Room 234/236: Wednesday morning, after Spy Tech

[mparkerceo]

After talking to Jack in Spy Tech, Parker lead the way to her room, held the door open for him, then very carefully closed it. "Sit. Or lie down. Whichever you want. I'm making the coffee. You, relax."

[ooc: for time_agent]

Comments

[anextimeagent]

What Jack wanted to do was follow her while she made the coffee, but while Sam would put up with that, he very much doubted Parker would. Instead, he slipped off his shoes and curled into the corner of the couch, watching her. "Thanks."

[anextimeagent]

"It was her. I know it was." Of that he was absolutely certain. It had been Lana and no one else. "It could have been drugs, Parker. God knows they're out there."

[mparkerceo]

Parker frowned. "Not something strong enough to do that, and leave you conscious, Jack. Or at least aware on some level. Not in the twenty-first century. So either she got a hold of something alien, or... magic."

[anextimeagent]

"Alien or just from the future. There's drugs in my time that'd do that." Jack tipped his head back against the couch, staring at the ceiling. "Whatever it was, I didn't even notice."

[mparkerceo]

"Your time is three thousand years from now. You're assuming advanced drugs either accidentally landed in Lana's lap, or she somehow found a Time Agent who would let her have them. Magic's simpler. There's so damn much of it around here." Parker studied Jack's face. "Either way, magic or science...." There was nothing he could have done? Yeah, that would be reassuring. Make him even more paranoid, Parker. "You did all you could to fight her."

[anextimeagent]

"It's okay, Parker." He gave her a tight smile. "I know I did. And you're probably right, Magic would make the most sense." Dropping his head into his hand, he rubbed his forehead. "Not that any of this makes sense."

[mparkerceo]

"No, it doesn't." Parker frowned. "It really doesn't." She shook her head. "Even for feeling rejected, this isn't like Lana. She's more likely to cry on you than try to hurt someone."

[anextimeagent]

Jack had been over this in his head so many times, trying to figure how he could have misjudged her so badly. "I don't think she was hurt. I think she was mad. She made it very clear she'd like a chance at me if she could, not Sunday, before that. I said no, because of Sam and Cedric. Maybe finding out about River made her angry enough to do what she did." He smiled nastily, remembering River's words. "She's going to live to regret it."

[mparkerceo]

Parker got that sinking feeling again. "Jack. What did you do?"

[anextimeagent]

"Me? Nothing. Not one damn thing." His smile didn't change. "River picked the whole thing out of my head, every last detail, everything I felt. She's going to make her pay for it."

[mparkerceo]

"Hell." Parker closed her eyes and facepalmed, biting her tongue until she could very calmly say, "Bad idea. For any number of reasons."

[anextimeagent]

"Maybe it's not the best idea, but it wasn't mine and I'm not going to stop her." Jack was relaxing, looking at Parker, calm and unconcerned. "If she tries anything on River, she's going to get a hell of a surprise."

[mparkerceo]

"If she doesn't see River coming," Parker said. "Damnit, Jack. Do you want River to go through what you did? After all she's been through already?"

[anextimeagent]

"If Lana even thinks of trying anything, drugs or magic, River will know. Hell, River will know before she does. And stop her." Jack sighed. "River's not going to kill her, or do any permanent damage. I don't want her getting expelled."

[mparkerceo]

"And are you sure that River's capable of making that judgment call?" Parker let out a slow breath, calming down in spite of herself. "Good time to tell you, in case neither of us can stop her before she tracks down Lana-- the magic words are 'eto kuram na smekh.'" She rubbed her head. "'To make the hens laugh.' And God, do I wish there was anything funny here."

[anextimeagent]

"Yes, I am." Jack knew River was broken, but for this he had faith in her. "And thanks, but Parker?" He moved away from her, perching on the arm of the couch, face completely expressionless, eyes blank as he watched her. "Don't. I trust her to do no more than is necessary, and I know I'm right. So just don't."