Pantheon - Chapter Eight
Okay, so it wasn't a few days. What of it? ^_^
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: Obviously, this is 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 in the process of shaking quite a number of worlds as it surfaces. And if you thought there was angst in my last fic... *evil chuckle*
Given her narrow escape - and not even entirely unnoticed - from the D.E.B.S., Lucy won't be in this chapter, except in flashback form. But don't worry, I'm not about to let you guys down on the girl-on-girl front (I did promise, after all). Just don't hurt me for this. ;)
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 Eight
Sekhmet sighed as she waited patiently - more or less - for Amaterasu to get back from taking her shower. The twelve-year-old girl hadn't been gone all THAT long, true, but Sekhmet didn't like her being out of her sight for longer then necessary, ever since...
Well, ever since they'd started dying. She was waiting for her friend out in the common room, which was otherwise deserted. She could have waited in her own room, she knew, but ever since Aphrodite had been killed attempting an escape almost a year ago, she hadn't liked spending more time there then necessary. It had become a place to sleep, and nothing more.
She knew Amaterasu felt the same about her own rooming situation. Bryn had only been dead two months now - surprising everyone by outlasting so many others - but her loss was still being felt keenly by everyone.
Well, by everyone but The Centre, who didn't seem to feel much of anything at all.
Times like these she missed Dr. Mason.
She was - thankfully - brought out of her morbid thoughts by the sound of the door opening, and looked up in time to see Amaterasu entering the room clad in only a towel.
She didn't understand why she felt her face heat up so much just then.
Puberty was definitely being good to Amaterasu. She hadn't shot upwards like Sekhmet was in the process of doing - to the latter's annoyance; she kept having to have new clothes bought for her, and she liked the old ones, they were all broken in and comfortable - but she was developing... curves that kept throwing Sekhmet's brain for a loop.
Times like these, she wondered what Athena would have said.
Amaterasu beamed upon seeing her, and Sekhmet felt like there was something crawling around in her stomach, trying to get out. It really wasn't a very pleasant sensation, but part of her didn't want it to stop. "Hey," she managed to force out.
"Hi!" Amaterasu replied, seemingly oblivious of her friend's distress. She settled down on the couch next to her, curling up her legs under her, and Sekhmet could have sworn that she could feel the heat that was emanating from the bare skin that was mere inches away from her. "Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."
"N-no, I was, umm... No," she stammered.
Amaterasu frowned in concern. "Are you all right?"
"Yes, I'm... It's just, you know... That." She sighed. "Again."
Her frown eased into a look of understanding, then a gentle, nervous smile. "Oh. Well, we could... I've been thinking..."
Not sure if that was good or bad, Sekhmet prompted, "What?"
In response, Amaterasu leaned forward, her lips brushing against Sekhmet's own. When she pulled back, she couldn't help but giggle at the look of dumbfounded shock on Sekhmet's face. "I need to go change, now," she said in between giggles. "I'll be right back." She bounced up off the couch and headed off to her room, leaving a still shocked speechless Sekhmet behind her.
Sekhmet... No, Sekhmet and Amaterasu didn't have anything to do with what had just happened, she realized. Amy watched Tomoko leave the room, then sighed. Their handlers probably wouldn't be happy if anything else happened between the two of them... not that she had any idea what she either wanted or hoped would happen! And they were about due for a mission, which wouldn't give them much free time alone. But she needed to talk to Tomoko - or Amaterasu, or whatever she wanted to be called just then - about things. Maybe they'd get a chance for a few moments alone when they were out in the field, or something.
Two days later, Amaterasu was dead.
"What do you mean, 'you're done already'?" Mr. Phipps asked in surprise over the comm link.
"Just what I said," Max replied with a shrug that he couldn't see. "The bad guys have been arrested and are on their way to jail, and we're ready to come home."
"The plane isn't even done refueling, yet," Phipps informed them.
"Sorry," Amy threw in. She and Janet had joined Max in the car they'd been supplied with upon their arrival in Michigan. She and Max were in the front seat, as per usual, while Janet looked a bit odd by herself in the back. It just didn't look right without Dominique there next to her, deliberately irritating her by smoking without bothering to open a window.
"Amy?"
"I was asked to be 'serious' this time," she said simply.
There was a moment of silence as Phipps digested that. "You're going to have to find something to do to keep yourselves occupied for a few hours, D.E.B.S.," he finally said. "Dominique had been alerted to your presence there and will rendezvous with you as soon as she can, so don't wander off too far."
"Where?" Janet wondered.
"She probably won't have been completely able to shake any Centre tails, so she'd have to track us down in any event," Amy said, thinking out loud. "Where around here might we go to celebrate a mission accomplished?"
