Amanda van Eeden (carabinadeases) wrote in remains_rpg, @ 2016-07-22 07:50:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | # 2019 [07] july, amanda van eeden, bode coldiron, isaac callahan, jane rusten, joel kulseth, kāne van dale, nina clarke, savannah posey, willa davidson |
Who: The Cabinet -- Nina Clarke, Amanda van Eeden, NPC Colonel Kāne Van Dale, Willa Davidson, Joel Kulseth, and Isaac Callahan -- and Council -- Bishop Coldiron, Jane Rusten, and Savannah Posey.
Where: The Capitol
What: A meeting to discuss the ongoing issue with the Hellhounds (completed version!)
When: backdated to July 5, 2109, mid-day
The situation in Austin was fraught. How Nina had thought they could ever get some peace and quiet was beyond her, especially after all they'd just gotten through, but the current situation was even worse than she'd imagined. And not only were tensions high in the Capitol and in her office, but there was also Denver to worry about and appease -- especially now that the Hellhounds had gone as far as to hold up one of the government rations outposts. A solution needed to be found as soon as possible. -- NINA: Thank you for making time this morning. [her gaze travels left to right, looking among the council and cabinet members seated around the table, and she takes a deep breath before continuing on.] I assume you've all read your briefings on the current situation and the ongoings of the last few days. Ms. van Eeden and I will be leading the conversation and we reserve the right to adjourn or redirect if needed. JOEL: [he’s had nothing but a headache since they brought West in, and it shows in the line of his shoulders. His department is gnawing at the bit to see some kind of resolution.] I think we’re all anxious to find some traction here. NINA: Let's begin by reviewing the details of the most recent incidents, beginning with the recent arrest on the third. West was brought in by one of our newest residents, Lieutenant Jackson Everett. Chief, would you be so kind as to reiterate West's testimony? JOEL: West said he was acting on the MC’s behalf. Denied any kind of split or disagreement within their organization as a whole. Kept pretty tight to his story, but didn’t give up more than that. Par for the course when it comes to questioning the Hellhounds. [he spares a glance in Coldiron’s direction.] BISHOP: [calmly interrupts.] Well, he ain't. [pauses.] Just ‘cause he’s interviewing like a Hellhound don’t make him one anymore. Anything he’s saying is only meant to heighten your distrust for those of us looking to go straight. AMANDA: [point-blank, to Bishop] It’s working. And we’ll address that in a moment. [turning her gaze to Nina] Madam Mayor, if you’d like to put us back on track. NINA: [her gaze moves too, passing over the APD members and their Greenbelt representative to meet Isaac's. Both of them know firsthand just how difficult it can be to get real answers out of the MC.] Considering my previous experience on similar cases, I have to admit it's a bit odd to even receive any testimony out of the suspect. Commissioner Callahan, have you had a moment with West yourself? ISAAC: [rolls his eyes] Yeah, he’s just barking like a dog. NINA: [sternly] Please do not make me regret your appointment, Commissioner. Be constructive. If he actually said anything, we need to know. ISAAC: What? Everything that comes out of his mouth sounds like yap yap yap or maybe it’s just too hard to discern actual content from our interview because he kept calling me a “fucking commie.” [shrugs and laughs] Not very original. NINA: There was nothing else said in English besides the term "fucking commie?" [The words are clearly out of place on her tongue.] Please, be reasonable. ISAAC: [a look of confusion and irritation crosses his face] Like you said, I've interviewed Hellhounds before and they're not the useful type. Doesn't mean I’m not trying to be useful and answer your question. He really didn't say much that wasn't an insult. AMANDA: [raising her voice slightly] If you're both finished wasting everyone’s valuable time, I'd like to move on. NINA: [A deep breath, during which she looks at everyone but Isaac and Bishop, then:] There's also the matter of the outpost hold-up, yesterday, in which staff workers reported a loss of a hundred and fifty pounds of perishable food and water. Colonel Van Dale has called for heightened security at each outpost moving forward. Any comments on this matter? JANE: [raises a finger to indicate a response] ...other than Colonel Van Dale stating the obvious? KĀNE: [his tone is easy but firm] With all due respect, Sargeant, starting with the basics is the only way to build a strong foundation and find a solution. JANE: [addressing the collective] Just one. People went hungry yesterday because of the actions of these renegade