Participants:
Scene Title | Welcome To The Hotel Staten Island |
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Synopsis | You can check in anytime you like… |
Date | Feabruary 17, 2009 |
Staten Island - Hotel Room
It's a sleazy cheap hotel bedroom.
Nice thing about Staten Island is if you flash enough cash, you can get ahotel room and no one cares who you sign in under. Myndi Jerkin has a crappy hotel room, on Staten Island and this is where Hugh and Minea are headed up to. Her taggers presumably somewhere else nearby or likely at some point to rent a room near them so the one can hear. But Minea's played her part, the prostitute to Hugh's client, hands all over him, and all over herself till they're safely behind doors. Then it's hands to herself and a relieved look to be out of the public.
"Forgive me," Hugh says, all business once they're behind closed doors. "You understand the necessity of undercover behavior," he murmurs, settling on the rickety bed, and leaning forward, resting elbows on his knees.
"yes, I understand. I hope your wife doesn't kill me" Minea opts for the chair in the room, away from the window or the walls, sitting opposite him. "I'm not a full agent, I'm still in training, but, I understand. Why again are they wanting you to impersonate a dead man?" Not that he's told her that Mr Leeds was a dead man. "Much less an English dead man"
"Because he was an associate of that group so lately trying to wreak havoc and destruction down upon New York," Hugh says, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, and absentmindedly patting himself down for a lighter.
"Vanguard. Was my assignment, along with Einliter. Gather intel on the various groups operating within the city. My other was to provide him with documentation when he needed it, for himself and other parties. We helped provide intel on PARIAH and U have a lot more on Phoenix. Vanguard though" Minea runs her tongue over her upper front teeth. "Leeds is dead. I shot him myself. Along with probably half a dozen others who seemed to be henchmen. The rest of them, I don't know. I was pulled from assignment when my partner died"
Hugh frankly stares at her, cigarette held delicately between his teeth. And then he bursts into incredulous laughter. "'Did you, now?" he asks, before popping a match alight with a thumbnail, and touching it lightly to the end of the cigarette. "Interesting. So we're both out here after the dregs, then? Who's Einliter?"
"Two in the shoulder, one in the forehead. Talk with an English accent, not your Scottish brogue. You'll pass. I'm not out here after the dregs. When I said I was out here for Chinese food, I mean it. That and I had a safe house out here, about a month and a half ago. I was going to see if it was still available. I'm guessing not" Minea runs a hand through her hair, wracking her brain. "What all have they told you about the vanguard? And do they know who all is still alive? Who exactly your looking for?"
"Ethan Holden would be the one," Hugh says, easily, slipping into a flawless Manchester accent. "'Apparently he didn't die."
'He was one. There were nine members total, before it seems a great many more were brought in. I don't know them off the top of my head. "A young girl. Eileen. There was a man who had been involved in a NYPD fracas at the abandoned hospital. Sylar the midtown man. There were a few others, one of the Company's own apparently, Dr. Odessa Knutson? Knudson? I'd have to go over my own files. I was finishing it up to send in. It's my understanding that Mr. Leeds was with the groups that came after, not the one group that was operating within the city proper before the incidents on January 28th"
Hugh notes, slowly, 'It's Knutson, specifically, I'm interested in. Seems Holden might be the key to her."
"They were unsure of whether she was with them, or whether she was there under coercion. She was suspected to be.. at.. Eagle Electric they believe. We were more focused on Pariah and then, Phoenix fell into our laps through Einliter, but then I was cut off from information just before he died. Einliter was my partner. Also known as Christian Powell. He cut loose a day before there was a large meeting with the members of Phoenix. Told someone who was high up in the group that he was cutting me out. He died the day after. i carried on with getting intel since they still trusted me" Minea stands up, pressing a hand to knuckle and popping it in a non threatening manner. "I sliced off ties with them after, I didn't know how things would pan out. But I could check into it. See what information they have on Vanguard"
"With Phoenix?" Hugh wonders, arching a brow. "Interesting. Why'd he try and cut you out? Did he go rogue?" he says, letting his hands dangle lazily past his knees, as he eyes her.
"It wouldn't surprise me if he did. He had that mentality. He wasn't much for playing by the book no matter the situation. We're not bound by homeland security or by Company rules. we have.. more leeway in how we go about getting our information, even if it means planting ourselves within the group but… Maybe, I don't know. I'll never know. he met a truck on his bike and was mashed to bits" If he's good, it's the honest truth on the woman's face. "But I can see, about checking for you, and for Goodman, if they know which one of vanguard is still alive from the bridge. That might help your job easier"
Hugh favors her with an impish smile. "It would indeed," he says, leaning back and making the rickety bed creak. "Poor lad, sounds like they cut off that loose end right quick," To Hugh's mind, at least, there's no doubt it was murder.
That.. had never occurred to her. Minea blinks at Hugh and then squeezes her eyes shut. "Shit. It was probably them" Because it's what she would have been ordered to do if he went rogue and jeopardized everything.
Her innocence is…startling, at the very least. Hugh is left watching her in unblinking surprise for a good few heartbeats. "You think it might've been someone else?" he suggests, very gently.
"I had thought maybe. I push paper Hugh. I forge documents when necessary, I verify their authenticity. I've had a few times been undercover when they needed a female to get close to things. I don't' necessarily get put into the field. I was just fresh off an assignment. He's gathered a few enemies, hell, I thought maybe one of the vanguard got him for all I know, since he and I were fed sitting someone who they were after. 'But it makes sense that.. it was a loose end tied up"
"I don't mean to spur your paranoia, though honestly, that is what often keeps one alive," Hugh notes, with no real apology in his voice.
'Paranoia is what keeps a great many spooks alive Hugh. You of all people surely know that. Though I've been assured they don't kill operatives that want to leave the company, so, I'll take comfort in that" She runs another hand through her hair, shaking her head. "Cops have come up with nothing, just an accident they said, but that man knew how to ride a bike and won trophy's doing it" But it's dropped, that topic, as she walks over to the window of the hotel and looks out to see if there's a fire escape. "You should be good, to go out in a few hours. I paid for the night though. Keep up the English accent and your good. You could have fooled me if I hadn't seen you before or heard you before" She looks over at Hugh. "Was he related to you?"
The Scot's face is curiously open, uncertain. "I don't know. My mother swears I had no twin. Maybe he was a clone, or a manipulation of someone else. Whatever he was, it's gone down with him to the grave," he says, solemnly. "That's one thing I long to find out."
"he was dispensing a virus, into the air. Would eliminate 90 percent of the world population. Or so we were told. He took a shot at me but my vest stopped it, but I couldn't risk letting him live, I don't know if he was evolved or not. if he is a sibling, I'm sorry, but it had to be done. If he isn't then… it's a monster, dead and gone"
"He was no brother of mine, let me make that abundantly clear, no matter how much DNA we may have shared," Hugh says, and his tone is flat, matter of fact. "I never knew the bastard. I know you were justified. You did what you had to do."
Minea nods. "Well, I'll let you get back to your assignment" no use getting to the point of pissing the guy off, not if he's soon to be a co-worker. The window to the small hovel is popped open, and she crawls out onto the dire escape. "No Chinese for me tonight"
Hugh notes, easily, "I'll take you out for some, some other time. Honest."
"You'll do your assignment and not worry about me. I can always have Chinese another night and without risking the wrath of your wife. They're not the only place. I'm just glad I didn't fuck up your cover too badly. Rest well Hugh. Wash the lipstick off" Minea gives a wink before she turns, closing the window behind her. A little salute later and she's disappearing from sight.
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