Participants:
Scene Title | Broken Trust |
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Synopsis | Calling the Company while Hana is listening in is a very good way to get her attention. In a much less than positive fashion. In breaking trust with the Ferrymen, Liz finds that one consequence is a loss of Hana's trust in turn. |
Date | August 02, 2009 |
Dorchester Towers: Elisabeth's Apartment
By the time she's back at her apartment, Elisabeth is sort of wiped out. She's done some things today that she's not entirely sure of, and she's not precisely happy with her own actions. She's not exactly unhappy either. And she's got a serial killer case that's still taking up most of her attention. So when she lets herself into the apartment, she's got a lot on her mind.
Elisabeth isn't the only one with designs on her apartment, it seems. It's an apartment building; footsteps in the hall aren't unusual. Hana opts against stealth, because that would only put Liz on guard — even if momentarily. Ambushes come in many styles.
"Harrison," the woman states, familiar voice slightly hoarse but cool in tone. Typical, given how little she and Liz personally interact. Her expression is similarly neutral, as is the typical motorcycle jacket, left open to reveal an ivory shirt beneath, and black jeans; Hana is carrying, inevitably, and not in plain sight. More unusual are the traces of red inflammation lingering around her eyes.
Elisabeth glances up as she opens the door and does a double-take. "Hana….?" She hasn't ever called her by her last name. Liz shoves the front door open and gestures her inside. "C'mon in. What's going down?" She has a cautious air, but not particularly on guard.
The taller woman steps into the apartment, much as she did once before, some time ago. She doesn't answer immediately, but pauses inside to remove her coat and hang it on the coatrack. Hana removes the holsters and firearms from her belt as well, resting them on the floor at its base; somewhat less usual, as those are so much a part of the woman she doesn't even think about them anymore. Yet she does today.
Turning back to the door, the Israeli arches one eyebrow, tilts her head in a manner indicating that Liz should also come in. And maybe close the door behind her. Locks being optional.
Taking note of the movements, Elisabeth's guard goes up. She herself is wearing jeans, sneakers, and a gray short-sleeved hoodie over a black tanktop… and as she closes the door behind her, locking it carefully, she asks mildly, "Have we got a problem?"
Dark eyes observe as Elisabeth closes and locks the door. "We might," Hana says quietly; softly, the muted rumble of a lioness' warning growl. A heartbeat's silence; the Israeli remains motionless, but guarded in much the way Elisabeth is. "Considering that it seems I need to ask you the very same thing."
Elisabeth takes several steps farther into her apartment, removing the service pistol from the back of her jeans and setting it on top of the breakfast bar without taking her eyes off Hana. She's not stupid; the other woman's demeanor is ample warning of trouble brewing. "How so?"
Similarly, Hana pivots to watch Elisabeth. Her gaze flickers slightly at the placement of the pistol, but the woman makes no move herself; the standoff, as it were, remains in place. For now. "You called the Company, Harrison," the Israeli hisses, dark eyes glinting angrily. "On someone my people are protecting." Yeah, they're 'ours', but really, it comes down to 'mine'. "Explain to me how this is not a problem."
Fuck. Elisabeth totally didn't think about the cell phone and Hana listening in. It absolutely slipped her mind. She sucks in a deep breath and studies Hana. "First of all, your people aren't protecting her. Cat is. And residing in Cat's building are a number of people who have absolutely no recourse if Maya Hererra gets sad or pissed off at something or … hell, for all I know, if a mouse jumps out at her and scares her. The woman excretes poison, Hana. How is that good for anyone in that building? She needs help. And we are not equipped to offer the help she needs. So as much as I fucking hate it… yeah. I turned her in to Homeland Security."
Hana steps forward, glides forward, honed muscle memory informing the movements. It's not an attack; it's not much shy of one, and it brings the woman perhaps far too close for comfort. Then again, 'comfort' is probably still somewhere out in the hallway, where Hana and Elisabeth aren't — or has fled the building entire.
"Don't fucking tell me who's mine," she snaps in return. Teeth fit together in a stiff line; Elisabeth is treated to a furious glare. "No, Harrison.
"You didn't."
The sense of being in danger heightens as Hana gets into her space, but Elisabeth refuses to back down. "In point of fact, Hana… I did. Len Denton may be Company… and frankly at this moment, I'm not sure I care. But he's also got bona fides with Homeland Security. But you know what? As much as I hate to say this? It doesn't honestly matter which of them picks her up and finds a way to suppress her ability. Do you want her on the loose? Honestly? If you have a better way — if you have some means to suppress an ability outside of sticking Trask on her 24/7, or if you have some way to remove her ability altogether? Lady, I'm all ears. This girl is desperate, she's afraid, and she could at any moment completely panic over something and inadvertantly kill everyone in that building and for who knows what radius around it? Seriously. Are you willing to take that risk with the lives of Cat? Of Abby? Of anyone on the Ferry who's just trying to do her a good turn but spooks her?" She doesn't look in any way proud of the actions she's taking. In truth, she's almost begging Hana to give her another option.
Another stride brings the two women face to face; or near enough, given a three-inch difference in height. Hana's hands remain at her sides; she looks intently down at Elisabeth, unblinking. "It does matter, Harrison." A soft, deadly whisper; it doesn't need to be any louder, as close as they are.
Elisabeth's mistake is in thinking that this actually has anything to do with Maya.
"Where will you draw the line next time? What other trusts are you prepared to break? Who else will be deemed 'too dangerous'? And what happens when they grab the rope you have handed them and tie it around your neck?"
She pauses, just for half a heartbeat, gaze never wavering despite the sting against still-injured mucosal surfaces.
"Let me tell you.
"Next time, Harrison, I promise: you will not see me first."
Hana Gitelman continues to loom for a moment more; then she turns her back on Elisabeth, walking towards the entrance and the things she previously left behind. Entirely as if she hadn't just threatened a cop in her own home.
Refusing to allow Hana to see that she is absolutely shaking in her shoes, Elisabeth says quietly to her back, "Screw you. You have a bigger trust here — you had a trust with every person that you send into hiding and with every person who trusts that the person you ask them to hide is safe. You want to take personal responsibility for Maya Hererra? Then fine. Take it. I'll call off the agent, tell him that she rabbitted. And when she kills everyone in the Hangar because that's where you keep her? Or she kills all the innocents in whatever safehouse you stash her in because I have to give her the news that her brother has been picked up and is in jail somewhere? What then? Give me another option here. Can you get hold of the drugs they use to suppress people?"
Before, Hana merely approached. Now, she moves. Pivots, crosses the short distance between them in markedly less than an eyeblink, this time at an angle; hooks a foot behind Liz's ankles and pulls her down, dropping with her to plant a hand firmly on the woman's shoulder. Where 'firmly' means with quite a bit of force.
She stares down into Elisabeth's face. "You didn't even consider asking what we could do," she points out. "You ran straight to the Company." Hana stands up, looks a very long ways down at Elisabeth. "Where did you fucking think Laudani got them from?" Not that she can get enough to do more than buy a bit of time, the supply isn't unending or numerous — but the point is that Liz never asked.
Hana isn't about to forgive her that.
She wouldn't fight back even if she had the time to consider it. Frankly she'd figure it would just piss Hana off more. And when Liz's flat on her back, there's a look of confusion on her face. "Where Laudani got what?" she asks breathlessly. She's got not one single clue that Teo would even need them. "Christ, Hana, I figured if the fucking Ferrymen had the ability to suppress powers, someone like YOU or HELENA or CAT would have already made it fucking happen! It's not like she hasn't been in that building, unfettered, for a fucking WEEK already!"
One dark brow arches at Liz's surprise. Apparently lines of communication are failing in several different directions. Not that Hana is actually all that good about keeping everyone aware of her own actions — but that's not their business, she insists. "Take a look in the mirror, Harrison — a long, hard look. Figure out where your trust lies." Again, the Israeli walks away, stiff strides longer than before; across the room, she retrieves her jacket and holstered guns. Doesn't bother to put them back on immediately.
"Don't talk to me again until you know."
And she's out the door, closing it with a final loud click behind her.
When Hana steps out of the apartment, Elisabeth pushes herself shakily upright. It's going to be a while before the adrenaline leeches back out now, that's for sure. Resting her elbows on her upraised knees in the middle of the room, her head hanging between her arms, Elisabeth considers the last question asked. Where is her trust, not her loyalty? She's not sure what the question even means right now, her brains are too scattered.