#hes almost 60 and genuinely being forced to hang out with actual children???

[sharkneto]

I absolutely agree with you on the whole “haha look Five goes to school but he’s 58!1!1!” Possibility happening in s4. I genuinely hope they won’t do it. Aidan will probably look way over the age of going to school when they film s4 so.. I think they won’t go with that ((hopefully)

Like I said, I don't think they'll go this route, if partially because Aidan is a real adult now so the joke doesn't work as well. But there is that sliver of a chance they do and it fucking haunts me.

#the whole trope just makes me so uncomfortable #again - sorry to those of you who do like it #no shade and you do you #but its like. every angle is Bad to me #hes almost 60 and genuinely being forced to hang out with actual children??? #it's fucking weird #and is so incredibly rude and disrespectful to five because he gets treated as a child when - again - hes a /58 year old man/ #play with that angle a different way - i think there /should/ be some disconnect with how he has to interact with the world #because the world does see a 13yo kid #but you can do that without forcing him into a situation where he has to daily be treated like that and also act like he is a child #have him get kicked out of bars and well-meaning adults ask him where his parents are #sorry this has turned into a rant for my least favorite trope #it just makes me so wildly uncomfortable and requires five to do things i dont think hed do unless under Great Duress #and usually requires the siblings to ignore his agency and age to at least some degree to make it work #anyway - sorry again if this is your jam #i try to stay positive on this blog and let people do what they want because its not my business and i just dont go where i dont like #but apparently this is my One Big Thing #and this is my blog and i can say what i want here #dont let one dude on the internet (me) spoil your bliss if you do like five in high school fics (or anything else i complain about) #ill try to shut up about it now and do my previous tactic of just not engaging with it #ask response

[windstormwielding]

{ ooc } Recent trends show that people are very receptive to big, scary, beefy mommies™... so why not come meet the fine lady who raised Kō-boy here? Hadn’t had much of a proper image for her until recently, but then a bunch of things just clicked and fell into place!

I’ll repost all of the below for her own page on the blog at some point, and might soon open her up for interactions as a proper side/request-only muse like Hai’iro Ranmaru. For now though, here’s the rundown! History, abilities, you name it, it’s down there!

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Profile: Ryōhei Yumiko

Name: Ryōhei Yumiko (亮平 由美子)

Birthday: June 26

Race: Soul

Gender: Female

Height: 185.4cm (6′1″)

Weight: 86kg (190 lbs)

Relatives: Ryōhei Kōtarō (Adoptive son)

Previous Profession: Shinigami

Previous Affiliation: Gotei 13, 11th Division

Previous Position: Lieutenant

Theme Song: “Battle Against a True Hero (UNDERTALE OST)” by Toby Fox

— Appearance —

Yumiko is a middle-aged woman with an imposingly broad and burly figure. Her face, while still retaining some youthful beauty to it, is partially disfigured from an accident with her zanpakutō early in her career. Many scars adorn her muscular form from head to toe, gained throughout her time as a battle-hardened soul reaper of the 11th Division. Her hair is auburn red with hints of greying in the present, usually kept long down her back and tied in a ponytail, and her eye colour is hazel.

She is often seen wearing an amigasa and a frayed, dull green kimono to better blend into the foliage, albeit the fabric is bloodstained. In her younger years, she wore a shihakushō, but customized her look into that of a sukeban-style delinquent: she wore her kosode open over her shoulders, tied to her upper body with a red ribbon; she tore off her shitagi sleeves to bare her arms; her Lieutenant’s badge was worn around her left bicep.

(Present Day Faceclaim: Balalaika of Black Lagoon)

— Personality —

Years ago, Yumiko was a foul-tempered spitfire who assisted in keeping the sorry louts of the 11th in line. Strength meant authority within those walls, and there were really only two within the Division who could challenge her might, but she was never one to lord her position over others. Diligent as can be, she often took initiative for leading combat drills to keep her subordinates’ skills sharp. As a member of the 11th, she was a fiercely determined fighter who also relished in the thrills of combat, often using brute force to get the job done, and let her hair down whenever parties were held and drinks flowed. Though she and 3rd Seat Kuruyashiki often butted heads over trivial matters to the point of trading blows, she genuinely respected his strength and character deep down.

While she grew calmer and humbled when she effectively retired, she still holds no patience for any who seeks to do harm unto others weaker than themselves. Yumiko always had a weakness for children, despite the fact that her appearance tend to terrify many, to her dismay. To make up for this, she starkly changes her demeanour into a far more doting personality, sometimes accompanied by a familiar dopey grin that Kōtarō would inherit. She was fiercely protective of him growing up, and, true to her 11th Division training, killed those who dared to threaten her boy’s life without batting an eye or losing sleep.

— History —

In her heyday, up to 410 years before the present, Ryōhei Yumiko lived as a Gotei 13 shinigami, serving as the Lieutenant of the 11th Division. She fit right into the mold of a squad full of melee combatants and was a master with a blade, living and breathing by the three B’s: brawls, bloodshed, and booze. The many scars she accrued over the course of her lifetime each stood as a testament for her love of fighting, as these only grew in number the higher she rose up the ranks.

Unfortunately, her career was cut short come a terrible incident with her Captain. In a bid to further his own swordsmanship as the 6th Kenpachi, Captain Baishin attempted to merge with his own zanpakutō. This fusion, though successful, turned out to be one-way and took a debilitating toll on his mind, causing Kenpachi Baishin to go on a killing rampage that claimed the lives of over 60 seated officers across the Seireitei, including Lieutenants (OVA: The Sealed Sword Frenzy).

Yumiko nearly lost her life in the assault. While she survived, her saketsu and hakusui were pierced during the battle while she burned through her reiryoku. She awoke to several changes in the Gotei 13, chief among them being: her powers have effectively disappeared forever; Kuruyashiki, her 3rd Seat in the 11th, rose to the occasion and donned the Captain’s haori as the 7th Kenpachi during the crisis; and Baishin fled to the world of the living before being sealed away by Kuruyashiki and five other Captains, with two of them not returning home.

Not wanting to sit around for a pity party as she can no longer work within the Seireitei, Yumiko simply left and returned home in North Rukongai. Though her soul reaper powers are gone and she can no longer hear the voice of her zanpakutō, she still had both her fearsome physical strength and her incredible skill with a sword, just as how she always lived and liked it. She never raised her blade against innocent civilians, but many thugs in their attempts to cross her over the years lost their lives.

Around 270 years before the present, Yumiko found a toddler in the thickets of Kusajishi, just passed on from the world of the living. Disgusted that her former comrades would leave him to die within one of the worst districts for a child to be in, she sought to foster him and take him up to some family in a better-off district closer towards the Seireitei. However, she quickly found herself endeared to him when she realized he wasn’t scared of her at all, clinging to her with not one scream of fear or protest at the sight of her. She then decided to take him in as her son and gave him a name of his own: Ryōhei Kōtarō (亮平 康太郎).

Yumiko doted on and sheltered the boy as best she could over the years. Putting her years of fighting experience to use, she strove to teach her son the way of the sword. This was not only so that he may stand an actual chance by himself in the sticks of the Soul Society, but because she knew from his persisting hunger that one day soon, Kōtarō too might follow in her footsteps as a shinigami.

After he finally left for the Academy, she took to wandering the Soul Society proper, but would still come back to Kusajishi on the occasion he should ever visit.

�� Powers & Abilities —

Expert Swordsman: As a Lieutenant of the 11th Division, Yumiko's talent in Zanjutsu was almost unrivalled back in her prime. Though her skills dulled with time and little worthy foes to fight out in the boonies, she still managed to garner a menacing reputation that kept her feared by many in North Rukongai. She passed on much of her knowledge in the combat art down to her son, who later became a worthy swordsman in his own right.

Expert Hand-to-Hand Combatant: Yumiko supplemented her swordsmanship with grappling, throws, and boxing, where her larger size and superior strength come into play. In the past, she often resorted to fighting with her bare fists while her active Shikai was locked into its sheath.

Enhanced Strength, Endurance, & Durability: Kōtarō looks up to Yumiko and calls her the strongest woman he knows; that’s not just him being cute, as he means that quite literally. She built up much of her strength over her long tenure as a shinigami in the most combat-intensive Division of them all, capable of lifting and cleaving boulders that are heavier and larger than herself with relative ease. Her body proved resilient enough to not only survive attacks from a crazed Baishin-zanpakutō fusion, while other seated officers in her position—including fellow Lieutenants—perished, but hold him off solo for some time despite her wounds and failing powers.

