2009-10-14: Cold Hard Proof

Starring:

Tracy_V4icon.pngKitty_V4icon.png

Date: October 14th, 2009

Summary:

When Tracy tries to reschedule a meeting, Kitty tries to give her proof of things she doesn't want to believe.


"Cold Hard Proof"

New York City

Maneuvering down a New York street, past some handsome old, well-kept brownstones that exemplify this part of the neighbourhood, Tracy seems to know where she's going. She's back and forth enough to be well-familiarized with the city. As her long strides take her beneath some autumnal trees, she presses her sleek black phone to her ear. A few fallen leaves stir up on the sidewalk, true to the fall weather. She's dressed for it in a long, black coat buttoned all the way to the throat. It's dusky, getting dark, but not past business hours — not for the City That Never Sleeps — as she waits for an answer to her call.

"Hello Ms. Strauss." Says the female's voice on the other line, the woman being Kitty Hanner who is currently sitting in her car, her baby Roxanne. The engine is off and she is parked on some city street, seat is laid back and it would seem that Kitty was just relaxing in her car when she received the phone call.

"I hope everything is ok." She says and plays with the end of the sunglasses she was wearing earlier in the day, dressed in a dark purple dress and a pair of black heels.

"… It's okay," Tracy replies to the voice after a brief delay. Everything is not precisely okay, but this is hardly a social call. She doesn't miss a step as she strolls along the street, veering away from another walker with a swoop back of her shoulder. "I was just calling to reschedule our meeting." Professional as it is, she says it with a tone of question; it was a surprise when her meeting at Hanner Enterprises had been cancelled.

"I apologize for the cancellation, I've been unable to come into work due to some emergencies. There was this shaman and-." She says into the phone and then sits up, accidentally beeping the horn when her seat slams forward, "Ouch." She says and as she looks up.. oh hai there is Tracy on the sidewalk. Shit.

"Um.. we are on the same street." Kitty says slowly and if Tracy looks the direction of the horn blowing she'd see a slightly nervous looking but happy Kitty, leaning out the window and waving.

Tracy, her mouth open to question Kitty — in fact, a soft "uh?" sound of what the hell makes it into the phone — is interrupted by a sudden honk. Hardly uncommon in New York, but followed by the young CEO's revelation… not so common. Heeled boots come to a slow halt, phone at her ear uselessly as she looks in bewilderment at the street — and Kitty's car. Smirking, she lowers the phone and lifts a few fingers around it in a wave before strolling closer. "…Hi. That was…" Tracy smiles. "Unexpected. I hope everything's alright?"

"Haha.. yes. The shaman just left." She mumbles the last bit. "But anyway! Hello, this is my car. Roxanne, fixed her up all on my own. My mother hated me doing the 'manual labor'." Kitty says softly and gestures to the seat next to her, the passenger side. "Care to hop in? No pressure though." She says and smiles at Tracy. "New York City is too big of a city for this be mere coincidence." She comments and grins.

Tracy's brows begin to raise around the word "shaman" and just keep rising once Kitty gets to "Roxanne", but she keeps her weird looks in check (just, just barely). Once again poised to answer, she hesitates and eyes the car for a moment. Getting into cars with people she barely knows for reasons that "aren't coincidence" doesn't seem to be a safe road for Tracy, but she politely obliges. "…Sure." Still, it's obvious that there's some reluctance as she heads to the passenger door, opens it and slips in. Instantly, she's all business. "So when would you like to reschedule the meeting? Now, as far as I know, pending any emergencies-- " Not involving shamans, presumably. " —I'll be in the city for a few more days. The Senator has me busy in Washington as well, but I would like to meet with your company. I have a lot of ideas for you and your Board, so if we can't fit it in this week I will try to make my schedule work--"

"Ok, hold it.. hold it.. hold it." Kitty holds up a hand. "No the shaman won't be an issue." She scratches her head at that. "But, we can make the meeting for whenever you can make it this week." Even though she isn't suppose to be going to work, she can do one day. Then Kitty runs a hand through her hair. "Now, here is my next question.. and it's very serious.." Kitty looks at Tracy directly in the eyes and then says, "Do you ever have fun? I know this is suppose to be a 'professional' relationship, but.. you never really seem like you are in a good mood?"

The young woman goes on to say, "Is it my vision? Because I'm sorry again, I didn't mean to freak you out." She offers and looks a little sad actually. "I couldn't control it that time, it happens." She says and looks out the window. "Just another screw up for Kitty." The woman throws her hands up. "First, I screw up things with my best friends, who aren't going to end up together ever again! Thanks to me, I'm surprised Peter even still talks to me, or Elena! Then I screwed by not being able to keep my ability in check and freaking you out! And then I couldn't even save Niki when I had the vision of her dying." This just proves all to much for Kitty and the CEO slumps over her steering wheel and yes.. that is the sound of weeping.

