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Post by Jordanna on May 26, 2009 22:03:36 GMT -5
With a nod, Vance turned and led the way into the room. He looked around at his masked companions, then shrugged.
"If you don't mind, the room's getting a little crowded--and we don't want to stress our guest," he added ambiguously. "Except for Proteus, the rest of you might as well step out for coffee or something."
As Nate, Handy, and Sid shuffled out, Vance pulled Daws and Caddy aside, lowering his voice. "Sorry, Regina, but... the loud thinking, you know. And Doc--don't worry about Voegel's welfare. We're just gonna begin with some nice polite questions. I'll call you back in if he starts getting himself worked up."
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Post by skybright on May 26, 2009 22:42:51 GMT -5
Caddy nodded. "Okay. I won't be far off, I guess."
Daws squeezed Vance's shoulder lightly. "Good luck."
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Post by Jordanna on May 27, 2009 22:15:39 GMT -5
"Yeah." Vance patted her hand and watched her leave. He passed a glance between Cole and Proteus, then sat down in a chair facing Voegel.
"Okay, genius--time for us to have a little talk. I've already spelled out our reasons. This is your last chance to help your pals willingly."
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Post by skybright on May 27, 2009 22:38:44 GMT -5
Voegel shot a calculating glance at Cole, who had settled into the room's lone armchair and was gazing at the captive scientist over his steepled fingertips.
Then his gaze shifted back to Vance, eyes dark with cold hatred. "You know what you can do with your last chance, mutie."
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Post by Jordanna on May 27, 2009 23:07:28 GMT -5
"Suit yourself." Vance leaned back and meticulously made himself comfortable, trying to balance his angry contempt for Voegel with as relaxed an attitude as possible. It would be useless to let things get ugly now.
"Where have your pals stashed themselves, Voegel? Wherever it is, they'd better be locked down good." He kept his tone casual, trying to put Voegel's mind on the subject without sounding too questioning. "When the other party traces 'em, they won't stand much of a chance, no matter what security they've got around 'em."
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Post by skybright on May 28, 2009 0:05:33 GMT -5
The scientist's lips twisted in a crooked, humorless smile. "Should I give you the classic runaround?" He asked mockingly. "Voegel, Nicholas James. Rank classified. Serial number classified."
Cole narrowed his eyes as Voegel spoke; the reply had quickly driven off whatever fleeting impression of an actual answer might have been surfacing. The telepath sighed and continued the delicate work of threading his way undetected into Voegel's mind.
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Post by Jordanna on May 28, 2009 21:41:45 GMT -5
Vance persisted in trying to make Voegel think about the location of the other scientists, and their security.
"The other side's got plenty that could get to 'em. Teleporters, maybe... and if you've got them blocked, some good old-fashioned energy casters to blast their way in." He raised an eyebrow. "Or maybe they're tucked away in a nice little top-secret installation under the Hudson. There's gill breathers for that."
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Post by skybright on May 28, 2009 21:49:33 GMT -5
For a brief moment Cole had the impression of a long, low-lying and apparently innocuous office complex; then it was abruptly shoved to the back of Voegel's mind, replaced by a wash of anger and memories of the smoking crater that had been the Mount Bliss complex.
"You won't find it that easy." Voegel growled. "Not this time."
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Post by Jordanna on May 28, 2009 22:10:29 GMT -5
"I told you it's not us you'd better be worried about," Vance replied evenly, and hoped Voegel's ego would respond at least mentally to a little baiting. "That other faction can do things even your bunch can't imagine. In short--they're better at this stuff than you."
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Post by skybright on May 28, 2009 22:17:21 GMT -5
"You think so?" Voegel smiled acidly. "We'll see. Don't forget . . . we're the ones who built the thing that did that to Mount Bliss."
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Post by Jordanna on May 28, 2009 22:25:25 GMT -5
A wave of icy rage passed through Vance, and he tensed; but he had the presence of mind to realize that was what Voegel wanted. He deliberately relaxed himself, and forced a flat, deathly smile.
"Yeah... that really worked out well for ya."
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Post by skybright on May 28, 2009 22:36:58 GMT -5
"Minor setback." Voegel shrugged one shoulder as best he could between his injuries and the restraints. "There's other specimens where that one came from -- maybe even better ones."
Cole allowed himself a tiny moment of satisfaction as the words opened a train of thought in Voegel's mind. It wasn't much -- but it was more than he'd been able to get so far, and he doggedly latched on to it and followed it deeper into the other man's consciousness.
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Post by Jordanna on May 28, 2009 22:55:40 GMT -5
Vance glowered at Voegel through his one good eye. "I'll just bet there are. More soldiers getting their reward for serving their country?"
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Post by skybright on May 28, 2009 23:01:54 GMT -5
"More resources." Voegel replied. "The source doesn't matter as much as what we can make of them."
His glance flickered to Cole and then back to Vance. "I thought you decided you weren't interested in chatting."
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Post by Jordanna on May 28, 2009 23:17:07 GMT -5
"I never said that." Vance smirked. "Interrogation doesn't have to be rough stuff, you know. Just the sound of my voice got to be classified as torture in three countries. If you have to listen to it long enough, I'm figuring you'll go bughouse alright."
His tone hardened again. "Just who do you and your playmates answer to?"
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Post by skybright on May 28, 2009 23:26:48 GMT -5
Voegel scowled. "Don't insult me."
For a moment Cole caught a glimpse of the mysterious "Doctor G." who was in charge of the clinic -- and then he let out a shocked gasp and flinched sharply as he met a sudden resistance in the other man's mind.
Cole's hand flew to his head. "He knows." He gritted out between clenched teeth. "He knows he's being read . . . and he's fighting me."
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Post by Jordanna on May 29, 2009 23:38:51 GMT -5
Vance shot Voegel a bitter glare. "I had a guess this one might have brains enough..."
He rose and took Cole by the arm, leading him to the far corner of the room. There he spoke in a low voice. "What can we do, sir? Is there anything we can give him that'll quiet down his fight, without making him harder to read?"
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Post by skybright on May 30, 2009 0:10:59 GMT -5
Cole shook his head. "Any more sedative than he's already been given and I'll be of no use to you."
"I can try to strongarm my way to the information you want." His brow furrowed. "He's given me enough glimpses to know that it's there, and I've some idea of where he keeps it. But I don't have much experience -- in fact, I don't really have any -- at forcefully withdrawing information from someone who knows he's being read. That's usually my signal to retreat."
The telepath took a deep, somewhat shaky breath. "The pretense of questioning won't be of much further use -- but if you can keep his attention on you, maybe get him angry enough to draw some of his focus away from fighting me . . . that might help. But this isn't going to be easy -- not for either of us."
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Post by Jordanna on May 30, 2009 21:23:56 GMT -5
"Or for him, I bet." Vance glared back at Voegel again, then shifted his glance to Proteus. "The old man won't stand for it if it gets too rough on Voegel... and I guess we can't complain about that. Okay, then--all we can do is see how far you can get."
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Post by skybright on May 31, 2009 0:50:12 GMT -5
Cole nodded grimly and resumed his seat, shutting his eyes as he did so.
Voegel smirked at Vance as the other man returned from his impromptu conference with the telepath. "Rookie move, mutie." He remarked. "Next time try putting your mind reader somewhere out of sight."
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