Participants:
Scene Title | Fuck You Felix |
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Synopsis | Felix drags Leland down to the land of the Keebler elves. The hot keebler elves, for some cookies.. err alcohol. What should have been a relaxing night ends up with abby sharing a phone message and a phone call and Leland giving felix the look that could stop worlds from spinning. Felix Accidentally'd the evening. Sooomeone's sleeping on the couch! |
Date | May 21, 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.
"…..no, seriously, the beer is good. She's not a Keebler elf, Leland, no one here does anything magical to the booze, Evolved or no," Felix is in his lazy Fed off-duty garb: Dynamos jersey, jeans, glasses, boots. Apparently one has dragged the other out for a beer, lest they end up hibernating like two grumpy bachelor bears in that apartment. It's tempting, sometimes.
Said Keebler elf is behind the bar, dispensing drinks that she's not even legal to consume yet. At least, not for another 7 or so months. Up for a few martini's, even as someone else is asking for a pitcher of beer, red hair up in a ponytail, black tank top that says "jesus saves" in white script across the front and her customary boots and jeans. "Brenda! Need more red stripe from the back!"
Leland is not really the type to avoid being social, but it is generally easier just to pop a movie on and stay in. Still, with the weather getting nicer, it seems claustrophobic to spend evenings inside. The cop's wearing a striped button-up shirt and a pair of light blue jeans. A black shell jacket is shucked once they're inside the bar. "Isn't this the bar that's one step over a strip joint?" Not that that's a bad thing. He's just clarifying.
"Could be. Haven't noticed," Just in case Felix's orientation were even slightly in doubt. "Did you wanna head there after?" he wonders. Abby gets a faintly sheepish grin.
"More like two steps below Officer Daubry. Agent Ivanov" When they near her. "It's close enough that I didn't tell my parents where I worked when they came up. How are two of my favourite agents of the law this evening" It's noisy enough that when she talks, most everyone won't Care, though it does the trick of making someone who was questionable in age turn around and head for the door. Bunch of them actually. "What's your poison Agent Daubrey? I know Ivanov takes a gimlet and thank you for keeping him in one piece these last few weeks." She offers the surlier of the two a smile.
"S'detective, actually," says Leland as he puts elbows on the bar and his butt in the stool. Felix just gets a sneer. He stands up again just long enough to drape his coat over the stool, then settles back down again. "Pint of whatever ale's on tap, thanks." He's a gourmet, but that doesn't mean he orders cocktails in a bar. "Keeping Felix in one piece is a fuckin' full time job."
How can he refute that? He can't. So Fel doesn't try. He just puts on his best sheepish grin, and settles on his stool. "You just insulted him. The NYPD tends to think of Feds as roughly equivalent to gum stuck to their shoe," he stage-whispers to Abby.
'Well then, Ivanov, I'm paying for his first drink then, and you get to pay for the rest. Sorry, I thought Detective, but I said Agent. Blame it on Ivanov and yes Detective Daubrey, it is. At least it must for you, I just have to sweep in after you or someone else had dragged him from somewhere. But he doesn't send you unconscious or into a healing hangover after, I assume. But, i'm glad you both are here, so that I can pick your brains" Leland's drink is being made first obviously as a pint with foam is drawn up in a nice big glass and a bowl of peanuts beside it. "What do you both know about Frontline?" Gimlets next.
"Ah ha ha. No. S'the other way around, pal. Feds go tromping all over NYPD jurisdiction." Leland's already starting to tear at the coaster Abby sat down for his pint. "Only what's in the news. Sounds like SCOUT on steroids. Why?" He arches his brows and sips from the pint.
"Not much," Felix says, reaching for peanuts and picking through them. "I mean, I don't have any direct line to God on this one. Why?"
"I got asked to.. publicly endorse Frontline. That's why. I did some looking and asking, told them yes, I would. Guess i'm just wondering what other people thought about it" Abigail nods at the steroid comment, smiling. "My thoughts too" In goes the liquids for Felix's drink and a little black stir stick even before she leans over, placing it square in front of the fed. Other orders come in, and it keeps the red headed healer turning, leaning this way and that, but doesn't disturb conversation.
"We do have a license to asshole," Fel agrees, shooting Lee an amused look. "Endorse, huh? that sounds….weird to me, honestly. What're they, a spandex brigade who needs ad time and product placement? I'll have to look into it."
