Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
It was nice to hear her laugh... Refreshing, after so much drama over the past few hours. He was glad for her, Enna... because even with everything she had going on and with the things that she struggled with, those both known and secret, she was still encouraging and sweet and funny. So funny. And hearing her laugh brought him fully out of the doldrums he had sunken into earlier, reading through the journal.
Grinning, he looked down at her with a shake of his head, "Deal breaker, darlin'... Eat meat or hit the street. That's my motto. Nana didn't raise a boy to eat like a rabbit, and I don't want my girl eatin' one, either." Giving her a wink, he chuckled, before slipping his arm free from her shoulder so she could grab the server. With their meals ordered, he glanced at her again and when a cup of coffee was delivered, he took a thoughtful sip before he went on.
"I mean... just because we were both accepted on this trip doesn't mean South America's off the table. Something tells me we're gonna need some fun, after all this... and I definitely could get used to the idea of seeing you in one of those itsy bitsy polka dot numbers." Looking her up and down, he shook his head, "...Or, you know... nothing at all."
CORRINA JACOBS
"They do make a cute pair..." Lapping one leg over his, she eased herself close as she could, comfortably on the small cot, laying her head on his chest with a soft sigh as he brushed his fingertips through her hair, "And damn it, we make a cute pair, too. I mean. I'm not trying to compete or anything, but hell if we wouldn't come in at least close second."
Chuckling, she leaned up, watching him for a moment, savoring their closeness and the pleasantness of the moment. The journal had all but fled from her mind, and it wasn't even conscious. It was as if spending time with Orion made it so much easier to move past the crap, the fears... and see the good in what they were doing.
A brow lifted as he went on and she chuckled dryly, shaking her head as she lay back on his chest, "You better be talkin' about that first night we met, Bonito, and not about last night..."
Returning to her seat with a glass of water in one hand and a coffee mug in the other, Enna settled back against the booth and tilted her head back to watch out the window for a moment. The gentle rock of the train rattling down the tracks was soothing. Aside from the journal and the gun being pointed at Corrina, the entire trip seemed rather surreal. It was calm and beautiful, and they were going to Tuscany, of all places. She knew there were dangers, grave ones at that, but it would be so easy to get lost in the romance of old European cities all the while. Sighing, she turned back and sat straight, wrapping both of her hands around her coffee and sipping at it slowly, and with delight.
"Hm, I hear they have a lot of nude beaches in South America," she replied. "I had this patient once, he was… oh, Colombian, maybe? Or Chilean? I don't quite recall, but anyways, he'd hit on all the female doctors and nurses and beg them to come to his home country with him. He'd tell us all about the nude beaches, and how pristine the waters and sands were." Looking to him over the steam of her coffee, she smirked and continued. "I'm not opposed to the idea. I've never been to a nude beach. I wouldn't have even considered it a few months ago, but maybe I should let loose. Enjoy the metaphorical nude beach of life, and an actual nude beach."
Below the table, she nudged Gideon's foot with her own. "The first thing I want to do is get a dog. I've always wanted one, but I work… worked… fifteen, sixteen hours a day. I couldn't have a dog but maybe after this is over I can just, I dunno, find something a little easier for work, get a dog, a house… a backyard."
All things she'd dreamed of having, but never allowed herself to consider it a reality. She made more than enough money, had plenty stuffed away in her savings, but it all came back to the same old thing. Why bother, if she wasn't going to live long enough to enjoy it? It was funny that it took Gideon pointing it out to her that even if she got something for a mere day, it was a day worth enjoying, and a day more than she would have had otherwise.
[/hr]
Orion Petrove
"Oh? We're a cute pair, you think?" he asked, not because he doubted their loveliness together, but to hear he calling them a pair for the first time legitimized it in his head. It'd been a topic he'd been afraid to broach after their violent disagreements, and subsequent make-up sex the night before. The start of whatever it was between them had been confusing, to say the least, and he didn't know if he was just a fun time or something more.
Letting the thoughts drift away, he yawned. His hand stroked through her hair one last time before coming to rest on the small of her back, motionless. His body grew heavier, the weight of his hand on her more entire. "Mhm," he muttered, barely wake by that point. "Of course I meant the first night." She hadn't been very receptive to him at first, but after a few minutes, he managed to convince her that he was worth talking to. And heck, he was glad for it. If not, it would have made the whole trip a heck of a lot more awkward, and considerably less enjoyable.
