12224/The Law of Mechanics

The Law of Mechanics
Date of Scene:	22 September 2020
Location:	Hell's Kitchen
Synopsis:	Matt runs into Sarah.
Cast of Characters:	Hijack, Daredevil

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Hijack has posed:
    While the morning had started out as rather tumultuous, heavy rain and smatterings of lightning and thunder, but late afternoon it had cleared up and offered the last vestiges of sunlight and that cool breeze that only comes after a rainstorm. The town was small and tucked away and just had the feel of 'rural' to it.

    Sarah was currently enjoying said breeze standing outside of the shop with a coffee cup in hand, just watching the lazy coming and going of people when the phone buzzed in her pocket and she answered. "Sarah, got a breakdown on 202. You up for it?" She was already walking back inside to dump the remains of her coffee and a top off into her thermos and heading towards the tow truck. "Yeah, I got it."

    It took a total of twenty minutes from getting the call that Sarah would turn the bend and spot the vehicle. A glance at the plates told her they were a ways from home. Shifting gears as she pulled up and in front of their vehicle before she pulled the break and hopped out. "Trouble?"

Daredevil has posed:
The office of Nelson & Murdock has been involved in a landlord/tenant dispute for a couple of weeks now. The residents of a rundown apartment building in the heart of Hell's Kitchen have all been without running water for over a month and the owner of the building has been unreachable. After digging, Matt and Foggy were able to track down an address at a storefront in a small town outside of the city. Unfortunately, on the way, the car Matt had hired ran into mechanical issues and was now stranded in seemingly the middle of nowhere.

By the time Sarah arrives on the scene, Matt will be outside of the sedan with his back leaning against the rear passenger-side door, his red sunglasses on and his walking stick clasped between his folded hands. As she pulls up and exits her vehicle, Matt pushes away from the car and turns to face her. Her question is met with a smile and a nod of the head, "It seems that way. Thank you for coming."

Hijack has posed:
Sarah looked at Matt and then to the cane and glasses and glanced to the driver who was on his phone about ten feet away from the vehicle. "What did it sound like before it broke down?" She walked around the vehicle, eyes on the tires and looking for anything that would stand out visually. As she walked by Matt, he'd pick up the scent of good coffee and engine oil. Beneath that was cinnamon and cream. She didn't wear perfumes or lotions or any other sort of chemicals.

    Dropping down onto the ground and pulling herself under the car after setting her hat beside her, listening to any input Matt may offer. Pursing her lips before she slid herself back out and remained seated for a moment as she put the hat on her head. "Alright. I've got a bay open at my garage. Looks like a rental, so a pretty good chance that you'll get refunded on the trip." Standing as she walked to the back of her truck and pulled down the tow chains from the lift.

Daredevil has posed:
As Sarah approaches and asks for symptoms of the dead vehicle, the driver hangs up his phone and stuffs it into his pocket, shrugging, "Dunno, it just died." He clearly doesn't know much about cars. Neither does Matt, but he has a keen sense of hearing which makes it easy to hear when things are going wrong.

As the mechanic slides under the car, Matt watches her and tilts his head, "It sounded like the fuel pump was failing. Inconsistent acceleration until it died." He plants the walking stick against the pavement and props his interlinked hands on the handle, "Sounds like the front shock bushings are starting to rot, but as far as I know that's not a serious problem."

The driver looks at the blind man with widened eyes and then at the mechanic, "I concur." There's not much confidence in his voice. Matt nods and motions towards the man as if his diagnosis was validated. As Sarah emerges and stands back up to head to her truck, he smiles again and waits for her to do her thing.

Hijack has posed:
The woman stood and smirked at Matt's far more thorough diagnosis. Trust a blind man to hear the problem before anyone with eyes in their heads caught on. Her grandma was the same and that woman had a fierce love of proving people who thought less than her wrong. "If it's just a fuel pump, I might be able to get you both back on the road before the sun drops."

She hooked the car up to the towing chains. "Two steps back, please." Before she reached in and forced the car into Neutral and turned the winch on to lift the front end of the car up. It was loud, but not painfully so. Securing everything into place as she looked at them and finally chuckled and shook her head. "You can either ride with me to the shop or I can drop you off at the diner up the road. You both look about as city as it gets, so don't expect anything fancy. We're a small town."

While she claimed the town, there was a distinct north western drawl to her words. Giving them time to consider their options as she got into the truck. Sarah was neither insulting or warm to them. Just...efficient. She certainly didn't cater to Matt clearly being blind, mostly out of respect to her gram. Who would actually haunt her if she tried.

