Participants:
Featuring:
as Miranda Dobson
| Scene Title | A Lull in Crisis |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Miranda Dobson is located. |
| Date | March 20, 2009 |
A Nameless Trailer in a Nameless Trailor Park
It's been one hell of a week since the last time Veronica and Katherine were out looking for Miranda. Tips were not exactly forthcoming, and leads were even less frequent. Not that they would have had alot of time to work on this particular case. "The 36" incident over the weekend, followed by the capture of Tylar Case, in which both Katherine and Veronica were injured, and Kat was told to take a few days off. After a day of drinking, and having her first superpowered flight over the city, which left her breathless, she found herself crawling the walls with boredom and started doing some hunting around on her own time.
Unfortunately, while it kept her busy, it didn't bring alot of fruit as far as locating the girl. It wasn't until a call came in from Miranda's parents that they had a authentic lead. The parents received a call from the girl, who relayed her whereabouts. She was hiding in a trailer park, paying as little as possible for a room — no questions asked while she looked for work. Of course, the moment she was hired, an alert would have been issued, but so far the former Pause intern was unable to secure any work.
Driving over to the trailer park, Katherine and Veronica held a fairly quiet ride. The radio was on and playing some sort of rock music, though the volume was low. Finally Kat glances over with a grins. "Sure you're ready for this? I don't want to break you or anything." she teases, indicating the other agent's mending ribs. "Maybe I should have brought a wheel chair?" There's a definite playful grin on Katherine's face as she teases the other female. She's at least been in decent spirits as of late.
Veronica is leaning against the glass of the passenger door, her hair back to its typical brunette shade, her golden-brown eyes free of fake blue contacts. She gives a dimpled smile at the joke, though she stifles a laugh, which would hurt those three broken ribs. "Shaddup. You're the one who passed out on Monday," she teases Katherine. Not that Kat didn't have good reason to! "We had to carry you out of there. I walked out on my own two legs, remember." Veronica winks. Of course, it wasn't her legs that were injured, which makes a difference, right? "So what's the drill? I don't think she'll be too much trouble, especially if all she does is glow, but if not… well. We'll handle it. I already did light cardio the past two days. Gotta give Winters the clue coddling is not necessary."
"Hmph. If I hadn't passed out, you'd have had to carry me out anyway. I couldn't move a thing except my jaw, which I was using to scream." Indeed. She turns her head over to the other agent and nods. "And if I haven't thanked you for getting me out of there, well, I'm thanking you now. Much appreciated." Back to business now that all the sap it overwith. It's about as much as she can stomach for one day. "Apparently she sweats flourescent sweat. Or something the sort. She doesn't actually light up or anything. If she's as nervous as I expect she will be, we'll see first hand. I just hope it's not something dangerous she's sweating out." Katherine responds.
They pull into the driveway and the long row of trailers. Kat is looking at all the numbers on the trailers and finds the right one and pulls up to the next one before parking. "I don't expect this will be too much of a problem. I'm not in much of a mood to have to force the issue. Let's just try to talk her down and see if we can get her to cooperate." She opens her side and slips out.
Veronica nods. "Thank Brian and his triplets. I have to hand it to him, he saved the day. I had a feeling I should have just shot Godfather first. Shows me to trust my gut next time, I guess. I was just second-guessing myself because of everything going fubar the last time around," she says with a sigh. "But anyway, nothing to thank you for — you were there to help us, and I'm just glad it wasn't worse." Yep, enough of that.
Once out of her side, the two agents walk to the trailer, and Veronica reaches up to rap on the metal door of the trailer, nodding to Kat that Vee will follow her lead once the door is opened.
Miranda's inside, she heard the knock, but the young womans not answering the door. She's in the back of the trailer, barely peeking through the horizontal blinds, trying to get a look of who's at the door. On the doorknob in is fresh sweat from the intern though, and indeed, it's flourescing. Need we say fresh.
There's a twinkle coming from one of the backrooms, as Kat sees two of the blind slats pulling apart, and someone peeking through. She gives a weary sigh and raps her knuckles on the door again. "Miranda Dobson. Homeland Security. We really are not here to hurt you. We just want to make sure that you are okay. We are here to help you pull your life back together." This much is said in truth. After the week she's had, Kat really needs something 'nice' to happen on the job. "I can open this door, but I would prefer you open it for us." She could use her power to shrink the doornob enough to push open the door if she absolutely has to.
