River Song sat across the desk from Sergeant Fury with a calm smile, belying her actual feelings about the current situation. She and Jack had done as requested and explained to Fury who they were and what their real goal was. River did not mind the transparency; in fact, it would make the next stage of their mission easier to initiate. The detonation in the ravine had turned out to be a lucky break since is revealed a small glimmer of the rift existing below the surface.
However, Fury had then shared his own cryptic problem related to psychic messages and explosive devices that appeared to be targeting his mutant soldiers. The three of them now lingered in the private office of the research team's barracks discussing how to address these dueling dangers.
River gave the Sergeant credit for accepting the information she and Jack shared about the rift. He did not seem flustered by the idea of people from the future or temporal cracks in reality. She would need to think on that later. His stoic response could have been solely due to his military training but she was not sure. Something told her Sergeant Fury was also more than he appeared to be.
Fury steepled his fingers before his lips and asked, "What now?"
"Now..." River responded, "We follow the rift signature to its source and close it."
"Using Malloy's mutant powers," Fury stated.
"It's not that simple, but yes," Jack said, "A controlled burst of energy can reverse the temporal flow and close the gap in time."
"And how exactly did this 'gap' come to be in the first place?" Fury asked, "Napalm? Atomic bombs?"
Jack shook his head, "No. Most often it's random, thin places in the multiverse leaking into each other. But, sometimes, individuals experimenting with time travel can create unstable rifts as well."
"People like you?" Fury said, mildly accusatory. Jack scowled and River spoke up to avoid an argument.
"Not quite, Sergeant," she explained, tapping at her vortex manipulator on her arm, "You see, Jack and I are unique among time travelers in our own ways. We can navigate time without risk of damaging reality. Which leads me back to your own concern. The device your soldiers described on the bombs did not sound like technology that should be available on Earth in 1973."
Fury straightened in his chair as River's wrist strap computer projected an image in midair. It was of a round white contraption with five horizontal red lights.
"This looks a bit like what your men saw, doesn't it?" she asked. Both Fury and Jack looked startled at her revelation as she continued.
"This is a genetic tracker," she said, "In our time stream, it's used to locate specific alien DNA signatures. There are a few types of genocidal non-terrestrials who make it their mission to wipe out those they do not deem worth of existence. But, this device should not exist for decades, maybe a century from now."
Jack seemed to understand River's pending conclusion, "So... we're not the only ones in Vietnam who don't belong to this point in history."
"I'd say it's a good possibility," River agreed, then frowned, "It doesn't explain why someone is targeting your squad, Sergeant..."
"I don't care why," Fury interrupted, then sighed and spoke in a more temperate tone, "If Private Glitter's impressions are accurate, the threat may be coming from inside this base camp. Is there any thing you can tell me that would help us locate the persons setting up the explosives?"
"Possibly," River replied, "None of us have any telepathic powers. Though we could have our ship's computer monitor for unusual energy readings not associated with the rift. I would also be interested in knowing if anyone has been marketing this technology to the American, or other, militaries."
"That sort of 'marketing' has declined since the war is ending," Fury said, "I can ask around... see what rumors are stirring from Washington. We did retrieve a fragment of the first bomb. I should be able to grant you access to examine it."
Jack nodded, then asked, "What will you tell you commanding officer's about all this? I'm sure not all will be open to the idea of time travelers running around Saigon..."
Fury gave him a brief smile, "No, not all of them. But the ones who count may understand. Which leads me to my next quandary... keeping this situation under wraps. There will need to be a general explanation given about the explosion. I think it will need to remain labeled as a general enemy engagement."
"True nature hidden in plain sight," Jack agreed, "Which will require the cooperation of our collective teams."
"Then, I suppose," River said, "We should bring them in..."
Alex Summers paced around the research team's barracks with his arms folded. He did not like anything about this entire situation. Professor Song's team had been working with them for nearly a week, had requested a mutant squad to lead them into the jungle. Yet, they had not bothered to let the squad know that there was a mutant on their team.
