Twisted Masquerade (worm/twilight)

[Hoyden]

She stared blankly ahead, unable to understand what she was seeing. This wasn't normal, this couldn't, shouldn't ever be normal. Blank, dull, lifeless eyes stared back without seeing. Expressive face slack. All could in part be blamed on the drugs, the overzelous doctor maybe.

Anyone would be screaming their head off after.. After.. She couldn't even think it, it almost didn't feel real, or maybe she didn't want it to be real. Because, if it was real, then... Then someone had done this, some monster in human skin had done this to her friend, to Taylor.

Taylor, the sweetist, dorkiest goofball that ever did goof. She might not have known the younger girl for very long, but even in such a short time she'd wormed her way into her heart.

'I'm here, it's okay. Danny will be here soon. And Charlie will arrest everyone who let this happen. He might look kike a great big teddybear, but he's a real mamabear about family.'

'Poppabear'

'Nope, mamabear, far.. more... Taylor..'

'Hey, who turned the world all pretty? It's like a... wet paint painting, the wet kind, you know, all wet and painty and pretty.'

'Thats the drugs, the bloody doctors... You... You wouldn't stop... Oh...'

She fell, pulled into an awkward hug. Well more like collapsed on top of her still restained friend. She mentally cursed the medical staff, the same staff who'd tried to bar her entry.

She hoped neither Charlie or Danny got into any trouble because of her lie. But hopefully they'd all laugh about it some day.

'leggo you lil goober, want to hear how I bravely snuck into your room, even when the hospital wanted to keep me out, it's an epic tale, with a dashing heroine, clashing swords.. erm. A handsome prince.. ess?'

'You... *cough*.. you said Dad and Charlie... *cough cough*.. Married... heheee'

'Well now you've gone and ruined the story I was going to tell you. I'd just started making it up too.'

'My job. No stealing my job'

'But what else are big sisters for, huh. I might be new at this, but I'm pretty sure that's part of it'

'Does that mean I get to read your diary?'

~~~~​

The office phone rang, at one point he would have had a secretary answer, or the reception desk when that became unfeasible. Now it was upto him to answer, sometimes he could rope an idle dockworker into doing a few hours working the phone, but things had been tight this last month.

'Hello, Dockworkers union, Danny speaking how can I help?'

He blinked. His fingers flying over the aged keyboard on his desk.

'Oh, yes oh course. No no I understand. Yes, of course. I'll be right out. Hmm. Yes, about that long... Uh hmmm. Yes, I'll just need to, ahh.'

He waved kurt down. Scribbling a note and passing it to his friend.

'No no, already done. Thankyou. Yes, around lunch time. Thankyou.'

'Boss?'

'Don't call me boss, I've got a potential client lined up.'

He kept his face blank, years of practice negotiating with unpleasent indivduals coming to to fore.

'I'll be out of town for the next couple of days. That was Cullen Petrochem. They are looking to reopen the tanker terminal'

He allowed the grin on his face to appear as his drinking buddy/coworker stared at him.

'They've already comissioned an enviroment impact assement on removing the tanker, and are pricing up local salvage costs.'

Kurt numbly sat down, unhindered by the lack of chair to support such an action. His tailbone hitting carpet shocked him out of his stupor.

'Really? They want to.. You think they'll actually go ahead?'

'I hope so, they're looking to expand into europe and west africa. They've already broken ground on the terminals on the other end.'

His grin grew.

'Well the salvage job might be good, it's not like it's steady work. So whats's got you so happy'

'Oh, didn't I mention. They've also been repairing cargo hubs. Something about a partnership with Denali Heavy Transport'

'DHT? DHT wants to open a hub.. Here.. Here?!'

He nodded, the grin falling off his face.

'If I can pitch it right, and with a little luck. I'll be out of town for about a week. This is it Kurt, we're nearly bust, another year, maybe two. I've cut my own wage in half since I started, there's no fat left to cut, and barely any money coming in that isn't already spent.'

He helped his friend up, hauling the shorter, but far bulikier man to his feet.

'Could you just, Taylor's old enough to mostly take care of herself. But I'd feel better if you and Lacy could stop over whilst I'm away'

'Sure boss, you always kept the best beer anyway'

He nodded absently before he processed what was said. Collecting his coat as he half turned on the way out the door.

'No drinking my beer.'

He half closed the door behind him, before turning and ope ing it halfway.

'And don't call me boss!'

 

[Hoyden]

Charlie huffed angrily through his nose, but put the phone down, rather than slamming it down. He'd been in a meeting with his new subordinates, along with DA, senior fire department heads, and tired looking hospital administrator.

The usual suspects he'd find himself working alongside, back in Forks he'd have had the meeting over the summer, surounded by barbeque and beer. A social event to tie the various emergency services together, running all day to allow people to pop in before or after their shifts, sometimes both.

The local PRT had sent a notice to 'remind' the local PD that all parahuman, and parahuman related crimes where to be reffered to them, and that the police hadn't the equipment or training to handle such incidents.

It was practically a slap in the face to his invitation to meet and talk about how to better co-operate.

He glared at the phone, his daughter and her friend, his next door neighbour were in the hospital and he was stuck in his office, fending off the vultures. The PRT wanted the case due to 'suspected parahuman activity or trigger', city hall was demanding to know what was going on and why the police were swarming a school and 'did he know how bad this looks to the press'.

It was all just useless noise, he didn't have enough details, and like hell he was going to ket the PRT fumble with evidence around his daughter and friend.

He called out to his secratary, Linda? No, that was back in Forks, he wracked his brains for a moment before the name came to him.

'Leslie, have you managed to get hold of Danny Hebert yet?'

He'd had to delegate the task as the high and mighty of Brockton bay brayed for his attention.

'Sorry sir, he's been called out of state on buisness, and his co-workers report he doesn't carry a cell phone. Big buisness deal of some sort'

'Damn, do we have any leads on a next of kin, his daughter needs someone with her in the hospital'

'Yes, the school kept a name on file but there's a problem.'

'Let me guess, can't reach them either?'

He grumbled out softly.

'No sir, it's... One of the suspects in thw assault, Miss Barnes, it's her father.'

He stilled.

'What? Tampering? Coverup? Corruption?'

'Too soon to tell, but he's listed as the "Primary" contact for Taylor, Danniel isn't listed at all'

He clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms.

'I'm going to the hospital, have Steven from IA rustle up someone to head the investigation, I.. I'm too close to the victims. Let's keep this above board and squeeky clean. Got it?'

'Sure boss'

He turned and left, ignoring the ringing coming from his office phone. Whatever it was, whoever wanted him could wait, his daughter needed him.