Just Luis

Participants:

cat_icon.gif eve_icon.gif

Scene Title Just Luis
Synopsis Cat and Eve discuss art and the people in it.
Date March 3, 2010

The Rock Cellar

A comfortable place, located in the basement of 14 East 4th Street. The red brick walls are covered with memorabilia from various icons of rock and places in rock history, creating a feel similar to that of a Hard Rock Cafe.

The left wall has two bars separated by swinging doors which lead to and from the kitchen. Directly across from the entrance is a two foot high stage with all the equipment needed for acts to perform there. The right wall has three doors marked as restrooms: two for use by women and one by men.

Thirty square feet of open space for dancing and standing room is kept between the stage and the comfortable seating placed around tables which fill the remainder of the Cellar.

The lighting here is often kept dim for purposes of ambience, and when performers are onstage the place is loud enough to make conversation difficult. Just inside the door is a podium where location staff check IDs and stamp the hands of those under twenty-one with a substance visible under UV lights at the two bars and by devices the servers carry. On the podium's front is a sign with big black letters that just about explain it all: If You Don't Like Rock 'N' Roll, You're Too Late Now!


Cat should have finished eating lunch, that much the woman can tell as she sits behind the curtain on the stage. She takes a deep breath and she plucks a few keys out on the piano on stage. Eve looks at the curtains which slide away and then Cat would be able to see Eve, sitting there wearing a long, midnight blue dress and black knee high boots. Her hair swings as she smiles gently in Cat's direction, her eyes alight.

She plays a few chords to a song.. Imagine by John Lennon and then the spotlight hits a guitar on the stage, "It's waiting for you." Eve says simply and she begins to play the famous song. Repeating the intro, waiting for Cat to come on stage. Eve has come today for a few different reasons. One for business, the other to help a fellow musician heal.

There are people in the place eating still, enjoying lunch and time away from offices or other jobs. Some of them just out for the food who don't work during the day. As such, the venue has a decent amount of customers but isn't packed like it might be for a performance at night. Cat has, also, finished eating. Her personal lunch guest departed some time before and she remained in place at that favored table in the shadows.

But she did leave that table long enough to visit one of the ladies' rooms, affording Eve the precog time to slip in unseen by her, pull a curtain closed on stage, and arrange for a spotlight to settle on a guitar. It times out perfectly, her emergence from that necessary place and the action of a Rock Cellar staffer in putting the curtain back to its normal open position. The chords heard cause her to stop in her tracks and face the stage. How the hell…? "Precogs," she murmurs under her breath, "woman probably dreamt about me going to pee and saw she'd have time to set this up." The Cellar staffer seems about to mount the stage and escort Eve out, unhappy about her having messed around with equipment sans consent, but Cat waves him off as she herself approaches to join the Dreamer.

Imagine there's no Heaven, It's easy if you try

No hell below us, above us only sky

Imagine all the people, living for today

It's as if Eve doesn't notice that anyone is in the room, her voice coming out soft but powerful. Her playing of the piano quite good. She break off the song for a moment, looking behind her shoulder, "Play." She says simply and then she's back to playing and singing.

Imagine there's no countries, it isn't hard to do

The guitar is taken up, strap slung over shoulder, and fingers settle onto strings. Manipulate frets. She needs no rehearsal, the sheet music for the piece is visible in her head. But Cat's voice remains unused, she opting to leave vocals in Eve's hands. For now. Her face shows focus, the evidence of having left things beyond the stage behind in these moments.

You may say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one

I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will be as one

Eve smiles lightly as she hears Cat join in. Her eyes close as she plays and sings into the mike. This exercise is suppose to help Cat let go.. as well as Eve. She plays harder, with more emphasis.

Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger, a brotherhood of man

The seer is lost in the music as she plays. She stomps her foot, angry. Not with anyone but herself, the few people that are gathered in the place are listening as if they are entranced.

Current events say the tune doesn't quite fit her mood, she'd have chosen something angrier or more melancholy, but Cat plays along with skill and precision. She still doesn't sing, opting instead to let Eve carry the lead until Imagine's conclusion. She has ideas forming to follow up with, tunes Eve may know the lyrics to sing along with, or may not. Perhaps she'll find out.

For now you may say she's angry, but she's not the only one. She hopes soon Dreyfus and Skoll will be dead, the whole thing done.

Imagine all the people, sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one

As the song draws to a close, Eve plays the notes deeper and more dramatic. Her hair swinging as she plays on the keyboard.

I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will live as one

As she ends the song, she looks over to Cat with a smile and dips her head. Continue? Her look says to the woman with perfect memory.

The attention on her asking about continuance without use of words is met by silent consideration across an extended stretch of seconds before Cat's head turns away and fingers go back into motion. They cause the guitar to make sounds drawn from memory, in the haunting style of Lindsey Buckingham. The beginning of it is an extended instrumental piece, but there are lyrics sure enough sung with a mixture of anger and pain to her voice.

