Trust Her

Participants:

cardinal_icon.gif carter_icon.gif jezebel_icon.gif

Scene Title Trust Her
Synopsis Cardinal tells Jezebel where to find Abby and Sergei, while Carter eavesdrops like mad.
Date February 23, 2009

The Greenbelt, Staten Island

The Greenbelt is 2800 acres of mixed urban parkland and natural preserves, winding around and between several major communities. The more natural areas are primarily a succession of ridges and boulder-littered moraines beneath the canopy of a hardwood forest — beech, hickory, maples, and oaks in the main, with a variety of less common trees mixed in. At the lower points of the parkland, this forest gives way to wetland, overgrown with ferns, skunk cabbage, lady slipper, and trout lilies. The park's boundaries include a golf course, a cemetary, a friary, a boy scout camp, and a carousel, as well as the more stereotypical nature center and a native plant demonstration garden.


It's the sort of moment that was made for Deja Vu.

"I knew I should've gotten her phone number," Cardinal mutters under his breath as he makes his way along through the park, pausing beneath the tree where he last saw the woman looking for her friend — wondering, perhaps, of where he might see her again. There's a heavy duffle bag slung over one shoulder, thumb hooked through the strap of the bag to keep his hand up. The man looks tired, if determined, shaking his head and walking out across the overgrown grass of the untended park.

Jezebel is, by some weird chance, over by one of the edges of the park. She seems to be admiring the sunset and twilight. Jez also looks tired, but not from carrying a heavy duffle bag.

It is possible that the telltale pops and cracks of burning would can be heard long before the fire itself is visible. It sits somewhat off the beaten path, but it is unclear if it is part of some more rugged site attached to the scout camp's facilities or is just some random fire built by some random person in order to stave off the evening's growing chill.

The man hunched over it, poking at the meager source of warmth, certainly doesn't look like a scoutmaster. But at the sounds of cracking twigs, Carter turns his stocking-capped head to see Cardinal, then catches sight of the girl as he swings his gaze back around to the task at hand.

The fire's being avoided directly by Cardinal as he heads over towards the park's edge, and yet he's still visible from it—just as the woman is, his steps pausing at the sight of her, one hand raising to push the edge of his shades down the line of his nose to look at her. "Well I'll be damned," he murmurs under his breath, two fingers coming to his lips then to whistle off a sharp, shrill alarm. "Oi! Jezebel!"
Jezebel turns immediately at the whistle and shout, then begins to walk in that direction. "I think we've met before," she says to Cardinal. "In fact, we must have; I'm not famous. I'd better not be famous. Hmm… Richard?"

If he had to rely on his ears alone, it's likely that Carter wouldn't be able to hear the communication that passes between these two. It's made a great deal easier by simply listening to thoughts rather than words, and out here, there's little static to interfere.

"That depends on how many people've read your part of the Good Book," Cardinal quips in response — shaking his head as he approaches her to meet her half way, his hand falling down to rest to one side. Once they get closer, he can lower his voice a bit, asking easily, "You find your russian friend just yet?"

Jezebel shakes her head. "No, I'm afraid not. Worse, more people have gone missing. I don't suppose you saw a young Southern blonde, sort of thin, gold cross around her neck, incredibly nice, answers to Abby while you were looking for vampire groupies?"

There's a few moments of silence as they move to meet each other, Cardinal not answering her just yet. How much should I tell her? She wasn't on Abigail's list… oh, fuck it. The more hounds I have going for the fucker's throat— A smile, and it's not entirely a pleasant one, curves to the man's lips when he pauses a conversational distance from her. "It's your lucky day, Jezebel," he says in quiet, more serious tones, "I know exactly where both of them are."

Jezebel's eyebrows shoot up as she leans forward, one hand reaching into her fanny pack. "Where? Thank God! Just let me get what you know down on my iPhone, please." 'I hope I get this all' fades into a blurry swirl of phone numbers, faces and benzene derivatives.

There is a quiet hope that Wireless isn't asleep, but as vigilant as ever.

Carter watches the pair with a great deal more interest now, even as he pulls an aluminum can of some sort of nonperishable foodstuffs from the backpack at his side and tears off the tabbed lid. So this is where Beauchamp ended up. It doesn't surprise him at all that she would have so many people looking for her, as sweet and open as she was. Is.

As the iPhone's produced, Cardinal watches her for a moment, his head canted to one side slightly. "I'm hoping you must be one've her friends," he says, his voice kept low, "So give me some other names so I know who you're with, first off, Jez. She's in enough shit without some third faction deciding to come scoop her up."

Jezebel thinks for a minute before answering. A rapidly flipped through list of about ten people, including Eve, Wireless, Teo, Sonny, Brian, Cat and Claude gets produced. "The friends of hers that I know, Richard, don't deal in names lightly. Would you trust me to tell you truthfully if I know any of the people she asked you to find?" Jez is incurably honest, it seems , and worried sick.

Trust her, comes a soft yet firm voice in Cardinal's mind. A gut feeling, perhaps? But as soon as he pushes the thought there, Carter narrows his eyes in order to concentrate across the distance and sift through the man's brain to discover Abby's location on his own.