"How about that club we drove by on the way here?" Max suggested, part of her feeling a rather childish sense of satisfaction that Amy didn't have ALL the answers.
Unless she does, and is just trying to let you feel like you're actually contributing something, instead of just taking up space.
She tried to banish the thought, but it wasn't that easy, especially after Amy's little performance earlier.
"Sounds good to me," Amy said agreeably, and Janet nodded.
"All right, D.E.B.S.," Phipps said. "Have fun, but be careful out there." He cut the channel.
Shaking her head and feeling a little lost and confused, Max nonetheless said, "Okay, you heard the man. Let's party."
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Maybe it was the time difference, but Amy was surprised by how many people were at the club already. They could barely see the tables through the crowd on the dance floor. There was also a tight cluster of people forming around the DJ's booth over in one of the corners as people tried to catch her attention and request a song. The woman had more piercings on her face then most people had on their whole bodies, and was for the most part ignoring them.
The whole situation reminded Amy of another club that she had been made to visit, and hadn't initially been happy about. A quick look at Janet before the three of them dispersed into the crowd showed that she was feeling it, too.
Amy sighed, wishing nothing more then for Lucy to be there with her to get her to relax, again.
Preferably without an interruption.
Amy shifted uncomfortably in the booth, irritated with Lucy for dragging her out here, furious with herself for not being able to drop her pretend for long enough to enjoy herself, and worried that Janet might see something she shouldn't and tell everyone about it.
Though it might take a bit of work to see them through this crowd.
"So... how long've you been a D.E.B.?"
She barely managed not to roll her eyes, but it wasn't easy. At least she knew Lucy wasn't as entirely confident and self-assured as she was trying to appear, if that was the best she could do as an ice breaker.
A chuckle. "You're gonna have to talk to me sooner or later," Lucy informed her, taking a swig of her beer.
Maybe, but that didn't mean she would have to make things easy for her. "Look, I don't know what you expect to accomplish by bringing me all the way out here..."
"Would you lighten up? I know there are a shitload of questions you're just dyin' to ask me." Amy hesitated, uncertain. "Come on, tell me about your thesis."
Why, oh why, had she ever mentioned that? A quick look showed that Lucy was at least trying to appear genuinely interested, if she wasn't really. "It's stupid," she muttered.
"Well, try me."
Oh, what the hell? It wasn't like this was an opportunity that was likely to come again anytime soon. "Umm..." She sighed, trying to gear herself up for the conversation. "I guess my central hypothesis is that, as a woman, operating in a male-dominated field, you felt the need to over-compensate by being exponentially more ruthless and diabolical then your established male counterparts." I can't believe I'm having this conversation.
"I am not more ruthless," Lucy protested.
Ha! Gotcha! "I think an argument could be made that you are... i.e. we're here."
Lucy seemed to be considering that. "That's interesting. Continue."
Okay, so far so good. Now for the part that her brain was already revising and coming close to rejecting, now that she finally had the long-missing piece of the puzzle. "And I think," she said with a small, nervous laugh, "that these psychological forces combine to a kind of emotional void in which you're incapable of loving... or being loved..." She knew she sounded tentative and apologetic by the end, but Lucy didn't seem to appreciate that.
"See, that is SO not true!"
"What?"
"I'm open to love! I am!" For some reason, Amy got the feeling that she wasn't the first person that day to mention such a thing to the thief.
But that could wait. "I'm sorry, it's-it's-it's just a theory," she apologized.
"Yeah, well... What the hell do you know about it, anyway?" Lucy asked her, sounding stung.
An all-too-familiar kind of stung. "Nothing," she huffed. After a moment of silence, she felt the need to add to that, "I just broke up with my boyfriend, like..." She looked at her watch. "...five hours ago."
"I'm sorry. That sucks."
Amy smiled tentatively. "Thanks."
Another silence, but not QUITE as uncomfortable. Not comfortable yet, either, though. "Why'd you break up with him?"
Hell, did everybody have to keep asking her that? "I don't know," she said feelingly, groping for an answer that would satisfy her... Could she still say 'kidnapper'? "It just wasn't..." She sighed. "I think love should be irresistible, like a drug, you know?" She tried to pretend she didn't see the small smile that appeared on Lucy's face before she managed to hide it, and that that didn't send the butterflies in her stomach into a frenzy. "I think when it happens, you should just... not be able to help yourself. I just, I wanted... more." And no one that she'd tried to explain her feelings to before GOT that. Lucy looked off to the side, almost as if amused. What was she doing? She was just... just... "Babbling... I'm sorry."
