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Post by Jordanna on Jul 26, 2006 21:21:11 GMT -5
With his customary satellite Handy trailing behind him, Jerod Vance strode through the gate of Our Lady and up to the front door, where Mike Whitebird was leaning languidly at his post to meet resistance members.
"Heya, Chief," Vance drawled. "Are we fashionably late?"
The question was met with a blank stare.
"Oh, skip it." Vance waved a dismissive hand. "Dawson here?"
This Mike understood, and he grinned and nodded. "Yeah, Daws is here. Everybody's here."
"That's fine." Vance patted Mike on the shoulder and moved past him. "Keep up the good work, soldier."
Descending the basement stairs, Vance could hear the familiar murmuring of the gathered civilian warriors. He shook his head wryly. And your word used to move half an army, bub. How are the mighty fallen.
He caught sight of Daws and sauntered toward her, hands in his pockets. "What's new, detective?"
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Post by skybright on Jul 26, 2006 21:27:57 GMT -5
Daws shrugged one shoulder. "Still alive, Major. That means I can't complain." She grinned wickedly. "Caddy and Hubert send their regards. Hubert also muttered somethin' about how he didn't see how anyone who'd met Caddy could've ever called him a mad scientist."
She sobered slightly and shook her head. "Tiernan's not buying the suicide ploy -- he flat-out admitted as much to Cole. I think Hubert'll be relatively safe, looking like he does now -- but it's yet another area where we best watch our backs."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 26, 2006 21:41:32 GMT -5
"I'd do that anyway," Vance murmured, leaning against the wall. "Actually, I'm kinda glad the little guy'll have an incentive not to wander off on his lonesome just yet. I'd hate to see him meet up with--well, just about any average norm off the street. Even without the purple skin, he's got 'beat me up' written all over him."
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Post by skybright on Jul 26, 2006 21:57:10 GMT -5
"He does at that." Daws shook her head. "I'm not looking forward to the first time he runs up against a vocal anti-mutant creep. It's one thing to know what kind of people are out there -- but it's quite another the first time you run into 'em yourself. The more he keeps to himself, the longer it'll be before that happens."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 26, 2006 22:01:19 GMT -5
"Well, we've got him pretty well under wraps right now." Vance folded his arms. "So what news did you get from our Man of the People?"
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Post by skybright on Jul 26, 2006 22:08:10 GMT -5
Daws raised one eyebrow. "Some pretty useful stuff -- but I didn't learn everything there is. It's . . . on the compticated side." She shrugged. "Best thing might be to go over what I do know -- and then I'll explain the complicated part once we've got the regular folks briefed and back to their homes."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 26, 2006 22:13:05 GMT -5
Vance shrugged. "It's your meeting. Heck, it's your project. I'm just around to give you backup on this one."
As usual, he drew a chair out from the front row and straddled it, psychologically removing himself from the gathered civilians.
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Post by skybright on Jul 26, 2006 22:26:59 GMT -5
Daws nodded and cleared her throat. "Okay, everyone. Let's get this show on the road."
Once a relative quiet had descended, Daws faced the group of resistance members and crossed her arms. "Most of you were here when Major Vance brought in that vial of experimental stuff that his people swiped from Tiernan." she said. "Well, that vial came from just one of Tiernan's labs -- and he's got something like a dozen diferent ones, situated all over the City.
"We're interested principally in one of 'em, though. It's called the Gray Lab -- and we've got it on good authority that it's by far the most secret of Tiernan's labs. There's no way of knowing exactly what sort of stuff they're workin' on -- but it's sure to be expensive, advanced, and probably illegal to boot."
Ana -- having recovered from her concussion at the Murfeeston bridge -- cleared her throat. "So what're we gonna do about it, exactly?"
Daws grinned. "We," she said smugly, "Are gonna rob it stone blind."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 26, 2006 22:30:43 GMT -5
"It's still a nice idea," Vance spoke up. "But I wanna know more about the security layout before I'll commit any of my men to it. I assume you wouldn't waste our time here if you didn't have some intel on that."
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Post by skybright on Jul 26, 2006 22:42:14 GMT -5
"You assume right." Daws nodded. "Our recent activities have Tiernan spooked. He's pretty sure that none of his enemies how about this 'Gray Lab' of his -- but even so, he's not takin' any chances.
"The lab is under constant guard by Tiernan's enforcers -- mutants, naturally. As of the end of the week, thought, there's going to be a whole new schedule -- and a new series of guards. Those who've previously guarded the Gray Lab are being rotated out and replaced with new guys -- all seasoned veterans, of course, but people new to guarding the Gray Lab. Apparently Tiernan's hoping to keep any individual from geting too knowledgable about the lab's security."
