The Man Without A Soul

Participants:

adam_icon.gif cat_icon.gif helena_icon.gif huruma_icon.gif kaylee_icon.gif leonard_icon.gif

Scene Title The Man Without A Soul
Synopsis Adam wants a meeting with Helena. She and Cat mention a man with no soul, and wonder whether the man they're talking to has one himself.
Date July 1, 2009

Coney Island

Despite it's name Coney Island is a peninsula, and only formerly an island. This small piece of real-estate is the southern-most point in Brooklyn, with beachfront property abutted by the Atlantic Ocean. A neighborhood of the same name is a community of 60,000 people in the western part of the peninsula, with Seagate to its west; Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach to its east; and the Gravesend neighborhood to the north.

This area was once a major resort and site of amusement parks that reached its peak in the early 20th century. It declined in popularity after World War II and endured years of neglect. Since the bomb, Coney Island has fallen into a tragic state of disrepair, most prominently evidenced by the closing of the amusement parks on the island, notably Astroland and Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park. The latter of those two serves as a rusting and monolithic ferris wheel that overlooks the decrepit state of the island. It's once bright carnation red paint peeling to reveal rusted steel.

Much of the amusement park areas surrounding the beach are now closed off by chain-link fence, though some portions have been battered down by vandalism and portions of the closed amusement parks are now used by gangs and other unsavory figures as meeting sites. With the NYPD stretched to its limits, police rarely have the availability to respond in a timely manner to this small and remote penninsula, making it a relatively dangerous part of Brooklyn.


Adam arrives in a small convoy of dark suvs. Inside these suvs are various goons, Huruma, Adam and Kaylee. Eventually they pull up near the abandoned ferris wheel and the vehicles start to empty out. Adam gets out, followed by the other wo. Other various goons move around securing things, except for one man, Michael, who accompanies Adam.

There's only one person there to meet them. A skinny, rather punkish looking thug in fatigue pants, dark shirt, sunglasses. Leo slants a rather worldweary look at Adam and his entourage, standing before them with his feet spread a little wide, like a sailor on the deck of a ship. "This is too many people," he says, without preamble. "This is s'posed to be a little tete a tete, right? What is this, an episode of Entourage?" His accent is purely Brooklyn, though something about it rings tin.

Kaylee slides out of the vehicle after Adam, glancing about as people slip out of the other SUVs. Hands in the pockets of her leather jacket, she moves up near Adam, glancing first at him and then the man greeting them. A brow is arched at him and a small smile touches her lips.

Though a few steps slower in getting out of the vehicle, Huruma's presence is obvious even as she swings her legs from the backseat, black pumps clicking onto the ground. Not many others that it could really be; a pair of long legs precede the rest, in a red dress bound around the middle with a wide black belt. She does not immediately join Kaylee in sidling up beside Adam, instead first turning her attention around to where they had driven from. Huruma surveys the quiet fairground with mild interest, eyes shaded only by her lashes, and the slight furrow of her brows over her nose.

Some safe distance away, as Leonard makes the advance contact, the whole group is being watched carefully. A woman of five feet and eight inches, clad in dark colors, stands behind a partial obstacle for cover as she trains a pair of 5x magnification nightvision binoculars on them. "I recognize Monroe, and Huruma, in the mix. The others, including the blonde woman, I've not seen before. The blonde is tall, too. Taller than I am, but not as tall as Huruma. Good fighter, that one. Saw her in action when we came to get Abby away from John Logan. Most teams in the WNBA would want that one as their center." Her eyes settle on Helena while she speaks, then go back to observation.

"At least until they found out she had designs on eating the competition."

Helena taps her chin. "Man." she says from Cat's side. "You know it's crazy, but I actually kind of like Huruma. I want to tell her I bumped into Parkman and that he's still a jackass and she should tear off his other arm." She slides her eyes sidelong to the brunette. "Does that make me a bad person?" Yeah, she's not going anywhere near that meeting. She expected one or two people to back Adam up, not an entire plattoon.

