15766/Warehouse Welfare Check

Warehouse Welfare Check
Date of Scene:	31 August 2023
Location:	Dykstra Warehouse Conversion
Synopsis:	Phoebe stops by the Dykstra warehouse and offers Caleb some solutions
Cast of Characters:	Phoebe Beacon, Caleb Dykstra

---

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    There was a time when Phoebe wouldn't have given a second thought, always rushing out to the next project, the next emergency -- but this time was different. Caleb was an unintended stow-away on her powers, he was put into danger because of the unknown element.

    So when she pulled up to the warehouse on her motorcycle, she was busy trying to come up with a reason why Phoebe-the-college-student would be out in Happy Harbor and decide to stop by Caleb's warehouse. It was a busy brain time.

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
What is Caleb doing in the meantime? Reassessing damage in his place. It hasn't been too long that his place has been visited, and his family's once again been put in jeopardy.

His father is resetting a series of traps on the upper floor, and Sheila is helping by washing the floor.

A floor with blood stains on it.

Fortunately, all is done behind closed doors - in a peaceful, quiet town like Happy harbor, these things would bring up a lot of questions...

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe hops up onto the sidewalk, adjusting her sunglasses as she walks. Freaking sunny days. Gotham doesn't have sunny days usually.

    She comes up to the main entrance, and she hits the door alert, chill, calm, just checking up 'cause she hasn't seen him lately.

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
As soon as the Wayne adoptee hits the bell, the sound of the 'hell hounds' bellows out. Caleb walks from the place he's at to the CCTV, and realizes who he is.

"Oh, crap..." He looks at the place - nothing short of a mess, for sure.

"Who is it?", his dad asks.

"Uh, it's Phoebe Wayne, dad."

"W-What? Why now?"

"Hell if I know! What do I say to her?"

"Well, she can't come inside, thing's a mess!"

Caleb's gears start working, "Okay, hold on... I'll see what I can do."

He presses the intercom, and says: "Hey, Phoebe! Hold on, I'm coming out."

He grabs a pair of working gloves and a mask, and soon enough he's opening the door, and making a gesture to not get in. Instead, he steps outside. "Sorry", he replies, "We had a problem with piping. Place's a mess."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Hey, Caleb, good to see you, sorry I kinda stopped in -- was in town for a meeting on Bruce's behalf." Phoebe explains, motioning to her nice splort blazer and rather business like clothing. "Really? Oh man -- can I take a look? I've been trying to do more with some of the Wayne Housing projects, I can recommend a good professional out of GOtham City who'll come out here." she pauses a moment.

    "And a few out of New York."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"Yeah, and you should look at Happy Harbor in the meantime, I mean...", he whistles. "Burst piping, rats in rafts..." He shakes his head. "Seriously, you'll get your suit all wet, so I object to that." He clears his throat. "But while we're at it... You wouldn't happen to know any vacant place...?" Needless to say, his voice sounds nervous.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe's expression softens. "A few in Gotham, a couple in New York City.... how soon do you need it?" she asks quietly, folding her hands in front of her, thinking.

    "I know of a one bedroom in a secure building in Gotham that can be procured within two hours."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"Fuck, I can't do this...", he lets out with his breath. "I can't lie like this..."

"A few days ago, a party of eight ninjas from an organization called the Hand came to pay us a visit", he says. "Because I'm no idiot, and I like to be prepared, we rigged this place up to the foundations, for the most part." He adds, "The traps alone killed six of them, while a rogue ninja took out the remaining two. She warned me this place was under their surveillance, and taking us out was meant to be a takeover for their new drug trade business." He shrugs, "She assured me they're gonna try again."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe blinks, and she takes off her sunglasses and gives A Look to Caleb.

    "You mean to tell me that /The Hand/, a multinational criminal organization responsible for an awful lot of organized crime and assassination in partnership witht he League of Assassins and The Foot Clan infiltrated your warehouse and you took them out with deadly levels of Home Alone traps, with your father and sister inside as well?" she asks, and she straightens up as she opens her mouth, then closes her mouth. ANd then tilts her head back a moment.

    "Caleb. I can get you into a secure building if you want. There were *six dead people* in this place?!" she asks, and she draws up to her boots, seeming too comfortable with that fact as she tried to look past Caleb's shoulder. "Are your sister and your dad all right?"

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Caleb but shrugs at the comment of 'Home Alone traps', "I was inspired when I saw the movie." He nods, "And it was celebration day for the place being completed after renovation and open for business. If I hadn't been here, but at the High School dorms, I don't think my dad would've made it."

"There are eight bodies, not six." Deadpan. "She didn't clean up after she left."

