Participants:
| Scene Title | The Sun In Wonderland |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Godfrey Wells is drawn back into the orbit of his old life. |
| Date | January 23, 2021 |
This smelled like a bad idea from the start.
Two blocks outside of Yamagato Park there’s a cluster of warehouses that, from the outside, look uninhabited. Windows are lines with plywood, walls are covered in spraypaint, parking lots are empty or filled with burned-out husks of cars. It’s a few square blocks of industrial parkland in southwestern Sheepshead Bay, before the neighborhood shows its freshly gentrified color and charm.
At night, even a night like tonight, it doesn’t look any different from the outside. But a block and a half away there’s an old, pre-war subway entrance that occasionally sees use. That’s where Godfrey Wells’ night started off. Where he descended by flashlight — so to speak — into the lightless depths of an abandoned subway tunnel, followed pink tape arrows on the floor to a maintenance door, and then walked through a sledgehammered hole in a concrete wall into a hand-dug tunnel crossing under the street.
Empty bottles of alcohol litter the floor in that tunnel, empty plastic baggies, sometimes even syringes. But at the end of that tunnel there’s a steel door spray-painted with a white rabbit checking a pocket watchwith a sliding view slat.
But after five knocks.
“Where goes the white rabbit?”
And five words.
“Come on in.”
You’re through the looking glass.
Wonderland
Sheepshead Bay
January 23rd
10:12 pm
Bone-shuddering bass permeates the air on the other side of that iron door. In the basement below the facade of an abandoned warehouse, the underground nightclub Wonderland has grown to swell into spaces once occupied by the Ghost Shadows triad. Godfrey is assailed by the pulsing beat of electronic music and the glow of flashing orange and yellow lights as he moves on to the smoke-shrouded dance floor.
Hundreds of bodies are pressed together, a sea of writhing flesh grinding to the beat of a synthetic drum. A DJ occupies the stage, behind whom flash massive fire-hued LEDs that blast sunset light across the crowd and create long, dancing shadows in the fog. German lyrics blast between the beats, a woman shouting something in rhythmic and melodic tones.
Checking his phone, Godfrey sees the text message from earlier in the night.
E. ERIZAWA
7:15 pm
Mr. Wells, I hear you are a free man. We should discuss business tonight. Wonderland, VIP booths. After 10pm.
No signal down here to speak of. No new messages since. Eyes up, Godfrey searches for something that could be a VIP area, and eventually his attention becomes fixed on an open floor of tables at the back of the club, and beyond them a glass windowed area in what would be a foreman’s loft when this was whatever industrial workplace it used to be.
Maneuvering through the sweaty crowd, Godfrey makes his way to the guarded stairs leading up to the VIP area. As he gets closer, he can see an unfamiliar man whispering to the bouncer at the bottom of the stairs who is wearing an AEGIS vest and packing a shotgun on his back. He motions with his chin to Godfrey in the universal acknowledgement of a known entity. They exchange peaceable handshakes, and he motions Godfrey to go up the stairs. He was expected.
Up the stairs, Godfrey slides from bone-shaking bass into relative quiet as he moves into the VIP lounge. Tonight, Yamagato Industries security chief has the run of the floor. Eizen looks much as Godfrey remembers, somewhere between immaculate and intimidating, sitting with an eye on the club floor below. He is half lit in vibrant shades of yellow and orange, turning dark eyes to Godfrey and motioning for him to sit at his table.
Eizen came alone.
Godfrey thrived in places like this.
There was something about the energy of a venue like this that made him feel alive. It had been tough not to be distracted by the press of bodies or the rhythmic music. However, it’s the fact that the man at the table wanted to see him that successfully pulled him to the fairly quiet VIP lounge.
There is curious interest when Godfrey sees the man sitting there alone, rather peculiar in fact. While Godfrey wasn’t wearing one of his more familiar suits - having gone with designer jeans, a silky dark blue button up, and black leather jacket - He was still perfectly groomed, even with the bit of scruff on his face.