When Kitty begins to twist things into a more personal arena, Tracy begins to freeze up. That would be figuratively, fortunately for the car. She even starts to look offended at the gall, but then the young woman at the wheel starts to ramble and rant, saying all manner of crazy things and familiar names, and— oh God, is she crying? The consultant, quite hijacked into this conversation, has one reaction:

"…"

Oh god, is she crying? Blank-faced aside from a modicum of surprise (and some horror), Tracy slowly grabs the door handle and slowly ventures: "I think this is a bad time…"

"No.. no.. it's fine. Honest." Kitty says as she sniffles and gets away from the steering wheel before she makes the horn go off. Then the woman wipes the tears away and looks at Tracy, "Is my eyeliner ok?" her voice still shaky before she just opens the mirror to check, when she sees that she is good. The woman looks at Tracy and smiles softly, her eyes red and still wet with tears. "I'm sorry, it's been a rough couple of months, the anniversary of my parent's death and all passing." She shrugs lightly.

"I didn't mean to freak you out.. even more then you are by me." A soft sigh escapes her and she looks out the window. "Do you have family, Ms. Strauss?"

Tracy doesn't seem completely untouched by poor Kitty's plight — she's obviously going through a rough patch, poor kid — but it's clear she'd rather be… elsewhere, talking business. "I, uhm." Her pose stiff, she shifts an evasive, uncomfortable glance out the window, at the brownstones, at the orange-and-yellow leaves. "Yes— of course. Some… I didn't know as well as… I could have…" The woman looks down at her lap, lips pursing into a tight frown; she admitted that much, but she hardly looks open for questioning. "Listen, Ms. Hanner…"

"I'm sorry again. I have crossed the line, would you like for me to let you go? The least you deserve is a raving, lunatic for a boss, so I'll send you a nice check for the help you've given?"

Kitty does looks truly sorry but she shakes her head. "I do want to warn you though.. of something happening recently." Kitty's eyes close but if this woman is going to quit her job she has to at least warn before she never sees her again. "I.. you need to be careful. Recently there has been some sort of.. government operation.. the Evolved.. people like us." She emphasizes the word and points to the two of them. "We are being targeted and taken from our homes and places of business and even out on the streets." Kitty explains and looks ahead out of the windshield.

"I know you do not like to speak of your ability, but what I saw in my vision.. was it past or future?" she asks with a tilt of her head. "The government hasn't just been taking adults either.. children. Little children have been taken as well." She says and looks at Tracy, "You need to be careful."

Again, Tracy is ready to protest. Her hand clutches tightly onto the handle of the car door, more than ready to escape, but she's drawn in, however grudgingly, by the things the Hanner woman is saying. It's like a train wreck; she can't turn away, she can only stare. Evolved. Targeted. Taken… Not this again. She shakes her head, dismissive, in clear, determined denial, pale hair moving against the black wool of her coat. She begins to smile it off and leave Kitty to her craziness, but her expression just falls away. "…Children?" she repeats in disbelief; she's quick to go back on the defense, however. "I don't… understand. Where are you getting this from?"

"I've seen it, Tracy." She says with more force behind her words. She looks back at the woman and shakes her head. "I understand not wanting to live with this and just feeling like you want to go back to your normal life but.. it isn't possible not now." Kitty places a hand on her dashboard and stares ahead. "You work in the government.. not that there is much you can do anyhow I'm sure you don't have this sort of information given to you by the higher ups."

"But it's true and it's real. Jamie Clancy and her guardian snatched from Mexico where they were living. Sophie Petrov, snatched right off an road. During the day, this is all too real and the sooner you begin to realize that the better chance you have making it through this." The dark haired woman sighs and shakes her head. "My vision.. it came true didn't it? You froze someone.." she says and looks at Tracy. "You have to learn how to harness your ability, control it. Don't let it control you and then you harm people.. because if you don't. The government will surely find you faster and take you in." she says and looks hard at Tracy. "I mean it." She says, she doesn't add in the part that if the Company finds out she has killed with her ability that she would be taken in and thrown into Level 5.

A steady, cold anger grows in Tracy, evident in her hardening features, her tightening jaw, her darkening glare. She keeps it reigned in, in check, but it's alive under the surface. On her lap, her hand curls into a fist. "Those are some serious accusations," she challenges, twisting to face Kitty more although she doesn't let go of the car door. Maybe she has learned control — if Kitty was Gene and this was over a year ago, Roxanne wouldn't be in good shape. Restrained, she avoids all of the younger woman's questions and insights about her. "You're saying the government is just taking people because they're… because they have some kind of— "

Tracy bites down and refocuses on Kitty. "That's not possible. Your information is off the mark. Look, you get visions. I think your head is wired wrong." She whirls in her seat, opening the door a crack, but stops and looks back at Kitty over her shoulder, trying to reason. To make sense of any of this. "Give me proof," she demands. "Give me proof, and maybe? I'll stop thinking you're crazy." Fat chance.

"Accusations I'm willing to stand by. And if my head is wired wrong? Why did my vision come true? Why did you freeze him?" Kitty blinks and looks at Tracy, "Getting defensive and trying to get angry at me for what I know is true, doesn't work, not in this reality." She grits her teeth. Kitty does not like being called crazy, that's only for when you're rubbing her chin and feeding her ice cream.

