Participants:
| Scene Title | Special Surprise Visit |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Ryans and Lucille have a chat about family and the dangers going on right now. |
| Date | March 23, 2011 |
Jaiden's Apartment
It's been a few days since the incident at the charity gala, it'll be a week tomorrow. And Lucille is feeling much much better now. Amazingly so and there she is. Wearing a pair of sweat pants and a black tank top, she's just gotten in from her daily workout and she's showered and eating a sandwich and chips as she watches some TV. Some mindless program that she's never seen or heard of before.
Her hair is pulled back into a high ponytail, more of the dye washing out and her rich, very dark reddish brown hair is beginning to show. Her light grey eyes focus ahead on the TV as she munches on a few chips. Lu's not sure where Jaiden is, but he hasn't been here for a few hours. And she's avoided going over to Tahir's for the past five days because of her injury. No need to involve him really.
The oldest Ryans daughter sighs, obviously she's bored. But it's good to just stay in the house every now and then.
There comes a soft rapping on the door of the apartment. Each tap of knuckles firm and precise, but not booming. Then the door opens, Lucille will find her father standing there.
Looking just as stoney faced as usual, even if he's scruffy and in need of a haircut. Though, admittedly, he's use to the look. Plus, he doesn't look like the agent he once was. He just looks homeless really.
His long trench coat is wrapped tight around him, though with movement, there is no doubt to the observant eye that he's armed. Familiar fedora pushed low on his head and scarf wrapped around his neck for use against the harsh cold outside.
There is no apology in his eyes, just simply he studies her, before offering a small smile.
A brief look goes to the door, who could be here and then the man enters and Lucille's eyebrow raises. "Oh hey." Is the greeting he gets, she's just as stony faced as he is. Like father like daughter. When he smiles though, a upturn of her lips becomes something of a smile. She is happy to see him, no matter how much she thinks he's stupid and needs to sit his retired ass down.
"This is a special surprise dad." Luci quips with a brush of a strand of hair out of her eyes and then she's putting her sandwich down and standing. Walking closer but not within reaching distance. "You know, I don't do the cliche running into the arm things. So you better get over here old man." She chuckles and waits for her father to come and hug her.
Both brows lift high on his head as he gives his oldest an amused look. "I know your mother had to have taught you better manners then that." It's a gentle chiding from her father, even as he moves to give her a hug. "And I certainly wouldn't let your grandparents ever hear you talk to me like that. Your grandfather would of slapped me upside the head."
He then takes a moment and studies her, lips pressed into a fine line. "You been to get your vaccine?" He had been certain to make sure someone contacted his oldest about it, even if he had at the time been laid up in bed. "If not.. it's out there. I want you to get it taken." A hand reaches up to touch dark hair, as he says, "Last thing I want is you to get sick."
Her head presses against his shoulder and she closes her eyes. "Grandpa would you for wearing red when he likes green." She jokes and embraces her dad warmly. "Yeah I took the vaccine, no worries. I won't be getting sick and dying anytime soon." Lu says with a grin and she pulls away from her father. Looking up towards him, "And what have you been doing?" Arms crossed, she's walking away to the kitchen. Beginning to make him a sandwich, he's going to eat it rather he wants too or not.
It should almost feel like back to the way things were. When Lu would come over and dad would make steaks and they'd talk at his house. But as Lu opens the mustard, she levels the knife at her father and gestures for a nearby chair. "Sit.' She says softly and then she's making him a uber delicious sandwich. Oh yeaaahhhhh.
"Have you talked to Delia recently?" a head tilt.
"I've been getting those vaccines." He states blandly to her first question, hesitant to sit, glancing at the chair, but not sitting right away. Maybe he's just not letting his oldest boss him around. "And sticking around the island for a time." Recovering from a gut wound, but he doesn't tell her that.
Finally, after enough time has sufficiently lapsed, her father moves to settle gently into the chair, making sure not to wince as the knife wound occasionally twinges still.
"And no I haven't talk to your sister lately. When I went to the hotel room she had vacated it. No idea where she went too… I did see her after that though… Last time I saw her. It was only briefly." When he woke up from a fever dream actually. Another thing evaded. "There wasn't much room for talking."
