Aberrant: Dead Rising - From Des Moines With Love [Mature Content] [FIN]

[Fox]

A blast of music disturbed the breakfast-time quiet of the Refuge as a large military hummvee pulled up to the gate, towing a large four-wheeled trailer and trailed by two vans that seemed to contain people and goods in equal measure. The guys on guard duty grinned and shook their heads slightly as the brass crescendo of John Barry's "007" announced and confirmed the visitor at the gates unmistakeably. That, and the fact that the camo paint job of the hummer had "1K Falcon" airbrushed across the hood in bold red lettering, was all the proof they needed even before the window rolled down and the blond Brit grinned up at them.

"Good day."

"Welcome back, Mister Bond." One of the guards said with a laugh as he waved for the gate to be opened. "Got some new stuff with you?" He eyed the many locked strongboxes on the Hummvee's roof.

"Always, Bobby. Always. Some clothing, mens and womens. Booze, of course. Brought a shitload back for the bar in the trailer, there." A jerked thumb indicated the aforementioned trailer, sitting low on it's suspension. "Guns and ammunition, of course. And books, electrical goods... etcetera, etcetera..."

"Jeez, Jimmy. You don't let the grass grow, do ya?"

"No point. It starts to tickle my feet if I do." The merc/trader grinned good-humoredly. The guards chuckled. "These good folks behind me I picked up on the way. They're all clean, but I've told them about the quarantine rules here and they're alright with the security. Be nice to them, hmm? I think they've had a rough time, and most of them are children." The guards nodded, several of them nodding to the folks in the vans. "And don't think I've forgotten you're wearing my watch, there. Hope you've been taking care of it, old boy, because I aim to win it back." He pointed at one of the men who had clustered near, smiling mischievously.

"Go on in, Jim. We'll catch hell from the boss if we chat here all day." The guard waved him past as, with a chuckle, Bond drove into the camp. The two vans were directed to the 'safe' zone, and those within began the examination and quarantine process. The guards wondered why so many kids had made the trip. The oldest couldn't have been more than 15 or so, and the three grown women were all mothers. Rumors started to spread that Bond had stumbled over something in his travels, and a most wondered what it was.

* * * * * * * *

"Well, that should do it." He announced to the groaning men as they stacked the last of his goods up in the garage that was 'his store'. All the goods were, of course, sealed in the thief-proof boxes and the whole Refuge knew that Jim had a nasty sense of humor with booby-traps. They might not kill a man, but he'd wish it had. Besides, he was generous with his booze and food, so why steal from him, right?

"Good work, lads. Here, this one's for all of you." Grunting a little from the effort, he set down the last crate from the Hummvee in the middle of the six men who had helped him move his goods. "Some food, including chocolate. Nice clothes, booze, and medical supplies. There's a gift bag for each of you in there, so it's all shared out equally. Courtesy of the traders of Des Moines, who are very bad at poker. Almost as bad as you lot." He grinned as the men laughed and cursed goodnaturedly, and popped off the lid of the crate. "Here you go."

After the handshakes and the promises to catch up later, he let them leave before changing his clothing and setting up his usual nasty teargas-and-flashbang booby trap over the doorway. That done, he closed and locked the garage and wandered around the camp, taking in the changes with a deceptively casual eye. People smiled and nodded as he wandered, seemingly aimlessly: like a man stretching his legs after a long journey. As usual, there was much more going on behind the handsome face and the pleasant demeanour.

"Hey Bond!" "Jim, what's up, man?" "Cards tonight, Jim!" He responded to all the greetings, stopped and spoke to a few of the residents, bartered a little, and generally insinuated himself back into the clockwork of the Refuge as though he'd never left.

Late morning found him in the cafeteria hall, enjoying a cup of coffee with his feet up on the table, watching the world go by outside the doorway. It wasn't far from lunchtime, and he was hoping to see a few faces in the cafeteria soon. His pleasant half-smile lingered on his lips as his mind turned over what he had seen back east, but his blue eyes were cool.

[Jasmine Gentian]

Once her chat with Violet was complete, Jasmine headed back to Priest's entourage. She had promised to pick up the little girl and take her off his crew's hands for a bit, and she was looking forward to keeping her promise. Besides, she hadn't eaten anything since she had left the base - all offers of anything more than food at Gabrielle's she had politely declined, writing her lack of appetite off to the smell of smoke and fire that lingered in the air. She didn't need the food, and they didn't have nearly as abundant of a supply as Fox's did.

She walked into the cafeteria hall with Pumpkin in her usual position, balanced on her hip. She assumed that given some time, the girl would be less inclined to cling to Jasmine quite so much, but for now she let her be. She was laughing at something the little girl had said, and she looked less devastated than she had the last time Bond had seen her, though there was still a bit of weariness to her stance that belied her amused expression.