Kit shakes her head at Tracy, "I know it's hard to believe but you know I'm telling the truth." Kitty says and then puts her hands on the steering wheel. "I'll give you proof, but first, give me your hand." She says and holds out her own. "I want to prove to you something else that I'm not lying about."

Tracy stares down the brunette, studying her as much as she glares; her gaze only gets colder instead of more accepting. Her gaze narrows, flickers as she criticizes Kitty's every word. "No," she answers straight-forwardly, "I dont." It seems, for a moment, that she's going to refuse the hand. She turns back to the door— but she shuts it, muffling the sounds of the city. She hates this— this whole scenario, hates the things these people (Peter, Kitty) are saying, hates that Kitty might see something she doesn't want her to, hates that it might prove something after all—

A hand is brought slowly toward Kitty's, hovering above it as she locks eyes once more before she grasps on tight.

* * *

Sound accosts Kitty's senses. Voices from the not-so-distant past.

The first is Tracy's, worked up, adamant, emotional, a far cry from the woman in the car with Kitty now. — I'm not the only one! This power I have freezing things it's dangerous. I've hurt someone! But you you can help me find a way to get rid of it. People have to know. We can get the Justice Department involved- "

The second voice belongs to a man. "Shhhhh. Babe. Relax. Okay? Just calm down. …Hurt someone? This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with… the other issue, would it?"

Tracy: "What do You think?"

The man: "Okay. Look. Let's just forget about all this for now, okay? You're here, I'm here, we've both got two young and able bodies. When I get the office tomorrow, I'll make some calls. We'll get this problem solved as soon as possible."

Tracy: "How? Who are you gonna call, Ivory? I need to be in on this. This is my life we're talking about."

The voices stop.

* * *

While Kitty's eyes turn the same white color they usually do, she doesn't see anything.. more like hear a whole conversation. When the conversation is over, Kitty gasps and blinks, her eyes returning to the brown that they were before. She is in shock, what the hell? This will need to be addressed for later though.

"Who is Ivory?" she asks with a tilt of her head, "He sounds like an asshole, there you are obviously upset that you hurt someone by your freezing and he's.. talking about your two young bodies?" The young woman shakes her head as if this should be common knowledge for her. "I'm sorry that you are with someone like that." Kitty says in disgust, then she blinks again, "What's the.. other issue?" her eyebrows raise as she looks at Tracy.

Tracy is on edge, very nearly holding her breath to hear what Kitty has to say this time — truly, waiting with bated breath. She watches the woman's strange white eyes and, when the woman comes 'to, her own eyes widen. Not only shocked and horrified, she's mad. It's such an invasion of privacy. "You heard that?" she forces out. "He's not— " Breathe. "There's no way … you could've known that. I believe you. You can see what's already happened." Did we mention that these two ladies are still holding hands? Yes, well, it just so happens that Tracy doesn't seem to be letting go. Kitty's hand, ever-so-slightly, will start to take on a cold chill. "With all due respect, my issues are none of your business. That was— it was a private moment."

"I don't choose the things I see and or.. well now hear." Kitty says and looks into Tracy's eyes. "Don't you dare freeze my hand off, I need it and I don't think we know a healer that can fix it, ok?" Her eyes narrows at Tracy. "I'm sorry it took this for you to admit to be that you believe me." She says but the cold chill does hurt a little. "Stop it. Prove that you don't deserve what has been happening to the others, prove that you aren't a danger to people and yourself." She says softly, ok yeah that really hurts.

Tracy doesn't let go so fast after Kitty's attempt at an inspirational speech. She ought to learn. Deja vu. This happened with Peter. It might have started out as accidental, but it didn't stay that way. She finds herself hanging onto Kitty on purpose, knowing what she's doing, and it's upon that realization that she cuts it out, shoving at the woman's hand as she lets go. The familiar-looking blonde gives Kitty a look that, for a flash, is almost desperate. "This can't be happening," she voices, dismal and still disbelieving. She sits straight head, mind going a mile a minute. "I have to go," she decides in a rush, pushing the door open for a second time.

"Like I've tried to tell you.. it is happening. And honestly, I'm not sure if there is anything we can do to stop it." She says as she takes her hand back and cradles it to her chest. "I'm sorry." Kitty says again and looks at Tracy, "Yes, I think you should go.." she says and then looks after Tracy, "I am going to be in touch soon.. you could help change everything Tracy, you are in a very valuable position in this game of chess the government and the people like us is playing." Kitty concludes and waits for Tracy to leave the car or stay some more, both are fine with her. Now that she has finally broken through to Tracy.

After Tracy swings her legs out of the car and is perched to leave, she looks back at Kitty. "I guess we'll see about that." She has nothing else to say — nothing she can say or, at least, nothing she thinks that she should — but she has a look. It's skeptical, and still a little outraged, but she's been stirred. With a renewed determination to figure this the hell out, Tracy leaves and slams the car door.

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