Participants:
| Scene Title | Sunday Shenanigans |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Sunday, not so bloody Sunday, in the Nite Owl with a mish-mash of individuals and a tattle taler of skills. |
| Date | August 15, 2010 |
The Nite Owl is a survivor from ages past - one of those ancient diners with huge plate glass windows, checkerboard linoleum floor, and a neon owl over the entrance that blinks at those entering. Inside, there's an L-shaped main counter, complete with vintage soda fountain and worn steel stools. All of the cooking is done on the ranges ranked against the rear wall. The outer wall is lined with booths upholstered in cracked scarlet vinyl, tables trimmed with polished chrome. Despite its age, it's been lovingly maintained. The air is redolent with the scent of fresh coffee, vanilla, and frying food.
There is a mood across the city thanks to the actions of certain people the other night. The curfew back down, fear in the streets after yet another terrorist attack - or so claimed by the government. The population of the city sure to dip some as folks leave for cities with less active terrorist activities and evolved opt to move to Roosevelt Island for want of personal security.
The Nite Owl has always been an institution in Chelsea. Open 24 hours a day, servicing citizens of all ranks, employed a few of those so called terrorists unknowingly. They provide the cops with their coffee at night, for as long as Tom the owner can remember or the older red haired waitress who goes by Natasha. But even they this time, will be shutting their doors down instead of keeping them open for the cops. Everywhere, one can see the impact of the last year little by little.
For the second time today, Abigail's spilled her coffee. Moving her hand to reach for the sugar for her hot cup of liquid, arm connects with the cup and it spills again. Mumbled curses also spill, but from her mouth, the blonde backing away from her stool - unheeding and unaware of who might be behind her - so that she can keep the liquid from dripping onto her pale pink dress and staining it. It's not a good day post religious services for the blonde. Not when she got the call half an hour ago that she was needed at work.
"Hey, careful," April says to the younger woman who nearly backs into her; dressed in a light blue shirt and tan shorts, wavy hair left loose around her face and a hint of shadow under her eyes suggesting fatigue, she had been walking down past the bar, but now stops and backpedals to give Abby enough room for — whatever she's doing. Oh, coffee spill. The former agent leans over and appropriates napkins from a nearby holder, offering them to Abby. "You okay?"
The Night Owl. Adelaide wanders in. And find a good place to sit herself down, and orders food. She looks up just sort of surveying the people, she offers a pleasant nod to those she passes, trying to decide it seems if she recognizes the faces…
ORDER: It is now your pose.
"I think that's considered substance abuse," Cardinal quips over; as usual he's moved up on the situation in near silence, sliding himself onto another stool that's set up beside the counter with a smile tugging up a bit at one corner of his lips. "Almost sacrilege, even. Coffee's a religion, not a beverage."
Already seated in one of booths, worn scarlet vinyl creasing and crackling with the slightest movement, is the lithe frame of Prince. He's got a newspaper folded in half and clenched in one hand, the other resting near a cup of his own coffee. He seems to be absorbed in his reading, but at Cardinal's words he looks over and raises his cup in a gesture as if to say 'amen'. His eyes flick towards the other occupants, settling on each of them for some time before the gaze returns to his paper.
Adelaide looks up at the comment about Coffee. "Coffe's not a religion.. though I guess to some people it is a god." she quips quickly. She looks up trying to pick out the speaker. "Sorry." she appoligise. "Didn't mean to but into a private conversation."
Elle Bishop is out and about today, if only for a little while. She's currently wearing a billowey blue summer dress of sorts, complete with a pair of matching flip flops, and an almost-matching sling keeping her left arm immobile. Normally, she would be wearing a pair of heels, but she's still not fond of the effects of the Vicodin on her balance. Plus, she's still feeling rather drained from yesterday's events. Right now, she's come out to the Nite Owl to get some food for herself and her new 'room mate', a situation that she's hoping is temporary.
With a jingle, the electrokinetic steps into the diner, her purse slung over her shoulder. Blue eyes search the room; recognition shines in her eyes as she spots Cardinal, stepping up to the counter next to him. "Cardinal." Her eyes continue to trail across the room, before landing on April. Eyebrows raise, and she glances between Cardinal and April, looking…surprised.
