2008-06-04: How To Win Friends And Influence Enemies

Starring:

Gabriel_icon.gif Novak_icon.gif

Summary: Novak visits Gabriel at the clock shop. Watches are examined, threats exchanged, and fun times had by all.

Date It Happened: June 4th, 2008

How To Win Friends And Influence Enemies


Brooklyn, NYC - Gray and Sons

The Gray & Sons watchshop is completely empty. They haven't been open for business again for too terribly long, and word hasn't yet got out that their doors have re-opened. For Gabriel Gray, however, this is perfectly fine. Sure, business may be down and the cash isn't exactly flowing in, but these long breaks of having to deal with people are a welcome blessing. With everything that's been going on lately, as it always seems to be in the Evolved side of things, he's taking the opportunity to rest and let his thoughts wander, eyes closed as he leans back in his chair, seated behind his workdesk near the center of the shop.

The Gods of Irony are not smiling upon Gabriel this day. Instead they are laughing. Their laughter is the sound of the door of Gray & Sons opening, and solid footsteps entering the shop. Novak glances around as he stands in the doorway, observing his surroundings. In a situation like this, with a person like this, knowing his environment as well as if he had spent his entire life here could be the difference between life and death. Keen eyes, though half-closed, take in the array of clocks and watches and so forth in the area. And they most certainly take in the man sitting near the center of the shop.

'After so very long, I finally get to see him in person,' Novak thinks. He has studied the photograph of Gabriel Gray at great length. But what he sees before him now, while undoubtedly the same person, is not quite who he was expecting. Presumably his entrance alone is enough to notify Gabriel of his presence, but either way, he smiles and steps forward, saying, "Good afternoon. I hope I am not disturbing you?"

A soft tinging noises echoes throughout the empty shop as Novak enters, a small bell above the door having been struck upon his entrance. The sound causes Gabriel to open his eyes, watching the ceiling for a few moments before leaning forward in his chair to stand. "No," is the simple response he gives Novak, leaning with one hand on his desk as he gauges the other man. "Is there something I can do for you?"

Novak tilts his head to the side, looking Gabriel over, before taking a few more steps forward. "I was wondering if you could take a look at this wrist watch. I believe it is running slowly." He chuckles a bit as he removes the watch from his wrist, and looks at it for a moment. "I am surprise it took this long for it to start malfunctioning, actually. I have had it for about…" He looks up thoughtfully. "Twenty years, I believe." He then lays the watch out on the desk. The watch itself is shaped like an eye. The hands are even odder than the shape of the watch. They almost look like half a DNA strand each.

The odd shape and hands of the watch don't go unnoticed by Gabriel, but then with what people wear these days, he's not here to judge. He's seen a vast array of different shapes and sizes for watches, and he's most definitely seen some more unusual ones. Picking it up from the desk, he holds it up to his ear, eyes closing as he listens to the inner workings. It only takes a moment, and he sets it back down on the desk. "It is running slowly. Gears sound like they're gummed up— most likely from dust its gathered over the past the twenty years."

Novak nods. "Thank you for verifying my suspicions. That is a very interesting way you have of discovering the intricacies of time-pieces." He smiles and reaches into his pocket to retrieve his wallet, presumably in preparation to pay for whatever Gabriel will do to fix the watch. If he is planning on doing so. Casually, Novak says, "I can do something similar. But I suspect our individual gifts work on different principles." Looking up from fussing with his wallet, he offers, "I could just feel that the ticking was off by the vibrations, and match the sound to what I am used to hearing from it. You on the other hand…"

Novak pauses and tilts his head, as though inviting Gabriel to fill the silence with something. But in the end, even if the silence is left unfilled, Novak asks, "How much will it cost me to have it cleaned and set to working properly?"

"I've been working with watches for a long time," Gabriel says, opening one of the side drawers of the workdesk. When Novak pulled his wallet from his pocket, he put two and two together, and assumed he wanted the watch actually fixed. He pulls a specific tool from the long pouch he extracts from the desk, just about to pop the back of the watch off, but what Novak says next causes him to hesitate. "What do you mean 'gifts'?" Everything else said is ignored. The price for having a watch cleaned isn't nearly as important as figuring out just exactly what Novak means.

