Two To Tango

Participants:

danielle_icon.gif ethan_icon.gif helena_icon.gif

Scene Title Two To Tango
Synopsis It takes two to tango…or negotiate a hostage crisis.
Date December 10, 2008

A Phone Exchange As Follows:


Ring ring

Ring ring

The phone that rings is not one Helena would be very familiar with. It's not hers, it's not one of Phoenix's. Teo left it on a table in the library. A safe place, for Helena to find. Messages have been left, but now it rings. And rings.

Somewhere on the other side of the city, a cigarette is being lit, the phone sandwiched between his ear and shoulder. Ethan is ready to deal. All that is left now for someone to pick up the phone.

Helena is almost startled out of her wits when that phone rings. She stares at it a moment, and then with a swallow, reaches. It's Eileen's phone. Someone's looking for Eileen. It makes her feel a little queasy. She presses the right button and holds it to her ear. "Hello?"

The voice is young and feminine. Perhaps not what Ethan was expecting, if he has any expectations at all.

A loud exhalation comes over the phone. A sigh, a bored sigh. "Yes?" Comes the voice. Masculine, deep, with a stark cockney accent. "And which one is this?" The cigarette is lit as he takes a pause to take a puff.
It only takes split second for Helena to decide to play dumb for a moment. "Huh?" she replies, voice gone somewhat breathy-blonde.

Another bored sigh. "Listen, if you're an idiot, you better give the phone to someone else. I'm not going to play games. I have two people who may be of value to you. Every time you say something I don't like, I'll chop off a finger. Now, which one is this? 'elena Dean? Eve Mas?"

There's a pause. Then, "This is Helena." Gone is the breathy air, but the youth is still evident. "And I'm talking to Ethan. Before you bother giving me orders, who are you claiming to have?"

"Easy 'elena. Maybe I don't 'ave anyone. Maybe I'm just trying to play games with your 'ead. But maybe I do. And just maybe, if you waste my time any more I will cut off one of their fingers. Now, you either 'ave faith in me, or 'ave blood on your 'ands." She can practically hear him smile on the other end. "Now, are you ready to listen?"

Helena's eyes narrow, which of course Ethan can't see. "Blood on my hands comes with the territory." The statement might sound like a scoff, or something that some pithy 19 year old would say, but there's a quietness to her tone that suggests she's a good deal more serious about that then she might otherwise be. "I'm listening." But she's also a gambler.

"You 'ave something of mine." Ethan says coldly. "So you give it back. Or I kill both of these girls, and then I kill you, and everyone else in your organization." It's not angry, a calm, civil tone. "Something you need to know about me, 'elena, is I'm very good at what I do. I never make threats I don't intend to follow up on, and I'm a man of my word. So, if you give me back what is mine, and then stay out of my way, you won't be a problem, and I won't need to kill you. You don't want to be a problem for me, 'elena."

Helena says calmly, "I have something of yours." Her tone is musing. "And you've got two girls. Do I even know them?" Her hand slips into her pocket, pulls out her own cell, which she flips open and starts thumbing quickly. "When you can prove to me that you actually have leverage I care about, then I'll consider it."

"There goes one finger." Ethan sighs softly. "'Elena, you're not very bright are you? Either that or you don't think very 'ighly of me. You think I'm the type of person that would call you and demand a hostage for nothing. I have two girls, 'elena. I'll tell you their names if you sharpen up and get with the game. You know what? I feel so very offended on how stupid you think I am, I'm taking two fingers for that one. So, I've got a location in mind. What does your schedule look like?" As casual as someone would ask to set up a date for a cup of coffee or something of the like.

"Tell you what." Helena replies calmly. "Tell me their names, and we won't break your toy. And I'll become a lot more accomodating. You want to discuss a meeting? Let's get over this first little hump, shall we?" Stupid? Maybe. Unwilling to automatically grant Ethan all the power in this negotiation based on hypothetical hostages? Definitely.

"'Elena. You better go find 'oever is in charge and tell them you need to be released straightaway. You obviously don't understand that you're playing with grown ups." The phone goes away from his face for a moment. "Bring the first one 'ere." He calls, it is apparent he is not talking to Helena.

And with that, a man in a black suit is dragging Danielle from her 'cell' into the room Ethan sits in. "Ello, love." Ethan says with a smile to the woman. "I'm sorry, but your friend on the phone isn't being cooperative. Even after I told 'er the rules." He gives a sympathetic look. "So I'm going to 'ave to cut some more fingers off." The man in the black suit steps away for a moment before brandishing a knife.. and then.. he goes to work.

Ethan holds out the phone that the screaming could be heard more easily.

Dani pales as Ethan comes at her with the knife. "No, don't!" That much is recognizably her. "Don't!" And THEN it dissolves into screaming.

Helena blanches at the sound of the screaming, the temperature in her localized area starting to drop. "Ethan?"

Ethan watches as his assistant takes off the fingers. "All of the fingers on 'er left 'and." Ethan instructs before bringing the phone back to his ear. "Yes, 'elena, is there a problem?" The Wolf asks. "You do understand, that you made this happen, correct? You 'ad the power to save 'er fingers, but you chose not to. Now, are you going to play by the rules?"

No, Ethan. She's not going to play by the rules. "You'll get a call back when my superiors have made a decision."

-Click.-

Intellectually, Helena knows who's head this truely lays on. But that won't make the guilt any worse. She swaps phones to her own, hits a number. "Call everybody. I want them in right now."

Looking at the phone, Ethan arches a brow high. Then he goes to slide the phone into his pocket. "Stupid girl." He says with a frown, going to stand. "I'm sorry Danielle, I was going to let you go. I really was. But I don't much expect you'll survive the night." The Brit says as he makes his way out of the 'cell'. Looking to the man, he gives orders. "Get the women into the car, take 'em to the next location."

Danielle is pale and shaking. Blood loss, plus a lot of pain. "Fuck you…" she says, tired. The fear can only go so far. "You were never going to let me go."


The call takes places very late on the 9th, moving into early morning of the 10th.


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December 9th: Deckard Ex Machina
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December 10th: Seek Higher Ground
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