2010-01-03: I Iz Feerce Freedum Fiter

Starring:

Stephanie_V4icon.pngTiago_V4icon.png

Date: January 3rd, 2010

Summary:

Tiago bumps into Stephanie while looking for a manifesto for his revolution. The blonde attempts to prove she can be useful to the cause.


"I Iz Feerce Freedum Fiter"

Sheafs of Sheets Bookstore

The New Year has been running off without a hitch. Everywhere one goes, they can find optimism and bright, shining faces, even in the harsh city of New York. But there is one face on this busy street that is less then pleased. Having just stepped out of a barber shop, Tiago is in the process of tipping his grey hood over his recently cut hair - he had treated himself to buzzing his hair short to his scalp. A drastic change was necessary, after all, to keep his identity hidden. And after sliding on dark, stylish sunglasses, the large man heads down the street, angling into the bookstore at the corner. Large as he is, he looks out of place in the quaint, scholarly atmosphere.

Bookstores can be a common place to hang out for Stephanie. It is today, at least. The blonde is sitting in one of the comfy chairs that have become ubiquitous in bookstores these days. A Starbucks cup is at hand on the little end-table, and she's perusing a book. Either the owners are laid back enough that they don't worry about her coffee possibly damaging the goods, or they know her well enough that they don't care. She hasn't noticed Tiago, not under hoodie and sunglasses.

With a shiver that displaces the snow from his shoulders, Tiago plucks off the sunglasses and proceeds to travel deeper into the store, all stoicism and hard angles. There is no hesitation, no wait before he walks forward to the front desk, his expression pursed into an uncharacteristically hard line. His voice, however, remains the same jumble of accented slurs as always, highly distinctive. "Yo. I need like…books on war tactics an' shit. Maybe what's it called…Stuff on the revolution." Soon enough, he is directed off into the corner of the store where Stephanie is sitting at, and with this in mind he strides forward in her direction.

There's a blink. She knows that voice, or so she thinks. She cranes her head over, and as he comes into sight, she does recognize him. She's a surprisingly good reader of body language (since she needs to study it to mimic it), and that's definitely him. She smiles, and gives a wave as she sets the book open on her thigh. "Hey, Tiago!"

Tiago glances upwards, brows arching slightly. For the second time, he stares at her without much recognition. After a moment, however, it finally strikes him. With a faint smile on his face, his lips curl in a humorless fashion. "Stephanie. It's good to see you." It's strange. He is lacking in all the enthusiasm and the happiness that used to characterize himself, and though his smile dies out quickly enough, he still ought to get credit for trying. Right? "How're you?"

She notice, not too surprisingly. "I'm good. How are you? You look like someone ran over your puppy." She moves the book off her leg and stands. "Oh, god. No one ran over your puppy, did they?!" Distraught tone is distraught.

"I'm alright." Tiago gruffs out, his arms crossing over his chest stubbornly. But then, after a moment of hesitation, he amends it with this gem. "I'm…alive, at least. That's all I can really ask for." As she stands to her feet and begins asking about his nonexistent puppy, the man just smiles that tired, wan expression that has taken permenant residence on his features. "I don't have a puppy to run over, no. I'm good, man. Jus'…jus' kinda in a bad way right now. S'all good, though. It'll get better or…" Or he'll die. But, he'll not express that particular thought.

She frowns at that. "What's wrong?" The blonde takes a couple steps closer. He's really too tall for her to put a hand on his shoulder, so she ends up putting a hand on his chest, palm flat, in a concerned gesture. "You look like something is wrong." Her tone matches her voice, nothing but concern. "Is it Lena?"

Tiago furrows his brows, frowning at the hand upon his chest, his body hardening behind her palms, tensing with paranoia. After a moment of conscious effort, however, he forces himself to relax, and then eventually shake his head in the negative, allowing the touch to linger for a moment before he takes the slightest of steps back. "It's nothin' ta worry you with. No 'ffense or nothin', Steph, but there are some things 'bout me I can't jus' let out ta everyone." And he looks her over, taking in her innocent expression with a wry smile. "Fuck, there are things 'bout me that'd curl your pretty little hair ifya knew. So, le's jus' leave it at that, yeah? What were ya readin'?"

She frowns. "Just a book on political theory." Since that's sort of the section he was headed over towards. "Tiago, I—" She hesitates, then gets this cutely determined look and bulls on through. "You helped me, and darnit, it isn't fair that you won't let me do something to help you. Lena already said about the c-criminal stuff…" She half-stumbles over that word, as if it's just a bad word. "…and I'm not running away or anything. I'm not asking for all your deepest darkest secrets, but jeez, I'm just trying to help!"

