fandomhighdorms | 2nd Floor Common Room

Entry tags:

2nd Floor Common Room - noon

After the debacle of Wilderness Survival, Parker headed back to the dorms, considering ~~hiding~~ staying in her suite until the meeting in Rory's room. On her way past the second floor common room, though, she stopped, arrested by what she saw.

Angela, Zero, and Z were all seated at a long table behind a pane of ceiling-to-floor glass. Electrodes were attached to their temples and wrists, and under their shirts. Centre scientists were showing them flashcards, asking them to predict the answers.

"A star." Zero got it wrong, and grinned, then waved at Parker.

"God, don't you know you're not supposed to be here?" Parker asked, her fist clenching.

"No, she doesn't belong here." Sydney's quiet voice beside her startled her into turning toward him. He looked the same as ever, but his outline wavered very slightly, as if under water. "Fortunately for her."

"Make them stop."

Sad eyes studied her, and Sydney slowly shook his head. "It's already in motion, Miss Parker. You can only survive the hurricaine. You can not stop it."

After a few minutes, Zero was led out of the room by a Sweeper, who thanked her for her participation and said they'd give her the mallet back after she was off Centre property. She waved to Parker again, giving her a puzzled glance as Parker stared after her.

Meanwhile, the testing continued.

"A cross," Z guessed tentatively. The card, when revealed by the man in the white coat, turned out to be a circle. "Darn."

"No, that's good."

"Three wavy lines," Angela said, concentrating. The scientist smiled at her, showing her the card. Then he beckoned to a Sweeper, who took Angela by the arm, pulling her to her feet. "Where are you taking me?"

"No! Let her go!" Parker crossed the room to pound on the glass. The people inside ignored her, except for Z, who frowned, and took the electrodes off her temples, looking from Angela, being led out of the room protesting, to Parker. Then one of the technicians pressed a hypodermic to Z's neck, and she struggled only a moment before collapsing.

Parker spread her fingers on the glass, feeling sick, keeping her voice to a whisper. "I never wrote that down. I never told anyone. How did they find out about Angela?"

"The Centre is everywhere, Parker. You know that," Sydney chided her.

"They're not here. They're not. I'd know if this was happening, so this isn't real. They'd warn me...." The glass disappeared from under her fingers, and Parker stared around the common room. Then she sat down on the floor, her head in her hands A small kitten wandered in, then another. She didn't move as they started mewing and butting against her.

[ooc: ~~come on in and talk to a dazed, barefoot Parker~~ She's gone now, but the CR is here for all your common room needs]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Coming back from the Leadership workshop, Bel wandered through the second floor common room, kittens clinging to his legs. "Hey, Parker," he said. He peered closer at her. "You okay?"

Parker looked up, still shaken, then gave a hysterical half-laugh at seeing Bel. "Ha! No." She swallowed and looked down at the kittens. "What... when did these get here?"

"I don't know, they're just appearing all over the place," he said. "Cute little things, but way clingy."

He studied Parker again. He'd never seen her look this...vulnerable? "So what's wrong?" he asked. "What's going on?"

"I don't know," she said, almost under her breath, then closed her eyes. "They are cute, aren't they. But they better not get into my room," Parker said in a more normal voice, starting to pet one with a hand than was shaking. "Esme would freak." She stole another look at Bel, letting out a breath of relief that he was still there.

Sam stared at Bel from two feet away, then looked back at Parker. "The Sweeper team will be back to retrieve him in five minutes, Miss Parker. Just keep him talking."

Parker paled.

Obviously Parker didn't want to talk about it, whatever it was. So...What Would Angel Do? "You want me to get somebody?" Bel asked. "You need a glass of water or something?"

Parker closed her eyes again, and when she opened them, Sam was gone. She shook her head, then had a thought. "If you see Isabel? Maybe tell her I'm looking for her?" She clenched her fists, and then carefully pushed a kitten away, trying to regain her composure. "I need to ask her something important."

"Sure," Bel said. Trying to be helpful, he added, "You want me to go check her room and see if she's there?"

Huh. First Callisto was acting crazy, now Parker was twitchy. He wondered if it was something in the pudding.

Parker would have loved to go check on Isabel herself, but she was starting to get freaked again.

"The Centre might attempt to find a way to clone or reproduce Bel's teleporting abilities, Parker." Sydney's quiet voice did nothign to steady her. "It would be best if he wasn't here when they returned."

"You're not r--" She got a grip on herself. "Yes, please."

She couldn't look at him. How secure was that dead letter? Maybe she ought to re-check the protocols, write it in code. Yeah. Execept then what would happen if Bel went bad, and there was no one around to handle it?

"Hang on, let me call her," Bel said. He pulled out his cell room and dialed Isabel's number. Stepping away from Parker, he said in a low voice, "Hey, Isabel, it's Bel. I'm in the second floor common room, and Parker's kinda acting freaky. She wants to talk to you, though, so if you get this message, can you come check to see if she's still here? I'm not sure what to do with her. It's, uh, just after noon right now. Thanks. Bye."

Parker had her head in her hands by the time he got back. Her temples were pounding, and her stomach hurt, as well has her abused feet. She was starting to get her equilibrium back, though. As long as she didn't look up to see Sam standing guard, arms folded.

"Thanks, Bel." She cleared her throat. "Weird morning. I think I'll be okay. I-- appreciate this," she added a little awkwardly.

"Not a problem," he said honestly, then grinned and added, "Part of the being a good guy thing, after all. You sure you're okay? I can shimmer you to your room or something."

Parker managed a smile, then shook her head. "I can make it. And wow, I need a shower," she realized, looking down at herself. "Callisto was on a tear." Scrubbing her face with one hand, she said quietly, "You know I wouldn't hurt you, right? Not without a really, really good reason?"

Bel nodded, surprised by her question. "Yeah," he said. "That's why I told you about the vanquish potion. I knew you wouldn't use it unless I deserved it."

(no subject)

mparkerceo.livejournal.com - 2006-06-08 17:36 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

demonbelthazor - 2006-06-08 17:50 (UTC) - Expand

"Hey Parker!" Pippi greeted cheerfully. "One of these days we'll go shopping huh?"

"Hey, Pippi. I think she needs a little alone time now," Bel said, watching Parker head down the hall.

Pippi watched her go. "Yeah... I guess so... Is she okay?"

"I'm not sure," Bel said. "She's acting kinda freaky. Not as bad as Callisto was the other day, at least, but close."

Pippi thought for a moment about if anybody else acted strange lately.

"Well, Walter was acting odd yesterday, but he was being silly for a class assignment..." she shook her head, "I hope it's not to serious whatever it is. How are you?"

"Hanging in there," Bel said. "How about you?"

"Somewhat more confused then I was." she said glancing down the hallway. "But otherwise content."

"I left messages for Isabel and Rory," Bel said. "She wanted to talk to Isabel and I know she and Rory are friends, so...." He shrugged. "If it's girl stuff I don't have the faintest idea on how to deal with it."

Pippi wasn't sure what he meant by "girl stuff".

"Well, sometimes people who need help most have the hardest time asking for help. I think helping her get in touch with people who she can talk to is very kind and probably very helpful."

"I hope so," Bel said. "Since, you know, trying to be good and helpful now."

"Wull I've never known you to be anything but good and helpful ever since we formed the very fun but unproductive Beautification Team."

Bel winced. "Yeah, sorry about that. I never wanted to be on it in the first place -- that was Angel's and Logan's doing -- so I kinda let it slip when no one was looking. Hey, I can name you the new president of the committee if you want to restart it."