Participants:
| Scene Title | Nobody Dies |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Zoe asks Adam not to let go of his vendetta against Daniel Linderman. His answer surprises them both. |
| Date | June 2, 2009 |
A Manhattan Harbor
Adam has picked up Zoe from work. He hasn't told her where they're going, but eventually they're somewhere far from the dirty and noisy part of the city and they find themselves in the same marina that he had taken her to opreviously to go on their boat ride. As they're out of the car, which was driven by a man named Micheal who Zoe might notice tags along though in the background, Adam leads her down towards the yachts and poses, "I want to buy one of these."
Zoe is curious about it of course, having asked as they approached, "Are we going for another boat ride?" And then, when he poses, she laughs. "Just like that, then?"
Adam shrugs his shoulder a bit, "No, not quite like that. I have to find the right one." he says, "Then I have to find out how much it is…then, I don't know, steal it maybe." he pauses, "Don't you think you could see me on a boat?"
"I already have seen you on a boat. You're a very good sailor." Zoe tells him with a grin before adding, "Are you planning on becoming a pirate?"
Adam looks at Zoe for a moment with an enigmatic look and then says, "It seems to be the hot thing to do lately." he says in response, "Though I don't know if the yacht is the best boat to begin a pirating career with." he pauses, "I imagine taking it in the middle of the bay, perhaps spend most of my time off of the blue shores of the Hamptons. Of coures, I'll need something big enough to train on.." then he gets quiet and shrugs, "Let's look at boats."
"To train pirates?" She holds out her hand to him. "Or to upgrade your pirating skills? Say 'Arrrrrr'."
Adam takes her hand but doesn't humor her. He pauses, "No, other training." but he doesn't go on about that as he leads her about the docks for a moment, "Somewhere with a flat surface, I suppose…I don't think yachts are usually known for their space."
Zoe blinks a little bit. "Depends on the size of the yacht, I suppose." She lets him lead her around noting, "What is it exactly you're hoping to learn, particularly on a yacht?"
"Sword training and judo." he says in response, "Perhaps I should look for something with a ball room or something. Or maybe just a deck where all the people can gather for parties."
Zoe furrows her brow. "Why don't you just look for a dojo, or a kung fu center, or what have you?" she asks. "I mean, there's all sorts. You could even find lessons at a Y somewhere. Why do you need a boat to take those sort of classes? Chinatown's full of places to learn, Manhattan as well."
Adam glances towards Zoe, then replies, "Because they have nothing to teach me. Also, Judo is japanese." he pauses. "Zoe, I'm one of the greatest sword fighters in the history of time. You think I could learn anything at the local Y?" he pauses, "I need some.." he pauses, "Isolation."
Adam chuckles, "Zoe. I'm also a fugitive. Do you think I can advertise?" he slides an arm around her waste. "For me to find some decent competition I would need to go back in time or…" raise some people from the dead. He shakes his head, "I need to remember what I've lost more than I need tips. I'm…getting a lot back now that I have my sword. But I was never quite the expert at judo. Better than your average dojo owner, likely, but I've forgotten most of that." he sighs. "I'll think of something."
Zoe frowns a little in thought, but really isn't much of an expert to be able to find such things. "There are likely some discreet companies who can offer training." She shrugs. "Not for me to worry about, am I right?"
Adam nods, "It's not exactly a bank heist." he replies. "I've just had a lot of thinking to do. And…training helps. It keeps my mind.." off things, "Fresh." he pauses and leans forward, nudging her shoulder lightly.
Zoe's mouth quirks a little bit. "Is it anything I can help you think about?" she asks tenatively, and then laughs. "That sounds so juvenile."
Adam pauses thoughtfully as he stops. He's quiet for some moments, "How many children do you think I've had, Zoe?" he pauses, "I'm not even sure. You can't know just from studying my objects…because then you'd have less of an idea from me. But you likely have more access than I do."
Zoe considers. "Well, I know you did your best to keep your marriages childless." she says. "I've only got documentation for Maria the first's. I'd assumed any others would have come as by-blows."
Adam arches a brow, "By-blows? That's an odd term."
"Is it? It's a common enough term for children born out of wedlock." Zoe replies. "Perhaps a little archaic. What brings up the matter of children? Are you trying to find descendents?"
Adam pauses, "No…yes…no.." he pauses, "I talked with Daniel. Briefly and he made a comment.." he shakes his head, "I'd rather not talk about it yet. I have to think about it some more. I have to.." he pauses, "Process."
"About children?" Zoe inquires, and then, "I'm sorry - you did just say you didn't want to talk about it." She lays a gentle hand on his arm. "We should go see a man about a boat, then?"
Adam shakes his head a bit, "No, I've lost my taste for boats today." he says in response. "Besides…these are multi-million dollar purchases. I can't just walk up to a person and say 'sign over your boat'." he pauses, "What I need is a financial advisor. Maybe I'll get my personal assistant to do some research."
Zoe lets out a little laugh. "Fugitives have personal assistants?" she teases.
Adam mms, "Well, I'm not just a fugitive." he replies, "I'm a man of many layers." he pauses, "Perhaps we can go somewhere quiet. Your place? Spend some quiet time together. Would you like that?"
"Like a parfait." she says with a laugh. And then, "My place…wait. You spoke to Daniel - does this mean I don't have to hide anything from him anymore?" Her tone is so hopeful. Oh, Zoe.
Adam shakes his head, "You didn't come up yet. And.." he's quiet after another moment before he says, "We didn't come to any conclusions. It was…at best…an…opening move. No decisions have been made.." but for Zoe, "One way or another."
