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Post by Jordanna on Sept 15, 2006 21:48:54 GMT -5
Proteus raised an eyebrow at Daws. "Speaking of the Spooks' work, have any of them taken you up on your offer yet?"
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Post by skybright on Sept 15, 2006 22:56:28 GMT -5
Daws shrugged one shoulder. "A few have come in to tell me they'll be keeping an eye out. One or two others stopped by to tell me Tiernan's still on the lookout for Miriam -- no surprise there. So far, though, nobody's brought in anything really big or useful."
She grinned lopsidedly. "Doesn't mean they won't, though. I think Tiernan's been keeping a low profile after our little job at his lab. I don't anticipate that'll last much longer."
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Post by Jordanna on Sept 16, 2006 21:52:08 GMT -5
"I been thinkin', ya know..." Sid began.
Vance gave him a look of mock astonishment. "No. Really?"
Sid glared at him and continued. "There's some of the Spooks need good food, don't they? I was thinkin', well, maybe we could put the Club's great big kitchen to a good use. But only for ones who deserve it," he added, glancing at Proteus with an admonishing finger raised. "Anybody wants ta eat, I gotta know they've worked for it."
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Post by skybright on Sept 16, 2006 23:16:07 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "Sounds like a good idea to me. From what I hear, Tiernan only sets up one of his soup kitchens every once in a while -- and that's just often enough to maintain his Uncle Pockets image."
She shrugged faintly. "Settin' up meals for those who're willing to work might help enforce the point that we want to deal fairly with people -- not just toss 'em scraps to buy loyalty."
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Post by Jordanna on Sept 17, 2006 20:33:26 GMT -5
"You sure you want Spooks spooking your usual clientele?" Proteus asked, with a touch of cynicism.
Sid frowned at him. "Don't get that way. I'd invite your Spooks in here any time, but it wouldn't help anythin' to turn off all those bigoted swells to this place an' cut in on our profits--'cause that's what'll be payin' for the charity."
"Point taken."
Vance shook his head. "You fix the food, Sid. Leave it to me an' my boys to deliver it."
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Post by skybright on Sept 17, 2006 22:10:19 GMT -5
Daws shot Vance a faintly surprised grin. "Somehow, Vance, I never pictured you and your boys as the meals on wheels type. You're just full of surprises."
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Post by Jordanna on Sept 17, 2006 23:08:53 GMT -5
Vance rolled his good eye slightly at Daws. "Sid's right enough that it won't do to attract attention to this place. Anyway, getting some of the Spooks on our side is important." He glanced at Proteus. "Though personally, I think having you in our corner is more valuable than a hundred of them."
"Don't set yourself up for a disappointment," Proteus murmured.
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Post by skybright on Sept 19, 2006 18:10:33 GMT -5
Daws shrugged faintly. "Hey, you never know what'll end up helping." She grinned. "And like I said, this bunch can use all the help it can get."
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Post by Jordanna on Sept 19, 2006 21:40:09 GMT -5
Grace had ended her latest song, and now spoke up from the stage. "Well, I think that's enough for now, boys. I need to rest my voice for a little while!"
With that, she hopped down off the stage, and was immediately thronged with boisterous men hoping to claim her for a dance.
Watching from the table, an aggrieved Handy jumped up and scuttled over to rescue Grace from the fray. Just as he reached the tangle, a thin white mist drifted out from the forest of men's shins--and took shape in the form of Grace herself.
Handy gaped at her briefly in surprise before offering her his arm. She took it, and the improbable pair moved off across the dance floor, leaving Vance's rogues to sort themselves out in confused dismay.
Miriam laughed. "Major, you seriously seem to need some women in your group."
"Uh-uh. My organization wisely abides by the old shipboard rule: no women aboard." Vance noticed the look he was receiving from Daws, and grinned at her cheekily. "But of course, the rules are different for spies... aren't they, my little Mata Hari?"
