Participants:
| Scene Title | Has Anyone Found Schrödinger? |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | There are many things to discuss, but Odessa just wants her cat. |
| Date | May 20, 2010 |
Village Renaissance Building - Fourth Floor Safehouse
The floors here on the fourth level of the Village Renaissance Building at 14 East 4th Street are of polished grey marble and the smooth walls are painted a cream color. Four corridors with four apartments each are found here, with stairwells at the front and back and elevators centrally placed in each corridor. The elevators have buttons for the first three floors visible, and control panels requiring both key and keycard to open.
The apartment doors, made from sturdy pine, are operated by keycards only on this floor. Like the second and third floors, they're numbered 401-416.
But that's where the similarity ends. This floor isn't for rental to the general public. It's a place reserved for temporary stays by whomever the person who lives on the top floor chooses to give sanctuary.
It's a safehouse of the Ferrymen, operated by a member of Phoenix, using the cover of musician's eccentricities to explain away the motley crew of folks who might come and go if anyone should ask.
Morning again, for the twentieth time in the month of May. And it's still absolutely freezing cold. But not inside this building. She has generators and a supply of fuel to run them, though even that is starting to run short. There's food as well, enough to last a week or so longer. Abby's been provided with a key and keycard to access the upper floors along with clothing she was given earlier, and is expected by Cat.
Cat steps out of the elevator, clad in a Yale sweatshirt and jeans over boots, and heads for the door marked 401 behind which are Odessa's recovery quarters. Hands aren't empty: she's got the access card for the door and a standard size white envelope.
Odessa is at Cat's and Abigail's taking the time to visit, via the use of Francois's vehicle. Put in back up plans in case plan A doesn't work and to check on Odessa. Tasked with taking care of the woman and she's doing a horrible job. Through the doors, across the floors and up the blonde goes peeling out of arctic gear enough to see her way. Out of the second elevator is Abigail, scuffle and thump of boots and cast, looking up when she spots Cat coming out of the adjacent elevator. "Catherine" A greeting, surprise, also not. "Off to see Odessa or is there someone else on this floor?"
"Morning, Abby." Her head turns as the door is opened, voices thereby becoming faintly audible to Odessa inside that suite of rooms numbered 401. "Just Odessa," Cat confirms. She doesn't go inside, giving Abby time to reach where she stands and lapsing to silence for the time it takes. The white envelope is held out toward her, it seems there may be a few doses of some pill variety in it.
"Gave her some plasma, and have been providing pain meds."
"Not morphine? She's… She has issues with morphine and I'm trying, was trying.. hard to help her with that." The envelope is taken, peering into the contents then shaking them out onto her palm to figure out what they are before sliding them back into the envelope and passing them back. "You're supposed to give them to Odessa, Cat, not me. I have my own medication, but I have spare vicodin if she needs them. I amassed a little collection at Francois's this last month and so."
Things have been touch and go for the past five days with Odessa, though she's been showing steady improvement since Cat managed to provide her with plasma. She still doesn't quite have colour to her face, or a whole lot of energy, and she still rather resembles death warm over, but for the time being it at least doesn't seem that she's going to die.
The sound of voices outside her door rouses her and Odessa's head lifts from the pillow. For a moment, she considers calling out to ask for confirmation that it is, in fact, Cat outside, but whether patience dictates her silence or just a general sense of apathy, she simply waits for her room to either be entered, or not.
"Those aren't for Odessa," Cat informs quietly in declining their return, "they're for you. Negation pills. I don't believe you're going to lose it and become the hottest woman on earth, burn this or any other place down. But what I believe doesn't matter, your confidence is what's important. I can keep those coming to you for a while if you like, so you can be negated on days you're not intending to work at exploring the ability." The door is pushed open and stepped through, Cat continuing on toward one of the bedrooms where Odessa lies on sheets of a very high thread count. "She's been given opiates," Cat shares further, "it was her choice. Couldn't contact Melissa to come help with pain."
Abigail looks slightly stunned at what is in the envelope. Negation pills? She holds to the envelope, looking down at them before nodding to Cat. "I'll save them for a bad day then…" What Cat just handed her was a crutch, but one that maybe some days, she just might need. She licks her lips, tucking the envelope into her pocket with a grateful look towards the brunette before following in, shedding jacket but keeping the winter overalls on.
"Hey Odessa," offered to the woman. Last time they saw each other, it was Abigail who was the mess on the floor, now it's Odessa who's down for the count. "Lemme go wash my hands and I'll come look at you?" Since Cat's not the actual doctor and the one who is, is the one who's injured. "See how they patched you up." They being whomever from the Ferry, in Abby's mind, that came to fix her.
