2017-07-02 Enter the Band-aid
This scene is rated Everybody
Warning: Language, violence leading to a death
2017-07-02 (Timey Wimey May 8, 2001)
Players: Mike and River
GMed by Phantasm
Title: Enter the Band-aid

Hoboken, New Jersey May 8, 2001

While not miles and miles away from New York City, at least Hoboken can claim to have at least a river separating it from Greenwich Village. And to a degree slightly further from Hell's Kitchen. Also the hotel rates are not quite as jacked up for a room of similar quality. BONUS. Save the money, get the metro pass and be done with it. The true mark of a frugal trav-

And we're rambling.

Hoboken, despite the jokes about being in Jersey lessening its appeal, is NOT that bad. And the hotel that this scene takes place in, while not as flashy as the others in the area, has a charm that only the older buildings can provide. A charm that only will be around for maybe 2 more years.

Old but not neglected, the carved wooden features have the slight sent of furniture polish upon them. To the corner, a large TV sits on a wooden TV stand, where it is set to the latest soap opera while seated on one of the corner chairs, a child sits, reading a rather worn looking library book.

We won't go into exactly why River is here. It might well, judging by how tired she looks, be any port in the storm: If this place has a room with a bed in it, that's what she needs. Stepping into the lobby, she glances around, a small duffle over her shoulder. Dressed in jeans and a t-shirt which reads "Archaeologists do it…" Pretty ordinary looking, really.

As a new person walks into the small hotel, two persons look over to peruse the entering River. One being the desk attendant who gives a smile to the potential source of new income, and the other being the ten year old peeking over his copy of the collected works of Edgar Allan Poe.

"Welcome!" The attendant greets, already moving over to the keyboard resting near the CRT monitor balanced precariously on the older desk, "How may I be of service?"

"Got any rooms for the night? A small one will do." British accent. She glances at the ten year old, then gives the kid a thumbs up. Might just be encouragement. Might be a compliment on his taste in reading material.

"I believe we do." The attendant chirps in confirmation, turning to the keyboard, "Let me see what we have available." With a clattering of the keys, she tabs through a clunky looking set of access forms. "Lets see… we have one double room and two singles. Would you prefer near the stairs or street side?"

The boy gives a small smile as he lowers his book to return the thumbs up. Pale blue eyes focusing on the wording on River's shirt curiously. He leans forward, about ready to get off the seat before looking over to the attendant and changing his mind. He sits back in the chair. No longer reading but looking at River curiously.

"Street side, and the single will do." She smiles. "You know how it goes, hit the end of the day and just need somewhere to rest." The kid is watching her. She gives him a second thumbs up and a grin.

"Well I hope that after a night here, you'll keep us in mind the next time you're in town!" The attendant replies rather bubbily. Probably not a native of the city. Tapping at the keys once more, she smiles, looking to River, "With taxes, that will be an even ninety a night."

As River is getting checked in, there is the slight squeak of a housekeeping cart as a woman who bears a small resemblance to the boy pushes it over a door sill. Seemingly done with the hallway on the stair side, she continues on towards the hallway on the street side of the hotel. Despite the job the woman is set to do, she still seems to have time to exercise a parental right as she looks to the child, "Michael. What did I say about staring?"

The kid's grin fades to a pout momentarily, looking away from River. "Don't do it." He answers, lifting his book up again.

Parental duty done, she continues on over the next sill. Squeak! Squeak!

The newly named Michael glances back over at River.

Is there something familiar about the kid? River glances over at the mother, then picks up her key. "Thank you." She doesn't, though, go up to her room right away, rather she turns back towards Michael. "Michael, right?"

As the wild haired woman addresses him, the kid nods, closing his book and setting it to the side. Straightening his posture as he looks more directly to River. "Yes." He nods to the shirt, "Do you get to be called doctor?"

"I actually prefer Professor, but yes, I get to be called doctor." She smiles. "You have good taste in reading. And perhaps a fondness for ravens?" The old Poe joke.

"Ravens are ok." Mike replies, looking to the book, thumb rubbing on the worn edge, "I see them a lot around here which is weird. I like the mystery stories more." Turning his attention back to the professor, he leans forward, folding his hands on top of the book, "Do you travel a lot?"

"More than most," River says, with a smile for the kid, setting her duffel down for now. "Oh, I like a good mystery." She doesn't reveal that the trick of a good mystery was to make the reader think they are smart by helping them work it out before the detective. He doesn't need to know. Yet. "Oh, well. It's not weird. Ravens stay around where people are nice to them."

