Participants:
| Scene Title | Checking On The Empath |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Abby is sitting vigil and Ryans is checking in on the injured Huruma. |
| Date | November 21, 2010 |
The black woman on the cot is used to the feel, the scent of the emotions that eddy and pool near the woman who's keeping vigil. She's felt them so much before and knows the taste of the guilt and fear like a cook knows his own recipe's. But they're much weaker than they used to be. Worry and longing are the prominent ones, pining.
When Huruma awakens from her slumber in the infirmary though, the source of those familiar emotions isn't familiar. Hair cleaved short and a dark brown, the layers of shirts and sweaters that offset her figure, Abigail's focused on the bible in her hand, slender forefinger and thumb flipping a onion skin thin page so she can carry on reading. Warmth radiates off her, working to keep the room that everyone is in fairly comfortable. It helps her to practice, and so far she hasn't gone high enough to risk igniting.
Abigail shifts on the stool, uncrossing one leg, crossing the other over it, bringing a thumb up to nibble on unpainted nail. The glint of a plain gold band on her hand, no cross around her neck and dark circles under eyes. Abigail Beauchamp is alive and sitting beside Huruma. Just a little less blonde.
Getting hit in the head with a negation canister is definitely not the only embarrassing thing Huruma has had to deal with lately. On par with getting her nose broken, even if that healed up every nicely. Who knows how long Abby has been there, though? Maybe since whoever dragged her back in, maybe just for a little bit. Huruma can feel her there when the fog of sleep lifts up, bleary and slow. It takes her a moment to adjust her eyes to the dark ceiling and brickwork, and another moment to recall what happened last night. Not a bender, just Danko. Danko. And a helicopter. But, there isn't any clue as to that she's been taken anywhere but back to Pollepel, judging by the age of the stone.
She's squinting now, knuckles digging into the thin cot and chin tilting her now throbbing head to the right. Huruma starts, abruptly, when she sees Abby-but-not-quite. There is no room for reasoning at the moment, she just woke up.
"It's me. Don't get all het up and no, it's not a wig" She caught the little movements in her peripheral vision. "Benjamin is bringing you something for your head and something to drink" The southern tones match and when she actually looks at Huruma, it's with blue eyes. "Megan said you'd probably wake up with a headache, just a concussion. You'll be prowling the halls soon enough Huruma, playing emotional tag with the little ones. If you haven't already, then we'll do that for sure" Abby's keeping her voice low so as not to disturb others who are down here. The bible is the one Huruma dug up from the ruins of a brothel and gave to Teo to give back to her. All burnt around the edges, leather warped, but more than useable still.
Concern joins the swirl of Abby's emotions, just before the tall form of Benjamin Ryans steps into the infirmary. With the way he's dressed, know one would really know him, looking more like some sort of thug in his trench coat, beanie and scruffy features. He stands there for a moment, a metal tin cup a in one hand, his other curled around something — probably the painkillers.
"Well, I must say — I never figured something as simple as a knock to the head could take you down, Huruma." There is no barb to the words, just simple fact. His boot heels scuff on the ground as he closes the distances between him and the two woman.
Leaning down, to offer both items, Ryans actually offers the tall dark woman a hint of a smile. "It's quite the bump you got there."
That's something she notices. The bible. It cements the rest of Abby being there into place. Huruma stays down, though, lying on her back probably with ankles hanging off the end of the bed. Cots are not usually for big people. She doesn't respond to Abby at first, instead reasserting her eyes towards the entrance of the room when Ryans shows up, and pushing herself to her elbows. There is a vague attempt at glaring, but it just turns into a slightly pained expression at him instead.
"I heard th'canister go off." Huruma mutters. "Those things fire at… two-hundred fifty feet a second, I think." Apparently she isn't too surprised it knocked her the fuck out. Her hand goes out to push her up the rest of the way, the other one gently accepting the painkillers first. "I like your hair, Abigail." May as well complete the acknowledgement.
"I don't, but it serves a purpose and hair grows back out" She actually really doesn't. She's never been one for short hair. It seems just wrong. Surely somewhere out there when all this is over, there's an evolved who can regrow hair. Surely. There's a nod for Benjamin, still getting used to who all is on the island. Nick wasn't kidding, you could wander for a day and still not find who you were looking for. Hopefully that would work in their favor when and if the government actually found this place. Abby didn't give it long.
"You can sit up, slowly, but if you get dizzy, just lay back down. If you're hungry, we can find you some soup"
"It was a joke," comes the flat answer in return from Ryans.
Once Huruma has freed him of both items, the old man straightens. "It was actually a blessing that you were knocked out." Yeah, she might not have enjoyed it, but — "I don't want to see what happens when you are negated."
A large hand pats Abby gently on the shoulder. "Thank you for sitting with her," the word rumble when spoken softly like that. Pulling a chair close, the wood legs scraping on the floor, Benjamin settles into it with a heavy sigh. There are times he feels like the old man he is, this is one of those time, running a hand over his tired face.
