September 20, 2016
It wasn't very often that Meghan got the chance to truly relax. To be certain, the team wasn't called upon to save the free world every week, but the preparations they made every day could fool someone unaware. A day on the obstacle course, or at the firing range, or practicing teamwork and synergy in the simulation; it was always something. Days off were few and far between, and a vacation was damn near unheard of.
And yet, here she stood, in downtown London, city lights and evening traffic buzzing around her. Buses and passenger cars slowly crawled down crowded streets, rolling over pavement damp with a recent spattering of rain. A common occurrence, she'd come to find out.
Meghan took another step from the curb, allowing those behind her to exit the bus. Daniel was first off, looping his arm around hers. He looked at her and smiled, with that full-on dorky grin he got when he was simply admiring her.
"What?" She laughed through the question.
He shrugged. "Just appreciating what I've got. You look gorgeous tonight, by the way."
It was true. While Daniel had donned his best suit, a dark navy blue pressed and wrinkle-free Armani, he knew he didn't hold a candle to his wife. A deep, dark cherry red dress hung from her shoulders, ending at the midpoint of her shins with a slight flared bell. Short sleeves came down to the top half of her biceps, rounded neckline resting just below the top of her sternum. The silky satin garment was neither too snug nor too loose, and felt like it was tailored just for her.
In fact, that was precisely the case. Meghan may not have been one for fifty-foot walk-in closets filled to the brim with expensive, designer clothing, but she would freely admit to wanting at least one or two "stunner" outfits for the rare nights out. Her closet at home was by no means the Cosmopolitan version of loaded, but she could still turn heads like the best of them with what she did have.
"Babe, I look gorgeous every day." Meghan flipped her bangs, jarring the minimalist diamond earrings hanging from her lobes.
"Well duh, but tonight it's exceptionally true. You'll have to forgive me, I keep dropping my jaw."
"You're such a dork," she swatted his arm, grin betraying her words. "But that's why I love you." They shared a chaste kiss, as a cough drew their attention.
"Cute as this is, mind if we get off too, Meg?" Miles stood on the last step of the bus, half-smile resting below a cocked eyebrow. He looked just as dapper as Daniel, the perfect complement to his lovely wife.
Daniel gave a sheepish chuckle as he hustled away from the door, arm around Meghan's back guiding her with him. One by one, members of Team Rainbow filed off the bus, some accompanied by significant others. As the final rider disembarked, the bus driver called out.
"Give me a ring when you're ready for me to come back, yeah?" Meghan nodded at him, and the bus door closed before the vehicle joined the steadily moving traffic.
Daniel turned to her. "It was real nice of your boss to set us all up with this, Meg. Private bus on demand, tickets to a show at the Palladium, and a few rounds of drinks at Kings Arms after? Shit, I wish Intel would set me up with perks this swanky. How come the whole group didn't join, though?"
"Someone's gotta keep the front desk occupied, hun. The Bosslady said she was gonna start setting up some team-building activities, but we can't all go at once – not with our jobs."
He turned as a light chuckle came from behind him. "Yes, Monsieur Harris, it's not as if the world's problems will wait for us to come back to work on Monday."
Julien nudged Daniel's shoulder and winked at Meghan. For whatever reason, he loved picking on Daniel whenever the chance presented itself. She could only smirk and shake her head.
"Guess that should've been a little more obvious…" He rubbed the back of his neck.
The woman at the rear of the group scoffed and uncrossed her arms, brusquely pushing past them. "As much as I love standing here in the cold, if we're going to go, then let's go."
Meghan and Daniel stepped out of her way, joining everyone else in following her with their eyes as she stormed off. Meghan looked at Julien and Miles, before shrugging and beckoning for everyone to fall in line.
"Who is she, Meg?" He spoke in a hushed whisper.
"Taina Pereira, one of our newest recruits, along with Vincente Souza." Meghan jerked a thumb at the older man ahead of them. Vincente shook his head at Taina, and jogged to catch up to her.
"She doesn't seem too thrilled about being here."
"You'd be correct." Emmanuelle settled alongside them. "It was somewhat of a chore to get her to come with us."
