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Post by Jordanna on Jun 20, 2006 2:16:25 GMT -5
When the group splashed ashore, Sid rolled off the lawn chair he had been lounging on, peering at them from behind a pair of dark sunglasses. "'Bout time you kids got back. I was gettin' ready ta raid the picnic basket."
Miriam spread a blanket, and Alex began laying out the food. Along with the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches--and Caleb's coveted pickles--there was also leftover potato salad and grilled shrimp from the night before, and a small assortment of chips, pretzels, and nuts. Unable to resist including at least one more complicated dish, Alex produced a tray of deviled eggs as well.
"What are you guys going to do while Daws and I are sunbathing?" Miriam asked the children.
Tara shrugged. "We can go pick wild berries. There's lots of them all over the island."
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Post by skybright on Jun 20, 2006 2:22:32 GMT -5
Daws snatched a deviled egg and smiled. "That sounds fun." She bit into the egg and added "Suppose I could talk you into bringin' some back for me and the Doc?"
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 20, 2006 2:29:40 GMT -5
"Sure," Tara chuckled. "We always bring some back for Dad anyway."
"I got a sweet tooth," Sid confessed, munching on a shrimp. "An' I figure berries're better for me than chocolate."
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Post by skybright on Jun 20, 2006 2:35:37 GMT -5
Daws raised her eyebrows. "Hey, chocolate is good for ya. It's got . . . y'know, antioxidants and things. The Times magazine wouldn't lie about a thing like that.
"Besides," She grinned, reaching for a pickle, "Life's too short to worry about a little thing like chocolate."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 20, 2006 4:45:37 GMT -5
"Says you," Sid retorted. "You get plenny a' exercise--and ya don't have a chef camped out on yer livin' room couch."
Alex chuckled. "I've been tellin' Sid for years--he needs a dog. A big Dalmatian or something to take out for walks."
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Post by skybright on Jun 20, 2006 20:50:40 GMT -5
Daws grinned. "Y'know, that isn't a half-bad idea. Though I think a dalmation might be kinda highstrung for Sid's tastes."
She caught Holly's look of mild surprise and laughed. "What? I like dogs -- I'd probably have one, if my landlords allowed 'em." She half-shrugged. " 'Course I'm not home enough to really take care of a pet -- but it might not be a bad choice for you guys."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 20, 2006 23:34:34 GMT -5
Sid groaned. "Now you done it. You know the kids'll never let up on me now 'til I cave in an' let 'em get a dog."
"I still miss my cocker spaniel," Miriam said ruefully. "Goldie died when I was sixteen... and I found out my powers work on animals as well as people." She dropped her gaze. "I could never quite bear to adopt another pet after that."
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Post by skybright on Jun 20, 2006 23:43:17 GMT -5
Daws winced slightly as she reached for another deviled egg. "Jeeze, Doc," she murmured, "You just get it comin' and goin', don't ya?"
She glanced at Sid. "Y'know, I always heard that havin' a pet was good for kids. Teaches 'em responsibility and things." She shrugged and bit into her egg. "'Course I learned most of my responsibility in other ways, so don't take my word for it."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 20, 2006 23:55:12 GMT -5
"Yeah, I heard that too." Sid shrugged. "I dunno. Animals just don't seem ta get along with me."
"A horse stepped on him when he was a kid," Alex put in with a grin.
Sid shot him a look. "Thanks for sharin'." The women and children chuckled, and he went on, "Fish ain't bad, though. Course, I like 'em best broiled--but I don't mind 'em alive in a tank, long as somebody else gets ta clean it."
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Post by skybright on Jun 21, 2006 0:00:34 GMT -5
Daws raised her eyebrows and grinned. "My sister had goldfish when we were kids. Five in a row, actually -- and all of 'em named Charlie. None of the Charlies lasted very long, though."
She gave Sid a sly glance. "But you changed the subject. I wanna hear that story about the horse." She gestured broadly at the kids, "Don't make me weasel it outta your children, Sid -- they're sure to make it sound even more embarrasing than it really was."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 21, 2006 0:10:37 GMT -5
Sid rolled his eyes. "There gotta be a 'story' behind everythin' with you? It was a school trip to a farm, an' a horse stepped on my foot." He shrugged. "That's all there was to it."