"No," Lucy hastened to assure her. "You're not, at all." She sounded more gentle and serious then Amy had ever heard of her being. Caring, that was the word she was looking for. "This is so weird," she said, shaking her head. "I... Why aren't you killing me?"
"I don't do that."
"What about those agents in Antarctica?"
"Oh, please, they died of frostbite, or something. I never even met 'em."
"And those ATF guys in Peru?"
"Ebola."
And the Shaeffers? she came perilously close to adding, but managed to stop herself in time. She knew that Lucy had killed before. Knowing that she didn't do so indiscriminately was something of a relief, and she didn't want to spoil the moment. "You're so not what I expected," she said, still feeling a little nervous, though for a different reason. The awkwardness was fading, at least.
Lucy rested her head on her hand. "Well, I think that's a good thing."
Well... no doubt that Lucy was trying to flirt with her anymore. So the question became, what did she want to do about that? She leaned back in the seat. "Soooo, what's up with Nin-otch-ka?"
"Oh, God!" Lucy hid her face, sounding painfully embarrassed. "She is such a headcase!"
"Where do you meet somebody like that?" Amy asked, amused. And that was really all it took to really break the ice.
Amy sighed. Maybe there was a pay phone that she could call Lucy from, or something.
**********************************************
Dominique stared silently at the outside of the club. A few questions to people at the train station and nearby had indicated that the D.E.B.S. had gone this way, and she could think of no other reason. It was as good a place as any for a drop, she supposed.
"You're certain that they're in there?"
And it might make it easier to ditch her babysitter. She longed to just snap at Sydney for bothering her and banish him back to the plane, but he was just being so damned nice about the whole thing! Between that, his manners and courteousness, and his accent (which she thought to be Belgian) he reminded her far too much of her grandfather to allow her to feel especially comfortable getting mad at him. "I believe they are, oui. It would be best for you to remain here."
"You mean to try and capture her alone?"
"Monsieur Sydney, I mean to study her. I 'ave not been able to review much of the information from ze Pantheon files, but even what I have seen tells me it would be... difficult to beat her in ideal conditions, which these are not. Any attempts to use a gun would result in a panicked stampede, which would be equally dangerous to us both." She would have liked a cigarette, but unfortunately had finished her last pack while investigating and hadn't had a chance to pick up a new one, yet. "I need to learn more about her. Unlike with Jarod, we have only a vague idea what she 'as been up to these past nine years."
"I still think it would be best if you didn't go in alone."
She sighed. "I appreciate your concern, Monsieur Sydney, but she knows who you are. She knows who Miss Parker and Monsieur Broots are. She does not know who I am. I will be able to get much closer to her then any of you could. Not to mention..." She gave him one of her bored/disinterested/vaguely amused looks. "You would not exactly blend in."
He acknowledged that with a hint of a smile.
Perhaps it was for the best that, of all available choices, she'd ended up with Sydney as her tagalong, Dominique decided as she slipped inside the club. The other two would have insisted on following her in, no matter how awkward of embarrassing it would be.
She let the techno music that was currently playing wash over her, invigorating her, and, unfortunately, making her aware of just how long it had been since she had gone to bed with a young man such as one of the many, many available choices that were now in front of her. She understood the demands of her duty, but it had been almost two entire days already! Did they think she was some kind of nun?
Regretfully shoving such thoughts aside for the time being, she began searching the floor for her teammates. She thought she might have seen Max on the other side of the dance floor, but she was too far away to be sure, and there were too many people in her way. She wasn't tall enough to spot Janet, and wasn't sure she would have wanted to entrust such sensitive data as that which she carried to her, in any event.
However, she did see a blonde head which she recognized as Amy skirting the edge of the dance floor, almost as if she herself was looking for something.
Dominique tugged the startled D.E.B. onto the floor and gave her a rare smile. "May I have zis dance?" she asked with a trace of playfulness.
Something that might have been panic flickered through Amy's eyes, but was gone almost instantly. "Dom... You startled me." They were still on the edge of the dance floor, at least. "Maybe we should talk somewhere quieter?"
"Ze only place quieter is outside, and we cannot go there."
Amy sighed, then placed her hands on Dominique's hips and allowed herself to be drawn into the rythem. "How's everything going?" she asked, having to lean closer and speak almost directly into Dom's ear in order to be heard without shouting. "No problems with... anyone there?"
"No. As you said, he was quite easy to get rid of." She paused. "For the time being, at any rate."
"I have no doubt." She leaned closer, her breath tickling Dominique's ear. "Who'd you bring?"
"Sydney. He is waiting outside for me."
"Also for the time being, no doubt."