Odessa manages a weak smile for her visitors. "Has anyone found Schrödinger?" she asks hopefully. It's the same question every time Cat enters the room. As grateful as she is to be alive, Odessa is more concerned for the well-being of her kitten. She braces her arms against the bed and slowly attempts to push herself up enough to sit at an incline that doesn't hurt her neck. A wince indicates that she's not quite able to do it on her own.
She doesn't comment further on the pills, doesn't feel the need to. Abby has them and knows who to ask if she at some point needs more. Curiosity about the ability is shelved for the present as well. Moving to assist Odessa's sitting effort as Abby heads off to wash her hands, Cat replies "Francois or Teo might have. I'll ask them." A few beats of silence follow, preceding a question.
"Have you ever met Julie and Liette Fourneir?" She pulls out the iPhone and brings up the picture of Liette for Odessa to see.
"I've seen her," Odessa confirms when she's asked about Liette, nodding her head when shown the picture. "I've not been formally introduced. Just watched her flit past. If you want my opinion on her situation, I'll gladly give it." Dark eyes lid heavily for a moment and it seems as though the blonde has fallen to sleep for a moment before she finally looks at Cat again. "Once I have the energy to be articulate. Short version, don't give her to them."
"Not a chance of that happening, if I've anything to say about it," Cat murmurs. "Good to see you're on the same page about that, Odessa." She thinks of asking the patient about Liette's history at the Company given her commentary on Robert Bishop and Elle, but decides Odessa either doesn't know about it, or wouldn't tell, at least not yet, since she's, well… not already spilling. The topic is mentally set aside.
For now.
Back into the room comes Abby, taking her time moving about, offering a smile to Odessa and to Cat. "Hey, no.. no one's seen Schrödinger. Odessa, I don't think she made it. Not with this cold and no bar to shelter in. Unless she made it to another building but they would have been closed up too." Bearer of bad news likely.
"So. What happened? You know, after I burned my bar down. Dreyfus is dead. Don't know if anyone said that or not but… yeah, dead." Burned and bullet to the head. "Cat, you have gloves and fresh bandages and such?" Asked of the pamnesiac, trying to slip into as normal a life as she can. "And you. How about we call a moratorium on either of us getting hurt until, you know, it's safe to do so?" It's in a sort of joking turn of tone offered for Odessa, taking in the prone woman. "So who stitched you up and what happened to you?" She hadn't seen what happened.
Odessa's brows furrow, looking apologetic as she starts to decide how she wants to explain what happened to Abby. "Dreyfus showed up to talk to me… He said he wanted to lure you and the others to the bar so he could finally kill you and end it. I tried to talk him out of it. Talk some sense into him." Odessa closes her eyes and tips her head back against the pillow. "That's when he finally figured it out. I know he suspected before, but I defended a little too adamantly. But he's as good an actor as I am. I never saw it coming when he stuck the needle in my arm and negated my ability. I had a gun to my head when I left you that message."
The woman's eyes open again and fix on the other blonde. "Abby, I'm sorry." Some things deserve eye contact.
"There was a Persian calico that came flying out of the apartment," Cat provides. "Shot right through between my legs and past the guns at the bottom of the stairs. So Schrödinger wasn't upstairs when the fire started. Odds are good she escaped." Then she's listening, while moving to a cabinet and providing Abby with the requested items. "Sutures are biodegradable."
"You weren't responsible for the bar burning down Odessa, and he negated you" That was what the syringe was, not morphine thank god. "It was a bad day and it's gone, there's nothing we can do to change it. We move forward. Dreyfus is dead and he's just a bad memory now" Biodegradable, means they'll fall out on their own.
"Maybe she survived, who knows. Cats are tricky things. I don't have a bar for you stay above, but I'm sure Cat will let you stay, and when the weather breaks… I'll probably break my lease with the Rivage, but I'm sure Cat will let you stay until the bar is rebuilt and I'll see about making sure there's something for you above the bar. Alexander's taken off so, I have no one to stay up there besides me" Though the way she couches the offer, it's not her insisting, but offering.
'Everyone made it out okay though? I mean.. alive"
"It's not the bar. I mean, I am sorry about the bar. But, I'm sorry that I lured you there." The alternative was a bullet to the head, but Odessa feels offering that would be just an excuse. Rather than start to bare her stomach so Abby can inspect the work done there, she offers instead her taped up hand. "Could you just… The splints? I think it's been long enough. I'd like the use of my fingers back."
"You weren't responsible for the bar burning down Odessa, and he negated you" That was what the syringe was, not morphine thank god. "It was a bad day and it's gone, there's nothing we can do to change it. We move forward. Dreyfus is dead and he's just a bad memory now" Biodegradable, means they'll fall out on their own.
