Trusting The Enemy

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cat2_icon.gif claire3_icon.gif

Scene Title Trusting The Enemy
Synopsis Claire and Cat talk about trust.
Date January 08, 2010

Marion Island


The sun has moved past the meridian for another day as Cat makes her way off the carrier, boots settling on the solid ground of Marion Island. Time's gone by since she paid her visit to Gillian, an interval used for visiting the mess hall and eating. She's brought some food with her, bread and suchlike, which she gives to some of the penguins gathering around the landing.

As a result some of the flightless birds are following her steps in search of and hope for more as the path to the bunker is tread. Hands adjust the straps of gear carried over one shoulder. "I wonder what I'll come across today," she muses. Interesting reading material is hoped for.

Kevlar helmet left off, allows blonde hair to drift across Claire's face as she stands watching some of the bird. A heavier military grade blue camo jacket catches in the cool breeze. With a matching pair of pants and black combat boots, the regenerator looks more like one of the sailors on the carrier. Cat's penguin feeding gets and amused smirk and she angles her travel so that she comes aside her. "I doubt anything I'll understand if I read it." She comments with a smirk.

"Claire," she greets with a tilt of her head in that direction, "good day? One never knows. I like reading anyway." Cat's steps go on, bits of food falling out behind her in a trail readily taken up by tuxedo'd birds. "Weather isn't too bad, Russia was colder."

After a few moments of silence, she volunteers "I've been hoping to speak with your uncle again, there were things we didn't get to cover last time he and I talked. He was too intent on seeing Francois Allegre."

"My uncle… " Claire states blandly. "He's not my Uncle while Kazimir's in there." Her tone doesn't sound convinced of here own lie, but she still says it. Fingers hook fluttering locks and tuck them behind her ear. "And seriously, trust me on this, it needs to be that way. I don't know why… but I trust in the person who told me so." Her head turns a little to give Cat a sideways glance.

"I've had arguments over that," Cat shares, "and seen my credibility suffer as a result. He contacted me in Russia, said we needed to capture Grigori Zhukovsky alive. We did, then the beans got spilled to Kershner about that contact, and I had to explain it for her. She initially called off the air strike that was aimed at Argentina, but it went back on after Francois spoke with her and said it was really Kazimir."

"Now he's on board and free, so presumably she believes me at least that much now. But he still doesn't acknowledge it being an act, even on board where there isn't anyone he needs to convince." It seems to puzzle the panmnesiac, from the expression she allows to form.

"Maybe he thinks if he sets it aside he won't be able to pull it back on when needed."

Nodding slowly, Claire continues on, booting crunching beneath her. "I understand your reputation is on the line, but if Rene thinks it's important that I think Peter is gone, well… I have to trust he is right." There is a huffs from the young woman. "Kazimir was furious when he heard about what Gabriel did.. and The Haitian told him that he couldn't afford emotions." She smiles a bit. "And when it was just Rene and I he explained that if I think of him as dead, I will be helping Peter."

She gives it just a moment before saying, "So… till this mission is done and I know he's going to live, Peter is dead." Claire gives Cat a small smile. "And your probably right, it's probably better for him to keep up the act.. never know who is the enemy… wolves in sheeps clothing."
She stops short, eyes coming to rest sharply on the younger one. "You know Rene?" This surprises Cat, and it shows. Wariness shows too, settling onto her features, the next words are chosen carefully. "He works for the Feds, he negates abilities and alters memories," she cautions. "It worries me to see him around, Claire…" Silence falls as she nonchalantly lets her eyes wander to ensure there's no one visible around to eavesdrop or overhear, broken when she feels confident of that.

"Things were found in Gregor's labs back in Madagascar, and I suspect if the Feds learn anyone knows they'll make people forget, or worse. Pinehearst," she explains, "contracted with Rasoul to make that negation gas, and there were tanks of Refrain."

"I know Rene.. he worked with my father. He was.. probably is still Company." Claire confirms as she comes slowly to a stop, turning to look back at Cat. "I've known him since the beginning of it all. He's helped save me from the Company, protected me.. and told me the truth when needed." She gives the other woman a soft smile. "He once defied my father and left me with my memories, cause he knew it would endanger my life."

Looking thoughtful, Claire adds, "He been there for a lot of important moments in my life."
"Do you think he would follow their orders about things learned in all of this, that they want to keep secret?" Cat asks, not looking entirely convinced of the large man being anything other than dangerous. "He likes you, but that doesn't mean he will do the right thing."

"Eileen Ruskin saw the labs, she told me what she saw there, and things match with the accounts of other people. You, Noriko… I haven't asked Huruma yet. Eileen also told me Captain Sanderson was under orders to get samples and bring them back, but didn't carry that order out. Is the trustworthy, is this correct? I can't quantify how important it is that Kershner and anyone working for her don't find out what was learned."

