part 3 of "Shreds of Genius"
part 3 of Shreds of genius.
Fandom: Life, Eureka.
Author: Keenir.
continuing where I left off here...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part Three:
Soon After…
“I have never,” Dani said to Crews, both of them seated facing the booth seat where their informant sat, “seen anyone enjoy a hamburger so much.” You don’t even like fruit that much.
“Ever?” Phi asked through a mouthful of burger.
“Ever,” Reese confirmed.
“Not even at McDonalds?” Crews asked, sitting beside her, keeping an eye on Phi.
“Especially not here,” the three of them in a McDonalds. To Metsenger, “You’re enjoying this?”
“Your discomfort, no. This food, absolutely and so completely,” savoring each and every bit of the chewing process. “Bland, nearly tasteless, mass-produced gobs of ground beef … mmmm, you have no idea how refreshing a change it is, not to have to force down Eureka chow.”
“I bet,” Reese quipped. “All that ‘nothing but the best’ has just gotta suck.”
“That, in itself, is not objectionable.”
“But something is,” Crews said, looking at the sliced apple in her salad, and reflected that some things were just no fun.
“That’s right,” and slurped down easily a fifth of her small milkshake. “The menu of all Eureka is in the hands of a lunatic whose inconsistencies border the labels of ‘faddish’ and ‘freakish.’ There is neither warning nor pattern; one week, all the butter comes from cows; the next month, pure yak; and it changes equally swiftly to goat or camel.”
“I don’t like camel milk.”
Huh, Dani thought. “So whe you said ‘eugenics,’ this’ what you meant?, that somebody up there’s messing with the nutrition?”
Metsenger smiled around a couple fries. “Oh no, no, Vincent’s harmless by comparison.”
‘By comparison’? she noted.
“’Vincent’?” Crews asked. “Like on ‘Beauty and the Beast’?”
“You actually watched that?” Dani asked. On purpose?”
“Of course,” Crews said. “You didn’t?”
“Much as this may be,” Phi said, interrupting, “a continuation of your bedtime habits, I ask you to pay attention.”
Dani held very still so Crews wouldn’t see that she wanted to - if not hit, then - at least slam Metsenger’s head against the table, mussing up her perfect windblown hair (proof of eugenics? Sure ain’t normal) with pickles and mustard. Because if he saw that, she knew he’d put a hand over hers - ostentatiously to restrain the impulse - which would just get her blood boiling all the more, for it reinforcing Phi’s assumption. “We’re listening,” Reese said, uber-formal.
“Eureka is, at its heart, a place where our country’s best and brightest can gather together. A community where even MENSA is seen as slow-witted.”
“Probably cuts down,” Charlie said, “on how many kids get wet willies and scrunchies.”
Dani looked askance at him, never having thought he had been one of those kids.
“Perhaps they had hoped so, in the early days. Except that, unless they were willingly blind to it, they knew humanity didn’t work exponentially - the child of two smart people is not always smarter, nor is always smart, Detective Reese.”
“Detective Reese,” Crews corrected firmly, “is plenty smart. Notice she doesn’t let me drive.”
Phi cracked a smile, then started on her Diet Coke. “Then I stand corrected on one example.
“Whenever anyone is moved to Eureka, they have to sign documents swearing them to silence on the subject. Even with what friends they may have, even with any family who didn’t move with them. Even the sons and daughters of the scientists must sign.”
“In the hopes of getting what?” Reese asked. “Getting the kids to work there when they grow up?”
“That is a bonus, not the aim.”
“The Sound of Silence,” Charlie observed.
Dani hummed a few bars.
Phi blinked, confused by this Reese’s response, then chalked it up to Reese Family ideosyncrity. “Exactly, Det. Crews. Secrecy is vital to them.”
“Who’s ‘them’?” Reese asked.
She sighed, looking at her. “Since August 1960, only 11 people have been granted permission to leave Eureka.”
“You not being one of them.”
“Naturally.”
“Third Base,” Charlie said.
“I Don’t Know,” Dani corrected.
“I thank you,” Dr. Metsenger interjected, interrupting, “for the meal. I’m ready now, to be taken to your police station.”
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Reese asked.
“No. No, I don’t think I am. Am I?”
“You also stole a phone.”
