The Doctor's Daughter...

Participants:

cat_icon.gif kaylee2_icon.gif

Scene Title The Doctor's Daughter…
Synopsis … comes looking for answers. Cat provides.
Date February 20, 2010

The Verb Penthouse

Arriving by any of four elevators, visitors will find they open into three foot corridors facing wide double doors made from sturdy southern pine which swing outward and have the strongest locks available. The stairs lead to single doors, also outward opening, at the end of three foot corridors. Entry requires both a key and a keycard; other security measures are a video camera and voice communication terminal at all doors. The 4th Street side has floor to ceiling windows interrupted only by the access points. Cream colored curtains are normally kept closed.

This level has enough space for sixteen apartments. There is an office space with reception area, conference room, and executive office; a room for archery practice and other forms of physical exercise; a very well appointed kitchen and dining area; a music zone with an array of instruments, electronics, and amplifiers; an entertainment area with an HD set covering an entire stretch of wall from floor to ceiling; a locked room where security footage for the building is recorded and can be monitored; a laundry room; a staircase for roof access; central air and heating; the main bedroom and a few smaller guest rooms; plush deep wine carpet everywhere except the kitchen, laundry room and bathrooms; and track lighting everywhere overhead. The light levels can be lowered or raised in the entire place, or selectively by segments. The overall decor suggests the occupant is a woman.


Having called ahead and been invited here, Kaylee was told to introduce herself at the security desk in the Verb's lobby. When she arrived and did just that, one of the people in golf shirts with Verb logos told her Doctor Chesterfield is indeed expecting her and opened the elevator control panel so she could reach the top floor.

On that floor, when the elevator doors open, a pair of double doors right across from it are open in turn. Cat, clad in solid black pants and t-shirt with hair tied into a ponytail, is standing there waiting. "Kaylee," she greets in subdued voice, holding out a cup of coffee and sipping at her own. "Morning." Something is off about her. The usual projected poise and confidence seem to have taken a hit, she looks tired. "Please come in."

"I… really appreciate you seeing me," Kaylee offers taking the offered cup in both hands. "And after the trip here… this is even more appreciated. Though… you look like hell." Her own long blonde hair is loosely rolled up at the back her head, of course strands of it have left her looking a bit windblown, eyes studying the woman critically.

Stepping into the place, one hands leaves the cup to unzip her leather jacket and loosen the scarf around her neck. "I probably would have tried to contact you sooner, but the other night's… activity… well… people were well aware that something was up and they were worried." She gives the other woman a small smile. "I guess it's good there was a doctor nearby, though he almost pulled me out of the dreamscape at the worst time."

"I have a feeling you know why I asked to meet you?" A hand tucks into the pocket of her jacket and Kaylee extracts an old and well worn photograph.
"I feel like hell," Cat admits softly as she closes the doors and secures them. It's an action which has her back to the telepath briefly. When she turns to face her again, one hand gestures toward the nearby entertainment room which features the immense HD set occupying the entire wall, end and coffee tables, couches and recliners, along with a small refrigerator and a microwave. There's steak and eggs resting on one of the tables. "I hope you're hungry."

Her voice continues after a sip of the coffee. "I've been meaning to go down to Grand Central and see people, but the timing is bad. I don't want anyone spotting the daughter of the assassinated mayoral candidate heading into a safehouse and drawing press attention to it, not to mention there being a few Vanguard people still lurking." This topic changes her demeanor some; it makes her voice raise in volume and her fists tighten, the eyes showing elements of rage. Maybe something that happened during the confrontation with Triple Hokuto messed her up? She was mostly her normal stoic self at that time.

Then, taking the photo, she eyes it for a brief moment and nods with her voice returning to the subdued volume. "I had a fairly good idea," she states, "that was quite the bombshell laid on you. Your father was a complicated man. An enigma."

"Starving, actually.. I haven't been doing a lot of eating." A glance goes to Cat, "Not that Dr Brennan needs to know that, but with so many people detoxing… and well… it's hardly ever pretty, I don't often have the stomach for food." Kaylee moves where directed taking a careful sip from the cup in her hands.

"I heard about your mother. I'm sorry." The words spoken are genuine. "I've heard of the Vanguard briefly… mostly in dealing with some of the Remnant… like I have recently with the raid."

Eyes go to the photo, finally, the one she mentioned in the nightmare and she sighs. "Huge bombshell… and my mom won't talk to me about the lies she's told. She simply told me she would not have that conversation with me." Moving with Cat, she shakes her head. "Growing up, she told me that Ray… um… Edward Ray had been this hot shot lawyer in New York… Married at the time and she worked for him. They had an affair and… well I was the result." Settling herself in a chair, Kaylee continues softly, "Told me he demanded a paternity test after I was born and then made a deal with my mother to get us out of his life."

