Participants:
| Scene Title | Parental Motivation |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Cardinal hunts down Edward Ray's daughter and they have a mental chit chat about her dad and various scientists. |
| Date | March 07, 2010 |
Nestled in the heart of the main street marketplace, the Ichihara Bookstore is an old and crooked structure pressed between two newer high-rise tenement buildings. The old glass windows and creaking wooden door on the shop's front give it a rustic and old-world feel. Catering to both antique books and newer prints, the narrow aisles and tall shelves are packed full of literature. A single shelf for periodicals lies near the front counter, while signage both out front by the register and in the back of the store indicates that tarot card reading is done on-site at request for ten dollars per reading.
Behind the old and weathered wooden counter that contains the register and a small stack of reserved books, a narrow wooden staircase leads upwards to a black wooden door with peeling paint, revealing red paint in narrow strips beneath, a rope crossing in front of that door hangs with a small sign that reads, "Private".
The evening is settling in on Roosevelt Island, Kaylee's is working on closing up shop. Wearing nice clothes, since she needs to at least look presentable, mainly a nice pair of dark jeans, a white button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Surprisingly, she feels tired already, even though there is nothing stressful about working at Ichihara's Bookstore.
Standing at the counter, the young telepath works out some final paperwork while sipping at a cup of coffee grabbed from a local coffee shop. Hey! It's not just for breakfast, especially during all this cold weather, and even being inside, she still feels frozen.
There is a soft sigh as she takes a sip, feeling the warmth of it spreading through her adding it's heat to her body. A part of her would like to just go to bed, but it is way to early for it and she's a long ways from home. Instead she leans on the counter since like usual the shop is empty of people.
There intrudes upon her thoughts as she leans there on th counter an unfamiliar muttering of mental voices - more than one, although they all seem to have the same voice, as if they were somehow echoing in her psychic hearing. The same voice, but they aren't all the same.
Then one thought becomes more 'audible' to her - a mental shout that's likely meant for her to hear. KAYLEE RAY! CAN YOU HEAR ME?
Kind of lost in her thoughts, Kaylee hears the voices, glancing up expecting to see someone standing in the doorway, only to find nothing. Brows furrow and Kayle reaches out to touch the minds…. about the time she gets shouted at.
The telepath visibly jumps, coffee sloshing over her hand, making her hiss from the heat of the liquid. The mug is quickly transfered to her other hand, so she can wipe the one she for burned on her pants, while turning around in a circle.
Who? Her mental voice brushes out, a frown pulling her mouth down at the edges. And… how do you know… There is a soft sigh as she realizes…. "Cat." Not that she expected it to stay a secret, still a shock to hear that last name used.
The mind that she brushes isn't anyone visible, a strangely fragmented presence that lurks in the shadowy corners of the room. We've met before on several occasions… I would appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone else that I'm alive, however. At the moment, I'm assumed dead, and I'm hoping to keep it that way.
I'm Richard Cardinal.
Eyes narrow slightly and a bit of a smirk touches Kaylee's lips, Shadow man. It's not the first time she's called him that, she glances around the store, looking at shadows now. There isn't anyone I'm going to tell. So…. What can I do for you? The telepath straightens and moves out from behind the counter.
And I'm guessing the news gets around quickly. Ray maybe my father, but I'm still a Thatcher. There is a firmness to those tinny words, echoing in his mind, as fragmented as it is. He hasn't been in my life enough for me to be Kaylee Ray.
There's a reason this particular… news came around to me so swiftly, admits the shadowman, remaining unseen even as she speaks with that oddly echoing mind, I work for your father, you see.
That gives the woman reason to pause, stopping in her tracks, Kaylee glances at a shadow. You… work for Edward Ray? A brow arches, as eyes move to another shadowed corner. Does that mean he's alive? Cat only said he might, cause his body was never recovered.
Finally, they telepath moves to settle into a chair that customers can use, a tired sigh escaping her, feet to stretch out in front of her. At least here she won't look odd, just lost in her thoughts. A small smile touches her lips. Not sure why the fact I'm his daughter would be important, not like I have his ability. She muses thoughtfully.
