Moving Day (Fred...cont in comments)
Fred paced slowly back and forth. She still couldn't believe that they were being forced to do that. How could the City actually think that it could have that much control? Actually Fred knew exactly how. The City could do almost anything it wanted, and she got tired of sometimes. Though it did make for an interesting life, sort of. She sighed softly, pacing again.
The brainy scientist had agreed to show Jensen the ropes, but she didn't think that they'd take a long time. He was smart; he'd broken into the system after all - of course, it had been with the City's help. But, Jensen had actually kept her very busy, extremely busy, and she still didn't feel like she had done enough. At least he'd be able to close up any other leaks; he'd be ready for other people to try to take things over. Yet, Fred still felt like she could have done more, that she had failed somehow in protecting the Tower.
Fred hadn't meant to dress up for the occasion, but she was definitely wearing something that was nicer than this little meeting required. She hadn't meant to dress up at all. Jeans that fit her just right, her shirt dipped a little more than it should have. This was more appropriate for a date. Or going to see Jack. She still didn't know what to do with that. There was a soft sigh as she glanced down at the pager. Well, nothing there.
This was…weird! Somehow he’d won a lawsuit he never filed for and ended up with a job working for the newly forming Justice League. Okay that part was pretty fucking cool and he couldn’t wait to meet Batman, but he still wasn’t sure how this came about. Apparently the job came with new digs, which didn’t suck since the apartment he’d been in initially was this dinky little place kind of underground. It would also come with new tech for him to play with and that was…orgasmic.
He showed up at the address he’d been given with his duffle and definitely not dressed up. Jeans and a tshirt with the silhouette of a moose on it and the word XING under it were Jensen chic today. He looked at the door, the address on the paper then at the door again. “…geezus..” He shook his head with a sigh then rang the bell.
Fred had keys to the apartment; Dinah had let her run the show for now. Dinah had other things to worry about; the Black Canary didn't have to be there to babysit the new kid. Fred would do it for now. She was the one who would let him in, and she would be the one to show him the computers - the computers that had been hers for a little while.
"Hey." She didn't look excited or miserable when she opened the door. She just gave him a small smile and motioned for him to enter. "This is where you'll live. If you want." Fred held out the keys to the latest addition to JLC. If he was really and truly the latest addition, or just someone to work the computers.
"I'll show you upstairs in a moment. You'll get a salary and all that." Fred shrugged. "I'm not exactly sure how that's working. I didn't get one, but at least I don't have to worry about being Big Brother now. Of course, you can't use what I'm about to show you to spy on the yoga class at La Femme Physique. Although it's not as hard to find as you'd think. I didn't mean to find them, but there they were. You'd think they'd have more protection on the windows or something. Nope, just all out there for the world to see."
He gave Fred a confused smile, lifting his hand in a wave. “Hey back.” He was feeling a little out of his depth. She hadn’t gotten a salary. He was basically replacing her and getting paid for it. Tomorrow he will create a custom tshirt that reads Grade A Heel on it.
She was blathering on about spying on yoga classes and his brows lifted above the rim of his glasses. “Uh..I think I can content myself with keeping my desire for smut to the internet. Rule 34. No exceptions.” He smiled more brightly and hefted his duffle higher on his shoulder.
"This is your place." Fred finally held out the keys. She smiled at him and meant it. Her head tilted slightly as she looked at the shirt and smiled a little more. It was actually cute, her eyes lifting to his face. "These are your keys. And really? You think there would be a limit here. Then again, the City can pull things from all over." It wasn't that Fred had never thought about it, but she'd never had a place she could really mention it without looking like a complete freak. Not that many people admitted porn viewing, sort of, even fewer would understand the complexity of some of it. "Did you ever hack the secure stuff to see if you could? I didn't. I'd had enough porn in the open market demon stuff or some of the farm things, never quite got into it."
"So, you're not going to go all looky loo with all the gadgets upstairs?" There was indeed an upstairs. "Once you drop your stuff we can go up there and get you settled in. It probably won't take that long; you seem very at home with computers and everything. I'm okay. Not as good as you, but I'm more of a hands on type. You know, making and experimenting."
