I think annoyance is good for writing fight scenes.
It certainly helped here.
Title: Pantheon
Author: That'd be me. *grins* Andrew, Obsidian, call me what you want. But only if it's nice. ;)
Rating: R, or MA, whichever you understand better. ^_^
Comments: This is going to be a bit different then the other I've written or plan to write... Then again, many of the fics that are in the planning stage are 'different'. ;) This is going to be a crossover fic, but I'm not going to say yet what it's crossing over with, as I want it to be a surprise. *grins* Which I think it will be. Obviously, this is going to be an AU, but it'll be a bit more alternate then most, as this fic's Amy has something of a hidden past, which is going to shake quite a number of worlds when it surfaces. And if you thought there was angst in my last fic... *evil chuckle*
Legal Disclaimer: I do not own 'D.E.B.S.' That belongs to the fabulously talented Angela Robinson. 'The Pretender' was created by Steven Long Mitchell and Craig W. Van Sickle. (No idea who owns it now, as I don't think it's TNT anymore...)
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Chapter Four
Jarod had been mostly silent during Amy's story mainly because it had, in fact, been news to him, as well. Despite everything he'd dug up on The Centre over the years, he'd somehow missed this completely.
And he had also, clearly, simply not given The Centre credit enough for "pure evil".
He'd known Amy and several other children of varying ages had been there, but as far as he had known, they'd just been involved in other research. Perhaps some project that Sydney had been involved in.
His stomach twisted at the thought that Sydney might have known what they were doing to those poor children, but he immediately rejected it. No, Sydney would never have agreed to help with something like that. He'd proven that during that whole mess with Project Gemini. Clearly, Sydney had been as mislead as everyone else had.
Well. Not everyone. He could guess who was responsible for such an atrocity easily enough.
Jarod reflected idly, and uselessly, that if Catherine Parker had lived longer then she had, none of this would be happening now.
"Hey, you still with us over there?"
He shook himself out of his thoughts at Amy's words. She and Lucy had been talking quietly about something, but evidently the conversation was finished. "I didn't want to interrupt," he offered.
Amy smiled. "I appreciate that. I think we've got a workable plan, but we've got to move fast. First, I need you to take me to where you've been staying, so we can clean up after you, and make Parker and her team actually earn their paychecks for a change. After that, Lucy's agreed to smuggle you out of the city."
He couldn't help but notice what she hadn't mentioned. "And what will you do?"
Her smile hardened. "I'm going to send a message."
It was obvious that no amount of asking would get her to explain what that cryptic statement meant, so he followed her back downstairs to his car. Evidently, Lucy was going to be following them separately. "How did you wind up dating a criminal, anyway?" he asked once they'd pulled out. Again, Amy was driving, mainly due to her familiarity with the city. He only needed to give her the most basic directions.
She chuckled. "Ah, now that's a story, all right. Well, to shorten it a little, I'd just broken up with my boyfriend, Bobby - don't ask - and we'd been called into a meeting with our boss, Mister Phipps. You'd like him. Anyway, his boss, Ms. Petrie - who's a bit harder to like, but I definitely respect her - dropped in to inform us that the notorious super-villain Lucy Diamond was back in the states." She shook her head in amusement at that. "Super-villain. Honestly. But she was allegedly going to be meeting with a Russian assassin, our old friend, Ninotchka. The actual meeting, of course, went a bit... differently then any of us had expected."
**********************************************
Five Days Ago
"Hey, look. Look. Check this out. Ms. Petrie is handpicking girls for the International Bureau." Max said, showing Amy the magazine ad in question. "I'm gonna see if I can get an interview."
And to hell with the rest of us, huh? Amy thought, but kept it to herself. Instead, she asked, "Think Mr. Phipps would let me take time off after Endgame?"
"What are you talking about?" Max replied, in her 'Oh, I really don't think I heard you right' tone.
Amy shot a quick look at her, then reminded herself that the Amy-character she'd perfected over the years would be acting more shy in such situations. "I don't know," she demurred. "There's this art school in Barcelona." It was risky, she knew, to be asking Max about such a thing, especially just then, but Max was supposed to be her best friend. And...
And she'd always wanted to go to art school. Even a a child, she'd loved to draw and paint. Not even The Centre had been able to kill that drive.
Max reacted pretty much exactly as she'd been expecting. "Art school? Amy, you're the Perfect Score. You could have your choice of any assignment after Endgame." She paused. "Who's your best friend?"
Gritting her teeth at being called that again, Amy simply - and calmly - replied, "You are my best friend." Because everyone else who ever might have held that title is dead.
"And what did I say to you on the very first day of academy?"
Amy didn't even have to think about that. Feeling a surge of amusement, she replied, as seriously as she was able, "'That's my bunk, bitch'."
Max made a 'yeah, okay, I suppose I did' motion, then continued, "Okay, after I said that."
Amy mentally sighed, and forced on something resembling a smile. "'D.E.B.S. stick together'."
"Exactly. We've been through four years of hell, and now we're top squad, right?" Max said, and the hell of it was that she was being so sincere. "We're just getting to the good stuff." Amy made herself nod agreeably. "So you're not gonna ruin it all by going to art school." She paused. "Am I right?"