— Former Powers & Abilities —

Great Spiritual Power: As a former Lieutenant of the Gotei 13, Yumiko once possessed a considerable amount of reiryoku. Her reiatsu was coloured light blue, and her exerting her spiritual pressure made the surrounding area more humid.

Kidō Practitioner: Having attended Shin’ō Academy, Yumiko proved to have little aptitude for magic. The loss of her powers only took away what little capability for Kidō she had.

Shunpō Expert: Yumiko was surprisingly agile for her bulk and quite fast among her peers, able to keep pace with her old Captain who was himself well-versed in Hohō. While she now lacks the power to use such techniques, she still retains some valuable footwork lessons and continues to apply them toward her swordplay.

Zanpakutō: Yūgiri (夕霧, Evening Mist) resembles a normal katana in its sealed state, with a grey hilt and raindrop-shaped tsuba, and its scabbard came with a clip that kept the blade notched. Though Yumiko can no longer call on its power, she took her blade with her nonetheless when she absconded from the Seireitei, and concealed its distinct appearance by binding its hilt and tsuba in cloth. Yūgiri hangs by her hip. Its release command was “Billow!” (畝れ! Unere!).

Shikai: When transformed, Yūgiri’s blade hollowed out with small holes dotted along its length, gathering moisture from the surrounding area to empower its steel with super-heated steam and scald her enemies. Yumiko used the mist as a smokescreen, and often sheathed her active weapon to compress and build up power within its scabbard for mortal draw techniques, such as steam blades.   Yūgiri’s signature technique, Jyōki Bakusatsu (蒸汽爆炸, Steam Eruption) was the end result of storing up so much pressure, that it creates a steam explosion with extreme heat and force from the sheath once her blade is drawn. The first time Yumiko used this move proved reckless, resulting in the facial burn injury.  

Bankai: Not achieved.

#{ i’m falling free in the wind ☁ headcanon ☁ } #{ ooc: AND WE'RE OFF- } #{ everyone come say hi to Mommyko- }

[aion-rsa]

The Legacy of Batman: Tom King, Kevin Conroy, and Scott Snyder on the Dark Knight

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This year, we talked to Tom King, Kevin Conroy, Bruce Timm, Scott Snyder, Jock, and Pete Tomasi about why Batman still matters.

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It all began with two shots in the dark, pearls spilling onto the blood-soaked cement. No, it all started when the bat crashed through the window. Actually, it was when the boy fell into the cave. Maybe it was that hostile takeover at Apex Chemicals? Dozens of stories have shaped the legend of the Batman over his 80-year history, tales that have made the Caped Crusader arguably the most iconic character in comic book history, rivaled only by Superman.

When Bill Finger and Bob Kane put pen and pencil to paper for 1939's Detective Comics #27, they had no way of knowing that they were creating a new American myth that would captivate readers and movie audiences for decades to come. They certainly didn't expect their first Batman adventure, "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate," to spawn 973 more issues of Detective Comics, let alone become a blockbuster franchise featuring movies, TV series, video games, and McDonald's Happy Meals. 

But what bigger testament to the long-lasting appeal of Batman than March’s Detective Comics #1000, written and drawn by some of the best creators in the business? The giant-sized, 96-page issue featured stories by legends such as as Dennis O'Neil, Neal Adams, Steve Epting, Christopher Priest, Jim Lee, Kelley Jones, Paul Dini, Brian Michael Bendis, Warren Ellis, and Geoff Johns as well as the current custodians of the Bat-mythos -- Tom King, Tony S. Daniel, Peter J. Tomasi, Doug Mahnke, Joelle Jones, Scott Snyder, and Greg Capullo. And that's not even including the excellent covers by Jim Steranko, Bernie Wrightson, Bruce Timm, Frank Miller, Jock, Tim Sale, and more. 

Batman is only the second DC superhero to reach such a massive milestone, the other being the Man of Steel. What is it about this character hellbent on avenging the death of his parents night after night that has kept him at the forefront of our pop culture?

“I think what makes him deeply enduring is that it’s a really primal folk tale,” Scott Snyder, who’s been writing Batman stories since 2011, says. “It’s a story about a boy who loses everything and turns that loss into fuel to make sure that what happened to him never happens to anybody else.”

While most of us aren't billionaire playboys with the resources to fight crime on a global (and sometimes cosmic) level, we understand pain, both emotional and physical, and a need to rise above it, even if we can't always do that. We sympathize with Bruce's biggest regret -- if only he hadn't made his parents take him to see that Zorro movie; if only he hadn't been frightened by the opera; if only he'd been braver and faster as the thug pulled the trigger. For Bruce, his crusade to stop evildoers comes down to replaying that single fateful moment over and over again and making possible a different outcome.

Yet, Batman perseveres despite all of this pain, which is why people flock to the character, according to Snyder. 

"It's a story of triumph over your worst fears, worst tragedy, and about taking your loss and turning it into a win," the writer says. "There's just this kind of power to him that speaks to our own potential, the human potential, even when we're challenged by things that seem insurmountably horrible." 

Snyder has spent the better part of a decade showcasing Batman as a symbol of hope for the citizens of Gotham, putting him through the ringer, reopening old wounds while also making new ones -- the writer even killed the hero off at one point -- just so that he can pick himself up again and keep fighting. 

But the character isn't driven solely by tragedy. Who could hang with a downer like that for 80 years? 

"There are the fun elements, of course, that are similar to James Bond, like the gadgets, and the cars, and the planes, and just the cool factor of his costume."

Tom King, who recently wrapped up an 85-issue run on Batman and currently has a Batman/Catwoman miniseries in the works, looks back to the character's real-life point of origin as the reason he has stood the test of time.

"You have to go back to the moment of creation with him. You've got [Bob Kane and Bill Finger], the children of immigrants, so we're like, what, 1938, '39, we're in Manhattan. And at that time, I mean, go back and look at the pictures, Batman was created like 20 blocks from Madison Square Garden where they had a Nazi rally that attracted a hundred thousand people. They were marching in the streets."

These tumultuous times shaped the fabric of Batman, according to King.

"[Kane and Finger] were living here and their literal cousins and grandparents were getting killed in Europe, right? And they created something uniquely American. Batman succeeds because there's something genuinely beautifully American about it."

According to Batman: The Animated Series voice actor Kevin Conroy, Batman’s continued popularity goes back to something primal. To the classically trained actor who was immortalized as the voice of Batman in the ‘90s cartoon, the Caped Crusader is a modern retelling of myths and stories humans have been passing down for thousands of years.

“He’s such a theatrical character,” Conroy says, admitting he was at first hesitant to audition for the role. At the time, he was a theater actor who'd never done an animated role. But when he read the script, the character clicked. Conroy recognized this story. “They were absolutely right to cast a theater actor, especially one with a classical background, because this is Shakespeare. They’re doing high drama. Batman is Achilles. He’s Orestes. He’s Hamlet.”

The tragic Greek character Orestes, in particular, was on Conroy’s mind when playing Batman. By that point, he’d performed several plays as Orestes, a son who avenges his father’s murder and goes mad because of it. By the end of the story, Orestes has gone through hell and back because of his thirst for vengeance. Naturally, Conroy brought that familiarity with Orestes to his portrayal of Batman.

“He’s a Homeric hero,” Conroy says of the Caped Crusader. “I think of it often when I’m doing Batman because Orestes is haunted by the Furies. He descends into hell. He comes back. He’s resurrected at the end, and I think so often, this is a very Orestial-like journey that Bruce Wayne goes on. His Furies are the memory of his parents’ murder. It haunts him through his life. It’s transformed him."

Conroy calls Batman a “classic character.” Like Orestes before him, Batman has become the protagonist of our very own mythology.

“He’s come out of such a fire and instead of letting life crush him, he turns that metamorphosis into something even greater than himself,” Conroy says. “They’ve been telling that story for thousands of years in different cultures, and this is our culture’s way of telling those stories, and I think they’re just as valid.”

Bruce Timm, who co-created Batman: The Animated Series and designed the show's iconic Art Deco aesthetic, is unsurprisingly most taken by Batman's look. 

