Not-So-Abandoned Warehouse: Sunday

[notaweenie]

Thanks to a robotic arm and hand with a laser pointer, Cheryls ocelot was now being properly entertained and less likely to attack visitors and Barry himself

Comments

[nobloodymessiah]

If Eleanor was going to be on Barry's ethics committee, she might as well pop into his warehouse now and again, just to see what he was up to.

Also she was starting to ... be curious about the limits of his expertise. And what exactly he could build.

She stopped when she saw the -- large cat? Small leopard?

"I didn't know you had a pet."

[notaweenie]

"Not mine," Barry said with a sigh. "Cat sitting. Here for your first paycheck, El?"

[nobloodymessiah]

"Hardly," Eleanor laughed. "I've yet to do any work. No experimenting on the cat you're sitting. There, the Ethics Committee has spoken."

It was a good sign that she could joke around about this, even if the jokes themselves wer elame.

[notaweenie]

"Well, that thing has a nasty temper to begin with so I'd rather stay the fuck out of her way," Barry said ith a laugh. "Anything I can do for you Lamb?"

[nobloodymessiah]

"Noted," Eleanor said, lightly. "I did have an odd sort of question for you. Is it just experiments you do here, or do you ever ... build anything?"

This was her attempting to be casual. She was just, you know, idly curious. For absolutely no reason whatsoever.

[notaweenie]

"Sure," Barry said with a shrug. "Equipment, some weapons, hovercraft, jet packs. You name it. Why? You need something?"

[nobloodymessiah]

"Just ... curious," she lied, fidgeting slightly. "I mean, has it ever been vehicles? Like, I wonder if I can build a helicopter, or a submarine? Ones that ... would actually work."

[notaweenie]

"Sure," Barry said with a shrug. "Not to brag but I could build you a rocket ship if you want. Are you and Joker taking a weekend trip?"

[nobloodymessiah]

"N-no," Eleanor said, scuffing her toes against the ground. "I just ... wanted to know, that's all. I don't ..."

She bit her lip, wondering exactly how much of this he was even buying. Probably not much.

"I need a sub," she said. "One that can go the whole way down, to the bottom of the ocean. I can pay you. I don't -- have much money, but I can give you what I have and ... and owe you the rest. I'll take another job, in town. I'll give back whatever salary you were talking about, for the Ethics Committee."

[notaweenie]

Barry paused a little thinking this through.

"You don't have to pay me shit," Barry said, "Just as long as you tell me your not starting a fucking war or something."

[nobloodymessiah]

This would be the ideal time to laugh it off. To come up with a fake reason for wanting a sub, or to explain that she'd simply been talking in hypotheticals.

"Rescue mission," she said, softly. "I won't start a war unless that's what it takes, to get her out."

[notaweenie]

Barry's eyebrows went up a little bit at that.

"I think you have a longer story to tell me about this," he replied. "But yeah, sub, plane, fucking rocketship. Whatever. I can do that for you."

[nobloodymessiah]

"It's not a very cheerful story," Eleanor said. "I don't know what I'd need. It may be utterly pointless."

Eight months had passed. Grace might well be dead, by now.

"But ... thank you."

[notaweenie]

"Well I've always wanted to build a sub," Barry said lightly. Or at least trying to be light. It seemed like there was a need for lightness in this conversation. "Just tell me when you need it by and I'll have it ready for you. Or... well if it's a rescue mission then you'll probably need other equipment. GPS trackers. Body armor. Head-up displays. Tasers. Stealth cloak."

Yes. He's making a list, Eleanor.