Somewhat Sanctuary {Tag: Rae}

[Rae Adams]

Rae looked into his eyes, and her angry thoughts at him melted away.  He was cute.  She even took the phone without a second thought.  "What?" she asked her sister with only a little bit of attitude.

Now Leah was in a tough spot because the moment she was on the phone with Rae, she wasn't sure what to say to her sister.  If Rae knew the sort of person she was with, Leah had no idea how to tell that.  If Rae didn't know, well Leah was in the same position.  The worst part was that this was all happening on the phone, too.  Why couldn't this be in person?  Well, Jacob better know what he was doing. 

"Be careful," Leah finally said, quietly.

"Umm... sure, don't worry.  Like my hero said, I'm safe," Rae replied quietly.

"Bye Rae, be here at a decent hour."

"Bye," Rae replied quietely as well before hanging up the phone.  She looked at Jacob, "That was weird.  She didn't say much at all that time." Rae wrinkled her nose for a moment confused, but then her frown turned upside down.  "So... wanna hear about West?  You know, you may not.  He's a total dork, really.  Tried to give me career advice as a conversation opener once.  Then again, I'm probably a total dork to him too.  I asked him what blood tastes like...."

[Irina Wintour]

Jacob held up his hands in a gesture for her to stop. Her switching topics to this vampire named West was enough to give him a fairly good sense of what their interactions had been thus far: harmless. That was a start. But he had a specific thought in mind, and needed confirmation.

"Rachel--" he was not a man for nicknames "--I will, as they say, cut straight to the chase: could you please tell me if you have had any previous encounters with the vampire I rescued you from tonight? Or, and this is just as important, has your friend West ever mentioned anything about his having encountered him?"

If the answer was affirmative for the first question, he would most certainly have to consider a safe house for her. If yes to the second question...well, he'd have to see. West appeared to be the only vampire she knew personally. If someone had somehow gotten her linked to this business with the crazed "priest", it could very well have been him. But then, of course, there was the chance that the murderous vampire was indiscriminate in his attacks. At any rate, knowing if either or both of these very different people who were, nonetheless, connected through association --a teenaged human girl and, it seemed, a relatively young male vampire-- had encountered the vampire would help Jacob to understand if there might in fact be a pattern, or a specific, personal motive.

[Rae Adams]

Rae looked at Jacob with a wrinkled brow for a moment.  Dang this guy wouldn't let her focus on the positive for even a moment.  That sucked.  Oh well, she could play things his way if he wanted.

"West was the only vampire I'd ever met... until tonight that is.  But, that guy... he knew West.  He wanted me to call him," Rae explained.  She shivered at the idea.  "West never told me anything about the guy.  In fact, West said I was more likely to be mugged by a human than attacked by a vampire.  Is that true?  Or is West more of a dork than I thought he was?"

Rae laughed nervously actually looking carefully at Jacob's face and total reaction for the answer.  Yeah, Rae talked a tough game.  True, Rae said that life sucked, but Rae wasn't about to just let herself die all because of creatures she didn't even thingk existed until recently.  She was actually genuinely scared.  That guy had tricked her.  She'd been mostly convinced he was just some harmless old man.  The idea that he was a vampire didn't cross her mind until... well that last moment.  Rae was still mostly shaken, but she didn't want to show it.

[Irina Wintour]

Ah. She had confirmed his hunch: West was very likely the reason why the vampire-priest-murderer (Jacob would really like to have a name for him one of these days) had targeted Rachel.

It was also likely that West would have more to say about said vampire-priest-murderer than this poor girl, here. It was time to take steps to resolve this issue...peacefully, of course. Speak to West, flesh out details, and then, hopefully, pin down the other vampire and speak with him. If he could. If it turned out the matter could not be dealt with peacefully, at least Jacob could say that he had made an attempt. He would then hand it off to Nesrin and let her deem how involved Single Earth would be...harboring intended/surviving victims, likely.

First, to take care of Rachel. He smiled warmly at her, hoping to put her mind a bit more at ease. She was clearly still shaken by the night's events. "More likely to be mugged?" he repeated lightly, almost amused. "Well, this is New York City, after all. Not every crime can be blamed on vampires. I'd say that his statement is not entirely unfounded." The amusement faded, but the smile remained. "Thank you for the information. It would be prudent to contact West, but I would prefer to take care of it myself," he stressed, lifting an eyebrow, "as your sister explicitly asked that you be home soon, and this is, after all, my job. You have his number, but your phone has...er, died." Cell phones still mystified him; the word "died" carried the slight lilt of bewilderment. "In which case, once I get you home, and after you...fix your phone...I would like it very much if you could call the number on the card I gave you and give me West's number." He paused, to make sure she was listening and understanding. "Now, where do you live, my dear?"

