Night of the Hunter [Paulo & Penny]

[Gabriel Underwood]

Gabriel's text to the two members of MSAD had been short, similar to "Meet me in the conference room. Tell no one."

Pressing his fingers to his temples and leaning in the large leather chair, the man rested his feet on the table. The suspicious feeling he'd had for the past few days hadn't gone away, and being a man of instinct meant Gabriel could no longer ignore this sensation within him. Jacob Lawrence was no longer a trusted member of the organisation. He would have to be investigated; his long days out no longer to be ignored. This was the reason for the private meeting, the reason the man was chain smoking, and the reason for the secrecy. No one else could know, despite him trusting the other members.

Penny was needed for her memory, and from what Gabriel could discern, she was also very good at keeping things in for detail. She needed a mission to prove herself, and something as vital and secretive as this would be nothing short of perfect for her to shine. Paulo, on the other hand, was a veteran, but his tracking skills were amazing, and he could also take care of the newer MSAD member while providing help.

Gabriel pushed a file into the centre of the table. Inside were contact numbers, names Gabriel had quietly stolen from Jake's phone records. One single name was highlighted in bright orange highlighter - Morgan. Who the fuck was Morgan? The man's ire had raised as he'd flicked through the records to find regular calls and texts. An outsider. And Gabriel didn't trust Jake to be making rational decisions since China.

His expression darkened a moment, before he simply flicked the file closed again. As the other two members arrived and closed the door, his voice was low and secretive.

"What do you know about Jake, since his return?" The man asked, straight to the point. "I have a mission for you both. Internal affairs."

[Paulo Ortiz]

Paulo knew better than to reply to the text message. Instead, he asked Omega, who was sitting at his feet, if he wanted a treat. The dog had bolted outside, and all the man had to do was follow. Luckily, he had managed to retain the relative position of the conference room in relation to the kitchen, so after giving his guide the treat he had suggested, he walked to the other room.

Funny. For other people, navigating inside their own house was not a multiple-step process.

He nodded gravely to Gabriel and sat down. It was evident that something was the matter, as it appeared that the other man was agitated, and he'd been smoking. "Gabriel, what is wrong?"

But he knew he wasn't going to get a proper answer until this meeting, whatever it was about, was over. Business first. It was always business first, and Paulo liked the regimented nature of their lives that way. It was reliable.

When the woman joined them, and Gabriel spoke, Paulo said nothing at first. He was not about to involve himself in the kind of petty politics that others in their group resorted to. It had been obvious that their leader's interest in that blond boy, Jesse, coincided with the slide from favor of Jake. But this was obviously not inter-office politics, as Gabe himself was requesting the information.

"He is not around much, jefe. He is usually in the house by the time I wake up, but he is only sometimes here before I sleep." Paulo had a habit of scanning the surrounding area immediately before and after sleeping. If the number did not match the number of people who were living at the compound at a given point, he would track each individual, tying down their locations. It was a good way to keep them secure.

But the mission--and he would always choose to accept it--seemed straightforward enough. "You want to know what he is up to." If Gabriel was worried, it was probably for good reason, but Paulo assumed that Jake had merely taken up a new lover, possibly to spite his boss for his interest in Jesse.

See? It all boiled down to politics in the end.

[Penny Stone]

Penny had been known to go into a meditative state when there wasn't anything to do. Just looking around caused her powers to kick start, but if she wasn't looking at anything, then what was there to recall? Sure she'd remember everything she heard or smelled, but those two senses didn't take up as much room inside her crowded brain as much as sight did.

When she felt her phone vibrate inside her pocket, however, she had to crack an eye open, to see who had messaged her. She never saved contacts into her phone, because she never had a problem with remembering numbers. She recalled the number was Gabriel's and immediately her face lit up--not because he was messaging her personally because she was hoping for some 'alone time.' Penny wasn't like that. She wasn't romantically inclined towards anyone in MSAD for several reasons, though the most important one was because none of them really struck her as a 'family' man.

