"Ever since the events in Rialto, Talon activity has seemed to slow," said Morrison to the residents of the Conference Room. "However, as of yesterday, well, this doesn't seem to be the case anymore." He turned to the large screen behind him, glancing up at the Omnic (Gabriel was almost certain his name was Maximilian) being projected. "We're all aware of Max and his casino. Yesterday, we uncovered that people like Doomfist and Vialli have vanished off the face of the Earth. 'Ironically,' another piece of information brought forth to us was that Talon has seemed to have picked up where they left off at this casino. In other words, most of their transactions have been traced back to Monaco. We're going to need further insight if we are to act upon this."
He paused and shut his eyes for a moment. "Now, I'm aware of what happened in Italy, I don't think anyone needs reminding, but I'm going to send Blackwatch to collect the information we need. When it comes to this stuff, there's no one better than these guys, and you all know that." There were murmurs circulating around the table. Gabe heard comments like as long as they stay out of sight and Commander Morrison really trusts him. "It seems as though you're getting another chance, Commander," Moira's voice sounded in his ear. He twisted his head around to face her, admiring the way her defined cheekbones perfectly complimented the toothless grin she gave to him. "Don't you mean we're getting another chance? You're not getting out of this one." That lovely smile left as fast as it came. "How disappointing."
He laughed at her crestfallenness. "You'll be alright." Gabriel patted her shoulder a few times over, focusing on the way the blade so prominently jutted out from under her skin.
"Like I've said," Morrison silenced the crowd, "this information was received only yesterday, so once we have a bit more, I'll start giving you the details, Blackwatch." His tone became sinister. "Don't let me down this time. I'm giving you one shot."
"You can count on us, Commander," Jesse spoke, an underlying message in his tone that was not lost on Gabe.
We're not fucking this up again, Reyes, those were the words conveyed in his voice, and everyone knew it.
"Yeah? Well, here's hoping," says Jack. "Alright, dismissed." Once more, the group stood in unison and moved seemingly as one unit to the doorways.
Gabriel walked alongside Moira, unsure of her destination but not truly having one himself.
It just felt right to follow her.
"He seems to be taking the incident in Venice quite personally," the woman commented. He shook his head, memories of Jesse's passive aggressive comments and disgusted remarks flowing through his mind. "I'm almost positive it was his idea to shoot Antonio, and I was the one who talked him out of it. Or maybe Gerard was, I don't know." The scene of the three of them speaking to one another replayed in his mind in an attempt to offer Gabe a better picture.
As he racked his brain for greater insight, Moira spoke up with the statement, "Commander Morrison and the Cowboy are blaming me for your actions, I'm not sure if you're aware." He glanced up at her and scoffed, sounding a simple, "What?" She paused at the entrance to an elevator. "I was told ever since my arrival, you've become distant and secretive."
"They're blaming-? Oh, my God."
She laughed, clearly finding her situation way more humorous than he. "I'm working alongside people of quality intelligence, I see." Gabriel leaned against the wall and folded his arms.
"You aren't excluded from this 'group of geniuses,' either, Reyes," Red told him before he could voice anything.
"What? What did I do?"
"It isn't so much what you did as what you did not do."
When he raised a brow, she explained, "I gave you the ability to become fluid, an incredibly powerful gene. It allows you to move completely undetected and grants you access to otherwise inaccessible areas. During our time in Rialto, I didn't feel as if you utilized this to its greatest potential. It was horribly disappointing."
Horribly disappointing.
"That isn't to mention you were, evidently, inexperienced. You had noticeable difficulty becoming solid once more, and at times, you didn't even completely change back. It was pitiful at best."
Gabe sighed.
Well then.
"Why don't you give me some pointers, if that's the case?" he offered, concentrating on her uniquely-colored eyes and the pronounced collarbone her dark shirt exposed, refusing to let embarrassment get the better of him. She folded her hands behind her and cocked a hip to the side. "To begin, I suppose, you should focus more on the less sensitive places of your body when willing yourself to shift into your second form. You should also practice in a more hectic environment. That way, it will become increasingly difficult to focus." Her eyes darted to the side of her head in thought, another quirk of hers that did not go unnoticed by him. "What sort of...pointers would you like?" He shrugged. "I'll just go with what you just said to do." Moira raised an eyebrow skeptically. In response, he smiled sheepishly and raised his hands in defense. "I promise, the next time you see me, I'll ace it. Deal?" That devious smirk returned to her perfect face. "If you lose, what do I get?"
"Oh, that's how it's going to be?"
"Is that not how deals work, Gabriel?" The lilt in her suave voice twisted the contents of his ribcage in an indescribable fashion. The sensation was foreign, yet lovely, and deny it all he wish, there was a small voice in the back of his mind that pleaded and cried for her to say his name again. It wanted her to say it that way, with that condescending, intelligent tone coupled with her infamous smirk and a perfect brow raised above the other.
Oh, how it begged, yet its cries slammed against the backs of his molars and dissipated under his silent scolding.
"Alright, how about this:" Gabriel offered after the fight he had with himself had ended, "if I end up kissing your ass,"-his words earned him a low chuckle from Moira-"what would you want from me?"
"Hm." She tilted her head to one side. "I would love for you to clean and organize my closet in the laboratory."
"Yeah? Alright."
"I would have to be there, of course, so I'm able to watch you while I sit on the couch."
"Alri-" he wasn't able to finish because of the laughter that her statement had induced. "Alright, alright, deal."
"And if I'm the loser?" she questioned him. Gabe shook his head. "I'll think of something, don't worry."
"If you insist." She held out her left hand for him to take. "Good luck, Commander." He engulfed her pale palm in his much darker one. "The Luck of the Irish, it can't fail me." Finally, her grinned revealed those perfect teeth. "We'll see about that."