If it wasn't too far, he'd grudgingly teleport her again. After all, it was safer.

[Rae Adams]

Rae looked at her feet, feeling slight ashamed when he reminded her that she'd allowed her phone to die.  She couldn't wait for that little round of reaming from Leah.  At least he didn't act like she was in any trouble anymore.  And at least he wasn't demanding that she go on and on and on about the whole attack.  Well, he'd seen part of it so he probably just needed to know the details.

"Well, I live in Ramsa with my mom, but I'm staying with my sister, Leah tonight.  She lives in an apartment complex by Vancouver Street... but that guy knows I was looking for Vancouver," Rae's face slowly changed into a look of horror as she asked very quickly, "Hesnotgonnacomeaftermeormysisterishe?"  And just like that, the calmness was gone.  Why had she been so stupid?  Why couldn't she just listen to all those stupid kiddy shows when she was little that said "never talk to strangers"?  Dang it!

[Irina Wintour]

When Jacob heard the word Ramsa he almost twitched, horrified at the prospect of teleporting the girl that far (God! He'd need to focus on improving this skill if teleporting passengers all hither and thither was a part of his new job!), but then she amended her statement and he relaxed. A little. Only for a moment.

And then he was staring at Rae in discombobulation. A part of him wanted to ask her what had possessed her to glibly share her address with a complete stranger, but then...he supposed that everyone was taking that risk when they got into a taxi cab. No need to punish the poor girl. For all Jacob knew, the "vampire-priest-murderer" had persuaded her to give him her destination through vampiric means (although skimming through Rae's mind a moment later left Jacob thinking perhaps that wasn't the case).

Still, he remained composed. Someone had to be. "Please, calm yourself, Rachel," he uttered in the most soothing tone he could muster, again holding up his hands to shush her. "Vancouver, you say? Unless you gave him an exact address, I doubt he would know where to begin. It's all very convoluted in Greenpoint, if my memory serves me correctly. Still..." He hesitated, doing some quick brain-storming. He didn't want to leave Leah and Rachel to fend for themselves should the mad vampire show up after all. He could not stand sentinel at all hours, he still had to hit a few Nyeusi haunts tonight as a part of his usual routine. He needed to call in somebody... "Someone can stand watch by the apartment complex," he finally said, decisively reaching for the dreaded phone. "I think that is the best course of action for now..."

He dialed Michael Light, uncertainly listened to the automated voice mail instructions, then left a message as directed: "Mr. Light, this is the new administrative assistant speaking-- Jacob. I will explain more once we have converged, but I must request that you report to the following address if at all possible, or call me as soon as you can if you are unable to show. It is in Queens, in Greenpoint, and the address is 144 Vancouver Street, Apartment 8A--" he glanced guiltily at Rae; he couldn't help overhearing the address when she was thinking of it so loudly, and it worried him that the other vampire could have done the same "--and the residents are possibly in need of protection. We need someone to stand watch. Immediately, please. Thank you." He hung up the phone with a slight grimace; there was no guarantee that Michael would get this "message" anytime soon. He'd just have to hope.

He turned to Rachel, smiling apologetically. "The safest and fastest way to get you there is for me to teleport you again. I don't believe either of us will enjoy it any more than the last time, but in view of the potential danger at hand..." He extended his arm. "I can attempt to make multiple, shorter jumps, rather than try to cover all the distance in one go. That might help. Are you ready?"

[Rae Adams]

Rae took a deep breath when Jacob told her to calm down.  She hadn't told Father Dantes the exact address, just that it was on or around Vancouver Street.  She'd be okay... unless he scanned her mind for the address the way Jacob just did.  That would be a problem... but Jacob solved it.  He called some guy named Michael Light to watch their apartment.  Hopefully people at Single Earth really did believe in the protection of others if Rae was to expect this guy who she'd never met to protect her and her sister.

Then Jacob proceeded to bring up teleporting.  He wanted to teleport her again. She cast a tell-tale glance over to where they'd previously landed with the vomit on the floor.  He wanted to teleport her with that showing that Rae wasn't up for that mode of travel?  And what was he thinking?  Leah would flip if Rae and a strange man just appeared in the apartment.