"Yeah, yeah I'm.. spacey. Sorry, Lord, please tell me I did not get anything on you" Abigail murmurs to April as her hand closes around the wad of napkins so that she can catch the stuff that's on the edge and dripping over. "I'm okay just not a good day you know, too much on the mind" There's a sharp glance to Cardinal with Abby's blue eyes as the napkin sweeps across the bitter liquid. "Funny Richard" The shadows under her own eye's match Aprils but possibly for very different reasons. "It is though" A glance towards Adelaide when she remarks, then Prince with the lift of his cup.
Elle brings about a frown, the woman knowing Richard which could either be a good thing or a bad thing. "Sorry, thanks for the napkin. Earth to Abigail, re-entry is necessary. I'm gonna be a mess at work" Another apology to April, shooting looks to Elle with a soft frown.
Green eyes angle sideways as someone comes near, and on top of that speaks with a disconcertingly familiar voice; the sight of Cardinal's face confirms it. Him again. April hmphs softly, lips quirking in a wry smile. The smile disappears as Elle steps up on the other side of Cardinal; the dark-haired woman looks past him to the electrokinetic, eyes narrowing slightly. After a moment more, April nods politely to Elle and Cardinal, smiles distractedly in Abby's direction. "No, I'm fine, thank you. Excuse me," she continues, moving quickly past them in what is definitely a retreat.
"That just means you haven't had the right coffee," Cardinal replies without missing a beat, pointing in Adelaide's direction before waving a hand to the waitress, ordering for himself, "And speaking of, I'll have a large coffee, black as midnight." Just before he starts to say something to April, he hears his name - turning a bit, he nods his head up easily towards Elle, "Elle. You following me?" More teasing than anything. But maybe he's serious.
Prince lets out a long sigh, releasing his grip on the newspaper in his left hand to let it slide, still semi-folded, to the table in his booth. "Of all the diners in Chelsea, let alone the world, I have to pick this one on my day out about town." The words are said mostly to himself, not under his breath or muttered, but not directed to anyone in the establishment either. He slides out of the booth, boots evident against the floor as he meets April in her mid retreat. His hand reaches for her arm, his eyes finding hers. This time, definitely under his breath, he whispers. "I don't know why you're running from those people, but you're probably on to something."
Adelaide laughs. "Actually I know I like ice coffee with lots of caramel… that's about it. I love the smell of vanilla or frech or hazel nut she adds. Just don't like drinking them." She settles back and smiles. "Besides the amount of caffine in that stuff is enough to give someone a heart attack."
Elle blinks quietly at Cardinal, her brows raised as she begins to slide into the seat next to him. She tilts her head to one side, chuckling. "No. Turns out I won't be needing that favor from you after all, though. The subject in question is waiting for me to bring some food home. But…I may have something awesome for you, anyhow. We'll just say you owe me one."
Her eyes dart to April once more as she is suddenly retreating…and suddenly, her purse is dropped in the seat, and she physically places herself between April and the door, somehow making her tiny frame quite imposing. It helps if you know what she can do, though thus far there is no telltale crackle of electricity. Yet.
"April Silver! My goodness, it's been a while since I've seen or heard of you. Normally, I wouldn't care…but this fellow," she gestures toward Cardinal, "has asked me to find you. So here we go, I found you." The little blonde offers a winning smile to April.
"The blacker the better and hotter" Aprils retreat is a surprise as Abby carries on with mopping up her mess, Prince's approach of the woman drawing her attention. Cardinal left to banter at Elle about stalking him. So that is Elle. Means a company agent is here and it's one that Cardinal knows. And there she goes, jibbering at Elle and blocking the door. No wonder at Cardinal's side, there's a heat in the form of standing next to someone who's running a significant fever. "Do uh, I need to be worried?" murmured to Cardinal with a glance to him. "Company agent…"
April's retreat isn't fast enough for her to miss Cardinal's return greeting to Elle — even if she didn't quite notice the first half. Anxiously on edge, Prince's reach for her arm doesn't help matters in the least. The woman freezes and sways back away from his hand, one of hers rising between them, palm towards her own ribs and fingers splayed wide. "Don't," she hisses, low and quiet but in that way that seems to carry incongruously well. "Stay out of my way. She backpedals two steps…
…and there's a young Bishop square in the path she intended to leave by. Saying that guy was looking for her. Oh hell no. Fortunately for all of them, April isn't cornered yet — Elle, Cardinal, and Prince cover only three directions, between them. An opaque silver veil hems in the electrokinetic even as the former agent bolts for that fourth direction — into the employees-only back of the restaurant.
