Participants:
| Scene Title | Cold Pizza and Bad News |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Both are exchanged when Brian gathers several Council members for a meeting. |
| Date | January 16, 2011 |
"Thanks for meeting with me, you four. This meeting should have come sooner but…"
A shrug that communicates nothing is given to the council as Brian pushes the box a little bit over the table. The council members on the island have only just said their greetings, sat down for a special meal courtesy of the most recently arrived Brian team.
The pizza is cold. But it's still pizza, which is enough for some people.
"I have several things to report to the council." Slinging his backpack over his shoulder and onto the table, he glances down at his watch. Not too long until the room will be overrun with people looking for their dinner. "As I already told Abby and Barbara is already aware.. Shirley is on the island. This morning one of my girls did a test with her. All technology within about a six foot range is destroyed. It seems like the more.. high tech or complicated items break faster than simple machinery. But everything stops to work and break in her six foot range. I've asked her not to leave her room for the time being.. as to not.. Break all our shit." His hands splay out as if that should be obvious a light smile playing on his lips. "I myself will try to work on control with her.. So we'll see what we can do about that." He pats the table twice. "So.. Yeah. I'll try to keep this short, but I have two other important things the network should know about as a whole."
Seated and declining to touch the pizza— apparently its virtue as pizza is not enough for Joseph, because the cheese gets gross, you know— Joseph sends a glance to Barbara and Abby, but the basics of this aren't coming as a shock. The news of a new refugee is one of those things that are quickly known, names coming after powers, but he listens to the details with the passive attention of someone who didn't have to make any decisions in this action.
"I think I got that power," is muttered, as he fidgets with the sleeves of his sweater to cover them over his knuckles, bundled as he is into woolen layers against the chill of the early evening.
"I met with Shirley earlier," Barbara notes, arms crossed over her sweatshirt and her hat hangging from the beltloops of her jeans. "I don't really have more to offer than Brian, I'm afraid, except that she seems horribly scared to go home. I can understand, given what Ygraine said of her father being a Humanis First member." She leans back in her seat, and those she appears casual, there's a bit of a tenseness about her. "I took her some books and one of my sketch pads, so she'd at least have something to do while she's stuck in there. She seems alight, as far as I can tell, but I'll make sure to keep an eye on her."
She looks between Abby and Joseph, letting out a bit of a sigh. "If something turns up wrong, let it be on my ass. Ygraine radioed from Grand Central and told me the situation, it seemed like the most ideal move at the time, considering the circumstances. I know we're trying to limit who ends up here, but I can't imagine where else she could have gone with the Garden abandoned for the time being." Also her decision, which makes her wince a little.
"I confess I wasn't paying much attention to her in the boat. Confinement to her room not just because of her ability but in light of the short notice we've had on her and whatever circumstances that we don't know about that brings her to us, besides you Brian, would cause me to think much the same. Maybe Barbara or Lynette or even you Pastor, might think to go and sit and talk with her. Find out who she is, why she's come here, what she thinks that the Ferry can provide and she can provide for the Ferry" The same talk that Abigail got when she officially joined the ferry. That she and others have had to ask others who have come seeking refuge. "Make a more permanent decision as to her residency here based off of that"
Grand Central though. "At this point, it's not wise to send anyone else to the Terminal in light of the information that was passed around the council earlier with regards to the infestation in midtown" The robots. "We'll have to find another place to take new refugee's and potential members other than directly here"
Smirking a little bit at Joseph he lets out a tiny laugh. It's funny because he's not good with technology.
"On a related note," Brian starts happily. Reaching into his backpack. "There are robots in midtown." Though Abby's word seems to give Brian pause. "How did you know that." It's not so much as a question as disappointment that he didn't get to tell them first. A light shrug, a picture is drawn from his backpack and is laid on the table.
"This is the head of a robot. That I took." The picture is pushed over, the llama bot head mounted above Brian's TV in his Chinatown apartment.
"This is the head of a robot with a blonde wig on it." This too is passed to the council members.
Brian's lips tug down as Barbara mentions Humanis First. "That's right. Her father is Humanis First and can't be trusted around her now that she's manifested evolved. So she is effectively parent-less. And since she's a minor I've offered her to join the lighthouse along with the rest. Like Koshka. I've spoken with her and with my offer into the Lighthouse I take full responsibility for her. But if you want to vet her again.." He waves a hand dismissively.
"Well.. My last bit of news is an offer we've been made. Unless you somehow know about that as well." He gives a little grin. "A mole inside DoEA has given us the time and location of a prison transport. The prisoner is named Amid Halebi. He has been forced into working with a terrorist organization under threat of his daughter being killed. He is an evolved with the same ability as Ted Sprague." His eyes flit down for a moment as if in reverence before going back up. "The mole wants us to liberate him. In exchange for some.. valuable resources."
