Participants:
Scene Title | Favor Asked And Granted |
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Synopsis | Veronica asks Abby for healing, and receives it, with a bit of honesty between the two of them thrown in. |
Date | May 16, 2009 |
Old Lucy's has a vibrant and lively feel to it, from the dark wooden floors to the shady crimson walls lit up by neon lights and many times, the flashing of cameras from the oft-crowded floor. The mirror behind the bar reflects prices of various drinks, bottles lined up, as well as the entire saloon as seen from the bartenders; bolted-down stools line the other side, and there are loose tables and chairs placed all around, though many times they find themselves pushed back for more space within the center of the saloon. A few speakers are placed at strategic places and around a raised stage to the far corner from the bar. Above the counter, an obviously well-used bar is hung; it is this that the girls working will use should there be dancing, which is one reason many patrons choose to come aside from the drinks. Across the bar and near the back, there is a door that leads to the owner's office and just inside a stairwell that leads a apartment on the floor above the bar.
Last call happened, folks have filtered out. Old Lucy's is closing up for the night. It's sad, that it's only ten past nine, but that's how it is. Some day, possibly, the night life will return to normal in Manhattan, but for now? Early to bed for everyone!
Abigail's at the door, showing out the last stragglers with a weary smile on her face, lines about her eyes that are either from thought, or from tiredness. "Take care now, Come back another day and drive home safe! If you need a taxi just go over one block" The red head calls out after the couple that start thier trip in just that direction.
One person not worried about the curfew is Veronica as she heads up the sidewalk toward Old Lucy's. "Hey, Nun," she says from the sidewalk, not approaching the doorway, in case the healer really doesn't want to see her. She respects Abby enough not to take away her personal space, at least tonight — some days her curiosity gets the better of her. "I was going to ask a favor."
She taps her shoulder. The arm it connects to is tucked a bit protectively at her side, though it's not hanging uselessly like it probably would if it were dislocated.
Her hand tightens on the door to the bar, a glance around to see if there's anyone around, a tilt of her head backwards to see who's still in the bar. No one. Abigail scrunches up her nose before there's a quick motion with her hand for the Company agent to step forward. "There are so many people who would be livid with me that I'm doing this. Not like I can just … invoice your Company for healing either. Get in here."
"I'll pay. I just didn't want to say it on the street," says Vee as she steps into the bar. "If it makes you feel any better, it was while trying to catch someone that even you would probably consider worthy of locking up. Bastard takes over people's bodies, makes them do things they don't want to, and they're very conscious of it the whole time their body betrays them. Sick and twisted. It'd be one thing if he did it for good, but he just does it for his own entertainment."
"No paying. I don't take money. I'm forced to take the stipend from the NYPD because of someone I know there. I give it to my church, I never cash it." Veronica's ushered in, a gesture to the better lit area of the bar and she sets about to getting two seats down for both the agent and for her. "How Brian?" She's not the genial girl that she normally is, a little less so with veronica. It's a company agent, how could she be all nice and fuzzy.
"Brian's fine as far as I know. I haven't seen him a lot — we're on different details right now," Veronica says, wincing a little as she shrugs without thinking. "I probably shoulda gone to the doctor but it's been a bit busy and I haven't had time." It's been several days, so that's an unlikely story. "I'd just suck it up and not have come to you for help but… it's not like my job is one I can just lay around and recuperate in. And you should cash the checks. There's no reason not to. You earn the money, you might as well take it."
"I don't take money for god's gift" She hates that the NYPD even gives her the stipend, but it's peanuts frankly, and it's all for show. "If it's infected, I'll see what I can do, I can work miracles but even some things are beyond me" Can regrow a dismembered limb, but sepsis is beyond her. "Probably let me see what i'm working with right now" A motion for Veronica to at least take off what she can so that Abigail can get a look at the shoulder. "His name wasn't John Logan was it?"
"No, not John Logan," Vee says with a shake of her head. She pulls off her jacket, under which is a simple camisole, that allows a good look at the shoulder: blues and purples mottle the flesh, even a little yellow where the bruising has begun to heal. The cuts are shallow enough that she didn't need to get stitches, but deep enough she'd probably be left with some small scars if she doesn't get healed by Abby's method.
"There's a man on Staten Island. John Logan" the redhead launches into a description of him, and of his ability as she knows it. "If you get the chance to go… there and grab some people, he's a right bastard in need to being sent to a dark hole forever" The venom in the red heads voice is unmistakable. But it fades as she rubs her hands together to warm them and then carefully, gently lays her hands over the Company Agents injured shoulder.
"Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers, but to be fearless in facing them. Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain, but for the heart to conquer it. Let me not look for allies in life's battlefield, but to my own strength. Let me not crave in anxious fear to be saved, but hope for the patience to win my freedom. Grant that I may not be a coward, feeling Your mercy in my success alone;But let me find the the grasp of Your hand in my failure."
That sensation that Veronica felt before returns and start to work at easing the injury to her shoulder.
Veronica looks up in surprise at the vehemence in Abby's voice. The sweet little healer is actually suggesting she go and take someone into her custody? "If he hurt you somehow, I'll see what I can do, Abby," Vee says solemnly. There is something sincere in her respect for the odd healer. As Abby begins to pray, Vee glances back down, dark lashes fanning against the top of her cheeks, like one might do in church when the priest says "Let us pray," even if one is a non-believer. It seems disrespectful otherwise.
