Main | Fanfic | Whole New World Index | New Stories When Ripples Catch Up To You(series 3 in the "A Whole New World" series)FEEDBACK - Oh Yes Please -You can email us docwho2000@hotmail.com authors: docwho2100 and ellie no name (docwho2000@hotmail.com) Authors' notes: Character thoughts appear between ~ ~ symbols This is the third story in the series – the other chapters can be found at the story web site http://home.comcast.net/~jstratton1/storywebsite/wholenewworld/index.htm Consensual relationship depicted between adult women in this story. If you have a problem with that or are under 18 please do not read.
Deluge Gallery, Saturday evening --------- Having just met another sponsor, or was it a critic, maybe it was a professor, well whomever it was, Dana was desperately in need of drink or a bathroom break, or something to give her a minute to settle her whirling mind. She'd been impressed how easily Kate had fallen into interacting with the other assorted guests; how the artist managed to remember all of the names, titles, and nuances associated with each person. Dana was use to noting the odd and the uniform and working through to find an answer. But this intriguing dance of social interaction, as well as the beauty of the art that served as a backdrop, was a mystery that piqued her interest even while flooding her senses with too much information. Kate turned toward Dana after bidding goodbye to the latest admirer of he work. She caught sight of two familiar faces and tapped on Dana's shoulder. "I... Is that your, ah, associate?" She asked softly, the sudden reminder from that night throwing her for a moment. "Associate? I'm all alone in the field office. No one else is..." She turned and clipped short the rest of her questions catching sight of the brunette and redhead. She smiled a little and turned back toward Kate. She thought she caught something off with the artists, but was not sure. "They're... I guess associates work as a description." She turned back to look at the two still not sure how to explain the working relationship she was developing with the two. "Hey Dana," Helena smiled. "I have to admit I'm surprised to see you." "Surprised?" The agent responded a warm smile on her face. "Have I developed the ice queen title here already?" She managed to keep the tease in her voice even though the use of the old name some had used for her was bittersweet in her memories. "Dana. And... Kate, right?" "Yes, Kate," the artist nodded, "I have to admit, I'm drawing a blank here..." "I'm Helena, this is Barbara," the bartender said. "Looks like you're feeling much better as well. And no, not an ice queen, just didn't think art would be your scene." Tilting her head, Dana found a small smile flutter across her face followed by an amused frown. "One of these days I will need to find out exactly what you think my scene is." She turned then looking at Kate as she spoke. "But actually tonight and the scene belong to Kate, not me." "Raleigh, right?" Helena asked, "I knew I recognized the name," she added softly before glancing in Barbara's direction. "She did the piece we were just looking at. I really like your work." "Thank you," Kate smiled back. "The first one or the nose one?" Barbara whispered as she fronted a smile working to recall any plaque or list she might have seen with the artist's name. "Nose," Helena replied under her breath. She faced Kate then. "Do you have a number of pieces on display this evening?" "A few, they wanted me to show what I can do with different media," Kate admitted. Barbara let her eyes stroll over a nearby canvas. "And as I continue to try and think of an intelligent question to ask about different media, I will go with the always useful interview tact of changing the topic slightly. Have you had your work displayed in many shows?" "Mostly just local, but you could say that some of my work has traveled the world in a sense. I do this in my free time. I'm usually at work, running and inking at a tattoo parlor," she explained. "Oh yes. That's where the case report said you..." Barbara caught herself and ruefully shook her head. "Sorry, I..." "Always working a case even when the head honchos have locked the door and shut off all the lights." Dana stepped in feeling the redhead's tension. She noted the draw of eyes to her, "My partner use to come up with sayings like that. I do think I preferred that to his bulldog analogies." "Well, there's the problem," Helena said with a smirk, "your partner was a guy. I mean, they can be entertaining, but really..." " Helena," Barbara glared up at the brunette. "You're not going to make me get out the respect your neighbor book again are you?" Laughing she let her fingers quickly brush over the woman's arm. Enjoying the pleasant mood Helena and Barbara were sharing, Dana watched the two, her eyes catching and following the redhead's touch along with other exchanges between the two. Helena just rolled her eyes, returning the contact. "So, you two are here together?" she asked. "Kate invited me to come," Dana replied vaguely. "I was running a bit late, a number of odd cases came into the office very late. Luckily I didn't miss