Tiago recognizes that look of determination. He recognizes the blind desire to help, as contrived as it may be. And with this is mind, the man squints in her general direction and allows asigh to escape his lips. Solemnly, he rolls his shoulders a number of times, before turning to find a place to sit upon. After all, he can give her /some/ of it. "Have you ever stopped ta wonder jus' what bad things your own government is capable of doin'? If the people who're in charge are fuckin' 'round, hurtin' people? How do…how do you fix somethin' like that. How do you fight a country?" The question is purposefully vague - he could be talking about the abuse of immigrants, or money, or anything really.

The blonde is quiet at that. She looks to him, now looking him up and down, like she's looking for signs of abuse of some kind. "After Bush and Guantanamo Bay? I kinda stopped wondering exactly how far our country would go to handle something like that." Damn. He might be talking about it? She opts not to press it directly, at least yet. Instead, she says "Hurt how? Did something happen to you or Lena? It isn't INS, is it? They just deport people…"

There will be no physical signs of abuse of any kind. In fact, he actually looks fitter then a couple of weeks ago, due to his adoption of a rigorous workout schedule while in captivity. But the subtler signs are there - the bags beneath his eyes, the haunted look those once bright green iris' possess. The grim frown carving his face - as well as his sudden decision to cut off most of his beloved hair. "I - uhh - dunno bout Gua-whatever. An'…it's a question. A hypo-somethin' question. That word that means I'm jus' lookin' for an answer, no specific reason." While he has no reason not to trust her…trusting people is what got him in that mess in the first place. So, needless to say, he's being careful. "Jus' seems like the people in power shouldn't be, 'cause they do nothin' but hold down the power of the people…" He'd clap himself on the back for being clever if he thought no one was looking.

Stephanie is pretty expert at reading people. It doesn't take too much for her to quickly dupe out that something serious has gone down. And his words are giving her…interesting ideas. The blonde looks back at him, her expression hard to read a moment. Then she says "I've got a couple words…you can tell me if they mean anything to you." Her expression is still very contemplative, and she certainly doesn't seem threatening. "Alpha Protocol." One of three things are going to happen, and she's got plans for all three.

Tiago eyes harden at those words. His jaw tightens, and he casts his eyes towards her more clinically. But what follows suit does not match this initial reaction. There is a slow, deliberate lift of his shoulders, then he drops them in a shrug. "Wha'sat?" He grunts curtly, unwilling to even discuss the topic until he hears certain key things from his mouth.

She notices the expression in his eyes, and it tells her everything she needed to know. But she plays her part to perfection, as always. "Oh, god. It was them, wasn't it?" She says, voice concerned, though she drops it lower, quieter, less likely to be overheard. "The government people. Out looking for the special people. There's…folks who are trying to do what they can against them. Is that what you were talking about?" She looks nothing but worried about him. "Are you okay? Is Lena okay?":

There is the slow arching of his brows, followed by the man running his large hands over his newly buzzed head. "It was wha'? Whoa - hold on there, missy. Gimme like, a second ta catch on, aight?" Tiago doesn't need a second. What Tiago needs is to make up for his mistake, and with a faint smile, he sets upon doing just that. "I'm fine - Lena's fine. What're you talkin' 'bout, Steph? I'm fuckin' confused, man…"

Stephanie says "I saw it in your eyes, Tiago. You knew it. You recognized the name. And it fits, the whole "government coming after people". It's like on the video, the one that was on television. The one Rebel sent." The blonde is worried, and even a little agitated. "They're after people." A pause, then she adds. "People like me. I'm guessing, people like you and Lena?"

"What…what d'you mean, people like you?" Tiago's confusion is becoming more and more real. There's no way that Stephanie can be an evolved, is there? Or…perhaps he's one of them too. Perhaps his power is to magically attract everyone with a power within a fifty-foot radius. "You're…you're talkin' kinda weird." But his curiosity has been piqued. And he casts his eyes around the bookstore before reaching for her hand, moving to tug her closer to his person so he can offer this gem, "An'…lower your voice, Steph. Now…tell me whatchya meant by that." It's a command, forceful and hard.