Alex could not help but feel a bit betrayed by their concealment. His years as head of a mutant squad of soldiers taught him the importance of being open about one's own talents in an active war zone, despite his past intention to remain silent about his powers.
The rest of his squad waited with growing impatience for Fury to return and, hopefully, explain what the hell was going on. Malloy and Barnes were there as well. At least Barnes had the good sense to look as disquieted at Alex felt. Malloy was just looking bored, her head rolled back toward the ceiling as if it was more interesting than her company.
Alex glanced over toward her in annoyance when she made a "humpf" noise and nudged Toynbee with her elbow.
"You know what..." she said aloud in the quiet room, "Something just hit me..."
The young woman glanced around at the mutant soldiers as if she had just made an important discovery.
"Your drill sergeant is named Fury," she said, then added with a shake of her head, "I mean... Yikes...right?"
Alex saw Toynbee give her a weak smile before looking down at his hands with anxiety. He had disobeyed Fury's orders by taking the squad's jeep off base. Then, the jeep had been blown up. Not really something one would want to explain to a man named Fury, even if he was not a drill sergeant.
"Yep," Haze acknowledged the young woman's statement ominously, "So, you're pretty much screwed."
Before Malloy could respond, the door to the private office slammed open and Sergeant Fury appeared.
"All of you," he stated firmly, "In here...now."
Alex's team exchanged suitably nervous looks as Barnes strode confidently forward and Malloy smiled peevishly. Once they had all entered the small room, the soldiers stood to attention and the young woman gave the Sergeant another lame, guilty wave.
"Now that I've been brought up to speed," Fury said, eying each of them in turn, "Here's what I need to know. Private Toynbee, is it true to drove an elicit explosive device out of camp with non-combat personnel in tow?"
Toynbee looked fidgety as he replied, "Yes, sir. To get it clear of going off near everybody else and..."
"And, Miss Malloy," Fury interrupted, "Is it true you have mutant powers that allowed you to contain the blast zone to the area around the ravine?"
"Uh huh," Malloy agreed, then added with an innocent smile, "You're welcome."
Alex shifted on his feet as he watched the Sergeant's face turn into something that truly matched his name. Captain Harkness stepped up beside Malloy and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Sergeant," he replied apologetically, "I think it's clear that Malloy and Private Toynbee were acting in, what they thought, were the best interests of camp personnel."
Alex glanced at Jack with a frown. Something told him Fury and Harkness had planned out this debriefing with specific intent.
"Disciplinary action doesn't really seem warranted," Jack continued, "Since lives were obviously saved by the intervention."
Alex saw Barnes and River Song exchange amused looks. He was about to speak when Fury continued.
"I'm inclined to agree, Captain," Fury said, arms held firmly behind his back. He turned toward the mutant soldiers and gave each an appraising look.
"Turns out our 'research team' is looking for more than geological abnormalities," Fury continued, "And we are going to help them find what they are looking for in exchange for additional resources to aid us in locating our mystery bomber. In the meantime, all information related to the explosion and the research team is to be considered classified. No one is to know the true nature of the bomb or that our teams had any involvement in neutralizing the threat."
"But..." Toynbee blurted out, "But, sir, we..."
"No one," Fury repeated, "Is that understood, Private?"
"Yes, sir," Toynbee replied, lowering his eyes.
Alex could see the anger on the other soldier's face, fists clenched at his sides.
"Professor Song will give you all a detailed debriefing after dinner," Fury went on.
"Oh, thank goodness," Malloy muttered. Barnes gave her a quick whack on the shoulder as a not-so-subtle way to tell her to shut up. Malloy glanced back at him and asked, "What? I'm hungry."
"Until then..." Fury said, giving the young woman a pointed glare, "You're dismissed."