Emmanuelle, or Emma, as she'd insisted on being referred to as, walked with a strut in her full-length azure dress. A small sapphire was nestled just below the point where her chin would reach, with equally regal blue gemstone earrings swinging as she walked. Her hair was done up in an elegant fashion, projecting an air of class perfect for the nature of the night's entertainment. Beside Emma was her boyfriend, Ethan Mallory. Even when Meghan had first met him, she thought the name was familiar. A Delta force boy, someone who's name she had heard at some point over the years. By some wild stroke of luck, he'd managed a few days of leave to come see her.
"Didn't you say she was a little short on friends in the office, Emma?" Ethan asked her.
Emma hummed. "You are not wrong, but she isn't really trying to change that, either. She's already at bit at odds with even Meghan, unfortunately."
"Not a good first introduction at work, babe? That's not like you." Daniel looked at her with interest.
Meghan sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "You know I can't talk about it. But no, things did not start off well. She's a real loose cannon, and we had some real stimulating conversations afterwards."
"So why did she join us this evening?" Ethan spoke as he watched Taina speaking tersely at the ticket clerk.
Emma spoke up. "Six requested it personally, to help Taina meld with the team. I would assume that she also felt that it would be a good opportunity for her to rebuild bridges with Meghan. Your tickets are next to each other, are they not?"
Meghan hummed, but said nothing. She resumed her stroll toward the theatre entrance. The opening of the building flared out, bright lights clinging to the overhang extending over the sidewalk. The red cloth walls reached past the outside of the buildings like loving outstretched arms, beckoning its patrons to come in and enjoy its hospitality. Meghan ran her eyes up and down, staring in awe at the extravagant display.
She caught sight of Taina snatching her ticket from the clerk and walking off without a word, with an exasperated Vincente apologizing and politely taking his ticket. Meghan blew out a resigned sigh, and Emma put a hand on her shoulder.
"Chin up, Meghan. You have faced challenges tougher than this."
Meghan rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but usually if something is being particularly difficult, I can make use of the good ol' fashioned boomstick, or failing that, CAS."
Emma chuckled, tugging on Ethan's hand as they continued after their crowd to the lift. "Bon chance, mon amie!"
"Word of advice, Meg?"
She turned in mild surprise to see Jack beside her, with a look around telling her that everyone, even her husband, had continued on. He was entrenched in a conversation with Maxim about something or other, so it seemed he wasn't having any trouble making nice.
How long was I standing here gawking at the wall…?
"I'll take all the words you got, Jack."
He smiled at her. "During my first sit-down with Taina, I could tell she wasn't some blood rage inspired sociopath. She's in a new country, with all new people, doing something she probably hasn't ever done before. She's in the deep end without a pool tube, so be a lifeguard. Talk with her, try to identify with her. I know your working relationship so far is like rubber and glue, but you've got a knack for finding the weak spot in the barriers around people."
Jack lightly swatted her arm with the back of his hand. "You got this." He left to join the others.
Meghan took a deep breath, forcing her legs to carry her forward. As her heels clicked on the tile floor, she mumbled to herself.
"Guess we'll find out."
For the third time that evening, Meghan wondered just how much Six had spent on her team. Their seats were on a private balcony nestled along the wall at stage left, with a perfect sightline down to the focal point of the lavish theatre. Two rows of plush seats lined the elevated veranda, angled and offset such that no view of the stage would be sacrificed.
Meghan spotted her assigned chair; rear row, second from the back. She strolled through the footpath and sat down. In front of her was Vincente, and flanking her were her husband, and Taina. Like an agitated cobra she sat, face set in an annoyed scowl, waiting for anything at all to provoke a venomous strike.
Meghan sighed and sat down, intentionally ignoring Taina as she quietly scoffed and shifted away from her as Meghan got comfortable. She crossed her legs and turned to Daniel. "How do you like the view, babe?"
"Absolutely gorgeous."
She rolled her eyes. "I meant of the stage, you dork."
Daniel looked at her. "So did I. Oh, I'm sorry, did you think I was talking about you?"
Meghan smirked and smacked and his shoulder. "Dick."
"Careful hun, you keep saying that I might start taking it as an order."
"Oh my god, you are the worst."
He winked. "Guilty as charged."
They shared a laugh, and Daniel turned to say something to Maxim. He definitely wasn't having trouble fitting in with her coworkers. But now, she was forced to face the consequence of her situation. Meghan exhaled through her nose.
"Your relationship with your husband is enviable."
The statement startled Meghan, to the point where she wasn't sure she'd heard it correctly. She blinked hard several times.