Veronica and Teo have something in common. Most everyone else just looks away. But the prayer ends soon enough and it's just Abigail healing Veronica. Of which, the healing makes no sound. "Beginning of February, he took me. Kept me for a month and change on Staten Island. Made me heal any and all who he deemed needed it. Mostly those who were fighting in some sort of underground fight ring. It was a bunch of people who eventually assaulted the warehouse, freed me, and others. But no ones been able to get to him. Jurisdiction" The red head murmurs quietly. "He still has my bible. I want him so badly to burn in hell. It's wrong to think such ill thoughts but.. any man who tries to take God away from a believer. They belong there"
"God," Vee says. And sure, it's taking the name in vain, but if she were a believer, she would mean that single syllable. "That's just sick. I'm so sorry. If I can do anything, I will, Abby," she says quietly. She rotates her shoulder a little, as the pain fades away. "I can't just make up my own assignments, but I'll look into it, and see what I can do."
"I don't know how you guys work. I know they think your all the devil. They think Matt Parkman works for Satan, but he's just a guy who's trying to do his job." She's still working the woman's arm. "I don't condone what you do, but the Company had worked with people I know, so obviously, your all not that bad" There's a lift of one hand to look, even though she can feel the tapering off of her ability. It's not that bad, her shoulder. "Now maybe, you knwo why I got so… mad.. at you"
Veronica's used to being considered the devil. She nods. "It's okay. I didn't go into this line of work to be popular. I did the whole 'Prom Queen' bit in high school. It's overrated," Vee says. "But there's worse things than us out there. Sounds like this Logan's one of them."
"There's men who jump bodies for years and try to release plagues upon the world. There's men who barter a woman's body for money unwillingly, or others who'll force people to fight only because they're gifted and had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time" There's so much more. "Men who cover up what their brothers did and blame another in their stead" Abigail sits back, looking over her arm. "A modern babylon my father calls this place"
"That about sums it up, I guess," Vee says with a wry smile. "I … how much does it hurt, to take my injuries? I … don't want to ask for favors without knowing what it really costs you," she says quietly.
"Doesn't hurt me. Not that kind of healer. It just consumes my energy and seeing as it's the end of the day and I live two feet away, it's nothing, Just a drop in the bucket at this point." Abigail offers a weak smile to the woman. "You can walk me safely home, in exchange for what I did. I don't think your here to bag me, not when i'm already registered. Deal?"
"Sounds like a deal," Vee says with a nod. "And since I've kept you past curfew at this point… it's a good idea, so I can vouch for you if anyone stops you and questions it." She moves her arm around. "Feels good. And I can at least try to pay you back with like a year supply of Starbucks cards or something, can't I?" she asks, with a bit of a smirk. "For those mornings after you healed too many people and sleep doesn't get it done?"
"You know, before Staten Island, I would have taken you up on it. But Caffeine is not the mainstay of my diet anymore. I actually have a doctor who tailored me a diet. Honest to the good lord God. So. Instead of that, feel free to drop a bag of fruits or such, or you know, cards to like.. Jamba Juice. That'd be better. I need to get my jacket and keys"
Vee nods, and picks up her own jacket and slips into it. "Jamba Juice. Fruit. Got it." The next day, a fruit basket with a variety of fresh fruit plus five Jamba Juice cards with fifty dollars on each of them will show up at the bar for the healer, with only a card saying "Thanks" and no name.
It's five minutes, lights being turned off in the back save for near the front door, Abigail coming back out with her messenger bag, sweater, and key. Escort Veronica out the door and a gesture down the few blocks to the village renaissance. The red head keeps pretty quiet till they're about halfway through. "So you really are… Company?"
"I don't know what you mean by Company," Veronica says, her eyes straight ahead as they walk. She doesn't necessarily expect Abby to believe her, but she can't really just out and out admit it either. "I'm a Homeland Security agent. Undercover. That's why all the lies about being … advertising and stuff, back when."
"So you're company. Folks I heal, they keep me pretty.. in touch with things, that I need to know. I got taken by one of yours once. Not officially cause, I don't have that little badge of honor, but.. Tried to see if I could fix her. I couldn't, what she had, it's not fixable. But homeland equals Company. Brian was squirreled into the Company, and Brian's your partner, do the math. Don't worry, won't tell."
"I don't have any math to do," Vee says with a shrug, her shoulder not hurting for the first time in days. "I know what I do. I have a badge that says HomeSec, so I'm HomeSec, right?" They can know what they know, but she's not going to admit anything in public. Their walk brings them to Abby's building. "Thank you again for helping me, Abby. If … you need help with someone hurting you again, like that Logan guy, let me know." She hands Abby her "official" card, the one she gives to cops and the other agencies.
The business card is taken, glanced at and then nodded. "I'll add you to the list of others Veronica. Thanks for the walk home" Homeland. She'll live with that excuse. "I'll call, if I ever need anything. I promise. Let me know if you.. come across Logan. Just be careful if you do"
"I'm always careful. I'd be dead if I weren't," Veronica quips, and turns away to head back out into the emptied streets.