A hand rubs against her forehead, frowning a bit as she seems to think back. "So I grew up thinking he was a total and complete bastard that didn't want me." Blue eyes flick up to Cat, "Of course, like I said.. seems it was all lies."

"I've been there," Cat replies quietly, "in a different fashion, and discovering certain truths came from having met your father." After Kaylee seats herself where the steak and eggs are, she takes a second plate and places some of the food on it for herself and moves to a different seat, leaving a plate and the remaining food for Miss Ray. Or Thatcher. Whichever. "It's an extended story, and I'll tell you all of it. I warn you, some of the details may be troublesome, but you may not be surprised given the nature of things between you and him." She pauses there, fingers wrapping around a fork and poking at the food for a moment, before pressing on.

"He came out from Boston to meet us, to help stop an attempt to kill Allen Rickham. I recognized him on sight, Doctor Edward Ray. Professor of particle physics at MIT, famous for advances in string theory and superstring theory. He'd made guest lectures at Yale when I was there, and the science people mentioned him from time to time. He had the SLC, his ability was a form of precognition. Probability prediction, to be accurate. With study of a subject or potential event, he could visualize the possible courses of events to come and perceive which was the most likely outcome. Including analysis of what actions would be most likely to shape a desired result."

"We got Allen, Matt Parkman, and Edward clear of the situation and took them all to our hq, where we shared what we had on the Vanguard with them."

The food is eyes, before she sets her cup down and picks up the utensils, starting in on the food once she takes some for herself. "That explains why the memory was in Boston. I had always wondered if my father was…. like me." Eyes are mostly on her food as she works through it. "My mom doesn't even know I have that photo. I found it when I was little." She leans over to turn the photo over and written on it in neat script is the name Ray. "So… yeah."

"So he was sort of like a precog?" There is some amusement in that question, her head slowly shaking it. "I… almost met him." Her fork, pushes around a bit of egg, her eyes going somewhat distant. "Called me the day of Midtown. Said he wanted to meet for Lunch, but I had class.. So we agreed on dinner. He told me he wanted to discuss something important, wouldn't say what over the phone and said I had to two siblings."

Glancing at the woman across the table from her, Kaylee looks a bit well… sad when she asks. "I… think I remember you mentioning that he was dead… but obviously not cause of Midtown, by what you just said?" She frowns a bit. "I've been in New York… and so has he… all this time and he didn't think to tell me he was alive?" There is a flash of anger in her features. "Just let me think Midtown killed him…" Her fork stabs angrily at egg and shovels it in her mouth.

"It's up to you, Kaylee," Cat replies with a sympathetic tone to her voice, "I can go on with the story, or let it lie there. But I will tell you he helped us save a lot of lives when he was with us. I can only speculate about him calling you the day of the nuking, but knowing him he'd predicted what was likely to happen and wanted to warn you. His reasons for not being around and active in your life, those I can't begin to fathom… Like I said, the man was an enigma. The only person who really understood Edward Ray's agenda was Edward Ray himself." Both of him.

There is a long silent moment as Kaylee tries to decide. Though when it comes down to it, there is no real no contest in her decision. Like any child that learns that a part of her life was a lie, she wants to know more. So it's no surprise when the blonde's head bobs a bit. "Yes… I'm sorry Cat… Please continue. I need to know the truth." She gives the dark haired woman a strained smile before going back to feeding herself, though her eyes stay on Cat while she listens.

"First, his ability…" Cat starts, trailing off to think up the best way to explain it while she sips coffee and herself takes a bite of the food. She eats with poise, her mouth kept closed and food chewed carefully before swallowing, then touching her lips with a napkin carefully. Evidence of being raised to function in formal society.

"Imagine yourself at a poker game, playing hold 'em," she resumes, "where there are several players. You see the common cards on the table, and you know your own two cards. You don't know what the other players have. You know the possible outcome of your two cards in combination with the community cards, and if you've studied as much as the poker pros you know the odds of having the best possible hand. You can base your decisions on that knowledge, but you're limited by your ability or inability to read the tells of other players who keep betting in the hand. Are they bluffing? Do one or more have a hand or potential hand which would beat your best possible? If your cards are unbeatable, like having a royal straight flush or four of a kind, etc, you know. Most people still have to take a risk, it won't be that ironclad. They can only rely on math, psychology, and memory."