Though Jasmine may have only needed the food for psychological comfort, Pumpkin was still a normal little girl in that regard. So it was the smell of food that finally got her to detach herself from Jasmine, and she hurried over to the food lines to see what had been prepared. Jasmine watched her with a touch of amusement, and then followed her, taking a few moments during the morning lull to glance at what the cafeteria had to offer today.

[Fox]

He spotted her as soon as she came in, of course. China-blue eyes had followed the young woman as she stepped from the sunlit outdoors into the eatery, warming slightly as he smiled curiously at the sight of her with a child attached to one hip.

Bond was dressed in simple fatigue pants and bomber jacket, the latter hanging open to reveal a faded blue t-shirt beneath. As Jas caught his eye, he grinned slowly at her over his be-tabled feet and saluted her with his coffee mug. And then, just as the girl successfully suppressed a flush at his flirtatious expression, Bond winked and beckoned her over, motioning towards his table.

[Jasmine Gentian]

She did blush then, but the corner of her lips tilted in a smile that gave away her pleasure at seeing him there. She knelt down for a moment, murmuring something to the little girl and pointing towards the table he was sitting at. Then she stood up and made her way over to him, that same half-smile playing at the corners of her lips. She was dressed in a pair of worn-looking jeans and a dark green tank top with the phrase "Choose Wisely" written underneath icons of a rock, a piece of paper, and a pair of scissors. Her normal black boots and a worn-out looking black belt completed the outfit. It was simple, and it struck him that Jas had an interesting ability to make simple somehow sexy.

"Well, look who made it back already. I didn't expect to see you so soon - weren't you headed out East?"

[Fox]

Cool blue eyes nevertheless sparkled as they gave Jas a lingeringly evaluative sweep before meeting her gaze. The Englishman was as hard to read as always, but he definitely gave the impression of liking what he saw as he smiled warmly.

"Well..." he shifted position and took a sip of his coffee, "I did. Got as far as Des Moines, but decided to come back after picking up a cache I'd stored there and doing some trading." He grinned, a flash of white teeth. "I thought to myself: 'Jim', I thought, 'This Refuge place has a lot of promise, so it's best not to let things there go to seed.' " He smiled at her. "Besides, I wouldn't wander off and let you all have the fun of the New Mexico raid without me, now would I?"

[Jasmine Gentian]

"It would be distinctly un-Bond like, I would think."

Her own lingering evaluation was less blatant, but more obvious because of the unpracticed attempt at subtlety. Her flush deepened a little as he caught her gaze at the end of her once-over, she could tell by the look in his eyes that he knew she'd just checked him out. To her credit, the blush was the only reaction she couldn't conceal - intense mocha-colored eyes locked with his for a long moment before she grabbed a chair and pulled it out, sitting down next to him.

"I'm glad you came back though. I want everything to go right on this run, and having you around.. well, let's just say having someone who thinks first with their brains instead of their biceps or their bullets makes me feel better about this whole situation."

[Fox]

"That" he smiled over his mug at her "is because you are a woman of uncommonly good sense." He considered her for a moment longer, the smile still playing around his lips, before continuing.

"So, it looks like you've been adopted by someone." he nodded towards the girl who, having secured a trayload of food, was making her determined way over to their table. "What's the story there?"

[Jasmine Gentian]

"So it would seem. That's Pumpkin - the little girl from Dallas."

Jim remembered her mentioning something about it, of course. He had been loading books up into the trucks that they had pulled out of the library, and had missed the whole escapade with Pumpkin and her strange creatures. But the young woman had mentioned it briefly in the car ride home, that they'd found a little girl inside who seemed to be able to do things the way the rest of them could, and that she'd been alone down there with nothing other than creatures she had created to protect herself. The little girl had gone back to the refuge with Priest's crew, however, and he and Jasmine had stopped briefly back at her once-home long enough to finish disposing of her father's remains, and to hook up the vintage Cadillac that Jasmine had requested to take along on an impulse.

"She's kind of attached herself to me and Priest, since we were the ones that helped her out. Poor little thing, her father must have set them up in that library, and something happened to him when he went for food or supplies. Or maybe it was something else that took him away, who knows. But he told her he'd come back, and then he never did. God only knows how long she was down there by herself, but she's pretty anxious about being abandoned now, and Priest is starting to have problems..."

She trailed off as the little girl reached the table, not wanting to talk so obviously about the situation in front of her. She shot him a look that said "I'll finish this discussion soon", and turned her attention to Pumpkin as she approached, offering the girl a cheerful smile.

"Hey, kiddo. Let me have your plate, you can sit here. I want you to meet a friend of mine. This is Mr. Bond. Can you say hello to him?"

