Starring:
Date: October 6, 2009
Summary:
A mysterious text sends Elena to Central Park….
"It's Not Us"
Central Park, New York City, New York
The text is rather cryptic.
By all rights she shouldn't be here, given who the text had been from. For all she knows, it could be another trap again. However, given the day's earlier encounter at the coffeeshop, Elena decides to trust her instincts and arrive, clad in a fall coat and a pair of jeans, her hair clipped back carelessly by a single claw-clip. Loose, dark tendrils frame her face. In one hand is a pretzel, though for once in close to a year, she's not hungry… unusual enough in itself considering the young woman ate like a horse most days. So instead of eating the doughy, salty thing herself, she's feeding it to the pigeons, and thus enables the behavior of the already overfed, local avians even further in the endless search for foodstuffs and freebies.
She continues to wait, even as the sun sinks further over the horizon, indigo and blue intermingling with the splashes of red and gold stubbornly clinging to the last vestiges of the day.
If Benjamin has a partner with him, they aren't readily visible. Most likely, he isn't allowed to venture this far from HQ without backup. Both of his weapons are well hidden, as he approaches the designated meeting spot. His hands are in the pockets of his suit jacket as he stays on the lookout for Elena, and undesirable people.
Easily spotting Elena, he quickens his pace in her direction. Once he's close enough to speak without shouting, he says, "Thanks for meeting me. I know we haven't been on the best of terms since.." There's no need to elaborate from there. He remains on his feet, not wanting to sit down.
"It's been a year and change." Elena leans back on the bench. "I spent all of those months thinking about what I would say to the people I left in…. ill terms with if I ever saw them again. I've been angry for quite a while…" She just didn't realize how much until the day she landed and the first person she happened to see was the last person she wanted to meet. In all of the airports in all of the world… "Now, I'm just exhausted. By the sounds of things, there might not be enough time even for that." She glances up at the taller man who remains standing nearby. "But I'm here. Maybe Time does really help. Why did you want to see me?"
"I don't blame you," Benjamin says, as he remains standing and on the lookout. "I had my job to do, and I also paid the price of refusing to do what I was told. It doesn't excuse what I did." Satisfied there doesn't seem to be any imminent threat, he sits down next to Elena on the bench. "I haven't gotten any official orders on this, but I felt I should warn people I know on the outside." He looks to Elena, "Watch your back, and it's not us this time. We're targeted too." 'Us' and 'we', he means the Company, but there's really no need to say it aloud. "Evolved are going missing. An unnamed group is targeting us. They came for me last week while I was on my damned honeymoon in Greece. Fortunately, my wife is a trained agent and we're former partners." It's a sign of how bothered he is that he swears, even as mild as that was. "Travel with a friend if you can. We don't know who all is a target beyond those who have an ability. These guys, they attack first, no questions, no warrant. It's different from what we did."
"You're not the only one going beyond what you're ordered, Ben," Elena replies, and for once, she calls him by his given name… it could be a sign that he should be worried, or a sign that he should be relieved. She did, however, mean what she said back in the coffeeshop, with the level look she keeps on Benjamin, demeanor having matured along with the blossoming of her looks into something more adult. "There was another one…of you, who did. Three years ago. I've just had good luck coming across agents who like to warn me or my family, I guess." She hunches down a bit, her elbows bracing on her knees. "I figured you're just trying to make up for everything… everyone deserves that chance, I think. Redemption." Her lips lift upwards on the edges. "Was raised Catholic, after all. Part of me still believes in it." She inclines her head over to the man sitting next to her. "Is this latest related to what I've been hearing about regarding the Alpha Protocol?"
"I never wanted to kidnap you, Elena. Out of respect and friendship for your family and you. Orders were orders, and there are consequences when you refuse to do what you're told." Benjamin looks away from Elena, scanning the area, despite the bluetooth earpiece in place. "Hmm.." he utters in a non-committal fashion. That was information only he, the Haitian, Angela and Peter were present for. So one of them had to spill that. "I think it's only fair that we all know we're targets for God knows what. They fired a taser at me first, they're taking people. I know we did and do similar, but that's only for /threats/." In the vast majority of cases.