Well, there was nothing else she could say as Amy the Perfect Score. "Yes. You are always right." She didn't even pay any attention to Janet and Dominique fighting - or flirting, part of her mind thought with amusement - as she tried to come to terms with the idea that she might be trapped in a life of fighting and killing until... Well, until she died for real.
Not that it was that bad in the D.E.B.S., she hastily amended. She had plenty of friends, her team was practically a family - that she was lying to constantly, but she pushed that thought back down - and she was using her skills to help people, and make a difference in the world. To make people safe from those such as the ones who ran The Centre. No, all things considered, she was relatively happy with her life.
It would be perfect... if she could just find someone to share it with.
In some kind of cosmic joke, that was when Bobby had decided to first call Janet, asking to speak with her - much to the displeasure of the rest of her team, Amy noted with some affection; even Dominique found it embarrassing, which was oddly touching - and then actually drop in on their surveillance. Not that he was the only one to do so. Indeed, it seemed almost as if every intelligence agency had people there. Somebody from the CIA even gave them a "hi, how ya doin'" head nod.
Dominique was right, Amy decided as she tried to make Bobby just go away. It was embarrassing. She felt embarrassed, anyway, as the conversation went on and she tried to convince Bobby that she'd just wanted more. Finally, she burst out, "I'm not in love with you."
She could tell she'd hurt him with that. "Well," he finally managed. "I guess nobody's good enough for Little Miss Perfect Score."
"Shut up!" And he didn't have to know how much that had really stung her.
"Oh, yeah, you'll be back." Finally, blessedly, he activated the winch on his belt and retracted himself back towards the ceiling. When the other D.E.B.S. directed their surveillance swings back over to her, Janet immediately asked, "Are you okay?"
Amy had no idea how to answer that, but luckily was spared even having to try by Dominique announcing, "Hey, she's arrived." Spy gear instantly came out, and Max confirmed, "Okay, we've got visual."
Moments later, Janet leaned over and said quietly, "I have that sweater."
"What?"
"I have the sweater she's wearing, but in taupe."
"Really?" Amy asked, surprising herself by actually being interested. "Where did you get it?"
Janet nodded. "Target."
"No way." Target? Really? She might have to expand her shopping list.
"Silence!" Dominique demanded.
Right, right, they were there to work. Amy looked down at Lucy through a pair of binoculars "Wow. Lucy Diamond, she's..."
"What?" Max asked.
Hot. "Real," she said instead. Where the hell had that come from? It was true, sure, but since when did she allow herself to nearly say such things aloud? "I never thought I'd see her in person," she added. It seemed to be enough to convince Max.
Janet whispered, "They also have it in teal." Amy restrained a smile as she watched the two women below... sit there. Somewhat awkwardly, if she was getting their body language right. Evidently, they then started talking about killing.
Things had been going just fine... until Bobby showed up again, asking for the bracelet he'd given her back, and then managing to drop it right in Lucy Diamond's soup.
It was like a metaphor for their relationship, she decided in the somehow endlessly drawn out moment as Lucy looked up in incredulous confusion. A complete disaster, caused by his mere presence.
The ensuing firefight was... loud. And she hated having to maintain her 'nervous, awkward, somewhat coltish' persona, but if she started acting like a trained killer, she'd raise all manner of suspicions.
Why she was the one who eventually ran - quite literally - into Lucy, she didn't know. Fate, perhaps? "Ow! Oh god! Sorry! Sorry! I am so sorry!"
"No, I'm sorry," Lucy said, sounding genuinely apologetic... until she saw who she was apologizing to.
Amy momentarily froze. "Oh, my God," she said quietly, almost at the same time as Lucy's hissed, "Oh, shit."
They were both on their feet, guns drawn and aimed at each other, in a heartbeat. "You're Lucy Diamond." She tried to sound as calm and confident as her pretend would allow - which was only moderately - but was surprised to find that she actually was nervous.
"You're a D.E.B." Lucy didn't exactly sound thrilled.
"You have the right to remain silent," Amy attempted. God, she was hot. This... was not good.
Lucy chuckled. "You're reading me my rights?" she asked incredulously.
Amy could hardly blame her, but the law required her to say this. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you."
The moment drew out as they repositioned their guns. Amy hesitated. "Okay, here's the thing."
"Yeah?"
"I am really not up for dying today."
"Me neither."
Another drawn out silence. Amy found, though, that she didn't mind having an excuse to stare at Lucy Diamond. Yep, definitely not good.
"So, I was thinking that, uh... Why don't you put your gun down?"
"Put yours down," Lucy shot back.
"You're the criminal and I'm the cop, so I think I'm technically more trustworthy..."
"Except for where I was totally minding my own business on some stupid blind date, when you guys decided to rain shit all over me."
What? "Wait." Amy paused, trying to adjust to the input of some wildly new information. How had she never even gotten a hint about this? "You were on a blind date?"
Lucy didn't seem to want to dwell on it. "Whatever."
Amy lowered her gun. "With that Russian girl?" she asked, a slightly amused 'excuse me?' tone slipping into her voice despite herself.
"What?" Lucy said, vaguely exasperated, lowering her own gun seemingly out of reflex.
"Nothing," Amy hastened to assure her. "I just- I didn't know you were a..."
"Why would you know?"
"Wow," Amy said, not really listening. "That really torpedoes my thesis." At least now she knew, though, why she'd never been able to get inside Lucy Diamond's mind. She'd been lacking a crucial piece of information.