Novak smiles and nods to Gabriel's explanation, eyes darting quickly to the drawer when it is opened, though he remains relaxed. When Gabriel pauses, however, Novak blinks slowly, as though unaware what could be the matter. "Oh, well, you know. Most people have a gift. A talent. Something that makes them special, and unique. Something that only they can do. It is not always obvious, and some people go there entire lives feeling useless, ordinary, and without purpose. Others find their gift early on, and are able to make use of it to find meaning in life. And still others only find out what their gift is when they reach a critical point in their lives. Something just… Snaps into place." Novak looks up thoughtfully.

"I suppose the best way to describe it is… 'Some people are born into greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.'" He then looks back down at Gabriel. "My gift has to do with perception. I have very keen senses and can piece together input from those senses to obtain a clear picture of the world around me. Clearer than a so-called 'common' man could." Looking into the clock-technician's eyes, Novak says, "You do have a gift. I can tell. You can fix things. Well, first you understand them, THEN you fix them. Am I correct?"

The ex-killer's eyes narrow as he watches Novak, slowly placing the watch back down onto the table in front of him, alongside the watch tool. Both hands move to the desk as he leans forward slightly, his attention completely focused on the man, almost as if he were watching or listening for something beyond the words he's saying. Either way, Gabriel is not an unintelligent man, and he can read between the lines of what Novak is saying, especially when he describes his own ability. It's simply too close to home to be a mere coincidence. "Who are you?" he says, slowly, fingers of his left hand twitching involuntarily.

Novak's eyes flick to the twitching hand, and perhaps he misinterprets (or perhaps not), as he says, "I am someone who means you no harm. I appreciate that you are controlling your impulses. I had expected you to be much more violent before meeting you, and finding you to be an intelligent, self-controlled man trying to make an honest living. My name is Novak Garbaldi. I have heard of you, Gabriel. I have heard a great deal about you. And there are a lot of people who could use someone of your caliber. I am not one of them. I have no intention of 'using' you, as you may have been used in the past. What I want is… A mutually beneficial arrangement."

Novak Garibaldi. It seems the time has finally come that he would meet the man, even if it wasn't on his own terms. It doesn't matter. "Mister Garibaldi," Gabriel says, but it isn't with respect. "I've heard of you, as well. Let me tell you, right now, that anything you've heard about me? It's a lie. You don't know anything about me, even if you think you do. While I'm on the subject, let me tell you something else. Kory? Leave her alone. If I hear about you antagonizing her again, you'll have me to answer to, and trust me when I say I am not someone you want to answer to." As if to re-enforce this point, Novak's watch suddenly flies up from the table without any movement from Gabriel, heading directly towards the man's chest. "Get out."

Novak doesn't react at first, except to catch his watch after it hits his chest. Then he smiles thinly and says, "I will accept that what I have heard about you are lies, but I wish you would do me the same courtesy, and not judge me based on the word of one woman, who is judging me based on a single dream full of metaphors." Taking a few steps back, Novak keeps his eyes on Gabriel. "I am a teacher only. I have no interest in antagonizing Miss Alexander, though I am interested in her leaving my daughter alone. Perhaps you can tell her that if she continues to invade my child's dreams then she will have friends of MINE to answer to. Friends who can make sure she never uses her gift again, for good or ill."

He flicks his left hand up, and there is a business card between thumb and forefinger. "I'll leave this here. If you ever want to talk, or need help, or want to find out what I know so you can inform Miss Alexander, or threaten me some more, or whatever it is people with your background do, the number and address are here." He then deposits the card on the nearest flat surface, and turns around to leave, apparently not concerned with whether Gabriel might throw something more lethal at him as he departs.

Not that he isn't secretly listening for such, very, very intently. "Good day, Gabriel."

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