Ashley did her best to stifle a gasp when Doctor Moller almost casually noted that Ellie had been killed in action. The Knight of Tomorrow hadn’t known the young woman for very long, but she was a cheerful presence that would sorely be missed. There was also the fact that hers was a young life cut down far before its time, but with the staggering loss of life that she’d seen over the past few weeks, the high-tech heroine found herself becoming increasingly numb to the horror and sorrow that would normally be engendered by it. Instead, the frustration and concern that she had been feeling before the director’s announcement all too quickly returned to the forefront of her mind. Finn had been a major liability during the recent mission, and even if Dr. Moller had spoken with him about it (something Ashley knew was far from a certainty), the Knight of Tomorrow wished to ensure that she and her young subordinate would be on the same page moving forward, especially now that her status as team leader had assumed a more permanent nature.

Oh great. [i]Great great great-[/i] As if Ashley didn’t have enough reason to reprimand him, now she has an excuse to exercise her new promotion over his head. Finn tried not to let his reaction be too obvious lest that add yet another reason to the growing list of complaints. He avoided looking the other agents in the eye. It always hurts being forced to look someone angry in the eyes.


[color=MediumSpringGreen]“Thank you, ma’am,”[/color] Ashely told the director as she took the offered badge. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“I’ll strive to put forth only my best efforts in this new position. Finn?”[/color] she asked once Dr. Moller had departed. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“I would like to speak with you for a moment.”[/color]

The boy quickly tensed up. He expected this, sure, but that doesn’t make him any less… He didn’t know what to call it. Anxious? Irritated? Some other third thing? Crossing his arms over his chest, Finn took a shaky breath and stepped over to the leader. [color=7F2A3C]”Mm?”[/color]

[color=MediumSpringGreen]“I’m not sure if Director Moller has spoken with you about your conduct during the mission or not,”[/color] Ashley began, carefully adjusting her glasses in such a way that the light now seemed to create a reflective sheen. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“But I’d just like to clarify exactly [i]why[/i] I’m so disappointed with your recent behavior. To be perfectly honest, the entire operation was a complete debacle, and while I can’t say for certain if things would have ultimately turned out any differently if we didn’t enter the diner directly, the fact is that you disobeyed an explicit order, putting the entire team at risk. Everything that followed was due to that rash decision, and to compound matters, you left the scene before the operation was fully concluded, leaving Estelle and I to handle the fallout alone.”[/color] She took a deep breath before continuing. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“You were a liability today, Finn, and I can’t have you jeopardizing future operations in such a manner. Therefore, unless you can learn from these mistakes and promise me that you won’t make them again, I can’t in good conscience condone your continued presence on my team. Do you understand?”[/color] She felt like she was admonishing her little brother, and while she hated having to do it, a lot more was at stake here than just some bad grades or getting detention.

Finn quietly let her talk, nodding along to indicate that he was still listening. He frowned when she brought up him running away. Did any of them even care why he did? Of course he realized how much he fucked up, he wasn’t as stupid as they think he was. He didn’t want to kill Amanda. He never wanted to kill Dante, he hadn’t had a choice!

…And yet, he did. He acted rashly out of fear and recklessness. He wouldn’t be surprised if the rest of his co-workers regretted humoring his stupid theories. If they regretted protecting him. Was [i]that[/i] why he was left to defend himself against Dante? Who knows. There was just no point in arguing back.

[color=7F2A3C]”...I-I understand, ma’am.”[/color] The boy’s gaze remained downwards. At least no one was yelling, that’s a good thing. Right?

There was probably a lot that Estelle could have thought about right now. There was the obvious part of being so out of the loop regarding everything that this branch of GEMINI was handling. There was the fact that there was a whole ass [i]behemoth[/i] in Pax Septimus that apparently no one was even tracking until it swept in and aligned itself with that shadowy Esper. There was Finn, the perpetual fuck-up who turned the whole mission upside down for a curse that Estelle honestly didn’t even have a clue that he was really harbouring.

But all that really just paled in the light of Ellie being dead. Dead, just like that. Announced in a throwaway line at the very end of Dr. Moller’s briefing. Estelle wasn’t sure if she’d have gotten along with the trigger-happy Angel in the long run, but in the short run?

A death of a fellow agent just felt too heavy a thing to ignore in the face of getting angry at a child for messing up in a high-pressure situation. The boy couldn’t drive, couldn’t drink, couldn’t vote. At his age, all she had been worried about was homework and whether her parents were going to announce an impromptu family-friend-dinner that weekend when she had made (but not announced) her plans for heading off to the trampoline park with her non-family-friends.

Pax Septimus seemed [i]sadistically[/i] short-staffed.

[b]“You figured out your ‘curse’, right?”[/b] Estelle’s own expression was softer. [b]“Do you need to keep working right now, Finn? I know you’re experienced and all, but it’s not going to get easier.”[/b]

Not now that there was cause for Amanda to be rightfully vengeful, not now that they’ve gotten the attention of a Behemoth.

The boy looked back up and over in Estelle’s direction at her question. He opened his mouth to speak; of course he can still work, he was fine, and yet no words came out. Finn would be lying if he said he knew. He [i]had[/i] been second guessing himself and his own mind a lot lately. At the same time he didn’t really [i]want[/i] to stop working.

[sub][color=7F2A3C][i]”Damnú air.”[/i][/color][/sub] He cursed under his breath. [color=7F2A3C]”I don’t know.”[/color]

[color=MediumSpringGreen]“Well, I hope you figure out an answer by the time our next operation comes along,”[/color] Ashley told him. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“This isn’t something to take lightly,”[/color] she added. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“Not when people’s lives are at stake.”[/color]

[color=7F2A3C]”I know. [sub]I know…[/sub]”[/color]

Well, she recognized [i]that[/i] expression anywhere. Words were basically pointless now.

[b]“Alright, that’s enough,”[/b] Estelle said, clapping her hands together. [b]“I’m sure we’re all tired and everything, so let’s split like a banana and get some rest.”[/b]

[color=MediumSpringGreen]“Agreed,”[/color] Ashley concurred with a tired sigh. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“Please think about what I said, Finn,”[/color] she told the boy as she headed out. 

Hopefully he would have ample time over the next few days to do just that.