The Agent (Lindianne Parker) (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
divisionary) wrote2016-05-20 10:21 pm
divisionary) wrote2016-05-20 10:21 pm
Matinee
For once, the streets are quiet.
Between the rescue mission at the trainyard, the storming of the WarrenGate power plant, and the skirmish at the New Law tenements, there's been a lot less movement in the city the past few weeks. The Rikers have retreated to lick their wounds. The Cleaners have gone quiet (or as quiet as a gang of men on garbage trucks can be). Even the LMB have stopped rattling their sabers from Kips Bay. It isn't a real peace. There's still a lot left to do. But for now, the JTF is breathing a little easier.
Not Lindianne, though. Ever since she came limping back to base with Voodoo and the others, she's been on strict orders to take it easy. She's had her nose set and it's healing well. There's been no need for her to head outside the wire. There's no imminent threat to the base or to personnel. So she's been spending her time trying to help in smaller ways.
And slowly going stir-crazy.
Right now, she's deep in conversation with one of the civilians. "Look, uh, Finnegan," she says with a shrug. "I know you guys like that movie. But maybe, just maybe, we can watch something other than that one about Luna Park?" He looks a little annoyed at the suggestion. Lindianne sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. "Yeah, I know. It's either that or everyone starts arguing again. I get it. Just... think it over, okay?"
He doesn't answer; all he does it raise his eyebrows, then turn and head back towards a knot of civilians. Lindianne, meanwhile, sighs. She sequesters herself out near the supply room with a dog-eared paperback novel somebody scavenged from a nearby drugstore. It's a terrible read, but it's better than having to deal with the same damn movie for the 800th time.
What she'd give for something else right now.
Between the rescue mission at the trainyard, the storming of the WarrenGate power plant, and the skirmish at the New Law tenements, there's been a lot less movement in the city the past few weeks. The Rikers have retreated to lick their wounds. The Cleaners have gone quiet (or as quiet as a gang of men on garbage trucks can be). Even the LMB have stopped rattling their sabers from Kips Bay. It isn't a real peace. There's still a lot left to do. But for now, the JTF is breathing a little easier.
Not Lindianne, though. Ever since she came limping back to base with Voodoo and the others, she's been on strict orders to take it easy. She's had her nose set and it's healing well. There's been no need for her to head outside the wire. There's no imminent threat to the base or to personnel. So she's been spending her time trying to help in smaller ways.
And slowly going stir-crazy.
Right now, she's deep in conversation with one of the civilians. "Look, uh, Finnegan," she says with a shrug. "I know you guys like that movie. But maybe, just maybe, we can watch something other than that one about Luna Park?" He looks a little annoyed at the suggestion. Lindianne sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. "Yeah, I know. It's either that or everyone starts arguing again. I get it. Just... think it over, okay?"
He doesn't answer; all he does it raise his eyebrows, then turn and head back towards a knot of civilians. Lindianne, meanwhile, sighs. She sequesters herself out near the supply room with a dog-eared paperback novel somebody scavenged from a nearby drugstore. It's a terrible read, but it's better than having to deal with the same damn movie for the 800th time.
What she'd give for something else right now.
no subject
Rabbit lean in to whisper to Lindianne. "'Center for ants'. Bet I can get it on the air on our next op."
After one last scene, the credits start rolling!
"Fuuuuck," Voodoo says. "That was so dumb I don't even think I can be mad at it for it."
no subject
"I'll give you ten bucks if you do it," she whispers back, trying to hide her smile with her hand. "No, wait, ten bucks and first dibs on my slot in the meal line." That ought to sweeten the deal.
Lindianne grins at the boys before rolling her shoulders. "Yeah, that pretty dumb, but I kind of liked it," she admits. "Like, it's so bad it loops around to being good again."
Already, there's a smattering of applause from the civilians watching the movie. A few have stood up and are talking to one another. The mood in the room is light. There's no tension. No worry.
Lindianne's smile is wistful. "We all needed that."
And then she loops an arm around Voodoo and Rabbit's necks. "And it's all thanks to you two knuckleheads! So, y'know, thanks."
no subject
"Yeah, dude cuts his arm off with a Leatherman, that'll get morale up-"
"Who said anything about morale? It's a good fuckin' movie-"
"Oh, please, if I wanted to watch James Franco cry for 90 minutes I'd whack him with a newspaper-"
The argument is ended as quickly as it began by the approach of Mother from the direction of the Situation Room. What civilians haven't cleared out make way for him as he walks over to Lindianne and his boys, helmet tucked under his arm. AFO Neptune hasn't been in the city a month, and already the stress of almost non-stop ops is wearing on him - the bags under his eyes seem to grow larger every day.
"Bring it in," he says, beckoning them over. "School circle."
no subject
Lindianne gives Voodoo and Rabbit one last fond little shake before she lets them go. She does also mock-punch Preacher on the bicep as she heads towards Mother. So much for movie night. So much for relaxation. It never really ends.
"Mother." She gives him a little smile. (She tries for 'carefree', but winds up somewhere in the vicinity of 'guarded'.) "Sir, forgive the comment, but... damn. You need some shut-eye toot suite." Or some coffee, at the very least.
She's not dressed for going outside of the Post Office. She's switched to an oversized sweatshirt and a wool sweater instead of her usual cold-weather gear. She looks more prepared for a long nap than any sort of combat situation.
"...Something happen?"
no subject
In response to her question, Mother shakes his head. "No. Not yet. And it's got Faye and me worried."
He looks to the other SEALs before continuing. "It's the LMB," he says. "They're in a holding pattern, and we can't tell why. Radio intercepts don't point to anything out of the ordinary, but they're not trying to expand like they should be, and we can't get patrols close enough to find out why. We haven't even caught them in a firefight for the past few days, with either the Rikers or the Cleaners. Unless something's happened to Bliss - which we can't tell, one way or another - it feels wrong."
He idly rubs at the bridge of his nose. "Long story short, we've got a whole lot of radio chatter and no viable targets. We're wasted on presence patrols, but there's nothing else for us to do outside the wire. So take this time to clean and maintain your gear. Take this time to train. Take this time to rest up."
He looks to each of them in turn.
"Be ready for anything. The JTF's in a dangerous place right now - strong enough to play with the big boys, weak enough to get wiped off Manhattan if someone plays their cards right. Keep your go-bags by your racks."
Then, a simple nod.
"Dismissed."
no subject
The Last Man Battalion doesn't do quiet. They don't do subtle. If they wanted the last of the JTF out of the borough, they would have pressed their advantage already. Something is definitely wrong. But what are they waiting for? What could possibly holding them back from making a move?
It can't be fear about the SEALs. If that were true, they wouldn't have made their play to kill Mother on his first full day in the city. They're not afraid of the United States military. And they're definitely not afraid of her.
Well. Whatever it is, they'll find out eventually.
She turns back towards Voodoo, Rabbit, and Preacher. She gives them a quick, easy little smile. "Like we're never not ready to go," she cracks. "But... well, he's right." She glances over her should back in the direction Mother left. "Maybe I'll help out with patrols. Just get a feel for what's going on out there."
But for now... for now, it's time to relax.