Miss Cathy/Marcos
CH-004 (Part 1)
06/12/2097 - 06:12pm
"Best Laid Plans.."
Cathy smokes one last cigarette before she heads out to find answers, "hmm...."
She walks through the halls, not to crowded down here by the music department. She reaches to the door and breaths deeply.
Here we go.
The door creaked opened and she was greeted with a waft of fresh, cold air, air that smelled faintly of pipe tobacco.
"Apologies," Marcos knew she was coming here, damn him, "We prefer a little chill in the air."
Then she noticed the silence where there was once music. Tried to remember what it was that was playing.
"Cecelia," Cathy noticed the girl in the far corner, wrapped around a cello, who perked up and brightened when Marcos spoke to her.
Unlike how the other students describe this girl.
"Please continue playing, you were doing well," Marcos finished.
"Yes, Herra," the girl said.
(Sir)
Marcos got up from his desk, "No need to be so reserved around our guest, I'm sure her reasons for coming are good-natured."
"So, what brings you to my humble little area of the school today?"
Cathy takes a seat in front of him and crosses her legs, “Let’s cut the bull shit. How did you and that girl end up hear? And why hasn't this girl ended up at psyche ward?"
Her voice raised, more authoritative and demanding.
The music stopped again.
"Cecelia, please continue," Marcos said.
"Herra, what would you like to hear?"
"Something from your self, Cecelia. Let your hands and heart form the music."
"Yes, Herra," and the girl returned to her playing, and Marcos returned to the blunt woman who had interrupted his routine.
"So you want to know about us then. I will oblige to a point, but expect something in return. As to how we ended up here, there was a grand opportunity, with pay beyond what could be achieved at home, how was I to pass that up?
Cathy furrowed her eyes, he was stalling.
He turned to Cecelia, "Would you play louder please?"
"Yes, Herra," and she did.
(Sir/Mister)
Marcos turned back to the woman, "As to the girl, she is my ward. Do not worry about her. She has never harmed another student, and will not do so."
Cathy little annoyed at the fact that Marcos so calm, "You should know that I'm that person who knows things. Too many for her own good."
Cathy bites her pen but enjoys the music played by the young girl
"Ah, you’re a person who
knows things,” Marcos took to care to hide his sarcasm, “I can see from your rampant smoking that there must be some issues bigger than us you have to contend with. Stress shows itself easily. The way you barged in, chewing on your pen even now. Must be under some pressure of your own."
He calmly leaned back in his chair. "Is your little chemist set not up to snuff? You want information. For who's sake? Yours? Some dirt on another so you may point fingers when if you come under fire? 'Oh I'm not like him at all,'" Mocking her voice this time. “Worried someone may become fit to replace you? Don't fret, it's not me. I couldn't really be bothered, plus then who would fill my position? However, the reasons
why you come to enact the Spanish Inquisition are much more interesting. No other teacher has taken such interest in the girl. Though you can hardly be acting on your own.”
Damn him, Miss Cathy would think him clever if he wasn’t such an ass about it.
"Your wondering about the girl's past, now there must be something to that. Something beyond a lowly Chemistry instructor. What, though, is the question.”
Cathy feels Marcos dodging her questions but understands what he's asking, "I see where this is going. No, I am not some lowly teacher trying to get dirt on you. They can't replace me, most likely kill me if anything but knowing things is what keeps me alive.”
"So Ancora isn't above killing its own. Honorable," Marcos' sarcasm was present.
Miss Cathy continued, "I know what happened three years ago and I also know you were hired by this girls parents during this little event. Now What I want to know why would stay here knowing all to well what goes on below."
She saw Marcos’ hand fall and heard the latch give on a certain drawer of his desk.
Is he really so easily intimidated? Though I’d do the same if I was him, Miss Cathy thought.
"Knowing about my dear here would do you no good. She went missing; the girl’s parents hired me to find her. A little hobby and a knack for finding things, but the past is past, and cannot be changed whether you know it or not. I supposed you
could inform the Finnish police of us. Though they would see she is well cared for here, ah! Part of the reason I stay right there!” Marcos could see he was making this woman irritated. And he smiled for it.
"As to the-" turned again, "Cecelia, up tempo please."
"-As to the war. I could always leave, dear Ms. Cathy. Surely, we could go back to Esploo. Or another town, and be quite happy and leave you all to your little war.
Cathy grabs a mint and throws it in her mouth, “But knowing things keeps you alive, you’ll learn soon Marcos. I know things, so I’m still here. Like how you hide your colt 45 in your desk and she hides a knife in her sock. I would like them where they are. I hate conflict."
Marcos withdrew the pistol from the drawer and checked the weapon. He snapped the cylinder shut and lay it atop the desk. "I assume the pistol was common knowledge, and I didn't think it would be a major concern. Cecelia tells me everyone here has an armament of some sort; she went around playing with Yu's sword while he was asleep."
"It's too heavy," Cecelia said as she played.
"And
everyone knows the faculty took her knife away. But
anyone with a decent pair of eyes could see the bulge in her pant leg,” Marcos said, "A favor for a favor then. I gave you information, now you will tell me where you heard about her past.”