"Your thesis?" Lucy asked, somewhere between surprised and confused.
Why had she said that out loud? "I'm writing a term paper on you," she admitted shyly. Or that?
Lucy laughed, sounding both definitely amused and a little flattered. "You're kidding me," she insisted.
"No, it's for Capes and Capers: Gender Reconstruction and the Criminal Mastermind," Amy gushed, a genuine smile breaking out on her face. Her persona didn't feel quite so forced anymore, suddenly. "It's a really popular class."
"Oh, come on." Lucy was definitely... looking at her, though.
"But it's hard because there's only anecdotal evidence about you," Amy continued. She hoped that hadn't come across as flirty as it had felt to her. "I mean, nobody's actually ever spoken to you."
"Until now," Lucy pointed out with a slight smile.
Amy gave a small nod. "Right. Until now."
They just... looked at each other for a minute. "I'm sorry," Lucy finally said. "I didn't get your name."
Amy actually tucked her gun under her arm so she could shake Lucy's hand. "Amy. Bradshaw. D.E.B.S. Sector 1." It made her feel oddly giddy to be introducing herself by her full name (and it was hers, thank you) to Lucy. Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad...
"Lucy Diamond."
Yeah, like she didn't know that. "It's really nice to meet you," she said, only partially feigning the excited anxiety she was projecting.
And she recognized that look in Lucy's eyes, which made her stomach flip. Damn it, what the hell was she doing? She took her gun back out and, somewhat apologetically, said, "You're still, you know, under arrest."
Lucy smiled rakishly. "Am I?"
Oh-ho-ho boy... Her team chose that moment to start calling her name in the distance, though they were obviously getting closer. "You know, you could just let me go."
Amy surprised herself by actually hesitating at that indecisively. "I really couldn't," she apologized, uncomfortable.
"Come on," Lucy wheedled. "Haven't you ever done anything you're not supposed to?"
It was only because of the VERY thorough training given to her by The Centre that Amy didn't flinch at that.
"Amy, where are you?" Janet called again.
She closed her eyes for a moment. "I'm over here," she called back, turning to look in the direction Janet's voice had come from. When she looked back, only a second later, Lucy had vanished. Completely, utterly vanished. "Son of a bitch!" she cursed for a large number of reasons. Some of which she wouldn't feel comfortable working through until she was back in her room.
**********************************************
"...which is how I became 'the only one ever to fight Lucy Diamond and live to tell about it'," Amy finished, amused.
"Sounds like an epic battle, all right," Jarod agreed, smiling.
"Anyway, that night she broke into our place and sort of kidnapped me for a date, which went... Well, I wasn't quite ready, I don't think, and Janet being there didn't help. But the next day she staged a bank robbery to draw us down there, we talked, and I let her make it look like she really had 'kidnapped me' so we could have some time alone. It's been... really, really nice."
"I'm sorry to-"
"Oh, don't apologize," she said, waving it off as she parked in front of the abandoned building that had been serving as his latest resting place. "It wasn't really your fault. Besides, this has been long in coming. It's better to do it now, while we still have the element of surprise."
"You still haven't mentioned just what it is you're planning to do," he pointed out as they got out of the car and headed inside.
"I can't tell you the specifics - those are classified, you understand - but the long-term goal is taking down The Centre, their bosses, and all the 'little guys' that help them." She looked around the rather large, empty room that made up much of the first floor. "Classy."
"Well, it may not be an 'evil lair', but it's a place to stay unnoticed," Jarod shot back.
Amy smiled. "True enough. Now, let's get to work."
**********************************************
Why did Jarod always have to stay in such run down dumps?
The thought flitted uselessly through Parker's mind as they moved silently through the building. After so many years, they had it down to a science. They had gotten to Los Angeles quickly enough that there was a good chance he was still around somewhere.
A quiet clattering behind her caused her to whirl around, gun pointed, but it had only been Broots stumbling into something. She pinned him with the textbook definition of "evil eye". Sorry, he mouthed. Well, at least he'd learned enough by now not to make even more noise and say it aloud.
They were halfway across the big room when one of the Sweepers suddenly dropped to the ground with a soft thud. It actually took a moment even for her to notice that he was bleeding from what looked like a gunshot wound between his right shoulder and his neck. A second one also dropped, behind them this time, after being hit in the upper chest. Not immediately fatal, but he would definitely need medical attention soon.
The question was whether or not he'd get it, she knew, as frantically looked around for the shooter.
Jarod never shot back at them. He didn't seem to really like guns at all.
So who the hell was doing that?
Her question was answered in an unwelcome fashion as something suddenly dropped right into the middle of their group, as if whoever it was had simply fallen from the sky. A kick caught Parker across the face, sending her sprawling, momentarily knocked senseless.
Definitely not Jarod, she decided as she caught sight of the tall blonde wearing some kind of private school uniform. Another kick caught Sam in the jaw, leaving him unconscious on the floor, before the others really adjusted to the young woman's sudden appearance.
She effortlessly side-stepped a punch and lashed out with a kick that impacted her attacker's kneecap with a sickening crunch. Ignoring his howl of pain as he dropped away, she knotted her fists together and slammed them into another Sweeper's face, ducked under a second's own punch without even needing to look, then slammed the hilt of her gun down on his head even as she spun into a spinning roundhouse kick that took down the third. It happened so quickly and smoothly that it was almost as if they'd choreographed it ahead of time.
