Nathan Bates
Title: Nathan's Ploy
Players: Nathan Bates, Juliet Parrish, and Chiang
Location: L.A.: Science Frontiers - Nathan Bates' Office
Synopsis: Nathan is trying to see if Julie is a traitor... Is she?
LOG BEGINS
Nathan Bates is sitting at his desk, reviewing some video footage on his computer. When the doors slide open, he closes the file, and looks up. "Ahh, Julie, how good it is to see you again."
Juliet Parrish smiles warmly, nodding. "It's nice to come someplace I'm welcome after yesterday," she returns as she steps into the office.
Nathan Bates nods slightly, "Yes, I heard you had a meeting with Miss O'Leary..." He leans back, "And something about almost being attacked by a Mob?"
Juliet Parrish sighs softly, nodding. "I was trying to get the Starchild, she has access to her...or did. She wants Tyler and Donovan's heads on a platter, though. And a job here." She smirks. "The mob, well...they didn't actually attack, but they weren't happy with what happened to the Resistance because of me."
Nathan Bates nods slightly, "I see." He smirks, "What job does this O'Leary want?"
Juliet Parrish chuckles quietly. "She wants Chaing's job.
Nathan Bates frowns, "I see... Well, that is definitely out. I am not firing Mr. Chiang. He's the best Head of Internal and External Security I have had. Much better than Rawlins..." He shrugs slightly, "I could find her a job, if I had to... but that might piss Diana off. An Ex-Convertee of hers working for me."
Juliet Parrish blinks, frowning faintly as she tilts her head to the side. Ex-convertee?
Nathan Bates smiles, "You didn't know? She is no longer under Diana's control. In fact, I'm sure you heard about the bombing of the Visitor Consulate... She herself lead the raid."
Juliet Parrish stares at Nathan for a long minute before she moves to sit in the chair. I hadn't heard. I've been spending my time reading on patios mostly with the time off you gave me."
Nathan Bates smiles, "Other than reading, what have you been doing with your time off?"
Juliet Parrish shrugs gently, leaning back in her chair as she eyes Nathan. "Going to the beach, a bit of shopping...nothing too strenuous. I went out to the bed and breakfast again, but Chiang followed me."
Nathan Bates nods, and says, "So... Did you hear about Ojai?"
"On the news, yes," Julie returns quietly, shaking her head. "They're getting bolder." What else can she say?
Nathan Bates nods slightly, "You know, I owe the Resistance a bit though. They did rescue one of my employees from there..."
Juliet Parrish ohs softly, an eyebrow arching as she tilts her head to the right. She simply waits for Nathan to expand further.
Nathan Bates nods, "Yes... One of the Scientists working on your current project, as a matter of fact, Dr. John Granin"
Juliet Parrish frowns gently, appearing genuinely concerned. "I'd wondered what happened to him...I thought he was on the vacation he'd mentioned coming up. Is he alright?"
Nathan Bates nods, "He is back at work, in fact." He doesn't mention to Julie that the Guy is in the next room...
Juliet Parrish is rather glad she had a helmet on that night, and being unrecognized, as she never got near any prisoners, is a GOOD thing. "I'm sure I'm glad to have him back. Why haven't I seen him?"
Nathan Bates says simply, "Well, he was listening to some things from that night. Diana asked me to have him listen to a recording she got from the open mic of a few of the shock troopers. Some interesting people were recorded. Ham Tyler, Donovan..."
Luckily for Julie, her voice wasn't picked up well enough to be ID'd.
Juliet Parrish ohs softly, an eyebrow arching slightly as she forces herself to maintain her cool. She has to. "We hardly need anything else to pin them to the wall, Nathan."
Nathan Bates shakes her head, "No... but we do have something very interesting from the Bed and Breakfast you like to stay at..."
"And what's that? Nathan, you're beating around a bush," Julie teases softly, smiling.
Nathan Bates sighs, and presses play on something. "Explain this..." The voice of Heather O’Leary is heard talking to Julie, with the words Resistance, spy, and Ranch all included, and Julie's voice showing only mild confusion, maybe faked, because Chaing was there.
Looking towards the recorder, Julie smirks faintly. "I told you I've been trying to get a hold of the Starchild through O’Leary, Nathan," she chuckles. "I didn't know she wasn't still with Diana...and Chiang, well. He -wants- me to do something that can be construed as wrong, you know that."
Nathan Bates nods slightly, "Of course." He shakes his head, "The evidence is really starting to mount against you, Julie. I hate to say this, but I might soon have to start seriously considering that you are the one leaking information. Two Armories that only a few people have knowledge of, have been broken into... Some Convoys have been hit, again, only a few people had access to their routes... You, in both cases. A Couple others as well... I need to know I can count on you Julie... is it possible someone has bugged your office?"
"Nathan, you know the security of this building better than I do. It's possible, but you'd know better than I could if they could manage it." Julie answers, tilting her head to the side. "Could they have bugged your office? As to the case mounting against me...if someone wanted to throw the trail off them, what better choice than the former Resistance member?"
Nathan Bates nods, "It is possible... However, you have been seen in the club Creole many times, I find it hard to believe, even with the knowledge that you are being watched carefully, you didn't figure out Mr. Taylor, your old Resistance friend that served us, was still in the Resistance, or that they were using the place as a base... I have pictures of you coming and going from there a lot. Plus, the... Informant Chiang has at the Bed and Breakfast says you have disappeared for days at a time before." He shakes his head, "What I am saying Julie, is that if you *are* in the Resistance, and you admit it to me now, maybe I won't be to hard on you..."