A sigh escaped his nose, followed by a few light snores as he drifted off without even realizing it.
Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
Laughing, Gideon shook his head, "You know what? Now that you put it that way, to hell with that idea. I don't think I want you on a nude beach. You and me? We can just have our own little nude beach... But sharing all your gorgeous glory with the rest of the world? I don't care how pristine everything is. Forget that. I'm selfish, damn it... They can get their own smokin' hot doctors."
A brow lifted as she continued, and he considered the idea... A dog... a house. The yard. The whole American dream. He had put it out of his head for so long that it seemed more like an -actual- dream now. But he had wanted those things, too, once. He had wanted to create a family and fall into ripe old age with rocking chairs on a porch and a sunset view. A boat sounded nice, but a home? How long had it been since he'd even dared to think of it?
"Sounds great, Enna. Who knows... Maybe a cabin, right? Built by hand." Smiling faintly, he took a sip of coffee. It was a nice idea, a thought he could get used to. But more than that, it was nice to hear her daring to trust life a little. To trust that it wasn't going to just end for her, overnight... Or maybe daring to trust that even if it did, it wasn't worth living like it would.
"Ah... Breakfast." Glancing up, he leaned back at the server brought out their dishes and with a contented sigh, he plucked up a piece of bacon, holding it out to her like a glass in salute, "To future dreams... and you, not being a vegetarian."
CORRINA JACOBS
"Yeah..." Corrina breathed, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling over her, as Orion's breathing softened beneath her ear, the steady rhythm of his heart like a lullaby, "Yeah, a cute pair." And she meant it, too. After their conversation the night before, she wasn't entirely sure what she wanted, but that night, coupled by his support all day, she was fairly certain that she wasn't going to let him go... not by choice.
Smiling at his words, she yawned and letting her eyes fall closed, nodded, "...Okay, good. Cause last night, was pretty spectacular for me, and I'd have been bummed if thought I needed to warm up." Chuckling again, softly, she curled her hands beneath her head and let her eyes fall closed, "See you in a few hours..." and with a soft sigh, she drifted...
"Hm," she looked to him with a smirk, shaking her head. "If they saw you, I doubt anyone would be paying me any mind, Thor." She scratched a hand through her hair, slouching back in her seat as she waited for breakfast, occasionally sipping her coffee. It was the sudden introduction of the hot, caffeinated beverage, that caused her stomach to clench with hunger. She hadn't realized just how hungry she had made herself, skipping breakfast, and while she ignored it for a while, she was then desperate for their meal.
Distracting herself with their conversation, her smile widened until dimples formed in her cheeks. "Yea? You're going to go out there in the wilderness, axe in hand, and build a cabin?" she teased, her eyebrows flicking up slightly as she spoke. "That sounds nice though. I could live with campfires and canoe trips and having someone hunt through the wilderness for dinner, because I think I'd cry if I shot a gun." She wouldn't. In fact, she'd shot plenty of her grandfather's guns at target practice. "At least shooting at an animal. I was a decent shot at targets. Don't think I could bring myself to kill Bambi."
Didn't mean she wouldn't eat Bambi, though. Funny how that worked.
Turning in her seat when the clatter of plates hit the table before her, Enna livened right up at the smell. It wasn't good, necessarily; it was train food, but it was warm and edible and she could smother it in syrup and not tell the difference. When the bacon was held up to her, she pinched and twisted it off at his fingers so she could half of it, throwing it in her mouth unapologetically. "I love bacon."
She also loved pancakes, it seemed, because once the syrup was poured over the golden cakes, she dug right into them without restraint. It was amazing how such a small young woman could put away so much food in such a small amount of time, but she had Gideon beat to the clean plate club, licking the edge of her thumb where a bit of syrup dripped.
"Mm," she hummed once done. "I think I could eat that all a second time, given the option."
Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
Laughing, Gideon shook his head, "Now don't you even try that with me, Miss Sparks. You're a stunner, and if you don't know that, I'll gonna have to find a way to prove it. Even if it means taking back what I said and putting you out there on a nude beach, so I have to beat off the handsome South American men with a stick."
She was gorgeous, it was true, but there were so many other factors about Enna that made her enchanting, and oddly enough, it was watching her dive into her meal, clearing her plate before he had a chance to finish his own, and without hesitation or shame, licking away the sticky syrup from her thumb.
