(no subject)
When Tet Security Dispatch gets the call from Helen Saldana that she's sighted a heavily-armed mercenary force massing in Rose's school's parking lot, the first call goes, of course, to John Hairald, in his deep cover position as a teacher currently chaperoning the dance. The second call goes to Susannah Toren herself; it's answered by Eddie Toren, who explains that Susannah went to bed early. Dispatch explains the situation to him hurriedly (this will later prove to be a mistake) and he promises to wake Susannah and to either come himself or send his brother into the city to escort Tet Security forces into White Plains to reinforced Saldana and Hairald; the unique nature of that world makes it impossible, otherwise.
It's not one or the other who arrives at the Tet Corporation headquarters, an hour and a half later; it's both of them, with Susannah Toren in tow. She's still asleep, barely breathing, with a greyish muddy complexion; curiously light.
"I tried to call back," Eddie pants, lifting her out of the double-parked van like a foul-mouthed Pieta, "but I couldn't figure out the fucking system."
(The one Jake Toren was familiar from his work for the Tet Corporation was shut down when the White Plains branch of Tet closed; Susannah's access to Tet Corporation email and phone servers is password protected, and neither Eddie or Jake know about the Milliways key.)
Jake leaves immediately with the massed Tet Security forces, while Eddie brings Susannah into the building. Despite his instance that what is happening is supernatural, not medical, CEO Armin Cochrane, recently dragged out of his bed and none-too-patient, insists on a check by a Tet physician.
Who reluctantly agrees that whatever is wrong with Susannah is not in her body. Finally, almost half an hour after their arrival--two hours after the attack began--Cochrane contacts Taos, only to find out that Charlie McGee is already in the city, less than fifteen minutes away. Belatedly, he thinks to call Michael Copeland, the former leader of the Calvins and their King expert. His perspective may be valuable.
(He does not think to contact the Security team observing King himself, or the team in Ackerman's Field with Nancy Deepneau and Marian Carver. It is his first major crisis since Marian Carver retired from the position.)
There's a certain self-congratulatory tone in his voice when he informs Eddie Toren that he made this call; that's probably what triggers Eddie's decision to pull the little prick out into the hallway and rip him a new asshole.
"--my whole fucking family in danger, and as far as I can tell the whole goddamn thing has been handled like a Christly Chinese fire drill, so when you tell me that you finally pulled your thumb out of your ass and thought to call up an expert you apparently were carrying around in your goddamn back--
Whoa!" Cochrane's eyes seem to cloud over, fixed on some distant point; an expression like heartbreak crosses his face, and he sways on his feet for a moment--then topples. Eddie's the only thing that stops him from hitting the ground like a ton of bricks.
The first thing that crosses Eddie's mind is Jesus Christ I finally did it; I finally killed somebody with my mouth.
But he's not dead; just grey and faint and---weird. Eddie never did light-as-a-feather, stiff-as-a-board as a kid, never having been a fourteen year old girl, but it's a good description.
When Eddie goes for help, he finds two things: One, Cochrane isn't the only one.
(On the I-90 between Manhattan and White Plains, Jake Toren is driving one van with Kate Logan riding shotgun; he sees her go grey and waxy and almost swerves into oncoming traffic; looks into his rearview and does see the second, following van veer straight into the other lane, completely uncontrolled.)
Two, Susannah is gone from the infirmary.
It's not one or the other who arrives at the Tet Corporation headquarters, an hour and a half later; it's both of them, with Susannah Toren in tow. She's still asleep, barely breathing, with a greyish muddy complexion; curiously light.
"I tried to call back," Eddie pants, lifting her out of the double-parked van like a foul-mouthed Pieta, "but I couldn't figure out the fucking system."
(The one Jake Toren was familiar from his work for the Tet Corporation was shut down when the White Plains branch of Tet closed; Susannah's access to Tet Corporation email and phone servers is password protected, and neither Eddie or Jake know about the Milliways key.)
Jake leaves immediately with the massed Tet Security forces, while Eddie brings Susannah into the building. Despite his instance that what is happening is supernatural, not medical, CEO Armin Cochrane, recently dragged out of his bed and none-too-patient, insists on a check by a Tet physician.
Who reluctantly agrees that whatever is wrong with Susannah is not in her body. Finally, almost half an hour after their arrival--two hours after the attack began--Cochrane contacts Taos, only to find out that Charlie McGee is already in the city, less than fifteen minutes away. Belatedly, he thinks to call Michael Copeland, the former leader of the Calvins and their King expert. His perspective may be valuable.
(He does not think to contact the Security team observing King himself, or the team in Ackerman's Field with Nancy Deepneau and Marian Carver. It is his first major crisis since Marian Carver retired from the position.)
There's a certain self-congratulatory tone in his voice when he informs Eddie Toren that he made this call; that's probably what triggers Eddie's decision to pull the little prick out into the hallway and rip him a new asshole.
"--my whole fucking family in danger, and as far as I can tell the whole goddamn thing has been handled like a Christly Chinese fire drill, so when you tell me that you finally pulled your thumb out of your ass and thought to call up an expert you apparently were carrying around in your goddamn back--
Whoa!" Cochrane's eyes seem to cloud over, fixed on some distant point; an expression like heartbreak crosses his face, and he sways on his feet for a moment--then topples. Eddie's the only thing that stops him from hitting the ground like a ton of bricks.
The first thing that crosses Eddie's mind is Jesus Christ I finally did it; I finally killed somebody with my mouth.
But he's not dead; just grey and faint and---weird. Eddie never did light-as-a-feather, stiff-as-a-board as a kid, never having been a fourteen year old girl, but it's a good description.
When Eddie goes for help, he finds two things: One, Cochrane isn't the only one.
(On the I-90 between Manhattan and White Plains, Jake Toren is driving one van with Kate Logan riding shotgun; he sees her go grey and waxy and almost swerves into oncoming traffic; looks into his rearview and does see the second, following van veer straight into the other lane, completely uncontrolled.)
Two, Susannah is gone from the infirmary.