[d20 Modern] Gangs of Texas [PG-17] IC

[Catulle]

Ben Taub Hospital - Parking Lot
Houston Medical Center
6:40 pm

The start of surprise she felt as the noise flooded the interior of the car caused Amy to apply much more pressure to the pedal than she had intended. The car all but screeched out of the lot, rattling past the man and leaving the mysterious agents behind, if not banishing their memory.

Embarrassment crept up on her unexpectedly, bringing blood to her cheeks and a sickly heat over her body. How quickly she had just panicked! Rationally, she knew she'd seen far worse on the trauma wards, worse than that on case studies. Yet all it took to reduce her to stark fear was three well-dressed men in a dark garage and some vague passive-agressive macho bullsh... She shook her head and let out the breath she hadn't realised she was holding in.

The heavy bass bled through every inch of the car and Amy considered briefly hitting the wheel in sheer frustration. Keep your head, Dr Nguyen. She could turn off for gas and lose the sound, then. Maybe make those calls, too.

Distraction accomplished, she fumbled in the bag for the atomiser, a few pumps dispelling the subtle scent of her sweat. Questions whirled about that researcher's mind that Amy had cultivated over the years. Who was the director, and what was so important about the West Nile? Why did they want Carlos and her? The CDC? Dr Munguia's passionate refrain kept returning to her; "People. Will. Keep. Dying!!!"

She frowned. They had to discuss this, and before tomorrow morning too. She didn't want to monopolise the dinner conversation, but it looked like there could be no choice.

The face that gazed out at her from the garage foiled her plan of stopping to turn the racket off, and the shiver she felt as he stared at her... mind tricks, the result of too much adrenaline, and she'd not eaten well since breakfast. Still, there was something disquieting in those eyes that held her attention.

And then he was gone.



Between HMC and the Fifth
between the ticks

The car slid on, dappled sunlight at the end of the day painting the interior with strips of light and dark, towards safety. And a home-cooked meal. The cholesterol would be worth it this time, though, Amy figured, even if she'd be working it off for the remainder of the month.



T-Bull's House - Front Door
Fifth Ward
7:15 pm

Around the corner from the Roosevelt house, Amy pulled over and checked herself in the mirror, concentrating on her breathing and scraping a loose strand of hair back under control. "I will not sensationalise this." Her eyes stared back at her in reflection, and she didn't flinch. Determined. Professional. In Control. Taking the car back out of park, Amy drove the remaining distance, and pulling up into the drive, got out of the car and approached the door.

I wonder where Jess' car is?

 

[Keia]

T-Bull's House - Dining Room
Fifth Ward
7:15 pm

On the other side of the table, T-Bull glanced over at Malcolm. "You been waiting for Jeffery dis whole time?"

Malcolm's mother, though, sounded very skeptical as she sniffed him slightly, remembering his scent. "Why the hell you smell so funny boy? You're drowning in your cologne." She looked very...very...skeptical indeed.

"I'll go wash up again if I smell bad, Momma. I knew I was gonna run over here and I didn't want to stink. I probably laid it on too thick, as usual," Malcolm said, joking and the pun at the end.

Looking over to T-Bull, Malcolm said, "Yeah, Jeffrey was evidently home for a while, left a mess in the bathroom - as usual. I'd thought he'd have come back home but I guess he's off with friends or something."

Malcolm looked as if there was more to be said (but later) for a moment or two, then inhaled deeply of the cooking smells of the room, "I'm starving."

 

[Velenne]

T-Bull's House - Dining Room
Fifth Ward
7:15 pm

Carlos stares dumbfoundedly at the little glowing tube. Kia's comment snaps him out of his trance, causing him to swiftly reseal the pen.

"I could tell you," he says smiling, trying to pass it off, "but then I'd have to shoot you. It's not so bad, actually, that's how I got this."

He uses the pen as a pointer, indicating his wounded shoulder. His face loses its mirth as the truth of his next comment hits him, voice dropping ominously, "Knowing...more than I should..."

Jesus, I need to call Amy!....Ok right after Grace- Mamma would kill me if I left without saying Grace! The last thing I need is another bullet hole.

 

[KitanaVorr]

T-Bull's House - Front Door
Fifth Ward
7:15 pm

The knock on the door caught everyone's attention. T-Bull pushed himself away from the table, a hopeful expression on his face. Walking over to the door, he opened it, the smile fading slightly when he realized the person standing there wasn't who he had hoped it would be.

"Hey Amy, come in," he spoke gruffly. Peering outside, he tried to see if anyone else was there. When he didn't, he closed the door heavily, leading Amy back into the dining room. "Have you seen Jess?" he asked her quietly.

Lamar sat beside Malcolm and he could swear something was up with him. Never remembered him wearing that much cologne before, the guy was drowning in it. Not to mention, Malcolm's mom looked very suspcious.

Meanwhile, Mike, Kia, and Carlos sat near the mysterious blue pen, none of them knowing quite what the hell it was supposed to represent. Carlos' waving was interrupted by the appearance of Amy and T-Bull again.

