07 August 2019 - Protocol
Title: Protocol
Author: Beriaearwen
Crossover: Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Magnificent Seven ATF AU
Characters: Ezra Standish, Buffy Summers
Rating: FRT - Suitable for people over 13
Word Count: 1586
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Mutant Enemy, etc. The characters of The Magnificent Seven belong to MGM, etc. The Magnificent Seven ATF AU was created by MOG who generously opened it to everyone and anyone. All are used here without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: Ezra sees some faces from the past and has concerns.
Protocol
by Beriaearwen
Ezra took a moment to stand at the edge of the crowd and just let the faces drift past. He would need ot dive back into the fray in a moment, but for right now, he would let the little camera on his tie do its job and take pictures of those attending. He wasn't completely comfortable with the situation, being wired in such a situation, but understood the necessity, especially because there was a chance someone might recognize him as the ATFE agent he was rather than the broker he was portraying.
“Crap,” JD's voice sounded.
“Hmm,” Ezra responded as he took a sip of his drink, unable to talk to his fellow agent in case someone noticed.
“Things might be hotter than we thought,” the young agent advised. “We just got a confirmed facial recognition on two people - on two terrorists.”
Knowing better than to react to the information, Ezra sipped his drink and scanned the crowd, wondering who it could be and what it might mean to their operation. His eyes lighted on a familiar face and quickly found the second face just as familiar. He had seen the bulletins proclaiming their status as terrorists, but he knew more than that. He also recalled a still-standing order, an order even the most political of higher-ups wasn't foolish enough to repeal. He knew the unspoken rule among those who knew and understood what most of the world didn't see that the older order overrode every new item. Ezra had no idea if any of his team or his superiors knew or understood that, but he wasn't going to risk the city or the world because of their current label.
As he waited for an opportunity to approach one or the other of the two in question, he allowed the memories of his first official exposure to their world play out in his mind.
Sunnydale
He had graduated from the FBI Academy with honors; had excelled in his undercover instructions and knew that was the career path he wanted to follow, the one that would allow him to do the most good and still honor his mother's teachings by using his 'God given talents', as she so frequently put it. True, his mother had a horror of law enforcement and showed actual fear at the thought of the danger he might be in, but Ezra Standish wasn't his mother and his moral compass had been shaped more by the great-aunt that he had spent time with as a child than it had been by the mother he saw only infrequently.
However, upon graduation, someone in assignments decided he needed some seasoning, so he found himself sent to California. He was fairly indignant at the assignment until his instructor pulled him aside at graduation and explained the best undercover recruits were always sent to California or Ohio for some 'seasoning' before having their pick of assignments. Ezra accepted that, but had wondered.
He didn't wonder long. The first day he arrived at the regional office, he was called into his boss's office and was told things he believed to be some sort of joke the agents there pulled on new people, but, wanting to make a good impression, he listened and remembered the information he was told and memorized the protocols he was given. Then they took him to Sunnydale that evening and it all made sense.
After that trip to Sunnydale, he and his boss went out for drinks and the man laid things out very plainly for Ezra. Things fell into place for him - the haunted look in his instructor's eyes when he mentioned the California training, the quiet reserve of the agents out here around those who didn't know, and the reality that those he would be dealing with undercover would not always be human.
His first three months in that office hadn't required a return trip to Sunnydale, but he continued to receive an education on how to tell the human from the non-human and an understanding that not all non-humans were evil.
Then there was the bank robbery in Sunnydale. Normally they'd leave that for the local police, but there were some items stored in the bank that held an interest for the FBI, so he and his partner were sent to investigate.
He was unimpressed by the Sunnydale Police, but his partner assured him they were much better than they had been during the previous Mayor's administration.
A short time later, they were called in because tow of the bank robbers had escaped from the Sunnydale PD jail. Though the Marshalls had the lead on the investigation, he and his partner were sent back to assist as FBI presence.
It was during this time that he first met Buffy Summers and Rupert Giles. Their names came up in several interviews with people and Ezra and his partner had sought them out. It wasn't until they arrived at the Summers house and his partner said a coded phrase that he realized who the young woman and the older man present were. Taking in the repairs on the home and the faint scars that littered their visible skin, he could only feel respect. He understood what they did and why it needed to remain secret.
Using the carefully phrased sentences, it was determined that the young men's activities fell into the realm of regular US law enforcement, not the other. That didn't mean those who escaped weren't aware of or conversant with areas of Miss Summers' and Mr. Giles' expertise. The duo would be labeled dangerous for this knowledge and Miss Summers and Mr. Giles promised their help if needed.
Present
There had been only two other times he met Miss Summers while he was in California. He'd only been there for eight months before his transfer to Atlanta came through, but he never forgot those protocols.
Seeing an opportunity and ignoring the voice in his ear, he walked up to Miss Summers, as Mr. Giles was involved in a conversation. “An unexpected pleasure to see you here,” he greeted, in case they, like he, were going by other names. He saw the blank look before recognition occurred and a smile appeared on her face.
