Now Think Back

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kaylee2_icon.gif rue_icon.gif

Scene Title Now Think Back
Synopsis Kaylee finds fear and reluctance when she delves into the mind of Rue Lancaster.
Date December 13, 2011

Bannerman's Castle, Rue's Room


“Wait here, please.”

Kaylee offers her guard — a young kid not too far into adulthood — a small pained smile, eyes holding none of the humor she is feigning. The fact that she dislikes what she is doing, does not help. There were a lot of other things she would like to be doing, like manning the kitchen.

“You sure about this?” The young man says hesitantly, glancing at the door, brows furrowing with concern. “Council will have my hide, if I let you do too much.” Of course, he looks ready to rest and relax himself; shoulders slumped with the long day of trudging after the telepath. This wasn’t exactly a fun job, watching after the council's pet telepath.

“We’re so close. Just this last one and then we can turn in, promise.”

There is a sigh of annoyance, but he quickly relents and just waves her on. “Thank you,” Kaylee whispers, smiling past the headache behind her eyes.

Just one more.

Notebook tucked against her chest with one arm, her other hand reaches up and raps knuckles firmly on the door. “Rue?” She called out softly.  It doesn’t need saying that the telepath already knows she is in there; but, she doesn’t want to point that out to someone who is clearly avoiding her.

There’s a hiss of surprise muffled behind the door, and the sound of hurried movements. Things being shoved away under the bed, maybe? But only a few seconds elapse before the door opens to reveal the young woman Kaylee has come to see. She looks like she hasn’t slept much in days, with dark circles under bloodshot eyes. Her curly hair is a mess, like it hasn’t seen a comb in a week.

“Oh.” Rue is instantly apprehensive, but steps back to allow the telepath space. “Miss Thatcher.” Even though there’s only a few years between the two, Rue addresses Kaylee with the same respect she shows for the members of the council and those considerably older than her. The real adults in this mess of kids who’ve had to grow up so fast so quickly. “Come on in.”

“Kaylee, please.”

She might be involved closely with one of the council members, but the telepath doesn’t think of herself as deserving to be addressed so formally. “I haven’t seen you in the hall for a check.” There is a side glance to her guard, who returns her look with one that isn’t exactly happy, before she steps into the room. When she tries to close the door, the guards hand intervenes.

“Orders…” he says gruffly, then turns sheepish, “Sorry.”

Kaylee sighs and rolls her eyes, but only where Rue can see it. She might be a little temperamental with the exhaustion and strain. “Fine…. Fine,” she slaps the notebook against the young man’s chest to hold. The force of it, gets a started look; but, then he gingerly takes it. “As you know,” she says focus back on Rue, “I’ve been asked to scan the memories of everyone one on the island, looking at the night of the murder.”

Jensen Raith once told Rue Lancaster that she had a face for intelligence. Right now, it’s taking all her strength of will to keep her expression passive. But the worry rolls off her in waves, a static buzz at the forefront of her mind. “Right.” The presence of the guard makes it all worse, but he receives no more than a brief glance and tacit invitation to step into her room.

Rue sits down on her bed smoothly, nudges the chair next to the bed away from the wall with her foot so that it faces her. The sound of the wood scraping over the stone is unpleasant to her. “Is it going to hurt or anything?” she asks, the apprehension creeping into her tone. Blue eyes dart toward the guard once more before settling back on Kaylee and gesturing to the chair. Have a seat.

Crossing arms — or as best as he can with the notebook in one hand — the guard leans casually against the door jam of the room, not even paying attention to what the telepath is doing. He looks rather bored.

Kaylee moves into the room, brushing the fabric of her floor length skirt, before settling into the seat. Ankles hooked and tucked under the chair, she almost sits like a proper lady. Hands even folded and resting on her lap. “Not at all. Maybe a little pressure, but nothing that will hurt.” She offers the girl an encouraging smile. “I won’t be looking any further then the days around the murder.”

Fingers unclasp and brush at her skirt, “It doesn’t take very long.” At least, if they don’t resist.