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Post by skybright on Sept 19, 2006 23:04:08 GMT -5
Daws raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Apparently they are, Major." She replied, "But hopefully, I'm gonna make a more successful career of it than Mata Hari did. And if this resistance needs any oriental dancing, you're gonna have to look to Alex and Grace for it. I've got a certain level of professional dignity to maintain, here."
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Post by Jordanna on Sept 20, 2006 20:59:57 GMT -5
Joey smirked. "I might've believed that if you hadn't turned me loose in your case files. Some of the stuff I read..."
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Post by skybright on Sept 21, 2006 21:46:47 GMT -5
"Hey now," Daws interjected, "If you're talkin' about that thing with the rhino costume, that was strictly a one-time thing -- and besides," she scowled playfully, "Whatever happened to confidentiality, anyhow?"
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Post by Jordanna on Sept 21, 2006 22:11:53 GMT -5
Joey gaped and half-laughed. "Hey, I didn't say it, you did!"
"A rhino costume." Vance stared down at the tabletop, blinked a few times, then resolutely shook his head. "Nope. Even I don't wanna know about that."
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Post by skybright on Sept 21, 2006 22:39:48 GMT -5
"Well, you may not -- but since I brought it up . . ." Daws laughed. "It was ages ago -- while my old partner was still alive. We were snooping around this big costume ball -- and it was the only costume we could get our hands on on short notice. One guess which half of the rhino I ended up in." She rolled her eyes. "Anyway, it made for a . . . memorable evening."
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Post by Jordanna on Sept 21, 2006 22:44:58 GMT -5
"I'da paid money ta see that," Sid remarked with a grin. "It'd be funnier'n Foxy in drag any day."
Alex winced. "Aw, Sid, you know I haven't done that since we've had Gracie with us."
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Post by skybright on Sept 21, 2006 23:06:12 GMT -5
"Well, Alex, you better just hope that doesn't change." Daws grinned wickedly and gestured to the dance floor, where Gracie and Handy were looking decidedly cozy. "'Cause if things keep going like this, Major Vance might not be the only one here who's gonna be short a sidekick."
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Post by Jordanna on Sept 22, 2006 21:29:42 GMT -5
"Don't exaggerate," Vance replied. "I can tell you now, Handy'll stand by his job--no matter what he does on his own time."
"An' Gracie's too stagestruck ta give up her career," Sid agreed.
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Post by skybright on Sept 23, 2006 22:13:13 GMT -5
Daws grinned. "Well, I'm sure I'm glad to hear it." She nodded faintly at Vance. "Somebody's got to keep an eye on you, after all. "
"If that's doable." Caddy added brightly.
Daws laughed. "Hey, you'll notice I said 'keep an eye on him', not 'keep him out of trouble'."
"Hmm." Hubert raised an eyebrow and looked up. "In Major Vance's defense, I should think keeping any of this group out of trouble would be an impossible task indeed."
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Post by Jordanna on Sept 23, 2006 22:32:16 GMT -5
"Well, at least I couldn't have a better group to get into trouble with," Vance remarked.
Proteus looked toward Tara. "I don't suppose you'd care to dance with such a very old man, would you?"
The teenager grinned shyly. "Sure I would."
Smiling, the shapeshifter rose, returned a slight bow to Sid's subtle nod of assent, and escorted Tara onto the dance floor. Vance watched the pair for a moment.
"He's not bad," he observed at last, then leaned back and shook his head. "Maybe I shouldn't believe that yarn of his about Gettysburg, but somehow I do. Seems to fit him, somehow."
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Post by skybright on Sept 23, 2006 22:52:55 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "Yeah, it does. Besides, he just doesn't feel like he's lying. So far as I can tell, he's been on the level with us from the start -- with the exception of some initial subterfuge that I can't blame him for."
She shrugged slightly as she watched Proteus lead Tara around the dance floor. "With all his talk about having seen it all, and staying out of things -- I guess it's a sort of honor that he's thrown in with us even a little."
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