The music stops. Marcos nods to Cecelia the continue playing
"You be surprised at what you can find on the Cyberia net. I know she killed a man, the wrong one. But I don't care then, I what to know
the now. You've come to another hell Marcos and that's hard to get out."
He tapped the pistol on the desk, and leaned forward, "Also, correction: she killed the right man. He was guilty of a lot of things that he needed to answer for, but not-Cecelia play louder, you always grow soft."
The music intensified, but Marcos' voice fell, "But not of her parents. Though he did rather deserve it, you should have flipped through his photo collection... But you don't care about any of that, do you?" Relaxed back in the chair, "As for
the now, we couldn't stay in Finland. Especially after whatever was hunting the girl. Another hell, a lesser hell, though possibly a haven for us. Whomever sawed up her parents had their reasons. Here, surrounded by all sorts of folk with ridiculous powers and bullshit you only find in bad comics, where could be safer?"
Marcos eyes shine, Miss Cathy wondering if he got like this when he was thinking hard, "So the war to end is what you're after. '
Put the ones responsible in a grave,' but you hate conflict."
Marcos fixed his attention on the pistol, he toyed with it, and spun it on the table. Round and round and round and no words said until it came to a rest, barrel pointing towards the woman, "Do not take this the wrong way, but maybe a chance for collaboration. Information for information. The war ending is good, but who you do plan on being the victors?"
More tapping on the gun, and he fixed his gaze to Miss Cathy, "Now what would Ancora want with the girl?"
Ms. Cathy's adjust her glasses. She smiles at Marcos. She giggles and then laughs harder. Marcos makes and awkward face, obliviously curious as of why.
"HAhaaahhaaa... Oh.. this is it. Your the help I need. All this time it was in front of me! You can help me gather evidence to put the leaders of both school away forever or find out what’s in the bottom of the caves. hehe"
Cathy cleans her eyes, "Okay... ah.. Alright. I'll tell you almost anything you want. What they want is for her to join the fight. They think that since she's so unstable she'll make an easy fighter to mold."
Cathy’s face returned to a more serious look.
Marcos returns the smile, "My help? I'm no fighter of course, and you've proven yourself to be quite intelligent, and I have seen you drill in the yard, incredibly capable combatant as well."
"So what could I bring that you couldn't? Surely this is evidence you could gather yourself. You found out about our little secret after all," he nods toward Cecelia.
The music stopped, but neither Marcos nor Miss Cathy took note.
"Ah," Marcos perked up, "Now I see. That's what you need. That's what we have."
Miss Cathy criss-crossed her legs in the chair and she drew a small notebook from her pocket. Her turn to look a little puzzled? Marcos couldn't tell, but this, elegant, woman was no threat.
The drawer re-opened and in went the pistol along with a quiet remark to Miss Cathy, "Never hurts to be suspicious of everyone."
Marcos continued his analysis, "You need someone with no ties to either side. Someone who doesn't care about winning or losing. You are a clever one. We
are only here as a safe haven, if it becomes a liability, we will be gone. But Miss Cathy, are
your intentions fully honorable? Once the responsible are locked away, you plan to control both? Or is peace something you are honestly after. You'll have to show me."
The whole thing was incredibly cruel; nothing in a fucking cave was worth pitting students against each other. Marcos knew this, and wholly agreed with the teacher. The hell, those teachers’ eyes. She wasn't terrible looking and Cecelia, though unstable, would make a good soldier, or-
"Good fodder," Marcos laughed bitterly, and his eyes finally left the other teacher.
Damn! Entranced by a woman, damn,
don't let your guard down, I don't know a thing about her yet.
"What?" Miss Cathy asked, and then giggled, probably thought Marcos was spacey.
"Ancora wants her to be a soldier, think she'd be a good one?” Marcos became serious, “No. If they try to teach her, well, they may find that she is particular on who she will listen to. So I figure in three years we would have to leave, or likely be shunted out, Ancora not getting what it wants."
Then he pointed at Miss Cathy, "But there needs to be trust. I don't know a damn thing about you. And if I'm going to trust you with Cecelia than you'll have show me you mean what you say. You said you would tell us
almost anything. Get rid of the
'almost' and we have a deal."
A pause, "So, dear Miss Cathy, what is your plan."
She removed a fresh pen from her breast pocket and began to write.
sscchhhICK
The notebook flew from her hands, and skittered to a stop on the hardwood floor. Blade stuck in the cover.
Shit, Marcos thought,
so Cecelia hasn't been exactly idle around here...
"Älä!" Cecelia shouted, "Älkää tee muistiinpanoja!"
("Do not!" "Do not take notes!")
May have to get her out quicker, before someone takes notice.
Miss Cathy's laughter broke his train of thought. "See what I said about '
soldier?' And do tell me what she said."
Cecelia was standing, her pant leg was up a bit, yep, she had thrown the knife.
"We're in England now, please dear, speak the language," Marcos said calmly, hiding the shock of what could have happened, and what Miss Cathy could do, if she was dishonorable.
"Se on inhottavaa, mutta okei," Cecelia said
(It’s disgusting, but okay), then with a broken voice, "Miss Cathy, please do not take notes. We will hunt for evidence, it is best that we do not leave any of our own."
Well if Cecelia trusts her... Marcos thought.