"In the end we all do what we have to do, I suppose," is all the Gomez woman says, tossing what remains of her pretzel towards the birds, watching them flock and peck around it. At what he says, she glances over at him sidelong. "Not always," Elena replies, and this woman, no matter how young, knows better. "Not always threats." Her years of sugarcoating appear to be over, leaning back further against the bench. "I tried to fish for what Bennet knew, but trying to hook anything out of him is like trying to look for the abominable snowman in the desert." The last remark falls a touch dry from her lips. "Is your new wife okay?" The last is said, at least, indicative that at the very least, the young woman despite her changes is not above expressing concern, even towards someone she's nursed tensions with and probably still does. At least there is a dialogue, however. That is progress.
"I know," Benjamin says, fully realizing that in Elena's case, it was all as leverage against Peter. It didn't work. His laugh is harsh sounding, "Bennet's a tough one to crack. He was one of the scarier bossmen." He nods his head, "She's taking it as well as could be expected. We're used to rough situations, but it's not everyday you're ambushed on your honeymoon." He reaches a hand into an inside suit pocket and withdraws a photo for Elena. It's of the wedding party. Ben, Meryl, Church in a bridesmaid's dress, Peter, and a guinea pig. Don't ask. "It's yours, if you want it. I think she invited half the city. It was definitely memorable." He's now giving Elena a rather genuine smile, "It would have been nice to have had you and Ramon there. Cass and Lachlan were present."
She glances at the picture, and hesitates, but another promising sign appears, at least, Elena's fingers slowly coming up to take the picture from Benjamin's grasp, her dark eyes tilting down on the image. The guinea pig causes her brows to lift upwards, but despite herself, a faint smile ghosts on the edges of her mouth, seeing Meryl and Ben, some Bruce Campbell look-a-like in drag that she doesn't recognize, and Peter in a tux. "Sounds like a fun time. …do I wanna know why there's a guinea pig?" There's a melancholy tinge to her expression though, absently fingering the edge of Peter's image on the photograph. He looked happy, at least… he always did like weddings. Straightening up, she tucks the photograph in the inner breast-pocket of her coat. "Papa's been busy, in DC," she tells Ben. "He would've been angrier if he wasn't so happily married himself. Now he just worries about his children. I don't think I have to tell you that… with Rose and what's going on. The two of you still have a lot in common, despite everything."
"That's Meryl's. We couldn't have the party without having Basil there. She's uhm, rather fond of her guinea pig." So Benjamin wasn't going to deny Meryl much on her wedding day. He's already had one, so was happy to let her have a reasonably free reign. "I'm glad to hear Ramon's happy, he deserves it." He falls quiet and nods as he looks back to Elena. "Yeah, maybe I'll try and mend fences with him, let him have a swing at me first too. Then we'll go talk over tequila." It's an optimistic daydream to be sure. "Anyway. I thought you should know, but it looks like I've been beaten to the news. We'd had some reports at the end of the month, and then I saw some more when I checked in a few times while we were in Greece. All things considered, I'm glad about where I am, and know what I do now. Otherwise, I don't think I'd be here right now."
"You never know. Isn't that how guys deal anyway? Go out back, have a fistfight, come back in and have a round or two, the best of friends all over again?" Elena smirks, lifting her gaze upwards, the slightest spark of amusement evident in gold-flecked eyes. "Wish girls dealt with things the same way, it'd be so much easier for the entire world if we had the same coping mechanisms." She tugs absently on her collar. "No, not really… at least, you didn't get beaten by much. I just know the name of the project, not what it actually does, and neither did I know that they weren't affiliated with you in any way. I had my suspicions, it sounds like what the Company used to do… but you told me you guys aren't involved." As far as they know anyway. "I guess I would've learned more from Peter if we didn't fight within half an hour of seeing each other again. Whatever holes you filled up for me to at least be aware… I'm grateful." The last is, for the most part, sincere sounding. "Does anyone know who's in charge yet? It usually helps to know where the head of the snake lies, right?"