too much." She looked back over at the artist and smiled. "We were running a little behind as well. We were, distracted by some things that came up at the tower at the last minute." Barbara felt the corner of her mouth quirk upwards as she glanced over at Helena. "Don't you just hate that?" Helena asked with a grin. "Odd cases?" Barbara filled the silence with the question, her voice rising slightly as her curiosity had been captured by the agent's earlier comment. She remembered reading through Dana's journal entries as well as many of the agent's case files. If Dana was calling something odd… "Well," She began thinking back over the reports she'd just started reading. "It has been fairly quiet and from what I can tell, most of the cases that my predecessor handled seemed fairly routine. However today, I have three different cases referred to the office. One is looking to be an identity fraud case that has a victim in the area and they need statements verified. Another is a murder with a possible match in two other states, so they wanted verification on that. And the third is a crime scene that makes no sense and they want me to…" She noticed Barbara jump a little and paused watching as the redhead fished in the side of her chair and drew out what looked like a pager. "Sorry," Barbara remarked as she pushed a couple of buttons calling up the text message. She frowned reading over the alert that had been sent from Delphi. "Barbara?" Helena asked, glancing at the device before settling her gaze on the redhead. "This mean the night off has been cancelled?" Sighing heavily, she glanced up at Helena, a frown confirming the meta's question. She looked back at her display and started typing in a return message. "I need to link in right away. It's a high priority alert, and there seems to be three separate alarms all within the same block." Kate glanced at the pair, frowning slightly before looking to Dana. Helena nodded, "It was nice to meet you. Hopefully I'll see you again." Offering both Kate and Dana a smile she turned to focus on Barbara. Aware of the change in Helena's manner as the woman began pulling herself into Huntress mode, Barbara shifted her thoughts and focus as well. "The first alarm is from a shop in the Mosaic district. 6942 Hitchhiker Way." Her frown deepened. "The second and third are in the same section, one is the Howrudoin Chemical Plant." "That's... That's Paintin' Place, one of my friends runs it, the first one." Kate spoke up, taking a step toward the pair. "What kind of alarm?" Dana asked as she noted Barbara had started to turn her chair in the direction of the entrance. "What kind of business is that?" Barbara asked as she plotted a path to the gallery's front door. "Art supplies," Kate said, falling in step with the others, Helena leading the way. Nodding at the information, Barbara paused by the front door. "I can't tell the severity of the alarm or exact type until I can link up to Delphi, it could be fire, security. I..." She hesitated, her words tripping over one another ever so slightly. "I have what I need in the car." She bit her lip then as what had caused the hiccup in her thoughts and speech had been the fact she'd had the equipment repaired from the attack but had not been to the Hummer to check the link. She'd made sure not to go near the car since her encounter with Jem. Helena paused, nodding as she caught Barbara's hesitation. "Dana, do you think I could borrow you for a bit?" She asked the FBI director. Raising an eyebrow at the request, Dana tilted her head and looked at Helena, "Borrow?" "A little extra cover wouldn't hurt," Helena said vaguely, not wanting Barbara to feel like she was getting a baby sitter. Two crimson eyebrows shot up at the woman's remarks but Barbara held her tongue not wanting to say anything in front of Dana or Kate to indicate her astonishment. Still trying to understand exactly what Helena and Barbara did as well as why, she nodded. Keeping her other questions and concerns mute, for now, Dana moved to open the door they had reached. Not about to be left out of the fun, Kate continued to follow the group. "I parked back this way," Helena said, leading the way. "I need to get something from my car. I'll meet you at your car. You're down that way? You mentioned a Hummer, right?" Dana was already digging for her car keys. Helena nodded, "Hang a right at the end of the block, you'll see it," she said before leading Barbara toward the vehicle. About to head toward her car, Dana pulled up abruptly. "Oh, Kate, I..." she trailed off a moment looking to the artist. "I'm so use to being pulled out at a moment's notice, and being around those who are caught up in the..." She let her words drop off again trying to catch Kate's eyes in the streetlight. "I'm coming with," Kate said simply, "should I grab your bag from inside?" "You're..." Dana wrinkled her brow at the words. "No. I mean no, my bag will be fine. My gun is locked in the car." She paused before she ended up rambling and tried again. "Your show..." Kate shrugged, "I've talked to all the important people. Besides, I might be good to have around. It is pretty dark out