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Post by Jordanna on Oct 13, 2007 19:53:34 GMT -5
As he listened to Daws, Proteus paled slightly. When she had concluded, he hesitated a moment before speaking.
"Miss Dawson... what was the girl's mutation?"
Miriam spoke up. "Vestigial wings."
Proteus flinched and shifted sharply in his chair, closing his silver eyes. The look of pain in his expression was unmistakable.
Vance leaned forward interestedly. "Then you knew her."
"Give me a minute." The shapeshifter blinked and looked away, obviously working to compose himself. When he turned back to Daws at last, his voice and gaze were once again steady.
"Her name was Claire Stiglione."
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Post by skybright on Oct 13, 2007 20:36:59 GMT -5
Daws nodded slowly. "We thought that she might be Stiglione's daughter." She leaned forward with a sympathetic expression. "What . . . would you mind telling me about her?"
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 13, 2007 21:44:49 GMT -5
Proteus slouched against the back of his metal folding chair with a heavy sigh.
"It's... a long story. And not a pretty one, or--an easy one." He looked up at Daws grimly. "I told you and Joey once that there never was anybody in my life. But there was one exception."
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Post by skybright on Oct 13, 2007 21:51:08 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "I remember." She leaned forward slightly. "And . . . this girl. Claire. She was . . . the exception?"
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 13, 2007 22:09:07 GMT -5
"Yeah." Proteus stirred restlessly again. He took a deep breath, then made an odd pushing-away gesture with his hands, as if giving up the idea of holding anything back.
"What you have to know is that I wasn't the fella then that I am now. I had my turn at trying to fight for something." He smiled bitterly. "Nocturne wasn't the first to think up the idea of pandering to human vices for mutants' benefit."
Sid's eyes grew large. "You--you were in the rackets?"
"Selectively... yes. Bootlegging cheap booze to norms, in order to buy other mutants some decent food and a roof over their heads. I was strictly against any rough stuff, but--we had other talents to rely on. And why not take what norms wouldn't even give mutants a chance to earn fairly?" The shapeshifter snorted and shook his head. "The irony is... in certain circles, I got to be a big shot."
He glanced at Daws. "That was how I met--Claire. You seem to know who her father was..."
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Post by skybright on Oct 13, 2007 22:16:43 GMT -5
Daws' mind had been working rapidly, fitting in Proteus' story with what she already knew. She nodded. "Yeah. And I get the feeling I know who you were, too."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 13, 2007 22:31:27 GMT -5
"Don't be so sure. I worked hard to keep the name I was using then quiet; I had to, with what I was working for. I've never seen a history book yet that ever mentioned me."
Proteus sighed and shook his head. "But you want to know about her. When Claire turned at age seventeen, that no-good father of hers was horrified. You know those Cicilian mobsters--'family shame', and all that. If things had been different, I think he might have killed her himself... but he found another way to deal with the 'problem'.
"His solution was Sam Rizzo--the man who owned your building once, Sid. Part of his racket was managing a string of mutant girls who he... hired out to normal guys who got some kind of sick thrill out of it. And Stiglione, well... let's say he made Rizzo the manager of Claire's career. With a fat cut of the profit for himself."
Sid choked, his face reddening with righteous wrath. "How could anybody do that ta their own daughter?"
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Post by skybright on Oct 13, 2007 22:36:30 GMT -5
"More people than you'd like to think would've said it was too good for her, Sid." Daws replied angrily, flexing her claws. "Too many mutant girls end up like that, when they've got nowhere else to go."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 13, 2007 23:00:47 GMT -5
Proteus sighed. "I was able to have certain dealings with Rizzo and Stiglione. They knew my work, but not what I was or where my profits went. I was looking for a way to break Rizzo's operation--but even then, I didn't want to use violence to do it. I got to know a lot of his girls, and I quietly managed to take 'em out of his clutches. And then... there was Claire.
"I tried my hardest to get her out of it, to make her believe no one would ever come after her or hurt her--but she was caught up in the despair a lot of mutants felt in those days. Despair that trying to stand out or stand up to normals would just never be possible. And besides that... somehow, I think she still felt some kind of loyalty to her father." The shapeshifter shrugged, looking more than a little despairing himself. "I could never convince her to break away."
