Participants:
| Scene Title | My Name Is Barbara… |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | … Zimmerman, not Simms. And other shared data. |
| Date | December 8, 2010 |
Pollepel Island: Bannerman Castle - Dining Hall
The room converted into Bannerman's dining hall, although long and narrow, can accommodate up to one hundred people, but despite the amount of use that it sees, it isn't hooked up to the castle's electrical grid, which means that after dark it's lit up by gas lanterns strategically positioned on the wooden tables with bench-style seating that occupy the space. A giant hearth set into one of its walls provides the hall with additional light and warmth, as well as a place for the castle's residents to convene when it isn't in use during the hours when breakfast and dinner are being taken.
The walls themselves are bare stone with no decoration except for the four windows opposite the fireplace, and these are covered with heavy pieces of plain canvas cloth at night to prevent the light from leaking outside, where it might be visible from the shore or the air. During the day the canvas is pulled back to brighten the room and make the gas lanterns unneccessary, but on mornings and afternoons when the sky is overcast, there is very little to combat the gloom and so the fuel is burned anyway.
From how dark it still is this morning, one might think it’s still night. The sun hangs low, cold air biting at her as Barbara Zimmerman walks the halls of Bannerman Castle. She's up this morning to ensure that everything she has to handle is taken care of before she makes her way back to the mainland in the evening, and that includes checking up on supplies, both food and otherwise.
So, she hasn't found her way to the dining hall in search of early breakfast - though the thought had crossed her mind. But rather than talking someone into fixing her some eggs and whatever else might be in store, she’s sitting at a table with an oil lamp at her side, looking over a list. Some might say checking it twice, given the season, but sadly not for what people might hope. The time's already come and past to ride out to the mainland this morning, so for the moment, she's taking her time - making sure everything that's needed is marked down.
Which it isn't. A new addition is scribbled furiously on the vastly oversized sheet of sketch paper she's using for her list, it's what was on hand, and she leans back and sighs. Maybe it's a good thing she missed the morning boats. This might take all day.
That particular edition of Jonas Zimmerman's brood isn't the only person up and about this Wednesday morning, the eighth day of December. There are the various people who work with the boat crews just arrived, and possibly the crews themselves, but there's at least one other person. Clothing is thick enough to obscure physical features and disguise gender, the articles of choice ones garnered on a mission to Antarctic waters and an ice shelf still suffering from events of the battle fought there at expedition's end.
From the doorway Cat's voice crosses the room to the seated redhead, she chooses to speak just two words in greeting.
"You rang?"
It takes a moment for the voice to jar Barbara out of the scrawling, but once that flash of recognition hits, she looks up with a bit of a start, eyes scanning for just a moment before they land on the source. "Hmm?" she inquires, looking somewhat surprised - maybe the owner of the voice hasn't quite clicked with her yet. She peers for a moment, before setting aside her paper and pen and rising up from her seat, hands stuffed quickly into the pockets of her sweatshirt. "Don't tell me I sent for someone and forgot, I am so sorry…" This early in the morning, that is regrettably, entirely possible.
A dry chuckle prefaces the woman's reply. "It's not troublesome you'd forget, Barbara," Cat states, "you aren't me, after all." A few steps are taken, one gloved hand used to brush down the parka's hood and reveal her face. No further comment is spoken as she settles into a vacant chair and observes the red-haired spawn of Zimmerman.
That is a good enough hint, along with hearing the voice again, to finally get Barbara registering who, exactly, has come to see her. "Cat?!" She tries not to say it too terribly loud, but the fact of the matter is that she doesn't entirely succeed in that endeavor. “Holy hell, when did you get here?" In the lamp light mixed with what sun makes it in through windows, it's not hard to see that there's a wide smile on Barbara's face. "Last we heard, you were too worried about being watched to make your way out here. I'm glad you changed your mind."
"Within the past hour," she provides in dry voice marked with some mild amusement at the time it took for recognition to dawn. Cat's eyes rest on Barbara, taking a slow study to find and catalog any changes to her appearance which might have formed since their last meeting outside of Canadian prairie and warm weather.
On the topic of her presence here and reasons for its delay, she's equally terse. "I've some business to conduct, a need to see Ben Ryans and locate an illusionist." Allegations of being worried about making the trip are neither confirmed nor denied.
"Your message got through, courtesy of Wireless, though I highly recommend not trying that avenue in the near future. Hana is unexpectedly, and inexplicably, compromised. Since Monday evening, contact with her results only in a reply of 'Wireless who?'."
Well, that's rather worrisome, and the smile on Barbara's face does a bit of a downturn at the news of Hana. "I just spoke to her the other day. Not long before we had your message from Robyn Quinn relayed to us. Or, well, to Lynette and Joseph." Us being the Council, of course. "I'm glad she was able to get a message out before things went… awry. Do we have any details? Does… anyone else know?" This news brings Ferry concerns to the forefront of her mind, if only briefly.
