capencowl2020 | log; you won't find faith or hope down a telescope

GOVERNMENT WORK SUCKS // OTA

Jane groaned and laid her head down on her desk.

She knew the answers, but she had to put on a good show. Any delay that she could give this government, the better, because it would give the resistance a better chance to catch up or surpass them in solving this portal technology. It was the most she could do, as outright sabotage was proving to be harder to do with theoretical work and she did not want to risk something exploding on them—or worse, accidentally working.

If you’re a fellow government worker, feel free to sympathize. If you’re a government overseer, feel free to prod her. Or explain why you’re looking over her shoulder, because if you’re not either one of those, then why are you in her lab?

SNEAKING AROUND // OTA

The Mission Impossible theme song was not playing inside her head as she snuck down hallways and into various rooms, using a fabricated badge to unlock doors and computers along the way. She was a serious mole that took her double agent role very seriously. She was collecting information for the resistance and she was not secretly getting a thrill from it.

The building was supposed to be empty, but of course, anything can happen. If you should happen to stumble upon her, are you friend, foe, or uninterested janitor?

WHAT IN THE WORLD? // CLOSED TO LOKI

Jane could not believe this. She stared at the address in her hand. She looked up at the building in front of her. If the person who won her bid at the auction was Loki, she was going to scream. The possibility of that happening were astronomically low—she ran the numbers—but since when did statistics and probably ever work in her favor?

God, what she wouldn’t give for Darcy and one of her tasers.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He takes the drive and speaks a word, holding it in his hand, and the item vanishes.

"Better if it goes on its way without either of us attached. Now come on. The resistance needs you, and I do not want to lose another friend to those damn brainwashers." He wags a finger at her.

"Even better."

She really appreciates how efficient Harry is. His practicality levels are the only thing keeping them alive some days.

"Think you can get me back to my house? I supposedly left early this afternoon with a stomach bug."

He tries to be there for the few friends he has in this reality, this damned world, and he nods to her. She is one of those, and one he would risk much for.

"I can. Whenever you are ready." He grins at her, nodding.

As he does so, they hear a sound outside the room of voices and steps, and Harry doesn't wait any longer, instead lunging to her and clapping a hand to her to pull her close as he speaks a word... and with a popping sound, they vanish. There is a long moment of darkness, and then, they appear in her front room.

he shakes his head.

"One of these days, we are going to get caught."

Jane let out a breath of relief when the world appeared before them again.

She hated rushed jobs. She hated incomplete jobs, but he was right.

"We'll deal with that when that day comes. But it's not today."

Brushing some hair out of her eyes, she take in a deep breath and refocuses. She's tired and traveling like that always kind of messes with her, but the night is still young and there's much more to do.

"How have things been on the other side? Anything new?"

"Agreed." Relaxing, Harry grinned at her.

"Good to see you, again, Doc."

At her question, he shook his head. "Crazy. With the porter active again, suddenly there are more missions to try to save new arrivals, and new battles as the government cracks down. Plus the whole ramping up fo the celebrations is making people nervous."

He sighed. "A few safehouses went dark. We're not sure why, but they are marked off on this." He slips her a map that is slowly starts to curl softly, and turn darker.

"Anything marked in red, avoid if you have to run." The map will turn into ash within minutes, so she will have to memorize it, as they all have to.

She smiled back gratefully. She'll have to go back in the morning, but for now, she could maybe get a good night's sleep among friends and safety.

"Good to see you again."

And then she sighed once more.

"It's making them paranoid as well," she said. "If you have any more undercover agents, tell them to be extra careful. They're going to increase patrols and implement extra security protocols. I would put in more back doors, but there are people after me who check these things."

She quickly memorizes it, having developed that skill quickly.

"Thanks."

"I'll pass on the word. I'm just the courier." He's totally not a rebel, nope, not him. Just a smuggler.

...who delivers supplies to the resistance, who helps out resistance people in trouble, who watches over them in times of need and... shhhhh...

"You worry about you, Jane. You're a good person. Be careful. You can't help anyone if you are caught and in a cell."

Yeah, sure. Keep talking, every loner character that unwillingly develops feelings of friendship towards a ragtag group of rebels that joins their cause by the third act.

She grins. “I’ve no intention of staying in a cell if they do, or at least, finding a way to be useful from it.”

Ahem. If they live that long.

"If you go in a cell, you won't be staying in one." it is a simple if very intent statement, and utterly spoken innocently. Of course. No promises there. Not at all.

True. There was a possibility this story followed no tropes.

“Thanks. I like the optimism.”

No, of course not. There could be nothing really explicably said.

He glanced at her, eyes alight with a fierceness, then looked away.

"We've lost too many. I won't lose another."

No matter what it cost. Just, you know, the resistance and its allies needed Jane and her intel. No other feelings here, none at all.

Jane reaches over and pats his shoulder, giving him a genuine smile. This world has changed him so much, but Jane isn't sure if he is the same Harry she knew before, with his memories altered, or if he was another Harry from another world altogether and this version of himself had never met her. She supposes it doesn't matter in the end.

"I won't lose any of you either. These next waves of people coming in, I'm going to do my best for them. And for our overall goals."

"We'll get through it. All of us." And he nods as he raises his hand in salute.

"I should get moving again. Gotta make sure C team gets to work on that information." Names were a premium now, so codes were what he used, all the time.

“Yeah. I think the danger has passed—for now.”

At least no one saw them directly or well enough to identify them. Now was the time to move on and made sure everything else got done.

"Do you need to go anywhere else right now before I mosey on?" Using his magic to help others get around safely was one of the few perks he had,m these days.

But he smiled, too.

Hope lived, yet.

Hope would always live.

"No where particular," she replied. "If you could transport me to a lady's bathroom a few doors down from my bun so I can have an alibi, that would be great."

It's where she went to before using the crawlspace in the ceiling. She can claim digestive problems if someone was thorough and checked the video cameras.

"I have never been there, but I can try."

He holds out his hands to her again, speaking softly, as blue light gathers around him.

"Good enough for me."

She takes his hand and focuses on the place in her mind. She might not have any magical powers, but she has learned to never underestimate magic. Even adding to the spell in this way will have an effect, but hopefully one they'll appreciate.

He feels that connection, and a moment later, they are there, and the flickering lights of the bathroom are around them.

He nods to her, and leans in to kiss her cheek, speaking softly.

"Be safe. I'll go from here."

He steps back and begins his prep to teleport out.

“You too,” Jane replied, wishing there was some way to peacefully end all this.

But this world was not ready for peace.

Not yet.

And then, after one last smile, he is gone.

[ FIN ]

log; you won't find faith or hope down a telescope

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