Adam studies Leonard for some moments as he considers the man, then rolls his eyes, "This isn't a game." he says as he searches his mind as if to place the gentleman's name. The best he's coming up with is Abby's roommate. "You take your precautions, given that Helena Dean is not here to meet us. I take mine." he says. He glances off towards the distance, then back towards Leonard, "I have my own way of doing things."

"Then there's no meeting," Leo says, insouciantly, still in that thug's hunch, shoulders bent a little, as if he leaned into a high wind. He rakes his gaze down the ranked members of Adam's party, takes off and tucks away his sunglasses with a deft motion of his hand. "I can play relay boy, though, if you need."

Kaylee pulls strands of hair from her face, as the wind gusts against them. A glance goes back to Huruma, watching her and feeling rather under dressed in her jeans and sneakers. As the men talk she pulls her jacket tight against the cool chill that usually blows off the ocean and gives a barely audible sigh.

There is another set of eyes rolling in their sockets soon after this little exchange. Men. Huruma's eyes sweep over Leonard curiously before making her way to Adam's side, forearms crossing carefully over her middle. "Jus'send them away." A flick of some fingers gestures to those they had brought with them. The woman makes no move to whisper, her voice carrying just enough to be overheard. "'S no'like they've got guerillas behind th'carousel…" Huruma drawls, pupils moving towards Leonard, and then into the background, where her gaze should meet Cat's binoculars for likely only a split second.

A quiet snort is made at Helena's mention of Parkman. "That's not a surprise," Cat opines. "Parkman has no soul. He proved that when he stood up and helped that coward Nathan Petrelli, the Senator Linderman had an election rigged for, out our existence without having the guts or decency to tell the world he could fly. And until he quits working for Nathan, tells the whole world what Volken was up to and who stopped it, outs Nathan, and resigns in public disgust, I'll never believe he has a soul." There's a pause. "But… even still I'd connect him with Delphine so he and Molly can get back what Arthur stole."

"It might be interesting," she suggests as an extension of her thoughts, "to sometime show Huruma and that blonde Adam's Primatech file, see if they know who and what they're associating with."

But then she goes quiet for an instant and stays very still until Huruma's eyes travel on. "She looked over here, but I don't think she made us, Storms. Christ, this looks like an ambush waiting to happen."

"I'm not worried too much that Huruma can see us." Helena supplies with a shrug. "She's sensible. She'll probably tell Adam to make the thugs disappear. Else he'll threaten Leo, and Leo will throw him into the ocean. It's not like he won't get better." Helena shrugs yet again. "He's the one who wanted to meet with me. I'm going to talk to Delphine about Matt and Molly and coordinate a meetup for them. Parkman says he won't screw us over, but I can't help but think he will. I wish I could have used Delphine's services as a bargaining chip…oh, and he's still trying to convince himself what he's doing isn't completely seig heil. I wonder how he sleeps at night." Helena's tone is flat with distaste. "You think Adam's going to back his groupies off?" she inquires to Cat absently.

Adam shakes his head, he turns his back to Leonard and addresses Huruma, Kaylee and Michael, "Christ, it's like dealing with children." he shakes his head in an annoyed manner, "This is the group the Company is worried about?" he rolls his eyes and waves his arms. Eventually men start to pile into their vehicles and drive away, leaving the foursome of Michael, Huruma, Kaylee and Adam. He turns back towards Leonard, "Satisfied?"

Leonard pops open his cellphone, dials. Looks at nothing in particular, the way people do when on the phone. "Well. Eyes, what do you say? Thinned the herd enough for ya? We go somewhere else?"

As she is addressed by Adam, Kaylee continues to watch Leonard with an amused look. Her eyes only leave him long enough to catch a glimpse of the retreat. Her eyes touch on Adam as she wonders at him if he's certain about doing that. Movement from Leonard pulls her attention back and her eyes narrow thoughtfully.

"They are simply being cautious." Huruma's assurance is not very straightforward, and moreso an utterance to Adam alone. She watches the eight or so men pull away, quite sure that they will not go too far regardless of how much Adam shooed them away with his gesture. After they are gone, Huruma's attention returns to Leonard and the cellphone. He seems familiar to her, judging by the second thoughtful look resting on him.

