Participants:
| Scene Title | Renewing Contracts |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Contracts are renewed and a scene at central park is revisited in the hopes of providing answers. |
| Date | July 11, 2010 |
Federal Plaza - Audrey's Office
More and more, Audrey was relying on Rebecca Nakano it seemed. If there was ever to be one good thing that came from the exposure of the evolved it was that there were some out there with very useful abilities that were helping to solve unsolveable cases. Maybe some day even they would be upheld in court.
For now, Rebecca's ability just gave them a chance to know what happened at scenes where there were no camera's to help them out. Would some day, A telepath's flicking through of a mind and seeing a crime that was committed be admissible in court? Matthew Parkman's ability way back when, when she had trusted him and in the end, had pushed him away because no one could do what he did, that it was crazy to believe him. And yet now… Parkman had climbed the home sec ladder and his ability had been his asset.
At the rate that squads like frontline were being implemented, and the abilities therein, it wouldn't be a surprise anymore if riot squads had evolved's who could make force fields or abilities to pacify people. Or Rebecca Nakano's who could break open cases wide open.
If only there was an evolved out there who could pin down the Gray family and keep them pinned.
Audrey's office, way way up, buried in a hallway on some marked floor, is a four wall affair, a frosted window with her name on a shiny plate beside the door. She's high enough to warrant her own office and not a cubicle. Her cubicle days were long gone. These days though, it was littered with folder, in box tray higher than the out box. Her walls much like at her home, one dedicated to Samson Gray and the other to Gabriel Gray.
They seemed to be her two cases. Victims marked on both, pictures of crime scenes. Red strings going to each and a map pinned to the wall, red push pins marking where Samson's victims have been. Or attempted victims. Rebecca had been invited up, the purpose of going to central park after this visit.
Audrey was sitting at her desk, flicking a pen back and forth, notations made on legal yellow pad, some words circled, others not. Folders askew here and there, the remains of her lunch, fork poking up out of some unsatisfactory coleslaw, a can of coke emptied. "Yes" A pause. "No. No, the June tenth affairs. I think they might have some bearing on one of the cases I'm pursuing. I want a sketch artist sent up too. Someone who won't mind going out in the field, i have a few jobs for them" Nakano is due anytime. "Give me about twenty minutes and send them out to the parking lot, we'll meet her there" Presumably not Nakano.
This isn't the first time that Rebecca Nakano has been in this building. Several times, even as part of the NYPD and then a couple of times after. She's never been to Agent Hanson's office. She gets directed from the front desk and she takes the elevator up and getting off, she looks both ways before determining the direction the numbering of the offices take and she moves down. She glances at the numbers and finds the door. She's been utilized by Agent Hanson before and so this is nothing new. The new contract for her payment has been sent over with a new agreement, stating that all records would be properly of Redbird and that she no longer works solely alone.
Now that they've incorporated, Rebecca has been tying up loose ends and looking for a new place to stay, while still shacking up at her old building while the new building is being prepped. All that being said, Rebecca finds Hanson's office and knocks on the door, just a few minutes before their meeting time.
"I have to go, Post-cog is here" She covers the receiver, calling out for Rebecca to come in, before returning to the conversation on the phone. "IF everything goes well, we should be able to proceed, if not, I'll call and let you know" It might be a day or two, likely. If things couldn't be agreed to today.
The phone hung up, a conversation much more pleasant than it normally is, especially when it comes to things. "Ms. Nakano. I got your new contract. Please, come in, have a seat" Not so pinch faced today, a folder is plucked from her in file. "I see that you have aligned your business interests with a newly formed company called…. Redbird?"
Rebecca slides into the chair in front of the desk and then the question comes. Audrey's more chipper mood helps, as the last time they got together, she wasn't all that impressed with her demeanor, but now that the question is out, she's prepared to answer. "That's correct. My own business was not.. making as much profit as I needed to continue to operation, so I'm merging my business into others. It was purely a business survival tactic, otherwise, I was heading for bankruptcy."
"Is there an issue with the new contract? It's practically the same as the other, just now I have business partners to account to." Rebecca doesn't see why this would cause any problems, as she's providing the same services as before.