"Let's see if I have this straight, Nathan. You already believe the leak is me," Julie answers slowly, her head tilting to the right. "So you're giving me a choice of...telling you a lie now and admitting to it for a possible 'easy' punishment, or being accused later and having a more severe punishment." She leans back in her seat and sighs. "Now tell me how that's a choice."
Nathan Bates shrugs, "It is not much of a choice, Dear Julie. There are a few ways you can show your loyalty, of course..." He lets it trail off, saying what he has had ingrained in to him that he can not say in the work place, "OR, you can deny it now, and work hard to keep the irregularities off your record. Perhaps head south for your rehab instead... There are many fine locations to the south for physical activity, and that takes you away from the suspected location of a Resistance Base."
"And just to satisfy my curiosity," Julie lifts one leg to cross over the other. "What are the first ways you hinted at that I could prove my loyalty?" Her toe taps the air. "And the south is great."
Nathan Bates laughs, "Now now Julie. You know what that would require. Show me something that *proves* your loyalty. Something you wouldn't show anyone else..." He shrugs, "If I have to spell it out, you are not as smart as I thought." He smiles, "However, as I said, that is just an old mans dream of days gone by, where I could have had what I wanted with no repercussions.... Nowadays, I'll just have to settle for either your admission, or denial, and strides to get rid of your 'Suspect' Status."
Juliet Parrish shakes her head slowly. "I still can't believe you honestly believe it's me, Nathan. Maybe I should simply disappear, would that be better for your agenda with Diana?" she wonders, moving to stand. "I'm sure I could find a job in New York. And be closer to family...as to spelling it out, well. Call me a lady, but I'm not about to hump your brains out on your desk." That's...crude, wouldn't you say? "Besides, if that's all it'd take to prove my loyalty, you're more shallow than I thought."
Nathan Bates shrugs, "I didn't say a hump Julie... But as I said, there are other ways to prove your loyalty. Just slower. If you want to disappear, you do know, if you are spotted in LA, you will be Arrested, and tried for Crimes against the City. That is just admitting your guilt, if you run. I doubt you would admit it, if you were not guilty... I doubt you would even contemplate it. I might be wrong... Want to prove it to me? If so, stick around, finish your new dust project, and show results."
Juliet Parrish sighs softly. "Because I want to stay with a company, working for the man who I was coming to care deeply for, when both he and they suspect me of betraying them." she returns quietly. "Nathan...I don't even know how to respond to you. The fact that you suggested I admit to something, which I have not done, suggests you've already made up your mind. Nothing I do will change that."
Nathan Bates shakes his head slightly, "No, but I do have Stock..." Wait a damned second, "Maybe you are right. But you have to understand where I am coming from. You *were* one of the most highly visible Leaders of the Resistance. You than, came to work for me, and now, the Visitors come back. You *founded* the LA Resistance. Why wouldn't you go back?" He shrugs, "But, as much as I don't want to loose you as an employee, or friend. You *can*, if you work at it, prove your loyalty, and that is without, as you called it, a hump on the desk. You have been in some highly conspicuous locations, with highly conspicuous people. Change that. Avoid places the Resistance is found, avoid going out of the city, without witnesses about you a lot..."
Juliet Parrish snorts softly. "So let the Resistance, who are at the -very- least trying to free us of the Visitors, be the cause of me essentially being on lock down in my house or here at the office, unless I'm accompanied by...how many guards shall it be, Nathan?"
Nathan Bates shakes his head, "Not guards... a friend perhaps?"
"So..you, then?" Juliet returns. "And how often are you not busy here, or with Diana?" She's clearly getting upset.
Nathan Bates arches an eyebrow, "Surely you have friends here at work. I will give them leave time to join you. Your secretary... she is a single gal, and no boyfriends."
Juliet Parrish snorts, shaking her head as she moves around the desk. "Forget it. I’ll just have a cot brought into my office." she throws over her shoulder, heading towards the door.
Nathan Bates shrugs, "Very well."
Juliet Parrish pauses at the door, looking back at Nathan, holding the handle as she stares him. "Thanks a lot, Nathan." she murmurs softly, looking rather hurt before pulling the door open, and moving to step out.
Nathan Bates calls out, "Oh, Julie..."
Juliet Parrish stops, her back to Nathan, and stifles a sigh before she glances over her shoulder.
Nathan Bates smiles, "You already passed your loyalty test. You wouldn't have gotten so angry, unless you really weren't faking loyalty. Forget everything I said."
Juliet Parrish simply stares at Nathan for a long minute before she snorts, rolls her eyes and steps out, slamming the door behind her. Well, okay, shutting hard, not slamming. That wouldn't be professional.
Nathan Bates glances over at the door to his 'sitting area' and it opens. Chiang steps in, and looks at Bates. "Mr. Chiang, forget following her. I think she will either prove her worth, or run for the Resistance. We'll just have to see."
Chiang nods, "Very well, Mr. Bates..." He sighs softly, cause he is SURE Juliet is the traitor, or spy, or whatever, that is causing him such problems, eventually, he *will* prove it.
LOG ENDS