Participants:
| Scene Title | Double Standards Do Apply |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Liz runs into Mortimer… good lord, of all the bars in Manhattan to walk into. |
| Date | Aug 9, 2009 |
Random Bar
Hunched over late at night in a mostly empty rundown bar, Mortimer sips on a glass of scotch, which is not nearly as good as Tracy's scotch, he wants Tracy's scotch… Staring down into his glass, looking as if someone just killed his dog, he's wearing a pair of blue jeans, some black boots, a light-blue buttoned up denim shirt, and a black open suit jacket with a pair of leather gloves on.
As she steps into the bar, Elisabeth's bound to cause a little bit of a stir — if only because she's blonde, female, reasonably good looking, and alone. She's wearing a pair of black pants topped by a black T-shirt tucked into them, her hair caught up in a French braid. It looks almost uniform, though there's nothing on it to indicate what kind it might actually be. When she drops into a seat at the bar, she orders a shot and a bottled beer to follow it even as she glances around at who might be sitting next to her. The gloves on inside the bar do draw her attention and she studies Mortimer for a moment.
There's a glance over at her, probably not the usual look she's used to getting from mildly attractive guys sitting at bars. He still seems rather distant, sipping his drink very slowly, who knows how long he's been sipping that one drink. "She left me, it's over, all 'cause of that old British bastard, makin' her talk like him. It's all Darwin's fault! He had to go and make evolution, hate that bastard, hate Darwin, Darwin stole my girlfriend…" The weird thing is, he only seems a little tipsy, he's just suffering from Irrationally-Pissed-Just-Got-Broken-Up-With Syndrome.
Oh bloody hell…. no, really??? For serious? Of all the damn bars in this city, Liz walks into the one where Cassidy's MORTIMER is sitting nursing a drink?? No wonder he looked familiar — there are like a hundred BOLOs out on his ass, and a warrant or five on top of it. Shit! And …. worse yet, Elisabeth just knows she's going to make yet another random, questionable choice here in talking to the man instead of running his butt in immediately. "Darwin as in … the guy who preached survival of the fittest Darwin?" she asks, unable to stop herself.
"Her brain got all loopy with that British bastard's, he could see us screwin'. Now I'm by myself in a bar, I've got nothin'. I gave everything up for her, and now I've got nothin'." Mortimer slumps lower, laying his head lazily on the bar as he stares at her. "If it wasn't for my stupid father, I'd be workin' at NASA, NASA! And now I'm stuck with no woman, no resources, no anything except stupid job interviews, and for what? I was doin' it for her, what's the point now, what's the point in sanity if it's all just miserable…"
Both her eyebrows shoot to her hairline. That's not good news… that Mortimer blames Coren for Cassidy's defection. "Sounds like life's kinda sucked for you lately," she says gently. Cuz you know… insane psychopath here!
"Nothing I can do about it, it's just, over. I've got nothing to comfort me, and sanity is like coming down off a really big high." Mortimer sits up, gently shaking his drink in small circles. "It's over, no greatness, no insanity, no girlfriend, no loyal followers, well, except maybe two, and I'm legally dead. How was your day?"
There's actually a soft huff of laughter from Elisabeth on that question. "Erm…. not sure how to answer that one." She pauses and says quietly, "I wish I had any words of wisdom whatsoever to offer you. But I will tell you this much… " And she's going to make this choice and hope to God Cassidy's right — that he's a good person under it all, cuz if anyone gets hurt because of this call, she'll hate herself. "If you're legally dead, you have a unique opportunity to completely revamp your life. Be the person you really wanted to be. Get to NASA if you wanted to, maybe. There are enough black market peddlers of ID papers that I have a feeling you could really make a go of it. I'd say the 'no greatness' is all a matter of perspective." Cuz hey… taking down Primatech, in HER mind, is pretty damn great. Even if he WAS insane when he did it.
"I plan to try to do something, it's just, fuck…" Mortimer once again gets back to the root of his current mood, staring at her with the killed-my-dog look. "Why'd she have to leave? I don't care if that British guy saw us screwin', screw him, he can go to hell. I can't just replace her, she gave me a chance when I was as low as I could get, she risked her entire career for me. Where am I supposed to find a woman like that again?"
Elisabeth nibbles on her lip and says quietly, "Why do you have to?" Oh yeah… Coren's going to kick her ever-loving ass for this. "Maybe you should just pick up the phone and call her. Sounds like she cared a lot about you."