"Maybe she survived, who knows. Cats are tricky things. I don't have a bar for you stay above, but I'm sure Cat will let you stay, and when the weather breaks… I'll probably break my lease with the Rivage, but I'm sure Cat will let you stay until the bar is rebuilt and I'll see about making sure there's something for you above the bar. Alexander's taken off so, I have no one to stay up there besides me" Though the way she couches the offer, it's not her insisting, but offering.
'Everyone made it out okay though? I mean.. alive"
"It's not the bar. I mean, I am sorry about the bar. But, I'm sorry that I lured you there." The alternative was a bullet to the head, but Odessa feels offering that would be just an excuse. Rather than start to bare her stomach so Abby can inspect the work done there, she offers instead her taped up hand. "Could you just… The splints? I think it's been long enough. I'd like the use of my fingers back."
No commentary is made on how she'd chosen not to say anything when Ethan tortured Dani, believing they'd both die anyway. Cat has no illusions of expecting people to be that sturdy under threat. While the event is spoken of, she remains quiet. But once silence again reigns, her voice fills it solemnly.
"It was obvious you weren't doing any more than survival required, Odessa. If you'd truly been assisting him, we'd not be having this conversation. Time would've frozen soon as you knew we'd arrived, and that would be all it needed." A few steps are taken, she leans against a surface and continues, filling in missing pieces of the tale.
"Francois got hit, and I saw Dreyfus with his arm around your neck, and his arm with the gun away from the body, but couldn't get a clear shot. Then the men downstairs opened up, hit you, Abby. After that I don't know what happened upstairs. I turned to return fire, the cat shot past me, and the shooters backed off. So I took the fight to them. I think Teo arrived upstairs about this time, but I didn't see him." While speaking, eyes settle on each woman as she's referred to directly.
"Downstairs, I cornered one of the shooters behind the counter, and discovered I had unexpected help. He and I took care of the shooters, but by then the fire was getting bad. Tried to go upstairs and see if anything could be done, but I couldn't look for long. Was like gazing at the sun. So the surprise guest and I bailed, ran across Francois and Teo outside. We brought Odessa here, since it wouldn't be good to take her into a hospital. The medical work," she finishes, "is Skoll's."
"Teo came in through the window," Odessa confirms. "He got the gun away from Carli- Dreyfus." Her eyes slide away from Abby, unfocusing to stare at nothingness, focused only on her own thoughts. "He drew a knife and was going after Teo, so I knocked him off balance. That's when he…" Her gaze shifts so she's peering out of the corners of her eyes as one does while thinking, though her eyes don't focus. "I thought he had killed me." She shakes her head slowly, finally clearing the cobwebs and returning her attention to Abby. "I don't remember anything between then and when Sasha started patching me up. He saved my life. He's… He's not the person he appears to be."
This is a lot to listen to, agreement with cat over whether Odessa had been telling the truth is seen in the nod of the younger woman's head. All she had to do was stop time and they'd have all been dead. Splints are removed carefully, fingers turned over in her palm and tested, pressed, then summarily declared fit enough for her liking. Odessa could run them through the gamut or Francois could come over at some point and give his medical opinion.
"I got shot and manifested. I couldn't stop the fire. I couldn't see half of what was going on. You all were shades of blue and everything else, orange and red, yellow." The metal splints are put to the side, and focus now away from Odessa's hands and face to her belly so she can see the damage.
"Kozlow is with Logan, last I knew" That he was there, maybe surprises her. Not as much as it should though. "Matthew Parkman is still looking for him. I can't know where he is now, I can't afford to know. so if you end up knowing and telling me, I'll have to tell Parkman" Delicate fingers peel back the medical tape and gauze so she can survey his handiwork. She's expecting mass scarring akin to Francois's hand and Teo's face.
"Skoll's issues with legal authorities are his own to deal with," Cat opines. "The only commentary I'd have about that is over due process." Sure, she'll leave him in filth and torment him as Baba Yaga. It's different to her mind, what she does as opposed to government agents. She isn't a person with political power capable of such things on a large scale, and there lies the entire matter.
"But he was present, he's the one who assisted in dealing with the gunmen. He told me, while we worked on Odessa, that John Logan could be a valuable ally, as he himself could. Time will tell. I don't trust either of them. But the appearance at least is Skoll no longer intends to act as an enemy, and I told him I'm not Carlisle Dreyfus. I can put things ahead of personal vengeance. As for Logan, I'll seek to meet with after the weather is on the mend." She's quiet for some moments then, features showing neutral but eyes distant, as if partaking of a memory.
"Vengeance would be less than satisfactory anyway. It doesn't raise the dead."
Cat's last statement is one Odessa tried to hammer home to Dreyfus in the weeks preceding his death. Her stomach isn't home to the scarring Abby perhaps expects to see. Sasha only used his ability when he had to. Whether for her sake, or for his conscience, it does not matter. Stitches hold her together for now, the same as she might have received if she'd been admitted to the hospital instead.
