Participants:
| Scene Title | Not Technically Breaking Rules… |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | April and Reed haven't broken anything yet, but they have started conspiring… |
| Date | April 16, 2009 |
Situated on the banks of the Hudson River in the Red Hook neighborhood, Textile Factory 17 was once a part of a greater industrial complex in New York in the late 1800's. The building itself has that distinctive architectural look of an industrial revolution factory; constructed primarily from aged red brick, Textile Factory 17 however has one defining trait that sets it apart from the other factories in the area, an outer wall that surrounds the factory that closely resembles the bailey of a castle more so than an industrial complex.
The Factory complex is made up of seven distinct buildings, all having been abandoned since the company that owned the mill went bankrupt thirty-six years ago. The factory, warehouse, commons and shipping buildings all sit in derelict condition, having been cut off from the majority of New York's homeless due to the heavy gate that cordons off the facility from the nearby roads.
While it rests clearly in public view and is considered a historic landmark to the Red Hook neighborhood, time and circumstance has not allowed the factory to be refurbished for other purposes.
She's been good. Played by the rules. Don't break anything yet. April has always played by the rules; she's an agent. Or… was an agent. And not an agent in Bennet's mold; younger, with youth's ignorance, naivete, and certain immortality. But Edward's rules chafe. Even for her.
Textile Factory 17 exists, for them, in Edward's shadow, and it's hard to tell if the seemingly all-but-omniscient man truly does or doesn't perceive everything that happens within its walls. April walks through the dust-ridden, abandoned corridors, netbook held close against her chest. It's a small and cheap computer, but convenient; and the battery life is good. It'll serve her purpose.
She finds a room tucked away in a corner distant from Edward's chosen domicile, one equipped with a wobbly but still-standing table and a stool the woman can sit on. The computer is flipped open and a simple IM window opened; April types Reed into the 'recipient' field. Then the message follows.
Reed. Are you there?
Reed has been taking in the sites. Web sites that is as he has been traveling around when his digital signature is been triggered. Very few have access to him directly and as he reads the signature of who's looking for him, he's relieved that it's not that other psycho, but April. He's caused enough havoc for a lifetime, tampering with Pause magazine's latest issue, playing Robin Hood and developing a little crush on someone he gave money to. Pity that he hasn't heard from her. He jump to the transmission stream, and follows the path back towards her computer, sending a response ahead.
What's up? is the simple reply.
April looks down at the keyboard. She's been thinking about this for hours, but now the precise words have become elusive. I'm tired of waiting, she replies. Edward isn't letting us do anything, and if we're going to change what happens, we have to do it. There's a brief pause, and then she continues to type; a bit haltingly, as her computer skills are seven years rusty. But we need information first. And the expert on that is Reed.
He could have sworn he told them it would be boring waiting around, but no, they had to listen to Edward. He didn't wait around for Edward, deciding to strike out on his own, at least until something was decided. He has to admit, it hasn't been that boring for him. He considers saying I told you so but instead spits out:
Whatcha need?
That merits another moment of silence, as April runs through her mental list. It's gone through many, many revisions, and a triple-check verifies that it doesn't really need more.
Pinehearst in the present. Anything you can get on them. Public or not. Pause. I don't know what their security looks like. But even the public info is more than we've got now. Her lips press together in a thin line. See what you can find out about the Petrellis, Linderman, Bob Bishop, Sabra Dalton, and Roger Goodman in this time. And if you can track down anything on the Phoenix people.
Got it.
Reed considers for a moment whether or not to tell her about the other technopath. He's very vulnerable in here and he's only recently realized that. He decides he better come clean.
I should warn you. I've got a technopath on my ass. Not sure what the problem is, but I'm not immortal in here. I could be in trouble. If you don't hear from me at least once every 24 hours, you should probably assume that I've been disconnected.
At that, April scowls at the computer. She's quiet for a long moment, before the woman returns to picking out keys. It's not much, but I think I can shield a tower or something if you need to throw them off your trail. They'd basically be energy, right?
There's a long pause as Reed thinks of how to answer that question. Technically, they are energy, but so is he. He pipes in.
How would that affect me? Can you deflect them without deflecting me as well?
The thought hadn't occurred to him, but it is an idea.
I don't know. I don't know if it would work without a full bubble or — I've never tried blocking a technopath. But… April considers. If they're stuck on one side then you'd be on the other. Or — maybe just severing the trail is enough? If you jump into a computer and I shield it halfway, maybe you can duck somewhere else while they can't see? It's fairly spurious speculation — even if April's in the right place at the right time, she might not be fast enough… but hey, it's a thought.
I'm not sure the risk is worth it. If we're all together in a single location, then it would probably be for the best so we aren't located, but I think I have a good bead on their signature. I should be able to outrun them as long as I can sense their traps ahead of time. One moment…
Reed is quiet for a long moment, then some files start to begin to appear on the desktop of the computer. He has apparently already reached out and touched someone in order to get some of the information she requested.
At first glance this is what I can get you. I may have to actually try and locate Pinehearst and see what's inside. It's risky, but if you need the information, I'll go.
April shrugs, not that Reed can see the motion. She tried. Her lips press together; she'll keep thinking about it, since for the time being at least they're on the same side. I don't think it's that important right now, she types in reply. We just need enough to start planning. To one side of the IM window, she begins opening the newly-appeared files. No time like the present.
Take a look at all of that and let me know if there's anything missing, or anything you need that I haven't provided for you.
The information provided is on the surface easily Googled information, however dig a little deeper and she'll find bank accounts, work history, SSN, phone numbers, home addresses and other information that can be linked to social security numbers.
Thanks, April replies. And then she turns her attention to the trove of information, having forgotten for the moment her concerns regarding one Edward Ray.
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