She read the message and started to stand from her lotus position and then stretched her hands over her head. As she left the work out room, she watched her feet as she moved through the house to Gabriel's room. As she walked she pulled her mane into a pony tail at the top of her head and stretched out her arms and legs. She had a lot of downtime in the house because she hadn't been given a lot of jobs or responsibilities because she'd only been around the organization for a few months now. Which hardly accounted for how long some of the people had been here. She opened the door and walked in, seeing that the clan's tracker was already seated.

Her curiosity was peeked. Paulo wasn't one she'd really gotten to know (well, she hadn't actually gotten to know anyone) and knew little about him, except for his powers and his tendency to get lost. Everywhere. She didn't say anything as she sat down and then listened to what Gabriel had to say. What did she know about Jake?

Other than his love for Ein and hatred towards Jesse, she'd really not gotten anything, though she didn't know him 'before China' so she didn't have anything is his personality to base it off of. She ran her fingers through her pony tail as Paulo guessed to what the mission was. Spying on a member? She wondered what had Gabriel's panties in a twist about him, but who was she to judge him? She folded her fingers in her lap with a small smile.

"Just tell me what to do."

[Gabriel Underwood]

Gabriel's manner continued to be tense and cat-like throughout the members walking in, and he cleared his throat, fingers stretching for a moment. The cigarette hovered in air as he let out a stream of smoke, his throat bobbing as he swallowed, before finally addressing Paulo's question. "I have suspicions." He said bluntly, rubbing his stubble before taking another drag of the cigarette. "Thank you for your concern, Paulo, but this is nothing a little undercover work wont fix." Pushing the papers back over to the centre of the table, the man narrowed his eyes a moment.

"Repeated calls to a man named Morgan." Gabriel laughed softly at Paulo's information and nodded. "Whilst I hate to sound like a jealous ex lover, I'm displeased. Find out everything you can about both him and their relationship. I have a hunch he's done something stupid, and I'm not feeling lenient." His voice was clipped and cool, before he pulled out from his seat and stood. "This is your first mission, Penny. I've chosen the two of you for your memory skills and tracking, together you'll be a fierce team."

Gabriel had a hunch that Paulo was going along the scorned ex line, and he turned his back a moment, prickling slightly. "If he's consorting freely, the man could be FBI, Hammel aligned, anything. His judgement recently has been impaired since the China incident, and since then he's done nothing but slouch around like a sullen teenager, sneaking out behind doors." Clearing his throat, the man produced two identical suitcases, and passed them over. "These are your belongings for the next few weeks. I've booked a small apartment in town for the month, you're a newly started couple. That's your cover, stick to it."

Taking a break for a moment, he stubbed out the cigarette and shook his head a moment, pressing his fingers to his eyes. "We can't afford any shit with Hammel on the alert. Penny, this is your first mission, and I'm trusting you to prove your worth. Paulo, take care of her, take her through the motions." Gabriel took a long breath then fell back into his seat. "As for the other members, you are casing the school. That is your excuse for any prying thoughts." Scratching his chin, the man smiled faintly, head nodding forward.

"Now, any questions? Or shall we skip straight to the pre-mission drinks?"

[Paulo Ortiz]

Paulo nodded as Gabriel explained himself. Yes, the man did sound exactly like a jealous, jilted lover. But an assignment was an assignment.

Previously, the Cuban man had considered Jake one of his friends--though that wasn't saying much, as all of his friends lived within the M.S.A.D. compound--but he wasn't particularly loyal to him. Not in the same way he was to Gabriel. And if he was doing something that potentially put any of the loyal members in danger, then he deserved whatever kind of surveillance he got. And even if this was just a misunderstanding, or Jake just found someone knew to sleep with, the risk of him doing something stupid was enough to justify this for him. He wasn't paranoid, but Paulo wouldn't have been surprised if Gabriel had all of them watching each other for stuff like this. He wasn't up to anything suspicious, so it didn't matter to him if Padmaja or someone was assigned to watch him.

Though, he was one of the few who had been with Gabriel for a very long time now. They were good friends. But he'd thought Jake had earned that as well.