We have reasons to believe that he may still be alive… but even if he was dead, it wouldn't have stopped him from giving us orders… A twist of wry, dark humor to Cardinal's thoughts, …he had everything set up. Mail sent to be delivered months after his death, safety deposit boxes we'd be led to at the proper time. Edward always thought of everything.
And if he thought of everything, Richard notes, That includes you, Kaylee.
There is a small short laugh in the back of her throat. What? He got my mother pregnant for a reason? There is a small shake of her head. If my repressed memory told me anything, he stayed out of my life for a reason. There is bitterness in her mental voice, the cup is lifted to sip at the coffee in it. He knew what I was going to be… a danger.
Everything he does, seems to have a reason.. Or I hope so. He let me think he died in Midtown. Left me wondering about him and left me wondering about my siblings. Her head moves so she can glance at the shadows, so weird not having something to look at.
I'm not his only offspring.
Did it ever occur to you that he left you out of his life to protect you, Kaylee…? If he'd calculated that you'd be in danger… or your mother would… he'd have done, said anything necessary to break away from you all. Edward Ray had the ability to calculate everything - anything - but nothing I've seen or heard suggests he ever used it to benefit himself, the unseen shadow replies, firmly, I just thought… you might like to know something about him. That's all.
Mm. Others? I didn't know that…
Yeah… I have two siblings. Though he never told me gender or anything, just that I had siblings. There is a deep sigh from the woman, her head tilting down, looking at her reflection in the open styrofoam cup. Day it exploded I was to meet him and he was going to tell me about them. Lips press tight into a thin line.
Cat told me how he worked with Phoenix. Small smile on her lips, look thoughtful. But.. you work for him? Kaylee sounds a touch amused. Taking what he predicts and either stop it or make it happen? Kind of an odd job.
Do you think I'm the only one? There's amusement in Cardinal's thoughts, You know several of my agents, Kaylee… they work for me… I work for Ray. The attack on Pinehearst was entirely organized by Edward… and not too long ago, he sent me along to save the world. We're in the business of murdering futures.
It's a strange job, I suppose. But it's a necessary one.
Her head shakes slowly in wonder. I think Cat mentioned that. It's where he supposedly went down. I was at Pinehearst, helping Adam steal Refrain. A smirk tugs up a corner of her mouth. Ironic we were in the same place. Brows drop a bit. So close.
Murdering futures? Sounds a bit beyond me.. but then.. your probably right, he wanted to keep me away from it all. Probably wouldn't be happy where I am now. Living in safehouses, working part time jobs. He gave me money for college, an inheritance when he supposedly died. She doesn't look to happy about that. Or.. someone mentioned that maybe he doesn't even know I'm still alive, but then.. where did the inheritance come from.
Fingers run through her hair, tugging a bit at a tangle her fingers find. She sits there for a moment and admits. I know a girl. She can find people. Helped me local one of the Ferry that had been taken by a Company agent. I'm thinking of having her locate Ray.
I would like to get his reasons for staying out of my life.
Molly Parkman… The thought trails off, the echoes louder, …why didn't I think of that? No, Matt would never let me use her. If she helped Kaylee, though… Cardinal drags his mind together more solidly, taking a moment, …if she could find him, that would be… very… helpful. There's other names, other people in the same place as him. People that we need to rescue or kill before something very bad happens.
You know her then? Kaylee glances up almost expecting to look at someone with surprise, only to see the empty air. She's — a friend of mine. Trusts me. Letting her eyes drop, her head tilts a bit. Give me the names. I'll see what I can do. A small smirk touches her lips. Least I can do for an employee of my father. There is a hint of humor in that.
Or I can at least try. So… you think he's being held somewhere? Or somewhere bad?
I know her father. We've worked together in the past, although we've had our difficulties as well… There's a pause from Cardinal as he gathers the names from his memory, …Edward Ray. Lewis Zimmerman. Dmitri Gregor. Doc Carpenter. The government has them - all of them - and the things they can do, their abilities and their knowledge… A thread of actual fear crawls through his thoughts, …it could be bad, Kaylee. Very.. very bad.
You never really struck me at the type to be easily scared There is no teasing in Kaylee's mental voice this time, she's serious. So I'll trust it's bad. There is a frown and she glance around, before she sighs heavily.