"Hello," Pumpkin said, her eyes focused on Jasmine's manipulations of her plate. He wasn't worth any more attention to the young child. Jasmine laughed, and sat the plate down in front of the chair on the other side of her, across from Jim. Pumpkin immediately scrambled up into the chair and started in on her food by pouring the glass of milk she had gotten into a bowl of brightly colored cereal.

[Fox]

Bond watched the girl dig into her food with the single-mindedness of the young and hungry and grinned wryly, quirking an eyebrow at Jasmine. He swirled his coffee around briefly before taking another sip, then set the mug down on the table's edge and fixed blue eyes on Jas.

"So other than glad to see me, how are you, Jasmine?" he asked her with an impish smile. Behind the dancing eyes, though, part of his mind was turning over the various pieces of data that were swirling through his thoughts: Des Moines, the New Mexico prison, the situation here at the Refuge... all these unconnected facts and figures flickered under the scrutiny of his inner eye, lining up like paper targets, all while he also conversed with his friend, sparkling eyes studying her face.

[Jasmine Gentian]

Glad to see you. Oh, wait.. he already got that. Move on, girl.

"I'm good. Anxious about New Mexico I suppose, I haven't really had the chance to talk to anyone, to find out when we're heading out. But other than that.. I'm doing okay. I learned how to drive. Maybe. A little. Okay, I learned how to drive a stick shift in a straight line down the highway. And I didn't drop the transmission out of the car when I stopped it. So, you know, it's a start."

She smiled playfully at him, obviously amused at her own ineptitude at what most people would consider a simple task and expecting him to be as well. Then she shrugged a little, looking a little more serious at the turn in conversation.

"Picked up a new trick. I could fight fast, but I can do other stuff fast too, now - regular stuff, like nail up windows and things, you know? It didn't take me any time at all. At Gabrielle's, I mean.. we drove down there to check up on them and.."

Her eyes flickered over to Pumpkin briefly, studying the girl for a moment before her gaze traveled back to him with a little shrug.

"..see how things were, you know? And they had some issues, some people showing up because of what Elijah had been doing. We had to.. handle it. Well, they did, but Dan and I stayed to do what we could. So.. it's a pretty handy trick, I suppose. What about you?"

[Fox]

Bond nodded soberly. "So they did find them. I was afraid of that." In response to Jasmine's quizzical glance, he shrugged with one shoulder. "When I was in Des Moines they told me that they'd had a visit from some of Elijah's little bio-war jihadists and had sent out a revenge war party a couple of weeks before I got there."

"I don't suppose there was a peaceful resolution to that, was there?" Bond asked somewhat wryly.

[Jasmine Gentian]

She shook her head slight, and sighed a little.

"We did the best we could. They attacked of course - fire and Z's, not the best combo. Nobody at Gabrielle's was hurt, but one of theirs didn't make it outta the fire. Gabrielle healed the rest of them, and we bullied them into staying until they were healed enough to travel. They were still there when I left, but she seemed to have the situation under control. She's doing.. really well there, getting things built up. And at least her people seem.. content. It's better than nothing."

[Fox]

"I suppose so." Bond didn't bother to hide his faint distaste. "I can't help thinking that the situation there is only going to be stable as long as Gabrielle exerts influence and leadership over her flock. Without her, they'd all be insular fanatics as they were when we found them." He made a face, then shrugged and smiled.

"At least she seems to have them in hand. The attackers might want to stay there or come here, though. Des Moines enclave is gone." He said this last quietly, his voice dropping below the background chatter of the cafeteria. "I brought some women and children back with me: they're in the quarantine now. Someone's picking off enclaves."

[Jasmine Gentian]

Her breath left her in a bit of a rush, and she stared at him quietly for a minute. When she spoke, she kept her voice pitched low as well, so that no one, save perhaps the child sitting next to them. She engrossed in separating the shapes from her Fruit Roll-Up though, and didn't seem to be paying too much attention.

"Great.. that's just what we need. God, news of that is gonna spread like wildfire, once those people get out of quarantine. And right on top of this run to New Mexico, too."

She took a breath then, though she didn't need it, and let out a small sigh. She looked at him for a moment with that look, the one everyone in the whole world seemed to have mastered, even those who had never worn it before. It was the look people used to wear when all their bills were due, and a spouse just got laid off, and a child was sick, and then to top it off someone had been in a car accident. The look that says "Is there anything else that could go wrong right now?" But she pushed it away, and he could see the determined glint in her eyes as she forced a small smile and pushed dark thoughts out of her mind, at least briefly.

"So we should do something fun. I'm not sure what, though.. but it's been awhile since I've done anything fun. My parents always said that serious stuff never goes away, and sometimes you just have to put it on the back burner for awhile. So, Mr. Bond. Any more serious stuff before we try and figure out how to have a little fun for once?"

