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Post by skybright on May 23, 2007 23:29:11 GMT -5
"So I see." Daws grinned and gestured to the back of the station wagon. "Well, we're here with lunch. Mind giving us a hand with the pots?"
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Post by Jordanna on May 23, 2007 23:38:44 GMT -5
Mike nodded and shambled forward. The children trailed after him, eager to help, and Roger obligingly allowed them each to take a soup pot. Handling them carefully, the youngsters trooped into the church behind Mike.
Vance grinned. "Looks like they've found a friend. Might be hard to get them to leave by the time they've got a place to go."
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Post by skybright on May 23, 2007 23:45:03 GMT -5
Daws chuckled. "They'll just end up coming back here and following Mike around, like every other kid in the neighborhood. He's like a kid magnet."
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Post by Jordanna on May 24, 2007 0:00:21 GMT -5
Vance shook his head and grinned. "Okay. Guess we'd better see how the Padre's doing."
He picked up a soup pot and headed for the front doors.
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Post by skybright on May 24, 2007 0:08:16 GMT -5
Father Rick was occupied with overseeing Mike's gang of eager young "helpers" (and trying to avoid any puddles of soup on the church floor). He caught sight of Vance, Daws, and Roger and turned to greet them, still closely watching the kids with his rear eyes.
"Afternoon, you three." He nodded to Vance. "Back on your feet, eh Boyo?"
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Post by Jordanna on May 24, 2007 22:09:35 GMT -5
Vance grinned insolently. "Well, you know me. I couldn't resist coming back around to annoy you."
He tilted his head toward the Spook children. "How are you handling the refugee situation?"
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Post by skybright on May 24, 2007 23:24:15 GMT -5
"Oh, about as well as can be expected." The Padre shrugged one shoulder. "It's not these scamps who're the problem -- give 'em a baseball to toss and Mike to tag around with and they stay outta trouble. He's even persuaded 'em to help with keeping the grounds and the flower beds -- they're convinced it's a game.
"Their parents, on the other hand . . ." The priest made a faint, mildly displeased noise. "Their stayin' out of trouble is a bit of a different affair."
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Post by Jordanna on May 25, 2007 22:11:48 GMT -5
"That's what I figured," Vance nodded grimly. "A lot of the Spooks aren't exactly used to honest work, and generous folks like you have around here are just easy pickings to them."
He frowned. "If you want, Padre, I can have some of my boys come around, and keep up sort of a neighborhood watch until we get these people squared away."
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Post by skybright on May 25, 2007 22:25:48 GMT -5
Father Rick frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then nodded. "That'd be appreciated, if you can spare 'em." He said. "We haven't had too serious of a problem yet, but a bit of prevention can't hurt."
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Post by Jordanna on May 25, 2007 22:38:30 GMT -5
"I'll have some guys in the neighborhood by tonight," Vance said. "They don't have too much to do at the moment. We're all just waiting for the next tangle with Tiernan's creeps."
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Post by skybright on May 25, 2007 22:46:28 GMT -5
The Padre nodded. "My thanks, Boyo. And I don't think you need to worry about that tangle -- it'll come soon enough. They always do."
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Post by Jordanna on May 25, 2007 23:05:43 GMT -5
"I almost wish it would." Vance shifted restlessly. "I'm tired of sitting around recovering--and more fighting mad than ever, after all this. I want to end it, once and for all. I've been wracking my brains over what to do, even how we could use Cole to break Tiernan--but I've still got nothing."
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Post by skybright on May 25, 2007 23:15:41 GMT -5
"We'll find it." Daws interjected. "I hate waiting as much as the next girl, but we'll figure out how to break him -- eventually."
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Post by Jordanna on May 26, 2007 22:25:56 GMT -5
"Hmph." Vance sighed and folded his arms, then glanced back at the Padre and changed the subject. "So have you heard about the plan we're working on with Sid to buy out Tiernan's mutie bar?"
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Post by skybright on May 26, 2007 22:32:37 GMT -5
Padre nodded. "Lotta lost souls drift through that bar -- not t'mention a lotta Tiernan's people. We could do a lot of good havin' it in the resistance." He grinned somewhat maliciously. "Not to mention doin' a lot of mischief, as well."
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Post by Jordanna on May 26, 2007 22:40:04 GMT -5
Vance gave the priest a flat, crooked grin. "Don't expect to start holding church social night there, Pop. Not that I've got anything against bingo and cakewalks, but cleaning out the toughs would sorta defeat the purpose of intelligence-gathering."
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Post by skybright on May 26, 2007 22:50:56 GMT -5
Father Rick chuckled. "Oh, I realize that, Boyo. I'm not quite as old and soft as I seem -- not yet, anyhow."
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Post by Jordanna on May 26, 2007 22:59:12 GMT -5
The Major chuckled slightly in return. "As if Sidney didn't have enough on his mind with that, he's going to have some bigshots behind Cole's campaign for a private party on election night--mutants welcome. Maybe you oughta go along. If you want to find some 'lost souls', a political shindig is the place for it."
He paused thoughtfully. "Not sure I could get away with being there. The bat being one of Cole's backers, he might just send along a snoop of his own--especially if this Lusus Naturae deal is going to rekindle his interest in Sid." A frown darkened his face. "That's one part of it I don't like one bit."
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Post by skybright on May 26, 2007 23:08:48 GMT -5
"Neither do I." Daws frowned moodily. "Tiernan's done more than enough to Sid and his family. I don't want that sadistic freak deciding that enough isn't enough."
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Post by Jordanna on May 26, 2007 23:24:09 GMT -5
"I think Sid's smart enough to send the kids and the maid to that vacation cabin for a while, or somewhere else," Vance remarked. "I'm more worried about Tiernan deciding a pro-mutant pillar of the community like Sid would be useful in his pocket, like he already has with Cole.
"Also. there's the prospect of Sid meeting Tiernan face to face. I couldn't say it in front of him, but that's a reason I'd like you to be there if it's possible, Regina."
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