Interceptors: War Council [Blink/Grim] (IC)

[Heritage]

It’s didn’t take too long for Grim to track down her prey; the quarry didn’t spend much time above ground, and the lower level of the brownstone was so sterile and antiseptic that any scent stood out in sharp relief. Quiet as a shadow, the young faeling crept down the corridor towards the gym, nostrils twitching; about twenty feet from the doorway, she remembered who she was hunting…and suddenly being playful and mischievous seemed like a really bad idea.

Switching tactics, she hopped up to her full five foot three, rolled the tension out of her neck and shoulders, and ambled the last twenty feet, loudly whistling ‘Always Look On the Bright Side of Life’. She wore loose gray workout pants, a dark blue sports bra and was barefoot; it seemed appropriate for a gym visit. When she got to the doorway, she loudly banged on it and called out.

“Yo, Blink, you in there? It’s the other hot and sneaky girl on the team.â€

[blink]

For all of the changes her life had just gone through, Nadia had begun to rebuild the comforts of routine in the cavernous underground facility. She spent much of her time getting familiar with the equipment and machines that made up the base as well as monitoring the extensive intelligence gathering equipment. Even if it seemed that there was an endless list of things to do, she always made significant time to spend either in the gym or the training room. It would be absolutely inexcusable if she were to loose her form from lack of practice.

Today had been a gym day which had consisted of both cardio and strength training. Tomorrow would be a skills day, but a mix of the two was critical to maintain peak performance. She was in the process of doing bench presses, pushing the 300 pound weight up and down. It was a bit of a strain, but she wasn't aiming to build bulk. Far from it, she needed to stay lean and flexible. Her training had emphasized speed over strength... but it never hurt to have both.

Thankfully, she had heard Grim's whistles echoing through the hallway. Early on, her nerves at being surrounded by heroes had kept her on edge, and there had been a few regrettable incidents with team members where she had nearly attacked them.

As Grim stepped in, she was already setting the weight down and wiping her brow. She was dressed in her ubiquitous cargo pants/fatigues and a halter top. It was comfortable, functional and kept her from having to go shopping all that often. Ordering over the internet was dicey for sizes, however, her choice for day to day clothes made it far easier.

"Is not trying to be so sneaky... but still is being hot," Nadia said in what was a close to a joke as she usually mustered. "Da, am here."

[Heritage]

"Is not trying to be so sneaky... but still is being hot," Nadia said in what was a close to a joke as she usually mustered. "Da, am here."

God, this Russian girl cracked her up! Grim was always careful to laugh with her and not at her (she’d seen the kind of weights the girl could handle), but something about her earnest stoicism just made the shapeshifter smile.

“Cool. Wow, so this is the gym, huh? I really ought to spend more time down here.†She made herself a wooden stool out of glamour and perched upon it. “So I was thinkin' maybe we should start developing a strategy for taking on the mob; y’know, baby steps at first, but then workin’ our way deeper and deeper into the organization.â€

She had a feeling this next part was going to be uncomfortable; her eyes wandered around the room as she chose her words carefully.

“So, uh, you’ve worked…you’re a professional, aren’t ya? Or at least, you were before you signed up with us, right?â€

[blink]

Nadia sat straight up from the bench, her body tense and her posture defensive. It was a question that she had expected, but hadn't relished answering. While she had answered for some of her crimes, it was a part of her life that she hoped remained closed... for good.

"Da," she said responding to Grim's question. She took a long moment to unclench her fists and look up to meet the shifters eyes. "Am not being happy with everything that was doing. But... well services were in demand and money was needed. Was making bad assumptions, even if liking much of work. Was being a sense of living... no... um, excitement is word I am thinking."

She searched Grim's face for a sense of judgment, but realized that anything there would likely be deserved. It really didn't matter that she had been selective in her assignments, she had chosen her life and she would stand by her choices and decisions, as wrong as they were. Still, it would be good to know where her team would stand on this.

"As for Mob, is likely not very happy... thinking would not get more work. Is good place to start."

[Heritage]

"Da,""Am not being happy with everything that was doing. But... well services were in demand and money was needed. Was making bad assumptions, even if liking much of work. Was being a sense of living... no... um, excitement is word I am thinking."

Grim held up her hands.

“Hey, you’ll get no judgment or guilt trips from me, girl; the only reason I could tell is I’ve worked both sides of the street myself.â€

She warms to her topic, and gets all gesture-y.