[Fox]

"No." Bond's smile was genuine. "I think that about covers the serious stuff." He stretched in his chair. "And as for fun, well..." A sly twinkle entered his eye as he looked at her. "I brought you a present. I was wondering if perhaps you were free later. Dinner, perhaps? At the Falcon Bar and Grill?" He grinned engagingly at her, merriment dancing in his eyes.

[Jasmine Gentian]

Her smile became a grin then, and there wasn't anything forced about it.

"A present. Well, you do know how to get a girl's attention. And it's almost my birthday, too. I think I could do that. Dinner, I mean. It sounds.. fun."

____________________

He'd said eight, so Jasmine made sure to finish early with getting her stuff taken care of. She'd pardoned her way into the club to pack up the clothes that Violet had insisted she go ahead and take - it was better than nothing, which was close to what she still had. After the New Mexico run, perhaps she could find the time to go "shopping" - or what amounted to shopping these days. Hell, she was a super, maybe she could venture closer to a city and raid something fancier than a Wal-mart. But that was practical - more expensive clothes and shoes were usually made out of sturdier material. At least she could hit a mall with a Macy's or something.

For now she'd make do with Violet's - Jennifer's, really - hand me downs. She'd spent time playing with Pumpkin and had taken the little girl around with her most of the day to keep her out of Priest's hair. He definitely had his hands full, and she could see the sideways looks that the girl got from some of the less tolerant members of his crew. It made her anxious to get this trip over with, and figure out where to go from there. She hated being stuck in a state of limbo.

Fortunately, her new abilities made packing go quick, and having Pumpkin along for the ride as she wandered around giving people a hand with some things made the day seem quick. She was careful, for now, not to show off her new abilities. It wasn't that she didn't want to use them for the good of the refuge or the people there.. but there was a quiet whisper in the back of her mind that reminded her that she wasn't sure whether she wanted to stay or not. And if she let it get around that she could do simple tasks with so much efficiency, then it was possible that people might try and take that choice away from her. She didn't know, for sure.. but some part of her was afraid that it was true. And while she might not be helpless against a mob, there were others who were. Or who may be. It would just.. depend.

So she stowed her stuff in the trunk of her car for now, since she wasn't sure where else to put it. Maybe she'd find a tent or something, but she wasn't staying at Violet's without Violet there, and that left her car as her home in the meantime. Long term arrangements would wait till after New Mexico too.

What to wear was a more immediate dilemma. She didn't want to look too flashy, but they were supposed to be having fun, right? And having fun meant something besides tank tops and zombie-killer mountain boots. Eventually, and with a little playful advice from her pint-sized companion, Jasmine settled on a black and white patterned dress and a simple pair of strappy black sandals.

Click to reveal..

She dropped Pumpkin off with Priest, where she endured some speculative looks and cat-calls, then headed towards the Falcon. She bit her lip a little nervously as she approached, hoping she didn't end up looking like a fool. She didn't see him at first, so she called out quietly, hoping to catch his attention.

"Jim? Hours aren't posted.. is the restaurant open yet?"

[Fox]

The strains of Nina Simone's "My Baby Just Cares For Me" filled the air around a small pavilion set up next to the large hummvee. A generator purred from out of sight behind the vehicle, providing power for the soft lighting as well as the music. The smell of food filled the air as the entrance flap of the tent was pulled aside and Bond stepped out with a hint of a flourish.

He was dressed in a black tuxedo, which made the whole scene positively unreal, and his usually stylishly scruffy blond hair was neatly combed. He paused for a moment to evaluate Jasmine's dress, a smile on his clean-shaven face as he adjusted his cuffs.

"Well well, Miss Gentian. You look lovely tonight." He smiled and took her hand, kissing it lightly. "Come on in, the food's nearly ready."

Closing his warm hand around hers, he led Jas into the tent. An electric stove with four hot plates stood on a folding table in one corner, various smells emitting from the covered dishes atop them. In the center of the tent was a table, set as though in a restaurant, complete with silverware, tablecloth and yes, even candles.

"Hope this is up to standard." Bond smiled at Jas as he pulled out a chair to seat her, holding it for her. "Sometimes one just has to make do." There was a chuckle underlying his voice.

[Jasmine Gentian]

Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of him, and she lifted her hand to her mouth, resting her fingertips against lips curved in amusement. She could feel the warmth in her cheeks and knew that his lips against her skin had brought forth the blush that the catcalls from Priest's gang hadn't managed to elicit. She let him lead her into the tent, and glanced around for a moment before her brown eyes locked with his blue ones, and she smiled mischievously at him.

"I think we'll manage. And here I was afraid I'd be overdressed."

She walked over and sat down, letting him nudge the chair towards the table for her before she crossed one leg over the other and leaned forward, resting her elbow on the table and her chin in her hand. Her eyes followed his movements through the tent, partly intrigued and partly amused.

"Next time warn me, I could've raided a jewelry store or something."

