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Post by skybright on Oct 2, 2008 22:45:59 GMT -5
"And we'll stick to it." Daws interjected.
She glanced at Vance. "So which of their puppets is our not-so-lucky guest?"
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 2, 2008 22:52:15 GMT -5
"Uh... this one." Vance took from the bag a folded sheet of paper, which proved to be one of the photographs Jai had dug up. Other notes about his description, residence, and movements were scrawled underneath the image, written in four different pens and pencils by at least three different hands.
"This guy was just the most convenient," Vance explained. "He lives in the rear of an apartment building that backs up to a construction site, so it was easiest to grab him without being seen."
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Post by skybright on Oct 2, 2008 22:58:20 GMT -5
"At least one thing on this job's gone right." Daws glanced at the tightly-muffled form Vance's men held between them; for the time being, the man seemed to have given up on thrashing and appeared to be trying to hear through the thick cloth covering his head.
Daws shrugged. "There's somethin' vaguely unfair about us putting masks on so we can take his off -- but I guess there's nothin' to be done for it."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 2, 2008 23:02:15 GMT -5
Vance pulled a mask on, then watched as Proteus did the same. "That gonna give you any problems watching our boy, old man?"
Proteus shook his now-obscured head. "Just keep him busy. Ask him about the clinic and his bosses if you want to, but get him to talk and move, and show up any quirks he's got."
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Post by skybright on Oct 2, 2008 23:08:39 GMT -5
"Heck, the guy's an actor." Daws remarked as she pulled on a mask and then buried her hands in her pockets, "They're practically made up of nothing but quirks."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 2, 2008 23:20:06 GMT -5
Vance chuckled, watching as the rest of his people put their masks in place.
Once all of them were properly disguised, he turned to their packaged prisoner. He cut the ropes that secured the sacking wrapped around the man, then swiftly pulled it away.
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Post by skybright on Oct 2, 2008 23:31:18 GMT -5
The muffled prisoner was a slightly-built, shrewd-looking man in his late thirties. As Vance pulled the sacking away he half-cursed and took a few deep breaths.
After a moment's recovery, he began shooting anxious glances at the surrounding group of ominously hooded figures, paling slightly. "What the . . . where . . ." His roving eyes flicked towards the door. "What's this all about? What d'you want?"
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 2, 2008 23:35:02 GMT -5
Vance leaned one elbow against the back of a chair.
"From you? Not much. Our problem is with the folks who hired you--but I guess you're gonna tell us you don't know anything about that."
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Post by skybright on Oct 2, 2008 23:45:45 GMT -5
The prisoner's brow furrowed and he glanced once more towards the door -- and then at the solid wall of mutants between himself and it. "Well I hate to be predictable, but I don't know anything about that." He quipped nervously. "I'm just an . . . a doctor."
His gaze flicked back to Vance. "You're . . . you're with that 'Mutant Citizen's Front' or whatever, aren't you."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 2, 2008 23:49:54 GMT -5
"As a matter of fact, we're not," Vance replied levelly. "And you're not a doctor. You're an actor--and you got hired to pose as a doctor at that so-called clinic."
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Post by skybright on Oct 2, 2008 23:58:35 GMT -5
The dark-haired man stiffened almost imperceptibly, and his gaze suddenly fixed on Vance. "How'd . . ."
He broke off abruptly and drew himself up to his full height -- which wasn't much. "I don't know anything. My name is Doctor Robert Strait . . ."
"Says here it's Quentin Beaudry." Daws interjected lightly, waving the headshot Vance's men had annotated. "I like that one a lot more -- it suits you better."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 3, 2008 21:58:10 GMT -5
"Stop play-acting, chum," Vance growled at Beaudry. "You don't know what you've gotten yourself into. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't be surprised if we saved your life by pulling you out of that gig."
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Post by skybright on Oct 3, 2008 22:45:19 GMT -5
Beaudry's expression wavered for a moment before finally collapsing into a confused frown. "What are you . . . what are you talking about?"
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 4, 2008 21:44:44 GMT -5
"We've dealt with the people who hired you before, pal. They're not doctors; they're military scientists. They've been involved in experiments on mutant soldiers." Vance's voice hardened on the words. "They lost their last guinea pig because of us. Now they're looking for a new one--and this trial 'cure' they're planning to peddle is just bait."
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Post by skybright on Oct 4, 2008 21:50:36 GMT -5
Beaudry had dropped all pretense by now; his expression had become one of outraged shock. He shook his head. "That's . . . You're lying. They've got a cure, I've seen it work."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 4, 2008 21:59:51 GMT -5
"I don't doubt they've got a drug that temporarily shuts down mutant powers," Vance countered. "And they're not the only ones who do. We've known about that for a while--but it's no 'cure'."
He leaned closer to their captive. "And I'll tell you what I've seen, Mister Beaudry. I've seen the results of their real work. I've seen a man begging me to kill him, because of what they turned him into."
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Post by skybright on Oct 4, 2008 22:10:57 GMT -5
Beaudry flinched back slightly from Vance's words and the tone of the other man's voice. "I . . ." He glanced around at the others. "Is that true?"
"It's true." Daws replied flatly. "And they'll do it again, if they get half the chance."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 4, 2008 22:20:33 GMT -5
"I knew that man they used." Vance's voice became quieter. "He was a good man, a man I admired--and before he died, he was afraid of himself."
The Major shook his head. "Even if you don't care about our kind, Beaudry... you might just wanna think about your fellow norms. About what could happen if any government found a way to use us wholesale, as weapons against ordinary people."
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Post by skybright on Oct 4, 2008 22:29:44 GMT -5
Beaudry said nothing in reply. Daws studied him for a moment, then shook her head.
"I don't think you're the kind of person who'd have a hand in something like this on purpose, Beaudry." She said quietly. "Am I wrong?"
Beaudry shook his head very slightly, but still said nothing.
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 4, 2008 22:39:24 GMT -5
The Major shot a glance toward Proteus, then turned his gaze back to Beaudry. "Believe it or not... we're not out to get anybody hurt. It's possible we've got the right contacts to buck this thing politically--but we need evidence."
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