“Eizen!” Godfrey says with familiarity of friends though they’ve never really been. He appears genuine in his affection, so there is probably a part of him that missed his old place of employment. “I must say, it’s bloody good to see you and still as ravishingly broody I see.” That last bit said in a low-pitched, and yet, insincere flirt. Something he’d never have dared while working for Yamagato.
Okay… that was probably a lie.
As Godfrey settles into the chair across from Eizen with a certain amount of grace, he looks amused at the situation. “You know I was just thinking about giving you a call, yet here you come along texting me… And to Wonderland of all places. Well, I’d expect me in a place like this, but you?” Eizen didn’t give off that energy for Godfrey.
“Question tho…” Godfrey starts in with a glance to the window and the flashing lights beyond, “Talk to Kaydence lately?” Turning his focus back to Eizen, a neat brow tips up curiously.
Eizen’s stare lingers on Godfrey like a cat tolerating the presence of an exceedingly familiar dog. He slides his tongue over his teeth, closes his eyes and lifts his brows, then sits forward in his chair. His dark eyes scan up and down Godfrey, considering his posture and demeanor against the backdrop of the pounding synth beat through the glass.
“We work together…” Eizen says as he folds his hands in front of himself, inspecting Godfrey more carefully now. “I suppose the more relevant question is, have you talked to Ms. Damaris lately?” The genuine tone of interest implies that Kaydence hasn’t disclosed any meetings with convicted felons as of late. His eyes show no mirth, only tiredness. Godfrey’s never seen Eizen look this tired before.
Whatever cheeky smile Godfrey is wearing slowly fades as Eizen doesn’t react predictably. “It was a rhetorical question, but yes… Actually, I have,” he says with curiosity for the other man’s demeanor seeping into his tone. “It’s why I wanted to speak to you.” Subdued a bit, he settles into his seat more.
While Eizen leans forward, Godfrey leans back and crosses his legs as if leaning back to look at the bigger picture. Brows furrow as he studies the other man. “Ms. Damaris contacted me the other day wanting to see me, I thought it was just to have drinks and a bit of a laugh.” He gives a disbelieving laugh before saying, “Well, I certainly know a woman looking for a bit of a shag when I see one,” he isn’t blind. “While, I can appreciate the effort. She and I had a previous discussion about my personal rules about mixing friendship and pleasure.”
“Simply put, I don’t.”
It is clear that Godfrey has no qualms or hookups about talking about one thing he’s known for. “Though, now that I am here… I have to wonder why you called me here.” Cause suddenly it was odd to him.
Eizen regards Godfrey with a furrowed brow and a stoic look, followed by a slow close of his eyes and… a smile? When Eizen opens his eyes again it’s with an accompanying shake of his head. “Mr. Wells, you are quite possibly a very fortunate man.” Sitting forward, Eizen taps two fingers on the table he rests his elbow on and perches like that in his seat.
“That…” Eizen says in both a whisper and a thrust, “was not Kaydence Damaris.” His fingers come up from the table. “We believe she has been replaced by someone who is able to convincingly replicate not only her personal knowledge, but also her biometrics. Illusions alone cannot fool machines like that.”
“Kaydence was kidnapped on the 8th of November and supplanted by what we believe is a corporate spy working for a competitor.” Eizen is careful about how many details he lets out. “We’re looking at recovering Ms. Damaris, but we’re also putting together a group to apprehend her impostor. Given what you displayed in your little playtime down in the Rookery last year, your name came to mind.”
Eizen sits back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. “It’s a job offer. Thirty thousand up front, sixty thousand on completion of the operation.” Which all seems suspicious, given what Godfrey’s last job at Yamagato entailed. That being espionage for Adam Monroe.
Maybe Kimiko had a change of heart… and maybe a pig flew over the moon.