She broke down and let me in

Made me see where I've been

Then it's back to instrumentality for another minute, perhaps longer, channeling things she feels.

Been down one time

Been down two times

I'm never going back again

You don't know what it means to win

Eve comes in with the piano, following Cat's leave and singing with a smile on her face. Singing the harmony.

Come down and see me again

The darker haired woman throws Cat a look from over her shoulder and nods, good this is what she wanted Cat to do.. to feel. To express herself. The seer goes back to playing along with Cat, reaching a rapture point in the music.

There's no smile, her face shows only concentration as fingers go on across strings and frets. Vocal silence has returned, it's another purely instrumental portion of the tune. Eyes close, only she knows what's being thought of, felt at that time. The sole evidence comes from intensity of the sound and her voice when it returns.

Been down one time

Been down two times

I'm never going back again

At the tune's conclusion she sets down the instrument, placing it on a stand, without a word and moves to depart the stage. A gesture made with her head indicates Eve may follow if she desires.

Eve nods her head at the crowd and then she's exiting the stage, picking up a few large black folders, they must hold paintings in them.

"You did good." She says to Cat softly as she follows after the woman. "The music always helps, it's why it's there." She smiles gently at the woman that can forget nothing and she runs a hand through her long mane of hair.

"There are always things to focus on," Cat tells her dryly as steps move forward. Eyes sweep across the folder; though she doesn't yet comment it occurs to her these are perhaps another part of the seer's reason to come here. A part not so much for public airing, at least not yet, and potentially needing use of equipment to photograph the contents.

So it's to the elevator at the back, the one hidden from public view she often uses as a direct path from residence to cellar. Inside, security measures are performed, she presses the button marked 6 and holds the doors for Eve.

Eve nods her head in thanks to Cat for holding the door for her. As the elevator closes, "There is something coming my little Cat.. something that I will need help with." She says softly and holds the folders close to her. "Do you know anything about Dr. Zimmerman, Gregor… and Edward Ray?" she tilts her head at Cat and blinks as she looks at the woman.

"There is a storm coming.. and these men are the cause of it.. or so I think." She says to Cat lightly.

"There's always something coming," she mutters in reply as fingers close and lock the access panel which conceals the buttons for her top three floors. Cat's eyes come to rest upon Eve again during a stretch of quietude which is terminated by the ding of arrival and the opening of elevator doors to show a short corridor leading to a pair of doors. These are approached and opened, then held for entry by Eve.

"Doctor Zimmerman," she relates, "was the original creator of a formula and serum created during the 1980s by Primatech, Inc, more commonly called the Company, which now partners with DHS and gives such credentials to its staff. The serum was destroyed a few years after creation, and the injection of several infants, on the orders of Arthur Petrelli and with the agreement of founding partners. The formula was divided into parts and kept in different places by those founding partners, none of which were Arthur. After faking his own death, he seized clandestine control of Pinehearst and sought to revive the serum. Dr. Zimmerman was recruited for that purpose. He vanished after the place was brought down and Arthur purged from the earth." She isn't done by any means, absence of speaking is simply a thing afforded to Miss Mas for processing what she's just heard.


The Verb, Penthouse

Arriving by any of four elevators, visitors will find they open into three foot corridors facing wide double doors made from sturdy southern pine which swing outward and have the strongest locks available. The stairs lead to single doors, also outward opening, at the end of three foot corridors. Entry requires both a key and a keycard; other security measures are a video camera and voice communication terminal at all doors. The 4th Street side has floor to ceiling windows interrupted only by the access points. Cream colored curtains are normally kept closed.

This level has enough space for sixteen apartments. There is an office space with reception area, conference room, and executive office; a room for archery practice and other forms of physical exercise; a very well appointed kitchen and dining area; a music zone with an array of instruments, electronics, and amplifiers; an entertainment area with an HD set covering an entire stretch of wall from floor to ceiling; a locked room where security footage for the building is recorded and can be monitored; a laundry room; a staircase for roof access; central air and heating; the main bedroom and a few smaller guest rooms; plush deep wine carpet everywhere except the kitchen, laundry room and bathrooms; and track lighting everywhere overhead. The light levels can be lowered or raised in the entire place, or selectively by segments. The overall decor suggests the occupant is a woman.


As Cat speaks and they enter the penthouse, Eve lays out the first painting, it's of Dr. Zimmerman. The seeress looks at Cat as she speaks and nods her head. "Okay, yes with the Formula." She knows that much. With a soft sigh, she waits for Cat to continue. The next painting she lays out is the one of Gregor. She winces as she thinks about what he was doing in her dream.

Once they've entered, she closes those doors and resumes sharing information. "Doctor Gregor was found at the labs of Edmund Rasoul in Madagascar. I never met or saw the man myself, but a number of people involved with the operation did. Reports are he was performing very much Nazi style experiments which involved breeding farms and incineration of children from them with the SLC. He's reminiscent of Josef Mengele."

