Meanwhile, back at the OK Corral
"And, that was it, Claire." Bobby continued in the bar. "Little did we know what we were getting ourselves into.
"Ya know, before we left I remember lecturing the kid about planning and foresight. Sheesh. It's not like we didn't try."
"You know what he said to me? 'Hobbes. We can handle this. It'll be OK.' Those were his very words."
"Bobby," she put her hand on his lower arm by way of comfort.
"I said to him.
* * * * * * * * * * * Wisdom of a Fool
"You have to have a plan that's been thought through to its logical conclusion, my friend." Hobbes lectured Fawkes as they walked down the hall. "It's all about foresight spurred by experience."
"Hobbes, can you just spare me the platitudes. My head's pounding; I really need a shot."
"Sure, kid. I'll catch you later. I've got to talk with Eberts about the travel plans."
"Yeah, you do that. You know where I'll be." said Darien as he massaged the back of his head. "And, hey, Hobbes. We can handle this. It'll be OK."
The uneasy truce between the two men was always tested when Darien's QSM was approaching. At least Hobbes had learned when to back off. Some times he even allowed himself to feel sorry for the punk, but it wasn't often that he indulged in those thoughts. This was business, and Fawkes was more than his partner; he was his responsibility.
Not only did he have to protect the gland, he felt that he had to watch the kid's back. Sure, he had some street smarts, in his own inexperienced and clumsy way. He was cocky enough, but did he have the chops to back up the flip attitude. No. This business took instinct, but Agents didn't survive on viscera alone. Fawkes was too young and too green and really, the last thing Hobbes wanted was to see the kid splattered all over the pavement while trying to crack the last word.
* * * * * * * * * USDArien
"You know, Claire, I have no idea what we could have done to prevent any of this! It seems like no matter what we did to make it better, it got worse. If this had been a movie I saw instead of sitting here watching my life pass before my eyes, I might give it an A rating and recommend it to my friends!"
"And, Darien, how long was he invisible?" she asked with her usual professional interest.
"Ha! Small mercies! Just a few minutes. Amazing how much trouble we can get ourselves into without the threat of Quicksilver Madness.
"He was under cover as one of the catering staff, and I was on the other side of the compound as part of security. We started spotting Arnaud's people and they spotted us, after everything started to unravel. It didn't matter any more."
"Mmm" She hummed, thinking about the report she had seen. "Now, what is this about the squirrel?"
Hobbes got quiet.
"That was what started it. If it weren't for that damn rodent!" Hobbes' blood began to boil thinking of how the whole mess had been catalyzed. He could trace it back to the opportunistic squirrel that was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
"If I didn't know better, I'd think that damn thing had planned it and is some where he and his furry friends are out there laughing their bushy tales off at us right now!"
He took a long draught of his Corona.
Earlier, Darien had taken a Sharpie pen, gone into the men's room and drew a diagram on his torso. Liver. Kidneys, Heart, Stomach, Spleen and a big pointer to the back of his head that read "GLAND" in large friendly letters. It was meant to be like a butcher's map of the parts that The Official had threatened to sell.
He kept pulling his T-Shirt up and pointing at bits and naming prices. Claire and Bobby pleaded with him to stop it, pulling his shirt back down.
"You've had enough to drink, Darien!" scolded Claire as she pulled the beer away from him.
"Yes. Yes I have had enough." and he laid his head down on his folded arms on the table.
"Yeah, Claire. I think we've all had enough. I'm gonna run the kid home, and make sure he's OK. Maybe I'll hang out on his couch for awhile."
"That would give me some peace of mind, Bobby. Thanks. Call me if you need anything. I'm here for both of you." she smiled sympathetically.
"Hey, it's the least I can do. If we're really lucky, we won't accidentally demolish his apartment building."
"And, that was it, Claire." Bobby continued in the bar. "Little did we know what we were getting ourselves into.
"Ya know, before we left I remember lecturing the kid about planning and foresight. Sheesh. It's not like we didn't try."
"You know what he said to me? 'Hobbes. We can handle this. It'll be OK.' Those were his very words."
"Bobby," she put her hand on his lower arm by way of comfort.
"I said to him.
* * * * * * * * * * * Wisdom of a Fool
"You have to have a plan that's been thought through to its logical conclusion, my friend." Hobbes lectured Fawkes as they walked down the hall. "It's all about foresight spurred by experience."
"Hobbes, can you just spare me the platitudes. My head's pounding; I really need a shot."
"Sure, kid. I'll catch you later. I've got to talk with Eberts about the travel plans."
"Yeah, you do that. You know where I'll be." said Darien as he massaged the back of his head. "And, hey, Hobbes. We can handle this. It'll be OK."
The uneasy truce between the two men was always tested when Darien's QSM was approaching. At least Hobbes had learned when to back off. Some times he even allowed himself to feel sorry for the punk, but it wasn't often that he indulged in those thoughts. This was business, and Fawkes was more than his partner; he was his responsibility.
Not only did he have to protect the gland, he felt that he had to watch the kid's back. Sure, he had some street smarts, in his own inexperienced and clumsy way. He was cocky enough, but did he have the chops to back up the flip attitude. No. This business took instinct, but Agents didn't survive on viscera alone. Fawkes was too young and too green and really, the last thing Hobbes wanted was to see the kid splattered all over the pavement while trying to crack the last word.
* * * * * * * * * USDArien
"You know, Claire, I have no idea what we could have done to prevent any of this! It seems like no matter what we did to make it better, it got worse. If this had been a movie I saw instead of sitting here watching my life pass before my eyes, I might give it an A rating and recommend it to my friends!"
"And, Darien, how long was he invisible?" she asked with her usual professional interest.
"Ha! Small mercies! Just a few minutes. Amazing how much trouble we can get ourselves into without the threat of Quicksilver Madness.
"He was under cover as one of the catering staff, and I was on the other side of the compound as part of security. We started spotting Arnaud's people and they spotted us, after everything started to unravel. It didn't matter any more."
"Mmm" She hummed, thinking about the report she had seen. "Now, what is this about the squirrel?"
Hobbes got quiet.
"That was what started it. If it weren't for that damn rodent!" Hobbes' blood began to boil thinking of how the whole mess had been catalyzed. He could trace it back to the opportunistic squirrel that was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
"If I didn't know better, I'd think that damn thing had planned it and is some where he and his furry friends are out there laughing their bushy tales off at us right now!"
He took a long draught of his Corona.
Earlier, Darien had taken a Sharpie pen, gone into the men's room and drew a diagram on his torso. Liver. Kidneys, Heart, Stomach, Spleen and a big pointer to the back of his head that read "GLAND" in large friendly letters. It was meant to be like a butcher's map of the parts that The Official had threatened to sell.
He kept pulling his T-Shirt up and pointing at bits and naming prices. Claire and Bobby pleaded with him to stop it, pulling his shirt back down.
"You've had enough to drink, Darien!" scolded Claire as she pulled the beer away from him.
"Yes. Yes I have had enough." and he laid his head down on his folded arms on the table.
"Yeah, Claire. I think we've all had enough. I'm gonna run the kid home, and make sure he's OK. Maybe I'll hang out on his couch for awhile."
"That would give me some peace of mind, Bobby. Thanks. Call me if you need anything. I'm here for both of you." she smiled sympathetically.
"Hey, it's the least I can do. If we're really lucky, we won't accidentally demolish his apartment building."