"Indeed." She became aware that they had begun to attract some attention from those nearby. Perhaps she and Amy had been putting on TOO much of a show? The look in Amy's eyes clearly said she knew it, too, so without a word they departed the dance floor to try and find a secluded spot along the wall to talk. Amy leaned against the wall, occasionally sneaking looks around to make sure no one was paying them any undue attention, still holding on to Dominique, who was leaning uncomfortably close. It wasn't all THAT much quieter where they were now, after all. "I have some of ze information you requested." She paused. "And I have started reviewing ze Pantheon files. I... believe I now know why you did not wish to allow us to get too close."
"...sorry."
Dominique shook her head. "It is I who should be sorry. As I have said, I did not really like you before now."
Amy was happy that that seemed to have changed, but, if they were being honest with each other... "It wasn't just you. I was never really... comfortable, around you. You... reminded me far too much of someone I... used to know."
Dominique took a guess. "Amaterasu?"
Amy flinched. "Yeah. I was never really sure why. I mean, you look a little like her, maybe, but not THAT much, and you don't act alike, and... you're French."
Dominique remembered Amy's little warning about Lyle from days ago. "Sometimes it is enough?" she echoed.
"Sometimes," Amy agreed. "And after a while, the resemblance wasn't so readily apparent, but... it wasn't quite that easy... being around you." She swallowed hard and looked down at Dominique. For her part, Dominique recognized the look in Amy's eyes. She'd seen it before, on both men and women, but never from the Perfect Score.
Gender had never really bothered Dominique. Sex was sex, as far as she was concerned. And she once again became painfully aware that it had been two entire days since she had last had any. She supposed she should have known she was in trouble when she'd noticed that she was enjoying having Amy's hands on her hips a little TOO much. "And now?" she asked huskily.
Amy let out a shuddering breath. "Now, I-I... With Lucy..." Dominique's eyebrows shot up as she realized what Amy was trying to say, but she didn't dare interrupt. She could query Amy about the affair she suspected the blonde had had with the master criminal later. "All I know is, uh, I'll never forgive myself if I don't at least, once..." She leaned down and kissed Dominique.
There was a cigarette taste, of course, but it wasn't as strong as she'd expected, and was almost drowned out by a fruity taste, leading Amy to wonder just what she'd been drinking before. The kiss itself was as nice as she'd hoped, and she pulled away, satisfied.
Or that had been the plan, anyway. However, Amy had managed to forget one of the very first things she'd ever learned about her French teammate.
One can't turn on her hormones and then expect them to simply shut off again just like that.
Dominique reached up and pulled Amy's head back down for a searing kiss, her tongue darting into Amy's mouth when the latter reflexively opened it to protest. Tongues dancing, she let her hands start to wander.
Amy's brain had frozen, unable to believe this was happening. And to think, I could have had this all along... part of her thought in amazement. But... Lucy... another piped up. Dominique's hands sliding inside her jacket tore her attention away from her internal argument, and she felt as much as saw Dom sliding several data discs into her inner pocket. She felt some relief, knowing that there was at least a reason for their little joint psychotic break.
Her relief was short-lived, though, as, once the transfer was accomplished, Dominique began fondling her properly. She couldn't quite stop a moan low in her throat as Dom's hands found her breasts, and noticed that her own hands, independent of her will, had begun sliding over Dom's back. She was also painfully aware of the leg that was resting right between her thighs. "Dominique! We- we can't," she gasped out. "There's- I... Sydney," she said, gesturing towards the door with her chin.
Dominique pulled momentarily away and looked in the indicated direction. Sure enough, there was Sydney at the door, scanning the club to try and find her. She hadn't been gone long enough for him to worry, had she? Perhaps there was an emergency, of some kind. She turned back to apologize to Amy for the interruption, but the Perfect Score had vanished.
There hadn't been so much as a sound or whisper of movement, but Amy was nonetheless gone. "Merde!" she exclaimed feelingly. Stalking towards the door, feeling all manner of frustration, she dragged Sydney back to the car. "We are leaving," she informed him coolly. She'd just have to wait until they got back to Blue Cove to find someone to help rid her of it.
"Did something happen?" he asked, confused.
Yes. Yes, something had most definitely happened, but she wasn't about to tell him about it. "I must learn more about ze relationships between ze members of Pantheon," she said instead. "Evidently, I remind her of someone."
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Not what you were expecting to happen? *grins* Well, that's too bad, 'cause if you're looking for a story where the predictable thing happens, you should have figured out by now that this is not that story. ;)
And okay, so I said it would be a few days. I guess I kind of lied. *lol*
Next time - Amy runs out to see Lucy, who thinks she's merely upset about dealing with The Centre and decides to get more involved. Dominique continues her unique method of gathering information.