"Ah." Lucille says with a thoughtful expression, she doesn't venture into her latest escapades either. While they have a no lying to each other policy now, there are still some things that are better left unsaid. "Well.. I'm sure we'll find her. Delia is a big girl though, she can take care of herself. You know she broke up with Jaiden, right? I guess the dreamworld really did a number on her."
This is said softly and then Lu is bringing the sandwich over and placing it before her father before taking her sandwich and chips. "I've missed you and I don't care what fucking job you're doing. We need to start seeing each other on a regular basis again, you agree?" Lu says as she claims a chair across from her dad. "I mean, I know you just won't sit down." Because she's given up any reasoning with her father that his new job has anything to do with protecting she and Delia and more to do with his not wanting to actually stay retired. "I think you wear yourself down and I don't see you enough because you think I'll harp on you like mom did.."
Taking a bite of her sandwich she nods her head. "And you're right. I will be the pain in your backside telling you to rest and don't do anything for an hour. But I'd rather be that pain, then watch you overextend yourself." After she's done talking, she turns the bag of chips over so he can have some.
"Lulu… I've been doing this for forty years," he states gruffly, while picking up the sandwich and kinda studying it contents. "I believe I know how far I can extend myself." A reminder that he's been fighting one fight or another for nearly twice her lifetime. Content with what he observes with the sandwich, he takes a bite.
"And I simply can not help things that happen, such a invisible domes that suddenly pop up while I'm visiting you mother's grave." All said firmly, with a pointed look her way. "And I amnot going to walk away from these people and leave them to the jaws of the government. I had to hand one too many over to the Institute, before the Company was taken down." He has things to atone for in his mind… even if only by association of being a Company agent.
Not to mention how unappealing sitting around watching the world passes as he withers away like his own father is doing. He'd rather go out in a blaze of glory then an invalid in a rest home.
Lucille isn't going to hear that.
"Can't blame a girl for being worried about her dad." Lucille says in response, smiling at the nickname her father just used. "I just don't want you to get hurt, you may look and feel younger, but you're still old." She grins widely at her dad as she takes another bite of her sandwich.
"If you want to help people fine, it's your prerogative. I'm just letting you know, I'll be worried." Just like with her, he's allowed to be worried about her, but he can't stop her from doing something.
"So.. have you talked to your.. other child?"
"Family will always worry about family," he states as if giving sage advice, "no matter what. If they didn't, then clearly something is wrong." The sandwich is slowly devoured as they talk, eyes on it rather then his oldest daughter.
His chewing slows when the 'other' child is mentioned. For just a moment, Benjamin isn't sure what she's talking about. But then it occurs to him. "Bradley." That gets a soft sigh and the sandwich is lowered to his plate.
"No I haven't." Blue eyes lift to meet ones colored more like his own mother's eyes. "He and I don't see eye to eye. He's… never been on this side of the tracks."
"You have to keep trying though dad, he's obviously hurt and confused. You can't let him push you away. Just like you never let me push you away." She grins slyly and tilts her head at her father. Lucille and her father's relationship has been through some pretty rough patches but now? It just feels right, there's no need to argue really.
There's a novel on the table, something Lucille has been reading besides the endless books on genetics and the nature of the Evolved and their abilities. Ryans might remember the bookworm days, when she'd rather stay inside and read then be outside with the other kids. Those days changed, but Lu's love for books has never left her.
"I feel so awkward trying to get to know him, I've only met him once. He seemed like an okay guy, I mean.. I don't think he's a douche because he's on TV. He seems pretty cool for a guy on TV." Says the woman sleeping with a TV personality.
"Bradley has a future in front of him," Ryans points out. "One that doesn't involve fighting and hiding… which is my fault that you girls got drug down into it." The plate is set on the table in front of him. Hands folding to rest on his knees.
"It would be dangerous for all of us, if I keep too much in contact with him." Eyes drift down to hands devoid of so many scars, not that time had been turned back. "Not sure he's even interested." Ben's brows tip down a little in thought, but it's anyone's guess what's going on through his head.
"Doesn't matter if it's dangerous or if he doesn't want you around. I think if mom was alive.. she'd be surprised but she'd knock you over the head and say, be there for him. You're never too old to need a parent. Regardless of if you want to admit it or not." Lucille stops herself and mentally pats herself on the back. "Look at me, sounding wise and like a shaman of old. Do I have gray hairs?" she briefly panics and tries to look at some strands.