[Fox]

"You don't strike me as the kind of girl that needs ornamentation." Bond riposted, his tone lightly mischievous. His look was very mischeivous as he continued: "And as for you being overdressed, have no fear. We should be able to take care of that." He flashed her a grin as, moving with his customary preternatural deftness, he twitched aside dish covers to reveal the meal.

"Nothing too fancy, I'm afraid. Fettucine Puttanesca for the main course, cream of mushroom soup to start, and a nice red wine to go with." He smiled over at Jasmine as he served up two bowls of the soup. "Don't be too impressed. Most of this came out of a can, though the sauce is all mine."

[Jasmine Gentian]

Her flushed deepened slightly, but she skipped over the allusion for now in favor of conversation she felt equipped to deal with - she wasn't really sure how to react otherwise, and she didn't want to be too obvious about that. She smiled softly at him as he sat the bowls down at the table, and waited until he sat down himself to respond.

"I'm impressed at your effort, Mr. Bond. This is probably the best date any girl in the whole world's been on in.. a really long time."

He's in a tux, you're wearing a dress, and there's candles. There's no way you can call it anything else, is there?

The unspoken "since Z-Day" hung in the air for a brief moment, but she refused to let it ruin the mood. After all, that was reality now, and there wasn't any sense dwelling on it. She picked up her spoon and took a polite sip of the soup.

"Mm. Not bad. Besides, you're making all these assumptions. My Dad was an electrician, and my Mom was a nurse. You're assuming I've ever eaten food that didn't come out of a can. Or a box. Or maybe a bag, on the really busy days."

She pointed her spoon playfully at him, and smiled with amusement at the truthfulness of the joke.

[Fox]

That got a laugh as Bond slid into the seat opposite hers, pouring her a glass of wine before serving himself, then taking up his own spoon. "Touche. To tell the truth, my parents both worked as well. My father was a contractor in the Defense industry and my mother an accountant. I was a latchkey kid for the most part, hence learning to cook in self defense."

"So..." he began after taking a spoonful of the soup. "The Refuge seems to be chugging along nicely. The mood seems to have settled a bit since I was last here. Any social hotspots or drama I need to know about so I don't step in something? For instance, I heard that Violet and the big fellow, James, had split up. Are you still rooming with her?"

[Jasmine Gentian]

"Nothing that I'm aware of, save what you already mentioned. Of course I just got back today, and I've been gone several. You never know, it doesn't take long here, does it?"

She lifted the glass and took a small sip of the wine. She didn't know enough of alcohol to know whether it was a cheap wine or an expensive one, and she didn't much care. It was red, and just a little sweet, and the taste of alcohol wasn't as strong as the drink he'd mixed for her and Jules the other night.

"But no, to answer your question - I'm not staying with Violet. She's not even staying there at the moment, she's shacked up with Dan and his friend Lorraine for now. I think she's planning on moving back, and of course her offer to help her with the club is open once she does, but..."

She hesitated for a moment, and then shrugged, and he could see her annoyance written plainly across her face.

"I hope I can consider Violet a friend one day, but I'm certainly not going to live under her roof unless I know I can resist her abilities. I'm not going to spend my life being afraid that I'm doing what Violet wants me to do, instead of what I feel is right. She made me feel like I had to do something, Jim - like it was my only choice. That's a dangerous ability in the most mature of hands. And no offense to her or anything, but "mature" is about one of the last words I'd use to describe Violet. She may be well-intentioned, but as I learned the hard way, that's nowhere near the same thing. Besides.. I never really liked soap operas."

Her lips twisted wryly, and she took another small sip before setting the glass down and returning to the soup. After a moment of consideration she shrugged again, this time more nonchalantly.

"I don't know where I'm staying yet. My stuff's in my car, I guess I'll sleep there for a couple days until I get it figured out. I can probably camp out in tent city with the rest of the refugees.. it's not like I've really got to worry about the guys. They'd be stupid to try anything, after they've seen what I can do."

[Fox]

"Yes, I've been hearing all sorts of things about Violet. There's a strong undercurrent of belief that she actually runs the Refuge... Which I don't believe for a second. She seems impulsive to a childlike level, wanting to be taken care of and have her friends close to her. Selfish yet benevolent enough. Maybe its best that she isn't terribly mature: she might decide to exert her gifts in an organised, strategic way. In that instance, she could be the most dangerous person in the Refuge." Bond smiled a little.

"Well, I'm happy to hear that you are between homes." He said nonchalantly as he topped up her glass and moved to serve the main course. "You see, I have a proposition to put to you."

[Jasmine Gentian]

She nodded slightly at Bond's assessment, only briefly startled at how accurate it probably was. She contemplated that for a moment before she glanced up at him, a curious look on her face.

"Do you? What's the proposition?"

[Fox]

Bond set a plate down in front of his lovely dinner guest, then seated himself and took a sip of wine.