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: Obviously, this is 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 in the process of shaking quite a number of worlds as it surfaces. And if you thought there was angst in my last fic... *evil chuckle*
Given her narrow escape - and not even entirely unnoticed - from the D.E.B.S., Lucy won't be in this chapter, except in flashback form. But don't worry, I'm not about to let you guys down on the girl-on-girl front (I did promise, after all). Just don't hurt me for this. ;)
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 Eight
Sekhmet sighed as she waited patiently - more or less - for Amaterasu to get back from taking her shower. The twelve-year-old girl hadn't been gone all THAT long, true, but Sekhmet didn't like her being out of her sight for longer then necessary, ever since...
Well, ever since they'd started dying. She was waiting for her friend out in the common room, which was otherwise deserted. She could have waited in her own room, she knew, but ever since Aphrodite had been killed attempting an escape almost a year ago, she hadn't liked spending more time there then necessary. It had become a place to sleep, and nothing more.
She knew Amaterasu felt the same about her own rooming situation. Bryn had only been dead two months now - surprising everyone by outlasting so many others - but her loss was still being felt keenly by everyone.
Well, by everyone but The Centre, who didn't seem to feel much of anything at all.
Times like these she missed Dr. Mason.
She was - thankfully - brought out of her morbid thoughts by the sound of the door opening, and looked up in time to see Amaterasu entering the room clad in only a towel.
She didn't understand why she felt her face heat up so much just then.
Puberty was definitely being good to Amaterasu. She hadn't shot upwards like Sekhmet was in the process of doing - to the latter's annoyance; she kept having to have new clothes bought for her, and she liked the old ones, they were all broken in and comfortable - but she was developing... curves that kept throwing Sekhmet's brain for a loop.
Times like these, she wondered what Athena would have said.
Amaterasu beamed upon seeing her, and Sekhmet felt like there was something crawling around in her stomach, trying to get out. It really wasn't a very pleasant sensation, but part of her didn't want it to stop. "Hey," she managed to force out.
"Hi!" Amaterasu replied, seemingly oblivious of her friend's distress. She settled down on the couch next to her, curling up her legs under her, and Sekhmet could have sworn that she could feel the heat that was emanating from the bare skin that was mere inches away from her. "Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."
"N-no, I was, umm... No," she stammered.
Amaterasu frowned in concern. "Are you all right?"
"Yes, I'm... It's just, you know... That." She sighed. "Again."
Her frown eased into a look of understanding, then a gentle, nervous smile. "Oh. Well, we could... I've been thinking..."
Not sure if that was good or bad, Sekhmet prompted, "What?"
In response, Amaterasu leaned forward, her lips brushing against Sekhmet's own. When she pulled back, she couldn't help but giggle at the look of dumbfounded shock on Sekhmet's face. "I need to go change, now," she said in between giggles. "I'll be right back." She bounced up off the couch and headed off to her room, leaving a still shocked speechless Sekhmet behind her.
Sekhmet... No, Sekhmet and Amaterasu didn't have anything to do with what had just happened, she realized. Amy watched Tomoko leave the room, then sighed. Their handlers probably wouldn't be happy if anything else happened between the two of them... not that she had any idea what she either wanted or hoped would happen! And they were about due for a mission, which wouldn't give them much free time alone. But she needed to talk to Tomoko - or Amaterasu, or whatever she wanted to be called just then - about things. Maybe they'd get a chance for a few moments alone when they were out in the field, or something.
Two days later, Amaterasu was dead.
"What do you mean, 'you're done already'?" Mr. Phipps asked in surprise over the comm link.
"Just what I said," Max replied with a shrug that he couldn't see. "The bad guys have been arrested and are on their way to jail, and we're ready to come home."
"The plane isn't even done refueling, yet," Phipps informed them.
"Sorry," Amy threw in. She and Janet had joined Max in the car they'd been supplied with upon their arrival in Michigan. She and Max were in the front seat, as per usual, while Janet looked a bit odd by herself in the back. It just didn't look right without Dominique there next to her, deliberately irritating her by smoking without bothering to open a window.
"Amy?"
"I was asked to be 'serious' this time," she said simply.
There was a moment of silence as Phipps digested that. "You're going to have to find something to do to keep yourselves occupied for a few hours, D.E.B.S.," he finally said. "Dominique had been alerted to your presence there and will rendezvous with you as soon as she can, so don't wander off too far."
"Where?" Janet wondered.
"She probably won't have been completely able to shake any Centre tails, so she'd have to track us down in any event," Amy said, thinking out loud. "Where around here might we go to celebrate a mission accomplished?"
"How about that club we drove by on the way here?" Max suggested, part of her feeling a rather childish sense of satisfaction that Amy didn't have ALL the answers.
Unless she does, and is just trying to let you feel like you're actually contributing something, instead of just taking up space.
She tried to banish the thought, but it wasn't that easy, especially after Amy's little performance earlier.
"Sounds good to me," Amy said agreeably, and Janet nodded.
"All right, D.E.B.S.," Phipps said. "Have fun, but be careful out there." He cut the channel.
Shaking her head and feeling a little lost and confused, Max nonetheless said, "Okay, you heard the man. Let's party."
**********************************************
Maybe it was the time difference, but Amy was surprised by how many people were at the club already. They could barely see the tables through the crowd on the dance floor. There was also a tight cluster of people forming around the DJ's booth over in one of the corners as people tried to catch her attention and request a song. The woman had more piercings on her face then most people had on their whole bodies, and was for the most part ignoring them.
The whole situation reminded Amy of another club that she had been made to visit, and hadn't initially been happy about. A quick look at Janet before the three of them dispersed into the crowd showed that she was feeling it, too.
Amy sighed, wishing nothing more then for Lucy to be there with her to get her to relax, again.
Preferably without an interruption.
Amy shifted uncomfortably in the booth, irritated with Lucy for dragging her out here, furious with herself for not being able to drop her pretend for long enough to enjoy herself, and worried that Janet might see something she shouldn't and tell everyone about it.
Though it might take a bit of work to see them through this crowd.
"So... how long've you been a D.E.B.?"
She barely managed not to roll her eyes, but it wasn't easy. At least she knew Lucy wasn't as entirely confident and self-assured as she was trying to appear, if that was the best she could do as an ice breaker.
A chuckle. "You're gonna have to talk to me sooner or later," Lucy informed her, taking a swig of her beer.
Maybe, but that didn't mean she would have to make things easy for her. "Look, I don't know what you expect to accomplish by bringing me all the way out here..."
"Would you lighten up? I know there are a shitload of questions you're just dyin' to ask me." Amy hesitated, uncertain. "Come on, tell me about your thesis."
Why, oh why, had she ever mentioned that? A quick look showed that Lucy was at least trying to appear genuinely interested, if she wasn't really. "It's stupid," she muttered.
"Well, try me."
Oh, what the hell? It wasn't like this was an opportunity that was likely to come again anytime soon. "Umm..." She sighed, trying to gear herself up for the conversation. "I guess my central hypothesis is that, as a woman, operating in a male-dominated field, you felt the need to over-compensate by being exponentially more ruthless and diabolical then your established male counterparts." I can't believe I'm having this conversation.
"I am not more ruthless," Lucy protested.
Ha! Gotcha! "I think an argument could be made that you are... i.e. we're here."
Lucy seemed to be considering that. "That's interesting. Continue."
Okay, so far so good. Now for the part that her brain was already revising and coming close to rejecting, now that she finally had the long-missing piece of the puzzle. "And I think," she said with a small, nervous laugh, "that these psychological forces combine to a kind of emotional void in which you're incapable of loving... or being loved..." She knew she sounded tentative and apologetic by the end, but Lucy didn't seem to appreciate that.
"See, that is SO not true!"
"What?"
"I'm open to love! I am!" For some reason, Amy got the feeling that she wasn't the first person that day to mention such a thing to the thief.
But that could wait. "I'm sorry, it's-it's-it's just a theory," she apologized.
"Yeah, well... What the hell do you know about it, anyway?" Lucy asked her, sounding stung.
An all-too-familiar kind of stung. "Nothing," she huffed. After a moment of silence, she felt the need to add to that, "I just broke up with my boyfriend, like..." She looked at her watch. "...five hours ago."
"I'm sorry. That sucks."
Amy smiled tentatively. "Thanks."
Another silence, but not QUITE as uncomfortable. Not comfortable yet, either, though. "Why'd you break up with him?"
Hell, did everybody have to keep asking her that? "I don't know," she said feelingly, groping for an answer that would satisfy her... Could she still say 'kidnapper'? "It just wasn't..." She sighed. "I think love should be irresistible, like a drug, you know?" She tried to pretend she didn't see the small smile that appeared on Lucy's face before she managed to hide it, and that that didn't send the butterflies in her stomach into a frenzy. "I think when it happens, you should just... not be able to help yourself. I just, I wanted... more." And no one that she'd tried to explain her feelings to before GOT that. Lucy looked off to the side, almost as if amused. What was she doing? She was just... just... "Babbling... I'm sorry."
