Participants:
| Scene Title | I Need To Find Her |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Molly is scared… very scared and Kaylee tries to find out why. |
| Date | December 11, 2009 |
The low brickwork walls flanking the entrance to this subdivision pronounce it to be 'S MMER ME DOWS', black metal letters pitted by age and each tilted slightly askew by decades of weather and neglect. The rest of the subdivision echoes this theme — pavement cracked, its lines worn and faded nearly into obscurity; small lawns littered with autumn leaves and dying grass, shrubbery poorly pruned or not trimmed back at all, such flowers as there are in most cases long since grown wild. The buildings are a mix of townhouses, duplexes, and quartered apartments, most of them with paint peeling at the edges, a few boarded over and sporting jagged holes where the windows weren't quite protected enough. Feral dogs slink at the back of the streets; their feline counterparts are less commonly seen, usually visible as no more than a streak of motion disappearing into the bushes or someone's cracked-open garage door. This isn't a neighborhood where people are seen lounging on their porches as the sun sinks low in the sky; to stay out as darkness gathers is to risk unwanted attention, and the consequences thereof.
The girl has been wandering around the neighborhood for the past few days. Nobody knows who she is.. or what she wants. She doesn't really talk to people, she just.. walks around. Carrying a black backpack on her shoulders and dressed in a dark blue turtleneck and a pair of dark jeans and boots. The young teen looks.. well dark.
She has some cash on her though, it's how she keeps herself fed and she doesn't look dirty so she's washing somewhere. If Matt knew where his foster daughter was and what she was doing.. he would be very worried.
Molly's blonde hair is tied into a high ponytail, her hair has been getting longer and longer. The ponytail reaches the middle of her back. Her blue eyes are dull and uninterested in the things going on about her. She walks with a sway of sorts.. she gets all the way to the point of crossing the road before her eyes snap to life and she is screaming bloody murder in the middle of the street.
It's another day of rolling paint on the side of houses and Kaylee is already covered in spots of coral like pink…. who the hell wants to paint their house that color, she'll never know. Bundled up for the cold, with gloves, cap.. a fluffy scarf wrapped around her face. The cold makes her worn leather jacket creak in protest as she takes the roller across the stucco with quick movements. Ear buds of her ipod in, her head bobs to the music, something upbeat and catchy to help keep her eyes from drooping with exhaustion.
Luckily, she doesn't have it up so loud that she doesn't suddenly hear something. Reaching with her free hand, Kaylee pops an ear bud out with a quick yank on the cord and turns her head to listen. Screaming? The roller is dropped in the tray and Kaylee hurries to find the source of the scream.
Locating the teenager is easy enough, but getting her to stop screaming.. that might be tougher. "Hey!" Kaylee starts of simple calling out. "Hey.. what's wrong?" She calls moving to grab the girl out of the road before a car can flatten her.
The teen is flailing and kicking before Kaylee knows it. "No.. no no!" she yells, eyes shut tight and mouth open in a gasp for air. Obviously, she is terrified of something. Until she opens her eyes to notice..
"I'm awake." She says softly to herself but Kaylee would have heard that, as well as heard the thoughts spilling from Molly's head.
He's back.. he's coming. No no no, why? I need to find her, she can help me.. I miss her.
Molly's light blue eyes fasten onto Kaylee and she pulls away with a shaky, sheepish smile. "Sorry about that.." she says in apology. But she doesn't go into more detail.
"Wait.. Hey!…" Kaylee looks totally flustered as the girls is thrashing about, she'll probably have a bruise or two, but she doesn't seem toe care. She easily lets to the girl go, giving her an odd expression. "You… okay?" She asks finally, giving the other side of her ear buds a tug and tucking them in her pocket. "It was almost like you… " She shakes her head and smirks. "Know what.. never mind never mind.. but are you okay?"
Of course, Kaylee wants to ask straight up.. Who is coming? Who is back? But that would probably freak the younger girl.
"Fine." She says softly and then puts her hands in her pockets and begins to walk away, Just fine. Matt will kill me, being careless. Causing a scene. The blonde teen thinks to herself and she's running through the options in her head. Brian will be looking for me. The girl looks at Kaylee over her shoulder, "Thanks." She says, then her head is down and tears are making their way from her eyes to her chin.
"You see a lot of crazies around here, I bet.. I'm no different." She says lightly as she moves away slowly. The nightmares are back.. they were suppose to stop so long ago.. but first when was kidnapped by Maury and then recently, it's why she's left the Lighthouse.. she doesn't feel safe anywhere. Or with anyone.
Her head tilts about before she can stop it, eyes unfocusing for a moment. "Whoa.. hey.. No.." She hurries to catch up with the girl, moving to walk beside her. "Crazy? You? Pfft." She waves it off, before tucking hands in the pockets of her jacket. "Look.. no need to run off.. The work site kitchen has hot chocolate going.. Why not get warmed up before you go huh? I'm pretty sure they won't have a problem with it. Might still have some donuts floating around.. though.. Jason is around.. He tends to eat enough of them for two." She trails off, her mind working on how to get the girl from leaving… she's obviously alone, which is never a good thing.