The rest of the assignment was of a bit more concern. Paulo's power was mental, and he could track and scan anywhere. But if he didn't want to draw attention to himself, he had a bit of a problem. There was no way he could navigate around Pilot Ridge on his own.

'This is why Penny is here. I need a freaking guide dog.' He looked over at the woman who was almost a decade younger than him. Yeah, this might just be awkward. "Is there more to our cover story, jefe? I should have a job, right?" Unless his cover involved him "working from home" a lot, he would be conspicuous. Getting lost in a small town would also be conspicuous. There was a reason he never had an assignment alone. He turned to Penny and gave her half a smile, then said, "We can talk over more for our cover later, my dear. Drinks sound good."

They would have to hammer out the awkward right away if they were going to be a convincing couple.

[Penny Stone]

When Gabriel justified his reasoning to wanting Jake shadowed, she dropped her eyes to her lap. She was raised by her Grandma, and it was a wonder she was even remotely comfortable living in a house full of men without a ring on her finger, but the idea of two men... well it was just a bit off-putting. Not that she openly objected that sort of thing (because she was really in the wrong place for it), she just liked to avoid the topic or thinking about it. She shifted in her seat and looked back up at him. She got the gist of what he wanted before he actually spit it out. Find out who this Morgan was.

The name was a keyword in several different subjects, and a great many of them had nothing to do with Pilot Ridge, or with a man, so she returned those back to the vaults. There was a male named Morgan that worked at the food store her grandma frequented. Penny had always been reminded what a nice young man he was every time she brought in the groceries. There was also a male orderly named Morgan that was a part of the hospital staff that helped take care of her brother. She had no way of knowing if those two Morgan's were one in the same, and the only way to find out was to do some following...

But then Gabriel said she'd be living with Paulo during the assignment. She wasn't sure if she liked that at all. It was a bit different than living in a house with a bunch of people--kinda like college--but in an apartment it would be the two of them...and posing as a couple? She immediately didn't like it at all, but she didn't want to voice any of her problems because well...this was her chance at really getting on Gabriel's good side, which would make her life in MSAD a lot better. And wasn't that everyone's goal anyway?

When Paulo turned to her with a little half smile, she returned it halfheartedly and nodded faintly. She could tell he was working towards them being a 'couple' but Penny wasn't in the mood for the required theatrics, yet. She'd need to get used to it first, then she'd be fine. She nodded a little. "Drinks sound like a good idea." She commented.

[Gabriel Underwood]

Gabriel rose from his chair and nodded the two along with him, towards a conjoined room through a large oak door. Inside the room was a small bar, with three comfortable seats lain out around a circular table. The man poured three scotches and settled down in one chair, his hand swirling the liquid round and round in the glass. "I'm glad you've both accepted." He finally said, resting his head against the back of the chair. "I know it's an odd first mission, Penny, but I can't have any member endangering MSAD. It's too important to all of us."

Eventually, Gabriel sipped his scotch, letting out a sigh as it hit the back of his throat. "Paulo, I imagine you would have a work at home job, yes. Something simple, like a freelance programmer or something." He said calmly, reclining back with a somewhat more relaxed look on his face. "I've arranged for you to have twin rooms so you don't have to sleep together. There's a bank account set up for you to live comfortably for the next month. Report to me at the end of every week."

The man paused, then lifted his scotch up. "To trust and to the organisation." He said quietly, sipping the scotch again and smiling. "I am sure you wont let me down." Gabriel trusted Paulo implicitly - the man had never given him any doubt and had always backed him up no matter the circumstances. He would also be a good protector and guider to Penny, something she would need for her first mission. But this was needed, if only so Gabriel could conclude and end that chapter that had been left unwritten. Jake was either no longer trustworthy, or simply no longer in love with him. Either way he needed to put paid to the suspicions he had.

For better or worse.

[Paulo Ortiz]

Paulo followed Gabriel into the next room, and took the seat to the other man's right. It was a small, round table, so it wasn't as if him choosing that seat was particularly symbolic. But if Jake was officially out of Gabriel's favor, there was going to be a power vacuum until someone was--officially or otherwise--named second-in-command.