"You're business partner is… A wet behind the ears socialite who lives off a trust fund and been out of the view of the public lately, and an ex-con" There's a wrinkle of her nose. Sure, private security or investigation firms tend to hire or are created by the latter. WHo better than them. Or they're retired law enforcement.
"Your skills are unique and we have yet to know of another who will willingly use them. I really don't have much of a choice but to sign the contract. I'll need phone numbers and addresses of where to contact your co-workers, since this is no longer just you that we're hiring, but the firm that you are employed and a part of. If you could leave that on your way out" Which wasn't going to be right now
"I'd appreciate that. I need to get them to sign non-disclosure agreements that forbid them from discussing this case with any others outside of the three of you as listed in your contract. You'll have to re-sign one again. Previous instances of hiring you will of course, remain under those previous contracts and you are forbidden from speaking of them with your new co-workers"
Another folder picked up and papers taken from it so that she can turn it around and slide it towards Rebecca. "You of course are well familiar with this, you know the consequences of breaking this agreement, right?"
Rebecca's memory is practically flawless. Some would even call it photographic in nature, but she just has a knack for remembering details. She skims the document and and nods. "It's the same as before. I see nothing here that concerns me." She scrawls her signature to the bottom and pushes it back. "Those I work with have unique skills as well that will benefit the group as a whole. You are, of course, more than welcome to track someone else down with my sets of skills if you think that would suit your needs better, but until then as long as it doesn't conflict with anything we're working on, I'm more than happy to assist."
Rebecca's sore. Stiff. Still hurting from her three days of hand to hand combat and two days at the range. Shoulders, wrists, thighs and her butt have taken a beating, whether it's from being tossed to the ground or trying to get a handle on the kick of a pistol, she's feeling a good deal of discomfort. She's not going to let it interfere with a job. "What do you have for me?"
Papers signed, she puts pen to paper as well, sliding it over for Rebecca to sign as well, lifting up the phone to call someone to run off copies of it all. "Same individual as before" A gesture to Samson Gray over her shoulder. "I presume that your compatriots won't have issues signing non-disclosures as well. There was an incident in Central Park, ash residue that is identical to other crime scenes involving him was found nearby. But we're hitting a brick wall concerning what went down due to the nature of evolved abilities that were involved. I need you to accompany myself and view the scene, relay what happened, possibly sit down with a sketch artist at the site so that we can get images of the individuals involved that we have been unable to identify"
"I don't see that they'll have a problem. It's a standard business practice. And they understand how this all works." As the case is gone over, Rebecca nods as Audrey finishes and she stands up, though a bit slowly due to her stiffness from this weeks workouts. "Pretty standard stuff, really." Sometimes she's job can be tedious, boring. Watch and narrate, describe for a sketch. All the same. It's what she does, so she does it well. "I'm ready when you are." She flashes a smile over towards Audrey.
T's crossed, I's dotted, there's a nod as she gestures to the door. "If you'll wait, we'll get copies of everything, you can leave phone numbers, address's to which to reach your partners" But they're ready to go regardless and once all of that is done, the sketch artists meets up with them, Audrey's guiding everyone off to the ubiquitous black SUV so that they can go out into the baking heat of New York and see what they can dig up.
Central Park has been, and remains, a key attraction in New York City, both for tourists and local residents. Though slightly smaller, approximately 100 acres at its southern end scarred by and still recovering from the explosion, the vast northern regions of the park remain intact.
An array of paths and tracks wind their way through stands of trees and swathes of grass, frequented by joggers, bikers, dog-walkers, and horsemen alike. Flowerbeds, tended gardens, and sheltered conservatories provide a wide array of colorful plants; the sheer size of the park, along with a designated wildlife sanctuary add a wide variety of fauna to the park's visitor list. Several ponds and lakes, as well as the massive Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, break up the expanses of green and growing things. There are roads, for those who prefer to drive through; numerous playgrounds for children dot the landscape.
Many are the people who come to the Park - painters, birdwatchers, musicians, and rock climbers. Others come for the shows; the New York Shakespeare Festival at the Delacorte Theater, the annual outdoor concert of the New York Philharmonic on the Great Lawn, the summer performances of the Metropolitan Opera, and many other smaller performing groups besides. They come to ice-skate on the rink, to ride on the Central Park Carousel, to view the many, many statues scattered about the park.
