|
Post by Jordanna on Jan 14, 2009 21:13:28 GMT -5
Proteus kept his grip on Steph's hand, maintaining her altered apearance as well as his, until they had reached the door of Grimalkin Inc. The effort was extremely tiring, but he managed to give Steph a thin smile as he knocked on the door.
"Listen, Steph... Miss Dawson's a mutant too, and she doesn't look like your idea of 'normal'. You'd better know that before you see her."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Jan 14, 2009 22:43:58 GMT -5
"Oh." Steph blinked and then nodded slightly. "Uh, alright."
The door cracked open at that moment, and Daws poked her head out. Steph raised her eyebrows, but said nothing -- though her grip on Proteus' hand tightened slightly.
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Jan 14, 2009 22:58:07 GMT -5
"Hello, Miss Dawson." Proteus wearily rubbed the back of his head with his free hand. "Have you heard what happened at the clinic?"
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Jan 14, 2009 23:04:13 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "I switched on the radio after you called. It's not what you'd call positive press."
She stepped back from the doorway, holding the door open and gesturing the pair in. "Come on -- I'll put up the 'out of office' sign, and you can fill me in on what happened."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Jan 14, 2009 23:15:03 GMT -5
With a small nod, Proteus led Steph inside.
While Daws was busy putting up the sign, the shapeshifter reverted to his usual form. He also withdrew his hand from Steph's--prompting a startled expression on Daws' face when she turned, to see the plain-faced brunette replaced by a pretty young redhead.
Proteus waved his hand slightly. "It's okay, Miss Dawson. I told you I could disguise other people. This is Steph; she's not one of us, but she's one of the actors they hired to front the clinic." His eyes darkened. "She helped me when I was hurt."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Jan 14, 2009 23:24:14 GMT -5
Daws smiled and nodded at Steph. "Then we owe you one. I'm Regina Dawson."
Steph smiled thinly. "Ah -- nice to meet you."
Daws cast an appraising glance at Proteus. "Speaking of being hurt -- you look like it wouldn't hurt you any to sit down for a bit."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Jan 14, 2009 23:34:26 GMT -5
"That's true enough." Proteus gingerly lowered himself onto the sofa. "I took a pretty bad crack on the head. I'm okay for a little longer--but I won't be getting any better until I sleep."
He looked up at Daws gravely. "I don't know how much they said on the news. I don't even know if anybody was killed in the blast--but I can tell you who planted the bomb." He grimaced. "It was one of Cole's little pals from the Health Department."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Jan 14, 2009 23:41:02 GMT -5
Daws raised an eyebrow and perched on the arm of one of the armchairs. "There's one dead -- the news didn't ID him." She said, "And another two landed in the hospital. "
She grimaced. "Something tells me that wasn't what Cole had in mind when he said he'd send someone to stall things."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Jan 15, 2009 22:53:07 GMT -5
"No." Proteus shook his head slightly. "But that leaves the question of who did send him. Tiernan? That Mutant Citizens' Front? Or someone else?"
He frowned. "I can show you what the bomber looked like, anyway. Maybe Cole can ID him. But frankly, I don't think the guy is concerned about that--not with the obvious way he dodged out of there. I don't think he plans on going back to his day job."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Jan 16, 2009 0:00:33 GMT -5
"Probably not. Might be he's counting on powerful friends to keep him out of harm's way." Daws sighed. "Or might be he was acting on his own -- and just decided to risk it all on one throw. No way of telling."
She frowned. "The media's already having a heyday with it -- well, I'm sure you can guess. Lot of talk about how mutants don't know enough to know what's good for us."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Jan 16, 2009 22:50:59 GMT -5
"Yeah. In the end, this whole business will only score popularity points for the mad scientists--and we both know they're just going to repair the damage and start over." Proteus put his head down, wearily massaging his closed eyelids.
"I did pick up a little trash before it all went down. But I don't know what any of it means, if anything."
Without opening his eyes, he took out the slightly smudged cluster of papers, and dropped them on the table in front of him.
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Jan 16, 2009 23:15:13 GMT -5
Daws nodded, reaching for the papers. "Anything's better than nothing, which is what we had this morning. If nothing else, the repairs will buy us some time."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Jan 16, 2009 23:23:44 GMT -5
"And we've gotta figure out how to use it." Proteus sighed and raised his head, glancing at Steph. "What bothers me is what to do about Steph here, and Beaudry. The doctors are gonna wonder why they disappeared after the blast."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Jan 16, 2009 23:34:26 GMT -5
"Yeah." Daws glanced at Steph with a thoughtful frown. "The two of you may have to disappear for a while -- unless we can think of a good cover story for you. And that may be more risky than it's worth for us, I'm sorry to say."
Steph worried her bottom lip between her teeth. "I . . . dunno what to say, really." She said quietly. "This all happened so quick . . . I'm still trying to process what happened, let alone what's going to happen."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Jan 16, 2009 23:36:53 GMT -5
Proteus patted her hand gently. "Whatever happens, you'll be safe. I promise you that."
There was a light tap at the front door then. Major Vance was outside, arms folded, looking grim. Nate and Handy stood behind him.
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Jan 16, 2009 23:50:32 GMT -5
Daws slipped off the arm of the chair and glanced out past the window shade long enough to make sure it was them, then unlocked and pulled open the door.
"C'mon in." She said, stepping back, "Proteus just got here. I suppose you've been listening to the news."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Jan 17, 2009 22:17:41 GMT -5
Vance stalked into the office on Daws' heels. "Yeah. Somehow I figured the Bat was smarter than--" He broke off abruptly as he caught sight of Steph, glowering suspiciously at her. "Who's this?"
Proteus stood up very carefully. He was not completely successful in disguising his unsteadiness, but his silver gaze met Vance's eyes firmly--almost a warning.
"This is Steph. One of Beaudry's castmates." His tone became a shade harder. "She got me out of there after the explosion, Vance.
The Major actually hesitated for a moment, glancing back and forth between the shapeshifter and the human. Then his head tilted very slightly.
"Okay," he said simply.
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Jan 18, 2009 23:20:37 GMT -5
"Don't mind us." Daws told Steph. "Paranoia's one of the only things keeping us alive, most days."
She turned to Vance. "Proteus says one of the Health Department guys Cole sent planted that bomb."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Jan 19, 2009 22:06:53 GMT -5
Vance grated out a curse. "As if we didn't have enough to deal with..."
"Cole's not crazy enough to pull a stunt like that himself... is he?" Nate prompted, half-uncertainly.
His father shook his head. "No, not quite. But his brainpower obviously doesn't extend to identifying saboteurs in his own workforce." With a scowl he glanced at Proteus. "Any idea who the bomber was working for?"
Proteus spread his hands slightly. "Nocturne is one suspect, alright. Or the MCF, if they've got enough clout to plant somebody in the Health Department."
"Or if they just have somebody with a power like yours," Vance muttered.
The metamorph frowned and inclined his head. "It's occurred to me. I can't pick another shapeshifter out of a crowd any better than you can."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Jan 19, 2009 23:36:06 GMT -5
"For that matter, it might just have been a Health Department employee with a vendetta against that clinic." Daws interjected. "We're assuming whoever did it knows as much as we do about what was going on there -- but there's plenty of people in this City who'd cheerfully bomb anybody trying to 'cure' mutation."
|
|