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Post by Jordanna on Nov 25, 2007 0:04:58 GMT -5
After leaving the meeting at Our Lady, Daws, Vance, Handy, Nate, and Ana made their way directly to Mayor Cole's apartment. On the way, Vance made a few cryptic cellphone calls to his agents.
"Well, that's taken care of," he announced, as Handy pulled up the car a block from the apartment. "I've got some boys heading out right now to stand guard at Miss Cole's place. If any of the Bat's boys try to drop in, they shouldn't get far."
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Post by skybright on Nov 25, 2007 0:13:36 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "Hopefully they won't have anything to do tonight." She frowned thoughtfully as the group made their way to the back entrance of Cole's apartment building. "I wouldn't put it past the Bat, though. He doesn't like to waste time."
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Post by Jordanna on Nov 25, 2007 0:24:01 GMT -5
Vance frowned and shrugged. "The question--once we can even get Cole to agree to our plan--is how we can arrange for him to talk with Tiernan about his supposed powers, and how soon. We don't want Tiernan to suspect Cole knew what he was planning."
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Post by skybright on Nov 25, 2007 0:29:37 GMT -5
Daws rubbed the back of her neck. "Tiernan put me on the case of trying to snoop out Cole's background, although obviously I wasn't the only one he had on the job. I suppose I could contact Tiernan and tell him I've got some new info to back up our suspicions, suggest he call Cole in for a confrontation." She frowned. "Somehow I think that just about guarantees that Tiernan'll make a grab for the sister, though."
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Post by Jordanna on Nov 25, 2007 23:05:58 GMT -5
"It might, if Tiernan thinks he might need some extra leverage to make the chat go his way," Vance murmured.
Nate shrugged. "Maybe Mister Cole could think up a reason to go to Tiernan himself. He started this mess, he might as well help think up the way out of it."
Vance chuckled quietly at his son. "You might get a handle on all this yet."
"The question's still if we can get a handle on Cole," Handy muttered. "That guy's slippery."
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Post by skybright on Nov 25, 2007 23:18:09 GMT -5
Ana idly sent up a tiny shower of electric sparks from her palm, watching them briefly flare and then fade in the evening air. "He's a politician, ain't he? Slippery's in the job description."
Daws shrugged. "A threat to his sister may just be the one thing in the world that's enough to make Cole scared enough to drop the tricks and play straight for a change."
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Post by Jordanna on Nov 25, 2007 23:35:01 GMT -5
"Or push him over the edge into crazier measures than ever," Vance murmured.
The group slipped into the building and up the service elevator unseen. As they neared the door of Cole's apartment, Vance looked at Daws. "I'll leave you the honor of knocking on his door. I'm sure he likes you better than he likes me."
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Post by skybright on Nov 25, 2007 23:42:11 GMT -5
Daws made a half-amused scoffing noise. "That doesn't say too much for how much he likes you, Major." She pushed her fedora back and rapped firmly on Cole's apartment door.
After a momentary pause, the door cracked open and Cole peered out with a sigh. "Well," he said, surveying the small group in the hallway, "You're back a bit sooner than I thought you'd be."
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Post by Jordanna on Nov 25, 2007 23:48:26 GMT -5
Vance gazed steadily at the politician from over Daws' shoulder. "You've only got yourself to blame for that--but you ought to be glad we are here. You'll want to hear what we have to say. And you'd better try to listen without getting upset, because there are lives at stake."
He paused. "And your sister's life is one of them."
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Post by skybright on Nov 25, 2007 23:54:14 GMT -5
The color drained completely from Cole's face, and his grip tightened on the edge of the door. "I see."
He stepped back from the doorway and gestured them into the apartment, his jaw clenching. "All right, Major. Come in and start talking."
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Post by Jordanna on Nov 26, 2007 0:08:02 GMT -5
With an almost foreboding glance at his companions, Vance stepped into the apartment. The others followed.
"We told you letting on to Tiernan about yourself was the most boneheaded thing you could do," he began bluntly, facing Cole. "Maybe now you'll believe it. We were only just in time to stop him from unearthing your own medical records, the way we did--but Tiernan won't rest until his curiosity about you is satisfied.
"We've learned he's taken it into his head to pick up your sister and--well, let's say 'hold her in custody'. The ransom for her being the full truth about what you are and what you can do.
"The girl's safe at this moment," Vance added quickly. "I have people watching her place for trouble. But you'd better believe she's going to stay a pawn on the chessboard until Tiernan is convinced you're on the level with him."