Benjamin laughs and drags a hand through his hair, "That's what happened to the bridesmaid and I." Meaning Church in the dress. "I'm still not allowed in the Oldcastle Pub since the incident." He exhales loudly and looks upwards as well, "We don't know much either. Just that they're considering everyone with an ability to be a terrorist, regardless of who they are, what they can do or their history. You have an ability, automatically a terrorist. We at least /tried/ to be subtle. We didn't send a small army after a single person unless they were Sylar." He offers up a shake of his head, "No. We don't know how far up the chain of command it goes." He declines to mention if the government's involved.
"….you seriously got in a fistfight with drag-man?" Elena repeats, her brows perking upwards. "….I…don't know what to say, Ben. Things have changed around here." The last is dry, and it might actually be an honest-to-goodness quip. Though when Benjamin mentions Sylar, her expression fades into something more serious. "Well. At this point if they aren't going to be subtle, you'd expect two units to face down that psychopath anyway. Sounds like what you're saying is they sent a small army after you? In Greece?" Her brows furrow just a bit. "That sounds worrisome, Ben. I've been in Washington DC a while, I've looked through more articles of alleged black ops instigated overseas than I care to know. Either this new thing is actually outfitted for those sorts of maneuvers…" Meaning no one was safe no matter where they ran, or how far. "Or whoever's running the program's in place to make a deal with foreign dignitaries to let that kind of manpower into overseas sovereign territory."
Benjamin rubs at the back of his neck, "It was.. during a rough patch. Don't let the dress fool you, Church is a tough guy." He glances away from Elena, "I told my boss I wouldn't do something they wanted me to do, and I had a meeting with the Haitian." Maybe he shouldn't have revealed that and it took a lot of figuring out for him to know what was done to him. He still doesn't know the memories that were taken however, and that's probably a good thing. "I kinda hope he makes them rue the day if they go for him. I shouldn't be thinking along those lines.. but they attacked without provocation, were even discussing lethal actions, they could have killed my wife.." He's back to scanning the area, "There were three we were able to capture, Meryl killed one." He doesn't sound sorry. "The rest escaped on the speedboat they came in on. I wasn't able to get a full and accurate count of how many were there." He holds up a finger to Elena, "You're also forgetting, maybe there wasn't a deal with foreign dignitaries."
She says nothing about the Haitian, though deep down she wonders where he is. She'd like to see him too, and more than what she could truly say to anyone. Elena huddles further into her coat, as night descends over the trees, the colder months heralded by the mists puffing out from her mouth at every breath. "They sound like they're hiring extremists if they're discussing lethal action right away. Kill, than capture. Attack first, questions later. It sounds more military than civilian, to me. And that's what I was getting at, in my lead in with black ops… just invading foreign soil without anyone's say so. Means they're well funded enough to do it, if that's the case. This sort of thing costs money…." There's a pause, and she looks over at Benjamin. "….maybe that's a way to get more. Follow the money. NSA and Homeland Security's your best bet, if this is an anti-terrorism measure."
"We're on it, I'm sure. Some of our own have been taken and targeted," Benjamin says as he pushes up from the bench. "Right now though? We're laying low and formulating a plan. It's hard to sit still on this." But he also knows it's better to not rush in blindly. "We're still gathering information from what I know. I'm probably a little out of the loop because of how emotional it is. I'm not sure what other information I can share as I get it. You'll probably hear from Peter before me anyway." He's fast like that. "Anyway.. stay safe Elena.. use the old buddy system, it works." Safety in numbers, you're never too old for it. "I should get back before Meryl comes looking for me. She's probably as wanted as I am."
"Maybe," Elena replies skeptically. "If not, I'll find it my own way. Information has a way of finding its way to me eventually. Maybe I really am just that adorable." The last is a touch dry… maybe she was, once, but she's clearly undergone some change in her behavior that it might not be true anymore. She does nod, however, with what he says about numbers. "Don't worry, I've got a crew watching my back," she tells Ben. "Take care of your wife, Ben, and yourself." She unfolds herself off the bench, and watches him depart… and once he does, she turns her heel, sliding her hands in her pockets and making her way out of the park from the opposite side.