Mike opens up the book, flipping over to The Purloined Letter. "I was getting ready to read this one again. Have you ever gone to Pompeii?"

"Many times." There's a touch of sadness to her tone. "You know, they actually had warning. They could have evacuated. They were just too blasted stubborn. The gods wouldn't let…"

The pale eyes widen as River speaks, "They knew the volcano was going to explode? How do yo-" He pauses, smiling, "That means some got away right?"

"Volcanos explode. It's what they do. If you live under one, you learn to get out of the way then come back afterwards. People tend to go back, though." A pause. "Do you know why?"

Mike is quiet, puzzling over the question while the sounds of a vaccuum down the hallway starts up. His head turns, looking to the hallway "Because it's home?"

"That, and the soils around a volcano are very, very good. Some of the best wines in the world are grown around volcanos. People go where they can live well, and if it happens to be dangerous, they learn to manage that. Look at California." She's…got a point.

"Does Italy have a lot of volcanoes?"

"A few." River shrugs a bit. "It's a pretty place, though. The boot of Europe."

"They sell a lot of wine on the Italian side of the Irish Italian festival here." Mike comments offhandedly. "Have you ever seen the Pope's house in Italy?"

"A few times." She doesn't say, a few versions of it. Now she does understand why he reacted to her…well, never mind. "Wine is good…as you'll find out in a few years.

Mike scrunches his nose, shaking his head. "I don't like it. Soda's better. Have you met the pope?"

She hesitates, then shrugs, "Not the current one." Wait, hasn't he been the Pope for…a while…?

"Wow. How old are you?"

"Michael!" At some point during the conversation the vaccuum had shut off and the housekeeper identified as the female parental unit had wandered back to the lounge just in time to hear the inquiry of the guest. She gives an apologetic look over to River, her eyes not at all like her son's.

"Don't ask about age…right." He murmurs, looking to River, "I just, didn't think you w-" He lifts up his book and starts to open it. "…sorry."

"As old as my tongue and a little older than my teeth," is River's utterly unhelpful (and, if Michael knew it, very British) response.

Michael continues to look to the book, glance shifting over to the mother who is still looking to the two.

Michael's mother looks to River, giving a slight laugh to the answer given. "I'm sorry about that." She offers up, a hint of an Irish accent to her voice, "He needs a bit of work on his conversational ettiquette. But it seems you can handle what he's throwing."

River grins. "He's, what, ten? He's allowed to need to practice a few things." Clearly, she's not upset. Clearly, she's also not answering the question.

"Just recently turned ten, yes." The housekeeper confirms, seeming a bit relieved, glancing over to the attendant at the desk momentarily before looking back to River, then to her shirt, "We don't get a lot of opportunity to travel so he gets really interested in guests that may be coming from a ways away. Your shirt likely tipped him off."

"Maybe one day he'll get to travel." No, don't steal the kid to take him to meet dinosaurs. You only get one of those a year, River…

"Maybe." She looks over to Michael who is quickly looking back to his book to act like he's not eavesdropping, "If he studies REALLY hard and gets a good job. There's no telling…"

"Or a job that requires travel." River's lips quirk. "But yes, do well in school, and discover what you're good at. And don't be ashamed of what you're good at. Ever."

"Any job that makes you happy is a good job." The housekeeper replies with a small laugh, looking over to Michael who has forgotten to read his book. "But remember to make enough to at least have some food and shelter too. Cardboard boxes make terrible homes."

"Eileen!"

Green eyes widening, the housekeeper gives a sheepish glance to the attendant before looking back to River, "Oop! Got to finish up with the first floor." Moving over to her son, she leans over to give her son a peck on the head, "Be good, my angel." Turning she bounces off to the hallway where the housekeeping cart is located.

"That's true. And I don't recommend archaeology unless you like tents." She grins. "Some of the places I've slept…well, never mind."

With the parental eye gone from the room, Mike lowers his book, looking back over to River. "I've never been camping. Do you like it?"

"Sometimes. I'd say you should fix that, but it's up to your mom." Kid might have to wait until he's older.

Michael frowns, shaking his head. "She'd say no," He grumps, "that its not safe." An accusing look is directed towards the hallway where the sound of a vaccuum eminates.

He pauses, "What's the coolest place you've been to?"

"If I told you, you might not believe me. Besides, that would be picking just one, and that's hard to do when you've traveled as much as I have." And even her travels were nothing next to the Doctor's…

You say, "Oh…What's ONE of the coolest places you've been to?""

