Spies Like Us

Participants:

gwen_icon.gif the_haitian_icon.gif rami_icon.gif

Scene Title Spies Like Us
Synopsis Some of the Company agents get to know each other.
Date November 16, 2008

Primatech Paper - Gym


The Company's gym is surprisingly well kept up as far as available machines and a practice area for sparring, free weights and some extra shinies like a fridge to keep water bottles cold. At the moment, Gwen is in sweatpants and a tank top, her hands wrapped as she pummels one of the bags, shifting her footwork now and again as she adds in the occaisional kick.

For the most part, Rami Hollingwood's matchstick frame is hidden by carefully tailored suits. Only when he's wearing clothes like he's wearing now is his physique most apparent. He's wearing a pair of standard-issue, CIA-gray sweatpants and a blue tank top that hangs off his narrow shoulders. It reveals the disproportionate strength the coils tightly around his arms. He's like a wrestler with the body of a dancer.

He enters with a towel over his shoulder and a stainless steel water bottle in one hand. He steps towards Gwen and watches her form for a minute. "Keep your right elbow up. Your form is solid but you keep exposing your left side when you jab to the right." His voice is a crisp, recieved pronounciation British accent that, if one listens closely, has rougher origins.

In the midst of noise and energy, action and volume, the man is a bubble of serenity and silence. The tall and dark form of the Agent slinks through the gymnasium smoothly, his dark eyes moving around the gym taking each individual doing their different exercise regimens. The Haitian is dressed in in a gray suit, a light blue shirt and his everpresent necklace over that. The Haitian seems to always be in shape. Though how he maintains it is unknown. It is a rare occasion that someone should chance seeing him actually working out in the gymnasium. For that matter does anyone ever even see him eat?

Maintaining an enigmatic mystery, either intentional or not, the man moves as if mystery is part of his wardrobe. The Haitian is not here to practice or train, or even work out. The Haitian appears strictly for business. And it is business that brings the man to slip through the gymnasium towards Gwendolyn Wickham and Rami Hollingwood. He is en route to them, but says nothing as of yet.

The barest twitch of Gwen's eye betrays her irritation, but her pace never slows. She makes the directed adjustments, but after a few moment she's inclined to stop and refresh anyway. Rami doesn't get a thank you. Instead, the tall woman pauses as she sees the approach of the Haitian. "Que peux-je faire pour vous, mon ami Hatien?" What may she do for him, is the inquiry.
"Well. I take it you're a woman who doesn't enjoy friendly tips. I shall remember that in future." Rami's tone is somewhat wry, but also betraying very slight offence. He turns to the Haitian as Gwen addresses him and inclines his head. "Good day." He sets down the towel and the water bottle and steps towards the treadmill.

The man commonly known as the Haitian pauses in his long steps as he arrives at Gwendolyn and Rami. A polite nod is offered the woman, and another to Rami. He may not be the most sociable creature the Company commands currently, but he can certaibly be cordial. Dark eyes move to momentarily study Gwendolyn. No verbal answer is given immediately. Most definitely he will answer, but this Agent knows, words aren't always necessary.

A dark hand disappears into the recesses of the man's suit jacket and moments later produces a piece of paper. The piece of paper is handed over to the woman. It is a file on the Doctor Odessa Knutson. No restricted information on the Doctor, just basics and a picture.

Gwendolyn looks over her shoulder. "I'm a woman who enjoys friendly introductions before she accepts unsolicited advice." Gwen's accent is posh and London and all things educated, and just a touch amused. Then she peruses the file. "Dr. Knutson? I've heard about her disappearance, but she was not someone I affiliated with on a regular basis. I'm not even entirely sure how she got out." She closes the file, offers it back to the Haitian. "Sabra has me working with Niki Sanders on her cadet case."

"Well, you looked busy. It hardly seemed right to interrupt your fine work for idle conversation," there is something darkly playful about the way Rami says that. "But, I suppose my manners were amiss. Rami Hollingwood." He says his own name with a firm roll of the 'r.' He glances towards the folder the Haitian handed over, but he knows better than to enquire on things not strictly his business.

The slightest of nods is offered to Gwendolyn. How much can be said with a slight inclination of the head? In the Haitian's case, very much. 'That is disappointing that you don't know anything about her, thank you for your willingness to participate though, thank you for your input.' Of course, none of this is said. Retrieving his paper, the man shifts quietly to hand the paper in turn to Agent Hollingwood. The Haitian has been gathering intel from everyone at the Company in hopes of some small clue that might give them a lead on the whereabouts of the good Doctor. So far, no such luck. Hopefully though.. The paper is handed off to Rami.