Her shoulders slump as he doesn't seem to know what she's talking about. Maybe she was wrong? There's a little bit of disappointed, kicked-puppy to her expression for a moment, but then he pulls her closer. She pitches her voice lower still, barely above a whisper. "People who can do things. Like the girl, in the video. She turned into water. There are others. People who can do…weird stuff. The government is after u…after them." That was an "after us", that she cut off just before the end, and corrected. And then, even more quiet, "Did they get you and Lena? Can you guys do stuff to…I mean, can you guys do stuff?" Okay, so it seems like she's really bad at keeping secrets. But then, given how naive she's seemed up till now, is that any surprise?

Tiago wets his lips, tossing a look around the location. But…Stephanie can't be bad. She's a sweet type, and has known him for a while, and hasn't ratted him out for his less than legal activities. What can the harm in telling a college kid who already seems to know? Before speaking, though, he must set this up right. He cannot, under any circumstance, be sloppy like before. The woman is tugged, until she has been positioned with the back against the stack of books behind her, with Tiago standing before her, within her personal bubble. With one arm raised, above her, his general body-language would read highly intimate and romantic almost to anyone spying on the pair. Definitely not conducive to talking about government issues.

"You can do somethin', then." He whispers close to her ear, eyes burning at the revelation. "You know 'bout what's goin' on, an' you're one of them. I - yeah. I mean, yeah." He admits, still intent on keeping as vague about the details as possible. Growing solemn, he purses his lips. "We were captured by the AP. Locked up an' tortured for the past couple o' weeks. You need to be careful, Steph - so fuckin' careful. Those sons of bitches aren't even playin' around."

She blushes at the romantic positioning, cheeks flushed red as he hauls her back up against the books. There's a hesitation, just a moment, and she nods. "I can do something, yeah. I've talked to Rebel some. I'm trying to help. I've got some information that I think will help." She says, with that puppy determination showing through again. I iz fierce, grr, grr. Really. She gasps at his revelation, and her eyes go wide, and she says "Oh my god…you guys…are you okay?" The tone is urgent, and she starts feeling around at Tiago, hands patting and clutching. From her actions and body language, it's like she's verifying that all his pieces and parts are still actually attached to him. "I'm working to try and stop them. Just like you said! We can't just let them keep doing stuff like that!" World's perkiest revolutionary, Stephanie Sheldon.

But it's just a ploy. Tiago is far to serious and somber to even entertain the possible inappropriateness of his actions - it is strictly business. There is the slightest not of his head, before the newly roughened man trails off in thought. "Rebel? I - the kid. On the net, yeah? I think I've heard of him. I think I've - …what're you doin'?"

So much for 'strictly business'. But it's rather hard to continue on such a somber vein of conversation when she's practically groping him as such. Confusion written on his features, he arches a brow before taking a respectful step back. "Uhh…uh, yeah…right! Ahem. I knew we can't. An' I'm goin' ta put a stop ta them if it fuckin' kills me. What can you do, Steph?" He needs to recruit for Tiago's Devils, after all.

Stephanie looks around, like she's just now remembering they're in public, in a bookstore. "We shouldn't talk about it here…" she says in a whisper. "They might have anybody, anywhere, listening." A pause, as she thinks. "We could go back to my apartment. Do you guys have a place to stay? If they know about yours…I mean, you could stay at my place for a little while. Or even just…we should go there to talk, not in public." Still blushing bright red.

There is a slight bit of hesitation, but after a moment, Tiago offers her a faint nod of acceptance. With paranoia always creeping at the back of his head, of course he'll like to escape the public. "Yeah. Yeah, okay, cool." He fumbles a bit, sliding the hood back on his head before putting the glasses over his eyes. But not before catching the redness of her pale cheeks. The sight draws a rather wryly bemused smile onto his features, smugness escaping from his every pore. "Lead the way, I guess. Only for a bit."

The trip back is actually fairly uneventful. Out of the store, and to Stephanie's little car. A short drive, over to the upper west side. There's a condo there. It's reasonably high-money, but then, Steph's never seemed to be short of money. Whatever else she might be, "rich" is definitely one of them. She goes up, unlocks the door, and then locks it behind Tiago once he's inside. Only then does she start chatterboxing. "God, I can't believe they just kidnapped you! I mean, I know they have been, Rebel said so, but it doesn't seem real, I mean really real, till now." Her pretty face is all kinds of upset and worried. "I'm so sorry they did that to you guys. Is there anything I can do? I mean…" Another bright red blush. "Are you hungry, or thirsty, or anything? Do you need bandaids or something?" She very much seems to have a schoolgirl crush on Tiago, which she is trying (and utterly failing) to hide.

