Participants:
| Scene Title | What's Wrong? |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Elle is called in to discuss her actions at a crime scene. His reaction isn't anything like she'd expected. |
| Date | August 04, 2010 |
Ryans's Office – Fort Hero
There are certain things that at team leader doesn't like to see or hear, one of those is receiving complaints from local law enforcement. Added an email from her father asking Ryans to sit down and talk to her.
The coward.
Files sit on the Assistant-Directors desk, work that he has to attempt to get done before he goes on 'vacation'. The tall man sits stoically behind his desk, a foot resting on this knee, a hand gripping the ankle. This is as close to crossing his legs as he will ever get. For Elle, Ryans is a lot younger looking then the old man she remembers growing up. Thanks to an incident during a bag and tag, he is twenty years younger then his fifty-seven years of age.
The office is rather plain as offices go. Not real plant life except for a small bonsai tree sitting at one corner of his desk. There are various photographs of some of the older people of the Company, most from years gone by from when even Elle was a little girl. Reminders of better times withing the organization. Many of the photos are filled with agents who are dead, missing or went rogue.
A large map of New York is taped to the wall behind Ryans desk, little pins of various colors decorate it, most with little flags of paper with dates. Seems he's tracking something… maybe someone?
"Close the door behind you, Elle, and have a seat." The deep quiet voice of Ryans instructs upon her arrival.
Elle still feels rather dumb about that incident. The combination of having a lot on her mind with her recent…discoveries about the Company, along with the fact that it was so early, and the little blonde girl makes stupid choices. The things you learn about yourself.
With a soft sigh, Elle slips into the office, closing the door behind herself as instructed. It's always strange, seeing him the way he looked twenty years ago, always makes her start a little. Quietly, Elle moves into the office, having a seat and crossing her legs as she waits for Ryans to speak. She can't help but fidget, just a little…
The silence stretches out for what seems like forever, the older man watching her fidget without any sort of emotions showing on his his face. It's hard to know what he is thinking really. What Benjamin Ryans asks next may surprise her.
"I know your better then that, Elle." A hand comes up, with his index finger held up in a wait sort of manner, before he picks up a rather official looking letter off his desk. Steely blue eyes scan over the contents of the letter again, as if it holds some sort of mystery. "You can understand my surprise when I received this complaint from the Police Department." Those eyes lift to connect with her gaze. "Use of your ability, destroying an and all evidence on the grate?
"What's up with you?" The question is an honest one, Ryans brows twitch up a little as he asks that. "You've been with the organization for sometime, so… what's up? What has you distracted?"
Elle blinks quietly, her own brows twitching up in mild surprise. She was expecting a chewing out or something. Not…concern, is it? She looks down, frowning a bit and it's quiet for a good, long while on Elle's end, while the girl quietly mulls over all that's happened in the last few weeks.
Finally, those blue eyes find their way back up to Ryan's face, a frown still on the girl's features. "Things…things with Daddy aren't going so well." She looks down again, frowning. "And I don't think that he and I can even pretend to salvage things, any more. I don't know if I even WANT to." She sighs softly, as if it feels good to get this off of her chest.
There is a slow nod of his head as he listens to her, brows furrowing just a little. Well that explains the reason why it's Ryans talking to the blonde and not her own father. The letter is tossed down on the desk and the tall agent lets out a long heavy sigh. "You and your father have always had an… unusual relationship. I still have a lot of respect for him, but when it comes to you… well…" He just lets that trail off. He doesn't need to say it out loud.
His foot slides off his knee so he can lean forward and tap the paper. "As your boss, this is not acceptable." No harshness to his words, he's just stating simple fact. "I really need your head in the game, Elle. The Company is on shaky ground as it is. The government wants to shut us down and things like this…" Fingers slide the letter across the table towards her. "Will make it happen faster.
"As a father, however, I know how distracting strife can be within a family. If you… " Lips press tight together in thought before he continues. "If you feel you need some space from your father to get your head on straight… take it, but realize that he does love you. He's one of my long time friends… I assure you, I know he does."
Elle's eyes remain upon the ground, nodding slowly along with Ryan's words. Unusual relationship, indeed. More like dysfunctional. Unhealthy. All of the above, really.
"Yes, sir…I'm really sorry about that. It was stupid…I just…" She pauses, going silent again for what seems like an eternity, letting his words wash over her. Her brow furrows as some forlorn emotion catches hold of her. Then, she's looking up at Ryans once more, brow furrowed for a long moment. "…Did you know my mother?" Reaching into her purse, she draws out the picture of a blonde middle-aged woman who couldn't be anyone but Elle's mother.
