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Post by skybright on Aug 2, 2006 23:31:46 GMT -5
"Guess so." Daws shrugged and joined Vance, pushing her fedora back.
"So, Sid," she glanced at the older man, "I take it from previous comments that my ol' sparring partner Ed Fearney was in his usual rare form tonight?"
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 2, 2006 23:36:40 GMT -5
Sid snorted unamusedly. "Matterafact, he was--only it was a real birthday he was crashin'. Ever heard of that rich ol' philanthropist biddy Estelle Wingate? Well, she just happened to be celebratin' her centennial at the Paragon when Fearney bumbled in." He put his head in his hand. "You just try tellin' that sop the biggest birthday bash we've ever hosted wasn't fer him."
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Post by skybright on Aug 2, 2006 23:41:34 GMT -5
Daws winced and shook her head in sympathy. "I knew I shoulda knocked that guy's head off his shoulders when I had a chance. Maybe would've snapped some sense into him." She dug a cigarette and a match out of her coat pocket with a shrug. "That's what I get for not trusting my instincts when dealin' with morons."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 2, 2006 23:55:45 GMT -5
"Allow me." Vance stretched out a hand, popping a spark to light Daws' cigarette.
Sid shrugged. "There's worse people than Fearney. He's just a sad sack. I know a lotta people who coulda ended up like him, if somebody hadn't given 'em a second chance."
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Post by skybright on Aug 2, 2006 23:59:03 GMT -5
"Suppose that's true." Daws blew a smoke ring and shrugged thoughtfully. "Heck, I guess most've the things Fearney said about me during our little run-in weren't any worse than the things Hubert said when we first met."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 3, 2006 0:07:41 GMT -5
Sid smirked. "But that don't mean I don't mind him makin' a spectacle of himself in my joint. I figure he'll get one more scene before I have him kicked out for good--an' I told him that, too."
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Post by skybright on Aug 3, 2006 0:14:13 GMT -5
Daws chuckled. "Question is, will he remember it the next time his 'birthday' rolls around?"
She stretched lazily and added "That's one thing I don't envy you at all, Sid. I can pick an' choose who I work for -- and once I do agree to work for someone, I don't have to see any more of them than I wanna."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 3, 2006 0:22:00 GMT -5
Sid grinned. "It's not as bad as all that. I can draw the line at who comes through my door. The Paragon is my place, an' I don't stand for anybody bringin' down its class."
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Post by skybright on Aug 3, 2006 0:30:28 GMT -5
Daws smiled. "I really oughtta come by some time, let you give me the tour. You're obviously proud of the place -- and you've got every right to be, from all I've heard."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 3, 2006 0:43:09 GMT -5
"You're darn right," Sid answered with fierce pride. "An' we'd be glad to have ya, any time."
Vance blew a puff of smoke, glancing over at the imposing structure that concealed the Gray Lab. "Well, nobody's sent up the alarm yet. I wonder how our people are coming along."
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Post by skybright on Aug 3, 2006 0:52:41 GMT -5
Daws cocked her head, straining her sensitive hearing for a moment before she shrugged. "Don't hear any shouting or general sirens, so I guess they're doin' okay." She glanced sideways at Asagi Tam's motionless body and grimaced. "Sooner they get back, the better I'll feel."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 3, 2006 19:21:50 GMT -5
"Yeah, it's no neighborhood for a picnic." Vance tilted his head thoughtfully. "So have you heard from Ollivard and Hubert lately? I'm sorta curious how they're tolerating each other."
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Post by skybright on Aug 3, 2006 20:34:32 GMT -5
Daws grinned lopsidedly. "They haven't killed each other yet, so I guess things're goin' pretty good." She studied the curl of smoke from her cigarette.
"Caddy says Hubert's adjusting as well as most people who manifest at his age -- not sleepin' well, but okay otherwise. And Hubert's starting to warm up to Caddy, I think. He keeps making snide remarks about Caddy's mouthiness," She chuckled, "But I do that, too. Caddy doesn't mind it too much."
The detective shrugged one shoulder. "Give the two of 'em a little more time, and I think they're gonna make one heck of a research partnership. Once you get 'em talking about science instead of each other's personalities, they get along like they were made for each other."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 3, 2006 20:54:21 GMT -5
Vance chuckled. "Just splendid. By the way, you can tell Hubert we've got Brandeis settled all snug in a little place in Amherst, and she's looking around at a few job options. Not that she deserves it, but she's pretty happy. Wants to hear from him though, judging by what the boys told me."
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Post by skybright on Aug 3, 2006 21:01:52 GMT -5
Daws grimaced. "I'll pass on the message. You ask me, Hubert's better off forgetting about the lady bigot and finding himself someone who doesn't think genocide is a noble pursuit, but . . ." she shrugged. "I guess nobody did ask me."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 3, 2006 21:05:58 GMT -5
Vance waved a hand. "Hey, don't look at me. You can tell him or not tell him anything you like. I'm just giving you the final status report. Brandeis is officially not our problem anymore--but we'll still be keeping an eye on her, just in case she gets any big ideas about her old line of work."
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Post by skybright on Aug 3, 2006 21:10:11 GMT -5
Daws sighed. "That's one problem I sincerely hope we never gotta deal with again. I don't like thinkin' about how close Hubert and Brandeis were to finishing what they started."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 3, 2006 21:13:19 GMT -5
"Yeah." Vance rubbed the back of his neck. "Now the question is how close Tiernan's people may be to going the other way."
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Post by skybright on Aug 3, 2006 21:27:05 GMT -5
"Guess we'll find out." Daws flicked the stub of her cigarette away and glanced sideways at Asagi's still form. "C'mon, kid," she muttered. "You're startin' to make me nervous."
Only a moment later, a dark-clad form ducked out of the shadows across the street and darted over to join them beneath the fire escape. Eric Grove grinned lopsidedly and took a moment to catch his breath.
"Got the place sketched for you, man." He told Vance. Then he raised an eyebrow at Daws. "Asagi ain't back?"
"Not yet." Daws shrugged.
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 3, 2006 21:43:40 GMT -5
A moment later there was a flicker of silver-blue light across the street. Flash appeared for an instant with Bender in his arms; then they vanished again, and reappeared a moment later two feet from where Vance was standing.
"Oh, you're back," the Major said unaffectedly. "How'd it go?"
Bender grinned. "They got themselves a regular Frankenstein lab in there. I didn't stop to do too much sightseeing, since you told us the main thing was to see where the guards are posted, but man! The place gave me the creeps."
"Seems like they've got some kind of a walk-in vault in there too," Flash added. "I'd like to have popped inside for a look-see, but I wasn't sure I wouldn't run into anything inside. I'd like the chance to take a crack at it tomorrow night, though."
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