|
Post by Jordanna on May 18, 2006 23:21:23 GMT -5
After receiving a telephone message from Father Steele, Alex, Sid, and Miriam called on Henry and Grace. The five underground members arrived as a group at Our Lady of Refuge, where they were met by Mike Whitebird.
"Hey, Mike," Sid drawled as they moved down the hallway to the basement steps, where the big Native American stood guard. "The Padre waitin' for us?"
"Yup," Mike nodded, ushering them down the stairs.
|
|
|
Post by skybright on May 19, 2006 13:31:35 GMT -5
Father Rick smiled in greeting as Mike came down the stairs with the small group of resistance members in tow.
"I'm glad to see you all here." He gestured at Mike and said "After our little 'visitor' last time, I though it might be wise of us to keep a closer eye on who joins us for our meetings."
Mike seemed to take that as his cue; he grinned brightly at the others and shambled back up the steps. Padre nodded.
"Daws should be along. She's bringing along a . . . well, a friend of hers. Possibly a new recruit."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on May 19, 2006 14:59:27 GMT -5
"The more, the nuttier," Sid murmured.
Miriam spoke up. "On the phone, you talked about 'hitting' Tiernan. What did you mean by that?"
|
|
|
Post by skybright on May 19, 2006 17:50:23 GMT -5
Padre scratched his chin. "Well, Daws' friend out in Jackson Heights found out Tiernan's schedule to ship his illegal holdings from warehouse to warehouse. There's a narrow bridge out in Queens that Tiernan's trucks have to pass over -- it'd be an ideal place to ambush the trucks, and divert the shipment.
"Daws can tell you more about it." He gestured to the ceiling, where footsteps were sounding above their heads. "That should be her, now."
***
Daws crossed the sanctuary to the basement stairs with Joey Falco in silent tow. He'd shown up at the office just as she was departing and -- after debating for only a moment -- she'd asked the young man to tag along.
She shot a quick look back at him -- he seemed apprehensive -- and said quietly "Remember you aren't obligated to anythin', Joey. I wanted the others to meet you, so they'll know you're with me in the future -- but if you're not ready to join this fight all the way, nobody's blaming ya."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on May 19, 2006 19:31:01 GMT -5
Joey shifted his weight nervously, but his gaze did not waver from the detective's. "I'm with you, Daws."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on May 19, 2006 23:33:35 GMT -5
Daws smiled and nodded. "Okay, then."
She led the way down the corridor to the basement stairs, where Mike Whitebird was standing guard. Daws grinned in greeting at the big man and slipped her fedora off.
"Good evenin', Mike. Like you to meet a friend of mine -- Joey Falco."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on May 20, 2006 18:57:28 GMT -5
Upon seeing Joey, Mike broke into a huge grin. "Hi, Joey!"
"Mike! Hey!" Joey hopped forward and wrung Mike's hand happily. "Have you learned how to dribble a basketball across the court yet?"
"Yuh," the coordination-challenged giant confirmed proudly, with a vigorous nod. "I can get it all the way across now."
"That's great." Joey frowned suddenly, and turned to Daws. "I, uh... I know Mike. A little."
"He showed basketball to me when I was boxin' for the scary man," Mike put in, to Joey's relief. He hadn't been sure how much Daws knew about Mike's own past--but "the scary man" could only mean their former mutual employer.
|
|
|
Post by skybright on May 20, 2006 21:52:44 GMT -5
Daws chuckled. "Well, it's just a small world. Or a small metropolis, anyhow."
She grinned and patted Mike's arm. "Go ahead and keep watch here, Mike -- we can find our own way downstairs."
Daws led Joey down the stairs to the basement, and waved her fedora in greeting at the assembled resistance members. "Evenin', everyone. Nice night for an underground meeting"
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on May 20, 2006 22:23:04 GMT -5
"Literally," Alex quipped, glancing up at the basement ceiling.
"Father Steele tells us you've taken a notion to rob thieves," Henry remarked. "I honestly can't imagine a group like us ambushing trucks."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on May 20, 2006 22:29:41 GMT -5
Daws chuckled. "Well, if we decide to do it, we'll have Vance and his boys involved as well -- for better or worse -- and something tells me he tends to hire the more martial type."
She stepped aside and gestured at Joey with her fedora. "Sorry, kid, I'm bein' rude. You know the Padre already; the rest of these folks are Alex Malone, Sid Rosenstein, Henry Casselton, Grace Duval, and . . ." She chuckled. "Doctor Miriam Van Linden, who I think you've probably heard of.
"Everyone, this is Joey Falco. He's gonna be helpin' me out with some of the legwork at Grimalkin from now on -- and he's interested in throwing in his lot with us here, too."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on May 20, 2006 22:39:47 GMT -5
As he received a general murmur of greetings, Joey squirmed politely and nodded. He was a little afraid of what the rest of these people would think of him if they knew who he really worked for, at least ostensibly.
"So what's Vance got to do with this truck business?" Sid asked laconically.
Alex put in, "And exactly what's getting shipped in them, anyway?"
|
|
|
Post by skybright on May 20, 2006 22:50:06 GMT -5
"Well," Daws explained, "My friend Jai came up with the schedule and the truck routes for us . . ."