Veronica doesn't have much to add, just keeps a hand at her hip where it can easily access the gun hidden beneath her blazer, if need be — with a soft touch case like this, better not to come in with guns drawn, right? She glances around to make sure no one else is peeking out of their trailers, better not to give too much of a show if possible. But it's quiet. People are either minding their own business, or simply didn't hear the announcement that HomeSec is in the trailer park.
"I saw the news! I heard about the kids on the radio." It's yelled though easily filters through the wall. Her voice colored with fear as the glowing from the back room. "My own parents won't even look at me anymore! Go back to my life?! I probably don't even have a job" The glow disappears from the window and there's the faint sound of a window opening on the other side of the trailer.
"I'm coming in, Miranda." Katherine pulls open the screen door and puts her hand on the door knob. It takes only a moment for her to manipulate the bolt inside the lock, and soon, the door swings inward. Careless Kat doesn't bother to worry about being shot as she steps inside. One of these days she probably will get shot. "What those kids did were misguided, Miranda. And the two missing kids were found." Katherine glances around the living room, but doesn't move further than that. In fact, she shoves her hands into her slack pockets. "We've already receive reassurances that your job is still waiting for you. We just need you to come with us so we can be sure of what it is you can do. I don't think your a danger to society, so I don't anticipate that we'll need you more than a couple hours." Kat walks over and runs her finger over a layer of dust that has settled on the window sill. "Your parents are worried about you." Well, at least her mother is. "This can all be over. I'd rather you come willingly, but — we do have a job to do."
"It's better not to run, or fight. Those kids… they could have had normal lives. Lots do. It'll be okay," Veronica says softly. That sweetly husky voice of hers is so different in this setting, talking to this wayward girl. "If you don't want other kids to do the same as those kids… the best way is to register, so they can see that it's nothing to be afraid of. Otherwise… more kids might see their way as the only way out."
"Oh right, so i'm going to be the freak at work. My boss already screams at me and makes me GLOW all of a sudden" There's smears on the wall, flourescing in the dim hallway. She's in a back room and from the sounds of it, still in the house. "I already registered, and what fat lot of good that's going to do me. now it's going to be everywhere. The freaking glowing girl. Who wants her on a photoshoot. Who's going to hire her. Watch, my boss will drop me after two weeks" There's rummaging in the back room though and movement through the inch that the door is open.
Kat continues to wander around the room, looking for this and that. She was privvy to a recent memo that went around about the girl's boss, but she's not at liberty to disclose that information so this is going to be more difficult than she anticipated. "Miranda. We have spoken to her and she wants you back. Besides, that bitch yells at everyone, isn't that right? I don't think she would offer to hold the job for you if she didn't want you there. Apparently, despite what she may say, she thinks you do a pretty good job." Kat is in no way a very good negotiator and tends to be pretty blunt, rather than paint the pretty picture. She figures its best to just be straight with this one.
"Registering is only half of the process, Miranda. They need to make sure that you are safe. That everyone who comes in contact with you is safe. It's just a precaution and I don't think you are a danger to anyone, if that matters at all. It will only take a couple of hours, and I'll personally make sure you are taken back to your apartment and notify Ms. Hollingwood that you are ready to report to work. Is this how you really want to live? On the run? Hiding out? The moment we leave this place, I will call in and have you taken off the missing persons list."
Veronica watches the door that's cracked, watching for any sense of danger or flight from that room. She listens to Kat speak. "There are others like you who live very normal lives. It sounds like your boss doesn't have a problem with you, and if she does, we can help you find a job with someone who doesn't. It's not the end of the world, we promise," she reiterates.
A disbelieving snort comes from the room. "Right. My boss has a problem with EVERYTHING" The sounds lessen in the bedroom and there's a creak from the bed. That they're not breaking down the bedroom door with guns is a plus. "Show me someone who's.. who's doing this, who's living normal while being a freak"
Katherine glances over at Veronica. Her looks is a cross between mild hope and weariness. "Alright. I have an ability. It's how I got into this trailer. I can't say that my life is normal, since I'm used to getting shot at or having abilities used against me, but I can say that I have a job and a life and for the most part I'm a fairly happy person. I have friends who also have abilities, as does my partner here. The news does not have it completely correct. All we want is to make sure the public at large is safe. Some do have dangerous abilities and they have to be tempered. We do not believe you are one of those. You can have a normal life, Miranda Dobson."