"Why, to come live with me, of course." He smiled pleasantly, letting that hang in the air for a moment, before the smile turned a little impish and he chuckled. "As my partner."

"You see" he explained, forking over his fettucine "I'm looking for someone with good instincts, smarts, and a certain amount of fearlessness and physical ability to be a business partner. Someone that trusts me is also a bonus. The perks include being outfitted, having plenty of whatever goods you need, training and experience, excellent prospects in a free market enterprise, namely being travelling merchants, mercenaries, and messengers between the civilised enclaves. Any profit made is split 40-40, with the 20 percent going towards running costs. I've been thinking of expanding my operations, and could really use a good right hand whose judgement I trust almost as much as I trust my own." He took a mouthful, peering up at her over his plate. "Mm... So what do you say?"

[Jasmine Gentian]

"I'm flattered."

Jasmine sank bank into her chair, looking a little surprised at the offer. Her initial reaction fell somewhere between pleased and excited at the idea. It was the expression of a girl who'd just been paid a lot of unexpected compliments - because coming from Jim, she knew he meant every one of them, and hearing herself described as having good instincts, being fearless and smart - those were compliments she could feel good about. He wouldn't be inviting her to travel around with him as a business partner if he didn't trust her to do a good job. And it was the solution to her problems, as far as where to stay and what to do. It was almost perfect. She could help people, keep people supplied, and not have to worry about whether she'd be locked into staying here, at Fox's Refuge, to do it. And the thought of traveling around with Jim sent a purely female thrill through her that she couldn't quite deny, even if she tried to push it away for now.

He could see her expressions on her face as clear as day as she contemplated it - by nature Jasmine was a fairly open person and he could tell the idea was appealing. But after a moment, he saw concern flicker across her face. Her eyes flicked to his, and she bit her lip slightly.

"It would be.. great. Wonderful. But.. Pumpkin. I don't know what to do about her, Jim. Fox doesn't have the time to care for her, and I don't think Jules feels capable of it at the moment. Myfwany is ten times too busy with her duties as a doctor to take care of a little girl. I twitch at the idea of leaving her with Violet or James - two less likely parents I couldn't imagine. And Priest doesn't seem able to keep her either, because his first priority is his team, and his daughter - and neither of them seem very comfortable with her presence."

She paused for a moment, and sighed before continuing.

"Gabrielle's seems like the best option - as much as their religious bent seems to make everyone uncomfortable, she's working hard to try and organize the place well. And people didn't seem to respond to her as uncomfortably there as they do here - mainly because of Gabrielle. I know everyone thinks they're fanatics, but in truth I think most of the "fanatics" left when we put the place in Gabrielle's hands. The ones that are left are.. well, sheep. They're like sheep, Jim, just looking for someone to lead them. I don't know whether to think less of them for that, or if that's just the way the world works - everyone can't be a shepherd, right? But I don't think they'll be as discriminatory towards here there.. the only danger is if it becomes the opposite. Everyone there already seems to look at Gabrielle with a certain amount of awe.. and while she seems to discourage too much of that, I wonder if it would go to a little girl's head too easily, and how much control Gabrielle could exert over that. And then.. well.."

She paused again, and picked up her glass, taking a long sip before setting it down again, and picking up her fork to twirl in the pasta.

"...there's Pumpkin herself. She freaked out when I suggested leaving her at Gabrielle's. I understand why - I mean, she's so young, and with what happened I'm sure she's afraid of abandonment. I don't want to mess her up by taking her away from Priest and then abandoning her myself. We're the only two people she's attached to in the world. And.. I just don't know if anyone other than a super is going to be able to handle the kid."

He could see the conflict written on her face - Jasmine was the kind of person who cared, and cared in that way that made her feel responsible. He knew that would be part of what would make her a good teammate - she'd be loyal. But it also put her into a pretty interesting dilemma at the moment.

[Fox]

"Not a problem." Bond grinned. "We can bring her along. She's a super, she can make critters to defend herself with." He turned somewhat serious. "In all seriousness, Jasmine, nowhere's really safe anymore. If we know we're headed into a bad situation, we can leave her with Gabrielle temporarily. Most of the time, though? Having her with is can be more beneficial to business. Most people will be more likely to trust us simply because a child is there."

He regarded her with a charming smile and a tilt of the head. "What do you say?"

[Jasmine Gentian]

She gazed at him for a long moment, and her lips slowly curved into a smile, and finally a grin. When she spoke her voice was teasing, and he could tell he'd won her over.

"Just like that? How do you do that, Jim? Just come in and sweep all the problems away like they weren't there? Is that part of your super-power, figuring it all out? Or were you like that before, too?"