"At any rate, I think we’re all relieved to hear you're okay," Barbara says, stepping back to her seat, across from Cat. "Your need for an illusionist was mentioned too, though I'm not sure if anyone followed up on it. I guess it's a moot point now." Plopping back down a bit hardly, Barbara picks her pen back up. "As for Ryans, I know he's about, but I haven't had the opportunity to speak to him yet myself." After almost a month, which might be kinda lazy of her.
The subject itself causes her to scowl, hints of her fierceness showing through. Traces of how she often emulates Miss Gitelman in her demeanor. "No details as yet regarding what the situation is with Hana," Cat reports, "it was simply that whomever responded in her place seems to have no knowledge of who she is. I didn't, obviously, follow up. It just wouldn't do to continue transmitting after that result. I intend to find out, of course, but this may take some time."
Moving right along now, as Cat will do.
"The illusionist isn't moot, Barbara," she provides, "I still have plans for her, if I find one. Robyn mentioned such a person being out here, but not a name. Do you have it?"
"Well," Barbara says with a bit of a smile. "I meant that you can speak to them yourself. The only illusionists I know of on the island are Kendall and Shannon. I'm guessing she meant Shannon. I'm not sure many people at all are aware of her ability." Legs cross as Barbara sets down the pen and leans forward a bit. "She's helped out with a few things around the island, including keeping people out of sight of patrol boats at least once. She seems talented, and if you need an illusionist, she might be a good choice. I admit I don't know Kendall very well, but I did hear that he allowed the majority of the folks living in Gun Hill to escape largely unharmed."
"Shannon," the panmnesiac repeats musingly, "thanks. I've seen her before, she stayed at my building for a while. I'll make the approach. Kendall was considered briefly, but I doubt Melissa would appreciate asking him to do what I've got in mind."
Eyes drift across the table, taking in what Barbara's working on, which prompts commentary. "If I can meet with the people I need to see, I hope to go back this evening and maybe hit Strawberry Fields before curfew. Looks like you're headed for Manhattan and other places, Barbara."
There's a moment where Barbara’s eyes drift off to the side, and then back down to the list in front of her. "Yeah. Supply run, some personal errands I need to run," Barbara admits, picking the pen up and scratching something off the list. "I have to go by Redbird Securities and see if I can find Elisabeth Harrison, among other things." The pen taps idly, before Barbara points it at Cat. "If I have time I was thinking of going back by the Redhouse exhibit, if it's still up. That was why I asked Hana to contact you, actually. Besides general worries of safety, I was wondering if anyone had looked into the matter of contacting Thomas Redhouse yet."
"What's up with Elisabeth?" Cat inquires. "I know her well." Curiosity, intrigue show on her face in the span of moments before she addresses the topic of Redhouse. "I'd like to see Mr. Redhouse's daughter again, she might in the future be needed, at one time Rebel pointed me at her. Now, as to the man himself, I think we should go one better than the exhibit. We have his address in Buffalo…"
"Nothing with… Elisabeth," Barbara remarks with a just notable amount of hesitation. She lets the topic shift for the moment, turning back to the Redhouses. "I forgot he had a daughter," she remarks thoughtfully, now remembering it had been mentioned when the name first came up over the summer. "Hmm, we do. I suppose, you're thinking a field trip of sorts is in order?" Barbara hadn't yet considered moving to that point yet, but it does seem to be the next logical step, given everything.
With that, her gaze looks back down to the list in front of her, Barbara grimacing. "Catherine, what do you know about Jonas Zimmerman?"
"Yes, I do believe going to Buffalo is a good idea," Cat provides, "none better to ask about the artwork than the man himself." And it's on to the other question, calling up information from her memory. "I've not seen a photo of Doctor Zimmerman, sadly," she begins, "but I've learned some things about him. He first appears as a younger man at a place called Coyote Sands in New Mexico. It was an internment camp for people like us, run by the Federal government, in the early 60s. Chandra Suresh, author of that famous book was principal scientist there, conducting experiments on the internees. Some of those internees went on to found the Company, under the cover of Primatech Paper."
A pause is allowed, to let Barbara digest what's been said.
"The Founders of Primatech recruited Zimmerman to work with them on a serum which bestowed posthuman abilities. There were names of children connected to his work, among them you and your sisters. I'm also one of the subjects."
Pausing again, but not looking done with her sharing of information.
"He surfaces again in 2009, at Pinehearst, working with Arthur Petrelli and the people I knew as my parents to reconstruct that formula. After we took Pinehearst down, Zimmerman vanished. It is believed he may have been taken in by the Institute."
"We should arrange that soon, then. In case anyone else has caught on to what we have, after the Eighth. Let me know when you'd like to go, I'm sure I'll have the time." For the most part, Barbara is just nodding along with the bits of information Cat shares. Most of it is just putting together pieces of what she already knew, learned, or had figured out.
Most of it.
