports to Helena. The story seems to just blur together so he doesn't have to repeat the whole thing.

Then a glance is given to Diego. "Smoke Signals?" He replies with a narrowing of his glance. The two got along before, but now Diego is being a big meanie head. "Or maybe we could blink flashlights at each other."

Diego just gives Brian an odd look when he talks abot smoke signals and blinking flashlights. He tried to make nice, but then the light bulb flicked on and he shared his his idea. But now he has to deal with Teo and Al's concerns. "No, no… I mean, yeah, thats pretty common. We used that for faster extraction when we went into the sandbox in countries that didn't have advanced satellite systems to track us with. But you can't track somebody via satellite with a light dusting on the fingertips; the technology is good, but its not that good. They had to inject it into us to track us. Just a little dust when you want to come in, and…" He brushes one hand across the upturned palm of his other one. "You're still invisible to the satellite's, but easily identified."

Helena absently brushes Teo's chin with her fingertips, provided he doesn't dodge away as she looks over at Brian. "Did the invisible man go visible at all?" she asks. "I know an invisible man. Ex-Company. Kind of a recluse, but he knows his stuff." She looks at Diego, eyes narrowed. "Would you be interested in being one of the primary planners for external ops?" she inquires. "There are others I want to weigh in of course, but I think you'd be kind of ideal."

How did Lawrence of Arabia die? Teo doesn't even know, but the evocation warrants a frown. He's getting mothered by a nineteen-year-old. That happens too often in his life too. Discomfort turns his head a degree, unaccompanied by any wince or hiss that would indicate the sting is biological, but he doesn't flip out like a ninja; his jaw slides a nudge through Hel's deft fingers and his eyes go fastidiously elsewhere. Brian. "I know a hot animal doctor," he inputs, unhelpfully. "She's blonde, blue-eyed, 5'11", maybe a hundred and thirty pounds, smells classy, and is really good with animals."

A little too good, he'd say, but doesn't at this juncture. The Irish shadow ninja's under discussion. Radioactive isotope tracking, also. He nods at Diego. "External application doesn't sound too invasive. And easy enough to get rid of."

Helena, den mother to terrorists. "That makes more sense," Al says, nodding to Diego. Apparently enough to mollify him. To Brian, he explains, patiently, "Lamont Cranston was the real name of the Shadow. Like Bruce Wayne and Batman," He heaves an exaggerated sigh at the ignorance of youth.

"I don't think it was invisibility." Brian counters to Helen's suggestion. "It was like.. light stopped. I don't know. Maybe he can control darkness, or shadows. The kids went into it then came out all beat up. But they broke his nose or something." Grey eyes dart to Teo and he nods. "That sounds about right." He says with a nod to the man. "She said she didn't work on humans much." Then his eyes go inevitably to Alexander.

A comeback is forthcoming, though the retort is fashioned much like the attack. "The bird is a nickname or euphemism", He says the word as if introducing it to Alexander, "For the middle finger." Brian demonstrates for the man. His brows narrow. Trying to explain to him Batman. Hmph. An exaggerated sigh is given in response at the assholery of.. that guy.

"No, thats the big downside. The isotopes break down dissipate after a few days, but you pretty much can't wash 'em off. If you get picked up as a terrorist," There's a brief pause for emphasis, "Someone might accuse you of trying to buy, sell, or manufacture WMD's, but unless you've got some kind of background it won't hold up. Then you just have to worry about black sites, but that goes for everybody in this room anyway." Diego then responds to Helena, "Whatever you need."

Tactile contact becomes objectionable when it's unobjectionable enough. Teo grimaces like a child confronted with unflavored cough syrup and puts the Coke bottle in Hel's hand, patting her knuckles. It is a gift. The next omment, his attention swivels back to Brian, and his left eyebrow goes up. Then his right. "Oh," he says. Pamela from the animal shelter, then. "Well, I probably know her. If they know each other and we want to investigate him, she's an angle we could go off." He relaxes his shoulders against the back of his chair, and slides his feet out, careful not to trod on the weather witch even as he takes up as much space as is possible for a young man of his dimensions. It has more with being a young man than his actual physical dimensions.

Alexander grunts at that, and returns the gesture. "Not my fault you don't know your pulp heroes," he says, lazily. And then he heaves himself up. "I'm for bed. Later, kids."

"Not my fault you're an asshole, asshole." Brian says with a smile as Alexander retreats. Sliding off the table, the man goes to pull up a chair next to Helena. He just now starts listening to the intelligent conversation being had with Teo and Diego. Falling silent, he gives a sidelong glance to Helena. Then looks back.