Inside, she could feel the tension that had knotted itself around her stomach the last couple days start to unravel. Knowing she wouldn't have to stay here, knowing that she'd be able to bring Pumpkin with her - and not only that, but she wouldn't be alone.. that was unexpected, and it felt surprisingly good. She had thought she'd be happy on her own, but the idea of having someone around, particularly someone she got along with so well, made her feel.. excited. And a little fluttery.. not that she was basing her decision on that feeling at all. Definitely not. Jim's good looks and charming personality weren't part of the equation at all.

Just keep telling yourself that, sister.

[Fox]

"Well, I was somewhat of a smooth operator before." Bond grinned over his wine glass at her. "But to be honest, my old grey matter was nowhere near as sharp and powerful as it is now." He pondered for a moment, his eyes going distant as though he was remembering something that happened a long time ago.

"It's... difficult to remember what it was like, being the old me." He told her frankly with a faint smile. "It's like a dream where you're someone else: similar to you, but everything is hazy and feels different. The old me wouldn't have adjusted half as well as I have to the way the world is right now." He shrugged. "I might have survived, though."

Smiling, he gave Jasmine a sly look. "Of course, the old me would still have definitely tried to get you to have dinner with him."

[Jasmine Gentian]

"Mm.. the new me, maybe. The old me, I doubt it. I was skinny.. skinny and sick. And too passive - letting people tell me what to do all the time, because everyone knew better than I did. When you're sick, you'll do whatever people say will help to take the pain away, you know? Determined. I've always been determined, or I wouldn't have made it to Z-Day, probably. But.. sick. I almost don't remember what it was like, to feel that weak."

She smiled a little at him, and tilted her head, eyes sparkling playfully. The music had changed, Nina Simone had long given way to the sounds of Frank and Dean, and had eventually made their way to Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You".

"I do think.. the old me would've wanted you to ask me to dance."

[Fox]

"Well, I'd hate for the old you to be disappointed." Bond smiled as he stood and stepped gracefully around the table, offering her his hand. "May I have the pleasure of this dance, Ms Gentian?"

She smiled, putting her slender fingers into his, and rose to join him. Bond took the lead, stepping them away from the table to a clear area obviously set aside with dancing in mind.

They swayed together to the music, neither saying a word. Both possessed of inhuman grace, the sweet tones of the song wreathed about them, making the small space somehow larger and smaller at the same time. Jasmine was aware of the light of the candles reflecting in Bond's eyes as he smiled down at her, the golden flames warming the usually cool blue and reflecting brightly in his hair. His hand rested gently on her waist, his other held hers in a warm dry clasp as the two of them lost track of the time for awhile.

[Jasmine Gentian]

Her hand rested carefully on his shoulder at first, her eyes glancing up at his but then looking down, as if she wasn't sure of her steps, or maybe just of herself. But as they relaxed into the dancing she began to relax as well, and eyes that were normally the color of dark chocolate met his more often, glimmering the color of golden amber in the same candlelight that warmed his normally cool gaze. She slid her hand up over his shoulder, and he could feel the light touch of fingertips brush through the hair at the base of his neck lightly as the corners of her lips turned up in a very faint smile. Finally she tilted her head at him, still swaying gracefully in his arms, and broke the comfortable silence with a soft murmur.

"You know.. there's not a lot of great things to be said about the world as it is right now. But.. I'm not sure the old me would've appreciate just how.. wonderful.. tonight has been."

[Fox]

"Glad you like it." He murmured back, leaning close so that his low tone could be heard over the music. His cheek brushed hers, his breath was soft and warm against her ear. "I was just thinking that the night is just about perfect."

He straightened up a little, but his face was closer than before to her, lips crooked in that familiarly charming lopsided smile. "And we haven't even gotten to the unwrapping yet. Of your present, I mean..." His smile turned a little wicked.

[Jasmine Gentian]

He could feel her breath catch as their cheeks brushed, and a slight shiver ran through her at the sound of his voice so close to her ear. As he pulled back he could see her cheeks color at his flirtatiousness - that faint, attractive dusky rose color that only barely showed under mocha-latte colored skin.

"I.. forgot about that, actually. The present, I meant. Because of your proposition - I mean, your offer - that is.."

Her blush deepened then, and she let out a little amused sigh at her own inability to think straight under sparkling, blue eyed scrutiny.

"..your business proposal."

[Fox]

He chuckled at her blushing confusion, clearly charmed as he led her back over to her chair and held it for her.

"Well, that's understandable. It's a lot to think about." he grinned mischievously as he pulled out a reinforced briefcase from under the table. "Now, this present is a little on the practical side." he told Jasmine as he set it down on the table with a soft thud. "But it's better than power tools."

Facing the case towards her, he opened it up to reveal a dully gleaming, lethal-looking firearm. Rifle-shaped, it had a wide bore and several drum magazines packed into the carry case beside it..

