Log:Bobby's Disappearing Act

2021/08/20 	 Carpenter Grimm

1

Carpenter comes out of the hospital with Grimm. He's carrying a paper cup with some coffee in it, from the cafeteria in the hospital. "I'm trying to figure out the 'why' here."

Grimm grabbed her own coffee, but spruced it up with a bit of magic to make it a Coffeebucks worthy brew. She walks in step alongside Carpenter. "He was a scared kid? Kids do dumb things. I'm an expert on that," she grins. "You sure you don't want me to spice up your drink?"

Carpenter nods. "I'm sure. The bitterness of the coffee keeps me alert." He even manages to say it with a straight face. "I'm not sure he was the motivator. I suspect it was the Cirque Sinister who made the decision. He's just a scared kid."

"Suffering for the job," Gabrielle grins, suspecting he's playing her on that. Her grin fades as she thinks on the case. "They're villains. Probably want their own back. Maybe they're using the kid and don't care if he gets cured? But are playing on the kid's fears to make him think they're his real family?"

Carpenter says, "Maybe. But I hope they get him some help. That being said...it would be great if we could bring the lot of them in. If they do try to get him some help, we might want to keep an ear out for appropriate missing people. Radiation technicians. Oncologists. Radiation-themed supers?"

Grimm nods slowly. "Well, with you in the case, they're walking free on borrowed time," she grins to Jack. "Good idea. Or anyone capable of curing diseases. Was the department able to dig up details on his family?"

Carpenter shakes his head, "Not a lot. And it rapidly gets out of my jurisdiction. If they're in like...Los Angeles, there's really little I can do about it. Officially."

Grimm nods slowly, getting his drift. "Right. Nothing you can do about it," she plays along. "Maybe there's some metas out there who have their hands in stuff like this."

Carpenter nods. "Maybe. But without a lead on where they are, we don't have much to go on."

Grimm nods softly. "You know, I think you're due for a vacation. L.A., maybe?"

Carpenter and Grimm are outside the hospital, standing and talking, and drinking coffee. Grimm's looks like it's from Coffeebucks. Carpenter has cheap cafeteria coffee.

Carpenter chuckles. "Maybe. Depends on where the lead goes."

"Hopefully a nice day spa," Gabrielle chuckles.

Carpenter snorts. "Yeah, because I'm a 'day spa' kinda guy." He smiles and sips his coffee.

Grimm gets a laugh out of that. "Don't knock it 'til you try it. I bet it would do wonders for your stress. I could maybe even give you a bit of a sampling some weekend," she grins suggestively. "And I'm not talking mani-pedis."

Carpenter smiles. "Mmm....Well, a sampler might convince me to try it eventually."

Grimm's smile brigthens at having made some progress chipping away at the grizzled detective. "I'll take that. I -will- get you to relax at least a little bit."

Carpenter frowns. "I AM relaxed. I'm a bundle of nerves, ready to respond at any moment. You know...relaxed." He then chuckles quietly.

Magda emerges from the hospital behind the pair, not really looking at what she's seeing, wearing what look to be physician's scrubs in the standard dark blue. She looks .. tired.

Grimm stares at Carpenter with her mouth partly open in just disbelief for a few moments. Then she bursts out laughing. "Yeah. Totally zen. On a hair trigger," she says and playfully pokes at his chest.

Carpenter notices Magda and waves to her. They're literally only about...10 to 20 feet from the entrance of the building.

Magda seems to brigthen as she spots the wave, and turns her wandering in their direction. "Detective Carpenter. Miss Grimm. What brings you here?"

Grimm turns toward where Jack is waving and lifts her cup in hello. "Work stuff."

Carpenter points back toward the building. "An escapee from the meta ward who was also held on suspicion on a crime. Following up on the 'breakout'."

Dr. Gutzu mmms. "I understand. I presume it happened at the same time as the explosion at the prison and at Stronghold? Was this the Inquisitor's doing as well?"

Carpenter nods. "Concurrently, but I don't think The Inquisitor had anything to do with it. Instead, it was the Cirque Sinister. They might have known about the impending chaos somehow, and took advantage. Or...they were working together somehow."

Grimm smirks. "I don't think the Inquisitor likes working with other people. Their contact is pretty quick at extracting people." She sighs. "Maybe we should've gotten the kid to Starguard so Door couldn't get to him."

Magda nods. She undoubtedly has i formation on the aforementioned in her back-brain somewhere, but ... "Let me know if you need assistance," she offers.

Carpenter nods. "I appreciate that, thank you. I have no idea where they've gotten off to. Probably out of state by this point."

"Door can get people just about anywhere. They're...more of a freelance agent rather than a villain. They arranged transportation to a...um...event I attended once," Gabrielle murmurs evasively.

Carpenter raises a brow, and looks to Grimm, "Hmm. Well, some more details about how Door does business might be helpful."

Magda's eyebrows lift for a moment; Grimm is not usually quite so evasive. "Sounds terribly embarrassing," she murmurs, then nods in agreement with Carpenter.

"Not embarrassing. For me, anyway. She was the go between to arrange transport to a secret location for a poker game of sorts. It was part of one of my magical cases," Grimm explains.

Carpenter raises a brow. "I didn't realize you were a poker player. Hmm. So, how does Door go about things?"

Magda ponders both 'poker game' and the telling 'of sorts'. She looks to one side, still listening, but thinking as well.

"I'm not," Gabrielle laughs. "But I needed to say I was to get into the game to investigate one of the other players. Door tends to give you a call, and then...boom. Gate opens. She doesn't even have to be nearby, as far as I can tell."

Carpenter nods. "Interesting trick. And likely keeps her safe, assuming she remains remote."

Grimm nods. "Haven't even seen her before."

Magda mmms briefly. "She can likely still be tracked by way of her power," she muses.

Carpenter nods. "I've gotten the impression that she plays it safe, too. No imminent pursuit by authorities, from what I remember. The transit points need to be safe.

"Really?" Magda says with interest. "Perhaps you /are/ going to her location -- but she has the outbound gate immediately facing the inbound. Active pursuit might; constitute an actual risk to her."

"She stays far away from her clientele for her own safety," Gabrielle nods.

Carpenter nods. "I suspect she has a means to see the location in question to open the ends of the gates. Not sure how, though.

"That is just it," Magda replies. "She might /not/ be keeping her distance -- she is just making it /seem/ like she is."

Grimm sighs and rubs the bridge of her nose.

Carpenter nods. "Also possible. But I still think it isn't likely, based upon what I've seen personally. I think it's a means of plausible deniability, should anyone get caught."

Magda nods, and falls silent, looking away again. "That seems likely too," ahe agrees.

Carpenter nods. "Everything okay, Dr. Gutzu?"

Magda does not answer for a few moments; eventually, she releases a sigh. "Just ... got a stark reminder of the human element, Detective. And the various prices of failure for not tending to it properly."

Carpenter nods slowly. "Ah, I see. I understand. I won't pry further."

The silver-haired 'twentysomething' nods in mute acceptance, even thanks. "I need a vacation," she sighs.

Carpenter grins. "I've been told repeatedly that I should take one as well." He thumbs toward Grimm, who just chuckles quietly.

Magda smiles. "I could guarantee you a good one," she muses. "Far from the maddening crowd. A bit like camping, actually, just with something of less stress."

Carpenter shakes his head, "Mmm...I'd have to think about it. I don't usually consider where to vacation, since...well, I rarely take one."

"Well, it is a matter of what you want to do," Magda agrees amiably.