Veronica nods. "There's quite a few people who do. Some might not be as noticeable as yours, but like we said, we don't think you ability is threatening to others… and once they know that, they'll accept you just like they would anyone else who has a difference. It just takes getting used to. People are afraid of what they don't understand, and unless you understand this, you're going to be afraid of it. But once you know what it's about, there will be less reason to fear it, right? And once you can explain it to other people — your boss, your friends — they won't have anything to fear either." That's if it's an innocuous ability, but Veronica's trying to sound positive.
There's no answer, no movement, no sounds of escape out a window. Just the shfit of a bed that leads into agonizing silence before muffled sobs break through from the doorway.
That seems to be the cue Katherine was looking for as she puts her hands back into her pockets to look as non-threatening as possible. She gives Veronica a "stand fast" motions with her head. She's going down alone. She shuffles down the hallway and pushes the door open a few more inches with her foot. "Miranda." Katherine says softly, as she makes sure her view is shown with hands in pockets. She almost wished she had stowed her weapon in the vehicle, but she makes sure to keep it hidden. It will not be used. "Miranda, I'm Katherine. We met at the diner." Not really met, but she was there.
"I know. I saw you" She sniffles, wiping at her eyes with the sleeves of her sweater. "You were with the blonde cop, Elisabeth" She's parked on the end of the bed, a garbage bag filled with clothes and stuff on the floor, backpack with the same beside her. Cool air drifts in from the open window.
Katherine glances around the room and moves inward. "Are you here by yourself, Miranda?" she asks. She's not looking to be jumped today.
There's a nod from the young woman. Her sleeve comes away damn, glowing. "I'm so screwed. I ran, I was afraid, I didn't show up for the appointment I don't want to get poked and prodded, I just wanted.. I don't want to be a freak"
"The poking and prodding, while not fun, is necessary. To make sure that you aren't a danger to anyone, including yourself. And as I said, I don't believe you are." Katherine slowly pulls her hand out of her pocket and walks over and opens between two blinds and peeks out. "Trust me. I know. I was poked and prodded as well. And here I am." She turns back around and offers a smile to the girl. "It will be okay. I'll stay with you through it all if you want, as someone who has been there before."
"Like Officer Harrison at the police staton" Miranda nods, swallowing harshly after wiping at her face again. Beads of luminescing liquid weall up on her skin. "How much trouble am I in. For running. I'm sorry, I just, I was scared"
Katherine shakes her head. "Don't worry about it. You weren't in trouble to begin with. So you're not in trouble now. Just some worrying about where you had gone off to and if you were alright." She walks over and sits down next to the girl on the bed, placing her hands in her lap. "We just want to get you back to some semblence of a normal life."
"Right. Like that'll happen. After I glowed all over everyone at the photoshoot" But she just nods up and down. "I can't afford to run. I tried to get money from them but.. they just… I was going to go back to mexico if I couldn't… find work here" She laces her fingers together, one thumb rubbing the other thumb, staring at her hands. "What.. What do you do? Besides take in people like me"
That is an interesting question. "You mean besides work?" Katherine gives a small grin as she glances over at the blind covered window. "Cause if you mean what else does work require me to do, this is pretty much it. I help those like you go make sure they know what it is they can do so they can figure out how to cope with it in everyday life." Close enough to the truth, perhaps.
"No I meant, I glow and you…." Fill in the blank. There's less liquid beading up on the woman, where she wipes with her sleeves and a towel, only a faint trace remains. "You said your .. a fr.." probably not good to say that word. "Different too"
There's a soft chuckle from the agent as she nods. "Oh, I'm sorry. I misunderstood." She considers for a moment, then rises. Katherine walks over and pulls the blinds up, letting the sunshine in. "Well, let's try this." She places her hands on the window and the glass molecules begin to shift and soon a hole opens up in the window the shape of a butterfly. "That's pretty much what I do. I can change the shape and size of objects." She puts her hands back and slowly moves the glass back into place, leaving the window the way she found it.
Miranda watches, staring at the hole that opens up, takes shape and then once more when the hole disappears and it's a whole pane of glass again. Someone else can do something strange too. THe intern falls quiet for a few minutes, just sitting on the end of the bed beside the company agent before she nods again. "Lets go then" Resigned, hushed, despondent.
Katherine leads Miranda from the room, nodding to Veronica as they head out of the trailer. The lock on the trailer is put back to normal before they leave. Miranda is taken to be tested, found not to be a danger to society, and her sweat is not toxic in any way shape or form. Miranda is then taken to her job and placed back in contact with Nalani Hollingwood. Kat leaves the agency at least content that this particular story has a happy ending. Or at least a lull in crisis.
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