The soldiers each gave Fury a salute and filed out. Barnes grabbed Malloy by the arm and drug her along from the office before she could say anything else to the agitated Sergeant.
As the group headed out toward the mess hall, Toynbee walked with his eyes lowered, trying to keep the outrage he felt in check. After years of ridicule and mistreatment at the hands of 'normal' soldiers, mutants had saved them from a dangerous threat. The 'Toad' had helped get potentially devastating explosives out of camp and now Fury ordered him not to tell anyone about it. What was the point of saving their stupid, bigoted lives if the squad could not brag about it? Rub it in their stupid faces?
Toynbee glanced up as he walked just behind the others and glowered at them. None of them seemed to care that this great deed was being covered up by their commanding officers. It was not right. It was not fair.
Malloy was joking around with Barnes about her appetite and wishing for a variety of foods not available in the war zone.
"Cheesecake," the woman said dreamily, "That would be smegging sweet. Or pizza. Just piles of cheesy goodness..."
Toynbee stifled his anger and walked faster, shoving between Malloy and Barnes. Malloy had stopped an explosion by will power alone. Didn't she care that no one would know about that? About what she could do? About how dangerous she was?
After a few more steps, Toynbee felt a soft touch on his arm and he paused. Malloy was looking at him with concern as Barnes walked on after the rest of the squad.
"Hey," she asked him, "What's wrong?"
Toynbee ground his teeth and then hissed, "Nothing. What the bloody hell is wrong with you?"
Malloy recoiled a bit at his ire and asked, "What do you mean?"
"I mean..." he said, dialect of his birth creeping into his voice, "Why aren't you angry? You stop an explosion, have power over fire and you don't get to talk about it? People like Rand and his cronies? You save their bloody skins and no one gets to know?"
"It's just... what we do," Malloy stammered with a shrug, "We come in, do what we can to save people and leave."
"Even when those people hate you?" Toynbee spat, "Even when they'd rather see a mutant dead than thank you for what you did?"
Malloy shrugged again, "Well... yeah. It's just... what we do."
Toynbee gave her a derisive glare, "I guess that's easy for mutants like you. No one needs to know who you are so no one gives you shit. We should be able to tell people. Tell people that we saved their... their bloody... stupid... lives..."
As the mutant soldier seethed, Malloy looked at him with a confused frown. Toynbee took a few deep angry breaths as she stared and then shouted at her.
"What?" he exclaimed, holding his hands up with frustration.
"You know you get British when you're angry?" she asked.
Toynbee took a step back, his anger derailed by her question.
"No, I don't," he protested with a shake of his head.
"Little bit," Malloy said with a nod.
Toynbee struggled for a response and finally just said, "Shut up," and started to storm off.
"Wait, Toynbee, hang on," Malloy called, catching up to his stride. He paused and turned back to glare at her again.
"Look," Malloy said, "Yes, I'm a pyrokinetic and, yes, we helped saved lives today. But I didn't drive a bomb out of camp with you to get a ticker tape parade when we got back. It's just how we handle things. We have the power to protect people and that's what we do. River says the rifts could tear this world apart if nothing is done about them. So, Jack recruited us to help get them closed. I don't remember exactly how that happened or how we'll do it...but I'm here now. And so are you and the rest of your squad. I couldn't have gotten the bomb so far out of camp without your help."
Malloy took a step toward him a grinned, "And anyway... you can't tell me it wasn't a little bit fun. Going off-roading with a jeep full of explosives to save the day? I mean... I was pretty smegging awesome."
Toynbee stared at her for another moment, then folded his arms and sighed.
"I don't know," he said, "I guess..."
Malloy smiled again and then gave his sleeve a quick tug.
"Come on," she encouraged, "Let's get to the mess hall with the others I'm starving! You have no idea how many calories fire starting burns."
Malloy walked on before him. Toynbee watched her for another moment, a small grin forming on his lips in spite of himself, and then followed after her and the rest of his team.