The Kidnapping Magnet

Participants:

cat_icon.gif elisabeth_icon.gif felix_icon.gif

Scene Title The Felix Magnet
Synopsis A discussion of life, where people stand, and Staten Island.
Date February 16, 2009

Some hole in the wall coffeeshop near the Ruins Of Midtown


It's not the Owl. Fel is tired of his old haunts. Instead, it's some hole in the wall coffeeshop perilously close to the damaged zone. Fel is in plain clothes - dark jacket, t-shirt, jeans. Not his usual beautifully tailored suit. Perhaps even his little fifteen minutes of fame is already palling. He's at a table, off in the corner that'll let him see all the entrances and exits. There's a book open before him - a worn copy of 'Master and Commander', but he's looking up often, waiting for Elisabeth.

Given where he said he wanted to meet, Liz comes dressed casually as well. Her sturdy, well-worn jeans, a maroon turtleneck beneath a black cardigan, and a black coat beneath which she's carrying her gun in a front-pants holster where it's not painfully obvious but easy to get to. She's also got company, which she warned Felix of when he called — Cat had mentioned wanting to have a chat, and Liz feels better in this part of town with a companion. So when the two women step into the shop, she glances around and points Cat toward the table. "Geez, Felix…. coming down in the world, huh?" she teases softly as she plops into a chair across from him.

The brunette half of that pair is dressed in a way fairly common to her, with some modifications. Jeans, a winter coat, sturdy boots. Cat's hair is tied back into a ponytail, and she's perched a New York Yankees cap atop her head. The clothing has an older and more worn look to it, the sort of thing a person might wear to fit in among the locals of Staten Island. Her posture is less straight than it would normally be as well, her head not held so high. Guitar case and backpack were left elsewhere.

But when Cat sits and rests her eyes calmly on Felix, he can then see she's familiar, maybe one of the people whose photos were shown by Edward Ray at the mission briefing. A slight smile is offered, but she doesn't spea. Yet.

Familiar indeed. In that sense, anyhow. The Fed's blue eyes are clear, as he regards Cat and Elisabeth. Liz's comment earns her a snort. "I'm still no one. Just a flatfoot," he says, wryly. "That medal….what does it mean? I was one among so many."

Elisabeth hrmphs and smiles at him. "It's a big fat target on you, if you're not careful," she comments quietly, erecting the silence bubble so automatically that it's nearly become instinctive by now. Conrad would be so proud. "This is Cat. Cat, my friend and sometime partner — when Darius is off partnering with a Fed against our better judgment," she quips mildly. "So what's up? The Owl not up to our usual standards?"

Her features remain calm, hiding her thoughts behind the eyes that watch the FBI man. Yes, his medal. So gracious of him to play it down when others have prison walls or being nailed to a barrel out behind some Company facility as their reward for saving several billion lives. It's a stage, and Cat can conjure a persona for that stage much as she did when playing at the Surly Wench and at other locations in the past.

That slight smile spreads a bit, as she extends her right hand over the table. Warm skin, smooth, no trace of hard work, save for calluses at the fingertips. A grip that isn't weak, but also not seemingly masculine in strength.

"Sir," she greets, with a dip of her head.

There's a slow sigh from Fel at that. 'Tell me about it. Celebrity of any kind is the very last thing I need, considering. I just got tired of it. I've been eating there for twenty years, I can recite the menu in my sleep, and I wanted something with more sugar than anything else," he notes. He takes Cat's hands, and clasps it firmly - there's an abortive motion as if he'd bow over it, but remembers himself. "Felix Ivanov. Cat, pleased to meet you," He seems to mean it,even.

Elisabeth shrugs easily. "Fair enough. So what's on your mind, Fel? Since you said it was okay to bring Cat, I figured it wasn't anything too worrisome," she says softly, though her own blue orbs search his face with a faint air of concern. "How's the coffee here? Worth drinking?"

"Likewise, Felix," Cat replies with a dry chuckle. Somewhere in her mind the obvious pun registers, both of their names being elements of a long ago comic strip and black and white cartoon film character, but this too goes unremarked on. The FBI man and Elisabeth have business, so she lapses into silence for the moment to avoid disrupting that purpose.

