Occam's Razor

Participants:

april_icon.gif lawrence_icon.gif minea_icon.gif

Also featuring…

Levi

Scene Title Occam's Razor
Synopsis While a Company healer takes the edge off Minea's injuries, three Agents ponder the issue of how one of their number was in two places at the same time. If it isn't a shapeshifter, an illusionist, or mind control… maybe Hiro Nakamura can shed some light on the matter.
Date April 28, 2009

St. Luke's Hospital


Hospitals always smell the same. There's no change. You could be anywhere in the developed world and you can rely on that. THe antiseptic smell, everything doused from top to bottom with chemicals designed to ward off germs, and dirt, anything that might think to cause the occupants of the various rooms disruption in the healing process. Nurses work the stations, putting in notations on charts, dispensing medication and otherwise doing their duties. Doctors in white coats make their rounds, stethoscopes hanging around their shoulders, hemming and hawing over the patients and dispensing orders.

The rooms of the two downed agents are no different than others save that ones in ICU on life support, and the other is in a room sans occupant for the second bed, a single pale pink tulip in a water cup and a laptop on a swivel stand that's slid over the bed. The brunette in the bed taps away slowly at the keyboard, much to the dismay of the nurses and doctors who have been tending her. Drawing up a report of the situation. Machines bleep lazily and steadily to pronounce that it's charge is still alive, breathing, otherwise being Minea. Trying not to let being laid up stop her from doing her job.

Lawrence walks the halls of the hospital, eyes sharp, trying to ignore any hints of dirt he might be seeing. It's better than smelling in here. He comes to Minea's door, knocks thrice, gently, and steps inside. "Hullo again."

April Bradley has been in her share of hospitals; it's an occupational hazard. So it doesn't take her much effort to find Minea's room, giving the number, and the young woman enters with a smile for her fellow agent. There's a slightly older man behind her, dark-haired and of an apparently less-than-friendly disposition, considering the scowl he gives Minea's laptop. "None of you understand the concept of rest," the man states, before walking over and summarily plucking the laptop away from the stand. With blithe disregard for any discomfort the probable give-it-back grab might induce. Minea likely recognizes his face; he's a Company healer. Just not good company.

April eyes the healer sidelong, but she knows him well enough also. And he is right. She walks over to the other side of the bed, snagging a chair to perch on. "Hey, Minea, Cook. I heard Levi was coming down— " That would be the healer. "— and figured I'd tag along since you were looking for me?" She runs a hand self-consciously through her hair. "I would've called but we were on silent until today, and then it didn't make any sense when I could just talk to you in person."

There is indeed gimme gimme motions made. There's fair chunk of work filled out on the laptop and there's an unhappy thought and expression on her face at the thought of loosing all the work. She's never met Levi, but she's heard about him. Bedside manner utterly lacking. "Cook. April, this is my new partner. Careful if he asks to smell you." The upside to Levi? Means likely she'll be out of the god damned bed and back on duty. In some way, shape, form. "Good thing you're here Cook. Since this is likely going to be something we have to deal with. Running silent April?" Aka, spill the details you can. "You weren't in Brooklyn were you?" Her Brown eye'd gaze goes from April and Lawrence to Levi. Bring it on, you grumpy man.

Lawrence sniffs once, supercilious. "It's only for work purposes," he tells April. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he removes a small USB drive, eyes Levi taking Minea's laptop away, and tucks the USB device back in his pocket before clasping his hands behind his back. No need for him to get in trouble, after all. "Hullo there," he greets the two newcomers with a nod of his head.

Levi doesn't do anything to the laptop other than set it somewhere out of Minea's reach. The work will still be there when his work is done. He then gestures for April to vacate her chair — which she does — sits himself down, and snatches one of Minea's hands with more success than she did the laptop. The grumpy demeanor recedes to the background as he focuses on his ability.

Now standing by the bed, April shakes her head. "No. We were down in Manhattan. Couple of Evolved were taking 'protection racket' to a rather lethal level and we had to chase them down." Though her summary is not the most informative, the young woman's tone makes it clear that was a lot of less-than-pleasant work. "Why, what happened in Brooklyn?" She doesn't have a clue.

