Participants:
Scene Title | Followup |
---|---|
Synopsis | Officer Trask follows up on questioning the owner of the cafe where a shooting occured, and runs into the victim. |
Date | September 12, 2008 |
Erica's Cafe, Queens
MacKenzie stands at the counter of Erica's, the quaint cafe in St. Albans. Apparently having just ordered a chai tea latte, she smiles and thanks the 30-somthing-year-old proprietor of the establishment and pays for her drink. She then makes her way towards the seating area. Even though the cafe isn't especially busy, she chooses to sit at a secluded table.
Trask comes in a short time later, in uniform the police officer heads up to the counter and orders a coffee himself, he then begins to speak lowly to the owner.
Sipping from her drink, MacKenzie looks over the rims of her glasses to take a look at the uniformed police officer — or she would be, if she were wearing glasses. Not taking any obvious interest in the conversation taking place, she unfolds a newspaper and looks down at it before taking another drink.
Trask glances Mackenzie's way as the waitress talks. She grows a little more animated in her describtion of the scene and he makes a couple more notes, looking at MacKenzie more then once.
The careful observer would note that while MacKenzie's lips are doing a fine job of taking in her drink, her eyes don't seem to be moving in such a way to take in the words printed on her paper. She nevertheless refrains from looking up at the two who are talking.
Trask finishes his talk with Erica then moves over to take a seat next to where
MacKenzie is sitting, he takes a few moments to enjoy the hot cup of coffee.
MacKenzie looks over at the police officer long enough to give him a polite smile. She then returns her focus to cup she's drinking from and the paper she isn't reading from.
"It's rather brave, Miss Myers, to come back here so soon after what happened.”
MacKenzie looks once more at the police officer. Though she doesn't seem especially taken aback, she takes a moment before asking, "Is this really so different from staying in the city after a nuclear bomb went off?"
Trask nods slowly, "Your right, of course. I'm Officer Trask I was asked to do a followup with the owner to see if she has seen anyone involved in the shooting hanging around." He offers his hand.
MacKenzie shakes the officer's hand enthusiastically and says, "Officer Trask? I'm MacKenzie Myers."
"Well Miss Myers, I am glad to see your doing well. Have you had any problems since the incident?" He seems friendly enough with a boyish charm and warm smile.
MacKenzie shakes her head. "No, no problems. Some of your fellow officers have been keeping watch outside my apartment, you know." She then furrows her brow and says, "I'm sorry to change the subject, but — has anyone ever told you that you have a distinctive voice?"
"A Distinctive voice, Ma'am?" he frowns a little, "Not really…my mother had a much more particular accent, she was a Russian immigrant" he drops to a Russian accent just a little, "all Nyet and Da and Comrade" he switches back to his normal, "But I never thought my own was all that…special."
MacKenzie says, "It's not an accent I'm hearing. But when I hear your voice something is different. I just can't put my finger on it."
Trask looks at her with an innocent stare for a few moments, then frowns, "I'm sorry I…don't know what to say. Is there something wrong with my tone of voice or…?"
MacKenzie smiles and says, "It's not a bad thing. I just take an unusual interest in voices, and I'm drawn to the ones that are unique — like yours."
Trask blinks and actually blushes a little, "I have to say that is the most unique pick up line I have ever heard Miss Myers." He looks down at his note pad for a moment, then closes it. "So do you have any idea why they might have shot at you, Ma'am?" he seems to be trying to change the subject a little.
A laugh escapes from MacKenzie's mouth at the "pick-up line" remark. After she regains her composure she looks around the cafe and says in a hushed tone, "Well, you know, I recently gave your department some information that some people would prefer it didn't have." To that she adds, "And please … call me MacKenzie."
Trask nods, "And my name is Norton, MacKenzie. I'm afraid I might not be cleared for all the details on this case then. Still I would hate to see a lovely young lady like you get all shot up. Are you sure it's the best thing to be back here, if they are still out there?"
MacKenzie smiles at the compliment. "Well, Norton, my job is always putting me before the public eye. I'm safer here than I am most of the places I've been today. And, besides, if I couldn't walk three blocks from my apartment to go to a cafe, what kind of life would I be living?"
Trask nods, "It says a lot about a person, that they are not willing to be cowed by something like this. That they are not paralyzed by life, and willing to go on. It's what back in '01 they would have called the courage to show the terrorists they couldn't win."
MacKenzie doesn't directly acknowledge the compliment. Instead she shakes her head and says, "When it rains in New York … it really pours, doesn't it?"
Trask looks out at the light drizzle coming down, "I think it usually just sprinkles some, to let you know it's coming, then someone opens up the flood gates and it all hits you at once. Sometimes I think the weather is more like a moody woman."
MacKenzie sighs and says, "It's an unfortunate stereotype that women are especially inclined to be moody. What makes it unfortunate is that it's true."
Trask smiles, "You weren't talking about the weather, were you?" He shakes his head, "Other problems just seem to build on each other I assume?"
MacKenzie nods. "We had 9/11, we had 11/8 …"
"They say these things come in Threes""
MacKenzie says, "Such a macabre thing to be said with such an intriguing voice.”
"Well when the end of the world comes again, and all Hell breaks loose, and you need someone to calm you down, give me a call, that's what we are here for, to Serve and Protect." he smiles and hands over his business card.
Taking the card, MacKenzie gives the police officer a smile in return and takes her own card from her purse and hands it to the officer. "For when you need the help of someone who doesn't have the good sense to come out of the rain."
Trask smiles, taking the card, and rises, picking up his hat, and putting a tip on his table. "Speaking of heading out into the rain, I do have other places I should be. And just because it is raining, is no reason to stop living life, and doing our duty." He pauses before leaving. "You don't have to wait for Hell to break loose to use that number."
MacKenzie smiles and says, "Thank you," to the officer. "Take care, Norton."
"Stay safe, MacKenzie" as he steps away her powers come back on, but she still can't seem to pin down exactly his voice. Something about it making it…different.
September 12th: Legwork |
Previously in this storyline… All of this... Misunderstanding Next in this storyline… |
September 12th: It Wasn't For Nothing |