"I just think Batman looks great," Timm says during our chat at NYCC in 2018. "He's got the best costume motif in comics. Nothing comes close. He's dark, sexy, and broody. It's really intoxicating and compelling in a way that almost no other in comics can come close to it."

He also admires the durability of the character through the different eras of comics, from the Golden Age, to the sillier '50s and '60s stories of the Comics Code era, to the darker takes we're more accustomed to today. 

"It is amazing to me how flexible he is as a character. That you could have something as silly as the Adam West show or the old '50s comics, and then you have stuff like Neal Adams and Frank Miller and what we did. And you know, even more extreme, [Grant Morrison and Dave McKean's graphic novel] Arkham Asylum and things like that. And yet their all kind of the same character. It's like that character can encompass all of those different things. He can do space aliens and serial killers, you know? Yet, it kind of works."

This flexibility has allowed plenty of writers and artists to experiment with the Dark Knight, creating different versions of the character over the years. There really isn't a definitive take on Batman. You can love the Batusi, Bat-Mite, or Mr. Freeze's cool party and still be right on the money about the Caped Crusader. You'd be remiss to call the character stale. The guy has done it all.

"It's almost like he's a force of nature, in which stories can happen around him, and there's something primordial, maybe, about the character and the way he looks, as well," says veteran Batman artist Jock, who most recently worked on a seven-part miniseries with Snyder called The Batman Who Laughs. "You could put Batman in a new pose, and he'd still flourish, and I think those kinds of characters are very rare."

Peter J. Tomasi, who is currently writing Detective Comics, puts it best:

"He's a character who can work across all genres. Somehow, someway, he can simply fit into every story, be it a war story, a western, a love story, a comedic angle, sci-fi, horror, fantasy, you name it, and of course any detective story you can possibly imagine."

Superheroes won't always be at the top of our pop culture food chain. It's inevitable that many of the characters we love today will fade with future generations, just as the Shadow, Doc Savage, Zorro, and the Scarlet Pimpernel did. Will we still be talking about Batman in another 80 years? We may eventually embrace new forms of familiar myths, becoming obsessed with new idols. But only a fool would bet against a character who's survived as long as Batman has. Remember, the Batman always wins.

John Saavedra is an associate editor at Den of Geek. Read more of his work here. Follow him on Twitter @johnsjr9 and make sure to check him out on Twitch.

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[asoulofstars]

Intelligence Rewrite Episode 1

As I’ve mentioned, I’m re-writing the Intelligence episodes with Riona for her AU. Here’s Episode 1. 

Episodes are very dialogue heavy, so it’s a lot of talking. I do try to intersperse it with Riona’s thoughts, body language of the characters, and what’s happening around them.

But they’re fun, and they’re my children.

Pilot

           When Riona got the invitation to meet Lillian Strand at United States Cyber Command, she was equal parts excited, hesitant, and confused. Lillian was the best in the intelligence game; she was who every woman looked up to and admired. But Lillian also looked eerily like Riona’s mother, and that was an experience that Riona was not looking to have. She left home when she was seventeen and preparing to go to Michigan State University, and she had not seen either of her parents since. The thought of meeting Lillian—actually meeting her, not just briefly in passing—sent such a myriad of emotions running through her that her hands shook at the thought. Riona also had to wonder what Lillian Strand wanted with a Secret Service agent. But Riona got up, and she dressed in her best suit. She hated wearing pants, and much of her salary went towards tailoring her clothes. At 5’6” and as curvy as she was, it was nearly impossible to find pants that fit her length wise and in her hips. And today, she wanted to dress at her best. She brushed out her hair, and she tried to quell the anxiety that bubbled in her stomach. She grabbed herself a Dr. Pepper and headed out the door.

           The ride to CyberCom was uneventful. She was instructed to park in the public lot and then given a ride into the actual compound. She was impressed and unsurprised by the amount of security, and she had her Secret Service identification ready and waiting. She presented it to security, and she entered the building relatively unaccompanied. The thing she noticed right away was the portraits on the wall. President Obama and Director Strand were placed on the same level, and Riona could not help but swallow. She could only hope that Director Strand was different from her mother in personality and mannerisms. She walked the halls to find Director Strand’s office, and she waited outside.

           She didn’t wait long before the Director of Cyber Command strode out to greet her. Lillian held out her hand.

           “Riona. Lillian Strand.”

Riona cleared her throat to make sure her voice didn’t crack. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Director Strand.” She took Lillian’s hand and shook it.

Lillian gave her a squeeze. “I should have warned you. I have seen your file, and I’m sure that this is a bit of a shock. But call me Lillian; we’re not that formal around here. Now, we have met once before, haven’t we?”

Riona nodded. “Yes, we did. On Air Force One. It was so brief; I didn’t think you’d remember.”

Lillian gave her a smile. “Riona, you have been vetted for months for a job you neither applied to nor were even aware of. We narrowed the list of candidates to six, and in the end, you’re the only one I brought here.”

Riona was floored. She raised an eyebrow. “Lillian, that’s…very flattering. But I already have a job. What could I even do for you?”

“Take a walk with me,” Lillian instructed and gestured down the hall. “What do you know about CyberCom?” she asked as they walked.

Riona gave a small shrug. “Not a lot, to be honest. You’re responsible for deep net salvage, data mining, cyber defense…” she trailed off.

“And a program called Clockwork. In 1939, the Nazis began developing a doomsday weapon. The US response was an unprecedented mobilization of resources called the Manhattan Project, resulting in the most devastating weapon ever built. Now, we face new and even more insidious threats. Clockwork is this generation’s Manhattan Project. It has been active for six months and has enjoyed a 100% success rate. Included in that success is the thwarting of the Super Bowl Bomber.”

Riona could not help but be impressed and curious. She took a breath, and her brows furrowed. “I thought that was CIA?”

“You haven’t been cleared to think anything different. Until now.”

Riona let out a breath as she realized Lillian would finally introduce her to why she was here.

“Last year, 60 Minutes aired a story about a quadriplegic who could operate a robotic arm with her mind. The microchip that made that possible was created right here.” Lillian opened a door for them. “While other agencies have been busy trying to make artificial intelligence more human, we gave a human the kind of power that had previously only been found in a machine. We created a man who’s the first of his kind: an advanced intelligent agent.” Lillian opened yet another door.

Riona could only imagine with that sort of information why this meeting was taking place at CyberCom behind so many secure doors. She walked in with Lillian to see a man lying on a table, wires hooked up to him, and scans on screens. A man in a lab coat walked out.

“We’re almost done. We haven’t found any residual virus.”

“What kind of virus?” Riona asked.

“Stuxnet. The world’s first weaponized cyber worm,” the man explained.

“The computer virus?” Riona stared at him.

“Boo-yah!” he replied. “Of course, the only way to plant it in an isolated bunker in the middle of the Himalayas was for Gabriel to carry it in himself, which is why we’re making sure none of the code burrowed in.” The man in the lab coat gestured to the other man on the table before sliding his chair across the floor.

“Burrowed into what?” Riona asked, looking between Lillian, the tech, the man on the table, and the screens. His brain. The answer flashed at her as she looked at the scan again. “Is he under anesthesia?” she asked, realizing what was happening.

“I wish,” the guy on the table said with an annoyed grunt.

“Gabriel, you’re done.”

“Finally,” Gabriel groaned and sat up, pulling the wires off his head. “Riona, surprised you’re not wearing more purple.”

Riona stared at him. She didn’t have a common name, and she was wearing minimal purple today, as suit jackets and pants didn’t exactly come in purple. Just the blouse she had on under her jacket was her favorite color. But he couldn’t possibly know that.

“Have we met before?” she asked; she would have remembered him.

“Wow, that photo of you from Cosmos. Been a while since you were there, but digital permanence is very much a thing, right, Amos?”

Riona stared at him as he mentioned Cosmos. She knew exactly what pictures there would be of her, and she was very not thrilled that this random guy had found one.

“Don’t worry; he can’t print. By the way, I’m Amos Pembroke, Gabriel’s pri-tech.” Amos turned from his screens to look at her.

“Primary technician,” Gabriel elaborated. “Nobody around here uses more syllables than they have to. Might be an adjustment for you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Riona asked, biting at her bottom lip.

