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Post by Jordanna on Jun 26, 2008 20:12:54 GMT -5
Roger Latimore safely brought Daws, Mayor Cole, and the unconscious Miriam to the borrowed helicopter, which was waiting at a deserted airfield. It was shortly before dawn when they arrived at another landing site just outside New York City. Roger carried Miriam to a waiting car.
"I've gotta call my pal to pick up his chopper," he explained, as Daws and Cole got into the back seat. "I'll do that on the way. I think I remember how to get to Doc Ollivard's place."
Then he glanced at Cole. "I guess we'd better drop you off before the sun comes up and anyone sees you. Where do you wanna be taken, sir?"
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Post by skybright on Jun 26, 2008 23:58:15 GMT -5
Cole sighed and rubbed tiredly at his eyes -- the migraine from reading Highsmith's mind had only worsened during the noisy helicopter flight. "I've no intention of being in my office today. You could drop me near my apartment, if you don't mind."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 27, 2008 22:17:13 GMT -5
"Yes sir. I think that's pretty much on the way, anyway." Roger started the engine and turned the car toward the road, at the same time taking out his cellphone.
He glanced over at Daws. "Lieutenant Vance gave me his own number. After I talk to my pilot buddy, I'll call him, and see how the Major is dealing." A shadow of worry passed through his eyes.
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Post by skybright on Jun 27, 2008 22:21:04 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "Good idea, Rog." She said quietly -- not entirely succeeding in keeping the worry out of her own voice.
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 27, 2008 22:38:22 GMT -5
Roger had a brief conversation with the rightful keeper of the news helicopter, then dialed Nate's cellphone number. This conversation was not much longer, and Roger was thoughtful when he put away the phone.
"Typical Major Vance," he muttered. "The Lieutenant says his father's clammed up and focused on working. I've seen him do it before. It's not great, but... well, if he's gonna be able to work all this out, I guess that's the way a guy like him has to do it.
"They're just about to leave that farmhouse now. The Lieutenant said they're gonna drop that guy Highsmith somewhere." Roger frowned. "He was a little worried about that. I don't know, but it sounded like he thinks Proteus is the only reason the Major hasn't... you know."
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Post by skybright on Jun 27, 2008 22:45:02 GMT -5
"Yeah, I know." Daws sighed and glanced out the window -- though all she could make out was an indistinct blur of lights and shadows. "Even if he's not the only reason . . . I'm glad Proteus is there, anyway."
She frowned. "I guess it'll take them about as long to get back here as it did for us to get down there in the first place, huh?"
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 27, 2008 22:53:16 GMT -5
Roger nodded. "Yeah. I'm guessing the Major'll want Doc Ollivard to look over the other casualties, though. Maybe we can hang out at his place until everybody gets back."
He glanced over his shoulder at Miriam, lying pale and still in a corner of the back seat. "What are you gonna tell her boyfriend?"
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Post by skybright on Jun 27, 2008 22:56:30 GMT -5
Daws glanced worriedly in Miriam's direction. "I dunno." She admitted wearily. "We'll have to call him -- but I thought I'd wait until Caddy's at least had the chance to look her over. Maybe Alex'll take it better if we've at least got a doctor's opinion of what's going on."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 27, 2008 23:04:54 GMT -5
Roger nodded ruefully, and lapsed into silence.
It was not long after that when they neared Mayor Cole's apartment building. Roger pulled into a side street half a block away.
"Is this close enough, sir? Can you go up alright without getting too much attention?"
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Post by skybright on Jun 27, 2008 23:13:00 GMT -5
Cole nodded. "This will be fine -- I can let myself into the building through one of the side doors without being seen." The mayor unbuckled his seat belt and reached for the door handle.
"Cole." Daws spoke up from the backseat. "Thanks."
Cole glanced back at her gravely and nodded. "I only wish things had ended better."
