|
Post by skybright on Dec 13, 2006 23:26:48 GMT -5
Daws waited until Tiernan and his mountainous henchman were out of sight before she turned and left the office building -- hoping against hope that she'd bought Proteus the time he needed.
Rather than heading straight for her office, she took side-streets and detoured well clear of her usual route back -- keeping careful watch as she did so. Being followed by any of Tiernan's people was the dead-last thing she needed.
Daws wasn't sure if it was the detour, her anxiety, or both -- but it seemed like an eternity before she arrived at Grimalkin. Inc. And, she realized with a cold, sick feeling building in her stomach, Proteus -- or Vance -- were nowhere to be seen . . .
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Dec 13, 2006 23:36:22 GMT -5
After several minutes, a figure appeared on the doorstep, carrying a dark shape slung over his shoulders. After Daws had rushed to open the door, Proteus strode in--and the burden he bore proved to be Jerod Vance, bloodied and bruised almost beyond recognition.
Proteus put Vance down on the sofa. Without looking at Daws, he murmured grimly, "He's bad."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Dec 13, 2006 23:40:44 GMT -5
Keep it together, Ace. You're no good to anyone if you don't. Daws closed her eyes for a long moment, taking a deep breath and fighting the urge to be sick. "It's not safe to keep him here. No telling who might come by. And Tiernan knows where I live -- it's gotta be Sid's."
She opened her eyes, frowning worriedly at Proteus. "If . . . can we move him?"
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Dec 13, 2006 23:50:31 GMT -5
"I just hauled him over here from Tiernan's. Besides, there's no choice." Proteus glanced sideways at Daws. "I don't suppose you happen to have an automobile."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Dec 13, 2006 23:56:07 GMT -5
"Not even a driver's license." Daws replied shortly. "Never saw the point of one, but now . . . now I do."
She shrugged and moved towards the inner office. "A friend of mine drives cab -- he's not in the resistance, but he doesn't much like Tiernan and he knows how to keep his mouth shut. I guess that's the quickest way."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Dec 14, 2006 0:08:53 GMT -5
"Yeah. And make it quick." Proteus sat on the edge of the coffee table, placing his hand on Vance's forehead.
Curiously enough, the Major's unconscious expression of pain seemed to ease slightly.
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Dec 14, 2006 0:14:00 GMT -5
"Preaching to the choir, pal." Daws muttered, but she ducked into the office and rapidly dialed a cell-phone number. After a brief conversation with the man on the other end, she hung up and paced back out to the waiting room.
"Carl's just gotten off duty -- he'll be here as soon as traffic allows." She swallowed painfully and avoided looking at either Proteus or Vance, instead fixing on the view of the street and pacing nervously.
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Dec 14, 2006 20:43:07 GMT -5
After a few minutes, Vance drew a long, ragged breath and stirred slightly. With his one good eye, which was all but swollen shut, he squinted at Proteus. Even the effort to look surprised was too much, but the ghost of a flat chuckle grated in his throat.
"Sorry things got a little outta hand..." he murmured faintly.
"Shut up. I'll worry about busting that kisser of yours after it heals." Proteus sounded surprisingly sincere about that prospect. He may have abhorred killing, but as his views on Spook infighting had proven, he apparently had no qualms about people getting a non-lethal dose of physical punishment now and then.
Vance ignored the admonishment. "Bat... got nothin' outta me. Tell Dawson that."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Dec 14, 2006 21:54:33 GMT -5
"Tell her yourself." Daws said quietly, abandoning her pacing to kneel somewhat awkwardly in the space between coffee table and couch. She reached out and gingerly placed her fingers on Vance's wrist -- disguising the gesture as checking his pulse.
"We got transport on the way. We'll get you to Caddy soon's we can."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Dec 14, 2006 22:13:08 GMT -5
Half of Vance's mouth quirked upward, the faintest suggestion of a smile. "Can't get rid of me."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Dec 14, 2006 22:20:36 GMT -5
"Not even if I wanted to." Daws replied. The sudden lump in her throat suggested that saying anything more would interfere with her previous plan of keeping-herself-together -- but she was saved from worrying about it by the sudden rapping on the front door.
She stood hastily and crossed to open the door. Carl Vargas -- the short, red-hairded and goat-horned taxi driver who doubled as the Lusus Naturae pool shark -- squinted up at her. "Hey, Dawson. What's the news?"
Daws took a somewhat unsteady breath and stepped back from the doorway, giving Vargas a view into the office. The cabbie whistled in low astonishment. "Onea those fares, huh kid?" He frowned and nodded. "Okay, where to? City of Angels?"
"No." Daws shook her head. "Not a hospital tonight, Carl. A friend of mine's place. Long Island."
"Ahuh." Carl nodded in understanding. "Onea those fares. Okay, kid, no worries. Get 'im loaded up and I'll have you guys there in no time."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Dec 14, 2006 22:27:09 GMT -5
Proteus nodded slightly to Daws, and murmured, "Brace up, Major," to Vance. Then, with a strength that was admirable--if not apparently unusual--he carefully lifted the other man from the couch. Vance stifled a grunt of pain as he was carried out to the waiting taxi.
|
|