“Degree in forensics and anthropology?” he replied. “Not exactly technology, but you’re used to hanging with eggheads.”

“Intelligence has nothing to do with degrees and career paths,” Riona replied. “And…who are you?” She stared at him.

Gabriel continued to look at her, and Riona noted the slightly glassy, unfocused look in his eyes. It was more like he was looking through her.

“What’s this police report about? September—”

“Gabriel, don’t open that file,” Lillian cut him off.

Riona suddenly couldn’t breathe. She knew exactly what police report he was about to look at, and she swallowed hard. Her hands tightened into fists, and she blinked furiously trying to hold back tears.

“Fine,” Gabriel replied. “What was it? Shoplifting?” he asked condescendingly.

Riona almost opened her mouth, but then he was moving on.

“Tell me, how’s the daughter of a Naval hero turned Catholic school teacher and a stay at home mom end up in the Secret Service? Youngest woman ever appointed to presidential detail. Now, that’s the beginning of a storied career. But, now what? Following around a charming devil with a microchip in his brain?”

Riona took a deep breath, stepped towards him, and refused to let him intimidate her. “Impressive,” she told him honestly. “Almost every word of that was accurate.”

“Almost?” he asked, surprised. “Which word I get wrong?” The question was genuine.

“Charming,” Riona nearly growled at him. She turned back to Lillian. “Whatever the job is, I think you should find someone else.” She walked out the door, strode down the hall enough, and leaned against the wall to catch her breath. She could hear Gabriel’s Bye ringing in her ears.

“Riona,” Lillian said gently. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean for him to dig that up.”

“That guy is your advanced intelligence agent?” Riona asked, swallowing.

“That guy was Delta Force, Tier One. Five tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He’s a hero. He’s also reckless, unpredictable, and insubordinate.” Lillian snorted. “As he just demonstrated.”

“And you put a computer in his head?” Riona asked incredulously.

“We connected a human being directly to the information grid: internet, wi-fi, telephone, satellite,” Lillian explained.

“And I’m a Secret Service agent!” Riona stared at Lillian. “What even is this job that you want me to do? Why me?”

“This is the most valuable piece of technology that this country has ever created. I want you to protect it for us.”

“You…you want me to protect him?” she asked.

“You think protecting the president is more important than this?” Lillian asked.

“I…I don’t know about more important, Ma’am, but I’m sure there are better people for this job,” Riona said honestly.

“He didn’t think so,” Lillian told her. “Come sit with Agents Jameson and Gonzo. Let them tell you a little bit while I talk to Gabriel. I only brought you here, because I believe that you are going to work well with this team and with Gabriel. Despite what he demonstrated, he is a good man, and he’s easy to get along with once he behaves.”

Riona swallowed. “You know what was in that police report, don’t you?” she asked.

“Yes, I do. I should have known it would catch his eye; I should have debriefed you a little better about this entire thing. That was my fault, and I’m sorry. But it won’t happen again; he doesn’t make a habit of digging around his team’s personnel files.”

Riona nodded. “Okay. Where can I find Agents Jameson and Gonzo?” she asked.

“Right in here,” Lillian said.

Riona entered the room Lillian gestured to, and she was greeted by two dark-haired men in suits, with the leaner of the two in glasses. She gave them both a smile.

“Agent Riona Gallagher, Secret Service,” she said.

“We know. Agent Chris Jameson,” the one with glasses said and offered her his hand.

Riona shook it, and then she offered her hand to the other man. “So, you must be Agent Gonzo?”

“That’s me,” he replied. “What’d you think of Gabriel?”

“He’s…well, he’s something,” she said.

Jameson gestured for her to take a seat, and she sank into the chair.

“He’s an acquired taste,” Jameson admitted honestly. “But it’s easy to click with him. He’s just not fond of the idea of having someone assigned to him like this.”

“You’re the…fourth…person Lillian has tried to hire?” Gonzo looked at Jameson.

“You’re forgetting about the two who saw Gabriel’s little parlor trick and immediately bolted for the door. She’s gotten three to stick around for at least a mission,” Jameson replied.

Riona raised an eyebrow. “He really doesn’t like this plan.”

“Not in the slightest,” Jameson confirmed. His phone buzzed. “Come on, Lillian needs us at C-Doc.”

The three of them went to meet Lillian, and Riona was surprised to see all the monitors and people. Jameson and Gonzo took their spots, and Riona leaned against the wall.

“Eyes up front,” Lillian ordered as she walked in. “What you’re about to see is a kidnapping; victim is priority red.”

She turned towards the screen, and Riona watched as a video came up.

“It’s hard to make him out in the video, but that’s Dr. Shenandoah Cassidy. As most of you know, until his retirement this year, Dr. Cassidy was not only our top neuroscientist, he was the leading member of the Clockwork team.”

“Where’s this video from?” Jameson asked.

“An EPA camera trap intended to monitor the Chesapeake Dwarf Bat,” Amos replied.

“Has it been scrubbed?” Gonzo questioned.

“Working on it,” Amos answered. “No facial rec yet.”

Riona crossed her arms as Gabriel moved to stand next to her. He was tense, and Riona swallowed.

“What about the van’s plates?”

“Looks like we may be able to dig out a partial.”

“Amos, I want you to go out there with them. Make sure his computers aren’t compromised,” Lillian ordered.

“Will do, but I’m not concerned. I created the encryption protocol. 20-40 Bit. Impregnable.”

“Unless they torture him for the password,” Gabriel replied.

“If they do gain access, they could learn about Gabriel,” Jameson said.

“Could be a target already,” Gonzo acknowledged.

“Well, it’s a good thing we have Riona here to protect me.” Gabriel spared her a glance over his shoulder.

Riona watched him. This whole thing was bothering him. The kidnapping. The fact that she was even here. But she knew it wasn’t her personally.

“Listen up,” Lillian said sharply. “This isn’t like any kidnapping we’ve handled before. The clock always ticks on the victim; this time it ticks on us, too. Get to work.”

Riona watched as Gabriel stared at the barely visible face of Dr. Cassidy on the screen. She moved closer to him and put a hand on his shoulder. He looked at her, but he didn’t shrug her off.

“We’re getting a car,” Jameson told them. “You two ready?”

“Yeah,” Gabriel replied.

Riona just nodded, and she followed the men out of the building. The ride there was silent, and Riona found her eyes drifting to Gabriel frequently. He’d added a leather jacket to his gray top, and Riona had to admit that he looked good. She could tell that he had walls up, and she knew that if she was going to do this job, she had to get those to come down. But she didn’t even know where to begin.

“So, how bad is that police report?” he asked as they walked up to the house.

“You really haven’t read it?” she asked softly in return.

“What am I, an animal? Was it drugs? You robbed a liquor store?” He kept shooting her looks.

Riona glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes but said nothing. They had other matters to deal with right now, and she didn’t want to get sidetracked the way that the report would sidetrack her.

“Come on. I thought this was the part where we shared and bond?” Gabriel’s voice was half sarcastic, half playful.

“I’ll tell you what’s in it if you really want to know, but not now. We’re on the job, and I want to get Dr. Cassidy back,” Riona told him honestly.

“You don’ know him,” Gabriel said.

“But you do, and you care about him. That’s enough for me,” Riona replied. “So, let’s get him back, and then you can ask me whatever questions you want.”

“Fair enough,” he replied before stopping; his head tilted to one side, and his eyes got that same far-off look as earlier.

“What is it?” she asked.

“The kidnappers are Chinese,” he told her.

She stared at him. “How could you possibly know that?”

He just chuckled, led her into the house, and went straight to the kitchen. She followed and watched as he laid on the kitchen floor and reached under the fridge.

“There you are,” he grunted. He held it out to her as he pulled himself up. “Cassidy’s pocket recorder. I caught it when we walked up. Bluetooth.” He gave her a smug little half-smile.

They were joined by Jameson, Gonzo, and Amos, and they listened as they played the recording. Dr. Cassidy’s voice came over the machine.

“Oh, boy. Looks like our raccoons are back. All right, I think I’ll keep you inside.” A cat yowled, and Riona frowned.

Where was the cat?

A glass shattered on the recording, and then Riona heard the Chinese kidnappers. She had to admit: Gabriel’s chip was impressive.

“There’s your Chinese,” Gonzo said. “Translation?”

Gabriel squinted. “Bring the box?” he guessed.

