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Post by skybright on Jan 1, 2007 23:05:11 GMT -5
"Yeah, well,"Daws smiled and ducked her head somewhat sheepishly, "It's amazing what one conversation can do, I guess."
She gestured to the bedroom door. "Look, Proteus -- I know you said you're not doin' this for me, or for Vance, but . . ." she shrugged. "Thank you for doing it, all the same."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 1, 2007 23:13:25 GMT -5
Proteus shrugged. "You know I'd rather not see anyone hurt, Miss Dawson."
He tilted his head toward the doorway. "I'd better get back in there and try to keep his healing on track."
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Post by skybright on Jan 1, 2007 23:20:34 GMT -5
Daws nodded and made her way back downstairs to the kitchen, trying (but, she suspected, probably failing) to keep a grin off her face.
She ducked in through the kitchen doorway and nodded to her friends. "Any more coffee left, or did Handy drink it all behind my back?"
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 1, 2007 23:29:28 GMT -5
Miriam's lips twitched as she pushed the coffeepot forward across the table. "I know that look, Daws. I know when I had that look. As I recall, it was a morning in Connecticut after a rather memorable night..." She smiled at Alex and reached over to squeeze his hand.
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Post by skybright on Jan 1, 2007 23:39:33 GMT -5
Daws gave up on fighting and let the grin break out. "Yeah, I remember that conversation pretty well myself."
She shrugged and poured herself a cup of coffee, reaching for the sugar bowl. "Well . . . we're not exactly in the home stretch on this one yet, but," Daws smiled into her coffee cup, "Things are sorta lookin' up. In one way, anyhow."
She shot Sid a mock-longsuffering look. "I guess you can start in with the I-told-you-so's anytime now."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 1, 2007 23:46:50 GMT -5
Sid grinned and shook his head. "Told-ya-so's are only for when I don't like what I see. Congratulations, Daws."
Alex grinned. "Maybe you and the Major could go on a double date with Handy and Gracie," he suggested brightly, receiving a not-very-threatening glare from Handy in response.
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Post by skybright on Jan 1, 2007 23:59:56 GMT -5
Daws rolled her eyes. "This is just payback for those wedding cracks me and Sid made when you and Miriam first got together."
She shrugged broadly and took a drink of coffee. "Besides -- considering how most of our relationship so far has been, I don't forsee anything as normal as a double date ever happening to me and Vance."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 2, 2007 0:14:18 GMT -5
"At least you're sharing our knack for picking a bad time to think about romance," Miriam sighed, half-apologetically. She looked up at Sid. "Did you say you wanted us to talk in the den?"
Sid glanced at his watch. "Yeah. The kids'll be up an' gettin' their breakfast in a few minutes."
In short order, Daws, Sid, Handy, Alex, and Miriam had retired to the den with their coffee cups. Sprawled or slouched on the armchairs and sofa, they reluctantly began to turn their thoughts to the problem of saving the Spooks without sacrificing Proteus.
"I was wonderin'," Sid murmured to Daws. "Ya think there's anythin' at all Mister Cole could do ta help? Maybe... I dunno... get the Spooks all of a sudden cleared outta Spooktown 'cause of a health hazard, or somethin'?"
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Post by skybright on Jan 2, 2007 0:20:50 GMT -5
Daws frowned thoughtfully. "Well . . . I guess he might, yeah. And that'd at least get them out from right under Tiernan's nose. But that's assuming that the Spooks would be willing to clear out at all -- and even if they are . . ." She shrugged. "Tiernan could still track some of 'em down and take his anger out on them, if he took a mind to."
She stared into her coffee. "I suppose if I could convince Tiernan that the Spooks really don't know where Proteus is at, that'd help. But I'm not sure if I can do that or not. I'm not sure he'd even care."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 2, 2007 0:31:02 GMT -5
"He wouldn't care," Handy asserted. "If Tiernan knows the same ol' legends we all did, he'll know Proteus looks out for the Spooks. An' he'll know just havin' any of them in danger oughta be enough ta flush Proteus out."
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Post by skybright on Jan 2, 2007 0:38:56 GMT -5
"Right." Daws scowled. "And he won't be happy until Proteus is dead."
She paused thoughtfully. "So . . . suppose we were to somehow give him that? I mean -- Tiernan doesn't know what Proteus looks like, right? Heck, we don't even really know what Proteus looks like."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 2, 2007 22:07:13 GMT -5
Miriam's eyes widened slightly. "Well, that's one idea--but who did you have in mind for a sacrificial lamb?"
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Post by skybright on Jan 2, 2007 22:51:36 GMT -5
Daws frowned. "Well, that's the trick, isn't it? Corpses aren't exactly something you can get hold of real easy."
She ran a hand through her hair. "But if we could get the Spooks to play along with it, we could maybe convince Tiernan that they took matters into their own hands -- or that Proteus was killed trying to get away from them."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 2, 2007 23:04:08 GMT -5
Handy frowned. "Ya know... I dunno about this. Ya know Proteus'll go right back to the Spooks after all this is over--an' sooner or later, it's gonna get around that he's not dead after all. Then the bat might be madder'n ever."
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Post by skybright on Jan 2, 2007 23:11:36 GMT -5
"Good point." Daws sighed and shook her head. "The best thing would be if I could convince Tiernan that the Spooks don't know where Proteus is at -- and then could convince Proteus to keep it that way."
She shrugged. "It's not the first part of that I've got doubts about -- I mean, the Spooks are at least marginally useful to Tiernan, and I don't think he'd take it out on 'em for being willing but not able to give Proteus up.
"But convincing Proteus of anything," she held her hands out hopelessly, "That's what I'd have my doubts about."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 2, 2007 23:17:38 GMT -5
"Wouldn't he listen?" Alex asked. "I mean, the most important thing to him is protecting the Spooks, isn't it?"
Sid scowled. "Yeah--'cept to him, protectin' 'em means bein' around forever ta play nursemaid to 'em. He wouldn't like the idea that they'd be safer without him around."
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Post by skybright on Jan 2, 2007 23:27:35 GMT -5
Daws sighed. "I guess in some way I can't blame him -- the Spooks are the closest thing Proteus has got to a family, even if they aren't much of one.
"But that doesn't change the fact that once he goes back to Spooktown, they're gonna be in danger -- and so is he."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 2, 2007 23:44:05 GMT -5
"Leaving them would be better than dying for them," Miriam observed grimly, folding her arms.
"Maybe." Sid shrugged. "Maybe--if Proteus really cared about livin'. He's been around a long time. Maybe he's just tired of it all."
"But he said the one reason he'd wait to give himself up is 'cause the Spooks need him around," Handy recalled. "I just can't see him stayin' away from 'em as long as he's alive."
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Post by skybright on Jan 2, 2007 23:49:54 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "Yeah, me neither."
She sighed. "I guess if we could get it across to the Spooks how important it is that Tiernan never knows Proteus is still alive -- if they can make it seem like they've just appointed themselves a new King to replace him . . ." she shrugged. "Maybe that'd give us a chance, or at least it'd improve our odds."
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Post by Jordanna on Jan 3, 2007 0:00:03 GMT -5
"I guess it's the best idea we've got going for us," Miriam sighed. "It means we'll have to talk to the Spooks--or you will, I guess, Daws. They know you."
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