Fool's Errand

Participants:

magnes2_icon.gif veronica2_icon.gif

Scene Title Fool's Errand
Synopsis Agent Sawer thanks former Agent Varlane for saving her life, and tries to get him to promise not to try to do it in the future if it jeopardizes his own.
Date December 14, 2009

Argentina — Meltwater River

Eventually, the claustrophobic press of grey trunks and green brush begins to open up as soggy terrain becomes rockier underfoot. Glimpses of water flowing fast ahead are no more promising than its sound: what was perceived as softly sifting static at a distance has evolved into an ominous rush, if not an outright roar. Somewhere nearby, there is a waterfall. Some seventy feet across from bank to bank, the river pushing its way across the jungle landscape is mirrored black against glancing sunlight and glacial to the touch, its depth impossible to measure at a glance. Boulders shattered away from the frozen peak of a mountain lurched near enough now to fill the entire horizon jut against the rapid flow like broken ships and rusted, cagey lengths of carefully shaped metal litter the rocky shoreline. Even so, the only real sign of human habitation here is at least two or three centuries old and only just visible buried in greenery beyond the far bank: a decaying Spanish missionary with most of its outer walls still standing.


Laying in the camo sleeping bag, somewhere in the corner of the missionary, Magnes is groaning and curled up slightly, still rather bruised, cut, and just all around in bad shape. It's nothing he won't be able to walk with in the morning. Now, actually healed on the other hand, maybe a few weeks. "Hate this place…" he mumbles to himself in the middle of the night.

Veronica comes in from watch, relieved by Cardinal. Hearing the low moans of Magnes, she frowns and heads over to his sleeping bag, wincing as she kneels next to him. The frigid water of the river didn't do her leg any good, that's for sure. It's more sore today than it has been. "Hey, Magpie," she says softly, her voice soft so as not to wake others. She uses the long-abandoned nickname she used for him in the Company without thinking — she has some nurturing instincts after all, it would seem. "Drink some water and take these," she says, handing him some Tylenol and the canteen.

Magnes is momentarily distracted from the pain by her voice, reaching out for the Tylenol and tosses them into his mouth, then chugs down some of the water. "I'm not used to using my ability that way. That Kazimir guy keeps telling me to, but I don't think he realizes I might have a limit. My head really hurts." He goes silent for a moment, then looks up at her from his curled up position. "I don't know why, but sometimes I feel like I should trust you."

Owch. Trust her? She lied to him, on purpose, to bring him into the Company. "You probably shouldn't," she says with a shrug, moving from her knees to her butt to sit by him for a bit. "None of the other guys do," she adds. "Not even Ross, probably, and we're from the same group. But you can trust me in that I'm not here with any ulterior motives, and I don't have any super secret scary powers that could kill us all. I'm just here to try to … ha - save the world or some nonsense. Fool's errand, it's looking like, but I am here to try to do that."

"You're Homeland, right?" Magnes asks, curious as he reaches a hand from under his bag and moves to rest it on her's. "I don't know, I'm not sure if it's trust, or like, I'm just comfortable. It's like you're my sister I never met before. Look at how hot you are, and I'm not nervous at all. Well, I did get to second or third base recently, but I don't think that has anything to do with it." He must be feeling a little better, he's already putting his foot in his mouth!

Veronica arches a brow at him. "Basically Homeland. The part that deals specifically with Evolved matters, yeah," she says, with a shrug. It's honest enough. She has a DHS badge! "Anyway, I wanted to tell you thank you. I didn't see the robot in the river… I was too worried about getting Gillian out of the water. With all the flailing and thrashing and water, I didn't see it… if you hadn't attacked it… well. Thanks, Magnes." Her dark eyes are solemn, sparkling in the dim light with moisture.

"You don't have to thank me for that, my ability is supposed to protect people." Magnes smiles, reaching up to reassuringly place a hand to her cheek. "We're all alright, and we're all getting out of here, I promise."

She's supposed to be the one comforting him, isn't she? She chuckles a little and turns away. The sweet earnestness reminds her a little of Brian, though the two men are very different in other ways. She sighs at the pang of homesickness. "Thanks. We'll see. Promise me if it looks like we can't, like we're not all going to make it, that you go though. If it's a matter of numbers… you or us, or whatever, don't be a hero. Go. Take Gillian if you can, but don't waste your life protecting me or Kazimir or Raith or the others. None of us are worth your life."

"Kazimir is somehow inside of Peter Petrelli, and Peter is the uncle of the girl I love. Gillian's one of my best friends, I've been talking to her… for a long time. And while I still barely know you, I just… I couldn't let you die. I can't promise you anything, it's like asking me to shoot you in the head…" Magnes frowns, pulling his arm back into the bag, then rests his eyes on the cushion. "I don't know why the King of Swords is here, really. He was trying to recruit me, but never really told me what his organization is."

"Well. I don't think Claire would blame you if you had to choose between life and death and chose to live, kid," Veronica says lightly. "And that's all I'm saying. If it looks like you can't save us and get away, then … just get away, all right? It won't do any of us any good for you to go down with the ship. I give you permission to stall for Gillian, but not for me, got it?" she says, as if she's his commanding officer, then winks to show she's kind of kidding.

"I'll try, alright? And I do wanna see Claire again, just… let me worry about it if the time comes." Magnes finally decides, rolling over on his stomach and resting his head sideways on his arms. "I'm gonna sleep. You can come in my sleeping bag if you want, 'cause it's getting colder, but don't do anything weird."

"Magpie, I may be lonely, but I'm not that lonely," Veronica says with a bit of a snort, and somehow manages to get back to her feet gracefully enough despite the injured leg. "Get some rest. Feel better." She heads over to her own sleeping bag, near Gillian's, and slides in. She doesn't even take off her boots, because she doesn't trust that she won't have to get up in the middle of the night to flee for her life.


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