"Oh..What's ONE of the coolest places you've been to?"

"Hrm." She thinks for a moment. Maybe somewhere the kid could get to one day, somewhere to help him incentivize himself to do better in school. "Gaza's very cool…although it's not in the middle of the desert like they show it. You can walk to the pyramids."

"Have you ever been in one?"

"Yes. They're not as exciting inside as people think, thoguh. Most of the good tombs were looted a long time ago." Any of them by her? Probably…

"Are mummy curses real?"

River laughs. "Nah, mummy curses were invented to try and scare off tomb robbers. Sometimes it worked…that's why Tut's tomb was intact…but not always."

"Hmm." Michael's head tilts, seemingly stalling in his endless barrage of questions as he considers the answer. "Do you draw?"

"A little, it's not one of my talents. Do you?" She grins. "Drawing's a good talent. Might not make you much money, but…"

The kid nods excitedly, seemingly finding something he's better at. "Yep! Wait here!" Leaping to his feet, he sprints off down the hallway opposite from the one his mom went down. A door slams shut.

The desk attendant takes a long look down the hallway before giggling a little and going back to sorting through paperwork.

River glances at the attendant. "Good kid. He'll do fine." It sounds almost like a promise.

"You should see him when we decorate for Christmas." The attendant shares, giggling a little bit more at the thought before turning to greet the pair of men coming in to the lobby.

"I should go up to my room once he's shown me that drawing." The blonde glances over at the two men, a quick assessment.

The two men don't seem all that notable with the exception of a couple of band-aids on the face of one of the men. They're also wearing jackets and ballcaps. The non band-aided man walks over, looking downwards at the counter, "Do you have a double room available?

Bam! A stomping of feet coming down the hallway announces the eventual arrival of Michael. In his hand, a sketch book. "Got it!"

Hrm. Not together, and bandaid face…River doesn't entirely trust him. She keeps talking to the kid, though. "What do you have in the book?"

"We had a drawing assignment on our lesson on Egypt. This is what I did." Mike starts flipping it open a few pages in to show her a far from perfect but pretty good for a ten year old's drawing of a pyramid. If a pyramid could be constructed from 5 rows of bricks. There are even the squiggly lines representing birds flying in the distance and camels.

As the desk attendant assists the man requesting the room, the band-aid face glances over, barely missing River looking at him prior. His glance lingers on the two of them for a few moments before he continues looking around casually.

"That's good. Better than me at your age…and drawing is one of those things that you can only really get GOOD at by doing it a lot." She smiles at him. "Camels are horribly uncomfortable, though."

"That's because they're lumpy." Michael replies, giving a bit of a grin, flipping to another page, this one of a bird outline holding something in its beak. "It moved before I could finish."

As the desk attendant types into the computer, the man looking down at the counter leans forward murmuring something into her ear. The typing slows to a stop as the attendant looks to the screen blankly.

"No, it's because they move both sets of legs at the same time." Then she lowers her voice, catching something. She's a professional. She's picking up on it. "Mike…" There's a slight tension in her. Something bad is about to happen.

Michael looks up to River, "Yes?" His smile fades, noting something off with the new found companion.

The band-aid man's head turns at River's voice, looking back over to the pair, first to River and then towards the one with the sketchbook. Giving a smile, he strolls on over, looking to the two, "Hey. Have you two tried the breakfast here yet? Is it any good?"

The attendant blinks, glance looking over to the man approaching the pair before starting back up on her typing. "Yes! We have a double available. After taxes it would come out to ninety one dollars and ten cents."

The man smiles, "Excellent. Do you take cash?"

"Only just checked in, I'm afraid." She doesn't admit Michael isn't hers. Doesn't lay claim to him either - although they don't look alike. still, he could be adopted.

"Whatever is off with River does not distract Michael from the question being asked by the customer at the hotel he works at, "Oh its great! They have a waffle maker!"

Band-aid man chuckles, looking at him, sliding his hands into his pockets, "That's good to know…You eat a lot of waffles here?"

She's relaxing again, apparently, although now she's got her attention more on band-aid man than on Michael. Letting the kid answer and do his "job" but…not moving any further away.

"Almost Every day." Michael replies with a nod, "But sometimes when it is hot, I have the cheerios."

"Every day? Wow. You must have been here for a while? How long are you staying?"

"Nnyes. We take cash."

"Cheerios." River grins. "I have yet to meet a kid who didn't like cheerios." The guy seems to just be being nice, but there's definitely something about him.