"Not from what I heard," Alex remarked, trying to look innocent.
The older man sighed. "Okay already. So I got in a little trouble fer usin' some figures of speech a twelve-year-old oughtn't ta. But c'mon, it hurt! D'you have any idea how much a horse weighs?"
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Post by skybright on Jun 21, 2006 0:20:05 GMT -5
Daws laughed. "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me at all. You sound like the kinda kid I would've gotten along with when I was a kid."
She grinned broadly. "And you aren't allowed to blame me for wanting to know. All unmentionable platitudes about curiosity killin' small mammals aside," she shrugged humorously, "It's my job to find out the story about things, remember?"
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 21, 2006 0:33:32 GMT -5
Sid scratched the back of his neck, scooping up a handful of potato chips with his other hand. "Yeah, I guess so." His expression suddenly became at once both stern and gentle. "Just you make sure ya don't get yourself killed. Not everybody's as good-humored about nosy girls as I am."
Tara gave a stretch and stood up. "Well, I'm done with lunch, so I think I'll start berry-hunting. Comin', guys?" she asked her siblings, who gathered up a few empty plastic bags and followed her into the wooded island interior.
Miriam gave a comfortable sigh and stretched out on her stomach, resting her chin on her folded arms. "Looks like us adults have been left to fend for ourselves."
"Just as well." Sid glanced over at Daws. "I hate ta bring up business, but we never got a chance to hear what ya dug up on that guy Cole. I been wonderin'."
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Post by skybright on Jun 21, 2006 0:43:57 GMT -5
"Gosh, you're right." Daws raked her fingers through her damp fur, attempting to smooth it over before it dried.
"You'll like this." She grinned lopsidedly, "James Marcus Cole is so interested in mutant rights because he's one of us."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 21, 2006 0:52:37 GMT -5
Alex gaped. "Wait a minute. You're saying this guy Tiernan's been trying to buy is a mutant too?"
"I've met a few politicians. I would have thought a mutant one would be only too eager to make his bed with Tiernan," Miriam muttered cynically.
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Post by skybright on Jun 21, 2006 0:58:25 GMT -5
"Yeah, I'da thought the same thing, Doc -- and so would Tiernan, which of course is why I got the job in the first place." Daws replied, leaning back on her elbows.
"But Cole's not just any kind of mutant -- he's a telepath. Apparently when he went in for his meeting with Tiernan on Wednesday morning, he took a little stroll inside Tiernan's skull," She winced sympathetically. "And didn't like what he saw."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 21, 2006 1:04:45 GMT -5
"So what's he gonna do about it?" Alex asked. "Did you actually talk to the guy?"
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Post by skybright on Jun 21, 2006 1:09:06 GMT -5
Daws grinned sheepishly and became suddenly fascinated by the pebbles near her elbow. "Yeah, I talked to him. Me and the kid -- Joey Falco -- we kinda sorta got a little bit caught snooping through the desk drawers in his apartment."
She looked back up brightly. "On the plus side, we talked Cole over to our side. He's gonna play along with Tiernan -- make him think he's got Cole on a string -- and then spy on 'im, like I do."
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Post by Jordanna on Jun 21, 2006 1:20:11 GMT -5
"Nice to know we've got friends in high places," Alex remarked.
Sid frowned. "Y'know, it's funny. I've never seen Cole around the Paragon. I guess he's about the only politician in this city that hasn't come schmoozin' the social set."
"I can imagine a telepath wouldn't be very comfortable in crowds, Sid," Miriam replied. She made a face and shook her head. "I think I'm better off reading the dead than the living. At least I don't have to live with it all day, every day."
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Post by skybright on Jun 21, 2006 1:27:45 GMT -5
"Agreed with you there, Doc." Daws nodded. "Cole gets bad migraines as a side-effect of his mutation; I guess I would too, if I had everyone else's thoughts poundin' on the sides of my skull all the time." She shuddered slightly. "Give me fur and fangs any day of the week."
She ran a hand through her tangled black hair. "Y'know, I'm not big on politicians. But this Cole," she shrugged, "He really seemed like a right guy -- like he really does wanna do what's best for all of us." The detective looked thoughtful.
"With Tiernan's help, he might just get elected. Can't help wonderin' what it'd be like -- havin' someone running things who didn't think we were all a bunch of freaks and terrorists."
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