Participants:
| Scene Title | The Bikers' Club |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Three bikers meet at an abandoned 'warehouse'… |
| Date | November 12, 2008 |
Primatech Paper Facility (abandoned)
It's rather late in the evening of the 12th. Not late night, but well after sunset, with the height of the business day long past and most people tending to their own business at home. The area around the abandoned Primatech facility is dark and quiet, the plants black shadows barely silhouetted against a gloomy backdrop. Hana, however, waits in all but plain sight beside the weed-overgrown drive — her standard jacket left behind with the hidden bike, a pale knit shirt standing out against the darkness just as much as her black jeans blend in. The handguns holstered at her waist are readily evident. Both Hana's own visiblity and that of (some of) her weapons are concessions to the younger women she's meeting here, ones still feeling their way into the organization.
Jezebel drives right up on her Harley. Only a suicidal idiot would walk the streets of Staten Island at this hour. Jezebel's wearing black biking leathers, again. Unlike Hana, she's not visibly armed. As soon as she spots Hana's white shirt, she'll park the bike.
You hear her before she comes, the ripsnarl that Roger beats out is a low steady tone. First come the vestiges of illumination, a flickering candleflame's worth before she finally shows. Smoothly she pulls in, killing the engine early on the street before going dark and making the turn in. "Howdy."she offers the pair as she coasts past, before smoothly coming down to a stop. A quick flick of her booted heel drops the stub of a kickstand, and the bike slowly yawns waaaay over before she finally dismounts. She doesnt immediately remove her own darkened apparel, instead simply lifted a gloved hand to pull at her goggles and rest them atop her helmet. "I aint late'er nothin am I?"
Both girls are met with cool, assessing glances as they drive in — a matter of reflex on Hana's part. "Not at all," the woman assures Elvis, as she steps out onto the neglected roadway. "Jezebel, this is Elvis. She's just come into town a little bit ago. Elvis, Jezebel." Introductions being definitely in order. For form's sake, at the very least. They, of course, know Hana at least by name.
Jezebel hops off her bike and goes over to try to shake Elvis' hand. "It's good to meet you, Elvis. I'm still learning my way around town, not to mention trying to figure out who's who."
Elvis Glances to either woman, before offering Jezebel a polite shake. "Pleasure Jezebel, shit I'd have brought a six pack if I knew I was enlisting with a biker gang."While her smile is hidden behind her bandana, one hopes the joke is obvious never the less. She indeed has heard of Hana, but thats the full extent of what she knows about Hana."I just got in myself the other night, but anyway where do we go from here?"
Hana watches the younger women exchange greetings, and gestures towards the building behind them at Elvis' question. "At the moment, inside. There's not much point in lingering out here while it gets cold." She turns and heads for the entrance, assuming the other two will follow. It isn't exactly warm immediately inside, as the building really is abandoned, but Hana leads the way into the underground rooms that the Ferrymen have thoroughly tampered with. There are chairs, a table, a couch, and even what looks like an outdated computer, though — like books — such things should never be judged by their covers.
Jezebel walks right along, taking a spot on the couch. "I don't think we're a biker gang. You're the second biker I've met today. It's good of you to meet me, Hana. I was just going to text you instead."
Elvis pauses at the table to get out've her gear. Off comes the bandana, then the helmet, then the gloves and then the jacket to expose a properly vintage 'Lucas Motoroil' T-shirt thats seen far better days. "Classy digs."she comments, but she doesnt really seem that far from serious. For a girl who's been sleeping in roadside rest stops and such this really is a substantial improvement. Now if they only had a shower, and hot water she might just be in heaven. "Can we move the bikes inside later, I dont want to attract any attention and Roger needs his top end gone over with a fine tooth comb before I do much more riding. I think I'm loosing compression in one or three bec-…anyway yes Hana you were saying?"nevermind how long its been since she had anyone to talk to but Roger.
Hana inclines her head to Jezebel, then looks over to Elvis. "This isn't a place we usually stay in, but you can stay here if you like. It's outfitted well enough for an evening or two." A beat. "There's room for the bike, yes." Most of the ground floor once masqueraded as a warehouse. Room there is in plenty.
The technopath remains standing, leaning casually against one of the walls. "What, exactly, did you need from me, Jezebel?"
Jezebel looks up and over at Hana. "First, Abby's on the run. I know the garden's supposed to be a waystation, but is it possible for her to stay a few weeks? Don't worry, I'll put her to work."
Well its not like Elvis had any belongings to really 'move in' with. "Cool, once I grab some local work I'll snag a place and get out've your hair. "but really Jezebel and Hana seem to have some standing business so Elvis just keeps her trap shut. There would be plenty of time for questions when the immediate business had been delt in, in the mean time Elvis fishes a pack've cigarettes out've her jacket and brings one with a snap of the fingers and a beat up lighter.
Dark eyes glance to Elvis. "You're not in our hair," the technopath remarks. Elvis is one of them, after all. As is Abby. Hana looks back to Jezebel, and dips her head. "Of course."
Jezebel bows her head in return. "Thanks. I'm still not quite sure, even after talking to Grace, of what I can and cannot do. Second, do you know an Eve Mas?"
Elvis is all too satisfied with working over a cigarette at the moment, but she doesnt want to be the unproductive member of the group. First impressions and everything. "is there anything I can do, I sort've figured you might need me immediately so I brought everything."nevermind the lack of a backpack, saddlebags for Roger or any other apparent form of luggage on her person.
Hana straightens away from the wall, clasping her hands loosely before her. "Bennet and I organize," she remarks. "What you do with the safehouse, now that it's in your keeping, is ultimately up to you. And Abby is one of ours. Of course she can stay." Hana, at least, looks after her own.