club members. These same people are going to have to stand in line for food tomorrow, or the day after that, or the week after that, next to men who wear the same bargain basement leather vests as the thieves who stole their rations and scared the ever-loving shit out of them. We need to recognize that there's a real danger that these peaceful, law-abiding citizens will turn to the streets and subway tunnels instead of braving chow lines where [air quotes] legitimate Hellhounds line up for their government cheese. WILLA: [She's remained quiet, watching the room she doesn't yet feel fully comfortable to be sitting in. Even now, there's not as much fervor in her statement, though she is moved to speak, first addressing Jane and then the rest of the room.] With due respect, if we start making our own choices about who should or shouldn't get rations -- it's not what -- the solution isn't going to be denying registered citizens what they've been promised. [The rest is directed to Mayor Clarke] I think that's only going to foster a greater divide. If we can find the extra personnel between law enforcement and military to help keep food stores secure, that seems like a better solution. NINA: [She nods, considering both of these points. Her instinct is to agree with Willa, but she looks first to Amanda on her right for silent confirmation before addressing the room at large. To the observant, it's obvious she still feels unsure of herself in this position.] I understand the real and worthwhile need to ease the concerns of the general law-abiding public, Sergeant Rusten, but unless you have a real plan by which you intend to suspend aid to a group of people by association and are prepared to thoroughly justify it, we need to hear and explore other options. In addition, if we follow the same logic you've proposed, we would need to prohibit movement of this group throughout all of downtown Austin with the exception of the LBJ district. BISHOP: [He has remained silent throughout this discussion, the only sign he’s at all bothered is the way his jaw is clenched while listening to the back and forth.] If you go through with any plan to suspend aid, to limit movement and take away their rights when they’ve played ball with the government, when they've registered and agreed to your terms. All you’re going to end up doing is inciting the very same behavior that’s brought about the need for this meeting in the first place. [there’s a pause while he leans forward to rest his elbows on the table and look around the room at each person present.] Now, that ain’t a threat, It's just the god’s honest truth. You’re dealing with men who will do anything to survive and have proven as much in the past. I agree something needs to be done to make the public feel safe again, but taking away my club’s right to aid, that ain’t it. JANE: [addresses Bishop] First of all, I didn't say anything about restricting aid to anyone that’s registered, including people in your organization. I don't want that, nobody wants that. I think if there's one thing we can all agree on is that Austin has gone without for long enough. All I'm saying is that it's not as easy for the average Austin citizen to discern who's in at club HQ and who’s out as it is for you. Hellhounds scare people and scared people have the potential to do desperate things and I think we need to be prepared to deal with that. [turns to Willa] And secondly, I never said extra security was a bad idea, only that it was obvious. Of course more bodies on the front line is going to make a difference. Hell, I'll be first in line if they need more people to stand guard. Mayor Clarke asked for comments and if discussing potential fallouts over this debacle is a waste of this council's time, please, feel free to move on. [Jane crosses arms in front of chest and leans back in her chair] BISHOP: [looks at Jane.] Might not have been what you were suggesting, Sargeant Rusten. But I thought it best to make it clear that suspending aid, even if that ain’t what you were angling for, wouldn’t be a wise move, nor would it have been fair to people who’re trying to turn over a new leaf in this city. NINA: Obvious or not, these things still need to be confirmed rather than assumed. However, I do think it would be helpful to have some sort of indicator, if it makes sense, that the average member of the MC spotted on the street is or isn't associated with this group. Mr. Coldiron has indicated to my office that registered citizens who are members of the MC have agreed to be compliant with law and military enforcement and submit to APD questioning regarding these incidents when approached. However, the average citizen need not take on the burden of actively questioning each individual unless they want to do so on their own. This could lead to