For encom_flynn

[cptcharisasosa]

The days seemed to just blend one into the next. Late nights answering to Decker bleeding into a morning in front of the review board with only a nap at her desk in between. Deep down she had the treasonous thought that it was all intentional but the good soldier she'd always been just swallowed those thoughts, throwing herself more deeply into her

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[encom_flynn]

Charisa had been on Sam’s mind ever since they met that night at the bar. It was rare he spoke to others. Sam would often keep himself to himself and not give a shit unless it concerned him but he looked over and saw her deep in thought like that, something made him talk to her. He’d handed out his business card and offered to help with her decision on leaving the military but Sam didn’t expect a call.

So that night when he got in from work and heard her message on the answering machine Sam was surprised to hear she wanted to meet him at a bar and not at work to talk business or for her to check out some of the technology Encom could provide. It was just to meet at another bar, chat and relax. Something he could use after a long day working on fixing glitches in new systems.

Getting himself changed into more casual attire, the usual jeans and black leather jacket, Sam then fired up his ,matching black Ducati and headed for the bar she mentioned. He’d only been here a couple of times since it was close to the arcade but that didn’t matter. Eventually when he got there and parked up Sam took off his helmet and walked through those old dark doors.

The bar had the biker feel to it. The kind of place you didn’t want to start trouble in and surprisingly for how dark it was in there, Sam noted it was pretty packed. He couldn’t make Charisa out anywhere and thought maybe she hadn’t arrived yet and he was early so pushing his way past the crowds he got to the bar and ordered himself a drink.

[cptcharisasosa]

She'd taken her time, walking rather than catching a cab. Another thought if she retired, get another vehicle or accept she'd be out of the country too much to bother with it. A million thoughts racing through her mind, none of which she'd wanted to consider before now and yet had no choice. One way or another, likely sooner than later, she was going to be a civilian again.

Wearing low slung jeans and a silken babydoll top with a high scoop neck and no back, she paused to look at the bike on the curb. Admiring the Ducati with a keen eye, she slipped from the yellowish pool of the street light and into the dark shadows of the bar. Allowing her eyes to adjust, she looked over the tables for a sign of Sam before working her way to the bar.

Spotting a profile she recognized, not just from the meeting but a bit of research online, Charisa slipped up beside Sam. "So, I invite you here and I'm late. How horrible is that?"

[encom_flynn]

By the time she got there Sam was playing with the label on his Budweiser and glancing over the beers ingredients not really giving a shit. It wasn’t until he heard the familiar voice that was left on his machine that Sam’s frown turned into a smile and he looked up at her.

“Late? This is my forth beer.” The smirk gave away he was teasing. Sam had that cheeky smile that was fortunate enough to pull off sarcasm. “Gotta admit I was surprised to get your call. I thought the next time I’d see you you’d be marching into my building demanding to see James Bond gadgets and wondering if M is stored in my basement.”

“What you having to drink?”

[cptcharisasosa]

"Damn, what I get for having second thoughts,' she said, smiling though the humor never quite reached her eyes. "The truth? I thought about it, but I worried about just showing up at your place of business with the shit I'm going through. If I end up in the brig, you don't need the relation of me just barging in and begging to play with the toys," she admitted, folding her arms on the bar and half turning to face him.

"A beer's fine, though now I want to know about M." She gave him a speculative look. "Are you looking to replace her with me? I don't have the voice for it."

[encom_flynn]

Sam laughed. “I don’t think it’s about the voice just the coat and selection of cool gadgets. I think you could pull of that bit pretty good.” Ordering her a bud just the same as his Sam turned more to face the woman he had recently met.

“Honestly I wouldn’t have minded if you came into Encom just to look at the technology. I’m not an interesting guy so the gadgets I have make everything worth it. I will have to show you sometime.” Sam wondered about taking others into the Grid. The beauty of it was too breathtaking to keep it to a handful of people but on the other side the danger that went with it was something that would need to be kept under control.

Would she even believe it was real if she was shown?

Well. Sam didn’t know that much about Charisa yet but from what he did know she was pretty down to earth and there was something about her he liked. Perhaps it was the fact she came from a military background and kept that will of her own.