"We can't teleport to the apartment!  Leah would totally freak out!" Rae exclaimed looking at Jacob wide-eyed, like he was crazy, "I already told you, I don't want her to have any part in this world.  She's got enough to live with taking care of me, going to college, and she got a new boss who, while hot, must be the most difficult man to work with because her temper has gotten way too short."

[Irina Wintour]

Part of Jacob desperately wanted to laugh once Rachel reached the climax of her outburst...but naturally, he would not. He would let the sisters sort out for themselves which worlds they were a part of and who knew what and so on and so forth. It was not his place to interfere (or to laugh at the irony). "Rachel, I won't teleport directly inside the apartment," he explained placatingly, still amazed with himself for accepting so easily the fact that he was, in fact, planning on teleporting again. "I intend for us to arrive outside, and then I shall escort you to your sister's residence. And," he went on, still speaking pleasantly and holding out his arm, "if you feel nauseous or lightheaded once we arrive, sit and put your head betwixt your legs. I hear that helps."

He really had his work cut out for him. The way he saw it --and the way it felt-- teleporting, particularly while bringing someone else along, was like a form of exercise, and he was out of shape, for lack of a better simile. He honestly wasn't looking forward to this much more than Rachel could have been, but he smiled gamely on.

[Rae Adams]

"Well, if you aren't teleporting inside the apartment... then I guess I have no other argument," Rae responded slowly, looking at the ground.  "Though I still think you're nuts if you want to teleport again."  Rae shook her head.  Yup, she was safe.  Her sister was safe.  And she was going to have to do that teleporting thing again... and probably that vomitting thing as well.  Excellant.

Rae walked over to Jacob and said, "Well, let's go... beam me up, Scotty..."  Rae laughed nervously at her own stupid joke.  Luckily, this guy hadn't laughed at her hysterics, but maybe he'd laugh at her jokes.  She liked people more who laughed at her jokes.  She needed something normal in this huge freak show.

[Irina Wintour]

Hm. She wanted him to laugh at that? Jacob was completely clueless to the reference, having just about as much interest in television as he did in figuring out how to work a computer (aka, NONE, telephones were complicated enough contraptions), but nevertheless, he chuckled softly. There. That should suffice. He hooked one arm 'round Rachel and set to work.

Jacob had spent a long time studying maps of the city, and for being so new to the area, his knowledge of the layout was impeccable. His office happened to be up near 97th. A moment later they were at West 62nd, materializing in a corner of the Lincoln Center Plaza, the opera house illuminated beautifully in the night (Hm, 'Les Contes d'Hoffmann' opened last night...I might attend when I get the chance...). Another jump, and they were down to 46th, a positive madhouse of light and sound and Broadway-goers spilling in and out of their respective theatres. Again, across the East River. And then, finally...

They were safely in the parking lot of Leah's apartment complex. Jacob was breathing hard, in spite of the fact that he didn't really need to: it was all mental. So, splitting it up hadn't really made much of a difference, it was still exhausting. I am taking the subway back, he promised himself with a wince, and then made sure that Rae was all right. If she needed to sit, he was ready to assist.

He'd made sure that they'd appeared between two cars; if anyone had happened to glance over and see them, they might have thought they'd just climbed out of one car or the other. If Leah was watching, though, she would know. Jacob wondered if she was peering out from between some window blinds, counting down the minutes it had taken for him to escort her little sister safely to the complex. He would not put it past her.

"Let's get you inside," he finally said, offering Rachel his arm again and looking around for the correct apartment. "I'm not going to teleport us again," he added with a slightly amused smile.

[Rae Adams]

Rae, again felt the sick feeling, but it wasn't as bad as last time and she didn't vomit.  She simply... gagged a little upon the first landing and not again.  After that, teleporting was actually a little fun, though scary.  She kept getting scared that Jacob would teleport them into a wall.  That wouldn't be fun at all.

Then, they landed between two cars and Jacob didn't try to teleport them again.  That was... good.  Rae still felt a bit of nausea, but not to the point of vomitting, just light-headedness.  She took a deep breath and tried to lower her pulse rate, which she swore had to make a mouse's look slow and sluggish.  Yick.

"Let's get you inside.  I'm not going to teleport us again," Jacob said, to Rae.  It sounded like he was mocking her and her worries.  He probably was.  Teleporting was probably just a walk through the park for him.  He probably did it all the time.  Well, if so, Rae hoped he teleported into a wall next.  That'd teach him to mock her.

"Yeah, let's get inside and face the beast known as my sister," Rae replied looking around the parking lot and then heading to the door of the complex as though she did it all the time.  She actually did with her sister, but this time it was just a little bit weirder.