quite the slippery slope, though. JOEL: and there's the matter of citizens who might get the idea to help our departments, and get into their own sort of trouble. [he says it mildly, but it's as much a concern to him as the Hellhounds are.] BISHOP: While I ain’t got any suggestions on how to keep the average citizen from turning into a vigilante of some sort, I can have the Hellhounds who’re loyal to the MC wear some kind of pin or patch to indicate they ain’t rogue. [pauses a beat.] Though that only works s’long as the rogue Dogs don’t go sporting the same thing. JANE: [deadpans] Nothing says “too legit to quit” like MC Hammer pants. Might clash with the vests, though. ISAAC: [quietly starts humming “U Can’t Touch This”] NINA: [averts her eyes from Colonel Van Dale's confused look at Isaac's evident enjoyment of the suggestion, embarrassed, and clears her throat in order to indicate the conversation may proceed.] BISHOP: [bites his tongue and refrains from saying anything, letting the conversation proceed.] WILLA: [The whole idea of needing to wear a symbol pinned to a jacket or carrying papers isn't exactly meshing well in her mind with 90s throwback references, but Willa isn't about to steer the conversation that way. Instead, she has a different proposition.] The point is to keep the general populace from turning against people they see as 'other' while we conduct a private investigation into the thefts, right? And we also need additional security, and people also need jobs. Is it feasible that it could all work together, that -- with the usual soldiers or APD or Department of Resources staff in each shift to supervise and set a good example -- is it possible to screen and hire a few workers from the shelters [a gesture toward Savannah], and a few workers from the motorcycle club [a gesture toward Bishop], and that's how we make up for the staffing shortcomings, while showing those coming to collect their resources that everyone is doing their part and working together to keep distribution points safe? AMANDA: [with a nod and a brief smile in Willa’s direction] I think that idea has merit. NINA: As long as they're aware of and are capable of mitigating the potential risk -- and with that in mind, the districts may have experienced security personnel who may be interested -- it's something worth exploring from my perspective. SAVANNAH: The library has a whole security department. I’m sure they’d be willin’ to oversee the rations station in our district. Unless we’re wantin’ to have our people workin’ in other areas of the city, like an outreach program of some kind. If our goal is to unite the city and break down these barriers we can start by not polarizin’ ourselves by district. BISHOP: I ain’t against this idea and could probably even find guys who’d be willing to take part in this. It does raise the question though as to whether the general populace would be okay coming to a rations station that has Hellhounds helping with security. Especially if you set ‘em up in a different district. JOEL: Good question. I'd guess the percentage of citizens who won’t blink at a Hellhound guard is pretty low, truthfully. [he pauses for a second] But no one knows how a Hellhound thinks better than another Hellhound, and if Ms. Posey is willing to lend some security out, it’s not the worst idea on the table. WILLA: It's probably going to depend on the people who wind up in these positions. There might be some people who take issue, but if you think you have members who can be levelheaded even if they're possibly facing some prejudice, they might be able to make a real difference. [she hesitates, as the next is laying out the closeness of her connection with the camp for the others to see, but Willa continues even though she doesn't quite meet Bishop's eyes] You could be good at it. Arthur and Vic and Noa could be good at it. BISHOP: [turns his gaze towards Joel.] Chief, you ain’t wrong on either count. The general populace still ain’t used to Dogs who’re walking the straight and narrow, but my crew knows how these rogues think. So if placing them at ration stations might help, we’ll do it. [pauses as he looks over towards Willa, his expression unreadable.] Thank you for your opinion on who in my crew could do it, but I’ll be leaving that decision making up to my officers and myself. Noa ain’t a Hellhound, so it ain’t her responsibility to take part in this, though. AMANDA: [casts a openly speculative look from Willa to Bishop, before fixing her gaze on the latter.] I’m sure you don’t need me to remind you, Mr. Coldiron, that whoever you do pick will need to be registered in order to qualify for this role. NINA: [mildly] As well as approved by our office. AMANDA: And I have to ask -- if you and your crew are so familiar with how your renegade members think, why