Participants:
| Scene Title | In For A Pound |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Meeting with the head of Phoenix. |
| Date | December 4, 2008 |
Though it is situated on a busy portion of Broome Street, the Guan Gong Temple is a place of incomparable peace and serenity. It has been well kept through the years, and there are several exquisite works of Chinese art housed within. Stairs on either side of the common room lead up to a lofted dining area that's set for roughly a dozen. Carved woodwork and lovingly tended plant life makes up much of the decor here, as well as in the modest kitchen and living quarters.
Trask goes to meet Elisabeth, when he picks her up he is dressed head to toe in winter garb, scarf, stockinghat, gloves, trenchcoat, boots. He leads her to the place he was told, when he speaks, it is with a thick russian accent, and he has instructed her to refer to him only as Sergei.
When she goes with him, it's with caution. Elisabeth trusts him, but she's not a hundred percent sure how this will go down. She's wearing a zippered fleece jacket over her jeans, her blonde hair caught back in a braid to keep it out of her way, her left arm slinged beneath the fleece. And she stands near Sergei, where she can be easily seen and checked out.
Helena is watching from one of the trees a little recessed from the the area that would be green around the garden if it weren't a New York winter. She wears a black leather jacket fitted to a man's size and too big for her, and though she might seem like she's not wearing enough layers, she's not cold. Helena's never cold unless she wants to be, nor is anyone who stands near her. Unless it's 'Sergei'.
Owen shows up next to Helena, shaking off a bit of a chill as he stuffs his hands into the pockets of a hoodie that could probably stand to have a few more layers piled atop it, if it's to stave off the chill. As it is he makes up the difference by fidgeting in place and standing next to Helena. Having only just arrived, he's still adjusting to the more clement temperature she's cultivated around herself.
Trask waits quietly, hands crossed behind his back, he keeps Elisabeth inside his zone of control, both to make it clear she can't use her powers on those coming to he meeting, and to keep any precogs or clarvoyants from witnessing this.
Elisabeth shifts her weight from one foot to the other, but she doesn't seem bothered by Sergei's proximity. She glances to him and murmurs, "It's good that your friends are cautious."
Helena takes a breath. "Hey, Owen." she says softly, her fingers reaching out to briefly brush the tips of her fingers along his upper arm. "You ready? Sergei's with her, so we'll be skirting his field. If we need to, we may get closer. Just wanted to remind you about him." She seems prepared to walk out to meet them, but wants to know her bodyguard/buddy/partner-in-crime is, too.
Still bouncing in place, just a bit exaggeratedly in his bid to adjust to the temperature change, Owen gives Helena a quick nod. He's ready. Also, clearly relieved, as the slack in his shoulders suddenly implies. "Oh. We're.." he stirs the air with a downward pointed finger, describing an imaginary circle, "gonna be -outside- it. Good, good." he looks over at Sergei and Elisabeth. "Yeah, I'm ready."
Trask says, "Dah…..they are very careful" He doesn't seem nervous, or cold, all those summers in this outfit finally paid off thanks to the turn of the weather."
Elisabeth smiles faintly and turns her attention to the surroundings again, giving every evidence of patience.
And that's the point at which Helena walks into view, stepping on the path leading to the temple steps. She's a tiny thing, made to seem even smaller by way of the jacket she wears. As she moves closer, she raises her voice. "A few steps back, would you, Sergei? It'd be rude to shout. She can stay on the inner edge of your influence."
Trask bows slighlty to Helena, stepping back, he keeps himself about 8 feet from Elisabeth, and more from Hell.
Owen follows Helena in starts and stops, wary of stepping into Sergei's null but almost as worried about leaving the pocket of warmer air. He catches up after a moment, standing behind Helena. This calls into sharper focus Helena's tininess, because he's a bit of a beanpole.
Elisabeth remains where she stands when Helena and her bodyguard step forward and Sergei steps back. She turns to face Helena, nodding to the other woman. They've seen one another a couple of times, though only in passing. "Evening," she says mildly.
Helena inclines her head. "So we're here." she says, not bothering to introduce herself. "You asked to see someone, and here you have. What can I do for you?" Her hands are shoved into her pockets. Does she have again? Trask and Owen would know she doesn't, but Elisabeth might not realize that.
Trask crosses his hands behind his back, and just watches, not saying anything.
She's had a little time to consider how best to approach this, and honestly that question is an easy one. "It's not what you can do for me," Liz replies. "It's what I can contribute to your efforts that's important. I don't know all that you're doing, but I do know that you've split from the darker elements and come into your own as an organization, and I also know that you're doing your level best to help people out there. And that, I want to be part of. I'm willing to volunteer my abilities to the cause…. and I'm also willing to be a set of eyes and ears in the police force to keep your people out of harm's way."
Owen is possibly not aware that he's here as a bodyguard, or simply not concerned. Helena's being all businesslike, because that's how she rolls. By contrast, he smiles and throws up a hand to wave. "Hi," he greets softly, interjecting that before the discussion begins in earnest.
