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xp_logs2010-11-10 02:39 pm
x-scarletwitch.livejournal.com) wrote in xp_logs2010-11-10 02:39 pm
Amanda and Wanda
Even with all their resources, doing research on anything is still a waiting game. Amanda disapproves.
"Amanda." Wanda's voice was understanding and yet firm. "That book weighs at least as much as you do and clocks in around one hundred years old. If you wish to keep reading scrying spells from it, would you mind doing so sitting down? You'll either throw out your back or do damage to the book and then you'll be dealing with Stephen and his lectures on how to care for our books again."
The blonde witch looked up distractedly, then caught Wanda's eye and sighed. "Sorry," she said. "'S hard to sit still when those fuckers are still out there, waiting for another crack at her. Walking helps me think." Still, she came and set the book down on the table, a noise of relief escaping her despite herself.
"Trust me, I more than understand. The problem with research is that it's 99% wrong turns and false leads. But we'll find that 1%, I promise." As if to keep to her word, Wanda scrolled through the various messages on her BlackBerry to see if any word had come in from some of their sources. But, sadly, there was only silence or an occasional apology when someone ran into a dead end on their side of things.
"I know, I know." Amanda shoved her hands into her hair, brushing it back from her face and leaving it sticking up in all directions. "I have to protect her, Wanda. I promised I would, and I'll be buggered if I'm going to let them get their hands on her again."
Wanda slipped the phone back into her jacket pocket, content in the knowledge that if someone called, it would vibrate and make her aware of it. "I do not doubt that and, more importantly, I do not think that Nico doubts that," she said, fully aware that Amanda was just as aware of the fact that being there 24 / 7 was impossible. "At the moment, it is simply a waiting game."
And they both knew how bad Amanda was at that.
Even a year ago, Amanda would have slammed her fists on the table, refusing to accept Wanda's words. But now she simply dug her nails into her palms, taking a deep breath and exhaling through her nose in an effort to calm herself. "I'm sorry, Wanda," she said at last, when she could trust her anger to be under control. "It's just... we've been waiting. And waiting landed Nico in the medlab after nearly breaking her brain. They have to be somewhere."
A sense of pride mingled with a sense of growing old inside Wanda as she watched Amanda grapple with conflicting emotions and come out on top. The young woman she'd wound up taking under her wing had grown up when she hadn't really been looking and it was a sobering thought. "They cannot go to ground forever," she replied. "Either they'll pop up on our radar because they will slip or ..." She sighed. "Or they'll pop up because they will try for their daughter again. However, we know they're actively looking for her now and we can use that to our advantage."
Amanda frowned. "I really don't like the idea of using her as bait." A thought struck her ."Maybe we could use Jake instead? Have him do his shapeshifting thing, see if he can lure them out that way without Nico being at risk?"
“That might work unless they’re looking for her magical signature or something along the lines for them to hone in on,” she said slowly, eyes narrowed in thought. “Like that Staff of One of hers. Amanda, is it possible to give Jake either the Staff or fake the magical signature?”
The witch considered it, then sighed. "Definitely no on giving Jake the bloody thing - it's bound to Nico and to the whole Minoru bloodline, so he couldn't take it. We might be able to fake the signature, but we'd need access to some fairly serious dark magic, and I'm not sure we want to go that way. That sort of thing marks people."
Wanda immediately grimaced at the very thought of that. “Right, that idea is clear out though I suppose it is good in the long wrong that, generally speaking, one cannot fake a magical signature. But let’s see if we cannot cause some sort of stir by having Jake do a little pretending with one of us keeping a close eye on him. Make him earn his keep.” She rubbed her face in exhaustion. I have yet to hear from Sato regarding anything he might be able to dig up either in Nakamura’s research or on his own.”
"He might have something - Nico's family lived in Japan for a while, so maybe they left traces. Like wiping out whole villages." Amanda grimaced and then smacked her forehead. "Of course, something else to use to track them. They need to sacrifice a young girl every year, around Halloween, to keep their patron demon off their backs. That sort of thing leaves a trial of bodies - maybe we could get Doug to dig through the police records for a pattern? Even if they're on the move, they have to have safe places to do that sort of thing."
That caught Wanda's attention. "If Mr. Ramsey is able to find information, it might also paint a picture of their habits. Have him check missing persons reports but also the nonofficial channels - these people do not seem stupid by far so they may have been going after those that are more invisible. The homeless, runaways, drug addicts. Those that might either never get report or, if they are, are not investigated as thoroughly as others."
"It might even be worth talking to Mark and seeing if there's any rumours on the homeless pipeline about places to avoid." Hope dawned on Amanda's face. At last, something specific to focus on.
"If you're up for paying Mark a visit, I will keep on Sato and will contact Douglas," Wanda said, sounding satisfied. "If we find anything solid out, we will call one another. If not, lets reconvene for lunch tomorrow and compare notes."
