In Good Faith

Participants:

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Also Featuring:

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Scene Title In Good Faith
Synopsis The institute's extraction team meets up with Brennan and Kaylee and agree to the terms, but leave with not the blonde they came for.
Date April 26, 2010

Southern Staten Island

While the majority of Staten Island may have sunken into desolation and depravity, the further one gets from the northern reaches and the Rookery the better the situation on the island becomes. While still derelict and abandoned, the southern fringes of Staten Island have their own horror stories to tell. When the evacuation of the island came about in 2006 following the nuclear explosion in Midtown Manhattan, riots and violence spread thorugh Staten Island during the panicked escape. No investigation has even been launched into how the fires that ravaged the southern portionof Staten Island began, but Tottenville, Staten Island most southernly neighborhood was ravaged by the fires. Blocks upon blocks of this neighborhood were burned up, leaving gutted brick shells of the buildings behind.

The neighborhoods of Pleasant Plains and Princess Bay fared better without the fires, but became prime targets of violent looting following the exodus off of the island. A lacking sense of centralized crime within these neighborhoods prevented them from becoming like the Rookery in the north, but still in these areas gangs are prominent in the large, sprawling residential areas left largely abandoned save for the homeless and destitute squatters residing in once derelict homes.

Only on the eastern side of Staten Island's southern half does civilization look to be rebuilding itself. Chain link fences and police checkpoints form a semblance of law and order in what has become known as the "Reclaimed Zone," a massive section of land dominating the entirely of Staten Island's south eastern shoreline. This region, centered on Miller Field, has become a hotbed of activity from the establishment of a National Guard base to the appointment of private security companies that work alongside select groups of NYPD officers willing to take that high risk job.


Al is not happy on Staten Island for two people waiting out in the cold. The two of them made the trek through the snow to the appointed site, half a mile from the lighthouse bundled up against the cold. Snow made it difficult and sometimes, the two would struggle, but sticking to the more used area's of the island and bringing out the snowshoes helped.

There was no negation of Kaylee and in truth, very little conversation from Brennan till they started getting closer. as the call was placed on the cell phone that Brennan was given. Battery slipped back into it and no effort made to hide the call from Kaylee lest she go back and god forbid, make accusations of subterfuge and who knows what else. SO far, Ferry was shooting the messenger."Second Drop site" He'd uttered into the phone when someone had picked up, and then immediately hung up. The battery was popped back out and slid into either pocket.

Now they would wait. How long, who knew, and he wasn't looking forward to the meeting. "Are you supposed to be reading their mind, or just my mind? Not that I blame them for sending you along. I don't think I'll ever be trusted further than looking past their nose" He dug his hands into his pockets, glancing around the open area and up towards the sky. Seems her knows the mode of transportation that they will be using. "I suggest, that I do the talking, and that you stay close. You're blonde and they'll be expecting that I have Liette. They won't be happy"

"I think both." Kaylee mumbles from behind the scarf across her face, she's bundled up pretty heavily. Hands shoved in her pockets. Standing there with the doctor, she's just about as tall a him, maybe an inch shorter. "This can't be good for me recovery…" She comments with a touch of nervous amusement. There is a light brush against his mind, not enough to get much, which is quickly followed by a, "Just testing it… It's almost back. Only some cutting out." She gives a soft huff, sending a plume of white.

"What… what all did you see there?" She twists her body a bit to look at the negator, brows disappearing under the blue knit cap. "Or… did they let you see much of anything?"

"I didn't see Anything Kaylee" Slight annoyance at the brush, and it shines through, but he lets it go. If he doesn't, well. "They kept me in captivity. I think I was in one of the tanks between when they took me and when I woke up it was a medical room. After that, I was in a room, like a hotel room only, hotel rooms let you go out the door and I wasn't allowed out except to a gym the last few days. It was constant negation and meals brought to me. It was no spa but it could have been worse" Brennan looks down, then back over to Kaylee, frowning at her musing about good for recovery.

"If you're upright and mobile, then you'll be fine Kaylee. Congratulations, you survived the Evolved Flu. I can give you a look over when we're back at the garden, if you feel comfortable letting me. I don't think anyone else will be" He's pretty much written off his own welcomeness into the Ferry. "Your Telepathy will likely come back in full, I haven't seen anyone who's ability hasn't returned yet"

"Damn…" Is a softly spoken comment about what he's seen, brows furrowing as her own eyes drop to the ground in front of her. Not that Kaylee expected that he might have seen the tanks or who was in them or anything, but she can't help but hope. "Yeah… could have been left there. I'd hate that for your family." The words spoken softly, thoughtful.

She glances over at him, he can't see the small smile hitching up a corner of her mouth. "Truthfully, Dr. Brennan. I know what your feeling. I mean about the welcome and distrust." Kaylee glances out over the snow. "There are a lot that don't trust me. One for what I am… and two cause of who I'm dating and know. Some of them think I'm going to betray them to the people they fear the most." Her shoulders lift slowly and her eyes show the small smile. "I know it's no consolation for what you've been going through, but I'm still welcome within the Ferry. I'm sure people will still come to you."

"No, I don't think I will be Kaylee. I came bearing a message from folks, and I brought someone with a tracker, potentially in them, to the Ferry after they told me to. Truthfully? I don't think we're a match. I have too much faith in the government and to work it from the inside to produce change. The ferry?"

He shakes his head, doggish in the way he holds his head and shoulders. "I've seen a lot of safehouses and the weapons that are stockpiled. They're Waco, waiting to happen. I was there at the midtown raid" He shakes his head. "Michelle wants me to leave. She couldn't believe it took them that long to tell them I was taken. She's demanded I stop"

There is a slow shake of her head as Kaylee reaches up to pull the scarf of her face, feeling the bite of the cold on her face. "Yeah… Even I can admit that was pretty messed up. I'd be pretty damn pissed too. I don't blame her there." The telepath is still overwhelmed by everything that's happened while she was locked away in the Petrelli mansion. A glance cuts his way, "Or you either. Though in all seriousness… this whole Liette thing aside, you've been a lot of help. I'm sorry if I never got to really tell you that."

"I know Peter wants me out too… but I don't know. Hopefully there won't be too many more huge crisis that needs me. They did well enough without me. Not ready to burn the bridge yet though." Hands are tucked back in her pocket again and Kaylee turns slightly as she sweeps the area, "This… this is a plus for me, it's part of the reason I agreed to come along. I want to see these people." There is a determination in her features. She wants to see the people that are holding Edward Ray. Her father. Maybe that's part of why she can sympathize with Michelle.

"Some days Kaylee, I wonder if I am at all, lately" He looks over at her though, before reaching out to lay a hand on her shoulder and squeeze it gently. "You're a good kid. Telepathy and all. Don't let what a person thinks about you, determine your self worth. You determine it. The ones you love determine it. I leave the Ferry, I won't feel any the less for it. I can still do good, and was doing good before I got called in to take care of folks hooked on Refrain and other drugs" He offers her a slim smile, taking his hand back. "The world is imperfect and I fear if it ever becomes perfect. Till then, I'll keep fighting the good fight for equality for all, in my own way. Ferry be damned. I just want to see what's best for that girl"

What's best for the girl…

…may be difficult to discern.

On the heels of Brennan's words, the noisy chop of a helicopter's rotors comes with the approach of a black silhouette from the eastern horizon. The flight from Miller Field is a short one, barely a hop, skip and a jump from Doctor Brennan and Kaylee's current location. The matte black helicopter is dappled white along its sides with frost and ice, engine whining noisily against the windy, cloud-grayed skies. On its approach the chopper creates a downdraft of freezing cold wind, kicking up ice and snow all around it in waves.

The chopper does not land, only approaches and lowers down to hover some twenty feet off of the ground from the snowy clearing. Five wavering cables descend down to the ground when bay doors on one of the helicopter's sides open. Standing silhouette in the doorway, cyclopean green eyes stare out and down at the doctor and the telepath.

Immediately, four of the five figures descend down the cables, run through clips on their belts. They're dressed like FRONTLINE soldiers, with the black reactive body armor, powered hydraulic exoskeleton and the single, glowing green eye shining through the visor of their helmet. But these armors look subtly different, thinner and more streamlined, lighter. Each also has a "00" stenciled on the left chest piece, where there should be a name designation.

They land down atop the ice crusted snow, rifles slung over their backs as a spotlight cracks on from the helicopter, shining down on Brennan and Kaylee. As the four land there's tingling sensation that runs over Brennan and Kaylee both, a deadening sensation like nerves going numb. What it accompanies however is the presence of blanket negation laid out on both Kaylee and Brennan, though the source doesn't seem obvious.

«Doctor Brennan.» Comes a crackling digitally projected voice from one of the four on the ground as he steps forward, «Where is she?»

The young telepath starts to say something to Brennan, when she hears the helicopter. Hands are pulled out of her pockets so she is less of a threat, see, nothing in my hands. The scarf she's pulled down and the long tendrils of blonde hair that escapes from her cap, flutter behind her in the hurricane winds blown up by the helicopter. Kaylee's eyes narrow slightly at the buffeting wind, wincing from the sharp sting of the wind chill.

When the negation settles over her, Kaylee glances over at Brennan and says just loud enough for him. "Are you negating?" A part of her doesn't think so, but she has to ask. The figures on the ground are studied, worry playing over her features.

"I'm not looking at you, so I'm not negating you" Though now he glances sideways at her. "Line of sight for me. There's a blanket negator somewhere with them" Which was understandable and smart

Brennan steps forward, hands out of his pockets and keeping between Kaylee and the advancing group. "She's with the Ferry still. They met up to discuss the ultimatum. I was sent back with their response. I had no other way to make contact that wasn't through safe means" Brennan offers, not unsettled by the negation. It was the least of their worries in truth. "The majority voted to return her. The holdouts are demanding that three of their operatives that were captured, be released by Wednesday as a show of good faith. Do that, and Thursday they will be in touch regarding the detail of Liette. The woman with me is sent as a means to make sure that I relay the message"

Two of the Unit-00 FRONTLINE soldiers look at each other, offering a silent nod and close-channel communications that Brennan and Kaylee aren't able to hear either side of. «Thatcher, Kaylee-Anne» comes a vocal note from the lead operative, angling his glossy black helmet towards Kaylee in distinct disregard to Brennan. When his head turns back to the doctor, the tone coming through the digital emitter is a curt one. «Consider it a deal.» The lead soldier responds with a fair level of authority behind his tone, and also something familiar about his voice, but it's hard to place.

«But…» Motioning to the men on either side of him, the lead Unit-00 soldier directs them to raise their weapons, leveling them on Kaylee and Brennan individually, «…we're going to have to take the girl.»

"No" Brennan's voice is sharp and harsh. "Release three by Wednesday does not include take the person who came with me. Get back in the helicopter and take the answer to Broome" He raises his hand, gesturing up towards the waiting vehicle. "You do this, they will not release Liette. You'll be lucky if they do come Thursday, but do this, and you guarantee that she will be shuffled away somewhere and Luis and the Institute will not see her. They're calling the institute bluff right now"

The doctor backs up, keeps backing up till Kaylee's at his back and a hand goes to her arm, wedge her behind him.

Brow shoot up on her head as they toss out her name like that, Kaylee glances at Brennan with a holy shit look. "How did they….?" Her voice trails off, part of it lost in the sound of the helicopter. Blue eyes go back to the men, her stomach dropping as they bring up those weapons, she suddenly feels a bit sick.

She looks at Brennan, the telepath looks scared — terrified really, but she gives him a small smile. A hand rests on his shoulder this time, she pulls her arm out of his grip. Her voice for his ear only. "It's alright, Doc. This is the hazards of being in the Ferrymen. Maybe I'll get to see my father. They have him… This might be a chance…" And right there is the reason for her being so agreeable to come along. Cardinal had mentioned a daughter wanting to know where her father is. "Tell the Ferry I went on purpose, that will give you some leeway."

"It's okay…" She shouts out, hands coming up where they can see them and she steps out from behind the doctor. "I'll come along. I won't give you any trouble." Her voice lowers so she can say to Brennan. "Don't take too long to tell them… and make sure Eileen tells Peter Petrelli where I am…" She swallows and glances at the doctor with sad look.. "And make sure she tells him… I'm sorry?"

The lead operative of Unit-00 just stands there when Kaylee makes the plea to Brennan. While his helmet hides some of his dumbfounded expression, there's a marked level of "oh hey" in his posture that seems to imply that he may be afraid Kaylee can still read minds, because she's said exactly what he was going to.

«Yes… Tell them she came with us willingly.» The lead soldier states, his voice crackling over the speaker. «Doctor Broome has been wanting to speak with her for a while, and this is a convenient opportunity to bring her in without damaging her public identity. She's protected, Doctor Brennan, we're not going to be allowed to keep her long, but Doctor Broome would like her services regarding her biological father.»

Holding out a hand when it looks like neither Brennan or Kaylee are going to run, the soldiers at either side of him lower their firearms and stay at the ready. «Consider it a show of good faith. Trust us with miss Thatcher and we'll trust you to play your end of the bargain. Your people will be released Wednesday. We will contact you with a drop point that day. Keep your phone.»

This is not good. Not in the least and it's disbelief on Brennan's face. "Seriously? Kaylee, you expect them to believe me when they won't even let me near Liette without supervision? You expect that they will just believe that you went willingly and.." Shit. His hand comes up, toque pulled off with one hand so he can run his gloved fingers through his hair. The shit will hit the fan.

"I'll be lucky if they even let me back in the front door without you Kaylee." There's a glance to the masked men, shaking his head side to side. Father be damned, this wasn't going to bode well period if he didn't come back with Kaylee.

"Fine. It's not a matter of me trusting you and the institute, it's them trusting me that I didn't hand her on a god damned platter. I'm telling you right now, they won't be happy and you likely won't see Liette regardless. God damnit Kaylee. Think it through, please. Before they take a bullet to my head" And he's not referring to the guys in suits beside them.

A hand comes up to the four figures, Kaylee gives them a pleading look, "You'll have me for however long, just… let me talk to him. Cause he's right, it'll put him in a hell of a position." The telepath then turns her back on them to face Brennan.

"I am thinking this through. My father is Edward Ray. These people have him. I've never seen him." Blue eyes search Brennan's face, she looks apologetic. "There are people that will believe you when you mention that." She leans forward and gives him a matter of fact look, "Besides… what are we going to do.. say no? They will gun us down and take me by force. If I do this right… it might not go so bad."

Kaylee's head and eyes drops as she tries to think… "Joseph…" Her head comes up again. "Tell him I said I need him to finally pay it forward and help me, by helping you not get roasted for them taking me." It's something he told her when no one else was around, hopefully he'd believe it. "This isn't your fault and I know it. If it doesn't work… when I'm back I'll make sure they know." A hand moves to grip his arm briefly, "I'm sorry," before Kaylee starts to back up, towards the men, hands coming up in surrender.

«If you renege on our deal, Doctor Brennan…» Comes the warning from the man at the front of the group, «There will be severe repercussions. We'll release three of yours on Wednesday, and if you try to disrupt the arrangement on Thursday or if Liette is not presented to us, we cannot be held accountable for our actions.» As he speaks to Brennan, the lead officer holds out a gloved hand, making a beckoning motion towards Kaylee.

«Come along, miss Thatcher, we need to clear New York airspace before the weather turns against us.» Making that beckoning motion again. It's in this motion that a strap from his shoulder-slung rifle moves, and the lead member of Unit-00's full identification designation is visible on the left side of his chest armor, 00-01.

«Tell your people that if they fail to come through with their end of the arrangement the consequences will be firm»

"It's not a matter of me Reneging, and Broome damn well knows that or he wouldn't have sent me" Brennan's getting frustrated, he's been getting that a lot of late. The Doctor turns when they're obviously starting to head out, a last glance to Kaylee and a nod. Time to return, without Kaylee and hope that only the Ferry's repercussions is all that he has to deal with.

"It'll be alright." Kaylee calls out to assure the doctor again. The telepath probably has too much faith in the pastor, but she has to believe he'll help. Taking a deep breath she turns to follow the others, breaking out a pleasant smile, "You know… never ridden in a helicopter before." In truth… she's scared shitless, but no one needs to know that.

This was not what Kaylee thought she'd be doing when she got up this morning.

Beckoning Kaylee over again, 00-01 steps forward to meet up with her, waiting for a tow line to be thrown down from the helicopter roaring overhead. The cable, with a foothold strap and a harness comes down, and Kaylee is carefully strapped in by 00-02 and 00-03, the armored soldiers making certain she's secure before clipping back onto their lines and getting winched back up into the helicopter one by one. This was meant to be Liette's extraction, but at least they're not leaving empty handed.

As Kaylee is hoisted up into the helicopter, 00-01 is left standing beside the last tow cable, watching Brennan in the howl of the snow. «We're trusting you to do what's right, Doctor Brennan. Broome has a great deal of faith in you, and I personally don't share his sentiments.» Why is this man's voice so familiar? It's right there on the tip of Brennan's tongue, but something just doesn't click with the tone, it seems so familiar thought. «Consider how they've treated you and how we treat you, when you're going to bed tonight.» Clipping himself on to his tow-line, 00-01 makes a thumbs up motion to the helicopter and begins to get winched up inside.

When Kaylee's pulled in, the man who had been standing at the door's winch controls, marked 00-05 grabs her hand and carefully helps her up inside. «Take a seat down over there,» 05 instructs, pointing towards seats at the back of the helicopter, where a darkly dressed man in winter garb sits buckled into a seat, dark skin and eyes matching the shady hues of his clothing. Only the glint of a necklace resembling the symbol Kaylee had seen on the hilt of Adam Monroe's sword seem to indicate any color in both his attire and expression.

"Take Care Agent Harper" Brennan tosses back into the Maelstrom, cluing in who the individual is. "I don't trust you to do what's right. I trust Doctor Broome and Doctor Luis" He yells, a shake of his head. "They're not the assholes" And with those parting words, Brennan's hunkered in against the whipping snow and heading off. Playing messenger boy, yet again.

Head turning where she has to go, Kaylee gives a small nod of her head, and moves as instructed trying to get her stomach to quit turning in knots. She gives the dark man gets a nervous smile as she turns to sit down. Blue eyes go to the necklace around his neck, there is a touch of sadness when she sees it, before her stomach really twists painfully. That registers on her face as a grimace, a hand going to her stomach, face paling.

Kaylee looks at the man wearing the necklace. "I like the necklace… I use to have one like that."

Pity she won't remember seeing it tomorrow.


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