[Date: Friday, June 12th. Time: 10:00 pm.] [Heinrick took off early from the lab this Friday. Usually he's been working well into the night, but the weekends are thinking time. And think he may do. But first, his apartment. We come to him in a rather spartan affair, though there's the occassional sign of life in the form of plants around. Charts and figures are strewn over a small desk in the corner of the room and spill over onto one of the chairs, ] [but other than that it's generally fairly clean. Mini start!] * Heinrick is busy unlocking his front door and makes his way inside. He hasn't turned on the light yet, even though there's just barely a bit of the street light pouring in through the windows and the occassional car light. He closes the door behind him and makes his way to a pile of mail, sifting through it.] (Lose bracket. Too GMy) [Heinrick sifts. Bill, bill, junk, bill... his phone rings!] * Heinrick stops for a moment and sets his bills back on the counter before answering the phone. He *still* hasn't turned on a light. "Hello?" * Roseli is on the other end! "Heinrick? You free?" * Heinrick looks surprised for a moment which does catch in his voice for once. "Roseli?" He regains his composure and answers evenly. "I was about to go for an evening stroll. What's on your mind?" "Need to meet somewhere clean." * Heinrick waits for a beat then replies, "Open space or prefer indoors?" "Either." * Heinrick leans against his counter. "There's a park a few blocks away. It's fairly out of the way. But I prefer the fresh air myself." He gives a name, because his player is too lazy to look up German park names. * Roseli is silent for a bit - maybe she's looking the park up. Then she speaks: "Meet you there." She hangs up without saying good bye! What nerve. * Heinrick hangs up the phone, but he doesn't go right away. He stays where he is in his position for a while, considering the phone. Then he finally stands up and slings his duster over his shoulder as he heads back out and locks up his apartment. He puts it on once he gets outside and goes to meet Rose! [Heinrick walks to the park! It's a nice, warm evening, and the park is appropriately empty for such a late evening. Still, it's fairly well lit, and a few couples wander through the gardens or sit by the pond. The fountain in the center is still going, too. All in all, a pretty scene. If you're into that kind of thing, anyway.] [Roseli isn't there yet, possibly because she lives in an entirely different neighborhood.] * Heinrick may be into it. He's got his duster on now and is walking with his hands in his pockets slowly. [Heinrick goes for a walk. Even though it's very large, he manages to make it halfway around the park when he spots a car parked to one side. He may or may not recognize said car, but he does recognize Roseli, who is getting out of the driver's side.] * Heinrick walks over near the parking lot but waits for Roseli to be done with the taking care of her car business. But he doesn't call out to her just yet. * Roseli shuts her door, locks her car, and heads for the park. She sees Heinrick in short order and changes trajectory slightly so she'll meet up with him. * Heinrick gives Rose a brief nod, keeping his hands in his pockets. "Well, at least it's a warm evening." At least. * Roseli rubs at her bracelet and keeps walking. She's in her standard outfit, and Heinrick can see her gun peeking out from beneath her jacket. * Heinrick then gives Roseli a solid look, then starts walking with her, keeping his eyes straight. "It will be better deeper in. The trees and water is rather soothing. It's quite refreshing." He's not glancing at her but more glancing everywhere around and but at the moment. * Roseli nods, not responding otherwise. * Heinrick waits till they get deeper in, where there's less light, then glances a little more her way after checking the surroundings. "They definitely do keep this park clean, but you can't be too careful of sparrows." He eases a bit of tension, though not much and lets out a casual aside. "What's on your mind?" * Roseli looks to one side. "Need a favor." You have any connections outside of Blitzkrieg? * Heinrick ponders for a few moments, considering the question hard. That's twice she's caught him off guard tonight. He finally responds, "I may. Although at this point, I am not certain how deep they may have set their claws..." He looks at Roseli more evenly. "And that. Is a dangerous question." * Roseli doesn't respond until they reach an area where they're surrounded by trees on all sides except the path on which they stand. Here she stops, and she still doesn't look directly at Heinrick. "Listen. I need you to do something for me." * Heinrick looks in Roseli's general direction but isn't really looking at her either. "I cannot promise anything until I know what it is." * Roseli reaches for her bracelet and slowly presses the keys; if Heinrick were paying attention to her rapidfire input before, this pattern seems a bit different. There's a slight hiss, and she moves her hand to the underside, detaching something. * Heinrick watches Roseli carefully but isn't saying