Some of the southern end of the park remains buried beneath rubble. Some of it still looks worn and torn, struggling to come back from the edge of destruction despite everything the crews of landscapers can do. The Wollman Rink has not been rebuilt; the Central Park Wildlife Center remains very much a work in progress, but is not wholly a loss. Someday, this portion of Central Park just might be restored fully to its prior state.
Rebecca uses mass transit, so the ride is a welcome gesture, plus, they'd be waiting on her most of the day. As they go, there's not much discussion, except for the occasional, 'what am I in for' type of conversation. She remembers the last one well, and if that is any indicator of what she's to expect, she's already getting chills. All she can do is wait for them to arrive.
It's forty five minutes later, taking in the Sunday traffic of families out enjoying the sun, baking in the sun and otherwise enjoying it. Most have forgotten that near a fountain in the park, not long ago, there was a grisly murder. Blood long since washed away, evidence collected, and not a trace besides the fire and explosion damage that marr's the concrete and statuary.
These three people do, the sketch artist toting along a pad and an array of pencils needed, dressed for the heat. Audrey dressed for the office and the only concession to the heat is the lack of a jacket that was left in the vehicle pinstripe blouse, pencil skirt and heels that clicks on the pavement, her badge in sight when they approach ground zero to the late night incident.
The particulars had been reeled off, the suspected time that it had all occurred and that it was at night. So hope for perfect visibility would be a hard thing, but to do the best that she can.
These are the times when Rebecca wishes she could find a more convenient way to view these flashbacks. Why couldn't she get the ability to just be in the scene rather than have to carry around a mirror. She listens to the data and nods, understanding. All she needs it a close enough time that she can get in the promixity and maneuver around through them at that point.
She's not sure what happened here, and no one seems to have any idea, so she'll just play it by ear as she will focus on the fountain for now. As she scrolls back in time, she finally sees the woman and begins to watch as all hell seems to break look. There is blood there is flight, there is plenty of chaos and bloodshed and when it's all said and done, there's an elderly man walking onto the scene. And then, he's gone, along with the girl.
Rebecca is narrating as best she can what she's seeing and when she's done, she drops the mirror, breaking contact with the vision and her eyes find Audrey.
Old man, that would be samson. The same person that Rebecca had seen before. A young woman, approached by two men, then what unfolded from there. Samson… rescued/ someone? Who the hell did he rescue? He knows the why possibly. Likely the woman was evolved, plenty of evolved abilities. That he was over by the one are and the accumulated soot meant that he had been waiting. Possible he had been following the woman?
"Steven, take Rebecca's description, Rebecca, go back and look at her if you need to. I want a picture of who this woman was, and if you can, the others. We already know who the one person is"
Rebecca doesn't need to go back. She never does. She dictates as the artist sketches. She doesn't need to go back because she recognizes the woman in vision as the same women from the vision that Elisabeth had her look at. She follows with pictures of the other and when she's done, she nods with approval at the images. They're as accurate as she can verbally describe them.
Rebecca begins to put away her mirror and pack up, since she's finished with the vision. She should get a jog in, but.. God, can't even imagine running right now. She runs her hand through her hair, pushing it out of her eyes as she looks over to Audrey, "Anything else I can do for you?"
"Shit"
Rebecca recognizes the same person that Audrey does. Eileen Spurling. The birds make sense now, they're her ability to talk with, stands to reason she can control them or ask them to help. Sending them all to their death. Steven hands over the other sketches, faces she doesn't recognize but she'll start running them through databases and see what she can pull out.
Spurling though. "No, You're good, Tell your co-workers, anyone in the firm who will have access to this information to set up a time and come in and sign contracts as well of confidentiality. This is discussed with no one until they sign, are we clear Nakano? They have to sign, I will not have my ass raked across the coals. My office is at their disposal, and my phone as well, you know how to get a hold of me. Steven will get a cab for you" The government will pick up that tab as well, Audrey has APB's and the likes to put out. THe missing Spurling has surfaced, only to be kidnapped again.
"You needn't worry. We are professionals and you can trust that we keep our word." Rebecca smiles to Audrey and gives her a faux salute as she turns to flag down a taxi, and as it rolls to the side, she turns back, giving a grin. "I'll be sending you the bill, Agent Hanson." She climbs into the cab and it begins to take off. Rebecca is now starting to wonder how this all ties together.