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"I built a little empire out of some crazy garbage called the blood of the exploited working class." They Might Be Giants - "Kiss Me, Son of God"
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Jaye was dressed in a lovely pink dress, very feminine, with even a bow in her hair and pink heels on her feet. Flint, dressed in slacks and a polo couldn't believe the easy transformation she made into society girl; she even had all the clothes at the ready. "You look great Jaye." He smiled at her in the passenger seat of the jeep.
She rolled her eyes. "Remember. Allie only at the Westerburgs." She gave Flint another once over as they approached the gate to the Westerburg estate. "Just let me do the talking and pretty much agree with anything I say."
"Don't I do that anyway?" He gave her a rakish grin as they were waved through.
She sighed, "Come on. This is going to get back to my family, no matter what, so I want to make a good impression. And of course the mission," she added hastily.
"I'll be on my best behavior." True to his word, when he stopped the car in the circular drive, he laid a hand on her arm to keep her from getting out and went around to the other side to open the door for her and then offered his arm to escort her up the stairs.
Allie rang the bell and it was answered by a young woman, "Ms. Hart-Burnett? Mr. Fairbourne?" They nodded and the woman smiled and led them into the sitting room. "Missus Westerburg will be down in a moment, may I get you something to eat or drink?"
"I'll have a lemonade, please." Allie looked at Dash to see if he wanted anything, but he shook his head.
Honestly, he was a little freaked out. He was not from this world and Allie adjusted so easily to ordering servants around and being in opulence. It wasn't something he could provide for her either. She noted the look on his face and gave him a reassuring smile. He supposed it would alright, she joined the Army for a reason, so she must not long for this life too much.
Lucille Westerburg entered into the sitting room and Allie nudged Dash to remind him to stand. She stood as well, with a bright smile on her face as she was greeted. "Why, Alison Hart-Burnett! I haven't seen you since your coming out it seems." They embraced and lightly kissed cheeks.
"Coming out? Is there something you need to tell me?" Flint whispered in her ear as she stepped back.
She glared at him and quickly hissed, "Mind out of the gutter. Debutante." Flint shrugged and got a little look on his face that told her that he would be giving her hell about that later. In her normal voice to Lucille, "It has been too long."
"I'm sure your mother thinks the same," Lucille spoke pointedly, knowing that Allie had joined the military and her family's disapproval of the decision. "So, what brings you here today? I'm sure this is not purely a social call."
Allie turned more serious, still trying to decide the best way to play this. "Unfortunately not." She paused as she accepted the lemonade that the butler brought her. "We heard you had been in the hospital recently?"
Lucille nodded, looking puzzled. "A terrible annoyance. I had passed out and I knew it had been from heat, but they were afraid I had hit my head, insisted on calling an ambulance and sending me to that horrid hospital. Half of the doctors didn't even seem to speak English and they would not leave me alone." Her voice was indignant and Jaye realized the best angle to approach this was to exploit the woman's prejudice about the doctors.
"Yes, that's why we're here. There's no easy way to say this, but there is a suspicion that perhaps one of the men there was not really a doctor and might be involved with terrorist activities." She spoke carefully, watching as the other woman nodded enthusiastically.
"That does not surprise me at all! We need to work more at keeping those foreigners out and making sure our people are safe and stop worrying about the rest of the world!" Flint winced at her attitude, considering it to be the height of un-American to be so bigoted. Once they were all "foreigners" except the Native Americans, and he'd seen enough of reservations to know that there was nothing to be proud of as an original settler. Lucille leaned over conspiratorially to Allie, "They could be talking about blowing up the world and no one would know with their gibberish."
Allie bit her tongue, hard. Women like Lucille were part of the reason she joined the military to begin with. But instead of calling the woman on her opinion, she nodded sympathetically. "That's why we're here. Like I said, we're worried about them. I came to ask a favor. Would you mind coming with me to my army base and talking to a few of the officers in charge? They aren't taking these threats seriously, and when I heard about your experience, I thought that perhaps a woman of your standing would make more of an impression on them than I could alone." Playing the part perfectly, she wore a frustrated and pleading look. "Plus, I think your observations at the hospital that night might help lead to a capture."
That cinched it for the socialite; she could be a hero saving the country from the savages. "Of course dear, I would be honored to help my country out in such a way. If you will excuse me for a moment, I'll get my things and driver."
True relief showed on both Joes' faces. "You don't know how much this means to me. Thank you Missus Westerburg."
"Lucille, please! It's a shame that not more people recognize this sort of threat, but bravo to you Alison. Jennifer will see you out and then we can meet out front."
After they were escorted out, Flint gave Jaye a hard look, "You don't actually agree with that fruitcake, do you?"