“What happened with the military? Did you leave in the end?” Alright so he didn’t want to break a heavy subject up but it was bothering her the last time they met.

[cptcharisasosa]

"Well, if I have you apparently I could definitely make the gadget thing work for me. I mean, whose going to say no about being M," she asked, arching a brow. "What's more kick ass?" She lifted the bottle with a smile. "Cheers." Taking a drink, though she gave him a sharp look.

"Don't even start. I met the man, not the toys, and I gave you a call, didn't I?" Though it was kind of refreshing dealing with someone who knew how to be humble after the most prominent men in her life being all about the ego. "Though any time you want, I'd love to see the gadgets. M or otherwise. Especially if the jacket goes with the Ducati out front." Another drink, giving a shrug and a sigh.

"I'm not out yet but the legalities are started. I'll start June as a civilian, which is really odd to me. Long story short? An officer and a fed messed with the system and sold out the best alpha team in the business. I was willing to see them as the bad guys for personal reasons but once it was sorted out, the Army was still willing to let them fry. My command thinks I had a hand in their escape." It hadn't been a hand, though her mouth and a kiss was another story.

[encom_flynn]

“Civilian huh? Nothing wrong with that.” Sam listened and already noted how she had morals which was a good thing for anyone. Charisa did give off that I’ll stand for what I believe in type vibe. It was a trait Sam had also. “I know you’ll miss being there but I believe everything happens for a reason. It’ll all work out.”

Sam looked down at his favorite leather jacket when she made a comment about it. “It does go with the Ducati. You’re a fan of bikes?” He had all these basic getting to know you questions but one of the best things a woman could ever comment on was his bike. Sam had that Ducati with total pride, he loved the machine. “I’ve thought about getting a new bike but I can’t bring myself to part with her.” Taking a sip of his beer Sam ordered them some shots and waited for the bartender to put them down.

“Two shots. One for the past and one for the future.” Sam wished there was more he could do to help her feel better about what happened to her but really he didn’t have the best people skills. The most social interaction he got was either from work on years of being chased by the cops for stupid stunts he shouldn’t even attempt. “Maybe if we get you drink things will start looking up.” That cheeky smirk came out and Sam toasted her bottle with his beer.

[cptcharisasosa]

"Says the civilian," she teased, nudging him with her shoulder. "Of course you don't see anything wrong with it. Not that there is... with you. I know it'll work out. Worse that happens... Okay, aside from military prison? My parents never let me live this down. Just an excuse not to head home for holidays then," she said, taking a deep drink of her beer. Despite it all, she was determined to stay light hearted and flippant about it. She'd made her choices, good or bad, and she'd live with them.

"A bit, yeah. I used to have a lot more time for cars and all then I started being shipped overseas." Charisa laughed, shaking her head. "Cleaning everything out, I found out I've been paying for a parking space for nearly two years, and I haven't had car for a year." She gave him a look, speculative and nearly wicked. "You go on and get a new one and I'll sacrifice myself and take that one off your hands," she teased. "All for your sake." Added with a laugh, even as he made that pronouncement about the shots.

"Trying to get me tanked, are you? Wicked thing," she pronounced, raising one shot. "To leaving the past where it belongs."

[encom_flynn]

“Tanked? I think we need to get you way past that. Your world is opening up now, things will be different and it’s all about change. You should enjoy these moments, even the little ones like taking down shots at the bar with a friend you’ve only met twice.” Sam nudged the second shot towards, smirking as he did so.

It really was rare to find a woman interested in bikes who liked them for their build, their model and how they felt. Not because they sounded cool or looked impressive. Sam started to think about what her skills would be on the gaming Grid. Sure it was a dangerous place to be but if she had those skills and knew how to ride maybe they could team up and take down some programs. Obviously that would involve Sam taking her into the Grid to begin with and it was still early days.

“I do have one question that’s been bothering me lately.” Sam tried to keep himself from grinning and fully expected to be smacked for saying this. “The military, anything like Call Of Duty? I just got Black Ops.”