"For you, Enna... I would take the trees down with my bare hands... pound nails in with my fists and build you the best damn cabin I could. I mean... I'd probably use tools just cause I'm not an idiot, but the thought is there." He grinned, shaking his head as he pushed his own clear plate aside, looking back to her, "As for hunting, I wouldn't be sort of southern gentleman if I didn't know how to do it right, but you don't need to worry about shootin' Bambi. Maybe a few squirrels, if they get into the bird feeder. But I'll handle the rest. There's grocery stores, too. Gonna need our bacon, right?"
With a chuckle, he finished off his coffee, "I could watch you eat all that a second time, for sure..."
"Oh yea? That's what you're going to do, huh? Take me to a nude beach and smash nails into boards with your bare fists? My, my, I'm so impressed." Enna sat back, deciding she didn't need to indulge in a second plate of pancakes, even though she wanted to, knowing that any minute the pancakes would swell and she'd feel too stuffed to move. It took a fair amount of considering to come to that conclusion though, and she comforted herself by returning her hands around her mug of coffee. The woman working the food cart smiled and picked up their plates, and though her English wasn't strong, Enna thanked her all the same.
"I suppose we do need our bacon," she agreed after a moment, lifting her coffee mug and finishing the last few sips of it. "I'm guessing even a strong man like you couldn't kill… ah, crap, what's the name of that pig from Charlotte's Web? Babe? No, that's the other one. Anyways, I'm sure even a strong man like you couldn't kill poor Babe, right?" she teased with a playful wink, pushing her coffee mug away by the tips of her fingers.
Not ready to return to the cramped chaos that was their sleeping cabin, Enna looked back to Gideon, studying him for a moment. "That all sounds very nice," she admitted, "until winter, when I'm never going to be able to leave because I hate cold with every fiber of my being." She had a sneaking suspicion that, eventually, they were going to end up somewhere less than tropical and she was dreading it. She had lived in places that had winters, and she was never keen, no matter how pretty the snow looked.
Sighing, she lolled her head to the side, closing her eyes and letting her smile fade, though not unpleasantly. Instead, her expression took on a more relaxed state. "I've always wanted to have sex in woods, though. Outside, surrounded by nature, birds. A stream or some magical whatever. It's been a weird fantasy of mine for a long time, though maybe it's not weird."
Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
"Oh no. When you put them together like that it just sounds pervy and gross. No. Forget that." Laughing, Gideon stretched his arm across her shoulder again, pulling her close as he sank back against the booth.
"Is it bad I thought the pig is Charlotte's web was named Charlotte? Don't judge me. I'm not around kids much." Chuckling, he shrugged. Kids, in truth, made him uncomfortable... Not just for the fact that they were effectively drunk midgets with brittle, breakable heads... But for reasons he couldn't quite bring himself to say out loud. Not even Enna was privy to that nightmare.
Clearing his throat and pushing the memories away, he smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, "So we'll build down south. No snow, and if we get bored of the woods, we can go hit up the major cities for a while."
A brow lifted as she continued, and with another husky laugh, he shrugged, "I mean... I'm here for whatever crazy fantasies you need to explore. Sex in the woods... Hotels... Trains. I'm more than willing to sacrifice to the cause."
"Charlotte's web and the pig is Charlotte?" she laughed at him, raising her eyebrows and accepting the invite when he brought his arm around her. She snuggled in close to his side, letting her head fall against the space just above his shoulder. Her cheek scrunched lightly as she rested, exhaling a deep sigh. "You must have interesting pigs where you come from—weaving webs, and all." Her arm hooked around his waist, fingers curling into the soft fabric of his shirt. There was such strength in the form beneath it; it was a comfort. Maybe he was strong enough to save her, but then… maybe he wasn't.
All thoughts in Enna's mind had the potential to grow toxic, but her insecurities were born hungry.
The kiss to her head dispelled those thoughts and she flicked her eyes up to him, letting the smile return. "I've never really been to the South. I was transferred to a few hospitals there during the hurricanes to help care the injured, but I didn't get out and see much, as you might imagine." In fact, that could be true of most of her life. Her passport showed she'd been a lot of places… it seemed like she had the life a traveler could only dream of, though she couldn't say she believed she'd actually visited anywhere. Most of her time was spent in hospitals, cooped up and exhausted.
So, the idea of sex in woods, hotels, and trains, was appealing. "Train, you say?" she perked up a little. "I've never had sex in a train before. That sounds interesting." She'd been told life was what she made it, and finding opportunities, instead of waiting for them. A dangerous smirk eased over her lips as she tilted her head up to him, laying a kiss on his jaw.
