Devious Little Duckling

Participants:

amato_icon.gif odessa_icon.gif

Scene Title Devious Little Ducking
Synopsis Amato pays the House of Holden a surprise visit. Odessa is not amused.
Date January 3, 2009

Dorchester Towers: Ethan's Apartment

Dorchester Towers is home to many upper class, or more wealthier inhabitants. This apartment seems to be no exception. First impressions of this place, give a homey, and well furnished feel. Lamps are put in the right place, decorations here and there. The living room consists of a large green sofa facing the wall of windows, which has a large flat screen TV in front of it. Speakers are installed all around for the Surround Sound feel. Next to the TV is a cabinet full of DVDs. Most of these movies include a gun of some sort in each of them. A small coffee table sits in front of the couch, a few magazines spread out on it.

The kitchen is well stocked, with a microwave, coffeemaker, and of course a toaster. There is an overhead pan rack hanging over the stove which has many pots, pans, and other utensils hanging from it for easy access. Three doors lead away from the kitchen and living room. Two are large, comfortable bedrooms, complete with posters on the walls, and one is a room that is furnished with a stand up punching bag, dumb bells, a treadmill, and other types of work out equipment.

For the -extremely- well trained eye, or for someone who knows what they're looking for it would be apparent that there are little things off about this apartment. Reinstalled panels, etc, that would suggest whoever lives here has done some renovation work. (Note:Ethan has 'toys' hidden throughout his apartment, in case of 'emergencies'.) Overall though, this spacious living area has been well taken care of, and kept very tidy.


It has been on Amato's mental to-do list to drop in on Ethan for some time now, but finding out that the leader of Phase Two is out of the country gives Amato a very narrow window to operate in. He raps on the door with his characteristic knock, head bent as he waits. Once he pulls his hand away, he pulls his gloves off and tucks them neatly into his coat pockets.

It's late afternoon when Amato stands outside the door to Ethan's Dorchester Tower's apartment, and he can only hope that one of Ethan's roommates is home. Still, with Ethan out for some time, where would they go?

The door opens a crack and it's Odessa's curious dark blue eyes at peer through that gap at the man in the hallway. "Ethan isn't here," she murmurs, certain that Amato couldn't possibly care to come inside if the man of the house isn't about. With that reasoning, she doesn't move to open the door any further and offer to let the man inside.

"Do you count yourself as less useful than the man with whom you share so many rooms?" comes Amato's somewhat dry answer as he slowly lifts his eyes to look sidelong at those wide eyes through the crack in the door. "I'm sure you could pass along a message, and I'm equally sure you wouldn't want it to be broadcasted in a hallway. Heaven only knows what that could lead to."

Behind the door, Odessa frowns as she shuts it to take off the chain before opening it wider to let the Zealot in. She's quick to lock up behind him and dance back a few steps. "What is it?"

But Amato is slow in answering once he gets inside, taking his time and pacing the floor of the apartment he hasn't been inside of for weeks. "Where's Munin?" he asks as he glances through the open doorways that lead off of the main room. "It would be best to only say this once."

"Eileen is gone," Odessa says quietly. "I… don't think she's coming back here." This isn't her news to give to him, and so she doesn't divulge much more than that. "I'm afraid you'll have to repeat yourself to someone. I'm not sure how to reach her to relay a message."

Amato may have been distant lately, but not so distant that he didn't suspect Munin's departure. This coupled with the words Odessa chooses to lose give him pause. He sighs softly and lets his eyes close for a moment of grief, thankful that for the moment his back is turned to the blonde woman.

He had a mission here, or at least a notion. When Amato opens his eyes, he starts to scan the room for those revealing little bits. He slowly makes his way to the couch and sits as if planning to immediately get up once more. "Would you mind finding me a piece of paper and a pen, or perhaps a pencil? It might be easier if I write it down."

"Uhm, sure. Just a moment." Odessa disappears from the room for the space of about thirty seconds before returning with a plain white pad of paper and a bubblegum pink pen (that thankfully writes in black ink). "Here." She sets them on the coffee table in front of Amato, rather than hand them to him directly.

Amato's eyes are already glued to the table even before Odessa sets the materials in front of him. A small spider, no bigger than the diameter of a dime, creeps up the leg and onto the surface, lingering near the edge to avoid any direct attention. Still, when Amato's eyes fall on the diminutive, eight-legged beast, a smile twinges in the corner of his lips.