"Wh-what?"
"You and your husband, you make a good couple."
Meghan sat, staring at Taina, mouth agape. "I uhh… Well, thank you, T-Taina, I-"
"You don't have to talk to me like I've got you at gunpoint, you know." Taina drummed her fingers on the armrest of her seat, muscles tense, eyes still trained on the stage.
Strange, Jack mentioned that she never even broke eye contact during his first assessment with her…
Meghan struggled for words but found none. She wracked her brain several times over, trying in vain to force herself to find anything to say. The silence was killing her, and it seemed Taina also tired of the lack of response. She pushed an annoyed sigh through her nose.
"It's going to always be like this, isn't it? I don't know why I even bothered. Ever since you first uttered my name, you've treated me like some kind of feral animal, or a delinquent child incapable of following authority. You don't even respect me enough to answer me."
Meghan recoiled, directing her attention to the floor. She felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over her head, in front of everyone in the building. She shivered uncomfortably and shook herself.
This isn't me. I'm not some cowering wallflower that can't talk to people, damn it
Meghan cleared her throat. "I'm sorry."
At last, Taina swiveled ever so slightly to look vaguely in her direction.
"You're right, I haven't been fair to you. I should have listened to Jack, and I should have listened to you. I let presumptions make my opinion before we even met. I'm sorry."
Taina looked her up and down, eyes boring into her. "Fine."
Again, Meghan faltered. "So, does that mean we can start over?"
"…It's a start." Taina shifted her position, crossing her legs and sitting up. Her now elevated left ankle caught Meghan's eye.
"I suppose I can work with that." She paused, "Who is Joao?"
That got Taina's attention, as she flinched at the question. "Excuse me?"
Meghan nodded her chin at the small calligraphy tattoo in the shape of the name. "Your ink, Joao. He must be important to you."
Taina looked at her ankle and moved her leg to hide it. "Maybe another time."
Meghan gave a hesitant nod and turned her focus to the stage, just as the lights came down.
The booming of the base blasted out by the speakers was enough to rattle one's brain. Music ten decibels too loud surged through the club, bouncing off the crowd of people that was taking it all in. The pounding beats, the liquor in their cups, the raw essence of sweat and energy that a group of dancing people thrived for.
Meghan sat at the edge of the VIP booth reserved just for them, wondering just when the "party girl" spirit had started to fade from her. She nursed a fruity cocktail that Daniel had given to her as she took a break from dancing, watching the room enjoy themselves. Subconsciously, her eyes went to each member of her team and their guests, going down the checklist to make sure they were all still accounted for.
Never thought "group mom" would be a title of mine…
Those spoken for danced with their loved ones, and those still available roamed the crowd with a contagious fervor, but everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.
With the exception of one, quiet Brazilian woman.
Taina sat at the opposite end of their booth, occasionally pouring herself another shot from the bottle of tequila for the table, knocking them back with nary a grimace. Like Meghan, she too watched the crowd, but with the appearance of someone who didn't trust sitting with their back to people. Maybe, Meghan suspected, that was precisely the case.
Meghan scooted along the length of the bench, stopping just shy of her accomplice. "Have you gone out there yet?"
"Hadn't planned on it."
"How come? It's fun, and I think it'd help you loosen up."
Another shot. "Look, I appreciate you trying to patch things up, but that doesn't mean I want you to try and be my best friend, either. Plus, this isn't really my idea of fun."
Meghan scoffed. "Come on, everyone likes music." She paused to take a sip from her glass. "There must be something that you like…" She stopped in thought. "Is there anything I can do to change your mind?"
Taina heaved a sigh. "No, there isn't—"
A pair of sharply dressed men emerged from the crowd, convening at their table. Daniel and Vincente laughed about some joke that Meghan hadn't heard and re-lubricated their throats with booze. Daniel offered his hand, and Meghan took it with a smile. She stood, only for Daniel to pull her close and speak into her ear.
"Vincente and I were talking about how we could help Taina get a little more active. You in?"
She nodded and looked at the older man, who took Daniel's place by her side. "As much as Taina would swear she feels nothing for music, I happen to know that she has an affinity for samba. If we were to ask the DJ to play a song from home, perhaps she would come around."
Meghan shrugged. "Worth a shot. When's the song coming on?"
"Shouldn't be more than a few minutes."