There's that uncertainty there for a few moments, but Cardinal was already leaning towards it, so it just takes that slight nudge from 'Carter' to send him over the edge. The information, as well, flashes to the surface of his mind as he calls it up from the locked doors and empty hallways of his memory. "True enough," he murmurs, stepping in a touch closer, "She's being held in the Rookery, beneath a place called the Happy Dagger - she's not alone. They take people, the fighters go to the Pancratium, like your Russian friend. The others - the brothel." A pause, "They're just using her to heal. So far."

Jezebel heaves a huge sigh of relief at that last part. Cat and Claude flash through her head. "Some of her friends thought that might be what happened. We guessed that both establishments would sell their souls to get Abby. Can you tell me anything about the layout of where they're being held at all?" Jez keeps her mind on business as she starts a text file on the iPhone and quickly types this in.

The flood of information that Carter receives is like a refreshing drink of water for some strained athlete - the joyous herald of a second wind. It is enough to keep him going as he listens and digs for more. Where, exactly? Who is holding her? How easy or difficult might it be to spring her?

"I can get in and out anytime I want to," Cardinal admits, his head shaking ever so slightly but his voice turning all the more intense, "The layout isn't the problem - the people there are. It's pretty heavily defended, and there's several… rather potent Evolved at the brothel, not even counting that motherfucker Logan and his own crazy voodoo shit. If you can get me an extraction team, I can break her out from the inside and into the alley where they move her to the Pancratium. I already have some people I can call on, but this isn't a lightweight operation we're dealing with." Faces stir in his thoughts as he's nudged towards tactical thinking - Felix, Isabelle, Teo, the first more certain than the rest. The stairs, down from the main floor, the balefire red eye burning above a single camera. Doors along a hallway, Abby behind one, Deckard's bloodied face another. A window, at the hall's end. Moonlight.

Jezebel thinks for a moment. Those loons don't even take requests from me. "I'll relay that and do my best. I may have to have you contact them directly, or vice versa." They'd better not expect me to do this on my own! "Ah well, tell me about the crazy voodoo, please." She quickly reviews precisely how to synthesize trinitrotolulene.

I have to do this.

The power of Carter compels… well, Cardinal. His face is screwed up in a near scowl as he concentrates on placing the thought in Cardinal's mind so that it roots. Not just a suggestion - a command. Abby must be freed.

It may surprise the telepath - or it may not - that the command slips in there as easily as it does, the determination and intent already there and fixated within the structure of Cardinal's mind. This isn't just some light information-trading session for him, it seems. "I'll talk to them if I have to. There's others I need to find, as well—Agent Parkman from HomeSec, preferably without getting my ass arrested, Niki or Jessica Sanders, you know how I can get in contact?" She'd better be able to dig up someone. Damn it. I can't do this with just Ivanov! Not waiting for an answer, he shakes his head, "He can block abilities, apparently, and… synthesize some sort of euphoric drug by contact. It's how he breaks them. We can't let her stay there for too long, Jezebel, even she can't hold out forever against the scumbag."

Jezebel nods and types rapidly. "I'm sorry, I've never heard of an Agent Parkman, or a Niki, or a Jessica. I'm very sorry, Richard. However, Abby and Sergei have some very surprising friends." Oh, do they ever. "Tell you what, do you have a phone number?"

It is so tempting to draw Cardinal closer, but Carter has to remember his mission. Besides, with the sorts of friends that Abby has, well… it won't be long before they get her out, especially if Cardinal's confidence isn't misplaced.

Snatching up the can long before it has actually finished warming, Carter rises and tips his small bucket of water over onto the fire before then kicking dirt onto it as well. His back is roughly retrieved, and the unlabeled can's contents eaten as he moves in the general direction of the Rookery.

"It was worth a try," Cardinal murmurs, his head shaking a little, he then smirks a bit, "Yeah. I'm not a complete barbarian, after all…" The number's recited, then, his eyes looking over the edge of his shades to the woman with a serious look, "…have them get in touch with me as soon as possible, if they're willing to help."

Jezebel nods as she types in the number. "I'm going to go call them as soon as I get done talking to you. If you need to call me, dial… "and she recites the number of the iPhone. "Bless you. I was about ready to go get the FBI."

"The FBI won't touch the island," Cardinal replies rather derisively, gesturing with one hand in a dismissive motion, "They've only got one man on this side, and I've already got him backing us up. As a man, not as an agent." …hopefully.

Jezebel says, "I know, but it was getting that crazy. Anything else I should know before I go home and make phone calls?"

Cardinal pauses, "Ah. They've also got someone named Magnes, at the fights? Might be important."

Jezebel makes one more note and saves the file again. "I've never heard of him either, but I'll pass his name along. If I know them, they'll try to rescue everyone in both locations."

"There's only two people in there that I give a shit about," Cardinal admits, grimacing slightly, "But I suppose if they can get everyone out of there, that's even better."

Jezebel nods. "Don't worry, Abby and Sergei will be priorities, I promise you. Okay. I'm going to go make phone calls. Once again, Richard, thank you very, very much. If you need help before I or someone who knows me calls you, call me."

A brief, tight smile's flashed to that. "Don't think I won't," Cardinal murmurs; shifting the duffle on his shoulder, "Well. I've got to keep on my rounds, still have allies I need to contact… hopefully I'll hear from you soon."

Jezebel waves good-bye and then runs, not walks, off to her motorcycle.


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February 23rd: Konga's Gonna Kill You
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February 23rd: Whispers In The Dark
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