Starring: Cass
and Rebel
Date: October 24, 2009 (early morning)
Summary:
Cass gets a text about Peter from a Rebel and follows up with a phone call.
"Rescue Rebels"
Cass's House
It's early in the morning when Cass receives the text message from Rebel about Peter's situation. Luckily (or unluckily) it's her turn to take care of the fussing Abigail this early in the morning. Not exactly crying any more, the baby hiccups and let's out little gasps of sobs as the brunette paces about the living room humming lullabies and rocking her. The loud beep of an incoming text message is just the kind of distraction that Cass needs, as she's already tired and needing something to occupy her thoughts other than "Rock a by baby." Navigating her way through the phone, her face pales considerably when she reads what is there. Shifting Abby to bounce on her shoulder, she quickly navigates her cellphone to redial the number the text was received from.
When the phone phone rings, Rebel is rather surprised. Most people didn't try calling him back. After ringing several times, a digitally distorted voice answers, "Hello?" The word is apprehensive, withdrawn even, and absolutely unsure.
Cass has never been all that comfortable with technology, despite being surrounded by it and working in high tech labs before. Texting is still something she's not used to and won't resort to it if she has another option. Plus, when she gets a text about her friend being kidnapped, she wants to talk to whoever it is that is that's warning her about it. The highly distorted voice makes the bookstore owner pause, remembering all those movie with kidnappers and ransom. "…I…" she pauses, "Is this Rebel? The person who sent me the text about Peter?"
Eyes are narrowed at the woman's question, but at the mention of Peter this phone call makes a lot more sense, and through the distorted sound there's an audible sigh of relief. "Yes. This is Rebel." And then there's a pause. "I-I'm s-sorry for my lack of sensitivity; had to get the message out to everyone as quickly as possible." There is a pause. "Who is this?" Yes, he can look up the number and figure it out, but he's exhausted and really needs a break.
The sigh of relief, as strangely distorted as it is makes Cass' eyes furrow slightly. There's a hiccup of a still distressed Abigail in the background. Automatically, she rubs the baby's back, resting the phone against her chin and shoulder. "It's alright." She knows Peter can regenerate, so while being hit by a helicopter would be painful and terrible - the very idea makes Cass upset - she knows he survived it and will heal with time. "This is…" she pauses, she doesn't know who this is and if she can trust him. "I'm…I'm sorry. I don't know you. But, I'm a friend of Peter. A good friend. He's….he's the godfather to my daughter." Vague enough, she thinks, to let Rebel know how much Peter means to her, but not enough to entrap her should this turn out to be a trap. "Do you know how he was taken? Where he is? You said the government had him? Why?"
The Rebel listens as Cass wonders through all of this and then frowns realizing he literally sent everyone on Peter's contact list the text message. "I'm sorry," the distorted voice begins. "I should've filtered the message better." He pauses as he considers what to tell this woman (especially if she doesn't actually have an ability), but then recognizing that she doesn't know who he is, he divulges, "Peter is…special. He has an ability of sorts." There is a pause as Rebel considers how else to explain this, "You see, the government is after people with abilities. There's a list and Peter was on it. We were in the middle of a rescue mission…" He swallows and then furrows his eyebrows.
There's a laugh on the other end of the phone. "Sir." Not realizing Micah's age, she just takes the distorted voice and decides to be polite with it. "You don't have to talk to me about abilities. I trained Peter in his once. He doesn't have one ability, he has possibly hundreds by now. Certainly dozens. He warned me about someone taking people with them, but then the didn't know who they were. It's the government?" Going back to pacing, Cass' mind is already racing ahead with what that means for her. For everyone. What kind of future that could mean for her baby. "No, I think you're getting it to exactly the right people. There's a rescue mission? So that means you know where he's being held?"
There is another sigh of relief on the other end of the phone as Cass explains she knows about abilities, but the relief fades when she asks after Peter's whereabouts, "I-I don't know. As far as I can tell he hasn't been processed yet. I can access their files, but haven't read anything about him." He swallows again. "And yes, it's the government. Senator Ivory Wynn is heading up the project, but the President has mandated it. They're calling us terrorists." And then he adds for good measure, "I'm not a terrorist. Believe me."
Back to pacing the floor with Abigail, Cass gives a look back to the bedroom where she assume Lachlan is back to snoring. "Processed." That's something she doesn't like the sound of. As much as she hate the Company, it's somehow less terrifying when it's a private organization and not the US Government. "I believe you. Though I've got to say, talking with a distorted voice doesn't do much for confidence. I feel like I'm in some sort of heist movie." Thinking this through, at least partially, she frowns. "If he was on a list, they have to have a file of him somewhere - otherwise they wouldn't know he existed. There must have been research done. Polling, something. Politicians don't do anything like this without knowing it will look good to the public." She is, after all, friends with Nathan. As much as she likes him, he's still a politician. "Senator Wynn, hm?" That name sounds familiar somehow. "Okay. I want to help. Anything to get Peter back. There's others being held, still, too, right?"
Rebel's embarrassment is almost evident as he's called out on his distorted voice, "Um… well…" He's obviously flustered. He pauses for several seconds and then mentions, "It's not that simple." He doesn't expand although there's lots he could say. "Yes, they have files for many of us. The list is fairly long. They even took kids." He blinks at the notion of others being held, "Yes, there are some that are being held by the government. We managed to free a number from a train, but there are more."