Her eyes open wide as the last bit of information is shared, one that easily betrays any attempt Barbara might have been making at remaining stoic through the information sharing. "He's alive?" she manages to avoid shouting, leaning forward towards Cat. "Jesus, I'd… I'd never been sure." Her eyes close as she leans back, still looking forward at Cat. "I… sorry." Head tilting back down a bit, she sighs. "I should be honest with you," she says, quietly. "Like I tried to be, with Eileen. She said she didn't care, which was a relief. But I- my name is Barbara Zimmerman, Cat. Not Simms." She seems nervous, fingers drumming on the table in front of her. For whatever reason, she seems very worried about sharing this with her fellow Ferryman.
Eyes rest intently on Barbara as she speaks, no sign of hostility about her as information is shared. Silence is held to as well until the postcog yields the floor by her own quietude, at which point Cat employs a quietly calm voice. "That's very intriguing," she allows, "and yet not surprising, to think of it. Triplets, each with abilities, tied into the works of the Company, the serum Zimmerman created. It's also a familiar tale, in a personal way. My bioparents were not the Chesterfields, they were murdered by Arthur Petrelli. I was given to Mason and Jennifer then, and folded into their lives as substitute for the original Cat Chesterfield, who died as an infant." Eyes dip to the table briefly as she chases away what might be a sweep of melancholy, as memories surfacing are pushed back down.
"But yes, I believe Doctor Zimmerman, however he relates to you, is alive and with the Institute. He was the subject of a painting done by Eve Mas in March of this year, along with some other scientists of interest in, or believed to be, in their hands."
"He's my father," is again spoken quietly, eyes closing as Barbara stares at the table in front of her. "The Company- turned on him. He sent me away, without telling him where." She lets out a long sigh, hands moving over her face in an effort to hide a hint of a tear forming in the corner of her eyes. "We were triplets, split up at birth. He- he told me right before he sent me off." She grimaces, finally looking back up at Cat. "I'm going to see Elisabeth because Richard Cardinal found me at the wake over the summer and claimed- I had a brother growing up. Richard claimed to have found him. Niki said the same, but I haven't had the chance to- actually see him. I met Jessica the other day. She instructed me to speak to Elisabeth about it."
Eyes remain away from Barbara's face, allowing at least apparent success in that attempt to hide tears. "That explains some things," Cat muses, "several months ago Richard Cardinal sought identity documents for a man he wouldn't say much about, he was very secretive. As part of that effort, Abby and Delilah met the man."
As interlude to sharing, a brief chuckle is loosed, though she looks much less than amused.
"I'm interested in meeting with Elisabeth when you do, if you allow. There's a story here which I believe is sure to intrigue, beyond general curiosity, which I admit to freely. As to your body-sharing sisters, I advise caution in dealing with Jessica. She's on her own side of things, and has no compunction of any sort regarding what's believed necessary to achieve her goals."
"I'm planning on going by tonight, first thing after I get back into the city," Barbara replies, relaxing visibly as she leans back a bit in her seat. "If not then, perhaps we can stop by before we head off to Buffalo. My… personal business aside, I don't think that's something we should leave sitting much longer." She sighs, looking Cat in the eyes. "To be… entirely honest, I'm not sure if Cardinal is playing me or not, since I haven't actually seen Niklaus. But Niki claims he's on the up-and-up, and he certainly seems to know a lot about my father and brother. He… has the benefit of the doubt for now. I'm hoping speaking with someone else'll put the worries to rest."
Nodding, Cat replies "It's your choice, entirely, Barbara. And if you desire, I still have ways to get DNA tested anonymously. The claim can be proved or disproved, it would take about a week." With that, she apparently sets aside the topic of Barbara's lineage and siblings. Legs straighten, she levers herself upright from the chair and takes a step away from the table.
"We'll meet up again, hopefully, when it's time to catch the boats, and can discuss things further." At present, she's most likely headed out to seek Ben Ryans and Shannon the Illusionist.
Barbara blinks, caught a bit off guard by Cat's abrupt move to exit. But, she understands - they're all busy, and they can't sit around discussing each others problems at length, really. "I'll keep that in mind. That… might not be a terrible idea. It would be nice to be sure. As for coming along, I don't mind at all." A smile is offered to Cat, before Barbara looks back down at her list, adding another thing at the bottom.
"Sounds good to me. I'll be around to catch the first ones of the evening. Hopefully, we'll have everything squared away by then." Her nose wrinkles for a moment, but more because of something she forgot to add to the list than anything else. "It might not be a bad idea to find Eileen while you're here, if you can. See if there's anything she needs you to do."
"Congratulations on being elected to the Council, Barbara," Cat offers as she reaches the doorway and turns back to face her, thereafter resuming her course toward other parts of the castle. She privately wonders why Barbara didn't mention anything about what happened in Canada that day, surely the Zimmerman daughter can put it all together. Did Kaylee purge the memories? Or did she just choose not to speak of it?
She's not about to mention it herself.