“Oh yes,” wiping her hands before pulling a cellphone from part of her shirt - the pocket hadn’t been visible before, and once the phone was completely out, wasn’t perceptible again.
“Thank you,” Crews said.
~~~~~
Soon After…
“She’s in Booking,” Davis said, her and Crews and Reese in her office now. “We can’t keep her there forever.”
“Noone,” Crews said, “can be anywhere forever. It’s too long.”
“Besides,” Dani said, “if you are everywhere, you are nowhere. If you are somewhere, you are everywhere.” Love Rumi.
“True.”
“What?” Davis asked, looking from Crews to Reese, who shrugged innocently. “Calmer, “Did the two of you have a plan, one that doesn’t involve the firing of random koans?”
“They’re not random. And yes.”
“Elaborate.”
“I don’t know.”
“I mentioned,” Dani said before Davis could strangle her partner, “on our way in, that I had an idea on how to proceede.”
“I’m listening.”
“I think I know how to get at least one of these Federal Agents to tell us what’s going on.”
“Lock Deputy Lupo in a room with Detective Crews?” the curve of Davis’ lips telling Crews that it wasn’t a serious suggestion.
“That, Captain,” Reese sais, “would be cruel and unusual punishment.”
“It’d get her talking.”
“I meant for Crews.”
Davis raised an eyebrow, but her Detective didn’t elaborate. “What’s your plan?”
“We take them out for a little chat.”
“Can you hold Metsenger while we’re going?” Crews asked.
“She hasn’t committed a crime,” Davis said, “and Sheriff Carter’s superiors in the DoD didn’t mention her while they confirmed Carter and Lupo’s IDs.”
“But no details,” Dani said.
Davis nodded.
“If those two weren’t here, I’d be inclined to class Metsenger as a crackpot and send her home.”
Nods all ‘round, as well as a thought in all three minds: but they are here.
“She wants sanctuary,” Crews said.
“From the U.S. government,” Reese said.
“And she hasn’t approached any embassies or foreign diplomats?” Davis asked.
“Nope.”
“She’s a patriot,” Crews said.
In any other circumstance, Davis might’ve laughed - at the actions of this purported patriot. But not now. Not at this. Not with these stakes. “Do it,” she told her Detectives. “Ask them what you need to.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Part Four
Fandom: Life, Eureka.
Author: Keenir.
continuing where I left off here...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part Three:
Soon After…
“I have never,” Dani said to Crews, both of them seated facing the booth seat where their informant sat, “seen anyone enjoy a hamburger so much.” You don’t even like fruit that much.
“Ever?” Phi asked through a mouthful of burger.
“Ever,” Reese confirmed.
“Not even at McDonalds?” Crews asked, sitting beside her, keeping an eye on Phi.
“Especially not here,” the three of them in a McDonalds. To Metsenger, “You’re enjoying this?”
“Your discomfort, no. This food, absolutely and so completely,” savoring each and every bit of the chewing process. “Bland, nearly tasteless, mass-produced gobs of ground beef … mmmm, you have no idea how refreshing a change it is, not to have to force down Eureka chow.”
“I bet,” Reese quipped. “All that ‘nothing but the best’ has just gotta suck.”
“That, in itself, is not objectionable.”
“But something is,” Crews said, looking at the sliced apple in her salad, and reflected that some things were just no fun.
“That’s right,” and slurped down easily a fifth of her small milkshake. “The menu of all Eureka is in the hands of a lunatic whose inconsistencies border the labels of ‘faddish’ and ‘freakish.’ There is neither warning nor pattern; one week, all the butter comes from cows; the next month, pure yak; and it changes equally swiftly to goat or camel.”
“I don’t like camel milk.”
Huh, Dani thought. “So whe you said ‘eugenics,’ this’ what you meant?, that somebody up there’s messing with the nutrition?”
Metsenger smiled around a couple fries. “Oh no, no, Vincent’s harmless by comparison.”
‘By comparison’? she noted.
“’Vincent’?” Crews asked. “Like on ‘Beauty and the Beast’?”
“You actually watched that?” Dani asked. On purpose?”
“Of course,” Crews said. “You didn’t?”
“Much as this may be,” Phi said, interrupting, “a continuation of your bedtime habits, I ask you to pay attention.”