"I'll have to take you up on that later." For the moment, she was content with the warmth and closeness. "Thanks, for… sacrificing to the cause. Not just for sex, but for everything."
Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
"Listen..." He said with a grin, poking her gently in the side, "I thought it was a metaphor... Like... the pig had a network or something. I don't know! Not like I read it or anything." Laughing he shook his head, "It's a book, right? Or a movie...? Or ... both? Is this a test, because I'm pretty sure I failed."
As she looked up at him, his smile softened, and reaching out with his free hand, he smoothed back her hair, "I think you'd like it, honestly. You'd fit in, too. They're sweet as anything down there, but not in that naive way people take advantage of. We're tough, you know? But polite about it. I gotta tell ya... not that I wanna revisit so much ugly during a really nice moment, but the way you handled Kristof? It was impressive. Hell, only reason I stepped in was cause I want the guy to know it's not gonna work out for him to try more inspiration ways to mess with you. Anyway... long to short, you'd do great back home."
She tipped back further to kiss his jaw and holding her chin for a moment, he bent to fold her into the warmth of a kiss, before releasing her again, "Don't need to thank me, darlin'... You're worth it. Not just for the sex." With a wink, he chuckled, "For everything. This has been... it's been the weirdest trip of my life, but I'm not sorry for one minute of it. And if I'm bold enough to say... I mean to make this stick, long as I can."
"A web? This isn't a spy movie," she ended up giggling at his assessment of the movie and book, to which she could only shake her head. "No test, but you're right, if it had been, you would have failed. It's a book, and a movie. It was one of my favourites when I was growing up." That felt like ages ago, so long, she couldn't even remember Wilbur's name right away and inadvertently called him Babe; she was just confusing all her pigs, it seemed.
"Hm, maybe," she agreed, considering it for a moment. She'd never thought about moving to the South. Then again, she never really thought about moving anywhere, figuring she'd live and die in Pennsylvania. She didn't dislike the state, though she had never been particularly fond about it, either. It'd been the place she went to school, and where she had her residency. After that, she was so rooted that it felt impossible to leave. It almost had been, and she'd nearly not even considered the trip to Atlantis when the first correspondence arrived in her mailbox.
She was certainly glad she went against every gut instinct and decided to go. Enna wasn't prone to following whims, but the one she did, she was damn happy about. Gideon's hand stoked through her hair and as it did, her eyes closed. "I do like peach pie," she mumbled, cracking her eyes open again at the mention of the little gnome Kristof. A snort blew through her nose at the mere saying of his name. "I was fifteen when I graduated public high school as a foster kid in hand-me-downs," she said with a shrug. "I can handle a little bullying and plus, he looks like he punches like a girl, anyways."
Though it was nice knowing there was someone to step in on her behalf if thing ever got to out of control. It'd been a long time since it felt like there was truly someone in her corner, but she had no hesitation in believing Gideon would pound the living hell out of Kristof if he did something deserve it.
"Weird doesn't even begin to cover it," she managed in a breathy voice, reaching up to press her lips to his a second time. When it broke, she smiled. "It'll stick."
Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
Grinning, he shrugged, "I mean, who knows. Maybe the pig's an undercover spy or something. Kids movies are weird, now a days." When she mentioned it was her favorite, his smile softened and he shook his head, "I was big into Hardy Boys, growing up. I think I liked he appeal of normal kids doing some pretty amazing things. I think I wanted to be a part of something important, even then." Chuckling, he leaned back, pulling her gentle with him.
She continued, and a frown creased his forehead as he sighed, "I'd say forget about Kristof, but I'm not stupid enough to think he'll just go away on his own. But I have your back. He tries anything funny or gets up in your space too much, you let me know. This team doesn't need someone like him, and if he can't pull himself together and act like a grown man, I've got no issues asking him to take a hike. He's probably the least necessary member as it is... and I'm not sure I trust his journalistic input, anyway."
She leaned back and her lips met his, and sinking into that gentle embrace, he breathed out again, more contently this time, "Good..." He murmured, brushing her cheek with his thumb, "Been a long time since I had anything in my life worth investing in, Enna. And I'm not lookin' to give you up, any time soon." Kissing the crown of her head, he sank into the booth again, "Been almost two days since I had a drink. I decided it, after we got back to the hotel, after we found the artifact. I wanna be the sort of man you can stand next to and be proud of... and I can't do that if I'm losin' myself in a bottle when things get hard. That's the sort of woman you are, Enna. You make a man wanna be better. I hope you know that."