It was a good thing, Parker decided as she lurched unsteadily to her feet, that she'd brought more then one team of Sweepers.
The blonde didn't even hesitate as doors were kicked open and dark suited men poured into the room, moving so quickly that it actually took a moment for Parker's still somewhat dazed mind to wonder why someone had suddenly grabbed her left shoulder to hold her in place from behind while pressing a gun under her chin. "Who the hell are you?" she growled.
"You don't remember me?" The blonde shot back. "I'm hurt. Truly I am. Ah-ah!" She fixed the Sweepers with a look, turning slightly and taking Parker with her as she looked at the ones behind her, as well. "Why don't we all just stay put, huh?" She shook her head, seemingly amused. "You guys have gotten slower, I think. 'Cause I can't be that much faster now."
Had she gotten a concussion, or was this girl just not making sense?
"Where's Jarod?" Naturally, Sydney was the one to ask.
"Gone. Don't know where he went, don't really care."
"And why would he do that?" Parker asked in the tightly controlled voice that meant someone was going to be writhing on the floor in pain soon. Well, someone else, she thought, catching sight of the Sweeper with the shattered kneecap doing just that.
"I asked him very nicely."
She sounded far too smug and amused for Parker's taste. "Look around, Sunshine," she spat. "You're surrounded. If you give up now, maybe you can get out of this relatively intact. Otherwise, I'm afraid to think what these nice men might do to that pretty little face of yours."
She got the impression the blonde was shaking her head in amusement. "Well, I see you're even more of a bitch then when I last saw you, Parker."
"What?"
"What, did you not get a good enough look at me?" she asked mockingly. Her voice hardened. "How about you, Sydney? Do I look at all familiar?"
There was an uncertain pause as everyone tried to figure out how the hell this young woman knew who they all were. It probably wasn't a good sign, Parker decided, when surprised recognition dawned on Sydney's face. Recognition meant past Centre involvement, and past Centre involvement meant trouble. "My God... Amy?"
Parker wracked her mind. Amy... Amy... She didn't know any Amy. "You know this bi-" She was cut off by the blonde's - Amy's, evidently - left arm sliding around her neck and giving her a warning squeeze.
"Of course he does," Amy replied coldly. "So would you, if you actually stopped to think for once. Or did you only know me as Sekhmet?"
"And why would I know you as an Egyptian goddess?" she managed to choke out.
"Oh, is 'Daddy' still keeping things from you?" Amy asked, placing a mocking emphasis on 'Daddy' as she mimicked Parker's usual tone when addressing her father. "Well, when you go back to The Centre - which I strongly suggest you do soon - maybe you should see what you can dig up on a project named Pantheon." She gave a short, humorless laugh. "Oh, don't worry, Sydney, I made sure your Wonderboy knew you had nothing to do with it. Can't say he was pleased to hear about it, though."
"Who did?" Sydney asked warily.
"Oh, who do you think? Who would want to teach a child to do the kind of things I've done to you guys?"
"M-Mr. Raines?" Surprisingly enough, the answer came from Broots, who had his usual 'look of terror at confronting someone or something very dangerous' on his face.
Amy chuckled softly. "So, he is smarter then he looks," she said quietly to Parker. After a pause, she added, "Of course, he'd kind of have to be..."
Parker simmered. She was the only one who got to insult Broots like that, thank you. "We can discuss this back at The Centre."
"Yeah, you do that. I'll just be on my way, now."
"You're not going anywhere. I don't care how good you are, you can't fight your way through everyone." Especially since they all had guns out and pointed at Amy - well, everyone but Sydney and Broots. But having seen them shoot, that was just fine by her.
"I hate to break it to you, Parker, but you're not a cop. You don't get to just drag people off and lock them up."
"Is that so?" she asked dangerously.
"Yeah." The arm around her throat disappeared, though the gun under her chin pressed in harder to discourage her from doing anything stupid. Amy got something out of a pocket and held it out so all could see. "Because I am."
"You're with the D.E.B.S.?" How Broots even knew who they were, Parker had no idea.
"Agent Amy Bradshaw, Sector One," she confirmed.
Parker scoffed. "After how many people Jarod's been over the years, you're going to have to do better then that."
"Well, if I have to..." She abruptly flung Parker into the nearest cluster of Sweepers, knocking them all down. "This has been fun. Really. But I do have o be going, now. So I'm going to give you one, final warning. You will leave me alone. Because if you don't, you have no idea the destruction I'm capable of raining down on you."
"You don't really think we're going to just let you walk out of here, do you?" Parker asked, again struggling back to her feet.
"I don't care if you 'let' me or not." An alarm on her watch beeped, and she smiled, heedless of the guns pointed at her. "And who said I was going to walk?" It was hard to tell just what she did, but what looked like a sheath of energy swished down over Amy, making her oddly translucent. It swooshed back up, and she was gone, a rush of displaced air and several injured and bleeding Sweepers the only sign that she'd ever been there at all.
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Yikes! This ended up being a LOT longer then I'd been expecting, mainly because the flashback took a while, but I also didn't want to cheat you guys on the promised fight scene. Hopefully, I got Miss Parker right.
Next time - Amy confronts her team as the D.E.B.S. continue with their mysterious plan, while Miss Parker gets some unwanted help after The Centre finds out they have TWO Pretenders on the loose.
