Participants:
| Scene Title | Riots, Thefts And Blow Jobs |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Liz and Chris talk to Brennan about the theft of the vaccine. Afterwards, the cops have a chat about another theft and have a heart to heart chat. |
| Date | November 20, 2009 |
There's information on who took the vaccines, a possible lead that has been filtered down to Liz and Nash about who might have pilfered off with the Vaccines. It's taken a few days though to get around to it not because it takes the cops forever. No. In this case it's because two of the witnesses were going through the aftermath of what happened that day on the steps of the hospital.
A borrowed office from a physician who is a friend at the hospital provides a quiet place for the two detectives and Dr. Brennan, Harve. The other Dr. Brennan is asleep somewhere else in the hospital under the influence of drugs and recovering from the loss of their unborn thanks to the panic and stampede that Raphael incited for his own twisted purposes. Harve's only influence is the painkillers for his shoulder, arm caught up in a sling from his evolved influenced trip down the cement steps of St. Johns.
"Sorry that we didn't get with you sooner, I didn't realize what was off until Lisa came by to give her sympathy's and I asked her something. I uh" His good hand comes up to rub at the back of his neck, seated on the edge of the desk, looking to the two NYPD officers. "I may have the names of the people who took the vaccines"
"You didn't realize what was off," Elisabeth Harrison says, pulling out her notebook to take his information. "You mean, you didn't realize the vaccines were missing? Go ahead and give us the names, and then back up a bit and tell us why you think so."
Nash was a little slow coming into the office as he had to stop and check out a female walking by. But, Liz should be proud. He didn't stop to chat her up or even get her number. He holds his hand out for the list that he'll scrub as Liz talks with the Doc.
"No, no, I knew they were missing, just -" Brennan cuts himself off, lips pressed together as he tries to organize his words. Before the riot, the panic, two individuals approached the table, said they were volunteers sent to take Vaccine to a second tent that was being set up around the corner." Brennan reaches up, forefinger scrubbing against the side of his nose. "Her name is Kaylee. I've met her once at the Suresh Center" A description of the telepath is rattled off. "She called the other man, heavyset, really unique eyes, Jason. They didn't get the Vaccines because they didn't have badges and there's rules and way that things go, it's government money, everything has to be accounted for. She apologized, said that they hadn't been issued them, that Lisa forgot"
Brennan's good arm comes down on the sling, crossed arms. "Lisa doesn't recall them, never authorized a second tent and had never seen those two in their life when I asked her about it this morning"
Dutifully writing down the names Kaylee and Jason, Elisabeth says, "And Lisa is…? And I'll need a full description. Perhaps you can sit down with a sketch artist and we'll be able to come up with something. Anything else you can think to add?"
"Supervisor, in charge of the tent and the supplies, security, everything. I can sit with an artist, and possibly, the Suresh Center might have footage of her at the memorial. Kaylee that is. Detectives. They wanted the Vaccines and had nothing to actually do with the initiative. A riot breaks out after they've been denied access to them because they don't have credentials and all hell breaks loose. Vaccines go missing. Even I can connect the dots to this. I don't know what they wanted them for, I can't imagine why they would need that much. But if you want to find who took them, I'd suggest starting to look there."
The exchange between Kaylee, Doyle and Brennan is recounted to the best of his memory for Liz to take down till Brennan rises from the desk, unhappy look on his face. "And I saw that Commissioner Lau has offered ten grand for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the people who took the Vaccine, i'd like to bump that up. Increase the reward to forty grand. We lost our child, a young woman lost her life and countless others were hurt. These people did something wrong. Very wrong. If they needed Vaccines, all they would have had to do was ask. But they didn't and there are consequences to their actions"
Elisabeth holds up her hand. She's taken every bit of information he can give her, definitely, but she says, "We're not in the business of handing out rewards, Dr. Brennan. If you want to add to the reward from your personal savings, that's between you and the Commissioner. But bear in mind that the bigger the reward offered, the more cranks come out of the woodwork to try to collect." She studies the man and says quietly, "I'm sorry for what happened to your wife." She's no fool — she did a bit of homework on the situation before coming, including noting the list of injured and what their injuries were. "We'll do whatever we can, you can count on that."
Liz is asking the questions, if he has anything to add he will. It's only when Brennan says that he's no idea why they would steal the vaccines that Nash, after a moment, pipes in. "Well, I would imagine those vaccines would go for a pretty penny on the black market to those who are not registered." Unfortunately, Nash hasn't been around enough to cultivate any stooges that he can go to, but he'll talk to Harrison about it later.