a word. * Roseli moves, pressing it into Heinrick's hand. It's a small and smooth, and it feels like glass. "Ventrimulin-46. Ever hear of it?" (And gah. You know enough I'm assuming that if I did a roll you'd be able to clue me in? Because Brett's not here to verify.) (Yeah, sure.) (It'd be, um, a tough roll. We're talking a tawp sekrit drug of some sort.) (So reroll with penalties?) (Sure. Use what you think is appropriate.) (Made by 5 on a +4 penalty) (Holy what. Have some info!) * Heinrick ponders for a moment. "...vaguely. I've heard some side stories but mostly they try to keep the specifics underwraps." * Roseli nods and gives him the run down. "Stimulates the brain. Enhances focus - sometimes speed and strength. Used to be on 62, but too expensive. This is a weaker version, produced here." She steps away, leaving the tiny vial in Heinrick's hand. Highly addictive. Can cause mental instability. Do yourself a favor and never take the stuff. * Heinrick looks at the vial for a moment and then takes a slight breath, then looks at Roseli with a bit of a pained smile. "I'm not sure if could if I wanted to. For the same reason I can't drink alcohol." * Roseli shrugs, slightly. She doesn't smile back, but she does, finally, look at him. I need you to duplicate it. Or at least what works with the addiction. I'm not a chemist; I don't know where to start. * Heinrick looks over the vial. "So you would need me to analyze it. I presumed.." He then stops himself and takes out his case so he can put it in one of the empty spots and keep it nice and secure. "I would do it myself, if I could. But as you say, the eyes are everywhere." * Roseli nods. "Need the vial back, when I get the chance. For the next refill." * Heinrick looks at her solidly for a moment. He then shakes his head and sits on a secluded park bench. No lights nearby though. "They really do have us trapped in one way or another, don't they?" * Roseli watches him sit. "Yes." She moves, after that, sitting next to him. * Heinrick starts to take out his pipe, then shakes it, but looks at Roseli and sets his pipe aside. "Did the talk with Keiko go well?" (I didn't tell him' nothin'! *panics, flees*) (No you didn't. :P) * Roseli nods, looking ahead and into the trees. "Promised confidentiality, but yes. Keiko needs someone outside of her immediate situation to talk to. Don't qualify, but I did my best." You qualify more so than I do. * Roseli nods and shifts, almost squirming. Eventually, she gives up and removes her jacket, setting it next to her. Her holster, and hence her gun, is on the opposite side to Heinrick. * Heinrick looks up for a moment, keeping silent for a while, then sets his position with his arms on his legs, looking down on the ground. "Why come to me?" * Roseli hugs herself, still gazing at the trees. "Who else can I go to?" * Heinrick is still looking downward. He doesn't quite answer her question, letting out a long breath. "If it were just because I were another chemist..." Don't be stupid. * Heinrick chuckles and turns to Roseli for a moment. "You're the one trusting someone who is basically a total stranger thrust into the same situation you are." * Roseli twitches, just a little, and her nails dig into her arms. That looks painful. "I can't-" She licks her lips and tries again. "I have to." * Roseli looks at the other guardian, tightly wound as she is, and continues: "Five days. I only lasted five days." * Heinrick nods very slowly, looking back at Roseli, then looking straight ahead. "Do you realize how difficult it was for me to realize that I might go into another coma if I started drinking again?" No. * Heinrick winces slightly and shakes his head. "It's getting a little more unstable now. I'm probably going to have to alter the medication." He looks at Roseli. "Life by a schedule..routine...dosages...measuring everything out for the next day...it's not a proper life." * Roseli nods. * Heinrick stands slowly. "Was there anything else?" * Roseli watches Heinrick stand, and something like fear crosses her face. "No." * Heinrick nods a little, then puts his hands in his pockets. "I'm...well...I guess I'm glad that you came to me with this. I'll see what I can do to help you, Roseli." * Roseli remains still, looking up at Heinrick with arms wrapped around herself and jacket next to her. "Thank you." * Heinrick nods slightly. "Can I walk you to your car? It's rather dangerous at night." * Roseli blinks, but then she nods and slowly loosens her grip on herself. After a few moments, she picks up her jacket and stands. * Roseli starts to walk, and as she does, she puts her jacket back on. * Heinrick waits for her to get up then walks slowly with Rose back to her car. He doesn't talk when doing it but he seems a little more comfortable. [Date: Friday, June 12th. Time: 10:30 pm.] [Time warp from their earlier conversation, Heinrick asked Rose if she wanted to talk more. And she said yes! So they went to a restaurant that ended up being open late. There aren't many patrons this late at night so there's place for a more secluded table, which Heinrick takes.] [The fare is Italian, which means good wine, good