Title: Pantheon
Author: That'd be me. *grins* Andrew, Obsidian, call me what you want. But only if it's nice. ;)
Rating: R, or MA, whichever you understand better. ^_^
Comments: This is going to be a bit different then the other I've written or plan to write... Then again, many of the fics that are in the planning stage are 'different'. ;) This is going to be a crossover fic, but I'm not going to say yet what it's crossing over with, as I want it to be a surprise. *grins* Which I think it will be. Obviously, this is going to be an AU, but it'll be a bit more alternate then most, as this fic's Amy has something of a hidden past, which is going to shake quite a number of worlds when it surfaces. And if you thought there was angst in my last fic... *evil chuckle*
Legal Disclaimer: I do not own 'D.E.B.S.' That belongs to the fabulously talented Angela Robinson. 'The Pretender' was created by Steven Long Mitchell and Craig W. Van Sickle. (No idea who owns it now, as I don't think it's TNT anymore...)
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Chapter Four
Jarod had been mostly silent during Amy's story mainly because it had, in fact, been news to him, as well. Despite everything he'd dug up on The Centre over the years, he'd somehow missed this completely.
And he had also, clearly, simply not given The Centre credit enough for "pure evil".
He'd known Amy and several other children of varying ages had been there, but as far as he had known, they'd just been involved in other research. Perhaps some project that Sydney had been involved in.
His stomach twisted at the thought that Sydney might have known what they were doing to those poor children, but he immediately rejected it. No, Sydney would never have agreed to help with something like that. He'd proven that during that whole mess with Project Gemini. Clearly, Sydney had been as mislead as everyone else had.
Well. Not everyone. He could guess who was responsible for such an atrocity easily enough.
Jarod reflected idly, and uselessly, that if Catherine Parker had lived longer then she had, none of this would be happening now.
"Hey, you still with us over there?"
He shook himself out of his thoughts at Amy's words. She and Lucy had been talking quietly about something, but evidently the conversation was finished. "I didn't want to interrupt," he offered.
Amy smiled. "I appreciate that. I think we've got a workable plan, but we've got to move fast. First, I need you to take me to where you've been staying, so we can clean up after you, and make Parker and her team actually earn their paychecks for a change. After that, Lucy's agreed to smuggle you out of the city."
He couldn't help but notice what she hadn't mentioned. "And what will you do?"
Her smile hardened. "I'm going to send a message."
It was obvious that no amount of asking would get her to explain what that cryptic statement meant, so he followed her back downstairs to his car. Evidently, Lucy was going to be following them separately. "How did you wind up dating a criminal, anyway?" he asked once they'd pulled out. Again, Amy was driving, mainly due to her familiarity with the city. He only needed to give her the most basic directions.
She chuckled. "Ah, now that's a story, all right. Well, to shorten it a little, I'd just broken up with my boyfriend, Bobby - don't ask - and we'd been called into a meeting with our boss, Mister Phipps. You'd like him. Anyway, his boss, Ms. Petrie - who's a bit harder to like, but I definitely respect her - dropped in to inform us that the notorious super-villain Lucy Diamond was back in the states." She shook her head in amusement at that. "Super-villain. Honestly. But she was allegedly going to be meeting with a Russian assassin, our old friend, Ninotchka. The actual meeting, of course, went a bit... differently then any of us had expected."
**********************************************
Five Days Ago
"Hey, look. Look. Check this out. Ms. Petrie is handpicking girls for the International Bureau." Max said, showing Amy the magazine ad in question. "I'm gonna see if I can get an interview."
And to hell with the rest of us, huh? Amy thought, but kept it to herself. Instead, she asked, "Think Mr. Phipps would let me take time off after Endgame?"
"What are you talking about?" Max replied, in her 'Oh, I really don't think I heard you right' tone.
Amy shot a quick look at her, then reminded herself that the Amy-character she'd perfected over the years would be acting more shy in such situations. "I don't know," she demurred. "There's this art school in Barcelona." It was risky, she knew, to be asking Max about such a thing, especially just then, but Max was supposed to be her best friend. And...
And she'd always wanted to go to art school. Even a a child, she'd loved to draw and paint. Not even The Centre had been able to kill that drive.
Max reacted pretty much exactly as she'd been expecting. "Art school? Amy, you're the Perfect Score. You could have your choice of any assignment after Endgame." She paused. "Who's your best friend?"
Gritting her teeth at being called that again, Amy simply - and calmly - replied, "You are my best friend." Because everyone else who ever might have held that title is dead.
"And what did I say to you on the very first day of academy?"
Amy didn't even have to think about that. Feeling a surge of amusement, she replied, as seriously as she was able, "'That's my bunk, bitch'."
Max made a 'yeah, okay, I suppose I did' motion, then continued, "Okay, after I said that."
Amy mentally sighed, and forced on something resembling a smile. "'D.E.B.S. stick together'."
"Exactly. We've been through four years of hell, and now we're top squad, right?" Max said, and the hell of it was that she was being so sincere. "We're just getting to the good stuff." Amy made herself nod agreeably. "So you're not gonna ruin it all by going to art school." She paused. "Am I right?"
Well, there was nothing else she could say as Amy the Perfect Score. "Yes. You are always right." She didn't even pay any attention to Janet and Dominique fighting - or flirting, part of her mind thought with amusement - as she tried to come to terms with the idea that she might be trapped in a life of fighting and killing until... Well, until she died for real.
