Ed grinned at Kait over the table. "That wasn't his finger."
Kait rolled her eyes and put her feet up into the chair Zac had just left empty. "You just don't' quit, do you? I'll bite…what was it?" Her sarcasm was thick.
Ed leaned back, enjoying commanding attention. "You really don't want to know."
Kait inhaled, annoyed. "Share! Hello!!" When he refused to answer her, she gave him a dirty look. "Was there another reason you stopped by, or was it just to ruin my dinner?" She looked up at the sound of Zac's voice. He had paused at the door and held up his hands, indicating ten minutes. She glared at him, then at Ed who had turned his back to her with a curt dismissal.
"Shove it down and move it." Zac's voice to Kait was not to be misunderstood. He brushed past Asche on his way out the door, smiling that smile of his. "Night, Doc."
Asche looked at him. "Where are you going?" Her hands turned to tight balls on her pants legs.
Zac observed her a moment. "Got some killing to do."
Ashe frowned. "Sure." Her voice was taunt as she turned away to look at Terra.
Across the room, Kait mumbled angrily. "Can't win. No food, no apple and eating and running." She looked up then, raising her voice. "That's bad for the system, you know!" She got up anyway, but slid by the cafeteria line and grabbed two apples. She reached Zac in two steps as he turned from the cafeteria, a smile tugging at his lips. He walked quietly, digging around in his coat for the pack of cigarettes that alluded him. Kait shuffled along beside him, taking a large bite of one of the apples.
"One of these days, we're going to have to tallk about my food,' she mumbled.
Zac's steps were long to her very short ones. "You talk too much, kid." He could hear her trying to keep up with him, but he did not slow down. Instead, he took out his .9MM hand gun, slid the clip out and, once assured it was full, slid it back in. He glanced back at Kait as they rounded the corner of the hospital. "So, did you get the chargers I told you to?" His voice was low and even.
Kait nodded and pulled a piece of paper from out of her jacket. "Yeah. I owe this guy something though." At Zac's raised eyebrow, she shrugged. "A couple shower cards should do it." She handed him the piece of paper as their frantic walking paced slowed.
Zac's one blue eye roamed over the piece of paper. "What are the details?"
She shrugged again. "I hate math. You figure it out."
He only had to to look at her. "Tell me what to figure out." He raised his hand as if to hit her, the ugly mood he was in showing on his face. He blew out a breath of air. "Is this for the chargers?"
Kait shrank back from the hand. "Hey. Yeah, how much I owe him. For those... and for my new boots." Her voice trailed a bit, not really wanting to tell Zac that part.
Zac looked down, then back up at her. "Nice." He smiled just a bit to himself. Kait was getting smarter. "Got something I can write with?"
Kait nodded and handed him the paper and charcoal. She sighed. "Maybe we can get him some apples. Maybe that would cover it."
Zac didn't say anything, but rather squatted down and began writing. "So, who was the guy, anyway?"
Kait pointed off in the distance. "Some guy named Trevor. He lives over that way. He's a nerd. Always working on something or other." Suddenly, she smiled. "Hey, I bet you he could get you some of that computer stuff you need."
Zac grunted. "Oh, really?"
"I could ask." Kait bit into one of her apples, the sarcasm in Zac's voice not lost on her.
Zac shook his head, then finally looked up at her as he finished up with the figures he was writing down. "No. Keep my name out of it. I"ll deal with him after I've checked him out. Trevor you say his name was?"
Kait rolled her eyes. Now she understood why Zac had asked the man's name. "What do I owe him?"
"You tell him he gets to live." Zac's voice was cold, business-like. "If he gave you these without asking for anything upfront, then he can consider himself lucky to be alive."
Kait twisted her mouth from side to side. "I'm sure he'll be happy with that arrangement." She then remembered one tiny detail she forgot to tell Zac. "He hasn't exactly given them to me yet. Therefore.. the reason for the math."
Terra heard the distinctive sound of tension and glanced down at Ash. "You need a massage there, Mira? I can work on your neck."
Asche shook her head. "Nah. I'm used to it by now." She barely glanced up as Zac slowly walked past her.
"I sometimes feel like I've gotten a raw deal, I think; but, what did you mean by it, Mira?" Terra's voice was quiet and grew even more so as Asche looked after Zac and Terra herself was distracted from their conversation by the sight of Justice and the blood soaking his clothes. She cleared her throat as she watched him, then whispered, "Justice?"
After pouring a bowl of stew, he turned to look at Terra. "That's my name."
Terra turned to look at Ashe because the other woman had stood up. "See you later," Asche said, her voice tight. Terra nodded as her colleague left. They'd have to follow up on their conversation about raw deals later, when there was time for idle chatter.
"Were you injured?" Terra pointed to Justice, the crimson patches on his pants standing out against the stark cafeteria décor.
Justice smirked a bit. "No, I wasn't.." His voice trailed off, what he didn't say seemingly ominous.
She tilted her head, looking at him. She continued to watch Justice as he picked up a bowl of stew, then took the seat opposite her that Asche had vacated. Terra sighed a bit. "You could change your clothes."
"I know." Justice's voice was quiet as he slurped the stew up into his hungry mouth. "I like to show off."
Before she could answer, Terra heard the patient named Chandler calling for a nurse. She glanced up at him as he moved towards her. He had picked up his tray and began slowly walking her way . When he passed Ed, he stumbled over the man's outstretched feet. He righted himself and looked at Ed oddly.
