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Post by Jordanna on Jul 8, 2006 5:41:10 GMT -5
"I don't have an answer to that for you," Vance replied. "I hurt my son in trying to protect him, same as you. All I do know is that someday, if I live through what's coming, I'm going to find him and ask for his forgiveness. That's all I can do."
He glanced somewhat ruefully at Hubert. "At least you can try to prove yourself worthy of that from your son, by really helping our kind. It's true that some mutations don't go easy... mine wasn't all that pretty, either. But Doc Ollivard and a lot of others in his field--even some that are ordinary humans--are working on ways to help when there are complications."
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Post by skybright on Jul 8, 2006 6:04:24 GMT -5
Hubert gave a wry and humorless smile. "One of those individuals and I have something of a history of clashing over our respective researches." He shrugged and examined his hands again. "I suppose I objected to such solutions because they came too late to help my son. I didn't want anyone's child to have the chances that mine did not. That was an ugliness on my part, and . . . I am sorry for it."
Daws shot a startled look at the newly-mutated scientist. "That didn't sound much like the Huber I'm used to."
"Perhaps not. That man -- that human -- made a great many choices, and it will be a long time before I understand which of them were the wrong ones. " Hubert shook his head and looked over at Vance. "But perhaps, as you say -- perhaps I might start by finding some way to redeem myself in Joseph's eyes."
Hubert looked away again, flushing slightly beneath his purple skin. "I don't want to die without seeing my son again." he murmured regretfully.
Daws cleared her throat. "Y'know, when I'm not busy kidnapping people, I do have sort of a stock in trade of finding missing persons." She said, looking sideways at Huber. "Somethin' for ya to keep in mind."
Hubert gave Daws a brief, startled glance -- and then nodded. "I will do that."
He looked at his hands once more, frowning slightly and flexing his fingers. "It's been . . . a very puzzling day."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 8, 2006 6:15:18 GMT -5
"Frankly, I think it's been a pretty good day," Vance replied, with a lazy stretch. Then he paused and glanced at Daws.
"How long does that conference run, anyway? The enemy's gonna find out sooner or later that his chicken flew the coop."
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Post by skybright on Jul 8, 2006 6:21:59 GMT -5
Daws grimaced. "The conference ends tomorrow in the midmorning. Doctor Huber -- may he rest in peace --" she nodded at Hubert, who scowled, "Is supposed to deliver his keynote speech this afternoon. In about an hour, actually.
"Which means that if Tie -- if our bad guy didn't try last night, he'll try tonight -- and then he'll be well and truly certain that something's gone wrong." She winced. "Which means I probably oughtta expect a nasty phone call pretty quick here."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 8, 2006 6:30:31 GMT -5
Vance scowled and rubbed his chin. "I wonder."
He thought for a few more moments, then nodded to himself. "Yeah, it might work." He turned to Hubert. "It might help things a lot if we can plant some kinda suicide note from you. It can say you couldn't bear having your work on your conscience anymore, or something--and don't worry, I'll let Brandeis know it's just a ruse," he added quickly. "After all, if our enemy thinks you've gone into deep cover for some reason, he'll be raging to find you--and then he'd probably find out about her."
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Post by skybright on Jul 8, 2006 6:35:20 GMT -5
Hubert turned a visibly paler shade of purple and nodded quickly. "Of course. If I can do anything to keep Jessica safe, I will."
"Well, that'd help." Daws nodded, scratching behind her ear, "A well-timed suicide looks less suspicious than a well-timed disappearance, after all. He might still be suspicious, but . . ." she shrugged, "It's better than him knowing that somethin' went wrong with his intelligence -- meaning me."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 8, 2006 6:38:07 GMT -5
"Exactly." Vance stood up. "So we'd better get back to the apartment and get that note written. Either of you have any ideas as to the best place to plant it--without getting caught?"
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Post by skybright on Jul 8, 2006 6:45:21 GMT -5
"Well," Daws rose and retrieved her fedora, "I guess maybe the Millenium . . ."
"I've a better idea." Hubert interrupted. "I have a small laboratory here in the City. I don't use it for my main research, but it's plausible that I might have gone there after leaving the hotel. The address is among the papers I left behind me, so the Police will investigate there soon enough after going through my things -- but the location isn't commonly known."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 8, 2006 6:51:53 GMT -5
"That sounds fine. I can have Flash take the note tonight. He's a teleporter," Vance added to Hubert, "so he won't have trouble getting around any locked doors."
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Post by skybright on Jul 8, 2006 6:56:54 GMT -5
Hubert nodded, and then gave a dry chuckle as he also rose. "You've just told me that an acknowledged mutant is going to be bypassing my security to enter my lab and plant my suicide note -- and for some reason, it doesn't surprise me at all."
"Funny how quick you get used to the weirdest things possible, ain't it?" Daws grinned. "Just wait until you start expecting the weirdest possible explanation. Then you'll know you've really arrived."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 8, 2006 7:05:24 GMT -5
"We'll tell you some stories someday, when we're sure you won't go into a fit over them," Vance remarked sardonically, as the three mutants made their way across the grassy park.
Within a few minutes, they were back at Latimore's. After stopping by the office to disrupt the landlord's mental radio show and borrow a plain sheet of paper, they went up to the apartment, where Handy stirred from a doze on the sofa as they came in.
