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Post by Jordanna on Jul 8, 2006 8:57:58 GMT -5
Vance shook his head as he accepted the note.
"People may talk a lot about muties and norms, Doctor, but the fact is--we're all still human. That's the very thing you've been learning for yourself, these last couple days." He clapped Hubert lightly on the shoulder. "For what it's worth, you're doing a lot real fast to earn my respect."
He turned to Daws. "I've gotta meet Flash and give this to him, with the directions on how to get to the lab. While I'm out, I can drop you off at your office--unless you'd rather stay and help Hubert keep Handy company."
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Post by skybright on Jul 8, 2006 9:13:51 GMT -5
Daws shook her head and rose. "No, I better get back to the office. If the aforementioned creep does call today, it'll look better if I pick up the phone for a change."
She settled her hat firmly on her head and then held out her hand. "Welcome to the world, Hubert." she said quietly, "I hope you'll decide to like the place."
Hubert hesitated for a moment before putting his own hand in Daws'. "I hope the same thing."
Daws grinned and gestured at Vance. "Lead the way, Major."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 8, 2006 9:19:54 GMT -5
"Alright. Handy, keep our guest comfortable."
Vance shook his head as he and Daws made their way down the hall to the elevator. "I can hardly believe it. I've been tryin' to feel for some kinda dodge from Hubert, but I don't see one. Seems he's actually had quite a change of heart."
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Post by skybright on Jul 8, 2006 9:27:06 GMT -5
Daws shook her head. "Maybe Miranda's aura shocked a little sense into his brain -- or her mirror did." She shrugged. "I don't think he's gonna turn all the way around overnight -- he's gonna keep tripping over the rubble from all those misconceptions for a long time to come -- but at least he's tryin' to change. And he's off to a good start."
She leaned back against the elevator wall and raised an eyebrow at Vance. "I meant to ask ya back at the Motor Court, only I didn't get a chance. When ya say you can tell when someone's lying, is that just intuition workin' for you, or . . ?"
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 8, 2006 9:47:28 GMT -5
Vance sighed. "Not exactly. You might've noticed I've got a little control over my kinetic grenades; that's telekinesis, but it only works on the boomers.
"But that's not quite all. I've also got a dead-minimum level of telepathy--just vague impressions and awarenesses, mostly. It's enough to tell generally when people are lying, and with a little effort, to anticipate what they're gonna do. Nothing like you say James Cole has... but still, it's not very comfortable in crowds. Sort of a mental white noise, and ironically, I'm not strong enough to shut much of it out."
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Post by skybright on Jul 8, 2006 9:50:50 GMT -5
Daws winced. "Man, I don't envy you at all. People'r difficult enough when they're outside my head." She shrugged. "I suppose it's got its uses, though. Must be a tradeoff, just like every other part of this life."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 8, 2006 9:59:08 GMT -5
It's got more advantages than disadvantages. I'm not exactly fond of being around a lot of people anyway," Vance pointed out with a small, wry smile. But as they stepped out of the elevator, he frowned and shook his head.
"I'm afraid I wasn't focused when Huber hedged about how Brandeis would react to you. I didn't catch the deception, and I should have. I'm just glad it didn't cost us in the long run."
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Post by skybright on Jul 8, 2006 10:06:52 GMT -5
Daws shrugged amiably. "It worked out okay, so how it worked out is sorta inconsequential. Can't say I'll be sorry if we've seen the last of Brandeis, though."
She chuckled. "Remind me to stick to chess and avoid poker when I'm around you two. Between Handy's extra hands and you bein' able to spot a bluff," she shook her head. "No thanks. I know lousy odds when I see 'em."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 8, 2006 10:17:17 GMT -5
"Like you said," Vance replied with a slight grin, as they exited the apartment building, "we seem to work better on the same team than against each other."
A mere few minutes' drive brought them to Daws' office. Vance let Daws out on the sidewalk, then leaned across the passenger seat to speak to her. "Assuming Nocturne doesn't call you in for a tantrum, you planning to drop in on Hubert again tomorrow?"
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Post by skybright on Jul 8, 2006 10:24:39 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "I'm one of the ones that dragged him kicking and screaming into the subculture. Figure I owe it to him to show him around now he's here.
"I'll talk to Caddy tonight, so hopefully we can get some groundwork details laid down tomorrow."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 8, 2006 10:32:55 GMT -5
"Great. We'll be waiting." Vance considered for a moment, then produced a card with a phone number neatly hand-printed on it, and handed it to Daws.
"That's the cellphone you've seen me fooling with. You can reach me if anything comes up... or if you think there's gonna be trouble when you see Nocturne." He waved his hand slightly. "See you tomorrow, detective."
With that, Vance rumbled off in the van, to make his rendezvous with Flash.
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Post by skybright on Jul 8, 2006 23:55:42 GMT -5
Daws let herself into the office, pausing as she did so to retrieve the newspapers from the doorstep; then she unlocked the inner office, shed her fedora, and reached for the telephone.
Caddy's cell phone rang six times, and Daws was on the verge of hanging up, before a flustered voice suddenly broke in on the line. "Okay, wait, here, don't hang up! I'm here!"
Daws grinned and leaned back in her chair. "Hey, Caddy. How's things?"
"Can't agree on whether to use an RFLP or a PCR/STR for our latest samples." The doctor replied cheerfully -- and incomprehensibly. "This keeps up we're gonna have to arm-wrestle to decide who's right. How'd your little . . . experiment . . . turn out?"
Daws filled him in on the events of the preceeding days, and Caddy gave a low whistle. "Geeze. Wild. I didn't think it was gonna work." He paused, then said ingratiatingly "I don't guess you maybe could see clear to swipe me a milliliter or two of the stuff, couldja? I mean, thinka the things I could do with a MacTaggert sequence if I could use a foolproof variable like that . . ."
Daws chuckled. "I'll see what I can do." Then she grew serious, straightening in her chair. "Look, Caddy, this guy we turned . . . he's . . . gonna need some time adjusting. He could use a sort of patron, if you get what I'm saying."
There was a brief, surprised silence. "Waaaaaait." Caddy was clearly making his I-missed-something face on the other end of the line. "You want me to take Franz Huber, Franz 'Developing a Lethal Pathogen to Eliminate Mutation' Huber, under my wing?"
"Well . . . no. I want you to take Hubert -- newly turned mutant, no home, no family, and no identity except what he can build from here on in -- under your wing." Daws frowned slightly. "He's got nothing, Caddy."
"I knew it." Caddy muttered. "You been hit on the head too many times. Subdural hematoma with resultant brain injury. Seen it before. Tragic, really."
A longish pause. Then Caddy added "You do know he's probably one of the most brilliant geneticists that's ever lived, right? Twisted and homicidal, yeah, but absolutely brilliant. If he's not gonna be workin' on mass muticides, he could do all sorts of really amazingly innovative things with himself. If, y'know, he had access to some labs. And a place to stay."
Daws smiled. "Is that a yes, Cadeceus?"
Caddy gave a mock-put-upon sigh. "That's a yes, Regina."
Daws grinned widely. "You're a doll."
"Yeah, yeah. You'll get my bill." Caddy made a sudden, startled noise and added quickly "I gotta go. A whole batch of gum agaric hangs in the balance. Talk to you later. Don't get killed."
Daws opened her mouth to reply -- and found herself holding a phone with a dialtone on the other end. She chuckled wryly as she hung up. "Always such an optimist."
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