Participants:
| Scene Title | Just Getting Worse |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Melissa pays a visit to Richard Cardinal, and an exchange of information is had. |
| Date | November 8, 2010 |
It's early. Too early, in fact, which is why Cardinal is just sort of sitting at the receptionist's desk fumbling to open a tall can of Monster while a Dunkin Donuts bagel sits next to him. A number of security guys are hauling in bags of sand for all things from the outside, piling them up to one side of the lobby.
While it's early for Cardinal, it's late for Melissa, and it shows when she walks into Redbird, dressed in her usual black, right down to the knit cap and trench coat. She walks over towards Cardinal, silently, and arches a brow as he fumbles with the can. A hand reaches out, offering to take the can and open it for him.
"Thanks." Cardinal brings one gloved hand up to rub against his eyes, "Should've gotten more sleep. Not that I could've." He reaches out for the can once it's opened, and he sits off, offering a tired smile, "See you survived the explosion."
The can is opened and given back Cardinal before Melissa smiles faintly. "Yeah. Actually got grabbed and pulled out, forcibly, before it went up. Hell, I was in Jersey when it did go boom." She tugs the hat off and runs her free hand through her hair. "I envy you any sleep. I got a nap sometime…yesterday afternoon? Late? I think? Then I was dealing with our favorite guy in the world." Beat. "Or a guy who looked like him but wasn't him, anyway."
"Walker located him up in Baltimore…" A sip's taken, Cardinal's eyes closing, "…I tried to get in touch with you, but after the 'Hook went up, well, I wasn't sure how. What happened?"
"Mmm…And Knox got ahold of Peter and told him that Rupe was holed up right here in this city," Melissa says, perching on the edge of the desk. "Meant to contact you about it, but yeah, with everything that happened, it was just one big clusterfuck. But we went in, my people started neutralizing his people…since they were all friends and allies. One died, but couldn't be helped."
She falls quiet for a moment. "I got to Rupert. He started freaking out and brought out a voice recorder, had some trigger command on it. So it obviously wasn't the real Rupert. He's taken care of too, though. But you said you guys found him in Baltimore? The real one?"
"Damn." Cardinal leans back slowly in the chair, fingers rubbing at the side of his face; he keeps his voice low, especially when the sandbaggers are carrying the bags in, his tired gaze serious on her face, "Who'd we lose? And… I think so. I snuck in, drugged him with negation drugs. He had some— blonde chick who could turn invisible as a bodyguard. Was nervous, hiding out in a little shit-hole, figured we wouldn't find him there. He tried to command us when we crashed in, and the telepaths said it was him, so I'm assuming so."
"Rickham," Melissa murmurs. "The rest we were able to just tranq or otherwise put out of commission temporarily. Which was good. But you got him with negation drugs? Good. He dead? Tell me he's dead and the body burned to ash and the ash dumped in the ocean or a river or something."
"Rickham? Fuck… Allen." Cardinal briefly covers his face with one hand, exhaling a sigh of breath against it, "Rest in peace, Mister President." His hand falls, then, and he nods grimly, "One've my team emptied a gun into his chest. We were trying to take him alive for questioning, but a third party tried to grab him out of the middle of things. Couldn't be helped."
"Honestly, I'd rather see him dead and the info gone than have him wandering around free. The little fucker's done enough damage as it is." Melissa cocks her head, considering. "Were any of his people taken alive in Baltimore? I'm thinking…maybe they might have overheard something. Not sure what, but it can't hurt to ask. I'll be asking the people we got out alive too."
"There was only one person with him," admits Cardinal, "She died in the first exchange've bullets… put one've my team in the hospital before she did, though. I wish we could've taken her captive, she was probably just being controlled, but…" He grimaces. Sometimes, you have to deal with collateral damage.
Melissa looks surprised. "Really? It was just him and the bodyguard? There were five people with the other Rupert. All Messiah people. I figured he'd protect himself a hell of a lot better than that. And you said a third party got involved? Any idea who?"
"I have some suspicions." Cardinal taps a finger to the edge of the can, "I'm going to look into it, but…" A humorless smile up to her, one brow raising over the edge of his shades, "…we're kind've out of time for things today."
"Don't remind me," Melissa mutters, straightening up and starting to tug the hat back on. "Give me your suspicions though? If the riots do happen…Well, one or both of us could end up getting killed. Don't wanna hoard information into death, right?" she asks with a faint smile that mirrors his own.
"It was someone that's been known to work for Gideon d'Sarthe," admits Cardinal with a shake of his head, "I can only imagine what a crime lord would do with Rupert's talents… I don't know if he was working under Gideon's orders or not, though."
"Well fuck me," Melissa says, hands settling on her hips, her head shaking as well. "I swear, one problem gets taken care of, and another just pops up in its place." She sighs. "Anyway. Just wanted to give you the head's up on the fake Rupert. Don't have much time myself. Too much shit to do. Oh, and if anyone needs it, Tartarus is closed and acting as a shelter. Safe space, medical attention, etcetera. Just FYI."
"Just be careful." Cardinal's tone is grim as he watches her for a moment, "Martial law isn't something that goes away overnight… things are about to get very, very bad for all of us, Melissa."
"Things are already bad. They're just getting worse," is Melissa reply. "Take care of yourself and your people, Richard. Lemme know if I can help with something. Otherwise…well, lots of people to help." She turns to start towards the door, muttering, "Goddamn Rupert."
"Just stay alive," replies Cardinal, reaching over for his bagel, "And stay off Roosevelt."
Pausing at the door, Melissa glances back, smirking lightly. "Hard to, since the government shoved me there after they released me last month. Home sweet fucking home." Then it's out the door she goes.