"I'm sorry. I must be giving off some psycho vibes like crazy", he admits. "But how am I gonna justify this crap to the cops? They're gonna look into backgrounds, they're gonna come into contact with Gotham P.D., a.k.a. corruption's finest, the mob guys I had to slave for are gonna know, and we'll be back to square one."

He shakes his head, "I think a safe place for my dad. Gotham's, of course, out of the question. Me and Sheila, we got dorms at the High School." He ponders, "If that's even a safe place anymore..."

"And they're fine, thanks for asking." He opens the door after pressing a keypad number. "Dad's resetting the traps, Sheila's mopping up. I was rechecking the wiring and vents, and seeing what else I could come up with."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "The highschool is safe. I knew their headmisstress, some of the instructors. They wouldn't let anything happen to Sheila."

    Phoebe takes her phone out, and purses her lips.

    "For your dad, if he doesn't mind an efficiency in New York City, I can have a keycode in ten minutes and a moving team within an hour. It's even furnished, I retain it under a shell company so it's not even attached to my name. Building is secure, remote entry, and--" warded was a word she wanted to use "... has some alternate, surprising securities around the exteriors. Along with a killer doorman." Phoebe states calmly.

    "But it's plain to see that it's no longer safe here, and you need help, Caleb."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Caleb nods to that, "Yeah..." He sighs, "It's too bad, though... It was going to be such a nice place..."

And, for a moment, just for a moment, he looks up at the sky.

"So, how we going to do about all the gear?" He points towards the worstation areas. And he considers, "Wonder if there could be a place for that at the school?"

Once inside, one can see Caleb wasn't lying - Sheila is really mopping up blood from the ground, and Preston is upstairs. "Dad, we got visitors", he announces.

He descends the stairs towards the ground floor, and waves somewhat, surprised. "...You told her?"

Caleb shrugs, "I had to, dad. If we're gonna be honest, we have to try to be honest with those who're helping us. Right?"

Sheila just watches the interaction, saying nothing.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "I can't speak for the school, ubt if they can't it can be arranged to be moved and stored in a secure unit."

    Phoebe gives a smile. She forces the pleasant look on her face to stay as she offers her hand.

    "Good afternoon Mr. Dykstra. I'm Phoebe, a friend of Caleb's."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"Why, Phoebe, call me Preston", the older man says. "You must've heard of Sheila." And she waves when she's gestured to. And a fun fact: Preston has a misshapen hand, the result of broken fingers that didn't heal proprely. The likeliest scenario: mob torture. "So, Phoebe, you can see we had quite the problem here."

"We used all our saving into getting this place, and we're already being forced to move. Out of the quietest town in all of eastern seaboard, no less", Caleb replies. And he points towards the ground, "Mind the blood, there. It's dried, but you never know."

"Gotham likes to follow us", Sheila says dispassionately. It's actually scary that someone so innocent accepts this so calmly.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Gotham likes to follow a lot of people." Phoebe confirms to Sheila, and she draws down a little to look eye-to-eye with the girl.

    "I hear a lot about you, and how brave you are, Miss Sheila." she states, and she offers a fist bump to the kid. Far more casual.

    She takes a deep breath, and looks around the warehouse, her lips pursing a moment before she turns back to Caleb, and then looks back to PReston.

    "As you know, I have Panic Properties. Secure, limited-access apartments. I've offered Caleb to put you up in one in New York City, under a false name and a shell company of my adopted father's in order to help shield you from the Mob and The Hand. I have faith that Happy Harbor's school may be the safest place for Caleb and Sheila, since it was trusted enough that my younger brother went there." PHoebe comments quietly.

    "There is also a highly secure building a friend of mine owns, but it's back in Gotham City itself. ANd I understand if you'd rather stay away from the city.

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Both father and brother find themselves smiling when Sheila's praised. "I've had some good role models", she says.

And, for some reason, Caleb is taking a hand up to his shoulder, hand moving as if to squeeze it gently.

"No, we can all agree Gotham is not for us", Preston replies. "Very accident prone, that city."

"And the italian company are kinda, shall we say...", Caleb searches for the word. "...Too mobby?" He changes subject for a moment, "You have a brother?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "I have... five brothers, technically, by adoption. The youngest, Damian, went to Happy Harbor. That's how I know it's safe."

    ... partially because Damian would have complained about it otherwise. Or killed any interlopers, but she's not going to include that nugget of information.

    She takes a deep breath. "But I can have movers come. They're very discrete." because the Waynes pay them to be.

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Sheila whistles, "Five? Mr. Wayne sure is a man of great heart, I'll give him that."

He smiles at the thought of five siblings, "A rowdy bunch, back in the day?", pressing for small-talk.

