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Post by skybright on Dec 16, 2007 23:45:47 GMT -5
Over the next few days the resistance made the necessary arrangements for moving Marla Cole to safety -- including Jai's forging e-mails on Marla's computer and Sid's securing a safehouse for her to be moved to.
When Tuesday night finally came around, James Marcus Cole was at the family estate where his sister lived -- intending to personally see her safely off with Nathan Vance.
Cole was standing near the heavily-curtained front windows of the house, occasionally checking his watch against the clock on the mantlepiece. Marla was perched nervously on the edge of the couch, a pair of small suitcases on the floor at her feet.
Cole regarded her with a poorly-disguised look of concern. Marla hadn't left this house in years; and even if it was the best way to keep her safe from Nicholas Tiernan, he was still apprehensive about letting her leave it with one of Major Vance's people.
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 17, 2007 22:18:49 GMT -5
Nathan Vance drove to the Cole estate alone, in a nice car which--like the temporary safe house--had been procured by Sid Rosenstein. His appearance was disguised; he had lightened his dark brown hair, and Alex Malone had shown him some other simple tricks for obscuring his real features. The end result would suffice to make him safely anonymous if anyone was watching.
As he passed, Nate waved to a drowsy Cuban who had set up an outdoor produce stand down the street from the Cole home. The man waved back. He was one of Major Vance's agents, stationed there to watch for trouble.
A moment later, Nate pulled into the driveway of the estate. He sat for a moment in the car, watching and listening, as he pretended to arrange the dozen roses he had brought (a facetious idea of Handy's that the Major had unfathomably decided was good). At last satisfied that there was no immediate danger, he strolled up to the front door and knocked.
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Post by skybright on Dec 18, 2007 4:49:04 GMT -5
Rather than bother with peeking through the windows, Cole sent out a quick mental feeler through the front door, skimming the surface of Nathan's mind just long enough to confirm his identity. He nodded slightly and glanced over his shoulder at his sister.
"This is it, Marlie." He said, trying to project more confidence than he felt.
Marla's shoulders tensed faintly and she caught her breath with a sharp, soft noise -- but she rose to her feet and managed a faint smile. "I'm ready, Marcus."
Cole nodded and opened the front door, already nodding in restrained greeting as he did so. "Good afternoon, Lieutenant." He said quietly.
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 18, 2007 23:00:22 GMT -5
Nate was not quite quick enough to completely suppress his look of surprise at seeing Cole.
"Uh--hi." He waved the dozen roses slightly. "I'm... here for the thing."
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Post by skybright on Dec 18, 2007 23:33:54 GMT -5
Cole couldn't help smiling crookedly. "So I guessed."
Marla had moved silently to stand just behind Cole's right elbow; he stepped aside and opened the door wider, nodding at her. "Lieutenant Vance, this is my sister Marla. Marla . . . this is Nathan Vance."
Marla smiled nervously and ducked her head in greeting, her long white hair falling into her face as she did so. "Hello." She said quietly.
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 18, 2007 23:39:08 GMT -5
Although Nate had encountered very few mutants before he went absent without leave from the Army, his brief time among his father's people had already well acquainted him with mutants of all kinds. He did not blink at Marla's appearance, but smiled charmingly and held out the roses to her.
"Hello, Ma'am. Uh--Miss." He grinned sheepishly and offered her his other hand. "Glad to meet you. I'm just sorry it's under these kind of weird circumstances."
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Post by skybright on Dec 18, 2007 23:45:42 GMT -5
Marla relaxed slightly, taking the roses with one hand and shaking Nate's hand with the other. "Thank you, Lieutenant. I appreciate what you're doing to protect me."
She smiled shyly and glanced down at the roses. "And . . . thank you for the flowers, too."
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 18, 2007 23:59:40 GMT -5
Nate grinned and shrugged. "Call me Nate. I... sort of retired from the Army without permission."
He turned to Cole. "We're all set up with the safe house. Mister Rosenstein got hold of this supposedly great house down on the Jersey shore. Belongs to some lawyer, I think."