Diego nods. "I'll talk to him. Discuss this isotope identification idea with him. See what kind of other little nuggets fall out." Oh, thats right, he said it. He leans back into his chair and crosses his arms over his chest, letting his eyes slide from one 90210 Terrorist to the next. "Hey, you don't have any kind of info on that facility yet, do you? Just that it exists but no specifics and all that…?"

Helena shakes her head. "My source is working on it for me." she says. "If I knew more, I'd have said so." And then it's Brian. "Okay, first off, no sending you into any experiment camps, and secondly, what is you malfunction with Alex? I don't care if you have a man-crush-hate thing going on, but don't let it get in the way of what we do. Do I need to give you all a time out?"

"Buona notte, Al." The greeting drifts with dust motes into the hallway the telekinetic took. Teo shoves himself upright a moment later, a turn of one leg preventing him from crashing into Helena with the arc of his movement. Instead, the girl is looped under one long arm. She's small enough that Teo's limb doubles all the way around her frame and his thumb ends up under her jaw, giving the point of her chin a friendly up-chuck. If he's at all concerned about casual contact against the beleaguered front of his body, he doesn't show it. "It's bonding," he says, although he has no such certainty, though he imagines he can tell hate apart from hate. He's been on the receiving end of both frequently enough. "I'm turning in for the night, too.

"I'll be in my workshop; I don't think the buses are running anymore. Addio." A thumb and forefinger splay around the edge of Helena's heart-shaped face as if to say, smile, before he starts to lope off. "I'll give you the vet's business address whenever you have the time," he tells Brian, lightly. Diego gets a salute. It's done wrong, but Teo figures the guy will either punch him or keep right on— 'smiling.'

"Why not? We could find it that way. It's a good idea. I could go pretend to be Pariah or something. Get caught and then we'll know exactly where they are. And.. We can bust em out. Because we'll have an inside man. Me!" Brian exclaims. "This is an awesome plan." He asserts with his palms open.

"Easy." He says into Helena's second tirade. "He's a jerk. Go yell at him. I'm being good, I'm being have." Have is pronounced as the last syllable of behave. "Thanks for letting me have my man-crush Hel. You're the best boss ever." Then a little fist is put in the air for Teo's departure. "Seeya Bro. Sleep good."

Diego responds to Teo's salute with a simple upturn of his chin, as if he's incapable of waving or distracted or some other more nefarious explanation is the true cause. Whatever. Then he looks back to Brian and cocks his head to one side. "What happens if somebody punches one of your clones, Brian?"

"HomeSec and the Company have telepaths on staff. You think these camps don't have people like that on their rosters? You think you're immune to torture, or whatever effects the experiments might have?" Helena counters and then holds up a hand. "Table it for now. We'll bring it up again when we actually have the information." A smile spreads. "Also, you may address me as 'Benevolent Dictactress, Overlady Of My Soul and Queen Of Everything'." She chuckles. She looks to Diego. "I'm probably going to turn in shortly too. But now you know how to get here, and I can wait to at least walk you back to the door and make sure you get your sidearm back."

A playful grin raises on Brian's lips as he looks to Helena. He starts to make an argument, but he closes his mouth once she says to table it. Then he lets out a chuckle as she tells him her new title. Standing up, he raises one hand and gives her shoulder a very gentle shove. "You got it, my Queen of Everything." Then he looks to Diego. "Uh. If I get punched? I'll probably get mad and then…" His hands clench for a moment.

Pop pop. Two Brian's pop out of the Brian standing there. They are both naked, but their hands are covering their manbits. Just a demonstration. After one second the two new copies then meld back into Brian quickly. "The rest of us beat the shit out of said puncher." Smile. Then a mask of concern goes on his face as he pats Helena's shoulder. "You go to bed, kiddo. I have his gun, I'll get it back to him."

"I think when you found yourself the victim of SERE's reverse engineering, you'd be a little less excited about it." Diego stands up as well and slips his various jackets and accessories back on before addressing Helena. "I'll show myself out. I'll be around to talk to Conrad about security, otherwise, you know how to get a hold of me."

Helena nods. "I do. Welcome aboard, Diego." A smirk toward Brian. "Don't call me kiddo, unless you want a permanent raincloud over your heads." With that, she's heading up the stairs, disappearing into one of the study rooms she uses as her own private space.


Any additional notes fall to the bottom.


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November 20th: No Truce

Previously in this storyline…
Mysterious Countdown


Next in this storyline…
The Healing Miracle

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November 20th: Living Legacy
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