Participants:
| Scene Title | Card's Angels and the New Revolutionaries |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Claire Bennet and Niki Sanders are the only ones dumb enough to answer their phones when Elisabeth calls to get help moving things at the Library. The three run into some very unexpected squatters. |
| Date | May 28, 2010 |
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.
Avian mating season started yesterday — knock before entering ;)
That was the text that alerted Claire to the fact that Richard Cardinal was once more corporeal — and fine. A couple of days later, a text went to two women who had the requisite abilities to handle the problem that Elisabeth needs solved: Need some reading material; meet me @ 3.
Such is how three blondes – no, make that two blondes and an ex-blonde – find themselves in the freezing cold, mostly buried New York Public Library. "I don't know what state the lower levels are in right now, ladies, but with the possibility of flooding we need to go down there and retrieve the paintings and files and everything else that we don't want under water." Elisabeth is dressed in an all-white ski outfit, the better to conceal her passage across the ruins for now. The set of skis she used to get in there would leave minimal trails.
Bundled up against the cold, lower half of her face covered to keep her nose and mouth somewhat warmed up, dark hair pulled back in a thought ponytail, Claire Bennet nods slowly to what Elisabeth says. After being cooped up for so many months the young woman is actually happy to be anywhere but that damn apartment above the pawn shop. Of course, being wanted, she takes a risk every time she slips into the city.
Not to mention she's supposed to have cut ties, but… considering what she learned recently, Claire isn't so worried anymore.
"Did no one else answer their phone?" Claire asks with a small touch of amusement, glancing at Liz out of the corner of her eye. "That's a lot of stuff to move and exactly where are we going to shift it too? Up here?" Both brows lift slightly as she asks that.
Niki took care in choosing her route to the defunct library, though she didn't resort to wearing white the way Elizabeth has. Black suits her just fine. She looks a little worse for wear today, but that could just be the journey from where she left her car.
"It's almost balmy today," she quips as she adjusts the cap on her head that breaks up her monochrome theme. The pink thing with its ear flaps, dangling tassels, and pom-pom'd top was a Christmas gift from Micah to match a coat that was replaced years ago. Niki's hair is tucked up into it exceptionally immaculately, as well. "So, where are we moving this stuff to?" she asks without accusation. "Should I have rented us a U-Haul?"
"For today, I just want to get it up high," Elisabeth admits. "Frankly, I'm pretty sure it's all… hot. So moving it out will need to be handled at night. Richard can do that part himself or get a group of the boys to come in and do it. But with things warming up so fast, I'm concerned that those lower levels are going to flood before we can get the stuff out. So… since you two were the only ones who picked up the phone, you're nominated," Elisabeth laughs at them. She has a more relaxed look than she has had in weeks. Months, really. The lines of her face have relaxed into a look of… dare she even say it… contentment.
"Honestly, we should probably just turn it over to the cops, but… well… I didn't feel like fielding the questions about how I came into possession of any of it, so … whatever. I'm turning a blind eye. I'm not a cop anymore." And before, it was all she had left. Elisabeth couldn't bear to get rid of his things… it was an admission that he was gone for good. Now it's his problem to deal with. "I do want you guys to bring out the ammunition, though. I brought a bag for the weapons, so I'll get those out." Her badge should guarantee that she doesn't get arrested for it.
"Sounds like a plan." Claire offers with a well concealed smile, though it does reach her eyes when she looks at the groups co-leader. She still for the most part, keeps those emotions tightly guarded, but to see Elisabeth happy is a small amount of relief for Claire, who had to watch the woman barely hold together.
Hands come up and give a muffled clap, due to the gloves she's wearing and rubs them together. "Let us get started then, hopefully, I don't get any messages calling me away." She scrunches her nose up at the thought, she's truthfully more relaxed and herself with Liz, than the Messiah gang. Strange, since Peter is there — but then a lot has changed.
"Wait. Go back." Niki's brows hike upward. "Richard can do that part himself?" Either she feels not much else needs to be said about the other stuff, or she's just too hung up on the bit she isn't sure about.
Now the grin shows up in full force — a ridiculously silly smile accompanied by a light flush. "Yeah… Richard can do that part. We found a healer, Niki. He's…. he's okay." Elisabeth hesitates, looks at Claire, and just…. throws her arms wide, laughing out loud as she turns in circles. "He's okay! Oh my God, I feel like I could positively fly, you guys. He's okay." So it's stupid, but who else can you *SQUUEEEEEEE* with but your girlfriends. Abby is the only one really missing.
Chuckling, Claire takes a step to the side so that Liz is able to make that turn. "I was actually relieved to hear that." She admits, this her smile tugging to one side in a smirk. "If you hadn't warned me, I probably would have come running back." Eyes narrow at Elisabeth, her tone has a teasing edge to it. "That would have been horrifying and scared me for life… and I will live a very long time."