Enna was more than happy to oblige his soft tug. She fell back against him, head resting on his shoulder. No one was paying them much mind. The woman running the food cart was sitting behind the check-out counter swiping away at her phone, and the only other customer hadn't looked up from his paper for anything except to sip his coffee every now and again. "Well, you've certainly found that in this job, I hope," she replied. She'd heard what Gideon had to say about the journal they'd been given, that all but one of the previous group had died.
She'd never heard about the previous expedition. There had been no news articles about them, at least none she'd ever seen or heard of. If she had, she might have reconsidered going on the trip to begin with. She was glad she had, of course, even with the thorn in her side that was Kristof. She sighed, but eventually shrugged. "I suppose." She blinked a little slower, before eventually closing her eyes for a moment. The sun coming in through the window behind them felt nice on her skin, as did the blanket of warmth that was Gideon and the slow rocking as the car rolled down the tracks at a steady pace. "I can handle a little nuisance. He doesn't seem like he'll get any worse than he already is, though I'll let you know if anything else happens."
It seemed she could stand up to Kristof all she wanted and he wouldn't back off, but Gideon could get the kid to tuck his tail and run, she was sure. "I was thinking about keeping a personal journal. I used to journal a lot as a kid and teenager."
Adjusting her head a little on his shoulder so her chin was against the cuff, smiling a little as she cracked her eyes open. "What a time to pick going dry," she mused, reaching up and twirling a section of his hair around her finger. "From what I know of alcohol and addiction in general, it'll get worse for you in a day or two. "But you should know I'm already proud of you. It's a tough thing, what we're going through and taking away something like that on top of it. I know I could never do it, myself. And when it does get tough, I'll be here. We can just make-out every time you have a craving. As a medical expert, I deem this an acceptable treatment."
She softened, her playful smile turning softer, and more serious. "Joking aside, you are a better man than you will ever know."
Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
'That I did..." He agreed with a nod. It wasn't going to be an easy job - not the way that he had anticipated, early on. He had never expected things to be simple, but he had not been quite prepared for the way that things had become complicated. Travel visas... sleeping in tents... a lack of showers, sure. But German gunmen and journals about the unsuccessful venture before their own... and trouble making team members. That, partnered with a new outlook on his drinking, and the decision to step out as leader, it wasn't the Hardy Boys, but it was definitely more adventure than he was prepared for.
In the end, he'd handle it. He had been through too much now, to give up, no matter how difficult things got. But it was definitely a lot more manageable with Enna in his corner, and he wasn't about to let a prick like Kristof break her down... Not for one second. He meant what he'd said... he'd sent the kid home if he had to, and he wouldn't think twice about it, "A journal, hm? That sounds like a good idea... Especially something unfortunate happens to our journalist and he's forced to go home, early..." A small smirk followed and he shrugged, innocently.
The smirk faded a moment later and her words brought an ironically sober expression to his face as he nodded, "Yeah... Not the first time I've tried, to be totally honest. But it is the first time I ever had a real reason to try. Thanks, though... I'm gonna need that support, I think. And hey... if I have to be addicted to something, I'd much rather it be you, than anything else." Chuckling, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers, "Now, c'mon. We should get back and maybe get some rest. It'll be a few hours till lunch and I dunno how much rest we'll get once we arrive in Italy."
"You'll be fine," she said off-handedly. It was a flippant thing to say to someone usually, but she meant it sincerely. She'd seen several patients go withdrawals of various kinds and she knew the mental fortitude it took to overcome those symptoms. It wouldn't be easy for him, as it wasn't for anyone, but she instilled a lot of faith in him. It was already nearly too much adventure for her as it was, and she wasn't trying to give up drinking or corralling a herd of adults acting more like teenagers.
She nodded lazily. "I was thinking about it. It's very… mentally chiropractic to write things down for me. I deal with them better after I write them down." It was part of the reason she journaled so much after her diagnosis, but she gave it up after med school because she had nothing left to journal about. Her days were filled with hospital and passing out from exhaustion after each shift. Every page, every entry, would be exactly the same as the last, up until then, it would have been. Atlantis brought something new and exciting to her life, something she actually felt like she could write about.
"Hm, and who knows… maybe Kristof will damage the ends of his hair and go home on his own." She understood the value of accurate record keeping, but if he did leave, their job wouldn't be compromised. Not like it had been when the cook left a few days back. Unfortunately, she couldn't say the same thing for Hadassah's role.