He took the keys from her, bounced them in his hand a little with something of a resigned look on his face then shoved them into his pocket. A permanent home base was not something Jensen was used to having let alone have keys to. “Hacking the secure stuff was something I did for Christmas presents. Kind of like giving fruitcake.” He was looking around and talking absently then looked back to her and sighed.
“I’m not going to make promises I know I’ll break.” A bland smile spread across his face. “I wasn’t hired for my charming personality and tiny ass. Part of the job might call for me getting into things, and I believe it is in my job description that I utilize all of my skills to the benefit of your little outfit.” He grinned. “All…my skills.”
"It's not my outfit." Fred shrugged. "I was a sub until someone more permanent came along. I wasn't supposed to be a part of it." She shrugged again. She turned as if to head out the door then turned back to look at him. "You're a hero, or that's what someone thinks. I'm just support staff." She tilted her head for him to follow then turned and headed out to the hallway to make her way down to the waiting elevator that would take them upstairs.
"So, do you make the jokes, the naughty ones, as a defense mechanism, or are you actually offering services?" She turned to see if he was following. She really wasn't worried about being overheard, mainly because she knew they were the only ones around for the moment. Her hands slid into her pants pockets and waited for the elevator and him. "Never met anyone who was like that until now. Dean doesn't exactly count. I've met him three times now, and he's never really hit on me. Though he is known for making the jokes and the eyes. He's a bit of a slut. Dean Winchester. He's sort of support too. He works with me at my own business. Even though it's not really my business." She paused. "I talk a lot."
He was following her and listening with growing amusement. He couldn’t help but wonder if this was how Cougar felt around him. When she looked back he was wearing a lopsided half-grin. “That you do.” He chuckled and shrugged the shoulder holding the duffle. “Doesn’t make a difference to me since I’ve been told to shut up after talking to someone for two minutes.”
He didn’t bother answering the question about himself and his sense of humor. Either people accepted it or they threatened his life. He was used to it. “I’m not a hero. I’m just good at what I do. I got paid for it before. Now I’m getting paid better.”
Fred just looked at him as if she were just see him. Or more as if she were just now being allowed to look at him. There was a hint of a smile on her lips as he answered. She had heard something like that before. She turned back to the elevator as the door opened. It wasn't all that difficult to show him how to get to main command. He was smart enough that she didn't think she'd have to go over it more than once.
"You're in denial, aren't you? Don't want to be a hero?" She smiled a little more and poked his arm. "If it were just about the pay, I don't think you'd be here. I really don't." She looked up at him. "I could be wrong. I've been wrong before." She leaned against the wall.
"You're probably one of the most normal people I've met here in the City. It's kind of weird. The most normal person I've met has extensive military training. You and a bartender. You didn't fight zombies or demons, did you?" She couldn't decide if she was hopeful or anxious about the answer. It was sort of nice knowing someone who was "normal."
“Denial?” His brows went up again as he huffed incredulously, letting the duffle thump to the floor of the elevator after he stepped in with her. “Sweetheart, heroes get dead. Good guys do what’s right. I’m a good guy.” He smirked at her with a wink. “There’s a difference.”
He looked at the number pad as the doors shut to get an idea of how many floors there were to this place. “Can’t say I ever fought a demon or zombie. Drug cartel lords were our thing, though they might qualify if only by personality and social disorders.”
"Oh, so you'll run when someone's actually trying to kill you rather than stay there and die?" Fred's head tilted as she leaned against the elevator wall. "You wouldn't stay behind to save someone; you'd get out while you could?" Her fingers were playing with her shirt hem, just twisting it a little. Keeping her fingers busy usually helped.
"Well, drug cartel lords can be rather tricky. I only know that from tv, what tv I've caught. Haven't caught much here. I did a little before I went to LA. Funny that I should watch less tv in Hollywood, not that LA really is Hollywood, but I would watch less tv there than before I got there." She shrugged. "There's a microwave and minifridge for the long haul type nights. I don't know if the City is going to make me restock. It's usually good about keeping my fridges stocked with what I need. Guess it's trying to make up for not letting me have computers. Really weird trade off, but that's the way it's been most of my time here. You're probably not going to have the same exact issue. Everyone has something."