"Time will tell," Cat states for Helena's benefit as her observation continues. "It depends on how badly Adam wants to meet you." Some silent moments are spent then on reflecting about Matt Parkman. "I don't imagine he has trouble sleeping. Remorse and guilt, conscience, requires having a soul. Also," she muses, "I don't think Parkman's a real leader. He's a follower, needs a boss to give him orders. Remember how he just followed in line when he was with Allen? Although… I wonder if Allen could take sense to him, make him wake up and really look at what he's doing."

Silence next, as she watches the goons exit the area.

They left. Just four on his end now." But she waits for Helena's call on moving out.

"Allen doesn't even entirely agree with what I'm doing." notes Helena wryly. "The numbers are still uneven, but…I'm pretty sure I like the odds a lot better, and Monroe's fussing like a diva out there. Sure, let's take a walk." She nods to Cat to let Leo know they're coming, and starts on her way, presumably with Cat alongside her.

Adam shakes his head at Huruma at her reassurance. "It shows a simple lack of tactical analysis." he shrugs a bit, "Alright, but I'm not going anywhere." as he continues to talk to his crew, "I'm not being dragged through some sewers, I'm the one doing them a favor here." then he looks at Kaylee and Huruma meaningfully and, still speaking just to his own group, "Tell me what you get." he says, then says to Michael, "Go back about ten yards in case anything should happen, we may need to consider a flank."

"Hang on a minute," Leo says, lazily, lifting a hand like a director pausing a scene. "You get your meeting, you lucky boy, you."

Kaylee gives a short nod to Adam at his request, giving him a grin. "I don't think I'd want to go through the sewers anyhow.. I like these sneakers.. just got them broke in.. Not to mention." She motions at Huruma with her chin. "Heels are so not for tromping through crap." She glances over to watch people approach, taking a deep breath and letting it out, getting ready for the meeting.

Usually, Huruma would choose to send Adam some calm vibes- but using her ability on him is rather testy waters to begin with. For now, she gives him a flat expression that gives her an air of chilled observance. Her eyes flick up to Kaylee, the edges of her lips twisting slightly. "You woul'be quite surprised at what I would 'tromp' through." Huruma's low voice purrs, her chin lifting in a subtle and only somewhat subconscious challenge.

"Of course." She turns her eyes again to Adam, then away, tongue running for a moment over the inner sides of her lips.
The word is passed to Leo, and she comes out along with Helena, her eyes wary and alert as they scan the group. Michael's motion isn't missed. Cat's night vision binoculars are put away as they near the assemblage. She doesn't say anything.

Helena takes the walk, carrying her Mediterrenean weather with her. It encompasses everyone, giving them the sensation of the loveliest of summer weather; just warm enough, just cool enough. "Huruma." She's the first one Helena greets, with something close to a smile on her face. "You're looking well." Her eyes then go flat as she takes in Adam. "Something I can do for you, Monroe?"

Adam watches Helena and Cat arrive. "Ah, the infamous Helena Dean of Pariah.." he snaps his finger, "Oh, sorry. Phoenix. You kids and your clubs." he shakes his head and reaches into his jacket pulling out a folder, "Alright." he says, "Pinehearst…" he opens the folder and moves to hand over a piece of paper. It contains a rough copy of floor plans of the building. It's not complete, but then, Adam wasn't privy to every part of Pinehearst.

When the woman draw close, Kaylee's smile wides a bit more even as her eyes seem to unfocus a touch. The grip on her jacket relaxes some with the warmer weather. Adam's comment gets an amused glance, before she starts scanning surface thoughts for anything that stands out. She glances at one woman, then the other and then back again. Her concentration fully on Helena and Cat, her gaze studying them even as she tries to non-chalantly read them, much like she'd do in class.

"…Well enough." Huruma seems to agree, a pleased look on her face for Helena; she stretches her neck in the now comfortable air and the silent fingers of her ability reaching out to touch on little minds, seeing what they're all about right now. She seems to be looking at the air breezing through the fairgrounds for a few more seconds. Up until Adam brings out the floorplans of Pinehearst, whhere she gently gauges for a visible reaction from the two Phoenix women.

