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Post by Jordanna on Mar 16, 2007 21:02:12 GMT -5
Two days had passed after Regina Dawson and Roger Latimore first approached Major Vance's ex-wife about relocating her. While her arrangements were being made, and Vance continued his recovery at Henry Casselton's house, the general affairs of the mutant underworld seemed to become at least stable--if not quite calm. The resistance remained busy with their efforts on behalf of the Spooks, while Tiernan Enterprises was caught up in a sweep of security improvements that preoccupied them for the moment.
It was a bright morning when a lean young would-be goth with a somewhat moth-eaten look strolled into Daws' office.
Joey Falco, who was there to file papers on some of Daws' recent private cases, heard the bell on the door and stepped out of the office. He regarded the somewhat vampish black-clad figure with a curious blink. "Can I help you, uh--sir?"
The stranger smiled slightly. "I'm looking for Miss Dawson. Is she here?"
"Um--not yet. She should be in any time now, though, if you'd like to wait."
"Thanks." The goth sat down on the sofa. Joey regarded him with a nagging feeling of peculiarity for a moment, then turned to go back into Daws' office.
"So how are you getting on with Tara Rosenstein, kid?" a different voice spoke up from behind him.
Joey turned, wide-eyed. In place of the young goth, the sturdy and world-weary form they knew as Proteus was now seated on the sofa, smiling faintly up at him. The more familiar mask betrayed that recent events had clearly taken their toll on the shapeshifter; the innate sadness about him seemed a little deeper than it had been when they first met, at Tara's birthday party.
"Oh--Mister Proteus!" Joey blurted dumbly. "I didn't know it was you..."
"That was sorta the idea," Proteus answered wryly. "I wouldn't take any chances of being seen like this at all in public. I have some news for Miss Dawson. Might be an interesting idea in it."
The teenager nodded. "Like I said, she oughta be here soon."
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Post by skybright on Mar 17, 2007 0:50:50 GMT -5
Only a few minutes passed before the office door bells jangled again and Daws stepped into the office, calling out a greeting to Joey. "Mornin', kid. How's the filing . . ."
She broke off as she noticed Proteus, and raised an eyebrow at the shapeshifter as she shrugged out of her coat and removed her fedora. "Good morning, Proteus. How've you been?"
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Post by Jordanna on Mar 17, 2007 20:19:49 GMT -5
"No complaints for myself, under the circumstances." Proteus, with manners bred in a different age, had risen when Daws entered. He shook her hand, demurely but firmly.
"I've been watching what your people at Father Steele's parish have been doing for the Spooks, and I want you to know I'm grateful. I know you folks don't have a lot of resources to spare yourselves." He shrugged slightly. "Anyway, when I know the Spooks are completely taken care of, there's certain ways I might be able to make it up to you."
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Post by skybright on Mar 17, 2007 22:37:36 GMT -5
Daws smiled faintly. "You've already done more than us helping out the Spooks could ever pay back."
She shrugged and perched on the arm of one of the chairs. "Anyways, we've had some help. Cole's been scrounging up support from all sorts of unlikely places -- even from Tiernan himself, believe it or not."
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Post by Jordanna on Mar 17, 2007 23:42:04 GMT -5
Proteus' lips twitched in a faint smile. "I know about that. I told you I might be sticking a lot closer to Tiernan than you'd expect, didn't I?"
He sat down again on the sofa, suddenly becoming earnest. "I've learned something else, too, and it's given me kind of a vague idea. Tiernan's looking into selling off Lusus Naturae--that bar where we first met. He's decided he's not getting enough information, or kickbacks, or something out of it to make it worth his while, I guess."
The shapeshifter folded his hands thoughtfully and frowned. "That's where I started thinking. The Spooks can't just live on your charity, and without their own territory... well, they can't hold their own in their own way, like they used to. They'll have to go to work." He paused. "Now, supposing someone on your side of things was in charge of that bar--maybe Rosenstein, even--it could give a decent job to quite a few Spooks. The place has always made a profit, anyway--and as long as Nocturne's people keep coming around, there might be other uses to having a place like that."
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Post by skybright on Mar 18, 2007 17:36:29 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "Now that is an idea. I'll run it by my people and see what they've got to say." She grinned. "Turning Tiernan's own bar against him -- that's the kind of irony I like."
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Post by Jordanna on Mar 18, 2007 21:17:44 GMT -5
"It struck me the same way." Proteus frowned. "I wouldn't like asking Rosenstein to shoulder that burden all on his own, though. I can do something about the money for it." His lips crooked in rueful humor. "I guess it wouldn't surprise you I've got ways of picking up cash, when I need to."
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Post by skybright on Mar 18, 2007 22:15:26 GMT -5
Daws smiled crookedly. "It's getting to the point that not much about you would surprise me anymore, Proteus. I'll talk to Sid about it."
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Post by Jordanna on Mar 18, 2007 22:25:57 GMT -5
"Good." Proteus rose, extending his hand to Daws. "I'll be back in a couple of days, to see what you've all decided. But if you ever want to get a word to me..." He frowned and thought for a moment. "Put a note on that community bulletin board at Our Lady of Refuge, with some quote from Moby-Dick. I'll check in there every day, and if I see a note like that, I'll come around here to see you."
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Post by skybright on Mar 18, 2007 22:34:51 GMT -5
Daws chuckled. "I can do that. 'Course, I can't promise anything more creative than 'call me Ishmael' -- I never did manage to read that book."
She nodded. "Thanks for the tip -- and take care out there."
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Post by Jordanna on Mar 18, 2007 22:41:52 GMT -5
"Same to yourself." Proteus grinned feebly. "And you'll pardon me for putting on my anonymous skin now. I'll see you later."
With that, Proteus morphed back into the young-goth form he had been traveling in. He inclined his head to Daws, then slipped out the door.
Joey, who had been listening as he continued his filing, now looked up at Daws inquisitively--and a little apprehensively.
"I'm sure Tiernan's gonna keep some of his people around Lusus. You think we could handle the place without giving anything away?"
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Post by skybright on Mar 18, 2007 22:50:21 GMT -5
Daws shrugged one shoulder. "Suppose it'd depend on which of his people he leaves around -- and how sneaky we can be about it. You or I wouldn't raise any eyebrows hanging around -- but I wouldn't let Miriam or Vance try it."
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Post by Jordanna on Mar 18, 2007 22:54:03 GMT -5
"No," Joey murmured dumbly. Then he had another thought.
"If we worked it through Mister Rosenstein... you suppose that'd mean him having to meet with Tiernan?"
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Post by skybright on Mar 18, 2007 23:08:47 GMT -5
Daws sobered. "I hadn't thought of that. I suppose they might have to meet to sign papers or something . . ."
She frowned. "And that's just the sort of thing Tiernan would get a sick thrill out of. I dunno if I like that idea much."
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Post by Jordanna on Mar 18, 2007 23:11:03 GMT -5
Joey frowned. "You going to talk to Mister Rosenstein about it?"
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Post by skybright on Mar 18, 2007 23:25:14 GMT -5
Daws scratched thoughtfully behind her ear and shrugged. "I guess so. It's a good idea -- and even if we don't go through Sid, we oughtta try it if we can. It could give us some good leads on what Tiernan's people get up to."
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