here." "What?" Dana resumed moving toward her car although she altered her stride to include Kate. "The meta thing, I'll be able to see better than any of the rest of you," Kate said, easily falling into step. " Meta thing..." She slowed as she reached the car. "I really need to learn more about that and you." She unlocked the trunk and then used a second key to unlock a small box in the back. Checking the security of the safety, she pulled out her gun and holster. "We can work on that later. I promise," Kate said, eyeing the gun. "Later." Dana glanced up at Kate. "That's not a word I can convince you to use regarding staying at the gallery until I get back, is it?" "And miss out on all the fun?" Kate asked. "Would you rather I got into trouble without you?" "That is blackmail, a federal offense I might add." Adjusting the holster, Dana was unable to contain a small smile even though the proposed activity meant a serious breach in normal investigation procedures. ~ Normal... right Dana, like that's a word you actually use anymore.~ "At the very least, I should see who these two are, right? I mean, they're really involved in all the extra curriculars..." Kate smirked. Shutting the trunk, Dana thought about that. "They are involved in... something. Another thing I need to learn more about. Seems I have a lot to learn about New Gotham." She sighed before impulsively reaching out, letting her hand slide along Kate's upper arm. "Although some things I am definitely looking forward to studying." "After the fun and the show, then we'll get to that," Kate grinned briefly. Getting caught up in Kate's enthusiasm, Dana returned the smile a moment before letting it fade some. "I'll be looking forward to my lesson. But I'm not sure about the current activity being fun. I think your line of work is better described as fun." "I'm still coming," Kate said, taking Dana's hand and heading toward where the other pair had gone. "How much longer?" Helena asked, looking over Barbara's shoulder as the redhead worked on the laptop. "It would go a lot faster if someone was not breathing down my neck disrupting my thoughts." She replied working through the initial logon and calling up the alert system. She held her breath as she sent the command hoping it would not hang. She really should have checked the equipment earlier. She'd just been very.... ~Busy, just been trying to get things caught up. That's all.~ Not really content with that reasoning, she let her breath go seeing the system accept her commands linking her to Delphi. With a sigh, Helena sat back, mostly watching Barbara and occasionally glancing to look for Dana. "Sighing is an abstract form of breathing." Barbara commented as her fingers continued to type. She looked over at the meta. "It also is a form of nonverbal expression. Is there something you need to express Hel?" "Impatience, did you really need to ask?" Helena replied. "Ask? No I didn't. Impatience is one of your more apparent and endearing traits. The question was more one of those conversation openers one throws out in trying to casually and politely get to the good stuff." She paused as the details of the alarms and who had been dispatched started coming through. "I thought you didn't want the distraction," Helena said, moving to see the screen again. Tearing her eyes away from the information, Barbara found herself sighing. "Quit the dancing Helena. I meant what prompted you to ask Dana to go along?" Helena shrugged, "It's not like we're at the clock tower where you have layers of security systems." "Wait? Where I?" Barbara's eyes narrowed as she turned more in her seat to fully face the young woman, the alarms forgotten for a moment. "You asked Agent Scully for help because there are three alarms and only one of you, right? And don't forget, I have the monitors on now and would know if you are exercising the limits of what we call the truth." "I'll shut up now," Helena said, scooting back and looking out the window, really hoping Scully was standing outside of it. Resisting the urge to growl in frustration, Barbara turned back to the computer screen. "A fire alarm and two security alarms. Fire department just got the call and is dispatching. Not sure about the other two. I think the plant has its own security force which means they'll hold off on the police if they can." She pinched the bridge of her nose, "Like so many places in New Gotham, they prefer to keep things in-house if they can. Maybe you should start there? If they hesitate, someone could walk away with some very unhealthy chemicals." "They have their own security though, we should check the places without, the ones that aren't covered at all," Helena disagreed, noticing the pair headed toward them. "Paintbrushes over arsenic, cyanide and other wonderful delicacies?" She stopped then as more than a trace of sarcasm blended with a harder tone. "Just go, they're in the same area. The police should be there soon enough as well. I'll..." Barbara paused, glancing toward the front seat and then back to her screen. "I'll monitor your progress." contact: docwho2000@hotmail.com page last modified - June 21, 2007 graphics from www.eosdev.com |