Huruma is huge, she's always hungry. She probably knows it was a joke, but he should know by now that she hates being embarrassed. A natural response. She lets out a wary noise past taking the pills, when Benjamin says that it was a good thing. "You're right. You don't." Huruma knows he has the right to be questioning. She drinks the water and sets the cup aside, only to lie back down again with one hand going up to gingerly touch at where she knows there is the spot where she got beaned. Shit, he was right. "Wow. You weren't kidding…"
"What happened? Did anyone shoot Danko, or did he weasel out again?" It's a perfectly good question. Being put out of the game makes you want to know what happened after. "What an angry dwarf."
"Danko?" Hello, that was new information. Abigail glances towards Benjamin, expecting an answer as to why Danko was there. Liekly having to do with the Helicopter incident.
"I let him go." If Ryans can do anything, is take the blame for a decision. His chin gives a small jerk upwards a challenge to the dark woman for his choice, shoulder tensing out of instinct. "He had Eileen at gunpoint. I had to make a decision and I chose her life over his.
"The network can not afford a loss like that, especially Eileen." It's obvious that he does not regret his decision and stands by it. Benjamin glances at Abby, noticing the look, he explains blandly, "Danko was on the helicopter that attacked us."
Huruma laughs. Laughing is probably not what was expected out of that answer, and it's definitely one of those honest laughs. "I see. It sounds more like nothing went how he anticipated." Huruma ruins all of his plans. All the time. "I wouldn'call it attacked." The laughing suddenly is a bad idea, too much of it sends a rattle through her head, and she has to calm herself and practically bury her head down on the cot. Ouch.
"Did he say what he wanted?" Huruma changes tracks, her familiarity with the situation likely shining through.
"No…" There is a small shake of his head, "though by the end of it, he was just wanting to get off the boat alive." That has Ryans slightly amused, it's in his emotions, even if it doesn't show.
He moves to press a hand down on her shoulder, a clear sign for her to stay down. "Don't go making yourself worse. We have work to do in the few and I need you able to preform," Ryans brows lift slightly as he says, "So stay down," and that's an order.
Once he knows she'll stay put, Benjamin moves lean back in his chair, stretching one leg out in front of him.
"I have no'seen him since last winter. Was wondering where he'd gotten to, th'bugger. I'm amazed he didn't want t'shoot me, too. Maybe he does like me." Now she sort of knows what he's been doing. Any further attempts at propping herself up are put to an end by Benjamin's hand on her shoulder. There is the tiniest noise of protest as Huruma is nudged back into a lie-down. Normally she'd put up a fuss, but right now he's right, even if she doesn't look like she understands why he's talking about the morning. He gets a creased brow for it.
"Should I ask what you mean, or is this one of your mystery events, Benjamin?" Huruma makes it sound like he does this often. Just a little, but not usually at the zero hour.
"You stay at rest, for a little bit more Huruma and I'll make sure Megan or I clear you to go partying with Benjamin here for the morning. If you don't…" Well, there's a look in Abby's eyes. Eyes that are promptly turned to benhjamin, leaning over to murmur something in his ear before getting up. "I need to check on a few things. I'll be back" Vacating her stool, bible taken with her. Now that Huruma's awake, she's feeling better about leaving the woman's side.
"Going to get some of our people back…." there is a pause before Ryans adds, "…if all goes well." He holds up a finger and adds, "That is all I will say about it for now and I'd like to keep it between us." Even though the island is secure, the ex-agent still doesn't feel comfortable letting certain things out like that, he doesn't know what ears are listening.
"Thank you, Abby." He offers to the medic as she moves to leave.
Ryans attention drifts back to Huruma again, looking her over. "Think you'll be up to putting a little fear into the enemy?" It's a legitimate question, laces with concern, his eyes on the lump where the canister hit.
Huruma's look to them during the whisper is suspicious, to say the least. "If I can get something on this t'put th'swelling down, it would help." Admittedly, she is not used to getting hit like that. She doesn't know how it will affect her ability, but no use in making anyone more concerned. She is a perfectly capable soldier otherwise. Huruma rests her forearm over her eyes, now, with a heavy sigh. "People back." Figures it is something like that. Maybe it was bound to come up.
"Small team, then?" Huruma supposes Raith will be going too, maybe someone that he needs to bring too. Like hell if Avi is another, what a loser. She snorts derisively to herself and moves her arm down again.
"Once you get your head back in order, I'll brief you on the go. I want you to be at the SA's room, as soon as you are able." Benjamin pushes himself to his feet then, obviously getting ready to leave again. "Til then, I'll leave you too rest and let the meds kick in."
"I'll see you there…" Huruma isn't terribly specific on if it will be in a fighting capacity, or to tell him she's not able. "Thanks for looking out, Ben." Hey, someone had to make sure she wasn't shot while she was out, and make sure she got in here to the infirmary. She can only assume it was him, by his concern. And that he was one of the two people with any hope of dragging her off. Huruma's no waif. "I'm just going t'rest my eyes, I'll find you soon."