Participants:
| Scene Title | Out of the Woodwork |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Isis marches (kinda) into Raytech to speak to Kaylee about an old "friend" and deliver some surprising news. |
| Date | February 11, 2019 |
A wash of natural light spills down from the windows overhead to illuminate the expanse of the Raytech building's lobby and its white flooring, assisted by softly luminous light strips that line the top and bottom edges of dark grey walls during the evening hours when the sun isn't up to provide it. The first thing visitors to the building see once they've come through doors of bulletproof glass is the front desk, with open space to either side of it and the vertical Raytech logo on the wall behind, backlit for a striking effect in red and white.
Along the walls of the lobby are framed newspaper stories about the company - announcements of the opening of their main factory in Detroit and of this very building in the New York Safe Zone, stories covering the technological breakthroughs and advances by the company's innovators, and mentions of the company's infrastructure restoration work in contract with the government. Tall potted plants are placed between the framed pictures, keeping the lobby from feeling overly sterile and unnatural.
Click-clack. Click-clack. Cli-sssshhht. “Shit,” Isis mutters and catches herself on the nearest passerby as one sharp heel slides with a hiss across the polished floor. “Ahem. Sorry-sorry.” She clears her throat and brushes the womans sleeve. She steadies herself and smooths a hand over her attire. Her long gray jacket is folded over her forearm, her silly cat-eared hat tucked away out of sight inside. She wears a fitted, ribbed turtleneck of daring emerald and ebon business slacks that touch the rounded toe of her short-heeled, ankle boots. The redhead’s curls are as tamed as they can be in the dry-bitter-winter weather, offering the occasional wink of gold earrings within, matching the nervous gold flecks in her hazel eyes.
Isis regains her composure somewhere halfway across the lobby and stops at the front desk, gently laying her unencumbered hand on the surface. “I’m here to see Kaylee, please.” She drums her fingers in one ripply twitch. “Jo-… Actually, could you tell her Isis wants a moment of her time? It’s about an old friend - Adam.” Will that be enough to get her obtrusive nosey body in the door?
There is a long an untrusting look from Sera at the front desk, eyes are narrowed as she picks up the phone and punches in the code to reach the telepath’s office. Or so she thinks… “Kay— Oh! Sorry, LouLouBear.” The receptionist pulls the phone away from her ear and there is the sound of someone shouting. “Fine. Sorry… Lou.” The name is drawn out and emphasized, before the phone is slammed down.
Sera offers Isis a look, pulling a spray bottle in closer, before picking up the phone again. This time she actually pays attention to where her fingers land. “Kaylee? Hey. Got someone here for you. Names… “ she looks at the woman in front of her and squints. “Isis and she said it’s about Adam.” There is a long moment, before the receptionist inquires with a confused, “Hello?”
About the time she sets down the phone, the door next to her opens to let out an older man, somewhere in his 50s, wearing a dark suit.
Clearly, this is not Kaylee.
“Isis?” He asks Sera, in a thick accent, pointing at the woman. Sera nods. “Good.” Turning his attention to Isis, he opens the door further, “Ma’am, come with me.” A lanyard is held out. “Babar Barazani, her bodyguard. But, they call me Bob around here.” A clear invitation that she may as well. “She asked me to come get you, while she finished something up.”
Loulou Bear. A chuckle, like medicine, cuts through the nervousness that has enwinted like an illness into every muscle of Isis’s being. She relaxes visibly and gives the receptionist a warming smile. As Sera relays the proper message, though, the name Adam on the other woman’s lips, doubt starts to set in and then- Oh crap! Did she overplay her hand? Is this guy going to cart her away into some basement? You’d think by now Isis would make a habit of telling someone, anyone, where she was going before she pulled a stunt like this buuuuuutt… Nope!
The redhead swallows past a knotting sensation in her throat as the gold fleck in her eyes seem more prominent in hazel irises. “Nice to meet you, Babar,” her honey alot tones are quiet under the weight of this massive industry and formality. She gives a little nod, though, and sets her paces to match the gentleman’s. “Bodyguard, hm? That’s an impressive occupation. I hope not too stressful keeping Miss- Mrs. Kaylee out of trouble.”
The last comment get a look, an amused look, as he guides her through the door into the building. Sera, now gripping the spray bottle watches them like a hawk, til the door shuts behind them. After a quiet moment, with only the sounds of their shoes on the tile floor, he gives a shrug of his shoulders and a lopsided grin, “Let’s just say it’s never a dull moment around here.” He presses the button for the elevator and follows her inside.