“And you as well. It's been a while since we last met,” she returned.
“Indeed it has. Are you here for business or pleasure?” he asked.
“A little of both, but tonight is about business,” Buffy responded.
“I was unaware this was a tourist destination.”
“Not a common one, but there is a special festival which is drawing in a lot of out-of-towners.”
This was not news he wanted to hear. “Do you think the festival goers will be leaving at the conclusion of the event?”
Buffy's lips pursed and he could see her trying to find the right coded wording for what she wanted to say. “It would probably be best for the environment if it didn't last beyond the first night, and better yet if it was canceled entirely. This group isn't known for leaving things the way they found them.”
Ezra felt goosebumps form on his skin and swallowed down his anxiety at this information. “Certainly there will be plenty of security at the event to prevent it from getting out of hand?”
“Security at an event like this is never easy and given the current atmosphere it is harder to arrange, but everything that can be done will be.”
“And the festival goers? Are they likely to enjoy the area enough to stay?”
Buffy smiled and rested a hand on his arm. “Most of them will have business elsewhere which will ensure they move on before the following weekend and if any do decide to stay, the security group will remain until there is absolutely no threat to the populace.”
The assurance allowed him to relax slightly. “Should I be able to assist you in any way, please don't hesitate to call,” he told her, reaching into his pocket for his card case. He opened a hidden back compartment and handed her a card that had nothing more than his initials and a phone number.
“Thank you,” Buffy said, sincerity in each word. She handed him a card with only a phone number and an odd symbol in the corner. “Should you ever need anything at any time.”
“Thank you,” he returned, slipping her card into the back compartment of his case.
Her attention flickered away for a moment before returning to him. “Apparently it's time to leave before Giles turns into a pumpkin.” Her gaze seemed to intensify briefly as she contemplated something. Rising up slightly, she placed a kiss on his cheek. “I think after this current unpleasantness is straightened out, I'd very much like to have dinner with you.”
Reaching over and taking her hand in his, he placed a gentle kiss on it. “That would be lovely,” he agreed.
Saying nothing more, she slipped into the crowd to meet up with Giles before both disappeared.
Ignoring the voice of his coworker in his ear demanding an explanation, he saw one of the men he'd been trying to meet for months standing alone. The man was an up and comer in the world of illegal arms deals and Ezra didn't want him to climb any higher. Putting away the last remnants of the Agent he was, Ezra firmly put the mask of who he was pretending to be in place and approached the man in question.
End
Author: Beriaearwen
Crossover: Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Magnificent Seven ATF AU
Characters: Ezra Standish, Buffy Summers
Rating: FRT - Suitable for people over 13
Word Count: 1586
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Mutant Enemy, etc. The characters of The Magnificent Seven belong to MGM, etc. The Magnificent Seven ATF AU was created by MOG who generously opened it to everyone and anyone. All are used here without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: Ezra sees some faces from the past and has concerns.
Protocol
by Beriaearwen
Ezra took a moment to stand at the edge of the crowd and just let the faces drift past. He would need ot dive back into the fray in a moment, but for right now, he would let the little camera on his tie do its job and take pictures of those attending. He wasn't completely comfortable with the situation, being wired in such a situation, but understood the necessity, especially because there was a chance someone might recognize him as the ATFE agent he was rather than the broker he was portraying.
“Crap,” JD's voice sounded.
“Hmm,” Ezra responded as he took a sip of his drink, unable to talk to his fellow agent in case someone noticed.
“Things might be hotter than we thought,” the young agent advised. “We just got a confirmed facial recognition on two people - on two terrorists.”
Knowing better than to react to the information, Ezra sipped his drink and scanned the crowd, wondering who it could be and what it might mean to their operation. His eyes lighted on a familiar face and quickly found the second face just as familiar. He had seen the bulletins proclaiming their status as terrorists, but he knew more than that. He also recalled a still-standing order, an order even the most political of higher-ups wasn't foolish enough to repeal. He knew the unspoken rule among those who knew and understood what most of the world didn't see that the older order overrode every new item. Ezra had no idea if any of his team or his superiors knew or understood that, but he wasn't going to risk the city or the world because of their current label.
As he waited for an opportunity to approach one or the other of the two in question, he allowed the memories of his first official exposure to their world play out in his mind.
Sunnydale
He had graduated from the FBI Academy with honors; had excelled in his undercover instructions and knew that was the career path he wanted to follow, the one that would allow him to do the most good and still honor his mother's teachings by using his 'God given talents', as she so frequently put it. True, his mother had a horror of law enforcement and showed actual fear at the thought of the danger he might be in, but Ezra Standish wasn't his mother and his moral compass had been shaped more by the great-aunt that he had spent time with as a child than it had been by the mother he saw only infrequently.