She makes eye contact here, watching to see if the telepath seems to understand the analogy. "But Edward could see more than most. He could visualize situational odds, over and beyond what pure math would find. Math might, for example, say he only had a one in one thousand chance of making that royal straight flush, but his mind could perceive a sixty-four percent chance. Or eighty-five, etc, etc, and give him advantage."

While Cat was raised in sophistication, Kaylee was raised less so, she use to deal with large family get togethers as her mothers side was very much into family. So she probably takes less care in eating, but she isn't overly unmannered about it. The current bite, is slowly chew as she listens o an explanation of Edward Ray's ability. "Really? Huh… So he saw the different options and paths before him? And make the best decision based on that?" Brows lift a bit and she shakes her head.

"Then I guess there is a chance when he was saying he had to do what was best for me… that might have had something to with it." Her head slowly shakes, Kaylee gives a little huff. "Might explain him saying that I'd hurt someone unless my mom took me and left."

"That… kinda bothered me. Course.. he was wrong. I still hurt someone when my ability went online… well, killed." The fork rests on the plate. "Anyhow.. as you were saying?"

She nods. "He wasn't infallible, Kaylee," the panmnesiac states, "just like pure precogs aren't always right. Things can be acted on and altered. On with the story," Cat agrees. "He came to us, helped us get Allen Rickham out of danger, we went back to hq and shared all our goods on the Vanguard with Edward, Allen, and Matt Parkman." What, she feels close enough to Rickham to call him Allen instead of the rightful President, or Mr. Rickham? How well does she know the man who was almost President?

"Edward took what we had and went to work on it, cutting himself off from contact most of the time to work undisturbed, while we added things as we learned them. We figured out the Vanguard's plan was to use a virus stolen from the Company in Odessa, Texas, mix it with another virus used in attempts to build the ability-giving serum, and release it into the public. A version of Edward from a future where they pulled it off sent information back to himself which said it had wiped out ninety percent of humanity and Kazimir Volken ruled the world."

Making eye contact again, Cat shares more. "By late January, Edward had used all the information we gave him, and things sent back to him, by himself, and crafted a plan. He predicted if we hit certain points at a selected time, in teams chosen according to the standard and SLC abilities of each member drawn from our own ranks, the Ferry, and a few government agencies, we'd be able to prevent the viral launch and destroy the virus."

"Huh…" Kaylee says , she sits back in her chair, crossing her arms, running her tongue over her teeth. "Somehow, I sense a but in there." A small smile touching her lips, her hand motions to her to continue, before taking up the coffee cup again and taking a sip.

"But… it wasn't a clean victory. One of the battles, the one where Helena and others fought Kazimir himself, caused the Verrazano-Narrows bridge disaster. And DHS, despite being told exactly what we were up to, never lifted a finger to help us. They decided to let us do the hard work, then swoop in after and arrest people. I barely escaped the Jersey City battle, just did manage to thermite the virus container. Two of us got put in Moab prison. Helena and Alex. A third, Brian Fulk, was partially captured and brainwashed into becoming a Company agent." Cat lifts her cup again, closing eyes as she remembers and drinks from the mocha-colored liquid.

"Teo and I weren't about to just let Helena and Al rot away in mutant Gitmo for saving the world, locked up forever without any trial. That was over and above our violent opposition to secret prisons and lack of due process in general, so we planned an operation and went to break everyone out. The result was unexpected. Two time travelers were in the presence of an augmenter, and it got weird. Most people wound up sent a few hours into the future and varying distances away from the prison. But some were flung ten years into the future. To 2019." Her head shakes.

She quietly opines "Here's where you may think I'm nuts, but I'm not, Kaylee. The present version of your father vanished after he laid out the plan for how to stop that virus. He walked away and went on about doing whatever he felt needed being done. We crossed paths with your father again, though, after the prison break. Edward Ray of 2019, who'd apparently been a prisoner at Moab in that timeline, foresaw the prison break in our timeline and that a moment would come when he'd be able to come here with several others and make changes."

Kaylee just stares at Cat for a long moment, eyes narrowing as she tries to wrap her head about everything she's been told. "I… would call you crazy, if we hadn't just spent the last few months fighting Hokuto's shadow in the dream world…. Kinda makes everything seem a little less…" She tries to decide the best word for it and settles on, "…odd. Though I'm floored at how much was going on under my nose. I feel like such a late comer to the game."

"So my present father… disappeared and my father from the future came back to make changes…." She offers in encouragement.