"They'd go for a great deal more oversea's or in South America" It clues in after Nash has spoken up, a nod of his head to him. It's liz though that he's frowning at after she's spoken. "I think Detective Harrison that I've had a lot of time to bear in mind the consequence of my would be actions. Yes, it might mean more folks coming forward with false information, but that's what you're job, and the others who get tax payers money and work the streets and the phones are there to do."
"It could also bring forth someone who might be willing to help the law do right by that teenager who's parents's are enduring grief about because the money went up enough to tempt them to do what's right. I'd think that your co-workers would understand, and I'm sure your Commissioner will understand as well. Forty grand is nothing compared to the cost of that young woman's life"
But then, he's realizing just how terse and likely rude that he's coming off as and Brennan rubs at his face. "Sorry. I'm very sorry, I'm shooting the messenger. Misdirecting my anger. It's rude of me"
Elisabeth shakes her head. "It's okay. I'm just reminding you that sometimes, Dr. Brennan, that the fewer crank calls we have to field, the more chance that we'll actually get a real tip to follow up on. That girl's life was priceless. Justice is all her parents can hope for," she says sympathetically. "The names and the descriptions you've given could be just the break we needed. Thank you for coming forward."
Nash glances at the Doctor as he waits until Liz has finished speaking. "Doc, those vaccines were not taken for hostage. If they were, we would have heard something. I honestly don't think that a reward at this juncture is going to be all that helpful. That being said," he holds up the paper, "it seems that we have our leads right here. If these people were in line waiting for the vaccine, then this is where we need to start." He starts for the door, turning back for only a moment to add, "We'll do everything we can to find who's behind this."
"Then put the money to finding out who started that riot" Brennan's tired, there's lines around his eyes that while normally there, are there a little more today. "Worst is, no one claims the reward and it's ten grand still in the NYPD's coffers and 30 grand in mine. EIther way, Kaylee, Jason. I'll let you get on with your day Detectives, thank you for coming down here and seeing to this"
Elisabeth follows Nash out, and she bites her tongue until they are in the elevator on the way down. Then she glances at her partner. "The ADA's going to want to talk to him. And Lisa too. I'll send the sketch artist over here so he doesn't have to leave the hospital."
The doors slide open as they leave the hospital and head towards their car. Nash cozies himself down into the passenger's seat and shakes his head. "Advertising of that vaccine is what caused this. That vaccine should be only used by doctor's for those who need it, not at everyone's whim." Of course, he doesn't have to worry about that vaccine in the least, since he would have no use for it. "That was totally irresponsible."
Starting the car after she slides into the driver's seat, Elisabeth just sighs. "I hope he doesn't follow through with upping the damn reward. We'll have every damn desperate person in the city calling." She shakes her head. "I can't blame him for it, but shit. What a mess."
"Shit. He could use that money to hire someone to find this stuff. Might be a better investment. Not that I want a private following our every step of the way on this, but at least we'll have less assholes to deal with." Nash leans back against the seat. He turns to look at her. "You doing okay? You seem.. " Here's the point where he may want to phrase his words carefully, ".. off?"
There's a moment where she doesn't seem like she's going to answer him, and then Elisabeth asks quietly, "Off in what way?" It's a little bit of a hedge, but … she's not entirely sure what he thinks he sees.
Nash shrugs. "After spending some time with a person, you kind of get an idea when maybe something is bothering them, or they have an acorn up their ass or something is just not right. I can't explain what it is, which is why I'm asking. You can tell me to fuck off if you want. I don't want to pry into your personal life or anything."
She's had a lot on her mind recently, certainly. Elisabeth finally replies quietly, "I'm not exactly sure how to answer that, honestly. There've been some things this week that I'm … disturbed by. Some things I've seen. And I don't really think you want to be in the middle of it, Nash, so I don't…. really know whether to say anything to you."
Nash doesn't respond right away. Not in any manner of language or movement. He continues to stare out the window to his right watching buildings and pedestrians move by. "Well, if you think that it'll somehow affect us during the course of our workload, then you should probably give me a heads up. If it's something that you don't feel I should know, then don't tell me. I just need to know if I'm going to have to have your back over something. It's completely fucked up out here and we need all the support we can get, right? Just don't let me get blindsided by something, okay?"
