The Shape Of Things To Come

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Scene Title	The Shape of Things to Come
Synopsis	Kazimir arrives at the Invierno to discuss plans for the new year with Drake and Rico.
Date	December 30, 2008

New York City, Coastal Waters — The Invierno, Cargo Hold

The cold creak of metal on metal has a distinctly hollow echo in a structure as large as this. When the barred door comes slamming shut, the loud crash reverberates through the spacious cargo hold. "Eight in group A, nine in group B." Snaking a chain through the bars, Drake Leeds takes a quick head count of unmoving forms restrained to hospital gurneys, a network of tubing and IV bags suspended from the aluminum walls.

"Tha's all'a them." Behind Drake, the towering silhouette of King looms in watchful obedience at the side of a smaller, but far darker silhouette. "Tha' firs' group is all'a the Evolved, tha' secon' group is all'a th'normal people." King nods his head towards a second metal shipping crate across the cargo hold.

"Good." The shadow at his side croons in a rocky voice, taking a few clicking steps forward into the yellowed light of a drop lamp that sways at the ceiling. The stark contrast of light and dark makes the pock-marked scarring on his face more pronounced, giving his countenance a likeness to weathered granite. "That should be sufficient for Doctor Knutson's needs."

Drake takes a step away from the barred door, reaching uot to close a pair of double-hinged aluminum doors to seal the end of the steel cargo crate, sliding a locking bar latch across the front with a loud clunk of metal. "Ship doctor's got 'em sedated, should last for 48 hours with the bags they've got."

Moving away from the crates, Drake slides his gloved hands into his pockets, broad shoulders rolling forward as he tries to shake off the damp cold in the ship's hold. "We'll ship 'em off from here tomorrow 'round midnight, Hans and Ellinka will be waitin' at the drop point."

Kazimir nods in momentary silence to the mission plan, though he doesn't remain stationary. Instead, he wanders along the cargo hold of the Invierno, following one side of the steel cargo crate before pausing to look back over his shoulder to Drake and King. "Doctor Knutson will be managing developmental operations of the virus," he turns back around, walking up along the length of the crate again back to the two operatives.

"Shoul' we have Ellinka keep an eye on th'docter?" King folds his large arms across his chest, looking down at Kazimir with an intent stare, but one tempered by both respect and fear of the outwardly weak looking old man.

"No, the Eagle Electric facility is already under observation." The notion draws Drake's attention away from the distant sound of approaching footsteps in the cargo hold, trying to puzzle out exactly what Kazimir means. "However that is related to another issue more relevant to your concerns…"

The way Kazimir leaves that notion lingering in the air keeps both King and Drake's focus, and the two men remain silent, waiting for what inevitably could be cause for concern. "Ethan has left for Europe, unannounced. My information gatherer keeping an eye on his group seems to indicate that…" There is a careful choosing to his words, delayed and cautious, "His resolve may be in question, which is to be anticipated."

"Has he outlived his usefulness, sir?" Drake shifts his weight to one foot, seeing both the potential for promotion in the European branch, and a chance to garner favor in his master's cold eyes. But the response he gets in return isn't the confirmation he wants.

"Ethan still has a vital role to play, but certain incentives may need to be arranged to keep his motivation aimed in the proper direction." Lifting his cane up to tuck it under one arm, Kazimir brings a gloved hand into his suit jacket, slowly retrieving a faded Polaroid from within, held out to Drake with one raised brow.

"Who's this?" His eyes flick over the unfamiliar face in the photograph, then back up to Kazimir. Drake carefully plucks the picture out of Kazimir's gloved hand, wary of even coming into contact with his covered hand.

"An operative we picked up in London, Eileen Ruskin, codenamed Munin." With the photograph taken, Kazimir takes his cane back from under his arm, settling his weight down on it with narrowed eyes. "Several members of that cell have grown close to her, emotionally. Ethan among them." Kazimir takes another step towards Drake, then looks up to King.

"I have reason to suspect she is planning to, or already has gone rogue." The words are not spoken with his usual casual grace, but with more emphasis to the rough and growling tone of his voice, as though the words pain him to some measure to deliver. "I want her apprehended, alive. Her only purpose left is to serve as leverage."

King nods slowly, reaching out to take the picture from Drake, looking over the young girl depicted sitting on a park bench next to a thin and blonde Italian man, the pair holding ice-cream cones. King's eyes narrow slightly, and he hands the picture back to Drake. "Where is she?"

"That," Kazimir answers with a raise of both of his brows, "Is a good question. She's managed to stay out of sight of my eyes thus far, but she'll make a mistake eventually. King, I want you on this exclusively until you receive further orders."

"Sir?" It's uncommon for King to be assigned alone, and that suspicion carries in his voice. "I've been partnered w'Rico since—"

"Rico is being reassigned." Kazimir's sharp response cuts King off without hesitation, and he doesn't give pause for rebuttal. "Drake," His pale blue eyes track to the former SAS officer. "I want you working infrastructure disabling; pull public works records and prepare for a controlled blackout of Manhattan to coincide with Rico and Ellinka's bridge detonations."

"Right, sir." Destruction, espescially controlled destruction fits well into Drake's specializations. "I'll get right on that, I take it this is to control the release areas?"

Kazimir nods in acknowledgment, "Correct. With the overground land routes severed and the city in blackout, it will cripple national defense from interrupting payload delivery, should they get wind of our work."

"Which is why we're in radio silence still…" Drake bobs his head in a nod, bringing his hands out of his pockets to work his gloved fingers open and closed. For all his worth, he can never quite get used to the damp cold inside of the ship, and it only leads to his nervousness around Kazimir to see how the old man remains unphased by the cold.

"Correct again. Once Doctor Knutson confirms the virus and finishes her engineering, we'll be prepared to move on with deployment. Security breaches at this point," Kazimir's head shakes slowly, "We can't afford that." There's a moment of pause, followed by a relaxation in Kazimir's once tense expression. "Oh, and Drake…" His eyes wander away from the soldier, despite addressing him, "Hans' crew is nearly complete with the assembly of the tank."

"Things are shapin' up then, aren't they?" Drake folds his hands behind his back, moving to step a bit closer to King and Kazimir, "Everythin' we've been fightin' for's about to come to be."

Kazimir's eyes narrow for a moment at Drake's assessment, but all that he gives is a slow and thoughtful nod, "Almost, Drake." Only one variable is left in play to be put in its place, "Almost."

Gabriel Gray.