Jaye's eyes darkened, "Of course not! How could you even think that I could? But it's easier to get her to base this way than any other. She's practically foaming at the mouth to try and throw some 'darkies' into jail." An evil look in her eyes shone, "I wonder how much she'll flip out when she meets Doc?"
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They had shown her around what they could of the Pit, getting a few strange looks from teammates, especially for Jaye being dressed to the nines. After the short tour, they had led her into a conference room and brought Hawk in and he feigned interest at her rantings about "those people." With a nod from Jaye, Flint went to fetch Lucille some tea. He spiked it with the drug with glee; this woman grated on every last nerve he had. He couldn't wait until she would shut up.
He brought it back and watched her drink the tea as she was shown mug shots. To her credit, she did not point out any of the men in the books as the men she saw in the hospital; he knew it would have been a lie and just her trying to make trouble for innocent men whose only crime was to not be born white.
On cue, Bazooka rushed into the room. "We got him General!" Hawk gave meaningful looks to Jaye and Flint and stood up and hurried out of the room.
"What's going on?" She looked between both of them, confused by the abrupt departure.
"They've caught the men we were looking for, all is safe again." She made an exaggerated sigh of relief, though secretly began to worry because the woman didn't seem to be unconscious yet. She looked at Flint pointedly and he shrugged.
"Oh! What a relief! You do work fast here, I'm impressed. I'll be sure..." she trailed off, looking confused. "Oh dear." Jaye rushed to her side and helped her to stand, which was the last thing she needed to pass out. Once she was unconscious, Flint carried her to Doc to get her pod removed.
An hour later, Doc gave them the news that she had gotten the pod removed and they were clear. Her pod had been in her shoulder blade and they were going to explain the injury resulted from the fall. That was a simple enough response and when she saw her doctor at the military base was dark skinned, they were sure she would quickly request a transfer to a civilian hospital.
Flint slipped his arms around his fiancée's waist, whispering in her ear as the activity died down. "Just promise you're never going to act like that."
"Like what," she said with an innocent look. She ignored his glare in response. "I promise. And if I ever start, please bring me to my senses. I do not want to turn into my mother."
He kissed her, "You'll never be her. You're far too intelligent, beautiful and kind." She smiled with his compliments and hugged him tightly, feeling much better about everything. She hoped the other teams had as much success as they had.
"I built a little empire out of some crazy garbage called the blood of the exploited working class." They Might Be Giants - "Kiss Me, Son of God"
-------------------------------------
Jaye was dressed in a lovely pink dress, very feminine, with even a bow in her hair and pink heels on her feet. Flint, dressed in slacks and a polo couldn't believe the easy transformation she made into society girl; she even had all the clothes at the ready. "You look great Jaye." He smiled at her in the passenger seat of the jeep.
She rolled her eyes. "Remember. Allie only at the Westerburgs." She gave Flint another once over as they approached the gate to the Westerburg estate. "Just let me do the talking and pretty much agree with anything I say."
"Don't I do that anyway?" He gave her a rakish grin as they were waved through.
She sighed, "Come on. This is going to get back to my family, no matter what, so I want to make a good impression. And of course the mission," she added hastily.
"I'll be on my best behavior." True to his word, when he stopped the car in the circular drive, he laid a hand on her arm to keep her from getting out and went around to the other side to open the door for her and then offered his arm to escort her up the stairs.
Allie rang the bell and it was answered by a young woman, "Ms. Hart-Burnett? Mr. Fairbourne?" They nodded and the woman smiled and led them into the sitting room. "Missus Westerburg will be down in a moment, may I get you something to eat or drink?"
"I'll have a lemonade, please." Allie looked at Dash to see if he wanted anything, but he shook his head.
Honestly, he was a little freaked out. He was not from this world and Allie adjusted so easily to ordering servants around and being in opulence. It wasn't something he could provide for her either. She noted the look on his face and gave him a reassuring smile. He supposed it would alright, she joined the Army for a reason, so she must not long for this life too much.
Lucille Westerburg entered into the sitting room and Allie nudged Dash to remind him to stand. She stood as well, with a bright smile on her face as she was greeted. "Why, Alison Hart-Burnett! I haven't seen you since your coming out it seems." They embraced and lightly kissed cheeks.
"Coming out? Is there something you need to tell me?" Flint whispered in her ear as she stepped back.
She glared at him and quickly hissed, "Mind out of the gutter. Debutante." Flint shrugged and got a little look on his face that told her that he would be giving her hell about that later. In her normal voice to Lucille, "It has been too long."
"I'm sure your mother thinks the same," Lucille spoke pointedly, knowing that Allie had joined the military and her family's disapproval of the decision. "So, what brings you here today? I'm sure this is not purely a social call."