Not that it was that bad in the D.E.B.S., she hastily amended. She had plenty of friends, her team was practically a family - that she was lying to constantly, but she pushed that thought back down - and she was using her skills to help people, and make a difference in the world. To make people safe from those such as the ones who ran The Centre. No, all things considered, she was relatively happy with her life.
It would be perfect... if she could just find someone to share it with.
In some kind of cosmic joke, that was when Bobby had decided to first call Janet, asking to speak with her - much to the displeasure of the rest of her team, Amy noted with some affection; even Dominique found it embarrassing, which was oddly touching - and then actually drop in on their surveillance. Not that he was the only one to do so. Indeed, it seemed almost as if every intelligence agency had people there. Somebody from the CIA even gave them a "hi, how ya doin'" head nod.
Dominique was right, Amy decided as she tried to make Bobby just go away. It was embarrassing. She felt embarrassed, anyway, as the conversation went on and she tried to convince Bobby that she'd just wanted more. Finally, she burst out, "I'm not in love with you."
She could tell she'd hurt him with that. "Well," he finally managed. "I guess nobody's good enough for Little Miss Perfect Score."
"Shut up!" And he didn't have to know how much that had really stung her.
"Oh, yeah, you'll be back." Finally, blessedly, he activated the winch on his belt and retracted himself back towards the ceiling. When the other D.E.B.S. directed their surveillance swings back over to her, Janet immediately asked, "Are you okay?"
Amy had no idea how to answer that, but luckily was spared even having to try by Dominique announcing, "Hey, she's arrived." Spy gear instantly came out, and Max confirmed, "Okay, we've got visual."
Moments later, Janet leaned over and said quietly, "I have that sweater."
"What?"
"I have the sweater she's wearing, but in taupe."
"Really?" Amy asked, surprising herself by actually being interested. "Where did you get it?"
Janet nodded. "Target."
"No way." Target? Really? She might have to expand her shopping list.
"Silence!" Dominique demanded.
Right, right, they were there to work. Amy looked down at Lucy through a pair of binoculars "Wow. Lucy Diamond, she's..."
"What?" Max asked.
Hot. "Real," she said instead. Where the hell had that come from? It was true, sure, but since when did she allow herself to nearly say such things aloud? "I never thought I'd see her in person," she added. It seemed to be enough to convince Max.
Janet whispered, "They also have it in teal." Amy restrained a smile as she watched the two women below... sit there. Somewhat awkwardly, if she was getting their body language right. Evidently, they then started talking about killing.
Things had been going just fine... until Bobby showed up again, asking for the bracelet he'd given her back, and then managing to drop it right in Lucy Diamond's soup.
It was like a metaphor for their relationship, she decided in the somehow endlessly drawn out moment as Lucy looked up in incredulous confusion. A complete disaster, caused by his mere presence.
The ensuing firefight was... loud. And she hated having to maintain her 'nervous, awkward, somewhat coltish' persona, but if she started acting like a trained killer, she'd raise all manner of suspicions.
Why she was the one who eventually ran - quite literally - into Lucy, she didn't know. Fate, perhaps? "Ow! Oh god! Sorry! Sorry! I am so sorry!"
"No, I'm sorry," Lucy said, sounding genuinely apologetic... until she saw who she was apologizing to.
Amy momentarily froze. "Oh, my God," she said quietly, almost at the same time as Lucy's hissed, "Oh, shit."
They were both on their feet, guns drawn and aimed at each other, in a heartbeat. "You're Lucy Diamond." She tried to sound as calm and confident as her pretend would allow - which was only moderately - but was surprised to find that she actually was nervous.
"You're a D.E.B." Lucy didn't exactly sound thrilled.
"You have the right to remain silent," Amy attempted. God, she was hot. This... was not good.
Lucy chuckled. "You're reading me my rights?" she asked incredulously.
Amy could hardly blame her, but the law required her to say this. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you."
The moment drew out as they repositioned their guns. Amy hesitated. "Okay, here's the thing."
"Yeah?"
"I am really not up for dying today."
"Me neither."
Another drawn out silence. Amy found, though, that she didn't mind having an excuse to stare at Lucy Diamond. Yep, definitely not good.
"So, I was thinking that, uh... Why don't you put your gun down?"
"Put yours down," Lucy shot back.
"You're the criminal and I'm the cop, so I think I'm technically more trustworthy..."
"Except for where I was totally minding my own business on some stupid blind date, when you guys decided to rain shit all over me."
What? "Wait." Amy paused, trying to adjust to the input of some wildly new information. How had she never even gotten a hint about this? "You were on a blind date?"
Lucy didn't seem to want to dwell on it. "Whatever."
Amy lowered her gun. "With that Russian girl?" she asked, a slightly amused 'excuse me?' tone slipping into her voice despite herself.
"What?" Lucy said, vaguely exasperated, lowering her own gun seemingly out of reflex.
"Nothing," Amy hastened to assure her. "I just- I didn't know you were a..."
"Why would you know?"
"Wow," Amy said, not really listening. "That really torpedoes my thesis." At least now she knew, though, why she'd never been able to get inside Lucy Diamond's mind. She'd been lacking a crucial piece of information.
"Your thesis?" Lucy asked, somewhere between surprised and confused.