Daws shrugged one shoulder. "These guards are gonna be working in eight-hour shifts, in groups of roughly five or six. It's a relatively small lab -- but that doesn't mean it's unimportant."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 26, 2006 22:45:28 GMT -5
"Of course it isn't. When you get down to it, nothing Tiernan does is unimportant." Vance frowned. "So you're thinking you can get the drop on these new guards before they get acquainted with the place. Risky. They'll still know the place better'n we will."
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Post by skybright on Jul 26, 2006 22:54:09 GMT -5
Daws nodded in agreement. "They will, sure. There's gonna be a definite element of rise no matter how we play it. But," she addressed the larger group, "We're going to have the advantage of surprise. This is a target that's never been hit -- that, so far as Tiernan knows, nobody even knows about. If we strike there, the message we send is that we can strike anywhere, anytime -- regardless of how secure it supposedly is. We're talking about a powerful blow to the morale of Tiernan's people -- in addition to turning up some potentially interesting experiments."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 26, 2006 23:01:01 GMT -5
"That all sounds wonderful," Miriam said with a frown, "but the question is how clearly we can plan it. Misinformation is what cost us so much at the bridge. Have you got enough details to let us anticipate everything we have to do?"
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Post by skybright on Jul 26, 2006 23:01:46 GMT -5
"I believe we do, Doc." Daws replied, nodding. "The difference here is this: we're not dealin' with something that Tiernan passed on in a memo or that we gathered by going through his files. What we know about the Gray Lab is what's been pulled straight from Tiernan's own mind. Which means that -- as of yesterday afternoon, anyhow -- we know everything that Tiernan knows about his planned security setup." Or Cole does, anyhow.
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 26, 2006 23:07:45 GMT -5
"Well, let's hear it!" Vance remarked, becoming impatient. "So far what you've given us pretty much amounts to doubletalk. Okay, so Tiernan's got a secret lab we oughta hit. We get the point. Now where is it and what exactly is the setup?"
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Post by skybright on Jul 26, 2006 23:20:04 GMT -5
Daws shot a brief glance at Vance -- and then let out a brief growl of frustration. "That's where things get to be on the complicated side, Vance." She crossed her arms. "If I'm talkin' doubletalk, it's only because I'm getting this information from a politician."
She shook her head. "Long story short, Cole wants to be completely involved with what we do -- and he's holdin' back the rest of the details on this particular setup until I discuss that involvement with all of you."
She cleared her throat and glanced at the crowd. "Needless to say, that'd bring a whole new element of risk into what we do -- and not just 'cause Cole's famous, either. No telepath, no matter how good they are, can keep from 'overhearing' things once in a while. And I know there's those among us who've got secrets they'd rather not have anyone else pick up -- even if it is by accident, and even if Cole's not gonna do anything untoward with whatever he 'hears'."
Daws shrugged. "It's not exactly true to say he won't give us the details if we say no -- but I'm willin' to bet it'll complicate dealings with him considerably."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 26, 2006 23:33:06 GMT -5
Vance scowled. "I'm absolutely against it--and not just because he's well-known, or a telepath. No rich-boy politician like that can even handle a nosebleed without a gang of advisors around to tell him what to do. He'd be less than useless in combat."
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Post by skybright on Jul 26, 2006 23:37:03 GMT -5
"Agreed." Padre Steele spoke up for the first time, nodding gravely from his seat in the front row. "Whatever battles Cole's used to fightin', they've been battles of words. He's never had to face anythin' like the opposition that any of these folks have." There were faint murmurs of agreement from the assembled resistance.
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 26, 2006 23:49:15 GMT -5
"Glad to see we can agree on something," Vance murmured, grinning slightly at Padre.
Miriam frowned. "I was going to say that if I can fight, so could Mister Cole... but I suppose that isn't a very good argument, considering how useless I was at the bridge." At this Alex squeezed her shoulder, and she smiled thinly at him.
Sid shrugged. "There's different ways of fightin'," he said, with a half-glance at Miriam. He went on, "Tell Cole he's better stickin' to the one he's good for. We need him diggin' around in Tiernan's brain, not gettin' any holes shot in him."
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Post by skybright on Jul 26, 2006 23:59:50 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "That's more or less my own opinion anyhow -- but I told Cole I'd bring it before all of you." She frowned thoughtfully. "Tell ya the truth, I think Cole wants to prove himself as much as anything . . . and maybe to feel like he's part of an organization. Me and the kid are the only people he's met, after all."
She shrugged. "It could be that just meeting with some of you might do enough to convince Cole to stick to what he's useful at. I dunno -- but what I do know is that Cole's requested that he be allowed to share what he learned about the Gray Lab, instead of passin' it on through me." Her expression revealed precisely how impatient she was with that request. "Though I guess if we have to I could probably persuade him outta that, too."
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