Fuckin'— what?
Which is not anything Joseph would say actually in life, but his squint at Abby and back to Brian betrays that maybe he didn't get a very critical piece of paper on the day they were handed out. Eyebrows angle into a kind of hopeless tilt of oh no, the sort students get when realising they didn't catch up on all their homework, and he tugs the photo closer to study the thing. "What about everyone in Terminal already?" he's asking, blah blah prison transport blah Sprague, even if Sprague is one of those historical names as the man who enabled Midtown.
"Kaylee— " He glances down the line at his fellow council members. "She mentioned about her— brother with his government connections, workin' on robotics. What're they meant t'be doing in Midtown?"
Barbara grits her teeth as she looks at the picture of the hunter bot (though she really can't stiffle a bit of a laugh when the picture of the head with the blonde wig comes around to her). "Are these Institute?" she immediately asks, flashing a look up to Brian with narrowed eyes. "Do we know anything about them at all, besides that they're in midtown and highly dangerous?" She, to her, is something she latches on to quickly, and almost immediately she's sitting up in her seat, looking down at the picture as she drops it back down on the table.
"Eric Doyle came to me with information about Amid that he received from a source of his own, as I mentioned in our last meeting. His warning, however, was that we should be as wary of this man as possible, if I recall correctly. I don't know what your source wants with us liberating him, but Doyle source was telling us to stay away from him if we came into contact with him, if I remember correctly. That he was too unstable to be messed with."
"Department of Evolved Affairs" She won't say how she knows, Brian's not council and she doesn't know how widespread it is about the truck with robot parts that came through the area that was taken down by them. "Brian will likely be able to tell you more, I only got a warning that they were out there. If they're anything like what I've heard about in operation apollo, we may need to ask those who had interactions with them to sit down and inform us against what's there. Special Activities is aware and is taking the information in hand though"
Abby takes the picture up next, looking to it, ignoring the one in the wig before passing it over to Joseph. "If you can write down what you know of the so called transportation that your mole informed you about so that we can pass it around to the council members and make a decision, that would be helpful Brian. That is obviously something that we can't, in this room, make a decision upon given the scope of what such an operation would entail" Doyle's information says to stay away, Brian's information says please liberate.
On the island again, in this castle for a meeting she was advised would convene, Cat already has some of Brian's data, but not all of it. Silence is held on her entry to the room, she being a bit late and missing some of the exchange. The llamabot photo is examined when it comes to her, details added into the storage banks, then passed along.
After Joseph and Barbara speak, floating she undertakes to answer one of them. "Were I to guess," Cat posits, "the robots are in Midtown because there aren't many people there, and they may suspect SLC persons are present. The location would allow for testing in the field, while keeping witnesses as few as possible until they're ready to deploy them full-scale."
Then eyes shift between Brian and Barbara. "I was told of Amid Halebi by an insider myself, and passed word of it along, but at the time wasn't told anything of his ability. Just that he's Mazdak and dangerous. Now your source wants to liberate him, claims he's Mazdak by blackmail, and offers gifts for our assistance. So…" She pauses to choose words carefully and give them better effect by the silence.
"Who's your source, Brian? I have to wonder if maybe we don't have the same contacts, and I am suspicious of what this could all lead to. Federal agencies are seeking to smear us in the public eye any way they can. Tracy Strauss herself, in that leaked edition of the Advocate, labeled us human traffickers for profit. In addition, I haven't myself forgotten the 2006 nuking was assisted by the Company. This request regarding Halebi has the scent of trying to engineer a tragedy they can blame on us."
Brian glances at Abby then back to the picture. "I had interactions with them.. That's how I got a head." Winters informs politely. Taking one last picture out, this one the robot head wearing a sombrero. It is pushed exclusively to Barbara. "Apparently they're government tools. Used to hunt evolved. They can find Evolved, apparently. Or are close to it." His lips shut as Cat says all heis saying in shorter sentences. His brows narrow somewhat.
"Perhaps Doyle's source is a frigid bitch." Winters offers gently, shrugging lightly. "As far as I knew we tried to help all evolved.. No matter what the ability." Winters nods a bit at Abby. "The operation will be going down with or without the Ferrymen. Cardinal has also been made aware of this and has already pledged to help liberate Amid. And so have I. I have requested names and titles.. and addresses of high up DoEA and Institute members. If the ferrymen helped Amid, the ferrymen would be compensated. But I'm pretty sure Amid will be liberated, regardless."