Those still standing took a seat next to Taina, until their conversation was interrupted when two more figures approached the booth. Mark and Maxim, both out of breath, joined them.
"You lot do know that the point of a dance floor is to dance, right? I haven't seen anyone of you except the captain and Meg's man out there all evening!" Mark spoke with more fervor than Meghan had seen from him yet, but the smile on his face told her his intention.
"I'm working my way there, Mark. It's exhausting keeping track of you people!"
"Well come on, then! You won't know how fun it is until you get your arse out there!"
"This is the most words I've ever heard you speak in a row." Taina said.
"Ahh, so she does speak after all! Are you enjoying your evening, Taina?" Maxim's boisterous attitude floored Meghan almost as much as Mark's did.
These two are way more cheery than I would expect them to be… Unless…
Taina's brow arched. "You're way too lively as well, what's the deal? Spill it."
Maxim raised his hands. "I know it might seem unlikely, coming from a Spetsnaz, but there is no hidden agenda. The only goal here is unwind. In our line of work, one must take whatever down time they can."
She didn't acknowledge that, directing her gaze to her drink. Mark snapped his fingers at Meghan, Daniel, and Vincente.
"Keep your eyes over 'ere. Pretend we're talking about somethin' else. Got our closer coming in."
Daniel leaned forward. "Who?" He followed Maxim's tilt of the head.
"Glazkov? Why him?"
Mark spoke up. "He's been makin' eyes at 'er all night."
"And we think he's the best one to try this part, anyway. His personality, at least in social places, is much like hers, especially so when the team was first started. If anyone can relate to her, Timur is the one."
Meghan nodded, going along with the act until she saw Timur take a seat next to Taina. He spoke in a tone loud enough for Taina, but too soft for Meghan. She didn't eavesdrop, instead cozying up to her husband and occasionally pitching in to the conversation in front of her for the next several minutes.
"Alright everyone, we've got special request for something a bit more fiery, so get ready for a little sambaaaa!" On cue, the DJ's voice came over the speakers.
Everyone at the table stood and took a spot near the VIP area and allowed the beat to take control of them. It was at this point that Meghan realized she couldn't samba, but a cursory glance at her teammates told her that they probably couldn't either. This was a show of camaraderie, not of skill.
Taina shot a glare directly at Vincente, who only smirked and crossed his arms. Her face contorted in frustration but melted into shocked hesitation when Timur stood and offered his hand. He whispered something in her ear, and Meghan couldn't stop herself from smiling when Taina hesitantly left her seat.
With everyone in place, Meghan took Daniel's hand and let the music flow through her. She had some rhythm, just not this rhythm – but she didn't care. Latin music always managed to worm its way into her heart and mind, so she let go, determined to enjoy herself. As she looked across the around the room she saw much of the same, and the faintest trace of a smile on Taina's face was all the validation she needed.
Meghan hung up on the call with their driver, sliding the device back into the usual pocket of her bag. As cold as the night air was, she was grateful to finally be free of the stifling nightclub heat. She and her team stood on the sidewalk outside Kings Arms, chatting and coming down from the night's activities.
"Meghan?"
She turned to see Taina approaching her. "What's up?"
"I just… wanted to thank you. For tonight."
"I'm probably last in line, as far as the trip and the plan were concerned."
"I don't mean for all that, but I suppose that as well."
Meghan smiled. "Of course, it was no trouble at all."
Taina shuffled her feet in place. "Before tonight I would have said that was untrue. But, this once, I'm glad to have been proven wrong. Oh, and…" She pointed at her ankle tattoo. "He's my brother."
"I hope I get to meet him someday."
Their eyes met, and Taina hummed noncommittally. "Maybe you will. Now, fair's fair – tell me about your tattoos."
"Ha! Alright, I can do that. You'd better buckle up…"
So uhh... Sup everyone. Am I still allowed here? I hope you enjoyed this :D I've had it sitting, mostly done, for the better part of this year. Finally got around to sitting down and finishing it, as well as going through my old chapters and revising them! Based on the lore updates to the characters and general housecleaning, some things needed sprucing up. Chapters 14 and 17 got the most extensive updates, if you're interested!
Also, the character of Ethan Mallory is inspired by GrimGravy, whose stories Freedom Day and Zero Protocol helped inspire me to write this story! Obviously I took a liberty or two, so hopefully you're not too upset '^_^