"What's up, Jerod?" the small man asked.
"Just some finishing touches on this whole project." Vance set the paper and a pen down on the table, then took out his cellphone and proceeded to call his teleporting confederate.
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Post by skybright on Jul 8, 2006 7:19:08 GMT -5
Huber seated himself and stared at the sheet of paper for a long moment, looking slightly frustrated. "What does one say in these things?"
Daws shrugged and straddled the other wooden chair, folding her arms over the back. "Most've the ones I've read have run to pretty much the same thing. I'm sorry, I know I'm disappointing you, but I can't live in a world like this one anymore, etcetera etcetera." She shrugged one shoulder. "Don't ask my advice. I'd object to suicide even if I wasn't a Catholic."
Hubert paused in his writing and raised a startled eyebrow. "You? You're . . . That is, mutants . . ."
Daws chuckled dryly at the question Hubert was having trouble forming. "Yeah, we're capable of faith just like humans are. Maybe even more capable. 'Course I'm kind of a lousy Catholic, but . . ." she shrugged one shoulder and grinned wickedly. "You'll get a chance to meet our priest, and trust me -- it'll be eye opening."
Hubert sighed and shook his head, turning back to the note. "Complicated. My life has suddenly become much more complicated."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 8, 2006 7:34:32 GMT -5
Vance shook his head and chuckled. "Talk to him for hours about how we're all no different from anybody else under the skin, and it's like talking to a wall--but tell him we have religion, and his jaw hits the floor. We shoulda mentioned that two days ago."
His expression became slightly more grave. "Trust me, Hubert, it's all a lot easier to deal with when you believe Somebody made you the way you are for a reason. Handy here was raised in a Catholic orphanage, himself. As for me, I'm not religious... but I'm a believer, after my own fashion."
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Post by skybright on Jul 8, 2006 7:49:20 GMT -5
"I was. Once." Hubert said quietly, looking back to his note. "But that was a long time ago."
"Before your son manifested, I bet." Daws nodded knowingly at Hubert's nod. "Y'know, friend -- I don't know Joseph, so I can't say for sure.But right offhand, I'd say that his change ruined your life a lot more than it did his."
Hubert frowned slightly and looked up at Daws. "You said once that becoming like this improved your life. Were you telling the truth?"
Daws nodded gravely. "Truth of the matter, Hubert? I was human for thirteen years -- and those years were the kinda lousy, painful childhood that I wouldn't wish on anybody. The changeover, and the first couple weeks after it, were rough. But all the years since -- they've been a lot better than anythin' I could've looked forward to if I was normal."
Huber sighed and returned to writing his suicide note. "I suppose that should give me some hope."
Daws grinned. "There's always hope, Hubert. You'll figure that out soon enough."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 8, 2006 8:05:47 GMT -5
Handy sidled closer to the table, watching Hubert write.
"It's like Jerod told ya with me, too," he finally offered. "I woulda died if I wasn't a mutant. It made my woulda-been Siamese twin a part of me, insteada lettin' me die along with him." He looked down at his secondary hands, flexing them thoughtfully. "Maybe you'd think I'da been better off dead, but I don't. Life isn't always so easy, but I like livin' it--an' this has helped me get by a lotta times when I couldn't have if I was normal."
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Post by skybright on Jul 8, 2006 8:18:44 GMT -5
Hubert paused once more and then set his pen aside with a sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"I . . . I shouldn't have . . ." He made a frustrated noise and paused for another moment, shaking his head and searching for words.
"I could delude myself into thinking that there's still some fundamental difference between us," He said at last. "But I'm not quite that foolish." He looked thoughtfully at his own hands. "That I was forced into the change makes no genetic difference."
Hubert looked up at Handy and Daws with a deeply chagrined expression. "I said things . . . I denied that you were even people. And . . ." He looked back down, avoiding their eyes,
"I . . . I am sorry."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 8, 2006 8:29:30 GMT -5
Vance's eyes widened slightly. He tilted his head, regarding Hubert for a long moment as he formed his reply.
At last, he said simply, "Just use that knowledge of yours for something good now. Then all of this'll have been worth it, for all of us." He paused, then added, "And you'll have my help any time you ask for it."
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Post by skybright on Jul 8, 2006 8:37:31 GMT -5
Hubert nodded slowly, looking up at Vance. "Thank you, Major."
Daws chuckled dryly and shook her head. "Vance, I believe I said certain things regarding eating my fedora -- and I'm half-afraid you'll hold me to it."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 8, 2006 8:43:36 GMT -5
"I'll settle for a cut outta the next pile of cash you get from that big spider in the corner office," Vance replied with a smile. "Like I said, getting Brandeis set up won't be too cheap."
He frowned and shrugged. "I'm sorry we couldn't bring her any enlightenment like we have with Hubert here, but at least she's retiring from the biohazard business."
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Post by skybright on Jul 8, 2006 8:48:44 GMT -5
"One thing to be grateful for." Daws shrugged. "And y'never know. In the right circumstances, even she might get sick of bein' scared and decide to come around."
Hubert looked distinctly uncomfortable with this element of the conversation. He quickly signed the suicide note and folded it, then held it out to Vance.
"Consider this my resignation from the human race," he muttered with black humor.
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