Log: Laurie and Forge

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Laurie comes to talk to Forge after their conversation on Manny's journal here



Laurie stalked toward Forge's lab, a thundercloud expression firmly in
place as she knocked on his door, she'd expected more of him then such
a childish and ill thought out response. If he wanted to act like a
child however, she'd damn well treat him like a child, complete with
censor.

The door slid open, and Forge looked up from behind a computer screen.
"Manuel de la Rocha," he explained without preamble. "Is an empath.
Imagine everything you could do to someone, and then take away any
concept you have of right and wrong. He's a monster, plain and simple.
The world got a little brighter the day he stepped in front of a truck
and got knocked into a coma. What more do you need to know?"

"What do you think the parents of the kids you almost blew up way back
when would think of you, Forge?" Laurie asked, walking into the lab
and feeling the door slide shut behind her. "You've changed, why can't
he?"

She didn't let herself dwell on what he'd said about power, what she
was capable of scared her enough without having to think of someone
like her but without that fear, that need to do what's right, rather
then just what you wanted.

"Another chance?" Forge said with a sarcastic laugh. "And who pays the
price this time? Amanda? How about Marius and Jennie again? Maybe
he'll find new prey. Yvette? Angel? Rachel? How many lives get to be
ruined for his latest second chance, Laurie? He has the power
to improve people's lives, but has chosen to use it selfishly, to
manipulate and twist and destroy. Hard data shows the only conclusion
- Manuel de la Rocha cannot be trusted."

"No, and if you think I'd let him harm any of them, then you don't
know me, Forge. He's not going to ruin anyone's life." Laurie replied,
clenching her fists in frustration. "Do you really think they'd let
him back here if they thought he was a threat? Give our leaders some
semblance of intelligence, for God's sake."

"You?" Forge smirked. "Laurie, you couldn't let Manuel do
anything he doesn't want to. You're a raw amateur compared to what
he's done. I trust in what the Professor believes in. And yes, I
believe in the possibility of redemption. Of all people, I have to.
But I know this one thing; it doesn't come for free, nor should
it."

He stood up, leaning over his monitor and staring at Laurie. "Perhaps
circumstance will prove me wrong, and Manuel won't revert to type.
Perhaps he'll reform, be able to do some good in the world to balance
out the harm he's caused. Me, I'm taking the house bet. One slip, and
I will gladly be the personal hammer of God on his wretched ass."

"How can anyone hope to be better then what they were with people
constantly expecting them to be their worst?" Laurie replied, thinking
of her Dad all of a sudden. Had he felt like Manny had when talking to
her? That she had judged him wanting without ever having seen what he
was now. That he'd continued to try gave her a new insight into how
much he wanted their relationship to work.

"I'm sorry, were you expecting me to be easy on him?" Forge asked. "He
hasn't earned it. I don't believe in handing out forgiveness for free.
If my opinion matters to him, he's free to try and change it himself."

"I'm not saying you have to be easy on him at all," Laurie exclaimed,
frustration evident in her voice as she started to fiddle with a
microscope on one of the lab tables. "I'm saying that you don't have
to go out of your way to make it impossible for him. Calling him a
monster on the journals in full view of everyone? Not your most
brilliant hour."

"That's not even half what he deserves," Forge said. "And people
deserve to have fair warning. But you're free to believe, well,
whatever he decides he wants you to believe. Good luck, Laurie."

She looked up from the phone conversation that had just popped up, and
glared at him. "I'm not that easily dismissed, you know. I want to
know you're not going to do anything stupid."

"Get used to disappointment," Forge said coldly.