"My source can be trusted." Brian maintains stiffly. "Though I don't believe my source would like to be outted as my source. But I would trust her with my life, and all of yours.Iff she thinks Amid should be rescued, I will do all I can to rescue Amid." A two finger waved is gifted to Cat before he motions. "Cold pizza?"
Looking back to Joseph he gives a light shrug. "They were down in Argentina as well I guess. Hector Steele and Warren Ray are working on them. I vote we kick their asses, by the way."
"I'm trustin' the Milburn brothers know the situation, with this? I'm gonna head islandwards, I think." Regardless of the answer to that first question, apparently. Joseph pushes the photos uneasily away, irritatedly skritching fingernails through his dark hair as he thinks. "The GCT has got ins and outs all through Midtown, not to mention the topside is right there in the wreckage. We can't just abandon it that easy, but if this is the Department and they're seeking out Evos— "
His hands splay a little, a gesture that implies he'll drop it for now, although not without adding: "Unless the council minds awfully, I'd like to go see what it is special activities wants to do about the Terminal and— meddle." He allows for a crooked smile. "Or supervise. I worked down there for some months, know the people. I don't wanna see this treated without our hands on it."
And back to Amid, but with Joseph's focus veering one way, he doesn't yet add his words to it, resetting some to listen more before he does.
When Joseph announces his intentions, the nose splinted EMT nods. "I'll come with you. I have business on the mainland and if these things are metal" which she knows they are. "And the lord forbid we run into one, I can melt it down" do significant damage. "If you'll have me that is" She wants off the Island too, go talk to her own sources about the robots.
"If a decision is made to assist with Amid Halebi," Cat opines, "and we're to receive valuable things, one would hope a supply of Adynomine is included, and the recipe for making it too. I counsel against involvement with this undertaking at present, it stinks of potential to set us up. If your source, Brian, is who I think she is, I don't doubt her trustworthiness. But I do wonder at what sources she gets her own information from." At that point, a brief silence is indulged in.
"My source was once with the Company, and was involved with an operation where robots like this were first encountered, in Argentina. Made by Hector Steel. We had suspicions the Institute was trying to get hold of him and put him to work along with Doctor Zimmerman and Elijah Carpenter. Now we're told they do have him, and he's working with Kaylee's brother to make more, with the compass included. I can't be certain how intertwined the DoEA is with the Institute, but my guess is very."
Brian gives Cat a little nod. "I've already requested adynomine." Looking to Joseph he gives an encouraging smile. "Watch your back over there. They aren't very friendly. And they're very loud. I was thinking about.." He gives a little shrug. "Evolved are getting demonized right now. I've been patrolling midtown myself with some heavier equipment. I was thinking if we can get some pictures.. or video. We can slap this on the media and do a little of our own demonizing right back."
"So.. Yeah. I'm going to be doing that. The operation is set to go down on the twenty second when Halebi is in transit. If the Ferrymen wants to join. You can contact me here at the castle and I'll give you the rest of the details. If not, I'm going to cash in on adynomine myself. And hopefully get some resources for us here."
Brian leans back some, letting out a quiet yawn. Glancing over to Barbara, then to the rest of the council members. Brian leans in some. "As ffor Tracy.. I have a feeling she'll be put in her place soon." He gives a light shrug. "I do believe that's all I have to give the council.."
"You can come with, for as long as you're not lookin' for robots to melt. If these things are after Evolved, specifically, they gotta be ready for a little fire and brimstone," Joseph cautions. Which isn't a no. If Joseph was saying no, it would be like: 'no'. He turns dark brown eyes to Brian, a thoughtful pull at his mouth before he nods a little. "Long as we're smart about it."
He shrugs a little. "As for this— operation. Wait until all the council can convene, I reckon, before deciding where we stand. If y'could. My vote's against this kind of thing in general, but we should be ready and willin' to help out in the aftermath. I'd say we've been on enough front lines before. But the others may have different sentiments… folks may want to help if they so choose, outside of our blessing and representation. We've given choices before."
There is a distinct look of frustration on the face of Barbara Zimmerman as the conversation continues, the most audible thing from her for several moments consisting of somehting that sounds like "Goddamn compasses" and "Goddamn Institute." The mention of her father has her shooting a glance over towards Cat, wholly unaware if that information has been shared along to the rest of the council yet.
"Whatever works to get these things off the streets," so to speak, "I think the media idea is a good angle to play. Send it to The Adcovate or something. I'm sure they'll have a field day with it." Not that she really watches it much. "As for Amid, I'm against anything involving liberating someone as supposedly volitale, with his ability, as I was told. But that doesn't mean I want him in Government hands…" She isn't adcovating killing him, nor would she ever want to, but is a quagmire that she's unsure exactly how to resolve.