Click to reveal.. (Here it is)

"It's an assault shotgun. The same type I used when we first met." Bond told Jasmine, moving around to stand at her shoulder. "The wonderful thing about shotguns is the specialty ammunition. Teargas, pancake, armor-piercing flechette: you name the job, there's a round to do it for you. They are also ridiculously easy to use and maintain. The drums take twenty rounds in each, and the weapon can fire single, three-round burst, or fully automatic. Excellent for all sorts of uses, from hunting, to zombie busting, to clearing out a room of religiously-unbalanced folks without permanently harming them."

As Jasmine looked over the weapon, he moved back to his seat and refilled his glass. "There's a machete in there for you, too. Under the padding. Non-slip grip, black anodized steel blade. And in the Falcon I have a spare suit of combat armor, same as mine but smaller-sized." His lips quirked wryly. "Not exactly chocolate and flowers, but I think the gifts will prove most useful shortly."

[Jasmine Gentian]

She was quiet for a long moment, her eyes studying the reflective black metal. She reached forward, fingertips brushing lightly, almost hesitantly, over the barrel and down to the hand grip. She picked up one of the drum magazines, turning it over curiously and absorbing what the ammunition in it looked like. Eventually, she sat it down and lifted the padding slightly, pulling out the machete. She tested the handle, slender fingers tightening around the functional grip to test it's durability and weight. Finally, she slipped it back under the padding of the gun and closed the case top, clicking it shut before she glanced up at him. Her lips curved into a sly smile, and she tilted her head mischievously at him.

"Jim.. chocolate gets eaten, and flowers die - but assault weapons are forever. You will need to teach me to use it though. I do hope you don't mind."

[Fox]

"Not in the slightest. It would be an absolute pleasure." Bond grinned at her. "Though recoil probably isn't an issue for you, I thought I'd start you with this weapon precisely because the recoil is low and it has amazing accuracy out to about fifty yards."

He relaxed back in his chair, wineglass in one hand, and smiled at Jasmine. "We'll start you on lessons tomorrow morning, I think. Best that you have a working knowledge of your equipment before we head to that infernal prison."

[Jasmine Gentian]

"Good. That sounds.. really good."

She picked the case up and slid it carefully to the ground next to the table. Then she picked up her wine glass and took a sip, before propping her chin in her hand again and smiling at him.

"So.. tell me a little more about the gun. I've never fired a gun before."

And so it went for a little while, with the two of them chatting about weapons, and missions, and the state of the world. It was an easy subject to get caught up on, even in such an otherworldly setting, but Jasmine seemed genuinely interested in the places the blond Brit had been, and the things he'd seen since the world had fallen down around them. Casual banter and flirtatiousness flowed between them too, although Jim certainly had an upper hand there, by virtue of both wit and experience. Jasmine did her best to keep up, though her flustered reactions when he caught her off guard were appealing enough in their own right. By the time the conversation came to a lull, the candles had burnt down to short nubs and the music list had run it's course. Jasmine studied him quietly for a few moments before she spoke again, her voice soft and warm from good wine and long conversation.

"So.. if we run out of things to talk about, does that mean the night is over? Cause I'm having such a good time, I'd kind of hate it if that were true."

It was an innocent enough question, not the obvious flirtation he would've gotten from other women. What a more experienced date might have said with innuendo, Jasmine meant in all sincerity. Somehow, that - combined with the ease of her posture or maybe the warmth in her expression - made it all the more enticing.

[Fox]

"Well..." Bond rose from his seat and stepped around the table to her, a faint smile on his face as he eyes met hers. He took Jasmine's hand and gently tugged the lovely girl to her feet.

"That, I'd say, makes two of us." he murmured, his fingers brushing against her neck before gently cupping her chin. The Brit looked deep into Jasmine's mocha-colored eyes, his own blue gaze sparkling lazily. He gazed at her, into her, for a moment that seemed to stretch for minutes, then lowered his face closer to hers.

"In situations like this, when neither party wants the night to end, there's usually only three options." He murmured with a seductive grin, his lips mere centimetres away from hers. "But seeing as there's no movie theatres or nightclubs around..." he breathed, "That leaves us... here."

And he lowered his lips to press against hers.

[Jasmine Gentian]

He felt her pulse jump lightly under his fingertips as they brushed across her skin. Eyes that had widened at his closeness fluttered shut automatically at the first brush of his lips against hers. And as their mouths began to move together, he could hear the softest of whimpers from deep in her throat, urging him to do anything but stop.

As she had when they danced, she let him lead, and he had the distinct impression that this was her first time doing much of either. But this was a dance that people had been doing for ages, and there was no need for super powers to be a natural at it. Her hands moved to his chest, sliding over the crisp folds of the tuxedo shirt before they rested on his shoulders. She pressed closer to him instinctively, her lips parting against his with a soft sigh of pleasure as one hand moved up and dusky-skinned fingers tangled themselves gently through fair-colored hair.