Zoe frowns a little bit. "I'm not accustomed to being deceitful, you know that."
Adam reaches over and strokes her back, "Not much longer." he says. "Not much longer. At this point, I suspect if Daniel knew, he would do whatever he could to put a stop to it. Threaten, conjole, find a telepath." he shrugs, "Because he doesn't know whether or not I'm a threat. Partially because I'm not sure if I am or not."
"What could he possibly threaten me with - he - " she blinks in startlement. "He wouldn't do that to me. Have some telepath work me over." She shakes her head, starting to walk, though she doesn't appear to be angry. Just uncertain.
Adam frowns and replies with certainty, "Yes he would." he pauses, "He wouldn't like it, but he would." he quiet and then considers Zoe for a moment, "He may have already…." he looks at Zoe quietly, "Any men who work for Daniel seem to have an unhealthy interest in you? Any strange attractions you can't figure out? Daniel wouldn't do it out of spite or anger. But out of a misguided attempt of protecting you." but then he's quiet, "Because if I was Daniel, that was what I would do. And I taught him everything he knows."
"The only person I really work with is Eliot…" she trails off. "You think he'd be doing it for Daniel? Because Daniel told him to?" It makes sense. She shakes her head. "Eliot's an empath, not a telepath. He's not even persuasive, he just senses emotions, he doesn't control them."
Adam nods, "Well, if you're sure." but there's a moment of unsaid significance: Are you sure? He's quiet for some moments, "Zoe…I think we're going to have something special soon. We're going to get passed dating, we're going to get all exclusive…who knows, we might even end up married. I don't know that for sure. Neither of us can know. But I know this issue is important to us. And that makes it important to Daniel. What would he do if he didn't think that was the right course for us? Wouldn't it be…anything?" he's quiet as he gets back to the car and Micheal opens up the door, "Do you still want to go home? Watch some tv? Curl up to the history channel?"
"Wait, what?" She blinks, stops, backs up a few paces. "Passed dating, getting all exclusive - are you involved with other women, and - marriage? Everything I know about who you are now can be summed up in about a month, maybe two…and even if that's all true, shouldn't you be convincing him that it was right - which I don't even know yet if it is?"
Adam tilts his head at Zoe for a moment, thoughtful. He could lie. He could dance around the subject, but he's not feeling it right now, "Well, I go on dates." he says, "Nothing at the level of you and I. And even they are trailing off…the truth is, I think I want to be with you. But…Zoe, we haven't done much but a couple dates and some kissing. Are we really at that level where we say it's just you and me? Because…I thought that was the kind of thing people talk about." he pauses again, "You're not even sure you want to be with me."
"That's not fair." she says. "If I'm hesitant or resistant, it's not because of unwillingness on my part. Look at us. We have to sneak around, and you may or may not kill the man who raised me, and somehow you expect that to translate into I love you, I want to marry you? If you're as persona non grata with Daniel as you say, don't you think it would kill him?" Or is that the intent?
Adam shakes his head, "I'm not proposing. But…don't you feel like we might have something? Something that can lead that way?" he pauses, "I'm not persona non grata with Daniel. The question is.." what is the question. Is it about revenge anymore? It feels like he's used up his revenge. "To be honest, Zoe. I had no qualms about Daniel until I met you. I knew what I was going to do. But it's your love for him that's making me hesitate. That's making me find excuses for him no matter what.." he pauses, "The truth is, I don't know that I've got it in me to kill Daniel anymore, even if he is still helping the Company. Because somewhere along the line, you became as important as what I thought was my mission."
"Then don't kill him." she says plainly. "If it makes it easier for you to choose not to, then, she takes a breath. "Regardless of what he's done, would you give up the idea of killing him or hurting him for me? Because I asked you to?"
"Then don't kill him." she says plainly. "If it makes it easier for you to choose not to, then, she takes a breath. "Regardless of what he's done, would you give up the idea of killing him or hurting him for me? Because I asked you to?"
Adam considers the question and he's quiet. He considers the question because it's a serious question. He turns away, looking out the window and watching the passing buildings before he finally says, "Yes." it's quiet and it's simple, but it's there. "Yes, I would."
"Then I'm asking you not to." she says. "If for nothing else, then for me." Her heart's sort of in her throat, and pounding loud enough for her to hear it thud in her ears.
Adam continues to be quiet. He's somber and not quite sure what to make of his emotions. But finally, he turns to her. He watches her for some moments and briefly, he wonders if she realizes what position she's put herself into, the sole barrier between he and Daniel Linderman's death. Finally, he says, "Alright. Then I won't."
Zoe lets out the breath she hadn't realized she's been holding. "Thank you," she breathes, and abruptly her arms are around him, kissing his cheek, his mouth. "Thank you."
Adam kisses her back. His arms encircle her completely and he holds her close to him. But when the kisses die down, he lays his chin on the top of her head and just continues to get thoughtful, "I still have things to settle with Daniel, Zoe. Things I need him to make up to me maybe." he's quiet, "But, for you, I won't kill him."
"I'm sure it can be worked out." she says, turning her face up at him. "There might even be ways for you to work together." She sounds so pathetically hopeful.
Adam considers, "Maybe." he pauses, "Maybe he'll buy me a yacht." he says off-handedly. He looks at her, "I don't want you to get your hops up. There's no guarantee we'll be…friends. Or even on the same side of things. It could still be just as tense as it was before."
"Nobody dying is a good start." she tells him happily, and tilts her head toward the car.