bread, good antipasto. Unless Rose isn't up for wine and is up for more hard liquors, to which there's a small minibar available. Anyhow, their table is ready and they were just seated and ordered!] * Roseli is sitting and looking around. They ordered already? Awesome; that means she doesn't need to bother now. [And food is delivered. With bread and balsamic vinegar and whatever drinks they ordered. Main dishes are still being prepared.] * Heinrick takes a sip of water, his jacket hanging on the coat. He lets Rose take in the scenery before he asks, "So how long were you holding this in?" * Roseli has wine, as it happens! Because Heinrick might not be able to get boozed up, but that doesn't mean she can't. She breaks off a piece of the bread and dips it, then has a bite off the end. Chews, swallow, then: "What do you mean?" (His jacket hanging on the coat?) (x.x ON THE BACK OF THE CHAIR, I KAN SPEL KTHX) Before you decided to ask someone. * Roseli puts her bread down and picks up her wine, clearly thinking about how long it's been. She has a sip before she says, "Two months." * Heinrick takes another drink and starts dipping a piece of bread. "Actually I meant actually considering asking. Or has that actually been two months?" Two months that I knew... * Roseli shakes her head, cutting herself off. "Asking? I don't know." Was pretty spur of the moment. Maybe a week. Maybe less, maybe more. * Roseli has another sip of wine, then goes back to the bread. * Heinrick sighs deeply. "The last 5 days..." * Roseli watches Heinrick with what might be some concern as she works on eating the rest of her bread-chunk. * Heinrick shakes his head slightly and eats crusty bread. Mmm, bread. It's nothing. * Roseli snorts. "Some nothing." * Heinrick sets down his bread and dabs at his mouth. "Not exactly what I meant." He swirls his glass slightly and seems...something. It's hard to tell. "I really am bad at this." * Roseli holds up her glass of wine, almost in a toast. "Why I need to talk to Keiko for you." And she has a good, long drink of that before placing it on the table. * Kizn has joined #MC4 * Heinrick chuckles at that and raises his own glass, drinking it. "If you say so." I do. As, probably, the only one at work with any sort of credentials. * Roseli tears off more bread. "Don't know Gertrude's exact background, so just guessing here." * Heinrick tilts his head to the side, curious about that. "Credentials?" * Roseli nods, going about with the bread dippy. "Got degrees in social work and psychology." * Heinrick tilts his head to the side. "That's what it takes to get into this line of work? I just thought it took ethically questionable standards and ruthless efficiency." He sighs dramatically. "I am very much going to have to update my resume." Might need to consider going back to school. Get into some night classes. * Heinrick looks at Roseli strangely. "I *do* carry doctor as a title. It is not as if I do not have my own schooling." He takes a sip. "When I choose to use it." Doctor in what? Chemistry? That's not people. * Roseli nibbles on more bread. Emotionally exhausting oneself makes for the hungry. * Heinrick sips his drink. "And biology." * Roseli raises an eyebrow. "A double-PhD? Must've made your mother proud." * Heinrick chuckles. "Actually, my parents both believed I was crazy. Perhaps they were not far off." * Roseli rolls her eyes. "Should have been proud, anyway." * Heinrick shrugs ever so slightly and eats his bread. It's just about then that their actual food comes. Yay! * Roseli makes room for the pasta, which for her is spinach and cheese-filled ravioli. She also politely asks for a refill on the wine. [She definitely gets more wine!] * Heinrick nods in thanks and gets some tortellini with alfredo sauce himself. He starts stirring it with his fork and waits for the waitress to leave. "Life is difficult enough without focusing on 'should haves'." * Roseli nods, getting a piece of ravioli herself and popping it into her mouth. * Roseli chews and swallows. "Sometimes can't be helped, though." * Heinrick gets kind of a distant stare with that comment, then finally starts to take a bite. He doesn't comment. * Roseli pokes at her ravioli, then has another drink. "You don't mind, do you? My asking you to help." * Heinrick shakes his head at the subject change and takes a deep breath, pushing his glasses more out of the way. "Not at all. I can rather understand resources being...rather limited." * Roseli nods. She pokes at her dish some more in silence. * Heinrick shakes his head slightly and sets down his napkin. "It would help if I knew who I was really working for." * Roseli gives Heinrick an odd look. "What do you mean?" * Heinrick looks at another forkful. "The organization I suppose. It has so many facades. I'm almost jealous." * Roseli has another good drink of wine, then goes back to prodding her food. "Bet it doesn't even know what it is. My money's on someone outside being behind the whole fucking thing." She spears a piece of ravioli and eats it. * Heinrick prods his food thoughtfully. Damn being clear headed. "Possible. The irony of the president's words