"Yeah, another world, you can check out the astronomy reports if you're still thinking the COG slipped mind-control drugs in the water and you're tripping," Baird responded as he recalled his own first instincts when he arrived; even now he tended to question the solidity of the ground beneath his feet on the days after nightmares.
Suddenly Marcus slammed him against the wall; he let out a large grunt at the shove. He braced himself as the shoving continued, but instead of being cowled by his former superior he glared back even more hatefully than usual and just listened to a tone he didn't think he heard from Fenix before. Normally he's all super-solid-stable-stoic and now he's shaking and roaring all over the place.
It suddenly made sense when Damon heard the words in past-tense.
But he wasn't scared of Marcus' retaliation. Erik was right there, after all. And he couldn't deny his own pleasure at sticking it to his former Sergeant. Well of course Hoffman promotes you, duh. You're a good little cocksucker whereas I actually tell stupid people when they're wrong.
"He looked for me, oh big fucking deal. Probably to give me a lecture like the one he gave to the Stranded about how rules and togetherness and slavery are awesome and so we better be grateful and swallow when sucking the Allfathers' off," he retorted dismissively. I wonder what Rogers' would think about Dom's Little Speech he thought to himself before imagining Steve punching Santiago in the face.
"Get your hands off me, asshole," he snapped indignantly as he pushed Marcus back. "At least wait until you've showered. Yeah, you can have hot showers whenever you want here."
He took a breath before the malicious leer reasserted itself on his face. "Well, now he's with his family," he began with a false civility that he instantly dropped before continuing, "so you're the only one that's lost out. Did you start sticking it in Cole after Santiago flatlined?" Erik's here, otherwise I've got my Lancer. Thank fuck.