Daws grinned widely and nodded. "Yeah, it is. Like I was tellin' Alex Malone the other day -- it's sorta like acting. Only you gotta be a lot more convincing."
She shot the teenager a sly glance as the elevator stopped on the second floor. "You better watch yourself, though, kid -- it's addictive after a while."
"Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid."
"I can think of worse things to be addicted to," Joey replied with a grin. Then he shrugged. "So what else do we need to do now? Is there any more information we have to get?"
Daws frowned slightly and shook her head. "Tiernan wants anything I can dig up on the other conference attendees -- but I can just get their names from the conference press releases and then ask Caddy about them. He knows more or less what all the bigwig geneticist types get up to -- at least in relation to mutants, which is what Tiernan'll want to know anyway."
She sighed. "From here on out, my main problem is tryin' to figure out what on earth to do with Huber once we've got him."
"Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid."
"I have to admit, I think the world could do without him," Joey murmured. "Mister Tiernan's saying he wanted to protect mutants from people like that is part--well, a little part--of the reason why I got in with him in the first place. I'm not so crazy about the idea of helping to keep the guy alive."
Daws shrugged one shoulder as the headed down a flight of stairs toward the hotel's side entrance.
"I dunno, kid. There's a real deep-seated part of me that agrees with ya. I know Huber and guys like him'd kill me as soon as look at me -- or more accurately, vivisect me as soon as look at me. But,"
She shrugged again. "The idea of doin' nothing just doesn't sit right with me, either. Otherwise, like Henry said last night . . . it'd kinda go to prove what he's got against us in the first place."
"Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid."
"I guess so." Joey shook his head. "But I wouldn't bet on him being grateful if we save his life. A guy who hates mutants so much, he'd be willing to kill his own son along with the rest of us..."
Daws frowned. "Yeah, that's been botherin' me, too. If the guy's willing to develop something that'd kill his son . . ." she shook her head. "Suppose we do end up givin' him that stuff Vance turned up -- and he goes right on workin' on his little project, as a sorta vengeful suicide?" She made a frustrated noise.
"There's a hundred thousand ways this thing could go -- and no way of knowin' which one until it happens." She sighed. "I've always considered myself t'be pretty flexible, but this is bordering on ridiculous."
"Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid."
Daws grinned. "I like that. Maybe I should make that the slogan for Grimalkin. We can out-complicate any complication." She chuckled and pushed open the door to the street.
"I'll call Caddy tonight and get the dope on the rest of the attendees -- and I'll talk to Tiernan tomorrow." She made a displeased face. "Which I guess means we'll have to have another meeting with Vance pretty soon -- boy, there's somethin' to look forward to."
"Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid."
"I know what you mean," Joey said, making a face. Then he gave Daws a shrug.
"If you don't need me any more today, I have the afternoon off, so I think I'll go see my mom." He chuckled. "I'll probably end up asleep on the couch."
Daws nodded. "Sounds good. Tell your mom hello for me -- and get some rest." She grinned and winked at the teenager. "You gotta keep those top-notch desk-clerk-deception skills sharp, after all."
She watched the teenager make his way towards the nearest subway station. Then she turned her own steps for the office, wondering if Caddy had kept his cell phone with him for his trip Upstate -- and doing her best not to worry too much about what the next few days had in store.
"Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid."