Participants:
| Scene Title | It Had To Be Done |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Claire finally calls to check in with her boss and he finds her a different person then last time they talked. |
| Date | July 15, 2010 |
On the Phone
Sitting on the edge of a dock out on Staten Island, a small brunette looks down at a newly purchased disposable phone. Her feet swing lazily above the dark waters, as she presses the familiar numbers. The call is overdue, but she kept finding excuses not to call. She knows he knows what she did.
Claire Bennet pulled a suicide bomber.
A glance goes to the cellphone next to her, laying in parts on the wood of the dock, the one given to her by Messiah. This is not a call she wants anyone listening in on. Pushing send the phone is tucked against her ear so she can listen to the buzz. As soon as someone picks up, Claire blurts out, "It's Claire."
The phone was picked up before it rings too many times, and Richard Cardinal's response is cut off by her blurting out the admission. There follows a few beats of silence, and then a sharp, "Claire? Shit, I've been worried — are you all right? I mean — obviously you're alright physically, but — you know what I mean."
"Yeah… Sorry…" Claire offers, suddenly not the tough certain young woman she plays in front of Messiah. She actually sounds sheepish. "I know I was due to call… I just… got… busy." She lets her gaze wander the water as she talks. "But, I'm fine. Doing what I can… though a lot has been kept pretty quiet. Groups leave and I never really know what they are up too til they get back."
"Yeah… busy." A quiet response from Cardinal, his voice not at all angry but simply — and heavily — concerned. "You. Claire, tell me that wasn't you in DC." That'd be easier, wouldn't it? If she wasn't the suicide bomber, if it was someone else who had an ability to let them avoid something like that.
He can't see her chin tilt up defiantly, or see the smug satisfaction. "Sorry to disappoint you, boss. That was me. Took a few weeks of watching and waiting, but I did it." Pride leaks into her words, a small smile curls at the corner of her mouth. "Succeeded too… well… from what I was told."
"Yeah." It's flatly spoken, "You carried out a suicide bombing attack in public, in front of the Pentagon and killed a bunch of high profile members of the government. Congratu-fucking-lations, Claire."
"Hey, I'm already wanted, what did it matter if I'm smeared any further?" Claire asks, her brows lifting slightly. "Richard… the man about ruined our lives… he drugs us, all of us… including Liz… around the world, which ended with you being blown up." There is a touch of irritation at his tone and a soft sigh. "It had to be done." The words seem almost forced and at the same time they hold a touch of anger.
This isn't the same woman who sat on the bench and sounded like she was ready to bail on it all. That she didn't want to go back to that.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" A sharp response from Cardinal, "Edward arranged for us to be on that trip, Claire… and are you saying it wasn't worth it? Would you rather we left Gregor in charge of that baby farm in Madagascar? That we left Munin to blow in Antarctica and wipe out three quarters of the planet?"
"Fine! It ruined my life." The words practically growled out at Cardinal over the phone lines. "Edward might have sent us there, but it had to be Autumn that actually decided to put us on those teams… besides, who is to say they wouldn't have snatched us up in a heart beat, if he hadn't? It had to be done. He couldn't be left alive, that's why I agreed to do it." Claire insists, even if it makes no sense.
"Because… if he wanted to snatch us up," Cardinal points out slowly, "He could have… when we were done? Claire, that's Kershner's boss. We have a deal with her running, remember? Jesus. They really did a fucking number on you, didn't they?"
"They didn't do anything to me?" Claire actually has the gall to sound offended. Silence reigns for a long moment, probably cause she is having to get a hold of her temper. When she does her words are calmer and spoken softly. "I had a job, I did as I was asked and I'll do what I need to do the next time I'm asked.
"The government has to be stopped, Richard," says the good little Messiah soldier. "Now…." The word is said in a sigh. "Like I said, they are keeping stuff pretty close, only the people on the missions know what is happening really. I'm hearing things as rumors float round the barracks."
"Right," Cardinal says crisply, "Of course you will." There's a silent moment, several long heartbeats, "What rumors?"
"Just some of the places being hit… No real details. We're all suppose to protect each other and yet we're all so guarded. Of course, seriously? I have no idea what Peter and Rupert are thinking putting West in charge of anything." Claire speaks her ex's name so blandly, demeanor relaxing as they settle off the subject. Of course, it turns to amusement as she adds, "Which to me, totally explains why they failed their mission."
"What was it they were supposed to do?" Of course, Cardinal knows where they were… but he doesn't know how much Messiah knows about it. Or maybe he's just testing to see how loyal Claire still is.
"Something about freeing a guy called the German?" Claire's brows dip down in thought. "I think? You got to realize I'm getting a lot of this second hand… This guy said to that guy… who knows this guy type thing." There is a small huff of frustration.
"God are they teasing the ever living hell out of him." There is some satisfaction in that for Claire. "Only one not to get his target."
"Yeah, well, that's West for you…." A sigh whispers past Cardinal's lips, "…alright. I'll let you go, I guess, just— look. Remember one thing for me, alright? Remember it and think about it."
There is a small nod of agreement in his simple statement about West, before her brows furrow a bit at his request. There is a bit of hesitation before she asks, "What's that, boss?"
"Think about what you told me Carmichael's ability is."
Click.