"That's how I got drawn to Pinehearst. The future Edward came to me and asked me to help him stop Pinehearst from taking down the Company. With him were Nathan Petrelli, Doyle, a guy called Niles, a former Company agent, a technopath, and Tyler Case. They'd used Tyler to switch Nathan's power with a time and space manipulator. Edward told me the Company needed to survive, but wouldn't say why. He left when I wouldn't agree to that, after telling me to speak with Father. So I did, and you know where all that led. I found out, along the way, that my parents didn't make me. The bioparents were Company researchers involved with the original serum, and were murdered on Arthur's orders when they decided to scrap the serum. In 1984. The Chesterfields…" Cat states with her eyes closing and a touch of emotion she fails to hide. What the hell happened to her, to pierce through her normal ability to remain stoic? Is that a tear? Maybe it's connected to her being hit with that particular tarot card just before negative emotions were drained away from the dreamscape warriors?

"They simply slipped me into the identity of their own child, who died. So I grew up in lies, only learning the truth last year. That my parents were Company agents first and then with Arthur. I don't think they knew Arthur had the bioparents killed, though." Pausing here, with her hand on the coffee cup, she works to restore stoic demeanor.

"Your father turned up at Pinehearst," she informs on resumption, "both of him, after Arthur was dead. The Elder Edward had the elder Tyler with him, he negated everybody and set about using augmentation to make a loop with the younger Tyler. Old Edward's goal was to drop an ability on all 245,000 people in Fort Lee. He also shot Peter Petrelli and pushed him off the roof. After the augmentation loop started, Old Edward was shot and at least seemed dead." There's more, as evidenced by the fact that the entire population of Fort Lee, NJ wasn't empowered that day, but Cat stops to let Kaylee process.

Brows lift at the mention of a name. "Eric? A future version of Eric Doyle? And the president…" She huhs softly, looking thoughtful. "…came back with my future father." Long fingers, tuck strands of loose hair behind her ear, before gripping the cup again. Eyes drop as Cat seems to need a moment, she doesn't know the other woman all that well, but she can tell she doesn't need a witness to her emotional state.

She's quiet mostly, brows furrowed as she digests what she's being told. "What about my present time father?" She finally asks, glancing up at the woman again.

"Yes, Eric. And Young Edward was there too," Cat furnishes somberly, "on the roof of Pinehearst. He arrived with Tyler's sister. Between Young Ed and the sister, they got the young Tyler to pull out of the augmentation loop. As a result, the older Tyler died, and the younger Ed appeared to have died also. But… neither body was recovered from the scene. He may still be out there, he may have recorded and wrote messages left in odd places for someone to occasionally find, or both. Both Edwards were enigmatic about their agendas after the defeat of Volken's viral plans. They'd only tell me, or anyone, enough to start people on paths he desired or anticipated. Rather like we were puppets made to dance on his strings, having no clue what the strings actually were. I don't know much about the future Older Edward came from, Helena refuses to say much about it. The only thing clear is it wasn't to Older Edward's tastes. Or to the older Nathan Petrelli and the others."

There is a flicker of hope on Kaylee's face, "No body?" She bites her lip, worrying it a bit before she says, with a touch of irritation. "Well.. he better hope he's dead… If he's alive… and I find him…" She gives Cat a pointed look. "… he's going to have a lot of explaining to do." Her tone just a touch bland.

The cup is set on the table and Kaylee sits up a bit straighter. "It's a hell of a story, Cat." She smiles a bit, ruefully. "I appreciate you, telling me about some of what he's done. Sounds like he was all about making the future better… for whatever his motivation was." The smile falls away.

"Does it sound childish of me to say that I hope he is alive?"

It's a slight smile which lights her face, matched with a nod. "I get that," Cat replies, "I've been there. Parents having a good deal of explaining to do, when truths come out. It's not childish to hope he's alive at all." Her fork is touched again, as Cat's spends a moment considering something. "In the dreamscape, Hokuto's class, there was the girl. Molly. You called her Matilda… What do you know about her?"

"Matilda… Molly.. Whatever her name is…" Kaylee's food is pretty much demolished at this point. "I met her when she was in the middle of dream walking into the middle of an intersection." The young blonde takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly."Freaked and ran when she found out I was a telepath, I guess her dad is one too."

"She.. can locate people. I don't know if it's just people like us or want." Kaylee gives a little shrug of her shoulder. "But she's the only reason we were able to find Joseph and that refrain testing, that Company doctor was doing."

Nodding, it seeming Cat was already aware of her talents, she asks "Where might I find her, Kaylee?" Her fork is taken up, she consumes a small portion of the food and goes for the coffee cup.