"Doesn't sound like a bad idea." But given Leland's general thoughts on the Evolved, his is probably not the right opinion to be listening to. "Though it's just another organization to tromp all over our jurisdiction and take cases away. Don't see how it's really so different from SCOUT, save the fact that there'd be similar branches in other states." He shrugs. He's making confetti out of the coaster.
"Just, I guess like ten to twenty seconds to say why I think there should be a Frontline. I mean, it's a no brainer. Maybe I wouldn't have been out on Staten island so long. I haven't figured out what to say, I need to find time to sit down and do it. I think I'm just one of a couple. More like a "this is why the act should be passed" Out goes a couple pitchers of beer and glasses to a customer, money exchanged in her hands. "How have you been Detective Daubry. I haven't seen you since you played fetch. I hope you've been well?"
"I don't like it," says Felix, the bundle of joy and sunshine. "It sounds too much like setting up a personal evolved army. Did no one in this country read Watchmen?" No, not really sequitur, but hey. He drowns his doubts in the gimlet.
Leland Daubrey is not a political man, by any stretch of the imagination. He's also got a fairly narrow scope, as these things go. All Frontline is to him is another department to get underfoot. And to steal the budget away from his department. He grunts into his beer and takes a sip. "S'all posturing. Just to say 'look, we're doing something about the Evolved threat.' Could get messy quick for all its good intentions."
"The could clean up Staten Island. Get it back to how it should be instead of.. the cesspool that it is" She points out. There's a lift of a finger, a give me a moment as someone orders some appetizers and she turns to tap it into the computer and place the order. "I got another question. Well, more like a favor if either of you would fill it?" There, order is in, electronically transmitting to the back and Abigail resumes her post. Only this time she's leaned close. "Have either of you heard of an Adam Monroe and either way, could you maybe.. see if he has a record or such, here in the states? He's a British man, and he's been hanging around the bar. But i'm getting folks who says he's not nice. Like.. really not nice and I'm a little worried"
Felix grunts. "We could already clean up Staten. We just need the political will and the money. But if they want government X-men…" He shrugs, and ponders that. "I'll give it a looking over, see what I can see, and what I'm allowed to tell you. At the very least, he should have an immigration record. Evolved?"
"Yeah," a snort. "We could clean it up. But we're stretched so goddamn thin that there's no money for the police force it'd require to take back Staten. If they rebuilt the damn bridge or got the ferries going again, that'd be a start." Leland isn't a good man for pleasantries. And he's on the subject of politics, so he's not in a place to be nice with 'how are you doings' and such. Which is why he didn't respond to Abby's polite question a moment ago. As to her question, he shakes his head. "Doesn't ring a bell. Chances are Felix'd have more luck than me."
"He is" And she knows and for a moment she doesn't want to say it. "Regenerating. He says that he's been around for a long time. A really.. really long time. I thought he was just some. like well tipping patron, hell he gifted my parents with plane tickets to come up adn see me but.. I got a phone call from a friend and.. he said some things that just.. I dunno, they just seem odd"
"That sounds extremely dodgy right off the bat," Felix says, putting down his mostly empty glass with that exaggerated care. He flicks a sour look at Lee. "Yeah," he says, quietly. "I guess you have a point. More value for your money, when you get an Evo cop, or so the brass'd think. Doesn't age, huh?"
Leland makes an unhappy grunt. Although he doesn't say 'fucking Evolved' out loud, that much is implied by his body posture and the fingers that push through his hair and around to rub at his chin. "Watch your back, Red. Sounds like the big bad wolf's trying to cozy up to ya, point you towards a shortcut."
"Yeah" Abby murmurs. "lemme get my cell phone. Magnes left the message at a gad awful hour, and I couldn't get a hold of him again but.. " The next sentence goes unheard by Leland because frankly Abby doesn't know how much of it that he knows about Felix and the incidents at the end of January. But Abigail leans over, accidentally giving a good view to everyone as she whispers in Felix's ear. "He knew Kazimir Volken Felix. I've been really stupid. He's immortal, said he'd been around a time or two and that he knew Kazimir Volken" Then she's reaching under the bar for the little pay as you go thing, punching in the numbers for her voice mail and the digits of the password and handing it over to Felix to listen to.
In the background, the wind can be heard moving rapidly, similar to how it sounds when she's jumped across buildings with him, but far faster. "A-Abby, I really don't want to alarm you, I have no idea what's going on right now, she's missing and there were these messages. But anyway, forget about that, you really need to stay away from Adam. Hiro doesn't know it, but I spoke to his father, I asked him about the Company and Adam and he said that both are dangerous, and if I know their names, I should know to stay away from them." He sounds rather rushed, in a hurry, possibly with a hint of desperation. "Damnit, where could she be." he says, away from the phone, but it's clearly audible even with the wind. "Alright, that's all Abby. Please listen to me until we get this stuff in Japan settled, something's happening. Bye." Not his usual friendly or flustered goodbye, he's dead serious when he hangs up.
