Winston’s POV
Winnie’s head snapped to attention as Remedy called him b his first name. It was unexpected to say the least. ‘Uh— I’ll call her.” He mumbled, pulling out a old phone. It was about the same size as Winnie’s palm, and looked beaten beyond its best days. He held out a hand to stroke Sam with as he waited for his mother to pick up,
Opals POV
“Thank you.” Opal said, wondering what Ae-Ri would say if she saw her sitting with Pasithea right now. “I think I may have hurt her too much though.” She finished up as the waiter came to serve them their food.
Alecs POV
Alec listened as Mirage talked to the cashier. Apparently the one of the two girls had bought a game, and then they left talking about shopping, or maybe getting something to eat, but the cashier wasn’t really sure.
Anthony's POV
"Come here," he growled at Samuel, his eyes darkening considerably when he took notice of his brother's whereabouts. "Sit. And stay."
Winston’s POV
“Hey, Ma. How’re you feeling?” Winston asked, his voice going soft as the woman in question picked up the phone. “Yeah—No, I’m okay. I promise. I gotta ask you— Ma… Ma, listen… There’s this boy— No! Ma! No!” Winston’s face lit up a bright red for a moment as he bickered with his mother over the phone. A few minutes later and Winston had explained the situation to the bets of his ability, trying to sugarcoat it as much as possible. Eventually the conversation began to wind down. “Yeah, Ma. Love you too. G’night.” He hung up the phone with a sigh, still a bit embarrassed. “She says she’d like to meet y’all first, but tonight’s fine for sure. You mind talkin’ to her tomorrow mornin’? She’s real sweet, I promise.”
Sienna’s POV
“I like you quite a lot Opal. If you’re in need of a friend, you have me as your ally.” She replied smoothly, thanking the waitress as she set down their waters.
Alecs POV
Alec listened as Mirage talked to the cashier. Apparently the one of the two girls had bought a game, and then they left talking about shopping, or maybe getting something to eat, but the cashier wasn’t really sure.
“Is there nothing else you can tell us?” Ae-Ri forced out through gritted teeth, inhaling shakily. “One of these women is a criminal, and she has a.. colleague of mine.” The man shook his head, leaving her frustrated.
Winston’s POV
“Hey, Ma. How’re you feeling?” Winston asked, his voice going soft as the woman in question picked up the phone. “Yeah—No, I’m okay. I promise. I gotta ask you— Ma… Ma, listen… There’s this boy— No! Ma! No!” Winston’s face lit up a bright red for a moment as he bickered with his mother over the phone. A few minutes later and Winston had explained the situation to the bets of his ability, trying to sugarcoat it as much as possible. Eventually the conversation began to wind down. “Yeah, Ma. Love you too. G’night.” He hung up the phone with a sigh, still a bit embarrassed. “She says she’d like to meet y’all first, but tonight’s fine for sure. You mind talkin’ to her tomorrow mornin’? She’s real sweet, I promise.”
“I will speak with her whenever is possible,” Anthony answered briskly, rolling back his shoulders. “But my contact with both her and you will be limited. As limited as I can manage. I hope you understand that.”
And that was it. No thank-you’s, no acknowledgements, just a declaration delivered in a cold, detached tone of voice. But that was his way—he was only trying to protect himself. He’d be betraying these people soon enough, leading them to their deaths. He couldn’t afford to get cozy.
Winston’s POV
“It’s okay! As long as y’all are healthy.” Winnie smiled. “They’ll probably have you doin’ big hero stuff. I don’t get sent out unless they need a big flashlight.” He sighed, bummed out they Sam had moved away from him.
Anthony’s POV
He snorted loudly, turning towards the door. “Right. Are we going to leave or not?”
Opals POV
Opal blushed and began shifting with the aclets of her sweater. “Thank you Pasithea, but I wouldn’t know what to do with that
Alecs POV
Alec watched Mirages demeanor from happy-ish to anger as she finished up with the cashier. “Mirage, do you have any leads?” He asked afterward.
Ae-Ri’s POV
“They went to eat,” she muttered, clenching and unclenching her fists. “Somewhere.”
Alec’s POV
“Okay, any clue where they would go to eat at?” Alec asked as they made their way out of the store.
Ae-Ri’s POV
Ae-Ri tried to think, to concentrate, but each memeorh of Opal was as painful as a stab to the heart. “I-I don’t know.”
“Okay,” Alec mused, “Maybe we can think like them.” He looked around at the nearby restaurants, which sadly, as they were in a shopping center, was a lot. “Do you know where your friend likes to eat?”
Anthony’s POV
He snorted loudly, turning towards the door. “Right. Are we going to leave or not?”
Winston’s POV
“We? I thought they gave you a mission?” Winnie’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Did you want to stop at home first?”
Opals POV
Opal blushed and began shifting with the aclets of her sweater. “Thank you Pasithea, but I wouldn’t know what to do with that
Sienna’s POV
“Worry a little less, darling. There’s no need for it.” Sienna soothes calmly, looking around the restaurant with mild interest.
“Okay,” Alec mused, “Maybe we can think like them.” He looked around at the nearby restaurants, which sadly, as they were in a shopping center, was a lot. “Do you know where your friend likes to eat?”
Ae-Ri racked her brain, hitting the heel of her hand against the tinted visor of her helmet. Think, come on…. “Mexican!” she blurted suddenly. “She likes Mexican food.”
Anthony’s POV
He snorted loudly, turning towards the door. “Right. Are we going to leave or not?”
Winston’s POV
“We? I thought they gave you a mission?” Winnie’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Did you want to stop at home first?”
Anthony’s POV
He raised an eyebrow. “I have a mission. You have to go home. Therefore, we both need to leave.”
Winston’s POV
“Yeah… er— I should get started on dinner anyways.” Winnie’s face flushed red with embarrassment. He got off the floor, scrambling into a standing position.
Anthony called his grotesques into a ring around him, smoothing back a lock of hair. “Alright.”
“Where’re they sendin’ you? Do you want my staff? I have it in my room.” Winnie started walking towards the door, worried for his new friend.
“I have my own weapons,” Anthony interjected, lifting his file up to eye-level. A small frown tugged at his lips. “Actually, Firefly.. I need a flashlight for this mission.”
“Don’t call me—“ Winnie’s eyes widened with realization. He stopped himself mid sentence, spinning around to face Remedy. “You want me to go with you? Are you sure? I’ll try not to mess up. Do I need my staff?”
Anthony snorted loudly, already regretting the decision. “Poor word choice. I don’t need you. I need a very large flashlight that I don’t have to carry and won’t murder me while I’m looking in the other direction. Therefore, you’re coming with me.”
“Where’re we goin’? Is it another bank robbery?” Winnie backed out of the room so Anythony could come out, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Following after, Anthony gave the hero a harsh glare. “Drop the hyper attitude. Focus. Eliminate all emotions beside mild annoyance so your head can stay cool while we’re doing this. And no, not a bank robbery. A missing agent just radioed in, but they’re injured and can’t get out of the base they were situated in. It’s abandoned now, decimated by an explosion, but they survived.”