Why had she said that out loud? "I'm writing a term paper on you," she admitted shyly. Or that?
Lucy laughed, sounding both definitely amused and a little flattered. "You're kidding me," she insisted.
"No, it's for Capes and Capers: Gender Reconstruction and the Criminal Mastermind," Amy gushed, a genuine smile breaking out on her face. Her persona didn't feel quite so forced anymore, suddenly. "It's a really popular class."
"Oh, come on." Lucy was definitely... looking at her, though.
"But it's hard because there's only anecdotal evidence about you," Amy continued. She hoped that hadn't come across as flirty as it had felt to her. "I mean, nobody's actually ever spoken to you."
"Until now," Lucy pointed out with a slight smile.
Amy gave a small nod. "Right. Until now."
They just... looked at each other for a minute. "I'm sorry," Lucy finally said. "I didn't get your name."
Amy actually tucked her gun under her arm so she could shake Lucy's hand. "Amy. Bradshaw. D.E.B.S. Sector 1." It made her feel oddly giddy to be introducing herself by her full name (and it was hers, thank you) to Lucy. Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad...
"Lucy Diamond."
Yeah, like she didn't know that. "It's really nice to meet you," she said, only partially feigning the excited anxiety she was projecting.
And she recognized that look in Lucy's eyes, which made her stomach flip. Damn it, what the hell was she doing? She took her gun back out and, somewhat apologetically, said, "You're still, you know, under arrest."
Lucy smiled rakishly. "Am I?"
Oh-ho-ho boy... Her team chose that moment to start calling her name in the distance, though they were obviously getting closer. "You know, you could just let me go."
Amy surprised herself by actually hesitating at that indecisively. "I really couldn't," she apologized, uncomfortable.
"Come on," Lucy wheedled. "Haven't you ever done anything you're not supposed to?"
It was only because of the VERY thorough training given to her by The Centre that Amy didn't flinch at that.
"Amy, where are you?" Janet called again.
She closed her eyes for a moment. "I'm over here," she called back, turning to look in the direction Janet's voice had come from. When she looked back, only a second later, Lucy had vanished. Completely, utterly vanished. "Son of a bitch!" she cursed for a large number of reasons. Some of which she wouldn't feel comfortable working through until she was back in her room.
**********************************************
"...which is how I became 'the only one ever to fight Lucy Diamond and live to tell about it'," Amy finished, amused.
"Sounds like an epic battle, all right," Jarod agreed, smiling.
"Anyway, that night she broke into our place and sort of kidnapped me for a date, which went... Well, I wasn't quite ready, I don't think, and Janet being there didn't help. But the next day she staged a bank robbery to draw us down there, we talked, and I let her make it look like she really had 'kidnapped me' so we could have some time alone. It's been... really, really nice."
"I'm sorry to-"
"Oh, don't apologize," she said, waving it off as she parked in front of the abandoned building that had been serving as his latest resting place. "It wasn't really your fault. Besides, this has been long in coming. It's better to do it now, while we still have the element of surprise."
"You still haven't mentioned just what it is you're planning to do," he pointed out as they got out of the car and headed inside.
"I can't tell you the specifics - those are classified, you understand - but the long-term goal is taking down The Centre, their bosses, and all the 'little guys' that help them." She looked around the rather large, empty room that made up much of the first floor. "Classy."
"Well, it may not be an 'evil lair', but it's a place to stay unnoticed," Jarod shot back.
Amy smiled. "True enough. Now, let's get to work."
**********************************************
Why did Jarod always have to stay in such run down dumps?
The thought flitted uselessly through Parker's mind as they moved silently through the building. After so many years, they had it down to a science. They had gotten to Los Angeles quickly enough that there was a good chance he was still around somewhere.
A quiet clattering behind her caused her to whirl around, gun pointed, but it had only been Broots stumbling into something. She pinned him with the textbook definition of "evil eye". Sorry, he mouthed. Well, at least he'd learned enough by now not to make even more noise and say it aloud.
They were halfway across the big room when one of the Sweepers suddenly dropped to the ground with a soft thud. It actually took a moment even for her to notice that he was bleeding from what looked like a gunshot wound between his right shoulder and his neck. A second one also dropped, behind them this time, after being hit in the upper chest. Not immediately fatal, but he would definitely need medical attention soon.
The question was whether or not he'd get it, she knew, as frantically looked around for the shooter.
Jarod never shot back at them. He didn't seem to really like guns at all.
So who the hell was doing that?
Her question was answered in an unwelcome fashion as something suddenly dropped right into the middle of their group, as if whoever it was had simply fallen from the sky. A kick caught Parker across the face, sending her sprawling, momentarily knocked senseless.
Definitely not Jarod, she decided as she caught sight of the tall blonde wearing some kind of private school uniform. Another kick caught Sam in the jaw, leaving him unconscious on the floor, before the others really adjusted to the young woman's sudden appearance.
She effortlessly side-stepped a punch and lashed out with a kick that impacted her attacker's kneecap with a sickening crunch. Ignoring his howl of pain as he dropped away, she knotted her fists together and slammed them into another Sweeper's face, ducked under a second's own punch without even needing to look, then slammed the hilt of her gun down on his head even as she spun into a spinning roundhouse kick that took down the third. It happened so quickly and smoothly that it was almost as if they'd choreographed it ahead of time.