As she turns to view the artwork, the panmnesiac admits "I don't have photos for Zimmerman or Gregor. Do you know which of these two is which man? Edward Ray, however, you're also familiar with, Eve. The man who found us when the Vanguard attempted to murder Allen Rickham and drew up the plan used to destroy Kazimir's compound virus. He vanished after laying it out for us, and didn't surface until we dealt with Pinehearst. However… an older version of Edward came from 2019 while Helena and others were thrown forward by the events at Moab, and caused a mess. Tried to cause an even larger mess."

"Zimmerman." She says as she points to the painting of Zimmerman. "Gregor." She says as she points at his painting. Eve paces the room before she stops and leans against the wall. "These men… and another. She drops the painting of Doc on the table and 'Luis'. "These men were all in my dream. In some sort of lab conducting experiments. This one." She points at the painting of Luis. "He isn't doing whatever work they are doing of his own free choice. I have reason to believe that he is being held captive and forced to do whatever these men are doing."

Eve takes a breath and then leans against the table. "I have been told that at least two of these men are being held by the government. Which also means that they others might be being held as well. This is just a warning Cat, something is amiss and it has something to do with sciene. That new virus perhaps? Who knows, but we must watch for information concerning these men."

Each of the paintings is given a careful viewing, to ensure Cat sees all details for later remembrance, while digits pull the iPhone out and bring up the camera function. Then she views the screen to be certain each piece is fully captured and photographs them. Names are attached to the files for Zimmerman, Gregor, and Doc, but she hesitates over Luis. "Does this man have a name?" she asks, indicating it.

"I've heard their names mentioned by others recently. This one," she indicates Doc, "was one of Normal White's associates, a Moab escapee. He's Doctor Carpenter, the man who duplicated Helena's mind into another body just before she was captured by Humanis First. A fourth person was mentioned in the same concerns as Gregor, Carpenter, and Zimmerman. Hector Steel, a mechanical expert. The four of them together, I was told, make a particularly terrifying coven."

Her brow furrows. "The virus is a concern. Rebel recently made public a photo of Shanti 128, half of what Kazimir tried to release. I've not seen any images of the 510 virus, but I think I'll find a way to get some."

"Just Luis." She says to Cat softly and then she's packing up the paintings and putting them back into the folder. "I… if you find pictures of the virus. Let me know, any info you receive on this I'm going to need you to let me know about it, okay? It's really important." Eve says to Cat and she looks over to the other woman. "I trust you to help me with this, we have to find these men. I think.. I think a lot rest on whether or not we find them."

The seer prepares to go. She walks towards the doors of the penthouse and open them. "Be well Cat." She smiles softly towards the other woman and begins to exit. Cat would notice that Eve left one of the folders there laying on the table.

"Don't go yet, Eve," Cat requests. "I've got something to show you." It's a few steps to to the entertainment area where Cat's placed a laptop. She opens it, hoping Eve follows, and pulls up the various pieces gotten from Rebel to Eve to see, if she followed instead of departing.

Eve raises an eyebrow and follows after Cat. She leans over and looks closely at the laptop. "What are these?" she questions the lawyer with a look. She's never seen these before.

Then she takes a closer look and she shakes her head. "Are they… quarantining us?" she asks Cat with a startled expression on her face.

"Not yet," Cat replies gravely, "but it does indicate preparation for that. As if it was expected there'll be larger numbers of people infected with the 510 flu. Today's Times says Mayor Lockheart called a meeting to discuss an emergency quarantine procedure. I've got a copy of the paper over there," the panmnesiac indicates with a hand gesture toward a nearby coffee table. "Take it if you like, I already looked at the whole thing and showed Helena."

A shocked and then somber look crosses Eve's face. With a nod she walks over and takes the paper. "Thanks Cat, we'll be in touch right?" she says as she prepares to leave. "Oh and make sure to put that painting somewhere nice." She says as she goes back to opening the door and exiting.

"Yes," Cat assures somberly while also handing off photos of Skoll and Dreyfus. "Where and how do I find you? Keep your eyes open for these two: Aleksandr Koslow, the Vanguard calls him Skoll, and Carlisle Dreyfus. They're working with Daiyu Feng and are in New York now."

Beyond that, she neither says nor does anything more to delay Eve's departure.

"The Orchid Lounge." She says as she nudges the door open, as if she's in a hurry. She looks down at the pictures and growls at the mention of Feng. "Will do, just drop by the Orchid Lounge whenever. I'm down there a lot." She says to the woman that keeps every memory in her mind. "Thank you so much Cat." She says and then she's out of the penthouse.

If Cat were to investigate the painting that Eve left, she would find a family portrait. Of Cat, sitting in the middle of a gold, pale pink background. On either side of her, the faces of her father Mason on her left.. and her mother Jenn on her right. They look happy. They look safe. "To hold in your memories.. the good times." Eve says softly as the elevator closes and she leans her head against the wall. As she descends, she coughs a bit and looks down at her hand. Blood.


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