Participants:
| Scene Title | They Want A War? |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | On his way to a party, Cardinal's interrupted with bad news. They want a war? He'll give it to them. |
| Date | August 25, 2009 |
A comfortable place, located in the basement of 14 East 4th Street. The red brick walls are covered with memorabilia from various icons of rock and places in rock history, creating a feel similar to that of a Hard Rock Cafe.
The left wall has two bars separated by swinging doors which lead to and from the kitchen. Directly across from the entrance is a two foot high stage with all the equipment needed for acts to perform there. The right wall has three doors marked as restrooms: two for use by women and one by men.
Thirty square feet of open space for dancing and standing room is kept between the stage and the comfortable seating placed around tables which fill the remainder of the Cellar.
The lighting here is often kept dim for purposes of ambience, and when performers are onstage the place is loud enough to make conversation difficult. Just inside the door is a podium where location staff check IDs and stamp the hands of those under twenty-one with a substance visible under UV lights at the two bars and by devices the servers carry. On the podium's front is a sign with big black letters that just about explain it all: If You Don't Like Rock 'N' Roll, You're Too Late Now!
The Rock Cellar is more or less empty in the daytime, save for staff and the occaisional folk who are welcomed by the club's owner. The lack of people means Hel doesn't have to slap a wig on, and she waits for Cardinal at the otherwise empty bar. She's pilfered a Red Stripe, which she doesn't seem to be enjoying overmuch.
It's down the stairs Cardinal comes before too long, dressed in his usual grunge-and-street outfit. Urban camo from the waist down, a loose-draped jacket kept open against the heat but kept on to hide the under-arm holster of his pistol. Better a little warm than undefended, at least lately. "Dean," he greets casually as he crosses the floor of the bar, "I was just on my way over to Staten, what's up? Claire already gave me your message…"
Helena shifts in her seat, expression grave. "At six pm last night, Humanis First hit a Ferrymen safehouse. They put Teo in a coma, and they captured Liz." She lets the silence hang for a moment and continues, "The leads that I have had dried up, but I can give you everything I have."
Stop.
The next step's Cardinal's last, for the moment, the sole of his boot grinding to a sharp halt that would leave blackened marks if it was a different sort of floor. It's hard to gauge his reaction with those sunglasses, but his expression freezes up. "They… what? Who?" A sharp question, tight, "Who else was there? Can any've the telepaths get through to Laudani?"
"I don't know the details of the attack." Helena says frankly. "But we know that my father's met with the man that had been forefront in kidnapping Peyton Whitney, we know that they've been around shipping yards - I heard a freight horn over the phone with him, and both he and Peyton mentioned freight boxes. I've asked Eileen to recon, and she couldn't find anything in the Brooklyn yards. I was going to ask you to do a search over on Staten and I'm hoping to get ahold of Molly Walker."
"Danko." A tight nod from Cardinal, his expression tight but calm, "And… Dean. Alright. Candy's dropped off the map— do you know've any other Humanis operatives that might know something?"
Helena shakes her head. "The only other agent detail we had was on a name: Butch. No photo, nothing other than the name."
"Okay." Cardinal glances over to the door, then back, silent for a moment before he states, "I'll contact my people, then. If you hear anything— see anything— let me know. Any new fucking youtube videos, or anything like that pop up, these assholes seem to like the propaganda."
Helena nods. "Teo's in a coma, but I'll see if I can get a telepath on him as well. So far they haven't bothered to do any kind of media for it." She pauses a moment, and can't help but note after some thought, "Which suggests to me they probably don't care what kind of condition they put her in."
"She's not like Peyton," Cardinal says in tight tones, his jaw tensing further in a subtle tightening of the cords of his neck, "She won't read something like that. Won't break easily. So we have to find her before they get bored." He turns, then, without further comment as he heads for the door with a quick step, already reaching into his jacket to drag out the cell phone kept there.
"Information works both ways, Cardinal." Helena calls to him. "I'll let you know if I make progress."
"I send you plenty've information, Dean, even if you don't know it," Cardinal replies, pausing by the door and glancing back, his lips pursing in a thin line, "If she's… hurt… or…"
Helena simply nods. "I know." she says. Then, "These people are animals. If they've kept her, they won't be keeping her comfortable."
"Don't insult animals," Cardinal replies flatly, "They want a war? I'll give it to them. Better me than you. Keep Phoenix's name clean." Then he turns back again, reaching for the door.