Disclaimer: I do not own Human Target and intend no copyright infringement.
The office.
"Golden Gate Bridge."
"Too windy", Ilsa and Ames vetoed Winston's suggestion in unison.
"Hyde Street Pier?"
"Too many people to keep an eye on", Guerrero objected.
"Coit Tower?"
Chance weighed his head. "Could work. But not up on the tower. Too little room to maneuver. Down by the Columbus statue?"
"Well, it all started with a statue…" Ames agreed.
"And since they're about to embark on a journey into the unknown…", Winston added.
"Never knew you joined the Dead Poets Society, dude…"
"Wiseass. It's not that you contributed anything useful to the discussion so far…"
"Grenade launcher, Chance?", Guerrero asked, whipping out a list.
"Bit of an overkill, hm? But pack the flamethrower, just in case …"
Guerrero scratched one item off the list.
… … …
Pioneer Park.
"Okay, Harry, relax. We'll make sure nothing interferes, all you have to do is stick to the plan", Chance told Harry via earpiece in his most calming voice.
"Easier said than done! My life is at stake here! If this goes wrong…" Harry started pacing around the statue.
"Could you be any more dramatic?" Winston's voice.
"Excuse me, but this is important! Have you ever been in a situation like this?" Harry rounded the statue for the third time in less than a minute.
"Actually I have. And it was it going right that ruined…"
"Mr. Winston! I think Harry can do without that particular information right now." They had left Ilsa in the van to monitor the visuals of the cams they had installed.
"Dude, stop circling the statue. You'll leave a trail in the concrete."
"She's late." Harry pulled out a giant handkerchief and wiped his forehead.
"No, she isn't." Ames sounded excited. "That figure in the distance, that's her, I'm sure." She quickly disappeared behind a tree but kept following the approaching woman with her binoculars.
"I'm sorry I'm late, darling", Nelly greeted Harry and squeezed his arms. "But my sty got really bad this morning and I had to see a doctor. He prescribed me something I reacted allergic to, thus the rash around the corners of my mouth and on the cheeks. I went to another doctor, she prescribed me something different for the sty and ointment against the rash. Now I'm feeling slightly nauseous…"
"You need to get her mind off her troubles. Tell her something nice", Ames advised.
"You're more beautiful than ever", Harry blurted out.
"Darling, I'm looking like elephant woman and you're seeing that as an improvement to my usual appearance?"
In his ears, Harry could hear the entire team groan.
"I love you, no matter what", Harry stammered.
"Everything okay? Someone tried to kill you again?" Nelly touched his forehead, worry lines on her face.
"Winston, check six", Guerrero spoke up. "There's a free running dog, dragging its leash behind. We can't have a dog-seeking owner barging in."
Winston hurried to prevent the dog from getting too close to the statue.
"There's a couple approaching from the west, with two bratty looking children in tow", Ilsa warned.
"I'll take care of them." Chance headed off west. For eventualities like these they had bought several tickets for the Exploratorium. Chance would tell them some vaguely believable story about how he had come across these tickets but his family had no time and thus would they maybe…?
"There's another couple approaching, just man and woman", Ames observed.
"I can see them, too", Ilsa confirmed. "Guerrero, maybe you should take care of them."
"Ames is closer."
"Yes, but they look like they fought. She's throwing her hair around and he's kicking stones out of his way. It's not a good idea to bring a beautiful stranger in now. We don't want them to break into a full-fledged shouting match within hearing distance, do we?"
"Copy that." For this eventuality, Ilsa had reserved tables at several high-end restaurants. Guerrero would tell them a vaguely believable story about his fiancée having no time, despite him having waited for a year to get a reservation, maybe they would…?
Somewhere northwards they could hear a dog bark and Winston was cursing via earpiece, but as long as he stayed away from the statue…
Chance returned just in time to see Nelly touch Harry's forehead in a caring gesture. "It's now or never, Harry…"
Harry stood frozen like the Christopher Columbus statue they had chosen as the meeting point.
"You can do it, Harry!", Ames spurred him on.
"Hey, are you trying to steal my dog?", a stranger's voice, probably belonging to an elderly woman, could be faintly heard via earpiece.
"Ames is right, you can do it and you'll do great." Ilsa's voice, in best human resources encouragement fashion.
Winston's earpiece transported something that sounded like muffled thumping, the sound an umbrella makes when it hits the back of a huge ex-cop repeatedly. "I don't want to put anyone under pressure here, but could we maybe finish this thing, FAST?"
"Harry. On your knees. Now." Guerrero's voice, in best human torture encouragement fashion.
Harry dropped to his knees and started fumbling in his pockets.
"We should have superglued the ring to his hand", Winston snarled, puffing from running away from the old lady.
"Told you so, dude…"
"You suggested stapling it to his hand…"
Harry finally got hold of the box and – lo and behold! – managed to snap it open without sending the ring rolling down the gutter or having it snatched away by a magpie or something.
Sounds unlikely? Hey, we're talking Harry here. There's a reason Guerrero brought his long-distance rifle.
"You're doing fine, Harry. Now, just as we practiced, nothing complicated, just spill it out." Ames voice, very slowly, very soothing.
Harry took a deep breath.
"Nelly, will you marry me?"