It's Everyone's Problem

Log Archive » Logs for December 2008 » It's Everyone's Problem

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Scene Title	It's Everyone's Problem
Synopsis	Helena shares what she's learned with Hana and Matt. Further alliances are made.
Date	December 22, 2008

New York Public Library

Sometime early in the morning, Helena fired off a message to Wireless, filling her in on who's currently a guest at the Library and asking if she can come see some items that Helena feels are important. There's lots to tell, and Hel is particularly antsy until Hana has an opportunity to find her way there.

Wireless is not, at the moment, antsy. There is, however, a little more of an edge in the way she walks through the corridors, summoned by Helena's message like some kind of lesser demon. Not so instantly, but in short order, Hana finds her way to where the girl is waiting. She wears her usual black leather jacket and the usual concealed weapons, even here, but today the shirt is red and the jeans are blue — somewhat of a deviation from Israeli woman's known norm.

"Hana," Helena's tone suggests she really could do to calm down a bit. "I have so much to tell you. Do you need something to warm you up? We have tea and coffee and cocoa," it's only a moment of hostess-rambling, as Helena beckons her further into the building. "Do you want to keep Parkman from seeing you? Because if you do, I think he's up watching Rickham. We've got people keeping an eye on him. I have to show you the photos." Huh? What photos?

Helena's enthusiasm is regarded with a sort of distantly surprised curiosity. Hana follows in her wake, letting questions wait because they'll likely be answered. Whenever Helena gets over her giddiness. "I'm not worried about Parkman," she states, a hint of a grim edge to the technopath's voice.

Helena leads Hana further in. "So there was this man at the site. His name is Edward, and he's a physicist. I think there was some time travel involved, because he showed me things. There were pictures - of a tank in New York, of corpses being shipped, plus a photo of future self with some people I recognized…and he had a camp mug shot of me. He told me what's going to happen, and we're in a lot of trouble."

"You don't sound like 'we're in a lot of trouble'," Hana points out dryly. She continues to follow Helena, nodding briefly at a few people they pass along the way whom she recognizes. "I take it there's good news to go with the bad?"

The very man whom Pheonix operatives have been grueling regarding that potential future emerges from Rickham's makeshift sickroom. He keeps his eyes low, as he has for most of the last couple of days, and appears to have quite a heavy weight on his shoulders. Sure, Rickham is stable, but…

"As soon as we can," he says to Helena, only because she is the first voice he hears, "I want to get him to a hospital. Not that you guys haven't been great, but I've got of people breathing down my neck." Glancing up, Matt notices Hana and immediately steels. "…Gitelman," he says in as polite and cold a tone as he can muster given his current state. The greeting is given with a stiff nod.

Helena pauses. "Well, we did save the president-elect." she says sheepishly. Looking between the pair, she oh's. "You know each other." She looks disapointed. "What I've got to tell you, both of you need to hear. I know what Volken's going to do. And it's everyone's problem."

Dark eyes flick up to the Homeland Security agent, and Hana smiles thinly. It's not a friendly expression, but it approximates polite with its own stiffness. "Parkman," she greets in kind, inclining her head slightly. "How is Molly?" It's a sincere curiosity; as long as Parkman's looking after the girl, Hana has far fewer qualms about her power's existence. The woman turns a portion of her attention to Helena — but neither of them can miss the way it doesn't entirely leave Parkman, keeping tabs on the agent she doesn't quite trust. A nod from the technopath encourages the weather witch to continue.

"She's safe, and that's what matters," is Matt's terse answer. Anyone's interest in Molly is something of a concern to the agent. He looks to Helena, leaning against the wall for the physical, and emotional, support it can afford him. As tired and stressed as he is, Matt gives all of his attention - every facet of it - to Helena.

And so Helena begins to tell the tale, which she will likely have to tell multiple times, about the indicators of the coming virus, how Volken will use mortars to project it to spread by air over New York. About how he'll send infected Evolved on trucks to get blockaded by HomeSec, killed there, and thus trigger the chain reaction to spread the virus across the country. The destruction of ninety percent of earth's population. Sylar's eventual transformation into Kazimir himself, and the unsurprising eventual purpose of the detention camps. Visual proof is promised to both of them, describing some of the photos she was given: the tank with New York City as background, the picture of the corpses being prepped for shipment, and with a slight shudder, Helena claims to have seen her own camp mug shot.