"I couldn't tell you.." Claire's shoulder shrugs, and she gives Cat a lopsided smile. " but when my father ordered him to wipe my memory of my ability and Sylar and such he didn't do it.. He also, while still working for the Company.. Took me and ran to protect me from being used by them." She's quiet for a long moment, "With anyone Cat, there is a chance that yes, he might do that. But I've never known Rene to be a stupid man."

"Or an evil man?" Cat asks pointedly. "Because the people he still works for, they are." Quietude arrives over the next several steps, remaining until she again asks "Is Sanderson trustworthy? I'm told she was ordered to get samples of that gas and didn't. I wouldn't go telling her things like this, in any case, but… is it true she didn't cooperate in that regard?"

By her expression, Cat is a bit relieved by what she's been told, but the presence of Rene clearly still causes concern.

"I… think so?" Claire murmurs, brow furrowing. "I remember a lot of Madagascar, but there is a lot I don't remember." She sounds a touch irritated by that fact. "But considering I woke with her putting my head back together still.. even when she herself was dying." A heavy sigh escapes her. "I would trust her at my back, but I don't know what else to tell you. There is a lot a remember, and a lot I don't."

"So we don't consider her a problem," Cat suggests, "but we don't share secrets with her either, seems smartest." Claire's face is watched for signs of agreement with that assessment, her answer listened for.

"Sounds about right." Claire agrees with a short nod of her head. "I just wish I could be more help about it. I can only go by when I woke. I didn't even know who she was.. just know she was part of my group. I remembered Can… Noriko… and some of the MLF."

Her and lifts to clutch dog tags hanging at her throat. "I remember him though." She says softly, palming his tags, "I plan to take them to his family and tell them he died saving us." The tags are let go and clatter against her chest. She's quiet for a moment, brows drawn down, lost in a memory. Her eyes suddenly blink and she clears her throat as if something is stuck in it, "Anyhow.. I'm… going to go back to the ship. Talk to Liz or something."

"I think Elisabeth is in the bunker, and I know a taste of what you're feeling, Claire," Cat tells her quietly. "Father was inside Pinehearst, he had decided to work against Arthur. I'd been in contact with him. One day he calls and asks me to meet him at the house in Hartford. But the man who showed up wasn't Father. It was Arthur. He stole my ability, threw me out the window, and set the house on fire. Seven years vanished just like that, like a fog settled into my head and blocked things out. Bits and pieces, feeling there was something more, but not being able to touch any of it. Looking at myself in a mirror, thinking I'm nineteen and looking twenty-six."

"I saw a car, didn't know it was mine, but found I had the keys so I drove away in it. Then I found the registration in my name, pulled out a wallet and found my driver's license. It was all me, but… didn't feel like me."

Then her eyes settle on the dogtags, studying what she can of them, and her features become somber. "For me, I was given a note on a hamburger wrapper. Dani's last words, written as a message just before she was murdered."

"Oh…" Claire says softly at the news to where Liz can be found, a little hang dogs that her excuse to flee falls flat. Hands tuck into her jacket, "I admit.. I feel different. I'm having a hard time looking at certain things that might have once been a big deal to me.. and they seem like such petty concerns."

"I know Rene would wipe Madagascar from my mind if I asked, but if I take that away… It leaves almost nothing from the last six months." Claire's head turns to look out over the dark blue of the ocean. "I think I'll hold on to what little I still have left, even if it makes me a different person."

"I wouldn't give up any of my memories," Cat quietly remarks, "not even of bad movies I've sat through and now can't forget even one dull moment of." A faint grin appears, she trying to lighten the mood with a touch of humor. "Each thing that happens toughens us. That saying, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, it's true."

"At least partly," she adds after a pause. "Some of us should be able to throw tall buildings by now."

Unable to keep from chuckling, Claire shakes her head slowly. "That is so true, after that trip… All of us should be able to lift that damn carrier." She gives her friend as small smile. " And I won't be wiping them, Magnes will just have to deal with me as I am… I guess it's a new Claire."

"Have to see if he can handle it when we get back to New York." Claire sounds some what resigned. "I'll have to see if the spark is still there… right now, I'm just not as sure. Maybe cause it's all such a shock."

"You are who you are, and will be. If he can't handle that, it's his problem, not yours. Don't feel obligated to even let him try," Cat advises. "He should be more concerned with seeing you happy, not necessarily being who he wants you to be. That's what love is supposed to be, anything else is just that. Something else."

"Wise words, Cat." Claire gives the woman as softly smile and then turns back to the ship. "I'm going back. Thanks.. for the chat." Her eyes shift to look at the carrier. "Just think about what I said about The Haitian… and Kazimir. That doesn't mean, not letting Kershner think whatever she wants too… but with everyone else.. Peter is dead. I want him alive by the end of this Cat, but to save the world he has to do this thing. It's up to me to make sure that the woman in the vision doesn't succeed in killing him."

"I failed Peter before.. not this time." Claire states firmly, before starting back the way they came.


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