There's a nod of her head, understanding but then a shake as Levi plucks up her hand. Temptation to swat at him is abated with the knowledge that frankly, she needs the guy. "Because I can place you, with my own eyes, at 6th and Union." Whatever Levi's doing isn't felt yet or seen. "Same ability, everything. You had sunglasses on. I was going to go gather the surveillance from the stores in the area to make sure, but you, April, walked right off after knocking some unsub's down. One got away; another we subdued thanks to you. But since you were in Lower Manhattan…" Means that someone's walking around with her face, or… "There was an illusionst, we think. But that's.. I don't think they would have known to use you."

Lawrence remains with his hands clasped behind his back, expression curious. Very curious. "Mind control?" he ventures.

The younger woman frowns, the frown only deepening as Minea continues to speak. "I… have no idea. Though — well, they could've seen me anywhere, I guess. Or working a case; I am HomeSec…" For public consumption, that is, which might be a possible motive if an illusionist wanted to make waves. April shifts her regard to Lewis, hazel eyes widening. "I don't… think so… but I wouldn't know, would I?" she asks, looking back to Minea.

"Mind control doesn't make sense. It looked like … April— " She doesn't want to assume it was this April. "— was already there, because I was a block away when the call for backup went out. What were you wearing on the twenty-fourth? How'd you do your hair?" Levi's working his magic, however, and whatever it's doing, it's not visible to the others in the room.

Lawrence observes Levi thoughtfully; he can't see what's going on, but he tries, and then he waits fifteen seconds to cycle through to hearing. "Maybe a doppelganger? I read a case in Memphis about someone who went around stealing identities."

What was she… wearing? "I… have no idea. That was… Friday?" Another frown, this one of concentration, as April tries to reconstruct her wardrobe from past days. After several moments of silence, the younger agent shakes her head. "I don't remember, I'm sorry. But my hair…" April lifts her hand to the attribute in question, pulls some of the dark strands forward to look at them as if studying her hair will provide answers. It doesn't really. "I don't… usually wear it any differently," she replies, mystified. Her gaze flicks to Lawrence. "Why would they steal mine, though? And not, I don't know, Faith's?" Faith being April's partner.

"Only known unregistered shifter— " Or was he registered? "— is Gabriel Gray and last I knew, we had him in custody and locked up tighter than a virgin's…" She's not going to finish that. "There's no reason for someone to have assumed her identity, especially when her hair on Friday in Brooklyn was wavy, discernibly wavy." Minea shifts a little in her bed, shooting Levi a look and lifting her other IV impaled hand to scratch at her chest where she'd been shot. Looks like someone's tissues are healing.

She takes the time though to describe the outfit, or what of it she could remember, that April had been wearing. "What are the odds though, of a shapeshifter being able to assume your shape— " more scratching "— AND your ability. How many others can form their ability like you do, same effects, same results. And why would they help? Why wouldn't they be attacking the HomeSec agents that were on scene instead of the unsubs?"

"Pardon me," Lawrence says, clearing his throat. His Adam's apple bobs up and down. "I think it's foolish to assume Gabriel Gray is the only person who can do what he can do. Furthermore, impersonating anyone in a position of authority is feasible. That's an unfortunate part of our work: it's very difficult to sort things out. Why you? Why not you?" He smiles faintly. "I suppose that's hardly helpful, however. I don't suppose you have a twin?"

"Well, a shifter might be hard to catch and register," April points out, since someone has to be the devil's advocate. "But… my ability?" She pulls her lower lip between her teeth — only to have her pondering interrupted by Minea's continued description. The younger woman shakes her head. "I don't own anything like that." Not the denim jacket, anyway.

She looks over at Lawrence, nods slowly. "And if there was an illusionist, maybe they did the look-alike part and the person actually had a forcefield power. I mean, there's several others with the ability. How exactly did she use it?" April turns back to Lawrence and shakes her head. "No — I don't even have a sibling." A beat. "At least, not that I know about."

"Well, someone is running around with your face and or ability and that is not a good thing. It's just a matter of why you and whether it's just one really big coincidence or whether they're doing it on purpose." Minea answers, lowering her hand at the glare from Levi as she keeps scratching. "Are you done yet? Or are you trying to grow back my missing ovaries?"

Lawrence removes one hand from behind his back to scratch his nose absently. "Perhaps you were in two places at the same time. How would that be possible?"