Tiago steps inside the apartment, casting a curious glance around the area before offering her a disinterested shake of his head. Soon enough, he finds himself walking ahead to take a seat on the first piece of appropriate furniture he can find - this isn't a social call, this is serious. "Nah, thanks. I ate b'fore I left bu'…if y'got a cold beer lyin' around, that'd be sweet. I haven't had one of those in age-…ahem. I can't stay long. I told Lena I was goin' ta cut my hair a bit an' then get back ta the motel. Listen - they're serious. They'll do anythin' they can ta get information outa you, so you can't get caught, Steph. They're relentless, an' don't give a fuck who you are an' whether you're good or bad, okay? Ima try ta fight it - ta make it better, but I need some help…what can ya do, Steph?"

She looks thoughtful. "I..beer? I've got some cider, and…no, wait, I do think there's a couple bottles left in there." She hurries out to the fridge, before returning with it, offering it to him. "I'm not gonna get caught. Nobody's looking for me." Which, of course, would be exactly the attitude that would get her caught. She hesitates, as if hesitant to reveal her secret. In reality, she's hesitant about exactly how much to reveal. Finally, she says "I can make other people see things. Like…projecting daydreams."

"Yeah. Well, I jus' hope that's true, Steph." Tiago comments grimly as she disappears, not even managing to smile for the alcohol she presents him with. "You jus' be careful. I don' want you gettin' caught or nothin', alrigh'? An' thanks." With this gruffed out, the man proceeds to hold the beer away from him and crack it open, then bringing the can to his lips to drink from hungrily. After a moment of chugging, he quirks his brow over to her and swallows. "Projectin' daydreams? Huh…that's cool. It's a good one. So you can do that ta anyone?"

She nods. "So far? I mean, I haven't tested it a whole lot." It's an apt description of some of what her power can do, even if it only encompasses a tiny portion of what it can really do. Sort of her ability dialed down to two or three. "It's not really…I mean, I'm not sure how I can fight the government by making them have daydreams. But I have to do SOMETHING." she says, determinedly. "Are you working with anybody? Like Rebel? We need to try and get everybody working together, I think."

Tiago shakes his head faintly, looking quite old in this moment. He has changed much from the overgrown boy he once was. "Not 'nemore I'm not. I can maybe get your name ta some people, if you want in…but I'm lookin' for a more direct approach. This is a war. We haven't realized it yet, but it is. It cannot be solved peacefully. An' if what people need is me ta bring the violence, then yeah, okay. I will not /rest/ until those in charge are out of commission." Beat. Cue furtive sip. "Err…okay, so I prolly /will/ rest. But I meant like…yeah."

Stephanie has that puppy determination again. "Well, then you gotta let me help you! I'm not gonna let them hurt people, especially not my friends!" She's already got an in with one group. This is her chance to get in with another one. "I can be helpful! I've got money, and….I could make good distractions!"

"This isn't for people like you, Stephanie." There is something wistful in the way he's looking to her, almost protective. Unaware of her possibly devious intentions, it's clear that Tiago has every intention of doing everything in his power to protect her relative innocence. "If I could walk away, I would. If I had a chance ta leave, I'd take it jus' like that. This is…this is goin' ta get bad, an' you're too young for this. You're too…too idealistic for this kinda shit. An' that's a good thing." With a warm smile, one that is more genuine and affectionate then he has been able to muster all day, he drinks from his beer once again, when settling back in his chair.

Stephanie gets that dogged expression again. "And wait around while my friends get hurt? I'm not gonna do that, Tiago. Besides, if nobody stops them, these Nazi jerks will just go around and start throwing us in concentration camps, and then I'm screwed anyway!!" She's agitated enough to use a naughty word. Phear.

One day, that seemingly earnest determination will wear the man down. But today is not that day. "Steph. Please," Tiago gruffs under his breath, allowing himself a moment to inhale deeply and slide his eyes shut, as if combating a headache. "/Please/, not now. Por favor. I've got a fuckin' headache growin', an' I don't…you're not goin' ta be screwed. I wont let you be, okay? Ima look out for you, I swear it." Just another life he has to save. Another incentive to go through with him semi-terrorism.

Stephanie still has that dogged determination. She scrunches up her nose a bit like she's concentrating (a little like one Hiro Nakamura, honestly), and then who should happen to wander out from the back hallway but Lena. Lena dressed in an Extremely Gauzy Negligee Of Very Little, and walking with a very sultry wiggle out towards Tiago.