“Your body language and combat reflexes pretty much scream ‘ex-military’, but you haven’t gone soft from civilian life, so you’re obviously still workin’. And women, for no damn good reason, aren’t allowed in the front lines in this country, even though they get their arms and legs blown off every day over there. Plus you have a scary Russian accent, so there ya go. A pro.â€

"As for Mob, is likely not very happy... thinking would not get more work. Is good place to start."

And here Grim gets an evil look in her eye as she steeples her fingers like Mr. Burns.

“That’s the thing: do they have to know? You are in a perfect position to be a double agent, if we keep your membership in the Interceptors secret. Or if it’s too late for that or you’re not comfortable, you can prep me to go in deep.â€

[blink]

Nadia nodded at Grim's assessment, it was pretty much spot on. She looked at the shifter for a moment, as if reassessing opinions. She was envious at Grim's ability to shift so fluidly. It was like the difference between pulling on a pair of broken in jeans as opposed to getting into a formal gown. Nadia could shift to mimic people, but Grim took it to a whole different level. Besides, the ability to summon objects out of the air was far too cool.

"Are finding working for... good to be difficult? No?" she said, wondering how Grim had fared on her transition. "Am still feeling like team, or police, will be sending to jail for past crimes... is not good to be nervous all times."

Then she thought about her possibilities of infiltrating the mob. There were a couple of families that now wanted her dead. That would be an issue, although she could certainly go in disguise and use her knowledge of the people in that organization.

"No. Not too late. However, some families are wanting dead for failing of job," she said shrugging her shoulders. "Was not very partial to kidnapping or killing of civilians."

[Heritage]

"Are finding working for... good to be difficult? No?""Am still feeling like team, or police, will be sending to jail for past crimes... is not good to be nervous all times."

“Who, me? Uh, I did fine, I guess. I mean, I was pretty small time, mostly running scams on dumb rich guys I found through dating services, plus some very petty theft. I still like to get into mischief, but at least now it's for a good cause, right?â€

She looks over her shoulder, then leans in and lowers her voice.

“I was actually in on a heist last year, y’know, all undercover and stuff? But that didn’t go so well, to be honest; I wasn’t ready yet, to go that far. But a lot’s happened since then.â€

"No. Not too late. However, some families are wanting dead for failing of job,""Was not very partial to kidnapping or killing of civilians."

Grim laughs as she tucks her legs up Indian-style.

"Yeah, scruples always make you unpopular. So as I said at our first team meeting, I have two identities established in Freedom's criminal underworld. One is a sleazy talent agent-slash-pimp named Lenny Stein, who specializes in providing clients with beautiful female crooks, which means you'd fit the profile to a T; he's very gross and a lot of fun to play, to be honest. The other is a crook herself, a thief who can do the fadeout thing named Whisper, one of Lenny's 'girls'."

She spreads her hands.

"I dunno if either of those help you, but I offer 'em up for the toolbox, y'know, for whatever plans we hatch."

[blink]

Nadia's eyes went wide as saucers as Grim described some of her past endeavors. She hadn't considered that there would be others on the team who might not have such a squeaky clean past; it changed much of the dynamics of the team... at least from Nadia's perspective. What else had she missed while trying to remain as cool as possible? Were there others on the team who weren't quite so wholesome? Certainly not the ones with a noted public persona, but Nadia vowed to do a little digging herself to try and find out more about the people on her team.

"Mischief for good cause..." Blink said as if trying the words on for size. "Am liking very much. Would be happy for partner in crime."

As she said the last phrase she kicked herself, but since she had already confessed, so to speak, she continued hesitantly. Grim was a very outgoing and infectious person and while Nadia instinctively liked her, she had a hard time opening up to anyone. Talking business and planning ops was another thing altogether.

"Is only some families who are knowing of Blink. Have other... persona's that can be using as well. Thankfully, was not foolish enough to meet with Mob contacts as self," she said while pointing to herself. "Thinking that giving of black eye to mob is good thing. Can try to be playing of... floozy."

Realizing that Grim had likely come down here for more than just a chat on the mob, she forced herself to try and be more personable, "so... am noticing that Grim and Colt are being some thing like an item. Is true? Colt is seeming to be good man."

[Heritage]

"Mischief for good cause..." Blink said as if trying the words on for size. "Am liking very much. Would be happy for partner in crime."

"Cool!" The phrase clearly has no negative connotations for Grim.

"Is only some families who are knowing of Blink. Have other... persona's that can be using as well. Thankfully, was not foolish enough to meet with Mob contacts as self," she said while pointing to herself. "Thinking that giving of black eye to mob is good thing. Can try to be playing of... floozy."