Daredevil has posed:
Stepping back before the car is winched onto the lift, Matt's head lowers as he listens tot he woman speak.It's not common for people he's only just met to have no issue with his blindness. There's always at least a hesitation or some sort of tone to indicate discomfort or awkwardness around him. He picks up on her complete lack of concern.

The driver follows to the truck, climbing in, "Diner sounds great, thanks." Matt follows and climbs into the passenger seat closest to the door. He could spend the time it takes to repair the vehicle at the diner, but he could also take the opportunity to learn what he can about the landlord, assuming this place is like the small towns he's read about where everyone seems to know each other. "I'll tag along to the shop if you don't mind."

Hijack has posed:
Once they were in, she put the truck into gear. Looking at Matt when he again laid down some manners, not what she expected from a pair of city boys, but simply nodded. "I wouldn't have offered if I minded." Driving until they got to the diner and she pulled into the lot so the driver could exit. "Here..." She rolled down her window and handed off a card that gave a discount and the shop's number if it was needed.

Once he was inside, she took off again for the shop, taking a drink of her coffee. "So, what brings you all the way up to Tomkins Cove? Just passing through or do you have business in town?" Though, by her tone she clearly didn't put much merit in them having 'business' in this town. Which was some of the reason why she lived here.

Daredevil has posed:
As they drop off the driver, Matt slips out of the truck and nods to the man before climbing back in to the passenger seat. Then they're back on the road and heading further into town. It's been a very long time since Matt has been out of the city. Even longer since he's been somewhere this small. He hasn't smelled air this fresh in too long.

"Believe it or not, I am here on business," he says as he fishes through the inside pocket of his coat, pulling out a folded up slip of paper. He unfolds it and slides the tips of his fingers across the raised bumps on its surface. "Barwick Holdings, LLC.," he says before he folds the paper again and slips it into the pocket, "has an office registered somewhere in town. They've been impossible to get in touch with regarding a lawsuit." He rests his forearm on the window, "So I decided to pay them a visit." He fully expects the office to be an empty shell that has never been used. Someone who owns property in the city doesn't register their business in a town this far away unless they're trying not to be found.

Hijack has posed:
Glancing at him, somewhat surprised when he defies the odds and is actually here on business. Listening to the why and unable to hold back the soft laughter, it's a sweet, unused sound and she seems almost surprised by it. "You invent the phrase blind-side? I bet those patronizing tones dry up real quick around you." Smirking as if envisioning the idea of it.

"So what, you a lawyer, then? Blind lawyer. Makes sense to me. My nan lost her sight to glaucoma, but she could still brain you with a spoon from across two rooms if she heard you lying." There was an aching fondness in her voice. She turned into the garage and stepped out of the truck. "Do you prefer a shoulder or directions." Already making her way to the back and flipping the hydraulics on to lower the car before coming around to the passenger side.

Daredevil has posed:
His eyes remaining forward on the road ahead as she speaks, Matt chuckles quietly at her comment. "It's one of the few pleasures, catching people off guard." Glancing over his shoulder towards her as she mentions her blind grandmother, a brow raises from behind his sunglasses. That would explain why she didn't overcompensate after noticing his blindness. She's used to it.

"It sounds like you are very fond of your grandmother," he says, hearing the aching in her voice as well. "But yes, I am a lawyer," he says as he looks ahead once more. "Being blind tends to balance out the atrocity of being a lawyer, so it all works out in the end."

As they enter the garage and come to a stop, Matt climbs out of the truck and steps to the side to keep out of her way as she works. "If you just point me in the general direction, I'm sure I'll stumble upon the place," he says through a slight grin. "I am curious if you know a gentleman named Len Barwick, though. He's who I'm looking for."

Hijack has posed:
"Were, she died about ten years ago." Taking a long drink of her coffee. "Never had a problem with lawyers. Spent most of my time on a reservation and lawyers made that happen. You get paid to think differently, nothing wrong with that." Pushing the car into motion and hopping in to steer it into place in the bay.

"Four steps forward and three to the right will put you at a pair of chairs. Just follow your nose." He'll get that phrase easily enough, someone here smokes cigars. "My name is Sarah, by the way." Popping the hood and hanging a light from one of the catches.

Her hands on the edge as she took a quick stock. Looking at the shredded fuel line and grinning. "He's a property manager for a couple places in town. You want to get in touch with him?" Chuckling as she turned her head to watch him. "His truck is ready to be picked up, you're welcome to give him a call to let him know he can come and get it." And oh, wasn't that just an impish sound to her voice. "Just make sure you call him Lenny. Tell him Joe fixed everything right up and the keys are waiting."

Daredevil has posed:
Hearing that Sarah's mother died a while back causes Matt to nod, pressing his lips together. Losing a parent is tough. "Sarah. Nice to meet you," he says as he turns towards the chairs and walks over to take a seat in one. "I'm Matt. Murdock."

Leaning back into the chair, he rests his walking stick across his lap and places his hands on top of it, looking over at the mechanic as she goes about diagnosing the car. She knows who Len is. Good. Her offer to let him call the man causes a quiet chuckle, "I think me calling him might tip him off that someone is in town looking for him. I'll leave that to you professionals." Lenny. He's genuinely surprised the man lives around here. Matt had assumed the man's business registered here was a shell company. This trip might turn out to haver been worth it after all.

"What kind of guy is Lenny? He nice to people in the area?"

Hijack has posed:
"Nice to meet you, Matt." Said with her head already in the engine and unlatching the bad fuel line before walking over to her stock and shuffling through it. "Glaucoma? That's what took my Gram's vision."

Then he was talking about Lenny and she shifted, considering for a few moments. "I keep my head down. He doesn't live here, though. Just a small place. Shows up every so often." Was about all she was going to give, for right now. Sarah didn't cause waves, cause that made people look at you a bit more closely. As it was, people were going to look at her for giving up the information, if they found out.

"This shouldn't take long. Once I install it, I'll let it run for a while before topping everything off."

Daredevil has posed:
"I was in an accident when I was young," Matt replies. His head lowers a bit as he shifts his weight on the chair. "Truck carrying chemical waste overturned and gave me a bit of a bath." His head lifts again, tilted slightly to one side as his friendly smile appears.

Hearing her hesitance to give up any real information on Lenny, Matt nods. He understands. Someone who owns as much property as this guy does tends to carry weight wherever he goes. People don't want to ruffle the feathers of someone like that. He's seen it plenty of times. "I see." His brow furrows as he contemplates the man he's here to see.

Looking back up as she changes subjects back to the disabled rental car, Matt nods. "No rush."

Hijack has posed:
Sarah winces softly and nods her head. It would be less sad if such a story was out of character for the state of things. "Well, I'm glad it was just your sight." No sympathy, no pity, just a statement that it could have been so much worse than it was. Perhaps not how most people would react to such things, but she wasn't most people.

She grinned when Matt replied with 'I see'. He didn't and not in the ironic pun kind of way. Sarah kept her head down because she didn't want people finding out she was a mutant. Certainly, she didn't 'look' like one, but Sarah wasn't willing to take that chance.

Going back under the hood as she installed the new line. "And you? Never heard of a lawyer going this far out of their way for just a lawsuit. 'Justice is blind until a judge gives it eyes', hmm?"

Daredevil has posed:
The lack of change in the woman's tone doesn't go unnoticed. Not because he demands it but because he's come to expect a different reaction from people. Her statement is interesting to him. "It certainly could have been worse."

Matt's lips curve into a tight grin as she mentions it being unusual for lawyers to travel so far in the name of justice. Matt and Foggy aren't typical lawyers, though. They work with underprivileged people and generally accept home-cooked meals and baked goods as payment. Not too much in the way of normal about their practice. The remark about justice having sight problems draws another chuckle from the man and he nods, lowering his head, "The people I represent don't have the means to fight, so I'm doing what I can to help. So here I am."

Hijack has posed:
She listens as he speaks, sometimes pausing in what's she's doing to make sure she doesn't mishear or miss something entirely. STanding up and wiping grease smeared fingers onto a rag as she watches him. There's something here that she thinks most people don't see.

Walking over and pouring out two cups of coffee and setting one down in front of him. "Not a lot of people like that, these days." There was a softness to Sarah's tone as she took the seat beside him and nudged the damn ashtray further away before taking a sup from her coffee. "A lawyer with a heart of gold, aren't you just full of surprises, Mr. Murdock." Grinning softly into her cup as she looks out towards the woods just across the street.

"Len is not a good man. You sure you want this fight? I could...I could go with you." There's a strange hesitation in what feels like the wrong spot. It had been a very long time since she'd considered what she was considering.

Daredevil has posed:
When Sarah walks over and brings him a cup of coffee, Matt offers the woman a polite nod. The odor of the roasted beans fills his senses. It's one of his favorite scents. He reaches forward, his hand timidly searching for the cup for a moment before he finds it and picks it up. He blows the steam from the surface and glances towards her as she laments about the lack of decent lawyers.

There's a slight shrug of maybe resignation that she's right. Matt knows. He could've worked for a big soulless firm but then how would he sleep at night? "I do my best," he says before he finally takes a sip. He's definitely full of surprises. Being a reasonable man is only a scratch of the surface.

When she offers more information about Len, he lowers the coffee and looks more fully at her. He can hear the tension in her voice. "That's very kind of you to offer, Sarah. But if Len is as bad as I'm beginning to believe, it's probably best that you don't get wrapped up in this." He doesn't know her, but he gets the feeling that she can handle herself pretty well. But people like Len don't just go for the person. They go for everything a person cares about or depends upon. The garage could be destroyed. "I'd rather him have no idea that we even spoke about him."

Hijack has posed:
She looks at him for a moment and she offers him a smile that would rival the devil's very own. It's probably best that he can't see it. Doesn't mean he can't hear it. Maybe she shouldn't be doing this, but the idea of that creep possibly taking advantage of a blind man? It just doesn't sit well with her.

"He wouldn't know I was there, Mr. Murdock." Apparently, she enjoyed cryptic. Taking another drink and weighing the pros and cons. "I'm a Mutant. I've been where your underpriviledged clients have been. I don't look like one, so I skate by pretty nicely. He's going to take advantage of you being blind. You know that, right?"

Daredevil has posed:
Matt can hear it. And see it in his own unique way. Its sudden appearance surprises him, but her intensity doesn't. He knew from the moment they met that she wasn't very typical. And now he knows why. She's a mutant. Interesting.

Matt has no reaction to her admission that she's a mutant. At least none that are visible. He is curious, though. Len wouldn't even know Sarah was there? Questions surface but Matt's not the type to pry with a hundred questions. Does he know Len will take advantage of him being blind? "I'm counting on it," he says with an interesting grin of his own.

He takes another sip of the coffee and considers the situation now that things have grown more interesting. "It might not be a bad idea to have some backup," he says thoughtfully. While he should have no problem handling himself should things turn hostile, it's best that he stay in blind lawyer mode while he's on official business. He looks back over at Sarah for a moment and thinks. "Are you sure you want to get involved?"

Hijack has posed:
"I'm impressed you didn't ask what I did first." Said with a chuckle and it was like something had switched over in the woman. The chilly exterior seemed to have fully thawed. She'd judged him and found him worth a small amount of trust. Besides, she and Jason had promised each other they would do some good with what they could do. Before he was beaten to death.

"I, uh...possess vehicles. My body doesn't have to go along. I'll just close the garage and find a nice spot on the floor to lay on." Said with a grin as she gulped down the rest of her coffee. "So, like I said, he won't know I'm there. Ever see Knight Rider before your accident?" Standing up and setting the cup into the little sink. Listening to the car. "Everything is in working order. You want to pretend you're driving and scare your friend?"

Daredevil has posed:
"I figured you would share if you wanted me to know," Matt says with a smile. She possesses vehicles? Makes sense that she works as a mechanic. The thought makes him chuckle again. He looks back up at her and considers her offer for a moment further. Having him sit behind the wheel makes the man laugh out loud. A part of him would love that. Too bad she isn't in the city so he could freak out Foggy by pulling up to their office in the driver's seat.

"Sure, I've seen Knight Rider. I guess you turn anything into Kitt then." Her ability would make it more difficult for targets to get away. "I should contact him. We can follow Mr. Barwick when he comes to pick up his truck. Find out where he's going."

Hijack has posed:
"Fair enough." Chuckling as she nods. "Do that and once here, I'll close the bay doors and keep you two out of sight. I'll handle Len while he's here. Just...don't let your friend freak out when I go down after I Hijack the car. I'll set a chair up so it doesn't look too bad and I don't crack my skull open." The sight of him laughing brings a smile to her face and she shakes her head. "Maybe we'll get you a nice Harley, someday. Yeah, as long as it's made to transport people? I can take it."

Once his friend was there, she shut the car off and pulled the bay doors closed. Walking over to the phone to call Len about the truck and let Matt fill in his partner on what was happening. After she set one of the plastic chairs beside the car.