Preston moves for a bench, where an electrical pot lies, "Coffee, anyone? Or tea?"

In the meantime, Caleb begins making calculations, "Okay, so what happens to this place? Who'll buy, and how fast?" He even adds, "You think any potential buyers could be from this ninja organization?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Just half a cup, thank you." Phoebe replies.

    "I can buy it on short-sale. I have a contact with an Interested Party who'd probably be eager to stop the harassment of a Gotham family who'll do the investigation side of things on the fly." she pauses, and she looks down to Sheila, and gives a smile.

    "Bruce has a very big heart. He opened his home to a lot of people in need. So if you hear anyone call him a silly eccentric, mentally kick 'em in the shins for me, yeah?" she gives a small laugh.

    "I'm afraid I was a more recent addition. I needed specialty help after losing my family; Bruce was able to afford it." Phoebe replies simply, "We're a pretty rowdy bunch now, if we're all together."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Caleb laughs a little at the idea of kicking someone in the shins over their opinion on Bruce Wayne. "You know", he says innocently - and even idly -, "the more I hear you talk about him, the more I think he pulls a facade."

If he only knew...

Preston, in the meantime, is filling the cups. Sheila asks for some Earl Grey, curiously enough, which makes Caleb look at her surprised. "It's time to be sophisticated, Caleb", she says.

Caleb moves his stare away from her and back to Phoebe. "O-kay... Make that two, dad!"

Returning to the subject at hand, "But, aren't you afraid they might come back? Because the helping hand - pun intended - assured me they would, it was all a matter of time."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "He's not nearly as air-headed as he makes himself seem on TV. He's really quite good to have around when an emergency comes -- he happily lobs money at it until it goes away. But he loves Gotham City because his parents believed it could be better. I still beleive in it." Phoebe replies, and then quietly, to Caleb:

    "I'd be counting on it."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
And this makes Caleb ponder, the wat she says it. In every fiber of his being, he feels that some questions are best left unanswered.

The electrical pot clicks, and Preston pours the beverages. "Well, after this, we're going to start packing. I'll be turning off the inflatables, that should take us some 10 minutes..."

"We don't actually have beds, nor heavy furniture, for that matter", Caleb explains. "It's all for the most part, inflatable. Easy to carry around, and doesn't occupy much space." He shrugs, "It's not like we didn't see this in the realm of possibility, so... Sheila came up with the idea, in fact."

She smiles as she hears that, and sips her Earl Grey a la sophisticated lady - little finger up.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe gives a small smile and a nod. "So you're not only brave, but the brains of the operation as well." she says to Sheila. "Definitely when the time comes, look up paid internships with Wayne Enterprises, we do have locations everywhere." she gives a smile to the kid, and then accepts the cup of coffee from Preston. "All right. I've already sent the address to the movers. I've let them konw that this is an emergency transfer, and it's No Questions Asked other than 'is this a good thing to unplug'. Is there anything else I can help you with? I mean, what's the point of having a rich friend if you can't lean on them a little?"

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"More like, an excuse to try infalatable beds", Caleb retorts, to which Sheila sticks out her tongue at him. Aaaah, siblings...

But Caleb flicks a finger, "Ah, yes... The cold storage!" He wants to avoid saying bodies - but then again, there are blood stains on the floor, and some even on the walls. And it's Sheila that's been mopping up. "Been thinking about using lye for it, but... Help me out, I'm confused with this, really. Defense of private property is legal, but in the case of ninjas...?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Well. I'm not a lawyer. They probably should have been called in, and a police investigation launched." Phoebe states, and she frowns. They were people. They had families that may wonder what happened to them. Do evil organizations tell families their loved ones passed? Is that something she can ask Talia?

    "I... I can ask in a theoretical fashion. But as long as we keep the movers away from the cold storage, should be fine. I've had to have them move things from weird places before. It's a Thing." she shrugs, unable to expound upon that one.

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"Uh-huh", the teen comments when Phoebe says it's a thing. "...I think I'll refrain from asking."

"Well, they are downstairs in the basement", Preston says. "Moving doesn't mean they have to get into every part of the warehouse. Just what is told for them to move."

"Well, dad's right", back to Caleb. "This is a moving operation, not a peeling down to the foundations." He sighs, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but... They're not cops, they're not coming here with a warrant. They'll move what you tell them to."

He turns to Phoebe, discreetely saying, "I think I'll need a scalding bath after what I just said, and how I said it."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Probably a good plan. And no, they're not cops. They do not have a warrant, and we pay them to be discreet. So, you tell them what to move and where it's going, and it gets to where it's going. We have so many NDA's with these guys that it gets disgusting." Phoebe admits sounding very tired regarding the subject.