After finishing up some shots at the range Sam decided to go to the barracks and find some R&R while he still could.
I hope I don't have company. I'll never find sleep then
But much to his denial of company, he found Cheryl and Drake there and decided it might as well be the best of a bad situation.
--
He found a bunk next to the computer and got tops.
Upon lying down he watched Cheryl, secretly noting everything she did and building his own little compartment of Cheryl Information to use later. He already had gathered enough about Drake for now.
Hey! Drake's in their too! He isn't that invisible
Drake barley looked up as Cheryl and then the other Splinter cell entered the room. He was too engrossed in the one fiddly little spring that would not be cleaned.
"Fuck this" he sighed as he lay the cloth bearing the pieces of his gun onto a night stand and reclined on his bunk.
"So, have they made any more ridiculous expectations or plan deviations since I left?" he asked Cheryl, his voice bitter and venomous.
Taking a bit of freedom here with the computer, sorry GM boss
Cheryl had left Drake to whatever he was doing, and walked to the end of the long room right after she entered. She had slipped the shoulder holster from her chest, and climbed onto the bunk that already had her jacket lying on it. There she placed her firearm below the pillow, and stuffed the rest of her gear into a corner.
Stenrow had filed into barracks just as she slid off the bunk again and made her way to the computer. He too took a top bunk. Cheryl found the Agents and their liking for higher ground slightly amusing.
"So, have they made any more ridiculous expectations or plan deviations since I left?"
The field runner settled herself in front of the computer. She powered the thing on, and while waiting for it to boot did a few idle swings back and forth on the chair.
"Nothing that could make it worse. Though they haven't shared any details either, just the vague claims about terrorists with unspecified funding sources and the need of a spanking."
She paused, chewed on her bottom lip.
"Hell if I believe that's all to it. We wouldn't be sitting here unless there's a catch." She almost stopped herself from saying it; but what was one of the first things you learned as an intelligence analyst? Be honest. Speak your mind.
Cheryl had never planned to drop that habit, even if she was no longer serving in the Intelligence Corps.
The computer finished booting and was waiting for her to login with the swipe of her right index finger--or credentials that she didn't have. She tried the swipe and it worked.
"Ah," She looked from the screen towards where Stenrow had taken up residence. "I'm not sure if you've heard, or seen her, but Grimsdottir joined us. And she's here to stay, so I suppose you're having yourselves a handler now."
Cheryl didn't really know why she'd sat down by the computer. She just felt so restless, she couldn't just sit down on the bunk and wait for the minutes to tick by. So she checked her mail--well aware that there was probably a keylogger running in the background--and noted a whole row of unread messages from a Konrad Rainer. She wondered if everyone had, at some point in their life, run into a nagging Ex that just couldn't give things a rest. Sighing quietly, Cheryl deleted the whole thing, logged out and leaned back in the chair, staring at the ceiling.
"What you two gents think... should I drill Grim or Fisher for information? They might just throw me out the front door, but it'll be something to do."
Biting into the last cookie, Black realized he had a phone call to make, so he set the plate in the sink to wash later and walked outside. Climbing into his truck bed, he hopped up and sat on the roof as he pulled out his phone. He sighed as he searched through for the contact labeled Rae and push SEND.
"Hey, it's Rae. I can't answer you right now, so sing your tune at the beep. I love you, Aaron." Smiling, he took a deep breath.
"It's me, babe. I ain't gonna be home for a while, they got me on another mission, and this one could take a long time. Can't go into much more detail, especially since they ain't told me nothing so far, but I'll call when I can. Love you too, Rae." He knew these spooks had likely tapped their phones or all wireless communications in the area, but keeping his wife in the loop as much as possible without jeopardizing the mission was pretty important.
Mike walked in from the range, his hands still in the shape of holding a rifle. He stepped into the barracks to set up his bunk. He saw that Cheryl and Drake where talking to each other. "Hey." He said as he passed them. He found a bunk to the left and set himself on the bottom, signifying it was his by taking a picture of his wife and taping it to the bottom of the top bunk.
God, she must be worried sick about me. He thought as took off his jacket and threw it on the bottom bunk. Mike laid down on the bunk to make sure it was big enough for the giant of a man that he was and got back up. "Say, Drake, Cheryl, I'm gonna ask Fisher if he'll let me head into town to pick up some dinner for the team, you guys want anything while I'm out?"
Sam looked at Cheryl's email from where he was spying and quickly noted that there was a man in her life. Husbands aren't that desperate, so maybe a boyfriend
He banished the thought as he noticed Mike walk in.
He stayed quiet up until Mike picked the bunk below him.
Sam grinned and quietly leaned down from his bunk so he could whisper to him.
"Grab me a six pack will ya?"
He said as he smiled and darted back up to his bunk.
"So Cheryl, got a family?"
Sam crossed his fingers as he stared into the ceiling.
"Yeah, sure. What brand? And anyone else want anything?" Mike asked after Sam responded to his question. Hm, by the way he's eyeballing her, I'll make sure they don't have to many before I cut them off. Mike thought.
Cheryl shrugged as her question remained unanswered and craned her neck towards Stenrow.
"Mother and father, much like anyone else," she said. "One is Army, one is Navy, so I suppose that makes me a mutt."
She sat up straight in the chair and powered off the computer.
Then she glanced at the Ghost.. what was his name? ..who so graciously offered to run errands for them.
"You guys need name tags," she said with a quirk of a smile. "And no, nothing for me, Sir. Unless you happen to come across a bag of mixed nuts with raisins and whatnot, then I'd be forever grateful, Sir."
She had dumped the saluting and standing at her best after leaving the Army to join 3E... but she never quite managed to drop the Sirs.
Cheryl didn't hear his name and I cant find a reference that he's wearing his uniform with nametag, hope thats alright
"If we're allowed out of this dump then I'll fetch my own food thanks, infact I'll just head out for some R&R, Odenton's not the party capitol of the world but its got bars nonetheless"
Drake stood from his bed and nodded in the direction of the general majority, before exiting the room and proceeding to the commons. Once there he found a small scrap of paper and a pencil, onto which he scribbled a quick note.
Gone out, No phone, D
Once he was done he exited the warehouse, sticking primarily to the shadows so that he didn't draw attention.
'Splinter Cell training counting for something atleast'
Yawning, Black laid back on his truck and stared up at the night sky. He'd miss his wife, but this was how it went being a Ghost; here one day, gone ten, and she knew it. He thought about how lucky he was that she'd stuck around, but kept getting the feeling it wouldn't last forever.
I shouldn't be doing this to her, he thought, looking for constellations. She deserves better, but it's her call. I just hope she sticks around. Finally hit by his fatigue, he jumped off the truck and walked inside, heading straight for the bunks.
"Hey, which ones are taken in here?" he asked, rubbing his eyes as he walked inside.
"These two." Mike pointed to his bunk and the one above him, "And that one." He pointed to a bunk with a jacket in it. "All the rest are open, but I'm going into town to get dinner and a six pack, see you later." Mike got up, making sure to cover the picture of his wife so no one takes it, and went out the door of the barracks. He went to Fishers office. "Hey, Fisher, I'm gonna go into town and get some burgers for the group, want me to pick you up anything?" He asked.
"Sweet," Black commented, hopping into the lowest bunk right by the door. He hung his jacket up nearby and took his boots off, but kept on all his other clothing as he got settled in. Laying on his back, he put his hands behind his head and yawned.
"Thanks Fisher." Mike said as he exited the office. Now, life's most important question, Mc Donald's or Burger King? He left the factory and took out his phone. "Okay, nearest fast food restaurant." He put the key words into the phone.
half an hour later: Mike stepped back into the warehouse. "I got the food and the beer! I also got some trail mix!" He shouted. Mike walked up to Fisher's office. He took a few burgers out of the paper bag. "Here you go." He said. He walked out and into the barracks. "Here's your beer," He handed Black a six pack of Miller beer. "Here's the trail mix for the fine lady," He handed Cheryl a plastic bag of nuts and various dried fruits, "And lastly, forty burgers. Eat up." Mike grabbed two wrapped ham burgers out of the bag and stated to unwrap one of them. I hope they see this a gesture of good faith, not just me trying to get some decent food.
"Aw hell yeah, thanks man," Black said as he sat up. Opening the first beer, he took a swig as he got up and grabbed three burgers. "Anyone else want one? I ain't drank alone in a while."
Cheryl watched Drake leave--watched others come and go--and eventually ended up with her bag of trail mix--"Thank you, Sir."--being the company of choice up on her bunk.
And there she lay, musing, munching, and listening. Sometimes she'd peer over the edge at the only familiar face left, and it would lead her right back to the musing about the mission ahead.
Tomorrow she'd bug Fisher. Or bug Grim. There were answers to be had. Maybe.
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