"I mean.. unless he blasts you through a door. You should still try, dangerous or not. You wouldn't care that it was dangerous if it was me or Del." She grins at her dad, if the government had the locked up in a high security prison, their father would go and bust them out. No matter the costs. "Maybe, one day we can all sit down for dinner? I mean, that'll probably take a very long time. But it's a goal that we can set."
Family is important to Lulu.. and right now her family is so fractured and spread apart. "Even with our cousin Keira. We have to stand together dad."
There is a non-committal grunt from the old man. He isn't sure him or Russo are ready for that road yet… maybe he'd test the waters and talk to Kincaid. He'd planned to talk to the young man and see how he's faring, anyhow.
He's quiet for a moment, thoughtful, before he asks, "Have you heard anything on a man named Heller?" Benjamin would rather not involve either of his girls in his business, but Lu has been in town more then he has.
Lu looks up towards the ceiling as her father asks that question and she shakes her head. "No, I don't think I have. If I did, it's slipped my mind." Lu replies to her father and finishes off her sandwich before fixing her father with a look. "What about him? Some new big bad?" Head tilted to the side.
The fact that Lu doesn't have to rake her dad's back to get him to share things like this with her now, is a testament to how far they've come.
"He's a bad man." Ryans starts simply enough. The basic gist of it. "He and his men killed a patrol — leaving only one survivor… and I don't know if that was on purpose — and put clothes on them infected with the Evo Flu." He seems to consider how much to tell her.
His hands spread a little in a 'there you have it kind of way. "I hate asking it of you, but I need you to keep your ear to the ground and see what you hear." A fingers comes up to stall any agreement yet. "However, do not go looking for him. This man is seriously dangerous." And if her father is saying it, then he must be scary.
"I just want you to listen to what's being said among people." Ben's tone stating that and only that. "Let me know what's being said."
"Okay, big bad is hurting people and spreading around dirty diseases. Sheesh, sounds like Reese Wormack in high school." Lucille says as she listen to her father and she nods her head. "Dad, I'm a big girl. Don't be afraid to ask me to do things, because nine times out of ten. I'm doing my own dangerous things.. so don't feel terrible if you need a favor." She gives him that dazzling smile.
"Okay, do not approach. Just listen out, is he in the government? That sort of thing.. I have a friend.. Curtis? He's in the military if that helps, he might be able to give me some information."
"Maybe you are, but he is fairly vicious. I'd rather you stay out of his cross hairs." That's the old man speaking as more then her father. "And yes, he's government."
Lucille's offer gets a press of lips as Ryans considers, uncertain. But finally, "If you go to this Curtis. You can not tell him of the Ferrymen, or of what happened." A placating hand goes up just in case, his daughter protests. "We don't know who to trust anymore, but if he's willing to part with that information without knowing what happened to the patrol, then do."
Ben could use all the information he can get.
"Sure thing, Daddy-O." Lucille eats a few more chips but now she's full. "I'll let you know if I here anything." Then she's standing to put her plate away. "Are you going back to the island soon?" she asks with a look over her shoulder at her father.
"Not sure when." Ryans moves to stand his plate left there for the moment, watching her takes her's into the kitchen. After a moment he picks his up to follow after. "Just leave a message, since I am in and out of the city as I can manage." Ferry business and all.
"I have a few more people I need to see before I head back." A small smile is given to Lucille as Benjamin sets the plate down in the sink. "I want you to be safe." He points out as he steps back, clearly the visit may be coming to an end. "And I want you to know, that no matter what… I do worry about you, I do care what happens to you and," his hand moves to rest on her shoulder, "I love you girls. Both of you."
"I know that, I love you too." Lucille says, shrugging his hand off her shoulder and leaning in to give her father a kiss on cheek. "You be safe too, if you get hurt. Let me know who did it, I'll hurt them bad." She promises, grinning widely up at her father. Murmuring she loves her father again, she gives him a hug.
"I don't doubt you would." Ryans comments, wrapping an arm around her briefly in a fatherly hug, kiss pressed to the top of that dark hair, like he would when they were young. "You are my daughter. There is no doubt." He glances towards the wall, before adding. "I gotta go, sweetie." Hand brushes over her hair, before he pulls away and starts for the door.
"Call me if you hear anything, or if you need me," Ryans adds. "You know I'm here for you girls as best as I am able." Barring things beyond his control, like jaunts into the dreaming world.