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Post by skybright on Nov 26, 2007 0:20:35 GMT -5
Cole clenched his fists and said nothing for a long moment. Then he glanced angrily at Daws. "If that monster does anything . . . tries to do anything to Marla, it . . ."
"I know." Daws interrupted calmly. "It'll be on my shoulders, right? Leave alone that your sister's existence isn't exactly a secret and Tiernan's not stupid enough to have overlooked her forever." She sighed and spread her hands. "Look, Cole, we want her safe just as much as you do -- and we think we've got a way to make sure she is. We're not here for a fight -- we're here trying to avoid one."
Cole took a deep breath and turned to Vance. "I told you that I'd do anything to keep my sister safe, Major." He said, "If that anything includes telling Tiernan what he wants . . ."
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Post by Jordanna on Nov 26, 2007 23:46:23 GMT -5
"Think about it, genius," Vance muttered. "If Tiernan ever finds out you're a telepath, you're dead. You've seen the inside of his head--you think he wants anyone alive to tell about that? And besides, he's smart enough to consider that you might be connected to the resistance. So before he'd kill you, he'd question you--and I wouldn't bet a nickel on your standing up to that, pretty boy. You might be willing to sacrifice hundreds of people for your sister's life, but I'm not."
He raised a hand sharply before Cole could protest. "We think we have a way out. Tiernan may be threatened by a telepath, but we're willing to bet he wouldn't care much if you only had a mild empathic ability--if you couldn't do anything more than sense people's moods." The Major looked hard at Cole. "So you're going to use those acting skills of yours to sell him on that idea."
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Post by skybright on Nov 27, 2007 1:06:31 GMT -5
"I . . ." Cole cut short whatever objection he had been planning to make and fell silent for a moment, frowning. "And you think that'll work -- that he'll believe it?"
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Post by Jordanna on Nov 27, 2007 22:20:58 GMT -5
"That's up to the performance you give him." Vance folded his arms. "You know what happened with the Spooks when we tried to fake Tiernan out before. We can't risk that again--not with you. Not now that you're a public figure, with the entire human population of the city invested in you.
"So our best bet is to give the Bat a half-truth instead. It's fair enough to say you can read moods--but you'll have to make him believe that's all you can do."
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Post by skybright on Nov 27, 2007 23:14:20 GMT -5
Cole pressed his lips together in a thin, grim line, looking at each of the surrounding resistance members in turn. Finally he looked back at Vance with a sigh.
"All right, Major. I'll try it your way -- but on one condition."
Daws growled. "Come on, Cole -- for once will you just play things straight with us instead of pulling in your screwy political games?"
He shot her a somewhat pained look, but addressed his next comment to Vance. "Marla. Get her out of Tiernan's way, Major -- and if he doesn't buy this bluff, then keep her there. That's my condition." He hesitated a moment. "Please."
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Post by Jordanna on Nov 28, 2007 23:00:10 GMT -5
Vance opened his mouth, but before he could answer, Nate spoke up. "What are we supposed to do--set her up on a blind date to keep her out of the way until Tiernan buys the idea?"
The Major's eyebrow went up, and he slowly turned his head to look at Nate--with a faintly calculating expression.
The younger man winced.
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Post by skybright on Nov 28, 2007 23:10:27 GMT -5
"Whatever you think would work." Cole spread his hands with a somewhat desperate motion. "Marla will go along with anything if she knows I'm involved with it -- but I've got no place to hide her that Tiernan won't think of looking. You all must have safer places to hide -- or you wouldn't still be standing here."
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Post by Jordanna on Nov 28, 2007 23:25:40 GMT -5
Vance scowled at the mayor. "Wake up, Cole. The reason your sister is in such a helpless position is because you've been hiding her all these years." He waved a hand. "We're not going to just spirit the girl away to some safe house until everything blows over--for one thing, that would make Tiernan suspicious. She's got to have an excuse for going away somewhere. And Nate's idea--" he glanced at his son, "is as good as any."
Nate looked pained.
"Who'd believe she suddenly has a boyfriend after being cooped up her whole life?" Handy asked.
"We could set it up as a first face-to-face meeting after an internet relationship," Vance mused. "And boy takes girl away for a weekend to get to know each other better. But... I wouldn't even put it past Tiernan to check on Miss Cole's online activities."
He glanced at Daws. "Just in case, you think there's any way Jai could invent traces of a back history of chats between the girl and a computer penpal?"
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Post by skybright on Nov 28, 2007 23:29:22 GMT -5
Daws shrugged one shoulder. "Yeah, I think he can do that. It's sort of short notice, but even a rush job of Jai's ought to stand up to fairly close scrutiny."
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