Participants:
| Scene Title | Questions Without Answers |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Peyton is asked to seek answers to questions about Belinda's ability; Adelaide offers some, but not many. |
| Date | November 11, 2009 |
Suresh Center Conference Room
How Peyton got the short straw to come ask about Belinda Aniston's ability, she's not sure. She's nervous — after all, it was this very building that the teenager was kept after her ability manifested at the nightclub, and there will be DHS agents and security types who would be extremely happy to get their hands on anyone responsible for the recent abduction of Belinda from their very hands. Peyton's guess is that she's the least likely suspect of all those involved — no one knows she has anything to do with any of the organizations that are the usual suspects for such acts of "terrorism," as the media would probably call the rescue. She's new enough to her power and high profile enough that it would, in most people's eyes, look like idle curiosity on her part to come nosing around about the girl.
Bundled up against the chilly bite of fall, Peyton enters the Suresh Center and heads to the receptionist. "I came to talk to a … woman named Adelaide?" she asks. "I guess she runs some sort of … group." She's recognized as the socialite and kidnap victim that's been in the news; she's also been here to visit the doctor a couple of times. Peyton is given a sympathetic smile and then directions to the conference room where Adelaide sits working.
Peyton follows the directions, down the hall, then a left, then the door on the right. She pokes her head into the room, and smiles when she sees Adelaide. "Hi, Ms… Xylander?" she asks. "I was wondering if I could talk to you for a few minutes."
Adelaide looks up from her work. Which is anything more than a few papers, apparently not group related-or at least they don't seem to be. "Hi." she says softly. A single eyebrow was raised. "Something I can help you with?" she asks collecting the papers and clipping them together. She puts them away neatly, she did recognize Peyton, if only from pictures.
"Hi," Peyton repeats, chewing her lower lip a little nervously. "I… I wanted to ask you about the night at the nightclub. I'm a friend of the girl — you know, her mom and my mom were friends, we kinda grew up together, though she's a little younger than me. I want to see if I can help, and I wanted to know exactly what happened. I don't really understand what I read in the newspapers; it doesn't really … explain anything." She takes a step into the room, then another couple until she stands next to a chair, still across the table from Adelaide.
Adelaide leans back a bit. She thinks on it a bit. "I don't know, I'll be honest, but I don't think its something I should just talk about, I really don't know what 'happened' either, to tell you the truth. All I can say is that some of the girls were making fun of her and then… things just started happening. It was all really kind of fast." she sighs. "Sort of a surreal feeling.
"I know, but … I might be able to help her," Peyton says, trying to look earnest. "If we can find her…" she lets her voice drop into a sad worried whisper. "I'm not asking you to tell me anything too personal. Just… like, what did you see and feel? Did stuff explode or did stuff start crashing around? I think someone said you were hurt — what happened?" she asks, her brows furrowing into a worried expression.
Adelaide thinks. "It was kind of hard to say, I just remembering thinking that we had to get other people out of there. This just started disappearing." she holds up her hands helplessly. "Its was just sort of fast, things breaking, and it was very chaotic.
"Things started … disappearing? Like, how? Just into thin air, or did they go somewhere?" Peyton asks, her eyes wide. "I know it said people were missing… did they just disappear, too?" Her voice trembles a little bit — after all, she's been in close contact with Belinda twice now. The What Ifs begin to run through her mind.
Adelaide thinks. "I don't know. They just erm… well after seeing what happened to one girl- or what I think happened- it was just twisted I mean I don't know if they went somewhere-I don't think so, at least not anywhere we know of." she sighs. "I am sorry I can't be of more help. It was a bit scary and sudden. It could be that people slipped away from the crowd and weren't accounted for."
"What happened to the one girl?" Peyton says, curiously. "Or what do you think happened?"
Adelaide says, “I think she dissapeared. I can't really say if it was 'poof' or being pulled apart. I justk now she wasn't there, someone screamed and I realized this was bad… I got everyone out as quickly as I could."”
"Pulled apart or poof? Like… she can make people disappear, or pull them apart or something? What kind of power can do that?" Peyton presses — part of her thinks the woman is trying to protect Belinda, that Adelaide knows more than she is letting on. "I'm not trying to find out to hurt her or anything — in case that's what you're worried about. She's my friend. And believe me, I know what it's like to be hurt because of having a power. I've been kidnapped because of having a power. I'm not about to tell anyone who can hurt her what she can do."
Adelaide shakes her head. "Its just that don't know, how to describe it, either it was like being pulled towards a blackhole-but not all encompassing-light wasn't disappearing but it just was hard to describe.
"A blackhole?" Peyton echoes. "Like… she made a blackhole somewhere that was swallowing stuff up?" she says, shaking her head. She only knows the term in the broadest, lay terms, not having taken any physics in her high school career.
Adelaide nods. "Best way to put it I think. Ever rolled a penny in a spiral funnel and watch it go around and around?"
Peyton nods. "Did you see the hole? And did it seemed aimed at the people she was mad at, first?" she asks, then, "how long did it take to … manifest, I guess?" Suddenly she sounds like one of the people who asked her a dozen questions when she had to be Registered. She closes her mouth and wipes her eyes as if wiping away tears. "God. Poor Belinda."
Adelaide shrugs. "It just kind of happened, and those questions are leading,Miss." she says slowly realizing that she's trying to lead her into answering things.
"I'm just trying to help my friend," Peyton retorts. "If we know that she can use this to target certain people, even if she doesn't intend to, then we need to help her learn how to control it, if we can ever get her back from those bastards who kidnapped her." She reaches over to offer her hand to Adelaide. "But thanks, I appreciate your help. I'm sure she would, too, if she knew you were giving it. She's a sweet kid and I know she wouldn't have done that deliberately, hurt anyone. I'm sorry you got hurt. Thanks for your time."
Adelaide thinks. "It may not be something that's easily controlable I bet." she frowns. "It's something that I think she need a lot to time work on."
Peyton nods. "I'm sure. First step is to find her, and then we'll get her help with control, God willing." She smiles again. "Thanks. I'll let you get back to work. Have a nice day." She turns to head out of the room.