But there is work to be done. "Thank you," he says as he picks up the pen and studies it. He then begins to write, his script elegant and hardly masculine in any modern sense. It is a short sentence, but it takes him what seems like an age to write.

The quick cat isn't as dead as you thought.

Amato makes a slight exaggerated show of capping the pen again and laying it on the table before he stands. "If I could impose and excuse myself for a moment, I will leave directly."

"Sure. Go ahead." Odessa stares at the note Amato's just written with trepidation in her features. What in the world is that supposed to mean?

Politely, Amato nods, then crosses the room toward the bathroom. He shuts and locks the door without ceremony, but rather than actually use the accomodations, he begins his search anew. Stray hairs in the sink, or in brushes or combs. Toothbrushes. Anything that may carry the traces of either Odessa or Ethan.

The bathroom looks more like a man's than a woman's. There's very little in the way of feminine touches, aside from an extra razor and bottles of shampoo and conditioner on the side of the bathtub. There is a hairbrush stashed away in a drawer with strands of blonde hair and a pair of toothbrushes in a holder on the sink.

Amato's work is quick and tidy. First, he pulls a single blonde hair from the brush, letting his eyes snap shut the moment he touches it. Next on his list are the toothbrushes, the bristles of which he runs a thumb over, shivering at the onslaught of images as much as the brisk feeling of the plastic against his skin.

In the living area, Odessa spots the spider making its way across the coffeetable. She narrows her eyes and lifts one foot off the floor to remove her shoe. There's a resounding slap! that Amato can hear even from the washroom as Doctor Knutson crushes the arachnoid under the sole of her teal high heel.

The slap, in fact, snaps Amato from his trance-like state. It can only mean one thing, and while he is somewhat rumpled at the spider's untimely death, he's confident that it has friends nearby who will replace it soon enough, if they haven't already.

Lifting a foot, the Italian flushes the unused toilet before washing his hands for reasons both hygenic and…well, other reasons as well. He's smiling thinly when he returns to the living room, and after nodding to Odessa, begins to pull on his gloves. "Thank you, Doctor," Amato says with that genuine, though reserved politeness he nearly always uses in the woman's presence, "for both your hospitality and for seeing this message into the proper hands. Good afternoon."

"Not so fast," Odessa murmurs, crossing her arms under her chest. Her shoe's already been scraped clean and replaced on her foot. In the space of time it took Amato to work his proverbial magic, Odessa has banished her trepidation. "Are you aware that we have a guest staying at Eagle Electric?"

Amato pauses at the door, turning to give Odessa his side as he speaks to her, his glance filled with a mixture of amusement and interest. "I would hesitate to call anyone staying in that decaying old building a guest, but yes. I am aware that there is someone…not of the flock who is there at the moment; however, I admit I am unaware of the details of his dossier."

"Doctor Mohinder Suresh. Sylar helped me to secure him for Phase Three. You'll be answering to me for the time being, by the way." There's a hint of smugness to the young doctor's expression. Pride is a sin, is it not? "As far as he is aware, I'm an unwilling participant in this plan. I trust you won't do anything to put my illusion in jeopardy? Mister Volken would be most disappointed if you made this difficult for me, I should think."

Slowly, Amato's eyebrows lift in time with a curling of his mouth. "Is that so? Forgive me, Doctor, if I don't begin to do so before I have confirmation from those higher than even your perceived self." There is a moment of silence before his expression turns cold, and he takes a step toward her.

Amato may be slight, but he is still a man, and his suit and overcoat do much for his presence. "You and Mister Gray have become quite comfortable with us, or so I understand, but I wouldn't get too used to the feeling. It will make what is to come all the more difficult for you to bear."

He turns back to the door, unlocking and opening it with a few deft movements of his gloved hands. "The only royalty we make way for descends from heaven itself, piccolo anatroccolo indiretto. Do not imagine you will be handed a crown." With that, Amato slips out, letting the door find its latch behind him.


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January 3rd: Low Man

Previously in this storyline…
Foxhole


Next in this storyline…
Prelude to Armageddon, Part II

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January 3rd: Do It In Reverse
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