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Post by Jordanna on Oct 10, 2007 22:57:14 GMT -5
Proteus nodded. "Good choices. You can rely on 'em both to do right, both in the job and for the other Spooks."
He considered. "I can also recommend a fella named Thorn. He did a lot to help keep Spooktown running smoothly. And he has a young son, so he could sure use the work."
"I know him," said Vance. "He and his boy are still staying at Rog's place."
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Post by skybright on Oct 10, 2007 23:07:46 GMT -5
Father Rick nodded. "There's a young woman named Blur -- a little flighty, maybe, but she seems like the type who'd be good with customers."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 11, 2007 22:16:35 GMT -5
Proteus chuckled. "Flighty is an interesting word for it. She's sort of excitable, but she's a sweet kid. She never really belonged at Spooktown. A more normal life would be good for her."
The shapeshifter grinned thoughtfully. "Just between us, I can't say I wouldn't like the idea of her taking on a second job, too--as stepmother to Thorn's boy."
Sid smiled. "Say no more. We'll put 'em on the same shift an' see what happens."
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Post by skybright on Oct 11, 2007 22:26:20 GMT -5
Daws chuckled and glanced sideways at Vance. "Y'know, for an underground guerilla army, this place sure is crawling with matchmakers."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 11, 2007 22:39:21 GMT -5
"I hadn't noticed," Vance deadpanned.
"How many people are you planning to hire?" Proteus asked Sid.
The club owner shrugged. "This oughta do fer now. I wanna put a few a' my own people on the job fer a couple months, just ta show the Spooks how I run things, an' watch over the place while it's gettin' settled. I'll hire more after that."
"Just remember, any of your norm employees you put there had better be as mutant-sensitive as they come," Proteus cautioned him. "The Spooks are touchy."
"Yeah, I know. I got a young guy waitin' tables whose aunt is a mutant, an' he's willin' ta work Lusus fer a while. Gracie's volunteered ta put in some time, too."
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Post by skybright on Oct 11, 2007 22:48:15 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "Sounds like a pretty good plan." She glanced at Handy. "I think it'd be safest if you try and avoid the place, though -- Tiernan's still gonna have his people keeping an eye out."
She frowned and leaned forward. "Which reminds me -- we still haven't decided what to do about Pink."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 11, 2007 22:56:02 GMT -5
Vance frowned and shook his head. "I'm afraid I haven't got any ideas about that. If we try to get rid of her or even bribe her out, the bat might get suspicious. I'm not sure there's much to do for now except leave her be, and run the place just the way Sid laid out in his cover story--as a charitable contribution to the mutant community. If it's profitable to mutants, even Tiernan can't reproach anything about that."
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Post by skybright on Oct 11, 2007 23:00:11 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "I guess that's the best we can do -- so long as everyone involved knows to watch what they say around her. Last thing we need is any juicy tidbits working their way up to the Bat."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 12, 2007 20:17:52 GMT -5
Sid shook his head. "Nobody from my people 'cept Foxy an' Gracie know about all this, so they got nothin' ta tell. An' ya know ya don't havta worry 'bout Gracie." He smiled at the club starlet, who flushed slightly and looked a little worried.
"There's something else to consider, though." Vance fished a cigar from his coat pocket, giving Sid a glance. "Apart from any worries about the bat and his goombahs, you've gotta know that just an average night at a mutie bar can get... sort of exciting. And there's bound to be some trouble at first from the 'unsavory elements', let's say, that you're planning to kick out. You'll need a few people who are tough enough to put the brakes on any rough stuff that starts up. Blaze and Thorn are okay for starters, but I'd suggest you get ahold of somebody more intimidating."
Proteus spoke up. "I thought of that already. I was going to suggest Tusker. I think you might remember him, Miss Dawson." He grinned slightly at Daws. "A big hairy bruiser with tusks, one of 'em broken."
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Post by skybright on Oct 12, 2007 20:59:57 GMT -5
Daws groaned good-naturedly and rolled her eyes. "Heck, we could just hire everyone from that fight while we're at it." She grinned crookedly. "Of course, I suppose the bouncer not likin' me will just be another good reason for me not to start any trouble."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 12, 2007 21:28:45 GMT -5
Proteus gave Daws a serious look. "You've got my word on the people I've recommended to you--and you know what my word means." A faint tinge of frustration entered his expression. "A lot more than I've gotten in return in the past."
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Post by skybright on Oct 12, 2007 21:57:50 GMT -5
Daws flinched slightly and glanced away from the shapeshifter. "I suppose I deserved that." She said quietly. "And I don't doubt your word. If you vouch for 'em, that's good enough for us."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 12, 2007 22:05:33 GMT -5
Proteus' expression softened, and he nodded. "Thank you... and it does matter to me that you people have offered this work to the Spooks. Now that I've been forced out, there isn't much more I can do to take care of 'em--except to see that they do the right thing with the chance you're giving them. If nothing else, you can believe I care because of that."
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Post by skybright on Oct 12, 2007 22:15:09 GMT -5
"And you can believe we really are doin' our best to help your people." Father Rick replied.
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 12, 2007 22:23:31 GMT -5
"Right. And everybody's friends again." Vance looked around at the group in general. "Aside from that little private puzzle, do we have any other business that anyone can think of?"
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Post by skybright on Oct 12, 2007 22:30:13 GMT -5
There were various murmurs in the negative, as well as a few shrugs and shakes of the head.
Daws spread her hands. "I suppose we're a bit stalled until we get some new dope on what Tiernan's up to."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 12, 2007 22:37:23 GMT -5
"Right. Hopefully I can brainstorm something--unless we can shake some use out of His Dubious Honor." Vance shook his head and turned to the Padre. "I guess that's it, if you want to dismiss your people. Regina, you might as well go into your other matter with Proteus."
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Post by skybright on Oct 12, 2007 22:44:22 GMT -5
Father Rick nodded and gestured at the assembled crowd. "You heard the man, folks. We'll keep in touch if anything comes up -- and you all be careful out there in the meantime."
Chairs scraped back and the low buzz of conversation started up, and Daws turned to Proteus with a slight shrug. "I'll ask those questions now, if you're still up for it."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 12, 2007 22:59:30 GMT -5
Proteus nodded, shifting to a more satisfactory chair now that the crowd was exiting. "Questions about New York in the past, you said? I don't mind that."
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Post by skybright on Oct 12, 2007 23:12:36 GMT -5
Daws nodded and pushed her fedora back. "I suppose to start off I'd better tell you what this is all about. Sid was knocking down one of the walls in the basement of his club . . . and we found a body.
"The victim was female, young, mutant -- and pregnant -- and obviously the victim of foul play. We figure she must've died sometime in the 1920's, back when the Paragon was still a speakeasy."
Daws sighed and rubbed the back of her neck absently. "And needless to say -- I'm a little short on useful leads, seeing as how all the evidence has had eighty years to get lost in. I've got a few names -- people who might've been suspects, or witnesses. I sorta hoped you might be able to recognize some of 'em -- at least by reputation. And if you remember anything about . . . well, about anything from that time, really," she shrugged. "It might help me find some answers for her."
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