Dani held very still so Crews wouldn’t see that she wanted to - if not hit, then - at least slam Metsenger’s head against the table, mussing up her perfect windblown hair (proof of eugenics? Sure ain’t normal) with pickles and mustard. Because if he saw that, she knew he’d put a hand over hers - ostentatiously to restrain the impulse - which would just get her blood boiling all the more, for it reinforcing Phi’s assumption. “We’re listening,” Reese said, uber-formal.
“Eureka is, at its heart, a place where our country’s best and brightest can gather together. A community where even MENSA is seen as slow-witted.”
“Probably cuts down,” Charlie said, “on how many kids get wet willies and scrunchies.”
Dani looked askance at him, never having thought he had been one of those kids.
“Perhaps they had hoped so, in the early days. Except that, unless they were willingly blind to it, they knew humanity didn’t work exponentially - the child of two smart people is not always smarter, nor is always smart, Detective Reese.”
“Detective Reese,” Crews corrected firmly, “is plenty smart. Notice she doesn’t let me drive.”
Phi cracked a smile, then started on her Diet Coke. “Then I stand corrected on one example.
“Whenever anyone is moved to Eureka, they have to sign documents swearing them to silence on the subject. Even with what friends they may have, even with any family who didn’t move with them. Even the sons and daughters of the scientists must sign.”
“In the hopes of getting what?” Reese asked. “Getting the kids to work there when they grow up?”
“That is a bonus, not the aim.”
“The Sound of Silence,” Charlie observed.
Dani hummed a few bars.
Phi blinked, confused by this Reese’s response, then chalked it up to Reese Family ideosyncrity. “Exactly, Det. Crews. Secrecy is vital to them.”
“Who’s ‘them’?” Reese asked.
She sighed, looking at her. “Since August 1960, only 11 people have been granted permission to leave Eureka.”
“You not being one of them.”
“Naturally.”
“Third Base,” Charlie said.
“I Don’t Know,” Dani corrected.
“I thank you,” Dr. Metsenger interjected, interrupting, “for the meal. I’m ready now, to be taken to your police station.”
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Reese asked.
“No. No, I don’t think I am. Am I?”
“You also stole a phone.”
“Oh yes,” wiping her hands before pulling a cellphone from part of her shirt - the pocket hadn’t been visible before, and once the phone was completely out, wasn’t perceptible again.
“Thank you,” Crews said.
~~~~~
Soon After…
“She’s in Booking,” Davis said, her and Crews and Reese in her office now. “We can’t keep her there forever.”
“Noone,” Crews said, “can be anywhere forever. It’s too long.”
“Besides,” Dani said, “if you are everywhere, you are nowhere. If you are somewhere, you are everywhere.” Love Rumi.
“True.”
“What?” Davis asked, looking from Crews to Reese, who shrugged innocently. “Calmer, “Did the two of you have a plan, one that doesn’t involve the firing of random koans?”
“They’re not random. And yes.”
“Elaborate.”
“I don’t know.”
“I mentioned,” Dani said before Davis could strangle her partner, “on our way in, that I had an idea on how to proceede.”
“I’m listening.”
“I think I know how to get at least one of these Federal Agents to tell us what’s going on.”
“Lock Deputy Lupo in a room with Detective Crews?” the curve of Davis’ lips telling Crews that it wasn’t a serious suggestion.
“That, Captain,” Reese sais, “would be cruel and unusual punishment.”
“It’d get her talking.”
“I meant for Crews.”
Davis raised an eyebrow, but her Detective didn’t elaborate. “What’s your plan?”
“We take them out for a little chat.”
“Can you hold Metsenger while we’re going?” Crews asked.
“She hasn’t committed a crime,” Davis said, “and Sheriff Carter’s superiors in the DoD didn’t mention her while they confirmed Carter and Lupo’s IDs.”
“But no details,” Dani said.
Davis nodded.
“If those two weren’t here, I’d be inclined to class Metsenger as a crackpot and send her home.”
Nods all ‘round, as well as a thought in all three minds: but they are here.
“She wants sanctuary,” Crews said.
“From the U.S. government,” Reese said.
“And she hasn’t approached any embassies or foreign diplomats?” Davis asked.
“Nope.”
“She’s a patriot,” Crews said.
In any other circumstance, Davis might’ve laughed - at the actions of this purported patriot. But not now. Not at this. Not with these stakes. “Do it,” she told her Detectives. “Ask them what you need to.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Part Four