There are only two floors, so it’s a good guess where they are going, as he pushes the button. “Pays pretty good, too.” It has to be for what he does.
“You’re lucky the Chief isn’t here today,” Bob offers as the elevator rises, hands folded behind his back watching the numbers change. “Adam is… well, it’s not a name you’d want to toss around lightly, yeah?” His eyes finally drop to her again, a brow arching. She can almost feel him scrutinizing her.
Lucky for her, the elevator opens to a familiar face, “That’s enough, Bob.” He straightens a bit and gives a bit of a bow of his head. Kaylee has done a lot of growing up since the last time Isis saw her. The smile is still her’s, bright and friendly. Though something seem a bit off. Wearing a deep red power suit, with black accents and heels, she is all executive today. “Isis,” she greets warmly. “I almost didn’t remember, it’s been absolutely too long.” She motions the woman to follow, the other hand directing her to pair of doors.
Isis's smile warms to Bob's friendly demeanor. "Dull moments make dull people, Bob," the redhead replies canting her head to the side. "You don't strike me as dull." The left side of her lips twitch up in a playful way and then her hazel eyes turn quickly back to the doors as she's being weighed and measured by Bob's heavy gaze. It's with this awkwardly deadpan expression and a half-thought explanation ready at the lips, that Kaylee finds the redhead when the lift doors pull open. «Oh Gods, fresh air! Was the air getting heavy in here or what?»
"Woah." «Shit, was that the outside voice?» Isis's golden-flecked gaze flits over Kaylee from head to toe and back again. In contrast to the power-dressed, body-guarded, heel-mastered woman in front of her, Isis has grown up in very different ways - a lot of inward reflection. And so, for her part, she looks like only a slightly older version of the Isis whom Kaylee new previously, attempting now to appear grown-up in her business casual attire that has been at the bottom of a suitcase for a little too long. But, it doesn't stop her from falling ever so slightly into old habits around the blonde. "Ouch. I'm almost hurt," she quips back. "Nice to see you're doing well, Kaylee." She heads for the indicated door with a quick glance back at Babar.
There is a bit of a sheepish look cast Isis’ way, “Sorry. It’s been a hectic seven years… especially hectic few months too.” Kaylee brightens a bit, “But hey… I did remember.” Not that it is very reassuring. Stepping inside the office, she let’s Isis pass before holding up a hand to stop her bodyguard.
For which she gets a flat look from the man. “Really?”
“Really, I’m sure we will be just fine without you looming,” Kaylee comments blandly, grabbing the door and pulling further closes. Clearly chafing a little under his protection. Somethings never change, just the people that want to protect her.
The look on Bob’s face gets flatter and then he lets out a heavy sigh, eyes rolled heavenward. “Fine. Fine… I’ll be out here.” He moves to stand by the door, lips pressed into a tight line… the last sight of him at the door shuts and Kaylee lets out a sigh and seems to relax more.
“Sorry, considering the…” There is a hitch there and small shake of Kaylee’s head, “… name you mentioned, I’d rather not have him hovering and reporting to my Security Chief. I hired our security chief to be protective, but… he’s currently supposed to be resting and recovering right now.” So at that moment she was protecting him, though she’ll probably still hear about it.
A brow is arched in Kaylee's direction at the sheepsih expression, warming subtly to an easier smile on peach-pale lips. Hazel eyes take in the exchange between the grown-up Kaylee and her bodyguard before turning to consider the office surroundings.
"No need to apologize," the redhead replies. "I knew the name would get your attention, but I didn't realize…" She's been out of the game, hidden away in her little cabin so long. That's why she's here. The gold flecks are slowly fading in her eyes, swallowed up by a prismatic hazel-green. "I'm sorry, I don't want to had to whatever hectic mess you've got going on, and I'm sure you're a busy woman now." A small, bare hand gestures towards the office. "But, I need some information- some answers. I saw…" «A spirit.> "Someone. Something. She mentioned you and… He Who Must Not Be Named."
“It’s alright,” Kaylee reassures her, motioning from for woman to sit in one of the antique chair in front of a wood hand carved desk. In fact, her whole office felt like stepping back to an earlier time. The telepath herself steps around the desk to have a seat. Though the descent pauses briefly at Isis’ reason for being there and maybe that little thought that passed through her mental defenses. Surprise flicking over her features at all of it.
“You don’t know who it was?” Kaylee looks openly curious, as she fully sits, about who it might be that is talking about her. “The fact that she mentioned both me… and him.” There is a brief pause and she might even look a bit ill. “That is especially concerning.”