However, upon graduation, someone in assignments decided he needed some seasoning, so he found himself sent to California. He was fairly indignant at the assignment until his instructor pulled him aside at graduation and explained the best undercover recruits were always sent to California or Ohio for some 'seasoning' before having their pick of assignments. Ezra accepted that, but had wondered.
He didn't wonder long. The first day he arrived at the regional office, he was called into his boss's office and was told things he believed to be some sort of joke the agents there pulled on new people, but, wanting to make a good impression, he listened and remembered the information he was told and memorized the protocols he was given. Then they took him to Sunnydale that evening and it all made sense.
After that trip to Sunnydale, he and his boss went out for drinks and the man laid things out very plainly for Ezra. Things fell into place for him - the haunted look in his instructor's eyes when he mentioned the California training, the quiet reserve of the agents out here around those who didn't know, and the reality that those he would be dealing with undercover would not always be human.
His first three months in that office hadn't required a return trip to Sunnydale, but he continued to receive an education on how to tell the human from the non-human and an understanding that not all non-humans were evil.
Then there was the bank robbery in Sunnydale. Normally they'd leave that for the local police, but there were some items stored in the bank that held an interest for the FBI, so he and his partner were sent to investigate.
He was unimpressed by the Sunnydale Police, but his partner assured him they were much better than they had been during the previous Mayor's administration.
A short time later, they were called in because tow of the bank robbers had escaped from the Sunnydale PD jail. Though the Marshalls had the lead on the investigation, he and his partner were sent back to assist as FBI presence.
It was during this time that he first met Buffy Summers and Rupert Giles. Their names came up in several interviews with people and Ezra and his partner had sought them out. It wasn't until they arrived at the Summers house and his partner said a coded phrase that he realized who the young woman and the older man present were. Taking in the repairs on the home and the faint scars that littered their visible skin, he could only feel respect. He understood what they did and why it needed to remain secret.
Using the carefully phrased sentences, it was determined that the young men's activities fell into the realm of regular US law enforcement, not the other. That didn't mean those who escaped weren't aware of or conversant with areas of Miss Summers' and Mr. Giles' expertise. The duo would be labeled dangerous for this knowledge and Miss Summers and Mr. Giles promised their help if needed.
Present
There had been only two other times he met Miss Summers while he was in California. He'd only been there for eight months before his transfer to Atlanta came through, but he never forgot those protocols.
Seeing an opportunity and ignoring the voice in his ear, he walked up to Miss Summers, as Mr. Giles was involved in a conversation. “An unexpected pleasure to see you here,” he greeted, in case they, like he, were going by other names. He saw the blank look before recognition occurred and a smile appeared on her face.
“And you as well. It's been a while since we last met,” she returned.
“Indeed it has. Are you here for business or pleasure?” he asked.
“A little of both, but tonight is about business,” Buffy responded.
“I was unaware this was a tourist destination.”
“Not a common one, but there is a special festival which is drawing in a lot of out-of-towners.”
This was not news he wanted to hear. “Do you think the festival goers will be leaving at the conclusion of the event?”
Buffy's lips pursed and he could see her trying to find the right coded wording for what she wanted to say. “It would probably be best for the environment if it didn't last beyond the first night, and better yet if it was canceled entirely. This group isn't known for leaving things the way they found them.”
Ezra felt goosebumps form on his skin and swallowed down his anxiety at this information. “Certainly there will be plenty of security at the event to prevent it from getting out of hand?”
“Security at an event like this is never easy and given the current atmosphere it is harder to arrange, but everything that can be done will be.”
“And the festival goers? Are they likely to enjoy the area enough to stay?”
Buffy smiled and rested a hand on his arm. “Most of them will have business elsewhere which will ensure they move on before the following weekend and if any do decide to stay, the security group will remain until there is absolutely no threat to the populace.”
The assurance allowed him to relax slightly. “Should I be able to assist you in any way, please don't hesitate to call,” he told her, reaching into his pocket for his card case. He opened a hidden back compartment and handed her a card that had nothing more than his initials and a phone number.
“Thank you,” Buffy said, sincerity in each word. She handed him a card with only a phone number and an odd symbol in the corner. “Should you ever need anything at any time.”
“Thank you,” he returned, slipping her card into the back compartment of his case.
Her attention flickered away for a moment before returning to him. “Apparently it's time to leave before Giles turns into a pumpkin.” Her gaze seemed to intensify briefly as she contemplated something. Rising up slightly, she placed a kiss on his cheek. “I think after this current unpleasantness is straightened out, I'd very much like to have dinner with you.”
Reaching over and taking her hand in his, he placed a gentle kiss on it. “That would be lovely,” he agreed.
Saying nothing more, she slipped into the crowd to meet up with Giles before both disappeared.
Ignoring the voice of his coworker in his ear demanding an explanation, he saw one of the men he'd been trying to meet for months standing alone. The man was an up and comer in the world of illegal arms deals and Ezra didn't want him to climb any higher. Putting away the last remnants of the Agent he was, Ezra firmly put the mask of who he was pretending to be in place and approached the man in question.
End