Felix stiffens in his seat, and the look he gives Abby is positively baleful. Not directed at her particularly. "Another one," he says, and his tone is full of loathing. "God help us. I hope his gift isn't the same as Volken's. Listen. Next you see him, call me. Don't even bother with 911, just call me. Get him to talk if you can, but don't draw attention to yourself."
The whispering makes Leland's eyes roll, but he doesn't comment or try to listen in. He's got tougher skin than to be hurt by any lack of trust. So instead he just pops open a few peanuts and chews on them. "Don't call 911? Shit, Felix. Are you spreading your goddamn vigilante ideas around to civilians now?"
"He's in Japan right now Felix. He called me before Magnes left that message" She glances over to Leland. Guy didn't have a clue. "Ig ot a few people I can call. Felix. he .. He flew my parents up. I accepted. I had no choice really I mean, he did it without me knowing, and then he put my parents up in a nice hotel but.. if he did consort with Kazimir Volken, what if.. he's come here now because Kazimir isn't doing his stuff anymore. Magnes called me about a week or so ago talking about Mr. Monroe to boot" Fuck it, Leland's a cop. She takes the phone from Leland and hits the button again for the message to replay so that the other guy can hear it.
Fel shoots Lee a sharp look. "So they can get chewed up by some immortal freak? There are times when calling in a non-Evo cop is like handing them a death warrant- " And Felix pauses, looks embarrassed. "Okay, I just excused the creation of Frontline, but what the hell…."
"Fuck you, Felix. We can handle ourselves just fine. If we get told what the hell we're dealing with." Leland doesn't disguise his irritation, though the cursing out could be a lot harsher. It's a friendly 'fuck you' if there is such a thing. He doesn't like being made to feel incompetent just because he doesn't have special genes.
The phone is eyed, but the cop takes it and has a listen. After it's finished, he passes it back to her. "Take it you trust that guy who called you?"
"The guy who called me spent a month and change locked up on Staten Island with me. He's.. an unregistered evolved but.. I trust him. I trust him as much as Speedy here trusts me to come every time he calls to heal him" Abigail offers to Leland as her slender fingers close around the phone. "It sounds like things are going to hell in Japan and I don't know how to help him. Short of finding this Nakamura Family and calling… 911 for Japan?"
"Nakamura family?" Felix says. "That's not a yakuza family, and that's as far as my knowledge goes, honestly." Apparently he missed out on the typical nerd predilection for absurd anime porn. Lee, give thanks. He shoots Lee an amused look. "That's not the issue." And then the amusement fades. "I saw what Volken did to the non-evo cops he ran across. Him and Ruskin,"
Leland's mood is quickly deteriorating with talk of non-Evolved cops being canon fodder. Felix knows him well enough by now to tell the difference between general surliness and an actual bad mood. He's crossing over into that territory fairly quickly. He swallows a mouthful of beer and glares at the drink specials to avoid looking at either of them. If it was quieter in here, you'd hear his teeth grinding together.
*dials long-distance to Abby's phone from the Land of the Rising Sun*
"I dunno. I"m worried. Magnes will get out, if he has to" Maybe. Okay no, he won't. Another Ale is poured and placed in front of Leland ready for him to take another sip when the cell phone starts to ring. Blue eyes look down at it and the 011 that pops up on the caller ID has her looking up to the pair of men.
They might as well be married, really, considering. Fel shoots Lee another look, but it lingers. "Don't get that face, Lee," he admonishes, lifting his glass and pointing a finger. "It'll stick that way. I know it's not fair that some of us came up with the freak slot on the wheel of fortune, but you're right, it generally doesn't require an Evo cop to deal with an Evo criminal, until you get into the real stupid Marvel comics shit," And then he's looking back to Abby, inquiringly.
"Don't point a goddamn finger at me, Felix. Unless you want it snapped in four places." Leland levels a stony glare at his friend, then turns away again. Abby gets a grateful look for the new pint. He swallows the dregs in the first glass and pulls the second towards him. "Attitudes like that, thinking we need to meet Evolved with Evolved only makes things fucking worse. And it devalues the people who're perfectly competent just 'cause we can't shit diamonds or some fucking thing." Poor Abby's ears.