She hasn't seen the floor plans handed to Helena yet, but the mention of the Pinehearst causes Cat to call up images of the place when she visited there. Roger Goodman, the man called Maury, the receptionist at the front, the area called B4, Arthur. Nothing is said verbally, she just looks at the paper and waits for Helena to show it if she chooses.

For Huruma, the flavor, if you will, of Helena's emotions seems to have changed since last she knew her. Harder. Less innocent. Less naive. The taint of hardship, of coming to terms with violation, but still the sweet, sweet taste of hope and desire to do good. Kaylee, on the other hand, gets a curious look…and then feels something more equivalent to a wall, and the scrolled lyrics of the ABBA song catalog.

Her attention goes back to Adam. "It's a nice present." she says affably, knowing Cat's had a look. "What's the catch?"

Adam mms, "I want to be there when you kill him." he says, "In fact, I want to be the one that kills him." his head tilts to the side. He takes out another paper, "These are the security floor plans. Where they have guards, cameras, how many…it's not complete, but I honestly don't believe that there's much more there than I saw. I think Arthur is relying mostly on himself and Maury."

Eyes narrow a touch at what Kaylee catches from Cat, but Helena get a bit of a confused look as all she gets is that wall and a something akin to Mama Mia playing in her head. That get's a small amused smirk from the blond. The mention of killing breaks her concentration for a moment and Kaylee glances at Adam though there is no shock or surprise to her expression. She's thoughtful as she turns back to the woman, focusing on them again.

"Justifiably so." It is hard to tell just by this how much she may know firsthand, but the tallest of the women obviously knows what has been going on, in some regard. Enough to know that Arthur and Maury could guard Area 51 if they wanted to. Huruma examines the next paper from above, eyes turning downward. "Frankly, those working there are probably jus'as dangerous as any guard." Her lips tighten lightly after she speaks.

Her eyes settle on Kaylee when that expression draws her attention, the narrowed eyes, coupled with the way she seemed to unfocus before, and it sparks wondering in Cat's mind. It takes form first as a question. Are you wandering around in here without permission? If so, get the fuck out of my head! Next comes a recalling of Pi calculated to fifty decimal places in crystal clarity, followed by a healthy dose of the Clash. London Calling.

"Arthur is more formidable by the day, he gets stronger with each person having an ability he comes across. He's a telepath on his own, and he can present the image of whomever he desires to. Getting close enough to take any action against him will be very difficult, especially since he can hear you thinking about coming for him. On top of this, he regenerates."

"You want us to be your canon fodder so you can have the personal pleasure of killing him." Helena begins to say, when suddenly, a faint sound of thunder - miles and miles away, gains her attention. She looks briefly at Cat. Something's wrong, they'll need to find out what. Helena's weather manipulation reaches far and wide, even as she speaks, she's reaching out and smoothing over the clashing air currents far from here. "Is that about the gist of it?" She looks to Huruma as if to say, is he for real?.

Adam tilts his head a moment, "First. I seriously doubt you were not going to go after him anyhow. Second, I rather thought it would be like a team adventure. Like a field trip. Like on scooby doo when they have special guest stars?" he looks between Cat and Helena as if to see if they indeed watched scooby doo. At any rate, he continues to pull out papers from his folder, "Notable employees…the Chesterfields.." he glances towards Cat briefly, before he says, "Frankly, I don't see them being much of a problem. They aren't…fanatics for the cause." he pauses, "Now, Alison Meier…she's a piece of work."

When Cat looks at her, Kaylee doesn't seem to flinch she only gives the woman a bright smile. That would be telling wouldn't it, but she doesn't let that thought pass between them. She turns her attention to the paperwork in Adam's hands, letting her ability continue to wander the woman, switching between the two forms of music like a little game, to see if anything slips through the cracks.

Huruma has lifted her hand towards her own neck, fingertips trailing over the lower curve of her jawline; her pale eyes rest on Cat and Helena in waiting silence. Cat's swelling, almost parasitic rage beneath her cool, chilled exterior- and Helena's shiny new carapace protecting those fluffy, hopeful layers that so often come with a Heroine in such a place. Like reading a book. Just browsing, carefully. She will very likely let Adam know later on that Phoenix is more serious than what his current tone and demeanor seem to suggest that he believes. Scooby gang, still, but considerably more fleshed out.