"Sounds like a plan." Amanda liked plans. They meant something was being done.
"Amanda." Wanda's voice was understanding and yet firm. "That book weighs at least as much as you do and clocks in around one hundred years old. If you wish to keep reading scrying spells from it, would you mind doing so sitting down? You'll either throw out your back or do damage to the book and then you'll be dealing with Stephen and his lectures on how to care for our books again."
The blonde witch looked up distractedly, then caught Wanda's eye and sighed. "Sorry," she said. "'S hard to sit still when those fuckers are still out there, waiting for another crack at her. Walking helps me think." Still, she came and set the book down on the table, a noise of relief escaping her despite herself.
"Trust me, I more than understand. The problem with research is that it's 99% wrong turns and false leads. But we'll find that 1%, I promise." As if to keep to her word, Wanda scrolled through the various messages on her BlackBerry to see if any word had come in from some of their sources. But, sadly, there was only silence or an occasional apology when someone ran into a dead end on their side of things.
"I know, I know." Amanda shoved her hands into her hair, brushing it back from her face and leaving it sticking up in all directions. "I have to protect her, Wanda. I promised I would, and I'll be buggered if I'm going to let them get their hands on her again."
Wanda slipped the phone back into her jacket pocket, content in the knowledge that if someone called, it would vibrate and make her aware of it. "I do not doubt that and, more importantly, I do not think that Nico doubts that," she said, fully aware that Amanda was just as aware of the fact that being there 24 / 7 was impossible. "At the moment, it is simply a waiting game."
And they both knew how bad Amanda was at that.
Even a year ago, Amanda would have slammed her fists on the table, refusing to accept Wanda's words. But now she simply dug her nails into her palms, taking a deep breath and exhaling through her nose in an effort to calm herself. "I'm sorry, Wanda," she said at last, when she could trust her anger to be under control. "It's just... we've been waiting. And waiting landed Nico in the medlab after nearly breaking her brain. They have to be somewhere."
A sense of pride mingled with a sense of growing old inside Wanda as she watched Amanda grapple with conflicting emotions and come out on top. The young woman she'd wound up taking under her wing had grown up when she hadn't really been looking and it was a sobering thought. "They cannot go to ground forever," she replied. "Either they'll pop up on our radar because they will slip or ..." She sighed. "Or they'll pop up because they will try for their daughter again. However, we know they're actively looking for her now and we can use that to our advantage."
Amanda frowned. "I really don't like the idea of using her as bait." A thought struck her ."Maybe we could use Jake instead? Have him do his shapeshifting thing, see if he can lure them out that way without Nico being at risk?"
“That might work unless they’re looking for her magical signature or something along the lines for them to hone in on,” she said slowly, eyes narrowed in thought. “Like that Staff of One of hers. Amanda, is it possible to give Jake either the Staff or fake the magical signature?”
The witch considered it, then sighed. "Definitely no on giving Jake the bloody thing - it's bound to Nico and to the whole Minoru bloodline, so he couldn't take it. We might be able to fake the signature, but we'd need access to some fairly serious dark magic, and I'm not sure we want to go that way. That sort of thing marks people."
Wanda immediately grimaced at the very thought of that. “Right, that idea is clear out though I suppose it is good in the long wrong that, generally speaking, one cannot fake a magical signature. But let’s see if we cannot cause some sort of stir by having Jake do a little pretending with one of us keeping a close eye on him. Make him earn his keep.” She rubbed her face in exhaustion. I have yet to hear from Sato regarding anything he might be able to dig up either in Nakamura’s research or on his own.”
"He might have something - Nico's family lived in Japan for a while, so maybe they left traces. Like wiping out whole villages." Amanda grimaced and then smacked her forehead. "Of course, something else to use to track them. They need to sacrifice a young girl every year, around Halloween, to keep their patron demon off their backs. That sort of thing leaves a trial of bodies - maybe we could get Doug to dig through the police records for a pattern? Even if they're on the move, they have to have safe places to do that sort of thing."
That caught Wanda's attention. "If Mr. Ramsey is able to find information, it might also paint a picture of their habits. Have him check missing persons reports but also the nonofficial channels - these people do not seem stupid by far so they may have been going after those that are more invisible. The homeless, runaways, drug addicts. Those that might either never get report or, if they are, are not investigated as thoroughly as others."
"It might even be worth talking to Mark and seeing if there's any rumours on the homeless pipeline about places to avoid." Hope dawned on Amanda's face. At last, something specific to focus on.
"If you're up for paying Mark a visit, I will keep on Sato and will contact Douglas," Wanda said, sounding satisfied. "If we find anything solid out, we will call one another. If not, lets reconvene for lunch tomorrow and compare notes."
"Sounds like a plan." Amanda liked plans. They meant something was being done.