Helena cocks her head. "What do you think it is that we're doing? As to how we're accomplishing our goals?" There's certain key words she's curious to see if Elisabeth will use. Because they may need correcting. "How deep into the police force are we talking?"
"I know you're NOT blowing up schools. I know you're NOT killing homeless people for sport. I know you're asking friends to perform miracle cures for children, altering weather patterns beneficially, and encouraging people to civil disobedience while discouraging terrorist actions. Although vigilantism is in and of itself a crime, I tend to find it a far lesser crime than those being perpetrated by the group you splintered off of." Elisabeth's gaze never leaves Helena's face. "I've recently been offered a position on the SCOUT squad if I want it."
Owen seems to be letting his mind wander, or at least his eyes, At the moment he seems to be staring off into the distance, his head slightly canted, his lips shaped into a thoughtful twist, with only his eyes moving, darting frantically about. It's subtle, easy to miss in light of the pressing business. His eyebrows shoot sharply upward as Elisabeth answers Helena's last question, though, proving that he's at least hearing what's going on.
"A lot of people are making the mistake of assuming we're non-violent." Helena says. "I'll be straight with you. There are government sponsored facilities that are using Evolved prisoners like experimental animals. One of our goals is to put that to an end. And if someone strikes us, we strike back. You understand the significance of this?" Helena is perhaps absurdly young to be doing what she's doing, but her expression as she regards Elisabeth is solemn. "Especially if what you're implying is that you'd be willing to be a mole on the special task force."
Trask remains where he is, hands crossed, listening and letting Helena do the talking, his eyes watch for any interuption.
Elisabeth studies the woman in front of her and says quietly, "Believe me, I'm making no mistakes in that regard. I'm aware of the strike on the lab. And in all honesty, I am - for the most part - behind the idea. Registration is nothing more than yet another piece of legislation to take away the rights of some segment of the population. Which is why I'd prefer not to participate in that activity myself, though I think if I take this post it may be unavoidable. And if I do it voluntarily, I don't have to tell them everything that I can do, they'll take my word for it. I can't say that I don't have *some* concerns about how you're running your operations — as an example, while I'm in theory behind the idea of setting Evolved being held against their will merely because they *are* Evolved free, I do worry that you could also be cutting some extremely dangerous people loose who then …. well, again as an example, run about blowing up schools. But I don't have qualms about doing my job. As I see it, helping you falls within my job description. SCOUT is aimed at stopping terrorists… and quite frankly, I don't really think you fit that description. Vigilante? Sure. Freeing people held for no reason doesn't qualify as a terrorist action."
Owen is, like Sergei, keeping tabs on the area. Despite his stillness he's primed to spot any noteworthy change, most likely while it's taking place. He keeps his rapid-fire thoughts on the discussion to himself for now. Having tangented so far ahead of the discussion, his responses would likely not make much sense to anyone else at the moment.
Helena nods a little bit. "That's an issue we've already had to deal with." she says, but does not pursue that particular topic further. "You have a cellphone?" She holds her hand out. "Give it to me." It's soft, but still an order.
There's only a momentary pause, and then Elisabeth brings her cell phone out of her pocket with her good hand and passes it over silently.
Owen , perhaps predictably, keeps an eye out for any shenanigans perpetrated by Elisabeth's other hand, having evidently remembered his role in this exchange. Like as not, the precaution is unnecessary, but at least he tries to be kind of subtle about it.
Helena opens the phone, and begins mashing the keys. After a few moments, she offers it back to Elisabeth. "You're now going to be able to recieve messages from our network. Accept the position with SCOUT. Sergei will be your handler, for the present. As it happens, I have information for you, but you need to figure out a way to avoid drawing suspiscion as to where you got it." She looks up at the scarf covered man. "Are you willing to risk you life on her trust? Our lives?"
Trask says, "My life is already in her hands" His russian accent is as normal very thick and evident. "She wouldn't be here if i didn't trust her completely."
Elisabeth takes the phone back, making absolutely no funny moves. And then she nods to Helena. "What information? I'll work out how best to deliver it."
Helena shoves her hand back in her pocket, and withdraws it once more, producing a CD-ROM in a jewel case. She hands it to Elisabeth. "There is another group out there. They have an agenda; they want to wipe out the Evolved. PARIAH was not responsible for the attack on the school - it's entirely probable that they were. Think about it - any time PARIAH's done something, they've either prefaced it or followed it up with some kind of video or audio taking responsibility. The only thing found at the school were banners, and anyone could have put them there. This is everything we have on that group. Have SCOUT do something about it."
After shoving her phone back in her pocket, Liz reaches out once more with her good hand to take the jewel case. She lifts her chin - it's not as if the damage she suffered is not visible, though it's far less today than it was two days ago. Abby's quite the little helper. "I don't have to think about it. Any cop worth their badge is already questioning the situation. The attribution of the school attack to PARIAH doens't fit their M.O. I'll get it where it needs to go," she promises tightly.
Trask actually takes a step at hearing that, some of his tension actually relaxes some.
 December 4th: In For a Penny... |
Previously in this storyline… Next in this storyline… |
 December 4th: Ride Around the Town |