Miriam swallowed hard. "Proteus... what about her child?"
"I don't know." Proteus gazed dully at her. "I never knew until Miss Dawson said it. And I wouldn't be sure of... the father. Not with the things she was forced to do."
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Post by skybright on Oct 13, 2007 23:13:24 GMT -5
Daws ran one hand through her hair, sighing sadly. "Jeeze."
She shook her head and fell silent for a moment, then glanced back at Proteus. "And then, what . . . she just disappeared?"
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 13, 2007 23:26:15 GMT -5
"Not quite." Proteus set his jaw. "Rizzo had found out about Claire and me. For all I know, he found out about the child too. Maybe she finally decided to break with him and come to me. Whatever it was... Rizzo killed her. I knew that. And he wanted me to know."
The shapeshifter stared blankly at the floor, looking remarkably old and weary. "When I couldn't find her, I confronted him. He didn't admit it in words, but he made the truth obvious enough anyway. He said some things about her..."
A shudder passed through Proteus. "And I found myself with my hands around his throat."
Major Vance winced. "I guess you're as human as the rest of us, after all."
Proteus closed his eyes. "It was the first time I found out what my power could do to others... and the only time it ever killed. When I was done with him... there was nothing in my hands. Not ashes--not dust. He was just gone."
He slumped exhaustedly in his chair. "And so was Claire. I never knew... how he did it, or where he put her. But I knew."
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Post by skybright on Oct 13, 2007 23:33:46 GMT -5
"Proteus . . ." Daws shook her head. "I'm sorry. Sorrier than I know how to say."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 14, 2007 21:45:11 GMT -5
Proteus made a weary, futile gesture.
"I couldn't deal with it... with all of it. I tried to end it all... by throwing myself in the river. But I was spotted by one of the early refugees camped out at the place that would become Spooktown." He smiled humorlessly. "Just my luck he happened to have gills."
He breathed deeply and drew himself up a little. "Those first Spooks took care of me then. Their kindness changed everything for me--gave me a reason not to give up. I swore I'd take care of them in return... but not the way I'd been trying to help mutants before. I was determined that nobody would ever be hurt by me again."
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Post by skybright on Oct 14, 2007 22:04:56 GMT -5
"And then we came along." Murmured Father Rick, who had been listening to Proteus' recital in grave silence.
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 14, 2007 22:17:46 GMT -5
A muscle in Major Vance's cheek twitched, and he looked away. "I'm sorry we ever dragged you into any of this, Proteus."
The shapeshifter smiled hollowly and shook his head. "None of us can change what's done." Turning to Daws, he went on with grim resignation: "You said you found Claire... in the basement of the Paragon Club?"
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Post by skybright on Oct 14, 2007 22:22:55 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "We . . . We had to have Miriam do an autopsy." She said, not quite meeting Proteus' eyes. "We didn't seem to have much choice, if we wanted to find any answers for her."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 14, 2007 22:35:24 GMT -5
"I understand that," Proteus murmured.
Miriam leaned forward, her eyes tellingly misty. "Proteus, if you wanted to know--about the baby. Caddy should still have enough DNA to run a test."
The shapeshifter shook his head. "Thanks, Doc... but I don't think I want to know." He glanced at Henry. "But I'd like to know about her resting place. I'm guessing you handled that."
Henry inclined his head. "I hope it doesn't offend you--but cremation seemed the most discreet plan. I scattered the ashes at a cemetery outside the city. If you want to pay your respects, I can take you there tomorrow morning."
"I'd like that," Proteus replied quietly.
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Post by skybright on Oct 14, 2007 22:49:18 GMT -5
Daws ran her hand through her hair. "I . . ." she groped for words for a moment, then sighed. "Thank you, Proteus. It can't have been easy, telling us all of this. And -- well, it sounds like a cliche . . . but I'm sorry for your loss."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 14, 2007 22:55:28 GMT -5
"It was a long time ago," Proteus said ruefully. "Hard as it was to open old wounds... I'm glad to know someone found Claire and laid her to rest."
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Post by skybright on Oct 14, 2007 23:01:42 GMT -5
"I'm glad we could do it for her." Daws said quietly. "I'm glad she's not an unsolved mystery anymore."
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