And then she looks up to Brian, eyes narrowing, "I have plans to return to the mainland myself soon. If you know of anything aime din Tracy Strauss' direction, I would rather know first. She is my sister, after all." She purses her lips, looking between teh council, and she sighs. "I suppose I have something I should share, though I'd bee putting it off until I heard more, but it's been too long, and if Tracy is a problem…" She trails off a bit, rummaging through her bag.
"The council will get back to you Brian with regards to involvement in liberating Halebi. KNow that at least, as Pastor Sumter has said, that we will be willing at least to help in the aftermath at a minimum" Like always. A glance to Joseph shows relief that he's willing to have her along. "It won't be me coming along just to burn them. I'm hoping in truth that we don't run into any, it's not like you or I are the greatest at kicking the arse of things" She points out. The both of them have had their fair share and more than fair share of being kidnapped. Abigail's assuming that things are done but Barbara's bringing up the topic of her sister. "Is this something you'd prefer to speak with other council members only or is it okay if Brian stays?"
"It was months ago, in fact almost a year," Cat explains for Barbara on sighting that sharpened look, but she doesn't linger on that topic. Instead a thin smile and an expression heralding some sort of anticipation is shown to Brian, without verbal commentary regarding Miss Strauss. "Brian," she cautions seconds later, "if you're working with Redbird people, keep your eyes peeled for Tyler Case. He's playing power switch games again, targeting them."
Beyond that she's quiet, waiting to hear what Barbara desires to speak of, and taking time to quietly look over Abby's facial injuries.
"Case is on the loose?" Brian asks, instantly sounding fearful. Though it is reigned in rather quickly. No one here knows his involvement with Case. And technically he should be asking 'who is that?'. But he doesn't bother. Let Cat figure out what she will. The fact that Brian Fulk is actually the 'brainwashed' Brian Winters matters little at this point. Glancing to Barbara, he shakes his head. "I said I had a feeling. When bad people are bad, bad things happen to them. Have you not seen any movies. Ever?" Brian asks, glancing at Barbara. An agitated flick of the eyes is sent to Abby beffore it's reigned back onto Barbara. "I'll do my best with getting the robots to the media. Maybe I can catch one eating somebody." He gives a light shrug.
"Thanks." A flick of a nod to Joseph. "So I will wait for the official decision before I tell anyone else, then? Whether Ferry joins in with the actual extraction or not, I'll let you know if we succeed in getting him out. But yeah, let me know. And I'll fill in whoever comes with the exact operation details."
"Eileen'll have opinions." She generally does. Joseph hasn't gotten a decent reading on Lynette yet, all in all, but likely she will too. He nods his agreement as Brian repeats back the sentiment, vaguely uneasy, but the topic, as far as he can see, is more or less done. To be argued through another day. Lacing fingers together and fidgeting around where his wedding ring used to be, his attention goes to Barbara with polite quiet.
Barbara's still fishing around when Abby speaks to her, looking up at the other woman and nodding, before looking to Brian. "I'm sorry, Brian, I just-" She raises a hand out of her bag and waves it dismissively. It might sound weird to say she's protective of someone who she's never met, who has public supported the Government's actions. "But Abigail's right, I'm afraid this is a council matter. But if you do hear anything about Niki Sanders or Tracy Strauss, I'd ask that you let me know."
With that, the dyed redhead's hand finally withdraws from her bag, tossing a business card down on to the table, one that reads in stylised script "THE DEVEAUX GROUP" across the majority of it's surface. "They've been in the new recently, if I'm not mistaken. Named after a friend of mine I've been told died while I was in Canada." There a long sigh, and Barbara shakes her head. "Does anyone here know a thing about them?" THis has a point, she silently promises as she looks across teh group.
Abigail glances to the business card, picking it up, studying the name and numbers before she shakes her head side to side, passing it on to whomever wants it next. "Sorry, I've never heard of them. I can ask Richard if he knows of them" The EMT offers to Barbara. For once, Abby's not heard something or has some tidbit of information.
"It's a common enough French name," Cat answers slowly after looking at the card, "so it may well be coincidence, but in our circles such things usually turn out not to be. Deveaux is the name of a building near Central Park, it's been used on many occasions as a meeting place by SLC people, being abandoned and in some disrepair. Charles Deveaux was one of the Company's founders, he died in 2006 before the nuking of Midtown. I can research them. Do you know names of people working with the group?"
