Participants:
| Scene Title | Deja Vu |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Arthur summons Agent Verse as the next step of his plan. |
| Date | January 23, 2012 |
Pinehearst Tower
Side by side, Stephen Verse and Arthur Petrelli couldn't look any different from one-another. One man stands in mourning, cradling a lowball glass of whiskey in one hand and a beard he hasn't shaved off since November of last year. The other dresses in shades of gray that he feels are symbolic to his role in the world, a glass of Scotch maintaining a sense of dignity and optimism in the face of adversity.
The two stare out the prodigious wall of windows in Arthur Petrelli's private office in the Pinehearst building, observing the way the city lights glitter against the near-dark of dusk. Neither man has said much in the last few minutes, for as different as they both are there is one similarity they share: they can respect a good moment of silence.
"I never did personally offer my condolances for Josiah." Arthur finally says after taking a sip from his glass. "Losing a spouse can be a difficult prospect, especially given the circumstances." A sidelong look to Verse is all the further condolences Arthur affords, and even that seems like it's too much for the younger man.
"It's fine," Verse lies with a tilt of his head to the side. "We didn't have a memorial. Part of me hopes he's still alive somewhere." Looking to Arthur, he recites something as f it were a quote. "No body, no death." That had proven true enough in Arthur'a case, much to the chagrin of the entire world.
Stepping away from the window, Arthur sets his glass down on his desk and leaves his back to Verse for a few moments as he leads through a folder of redacted documents and photographs. "To that end, you may be more right than you know." Arthur's assertion draws a look from Verse, one that belies his calm exterior with a more wild edge.
"Nothing's concrete, and a lot of this is… privileged information." Arthur carefully sets Verse's expectations. "But the research going on at the Natazhat facility wasn't just about energy research. It was about quantum mechanics as well." He hands the redacted dossier over to Verse, brows raised as he watches the telepath snatch the paper with one hand.
As Verse begins to skim what's there, Arthur fills in some of the gaps. "We have reason to believe that Josiah Sanderson, as well as potentially all of the other staff members from Natazhat, may have been transferred into some other state if being. I've heard some people throw around the term parallel world, or alternate dimension, but…" Arthur closes his eyes and shrugs. "I didn't want to give you false hope. But what we've found out recently makes this theory hold a lot of water."
"Is this," Verse stops reading and brandishes the papers, "why you called me out here? Fairy tales?" Arthur balks at the term, breathing in a deep and calming breath before he sit sits down at his desk.
"No." It isn't a lie, even if Arthur is dancing around the truth like he always does. "I need you to fly out to Moab tonight, there's a plane waiting for you at JFK. I need you to put our resident Humpty Dumpty back together again and feed him some data." Arthur folds up the rest of the file on his desk and slides it across to where Verse is standing. "Relay me the results."
Verse is quiet for a moment, one hand scrubbing across his mouth. "I told you last time, Arthur. If we keep putting his brain back together and scrambling it when we're done we're not only going to get diminishing returns, but he could die."
One corner of Arthur's mouth twitches, an indecisive smile. He voices no concern over the prospect of this man'a presumed demise. "Edward is dangerous. We can't leave him together or he'll weasel his way out of our grasp and then we'll have two probability predictors to worry about." Arthur gives very clear and focused goals, but ones that do not even consider Verse's more vulnerable state or his bocal objection.
"I'm serious Arthur. He's a human being for christ's sake." Is Verse's final dissension, though even as he knows it's true he can't help but find his justifications lacking. Edward Ray was, and could easily become again, one of the most dangerous men in the world. Even then, Verse's attitude has changed.
"A human being deserves dignity," Verse explains with no uncertainty. "Or need I remind you of Pete Varlane? What happened to him was grossly inhumane."
"Please," Arthur shoots back. "Pete was a piece of work and the world's better off with him dead. You and I both know, even if we can't agree on Edward, that he was a piece of shit." Verse closes his eyes and drains the last of his whiskey, then circles over to Arthur's desk and picks up the folder.
Tucking it under one arm, Verse says nothing further about his objections. "I'll leave immediately," is Verse's way of dismissing himself. "I… understand what's being asked of me. I'll do it, if only because… because I'd do anything for Jos'."
Arthur leans back in his chair, smiling faintly. "Give Edward my regards when you piece his mind back together. But, don't answer any questions about his family. I want him to wonder." Verse can feel the dismissive nature of that phrase, and with folder under his arm he finishes the last of his Scotch in a single swig and sets the empty glass on the desk.
"Ill call when I land," Verse clarifies, offering Arthur a reciprocal nod as he moves to office doors. It isn't until Verse has disappeared through the doors and been gone long enough for Arthur to take another sip of his drink that he calls up someone else on the same phone.
After a few long rings, someone picks up and Arthur smiles into the receiver. "Good, you're awake. I was hoping you'd be available." Arthur pauses for only a moment longer. "Of course, always the devil in the details. Alright, that's fair. I've got a special delivery I need you to have one of your eyes look after."
With a self-satisfied smile Arthur explains, "I'm sending Mr. Verse to check on my accountant."