"Sasha may not be a good person," in many ways like Odessa is not a good person, "but he's not… wholly the monster he appears. His actions were motivated- It isn't my place to divulge. All I ask is that you give him a chance." Shifting her gaze from Cat to Abby, Odessa adds, "For my sake."
Abigail's thoughts on whether Kozlow is a good person or not remain her thoughts, even as she's digging out antibiotic creams and applying them across the stitches with a careful and delicate hand. She doesn't point out that she already gave him the chance and that he's alive at all to help… well. "Two days rest. Then Cat needs to get you up and moving just a little every day. It'll be uncomfortable but… you gotta." She's getting a better picture of what happened though, at the bar. "Take painkillers, it'll help you recover faster. We'll deal with getting you off of them when it's time to get you off them." Fresh gauze, surgical bandages are applied to the other woman's midriff, sealing it shut and safe from germs and the like in as much as surgery here at the verb would allow for such. "I'm going to need you. Need hard nosed Odessa to teach me to control my gift, understand? Cause I'd really like to not burn Francois's new home or even here, if I end up needing to stay here and I'm on a timeline."
Quiet again as the others speak, Cat seems pensive. It's shown in a minor shift to her demeanor, movements of eyes as things are said and heard. When the floor is hers again, she opts not to speak further of Skoll or Dreyfus. Commentary on Odessa's injuries and recovery issues is nodded at vaguely, she presumes Odessa has medical training which also tells her that, albeit absent a medical degree. No, her focus settles on Abby and her situation, led with a question.
"What's the trigger, Abby?" she asks. "You didn't erupt into flame from anger immediately on discovering the trap. The first step in control is here, I think. Going back to the moment, looking at each thing that happened."
Odessa closes her eyes tightly and works very hard on simply breathing in slowly, deeply, and out again. The concentration helps her manage the pain, and helps to quell the urge to scream. When it's over, she simply nods at Abby's instructions. It's all information she already knows. It won't be easy to coax herself to do what she's supposed to do, granted…
Settling back on the pillow heavily, Odessa lets out a quiet sigh. Not one of boredom or lamentation, but simple exhaustion. "Not to interrupt, but… Do either of you know Eric Doyle?"
"I don't know Cat. I'm not of a mind to explore what the trigger is. I've been burning hot for a while now" Now she isn't. Normal to the touch. "I'll figure it out. Could have been that, could have been seeing Francois get shot, could have been a great many things. It's something I will explore… when I'm in surroundings that are conducive to experimentation" AKA, not inside where things are combustible.
Lowering Odessa's shirt to cover her again, there's a shake of Abby's head. "I don't Odessa, I'm sorry."
"So it was building up for a while," Cat muses. But she doesn't speak further on it, given Abby's deflection. It's her gig, and it's been shown she'll assist if asked. Attention moves on to Odessa and her question. "I know a man called Doyle. Large man, fat actually. Bald. And he's got the Moab mark."
Odessa nods her head to Cat, perking up as much as she can in her condition. "That's the one. The children at the Lighthouse called him Santa. I… Would you tell him I'm here? I would… like to see him." There's no smile, though her lips twitch briefly as though she might have thought about it, however.
"I can do that," Cat agrees easily. "I'm headed to Staten Island later today, after rounding some people up. Got a mission to handle." Her jaw sets, indicating sentiment about it, but there's no trace of doubt regarding success shown.
She doesn't know it yet, but Cat is destined to kick West Rosen in the face.
Blue eyes blink heavily and then shut, face scrunched up in obvious discomfort for a few moments. "Thank you," she manages finally. There may have been more that she wanted to say, but nothing comes. It becomes quickly apparent that Odessa has drifted off to sleep.
Abigail sits quietly as always, usually, when conversation occurs that doesn't involve something she knows. Hands seek out Odessa's wrist as she drifts off to sleep, counting, doing math, satisfied with the chugging of pulse within the other woman's veins. That same hand reaches out to take Cat's and get help to stand back up from the bed. Sitting down isn't the issue, it's getting back up that is. "Just, keep an eye on her, if she gets infected…" Then they'll have to get Megan or other physicians who can get antibiotics for the woman. "But I think she'll be fine Cat. I should get going soon, before the car won't start again and I'll be stuck here, I have some things to do and rest too."
Assistance in standing is granted, Cat nodding at the requests Abby makes. Then she steps back, turning for the door with her own intent to depart. "I've got places to be myself," the brunette states evenly. Not a single comment about the car and the cold. "Take care, Abby." Out the door she goes. As she exits the suite of rooms, she can be heard to sing with determination.
Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting.
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear.
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun, and I say…
It's all right.
It's all right.