Isis takes a seat and take the moment that she combs her long fingers through her hair to shift uncertainly on the fancy seat. She crosses her legs at the ankles and tucks them under the chair, perched on the edge as if about to jump up any moment. Other than her precarious sitting arrangement, her outward composure is slowly collecting into a more relaxed facade. So far, so good.
Red curls bob with the shake of her head. "No. She didn't give me her name. I went to see the Lighthouse, or what's left of it. She was just… there. She referred to Brian as BriGuy." She pauses here, hoping that this might ring a bell. Then she tips her head and seems to consider diving in and giving all the details so quickly. With that her talk changes direction. "I want to know what you know about Adam. Everything. And, I want to help this woman."
“BriGuy?” Kaylee gives Isis an odd look, brows furrowing in mix of confusion and vague familiarity. “Huh…” she finally says.
Though the next moment, the telepath’s brows lift in the other direction. “I don’t know a whole lot about him… only that I worked for him when I was young. That he,” and her, “ are the reason Refrain is on the streets.” Taking a deep breath and lets it out slowly, hand moving to press against her stomach, as it twists painfully at the subject matter. “I also know he’s gathering an army to dominate those not like us.” Her nose wrinkles a bit at that.
“Ad” Kaylee stumbles over the name, eyes closing and a the back of her hand lightly pressing against her mouth. Does she look pale? When she continues her voice is strained, “He is up to something and there are many of us working to try to stop him from destroying the world,”
Isis’s scowls thoughtfully. “Why Refrain? And now, ‘dominating’ those without abilities?” Her nose twitches. Yes, it still does that when she’s thinking, but Kaylee’s clearly physical reaction has her leaning forward. “Are you alright? Do you need water or something?” Isis turns to consider the closed doorway behind them, as if she could look through the solid barrier to Bob-o waiting on the other side.
Assuming everything is sorted that Kaylee is well enough to proceed, Isis’s curiosity presses her onward. “The woman said she was destroyed by… an Entity. A Goddess with golden eyes. Something she referred to as the Mother and Father of us.” Here she makes a gesture between Kaylee and herself. “Kaylee…. She friggin’ exploded. One minute she was standing there, telling me that Adam and the Entity were connected. Then…” Isis holds up her two fists in front of her and slowly unfurls her fingers in a blooming gesture. “Poof,” she says quietly, a hushed opposite of the chaotic display that she witnessed, as if she has trouble truly grasping just what she saw. “A red, swirling cloud of spark and energy…” She shakes her head, and now the story is spilling from her. She can’t stop. “She said she heard the Entity - in a river? She started prying, I think? And then it destroyed her.” She fixes hazel eyes on Kaylee and then suddenly drops her head, rubbing the backs of her eyelids with thumb and forefinger. “I’m not crazy,” she comments into the cusp of her hand.
“Long story,” Kaylee comments blandly looking very pale. “I’ll be fine.” She really won’t, but trying to explain what was wrong was awkward.
However, no matter what is going on with herself, what Isis says next… Well it has Kaylee suddenly on her feet. “What?!” Disbelief and shock hits the telepath like a punch to the gut. Hands move to cover her mouth, “Oh thank god she’s alive.” She drops again into her chair with relief. “Eve. I think you are talking about Eve, she’s a good friend and we thought —” Kaylee stops herself and shakes her head. “We thought she was dead.”
The idea that she was a red cloud was a bit disturbing, that means something happened. The telepath turns thoughtful. “You said she was on Staten?”
The redheads hand falls away, vibrant gaze finding Kaylee anew. Isis shifts back in her chair, not unlike a skittish house cat, when the business woman lurches to her feet. A breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding is expelled when the blond sits once more. “Eve,” the name is spoke with bit of reverence and then… laughter. “Adam and Eve. Okay. Maybe I am going crazy.” A look of skepticism is cast about the room. The redhead even reaches out to touch the arm of the chair and then the edge of Kaylee’s desk. The tangibility of the world around her doesn’t seem to give the fiery haired female any peace of mind, though. She slowly laces her fingers on either hand together and sets them in her lap, stranded momentarily in a purgatory of uncertainty.
Belatedly, she nods to the last inquiry. “Yes, but… Kaylee.” She looks up and her eyes are nearly gold, realizing her error and horrified for it. “You can’t tell anyone. Not a soul.” She pushes to her feet, leaning in on the desk and turning her hands out so that she can grip the edge of the polished, hand-carved wood with white knuckles. “I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone.” «Why the fuck did I choose you?» “She said this Entity is still after her. It’s hunting her. If it somehow catches the slightest sniff she’s still out there… Kaylee, please…” Her tone makes it clear - she’ll get down on her knees and beg properly if she must. “Not a soul.” She turns her face away finally and considers the room, this time not for the tangible but the intangible - could It hear them now?