The beer can is held up to the man's forehead if only for a moment, the cool combatting the growing pressure in his temple. But, after a while, he is forced back into reality. And so, slowly, his eyelids climb upwards once again - only to catch sight of someone he had not expected to see. At all. Who else is there, but his very own girlfriend, dressed up in one of those getups he tends to get for her, which she tends to summarily throw away. For a moment, he is frozen in place, eyes widening slightly to take in the sight like a famished man at a banquet. But…he knows this isn't true. "Steph…" He begins, before firming his voice. "Steph. What the fuck're you doin'. You /don't/ use your motherfuckin' power on me - cut it out. Now. This aint funny." He hasn't looked away, however.

Stephanie looks back to him. "I'm proving I can be useful!" She says, determinedly. "I can make distractions, or convince people that they're seeing somebody they know…" she says, defensively. Meanwhile, Lena moves to sit astraddle over Tiago's legs. "Hey, Chi…" she says, voice warm. Almost purring. A very male-fantasy-version of Lena. She looks like Lena. Sounds like Lena. Feels like Lena. Hell, she even smells like Lena.

Certain key situations has left the poor man quite lonely in the past couple of months, with many needs left unmet. Therefore, the conditions are perfect for Stephanie's little ploy. Therefore, Tiago doesn't automatically spring to his feet in a fit and storm out of the apartment like he should. With his breath hitching a little, his eyes are fixed upon the image of his girlfriend - surprise written on his face as he find that he can even /feel/ her. Oh, how he longs to touch her, to just lean in and make the distance between them something of the past…

"Stephanie," it's a growl at this point, and it's clear that the man is losing his prison-won cool. "I said cut it. The. Fuck. Out…" The warning is in the air.

Stephanie looks flustered at the growl, complete with a little squeak. Meanwhile, Lena leans in, running her hands over Tiago's chest, leaning in to kiss at his neck…except that when he gives that growl, there's a momentary ripple, and then it's not Lena there in the skimpy bit of nothing, making out with him…it's a duplicate Stephanie doing it, all blonde and nubile. "I was just trying to prove I could help…" the "real" one says, pouting. "Gimme a second, I gotta concentrate to stop it…" Meanwhile, Stephanie-twin is warm and soft against him.

It's hard for a man to resist, in even the best of circumstances. It's even harder for Tiago to resist. And add to that, the knowledge that it's not /real/…how is he supposed to fight an illusion? Can he push it away? In the end, Tiago doesn't even try. Not yet. Because she's supposedly trying to put an end to it…and because it feels exceptionally nice. He is stiff in his chair, his grip on the beer can becoming so forceful that the alluminum accidentally crumples in his hand, and he closes his eyes, grinding his teeth slightly. "Hurry the fuck up!" He commands.

Real-Stephanie squeaks again, sounding flustered and upset. "I'm trying! Yelling at me won't help! I just let you see a pretty girl, that's all. It's just your subconscious filling in details." she says, defensively, as if she doesn't know what he's /really/ seeing. She starts to make the scrunchy face again, while alter-Stephanie is practically giving Tiago a lap dance, and she leans in to try and give him a kiss that might be able to double as a tonsilectomy, given the tongue action she's trying.

Poor Tiago. Trusting as he is (for who would really think Stephanie nefarious, other than Lena herself?) it doesn't occur to him that the blonde might be lying - that she knows exactly what she's doing, exactly how she's manipulating him. And so, as he sits there, waiting patiently for her to turn her mojo off, he is subjected to the dance, and then - then there is a pair of lips moving against his. Ah, but it feels so real! And, automatically, his lips begin moving back and-

Suddenly, in a fit of anger and self-control, there is a guttural growl from the man, and he proceeds to at least attempt to stand onto his feet. What happens to the fake woman is of no concern to him, and neither is the half-empty beer bottle that falls, crashing to the floor.

Poor faux-Stephanie falls to the floor, with a yelp and a hurt expression…just about the time she ripples and fades from view, while real-Stephanie opens her face from the scrunchy expression. "There! Got it!" She beams brightly at him, seemingly proud of herself for shutting it down, and equally seeming as-unaware of the nature of the "daydream".

There is anger in Tiago's expression as he glowers over to Stephanie, and something almost hostile in those green depths. "Don't you ever use that fuckin' thing on me again. Ever." With this sneered out, chest heaving, he turns on his heels with the clear intention of storming out of the apartment.

The look of accomplishment fades to the kicked-puppy look, at Tiago's statement. "But—" And then he's storming out of the apartment. It isn't until after he's gone that she looks at the door. "Well…that's going to be interesting…" And the smile on her face is much more calculating than any look she'd ever let him see.

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