"As long as that's 'safe with you'," Hana qualifies, her eyes lingering on Matt for a long moment but not seeming to expect any further words on the subject. Just as well, since she doesn't get any — but apparently Hana does trust Matt to some degree. While Helena speaks, Hana listens impassively from a comfortable stance against one wall, collating the data relayed with the pieces she already has. She doesn't ask any questions immediately afterwards, just takes the time to think.

"So this is global," Matt says more to himself than to either of the women. The comment regarding Molly is ignored, probably to Hana's benefit, but it is to her he turns next. "What can you find out about them and their movement, so we can contain and prevent this ASAP?"

"We have…quite a bit of information." Helena says hesitantly. She doesn't want to share how much, or where it is, not yet. Sharing this information exposes Phoenix and the Ferrymen, and she wants some approval from Hana before taking that step. "But do you see what I mean?" she asks both of them. "When I say it's going to take everyone, I'm not kidding." Unbeknownst to Helena, Hana's even seen the sort of money the Vanguard have at their disposal.

Had. The operative word there should be 'had'. Hana regards Matt levelly as he turns to her, Helena at the edge of her focus. "Locally, not as much as I'd like. I may be able to piece more together before they go fully active. We have property and purchase information. A few names. Connections you may be able to turn into active leads." Better than one sole technopath can; however strong her ability may be, she's still one person. But it's not quite a promise to share; she hasn't been part of the negotiations of the past few days, and she has her own bones to pick with him. So Hana waits for Matt's response, before making any deals. It is an indication she'll work with him, at least.

It's pretty easy to guess what sort of stone is preventing the flow of this information from getting any wider. Matt furrows his brows and purses his lips a bit before he speaks - as all business as ever. "You want to know what I'll give you in return for this, on top of what you've already done for me and Rickham. The luckiest shot you have is with him, even if he does go public, he's going to be president in about a month. Papers can be doctored to make him on our lists, or, if he wants, he can say he avoided them as a form of protest, and since no one asked him directly, he didn't think to say anything about it." Maybe there's a politician in Matt after all.

"But he can't do anything the way he is right now. Medically, I mean." Matt sighs, looking to the floor as he formulates his thoughts. "I can guarantee you that Molly will never be used to find any Evolved, for any reason." Good or bad. But Molly hasn't been asked to use her ability in a long, long time as it is.

Helena looks between the two, and can't help but note quietly, "Ninety percent of the world's population is going to die from this. If she's willing to help, you might want to consider letting her make her own decision." There's a moment's thought. "You asked me to introduce you to an ally with resources." She indicates Hana. "And I have. Edward's apparently got some probability inspired strategies he's writing up, which we could go over and see what works."

"I know that," Matt barks back a bit more tersely than he had planned, shooting a quick and harsh glance to Helena. With a long blink and a sigh, he recomposes himself. "But I'd like to spend less time bargaining and more time dealing with that."

Hana inclines her head to Matt. "I know," she says, in response to the subject of Molly. It's why she and Bennet have left Molly there. She looks between Helena and Matt as the side conversation ensues, and that thin smile reappears. It's not entirely unfriendly. "I want your promise, to me, that we'll be kept in the loop," she informs Matt. Shouldn't be hard, when it's Wireless you're communicating with. "You won't shut us out on this. As long as that's true, then I'll give you what I know. Not the Company, and not anyone else in HomeSec." A pause. "And then we won't trip over one another, either." Because Hana and Phoenix aren't about to let it alone, no matter what.

"I don't think we can afford to not work together on this." is Helena soft interjection. She doesn't bring up the Company, but the fact of the matter is, they may have to be involved, too. And SCOUT. PARIAH has scattered to the four winds, so no help there, and Helena has no knowledge of Shedda Dinu.

It doesn't take Matt long to make his decision. "Done. But I can't keep my contact with you a secret. I mean, you'll be an informant, so you'll be untouched, and I won't give your name…but I can't act like I'm more powerful than I really am." Though Helena knows more about what Matt is capable of than Hana does, assuming the Israeli hasn't rooted through the Company's files regarding the Parkman Family.

"So who are these people, anyway? As soon as we can get enough on them, we can move. But we have to be able to move safely. I don't want to risk anyone I don't have to, but we're going to need a lot of firepower and manpower to bring these guys down."