"Are you OK?" Ed's voice was sincere.
The patient shook his head a bit. "Fine," he snapped. "I'm quite fine." His limbs were weak as he continued to try to walk. He finally turned and went to sit opposite Terra.
Terra smiled at Chandler as Justice continued eating. "How are you?"
Chandler's face was a bit flushed. "Uh, you're a nurse, right?"
"I'm a doctor." Terra's calm voice was comforting.
Justice glanced up at Terra, then at Chandler. His mirrored glasses covered any expression in his face as he dipped his head back to his stew.
A patient pushed open the cafeteria doors, his long hospital gown flapping behind him. He stumbled through the entry, a bit disoriented as he pulled his IV behind him. His eyes were filled with panic as he looked around. He walked to Ed quickly, panic in his eyes. Leaning down to him, his voice was barely contained to whispering in Ed's ear. "Don't use the soap! Do you hear me? Don't USE the soap!!"
Ed looked up, not overly concerned. He nodded at the patient. "OK. I hear you." He decided to play along with the apparently wild patient, much like he had done with the hospital mortician, Rictor Mortis.
The patient staggered past him, the IV rolling to the side as he dragged it. He looked over his shoulder to glare at Ed. "Don't use the soap! The soap will kill you! Someone has to tell them!" The patient continued rambling on and on to himself as he moved nearer to the table where Terra, Justice and Chandler were. His body slid over on feet encased in filthy slippers. "Doctor! Don't use the soap! It will kill you!"
Terra looked up from where she had been quietly discussing Chandler's condition. "The soap?" Chandler's arm was wrapped in a blood dampened bandage and Terra was concerned about the need to change it; but this new distraction drew her attention. Justice was simply trying to eat.
The patient pointed in the direction of Ed. "Its for THEM!" The patient stood there as everyone just gave him a glance. "Melts them down to the bone!" He continued to yell, his voice picking up a pitch with each accusation. The patient then glared at Chandler, who had laid his hand on the butt of his .45. "I've seen it!!"
Terra's calm demeanor clicked into place. "What soap? What is your room number?"
The patient stumbled a bit over that. "My number?" He glanced at the round bracelet on his arm. He then glanced at Terra and began backing away. "Uh-huh. You got something to do with it, don't you?"
Terra just watched him. She was unaware that another of her patients, Quentari, had also entered the cafeteria. She was completely focused on the patient making apparently paranoid accusations. "Who is your doctor?" It was clear he had to be a patient at the hospital, IV and all in tow; but it looked as if he were the "forgotten patient" with slippers and gown in such filth and disarray. Terra dug around in her mind. She knew this patient; she was certain of it. But she could not figure out where it was she'd seen him.
The patient moved back, the IV getting tangled around a chair. "They're going to kill them all!" His eyes darted around at all the people in the cafeteria.
Terra nodded patiently. "Maybe I can help you back to your room?" She stood up slowly, knowing her calm actions could increase the chance of helping the patient.
The patient twirled around, trying to pull off the tubing of his IV. His bare buttocks peaked through the gown, deep scars lining their flesh. He tried, with stumbling fingers, to pull the needle from his arm.
Terra moved forward, trying to help untangle the patient. "No, don't move. Just relax and let me help you." The patients hands were shaking. "Look, it is OK. Just relax. I can help you."
"YOU can't keep me QUIET!!!" The scream echoed across the cafeteria in sheer, undeniable terror. Terra was joined in her endeavors by quick thinking orderlies. The wounded man, Chandler, got up from the table when he saw that Terra was busy. He'd find someone to change the dressing on his wound later -- he'd waited this long, after all. He stopped at Ed's table to apologize for his earlier rudeness. Ed disagreed with him about it, apparently understanding that not all situations are conducive to polite conversation.
Jack Chandler sat down, ran a hand through his greasy hair and he and Ed exchanged names. They shook hands; but it wasn't long before Ed had finished whatever his business was at the cafeteria, and stood, his rifle slung on his back. Chandler stored his name away for future reference and Ed made his way toward the door.
Justice watched Terra for a few minutes, then decided when the orderlies came to her rescue that his conversation with her could wait. He began to rise when Gideon approached his table. He sat back down with a thud. "Hello, punk."
"Hello super cop. I got the info you need." Gideon paused, then smiled. "However, I want the directions and number of lines for the Elliot Series Supercomputer.
Justice rose. "Lets talk somewhere quiet." His voice was very low.
Gideon nodded. "Sure. Your place or mine?" The joke was flat.
Justice smirked and pointed to the back end of the cafeteria. "How about over there?" At Gideon's nod, the two men moved out of earshot of the others and sat down. Justice looked up at Gideon solemnly. "Now, start over." He kept his back to the room, almost over-confidentally.
"I need the number and the locations of the mainlines for the Elliot Series Supercomputers."
Justice looked at him oddly. "What do you want with those?"
Gideon shook his head. "Me? Nothing. It is just information. I buy and trade information." He leaned back a bit. "If you don't want the dossier on fang face..." Gideon let the sentence dangle as he made a move to stand up.
Justice held out a hand to stop him. "I'll get them."
Gideon turned around with a smile. He had some freebies for Justice, just to show him how very serious he was.