"No," Lucy hastened to assure her. "You're not, at all." She sounded more gentle and serious then Amy had ever heard of her being. Caring, that was the word she was looking for. "This is so weird," she said, shaking her head. "I... Why aren't you killing me?"
"I don't do that."
"What about those agents in Antarctica?"
"Oh, please, they died of frostbite, or something. I never even met 'em."
"And those ATF guys in Peru?"
"Ebola."
And the Shaeffers? she came perilously close to adding, but managed to stop herself in time. She knew that Lucy had killed before. Knowing that she didn't do so indiscriminately was something of a relief, and she didn't want to spoil the moment. "You're so not what I expected," she said, still feeling a little nervous, though for a different reason. The awkwardness was fading, at least.
Lucy rested her head on her hand. "Well, I think that's a good thing."
Well... no doubt that Lucy was trying to flirt with her anymore. So the question became, what did she want to do about that? She leaned back in the seat. "Soooo, what's up with Nin-otch-ka?"
"Oh, God!" Lucy hid her face, sounding painfully embarrassed. "She is such a headcase!"
"Where do you meet somebody like that?" Amy asked, amused. And that was really all it took to really break the ice.
Amy sighed. Maybe there was a pay phone that she could call Lucy from, or something.
**********************************************
Dominique stared silently at the outside of the club. A few questions to people at the train station and nearby had indicated that the D.E.B.S. had gone this way, and she could think of no other reason. It was as good a place as any for a drop, she supposed.
"You're certain that they're in there?"
And it might make it easier to ditch her babysitter. She longed to just snap at Sydney for bothering her and banish him back to the plane, but he was just being so damned nice about the whole thing! Between that, his manners and courteousness, and his accent (which she thought to be Belgian) he reminded her far too much of her grandfather to allow her to feel especially comfortable getting mad at him. "I believe they are, oui. It would be best for you to remain here."
"You mean to try and capture her alone?"
"Monsieur Sydney, I mean to study her. I 'ave not been able to review much of the information from ze Pantheon files, but even what I have seen tells me it would be... difficult to beat her in ideal conditions, which these are not. Any attempts to use a gun would result in a panicked stampede, which would be equally dangerous to us both." She would have liked a cigarette, but unfortunately had finished her last pack while investigating and hadn't had a chance to pick up a new one, yet. "I need to learn more about her. Unlike with Jarod, we have only a vague idea what she 'as been up to these past nine years."
"I still think it would be best if you didn't go in alone."
She sighed. "I appreciate your concern, Monsieur Sydney, but she knows who you are. She knows who Miss Parker and Monsieur Broots are. She does not know who I am. I will be able to get much closer to her then any of you could. Not to mention..." She gave him one of her bored/disinterested/vaguely amused looks. "You would not exactly blend in."
He acknowledged that with a hint of a smile.
Perhaps it was for the best that, of all available choices, she'd ended up with Sydney as her tagalong, Dominique decided as she slipped inside the club. The other two would have insisted on following her in, no matter how awkward of embarrassing it would be.
She let the techno music that was currently playing wash over her, invigorating her, and, unfortunately, making her aware of just how long it had been since she had gone to bed with a young man such as one of the many, many available choices that were now in front of her. She understood the demands of her duty, but it had been almost two entire days already! Did they think she was some kind of nun?
Regretfully shoving such thoughts aside for the time being, she began searching the floor for her teammates. She thought she might have seen Max on the other side of the dance floor, but she was too far away to be sure, and there were too many people in her way. She wasn't tall enough to spot Janet, and wasn't sure she would have wanted to entrust such sensitive data as that which she carried to her, in any event.
However, she did see a blonde head which she recognized as Amy skirting the edge of the dance floor, almost as if she herself was looking for something.
Dominique tugged the startled D.E.B. onto the floor and gave her a rare smile. "May I have zis dance?" she asked with a trace of playfulness.
Something that might have been panic flickered through Amy's eyes, but was gone almost instantly. "Dom... You startled me." They were still on the edge of the dance floor, at least. "Maybe we should talk somewhere quieter?"
"Ze only place quieter is outside, and we cannot go there."
Amy sighed, then placed her hands on Dominique's hips and allowed herself to be drawn into the rythem. "How's everything going?" she asked, having to lean closer and speak almost directly into Dom's ear in order to be heard without shouting. "No problems with... anyone there?"
"No. As you said, he was quite easy to get rid of." She paused. "For the time being, at any rate."
"I have no doubt." She leaned closer, her breath tickling Dominique's ear. "Who'd you bring?"
"Sydney. He is waiting outside for me."
"Also for the time being, no doubt."