At that, Hana chuckles softly. There's more confident certainty in the sound than humor. "Yes, you can keep us secret." This is the woman Noah believed could crash a satellite, after all. "I can relay our info to any device you prefer. Give you a perfectly fictitious informant's identity to go with it. None of it traces back to us."

"If we go over to one of the computers, I can put everything we have on them on a data stick." Helena offers. "You can bring it back to your people. I'm interested in what Edward will suggest as far as a strategy, though." She hesitates a moment. "I also have some sources with ties to SCOUT. I can get them an update, too."

Hana shakes her head at Helena's offer, one hand flicking in a gesture of negation. "I'll handle it, Helena. We don't need to risk them, or anyone else." Her gaze lingers on the girl for a moment, but Hana isn't a telepath; her other reason remains unspoken.

Matt can't help but smile, even if a little bit, at Hana's remark. "I wouldn't expect you to do anything different." He nods to Helena then. "As soon as we can guarantee that they aren't watching us, I want to get Rickham to a hospital. We'll keep his location out of the press, definitely, but there'll be a lot less pressure on all of us if he's someplace where my superiors are confident."

As for the method of relaying information? "Assuming you want to remain voiceless, e-mail or text works just fine. Whatever is easiest for you whenever you need to get me info." It's not hard at all to get info back to her, but that'll have to be a bit more discreet. "As for my contacting you, I'll get a separate phone for that. That way no one can call me a traitor or anything like that."

"Okay, Hana. I should probably still update SCOUT, though." Helena seems quite willing to defer to Hana on the topic, and instead looks to Matt. If they knew where we were, they'd have hit us by now. If Rickham is ambulatory, we could see about moving you both elsewhere from which you can make a call."

Hana inclines her head to Parkman. She doesn't comment on the moving of Rickham, even if she could do a decent amount towards that end. Another smile, this one decidedly wry, as Matt addresses her again. And talks about getting a separate phone. "Whatever works," is all she says there. Dark eyes flick to Helena. "Again. It's a simple matter to send it twice, Helena." Where before the refusal was at least neutral, if not exactly 'gentle', now it's a little more firm. Wireless doesn't trust this current goodwill to hold. "Or you could trust Parkman to give them what they need." It's actually not sarcasm. Amazingly.

"We're going on the all-out offensive here," Matt says as he glances between the two. "Full disclosure of the relevant information to all involved parties." He looks specifically at Hana when he adds, "And moreso regarding certain others, though that's going to say quiet."

Helena opens her mouth to argue - she has a direct contact in SCOUT, but shuts it, not wanting to appear dissenting in front of Matthew. She seems caught between the negotiations of the other two, but opts for silence now, watching both Matt and Hana quite carefully.

Hana straightens away from the wall and crosses her arms, fixing Matt with a direct and intent stare. "'Certain others'?" she echoes. "Don't try and talk circles around me, Parkman." It makes Hana twitchy. Twitchy Hana is dangerous to people in close proximity.

"I mean you, Hana," Matt says with a dry sort of smirk. "You get full disclosure, regardless. What you chose to do with it is your own business."

Helena looks between the two. The conversation's gone beyond her a bit, now. "Um, hi?" she waggles her fingers a bit. "I think I qualify for full disclosure." She regards them both warily. "Just saying."

Hana snorts softly at Matt. "That'll do." Actually, she's cautiously pleased — provided Parkman follows through — but the woman would never, ever admit such a thing. She looks back at Helena, one brow arching. Does she really think she'd be left out?

"Like I said, Helena," Matt adds as a voice for Hana's expression, "What Gitelman does with what I give her is her own business."

Helena nods. "I'm only saying, because you telling Hana so Hana can tell me - that's kind of a time waster. But whatever keeps everyone happy, you know?" She looks over at Hana. "You already know who my SCOUT contact is, or do I need to make introductions?"

If Hana were anyone else, anyone at all, she'd have a hand to her own face right now. Hello, technopath? But she isn't even going to bother. Instead, the woman looks over at Parkman. "You'll have it by email later today." And then she walks back the way she came. No, no introductions necesary.

"Thanks," Matt says to Hana's back, not really expecting a pleasantry in return. He nods to Helena, smiling the a somewhat productive and triumphant smile before he too turns to go back into Rickham's room.

Helena opens her mouth again, and then abruptly closes it. "Technopath." she mutters to herself, standing in the hall. "Right, dumb, idiot." Shaking her head, it's her turn to retreat back into the bowels of the library.