“Bring the box?” Gonzo repeated.

Riona had a knack for languages, and it was something that came in handy with the Secret Service. She stepped a little closer to Gabriel.

“Where’d you learn Mandarin?” she asked him.

“I didn’t. I got an app for that,” he told her.

“Apps aren’t one hundred percent,” she replied. “Xiang ze means box, yes, but bao shen xiang ze means safe. Bring the safe,” she told the others.

Gonzo and Jameson shared a look, and Riona blushed a little at how impressed they were. Gabriel just eyed her. He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but the door opened behind them.

“Gabriel,” a voice said. “I’m so glad you’re here. Now I know we’re gonna find him.”

Gabriel put a hand on the other man’s shoulder. “Nelson, this is Riona,” he introduced them. “Riona, Nelson Cassidy. He’s the doc’s son.”

Riona nodded. “You want to sit down?” she asked Nelson. “Maybe you can help us learn something we don’t know.”

Nelson sunk onto the couch, and Riona stayed back. The house had a lot of big windows, and she didn’t like it. The Secret Service habits she had kept her pacing and glancing outside, always scanning the horizon. They were sitting ducks if someone was watching them. She listened as they questioned Nelson about the safe, and her brows furrowed the more he talked about the computer and classified intel.

“Can I ask a question?” she offered.

“No,” Gabriel replied, glancing at her.

Riona’s lips twitched, but Jameson moved closer to the couch from the other side of the room.

“I’ll ask it,” he said. “If there was nothing compromising on the computer, and it was encrypted, why did it have to be in a safe?”

“So, either that’s not the only thing on that computer,” Gonzo continued the thought.

“Or the computer’s not the only thing in that safe,” Gabriel finished it.

Riona’s gaze turned to Nelson, who let out a sigh, deflating a little. There was a lot going on, and Riona’s heart went out for all of them. This was very stressful, and it had to be worse for them since they had a history and knew each other.

“…It was…” Nelson swallowed. “He made another chip,” he admitted.

“What?” Everyone else in the room stared at Nelson, the exclamation coming from a few of them simultaneously.

“Okay, I-I don’t know why I lied. Okay, I-I was scared. Gabriel, I should have told you.” Nelson looked at Gabriel, who turned away.

Riona was interested that Nelson said Gabriel. Not CyberCom. Not anyone else. Just Gabriel.

“He made another chip?” Amos asked. “Why?”

“Well, did you really think his brain would just stop working?” Nelson exclaimed. “He’s always perfecting; you know that! Look, we were gonna give it to CyberCom!”

Riona turned back to the shoreline, but she heard the furniture groan as Gabriel sat down.

“Nelson, tell us about the Chinese,” he said, and Riona frowned at the pain in his voice.

“Chinese? What Chinese?” he asked.

“The men who took your father.”

“What?!?” Nelson exclaimed.

Jameson and Gonzo moved in as Nelson stood up from the couch.

“Wait…what? You guys think I had something to do with this?” Nelson’s hurt caused Riona to look over at him.

“Did the deal go bad?” Jameson asked.

“What are you talking about? I would never!” Nelson shouted. “Amos!”

“Just tell them the truth, Bro.”

Nelson scoffed, but Riona’s attention was back on the shoreline.

“Guys,” she said. “Do we have an asset across the lake? Southwest tree line?”

Gabriel came to stand next to her, and she noticed the same unfocused look that she was beginning to associate with the chip.

“I’m getting something. They’re broadcasting a signal. Sniper!” he growled.

“DOWN!” Riona shouted and threw her arms out to shove Gabriel to the floor.

She looked at him, and she put a hand on his shoulder. He shrugged her off this time, but he did help her back to her feet as he stood up.

“They’re gone,” he said. “Signal’s cut out; they’re packed up. Someone should see if they left a trail.”

Gonzo nodded and went to talk to other agents who were out there.

“Let’s get back to CyberCom before Lillian gets her panties in a bunch,” Gabriel suggested. “We can finish this conversation there.” He looked at Nelson.

Riona climbed into the van beside Gabriel once more, and she could feel the tension rolling off of him in waves. It was worse than earlier, and she couldn’t imagine what he was thinking right now.

“We’ll get him back,” she said gently.

“What makes you so sure?” he asked.

“You do,” she replied before looking out the window.

It wasn’t long before they were back at CyberCom. Lillian sat in the interrogation room across from Nelson, and Jameson, Gonzo, Riona, and Gabriel were in the observation room. Riona leaned against the wall, one eye on the door. Not that she didn’t trust the people around them, but it was clear that someone had betrayed this team.

Riona watched Nelson closely. She didn’t truly believe that he was involved. The man was his father.

“Look, you’re wasting time! My father’s still out there somewhere,” Nelson said. “Have you all lost your mind?” he yelled at the two-way mirror.

“Since when does Lillian run an interrogation?” Gonzo asked.

“Since it got personal,” Jameson replied.

Riona tried to focus on what Lillian was saying, but she couldn’t hear her over the men talking.

“There’s no digital signpost he’s involved. No emails, voicemails, nothing,” Gabriel told them.

“He runs his father’s lab,” Riona mused. “He knows exactly how to avoid those traps, right?” She still didn’t think Nelson was involved, but she didn’t think her opinion was welcome.

“I like the new girl,” Jameson said.

“She’s not the new girl,” Gabriel replied, annoyed. “In fact, there’s a coffee room down the hall. I’m pretty sure I’m safe here. These are my people.”

Riona swallowed. “I don’t like coffee,” she told him. “And one of your people had to be involved in this.”

“He was just going to hand it over to us?” Riona could finally hear Lillian. “Just like that?”

“Well, loyalty doesn’t always go both ways,” Nelson said, bitter.

“Oh, you think I was disloyal?” Lillian seemed surprised.

“You could have kept him on!” Nelson exclaimed.

“He did his job. You did yours. But the project entered the deployment phase.”

Riona had to wonder what exactly Dr. Cassidy—and Nelson’s—role had been with the team beforehand. A neuroscientist and his clearly equally as intellectually gifted son could only be assets to this program, no matter what phase it was in.

“He had more to give,” Nelson said. “Now, the new chip hasn’t been tested, but Moore’s Law dictates it will be significantly faster and more robust than the original.”

“And you’ve just given that to a foreign government.”

“Why would I put my own father in danger?!?” Nelson shouted.

“To get back at him,” Lillian replied coolly.

“For what?!?”

“For Gabriel.”

Riona watched Gabriel tense, and she uncrossed her arms before recrossing them. He was already annoyed, and she didn’t need to make it worse by invading his personal space.

“Who could blame you? The way your father doted over him as if Gabriel were his own son.”

“This is insane.” Nelson put his hands on the table and leaned back, looking at the mirror again.

“I don’t think he has anything to do with this,” Riona finally said. “He keeps emphasizing his father. If he were guilty and trying to cover it up, it’d be about him. It’s not about him at all. It’s about Dr. Cassidy.”

Gabriel looked at her surprised.

“I know it’s counterintuitive for a Secret Service agent, but I don’t generally see the worst in people. I assume everyone is good at heart. But I look for the tipping points, for the extreme circumstances, for the mindsets that negate that. Nelson’s not malicious. He’s worried about his father; he’s upset. This is, in his eyes, another betrayal. He and his father cared a lot about this program. It’s all in his language.”

“You’re good at language, aren’t you?” Gabriel asked.

“Writer, linguistic anthropology training, and my first language is Gaelic, not English. Once you know Gaelic, you pick up on other languages pretty well, and Secret Service gives a lot of linguistic training for major countries that we come into contact with.”

“I like the new girl,” Jameson repeated his earlier sentiments. “You’re good,” he complimented her.

Riona flushed.

“Amos got something,” Gonzo said, a finger on his ear. “Let’s get to C-Doc.”

Amos looked up as they entered. “We scrubbed the video, and we got a partial plate. Maryland—HB. Doesn’t match any white vans in the database, though.”

Lillian nodded. “What if the plates were lifted from another car?”

“I’m in the DMV database now,” Gabriel said. “A blue Chevy ’88 Caprice parked on the 2300 block of Castor Road reported stolen plates that begin with HB.”

Riona was impressed. She moved to Gabriel’s side. “Can you tell us how many white Chevy vans are in a thirty-mile radius of that Caprice?”

“27,” he answered immediately.