Placing his hands on the table Brian goes to stand. Winters gives Joseph a little flick of his fingers. Byebye. Giving a neutral shrug of his shoulders to Barbara, he goes to reclaim his pictures. Including Ted in the sombrero. Stuffing his things away, he steps away from his table. "Enjoy the pizza…" Which no one seemed to eat. Last time he's bringing pizza for them.
"It's not a coincidence," Barbara says dryly. "The news report I saw before I came back that mentioned their name being inspired by Simone. I had no idea Charles was dead, though. That… makes this even mroe confusing." She stares at the business card a moment long, before letting out a long sigh. "I'm sorry if this gets a ilttle long winded, but there's some explaining to be done."
Her hands clench for a moment, and her eyes shut. "I don't know if Cat ever said anything t' anyone, but.. my father is Jonas Zimmerman, former Company employee. My brother, Niklaus, is here in town and has been working for Cardinal for some time. Last month, he delievered a file to Niki Sanders, knowing it would end up back with me." She pauses, looking back up at the others. "It was from teh Deveaux Society. I have never told my sister who I work for, exactly, but from what I've heard, Niklaus seemed to know. They want me to replace Tracy Strauss… at th e word of my mother, whom appears to work there, despite having been dead for nearly two decades."
She wrinkles her nose, leaning back again in her seat. "Nik- Jessica and I were planning on keeping it in the family. But with Tracy out in the public again, it seems, and Deveaux in the news, I think it might be too late for that."
"Niklaus is your brother?" The crazy German is her brother. "He was working in my shop too, baking" Abigail frowns, looking to the rest of the group then back to Barbara. "So they want you to pull a Nathan Petrelli?" Switcheroo!
Fingers reach for a slice of the cold pizza and lift it to her mouth, she takes a careful bite and chews it slowly, managing to avoid sauce smearing on her face while listening to Barbara's account. "That's intriguing," Cat offers, not seeming at all opposed to replacing Miss Strauss. "Regarding Jessica, have you spoken with her in the last few weeks?"
'Huh?' might be a valid kind of reply from Joseph, but he manages to refrain and listen all the way through. He finally crooks a smile at Barbara, and notes: "If you want t'get used by a clandestine and mysterious organisation for strange purposes, then— we still have need of you." It is a joke, without actually being one.
"Pull a what?" Barbara looks at Abby with a questioning look. "I had no idea he worked for you. Makes me wish I had said something sooner." The fact that she hasn't actually seen Niklaus again goes unsaid, but the visible hint of sadness on her face might give her away. A look over to Joseph, and she laughs. "I know you do. I haven't agreed to anything yet. In truth, I haven't made my way to them for further information." She flexes fingers, looking over at Cat. "Jessica and I had been planning to go together, in case something went wrong. But no, I haven't had the chance to speak with her lately. In truth, she's the one who wanted to keep it between family. But I think at this point, it's better that we all know there's someone else out there, possibly working in the trail of The COmpany." There's a pause, and she looks over towards Abby. "Please don't mention any of this to Richard. I'd like it if none of this left here for now."
"Nathan Petrelli on the throne, so to speak right now Barbara, is one from about ten years into the future. They played a switcheroo. I don't rightly know where the real one is, but the one who's standing in front of us and talking on the television isn't the right President Petrelli" It's not really a well known truth, so it's understandable. "But I have to agree with Pastor Sumter. Super secret clandestine organization, you already do that job and I promise that if I talk to Richard again, at all, that I won't spill a word"
Solemnity rules the moment, Cat choosing to limit commentary to one topic. "You should look your sister up soon, Barbara. Word is she went to ground to figure things out after an encounter with Tyler Case. She was switched with an unknown person. I wasn't told what she has now."
"Well, I don't hafta say 'be careful'," Joseph adds. Because Barbara knows that already. After a second, hunger gives in, and he divides himself out a few slices of pizza to be heated some how, some way. It's been too long of eating venison, woodland fowl and fish for him to be that choosy. "But if you get that more information and need to figure out the next step, we'll be all ears."
Both Abby and Cat's news take several moments for Barbara to take in, and it just makes her head hang a bit, Barbara sighing. "Of course," she says in response to both. "I'll be sure t' do that, Cat. Like I said, I'm planning on heading inland myself soon." A look over to Joseph, and she smiles. 'I wouldn't do anything without talking to you all first. The Ferry comes first." There's an audible swallow. "Even, if it turns out to be true, beofre my own family. Anyway, that's… all. I just felt I should make everyone aware of that… situation."
And then, after a moment, she finally leans forward and takes a slice of pizza, smiling as she nibbles on it. "Remind me to thank Brian later."