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Post by skybright on Dec 19, 2007 0:09:36 GMT -5
Cole nodded. "And I'm scheduled to meet with Tiernan, just like we talked about." He gestured broadly, trying to act more calm than he felt. "I suppose everything is going according to plan."
Marla touched Cole's elbow. "Be careful around that man, Marcus." She said, frowning slightly.
Cole smiled grimly at her. "Be careful yourself, Sis." He glanced gravely at Nate. "Both of you."
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 19, 2007 0:18:44 GMT -5
Nate nodded confidently. "I'll take care of her." He patted a hard shape nestled against his ribs beneath his jacket. "We're not traveling alone."
He picked up the two suitcases on the floor, then glanced at Marla. "Listen... we can't be entirely sure no one's watching this place. So--I know I'm not the most scintillating company, but on the way to the car, you might want to try to look upbeat. You know, like you're actually excited about this trip."
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Post by skybright on Dec 19, 2007 0:25:37 GMT -5
Marla looked a bit startled, but then she laughed nervously and pushed her hair out of her face. "Marcus got most of the acting talent in the family," she said with a faint, crooked smile, "But I'll try . . . uhm, no offense."
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 19, 2007 0:32:48 GMT -5
"None taken. I feel kind of like the class nerd at the prom, myself." Nate smiled, then made his way out the door with the suitcases, which he placed in the trunk of the car.
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Post by skybright on Dec 19, 2007 0:45:45 GMT -5
Cole made a motion to trail her out the door, but Marla turned and shook her head slightly. "I'll be fine, Marcus. Just take care of yourself and don't worry about me, alright?" She gave a dazzling smile that -- from a reasonable distance, anyway -- hardly seemed forced.
"It's my job to worry about you." He responded automatically. Then he sighed and gave her a much more obviously forced smile. "Love you, kiddo."
"You too." She brushed her mind against his in a brief, familiar goodbye and then turned and headed for the car with quick, determined steps.
So much for me getting all the acting talent, huh? He thought after her -- catching a burst of nervous amusement in return.
Cole sighed and leaned against the doorframe as Marla slid into the passenger seat.
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 19, 2007 0:52:15 GMT -5
Nate looked up from buckling his seatbelt to grin rather shyly at Marla. "So. Yeah. Um..." He waved to a stack of CDs on the dashboard. "You can put on whatever. I didn't know what you might like, so I tried to bring a mix of things. Some of my dad's people have--uh--sort of funny tastes."
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Post by skybright on Dec 19, 2007 1:13:04 GMT -5
"Oh . . . uh, okay." Marla brushed her hair back out of her face and fastened her own seatbelt, then glanced through the CDs and tugged The Eagles' Greatest Hits out of the stack -- nearly toppling it in the process.
She snuck a glance sideways at Nate as she loaded the CD into the player. "I kind of listen to a little of everything." She said quietly, fidgeting with the sleeve of her jacket. "Um . . . everything except the really awful polkas my father listens to, anyway."
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 19, 2007 22:36:20 GMT -5
Nate choked on a laugh. "Oh, man. Somehow I didn't picture you having any polka running in your family..."
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Post by skybright on Dec 20, 2007 1:15:08 GMT -5
Marla smiled crookedly and ducked her head. "Dad picked it up when he was doing musical comedies." She explained shyly. "Sort of a quirk that stuck with him, I guess."
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 20, 2007 22:33:12 GMT -5
"Wow." Nate shook his head in bemusement. "Having a showbiz family must be really something. Totally different from growing up as an Army brat."
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Post by skybright on Dec 20, 2007 23:18:52 GMT -5
"Oh, y'know." Marla shrugged slightly, absently twisting her fingers together. "Between Dad's friends from the musical comedy set and all the people Mother met doing social dramas . . ." She laughed quietly. "There were some awful interesting parties, anyway."
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 20, 2007 23:32:33 GMT -5
"Sounds like fun." Nate shrugged thoughtfully. "With Dad in the Army, for a long time, we didn't stay anyplace long enough to get to know many people. Most of the time growing up... it was just me and my sister."
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