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Post by skybright on Dec 26, 2006 23:09:43 GMT -5
Daws gave a halfhearted shrug, burying her hands in her pockets. "I dunno, Sid. After the kind of night it's been, I'm not havin' much luck thinking about anything."
She sighed and shook her head. "I've bought Vance some time. That was the first thing I was aiming for. Now . . ." she trailed off and shrugged again.
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 26, 2006 23:18:08 GMT -5
Sid patted her arm. "You better get some sleep, Daws. All of us oughta. We'll be in a better state ta figure all this out in the morning."
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Post by skybright on Dec 26, 2006 23:21:26 GMT -5
Daws nodded tiredly. "Suppose you're right. Maybe we can come up with a plan tomorrow."
She shot Sid a faint smile. "You mind taking in one more stray for tonight?"
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 26, 2006 23:36:27 GMT -5
The ex-mobster shook his head, putting his arm around her shoulders to squeeze her lightly. "My doors're always open, kid. You know that."
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Post by skybright on Dec 26, 2006 23:43:53 GMT -5
Daws smiled gratefully, briefly resting her head on Sid's shoulder. "Thanks."
They reached the bottom of the stairs and entered the living room, where they'd left Alex and Miriam. "Well," Daws announced, "We've got three days. That's something, anyhow."
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 27, 2006 0:01:10 GMT -5
Alex looked like he was about to ask what they would do with that three days, but Miriam gave him a slight nudge.
"So it's time we all got a few hours' sleep," Sid asserted. "That an' summa Foxy's breakfast in the mornin' oughta fix us up fer some brainstormin'. Doc, didya... you know... take one a' them pills Caddy gave ya?"
Miriam smiled ruefully. "I did, but I still don't think I'll get any sleep tonight. I wish I could give Vance some of this excess energy myself."
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Post by skybright on Dec 27, 2006 0:07:09 GMT -5
"Yeah, me too." Daws shrugged. "Anyway . . . Handy said he'd turn up after he talked to Vance's boys, but as late as it is, he might wait until tomorrow morning. Like Sid says, I guess the best we can do for now is turn in."
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 27, 2006 0:37:29 GMT -5
"You take the couch, Daws," Sid offered. "I'll break out the spare cot an' bunk in the attic room with Foxy. I told the kids we're takin' care of a sick friend, so they'll be quiet when they get up."
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Post by skybright on Dec 27, 2006 0:43:51 GMT -5
Daws smiled wryly. "Tired as I am right now, I'm not sure a whole troupe of acrobats would make enough noise to disturb me."
Blankets and a spare pillow were produced from one of the closets, and Daws accepted them with a tired, grateful nod. "Sweet dreams, everyone -- or no nightmares, anyway. I'll see you in the morning."
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 27, 2006 21:48:30 GMT -5
Handy was on the doorstep at the crack of dawn. By this time, Alex was already up and making breakfast--with the assistance of Miriam, who had slept very little.
"Is Jerod strong enough to eat?" Handy asked Miriam, helping himself to one of Alex's honey muffins.
Miriam shook her head. "I don't know. I haven't checked on him yet. I'm hesitant to disturb Proteus."
Handy shrugged. "If he can eat, it'll help him. Ya know how he needs ta eat to refuel his energy from his boomers? Well, that energy goes ta help him heal when he's hurt."
"That's good to know," Miriam remarked. "Don't worry--if he can eat, we'll make sure he gets a good meal."
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Post by skybright on Dec 27, 2006 23:42:25 GMT -5
A few minutes later Daws shuffled into the kitchen, blinking sleepily and smoothing down the sleep-mussed fur on her face. "Morning guys. Handy." She glanced hopefully at Alex. "Coffee?"
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 29, 2006 0:40:19 GMT -5
Alex grinned wanly and moved toward the coffeepot. "As long as Handy didn't drink it all already..."
"I didn't sleep a wink. Too worried 'bout Jerod." As Alex put a cup of coffee in front of Daws, Handy rubbed his face and asked the detective, "So how'd the bat take it?"
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Post by skybright on Dec 29, 2006 23:08:25 GMT -5
Daws shrugged one shoulder as she spooned sugar into her coffee cup. "He's not happy -- but he doesn't suspect me any. But -- he knows Proteus is the one who took Vance. I'm supposed to take a message to the Spooks -- to tell 'em to give Proteus up, or else."
She sighed and reached for a honey muffin. "I talked Proteus into givin' us some time to come up with a plan of some kind, but if we don't figure a way to protect the Spooks from Tiernan in three days . . ." Daws grimaced, "Proteus is gonna give himself up."
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 29, 2006 23:19:30 GMT -5
"We can't let him do that," Miriam said gravely. "He knows nearly as much about our group as any of us."
Alex frowned over the bowl of pancake batter he was mixing. "If we warned the Spooks, couldn't they protect themselves?"
"Sure they'd protect themselves--by givin' up Proteus," Handy sneered. "That bunch has got no loyalty. F'r all he's done for 'em, in a pinch they'd even throw him to the wolves."
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Post by skybright on Dec 29, 2006 23:30:14 GMT -5
"Exactly." Daws nodded emphatically. "And I don't plan on letting Tiernan get his hands on Proteus -- not just 'cause of what he knows, either. If I get my say about it Tiernan's never getting his hands on anybody again."
She frowned. "That includes the Spooks, too. Whether they like me or I like them isn't the point -- I told Proteus I'd work it so none of them got hurt."
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 30, 2006 20:50:48 GMT -5
"The question's how," Sid muttered from the doorway as he entered the kitchen. He slouched into a seat, reaching for the coffee cup. "We oughta have our breakfast before the kids get up, 'cause then they'll be crowdin' in here with Consuela. We can talk out our troubles in the den after we eat. Foxy, you fixin' a plate for Proteus?"
Alex nodded. "And one for Vance too, if he can eat. Handy said it'll do him good."
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Post by skybright on Dec 30, 2006 22:51:33 GMT -5
"It can't hurt." Daws agreed, staring into her coffee. "He must've burned off most all his energy during the fight, or they'd never have caught him to begin with. And after that . . ." she shivered and shook her head. "He'll need to replenish his energy, anyway."
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 30, 2006 23:14:57 GMT -5
"We might as well see if either of them want it now," Miriam said, relieving Alex of the two plates--one of them considerately heaped with scrambled eggs, which Alex had presumed Vance could eat more easily.
Handy, in turn, immediately took the plates from Miriam. "I'll take 'em. I wanna see how Jerod's doing." He glanced at Daws. "I guess you wanna come upstairs too."
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Post by skybright on Dec 30, 2006 23:17:43 GMT -5
Daws hesitated for a moment before nodding and draining her coffee cup. "Yeah, Proteus may not be too thilled at the sight of me -- but he'll live."
She pushed back from the table and nodded. "Lead the way, Handy."
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Post by Jordanna on Dec 30, 2006 23:35:36 GMT -5
Carrying the two plates in his four hands, Handy trudged up the stairs and knocked gently on the door of Sid's room. After a brief pause, Proteus' voice responded quietly, "Come in."
Handy and Daws entered the room. Their comrade and his caretaker were just as they had been the night before; Proteus was seated beside the bed, with his hands resting on the sleeping Vance.
"We brought ya some breakfast. Jerod too, if he can have it," Handy explained hesitantly.
"Thanks." Proteus removed his right hand from Vance's shoulder and accepted his plate, resting it on his knee. He nodded to the injured man. "He looks worse today, but that's only the bruising. As far as I can tell, he's not doing too badly."
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