As he drank the alcohol, the Cuban man considered, as he often did, the actions of his colleagues. Who would want Jake's position? Mordecai would, almost definitely. Padmaja was certain. Reese was debatable, though her loyalty had never wavered. Maxwell was also trusted, though Paulo was unsure as to his ambitions. And then there was Jesse. It had become apparent that the blond boy had taken on at least one of Jake's roles already. But he wasn't ready to be second-in-command.

And Paulo wasn't entirely sure where he stood. He'd been friends with Gabriel for a long time, longer than almost anyone. Except Jake, that is.

It was good to know that Gabriel had arranged everything for their assignment. He could pass for a programmer, and whatever Penny's cover was going to be, it wasn't as if she would forget her story. And no one in town would recognize him. He'd never lived in Pilot Ridge before, and he'd never attended Hammel. "To trust and the organization, jefe." He raised his glass in salute and drank some more. Jake wasn't going to be hard to track.

[Penny Stone]

She followed behind both of the men and sat in the only seat left available. She turned to look at both of them, she was beginning to understand the gravity of what information she was charged with finding out. If Jake was cavorting with just any random guy, then Gabriel's trust in him would be restored, but if Jake was with someone someone that was a danger to the Organization, well then that would severally shift the working's of the organization and the power would shift among the ranks. "I understand it's importance, Gabriel." She said after some more thought towards it. Jake's position in the organization was precarious because of this and it was up to Penny (and Paulo) to help or hinder him. Whatever the case, Penny would get the information.

Penny was a dreamer, but even she wasn't ambitious enough to dream of that spot next to Gabriel. She hadn't been here nearly long enough. According to what information she'd gotten from the other members, some had been with Gabriel as long as ten years. No matter how hard she worked on this mission or her next, or the one after that, that second-in-command was a long way away. That, however, didn't mean she couldn't work her way there slowly. She broke her good posture when she had the drink in her hand and let her back rest against the seat, a tiny smile on her face.

She started to think about her cover, of living with Paulo. Keeping any sort of cover would be extremely easy, but to have other people believe it to be so would be another matter. Penny was sure her Grandma hadn't whored her out to every single man in town, and if that was the case, Penny was 'taken' now and she would just have to create a story of how they had kept it from the old woman for a while. It might work. Though, of course, Penny was rather sure she could keep her work away from her Grandmother, and make it so the old Chinese lady never met Paulo or caught wind of him ever existing.

It would just take careful planning, like everything else in the world. "To trust and the organization," she echoed and lifted the glass. After she sipped a little of it she returned it to her lap. Scotch wasn't her drink, by any means, but it was a celebration so she'd get herself through what few mouthfuls were in the glass.

[Gabriel Underwood]

Gabriel felt the stress and tension of past days melt from his shoulders as the scotch burnt the back of his throat and his organisation members agreed to help him. In his eyes, it was for their own mutual benefit as well as his own - if Jake was doing something stupid with someone from Hammel, MSAD would be at grave risk. If Jake lost position; something he had almost done already, then it would be beneficial to get someone in immediately. The tiffs between the members as they worked their pecking order was irritating enough without further provoking and a thirst to prove themselves.

"I know you wont let me down." He said simply, nursing the drink and managing the first proper smile of the day. "Just try and be as discreet as possible, don't draw attention to yourselves, Jake is a cautious creature when he's doing things he's not supposed to, and any slip ups will alert him to your presence." Gabriel had every intention of catching Jake in whatever act it was, happy to wait as a cat does outside a mouse hole, claws spread. Except he knew the other man's tricks, and he wouldn't escape with his entire being intact; not if it was another China Incident.

As the scotch disappeared, the man leant back in his chair and flipped open his cell phone, dialling a familiar number. "What do you two have on your pizzas?" He asked simply, as the phone rang on the other end, one eyebrow arched. "We can't have a celebration without junk food and a little quiet news from both of you." Gabriel chuckled softly, looking over to Paulo with a slight hint of fondness - something that came from knowing the man so well, and trusting him so completely. "Just please, Paulo, no super large this time, it took three months to get the gut off me last time."

