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Post by skybright on Aug 21, 2008 22:45:40 GMT -5
On their way back into Manhattan from the Patil's apartment, Daws stopped at a phone booth and dialed Jerod Vance's cell phone number. Her call went directly to the generic voicemail message. She left a brief message asking Vance to meet them at Our Lady of Refuge, if he was able. Then she and Joey headed for the church themselves.
"I figure even if Vance can't make it down here this afternoon, we can at least let the Padre in on what's going on." She explained, as the pair made their way down the block towards the parish's front gate. "Maybe he'll have some ideas."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 21, 2008 22:58:28 GMT -5
As Daws and Joey came through the door of Our Lady, they were met by the meekly grinning Mike Whitebird. He and Joey exchanged low-fives, and then the big man turned to Daws.
"The Major man is waitin' for you downstairs, with some others. He said you called and told him to come."
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Post by skybright on Aug 21, 2008 23:07:32 GMT -5
Daws shook her head and chuckled quietly. "I have to give the man credit -- he moves fast when he wants to. Thanks, Mike."
She clapped him lightly on the arm and then headed for the stairs to the basement.
"Afternoon, everybody." She called as she descended, with Joey on her heels.
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 21, 2008 23:12:14 GMT -5
Vance stepped forward to put his hand on Daws' shoulder as she reached the bottom of the step. He still looked a little more gaunt and tense than he had before Mount Bliss, but there was fond concern in his eyes.
"Doing alright?" he asked. "No problems with the Bat?"
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Post by skybright on Aug 21, 2008 23:18:50 GMT -5
Daws smiled lopsidedly and gestured to her eyes. "No problems. These cleared up just fine, and he hasn't got a clue I was involved."
She hesitated for a moment, then put her hand on his elbow. "But he called me in this morning to put me on a job. There's . . . news. Not very good."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 22, 2008 21:05:10 GMT -5
Vance shot a look toward Nate and Handy, who he had brought with him. Then he turned back to Daws with a sigh.
"Knew we couldn't get a break... So what's the story now?"
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Post by skybright on Aug 23, 2008 22:08:39 GMT -5
Daws glanced at Father Rick, who had come down the stairs behind her and Joey. Then she sighed and spread her hands slightly. "Whoever was backing the guys at Mount Bliss, they're not giving up on the research. They're already regrouping . . . and they're getting ready to find new subjects. Soon."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 23, 2008 22:37:11 GMT -5
Vance's fists clenched, and his jaw hardened. He sat down on the chair behind him, very slowly.
"If Tiernan's going after them, he can have 'em. They don't deserve any less."
Nate flinched slightly and took a step closer. "Dad..."
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Post by skybright on Aug 23, 2008 22:47:49 GMT -5
Daws winced and opened her mouth to reply -- but it was Father Rick who spoke first.
"You know, Boyo, for once you and me see eye to eye." He said quietly.
He moved to take a seat himself and shrugged his broad shoulders. "Maybe it's not what a priest should say -- but so far as I can see the only just thing would be lettin' Tiernan and those butchers at each other, and bad cess to the lot."
He sighed heavily and shook he head. "But you know as well as I do, Boyo, that if we do that it's sure t'bring the war we've been tryin' to avoid right down on everyone's heads."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 23, 2008 22:52:08 GMT -5
Vance grimaced. "Maybe. I don't know. I only know this is the last thing that'd inspire me with any heroic strokes of genius."
He glanced up at Daws. "What details do we know?"
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Post by skybright on Aug 23, 2008 22:59:04 GMT -5
Daws shrugged and pulled up a chair of her own, handing the folder of information to Vance. "Not many. They'll be setting up a dummy pharmaceutical company in the next couple weeks, to peddle 'clinical trials' for a fake 'cure' for mutation.
"They'll use that inhibitor drug that Tiernan uses to 'cure' people while they go through applicants and find the person or people that fits their profile. Once they've got what they want, they'll disappear -- and so will their 'subjects'."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 23, 2008 23:05:42 GMT -5
Vance grimaced. "If nothing else, it'd be no good letting Tiernan look like a savior to the mutants they plan on abducting."
"But what could we do about it?" Nate queried.
"I don't know. At least not yet." Vance sighed and leaned back, rubbing his temple. "We need more information. We've got the why and how--what we need is who and where."
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Post by skybright on Aug 23, 2008 23:11:50 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "We've got Jai working on that -- Joey and I just came from his place. He managed to get some stuff before Mount Bliss went down, but most of it's encoded -- but there might be something in there that'd give us a clue. Proteus is gonna keep nosing around Tiernan's if anything else comes up there, and he's gonna have the Spooks keep their eyes peeled. He's also offered to help us infiltrate the people who are doing this . . . if we can come up with someone for him to mimic."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 23, 2008 23:20:52 GMT -5
"That's a good-sized if." Vance rubbed his chin. "Obviously these 'clinical trials' are gonna be a publicly announced thing--but the people behind this could be too smart to have anyone with real knowledge of the operation out front. The people taking notes and giving shots could be given the same line the guinea pigs are."
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Post by skybright on Aug 23, 2008 23:31:15 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "It's probably safe to say that they won't know much, even if they're not totally clueless. But at the very least, one of 'em will have to know who's calling shots and signing paychecks. If we can find the chain of command, we can work our way up it to someone worth knowing about."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 23, 2008 23:35:54 GMT -5
"If we have time," Vance muttered.
Handy frowned and nodded. "Yeah... there's an awful lotta poor abused saps out there, who'd go for a chance at not being mutants anymore."
"The black hats might find the subjects they want by lunchtime their first day," Nate said grimly.
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Post by skybright on Aug 23, 2008 23:49:21 GMT -5
"And if that's the case, we best get to 'em by breakfast." Father Rick said.
"Hard to make any kind of plans with this much to go on." Daws said with a frustrated shake of her head. "Once they get the clinic open, if we still don't have a better plan, Joey and I kicked around the idea of sending in someone as a 'volunteer' -- but that's an awful risky move."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 23, 2008 23:59:38 GMT -5
Vance drew his lips back from clenched teeth in a bitter grimace. "It's a last-ditch kind of move, alright--but if we get as far as the clinic opening, we'll be at the last ditch. If we possibly can, we've gotta find something we can do before it gets to that point."
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Post by skybright on Aug 24, 2008 0:06:55 GMT -5
"No arguments there." Daws sighed. "They've got the dummy corporation set up already, I guess. Tiernan didn't have any concrete info on who set it up or who's supposed to be running it -- but like I said, Jai's working with what we've got. If anyone can find us an opening, it's him."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 24, 2008 0:13:01 GMT -5
"And if anybody can squeeze us a wedge into that opening, it's Proteus." Vance frowned. "Did the old man give you one of his non-violence clauses again?"
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