"I think your a saint, for putting up with Felix, but I think this call is from japan, so if you want to hear it, come in the back room and i'll put it on speaker" Abigail offers to the pair, a gesture to the door to the back and she flips the phone open. "Hello?" iN her sweet southern tones, one finger in her ear not occupied with a digital device bouncing signals off of towers and satellites and what have you.
"He is a saint," Felix says, in his best deadpan, as he hops down from the stool and heads towards the indicated door. He'll pay later, right?
Leland doesn't move from his seat as the other two go. He stays seated and lifts his pint to his lips for a long swallow. The point is rather juvenile. But really, the only difference between a sulky child and a man with a temper is that fists fly instead of tears. If he's non-Evolved, then clearly it's too dangerous for him to be involved in whatever those two are discussing. Hmph!
Felix glances over his shoulder, irritably. "Leland. Don't puss out on me just because you're missing the relevant series of base pairs. Come on. You're tired of me charging around like Captain Ahab, come be the voice of reason, huh?"
"Abigail," Cardinal greets in amiable tones, his voice just a little staticy from the international connection, "How's everything back in New York?"
Abigail gives Leland a welcoming look as well. He's heard the first message and clearly, from the gesture, she values his opinion. "Richard. Everything's good here" after the button for speaker phone was pressed. "How's Japan?" Blue eyes looking back and forth between the two other men. One of the bartenders is taking up the slack from Abby's missing position.
"You won't like my reasonable voice," Leland grumps. He picks up the pint of beer and follows back, but he's in no hurry. He looks like he wants to hit something. Watch out, Felix.
See, look, domestic abuse. It is a marriage. Complete with lack of ungrudging sex. "I know, I know," Fel says, impatiently.
"Oh, not bad," replies the voice of 'Richard' over the speakerphone, the subtle distortions common to international calls present, "Picking up some engines for the Airline, the Chief's a fanatic for these old Cold War vehicles… ran into the Boy Scout over here the other day, he asked me to give you a call."
"Magnes called me, twice already. Richard, what's happening over there?" She's not letting him know, not yet at least, that she's got two law enforcement officers beside her and that he's on speaker phone. The love quarrel notwithstanding. "Who's kidnapped and is there anything that I can do over here to help you guys?"
Leland just stands quietly and listens, one hand in his pocket, the other on his pint. He keeps casting Felix looks. Just what are you involved with now, boyo?
By his face, Fel isn't yet sure. He's got that cat at a mousehole look, though, that's for certain.
"Kidnapping?" A pause, before the man on the other end of the phone admits, "Nobody that I've heard of… I'm just here on the airline's business, wasn't expecting to see him. He said that you were getting in really close with Monroe, though…?"
That's why Cardinal was calling. "He was a bar customer. Friend of Huruma's. I met him the night of the incident in Central park when I healed that guy and the jerks you tubed it. He's come around a few times, he's been trying to get into my good graces and make friend. He.. paid for my parents to come up and visit. Why?" Her blue eyes stay fixed on the two gentlemen beside her, who basically tower over her to boot. Red's looking for suggestions it seems.
Leland is still not entirely clear on what's going on. He just keeps quiet and glances between the two of them. The pint is disappearing quickly.
Felix is still listening, that frown of concentration comfortably settled between his brows.
"Uh… huh. Yeah. I know he's a friend of Huruma's." The tone of voice is… not entirely pleased-sounding. "He used to be with…" A pause, then, before Richard ventures, "I'm not real comfortable talking on speakerphone, can you pick up? Or we can talk later, when I get back."
"They know Richard. It's Ivanov. It's two cops I trust with my life and the one was with everyone and helping out during the whole Phoenix thing. He used to be with Who?" He's friend with Huruma. And he used to be with… god? Adam and Eve? Who? "But I can still talk to you normally if you still want"
Leland's shoulders tense a bit when Abby tells Cardinal there's other people here. He doesn't know the man on the phone from anything. He casts a questioning look to Felix.
Felix doesn't either ,by the look he gives Abby. Though the voice is familiar, somehow.
" Ivanov ?" Richard hesitates, "Look, I don't know who the fuck's there claiming to be Ivanov, I've heard there is one, but the man died , Abigail. I found the damn body myself! There was a fucking crab living in his mouth. And he's no Jesus H. Christ."
Fel looks utterly nonplussed, for a moment. And then protests, in all apparent seriousness, "I was only mostly dead. It's really me."