Adelaide watches April, Elle, Cardinal and Prince with a curious look. She inhales and simply atches. Clearly there was history and getting involved might be too dangerous.
"Oh? Good to hear you found her, then…" Cardinal's brows raise a little at the mention of something awesome, and then she's moving past, and there's a warm body sidling up closer to murmur in worry. His gaze drops to her through his everpresent shades, head shaking slightly, "No, she's alright. I mean, I wouldn't confide in— "
Wait. April What?
His head snaps up sharply at Elle's words, just in time for that silvery veil to shimmer into form defensively in front of the blonde. Well, that just about sinches who she is. "Jesus Christ, Elle, have you ever heard of — April! Relax — nobody's… goddamn it, Bishop." No move's made to intercept. He knows where she lives, after all.
Prince pulls his hand back when April flinches. He's been around too much crazy shit in his life to keep sticking his hand where it might get hurt. His suspicion is confirmed when that silvery veil pops up. "Hey, I was just trying to help you, not.." And then she's bolting towards the back kitchen, employee's only area of the diner. Prince throws his hands up, looking at Elle and Cardinal. "You two really know how to treat a lady, huh?"
Elle Bishop blinks quietly at the silver veil, her brows raising as April starts bolting. She seems strangely passive, despite that posturing of hers. She can't help it, she's not good at being nice. She's too…hunter-like. "April, wait! I wasn't gonna zap you, I just didn't want you to leave before I made my big reveal! Seriously, now that's over and done with, I'm just gonna go get some food for myself and my impromptu room mate and let Cardinal talk to you about whatever he wanted to find you for."
The little blonde turns to Cardinal, raising her one good shoulder in an apologetic shrug. She's not good at stuff like this, especially when she walks in and she's standing right there.
Jesus, a bag and tag in the nite owl? Natasha comes out of the back after April darts through the doors, a shout of "You can't go out that way!" trailing after the woman, Cardinal's coffee cup in hand and coffee pot in the other. "Well that's just…" A shake of her red hair, the Waitress comes to the counter, re-filling Abby's cup while settling down one for Richard and filling it up as well.
"Oh lord, you done scared the woman off. You know, you don't block all entrances if you want to talk to someone" The taller blonde mutters, a shake of her head. Abigail's gaze lands on prince, head seesawing side to side. "Normally Richard does…" Sweat starting to glisten on the blonde's brow.
"Hey, all I did was order some goddamn coffee," Cardinal replies in disgruntled to Prince's sarcastic comment in his direction, hand coming up at the apologetic look from Elle to rub beneath his shades and against the bridge of his nose, eyes closing, "Christ almighty. Remind me never to ask you anything again that doesn't involve a sledgehammer, Bishop. I just wanted to have a word with her about some things…"
Uh oh. He reaches over, hand sliding to Abby's shoulder as he murmurs, "Relax, Abigail. Just breathe… relax. Just a misunderstanding, is all."
Adelaide exhales. "Well I've never seen someone leave so fast…" she says awatching April fly out so quickly. She approaches slowly. " Ummm.. what was that about" she asks taking her cup up..
Prince takes a few steps back, closer to his booth. He pulls his wallet out of his back pocket to slip a few bills out which get tossed on the table before his wallet is tucked back into the pocket. He seems to relax his posture, but his eyes keep on Cardinal and Elle. "How does a man with talents like yours take his coffee?" His gaze flicks to Adelaide, but quickly back to Cardinal and Co. "And don't get me started on the blonde in the sling."
Elle offers a sheepish smile, returning to her seat next to Cardinal, picking up her menu. "I'm sure you know enough about me to know that when I'm asked to find someone, usually it's to do less than savory things to them. Don't act surprised. In any case, you know who she is now, at least." She shrugs her good shoulder as she glances over the menu.
