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Post by skybright on May 14, 2006 21:13:11 GMT -5
It was Saturday afternoon at Our Lady, and the traditional weekly basketball game was in full swing. Daws watched the game from her usual perch on the bleachers; she only rarely played basketball, for one thing, and for another Padre still had her 'benched' for her still-healing ribs.
She'd meant to discuss the information she'd gotten from Jai and Veeru with Padre before the game began; but she'd had an actual client that morning, and had been held up at the office. Daws was honestly a little shocked at how strange it'd felt to discuss a case that had nothing to do with Nicholas Tiernan or the resistance against him.
Still, it's nice to be doing my real job for a change -- even if it is just tracking down some guy that welched on the rent. Daws watched with laid-back interest as Joey Falco bounced down the court and made a beautiful three-point shot. She was glad that the kid had come back; exposing him to people who weren't wrapped up in Tiernan's dark business could only be good for him, as far as she could see.
She glanced down to where Padre was nodding his gruff admiration for the shot, and then resumed watching the game. There'd be time to discuss the resistance's first move towards hitting the Tiernan Enterprises shipments -- just as soon as the game was over.
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Post by Jordanna on May 15, 2006 14:25:14 GMT -5
After the game was over, Joey picked up a water bottle from one of the young girls who ran the snack stand, and bounced over to where Daws was sitting.
He'd noticed her coming in just after the game started, but he hadn't had a chance to talk to her. In fact, he hadn't seen her since before that police-station business he'd heard about from some of Tiernan's other lackeys. He'd heard that she had been hurt, so he was relieved to find her at least outwardly intact.
"Hi, Daws!" he chirped as he approached her, with gladness in his voice but concern on his face. "I heard you got kinda roughed up by cops. You okay?"
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Post by skybright on May 15, 2006 18:34:48 GMT -5
Daws grinned and nodded. "Yeah, I'll survive, kid. Couple of busted ribs, but nothing I haven't had before -- and nothing that won't heal up, given some time."
"What about you, Joey? How's your mom doin'?"
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Post by Jordanna on May 15, 2006 20:38:33 GMT -5
Joey grinned. "My mom's fine. She's been doing some job interviews, to try and get a better job. She's a waitress now, but she's learning to type so she can be a secretary."
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Post by skybright on May 16, 2006 1:18:43 GMT -5
"Good for her." Daws nodded approvingly. The more Joey's mother did to try and support herself, the less responsible the kid might feel -- and he might be less driven to involve himself any deeper in Tiernan's operation.
"Well, well!" Padre announced his arrival by slapping Joey heartily on the back and grinning broadly at Daws, "You're shapin' up to be our new star player, Joey." He chuckled at the teen's blush and glanced at Daws.
"How's business?" The priest asked, raising an eyebrow. The question held the weight of something far less casual than the words themselves suggested.
Daws shrugged one shoulder. "Can't complain, Padre. Fella hired me today to find his deadbeat sub-letter. At three-quarter rate, sure, but hey," She shrugged again, "Work's work." She gestured minutely at Joey and shot Padre a look that said We'll talk later.
Padre nodded slightly and turned to Joey. "I'm glad you came back around." He gestured at one of the older playersc clustered at the court's far end, "Darien's shipping out for basic training at the end of the month, and we need all the talent we can get." He raised an eyebrow. "I don't suppose you'd be interested in the baseball league, too? Season'll start any time now, and Darien's one of our best outfielders."
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Post by Jordanna on May 16, 2006 16:46:57 GMT -5
Joey beamed. "That'd be awesome. I mean, I've played baseball, but not as much. I'd really like to, though, if the guys on that team are as great as this bunch." He chucked a thumb toward the slowly-dispersing basketball players on the court behind him.
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Post by skybright on May 16, 2006 21:27:17 GMT -5
"Glad to hear it." The Padre grinned and gestured at a few of the other players. "You already know Darla and Jenner, and a lot of these folks'll switch over to the baseball team once basketball season's over -- of course, we still have casual basketball games on a pretty regular basis, no matter what time of year it is."
"I play second base, when I'm not busy with cases." Daws added, "Assumin', of course, that the mother hen here isn't gonna keep me benched all summer."
Padre looked stern. "You'll be benched until I'm convinced you're well enough to play. The last thing you need is your ribs re-broken, on top of your other troubles."
Daws shrugged and grinned at Joey. "See what I mean?"
"At any rate, Joey," Father Rick interrupted pointedly, "I think you'll get along just as well with the baseball team as you do with this one."
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Post by Jordanna on May 16, 2006 21:42:53 GMT -5
Joey grinned and ducked his head. "I'll sure give it my best shot." He glanced at Daws. "And it'd be fun to play with you."
One of the younger kids edged over then, looking brightly at the teen. "Hey, Joey, could you show me some of those moves you do? You play great even without bouncing!"