As Eizen starts to explain his theories about Kay, Godfrey folds his hands in his lap and listens with a look of mild curiosity that edges on boredom. Though his expression becomes more and more confused as the other man goes on and then just like he’s clearly crazy.
Of course, Eizen also has him pressing a hand to his chest, “Playtime? You wound me. I certainly wouldn’t call having a telepath tearing around in your brain… Playtime.” But he also doesn’t seem overly hurt. “Even though it was rather… illuminating.” It’s how he learned about his ability after all.
“I am flattered you thought of me for a rescue mission, though.” Still as Godfrey processes the information and compares it to what he knows, he turns his attention to the strobing lights outside the room. The more he thinks on it, the more he realizes that night makes so much more sense.
And it honestly, pisses him off. Along with one other item.
The surge of anger results in a noticeable glow of light behind Godfrey’s eyes when his attention turns back to Eizen. At least he isn’t glowing.. yet. “I must admit, however, that I’m rather insulted that you and Kimiko believe I need to be bribed with money to help.” He tugs at his jacket like he’s straightening his suit, before folding his arms across his chest. “Kaydence is a dear friend and as such, my loyalty does not have a price tag.” Anyone other than his friends… that’s different.
“This… isn't Kimiko's decision to make anymore,” Eizen says with a tightness in his voice.
“I do have a rather important question for you, though,” Godfrey’s brows tips upward, “Where is Kaydence’s child spawn. I have grown fond of her. As annoying as she is, her persistence in getting her mother shagged, is commendable.” Head tilting one side, he asks what might be a surprising question for the man across from him. “I do hope you have taken precautions to keep her safe and far from this fake Kaydence?” He gives a shake of his head, not really giving away any of his worry. “Would be a pity Ella was used as a bargaining chip.”
“Ella Damaris is home, with the woman she thinks is her mother. If we pulled her out it could show our hand. We’ve been playing this very close to the chest, because we believe we’re dealing with someone capable of clouding minds and technology, possibly a shapeshifter or someone who underwent extensive alteration to look like Kaydence.” Eizen explains, glancing down to the dancefloor at a bloom of light, then back to Godfrey.
“Once we’re ready to move Yamagato Security will sweep in to pull her out of the situation,” Eizen continues to explain, absolutely using her as a piece in this to some extent. Though he has a justification. “She’s safer not knowing, right now. We don’t believe she is a target or in any danger.”
Eizen leans in a little closer. “If you accept the terms of this agreement, we can communicate the details closer to the day of. All we ask is that you keep your schedule flexible through February.”
While, there is some concern for the child… well, Godfrey can appreciate the man’s plan and it shows. “Well, at least it shan’t be my head that rolls, should the child be harmed.” That he’s thankful for. Kaydence could be scary where Ella was concerned. “But, I can respect your expertise and concern for Miss Ella’s well-being even when using her.”
When Eizen leans forward, Godfrey uncrosses his legs and leans closer himself. Though the light that shines behind Godfrey’s eyes has dimmed the cat-like effect flares back up with his anticipation for what the other man is planning.
“And yes…” With a devilish look, Godfrey confirms this decision, “we most certainly have an agreement and I will be awaiting your call with much anticipation.” It’s been awhile since he’d been able to have some fun like that.
“I’d ask you to join me for a drink, Erizawa,” Godfrey says suddenly, studying the man leaning across from him with blatant appreciation… it wasn’t just the girls who gossiped about the dashing Security Chief. He pulls back and waves a hand to brush off any innuendo his words might hold, “To celebrate this arrangement, of course…. But I fear I can’t stay. A pity, but I’m sure just being here probably violates the terms of m’ parole.” Not that he’s ever really cared about things like that, to be fair he might just be looking for a reaction.
“A pity,” Eizen says back with the wary tension of a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. But at the same time, Eizen does not make a move to leave. He settles back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other with hands folded at his knee. “I will contact you again with details when I have them. Until then, Mr. Wells…”
“Stay out of trouble.”