August 13 - Recommended Course of Action
Title: Recommended Course of Action
Series: The Sunnydale Mission
Author: Vashti (tvashti)
Fandom: La Femme Nikita (1997)
Character(s): Oz, Madeline
Rating: PG
Summary: Oz needs Madeline's help
Length: ~530 words
Disclaimer: Only the words are mine, and that’s probably up for philosophical debate.
Notes: Follows Can't Do It Alone
"Madeline?"
"Yes, Oz. I'm here. What do you need?"
"I need to come..." He'd almost said 'home', where home meant 'Madeline.' "...come in. I need to come in."
He was in the back of his van, the only place safe enough to make this confession. If it had merely been a debriefing, he could have gone to one of the other operatives. And if someone (namely his new "bro" Devon McLeash) asked him about it later, it would have been easy to come up with a plausible reason. But while all his human teammates knew he was a werewolf, regardless of whether they believed it to be true, the change was still too deeply private to reveal to strangers.
"Hmm, you have stayed beyond your recommended time. And there still isn't anything definitive in this 'Vampire Slayer'?"
Oz shifted uneasily. His teammates were somewhere between his equals and lower than him in rank. For the time being, Madeline was [home] his alpha. It went against every instinct to lie to her.
And like any true alpha, she could apparently sense when a subordinate wolf was trying wiggle out of the truth. "Oz?"
There was a command in her voice, and he responded to it almost without thought. "She does exist. Every corner of the supernatural community is talking about her."
"And when we're you going to share this with me, Oz?"
Sitting alone in his van, with no one to see him and only the sound of Madeline's voice to indict him, Oz still find himself ducking his head and tucking in his shoulders. He felt like an adolescent again. "I was waiting to find out who she was."
"Why don't we yet know who she is?"
Although Madeline's tone hadn't changed, Oz felt more confident about this question. "No one has survived an encounter with the Slayer."
"Hmm. But they're all convinced it's the Slayer that's doing this? Cutting through the ranks of supernatural evil?"
"Yes, ma'am."
There was an extended silence on the other end of the line, but it had the feeling of being thoughtful. Oz settled in to wait.
“Who do you think she is?” Madeline asked somewhat unexpectedly. “You’re a very intelligent young man. You must have some ideas?”
Warmth pulsed through Oz’s chest at the minor praise. “There is a group of four at school. They always seem to be at the heart of supernatural trouble. Three of the four are girls.”
“That’s a start. You’ll have to infiltrate the group.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“As such, you can’t be allowed to come in.” Before Oz could pull his chin from his chest to protest, Madeline said, “I’ll make sure arrangements are made. When is the first night of your change?”
“Two days.”
“Good. I’ll have everything ready for you by then. Remember what I said about infiltrating this group that you believe harbors the Slayer. Now is not the time to disappear.”
“Yes, ma’am. I won’t.”
“Good, Oz. If I haven’t told you before, you’re doing an admirable job with this assignment. I’m proud of you.”
Chest pulsing with warmth again, Oz nodded. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“And do call me ‘Madeline’.”
“Yes, ma-Madeline.”
“Good. See you in two days, Oz.”
Fin[ite]
Series: The Sunnydale Mission
Author: Vashti (tvashti)
Fandom: La Femme Nikita (1997)
Character(s): Oz, Madeline
Rating: PG
Summary: Oz needs Madeline's help
Length: ~530 words
Disclaimer: Only the words are mine, and that’s probably up for philosophical debate.
Notes: Follows Can't Do It Alone
"Madeline?"
"Yes, Oz. I'm here. What do you need?"
"I need to come..." He'd almost said 'home', where home meant 'Madeline.' "...come in. I need to come in."
He was in the back of his van, the only place safe enough to make this confession. If it had merely been a debriefing, he could have gone to one of the other operatives. And if someone (namely his new "bro" Devon McLeash) asked him about it later, it would have been easy to come up with a plausible reason. But while all his human teammates knew he was a werewolf, regardless of whether they believed it to be true, the change was still too deeply private to reveal to strangers.
"Hmm, you have stayed beyond your recommended time. And there still isn't anything definitive in this 'Vampire Slayer'?"
Oz shifted uneasily. His teammates were somewhere between his equals and lower than him in rank. For the time being, Madeline was [home] his alpha. It went against every instinct to lie to her.
And like any true alpha, she could apparently sense when a subordinate wolf was trying wiggle out of the truth. "Oz?"
There was a command in her voice, and he responded to it almost without thought. "She does exist. Every corner of the supernatural community is talking about her."
"And when we're you going to share this with me, Oz?"
Sitting alone in his van, with no one to see him and only the sound of Madeline's voice to indict him, Oz still find himself ducking his head and tucking in his shoulders. He felt like an adolescent again. "I was waiting to find out who she was."
"Why don't we yet know who she is?"
Although Madeline's tone hadn't changed, Oz felt more confident about this question. "No one has survived an encounter with the Slayer."
"Hmm. But they're all convinced it's the Slayer that's doing this? Cutting through the ranks of supernatural evil?"
"Yes, ma'am."
There was an extended silence on the other end of the line, but it had the feeling of being thoughtful. Oz settled in to wait.
“Who do you think she is?” Madeline asked somewhat unexpectedly. “You’re a very intelligent young man. You must have some ideas?”
Warmth pulsed through Oz’s chest at the minor praise. “There is a group of four at school. They always seem to be at the heart of supernatural trouble. Three of the four are girls.”
“That’s a start. You’ll have to infiltrate the group.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“As such, you can’t be allowed to come in.” Before Oz could pull his chin from his chest to protest, Madeline said, “I’ll make sure arrangements are made. When is the first night of your change?”
“Two days.”
“Good. I’ll have everything ready for you by then. Remember what I said about infiltrating this group that you believe harbors the Slayer. Now is not the time to disappear.”
“Yes, ma’am. I won’t.”
“Good, Oz. If I haven’t told you before, you’re doing an admirable job with this assignment. I’m proud of you.”
Chest pulsing with warmth again, Oz nodded. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“And do call me ‘Madeline’.”
“Yes, ma-Madeline.”
“Good. See you in two days, Oz.”
Fin[ite]