"Not much," Felix says, rather shamefacedly, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Listen. A young woman named Abby - you know her, right?" He glances back and forth between them, expression rather disingenous.

Slanting a look at Cat, Elisabeth grimaces. "Yeah… the kidnapping magnet. We know her. Why?"

Cat tilts her head to one side as Felix asks his question, choosing not to answer, given that Elisabeth already did. But she is curious, clearly, as to what he knows.

He….really wants to snicker, by the look of him. But instead Felix pulls a long face. "Because she's missing," he says, quietly. "Evidence has her on Staten. Also, I found a former Vanguard member there. Eileen Ruskin - the bird controller," he murmurs, casting a thoughtful look at Cat.

Liz narrows her blue eyes on Felix. "Well, now…. *that* is interesting. The best I've been able to come up with so far has been dead ends. I even checked to be sure Homeland hadn't snapped her up." She sighs softly. "Shit. Well… on the up side, that may mean someone can get to her more easily."

Her head lifts, and eyes settle on Felix. Cat is interested, very interested. "Evidence so far doesn't suggest Abby was coerced. Why would she go to Staten Island instead of home to Louisiana on vacation, Felix?" And…

"Eileen Ruskin…" her tone is speculative now. "Where is Eileen? I have to wonder if she knows where Ethan is." Because Ethan is someone Cat wants very much to find.

"She claims that she doesn't know if he survived or not," Felix says, slowly, eyeing Cat in return. "Really? You've something that makes you think she might've gone there of her own free will?" he wonders, brows heading fort his hairline. And then the blue gaze swings back to Elisabeth. "You were looking for her on your own?"

Giving Cat the hairy eyeball, Elisabeth says dryly, "As if Abby would have to be physically coerced in any way. Someone looked at her, said 'we need your help, come with us or we'll — insert whatever threat 'tell on you' or something — and she'd have gone. It's what she does." She looks at Felix. "Yes, I'd been alerted to her disappearance. Cameras place her getting into a van that had stolen plates, and I've been paging through the stolen car reports to see if I can find the one that was used with little luck — but I'm pretty much assuming the car was stolen too."

It's a simple question, coming from Cat. "Who on Staten Island would be most likely to seek out someone with Abby's talents, Felix?" And she mutters under her breath. "If Ethan is dead, I hope it was slow and painful to the extreme."

"I just hope it was -permanent-," Feliz drawls, letting his eyes half-lid. "And you're right. She was an innocent, and that wasn't always a good thing." Cat gets a keen glance. "You think remaining Vanguard might've holed up there, grabbed her to have as a doctor on tap?"

Elisabeth rubs her forehead. After the argument with Teo this morning, this is just adding to her migraine. "I think it's entirely possible what remains of Vanguard, or ANYONE ELSE out there who might know what she can do would be interested, given the situation on Staten Island. You know people are just screaming about the fact that it's become cut off like it has and is basically lawless, but … there just aren't enough boots on the ground for the cops to handle it, and to send in the military requires a LOT of political manuevering that hasn't been accomplished yet."

"It's entirely possible they have her," Cat states in agreement with Elisabeth. "And beyond former Vanguard people. Abby doesn't hide what she does, at all. She's a very Geneva Convention healer. I'd suggest, if you're exploring, looking for any place that seems to stand out over and above what fits as normal on that island as far as people getting hurt."

Felix lifts his hands. "I can't tell you how many cocktail party arguments I've been in this week over just that subject," he says to Elisabeth, pulling a disgusted face. "The cage fighting operation I've heard of - that's a logical guess. I don't dare go there too often, myself. Stupid newspapers," He sounds scornful, shaking his head.

Looking thoughtful now, Elisabeth comments, "The cage fighters… now that might be a pretty damn good place to start. Being as she *doesn't* hide what she does, it'd keep their fighters in good form for the next bout." She shakes her head. "I've already spoken to Will about going in over there, and he's told me 'not a chance' — it's out of my league. He's probably right."

