Who: Diane and Ehren What: Questions and Answers When: September 19, 2019, afternoon Where: The Marketplace Rating: Low Status: Complete
He’d finally gotten in touch with Diane and set up a meeting between the two of them. Meeting up with the faction leader was no small task and Ehren was happy that she agreed to see him. Clutching the transcripts from the text messages and phone calls to his chest, he made his way toward the marketplace to meet with her. He could see her from a mile away. A stunning woman with poise and intelligence.
Walking up to the table where she sat, he found himself sat across from her. He placed the transcripts on the table and shifted them in her direction. “Thank you for meeting with me. I’d like you to read these transcripts from a phone call and text messages I received on the night of September 1st.” The night Hannah died.
Diane could not think of why Ehren would possibly need to meet with her. Other than a little debacle involving a guard lately, things on the island had been status quo. The newest accusation from the Mayor against the Faction was nothing more of an annoyance, and any Faction members that brought it up to her were reassured that things were fine. The truth, well, that was for a select few.
Looking up as the young man approached, she offered him a tight smile and a nod. A flaxen brow rose slowly at the paperwork set before her, but she made no move to look at it. “Why don’t you give me a synopsis?” Nothing about the date seemed significant to her.
Of course she didn’t want to do the leg work by reading it herself, people in those positions didn’t have to do things like that. “They’re from a government employee by the name of Hannah Ryers, hours after her death. Ms. Ryers was a mutant who could manipulate technology. She told me that the government put her in some kind of machine that allowed her to put her consciousness into the ether.” It was a long winded story but if she wasn’t going to read what he’d so meticulously typed out then he was going to give her the long version.
“She said something very interesting me over the phone. She told me the lines of communication were open to the outside world but that there was not much time left.” He could have told her how he’d planned and failed to save her before she was killed but Diane hardly seemed like the type of woman to care.
Diane watched Ehren as he spoke, but her expression was difficult to read. She heard his words, and parts of it interested her. But she wasn’t sure why he was bringing this to her now. Her tone was gentle, sensing his annoyance. “How do you know for sure that this was from that woman? After her death? It sounds a bit far-fetched, no offense to you of course. But it seems unlikely. I don’t believe there have been any mutants able to communicate from beyond the grave. You say she worked for the government, then why would she be sharing this information with you. If it’s even true.”
Ehren tried to maintain his composure. The shock of the last few days was starting to fray his nerves and he needed to keep that in check. It didn’t matter much what he said, she’d still believe it was far fetched, so he went with his best guess. “She was trapped there, forced to work for them. I think she felt a kinship of sorts with me, maybe that’s why she reached out. I can’t really tell you but I know it was her because I heard her voice.”
And that was the unmistakable aspect, he couldn’t distinguish where the call was coming from but he couldn’t forget her voice. “If there is communication open now, we need to take action, before it’s too late.” He offered, since that was what they were about, right? Action was necessary.
“How do you know it wasn’t just a recording? Why would someone who worked for the government give you such sensitive information, kinship or not? This could be a trap.” Diane tilted her head to the side, studying Ehren thoughtfully. Finally, she did look to the typed pages, a single fingertip scanning just the cover page. “This was a lot of work.”
“I like to be thorough.” He replied. He didn’t know the first thing about technology but he was sure she had some sort of resource that could help them with that. From his pocket he produced his cell phone and slid it over to her.
“Do whatever you need to do to trace the text messages and the call. It’s the only number in there that I don’t already have saved.” Maybe Daryn was right, maybe they really didn’t care. Maybe all of this was just a power struggle that would kill them all.
“I appreciate that. But I hope it’s not at the expense of your other talents.” Diane watched Ehren evenly but did not take the phone. Before the meeting, she was debriefed on who Ehren was, what he could do, and when he joined the Faction. That was the only information she needed to know.
“I’ll have my sources look into contact with the mainland. Otherwise, I would advise you to do your best to move on. I am sorry for your friend’s death, but you’ve been here long enough to realize these things happen. Perhaps the loss of a mutant working for the government, instead of against them, is more of a blessing. Hopefully now Ms. Roberts will rest in peace.”
He couldn’t believe his ears, how could the Faction just turn a blind eye to something like this? Had she actually suggested that Hannah’s life didn’t matter because she worked for the government? Rage burned inside of him and he stood up from the table where they’d been sat. “Her name was Hannah Ryers and she won’t because she’s stuck in some sort of machine.”
He left the papers and the cellphone with her. If anyone needed to reach him, they knew where he lived. “I hope this helps you, it seems like right now you need all the help you can get.” It was true, there was a spotlight on the Faction now and anyone at any moment could be picked up. But he was done, done playing this game. If they wanted to believe him or not, it didn’t matter to him.
Diane just smiled faintly and shook her head as Ehren stood and stormed out. His outrage did not seem to affect her in the least, and his warning fell on deaf ears. Sliding the papers and his phone aside, and glanced around for a moment and gave a little innocent shrug to anyone who looked her way. Instead of focusing on the visit with the clairvoyant, she returned to her previous task of relaxing and people watching.