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Post by skybright on Oct 26, 2008 22:34:01 GMT -5
The next morning, Daws made her way to Tiernan Enterprises, bearing a folder of information on the fake "clinic" which was noticeably thinner than the real one locked in her desk back at the office.
Hopefully, it would still be enough information to effectively convince Tiernan she'd been at work for him -- and possibly enough to get him to reveal what, if anything, he might be planning . . .
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 26, 2008 22:51:03 GMT -5
When Daws knocked on his office door, Tiernan called her in, then nodded coolly to her in greeting as she entered.
"Good morning, Miss Dawson. It's been a few days--I had rather hoped to hear from you sooner. A difficult case, I presume?"
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Post by skybright on Oct 26, 2008 23:00:46 GMT -5
"You presume right, Mister Tiernan." Daws replied with a faintly frustrated tone that was not entirely faked. "These people aren't taking any chances -- not even the ones that people 'taking no chances' usually take anyway."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 26, 2008 23:19:14 GMT -5
"A rather un-governmental efficiency," Tiernan agreed wryly. "Whoever may be behind it, I suspect the real work to be that of some sort of independently contracted force, rather than any official federal agency. Which would also help to explain why my contacts have not learned much."
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Post by skybright on Oct 26, 2008 23:23:18 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "I'd say that's a safe bet. The actual government usually leaves a worse trail than just about anyone. These guys are smarter than that."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 26, 2008 23:32:04 GMT -5
"Quite." Tiernan leaned forward, steepling his fingertips. "What have you learned, then? More than my people, I hope..."
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Post by skybright on Oct 26, 2008 23:48:29 GMT -5
Daws shrugged one shoulder and held out the folder she'd brought with her. "I suppose that depends on how much your people have found.
"It's not much -- profiles and photos of a few of the guys they've got working there, and a few leads on money trails that your people might have better luck than I did at running down." The latter was far from likely, since Daws had had Jai fabricate said trails earlier that morning; she'd also removed the information about Beaudry and the other actors, leaving only the actual employees.
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 28, 2008 22:07:26 GMT -5
Tiernan spent a few moments leafing thoughtfully through the folder. Then he paused at one page with a grim nod.
"My own sources have picked up clues that a mutant may be working with these people." He glanced up at Daws, tapping the photo in front of him. "We've been trying to trace him through any associations with other mutants--among other things, looking for his motive for betraying his own kind."
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Post by skybright on Oct 28, 2008 22:36:21 GMT -5
Daws raised an eyebrow. "Have your people had any luck?" She gestured at the folder. "I couldn't even find a name for the guy -- just 'Doctor G'."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 29, 2008 21:25:38 GMT -5
Tiernan took a thin folder from the drawer of his desk and pushed it toward Daws. "See for yourself. We know one or two other things, perhaps, but almost no more than you've uncovered."
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Post by skybright on Oct 29, 2008 22:19:52 GMT -5
Daws suppressed a smirk and reached for the folder. "Not much to go on, then." She murmured.
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 29, 2008 22:25:11 GMT -5
"We hardly expected this task to be easy." Tiernan scowled. "And now we seem to have mutant civilians interfering. I've been trying to trace this 'Mutant Citizens Front'--they're not of my people."
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Post by skybright on Oct 29, 2008 22:37:08 GMT -5
Daws shook her head. "They don't seem to be anybody's people. None of my contacts have ever heard of 'em, nobody's ever dealt with 'em -- and nobody knows where to find 'em."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 29, 2008 22:47:38 GMT -5
"I have appointments with reporters from a few newspapers later this morning," Tiernan remarked. "I detest the media, but these people must stay out of the way. I can only hope they'll listen to my encouragement to do so--and that they're not of Vance and Van Linden's ilk."
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Post by skybright on Oct 29, 2008 22:50:21 GMT -5
"I imagine if they were, something would already be on fire." Daws remarked dryly. "Unless they're just building up to it."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 29, 2008 23:01:38 GMT -5
"That's what I'm afraid of," Tiernan muttered. "This is no longer a question of arousing human sentiment against mutants. Now we may face an open clash of mutants against mutants: those who are opposed to this so-called cure research, and those who think they want it."
Then he stiffened slightly, and the light in the room dimmed almost imperceptibly as his eyes darkened.
"Perhaps that's precisely the intent..."
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Post by skybright on Oct 29, 2008 23:05:51 GMT -5
Daws cocked an eyebrow at him. "You think there's something more going on behind this 'Mutant Citizens Front'?"
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 30, 2008 20:35:12 GMT -5
"Perhaps. And it would explain why we can't trace any of its agents." Tiernan scowled. "If these scientists want to use mutants as guinea pigs, it would benefit them to turn public opinion against us--even have humans calling for the Registration Act to be brought to the table once again. And what could be the easiest and least risky way to make humans feel threatened by us?"
He set his jaw grimly, steepling his fingertips. "Simply to cause mutants to fight against one other openly, on the street--which this furor could easily do."
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Post by skybright on Oct 30, 2008 22:12:55 GMT -5
Daws frowned. It was an angle the resistance hadn't fully explored -- and it could be one with dangerous consequences, if it were true.
"If they've got one mutant working for them," she gestured to the folder, "It's not much of a stretch to assume there might be more than that. And it would help explain why these guys seem to have just dropped out of nowhere at this precise time."
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Post by Jordanna on Oct 30, 2008 22:18:19 GMT -5
"Precisely." Tiernan glared at the frustratingly thin folder. "Unfortunately, it would also mean my influence would be of no use. I'll go through with those press statements--it's still quite possible some addled group of mutants is misguidedly trying to take a hand. But I'm afraid my... diplomatic options in this case are very limited."
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