"Cage fighting. How unsurprising." Cat looks from one to the other. "I'm willing to assist, in any way you think a person who records all she senses can, among other things." That said, she turns back to another topic of interest. "Where do I find Eileen Ruskin?"

"And what do you want her for?" asks Felix, arching a brow, quietly. "I saw her in the ruins of Seaview. I don't know where she's holed up. No killing her until I have what I need concerning Vanguard and Sylar," he adds. He -might- be joking. Let's hope so.

*blink* *blinkblink* "Eileen was at Sea View?" Elisabeth looks at Cat. WTF?? And then she stares at Felix. "No one's going to KILL her!" Good Lord! What does he take Phoenix people for?? "Are you looking for proof that Sylar's dead? Cuz God knows, I'd like that proof too."

"I've no quarrel with Eileen Ruskin," Cat replies. "I simply think she might know where Ethan is. And it occurs to me I should find him before he finds me, if he's alive. I can't rule out him coming after me, choosing to be proactive about things. He has to know I'm after vengeance. If, that is, he doesn't dismiss me entirely as formidable."

Now Cat has Felix's entire and unblinking interest, and that is not always a pleasant place to be. Not that he's in any wise intimidating physically, considering. But that blue gaze is almost predatory. Elisabeth gets a glance. "Yes. We need proof of Sylar's death. HE was around Volken. I don't want to find out he's now an immortal body jumper. I'm no Denzel Washington," he says, with one of those self-deprecating sneers. "Vengeance. For what?" he asks, bluntly, returning to Cat again.

Oh fucking Christ on a CRUTCH. Now *there* is an image Elisabeth didn't need! And no one mentioned to her that was actually the case — all she knew was that Sylar *was* Volken…. so…. *shit*! That just never even ocurred to her. She's stunned into absolute silence by the idea.

"Volken is dead, from what Abby told me," Cat shares. Her voice is distant, the eyes something of the same. "Abby did him in, on the bridge. He was forced out of Sylar's body, and it turns out Kazimir had an extreme allergy to being healed. She healed him right into bits of dust. Sylar was reported having gone into the water, along with several others."

"As to Ethan, I used to have a lover, she was my closest friend for seven years. He cut all the fingers off her left hand, then murdered her, and set her body on fire in a field somewhere."

Something in Felix's face shutters, at that explanation. He's silent for a few breaths, cogitating. "I see," he says, finally. "I'm sorry. I'm glad to have confirmation of Volken's death. He was a horror. I cut his head off,and he refused to die. Nominally, one'd not be to survive such a fall. But I don't trust fate when it comes to matters of that level of importance. I want to see the bodies concerned."

Elisabeth puts a hand on Cat's arm, giving a brief squeeze of comfort. Then she looks at Felix and nods emphatically. "Yeah… confirmation of his death would be a damn good idea." She grimaces. "The idea that he might take Volken's power as a result of the possession just never…. dear God." She still looks flummoxed. "It *should* have crossed all our minds, but… I think we're still reeling from losing some of our own." She sighs.

"It's always good when the earth is cleansed of a genocidal Nazi nutjob," Cat deadpans. Her arm, squeezed, causes her to look briefly in the blonde's direction. "There is no body to find for Volken. Abby told me he came out of Sylar in a cloud of black smoke and dust, which seemed to form parts of faces from people he'd dessicated over the years. She described a bright light forming when she touched the cloud and used her healing power on it, until nothing was left but dust. Like the hand of God itself touched him."

"Good," Fel says, and his tone has the flat finality of a tomb door slamming shut. "I feel like Quincy Morris," he adds, pulling a wry face. ""Wish I'd been there at the end. But Gray's a separate entity, and a problem in his own right," He sighs, and lounges back in his seat, lacing his hands over his belly.
"Yeah… I'd say so." Elisabeth shakes her head. "What a mess."

She doesn't have anything to add there; Cat is silent.

Felix wonders, more quietly, "How're things on your end?" as he cocks an eye at Elisabeth.