She rolled her head to the side, fighting back a yawn. Breakfast was beginning to hit her, as was her lack of sleep the night before, and the night before that… "That's a gateway drug, Gideon. I've heard bad things about that Enna," she said with a sleepy smile. "But yea, I'm all for heading back. The coffee has done nothing for me and I'm exhausted." She figured after lunch there would be some obligatory discussion, or a meeting of some kind, because they'd be in Italy before they knew it.
Sliding out from the booth, she paused to wait for Gideon to follow.
Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
Despite initial concerns, the train ride was a relatively uneventful one. In part, Gideon imagined it had something to do with the fact that just about everyone was exhausted by now, but there seemed to be a sense, even among Hadassah and Kristof that it wasn't wise to rock the boat when here was already so much underlying tension. They had a long road ahead of them, it seemed, and despite the fact that no one had wanted to read the other journal or even know its contents, everyone seemed to understand the dangerous ground they were treading.
Gideon had meant what he'd said to Enna... that he was ready to give sobriety a passing try, but it was difficult, the closer they got to their destination, not to make tracks for the drink car every time he considered what was ahead of them. While he didn't follow through on the offer of making out every time he was tempted (except for once or twice...), her presence was a reminder of what he was trying to do, and that made things manageable in a way he hadn't anticipated.
Eventually, the train arrived at their destination, and they departed, whereupon, waiting in the lobby of the station, they were met by the familiar sight of Maliah Taylor, looking as uncomfortable before them as ever. Clearing her throat, she forced an uneasy smile, nodding to the team with what Gideon imagined was meant to be a look of comradery, never mind what he had been told by her when he had mentioned the other journal.
They were being paid to investigate the clues. Not investigate previous excursions. It was an unfortunate accident, and nothing more and he needed to focus his team, or they would need to find someone else to take his position. The words had been definitive and she seemed to lack no confidence when she'd said them... Ironic, really... but then, maybe not. You had to be something of a shark to keep a job like she did.
"Welcome to Italy, everyone! I do hope you had a pleasant journey. I won't keep you, as I know you're probably tired... but Sir Stuart would wanted me to catch you, before you departed for your hotel. I know that he is most anxious to meet you... and it is my great privilege to extend to you an invitation to a private party tonight, at the Portrait Firenze." Smiling faintly, she nodded, "Now then. There are town cars waiting outside. Please, enjoy the rest of your afternoon, and we hope to see you later." Gesturing to the doors, she called after them, "Eight PM. Do be prompt!"
Rolling his eyes, Gideon made for the door, holding it open for Enna as he looked back at the woman, "...Sounds like our benefactor's worried we might be bailing."
Like the vast majority of her comrades, Enna spent most of her time on the train to Italy sleeping and eating. She rather enjoyed the trip. She liked lounging on her bunk and peeling back the small curtain to watch the European countryside roll by at a crawl. They had a rainstorm one night and she cracked open the window just enough to get the tantalizing loamy smell, and feeling the brisk wind against her face as she snuggled underneath the blanket.
It was a nice break. Of course, the sneaking away with Gideon into secluded places constituted her favourite parts of the trip. Reality set in hard the morning the train groaned to a stop at the station. She'd already packed her belongings, and even managed to squeeze in a quick shower, but she was not ready to return to the reality of their trip entirely. She was enjoying the make-believe of a romantic getaway, catching trains, hopping luxury hotel to luxury hotel. It was part of the truth, but it was not the whole truth. All of that would come to a quick end, she was certain, and she sighed as she disembarked among the crowd of others pushing and shoving to get off.
Corralled after the team, she found herself next to Gideon, listening to Maliah give her informational speech. Enna couldn't help but let her eyes wander through the wonders of the ancient stone building. Ceilings were thrown upwards into huge vaults and ancient beams. Again, she wished she was on a historical tour, and not a 'everyone dies at the end' tour of Europe. It wasn't until mention of a private party that her eyes snapped back the woman before them. She narrowed her gaze by furrowing her brow.
Hearing Gideon's comment speak exactly her first thought, she snorted and glanced his direction. "Yea, seems so," she agreed, making her way after him and sliding into the car. "After everything that's happening, I'm not a huge fan of the guy, honestly. He keeps throwing his secretary at us, acting with some huge aloofness."