There’s a nod of that ginger head. Rue pulls back her hair and secures it with a purple elastic that was previously snugly around her wrist, waiting to be used for its intended purpose. She’s shaky, but she manages a quick smile in return anyway. “Okay.”

Her stomach ties itself in painful knots. Why she’s afraid of this, she isn’t sure. But Eve’s premonition has Rue terrified of every shadow in every corner of the castle. The birds that fly overhead when she’s outside get eyed with concern. Absently, Rue pushes at a corner of untucked sheet on her bed, sliding it under the mattress, a sound of crumpling paper accompanying. She resists the urge to wince and just shuts her eyes for a moment. Bracing her hands on the edge of the bed, fingers curling and pushing nails into the cushion despite its protest and need to retain its shape, Rue nods one more time. “I’m ready.”

“Okay.”

Feet unhook, so that she can scoot out on the chair a little. Now closer the redhead, her hands come up and Rue can feel the gentle touch of the telepath’s fingertips. “Relax, Rue. I promise, I don’t bite, ” the blonde woman says with a touch of amusement, though the she is used to people with things to hide, watching someone she knows squirm… it gets her attention.

Physically connected, Kaylee allows her eyes to close so that she can concentrate on her work. The woman in front of her can feel the light pressure behind her eyes. «Now… think back.»

Rue tries to think. What would she have been doing when Amtullah was attacked? The memories sort of play in rewind as she traces her way backward. Her room, from the mess hall, from the courtyard, from the halls of the castle, from her room…

There’s so many scenes of sneaking through the hallways, trying to avoid being caught. She’s just practicing, but practicing for what?

Griffin catches her in the hall and startles her. They recognize each other, make introductions, and chat for a while. He shares a cigarette with her.

More silent creeping through hallways, a growing sense of satisfaction when she goes unnoticed. Then she spots Eve Mas out on the grounds. She makes her approach, and they talk about what she’s foreseen, how her ability works. Eve seems intrigued through the haze of the joint Rue has given to her in exchange for this conversation.

Panic starts to surge in Rue’s head as Eve beckons her to sit next to her on the ground. «No. Please. I don’t want to share this.» Rue’s face scrunches up very small as she tries to force Kaylee away from that particular memory.

She winds up thinking very hard about where she is now, and Kaylee sees from Rue’s perspective what happened when she knocked on the door. Startled, she folds up the picture she was looking at - which doesn’t look like anything when Kaylee tries to see it, because Rue doesn’t want her to see it - and it’s stashed under the mattress along with a boot knife.

«No!»

There is so much more information in the younger woman’s mind; more than she was asking for. The jumble of images making almost no sense at all; but before she could give it a good look, Rue’s mind slams shut on her. It is startling to have that happen to her; her whole body gives a little jump.
This was the first time that Kaylee was truly resisted, and she was sorely tempted to push back. However, she had been told not to risk herself. If anything was suspicious… note it, but don’t go pushing her way into their minds. It was too dangerous.

So almost reluctantly, fingers pull away from Rue’s head, a little quicker then she meant too. Remembering to breathe again suddenly, there is even a soft hitch of her breath. She could feel it then the strain on her mind. It was like pulling a muscle. It started a slow burn, but now it was like a firework display behind her eyes. It freakin’ hurt.

“Thank you, Rue,” Kaylee says softly, abruptly rising to her feet. “I got what I needed.” Stepping around the chair, she offers a smile that does not reach her eyes. “If there are any issues, the council will be in touch.” It is a speech she had given many times over the past couple of weeks.

Oh, no. What did she just do? Rue’s heart hammers in her throat and she watches Kaylee’s movements with wide, frightened eyes. “I— ” How can she even explain this? What she was about to see and why she didn’t want to share it?

Rue Lancaster believes someone is out to kill her, and for all she knows, the Ferry’s telepath could be that person. Her expression goes blank, numbness settles in the wake of fright and she stares ahead at the wall, nodding dumbly. “Okay.”

She doesn’t watch the telepath and her guard go, simply listens for the door.


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