She seems to consider it for a long moment before answering. "Well," Elisabeth says quietly. "It's bizarrely … 'normal'. Or what passes for it these days, Felix. Long hours at the office, but … certain aspects of my life have gotten a little simpler out of necessity." As in 'I'm not as far in the loop with Phoenix because we can't afford to compromise my position and so I sort of get a real life back.' "The Homeland Security agents are climbing my ass all the time and it's annoying as shit." She grins a little. "Just…. doing the best I can to get by."

With the question not directed at her, Cat is still silent.

Fel's lip curls. "Parkman tried to lean on me. I managed to palm him off. Hopefully he didn't go digging - I don't know if you can tell, or feel it, or something."
Elisabeth shrugs and says quietly, "He's not going to do much except try to push us back to the right side of the line, Felix. I don't think, anyway. It doesn't matter. He's been leaning on me a bit too — telling me I need to choose sides, I can't play both sides. But so far as I know, he's neither using nor telling anyone what he already knows."

"So he still doesn't quite understand?" Cat quietly asks. "That his agency, and all agencies, are supposed to work for us, not the other way around, and the one he works for has it backward?" She closes her eyes for a moment. "It's a minefield. That balance between needing police, and policing the police to keep them honest. It seems so easy to cross from protecting and serving to being Gestapo. I haven't talked to him in quite some time."

"Believe me, I know," Felix says, wryly. "I've gotten a lot of accusations of being a cowboy," he adds, tone sour. "The medal….that didn't help so much."

There's a faint snicker at that, and then Liz's phone rings. Picking up the cell, she holds up a finger to the other two to indicate 'just a sec' and answers, "Harrison." Her faint smile goes away almost immediately and she replies, "Yeah…. yeah, no, I'm on it." and then hangs up. "No rest for the wicked," she says with a grimace. "Gotta go, you guys." When she moves to stand up, she looks at them both and grins. "Play nice, willya? See ya in the squad room, Felix." And then she grabs her jacket and she's gone.

"See you, Elisabeth," Cat offers. "Take care." Then she reduces the volume of her voice, knowing audibility won't be suppressed with the blonde no longer present. "It's interesing to meet you, Felix. I'd hoped to do so, and the chance fell into my lap."

Felix offers her a little finger-wiggling wave by way of farewell, and looks ruefully after her. And then he glances back to Cat. "Same here," he says. "I ….it's a risk, talking to me, with what I do," he admits, toying with his spoon, idly flicking it back and forth. "But on the other hand, I don't dare totally cut off contacts on that line, even for their safety and mine, if that makes any sense?" His expression is, oddly, almost pleading.

"Elisabeth said you weren't hostile, and I trust her word," Cat replies simply. "I too have to be cautious. I've no desire to fall into the hands of DHS. Even if it means I find myself locked into a prison of my own making in the process."

"I'm not interested in anything, personally, beyond catching the bad guys and stopping the threats. Perhaps that means I'm lax, and not a good cop. So be it," Felix says, expansively, spreading his hands.

"It makes you the best cop of all in my books," Cat replies with a slight smile forming. "Provided our definition of bad guys matches, of course." Her head tilts, dark brown eyes study him, as she asks "What is your definition of bad guys, Felix?"

"Those out to harm and distress the people of America, those out to flout its laws for their own benefit," Felix says, quietly. "The fact that certain people might be ignoring the registration laws - well, that's unfortunate, but happily, not my department," And then, very deliberately, he winks at her.

She grins. "I'll neither confirm nor deny I'm an Evolved person," Cat replies. "So you can honestly say you don't know if asked."

Fel's answering smile is sphinxish. "Excellent," he says, quietly, and then glances at his watch. "I should be getting along, really. But it was pleasant to meet you, and I hope we can continue to work amicably in the future." As if this were all a business venture.

"I'll remember you said that, Felix," Cat dryly remarks. "See you around."


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February 16th: Pre-Payment

Previously in this storyline…
Healing and Dealing


Next in this storyline…
Scumbags

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February 16th: Not Vigilantes
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