Her ponytail waves slightly, as Claire ducks her head expecting to get swat, sidling to the side a bit, "But… I'll be happier when I see himself and can touch him and know he really is real." Maybe it's the fact, she saw that mushroom cloud the same as Liz, plus… just to finally see him again after all that.
It's fortunate that it isn't Jessica who showed up, or she'd be possibly considering pushing the woman out the second story window for her own good. Elisabeth would likely find some sobering sense by the time she rolled to the bottom of the snow drift. Probably. Niki, however, just smiles, happy for her friend. "That's great, Liz." She's not nearly as enthusiastic as one might expect, but her smile is genuine.
Elisabeth fully knows she's being ridiculous and so rapidly gets herself under control, although she does stick her tongue out at Claire. "I owe your uncle," she tells the ex-blonde quietly. "If he ever needs something." She's not kidding — for the attempt alone, she would have given Petrelli anything he wanted of her in spite of her dislike of the man. "And since I hear you're seeing him regularly… you let him know that." She shrugs a little. "The queen is dead, long live the king. He's in charge again. … Mostly." She grins. "C'mon, let's get that shit out of there."
Turning on her heel, Elisabeth leads the way down the stairs toward the sublevels of the library, down to the vaults where rare books are kept and in this case where stolen art is being kept. Along with files and what have you. As she rounds the corner into the firing range, though, Elisabeth backpedals into the women behind her with a gasp. "Holy shit!!"
Apparently the penguins have decided that the library makes a good cave. Because they're squatting in the middle of the main hallway that Endgame turned into the firing range.
There is a little thoughtful frown as she moves to follow Elisabeth. As the descend into the depths she admits, "Actually… I don't see him as much as you…." Claire doesn't get to finish that sentence before she's stumbling back to keep from getting run over by her friend.
A hand goes to Liz's arm so that she can peer around the woman to the group of penguins. "Whoa." She says softly, as if speaking too loud might startle them too much. Claires brows rise high on her head. "Those are… penguins." She states the obvious dumbstruck with them being there. "How the hell…?" Her head twists around to look the direction they came from, brows furrowing.
Niki's jaw drops and she's left staring at the uninvited guests in the library. "Well, would you look at that. Do you think they're here to join the revolution?" What can you do when presented with an absurd situation such as this besides make a joke?
It's sort of like a Charlie's Angels comic strip — two blondes and a brunette peering around the corner looking somewhat wide-eyed and befuddled. Elisabeth starts to laugh. She can't help it. "Yes, Ted, those are penguins! In tuxedos! And yes Niki… we're gonna arm the fuckers and let 'em start taking potshots at specific targets. Think they're as trainable as the chimps we've got at our disposal right now?" she demands on a giggle. Of all the things she thought they'd deal with, this didn't make the list.
The answers from Elisabeth, gets Claire chuckling too, and after a moment she's laughing along with her… how long had it been? Too long, apparently. She laughs enough that tears actually prickle at the corners of her eyes.
"Oh yes… the government would just so fear those. Think Eileen would be able to command them to go forth and conquer?" Claire brushing a finger at the corner of her eye, her words said around chuckles.
"Gawd… I needed that Liz." Claire says with another chuckle, head shaking slowly. "Oh… oh man." She breaks into another giggle, at the thought of armed penguins waddling around. "Wouldn't this be about when Magnes would make a comment about that Batman movie with that Penguin guy?"
Claire gives a heavy sigh trying to stop giggling, but they just keep excaping, "Okay… seriously… How the hell do we get them out of here?"
"Oh, they have to be at least as sharp," Niki agrees with Liz. "But I was thinking more like mounting laser sights on their heads and setting them upon our enemies just to scare the bejeezus outta them." There's a smirk, but Niki doesn't giggle. She's just too tired to find this situation as hilarious as it is. She, however, comes up with a solution to the problem voiced by Claire.
Niki grins widely. "Let's just get what we need out of here and we'll let Richard deal with the infestation of cute, non-flying birds."
That makes Elisabeth die laughing. "Alec could mount them with lasers," she gasps out between guffaws. "Ohmygod, that's fuckin' hysterical." She leans against the wall and just laughs for a while. She can't help it. "Richard will henceforth be known as Penguin and not Cardinal," she giggles insanely. It's clearly been way too long for the tension to be released. Niki's not laughing as hard, but you know what? That smirk tells Liz that later, when she is less tired, the other blonde will be amused. "C'mon…. Niki's right. Let's go around. It'll be fine. We'll leave 'em be for now." There's another hall they can use.