A two-star family dining establishment near the Bludhaven airport

[jla_extras]

All these restaurants look the same -- the same flash of green neon on the outside, the same off-putting color scheme and mildly comfortable chairs. Jordan McIntyre doesn't particularly mind. He smiles gently at the hostess as she walks him to a table

Comments

[mrs_dibny]

Sue spots him from across. She too looks a little worse for wear and walks with an obvious backache. She slides into the booth with some relief.

"Hello, Jorden," she smiles. To the waiter that comes by, "Orange Juice and keep it comming."

[jla_extras]

"Ms. Dibny," says Jordan cordially. "A pleasure to see you, again. And I must say I approve of the venue -- the chicken fried chicken particularly looks good."

It's entirely unclear whether he's being ironic or not.

"I trust you've had some interesting reading, lately?"

[mrs_dibny]

"Doesn't though? I'm looking at the side of cheese fries with extra lard."

She pauses and looks around the restaurant. "Coast appears to be clear, so let's get down to calling the bet and showing the cards." She gives him an apprasing look. "Someone around the group would like a lot tighter grip on metahumans and those who are trained enough in something to be concidered superhuman. And they gave Ms. Reily and Jeff," she mimes quotes. "Heart attacks to do it."

[jla_extras]

"Yes," he says, letting the word hang a bit, almost as though he were pondering it as he said it. "Yes, I do indeed have a fox in my hen house. I've believed this for some time now.

"In retrospect, Jeff and Danette have believed this longer, but never directly shared their thoughts with me.

"Maybe they thought it was me."

[jla_extras]

*Sue has seen the look on Jordan's face before. Batman gets it every time someone brings up the word, "Magic."*

That ... would be problematic. I must confess ... it's the one thing we don't have methods to deal with.

[mrs_dibny]

She shrugs. "Play with occult symbols and secret societies and some yutz who likes funny words is bound to find thier way in eventually. They can even adjust minds." She tries to be nonchalant about that statement, but she finds that she needs to gulp some more OJ.

"So, when did the troubles start, and who likes things medical and magical around the office? Biggest control freaks first."

[jla_extras]

Mmm. We had a couple academics over the years who studied the occult -- just theory, though. Nothing concrete. Long dead now, though.

Dr. Tsing keeps all sorts of antiquities, but I've always considered him more a man of science than ... wizadry. And Danette has a passing interest -- he knew most of the golden age heroes, after all -- Dr. Fate, the Spectre, Zatarra. It was she who convinced us to work to keep the public's eye off them -- their impact on the culture was potentially too devestating.

Perkins keeps Atlantean knick knacks, but most of those are at home with his wife in Hawaii.

The rest, like Saunders and Tanner Kae, are men and women of science.

[mrs_dibny]

"Uh, huh," she replies. "But one of them isn't. Maybe more than one." She waves a hand. "I would normally concern myself with the magical people. I haven't seen one yet that I would call 'outgoing'. Even Zee has her moments. They normally want to be left alone to do their thing until something interesting comes along that they think they can't safely ignore or use. When did you notice the odd things happening? Was it Danette or something before that?"

[jla_extras]

*The questions linger silently at the table for a moment, when a commotion emerges from the front of the restaurant -- a number of large men pushing past the hostess, fanning out to the corners of the eatery.

Senator Neptune Perkins walks in behind them, gray trenchcoat billowing, his hair pulled tight into a pony tail. He walks straight to Sue and Jordan's table.*

Is this a private conspiracy, or can anybody join?

*His face is gaunt, his eyes tense -- he's not quite right. And Sue's been doing this long enough to recognize a gun holster beneath his coat.

[mrs_dibny]

::Sue is starting to realize that people have given her more cause to swear over the last 2 months then in her entire life - Dr. Light incident inculded.::

[jla_extras]

*Perkins looms menacingly above the table, and nonchalantly tosses a fifty-dollar bill down.*

That should cover your meal. Now, you two are going to come take a ride with me and my boys.