The little blonde turns to peer at Abby for a long moment, her brows arching, recognition gleaming in her eyes. "Well…I didn't exactly know why he was looking for her…just that she was being sought out."
Just a mis-understanding. One woman bolts, another confesses that when she's told to track down folks isn't gentle. There's a roll of eyes at Cardinal's instructions to breath and relax. "You relax Richard" But she tries, knowing full well why he's touched her shoulder and the blonde medic does her best to do that, breath in through her nose, then out like Huruma had taught her. How does Richard take his coffee? Black. That's how he likes his coffee.
Natasha eyeballs everyone in the diner, trying to decide whether some evictions need to happen or not. Not it seems, as she stands in front of Elle to take her order. "Oh" Abigail replies. "Well.. she's found. Whether she can be found again" There's a quirk of brows at the way the woman looks at her. Yeah Richard, breathing's not helping. Not when the psychopath company agent is looking at you like something familiar.
"I did take pains to point out that I wanted to have a conversation with her, Bishop," Cardinal mutters under his breath, hand sliding down along Abby's shoulder before reaching over to the coffee that's finally set down on the counter. "Everyone fucking chill out." He can't even stop somewhere for coffee without hell breaking loose lately!
A turn of his head, and he lifts a brow at Prince, "Who's asking?"
Adelaide looks a bit confused fore a moment as she takes a long sip of her caramel frappachinco- heavy on the whipcream. As she looks up she catches the eye flick to her. "Something wrong?" she asks Prince in a curt tone.
"I'll give you a hint. If I ever need tips on a garden, I'll come ask you." Prince fishes into his front pocket to pull out an official looking ID, tossing it at Cardinal. Then he addresses Adelaide. "Not with you. You're probably the least likely person in here to start something. I suggest enjoying your beverage and keeping a low profile." His arms get folded over his chest, attention returning to Cardinal. "You know, if you want somebody to be found, I'd suggest asking someone with a different skill set. People with her talents," he nods at Elle, "They tend to be a bit on the edge, if you get my meaning."
Elle peers over at Cardinal for a moment, before placing her order, two sandwiches. "She ran. It was instinct." She shrugs, leaning against the counter nonchalantly as Abby speaks. "Oh, I can find her again." Her eyes turn back toward Richard, hooding slightly. "This time, I won't get involved with it. I'll just let you know where she is, Cardinal. That way, I can't mess anything up again." She offers an apologetic smile up to the man.
Her gaze follows Cardinal's over to Prince, brows raising slightly. "Excuse me?" She inclines her head toward the man. There's no hostility…actually, the little blonde seems more than a little tired, for some unapparent reason.
Adelaide smiles. "I could totally pull a 'Do you know who I am.. but that wouldn't work well in this situation." she says softly, to the group at whole. "And.. I don't mean to be Anatagonistic but why?"
Cardinal's hand drops down to rest on the card where it's dropped, and he slides it off the counter, turning it over and opening it up to glance over the contents. "So you're Prince…" A twitch of his lips in a faint smile, and he flips the folder closed before holding it out towards him once more, "…one of Sarisa's boys. Bishop, tell me you have some sort've official ID on you so he doesn't think he needs to call the cops on us or something? I left mine in my other pants."
Company and frontline, all in one room, toss in Cardinal, aka Cranston, and then there's just Abby and this other woman that Abby doesn't know. That being Adelaide. Her own phone beeps, little bleats that get Abigail's attention, plucking it from a pocket even as she's digging out some bills for her coffee and it seems, to cover Richards coffee.
"That's work, I gotta run" She's not going to sit here and be nervous around the two people which could lead to worse than sweating. "Glad to see your okay Richard. Give liz my love" The phone isn't really telling her to get to work, it's telling her to relax. THe ID glanced at as it's passed and she's peeling out of her stool, wiping an arm across her forehead to wick away moisture. "Nice to meet the rest of you"
Prince lets Cardinal review the ID before the man hands it back. He reaches out for it, then tucks it back into the pocket it came from. His head cants to Elle. "It's nothing personal, but I don't really trust people who develop the types of skills you have." Then he looks back to Cardinal, giving the man a nod. "When you put it that way, you make it sound like I'm chummy with her. Don't get me wrong, she gave me a second chance. But I don't trust her as far as I could throw her, either." Then again back to Elle. "Yeah. Some identification would be nice."