OOC: AMY, MIKE, CARLOS, KIA, LAMAR, MALCOLM

 

[Catulle]

T-Bull's House - Front Door
Fifth Ward
7:15 pm

"I'm glad to see you too, T-Bull." Amy's faint smile and the high arch to one brow made light of the remark. "I suppose Jess is running late again... Work?"

Her expression shifted to a frown when he asked after his girlfriend, and she paused in the hallway mid-step, before taking her mobile out of the bag and replying in a similarly subdued tone "She hasn't called ahead? No responsibility sometimes, my little sister..." Amy sighed as she speed-dialled Jessica's phone, mind flitting back across the years and all the times she'd had to bail the younger Nguyen out of her own mess; times she'd thought were now behind her. No answer. And uncomfortable sensation crept down her spine as she recalled the agents and the eyes.

She shrugged away the feeling and sent a prewritten text message to the number instead; "Jess - I am here, where are you?"It was maybe the sixth time she had used it. Don't overreact, she's late all the while.

"She'll be here sooner or later, T-Bull. In her own time, of course." She gave what she sincerely hoped was a reassuring smile, and followed in the big man's wake into the Dining Room stowing the mobile away as they went.

"I hope for your sake that you're not picking at that, Dr Munguia."

She looked around the room and inclined her head slightly in greting. "Good evening everybody. I'm afraid I was late out of work and came direct, so I didn't bring anything."

 

[Fanog]

T-Bull's House - Dining Room
Fifth Ward
7:15 pm

Yikes! Wrong button...

Kia becomes rather shaken when she fully digests Carlos' words. She doesn't quite know how to place them, but fears the worst. She reaches for her glass of water and takes two, three long draughts. She then leans in a bit closer to Carlos, eyeing his shoulder suspiciously.

"Carlos, you're scaring me. The shooting, that was an accident, right... You know - wrong place, wrong time? Come on, you're a good friend of T's... You'd never get youself into that kind of trouble, would you?"

Kia looks around the table, reading faces and trying to piece it all together; getting the feeling that something's very wrong...

 

[Nuke261]

Bourbon Street - Alleyway
Fifth Ward
6:45pm

Tommy walked slowly towards Willy trying to figure out what was wrong with him. He looks awful, I mean Really bad. I've never seen him like this. As Tommy got closer to him, he glanced across the alley and the other Police in the area. Then Willy hurled. Oh Geeze! Tommy ran to get a blanket from his cruiser and then approached Willy with it.
"Willy, it's me Tommy. Are you okay man? Here take this blanket to help clean up"
Tommy tries to help Willy up and wipe off any vomit off of him.
"What's going on? I've never seen you like this before. You want me to take you to a hospital or something?"

 

[Velenne]

T-Bull's House - Dining Room
Fifth Ward
7:15 pm

He can hear her voice from the dining room. A tidal wave of shame washes over him as he can't imagine having to face her after his stunt at the hospital. Sitting here in this comfortable place, he can't imagine what sort of circumstances had led to his actions and what sort of irrational psychology he could use to justify them.

"Carlos, you're scaring me..."

"Sorry Kia, I just meant-"

"I hope for your sake that you're not picking at that, Dr Munguia."

Carlos looks at the sling and back up at Amy. His Unstoppable Witty Defense System activates and he can't help but grin and reply, "Ooooh, if I'm bad do I get a spanking?"

Wait, come to think of it, I've had enough spankings for today. He thinks back to the manhandling he recieved from the Suits and winces.

 

[Fanog]

T-Bull's House - Dining Room
Fifth Ward
7:15 pm

Kia swallows a groan before it can leave her mouth.

Come on, you can't be serious... Is he really that simple, or is it just another easy way to avoid me? He can't actually expect to throw those things at me, and then simply ignore it? Something's up with him, and I'm damned if I won't find out.

The young woman demonstratively makes a half-turn away from Carlos, even though she doesn't intent to miss one thing he says or does. She then thinks of something different. Wait a minute... He won't talk to me, huh?

"Hi Amy, nice to see you again." Kia says as she half gets up from the table. "There's a empty seat over here. Please." She points at an empty chair near to Carlos and takes a quick look at her Momma, checking to see if it's okay if she temporarily takes over the position of lady of the house. "Can I get you something to drink?"

 

[Dvang]

Bourbon Street - Alleyway
Fifth Ward
6:45pm

Willy jerks away from Tommy as he reaches out. He scuttles back a few feet, eyes wild and looking around. Fear is etched on his face, unmistakeable. Finally Willy's gaze rests on Tommy, slowly runs down the uniform to stop briefly on the badge and the gun.

"Err.. yeah. Sorry." Willy says, his eyes less wild, but still flitting around as if to watch everywhere.

"I just..." Willy takes a deep breath, "death sometimes just reminds me of 'Nam, you know? Hits ya hard sometimes remembering all the dead buddies you used to know." His eyes slide back to Tommy. "Say, what's going on over there anyway if you don't mind me askin'?"

Damn ... what's happening to me? It's gotta be THEM. They've finally gotten around to me. I wonder if Tommy's one of THEM. You never know who you can trust. Something big's gotta be going down, if they're digging up little old me after all this time...