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| Scene Title | Burn Down The Forest |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Contacting Cat, Kazimir delivers orders to team Charlie about how to proceed with Grigori, and a suggested means of completing their mission. |
| Date | December 21, 2009 |
Svartalfheim Bunker
Argentina
Flickering light sputters on with the clinking sound of old bulbs; yellowed light washes jaundiced shades over banks of communications equipment, microphones and headsets. Silhouetted by the brighter hall lights, the dark silhouette of Kazimir Volken looms in familiar territory, pale blue eyes focused down on the only modern piece of hardware in this old and jury-rigged listening station.
The Alpha-Team SatCom resembles something of an unwieldly Blackberry, with a touch screen and recessed keypad, all of it made of textured and matte finish black plastic. Approaching the communications device, one gloved hand picks it up and turns it around, distrustfully examining the digital age hardware. A touch of his gloved thumb depresses the power button, calling up a display of a world map and hotspots flashing in different corners of the world.
» 27 unread alerts
Kazimir's brows furrow, thumb quickly depressing the dismiss button. His thumb sweeps over to the hilighted Russian SatCom. There's a glare offered to the device, a double-tap of his thumb, and then a message alerting that communications are being routed thorugh SatCom Command. Quickly, Kazimir depresses a cancel connection toggle on the screen, finding himself presented with an option to make a direct connection to a SatCom address.
Yes
Thumb typing out an address, Kazimir adds a name, not an IP address.
» t.monk
Dialing…
After a prolonged moment of silence watching the whorl of an hour-glass twirling around on the screen, Kazimir notices a small box of text appear in the center of the display, crooking up the corner of his lips.
» Who is this?
Peter. Comes the slowly typed response, followed by an addendum of; I need you to connect me with a matching mobile device in Russia. Bypass SatCom command hub.
» Why should I do this for you, Peter Petrelli?
We are still working towards a united goal and I offer you Nathan Petrelli as a bargaining chip. The real Nathan Petrelli. Kazimir's brows furrow at the bargain made with spirits above, his head tilting back to regard the screen.
> Why would you offer me this?
It's admittedly a good question, one that Kazimir considers with a slowly drawn in breath and a heavily exhaled sigh. Because some things are more important than others. He is here in Argentina. Richard Cardinal will keep him in custody. I offer him to you as well. Sweeten the pot, one psychotically loyal adherent to the bible of Edward Ray. Every army needs its prophets and priests. The response does not come immediately, and inevitably does not even come as words from T.Monk, only actions.
» Connecting…
Thousands of miles away, in the beginning of night, the SatCom of Team Charlie begins to chirp with an incoming call. Origin: TeamAlpha SatCom01.
She is there to take it, while others are busy speaking with Anya Orlova and/or busy elsewhere. Cat slips into a seat, eyes trained on the screen, as she toggles to accept the incoming transmission. "Argentina," she muses, "the one Sarisa says was cut off. This should be intriguing."
When the link on her end is complete, there she is in all black, hair tied back into a ponytail, and demeanor all business.
When the camera activates and the screen turns on, it's a very awkward angle of Peter Petrelli that appears, concrete ceiling and caged lights over his head. But looking down into the glow of the screen, though he may wear Peter's face, the mannerisms and introductions speak of a man much different. "Catherine Chesterfield, it is a remarkable surprise and pleasure to finally be able to meet you face to face. The nerve-center of Phoenix, it's an honor."
Blue eyes looka way from the SatCom, and the screen moves, jostles and it looks like the device is being moved. Finally it comes to rest, and it seems Peter— or whoever this is— is seated in a chair. "I apologize for contacting you late in the evening where you are, but I have intelligence from Argentina that is relevent to your mission assignment in Russia. Tell me, is Grigori Zukovsky still living?"
Her eyes remain intent on the screen as the image appears, studying it carefully for some long moments before she commences to speak. They could even seem to go distant, as if she were viewing a memory segment this has triggered.
And indeed it has, a number of them featuring Peter at Pinehearst up and walking when he was alleged to have been crippled by his insane father. After those, however, is one which doesn't feature him at all. It's the first of October, she's at a table behind the Ichihara Bookstore on Richmond Island with tarot cards before her, Hokuto across, and Helena between them.
As she turns the card over, Hokuto reveals an image that Cat may have almost been expecting a moon. Glowing bright at the top of the card marked with the Roman numeral XVIII, the card's artwork depicts two towards flanking the low hung moon, a river and a wolf howling up at the light in the sky. "The Moon," she intones with a notion of interest and curiosity. "This says to watch out for what things appear on the surface. Deceptions that may work to your benefit or against you. Something that seems dangerous, but in truth is not. Something that seems safe, but is in actuality extremely lethal. The card also represents very dangerous situations in very dangerous times. When you are at your most threatened, when everything around you seems to be at its worst that is where you will find what you are seeking."