He held his hand out to Roger. "Thank you for the transportation, Mister Latimore."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 27, 2008 23:18:59 GMT -5
Roger grinned wanly and shook the Mayor's hand. "Any time you need to fly undercover, sir. Like the lady said: thanks. I'm sure the Major would've said it better himself, if he hadn't had other troubles on his mind."
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Post by skybright on Jun 27, 2008 23:24:40 GMT -5
"I understand. Give the Major my regards." Cole glanced back at Daws and added quietly "And tell the Lieutenant I won't forget that promise."
Daws nodded in acknowledgment, and Cole slipped out of the car and headed towards his apartment building.
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 27, 2008 23:32:46 GMT -5
Roger sighed heavily, glancing again at Miriam. "Okay, guess we'd better get the Doc to Ollivard as quick as we can. I'll try to get us there without asking you for directions." He grinned feebly. "Fingers crossed."
In a fairly short time, Roger did manage to find Ollivard's house on his own. The sun was coming up then, and Roger frowned at Daws.
"We better let him know we're here before we take the Doc up. I'd rather not be standing around on the porch with a woman out cold in my arms."
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Post by skybright on Jun 27, 2008 23:42:27 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "That's probably a good call. Caddy's neighbors aren't really the nosy type, but there's no sense pushing our luck."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 28, 2008 22:30:17 GMT -5
Roger put a hand under Daws' arm, and helped guide her up the walk to the front door. He knocked, then shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and waited.
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Post by skybright on Jun 28, 2008 22:42:34 GMT -5
After a few moments the door cracked open and Caddy poked his head out, clad in a bathrobe and slippers and looking somewhat rumpled.
"Ah. I see you're back." His gaze flicked quickly from Daws to Roger, and he swung the door the rest of the way open. "Well, I guess I should've known. It's not like our bunch to get through anything without somebody needing put back together."
"Good morning to you, too." Daws replied wryly.
Caddy glanced at Roger. "Where's everyone else?"
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 28, 2008 22:49:34 GMT -5
Roger sighed. "Everybody else who went on the job is still back in West Virginia. They'll be coming up today... except for three men we lost. I had to fly Mayor Cole back before it got light. Brought Miz Dawson 'cause she needs looking at--she's been kinda flash-blinded."
He glanced back toward the car. "We brought Doc Van Linden, too. She's out... some kind of shock to her brain, I guess."
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Post by skybright on Jun 28, 2008 22:57:38 GMT -5
Caddy frowned worriedly. "That doesn't sound good."
"It's not." Daws replied quietly. "Like Rog said, we lost three of our guys. Then we lost the guy we went in after -- and he took pretty much everyone still inside with him." She sighed. "It was just . . . too much for her."
Caddy nodded, taking on the brisk, focused persona he always assumed in such situations. "Okay. Let's get her into the examining room, I'll see what I can do."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 28, 2008 23:11:16 GMT -5
Roger went back to the car and took Miriam out of the back seat. He carried her into the house, and followed Caddy back to the examining room, where he placed her on the table. Through it all, she remained limp and motionless, with a pale, drawn face.
"Colonel Ashley went out with enough power to bring down the whole hillside," Roger said quietly. "It was some kind of... psychic thing, or whatever you want to call it. The Doc here, and Major Vance and I could feel it. My power's not even anything like that, but it even made me feel sick for a minute there." He shook his head. "If you ask me, I think that was what hit her: not just the number of dead, but the backwash of power from Ashley."
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Post by skybright on Jun 28, 2008 23:18:52 GMT -5
Caddy nodded as drawers began sliding open and instruments drifted out of them into his waiting grasp.
"Things like that aren't unheard of." He said, as he carefully lifted one of Miriam's eyelids and shone a light into her eye, watching the reaction. "Unfortunately, the feedback from something like that is really, really unpredictable."
He reached for Miriam's wrist and checked her pulse, frowning at his wristwatch as he did so. "Has she been in this condition ever since?"
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