"I can't, it's over, she said it's over, I don't wanna be that ex-boyfriend, if you know what I mean…" Stalker, crazy… er, wait, that's how he got with her in the beginning. Mortimer just shakes his head, downing his drink before holding up his finger for another. "Her brain's linked with that British guy, she says she can't break it, stupid Evolved bullshit, stupid Darwin again. She wants me out of her life, I can't do anything about it."
Oh Lord… this is gonna get her in so much trouble. "Was that before or after you were sane?" Elisabeth asks mildly, totally leaving aside any comment on the 'Evolved bullshit'. She downs her shot and then sips the beer in front of her.
"This morning, it was this morning, and I've been sane for almost two months." Mortimer sips his scotch again, then just lets it sit there. Tracy's scotch is better, it just is. "It's really over, I'm gonna have to accept that. If she thinks it's what's best for her, then, fine, I care about her enough to let her go."
Elisabeth looks sympathetic. "I'm sorry," is what she offers. "It takes a good man to let someone he loves walk away like that. Whatever else is going on in your life, I sure as hell hope that it works out for you." She doesn't know what else to say to the man.
Mortimer groans, quickly thumping his forehead on the table again. "The last seven years of my life have been filled with loose women, and I was too insane to write any of their numbers down. But fuck it, I'm not replacing Cassidy. Maybe one day I'll meet someone as good, who knows, but I'm not gonna let myself get all screwed up with relationship stuff. I'm gonna find a way to ride my motorcycle and play my guitar, start a band, and get groupies." This may or may not be the alcohol talking.
There's a laugh again from Elisabeth. "Now that sounds like a good idea. If you play, I know a few clubs where you might book a gig here and there. Try the Surly Wench or the Rock Cellar. They're good places to get a start."
"I'll give it a shot, better than sulking and dwelling." Mortimer is quiet for a while, just staring off at the various drinks behind the bar as he sips his, then suddenly turns to her and says, "You wanna go back to my hotel room or something?"
Elisabeth chokes on the swallow of beer she just took and eyes him. "You know what? Although that is a mighty tempting offer," she tells him as she stands up and pays her tab. "I'm not going to take you up on it." She leans down and murmurs very softly in his ear, "Because in spite of the fact that she let you go, she still cares about you. A lot. And since I partner up with Cassidy here and there for things, and she'd know in a heartbeat what I did, I'm not going there." She ruffles Mortimer. "Lay low. You've already done 'great things', and somehow I think we're going to cross paths again, Mortimer."
"You know Cassidy? And fuck, why'd you have to say she cares about me, I'm trying to forget that." Mortimer groans, sulking into his scotch again. "Can I ask you a question? If everything's over, why's it still feel like cheating?"
"Maybe because it's not just a one-way emotion," Elisabeth offers quietly. "I'm sorry … both for what you went through as a result of your ability, and at the fact that your life appears to be kinda fucked up after losing it too. Seriously — go try the Surly Wench and the Rock Cellar. If music's your passion, both places have a reputation for helping musicians get on their feet if they're any good." She pats his shoulder. "And I meant what I said about laying low and getting new papers. There's still warrants out on you."
Mortimer stares up at her, confusion and surprise all over his face as he looks into her eyes. "If you're a cop, why aren't you arresting me?" Because, of course, Cassidy is the only good cop!
Liz shrugs slightly. "Cuz we've got a couple friends in common." She winks a blue eye at him and says softly, "She has faith that you're a good person, that your ability is to blame. And I trust her gut. Don't make me doubt that choice, huh?"
"Is it a friend's job to make sure I just absolutely will feel way too guilty to sleep with anyone else?" Mortimer asks in a rather amused tone, shaking his head with a smile. "I'll take your advice, thanks."
On a laugh, Elisabeth replies cheekily, "Welllllllll…. you know, it's kinda one of those things. At the very least you should feel guilty about asking her FRIEND to have sex with ya. Be more careful who you ask, that's all!"
"If Cassidy asks, this never happened." Mortimer just does not need Cassidy to think he's a dick who bones her friends. Standing up, he starts to head to the door, leaving the rest of the scotch. "I can't take that cheap scotch anymore, I'm addicted to the expensive stuff. It was nice meeting you, uh, what's your name?"
"Liz. But don't go bandying it around too much, cuz I'll get my ass fried for not running you in." God, the shades of gray that Elisabeth lives in these days. Even she knows that her choices are starting to seriously impact her job some days. "Take care of yourself. And no worries, not a word."
"Yeah, I'll see you around, don't get mugged." Mortimer waves without looking back, then exits, letting the door close behind him.