There is a twitch in Leland's face, then he turns and shoots Felix such a Look. The Russian thinks he's gotten Daubrey looks before? Well, he ain't seen this. This is a 'I want to pick you up by the scruff and shake you' look. He takes a threatening half-step towards his friend. Mr. I-was-just-hurt-they-were-mistaken, it-was-a-shapeshifter-or-something-I-swear.
"I know he died Richard, but I can tell you…" Felix speaks up and Abby rolls her eyes."That the man standing beside me is Felix Ivanov. He feels the same, down to the .. fucked up chemistry in his brain that he's had since I met him. Do you know how hard it is to sure Depression that is chemical based? He's just got that well in his chest where Mu-Qian healed him. It's the same as my to…" ohh that word dies on her mouth as she looks to Leland. Guy probably didn't know what happened on Staten Island and she can't remember if she told Felix or not… ohh that is a nasty look Felix is getting. "It's Ivanov. I promise you, swear to god on a stack of bible may the good lord strike me dead and throw into the pits of hell Richard"
"Mu-who? Alright. If you're that certain…" A pause, then Richard asks, "…did you keep the crab?"
"I have no idea what they did with it. I was dead at the time," Felix's expression is completely owlish, and he takes a step away from Leland, for all the world like a dog confronted by the spectre of the rolled up newspaper. "It is me. I swear, by all I hold holy, I'm Felix Ivanov," Like he's being sworn in in court. God, he's gonna get such a beating when he goes home.
He'll be lucky if it doesn't happen until he gets home. Leland continues to glare at Felix. He's right up in the Russian's face, nostrils flaring. He's seeing red. But then, he's starting to get a complex about not being told the whole truth. What with everyone running around wanting to keep the poor, helpless non-Evolved cops out of danger.
And Abigail is.. backing away from the other two, her steps carrying her to the furthest corner from the other two. Lovers spat maybe? Partner spat? Roommate spat? Something. "Richard, your derailing, badly… he's was with who?"
There's silence from the phone, before Richard says tightly, "I can't. Not with Ivanov there. I'm playing a really tight game here, Abs, and if the authorities get involved, I'm dead. They'll just get in the fucking way." A pause. "No offense, Ivanov. There's shit even you can't do."
"Right now, we're what Abby has by way of protection from this Adam Monroe," Fel says, even as he darts a look at Lee, trying not to recoil further. The metal legs of the chairs back here and the doors of the lockers have begun to rattle, as if in a very minor earthquake. "Lee, -later-," he mouths.
It's all Leland can do to not take out his frustration here and now. His reputation for being a thug may be undeserved, but there are times when his temper gets away on him. It's a good thing he doesn't have an ability. He's likely to be someone who would have it get away on him. Felix gets one more last, meaningful glare, then he rocks back on his heels and stalks away. Not out of the room, but far enough away that he's not tempted to reach out and throttle his friend.
Abigail hits the speakerphone button, shunting the call from everyone able to hear to just her able to hear. "Then tell me Richard. They can't hear you now, it's just me" A hand comes out, slender and pale, latching on to Leland's shoulder, a gesture of comfort, or well trying to. She understands, sorta.
A sigh whispers over the phone's speaker, and there's silence for a few long moments. "Vanguard," he finally says, grudgingly, "He's former Vanguard. So are some of his people. Including the Wolf. He's not a good man, Abigail. He's dangerous as hell - sure, he's charming, but so are most sociopaths - and you should keep him - and Huruma - at arm's length. If not longer."
Felix looks…slightly relieved. "We should go, I think," he notes to Abby, with a desperate lack of eagerness.
Leland is already out the door and making tracks for the exit. He only spares a half glance back towards Felix. Once into the bar proper, he pauses long enough to drop some cash on the bar and scoop up his jacket. Then, if Felix is following, he heads out onto the street. Oh. There will be Words.
Abby's just staring at Felix, whatever's said on the phone turning the blonde from the at ease that she had been, despite the Felix/Leland thing. She offers a mute nod, to let him know that she had heard him, that he was going to go, even as Leland was storming off. "Okay" To Felix before across the line into Japan there's a "I'll.. try" Sound very much like a frightened young woman. "Huruma as well?"
"She's… close to him," he admits, quietly, "Look, just… act natural and normal. Just try and keep a safe distance from Monroe, okay? And don't—tell anyone I said any've this shit."
Right. Act Natural. At least the man was over in Japan for now. Telling Abby to act natural was like telling a puppy to stay away from the mound of ground beef right in front of it's nose. "I'll try Richard. Just make sure Magnes makes it back safe?"