Band-aid nods at River's comment, "What's there not to like about Cheerios?" He looks back to Michael, "You remind me of someone I met awhile ago. Have you ever been to New York?"

The other man fishes out a bill, handing it over to the attendant, looking to it before she reaches for a zippered envelope.

"I haven't been there in forever." Michael replies, shaking his head.

New York. They aren't far from there - but the kid probably doesn't get to go anywhere. Still tempted to fix that, but she's going to be good. Definitely going to be good. Falling quiet again as she keeps an eye on the two.

The attendant slides the bill into the envelope and pulls out the change before handing it over to the man along with his key. "And there you go. Please enjoy your stay." The ball capped man gives a nod and a wink to the attendant as he takes the offered items and walks away from the desk, moving towards his band-aided friend. He looks over River as he approaches. Giving a bit of a nod before turning to his companion, "Room's got. Find out about the breakfast?"

Band-aid nods, gesturing towards Michael, "I have it on authority that we should try the waffles or the cheerios."

Michael gives a practiced smile to the newcomer as he nods to the repetition of the recommendation, "Enjoy your stay here, sir." Looks like they have a budding hospitality worker here…

Yes, they do. Well, except the blonde…well. What she may or may not know about the future she keeps to herself. She nods back to the man.

The newly approached man glances down to Michael, giving a curt nod and starts to turn his head towards his companion before backtracking, looking to Michael again for a few moments before completing the initial task of looking to his travel companion.

"Yeah I was thinking the same thing." Band-Aid chuckles, nodding. Shaking his head he looks to River, "You two enjoy your time here as well.

"I should," River says, although it sounds more like an unfinished statement than just that she thinks she's going to enjoy her time here. Such as it will be.

"Good." Giving a nod, Band-aid and band-aidless head off to their room, leaving the duo in the lobby.

As the sound of a door down the way closes, the desk attendant shakes her head and goes back to the computer to type up additional information.

River frowns a little bit. "Not sure about those two." Of course, they might not be here to cause any kind of trouble.

The attendant snerks, biting her lip as she turns around to move to a side office.

Michael looks over to River, "Sure about what?"

"Eh. They seem a bit off to me, but that's just me, I'm usually more interested in dead people anyway." She grins at the kid. No sense alarming him further.

"Oh." He pauses, looking to his sketch book, "I didn't draw any of those…"

As Mike fiddles with the sketch book, the door to the hotel lobby opens up once more allowing for two more figures to enter in. No ball caps, no jackets but definitely much more suspicious. Hmm. Must be the guns in their hand. "NO ONE MOVE!" The taller of the two men barks while moving towards the front desk. The shorter one moves further into the lobby, nearing Mike and River, giving the most intimidating look he can muster to River.

Very, very quietly, "Kid, stay put." She moves only enough to show that her hands are visible, and hopefully the robbers won't read the look of concentration on her face. Most important thing - don't get the kid shot. She's got a use for him later, after all!~

Shorty steps back, pointing his gun towards River, "He SAID No one move!" He snaps.

With his partner handling those in the lobby, the taller of the two focuses on the girl attending the front desk. "Cash. Safe. NOW."

Michael lifts up his head, looking to the scene going on. Eyes widening, he stares at the nearest guy wih the gun.

"I moved?" River says, all innocence. If she can shift a little bit further from Michael without them noticing she will, but she's…well…she's been in hold-ups before. She'll get her opportunity when they try to go through her bag.

As the taller one moves his way behind the desk, accompanying the attendant with the retrieval of the requested items, shorty scowls, "You did! Just stay still and shut up!"

Okay. Very still. Watching. There's a quality to her stillness, though. It's not that River's not afraid of them. It's that she's not afraid SHE might be hurt.

As River riles up Shorty, Michael looks over to the front desk, looking as the attendant seems to having a bit of a panic attack, slowing her given task.

Quiet. So much quiet.

Too quiet. It's a shame she doesn't have anything with her she can trigger with a simple thought - as is sometimes the case. Watching, now. Pretending to be cowed.

Shorty doesn't seem to trust River one bit. Something about her just doesn't seem right and it seems like without any intent, she's psyching him out a bit. Is this his first time?

Tension. Quiet.

.

.

.

CREAK!

At the sound of a door opening, Shorty spins, shooting at the source of the sound until a thunk is heard. Gasping, wide eyed. Shorty backs away from River and Mike.

The tall one was not impressed, "The HELL Man?!"