Cannon fodder or not, Adam's desire to have the pleasure of killing Arthur is obvious. A team adventure, yeah. Scooby Doo. With her eyes on Helena- yes, he is, her gaze gives back- Huruma's smooth voice addresses Adam, in a conversational tone. "Ooohhh, tha'Meier…" The tall woman laughs, the sound almost languid in its flow. "Expects more than she deserves. She was so angry abou'tha'Half." Half missing from the Formula, of course, but that goes unspecified. "God's gifts shoul'be more discerning…" Meier doesn't deserve what she has already, much less more. Neh.

Her head tilts at the thunder in the distance, the glance going from there to Helena as if to inquire about unexpected thunderstorms in the area. But it passes swiftly. "Interesting," Cat muses, her eyes settling on Kaylee for a moment before shifting to Adam. "The Chesterfields may or may not be alive. If they are, it's only for as long as Arthur needs them to be. He's already learned Mason at least isn't on board with the team. I'm not certain the same can be said for Jennifer. If they're alive, getting them out is one of the goals along with anyone else being held there. And I know about Doctor Meier. Leave her to roast slowly. Is she capable of any unexpected tricks?"

And there's one more question for Adam, asked curiously. "Do you have a telepath on your team, Mr. Monroe?"

"They're never discerning when put in Man's hands." Helena says softly. She looks to Adam. "Do you have anything to offer us of significantly intelligence or resource for us to consider your proposal? Because last I heard, you were snuggling up with Kazimir Volken and the Vanguard, when you weren't trying to drop your own world killer virus and go all Brave New World." A brow arches. "That's a good question, actually."

Adam arches a brow towards Cat, "Meier is capable of a lot of surprises…" he pauses, "A telepath, now that's a personal question. Would you care to tell me what his powers are?" he motions towards Leonard. "Or your own?" he rolls his eyes before he turns to Helena, "Kazimir Volken is dead. I was a consultant for him. As I was a consultant for many people over the years. However, I never had my own 'world killer virus'. You've got an interesting set of facts that are quite jumbled." he pauses at Helena, "I'm giving you intelligence. And quite frankly, you stand a better chance of succeeding with myself and my resources than without them."

Kaylee continues to look rather amused at it all, arms fold under her chest at she listens. The question from Cat gets an arches brow but nothing more, as if saying that is a rather interesting question. Glancing in the direction Adam points, Kaylee smirks a bit. He looks familiar to the woman, she's seen him… somewhere. The young woman been a bit bored, since well.. you can only listen to so much ABBA, but she continues to endure. Hmm… might have to add some to her ipod.

"And tha'adds up to a lot of …consulting." Almost four centuries of it! Past is passed. Nice way to drag Viral-crazed Nazis into this, girls. Should she look at Huruma, Helena will be met with another assuring gaze from the older woman- again, an expression saying that- yes, he is for real- and by that extension, that what Adam has just told her is ringing quite true. Both things that he has said.

It's still a suspicion, one neither confirmed nor denied. Adam's reply draws a dry chuckle from Cat and even drier words. "You could be an attorney, Mr. Monroe." She flashes a slight smile. "As to our information, well, maybe we believe your claim of facts being jumbled, maybe we don't." Cat isn't telling. "I'll remember your words well, in any case." Then Kaylee gets treated to another replay of memories, this one of a law professor who spoke in a monotone more boring that Ben Stein in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Odd, that it's recalled in such perfect clarity, despite being so boring. As if she couldn't avoid remembering, despite tuning it out from boredom?

"I'm an atmokinetic." Helena supplies sweetly. "Which I've stated, very publically. The presence of a telepath is relevant if you want to establish some trust. After all, it wouldn't go well for what you want if we were to get upset because someone's been trying to root around in our brains, right?" She shrugs. "We'll consider your offer," she says, with diplomatic smoothness worthy of a Meg Cabot novel princess, "And get back to you in due course."