have they been able to hide from you for so long? Shouldn’t you have been able to track them down immediately? Or at least predict that they would strike one of the depots? BISHOP: [looks between Nina and Amanda] Trust me, I’m well aware that ain’t nobody going to be put in any kind of position without you signing off on ‘em, and proof that they’re registered with y’all. [pauses, jaw tightening for a moment before answering.] Just ‘cause we know how they think that ain’t mean we know where they’re at. There’s a lot of places in Austin they could be hiding and truth be told we should have assumed they’d attack a depot, so that latter part, I ain’t above taking responsibility for that oversight. AMANDA: [still zeroed in on Bishop] Yes, given your association’s history, resource theft absolutely should have been the first crime you anticipated being committed by your defectors. [she looks away at last, eyes scanning the rest of the people gathered around the table] It should have been the first crime anticipated by everyone in this room, yet we all appear to overlooked it, with disgraceful consequences. I expect better of us in the future. JOEL: Given the history, my department anticipated the trucks would be targets, not the depots. Now we know to watch the depots too, so unless you think continuing to point fingers at our past shortcomings is productive, how about we move on? [he stops himself from pushing a hand through his hair.] AMANDA: [waves a hand to indicate her own willingness -- she has no more to say for the moment.] NINA: Gladly. After all, there's still the matter of the recent vandalism to discuss as well as the question of what proactive measures will be taken to ensure these men are in custody as soon as possible. What leads do we have, if any? BISHOP: My guys ain’t been able to get close enough to ‘em to get any sort of leads. It’s like they know we’re coming and they’re one step ahead of us. [doesn't want to consider what that might mean] Concerning the vandalism, so far it looks like they’re targeting people at random, though the doc that got hit had helped us out on more than one occasion. Has your police force been able to piece together any sort of pattern? SAVANNAH: That’s some ‘thank you’ for someone who helped y’all out when no one else was willin’ to. But that could be the point -- your guys tryin’ to turn your allies against you. Because I can tell you that Pete was quick to be convinced that y’all are goin’ back on your word. BISHOP: [looks around the table as he speaks.] That's exactly the reason they targeted the doc, and I won’t be surprised if he ain’t the last person they target who once helped us out. It ain’t right, but they’re hellbent on making sure nobody believes we’re going straight and can be trusted. [pauses and looks directly at Savannah.] Pete helped bring my boys into this world, so believe me when I say I’m pissed as hell they targeted him and I want ‘em to pay for it. SAVANNAH: [frowns] What about this ‘one step ahead of us’ business, though? I know y’all’ve had rat problems in the past but you know what they say about lightnin’ not strikin’ in the same place twice. If it were that again, that would be some luck y’all have. BISHOP: [sighs] Knowin’ our luck, it ain't outside the realm of possibility. NINA: [she looks sharply over at the both of them, even leaning forward to do so; when she speaks, her tone is almost impatient.] Explain, please. SAVANNAH: [frown deepens] One of their officers was workin’ with Olinger last year. The one they called Sonny. It’s how the Patrolmen knew when Gray was comin’ back to the Library when he was. And we all know how that ended. [suddenly stops talking and looks down at the table, letting out a slow exhale to stop herself from getting too emotional.] NINA: [she speaks slowly at first, her mind turning over this new information, as she attempts to parse old memories from a new perspective.] He was arrested with the other officers last fall. Your treasurer -- [said with no attempt to soften the reference to Teagan Morgan] -- went on the lam afterwards. Spare bits of testimony obtained at that time from the officers indicated that there was no reason to distrust Donovan. [her cadence has reached a peak speed by the time she focuses her gaze on Bishop. Despite their recent truce and collaborations, including this very moment at the table, Nina can't shake how unwilling the Hellhounds were to provide any bit of truth over the winter even if it meant preventing further crime in Austin.] Do you care to elucidate further, Mr. Coldiron? BISHOP: [shows no outward sign of the pang he feels upon the mention of Teagan, nor the guilt he feels over the entire situation with Sonny.] I don’t expect y’all to understand the reason we trusted Sonny Donovan, but it comes down to him