She's gives it a moment before adding, "My name is Kaylee, by the way." It's offered with a toothy smile.
"Matilda."
You've become a liar.. even if it is the only way to protect yourself.
Molly looks up at Kaylee and shrugs her shoulders. "I guess hot chocolate sounds good." She stops and peeks around the neighborhood. "Kaylee.. nice name." Softly spoken to the telepath, the clairvoyant looks back at the older blonde and turns to follow her. "Whose this Jason? You should tell him to not eat all the donuts, bad for your health." I use to tell Matt that. So many things are on Molly's mind, she can't even sort through it all. I have to find her, she'll know what to do. She always did before, so nice.. so pretty. The feelings conveyed with the thoughts are one of fondness of someone, a mother figure maybe?
"You one of the volunteers around here?"
"Yup.. " Kaylee confirms with the short clipped word. ".. I've been working on it since they started in on it. I try to keep the people that can't do contruction busy with painting and all that." She motions the girl to follow her as she turns the other way. "And Jason? He's a buddy of mine. He's into telling stories with puppets, pretty good at it too." She gives a short nod of her head. Maybe Molly has heard the kids at the Lighthouse talking about the Puppet man.
"So… Matilda. What are you doing out and about? Playing hookie from school?" She asks curiously, a mischevious smirk playing on her lips, as sidles up to the serving tables. "Hey.. Mike.. two hot chocolates. And two donuts?"
The much older man gives Kaylee a grin. "Hello there Kaylee.. Your in luck.. we still got a couple of glaze." He hobbles about working on what she asked for.
Puppet Man? Rings a faint bell, but 'Matilda' just shrugs it off. Following after Kaylee to the hot coco and donuts. "I don't go to school, I'm just.." she looks around again, always watchful this one, eh? "Chilling." She says softly and takes a hot coco and waits for the donut. She smiles faintly at the man getting the sweets. "You're a good Samaritan." She says to Kaylee, "Helping this place out. More people should be like you." The initial panic and fear from her screaming fit.. and waking nightmare seems to have wandered to the back of her mind. For now at least. Keeping a eye on things, a few strands of Molly's hair fall into her eyes, she brushes them away and looks back to Kaylee. "Shouldn't you be in school?"
The young teen hasn't been completely out of the loop since she left her home with Matt. There is still a thing called the internet, which she uses happily every chance she gets. With her laptop and infinite places to connect too, Molly is always looking up new bits of information on the city. That's how she found out about the work being done at Summer Meadows. A place she knew nobody would know who she is, what she can do. Just like at the Lighthouse.
Little does she know that the woman she is now going to begin searching for, is not to far from this place. Small world.
Kaylee can't help but laugh. "I've been out of high school for a few years actually.. Thanks Mike." She takes the hot chocolates in their styrofoam cups, handing off one to Molly before taking the donuts. "Come on.. Find a place to sit." She nods her head at Mike, before she starts searching for a place to sit.
"This place is full of good Samaritans right now.. and I tend to work along side a lot of them often." She finds a set of steps to park her butt on, with a soft sigh. "I'm in my element believe it or not." She smiles a bit as blows on the hot liquid in the cup.
Tired blue eyes study the young girl, "So no family then? I don't imagine they would approve of no school." Her head tilts a bit and a brow arches.
"My parents.. are dead." Molly says quietly and she sips as she sits next to Kaylee. "Murdered actually.. a man named Sylar." She says and her eyes are filled with sadness. Why did she have to go and say that, now? "I've been looked after by a number of people over the last few years.. now though. It's just me." She shrugs and nibbles into her donut. The wind plays with the end of Molly's ponytail.
Now you're telling random strangers.. nice ones though. Your life story, great move there.
The teen's eyes are downcast, "You? Where are your parents? Do they approve of your good works?" An honest question, no hint of the sarcasm that Molly has developed over the past few years.
"My parents? Mom is in Kentucky.. A little disappointed I'm not going to college anymore. Kinda not talking cause of it." Kaylee sips slowly at her hot chocolate and offers the girl one of the donuts. "My dad got blown up in Midtown.. not that it matters, never met him." There is a little lift of her shoulders and a small smile. "He was a big time lawyer.. lots of money getting the bad guys free."
Kaylee is quiet for a moment, thoughtful. "I think though.. they would probably approve of this more then what I was doing. I wasn't a good person for time.. but.. these people." She nods to some of the various workers. "Or at least the people at the core of it, took me in when I was at my lowest." She tells all this to the young teen in hopes of making her feel more at ease.
Resting an elbow on her knee, she rests her chin on the palm of her hand and stifles a tired yawn. "You have any place to stay at the moment? It gets awfully cold.. and I know a couple of places that take kids. Course one is on Staten.. It's called the Lighthouse.. Pretty safe. I know the guy running it." Her eyes flicker over to look at Molly out of the corner of her eye, watching her reaction.