There's a bit of a smile that Cass can't help at the fluster on the other end of the phone. Finally, on her end, Abigail has gone back to sleep. Moving to the couch, she softly sits on it and then shifts her daughter to rest on her lap, cradled in her arm. Now, at least she can talk freely, though she can't pace now, which makes the nerves easier. "I'd heard about others being taken. It's never simple." She sighs, hating to hear they've also taken children. Hugging Abby closer, she continues. "And they have Peter." Which is a main concern for her. "Do you have a plan?"
"I'm working on one," Rebel says as he bites his bottom lip. "It's not that simple though. I need to figure out exactly where they're holding everyone. And I'm not even sure they'd take Peter there." He hrms as he considers their next move. "There are a number of people who want to join the Rebellion against this corrupt government. We need to find a way to organize, but I'm afraid I can't be the one to do that." Considering he's thirteen and he figures no one will listen to him. "Not in person, anyways." And then he adds, "But I am working on a plan. I know Peter has many friends who can help."
A rebellion against the corrupt government. Cass looks down at Abigail and isn't sure she can join a rebellion without risking her family. It's certainly something she'll have to talk over with Lachlan. However, she wants to help and she needs to be involved with the rescue of Peter. He's her friend. She can organize, however. She's done it before. Age isn't the biggest factor here. Time is, and helping people. "I know a few of them." More than a few, but perhaps only a few that could help. "If you tell me a few names of those that can help…I can start getting in touch with them for Peter's rescue. Find out what everyone knows. Maybe that will grant us a bigger picture."
He's about to answer when there is a moment of hesitation, of distrust to which Rebel asks, "What was your name again?" He narrows his eyes, clears his throat, and silences while waiting.
Oh, right. The name thing. Cass realizes that she's been talking to this Rebel character this whole time, about politics and abilities and Peter without actually knowing his name. And he doesn't know hers. There's a pause. "I don't think it's fair for you to know our names without us knowing yours. Unless Rebel is a given name." Which she doubts, but then, that's something.
It seems the pair are at odds with each other. In generally normal early-teen fashion, Rebel scoffs. His eyebrows are furrowed, his eyes are rolled, and there's a general pause. "No one knows who I am." And then he mutters, "I guess I'll have to do this the hard way." Several moments of silence pass before Rebel comes speaks back into the phone. His weariness can be heard in his voice, "Cassandra Aldric?"
"But you know everyone's? That's not fair." Not exactly like Cass believes in utter fairness for all time, however, she does believe in manners. The moments of silence she's waiting him to fill come back with her name. "You know, you could have just given me a name and I would have given you mine." There's a frown. "What, do you have a file on me, too?"
Rebel's frown extends into his digital voice, "No file." Beat. "I know you." But she won't know him unless he slips up like the night of the rescue. He pauses for some time before responding, "I know everyone's because someone has to. And I can."
"You know me." It's a question and a statement. Cass knows a lot of people. Some in an offhand way, some closer. "How do you know me?" Leaning against the back of the couch, she puts her hand carefully on Abigails head, as if to keep it warm. "And if you don't trust us, how can we all get together to go rescue Peter?"
The question is valid. He ponders for several minutes before answering, "It's not you I don't trust. You and I had a very close mutual friend," his mom counts as his friend, right? And then he adds, "In fact, I trust all of you. Wholeheartedly." He moistens his lips and then adds, "BUT things haven't been easy for me lately and I need to follow what our friend would've had me do. I'm trying to respect her wishes." His mom wouldn't want him in the line of fire, right? And then he adds, "And you don't need me physically there to have my help. I can … influence all kinds of technology. If electricity goes through it, I can …work with it."
A close mutual friend? Is he talking about Peter here? Cass inn't sure. But, she frowns. Her family wouldn't exactly like it if they found out she was putting herself into danger. In her mind, though, organizing and putting people together isn't danger. Or even the front lines. "Okay." Though she may still be skeptical of him, she's on board at least. "Can you give me a few names to start getting people together?"
"Absolutely! Mo—our friend trusted you, I can too," Rebel thinks through his rescue operation contacts before he starts listing people. "Matt Parkman, Daphne Millbrook, Charity Davies, Charlotte Corday, Elena Gomez, Kitty Hanner, Felix Ivonov, Mariska Ivonova, Alexandra Lambert, Eric Walker, and I'm sure there will be others soon. The fugitives may want to help as well, but I have to contact them still, and there still may be others wanting to be part of the team. If you need anyone's contact information, please message me and I will forward it onto you via text, but I'm able to connect with people and tell them to contact you."
Some of those names make Cass smirk, as she knows them. Well enough, in fact. There are few that she will need to contact info for. "We'll work out the kinks." Because while a big group is good sometimes, it may be easier to have people working in smaller teams in order to get what they need and who they need out. "I will. Keep me updated on whatever you find, if you would, too."
"I will," Rebel agrees. "And Cass, be safe. Remember, there's hope, we can do this. We will save Peter. I know it." Without waiting to hear a good bye, Rebel hangs up the phone ready for a long rest.
"I will." And then the phone's dead before she can say anything else. Pressing the end button, she tosses her phone onto the coffee table and rocks Abigail some more. Even if it is early in the morning, she doesn't think she'll be able to sleep any more.