"Indeed." She became aware that they had begun to attract some attention from those nearby. Perhaps she and Amy had been putting on TOO much of a show? The look in Amy's eyes clearly said she knew it, too, so without a word they departed the dance floor to try and find a secluded spot along the wall to talk. Amy leaned against the wall, occasionally sneaking looks around to make sure no one was paying them any undue attention, still holding on to Dominique, who was leaning uncomfortably close. It wasn't all THAT much quieter where they were now, after all. "I have some of ze information you requested." She paused. "And I have started reviewing ze Pantheon files. I... believe I now know why you did not wish to allow us to get too close."
"...sorry."
Dominique shook her head. "It is I who should be sorry. As I have said, I did not really like you before now."
Amy was happy that that seemed to have changed, but, if they were being honest with each other... "It wasn't just you. I was never really... comfortable, around you. You... reminded me far too much of someone I... used to know."
Dominique took a guess. "Amaterasu?"
Amy flinched. "Yeah. I was never really sure why. I mean, you look a little like her, maybe, but not THAT much, and you don't act alike, and... you're French."
Dominique remembered Amy's little warning about Lyle from days ago. "Sometimes it is enough?" she echoed.
"Sometimes," Amy agreed. "And after a while, the resemblance wasn't so readily apparent, but... it wasn't quite that easy... being around you." She swallowed hard and looked down at Dominique. For her part, Dominique recognized the look in Amy's eyes. She'd seen it before, on both men and women, but never from the Perfect Score.
Gender had never really bothered Dominique. Sex was sex, as far as she was concerned. And she once again became painfully aware that it had been two entire days since she had last had any. She supposed she should have known she was in trouble when she'd noticed that she was enjoying having Amy's hands on her hips a little TOO much. "And now?" she asked huskily.
Amy let out a shuddering breath. "Now, I-I... With Lucy..." Dominique's eyebrows shot up as she realized what Amy was trying to say, but she didn't dare interrupt. She could query Amy about the affair she suspected the blonde had had with the master criminal later. "All I know is, uh, I'll never forgive myself if I don't at least, once..." She leaned down and kissed Dominique.
There was a cigarette taste, of course, but it wasn't as strong as she'd expected, and was almost drowned out by a fruity taste, leading Amy to wonder just what she'd been drinking before. The kiss itself was as nice as she'd hoped, and she pulled away, satisfied.
Or that had been the plan, anyway. However, Amy had managed to forget one of the very first things she'd ever learned about her French teammate.
One can't turn on her hormones and then expect them to simply shut off again just like that.
Dominique reached up and pulled Amy's head back down for a searing kiss, her tongue darting into Amy's mouth when the latter reflexively opened it to protest. Tongues dancing, she let her hands start to wander.
Amy's brain had frozen, unable to believe this was happening. And to think, I could have had this all along... part of her thought in amazement. But... Lucy... another piped up. Dominique's hands sliding inside her jacket tore her attention away from her internal argument, and she felt as much as saw Dom sliding several data discs into her inner pocket. She felt some relief, knowing that there was at least a reason for their little joint psychotic break.
Her relief was short-lived, though, as, once the transfer was accomplished, Dominique began fondling her properly. She couldn't quite stop a moan low in her throat as Dom's hands found her breasts, and noticed that her own hands, independent of her will, had begun sliding over Dom's back. She was also painfully aware of the leg that was resting right between her thighs. "Dominique! We- we can't," she gasped out. "There's- I... Sydney," she said, gesturing towards the door with her chin.
Dominique pulled momentarily away and looked in the indicated direction. Sure enough, there was Sydney at the door, scanning the club to try and find her. She hadn't been gone long enough for him to worry, had she? Perhaps there was an emergency, of some kind. She turned back to apologize to Amy for the interruption, but the Perfect Score had vanished.
There hadn't been so much as a sound or whisper of movement, but Amy was nonetheless gone. "Merde!" she exclaimed feelingly. Stalking towards the door, feeling all manner of frustration, she dragged Sydney back to the car. "We are leaving," she informed him coolly. She'd just have to wait until they got back to Blue Cove to find someone to help rid her of it.
"Did something happen?" he asked, confused.
Yes. Yes, something had most definitely happened, but she wasn't about to tell him about it. "I must learn more about ze relationships between ze members of Pantheon," she said instead. "Evidently, I remind her of someone."
________________________________________________________________________
Not what you were expecting to happen? *grins* Well, that's too bad, 'cause if you're looking for a story where the predictable thing happens, you should have figured out by now that this is not that story. ;)
And okay, so I said it would be a few days. I guess I kind of lied. *lol*
Next time - Amy runs out to see Lucy, who thinks she's merely upset about dealing with The Centre and decides to get more involved. Dominique continues her unique method of gathering information.