InsaneJournal

Who: Belle and Shepard
What: a phone conversation while Belle's driving
When: early evening
Where: Belle's car
Rating: R for language
Status: complete

Belle tucked her bluetooth headset over her ear before she started her SUV, making sure she didn’t leave NIcholas behind. She wanted to blame Shepard for all of this, but deep down she’d known this was getting too far. She liked him too much, and clearly the feeling was mutual.

She dialed her phone and pulled out, tapping her fingers on the wheel while she waited for Shepard to answer.

Shepard picked up her phone, putting her gun down and answering with an almost cheerful, “Hello?”

Belle fished for a cigarette with one hand. “How much can I trust Wolfwood?” That was the million dollar question.

“With your life, why? Don’t answer that. He was able to handle some things I don’t want known to the general public.”

“He okay with the truth as you know it?” Because Shepard didn’t know the whole truth about her life. Neither did Vanille. Belle was certain she didn’t know the whole truth about her life. “I gotta give him a reason for why we’re breakin’ up.” She managed to light her cigarette at a red light, and eagerly inhaled. She’d need about fifty more of these by the end of the night.

“That depends on if I can trust you enough to share with you what I showed him,” Shepard replied, smirking to herself. She rolled her eyes. “Why do you have to break up?”

“Because I could get sent t’ fuckin’ Siberia tomorrow, or targeted by terrorists tonight. Havin’ friends is bad enough, havin’ a lover is just askin’ for him t’ get kidnapped and tortured.” She frowned and gave someone the finger when she got cut off. “Stupid fuckin’ drivers.”

“He’s military, and he’s good at it. I’ve already recruited him for another Vegas, pray to god we don’t have one.” Shepard sighed. She had a pretty open ended recruitment policy, and a high level of autonomy. She had no idea that Belle was CIA or she wouldn’t have said even that much.

That was information Belle was going to ask about later. “If he says anything t’ anyone you’re gonna lose him. Got too much on the line, I can’t play around with this.” That would make things a little easier, at least. “But if he talks t’ you, assume he can hear anything you know about me, includin’ whatever y’ tried t’ dig up on your own that I don’t think you know.”

“As long as you work for the good guys I don’t really care who you work for,” Shepard replied, raising her eyebrows. Summers might want to keep this ties to the government as frail as possible, but Shepard wanted any help she could get, as long as she wasn’t hampered.

“I work t’ protect others, chere. Always have, and I always will.” It was the most truthful answer. Sure the government owned her ass, but she didn’t always work for them if she thought they’d do more harm than good with information. “I’ll talk t’ you later, wanna finish this cigarette before I get home.”

“Take my word for it. Wolfwood will be better as both a lover and an ally, than if you cut him off.” Wingman Shepard.

“Yeah, and he’d be a great bargainin’ chip f’r Cerebus if they found him.” Belle countered, before hanging up. What a fucking shitty week.

“Fucking Cerberus,” Tyra muttered.