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Post by Jordanna on Jul 31, 2008 22:19:26 GMT -5
Tiernan inclined his head, and watched Daws leave his office.
Someone else had noticed Daws' arrival and departure as well. As she stepped out of the elevator on the ground floor, a lanky figure fell into step with her. She looked up to be confronted by the amiable, freckled face of Joey Falco--even though it was a positive fact that she had left Joey doing paperwork at her office.
"Hi," the figure said, with a faint, un-Joey-like twitch of a smile.
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Post by skybright on Jul 31, 2008 22:26:58 GMT -5
Daws grinned crookedly. "Heya . . . kid." She glanced around the lobby, taking in the sight of various Tiernan employees who might or might not be listening, and then turned back to him. "You tied up with errands for Mister Tiernan, or can I buy you some lunch?"
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 31, 2008 22:35:59 GMT -5
"I'm all free for the moment," the disguised Proteus answered with an earnest grin. "Just thought I'd catch up on what's going on down at the parish. Lunch sounds great..."
He glanced around as they stepped out through the doors of the Tiernan Enterprises building, then grinned at Daws with an expression that was much more like Proteus' own placid private humor.
"But I'm buying."
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Post by skybright on Jul 31, 2008 22:40:24 GMT -5
Daws chuckled quietly and pushed her fedora back. "Fair enough. I never say no to a free meal."
She glanced sideways at Proteus as the two of them turned their steps away from Tiernan enterprises. "So . . . how've you been?"
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 31, 2008 22:46:42 GMT -5
"Oh, pretty much back to the usual. Just a little frustrated." Proteus tilted his head back in the direction of the building. "Tiernan's been pretty closed up since it all happened. I haven't been able to learn much--except about that clinical trial guinea-pig business. I'm guessing that's what he just put you wise to. Otherwise, I was going to let you know myself."
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Post by skybright on Jul 31, 2008 22:48:56 GMT -5
"Yeah." Daws sighed and gestured to the folder she'd carried out of Tiernan's office. "I guess I expected them to bounce back . . . I just didn't think they'd do it this soon."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 31, 2008 23:03:05 GMT -5
"They must be pretty excited about what they did to Colonel Ashley," Proteus murmured, his eyes darkening in a rare glimpse of quiet anger from the shapeshifter. Then he sighed and shook his head.
"Besides that, I really did want to know what's going on with the rest of your people. How's Doctor Van Linden?"
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Post by skybright on Jul 31, 2008 23:07:47 GMT -5
Daws shook her head. "Nothing's changed. Which . . . well, I guess it's a good sign, from what Caddy's told me. It means she's not getting worse."
She shrugged. "He keeps saying we need to give her more time to come around before we start worrying . . . but I don't know how much more time Alex is gonna give it before he has some kind of nervous breakdown. He's certainly worried enough already."
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Post by Jordanna on Jul 31, 2008 23:22:25 GMT -5
"I can believe that." Proteus shrugged ruefully. "I think I'll go pay a visit to Doctor Ollivard's place myself soon. I can't help, but I'd like Malone to know I care."
He raised an eyebrow. "Have you heard from Major Vance?"
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Post by skybright on Jul 31, 2008 23:30:36 GMT -5
Daws shook her head. "No, I haven't. I . . . figured it would be best to give him a few days. And now, with this . . ." She gestured vaguely with the folder and sighed.
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 1, 2008 22:11:11 GMT -5
Proteus smiled grimly.
"I don't guess Tiernan happened to mention the little accident a few of his creeps had, three nights ago. They'd come out of a bar and were on their way back to the Bunker, when..." He shrugged. "Well, I don't know exactly what happened, but two of 'em are still in the hospital."
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Post by skybright on Aug 1, 2008 22:17:42 GMT -5
Daws grinned wickedly. "Well, you know what they say about the mean streets of New York."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 1, 2008 22:26:53 GMT -5
Proteus sobered. "I can't say I think the Major's way of venting his frustrations is a very noble trait, Miss Dawson. Even after what's happened, you know my ideas about things haven't changed."
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Post by skybright on Aug 1, 2008 22:33:30 GMT -5
"I know." Daws nodded. "I'll be honest with you, though, Proteus -- I can't bring myself to blame him. I've never had to deal with what he's had to in the past week . . . and I can't say I wouldn't do the same, in his shoes."
She shrugged. "But that's just the same old argument -- and by now, I think we both know we're not gonna change each other's minds."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 1, 2008 22:46:25 GMT -5
"That's a given." Proteus paused to look around the street corner they had come to, then glanced back at Daws. "Anyway, where d'you want to go for that lunch?"
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Post by skybright on Aug 1, 2008 22:53:00 GMT -5
Daws glanced at their surroundings for a moment and then shrugged. "There's a little lunch-counter place just down the block that serves pretty good soup and sandwiches," She said. "It's also about the only place I've eaten at this far uptown where I've never had to field nasty looks from the waitstaff."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 1, 2008 23:04:53 GMT -5
Proteus looked sympathetic. "I'm sorry about things like that. I'll admit it... it's part of why I don't walk around in my real skin. I guess that might be a cop-out to some folks--but at least I'm more useful if I never draw attention to myself, even around other mutants."
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Post by skybright on Aug 1, 2008 23:12:37 GMT -5
"A cop-out?" Daws shook her head as the pair headed for the restaurant in question. "When I was younger I might've seen it that way. Not anymore.
"People who can pass . . . well, I used to hold it against them, for my first couple years. But the longer I spent dealing with them -- working cases for them -- the more I've realized that they really don't have it any easier than me."
She grinned crookedly as she shouldered open the door of the diner and held it for Proteus. "It's hard on all of us in one way or another. We all just deal with it the best we can."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 1, 2008 23:18:57 GMT -5
Proteus smiled solemnly as he stepped in past Daws. "I try to help folks when I can. I hope that makes up for it."
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Post by skybright on Aug 1, 2008 23:29:52 GMT -5
"That's the best anyone can do." Daws replied with a smile.
The restaurant was a narrow space with a long lunch counter along one wall and a small handful of tables fitted into the remaining space. Daws shrugged slightly at Proteus and took a seat at the table furthest from the other patrons, slipping off her fedora and setting the folder of information on the tabletop as she did so.
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