"It… isn't, last I checked," April replies to Lawrence. "I mean, unless I have a long-lost twin or something. I suppose stranger things have happened." Like being impersonated by a random illusionist. She looks back at Minea. "I don't know. But I really want to find out," she agrees.

Levi lifts his hand from Minea's at the woman's bark. "I am now," he replies coolly. Standing up, the healer adds, "If you strain what's mended, I won't fix it again." He looks down at April. "I'll see myself out. Goodbye, Agents." And he does exactly that.

"Perhaps she was in two pla…." Oh shit. "Hiro Nakamura" Shit. Shit. Minea takes her hand back when Levi releases it, a muttered thank you for the healing, shifting her hand so she can lift the neck of her generic hospital gown away from her chest, dig a hand down and peel away the dressing to take a peek. "Oh thank fucking Jesus, someone get a nurse and get me discharged. AND THANK YOU LEVI!" yelled out to him, remembering a little too late that her new partner would probably in two seconds be cursing her name.

Lawrence was listening. Super listening, really, so he grimaces and pats down his jacket pocket for a small pill container, which he twitches open. "Time travel? How distressing. And paradoxical."

"Time… Is that possible?" There's a brief pause. "Not the ability, obviously, but — I thought you couldn't stay." What does the Company know about time travel? Not much at all, in practice. April shakes her head slowly. "And — why?"

"I don't know why, but I know someone. Just a matter of getting a hold of him. He likes to call me Saseko. I'll have to hit up some contacts, pull some favors but I'm sure that I can maybe get a conversation with him. Maybe he can shed some light on the subject. Sometimes the simplest answer is the easiest answer. He has a thing against Company agents, maybe he was just fucking with us. If so, then it's not so much a worry, but if he wasn't then we're back to square one." Blankets are being pushed back, nurses button hit with her thumb to bring someone in and hopefully soon so Minea can get out and get moving. "Cook, can you save whats on the laptop?"

Lawrence nods. "Occam's Razor. And yes, of course I can," he says, though he's still focused on the pill in his hand. He pours himself a cup of water and downs it before digging into his pocket for the USB device.

Something about that explanation still bothers April; it's clear in the way she frowns. "But…" She thinks about it, tries to put the issue into words. "But is that the simplest explanation? I mean, it's the same problem with an illusionist and my ability, right? If he was there, why did he look like me and how did he manage to mimic my ability?"

"I don't think there's any simple explanation. You're alive, and unless Gabriel Gray has suddenly picked up forcefield like yours then there has to be other explanations. Knowing who I know, it'll take me a day to find out if he's responsible, maybe two, I don't know. But who knwos, maybe it's one of the strange isotopes that popped up. Maybe we do have a new shapeshifter in town." Minea works her legs over the side of the bed, and since there's no nurse coming running, the leads on her chest are unclipped after she reaches over and hits the off button. She's strained her partner's ears enough. It's also enough to likely make them come running when it starts squealing flat lines at the nurses' station.

Lawrence stoops over the laptop and slides the USB device into the side. "You're important to somebody," he comments, glancing in April's direction. "Just what are you involved in?"

April looks askance at Lawrence. Disbelieving. Then she shakes her head. "Regardless, if you don't already know then I can't really tell you." A glance at Minea provides a completely off-subject distraction. More specifically, at the bed she just vacated. There's something under her pillow. "Who's 'Bolivar'?" the younger woman asks curiously.

Minea looks to April then the bed, the brown bag slid just under the pillow. "Oh for Christ's sake. It's a burger. Probably unsafe to eat by now. Someone who visited me this morning, NYPD. Musta brought it in while I was sleeping. "Let's get me out of here, grab my clothes from the closet over there, Lawrence, can you shut it down when you're done?" Nurses can be heard moving down the hall at a fast pace. "Sooner we're out, the sooner we can have answers."

Lawrence sniffs over in April's direction. "That's disgusting," he announces, likely talking about the hamburger. Seriously, ew.

April shakes her head slightly, then makes her own way towards the door and the hallway beyond. "I should get going anyway. James will get home soon and I want to beat him there. He doesn't know I'm 'back in town," the younger woman admits with a sly grin. "Let me know what you find out, okay?"


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