Zuko wants to grow up already (myowndestiny) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2012-07-30 23:09:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, azula, nick fury, zuko |
"We'll try to refrain from any superheroics on our part."
Who: Azula, Zuko and Nick Fury
What: Cutting deals
When: Backdated to Saturday
Where: FBI office
Status: Complete
Rating: PG-13
Deciding to give a unified front, Azula and Zuko arrived at the FBI office early Saturday morning. They got out of the car, looking very much like a power couple.
They did, didn't they? For a second there, Fury caught his brain wandering really awful places. But really, was that his fault? He'd seen the Azula dossier, as scarce as that was right now. Instead of looking like it though? They got the Eye sweeping them over. "Well." he said, giving them a little nod after the eye. "How DID we want to start this?"
The siblings exchanged look, and Zuko stepped forward. It was better for him to speak. He was the nicer one. Azula had a penchant for being condescending in situations like this and that just wouldn't help them at all.
"I want to cooperate as much as possible, within the constraints of what I can reveal about the work with Neena Thurman."
Azula folded her arms. She felt shut out, but she'd spent so long wrestling with her hair this morning that she had enough sense to realize she needed to be a kinder, gentler Azula.
That got Zuko a little nod. And Fury was secretly relieved he was the one doing the talking. "That sounds like it'd be useful to us. What's your catch?" If it was something simple enough, he was willing to concede to it.
"We need to be able to continue to operate as we were," Zuko replied. "In order to be able to manage things from within. That's the deal we have with the CIA. I can provide you information on additional trafficking within the country."
"We want that shut down," Azula hissed, hands balling into fists. The whole experience had left a bitter taste in her mouth.
Fury straightened at that, steepled his hands like Mr. Burns, and nodded slowly, an actual smile crossing his face. "I think we can come to some kind of an agreement here." he nodded.
Azula thought that her father was growing out of control. And if AZULA thought that....
If she couldn't get out, she'd simply have to challenge her father's position.
Zuko nodded his head. He didn't know if they'd witnessed their firebending, as that had been over before Stark's team had arrived. So he didn't bring it up. Instead, he said, "At some point I want a way out. For me, my sister, and our lovers." Iroh was already out. He didn't need to be pulled into this.
Yeah, AZULA of all people implied a lot, now didn't it? Fury nodded back at Zuko, seriously. "The first best chance, you'll have it." He promised. Considering there was likely not much choice with the IN to be begin with, it was an easy thing to promise.
Zuko nodded. This way he can give the FBI some crumbs to keep them busy and still help, while doing the bulk of the work with the CIA. He decided to add, only half-jokingly, "We'll try to refrain from any superheroics on our part."
That got him a really tired looking eyebrow. "Please. Last thing I need is more of that shit. So. These things you know?"
Zuko pulled out an envelope. Within were three names, all mid-level, but all linchpins within the US, "They're in pretty deep, and cautious. But they handle a large amount of the trafficking operations, and about twenty percent of the drug operations."
He had to be careful there, "I have to be careful. Could you imagine the kind of street wars there would be trying to fill the vacuum?"
"Not the kind of thing any of us are wanting, no." Fury agreed, wincing at the thought. That had the potential to get even uglier than they were looking at already. "God knows we don't want any of those."
Azula shifted on her feet, impatiently. She'd been expecting something with more...force. More interrogation. Where was the waterboarding?
Zuko just nodded his head. He had a great deal of respect for this man - different circumstances and he could see him RUNNING the Fire Nation. He held the envelope out to Fury.
Fury accepted it gravely, then glanced at Azula. "Something you'd like to ask?" he wondered, since that look on her face implied something.
"This is it?" She waved a hand around, "Don't you want more information? You could manipulate interrogate, dictate the terms of our cooperation! Are you weak?"
Zuko elbowed his sister in the ribs, hard.
"Way I see it, I'm getting quite a bit." Fury told her, still calm, and with a little smile. "I prefer to keep the blood off whenever that's possible."
Azula narrowed her eyes, resolving to get Zuko back later for her ribs. But Fury had a point, and she realized they were being played. Her demeanor changed, and she smiled. Fury had earned respect.
"I think that's it, for now," Zuko said.
Played, or was it mutual cooperation? It was hard to say, wasn't it? She got a smile back then and another firm nod. "Then I think we would do well to stay in touch. When you need your out at least."
Between Neena and Fury, Zuko almost believed they did have an out. He nodded his head at Fury, "Thank you, sir."
"Thank YOU." Fury told him, and he hoped like hell when the time came, that out would be enough.