Elle blinks over at Cardinal for a moment, before reaching into her purse, pulling out that shiny HomeSec badge she always carries around with her, holding it out for Prince to see with a mildly nonplussed look on her face. Then, she's leaning back in her chair, returning the badge to her purse as she waits for her food to come. "Not everyone has the luxury of choosing their own skills, though I certainly can't blame you. Though I find it nifty that you know my skills or whatever." She perks one eyebrow.
Adelaide sips her drink slowly. "Telling me to back off…" she mutters softly. "Sounds…" she settles back into her chair for a long moment..
"Alright." Cardinal looks to Abby as she starts to withdraw, an understanding nod and faint smile, "I'll talk to you later, Abs."
That offering of farewell given, he looks back over toward Prince and Elle, bringing the cup of coffee in his hand up in a salute towards the former, "She's still the person that signs off on your orders. Nobody ever said you had to trust your CO, though." Unlike Elle and Prince, he doesn't produce any sort of identification.
Prince offers Adelaide a pleasant smile, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. A different time and place, and I might have asked you to dinner sometime. Don't take it personally." But then he's all business again, checking out the shown HomeSec badge. His brow furrows at it. It looks official enough, nothing he can do about that. He nods to her. "Fair enough. And I find it nifty that some people can shoot laser beams out of their eyes, but we don't get to pick that at all." He pops a mint into his mouth, then focuses on Cardinal again. "I'm not going to bother asking you for ID. I'm sure you've got fake ones to produce, and you didn't try to start anything anyway. Besides, it's less the law I care about. I don't want anybody getting hurt when I'm around."
Adelaide laughs and nods. "Its ok. People have pasts and know others." she says. She stretches a little bitt. "I mean that's fine." she tells him. "Thank you for the offer of dinner… if were not so unusual.. or is this an attempt to get to know me better or something?" she looks skeptical.
Elle tilts her head toward Prince thoughtfully. She idly wonders to herself if she can shoot bolts of electricity out of her eyes. She makes a note to herself to try, because that would be…well, really cool. She smiles to Prince, tilting her head toward him. He's okay. Interesting, maybe.
Her food arrives, bagged up and ready to go home with her. She gathers it up, and turns to smile at Card. "Sorry again. I'll make that up to you." She's already promised the world to Molly Walker, why not promise her the universe too? She likes the kid, in any case, and doesn't really mind being in debt to the teen. "I have a room mate to attend to, folks." She slings her purse over her shoulder, then grabs the bag of food.
"You're such a charming fellow," Cardinal says with a rough snort of breath, his tone tinted wry as he brings the coffee cup to his lips, taking a careful sip of the caffeinated beverage, "Nice to know I can't even get a cup of coffee without being insulted these days…" He sets it aside, and he nods back to Elle, allowing wryly, "Just try and develop a sense of subtlety, Bishop?"
"Oh, no. I wasn't asking you to dinner. I just meant.. well, nevermind." He holds his hands up in front of him, a little exasperated. "And I wasn't trying to insult you, honest. It's.. well, I suppose we've all been a bit frayed at the seams with everything that's been happening. One thing after another.." As he says this, one hand idly moves to the ring he wears around his neck to fumble with it. "Here," He motions to help Elle with the food. "Let me help you with that. I was just leaving myself."
Adelaide nods. "Its ok. I didn't mean that… that way." she bites her lip.
Elle grins to Cardinal, pausing on her way to the door to peer at him. "I'll try. But I'll be sure to stay away from April Silver from now on. You can handle her. I'll just be certain to let you know where she is." She offers a charming smile to Cardinal.
She blinks as Prince as he offers to help. Most people would at least try to put up a protest, in an attempt to be humble. Not Elle. She gladly hands the bag of food to Prince, offering him that same charming smile she just offered to Cardinal, with just a little bit more dazzle than she offered to the other man. "Thanks so much! I really appreciate it."
"Oh, my mistake, accusing someone of only having fake identification is a friendly gesture…" Cardinal's eyes roll behind his shades, and he settles back down on the stool - turning away from everyone else to focus on his coffee. "See you around, Bishop," he murmurs to the surface of his coffee.