She stepped out of the elevator as soon as it opened to the right floor, stepping out of the way to let him in. She didn't say anything. She'd let it all sink in; Fred had a feeling the new tech guy for the JLC would certainly appreciate the room he was stepping into. Or more the floor that was pretty much one complete room.
Jensen looked at Fred for her list of things he would or wouldn’t do in a crisis situation. Was there some file on him here that she’d read and he didn’t know about? “I didn’t say I was a coward.” He looked a little wounded for that and cleared his throat with a frown.
“So let me get this straight.” He grimaces when he’s thinking. “The City drags you here against your will. Sets you up with money, food and shelter but fucks with you every chance it gets in a manner unique to you. In this instance it would be a legal suit I never filed that ends in giving me a job that…” the doors opened and he got a look at his new home.
His jaw dropped open a little and he stepped in as if it were the most beautiful temple and he a humble priest. He looked around at the monitors, stations, equipment…everything and let out with a little whimper. “…is so fucking awesome.”
Fred hadn't meant to insult him; sarcasm often got lost when she was speed talk mode. Or, she didn't quite get the tone right. She tried to smile through it, not sure really what to say to make it up to him.
And then she was pretty certain that it really didn't matter. Fred smiled a little, glad that he appreciated it. Maybe the City had known what it was doing for a change. "I don't know if it fucks..." The word while not new still felt odd in her mouth. "With everyone as specifically as it does me, well not in the same way. Actually everyone gets the same not fun in the form of Godzilla, zombies, freaky Cupids, little leprechauns. I was killed once. So, be ready for the crazy with this place, not just the job."
She walked to what she considered the main console and started entering a passcode. "I don't mind coming by to help on occasion if you want, or until you get settled."
He was half listening as he wandered around, looking at the tech and trying to identify what he was looking at. A lot of it was fabricated and individually put together so he wouldn’t know for sure what all he was looking at until he started toying around with it. “Godzilla and zombies are cool.” He touched a screen and jumped a little when it reacted. “Huh! Touch screen. Cool.”
There was a little grin on his face that looked reminiscent of a little boy on Christmas morning when he turned around to look at Fred. “Cupid and leprechauns not so much. I’m not that into chubby little babies in loin cloths and I watched those horror flicks. Those little guys in the green suits aren’t as nice as you’d think.” Obviously he thought she was speaking metaphorically.
"They weren't babies. They were creepy guys with tiny wings and diapers. And they shot people. They made people fall in love with strangers. It wasn't at all pleasant. I ended up falling for J.J. Jameson as in Spiderman's boss." Fred sighed softly. "He was not a happy man. The leprechauns were actually perverted drunks. They were slightly disturbing. I was around for Godzilla, but I don't know how I missed seeing him." Yes, she sounded a little disappointed.
"There you go." Fred finally stepped out of the way to let him at the main console. Her hands found her pants pockets. "You can reset what you want. I can...let you look around. You can probably figure it all out." She started to step away and turn. "That's if you don't think you'll need help. I don't mind sticking around." She might have sound a little hopeful; she really did not want to leave all this computing power just yet.
Jensen had just looked at Fred for the explanation about the cupids and leprechauns trying to decide if she was being serious or having one over on the new guy. He didn't seem to be able to make up his mind. "For real?" Nope. He just couldn't buy it. Why, he wasn't sure since he'd seen the streets move and change right in front of his eyes. Why should Fred's story be any less real. Maybe it was the mention of J. Jonah Jameson. If he was real Jenson kind of wanted to meet him if only to see how long it took for him to piss the guy off.
"Oh uh..." He looked around him at all of the consoles, stations and monitors. He knew he'd be able to figure it out after a few days of not sleeping, barely eating and experimenting with things, but he was beginning to catch on a little. "Am I replacing you?"
Fred smiled slightly and nodded. She really wasn't one to lie; she had never really cared for it. Instead she usually just avoided. Of course, that didn't mean she wasn't very good at lying to herself; that particular lying she was very good at.
She touched another keyboard, nudging it just a little to straighten it. She knew somewhat why she was sad that the JLC had finally found someone to take her place, but she was a little surprised at exactly how sad it was making her. She knew she should have known better to think anything was ever permanent in a place that not even the streets stayed in the same place for long.