"You can't always please your parents.. no matter how hard you try.." she says and looks up to Kaylee with a bright smile. When the Lighthouse is brought up, her eyes widen briefly and she quickly takes a drink from the hot chocolate. Her eyes remain wide and she looks forward, avoiding Kaylee's gaze. "Uh yes.. nah. I don't think I would like it. I like being on my own. Makes things safer." Brian has no idea, where I am. I'm not going to have him looking for me, no way!
Molly takes another bite of the donut, she must have been hungry. "Sorry, but thanks for the offer. I'll consider it if I get to cold." She snickers softly and looks up towards the sky. "Ever lost someone.. and know that they are your only hope." The young teen smiles softly at the clouds above. "And they are your only hope.."
"Mmm." Kaylee responds softly, eyeing the young teen curiously. "I figure it didn't hurt to ask." Comments, but doesn't push. She'll have to talk to Brian about this wayward lamb. Setting her hot chocolate down next to her, Kaylee wraps arms around herself and leans forward a bit. "But the offer still stands either way."
"Lost someone? Not in the way your talking.. I had to leave some one I cared about to keep myself alive. There… are evolved in this world with nasty abilities.. I got hit by one of these people. To be around to this person I cared about… it made me die inside. It's kinda how I ended up here."
Kaylee shrugs a bit. "So… In a way I did.. and didn't. I use to think he was my hope at a good life.. but I've since learned he wasn't.. doesn't make me miss him any less."
Shaking her head, Molly looks back to Kaylee. "I understand.. what gave you the strength to walk away?" She asks curiously. Molly has already decided that she's said too much here. She'll have to move on to the next place soon, come back here later. When she's a forgotten face.
Things were so much more simple when she was with Matt or the Company but she wouldn't trade this new life.. this life of freedom for anything in the world. Not even the chance to see her parents alive again.
The teen finishes her cup of hot chocolate and smiles at some people walking down the street with some tools to work on a nearby house.
"The desire to live." Kaylee offers truthfully. "I was pretty much convinced I was dead when I was taken in." Her voice serious as she speaks softly. "So.. I've been trying to prove to people I can be good.. " Even if deep down she knows she isn't, the snake in her nightmares proves that.
"I… look….." Kaylee sighs looking as if she's decided something. Tired of dancing around what she knows, she finally says… "I.. can't ignore the fact your alone.. And that you feel you have to be." Huh? Kaylee levels the teenager with a look, "I can understand wanting freedom….. I've been leashed tight and I finally have my freedom, but seriously.. alone is not the way… There is something up.. I know."
Her holds up a forestalling hand and Kaylee adds, "And don't worry.. come clean to me.. and I won't tell Brian I saw you." Yup… she just let it slip…
Hopping to her feet, good thing Molly is done with her drink or it might have spilled all over both the girls. Her baby blues narrow briefly at the older woman and she grits her teeth together. "You have no idea of what you are talking about." Why she is running, who she is running from. The teen's body shivers and she tightens her hands into fist. "Come to clean.." she laughs out loud. "About what? Why I'm here? Why I'm by myself?" the blonde girl is not happy, but it's her own fault. Her loudmouth and her loud thoughts. The moment she stops being extra careful and this happens.
Matt was right. Always be careful.
"And how did you know that I was from the Lighthouse?" she asks and puts a hand on her hip.
Molly feels that brush of something on her mind then, it's gentle and not invasive… it just flutters there.
Your loud. I can't help but hear you. Sit. There is no danger here. I'm with the Ferrymen, a lot of the people around you are too.
Outwardly, Kaylee's expression doesn't change.. there is no familiar tilt of the head like she's listening that Molly might know from Matt. Adam's training at it's best. She only folds her hands and rest them on her knees. Her voice is strangely calm in the face of the girls panic, "Who is he? And is he after you? There are people that could protect you." Her hands come up to run over her face and she sighs deeply, feeling her lack of good rest. "And who is this she are you looking for… I might be able to help."
Another telepath?
Don't even think about it. The human tracker says with a look that could kill.
"I leave one,"
Kaylee would feel and hear a loud and heavy metal click. Molly knows how to clamp her mind down, it comes with practice though. "And find another." She says coldly, not sitting still. What can she say, it's that teenage rebellious side of her. The telepath's questions are met with a level gaze, "He is someone that you do not want to mess with, don't even try it. He won't let you sleep!" she says firmly and begins to walk away quite fast.
Little does Kaylee know.. "I don't need help finding her.. it's just whether I should or not." Molly says and she shoves her hands in her pockets, turning away. "If Matt couldn't protect me.. then nobody can." She says softly before moving away. A brief thought would pass to Kaylee as makes her way somewhere else.
Just leave me alone.
And before Molly closes her mind once again, another thought slips through.
Hokutu.. where are you?
"I practically don't sleep now," Kaylee murmurs softly at the girls retreating back. She watches the girl run like they all do, her expression down cast. Closing her eyes for a moment, her head drops forward some as she goes over that whole conversation again in her mind. Something catches her attention.
That name… so familiar. Kaylee's head slowly comes up again, watching the way the girl went, as she suddenly recognizes it from her conversation with Corbin. Interesting.
"Damn.. I should have gotten his number, too."