[cptcharisasosa]

Charisa laughed, giving him a look, eyes bright and smiling. "Good luck with that. I've spent years in the desert overseas drinking crap liquor from all around the country and keeping up with the boys and girls in special forces. I may be the one carrying you home," she teased, though his words struck a nerve. Smith had made her see this as an ending, a disappointment as she ruined her life. Not everyone was going to see it that way. "I've learned the number of times you've met a friend doesn't matter. They could be gone tomorrow. You focus on the fact you have someone to share with for now."

And so she took that next shot, not even so much as a grimace. "God, so much better than the stuff overseas," she murmured, grinning.

It was a smile that froze at his question and then she laughed. "Sam! God. Okay, one? Never played it. Two..." He couldn't have known and she just shook her head. "Right, so what I did in the Army before helping a friend? I was a liaison between special forces units - military and civilian security - and the military over in Iraq and Afghanistan. In other words?" She leaned in close as if conspiratorially whispering. "I am black ops." More so if she took the job with Pike.

[encom_flynn]

“Well I’m telling you now you weren’t in my Call of Duty game but I’ll let you off.” So he plan was to lighten her up a little bit but truth be told Charisa seemed pretty light and cheery anyway. She had a good sense of humor and Sam thought it was good to see she wasn’t letting the fact she was leaving getting her down. “So does this mean you can now tell me top secret info, like is area 51 real and is Elvis really dead? I’ve got loads of questions I need answering.”

He laughed and playfully nudged her with his shoulder. “Did Geri really leave the Spice Girls? That would break my heart if it was true.” Sam teased and went back to peeling the label off his drink. He was in a fairly good mood. It was nice just to spend that time chilling out after work like this.

“You know one day if you’re up for it I want to show you a bike no one else has seen before. Trust me this type of bike is a lot of fun compared to anything you could ever imagine.”

[cptcharisasosa]

"Damn. Now I just feel cheated," she said , mocking up a pout for a moment. "What happens when you're not bad ass enough, I guess." Giving a sigh, pressing the back of her hand to her brow. "Woe is me."

Laughing, mostly at herself though she gave him a look. Hard, stunned, then she glanced about, a furtive and nervous glance. "Area 51 isn't really in New Mexico. It's under the vault at Fort Knox. In fact, that whole building? That's a space ship. As for Elvis... His overlords said we aren't allowed to talk about that anymore."

Charisa couldn't believe how good it felt to laugh and joke and not spend every moment worrying about her career, about how the words she said would be taken. Especially when he went on and she couldn't help the way her eyes lit up.

"Up for it? Are you kidding? Any time. Name the time. I may harass you until you set a time,' she said, grinning like a kid at Christmas. "What kind of bike we talking about?"

[encom_flynn]

“One I wish I could explain.” He got that he wasn’t making much sense. Sam couldn’t even reel off a make or model number like he usually did with any bike question someone threw at him. Explaining how things worked and even the Grid itself was hard enough and he’d only recently met Sosa to give away that sort of information. “When I get it all figured out I’ll let you know.”

Looking up at her he smirked. “But there’s no way you’re having my Ducati. That’s all mine.” Even if Sam did decide to upgrade his bike parting with the Ducati was never going to happen. He couldn’t bring himself to do it after all the stunts and crazy shit he’d pulled with her the last couple of years, not to mention it was the first bike he’d taken Selene on when they first met.

“So aside from the military what else do you do?”

[cptcharisasosa]

That definitely got him a look, one of curiosity and interest. "You know, you couldn't try harder to get me to come by your offices and make it work. A prototype concept you can't explain to me? Yeah, I so want to see now," she admitted. "Or is this the type so protected not even going to get a peek," she asked, taking a drink of her beer.

"Aww, now I might pout," she teased, smiling more than pouting. Considering the question, giving a bit of a shrug. "Honestly, not a whole lot in the last few years. In high school and college I was in pistol and skeet competitions, and when I was younger I rode competitively in equestrian seat but then I was put on the ops teams and sent overseas and really never had time for much else but learning I how to drink the black ops boys under the table."