[/hr]
Orion Petrove
Trains were not built for tall men like him, so he could not have been more thrilled to get off. The bed had him sleeping in the fetal position because he couldn't stretch out without hitting his head or feet. The shower was a narrow tube that he could barely turn around in without hitting an elbow, and passing from train to train meant ducking his head to preventing slamming his forehead on the short port doors. He was one of those folks nudging his way off as soon as possible.
Once off, he stretched out his legs one at a time, glad to be able to stand at his full height without worrying about hitting something, or someone. It'd been a nice ride, and he enjoyed the views they got from the train, but he was hoping he'd never have to sit in a coach train ever again. At least the food had been good, and the beer even better.
Departing the meeting for one of the cars, he came up behind Corrina and hooked his arm around her shoulders. "Well, what do you think about this illustrious, private party?" he asked, going to grab the car door for her. "Are you wooed by the flaunting of wealth?"
Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
Gideon frowned at Enna's words, resting a hand on the small of her back as he led her out of the station and towards the nearest towncar. He was quiet until he opened the door for her and moved around to the other side to sit himself beside her, then with a sigh, he looked back at the small caravan behind them, nodding, "Not sure I trust him, to be perfectly honest."
It wasn't words he expected he would say, really, but as they came out he realized he had been thinking them a great deal longer than he wanted to admit. Possibly longer than he even knew, "There's just something shady about all of this. The German... the lack of Stuart since that first night. Even the money feels fishy to me. Like this man is so fixated on the idea of all of this that he's not thinking clearly... not thinking about the dangers, or risks involved."
Sighing, pinching the bridge of his nose, he looked back to Enna, "I probably sound crazy, since I'm the one who encouraged us to keep going, but hell if I don't have quite a load of questions for our good benefactor when we meet him, tonight. Thing is, Enna... I told his assistant about the journal, and the way she took the news... No doubt in my mind that Stuart knew, and kept it from us. None at all. And I wanna know what else he ain't tellin' us."
CORRINA JACOBS
As Orion's arm snaked around her, Corrina laughed softly and leaned back into him, heading for the doors with a small shake of her head, "I think it sounds like an excuse to see you in a tux again, which isn't something I'm going to frown at... especially since it's been entirely too long since I've gotten to properly enjoy your company... But the wealth aspect? Nah..."
Sliding free so she could slip into the car, she resumed her proximity as soon as the doors closed, curling up beside him with a shrug, "I've seen what money can do to people... the sort of monsters it can turn them into. I mean, don't get me wrong... I know there's plenty of good rich people out there, and I don't intend to look a gift horse in the mouth with the payout this job'll give. But I was never really turned on by a big wallet, you know?"
Looking at him, she bit her lip with a smirk, "What about you? I gotta worry about losing you to champagne and caviar?"
"I don't really trust him," Enna admitted in the privacy of their towncar, glancing out the window as she slid in and settled in to her seat. Her hands folded politely in her lap as the car lurched forward and pulled out into traffic to take them to their hotel destination. For all she'd slept on the train, she was surprised at how tired she felt. It didn't take long before her head lolled against Gideon's shoulder and her eyes took on a glossy appearance of sleepiness.
"I think all this Stuart guy really cares about is finding Atlantis. It doesn't seem to matter how many people get hurt, or die." She wondered how much Stuart had to do with the first expedition. Did he fund that one, as well? There were a lot of questions left lingering out in the air that she hoped would be answered at that evening's gala. Somehow, she knew she was hoping for a lot, and there was a good chance many of her questions wouldn't get answered.
She rolled her head to the side and peeled her eyes away from the window, flicking them up towards Gideon as he expressed his concern over all the on goings. He had been gung-ho about it to begin with, but it seemed like everyone was starting to experience some of that nauseating hesitation. "I'm sure he'll feed us some kind of lie or half-truth and send us on our way. If he hasn't been honest with us thus far, I doubt he's going to start being honest now… journal or not."
[/hr]
Orion Petrove
Orion propped his back against the door of the car so he could draw Corrina in against his chest. Both of his arms rested across her shoulders and his head was back against the glass. Dirty blonde strands of hair clung to the moisture on the window; the coolness seeping in against his head and easing the slight pulse of a headache he possessed. "Mm, I think it is an excuse to see me in a tux again, yea, but if you've seen one thin guy in a tux, you've seen them all. Now, the same isn't true of women in dresses. I think I'm the truly lucky one here."
He smiled a bit and closed his eyes. "Of course you're going to have to worry about losing me to champagne. Champagne and cocaine and… god, what else do really rich people like?" he ended with a chuckle, and eventually, a shrug. "But nah. I never came for the money. Sure, it might be nice to not have to worry if I'm going to pay rent for the month or not, but money isn't real important to me anymore."
Then again, it never had been. He'd always prefer to keep morals in tact. No job was worth glory or money if he had to sell his soul. He'd done it once, and he'd never do it again. "Does that mean I got to worry about you running off with some old, white rich guy or something? Maybe you and Stuart get a little steamy romance going? I wouldn't like to share much, you know."
Political intrigue, fantasy, futuristic, sci fi lite, superheroes, historical fiction, alternate universes. Smittings of romance, but only as side plot.
Gideon frowned as he sank back against the seat, rubbing the bridge of his nose with a frustrated sigh, "You're right. Damn. I don't know why I didn't consider that before. No way he's gonna just start spouting the truth because we confront him on it. It's disappointing as hell, though. Nothing worse than feeling like a pawn."
He could have walked away, but he knew well enough he never would. Even if he could leave behind the opportunity of a lifetime, he could never leave the others. Enna in particular. It aggravated him, to think that someone would put them all at risk and the best he could do was try to protect them all in hindsight.
"Who knows... Maybe the guy's senile and we'll get lucky... walk him in to admitting something before he knows what he's doing." With a dry smile, Gideon looked over to her and reaching out, he cupped her chin, brushing his thumb along her lower lip.
"Probably not... So you promise me, Enna... Things get hairy, you don't stick around, okay? The least I can do is keep you safe."
CORRINA JACOBS
"Listen... We could argue all day about who is luckier to see who lookin' pretty. Fact is, we're both pretty gorgeous." With a wink, she curled deeper into his arm, letting her head fall back to rest against his shoulder.
"Good to know it's not important, though. Because I tend to air on the side of too much money is never a good thing. Like you said, not having to worry is nice... but when you've got more than you'll need, you tend to forget what it's like to want... and people who want for nothing generally care about very little."
Slipping her fingers through his, she brought his knuckles to her lips, pressing a kiss to each one, "...And I can promise you, Ri... you will never, ever have to worry about me running off with Sir Isaac Stuart... or any other successful, rich benefactor. Even the cute ones. I'm a one man lady..."
"Well," she continued with a shrug as Gideon sunk into disappointment. "Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. Let's just wait and see what the man has to say for himself. Not that she believed he was going to come out and surprise them with a sweeping statement of truth and honesty, but until she was able to hear what he had to say for himself, first hand, she was going to at least attempt to push off passing judgment. It was hard though, knowing the contents of the journal, and the result of the past expedition.
"Or maybe we'll just walk in on him Scooby-Doo style," she agreed with a small chuckle. "Who knows. Crazier things have happened, right?" Something told her Sir Stuart was not senile, either. Everything seemed too well-planned, well-executed on his end, though it did make her wonder as to what purpose the secretary woman served, and why Stuart hadn't made himself more publically known to his hired team.
Humming as she pondered these thoughts, Enna lurched back into her seat, stolen from her thoughts only at the grip of calloused fingers around her chin. Turning her head to face Gideon, she offered him a warming smile. "If things get hairy, we'll renegotiate at that time," she concluded, deciding against making any promises. "Fact of the matter is, you're going to need someone to put the Band-Aids on."
Leaning forward, she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "You can't let yourself think you're the sole person responsible for anything that happens. If something happens, it's probably not your fault."
[/hr]
Orion Petrove
"I dunno about any of that," he replied. "I don't care about people who have a lot of money, or have a little bit of money. I just don't need a lot of money, myself. What would I do with it? What would I spend it on? It's not like I can take it with me when I die, anyhow." The mundane ticking of the human existence didn't interest him. The other people around him—and their vices and their strengths—didn't offend him in any way.
"I mean, if the benefactor is cute…" he mused, shooting her a grin as she kissed each of his gruff knuckles, all of which bore small white scars from years of knowing hard work. "Man," he sighed, returning his gaze to the window. "I don't really want to go to this silly party. What I really want is a bed that I can lay down in and stretch out my legs all the way without smacking them into a wall."
And a shower, and bathroom, that weren't shared, too. He would have preferred to go take an hour long soak and crawl into bed instead of dressing up and going to some event, that was surely going to be nothing but some old guy blowing hot air up their skirts. "You want to ditch a little early with me?"