Turning his head, Michael's eyes widen even more as he looks down the hall to the figure lying next to the cart, one hand clutching a now reddening towel, "M-"

The sound of another door opening can be heard from the other hallway to which Shorty spins around again with his gun towards the sound.

River doesn't swear. River…doesn't emotionally react. Instead, she smoothly reaches for her back, reaches into her bag, and comes out with a small object. Wait for it, wait for it. They're not watching her, they've dismissed her as a threat. All she says very quietly, "Stay still." She doesn't add trust me.

Shorty pulls the trigger once more, shooting down the hallway but this one does not include the accompanying sound of a thud but a more vocal response.

"Son of a bitch!"

Some money in hand, the tall one looks pissed as he's already turning to the door, "Out! Now!"

"M-" Eyes brimming with tears, Michael is staring to the fallen figure. "Mo-"

"Don't move," River repeats, a hand's in her bag, and then she's *throwing* something towards the two men. Something that forms a mist in the air. It's directed away from Michael, but she can't be sure it won't hit the clerk. Fortunately, it's nothing DAMAGING.

"Mo-"

As the tall one is already heading to the door, he narrowly misses out on the mist but shorty is close enough he ends up getting a strong whiff of the mist. There's a bit of a pause to his shooting as the effects start to kick in. Which appears to be a sufficient enough gap for the one who just cursed to come running down the hallway with a friend in tow.

ENTER THE BAND-AID.

Good enough for an experiment. The tall one is the less dangerous - but also the smarter. Narrowing her eyes, River assesses the situation and the distances. And the arrival of the two men.

Ducking out of the door, the taller man ditches his more trigger happy companion, leaving him to deal with the consequences of his mistake.

Pissed off, most likely from being fired upon, Band-aid goes into full blown linebacker mode as he runs full tilt. Head tilting down as he crosses the doorway.

A bit stunned, perhaps from the mist or the sheer audacity of the man running towards him despite the previous display of firepower, Shorty seems to forget that he has a gun in hand. A fact that is short lived as it clatters to the floor while he gets lifted up from the force of the collision.

Band-aid's companion puffs a little as he reaches the doorway, glaring down at the mass of men on the floor, "Just WHAT the hell was that about?!"

"Mo-"

She'll get that one. Later. River closes her bag and rises to her feet. "Robbery," she says, simply. Not even out of breath. Or concerned, except for the sympathetic look down to Mike.

"Mom-"

After kicking the gun away from any reasonable reach Shorty could have, the irate companion to the Band-aid man glances down to the stuttering kid, the sympathetic look upon River's face and then over to the dazed look of the desk attendant. Brow raising, he turns, looking to the other hallway, frowning at the sight. "Call 911!" He barks over to the attendant, moving over towards the fallen housekeeper as he seems to have regained his breath.

Band-aid continues to work on managing the knocked down Shorty and doesn't really get to take the time to look around.

Cops. Not good to be around cops when you don't have an actual ID…but in this case, River's going to risk it. She turns back to Mikey. "Trust me," she says finally. "It *will* all be okay…in the wash."

As the man goes to check on his mother, watery eyes look to River, lip biting before turning back to look over to what's going on in the hallway. "Mom…"

Band-aid, finding Shorty to not being as combative without his fire arm does have a chance to glance up, looking to the crying kid and then following his glance to the figure on the floor. A bit of deductive reasoning annnd, "…Shit." He glares at the man underneath, "Ma'am. Please take Mike somewhere where he can't see this."

"Might be best I don't linger." River says, quietly. "But I can take him for a bit." She can see in the man's eyes - and she's not currently inclined to stop him.

Band-aid gives a nod, looking to Shorty. "He won't hurt anyone again. Trust me." Based from the tone of voice. Yes. Trust is possible.

"Part of me says I should stop you," River says quietly. "But I'm not feeling particularly charitable right now." She turns to Mike, reaching a hand out to him.

"Sometimes charity is more a curse than a blessing." Band-aid replies, looking over to Mike, "Hey kid. It doesn't seem it now but, you're going to be fine." Giving a nod, he waits for the pair to leave.

Michael looks to the man on top of Shorty, lips parting in an open mouthed frown before taking note of the hand of the last person to have gotten some form of approval from his mom. His mouth closes as he bites his lip again, face ever a mess as he takes the offered hand.

She leads him outside. "I'm sorry." For what? Likely, for not being quite in the right place to stop those people before anyone got hurt.

"Mom…"

~fin~

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