"And Vance got the same information from someone else." The Padre interjected. "He's going to hit the trucks whether we come along for the ride or not."
Daws nodded. "The trucks, at least according to Vance, are loaded with guns. I don't wanna think about what Tiernan and company are planning on doing with 'em, so one way or another it's a good thing if he loses 'em." Daws shrugged one shoulder laconically.
"My feelin' is that we might as well see to it that our friend Vance at least has some even-headed folks around to balance his . . . explosive temperament."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on May 20, 2006 22:56:11 GMT -5
Miriam winced. "I seriously don't think any of the rest of us have experience in sabotage and strong-arming... with the possible exception of Sid," she added, when the ex-enforcer folded his arms and shifted into a bulldog stance. Shaking her head, the pathologist continued, "What can we possibly do to help--or stop--Jerod Vance?"
|
|
|
Post by skybright on May 20, 2006 23:04:54 GMT -5
Daws scratched behind one ear. "To stop him? Not much, short of turnin' him in to the cops or to Tiernan -- neither of which I'm willin' to do just yet. I don't agree with Vance, or even like 'im all that much -- but he's still against Tiernan, which means he's on our side.
"As to helpin' him, well," She shrugged again. "We' d have to talk to Vance to really answer that. The real purpose of this get-together tonight is to put it to a vote whether we even want to get involved with this operation or not."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on May 20, 2006 23:15:23 GMT -5
"I'm all for it," Sid spoke up immediately. "I've been waitin' for the chance to do somethin' myself that'll give Tiernan a bloody nose. 'Sides, I may not have any flashy mutant tricks, but just gimme a gun an' I'll show ya I'm not too useless."
"Oh, Sid," Alex sighed fretfully, and glanced at Daws. "I guess we've gotta do something, but I don't mind telling you the whole idea scares me. I mean, lookit me, Daws--I'm no fighter. I don't know what I could do."
"Neither do I, but I'm ready to learn," Miriam said resolutely. "I've got nothing to lose."
Henry automatically started to protest, but Grace interrupted him.
"What about me? I mean, I've been practicing my powers and all. It scares me too, but... if I can help..."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on May 20, 2006 23:27:40 GMT -5
"There are times when the frightening thing is the only thing worth doing." Padre gestured at the room, which had filled with the rest of the resistance members as they'd been speaking. "It seems like the majority of our members are here -- why don't we get this meeting started, and see what they have to say?"
There was a general murmur of assent, and the small group seated themselves in their now-customary chairs.
Padre cleared his throat and called the room to order. Once he had the group's attention, he briefly explained what Jai Patil had uncovered -- and what Jerod Vance planned to do.
"Our reason for meeting tonight," He concluded, "Is to decide whether we want to join forces with Vance and his people for this operation. We aren't discussing a permanent alliance, nor are we suggesting that this sort of action is going to become our regular way of doing things.
"But concerning this operation -- the diversion and robbing of one of Nicholas Tiernan's shipments of weaponry," Padre scanned the room, "Do we have any discussion, either for or against?"
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on May 20, 2006 23:33:38 GMT -5
Uneasy murmurs passed through the room, and a young black man in the second row spoke up.
"You're just talkin' about gettin' killed. No way us folks can stand up to Tiernan. He'll have those trucks guarded, and anybody who tries to stop 'em will be dead before they get near 'em."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on May 20, 2006 23:46:09 GMT -5
A brash, familiar voice piped up from the back row. "Hey, are we mutants, or are we a buncha mice?" Ana, her shock of white hair standing straight up, put her hands on her hips. "Same thing happens to everythin' that gets hit by lightnin'." She shot a miniscule lightning bolt at the ceiling to emphasise the point. "And isn't anybody gonna kill me without a scrap."
Padre frowned. "Ana, I'd appreciate it very much if you'd avoid burning the church down on top of us."
The young woman looked mildly chagrined. "Sorry, Padre."
Daws cleared her throat. "Jerod Vance has military experience -- and he's not the only one who does." She shot a look at Father Rick. "We're not talking about charging armed men without a plan and without regard for our safety -- we're talking about a tactical strike."
"One that will be planned for minimal risks," The Padre added, crossing his arms beligerently, "I won't permit Vance to put any of us in undue danger."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on May 20, 2006 23:51:20 GMT -5
"How do you intend to keep bystanders from being caught in the crossfire?" Henry asked concernedly. "Or even witnessing the entire event, for that matter. If the public becomes aware of what goes on, it could trigger the backlash we're fighting so hard to avoid."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on May 20, 2006 23:58:30 GMT -5
"If you're familiar with the Murfeeston bridge, you'll know that it's only two lanes wide." Daws explained. "Vance mentioned diverting all traffic except the trucks we're concerned with away from the bridge -- so there'd be no bystanders on the bridge itself. It's a long enough bridge that nobody on either side of the river could get a very clear view of anything happening in the center of it."
"All of this," Father Rick interjected, "Would be more effectively discussed with our friend Major Vance. Whether we like it or not, it seems as if he's already done much of the planning before inviting us to join him."
"So the real question," A voice from the middle rows muttered, "Is do we wanna throw in with Vance or not?"
|
|