Reaching across the desk to take the photograph, Ryans eyes the young woman, "It wasn't stupid… more like sloppy." He chides, before letting his gaze drop to the photo, eyes narrow slightly as she skips back over memories older then the man even looks. "I remember seeing her now and then. In passing really. I believe Mary knew her better." Invoking the name of his own dead wife, killed in the Midtown explosion.
"But then, Mary knew a lot of the spouses and wives." Ryans offers her a sad an apologetic smile. "I traveled a lot on cases. So my memories of her a merely of passing her in a hall greeting her at one of the parties.
"Your father was pretty broken up when she died." His words quiet as he thinks back. Ryans' head slowly shakes as he offers the photo back. "I wish I knew more about her for you. I know her and your father were pretty excited when you were born. You were a pretty little baby. Of course, that was when I was still single and thought it was crazy to have a kid in our like of work.
"Of course, then five years after you were born, I found out what the big deal was about." A smile tugs up at the corner of Ryans' mouth.
Elle watches Ryan's reaction to the picture, nodding slowly. Apparently, this satisfies her. He didn't know, either. "I…I think I might need a little break. I have a lot on my mind right now…" She stares down at the picture. "I…I keep finding out things that are just…so stressful. I think I need time. To come to terms with all of the stuff on my mind."
She frowns up at Ryans, taking the picture back and looking down at it. "I'll be neater. I promise." She sighs softly, leaning back in her chair as she puts that precious photo away. At least she feels better knowing that not everybody was in on the crimes commited against her by the Company and her father.
"I appreciate it. Next time you slip up, I might have to do something drastic as put you through an investigation course." If Ryans did know, chances are he wouldn't tell her. It's a very good chance he didn't know. It's one of those things that would not of sat well with the man. Instead he gives her a hint of a smile on that stoney mask of his.
"Take what time you need, I have been there. However, if Sawyer needs your help… well, I won't be able to do much about that." Settling back in his leather desk chair, it creaks softly under the shifting weight. "I'm going on vacation myself… soon." He amends that last cause he isn't certain when he's going to Russia. "Veronica will be doing my job during that time. If she needs bodies, she has the authority to pull them in as needed."
A small smile meets Ryans' smile, and the girl nods slowly to him, tucking that picture away in her purse again. "I'll try not to slip up again. Promise." Her voice is soft right now. She likes Ryans, for the most part. He's usually nice to her, at least, even if he probably looks at her as an example of how to NOT raise children. She's a good example of that, at least.
"If Sawyer needs my help, then that's fine. I'll help wherever I'm needed." She leans forward a bit, uncrossing her legs. "Well…I hope you enjoy your vacation then. You certainly deserve one…"
"Isn't that the truth." The old man offers with gruff amusement, head nodding slowly in agreement. "Hopefully, the place won't burn down while I'm gone. Makes me reluctant to leave."
As she moves to leave, Ryans watches her for a long moment. The question forms in his head and he isn't sure whether to ask it or not… but finally he decides, "Has Harper approached you about working for the Institute?" The question is blunt and straight forward, lacking any hint of what he thinks of both.
Elle pauses in standing, blinking quietly at Ryans for a moment. Then, she smiles softly once more, shaking her head. "No, he hasn't. I saw him when he picked up Mortimer after bagged him, and he commended me, then we went on our way." She stands, slinging her purse over her shoulder as she peers questioningly at Ryans, brows raised. "Why do you ask?"
If there's one thing that Elle has always been good at, it's lying.
He studies her for a long moment as if looking for deception. Finally, he shakes his head and leans forward in his chair. Fingers pluck a pen off his desk and he gives her a small smile. "I've been hearing rumors is all." Not exactly a lie, since he has been hearing rumors, just not around the office.
"Would hate to have the Institute poach some of my best agents." Ryans drags a file to him and flips it open, scanning over the contents as he says. "They are not what they seem, not that they want people to know that. Anyway…" Ryans looks up from the file and gives her a tight smile. "If he does come to you about the Institute, just be careful.
"Have a good day, Elle."
The little blonde smiles warmly to Ryans, nodding slowly. "I certainly will be careful, Ryans…thank you for your concern." With a small nod, she heads toward the door. She pauses for a moment, turning to peer at Ryans…then, she smiles again. "Don't worry." And with that, Elle is out the door.