still resonate with me." Cracked. Might walk, too. * Heinrick sighs and closes his eyes, saying half seriously. "Please don't. I'm trying to enjoy a nice dinner here." * Roseli smiles a little. "Sorry." Pause. "Been doing that a lot lately." * Heinrick sighs even louder. "Taking me seriously is your first problem." He smirks at Rose and opens his eyes, taking a sip of water again. No offense, but hard to tell when to and when not. * Heinrick rubs his nose. "None taken. Sometimes it's difficult for *me* to tell." Might want to work on that. I know you like riddles, but... * Roseli shrugs and has more ravioli. Because it's awesome. * Heinrick sets down his fork and stares off into the distance. He doesn't say anything to that. * Roseli blinks at the staring after a bit. "Heinrick?" Some concern touches her voice again. * Heinrick looks at Roseli for a second, keeping his voice even but low. "Well, if you want seriousness, I could ask why the organization is in the habit of hiring wanted criminals to do their work. I suppose I could do that. But I am afraid I don't know the answer." * Heinrick goes back to eating. Calmly. * Roseli starts. She looks at Heinrick, her eyes a bit wide, but goes about eating just the same. Her hands are shaking slightly. You can't- nrg. * Roseli presses two of her fingers to her forehead and murmurs something in Portuguese before saying, "If you want to talk, talk." * Heinrick closes his eyes slightly and drinks some water. "Sharing pasts? I thought that went against everything we believed in." * Roseli responds, almost angrily, "Approaching you tonight went against everything I believe in. How about you?" * Heinrick looks at Roseli and starts to say something, then shakes his head. "Some of the experiments I conducted in my day were...not exactly considered ethical. A lot of them still affect me to this day." He smirks and holds up his arm. "This is part of the results. The need for medication is another. But those were more...side effects." * Heinrick takes another drink. "Quite honestly, if I had my choice, I would much rather still be in Switzerland." * Roseli nods. She relaxes slightly. "Why did you do them?" * Heinrick looks pained for a moment, then responds. Might as well go all the way. "My wife." ... Your wife? * Heinrick nods very faintly and replies softly. "I think that was 7 years ago..." * Roseli sips her wine. Now seems like a good time to keep quiet, so she does. * Heinrick looks into his glass, keeping his voice steady. "Boating accident. At the time, I would have done anything to bring her back. Now..." He shakes his head slightly and smirks. "Now you see why it is better to not have me serious. I don't even have the excuse of being drunk." * Roseli sets her glass down. She replies, softly, "I'm sorry." * Heinrick keeps looking at the glass. "Well now, we can't all have a perfect past. Otherwise, we would not be deemed appropriate for babysitting troubled young girls in the prime of their youth, right?" * Roseli makes a slight 'hrm' sound. "Right." What was she like? * Heinrick ponders that for a few moments then looks at Roseli curiously for a moment. "Different." * Roseli chuckles. "Fine." She picks up her glass again and looks into it, then offers something in compensation: "Osmar... you met him. He was my husband, yes. Still might be. We had problems." Was caught up in work. In the past. Tough jobs, money running low, this... * Heinrick sips his drink and listens. * Roseli gestures with her braceletted hand, then adds more quietly, "Our son." She sighs. "Wish I could have told him so many things. Too late now." Why too late? * Roseli smiles bitterly. "He hates me." She drinks the rest of her wine. "If I just told him, maybe not. No way to know." * Heinrick is silent for a few moments, pondering over his food, then responds. "Do you hate yourself?" * Roseli blinks in surprise, but she gives Heinrick's question a fair shake, mulling it over. "Yes," she finally says. "I might." I think...*picks up a bit of his food and holds it in the air* that all we can really do is go on from this point forward. The past is going to remain the past regardless. * Heinrick eats tortellini. Mmm, tortellini. * Roseli shakes her head. "Does that mean you're giving up?" * Heinrick frowns slightly and gives it due consideration. "No. Not quite. There's been...plenty to give me a different perspective." * Roseli nods. You? * Roseli sighs. "Gave up a long time ago." She rubs at her bracelet. "With some things. With others..." Osmar... yes. I think, yes. If he survives long enough, just want him to be happy without me. Never managed with. * Heinrick smirks slightly. "One favor?" * Roseli closes her eyes. "Name it." Not a word of this gets shared to the wards. Or to the other guardians rather either. I didn't think I need asked but... You have my word. * Heinrick nods. "It would get around far too easily as is..." He finishes up his food and works on the rest of the dinner. * Roseli nods. She turns her attention to her own food, but she doesn't seem so hungry anymore. [And end, because we're tired.] [But they're probably still talking. It's BIZARROVILLE.]