“Ours is a ’98 Chevy Astro,” Jameson told them.

“That narrows it to two vans. One was towed for unpaid parking tickets six weeks ago and still sits in the impound lot. The other is registered to a business called Bullseye Paintball.”

“The video revealed paint splatters on one side of the van.”

“Guess where Bullseye Paintball is?” Gabriel asked.

No one asked, but Lillian and Riona both quirked eyebrows at him.

“Chinatown.”

Riona, Gabriel, Jameson, and Gonzo found themselves heading towards Bullseye Paintball almost immediately. Riona was surprised when Gabriel offered her the driver’s seat of the car, and she took it without comment. No use in questioning him. Riona noted how quiet the drive was, but she also noted that Gabriel was a little less tense. Having direction helped him.

“This place is huge,” she whined as the four regrouped at the location.

“Yeah, we’re getting a satellite feed,” Jameson said. “Infrared will give us a headcount and any basement where they might be hiding him.”

“How long till the satellite’s in position?” Gabriel asked.

“Amos says fifteen minutes,” Gonzo answered.

“Let’s take a look around,” Gabriel said.

“We should wait for the tac team,” Riona replied; she knew it was fruitless, but she wanted her disagreement out there.

“You ever been held captive?” Gabriel asked in response. “Fifteen minutes can seem like a lifetime.”

Riona followed him, knowing that there was more to that statement than was on the surface. She turned just enough to see Gonzo and Jameson head a different direction. She kept her ears focused, wanting to hear anyone before they could be ambushed.

“Say it,” Gabriel said as they rounded a corner and found the van from the video.

Riona rolled her eyes. “Good job; you found the van. We will still need the tac team if we’re planning on an assault to extract Dr. Cassidy.”

“Won’t know anything until that satellite’s up.” He tried to open the van door, but it was locked.

Riona smirked a little as he walked around to the other side of the van, and she grabbed a screwdriver off a nearby barrel. She picked the lock on the door, and she slid it open.

“Auto theft?” he asked incredulously as he stared at her through the windows of the van. “That police report?”

Riona gave him a sharp look, and then she frowned. She held up the glasses wordlessly, noting the crack in the lens.

“Those are Cassidy’s,” Gabriel said, rushing back around to her side.

“Hey!” A voice exclaimed. “You’re trespassing!”

Riona whirled around, and she instinctively moved her hand closer to her gun.

“Hello, Huang Fu,” Gabriel said casually before whipping out his own weapon. “Federal agents! Hands in the air!”

Riona pulled her gun out all the way, and she had to remind herself to take a slow breath. She imagined her exhale rolling over every part of her body, loosening herself up.

Huang Fu and his friends pulled out their own weapons, but Riona was one step ahead of them. She knocked Gabriel to the side with her hip.

“Gun!” she exclaimed.

The pair exchanged fire with Huang Fu and the group of Chinese men, and Riona felt a bullet hit her arm.

“Ah!” she groaned.

Gabriel helped move her over to use the van as cover. “You took a bullet for me? What the hell are you doing?”

“My job!” Riona replied.

“Gabriel, talk to me,” Lillian said over their coms.

“Riona’s been hit; I repeat, Riona’s been hit.”

Riona could hear the concern in his voice, and she had to admit, it was better than annoyance. She really could have gone without this, though.

“Tac team is five minutes out,” Lillian said. “Gonzo and Jameson are trying to reach your location.”

“No time!” Gabriel threw Riona’s arm over his shoulders, and he hooked an arm around her waist. “Can’t stay here!” He fired awkwardly with one hand to cover them as he forced them out of the alley.

They entered the arena, and Gabriel fired his gun into the air.

“Everybody out now!” he ordered.

The paintball players fled, and Gabriel set Riona down behind one of the figures that the arena used as a shield.

“I need that satellite!” Gabriel exclaimed.

Riona winced. She heard Lillian asking where the satellite was, and she had to wonder the same thing. That was the key to them getting out of this.

“Moving five tons of metal through space isn’t like ordering a pizza,” the tech answered.

“Now would be good, Amos,” Gabriel growled.

“Gabriel, satellite in five…four…three…two….”

Riona watched as Gabriel’s posture shifted.

“I’ve got satellite infrared.” He moved about easily, firing without even really needing to look. He came back and helped Riona up, holding her close. “Come on.”

Riona heard someone move behind them, and she fired. She aimed for the right shoulder, taking down the man without killing him. The two escaped, and the tac team flooded the place. Riona was relieved to see an ambulance waiting, and Gabriel walked her over to it.

“Patch her up,” he said to the EMTs.

“Gabriel,” Riona said, reaching out for him with her left hand. “Can you stay here?”

He softened his posture, and he gave her hand a squeeze. “I’ll be right back, okay? I gotta talk to Gonzo and Jameson, give them the brief on what went down inside.”

Riona nodded. She kept her eyes on him as he walked away, and she barely felt it as the EMT stitched her up. This was by far not the worst injury she’d ever had. Protecting the president’s daughters, she’d endured stab wounds from the attack. Not to mention what her parents did to her a long time ago. This was nothing, and it was part of the job. She relaxed slightly when he walked back up to her.

“You got any cash on you?” he asked.

“Why?” she replied.

“The Romans said it’s bad luck not to give something to the person who saved your life,” he replied, leaning against the ambulance.

“Wait, I took a bullet for you, stopped a sniper from shooting you earlier today, and you think I owe you money?” she asked. “No, no. I’d say a 20 covers this.”

“I saved your life,” Gabriel argued. “We wouldn’t have gotten out of there if it weren’t for me.”

“We wouldn’t have been in that if it weren’t for you. And I’m bleeding,” she replied.

“It’s just a flesh wound; don’t be dramatic.”

Jameson and Gonzo walked up, clearly having finished with the tac team.

“Hey, no sign of Cassidy. He’s not here,” Jameson said.

“You’ll never guess who that clown’s cousin is,” Gabriel replied, nodding towards Huang Fu as he was put in the back of one of their cars. “Jin Cong.”

“Are you serious?” Jameson asked.

“Who the hell is Jin Cong?” Riona interjected.

“Chinese Intelligence,” Gabriel replied.

“No way,” Gonzo breathed. “That, the second chip. Everything’s coming together. And not in a good way.”

Riona nodded. She let out a loud sigh, and she rubbed at her eyes with her left hand.

“So, Lillian called. You’re not going to be happy, but we’re to take you and Riona to a safe house,” Jameson explained.

“Why?” Gabriel growled.

“She’ll meet you there and tell you herself.” Jameson shrugged. “You okay to move?” he asked Riona.

She nodded; the EMT had given her a sling. The drive, once again, was quiet, and Riona leaned slightly into Gabriel. She feigned the motion as keeping herself from leaning against her injured arm, but Gabriel put his arm around her and gave her a small squeeze as if acknowledging what she was doing. Touch was how she tried to give comfort. It was how she received comfort best. And just because she didn’t know Gabriel that well didn’t mean that she wasn’t aching for him.

“Thanks,” Gabriel muttered when they got out of the car.

“Yeah,” she replied, taking his hand as she stepped down to the driveway.

“You two settle in; Lillian will be here soon. There’s a change of clothes for both of you up in the bedrooms. I think there’s some beverage choices in the kitchen.” Jameson sighed. “Good night,” he said.

“Good night, Jameson. Thanks for everything today,” Riona replied.

“Hey, you’re part of the team now, Riona.” Jameson smiled at her.

Riona went and found her change of clothes right away, and she came back downstairs to a mug of hot chocolate. She looked at Gabriel in surprise.

“You don’t like coffee, right?” He shrugged.

“Thank you,” she replied. “Why don’t you go change? I’ll watch for Lillian.” She took a sip; he used milk, not water. It was too creamy for water.

He nodded, and he went upstairs, too. When he came down, he paced in front of the windows, and Riona watched him from the couch. She could tell he needed some space. She knew so little about him, but she knew that he was taking this case personally, and that was all that mattered. They had to get through this; they had to get Dr. Cassidy back. She wouldn’t let Gabriel lose him.

She knew when Lillian pulled up before any car doors opened, because Gabriel shifted. She knew that the coming conversation was not going to be pretty.

“What am I doing in a safe house?” he growled.

“I’m pulling you out,” Lillian replied.

“You’re what?” he asked.

“In the past twenty-four hours, you’ve nearly gotten yourself killed twice,” Lillian said.

“That’s the job,” Gabriel argued. “The F-35’s the most expensive airplane ever built. The first thing they did was throw it in a war zone. This thing in my head may be valuable, but you don’t want it sitting in a hangar.”

“I also don’t want it getting lost in some dangle-op gone wrong,” Lillian told him.

“Touching,” he replied, walking away.

“Do you have any idea what would happen if this chip ends up in the wrong hands? Today, China. Tomorrow the Russians. Korea, Iran.”

“I know the stakes,” he grumbled.

“Then why can’t you stay on-problem?” she exclaimed.

“I am on-problem!” he growled back.

“You had no business going into that place before the tac team arrived. When it’s personal, you think it gives you the license just to—”

“This is more than personal,” Gabriel interjected. “Cassidy’s like a father to me, and Amelia’s my wife.”

Riona winced. She sipped at her hot chocolate, and she tried not to let her heart take over too much. She didn’t know what the story was with Gabriel’s wife. He didn’t wear a wedding band, but it was clear that he loved her.

“You just made my point,” Lillian’s voice brought her back to the conversation. “Look, you got us to Jin Cong. I’ll take it from here.”

“All right,” Gabriel said and walked away.

Lillian turned and joined Riona in the living room. “How are you feeling?”

Riona adjusted, and she shrugged with her left shoulder. “I’ve had worse,” she said. “What’s the story about Gabriel’s wife?” Riona wanted to ask Gabriel, but it was clearly a point that Lillian knew a bit about, and it was something that played into Lillian’s choices.

“Excuse me?” Lillian asked.

“It’s clear that Amelia makes him unpredictable. If you want me to do this job, I need to have all the information I can.” Riona took another sip from her mug.

“The story is that Amelia Hayes was an enemy of the United States. She was deep cover with the Lashkar, and she turned. She died in an attack that she was sent to prevent. End of story.”

Riona’s brow furrowed. That was not the response that she was expecting. “If that’s true, then why did you choose Gabriel for Clockwork? That goes against every protocol imaginable. He loves her, and you gave him the most powerful intelligence weapon on Earth.”

Lillian looked at Riona with sad eyes.

“You don’t believe she was a traitor, do you?” It was the same look Riona had earlier when looking at Nelson. “Do you even believe that she’s dead?”

“Let me be very clear with you. We’ve spent billions of dollars creating something that every nation on Earth would go to war to possess. You’re not here to question me. You’re here to keep it safe.”

“Him,” Riona replied. “I’m here to keep him safe. That’s his wife, Lillian. He’s not going to let this go. Nor should he.” Riona knew then and there that she was going to help him however she could.

“Good night, Riona,” Lillian said. “Feel better.”

“Good night, Lillian,” Riona replied.

When the door closed, she saw Gabriel hovering at the bottom of the stairs. She gave him a small smile.

“Hot chocolate was good,” she said.

“Good,” he replied. “You should get some rest.”

“So should you, Gabriel. We’ll regroup in the morning, okay?” Riona put the mug in the sink, and she put a hand on his shoulder before she went upstairs.

“Good night,” he called.

“Good night,” she replied.

The next morning, Riona came downstairs to see Gabriel wandering about the living room, looking at something that clearly wasn’t there.

“Gabriel? What are you doing?” She blinked sleepily, rubbing at her shoulder with her left hand.

“How’s your shoulder?” he replied.

“Stiff,” she answered. “Now what are you doing?”

“I’m cyber-rendering. It’s something the chip does that nobody expected. I can create a virtual snapshot of an event in my mind and then walk through it. But it’s more than that. It’s like a virtual evidence walk.”

“You’re really doing that right now?” Riona was amazed. To her, it just looked like, well, wandering.

“All the intel I have access to, I can see it. The chip processes it like a computer, but my brain metabolizes it, well, like a brain.”

“What do you see?” Riona asked, moving closer to him. She rubbed at her arm again.

“Cassidy’s staring into the van.”

“And?”

“There’s something about his face. It’s not fear. It’s…recognition.”

“But we couldn’t really see Dr. Cassidy’s face in the video. How are you getting that?” she asked.

“Well, remember, the render is generated by me. Part fact, part imagination.” Gabriel looked at her this time, and Riona knew he was actually seeing her.

Riona chewed on her bottom lip, and she furrowed her brows. “What’s that mean?”

“I think of it like a dream. Analyze it like a dream. My subconscious wants to tell me that Cassidy knew his kidnapper.”

“Nelson. But we cleared him. Kind of.” She wasn’t sure how much her linguistic analysis and his digital trace actually cleared Nelson.

“That’s what I thought, but…the plans for the chip were on Cassidy’s computer, and Nelson’s not the only one that had access to it.”

“Amos wrote the encryption code. He wrote the encryption code. 20-40 bit, impregnable.” Riona repeated the tech’s words.

“Get your gear; we’re leaving,” Gabriel said.

Just as they were walking out, Amos walked up the drive.

“Hey, Guys! I wanted to see how Riona was doing.”

Gabriel drew his gun, and Riona winced, because her right arm was still weak, and she couldn’t pull her own weapon fast enough.

“You son of a bitch. I’m taking you in,” Gabriel growled.

“You’re not taking me anywhere, Gabriel.” Amos smiled smugly, holding up his hands. “I’m the one taking you.”

A group of Chinese men surrounded them, and Riona tensed as they took her and Gabriel’s guns and pushed them into their vehicle. Gabriel sat beside her, and he looped an arm around her. Riona knew he was trying to help absorb a bit of the shock from the van and to help keep her from bumping into the door of the vehicle. When they arrived, Riona yelped as they were tossed into a room and the door locked behind them.

“You okay?” Gabriel asked her.

“Yeah, are you?” she replied, looking him over.

They’d taken his jacket, as if he was hiding more weapons in it, and Riona pulled her zip-up down so that she could get a look at her wound. She went to the sink, wet a cloth, and dabbed at her wound.

“Yeah, Riona. I’m just annoyed. You know how many hours I spent with Amos? Sitting in that lab, all those tests, software updates, diagnostics? You get pretty close to someone, think you know him.”

Riona frowned. She could only imagine. She dabbed at the bandage again.

“I better take a look at that,” he said, walking over to her.

           Riona looked up, shocked. He took the cloth from her, and he knelt beside her.

           “Just the wound; don’t get excited,” he said, a tad too serious to be the teasing he was going for.

           Riona looked at him as he dabbed at the wound himself, peeling back the bandage to get a better look.

           “The stitches are holding, but it doesn’t look great,” he mused.

           Riona took a breath as she watched him. He was just betrayed by someone that he was close to, and she knew that he needed to know that someone had his back.

           “That police report is about my brother’s murder,” she told him. “I was twelve; he was eight. We went to the park. I was old enough to take him alone; it was Sunday, so Mama and Papa didn’t want to leave the house after church anyways. I was supposed to watch him. He managed to slip away before I realized it, and when I realized that he was gone, it was too late. I heard him scream for me. Rona. He couldn’t pronounce my name properly when he was little, and the nickname stuck. He was dead before I got to him. Throat slashed so deep it cut the bones. He bled out in seconds, Gabriel.”

           “That’s why you got your degrees in forensics and anthropology. You had a different career path in mind before Secret Service.” He pushed the bandage back down with gentle fingers.

           Riona nodded. “But I wanted to remind Soll’s killer that I’m still here, that I haven’t forgotten. And I wanted to make up for failing him. I need to protect people in my life.”

           “That why you didn’t let me intimidate you away?” he asked.

           Riona nodded again. “You know, I wasn’t just hired to protect you.”

           He sighed. “I know. You’re supposed to keep me from looking for Amelia.”

           “Yeah. But I’m not going to do that. I’m going to help you find her. Soll’s case has been cold for twenty years, Gabriel. But if you believe Amelia’s still out there, then I’m gonna help you find her.”

           Gabriel looked at her, and his eyes gleamed. She could have sworn that he was about to smile, and then the door opened. Men with guns came in, straight for Gabriel, and one punched him in the stomach as the other wrenched an arm behind his back.

           “Where are you taking him?” Riona asked, growling.

           They didn’t answer, forcing Gabriel out the door.

           “Where are you taking him?!?” she repeated.

           She only stopped when a guard pointed a gun at her, forcing her to stay in the room. The door shut and was locked once more. She wasn’t about to lose him. Not when she’d finally clicked with him. No, she understood Gabriel. And she was going to get them both out of this. She just had to figure out how.

           She paced back and forth in the small room, and she froze when the door opened back up. It was Amos, with a glass of water.

           “I brought you some water.”

           “No thank you,” Riona replied.

           “Look, I’m the only reason they haven’t killed you yet,” he told her. “Do you have any idea how much money Cong has? We don’t have to be enemies, Riona. We could be friends.”

           Riona rolled her eyes, and she used her pressure point training to take Amos down quickly. He dropped, and the guard rushed in. She disarmed him and knocked him out quickly, too, and she whirled around to head through the door, but Jin Cong blocked her path, gun pointed straight at her.

           “Come with me,” he said. “We’re going to make Gabriel an offer.”

           Riona growled, and she hip checked Cong. Cong hit her in the arm, right over her stitches. He slammed her into a wall, and Riona yelped.

           “Gabriel, I have your friend. I’m willing to make a trade. I imagine you can find us quite easily.”

           Riona was clenching her jaw, trying not to scream. This was a trap, and she didn’t want Gabriel to walk right into it. But she knew that he wouldn’t just leave her in Cong’s hands. She didn’t have to wait long for Gabriel to round the corner in front of them.

           “Drop your weapon,” Cong told Gabriel.

           “Don’t do it, Gabriel,” Riona said, struggling against Cong’s grip; his left arm was wrapped around her throat, and his right hand held his gun to her temple.

           “There are only two ways this ends: either I open her head, or I open yours,” Cong said.

           “Shoot him!” Riona shouted.

           “Put your gun down and come with me. Then I’ll let her go,” Cong stated.

           “Don’t do it, Gabriel. We both know he’ll just kill me anyways.”

           Gabriel held up his hands, moving his weapon off of Cong. Riona’s eyes widened, and she nearly growled.

           “You owe me twenty bucks,” he told her.

           “I’m still ahead, remember?” Riona shot back.

           “Put the gun down slowly,” Cong instructed.

           “A little to the left,” Gabriel said, and Riona realized that his eyes were slightly unfocused.

           “What are you talking about?” Cong asked. “Do it now!”

           “Little more,” Gabriel said.

           “Drop the gun!”

           “Three degrees down. Now, Doc!”

           A gunshot rang out, and Riona fell forward into the stair railing. She caught herself as Jin Cong went flying forward.

           “Call it even?” Gabriel asked.

           “No, I’m still ahead by one,” Riona answered. “You okay?” Her eyes ran over his face, bloody lip and cut on his forehead.

           “I’m fine,” he replied. “Definitely had worse. Doctor’s not gonna be thrilled about your arm, though.”

           Riona rolled her eyes at him. It was throbbing like hell, but she’d live. It was a relief when Gabriel was able to get ahold of CyberCom. Riona and Gabriel were both looked at by EMTs and cleared, and Jin Cong was taken into custody.

           “You want a ride home?” Gabriel offered.

           “I’m probably way out of the way right now. You go home; I’ll see you tomorrow.” She put a hand on his shoulder.

           “Riona,” he said. “Thanks. For everything.”

           Riona nodded. “We’re on the same team, right?”

           “Yeah, we are.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “See you tomorrow.”

           Riona met the team at C-Doc the next day, and she found herself greeted with CyberCom credentials. She smiled. Gabriel gave her a smile when she walked in.

           “How’s your arm?” he asked.

           “Sore. How’s your face?” she replied.

           He chuckled. “Nothing a hot shower didn’t take care of.”

           “Where’s Lillian?” Riona asked.

           “Interrogating Jin Cong,” he replied. “Apparently she let him stew overnight. She and Gonzo are tag-teaming him.”

           Riona nodded. In the room were also Dr. Cassidy and Nelson. Gabriel waved Dr. Cassidy over.

           “Doc, didn’t get a good chance to introduce you last night, but this is Riona. Riona, Dr. Shen Cassidy.”

           “It’s nice to meet you,” Riona said. “And it’s good to have you home.” She looked at Gabriel. “I told you we’d do it.”

           “You did,” he said.

           Shen smiled at her. “So, it’s your responsibility to keep Gabriel out of trouble then?”

           Riona laughed. “Oh, if that’s the job, then I think I’ve already failed. I’m just here to make sure that he lives through the trouble he gets himself into.”

           “I’m not that bad.”

           Riona, Shen, Nelson, and Jameson all looked at him with raised eyebrows.

           “Well, it’s good to meet you, Riona. Lillian has asked Nelson and I to come back to the team, since Amos has vanished, Gabriel needs a technician who knows the chip, and we’re more than happy to come back.”

           “Fantastic,” Riona said. “It’s going to be great to have you.” Riona walked over to Nelson. “For the record, I want you to know that I never doubted you.”

           “It’s true,” Jameson said. “She was the first one to say you didn’t do it.”

           “Thank you,” Nelson told her. “And thank you for helping get my dad back.”

           “Of course.”

           It felt like hours had passed by the time that Lillian and Gonzo came out. Lillian went into her office, and when she came back, she seemed determined.

           “We’re giving Jin Cong back to the Chinese,” she said. “Gabriel, Riona, Gonzo, Jameson. You’ll accompany me to the drop point. Dr. Cassidy, Nelson, you two will get set up here; make the lab yours.”

           They followed Lillian out, and it was a long drive.

           “You want to explain to me why we’re giving Jin Cong back to the Chinese?” Gabriel asked when they arrived.

           “We’re making a trade,” she replied. “You said you had information. About Amelia Hayes.” Lillian looked at the other woman, the Chinese Intelligence officer.

           Riona and Gabriel’s heads shot up, staring at Lillian and then the other woman.

           The woman smiled. “The Pakistanis claim she is alive.”

           “Where is she?” Gabriel asked, stepping forward.

           “They had her under surveillance as recently as three months ago.”

           “I need proof,” Lillian said.

           “She boarded a flight from Punjab to Zurich on June 12th. I’m sure you can find the video yourself.” Lillian nodded.

           Jameson and Gonzo walked Jin Cong to the Chinese officers waiting to take him. Gabriel and Riona turned around to follow Lillian back to the car.

           “I need to go to Zurich,” Gabriel said.

           “No, you need to go to Seattle,” Lillian replied.

           “Seattle?” Gabriel asked incredulously.

           “Eight dock workers are sick with radiation poisoning. Customs found traces in a container that arrived from Malaysia yesterday.”

           “Lillian—”

           “Seattle, Gabriel. After that, it’s better for both of us if you don’t tell me your travel plans.”

           “I just wanted to say thank you,” he said gently.

           “For what? This never happened.” Lillian smiled.

           Riona watched Lillian walk away. It was then that she knew that no matter how much Lillian looked like her mother, Lillian was nothing like Caitlin Gallagher. No, Lillian cared about the people closest to her. She smiled at Gabriel, and she wrapped her arm around his as they went back to the car.

           “I’m here with you,” she said.

           “I know,” he replied. “Thank you. For believing in me. In Amelia. You did something the other night, and Lillian never would have done this if it hadn’t been for you.”

           “Well, it’s my job to have your back,” Riona told him.

           “I’ve got yours, too,” he replied.

           She smiled, and she was more than happy when she got home and collapsed into her own bed that night. They met at the airfield the next morning to go to Seattle.

           “You okay?” Riona asked; he seemed a different kind of tense than he had the past few days.

           “Yeah,” he replied. “I ain’t gonna change, you know.”

           Riona smiled. “Good. They didn’t want a robot, Gabriel. They could have just built a robot. They wanted a human. They wanted you. And you shouldn’t change yourself at all.”

           Gabriel handed her a twenty-dollar bill.

           “What’s this for?” she asked.

           “For the next time,” he replied.

           Riona smiled, and she followed him onto the jet. When she sat down, she pulled a Sharpie out of her bag.

           “We’ll keep track,” she said.

           She wrote a G and an R at the top of the bill, and she put two tallies under her R and one under his G. He chuckled.

           “Don’t spend it,” he replied.

           “Wouldn’t dream of it. We’re gonna be doing this for years,” she told him.

#written in the stars (my writing) #v: protect and serve #otp: loyalty