Hands spread out in a helpless gestures, her head slowly shakes. "I haven't a clue. Colette…" There is a bit of a pause as Kaylee mentions the teens name, grimacing a bit, " Colette and I stumbled on her in Midtown, before that it was Summer Meadows. She's keeping on the move on purpose, she's afraid of staying in one place too long."

"Thank you, Kaylee," Cat offers, her eyes showing a trace of disappointment. There's also rage showing in them, held down by will alone. "Something else I thought to ask you about, and this isn't anything I'd press because I told you stories of your father, it's entirely your choice… I'm planning to get a postcog to read at the scene of Mother's assassination. I want to have a telepath present to transfer whatever she sees into my mind so I can remember it, and later if I can swing it ask the telepath to bridge between me and a technopath so any images of people can be turned into jpgs and/or video files. If you help me," Cat informs gravely, "know there's a risk you could be exposed to DHS and cops as an unregistered telepath."

"I'm registered..," Kaylee says with a small smile, "But not as a telepath… well… sorta… Directional Telepath. According to my writeup I can only project my thoughts. Did it so I could go to college. I was told that there is a case of one telepath being rejected from school cause of it. " Her head slowly starts shaking, "What you're asking… I don't think I can do. Linking minds isn't my thing. I can… read what she's seeing and then in turn offer it to you. It's not perfect.. but it's all I can do." Her look is apologetic, "I'm not good enough to link two people."

"That's what I meant, Kaylee," Cat replies with a nod, "not linking us. You'd be the bridge, or the boat, carrying information. And then doing the same between me and a technopath so computer files can be made. But… I'd only ask you to do it if I can keep your name away from DHS. If they know you help in this way, it exposes your false registration. I can find other telepaths. Like Matt Parkman."

"I should also congratulate you on defeating Bella Sheridan, and ask if any records were recovered. One of her former patients is interested in recovering any documents the woman has on her. She was most unhappy to learn her shrink was a Company bitch."

There is some uncertainty, her head giving a little shake. "See if you can get that Matt guy to do it. I just… I'm currently risking it already, since I owe the Remnant for their part in the raid. And considering what they might want I might end up on one hell of a hot seat as it is." Her teeth scrape lightly at her lower lips for a moment. "If you can't get him to do it… I might consider… Just cause I can understand wanting to know."

"I registered so I could go back to the University and work towards a law degree finally… I'd like to get that in my hands before 'updating' my registration." A small smile tugging at her lips. "Of course, the Ferry are not happy about what I've done… that and going to Angela Petrelli to see if the Company is looking for me cause of my involvement with Adam… but I have my reasons for it all. With hope they will figure out I'm not out to hurt the network."

"Your reasons for dealing with Angela Petrelli are your own, Kaylee," Cat replies solemnly. "I would simply remind you she's one of the Company founders, and all the Company founders are snakes. Among those snakes, Angela is one of the most dangerous. Tread carefully with her, don't leave yourself in debt to that one." On this, she seems to have spoken her peace. Topics change.

"Among the Remnant, the one I know best is Eileen. Jensen Raith I've questions about. Ethan Holden… him I hate. But Eileen and I have an agreement, I gave my word not to go against him. I won't break that."

Her coffee is lifted, the words halting as she sips from the cup. "Law's an admirable field. Not all attorneys are scum as some would claim. I'm one, myself. Yale class of '08. I just choose not to practice it in the traditional way. Corporate offices and courtrooms would feel like being caged. At heart, I'm a rocker chick. But I did the time in university and earned the degree, so I claim the title. Doctor Chesterfield."

Finally, she opts not to speak further of the information transference. One thing, though, is returned to. "There weren't any records seized from Bella Sheridan's operation?"

There is a small nod of her head acknowledging what the woman says, but Kaylee doesn't comment on most of it, but listens to her opinion on matters respectfully, eyes on the table as she listens. Her head lifts some at the mention of records and the telepath shakes her head slowly after a long moment of thought. "Not that I remember, but then my thoughts were all on getting Pastor Sumter, Colette and all those others out of that place and destroying the Refrain. Might double check with Eileen, maybe."

"Thanks, Kaylee," Cat offers simply, "sometime soon we can maybe discuss the ethics of telepathy and the legal issues it presents. I spent some time at the Suresh Center holding seminars on the ethics of using powers, telepathy being among them. I might start holding them again, at some point I want to publish some essays on the subject. Consulting with a telepath is a rare opportunity." She lapses to silence then and resumes eating along with consuming her coffee. Business between them seems to have been concluded, there's time for relaxation and for both to enjoy the meal.

She intends to cover those ethics, but today is not that day.


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