"Sure." Joey shrugged whimsically to Daws and the Padre. "I'll talk to you later, I guess."
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Post by skybright on May 16, 2006 22:08:27 GMT -5
"See you around, kid." Daws grinned and watched as the red-haired teen and the neighborhood boy receded across the court. Then she glanced at Padre, who seated himself on the bleacher next to her.
"You spoke to your friends out in Little India, I take it?"
Daws nodded. "Turns out Jai's been spyin' on Tiernan almost since I got wrapped up in this whole thing to start with." She scratched behind one ear and added "I did a little snooping around about our new 'friend', too. Turned up some interesting stuff."
"You've been busy." The priest remarked. He surveyed the gym; there were several small knots of stragglers still chattering or shooting a few casual hoops. He gestured towards the door. "Let's move this outside, shall we?"
Daws nodded in agreement and retrieved her fedora. Then she followed the priest outside, to a well-worn bench nestled in the shade of the gym building, around the corner from the building's entrance. "Now then," Father Rick surveyed the parish baseball diamond and the neighborhood beyond, "What is it we know about our friend Mister Vance?"
"Well, for one thing," Daws replied, "It's not Mister Vance, it's Major Vance -- U.S. Army, retired."
Padre made a small noise that held an odd mixture of respect and disdain. "Army -- and an officer." The ex-Marine shook his head and said humorously "I guess I should've figured both of those from his demeanor."
Daws nodded. "He was career -- served in Kuwait in Gulf One, did a stint in Somalia. Decorated for both; he wasn't any slouch, officer or no. Last place he served was Iraq." She made a frustrated noise. "Where he was outed as a mutant and booted. Oh, the military records are a shade more polite about it -- but the truth is, he was dropped like a hot rock after he used his powers in an ambush there. They gave him a medical discharge -- shrapnel gave him that scar, and blinded his left eye. But they haven't been fallin' over themselves to get him his benefits, from what I can tell."
"I see." Padre's fingertips unconsciously went to his own shrapnel-scarred throat. "There's a reason I never took my helmet off in 'Nam," He muttered.
"After that," Daws shook her head. "Things get a little bit hazier about the Major. He's got an ex-wife, and a son in Iraq right now. His daughter was killed last year; somethin' fishy about that, but I couldn't turn up exactly what. If I had to guess, though," She concluded, "I'd say that's the root of our friend's beef with Tiernan."
"Could be." Padre sighed and shook his head. "I'll have t'try givin' the boyo a little more slack, next time." He straightened. "So, speakin' of our friend Mister Tiernan," He glanced at Daws. "What is it your friend suggests we do?"
Daws grinned. "Well, since our friend Major Vance had a shot at one of Tiernan's warehouses, Jai figured it was only fair we show him what we can do."
She went on, outlining the basics of what Jai had told her about Tiernan's operation. She was so wrapped up in the details, in fact, that she didn't bother listening to the footsteps behind her . . . .
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Post by Jordanna on May 16, 2006 22:32:53 GMT -5
After a few minutes of demonstrating his shots to his younger teammate, Joey realized it was about time for him to get back to the Bunker and prepare for his next shift of errand-boy duty. He made his way out of the gym, and spotting Daws' unmistakable outline from the back where she sat on a bench with the Padre, he decided to go over and say goodbye for the day.
As he closed in on them, he caught a few words of their conversation, and it was enough to freeze him in his tracks. He silently edged closer and listened for what felt like several minutes, his stomach knotting up at what he heard.
Before his overwhelmed mind could take it all in, a hand dropped between his shoulder blades, and a voice he had never expected to hear again murmured in his ear.
"If you remember my voice, you know what I can do to you, kid."
A lump caught in Joey's already constricted throat, but he did not turn around.
"M-m-mister Vance..."
"It's Major Vance to you. Now listen close: you don't know me. If you forget that... somebody might get hurt."
A shudder crawled down Joey's spine as he realized that somebody didn't necessarily mean him, and he thought of his mother. He swallowed hard and nodded.
"I didn't quite catch that," Vance muttered.
Joey gulped again and whispered, "Yes sir."
"I oughta pop ya right now, you little weasel. Keep your mouth shut, and maybe I'll decide not to."
The teenager nodded again, and Vance wrapped a hand around his upper arm, roughly hauling him forward to confront the pair seated on the bench.
"Looks like you've got a little rat problem," Vance announced to Daws and Father Steele, dragging Joey around to face them.
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Post by skybright on May 16, 2006 22:40:06 GMT -5
At the sound of Vance's voice, both Daws and Padre leapt to their feet, each of them mentally kicking themselves -- Padre for closing his rear eyes as Daws was speaking, and Daws for ignoring what must certainly have been the unmistakable sounds of someone sneaking up behind her.
Fat lotta good advanced hearing does ya if you don't ever use it, Ace. Daws abrubptly left off with her self-recrimination as she realized that it was Joey Falco's arm held -- none too gently -- in Jerod Vance's grip. The detective scowled and flexed her claws.