Allie turned more serious, still trying to decide the best way to play this. "Unfortunately not." She paused as she accepted the lemonade that the butler brought her. "We heard you had been in the hospital recently?"
Lucille nodded, looking puzzled. "A terrible annoyance. I had passed out and I knew it had been from heat, but they were afraid I had hit my head, insisted on calling an ambulance and sending me to that horrid hospital. Half of the doctors didn't even seem to speak English and they would not leave me alone." Her voice was indignant and Jaye realized the best angle to approach this was to exploit the woman's prejudice about the doctors.
"Yes, that's why we're here. There's no easy way to say this, but there is a suspicion that perhaps one of the men there was not really a doctor and might be involved with terrorist activities." She spoke carefully, watching as the other woman nodded enthusiastically.
"That does not surprise me at all! We need to work more at keeping those foreigners out and making sure our people are safe and stop worrying about the rest of the world!" Flint winced at her attitude, considering it to be the height of un-American to be so bigoted. Once they were all "foreigners" except the Native Americans, and he'd seen enough of reservations to know that there was nothing to be proud of as an original settler. Lucille leaned over conspiratorially to Allie, "They could be talking about blowing up the world and no one would know with their gibberish."
Allie bit her tongue, hard. Women like Lucille were part of the reason she joined the military to begin with. But instead of calling the woman on her opinion, she nodded sympathetically. "That's why we're here. Like I said, we're worried about them. I came to ask a favor. Would you mind coming with me to my army base and talking to a few of the officers in charge? They aren't taking these threats seriously, and when I heard about your experience, I thought that perhaps a woman of your standing would make more of an impression on them than I could alone." Playing the part perfectly, she wore a frustrated and pleading look. "Plus, I think your observations at the hospital that night might help lead to a capture."
That cinched it for the socialite; she could be a hero saving the country from the savages. "Of course dear, I would be honored to help my country out in such a way. If you will excuse me for a moment, I'll get my things and driver."
True relief showed on both Joes' faces. "You don't know how much this means to me. Thank you Missus Westerburg."
"Lucille, please! It's a shame that not more people recognize this sort of threat, but bravo to you Alison. Jennifer will see you out and then we can meet out front."
After they were escorted out, Flint gave Jaye a hard look, "You don't actually agree with that fruitcake, do you?"
Jaye's eyes darkened, "Of course not! How could you even think that I could? But it's easier to get her to base this way than any other. She's practically foaming at the mouth to try and throw some 'darkies' into jail." An evil look in her eyes shone, "I wonder how much she'll flip out when she meets Doc?"
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
They had shown her around what they could of the Pit, getting a few strange looks from teammates, especially for Jaye being dressed to the nines. After the short tour, they had led her into a conference room and brought Hawk in and he feigned interest at her rantings about "those people." With a nod from Jaye, Flint went to fetch Lucille some tea. He spiked it with the drug with glee; this woman grated on every last nerve he had. He couldn't wait until she would shut up.
He brought it back and watched her drink the tea as she was shown mug shots. To her credit, she did not point out any of the men in the books as the men she saw in the hospital; he knew it would have been a lie and just her trying to make trouble for innocent men whose only crime was to not be born white.
On cue, Bazooka rushed into the room. "We got him General!" Hawk gave meaningful looks to Jaye and Flint and stood up and hurried out of the room.
"What's going on?" She looked between both of them, confused by the abrupt departure.
"They've caught the men we were looking for, all is safe again." She made an exaggerated sigh of relief, though secretly began to worry because the woman didn't seem to be unconscious yet. She looked at Flint pointedly and he shrugged.
"Oh! What a relief! You do work fast here, I'm impressed. I'll be sure..." she trailed off, looking confused. "Oh dear." Jaye rushed to her side and helped her to stand, which was the last thing she needed to pass out. Once she was unconscious, Flint carried her to Doc to get her pod removed.
An hour later, Doc gave them the news that she had gotten the pod removed and they were clear. Her pod had been in her shoulder blade and they were going to explain the injury resulted from the fall. That was a simple enough response and when she saw her doctor at the military base was dark skinned, they were sure she would quickly request a transfer to a civilian hospital.
Flint slipped his arms around his fiancée's waist, whispering in her ear as the activity died down. "Just promise you're never going to act like that."
"Like what," she said with an innocent look. She ignored his glare in response. "I promise. And if I ever start, please bring me to my senses. I do not want to turn into my mother."
He kissed her, "You'll never be her. You're far too intelligent, beautiful and kind." She smiled with his compliments and hugged him tightly, feeling much better about everything. She hoped the other teams had as much success as they had.