476/Dagger in the Dark

Dagger in the Dark
Date of Scene:	13 March 2020
Location:	Church Homeless Shelter, NYC
Synopsis:	Peter and Tandy settle in and hunker down for a long sleep in the kitchen.
Cast of Characters:	Peter Parker, Tandy Bowen

---

Peter Parker has posed:
The kitchen was almost comfortable. Peter was in no hurry to leave. In fact, while Tandy was eating, he had texted Aunt May to let her know he was out and would be back later (a message so common it automatically showed up in his word choices). He sent the text, but didn't say anything. As dark kitchens go, it beat hanging out on rainy ledges and trying to position himself so he wouldn't get rained on.

It seemed odd to be hanging out in a church-turned-shelter where the lights didn't work, but since the Spider-Bite two years ago, his sense of the odd had undergone some major recalibrations.

Besides, it was impolite to elicit talk while her mouth was full.

Tandy Bowen has posed:
Tandy Bowen finishes off her food as she sits at a little table in the dimly lit almost black kitchen. She tosses out the little bag Aunt May gave her while Peter is texting on the phone. She's sitting in the moonlight coming in the window and suddenly there's a FLASH of light and THUNDER rumbles outside. It starts to rain.

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter looks out the window. "Well...it looks like one less thing you have to worry about. Think there's going to be an issue with the sleeping arrangements tonight with those guys outside?"

Tandy Bowen has posed:
Tandy Bowen thumbs toward the door and says, "You mean, we're not going back out there?" she wonders, "You'd think they hurt us? I mean, we ate all the food..."

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter glanced to the door. "You tell me, Cochise, you're the one who's been here before. Are they the type to hold a grudge?"

Tandy Bowen has posed:
Tandy Bowen watches the window for a minute as the rain starts coming down and trailing over the glass. "What'd you call me?" she wonders. She crosses her arms.

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter chuckles. "Cochise. Apache leader. Fought against the U.S. government during and after the Civil War. Name means 'strength of an oak.'" He shrugs. "I tend to be an endless fount of useless information, Tandy. Don't mind me."

Tandy Bowen has posed:
Tandy Bowen chuckles, "You're so smart," she tells him. "So we're camping out in here? There's not even any pillows..." she comments, "Or would you rather walk somewhere else...?"

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter looks around. "Well, it's raining. Not much chance of a stroll tonight." He looks around. "Lemme see if I can find something. There has to be a linen closet or something."

Peter walks around the kitchen, then smiles. "Side door. Looks like there's a hallway here. Give me a moment, lemme see what I can find."

Tandy Bowen has posed:
Tandy Bowen leans to the side and watches Peter walk down the hallway, "Shhhh!" she lets out as Peter heads towards the mysterious linen closet. When he opens it, he'll find the old clothes of the nuns and a priest's jacket.

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter hmms. "Okay. Lets see what we can do with this."

Two minutes later, Peter has returned. He has given Tandy the jacket and has folded habits into thin bedding and makeshift pillows, saving his own backpack for his own pillow.

"Well...I think that's the best we can do, under the circumstances." He looks to the door, then says, "I'm going to give you that portable door lock. Never know if you might need to secure a place, right?"

Tandy Bowen has posed:
Tandy Bowen grabs at Peter's arm, "Ok but don't unlock it yet!" she whispers. She grabs the makeshift pillow and hugs it against her, "Could be worse I guess. I had to sleep outside a few times. It didn't rain though."

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter chuckles. "Oh, no, I'm going to leave it right where it is." He sits down on the bedding he made for himself. "So, Tandy...what's your story? Why are you living on the streets?"

Tandy Bowen has posed:
Tandy Bowen motions to herself, "Me?" she wonders, "Oh well...my mom kicked me out, pretty much. She's an actress. Was an actress. And she drinks a lot. I can't really talk to her."

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter frowns. "Dang, that's cold-blooded. How long have you been on the streets? You seem to know your way around."

Tandy Bowen has posed:
Tandy Bowen shrugs a little, "I don't know, not that long," she says sadly, "I did have some friends but I think they were kidnapped to the docks with some of the other kids." She crosses her arms.

Peter Parker has posed:
Now, Peter is giving Tandy his undivided attention. "Kidnapped?" He seems startled, but recovers. "When did this happen? And do you know where?"

Tandy Bowen has posed:
Tandy Bowen looks at Peter seriously and says, "See that's why I don't have any friends anymore. Simon Marshall killed them. He killed all of them. I guess you wouldn't know him, he's some jerk businessman I think but he's really a gang leader. I found out his name last week."

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter seems to deflate. A day late, a dollar short, an atrocity unresolved. At least he has a name to check out now. Guess who became, as Yakko Warner once observed, "our New Best Friend."

"Well...I can give the name to Spider-Man. See if there's anything he can do to help."

Tandy Bowen has posed:
Tandy Bowen leans forward in her chair, "Really? So you know how to reach him, huh?" she asks and smiles a little, "Yeah, he's so nice. Remember I told you, he helped me? Yeah, I bet he can help."

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter nods. "Okay, you got it. You and him can pool resources, info..." He pauses. "Might want to leave it up to him to go after the guy, though. He has all those Spider-Powers and all that. I've been taking pics of him for the DAILY BUGLE and he's pretty good in a scrap."

Tandy Bowen has posed:
Tandy Bowen leans back in her little chair as Peter tells her to let the tough Spider-Man handle the situation. Yeah right! "Oh right, of course. Spider-Man can handle it---I'll tell them where they are."

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter nods, then leans back, resting his head on his backpack. "Probably should get some sleep, Tandy. I've got classes in the morning, but I should be okay. I'll set my alarm." He smiles wryly. "And I'm wearing longjohns, so I'm plenty warm."

Tandy Bowen has posed:
Tandy Bowen looks down at herself, "Long John?" she wonders, "Oh you mean thermals," she chuckles and smiles, "Okay, set your cellphone thing and wake me up too. I'll sneak out before everyone's up," she says and hugs her makeshift pillow again, getting up from the table, "I'll sleep by the window."

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter nods. "All righty, then." He stretches and yawns. "G'night, Tandy." he pulls a habit over his body, then settles in on his side. Obviously not his first sleeping-outside experience.