What was that? Humour?

Gabriel was smiling honestly, since business was now done and the preamble brushed aside. It was time to learn more about Penny, and welcome in the mission with talk, pizza and drinks. It had been an age old tradition, brought about since the start of the organisation, when Jake, Padmaja and himself had sat around in hotels, watching the news channels for what they had caused, box of cheap pizza flopped in front of them. Times had changed, yes, but the celebration methods never, ever would.

[Paulo Ortiz]

It wasn't often that the Cuban had to go undercover. Yes, during the times when they traveled in the Latin countries, he looked the part more than the rest of the team, save Reese. He wasn't trained for fighting, like some of the others, but espionage. This was the kind of assignment he loved. And, who knows, maybe he might actually come out of this with a friend. (He didn't mourn the loss of his friendship with Jake. Paulo just wasn't close enough to him to be upset in the face of Gabriel's orders.)

Paulo settled back into his chair, smiling. He wasn't good at politics, and though he tended to stay out of the intra-team scuffles that went on, he couldn't avoid them forever. And though he didn't want the fight that would come along with becoming second-in-command, having Jake's position in MSAD had a certain appeal. Until he joined the group, he hadn't really known what power was, because he'd never had it. Now, even though he rarely left the compound, he knew he had influence. And it felt damn good.

"Fine then, just make it a pepperoni. And don't try to finish it; just give the leftovers to Ein." Honestly, it wouldn't surprise him if the big lug ended up devouring the pizza on his own. It wouldn't be the first time it had happened.

[Penny Stone]

Penny could honestly say she never thought she'd go on recon missions...ever in her life. She had planned to own a few stores and sit on a small fortune to get her grandmother off her back. She had planned to eventually get a family with a man that could tolerate her for being an insufferable know-it-all, who also lost track of the conversation. And someone who her brother liked and approved of (screw her grandmother and her opinions). But then her brother got attacked and it took all her money she had to keep him alive. And now with her MSAD paycheck, she wasn't in poverty anymore. It is funny how things like that change from day to day.

The last of the scotch went down her throat, which was curious, because she didn't remember drinking it...the burn in her throat told her otherwise, however. She looked between the two in their casual friendship and when the phone came out for pizza, she made a small face. She was probably in the .4 percentile of all legal Americans that didn't like the stuff. "Pineapple is always a good topping." You could never go wrong with fruit, in Penny's mind. Fish was also another thing she ate regularly because it helped with the brain. That aside, she'd stomach the pizza just for the sake of her first mission.

Besides, they just might not approve of her and her dislike of pizza. She ran her finger over the rim of the glass as she looked between the two men. As her eyes fell back on Paulo, she still couldn't see herself hanging off of his arm pretending to be with him for the next month. Not yet.

[Gabriel Underwood]

"Pepperoni and pineapple? An interesting combination." Gabriel said smoothly, finishing the call and laughing low in his throat. "I think most of our celebration will be spent picking the bits off the pizza we don't like, but fair is fair."

It was amazing how quickly Gabriel's mood had lifted since the meeting had began, from first being angry and suspicious, to now the semi-jovial picture of calm. Things were back in control again, and soon everything that had left him uncomfortable would be unpicked and left as little threads to wind back into their spools. Any knots would just be snipped out. Gabriel had no patience for fiddling around trying to please everyone, and the members knew it. His direction was unchangeable, no amount of protest could make him double back.

Staring down at the empty scotch, the man smiled faintly and looked over to Penny with an appraising expression. "You can have something more to your tastes, Penny. I wont hold it against you if you dislike scotch." The voice had the slight tinkling of a tease hiding within it, and he turned his attention back to Paulo. "Last time Ein had pizza he spent the afternoon following you everywhere." He added, fingers lightly pressing into the leather of the chair.

Yes. Everything was back where it should be.