having been around since the start of our organization. He had, we thought, proven his loyalty time and again. [sighs] Nothing I say will make our oversight in that area any better. We trusted the wrong person, plain as that. Now, I can list off all the things he was responsible for, every death, every atrocity suffered by people who were loyal to us, but that ain’t what this meeting is about. It boils down to being fooled by someone we let get too close. [leans forward to rest his elbows on the table.] But that ain’t happening again. Anything said here, any plans made, they go as far as me. If I’ve got another rat at my table, they ain’t going to know our plans anymore. ISAAC: [rolls his eyes and responds, sarcasm clear in his voice] Oh gee, a criminal fooling other criminals. How thrilling. And while I agree that we didn’t see it coming, are any of us really surprised? SAVANNAH: Yes, Mr. Callahan. I was surprised to learn that the people who took my boyfriend in and protected him against the very Patrolmen who were ordered by your mayor to kill him and take control of the Library had someone in their ranks who went behind our back and sold him out and got him killed for his own selfish gains. I’m mad as hell at what they’re doin’ now, but don’t act like the side you’ve been on has always been in the right. It’s understandable for that group of people to be distrustful of government when their only experience for the past three years has been neglect and stoopin’ so low as to work with another raider gang you publicly denounce while on the sly supply with guns and bombs in order to take out those you see as a threat. ISAAC: What you fail to recognize is that you and your hound pals weren’t the only ones to see the corruption of Olinger. But some of us fought injustice within the legal system while others chose to live outside it and do everything in their power to tear it down. BISHOP: [looks directly at Isaac] How exactly did you fight injustice? ‘Cause last I heard your department let an innocent woman be tortured simply for associating with us. KĀNE: [leans forward] If you're speaking to Ms. Rafferty's case, I've read those files and she was nowhere near innocent. If you're gonna to argue against the previous administration's use of torture and abuse, which is not something I think anyone here would disagree with you on, don't smudge the technicalities to try and make your point. It only makes you look biased. BISHOP: [shrugs] In this respect I am biased. My people, both Hellhound and otherwise faced punishments that weren’t proportionate to whatever crimes you had ‘em in on. Now, maybe I was stretching the truth with Demi, and I ain't saying some of ‘em weren’t worthy of the things they faced inside La Quinta, myself included. But that still doesn’t clear up how Callahan thinks he fought injustice from the inside. NINA: [reaches for a hammer -- supplies are low in the Capitol, and a gavel hasn't yet been found -- and raps it on the table, seeking order. Her grip on the hammer is a little tighter than it needs to be.] With all due respect, we could go around all day pointing fingers at everyone sitting here today, but that won't do a thing to further our goal of finding these men and bringing them to justice. I asked for constructive, proactive ideas. Yes, we currently lack leads, but I haven't yet heard of any suggestions regarding how to remedy that. JOEL: Tighter city surveillance. [he offers, grateful to be back on topic.] There used to be a decent network of traffic cameras. If we can get them running again we can use that footage to help fill in the spaces the street patrols can’t cover. Might find a lead or two on any kind of pattern. [The door to the chamber suddenly flies open with a bang as Colonel Van Dale’s aide enters. The harried-looking secretary who’s hot on his heels is already mid-objection about the interruption. Some confusion follows as she talks over him.] AMANDA: [with a frown] Donna, what on earth -- DONNA: [her voice going shrill as she explains] I told him he couldn’t just walk in here -- [Amanda gestures for the secretary to fall silent as the aide reaches Colonel Van Dale and bends to whisper in the man’s ear. A tense silence fills the room.] KĀNE: [goes from stock still and listening to a flurry of motion as he rises from his seat, already addressing the group before he’s on his feet again.] If you’ll all excuse me, there’s been another altercation between my men and the rogues. [to Joel] Chief, there are prisoners. -- The meeting ends suddenly, with some commotion. Colonel Van Dale is already halfway out of the door as Mayor Clarke’s hammer bangs on the table to adjourn the gathered company. There is a definitely feeling of the discussion being incomplete, but for now there are more pressing matters at hand. |