Hands come up to try and placate the woman, “Isis it is okay.” Kaylee’s voice calm compared to the woman across from her. “Eve is a long time friend. I have no designs on hurting her. If something is wrong I want to help her too.” Noticing how the redhead is looking around her, there is a twinge of concern.
“I know what you are talking about and you are not crazy. I can assure you of that.” Kaylee tries to relax, settling back into the seat. There is caution in her tone as she continues. “But the more you talk about it, you risk drawing its attention. Speaking to anyone about it, spreads the influence of the Entity.” The telepath sounds like she might have experience with that.
Closing her eyes and pitching the bridge of her nose, this might be as a result of the next thing Kaylee says. “If you need Adam information. I can send my brother, Richard a message. Sera can set up an appointment with him.” There is a bit of a smirk mentioning her brother. “He’s a bit of an information hog, my brother. I imagine he has files on the guy.” In fact, she knows he does.
Isis pries her nervous gaze from the room. She bites her lower lip hard enough to turn the pale skin white and gives a singular nod. “I’m glad you want to help her, too,” she comments. It’s her turn to hold her stomach now. “I made a promise, though, and I broke it. Not a soul, Kaylee. I mean it. Help her other ways. Let me help you to help her, but…” Does it need repeating? The churning pit of failure in Isis’s stomach says it does. “Not a soul,” barely a whisper.
The redhead takes a deep breath as Kaylee presses on behind the pinched gesture and clear discomfort. “A file? Yes, please. Anything you can do is much appreciated…” Isis tips her head then, considering the blonde while the other woman still has her eyes closed. After a quick twitch of her nose and a moment’s hesitation, Isis moves to round the desk. A hand barely lifts from her side, but thinks the better of it with this one. She doesn’t invade Kaylee’s bubble, either, but lowers her voice and head to make sure her sincerity is not missed. “Kaylee? I’m sorry. I can see your upset and…” She shakes her head. Clearly the woman is more than upset. “We’ll make things right. I told Dio once that I’d make a difference. I can’t let me him prove me wrong.” She tries on an encouraging smile. “Now, I’m going to go get Bob. You look like shit.”
There is a huff of amusement, “Now there is another name I haven’t thought of in some time,” Kaylee looks at Isis, with that look people get when they are feeling nostalgic. “I left so much behind when I ran from Adam to save myself. Couldn’t contact a lot of people from my past that worked with him…” She trails off, looking down at the desktop in front of her.
“For now,” Kaylee says suddenly. It might take a moment to realize she is talking about Eve. It is all Kaylee can promise about not telling anyone. “But she has a lot of people that love her and think she’s dead. People with the resources to potentially help her. That isn’t something I can keep quiet forever.” At least she’s honest.
“And let’s not tell Bob,” Kaylee adds blandly, a look cast at the door, “Cause he’ll text Luther and then I’ll get a phone call…” She chuckles a bit at the thought, weak as it is, against the backdrop of the nausea that is welling up at the continued Adam discussion. “I’ll be fine.”
Hazel eyes narrow in Kaylee’s direction. “That’s the best I’m going to get, I can see,” she says when she realizes the conversation has turned back to the Scarlet Spirit. “The longer the better, or at least until you go for see for yourself.” She taps her fingers on the desk, suddenly uncomfortable herself with the proximity she’s taken to the other woman, and slips back around to the other side of the desk.
“Alright, alright. No Bob.” She says with a lighter chuckle and motions towards the seat. “Should I stay? Till you’re better? We can talk about something else, anything you want.” She shrugs casually, standing there with one hand resting on the back of the antique chair. “Or would you rather…” Isis makes a gesture of her thumb over her shoulder.
For a long moment Kaylee looks torn; but, a shudder goes through her and she presses a fist to her mouth, breathing slowly through her nose. “I think I’ll probably be going home from here.” It is a reluctant confession. “I just want to lay down.” It always took time for her body to readjust after an episode.
Scooting forward on her chair, a slip of paper is dug out of her desk and a pen. Kaylee takes a moment to jot down a number and then offers the paper over to the red head, “But, I also don’t want this to be the last time we speak to each other. People from my past have been just… crawling out of the woodworks and it’s been interesting.”