"Yes, to both your questions. It wasn't meant to be a full time position for me, so..yay." She didn't sound overly happy, but then she laughed. "I really didn't think someone else would come along. Should have known better."
"But..." Her eyes narrowed. "If any of my friends get hurt because you did something wrong, I'm going to have to hurt you." She doubted he'd take her seriously, but the seemingly fragile woman was deadly serious. She was very loyal and very protective when it came to her friends. "Which probably won't happen because you'll look after them as if they your own team, right? Who'd give up a chance to work with Batman, Black Canary, and..." Fred paused realizingbthat Zee didn't have a codename. "Zatanna Zatara - don't ask that is her name. Also I'd watch fishnet comments around her and Dinah." The smile she gave Jensen wasn't her brightest but it was certainly real.
Jensen’s brows shot up for the threat and he held his hands up in a peace gesture. “Whoa, easy there little lady.” He got a small, lopsided smirk on his face. “I never let my unit down and I don’t plan on making that a habit now. But if it’ll make you feel better I wouldn’t mind the help since you are already familiar with the systems.”
He didn’t like that he was replacing Fred. If the job had been offered to him, or he had been recruited that would have been different. He had been appointed to this position by this weirdo City. That didn’t sit right with him.
"I didn't think you would, but it's kind of demanded that I make the threat. You know how it is." Fred smiled absently as she looked at him before looking around the place as if she were going to have to say good bye eventually. With his offer to stay, she seemed to perk up a little, but she knew she'd still have to let it go save for the special occasions of course.
"I guess I can stick around a little longer. I'm not mad that you're here. Not even mad that the City did this. Just kinda sad. It's not every day a girl like me gets to play with the toys like these." Fred looked around again, and the look said she did not think of the hardware and software in the Tower were toys. These were tools to help the good and fight the bad.
"It's good that you're living here." The brainy female decided to change the subject and tone. The wistful longing disappeared behind a great big smile. "Sometimes it'd take me a while to get here because I live somewhere else, obviously. The streets move, you have to keep reorienting yourself. All that. You just go right upstairs. I've never had this building change on me."
Jensen wasn’t used to living in one place for any length of time. This was going to take some getting used to, especially since the City kind of yanked him here mid-mission. He hoped Clay and the rest were all right. “It’s better to have your IT on hand, especially with ops like this.”
He started taking a closer look at the stations and monitors, his brows coming down as he seemed to quickly analyze things. “Is every station linked or do you have to push yourself from one to the other in a chair?” He didn’t recognize this tech at all. It made him feel like a novice again with his first MacIntrash. It irritated him.
"Yeah, it is. I live in my ex-boss' old apartment. He was a vampire. He technically will always be a vampire, even when he's not. Being brought here kind of takes you out of the whole regular space-time continuum. It's an interesting exercise in quantum mechanics." Fred wasn't being haughty or better than as she said this. Her fingers stayed firmly put in her pockets like a good girl who'd been told not to touch. She was trying to stay out of his way of course.
"I like to push myself in the chair. It's kind of fun, but no. The only system that acts independently is comms. You can join it with the others if you want, but I didn't think people needed to hear how someone was never gonna give them up as they fought bad guys. Someone could have gotten hurt." She shrugged, not accusing. She was just trying to explain. "Everything can be controlled through one console or even one tablet. I'd say if the phone has enough juice, you could do a lot of it from the phone. It's rather streamlined, and for a while was working on its own."
She hadn't always been the one in the tower. "I just came in when Dinah realized she was going to need a living person in here on occasion."
“A vampire.” Jensen blinked vapidly then shook his head and muttered. ”I need a drink.” Vampires, cupids and leprechauns oh my! Yeah. Definitely Miller time.
He was able redirect back to the tech and nodded thoughtfully as he went to his bag to dig out his own tech with the rolled up keyboard and tablet. “Bet I can link in through my gear. I’m probably going to want to redesign links, commands and system connects to what I’m used to. That won’t be a problem for you will it?” He glanced back to Fred over the rim of his glasses. “I can show you the basic commands, the navs and links.”