She shifts her attention to Elvis, considering the new arrival. "I don't know your strengths," the woman states bluntly. "What you want to do. We have a lot of places we can use people, and knowing that would help."
Hana's attention returns to Jezebel a moment later. "I know her, yes," she affirms.
Jezebel replies, "Thank you. I haven't had this much responsibility on my shoulders before. It's making me nervous. What, if anything, is Eve cleared for?"
Well thats an easy one, what are her strenghts. "I beat the ever living shit out've people, I can fix anything and I run away from cops. I've got a fairly short resume sadly, but I came willing to do what was needed not just what I want. You tell me what we need and I'll do my best to make that happen." Now granted, she isnt trying to capitalize Hana's attention here it was more a request to see if Jezebel was being 'checked in' the same night she was for a reason, or was it just coincidence they're both bikers?
"Eve knows a good deal already. She and most of Phoenix were resident in one of the safehouses for about a month. They had helped sporadically with cattle rustling even before that." Hana tilts her head, considering Jezebel in silence for a moment. "Why do you ask?"
The technopath smiles a bit at Elvis. "It's decent to start from," she observes. "It might be good for you to work with Jezebel initially — you're both feeling your way in to full-time operations. But…" Hana turns her head just slightly, assessing Elvis. "…if you're to spend a lot of time at a safehouse, you should add another mode of transportation." Not lose the bike, just make use of something else most of the time. Roger is very distinctive.
Jezebel replies, "Because she may be my half-sister and she's offered to take me to Home Depot and help. Right now, all she knows is that I housesit for some weird person who's also making me fix the place up and won't let me have guests without pleading first. Elvis, I need all the help I can get with the house. If you are as good with engines as you sound, there may be a legit job in it someday - Eve's thinking about reclaiming her father's repair shop and going into that business."
Elvis 's brows immediately perk. "I'll help but dont fret bout that, I've got a proper reputation in more'n just a few shops. I'll be gettin paid by tomarrow night, just tough to get settled without no place to sleep though yaknow? Roger needs a full teardown after thirty thousand miles, and I've already been looking through the classifieds. I should have a good reliable daily rider by the end of the week, and if you'd like it'd be absolutely no problem to build a -clean- bike that we could use and throw away."
Hana looks between the two, and a definite smile, if a cool one, greets their words. "Then it sounds like a good partnership." She shifts her attention to Jezebel. "You can bring Eve in and inform her, yes. As part of Phoenix, she's also one of ours." Hana pauses for a moment, perhaps considering something. "What I've been hearing lately suggests Eve might be interested in moving out of Phoenix, as well. If that's the case, you may be able to bring her in as a third on the house."
Jezebel nods. "Then I have one last question: who else should I know about around here?"
Elvis trades cigarettes casually, offering the pack to either of her peers. "I reckon so, and of course if anyone needs anything fixed have them talk to me. "she shrugs. "and aside from fixing up this old house, what can I do? More road busting'n shit like I was doing before or are we on a whole new level now?"
Hana regards Jezebel, a faint line creasing her brow. "All of Phoenix; I expect Abby and Eve can make introductions. If not, I can send you pictures. Meredith Gordon operates one of the major safehouses; you'll probably see a lot of her. Hiro Nakamura is also an associate of ours, who shows up as he pleases. Others should probably wait until you can be introduced, in person. McKeon can keep you in enough supplies for the time being; when you have the house nearer to ready, we can set up some other connections so you're not dependent on a single source." Because anything can happen. To any of them.
Her attention shifts to Elvis. "So far, we've been very lucky with respect to cops. I expect that'll run out soon enough, especially with anti-Evolved sentiment running as high as it is now. The house is a high priority at the moment. If you want, we can work you in on ferry-running a little down the line," Hana concludes.
Jezebel waves away Elvis' cigarettes and nods at Hana. "Thank you, that's what I thought. Living next door to to every intelligence agency getting tax money makes one just a little bit paranoid. I'm sure I'll hear from Grace. If you are going to get me that list, I'd suggest sending it to my laptop, if that's safe. I've got DoD-spec deletion on that, as opposed to my business phone, which is cheap crap."
Elvis settles back, lighting the new cigarette from the old one before flicking the butt aside. "I'd rather stick with one wrecking crew for the moment I suspect."she nods, letting the two prattle on as they saw fit.
"If security is a concern, I can take other measures," Wireless replies to Jezebel. "Data does what I tell it to." She looks between the two women, and nods once. "Then I see no need to keep you longer."
Jezebel gets to her feet and smiles. "Then I'm going to get home while the getting's good. Good night and thank you, both of you."
Elvis rises slowly herself. "I'll follow you to the safe house, its cool if I hang there for a bit right?"she wasnt sure if this was like a closet with a cot or whatever mind you. On goes the bandana, and then the scarf before she jackets up good and proper.
Jezebel gets to her feet and smiles. "Then I'm going to get home while the getting's good. Good night and thank you, both of you."
Elvis rises slowly herself. "I'll follow you to the safe house, its cool if I hang there for a bit right?"she wasnt sure if this was like a closet with a cot or whatever mind you. On goes the bandana, and then the scarf before she jackets up good and proper.
Jezebel tells Elvis on the way out, "Sure. It's a mess at the moment, but we won't get rained on. It's even on this side of the bridge. I'll explain stuff tomorrow…."
With both of the younger women on their way out of the safehouse, Hana allows herself a slight, crooked smile in their wake. She lets Jezebel explain to Elvis that her residency at the safehouse could be very well permanent — should be so, as a partner in its operation. The technopath shuts off the lights as she makes her own exit, finally heading down the road well after the others have departed.
 November 12th: Smoke and Mirrors |
 November 12th: Reunions |