"Gwendolyn Wickham." is the easy reply. Though the Haitian now has his back to her to address Agent Hollingwood, she nonetheless inquires, "Dr. Knutson is tagged, isn't she? Presumably she's still being pinged by the satellite?"
Rami looks to the folder that the Haitian hands over. He has a quick look, considers the information and frowns. He hands the folder back and says with a gentle tone, "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I've been knee-deep in research. I haven't been in the field as of late, but I will keep my eyes and ears peeled."

The same slight bend of the neck as the Haitian brings out his hand to retrieve the paper smoothly and tuck it back into the abyss that is his jacket pocket. The Agent turns slightly to look over his shoulder to the woman. Glancing at her the man does not answer, but instead turns from the two. If such actions were possible, they would have already used them to locate the woman. A smart woman like Gwendolyn will be able to answer that question for herself in a matter of mere moments. One black loafer claps against the hard floor as the man takes one step away. Though he pauses with his back to the two Agents. "Thank you for your assistance. I hope you both have a pleasant evening." And with that one of the Company's best takes his leave from the gymnasium.

The satellite's tracking capabilities are not subtle. Movement in a wide area might be detected, but going from say, a burrough to another, may not. It's a legitimate question, but since the Haitian chooses to ignore it, there's little she can do. She looks back at Rami with a single shouldered shrug as the Haitian makes his exit.

"My 'things to watch out for' list seems to be growing by the day," says Rami as he watches the Haitian head for the door. He glances to Gwen. "Mmm, so I think I may have skimmed your dossier, but that was some time ago. Would you care to give me a snapshot?" He seems to decide that the treadmill is not really what he'd like to do, so instead steps towards a weight bench.

"Should I?" inquires Gwendolyn, her air amused. "I'll tell you what. I'll show you mine if you show me yours. That's the phrase, isn't it?" After all, random Agents inquiring into each other's pasts seems a bit…spooky.

Well, he -was- a Spook. Rami arranges the weights to a respectable amount. "I'm not asking for your biography. The name rings a bell." He lies down on the weight bench. "Short version is that I used to be a CIA agent working in counterterrorism. I've been here for, oh…five years now?"

Gwendolyn folds her arms across her chest, assuming a comfortable stance. "Two years with the Company, before that, MI-6. My husband was SAS, he's also with the Company, but presently on assignment."

"MI-6?" Rami's eyebrows raise. "A family affair, mm? Well, at least you can have real conversations if you have the same clearance level." He hefts the weights up and starts to do reps. It's a surprising amount for a man of his build.

Gwendolyn shifts into the position of spotter, without being solicited for it. See, she can do it too! "We're both agents." she says. "Neither of us is Evolved, so we're partnered seperately. Which is better, really."

"Oh yes, I assumed. I couldn't imagine a couple being partnered. That would be…a strain." Rami grunts and pushes the weights into a few reps. "The few relationships I've attempted have most ended poorly due to the high…" grunt, "…levels of secrecy."

Gwendolyn lets out a light laugh, her fingers coming under Rami's, but without actually touching his hands, as a good spotter does if they hear strain from the person working with the weights. "We met on a shared assignment back in the UK. When it was over, depending on who's version you believe, we eloped, or he kidnapped me."

Sweat has started to bead across Rami's forehead, but he seems to still be managing the weight. "And which version do you prefer then?" He chuckles, then continues to rhythm of his weight lifting.

"Well, you must confess, 'kidnapping' does sound a bit more romantic." Gwen smirks, easing away her hands but still watching. "But it was mutually agreeable, so I suppose 'elope' is valid."

"I was thinking it…" nfh, "…sounded a touch illegal. Though I suppose that has a mysticism of its own. Sworn to uphold laws as we all are." Rami's tone there is ever so slightly sour. He lifts the weights up and back after completing his reps and sits up. There's a bit of a wince at an old pain in his back.

Gwendolyn assists with restoring the weights. "Yes, well. Chalk it up to my XX combo as opposed to your XY." She walks to one of the walls, opening a cabinet and withdrawing a towel. Wordlessly, she trots back and offers it to Rami.

Rami decides to continue the trend of non-verbal thank-yous. He takes the towel with a slight nod to her as he does. "Are you saying that women still desire chivalry?" He wipes down his face and grins. "If so I shall fetch my white steed from the shop."

Gwendolyn lets out a laugh. "Depends on your definition of chivalry." she says, moving to sit down on the bench. "I'm afraid I learned to be a bit wary of anyone who opens a door for me, on account of potentially taking the opportunity to shoot me in the back. I appreciate courtesy, and someone willing to take up effort in the areas where I am weak. I in turn would do the same for them."

"Ah yes. But then again, we are all taught to use our charms. It is a balance for women, no doubt." Rami puts the towel around his neck and rolls his shoulders back. "I suppose I failed in my first impression by offering the second and omitting the first."

"I'm sure I'll overcome the first impression." says Gwen affably. "Particularly for a fellow countryman."


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November 16th: Teachers and Students

Previously in this storyline…


Next in this storyline…

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November 16th: Echoes of Fire
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