At the mention of Nadia's other identities, Grim starts gnawing on her thumbnail. "Yeah, about that...can you, uh...lose the accent? I'm not trying to be critical or anything, it's just very strong and I wasn't sure how good your accent work is; I mean, it's not like I'm an expert or anything, but I've got a pretty good ear, so..."

"so... am noticing that Grim and Colt are being some thing like an item. Is true? Colt is seeming to be good man."

The young shifter snorts. "Oh yeah, he's a very good man!"

Then her cheeks and the tips of her pointed ears go a little pink.

"We, uh, yeah, we're a thing. I mean, so far we're a thing; obviously, it's new, it's exciting, but we don't know, y'know, where it's goin' just yet, but yeah, it's fun, it's cool..."

[blink]

Nadia cocked her head and tried to stifle her accent, "well I am trying at times of stifling accent. It is just not always being working." She said without a whole lot of success. With a sigh, she concentrated for a moment and her body shifted. In front of Grim was a prim and proper young lady looking fairly scholarly with her expressive eyes and severe hair style.

"Perhaps, this is more to your liking? I find that my accent tends to ebb and flow with the skin that I am wearing," she said with a hint of an English accent. "I had to use this form to gain access to a multinational corporation. They had some of the most interesting research and development facilities that I have ever had the privilege of observing."

Then, shaking her head like she had water in her hair, she shifted back to her own self, "finding more comfortable in own skin though. Can be doing whatever jobs are needed."

She looked at her hands, as if making sure they were her own before continuing, "am being glad for you. Is seeming to both being happy. Have not had um... relationship like that before. Not wanting to be with people in prior profession, nor bringing of good man into bad life. Perhaps now... well who is knowing?"

[Heritage]

When Nadia did her shift, Grim bounced up and down on her seat and clapped her hands like a little girl.

"Oh man, that is awesome! I mean, I know I can do it, too, but it's so much cooler when you see someone else do it, y'know? Oh, we are gonna kick this city's ass!"

"am being glad for you. Is seeming to both being happy. Have not had um... relationship like that before. Not wanting to be with people in prior profession, nor bringing of good man into bad life. Perhaps now... well who is knowing?"

The thought that a beautiful smart girl like new teammate might have never had a guy...wow, that is rough. Grim hops up off her stool (which obligingly poofs out of existence) and steps over to Blink, arm outstretched to gently place a hand on her shoulder, if she'll let her.

"It'll happen for you, I know it; I mean, you are way too hot and awesome not to! You know that, right?"

She rubs her chin and cocks and eyebrow.

"Like, maybe you and Jack could start patroling together or something; you could let him run ahead so you can check out that sweet ass of his..."

[blink]

Nadia laughed quietly, in part because she agreed with Grim. Jack was an all around fit individual, but he did have some very nice looking assets. A faint blush crept across her face, because she had indeed spent some time staring at the flashy swordsman.

"Is not being worried for... um... lovers. Rather the having of comrades is much happier to be getting. Too much solitary living in city without having of friends and family."

She clasped her hands together, "is missing of peoples to talking with..."

Her voice trailed off as she considered what she was saying. Nadia was not a person used to wearing their emotions on their sleeves. Yet Grim had the kind of infectious personality that made you want to open up to her. She could understand what Colt saw in her, at least beyond what any sane man would see. Her infectious cheer and upbeat personality practically demanded a level of intimacy; both for friends and relations. Despite all of Nadia's misgivings about having friends, or any relationships for that matter, she realized that she liked Grim and hoped the the budding friendship continued.

Then after a pause, she smiled mischievously, "if working out in morning, finding of Jack in training area. Not even having too wait for patrol. Is good show."

[Heritage]

"Is not being worried for... um... lovers. Rather the having of comrades is much happier to be getting. Too much solitary living in city without having of friends and family."

"is missing of peoples to talking with..."

It was funny the way talking to Nadia made Grim want to protect her, even though she was clearly a girl who could take care of herself, but sometimes it was the badass chicks who needed the most assurance.

She grinned and shook her head.

"Well you are in luck, because obviously I love to talk." And then her tone got a bit more earnest and her gaze more intense. "About anything, anytime. Seriously."

Then it was gone, and her eyes twinkled once more. "'Cause us tough chicks have to stick together, right?" She thrusts a small fist skyward. "Sisters in arms, forever!"

"if working out in morning, finding of Jack in training area. Not even having too wait for patrol. Is good show."

A pencil and notepad appear in Grim's hands as she nods slowly.

"Morning workouts, eh? I'll make a note of that."

But the props disappear with a wink.

"Now we just need to convince Jack and Colt to start fencing in their Speedos; we could make a fortune on the pay-per-view rights." :twisted: