Participants:
| Scene Title | A Present For Hana |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Helena has a present for Hana, and it's not even Hannukah! |
| Date | November 28, 2008 |
Once upon a time, the New York Public Library was one of the most important libraries in America. The system, of which this branch was the center, was among the foremost lending libraries /and/ research libraries in the world.
The bomb changed that, as it changed so much else.
By virtue of distance, the library building was not demolished entirely, like so many others north of it; however, the walls on its northern side have been badly damaged, and their stability is suspect. The interior is a shambles, tattered books strewn about the chambers and halls, many shelves pulled over. Some have even been pulled apart; piles of char in some corners suggest some of their pieces, as well as some of the books, have been used to fuel fires for people who sought shelter here in the past.
In the two years since the bomb, the library — despite being one of the icons of New York City — has been left to decay. The wind whistles through shattered windows, broken by either the blast-front or subsequent vandals, carrying dust and debris in with it. Rats, cats, and stray dogs often seek shelter within its walls, especially on cold nights. Between the fear of radiation and the lack of funds, recovery of the library is on indefinite hiatus; this place, too, has been forgotten.
The day after Thanksgiving is a quiet day for Phoenix, but not because of post-tryptophan blues. People seem ill inclined to be loud, many people giving the door leading to Brian's room a wide berth. Helena is sitting at one of the tables, head in her hand, and her fingers curved around some small, indeterminate object.
Summoned, Hana appears. Not unlike a demon, except without the whole 'evil' part. And she does have to walk in. The only sound, as she makes her way through the library, is the tapping of her feet against the hardwood floors. A little deduction brings her into the presence of the summoner, the older woman walking up to the table at which Helena sits. "Helena." Some people would ask questions. Others would be facetious, greeting with 'You called?' Hana settles for simplicity.
Helena nods. She has not been having a good series of days, and it shows by way of the dark circles under her eyes. Wordlessly, she holds out her hand, gently places a data stick on the table between them. "Peter at the Company gave this to me. It's details about the shared efforts between the Company and HomeSec with regard to experimenting and capturing the Evolved. He couldn't crack all of it."
Hana looks down at the bit of technology, even after Helena speaks. The girl's explanation elicits a brief change of expression, a flicker of… something dark and negative, gone too quickly to pinpoint its nature, but bitterly intense for all its transience. "So. They haven't sucked him completely in." Finally, she lifts her gaze back to Helena, expression cold in its enforced neutrality. Her emotions, her resentments, are not part of this today.
"Not him." Helena says softly, "But the other one. The other one is dangerous. He needs to be stopped." Her fingers curl. "The man Peter took the replicating power from is here. The Peter with PARIAH took one of his replicants into the air and he…he dropped him." Lips curl in disgust. "I think it was to see if the other copies would survive. He wants to kill the Company Peter."
Truth be told - so does Hana. She's learned to stifle her more murderous impulses, fortunately; case in point, Bennet's still alive. She looks across the table at Helena with very little apparent sympathy for the lost soul, but a terribly serious expression. "Clearly, they did." Since the man is here. "Can he even kill himself?" Hana doesn't sound like she expects the answer to be 'yes'.
"He could kill the duplicate. I think it'll kill them both." She shakes her head. "I think what's on that stick will be the completion of the informatin that Bennet's been trying to get ahold. We'll be able to start making some concrete plans."
And all the time Phoenix was waiting, they could've been training for those plans; sessions in game theory alone are not enough. But Hana chooses not to belabor the point; it's Helena's operation, and Helena's decisions. The technopath nods slightly, reaching out to pick up the memory stick. "I'll relay it to him," she replies.
Helena is young, mistakes will happen. But gaining the intel has lit a fire under her ass, and she takes a breath. "We've had so much prep for our first project, but that's out of the way. I think people are going to start needing to offset what they already know. Let me know when's convenient for you, Hana - people are going to start having to learn how to handle themselves for something serious. I know we've talked about it beyond the training you've given me, and if you're still willing, want to get the others into training." For a moment, she wants to tell Hana about her interaction with Sylar, but for some reason, she holds it back.
The ex-operative spreads her hands, one still holding the memory stick. "Whenever you're ready, Helena. It's not like I have very many pressing commitments…" Hana pauses. "At least that require my physical presence." And if she's learned anything in the past few years, it's how to multitask. She looks over at Helena, aware there's something that isn't being said; one eyebrow arches in silent query.
Helena is silent for a moment. "I had an encounter with Sylar." she says at last. "He almost killed me. I did something he didn't expect and got away." She's oddly embarrassed, ashamed to confess the terror of the encounter to her hard-as-nails mentor.
One dark eyebrow arches. The stiff neutrality of Hana's expression relaxes, as they shift to a subject that doesn't involve the Company. That expression holds neither scorn nor disdain, not even in minor proportion. "Well done," is the technopath's opinion.
Helena blinks. That was the last thing she expected. "Thank you." she replies. After another moment, "He can control people now. Like you're a puppet. He had me by my legs, so I basically set off a thunderclap right near him."
The other brow goes up at Helena's obvious surprise. "How many people have escaped Sylar once he's decided he's going to kill them?" Hana points out. Not so very many. She nods to the girl's elaboration, filing the additional bit of information away.
Helena nods a little bit. Okay, this is better. Then, "Thank you." Again, like it needs to be on repeat. "I'm going to speak with Teo and Conrad and Alex; we'll get everyone willing to step up ready for training."
Hana inclines her head. "You're welcome. Let me know when you want to hold it." She'll have the lesson plans prepared. The technopath glances down to the memory stick in her hand, then tucks it in a pocket. Afterwards, she turns away, heading for the door.
Any additional notes fall to the bottom.
 November 28th: Not A Stripper |
Previously in this storyline… Next in this storyline… |
 November 28th: Echolocation |