Figures.. I get people away from The Company and now my father back be in government hands. Leaning over, Kaylee sets her mug on a nearby shelf, good thing Corbin isn't around to see that. Peter will not be happy…. The thought comes unbidden. Not sure I can give him the normal life he wants… there is always something. Realizing she's thinking aloud.
Shit.
Sorry. Repeating the names to make sure she has them, Kaylee nods. I'll ask her if she'll look. She offered to look for Ray. So.. if these men are all together, we'll know where even if she doesn't want to find the others. Yes.. she said we it's her father in there.
These doctors… you don't know what they're capable of, Kaylee. It scares the hell out of me. If the government has their complete cooperation, or can force it, they could make Mengele's wildest dreams seem like a nursery school story… A pause from Cardinal, dark amusement stirring, …Peter? Petrelli?
Yes… Peter Petrelli. There is a flatness to her own tone at his amusement, even if she smirks. He wants a normal life. Never wants to hear about what I'm doing with the Ferrymen. Personally, I think I'm the worst person to to try to get that with. Nightmare battles, Company doctors, and various other things aside. And no telling me how bad his family is and all that. I know that. I met him when his eyes were blue. I pulled his mother from a coma induced by someone. And I've had dinner with her too. I'm fully aware of his family. She may not know all the secrets, but she knows enough. Don't need another lecture…. just in case.
So.. tell me. I know what my father does. So I can see why they keep him, but what about these others? Kaylee head tilts a bit, brows furrowing slightly in thought. If it's not too much to ask.
I'm not one to give anyone lectures about their love life, Kaylee… well, maybe Claire … A twist of amusement to Richard's thoughts even if he didn't mean to make those other thoughts heard, …I saved his life. Ray told me to, in a… roundabout way. So you can chalk your boyfriend's life up to your father's will. I wonder if that was why…
Gregor is an experimenter. He was peeling the flesh and organs out of a regenerator… grafting them to other people. Running breeding programs to eliminate the Evolved gene by incinerating any born with it. Other atrocities. Zimmerman invented the Formula that can activate the SLC in anyone. Carpenter can copy a man's mind from one body to another. Can you imagine what they could do together… guided by a man who could predict the results?
Kaylee's face falls into a neutral look as she listens to the shadow's thought, curious and fascinated by the collection of scientists. That — She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. That is scary. Teeth catch her lower lip, worrying it a bit. You could definitely do damage with that collection of people.
Since I learned who he is and what he can do… and what I saw in that memory… I wonder how much of what he's done has been for his children. There is a bit of a rueful smile that tugs a bit at her lips, she shifts in the chair, which makes it creak. They often say parents would move the stars for their children if they could.
He told my mom when I was six, he had to do what was best for me. The words are soft and thoughtful. He broke my mothers heart. I do hope it was for a good reason.
You'd be surprised… how much he probably did for you, Kaylee, Cardinal's mental voice is… almost gentle, He's done everything for me. And I don't even think he liked me very much. Admittedly, I know he'd kill me if he thought that it'd be better for the world and his plans - he's a complete and utter bastard, don't get me wrong - but I imagine if you look back… you'd be surprised where you'd find his hand.
So let's make sure we can ask him those questions someday soon.
I have every intention to ask those questions, Richard. Kaylee's head nods slowly. And I agree.. he is a bastard. She holds no illusions of anything when it comes to Ray, even if she saw tears in his eyes. Probably, slap him first time I see him. The telepath muses softly. Much like my mom did in the memory.
How do I get a hold of you once I talk to Molly?
Peter knows where to find me.
Remind him that he owes me… and I expect him to return the favor in kind. Both of us died that day… More distant, now, the shadow of Richard Cardinal moving away, …but only one of us came back alive. He needs to help make that right.
Alright, I'll tell him.. Take care Richard. Her tone sounds confused, but she doesn't comment on what he says. Only one came back alive? Keep in touch, obviously you know how find me. If you get more before I do, let me know.
Glancing around trying to find him, before he goes. It's my father… I want to one day be face to face with him. Let me help make sure that happens.
"Be safe.." Kaylee whispers to the shadows out loud, as she picks up her cup and stands from the chair, moving back behind the counter.