It was a good thing, Parker decided as she lurched unsteadily to her feet, that she'd brought more then one team of Sweepers.
The blonde didn't even hesitate as doors were kicked open and dark suited men poured into the room, moving so quickly that it actually took a moment for Parker's still somewhat dazed mind to wonder why someone had suddenly grabbed her left shoulder to hold her in place from behind while pressing a gun under her chin. "Who the hell are you?" she growled.
"You don't remember me?" The blonde shot back. "I'm hurt. Truly I am. Ah-ah!" She fixed the Sweepers with a look, turning slightly and taking Parker with her as she looked at the ones behind her, as well. "Why don't we all just stay put, huh?" She shook her head, seemingly amused. "You guys have gotten slower, I think. 'Cause I can't be that much faster now."
Had she gotten a concussion, or was this girl just not making sense?
"Where's Jarod?" Naturally, Sydney was the one to ask.
"Gone. Don't know where he went, don't really care."
"And why would he do that?" Parker asked in the tightly controlled voice that meant someone was going to be writhing on the floor in pain soon. Well, someone else, she thought, catching sight of the Sweeper with the shattered kneecap doing just that.
"I asked him very nicely."
She sounded far too smug and amused for Parker's taste. "Look around, Sunshine," she spat. "You're surrounded. If you give up now, maybe you can get out of this relatively intact. Otherwise, I'm afraid to think what these nice men might do to that pretty little face of yours."
She got the impression the blonde was shaking her head in amusement. "Well, I see you're even more of a bitch then when I last saw you, Parker."
"What?"
"What, did you not get a good enough look at me?" she asked mockingly. Her voice hardened. "How about you, Sydney? Do I look at all familiar?"
There was an uncertain pause as everyone tried to figure out how the hell this young woman knew who they all were. It probably wasn't a good sign, Parker decided, when surprised recognition dawned on Sydney's face. Recognition meant past Centre involvement, and past Centre involvement meant trouble. "My God... Amy?"
Parker wracked her mind. Amy... Amy... She didn't know any Amy. "You know this bi-" She was cut off by the blonde's - Amy's, evidently - left arm sliding around her neck and giving her a warning squeeze.
"Of course he does," Amy replied coldly. "So would you, if you actually stopped to think for once. Or did you only know me as Sekhmet?"
"And why would I know you as an Egyptian goddess?" she managed to choke out.
"Oh, is 'Daddy' still keeping things from you?" Amy asked, placing a mocking emphasis on 'Daddy' as she mimicked Parker's usual tone when addressing her father. "Well, when you go back to The Centre - which I strongly suggest you do soon - maybe you should see what you can dig up on a project named Pantheon." She gave a short, humorless laugh. "Oh, don't worry, Sydney, I made sure your Wonderboy knew you had nothing to do with it. Can't say he was pleased to hear about it, though."
"Who did?" Sydney asked warily.
"Oh, who do you think? Who would want to teach a child to do the kind of things I've done to you guys?"
"M-Mr. Raines?" Surprisingly enough, the answer came from Broots, who had his usual 'look of terror at confronting someone or something very dangerous' on his face.
Amy chuckled softly. "So, he is smarter then he looks," she said quietly to Parker. After a pause, she added, "Of course, he'd kind of have to be..."
Parker simmered. She was the only one who got to insult Broots like that, thank you. "We can discuss this back at The Centre."
"Yeah, you do that. I'll just be on my way, now."
"You're not going anywhere. I don't care how good you are, you can't fight your way through everyone." Especially since they all had guns out and pointed at Amy - well, everyone but Sydney and Broots. But having seen them shoot, that was just fine by her.
"I hate to break it to you, Parker, but you're not a cop. You don't get to just drag people off and lock them up."
"Is that so?" she asked dangerously.
"Yeah." The arm around her throat disappeared, though the gun under her chin pressed in harder to discourage her from doing anything stupid. Amy got something out of a pocket and held it out so all could see. "Because I am."
"You're with the D.E.B.S.?" How Broots even knew who they were, Parker had no idea.
"Agent Amy Bradshaw, Sector One," she confirmed.
Parker scoffed. "After how many people Jarod's been over the years, you're going to have to do better then that."
"Well, if I have to..." She abruptly flung Parker into the nearest cluster of Sweepers, knocking them all down. "This has been fun. Really. But I do have o be going, now. So I'm going to give you one, final warning. You will leave me alone. Because if you don't, you have no idea the destruction I'm capable of raining down on you."
"You don't really think we're going to just let you walk out of here, do you?" Parker asked, again struggling back to her feet.
"I don't care if you 'let' me or not." An alarm on her watch beeped, and she smiled, heedless of the guns pointed at her. "And who said I was going to walk?" It was hard to tell just what she did, but what looked like a sheath of energy swished down over Amy, making her oddly translucent. It swooshed back up, and she was gone, a rush of displaced air and several injured and bleeding Sweepers the only sign that she'd ever been there at all.
________________________________________________________________________
Yikes! This ended up being a LOT longer then I'd been expecting, mainly because the flashback took a while, but I also didn't want to cheat you guys on the promised fight scene. Hopefully, I got Miss Parker right.
Next time - Amy confronts her team as the D.E.B.S. continue with their mysterious plan, while Miss Parker gets some unwanted help after The Centre finds out they have TWO Pretenders on the loose.