We Float

Who: Tereska Wassenbach and Katherine Athena
What: There's been a death in the family. And someone needs to explain.
When: (forward-dated) July 9, late at night
Where: Katherine's home
Status: Open; in progress

"Do you want a drink?" Katherine said, dispensing with the niceties altogether as Tereska entered the hall. Her voice was an ugly, dead thing, not much more than a husk of the one that had left the message earlier. Tereska's letter was sitting on the table, pinned down by a bottle of Bart's scotch. It was the kind of alcohol Katherine never touched.

The bottle was half-empty. It hadn't all been him.

Her fingernails rattled as she tapped them against her glass, walking back to the table and pouring a very small amount in the bottom. Just enough to color it.

Who: the Athena family - Katherine, Caio, Isa, and Rafe - as well as Bart Allen
What: Katherine wants to tell her family that she's going to go public with her wild card. The entire experience is made of failure.
When: Thursday (ish), June 30 to Monday, July 5 (the time scale on this is relative)
Where: Katherine's home, her office, then her parents' home
Status: Closed; complete

“You don’t have to pack my clothes, Kat. That’s why you hired Consuelo.” Bart’s voice was as it always had been, like a warm blanket wrapped over her shoulders. “Don’t be stubborn.”

“I gave her the week off.”

“It can wait. I’m in Beijing Tuesday for a week.”

“I know.” Her fingers wrapped the cord around themselves. “It’s on your calendar.” A slight hitch in her breath, followed by silence on the other end for a moment.

“Kat-“ The pause grew.

“What?”

“Nothing. Don’t be so stubborn.”

“You already said that.”

“I know. Good night.” He hung up the phone first. He always had.

( It's about my career. )

Who: Alec Tremont and Katherine Athena.
What: Alec's been recruited to the cause... possibly.
When: Saturday, May 29, 2096
Where: How to Cook a Wolf, Queen Anne, Seattle
Status: Closed; complete


Another meeting, this time with someone that she hadn't recruited.

A wry smile cracking her lips, Katherine wondered how that would go. She studied the menu casually. Italian food was something that she loved, particularly for first meetings. It was so often messy.

She glanced down at her watch, tapping the newsfeed so that she could watch the headlines scroll by. Another murder, this one of a young girl who'd been unfortunate enough to bear a joker that gave her horns on her forehead. Katherine shuddered slightly, tapping through to the next story. Another series of gun laws was being proposed and she sighed. It was likely that her constituents were flooding the office lines even as she glanced at the scrolling text.

Who: Alistair Icenhour and Katherine Athena.
What: Conversations and further strategy.
When: Saturday, May 22, 2096
Where: Waiting for the Interurban, Fremont, Seattle
Status: Closed; in progress

"Well." Katherine said as she came to a full stop in front of the four statues. "That's something, isn't it?" Her arms, still clutching the notes from a brief meeting with the mayor, pressed her notebook up against her chest without even thinking about it. To protect her heart.

"Waiting for the Interurban" was what someone had titled the work of public art so many years ago that even Katherine, who studied her city's history carefully, knew little about it. It had become an institution--four stone figures standing, on which the public draped clothing and changed outfits at will. However the figures had changed. Someone had sewn on extra limbs into some of the outfits, added lumps of stone to the heads... in short, they were jokers.

"You don't have to stare," a teenage girl stopped and told them, plucking a headphone out of her ear for a moment. "It's been like that since Wednesday." She snapped a piece of gum and rolled her eyes. "I think they shoulda added something more dramatic. Like maybe the Troll." Before Katherine could get more words out of her mouth, the girl had stepped back on a board and let the air hover her down the street.

"Wednesday," Katherine repeated, stepping a little closer.

Who: Alistair Icenhour and Katherine Athena.
What: Katherine may have the plan, but Alistair has the plans for the plan. Conversation is had over wine.
When: mid April, 2096
Where: Alistair's house
Status: Closed; complete


Alistair opened his front door and wasn't distressed at all to see Katherine behind them. He was, however, surprised to see that Katherine's car was driving away without her.

"Bart drove you in?" he asked as he stepped back to let her into his house.

"Yes. I haven't quite figured out how to get the car to drive itself for me," she said lightly as she stepped inside. The woman's head craned behind her, watching as the Angel turned the corner, disappearing behind a copse of trees and a thin cloud of smoke. "Don't worry." Katherine lifted her phone. "I can call a cab."

"Just surprised he's in town," Alistair backed off, closing the door behind Katherine and leading her through the corridor into the kitchen. The living room, dining room, and staircase to the upper floor passed them along the way as they usually did - if any business was to be done at Alistair's house, it was done in the kitchen. He'd given any number of excuses over the years as to why this was, but the simple truth was it had the most space to pace in, it was readily accessible to drinks and no one came close to his bedroom.

( They don't pay us to be human. )

Who: Zadkiel Thrush and Katherine Athena
When: Sunday, May 16, 2096, 2 pm
Where: Ray's Boathouse
What: Zadkiel meets with Katherine to discuss a few things.
Status: Closed, Complete

Zadkiel had every intention of getting to Ray's Boathouse early, but the city continued to defeat his sense of direction (which he'd always thought of as being quite good), and he only just barely made it on time.

He stepped inside and walked up to the podium where a man in a suit stood, looking down his nose. The man looked him up and down, taking in his slightly wrinkled jacket, khakis with the discolored bottoms (even though he'd just washed them) and his Converse sneakers. He hesitated long enough that Zadkiel started to feel uncomfortable.

"I'm here to meet with Katherine Athena?" he managed. "Sir," he added belatedly.

"This way," the man said, leading him into the dining room. Zadkiel followed obediently, his eyes just ahead of him, feeling terribly conspicuous.