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Post by Jordanna on Jan 13, 2007 21:22:40 GMT -5
By the time Sid, Caddy, and Daws arrived at the mortuary for the second time that day, the funeral service was long since over, and Henry had come up with an excuse to dismiss his staff. He met the three as soon as they entered through the back door.
"Our unfortunate friend is in the cooler," he announced grimly. "It isn't pretty. The coroner did leave a few signs of examination on him, but I did what I could to disguise them."
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Post by skybright on Jan 13, 2007 21:47:43 GMT -5
Caddy grimaced faintly. "That's why I'm along -- to give him another once-over and see if I spot anything else that'd be a giveaway. Not a very pleasant job, but nobody said this resistance thing was all gonna be pleasant."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 13, 2007 21:53:53 GMT -5
"This way, then." Henry led Caddy through the embalming room to the cooler. He opened the door and wheeled out a covered figure on a gurney.
"Your patient, Doctor."
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Post by skybright on Jan 13, 2007 22:06:59 GMT -5
Caddy sighed and folded back the sheet covering the gurney. The man beneath it was obviously a mutant -- and had obviously not died easily.
The doctor cursed faintly under his breath and shook his head. "Nobody should have to die like this, Henry." He said quietly, "Not for just being what they can't help being."
He shook his head again and then began briskly examining the corpse. "Not too bad a job of disguising those incisions -- I think they'll pass for knife wounds."
Caddy spent a few more moments in examination, and then stepped back with a sigh. "I think it'll pass inspection."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 13, 2007 22:14:42 GMT -5
"Alright then." Henry stepped back, turning to Daws. "I've made out all the paperwork, and I'll see to it there's a proper funeral--even though the coffin will be empty. It's in your hands now. What will your next step be?"
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Post by skybright on Jan 13, 2007 22:23:21 GMT -5
Daws shrugged one shoulder. "We'll have to transport the body to Spooktown, and meet up with Vance's people who are going to tag along and keep an eye on the Spooks. After that . . ." she grimaced. "After that I guess it's just a matter of waiting to see if Tiernan's gonna buy it."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 13, 2007 22:57:38 GMT -5
"Ah." Henry frowned. "Have you got a suitable vehicle to take the body away in, or are you calling on Vance's people for that?"
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Post by skybright on Jan 13, 2007 23:03:50 GMT -5
Daws frowned. "I guess calling Vance's boys would be best -- something tells me Caddy's Honda doesn't really qualify as a 'suitable vehicle'."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 13, 2007 23:11:39 GMT -5
Henry frowned. "No. I think not."
Daws made the call, and within fifteen minutes, Roger Latimore and Riley Nesmith--the teleporter otherwise known as Flash--had pulled up to the back door in an old station wagon.
"I hear we've got a delivery to make," Roger said somberly as they stepped in.
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Post by skybright on Jan 13, 2007 23:24:23 GMT -5
"Yeah, afraid so." Daws led them back to the cooler and indicated the body. "Our friend here has to go to Spooktown."
She glanced at Roger. "you got a couple boys to go along and keep an eye on the Spooks while they're running our bluff?"
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 13, 2007 23:34:51 GMT -5
"Yeah. In fact, Flash here'll be one of 'em. 'Scuse me..." Roger moved to help Henry wheel the gurney out to the car.
Flash hung back, glancing at Daws. "So what am I supposed to expect here? Do we meet up with some of the Spooks, take this body to Tiernan's, and tell him it's the shapeshifter--just like that?"
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Post by skybright on Jan 13, 2007 23:41:21 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "I'm hoping that's how it'll go, yeah. You boys are along mostly so the Spooks don't get any bright ideas about ratting us out or striking their own bargain. I'm gonna come along as far as Spooktown, just to remind them that going along with this is in their best interests -- and in Proteus', too."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 14, 2007 0:05:58 GMT -5
"Yeah. Sure thing." Roger shrugged.
Sid looked at Daws. "Hey, if that means ya won't need a ride from here, maybe I'll just go on ta work myself. I'd like ta hear from ya after this thing goes off, though--an' I'm sure Vance will too."
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Post by skybright on Jan 14, 2007 0:15:11 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "Okay. I'll call you once everything goes down -- we can meet back up then, and I can catch a ride back to your place to let Vance and Proteus know how things played out."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 14, 2007 0:47:11 GMT -5
"Sure. See ya later--an' be careful if Tiernan gets you in on the scene."
Sid patted Daws' arm, shook Henry's hand, and was gone.
Roger came in from loading the body into the car. "Well, let's hope we don't get pulled over by the cops for a bad lane change or something. Ready to go, Miz Dawson?"
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Post by skybright on Jan 14, 2007 0:54:37 GMT -5
"Sure." Daws shook Henry's hand. "Thank you, Henry -- we couldn't have done this without your help."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 14, 2007 1:08:27 GMT -5
"Of course." Henry squeezed Daws' hand. "Take care."
Roger, Flash, and Daws departed in the station wagon, with its morbid cargo. They first made a stop outside the Latimore Apartments to pick up two more of Vance's people who would supervise the Spooks, then made their way to Spooktown. There were no incidents along the way, and when they arrived at the border of the mutant enclave, Sham was there to meet them as usual.
"Okay, whats the game now, Dawson?" he asked dubiously.
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Post by skybright on Jan 14, 2007 1:16:01 GMT -5
Now, here comes the tricky parts. Daws gestured to the men she'd brought with her -- and to the station wagon behind them.
"Same plan as I had last time we came here -- only we used some contacts of ours to find a body we can give up to Tiernan in Proteus' place."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 14, 2007 1:29:25 GMT -5
The mention of a body gave Sham pause, and his expression relaxed into a rather puzzled frown. "Huh."
Then his glance took in Roger, Flash, and their two comrades, and a little bit of hostility crept back into his face. "Vance's boys, eh? What're you here for?"
"Oh, my friends here'll just be making sure you keep playing by Proteus' rules," Roger replied evenly.
Sham's eyes blazed. "We won't double-cross you--as long as he's alive."
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Post by skybright on Jan 14, 2007 1:39:28 GMT -5
"Well then," Daws replied "Let's just all play out our parts in this little charade. The best way to assure Proteus stays alive is to make sure Tiernan loses interest in his bein' otherwise."
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