"Well, speak a' the devil." She purred dangerously, advancing a step. "That 'rat' you're shovin' around is my friend, pal -- and I'll thank ya to unhand him."
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Post by Jordanna on May 16, 2006 22:56:40 GMT -5
"Your friend," Vance retorted, not letting go of Joey's arm. He raised an eyebrow at Daws appraisingly. "I guess you're smart enough to know this brat works for Tiernan. You know the way the racket works, dontcha, detective? He could go a long way with his boss on what he just overheard."
For his part, Joey stared shamefacedly at the ground, without attempting to struggle. He was frightened enough by having been descended upon by the ghost that was the Grenadier, but the discovery that Daws was plotting against Nick Tiernan had his mind in a whirl. He couldn't look her in the eye. He wasn't even sure what she would do to him now--much less Vance, who obviously wanted him kept quiet about even more things than Daws would.
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Post by skybright on May 16, 2006 23:01:23 GMT -5
"I know how the racket works, all right. I learned by goin' up against it -- I'm curious how you learned it." Daws scowled and took another step closer to Vance. "Now you can call me crazy or stupid or anythin' else you like, but I'm not tellin' you again. Let. Go."
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Post by Jordanna on May 16, 2006 23:11:41 GMT -5
Vance stared at Daws for a moment. Then he shrugged.
"Take one step and you're fried," he snarled to Joey, and backed up the threat by pitching a miniscule kinetic grenade to the ground several feet away. It erupted in a shower of dirt and flames on contact, leaving a small, smoking crater. Joey flinched, but he remained rooted to the spot.
Satisfied that the boy wasn't going anywhere, Vance turned back to Daws. "So you're a softie, Dawson. So you like the kid. But whether you like it or not, he just turned into a serious problem--and you better do somethin' about it, otherwise I will."
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Post by skybright on May 16, 2006 23:21:32 GMT -5
"I don't take orders from you, Major." Daws replied icily.
"That'll be quite enough -- from the both of you." Padre interjected, crossing his burly arms. "When I call a cease-fire, Boyo, I mean it," He said to Vance. Then he gave Daws a significant glance and continued "I won't argue that we've a lot to discuss with Joey -- and we will," A glance at the shamefaced teen. "But maybe we'd better start with what you're doing at my parish.
The priest raised an eyebrow and added "I hope you're not under the delusion that our 'Sunday School' needs a babysitter?"
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Post by Jordanna on May 16, 2006 23:33:56 GMT -5
Vance gave Daws an unimpressed look. "Congratulations on doing your homework. You think I didn't expect you to?
"As for what I'm doin' here..." Vance turned back to the Padre. "I didn't figure on being back so soon either, but opportunity came knocking. One of my boys got ahold of Tiernan's warehouse rotation schedule, and we're gonna go to work. I thought I'd give you the chance to pitch in. Other than that, I figured I oughta at least warn you folks not to be around the Murfeeston bridge this Tuesday night." He grinned ominously. "I got a little urban renewal planned."
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Post by skybright on May 16, 2006 23:43:15 GMT -5
"I've got a friend in the arson office who'd like to chat with you about your definition of 'urban renewal'." Daws scowled.
"We'll put it to a show of hands," Padre interrupted quickly, before the detective's mouth could run off with her, "But we can't answer that without talking to the rest of our people." He frowned and added "Tell me -- what's to keep innocent people away from your little 'project', Boyo? Or had you thought of that yet?"
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Post by Jordanna on May 16, 2006 23:55:07 GMT -5
Vance cracked a smile and glanced at Daws.
"I heard an interesting story recently about a coupla guys who waltzed into a police station, disguised as officers--but of course, you wouldn't know anything about that." He smirked. "No reason a few of my boys can't try the same trick. So maybe the bridge won't be out when they tell that to any bystander who happens along... but just wait five minutes."
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Post by skybright on May 17, 2006 0:01:15 GMT -5
"I'm sure you know it," Padre said with false nonchalance, "But the Murfeeston bridge is a historical site, an' government property." He half-smiled. "If I didn't know better, Boyo, I'd say maybe you just like the look of things going up in flames."
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Post by Jordanna on May 17, 2006 0:13:30 GMT -5
Vance shrugged. "The government woulda taken down that old bridge years ago, if it didn't have some grimy little plaque on it. If I do the job, they just might give me the medal they owe me for Fallujah." He gestured to his clouded, colorless left eye.
"Besides, you might not be aware of it, but Tiernan's changed the rotation again. He was going to send another load of prescription drugs out on that run--but instead, it's gonna be guns." He shrugged. "Of course, if you want it that way, I can just wait until they're loaded in the warehouse, then blow the works. This way, I was only planning to dump the trucks in the drink. Minimum collateral damage... and whadaya suppose the police are gonna think when their divers find out what was in those trucks?"
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