When this segment has played out, her demeanor is mildly different. The eyes seem to show a measure of understanding, that she perhaps sights a ruse and will play along. "Guten abend, Herr Volken," Cat begins, "«this is an unexpected encounter indeed. Zhukovsky lives, to my knowledge, we have not yet undertaken to make him otherwise.»" Yes, she speaks very good German too.
The German language, and the pleasant greeting give Kazimir pause, one dark brow lifted curiously before he manages to catch himself again. "Grigori is to remain alive and captured. The end destination needs be the USS George Washington, which will — if I am not mistaken — be the extraction destination of your team. Whether he is in Company custody or yours does not matter, he is a valuable asset and need be kept alive." Then, considering the difficulty had in their prior encounter with him, Kaizmir cracks a smile. "Alive, but not unharmed. I only need to be certain he is not dead. Whatever other measures need be taken are entirely yours to make."
Looking off of the screen for a moment, Kazimir shifts his weight and narrows his eyes, silence accompanied by a distant clinking of tiny mechanical feet on concrete in the distance, out of sight. "Team Alpha is currently engaged with the Vanguard, and matters are proceeding roughly as planned." Blue eyes weep back to Catherine, intently. "Beyond that there's nothing else you are needed to recover from Russia.
Just be certain that Grigori is secured in captivity."
"Have you any recommendations as to how we might overcome his illusory talents?" Cat inquires dryly. "My first thought is we shall have to render him unconscious in any case, to cease his sensory and mental trickery. Along that same line, if you need him, I presume you may also need his special talents, and it would be unfortunate if he were on restraining drugs. So he must remain asleep until he is needed awake."
Having spoken her assessment, she returns to silence, alert brown eyes still studying the image of Petromir Volktrelli.
"The drugs will not matter for what I intend to do with Grigori," Kazimir notes with the same dryness Cat had delivered to him. His blue eyes sweep away from the screen, watching for something, then back down again slowly. "When we originally hunted Grigori through Russia, he proved to be a most unassailable adversary. You have the same limitations we did back then, the lack of a telepath with which to track him. Unfortunately, you also lack something very important that was crucial in finding Grigori— my daughter."
Brows furrowing, Kazimir looks aside for a moment. "Yvette Volken possessed a unique ability that allowed her to discern between illusion and reality by lack of biological impressions. She was a radar that allowed us to follow Grigori's trail. Then, we hunted him like an animal, chased him out of heavily populated areas until he fled into forests…" With one brow raized, Kazimir adds with a hint of whimsy. "Then we burned the forest down, and gassed him."
"I believe she may be in Grigori's retinue," Cat provides, "so it may be to our advantage if we secure her as well. If this proves possible, what advice would you give toward securing her cooperation in capturing our target?" Her mental wheels are turning. Convince the daughter to assist them, perhaps the job gets easier, can be done without burning down woodland."
But if it comes to that, one Russian forest is a smaller price than a flooded world.
Dark brows crease, and Kazimir slowly regards the phone with a level of scrutiny he had not earlier. "She… She lives?" Honest emotion seems to run through Kazimir's face, mouth coming open and brows working together. Silence hangs over the scarred face that lingers in the camera's frame, only with the hoarse attempt of speech does anything change. "She— You must find her, let her know that I am not dead. She— she must know that I am alive, and that I am well. That I have once again taken a new form, and that she is serving a pretender." Anger begins to replace confusion. "If she does not believe you, tell her that the first words I ever spoke to her, would be that she would be safe, if only she would be quiet." Tilting his head back, Kazimir regards the screen as if it might lash out and bite at him.
"If she does not believe, attempt to contact me again. I will keep this device on hand, and I will speak to her myself." Creasing his brows, Kazimir tries to reclaim control over what emotions have now taken sway of him. "I… If you can convince her to aid you, convince her that I am alive, she will serve with loyalty. Her true allegiance has only ever been to me."
"Perhaps there is hope yet for the forests of Russia," Cat replies. "There are plans to make and a monastery to assault. I should be tending to that task. I shall remember what you've told me." Her hand moves for the keys as if to end the transmission, lingering however in case he has more.
"I will see you aboard the carrier, Catherine." Kazimir states without consideration for any other outcomes, cancelling the transmission to a flat black screen with simple white lettering across the video window.
» Connection Lost