Elisabeth nods immediately. "I don't think it's something you'll have to have my back over except….." She grimaces. "Just….." She blows out a breath. "I know two people who got swept up in the Refrain raid. One of them got black-holed somewhere and I can't find her. And one of them skated without even being booked. Even though I know he's as fucking dirty as they come. And there's not shit I can do about it." She bites her lip. "And my underground network of people is making noise about some stuff that's… scaring the living shit out of me, honestly. You know that song out there about floods in the city? I've got some people who seem to think that's actually going to come to pass due to an escaped felon we can't FIND. And we know the leftover loyalists of the Vanguard have nuclear weapons. And most of this is way the hell above our pay grade, but …. based on previous experience with people above my pay grade, I don't honestly know if any of them are actually DOING anything to thwart these situations. So… I have stress." She pauses. "And it's actually easier to have stress about all that shit than it is to have stress over my personal shit, if that makes any sense at all."
"It makes some sense. And as time goes by, I've a feeling it'll make more sense. Just don't think you have to deal with this shit all by yourself. It's why you have a partner." Nash reaches up and runs his fingers through his hair and shrugs. "Just remember one thing. Our job is to bring them in and make sure we do everything as by the book as we can so they get put away. Once we lock them up, there's not a whole hell of a lot we have to say about it. It's shitty sometimes, but it's the way it's always been. You get too wrapped up in it and you'll just drive yourself crazy. Try and forget about this shit when you go home. Honestly, it's one of the reasons, I am what I am."
There's a soft laugh as he echoes back to her the same advice she got as a rookie — the same advice she GAVE a rookie not that long ago! — and Elisabeth says quietly, "The job shit is less stressful than the other stuff." They've been working together for weeks now. "I used to have nightmares. Nowadays it's just…. flashbacks. I'm working through them, but…. Humanis First got their hands on me, Nash. The shit they pulled on Ivanov and that Baptist minister whose church they burned? Ivanov's situation is probably closer to mine." Everyone's heard of that case. "That Danko guy that Homeland took out of our custody? He's… the guy who put a bullet in my head." That might explain why she was wound so damn tight last week.
Nash listens, then shakes his head. "Shit. That would have been some useful information, being in my shoes, but I understand why you weren't eager to share it. Hopefully Dick-o will be put into a cell to rot for years on end." His fingers tap on the car door as they drive through the city. "I am taking this information isn't public knowledge because I'm certain the gossip mill would have let me in on it."
Liz doesn't look in his direction, merely continuing to drive. "I was off the books when it happened, doing some shit I wasn't supposed to be doing." Like taking sniper shots at Danko. Lalalala. "Some friends covered my ass, said I was undercover. And I couldn't have testified anyway. They kept me blindfolded the whole time." Her tone is tight now. "So no… it's not common knowledge. It's not even uncommon knowledge."
"It won't leave this car, as far as I'm concerned. Outside of this vehicle, it never happened." Seems to be Nash's final words on the subject. "So, I looked through all those fucking videos from last week and that robbery at the jewelry store and the street was quiet before and after. So, there's not a goddamn thing to serve as a lead in this case. Seriously, it's like the perfect criminal. We're still trying to get somewhere on the footage from inside the store, but it's taking them forever to do any sort of analysis on it."
Elisabeth glances at him finally, studying him for far longer than might be considered safe considering that she's driving, and then turns her eyes back to the road apparently satisfied with what she saw. "I'll be shocked if their tech comes up with anything useful," she admits mildly, leaving the other topic quite alone. "I'm still leaning toward either a speedster or a phase power. I still don't see how a phase power would render the person invisible, but I can actually imagine the idea of a speedster vibrating too quickly to be caught on camera except as a blur. But who the hell knows? I've called every single person on the street, every person on the uniforms' witness lists… there's just nothing. I think it's going to get filed under the cold case file and just left for now. Unless something else pops."
Nash gives a couple of brief nods. "Going to be a tough son of a bitch to catch." He glances down at his watch. "How about we catch some lunch, then go back and see if forensics has anything new to report. I'm starving. There's that place up around the corner here." You know, the one with Barbie the waitress.
There's a soft laugh. "You just want to see if the stacked blonde'll give you another blow job," Elisabeth snorts. "You're gonna get yourself a case of VD or something, man, I'm telling you. I may be promiscuous, but you're a complete slut. For serious."
Nash smirks. "Hey, I always wrap it up. I take too much pride in my work to let it all go to shit with some strange disease. Besides, I've had a distinct lack of blow jobs as of late." He winks and he points. "Hey look, a parking spot. I'll even feed the meter." A little too eager, maybe?