Adam tilts his head for a moment. "Frankly, we're in a situation of need." he says, "I'm not sure either of us is powerful enough to take on Arthur by himself, since half the people who would be willing to help, he's taken their powers." he purses his lips. "This might seem trite to you, but he killed my girlfriend." it might be more appropriate to say 'a' girlfriend, but, that's Adam, "And frankly, I loved her quite a bit. So, I'm a bit non plussed with Arthur even if I hadn't been already. You, I'm sure, have your own reasons for wanting to unmask old Man Petrelli, but I have my doubts it's quite as personal for you." he shrugs, "Perhaps it is, perhaps it isn't, but I don't take kindly to that sort of thing." he pauses, "A last question. Do you plan to do anything about Staten?"

Eyes dropping to a spot between Cat and Helena, Kaylee smirks at the memory that plays through her head. She's had a few of those herself, so she can sympathize with the woman. Her attention turns to Adam, as he mentions his girlfriend. There is a touch of regret in her expression, but since she had only met the woman once the emotions are just not there for it. His last question really grabs Kaylee's interest and she looks to the two women curious.

Huruma dutifully looks at the air when Adam begins to rough out an explanation to them, though she does look back for an answer as the two seem to be wrapping up in dealing with him tonight. Still watching.

She doesn't comment on whether or not things are personal in this to her, Cat having already spoken of the Chesterfields and wanting to get them out, of knowing them. She also suspects, from the way Adam looked at her with that mention, he knows exactly who she is. Speaking of it would just be unneeded words.

But at the mention of a slain girlfriend, Cat knows that sort of pain and loss intimately. It counts among the memories which to her form the curse side of her ability. This is a thing easily apparent to Huruma and to some degree Kaylee, interrupting the monotonous professor as an image of a woman forms in mind and a discarded hamburger wrapper flashes by before she pushes those recollections aside.

The brief weakness in Cat's mind is echoed in Helena's, not of a woman or a hamburger wrapper, but as Adam suggests it's not personal for Helena, the face in her mind is that of his youngest son. Her love for him is potent. So is her fear for him. But there's no show of it on her face. "When you say do anything about Staten, in what sense? We're not a police force." He may also mean about the possibility of the incoming Frontline, but then, he doesn't know where Phoenix's main base is.

Adam tilts his head for a moment at the question of Staten. "Other than the bombing of innocent civilians in order to get at drug dens? How about the incoming Frontline troopers? Frankly, I'm not much for them." he doesn't know where Phoenix's main base is, though he does know of the Lighthouse which seems to share some symbiotic relationship with Phoenix, "Look. I'm no fan of the drug runners, I don't get involved in that business, but you can't be for this drafting evolved and having them run rampant in New York."

Brows lift slightly and then it falls into a slight frown at the images that Kaylee catches. Interesting. There is a face man and a wrinklng of her nose at the mention of FRONTLINE, the young woman's feeling ovious in her expression. She completely loathes the idea.

"Frontline is a political matter," Cat replies solemnly, "that won't be solved by us alone. We aren't by any means in agreement with breaking from American traditions, having military forces used as standing law enforcement troops. Historically they've only been used in a pacifying role situationally, and returned to garrisons as soon as possible. This is a Gestapo, and the only thing for it is calling on people to resist en masse. Removing President Petrelli is unpalatable. VP Mitchell is worse. We have to work at the population simply refusing to accept or tolerate it. And the conscription, well, this is just one reason I'm not in compliance with the Linderman Act."

"But for the near term, tending to Arthur does address the problem of Frontline. If he completes the formula, he gains the means to seize power and boost the Gestapo by injections."

"Rome wasn't built in a day." Helena concludes, peering at Adam a moment. "No, wait - that's too old, even for you, huh? But like I said. We'll consider your offer. Do you have a contact number? An email address? A dead drop? Some way to communicate with you."

Adam reaches into his pocket for a moment and then pulls out a cellular phone. There's nothing special about it, it's just a simple prepaid phone bought at a gas station and hands it over, "You can call me." he pauses for a moment as if it's important and it seems to be clear, at least to him, that it is. "Her name was Zoe. Zoe Porter." and with that, he says, "Alright. I'll wait to hear." and then motions his group away as he begins walking towards the vehicles. Michael's already calling them back.


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