Britney jumped and looked over at Silas. "Oh, um thanks?" She managed to squeak out. She stared down at her food and wasn't hungry. She nudged her plate away from her a bit and held her cup in between both her hands. "You better be careful about what you say around Agent Glider. If she wanted to she could kick you out." She picked up her cup and took a sip. She was shaking a little. She always wished she wasn't such a coward.

Silas beamed at her thanks, but quickly let it drop to a frown with her dose of reality. Kicked out? He... hadn't thought about that. He really wasn't good at thinking things through. He should get better at that though, he wagered. Man, he couldn't mess this up! How'd he pay rent if he did? Or fed Rei? Or better yet, himself?

"Aw man, I didn't even think about that. I guess I better keep it all on the DL, right? Go the straight-and-narrow..." he sighed. It didn't sound fun and it sounded pretty hard but... well, it was preferable to the alternative. "I mean, I don't really know how to get jobs on my own. Syntax always got us the jobs. I wouldn't even know where to look."


~*~


Watson was less concerned about getting kicked out. He was still fairly sure miss Gilder was somewhat suspicious of him but not enough to target him for very much. He was at a good spot, right now. And even if he did have to leave, he was not like Sy. He could easily find work and contact his old connections- both on the legit side of technology work and on the... more legally gray side as well.

Granted, the threat the organization had left hanging- the threat that basically amounted to them turning over information on his activities to the authorities- was more concerning. He was fairly sure his elderly parents did not want to read about their "problem child" being incarcerated. Again. Especially after doing well for so long. He was also fairly sure that while he could survive easily in a jail/prison ecosystem, he didn't want to if it was avoidable. Push come to shove (and assuming he wasn't arrested and their threats were all bluster), he could go legit and lay low for some time.

Still, this opportunity was too good to pass up. And he really did look forward to using his skills productively.

He looked to the girl. "Don't be so intimidated, though. Wary, yes. Frightened, no. Anxiety will do you no good if you end up in the field." he recommended.

Britney took another sip of her water starting to calm down. "I think that'd be a good plan, Silas. I'm new to the whole job thing myself." She looked over at Watson. "Agent Gilder's intimidating and I'm just not good with sudden anxiety inducing situations at five forty in the morning." She stood up stacking her plates. "Excuse e, I'm done eating, see you two in training." She said nodding to them and walked away.

[Sorry for the delay. Things got hectic yesterday and truthfully, they're still a touch hectic but I can at least bust out a bit of a post for ya!]



Silas gave a heavy sigh, looking at his now-empty plate. Well, he should start queuing up to head out to training too, right? He couldn't afford to be late again... he had to do well! He really needed a job. Also, he wanted to be good and successful at something for once and really, technology was the one thing he could ace without trying too hard. This was the one chance he had to do something significant!

He stood up and dumped his plate, trotting over to where everyone else was congregating and heading. Straight and narrow! You got this! he though confidently. He puffed his chest and put on what he fancied to be a serious face. In reality, it looked like more of a caricature of a serious face but... well, he was trying at least.

~*~

Watson moved a little more slowly. Not due to age, but more because there was no rush. Not yet. The rallying call to rouse the stragglers hadn't even been sent out yet so really, he was still being proactive. He moved to follow those that had finished their meals as well, wondering what training would bring. Lord be merciful on this old body, he thought wryly. Though for all he joked, he had made an effort to stay in shape well into his older years. It was important to take care of body as well as mind and the healthier he was, the more mileage he could squeeze out of this mortal coil.

It was exciting to him, the thought of the proving ground (training may just be training but it set an important precedent for certain). He hoped that the girl that had sat with them- Britney?- would shake off some of her stress as she woke up more and give a stunning performance. He also hoped that boy- Mr. "call-me-Sy"- pulled himself together as well. They both seemed too nice and that was a shame- that sort of thing could really set you back in a martial environment like this...

(Just glad to know you haven't forgotten! ^^)

Jules enter the training gym to get it ready before she went back for the recruits. They'd never find this place on their own. She just hoped they'd have the common sense to stay in the cafeteria. She started rolling out the familiar mats. Man was she going to enjoy today.


Britney escaped all the people by going down a hall and sitting down in a corner that kept her hidden from the cafeteria doors and the nearby halls. She sighed and pulled out her notebook and pen from her bag she liked to have with her. She opened it up and started writing. She liked writing as a past time and it helped her relax sometimes. She wasn't as good as she'd like to be but she loved writing.

Silas had stood grouped with the others for a spell, waiting for further direction but... being serious was hard. Maybe... if he just snuck a way for a few moments... no one would notice. They were just waiting, right? And he did have to feed Rei- she couldn't open the catfood cans herself, after all.

He looked around, confirming that he was truly being mostly ignored and unnoticed, before creeping off to the barracks again. He'd have to move fast, though- he couldn't afford to be late again. And next time, he might actually miss some important announcement! He couldn't keep pestering everyone for a recap, after all. He had to do things himself and be independent! Independent people got chosen to stay here. Leeches... probably did not.

Once in the barracks, he dug some food out of his bag and stuck it under the bed for the little scrap of fur. He was thankful that cats, though affectionate and social when they felt it, decided to reflexively hide under furniture any time their environment changed. If she moved into sight... well, aside from getting in trouble, she'd be put in danger. And that would suck. He gave her a few gentle pats as she ate before scrambling back out from under the bed, brushing off dustbunnies as he hustled back to the cafeteria. Soon, Rei... as soon as I get that call, you'll get to go to a good home again.

On the way back, he got a little bit turned around, happening down the hall Britney had hid away in. He froze a moment upon seeing someone, looking around nervously. Aw man, busted! But...oh! It was just Britney. She wouldn't rat him out, right? Especially since she was huddled off and not paying attention to the shuffle too. She seemed like good people, after all.

He looked at her and, if she happened to notice him, he raised a finger to his lips, gently shushing her and grinning a bit sheepishly before sneaking back out to the cafeteria- finding the group of recruits with a bit more success this time.

Britney stopped writing and closed her eyes covering her nose and mouth with the back of her hand. She sneezed twice. She started opening her eyes again but another sneeze came forcing her to close her eyes again. She groaned and looked up. She jumped a little when she noticed Silas. "Oh um hi." She squeaked out standing up. He notebook fell to the ground followed by her pen. She sigh exasperated. "Sorry. I have no idea why I'm sneezing like this." She said bending down to pick up her bag.

He froze as she spoke out. Super busted! Ah, but... okay, she was just talking to him. That was fine. He could do talking! He knew she was cool. He peeked out towards the cafeteria and noting people were still milling around, he turned back to the girl.

"I dunno either... maybe there's something here you're allergic to? It doesn't seem too dusty but... maybe you just keep picking dusty places to sit?" he said, shrugging at her comment. "Or it could be nerves. Or... you know, dogs sneeze when they're excited! So maybe your body is excited and the sneezes are a way of trying to let your mind and conscious know!"

It was probably just allergies but hey, what was wrong with offering multiple suggestions? You never knew! He watched her pick up her bag and canted his head a bit, moving on to the next topic in his mind.

"What were you doing? I mean, it looked like writing or doodling or something... you an artsy type? Artsy types are cool. I can't draw or write creatively for bunk so I'm always envious those who rock at it!"

Britney reached down to pick up her book and pen. She thought for a little. "You ask a lot of questions." She sigh and started putting her book away in her bag. "Well, last shall be first and all, I just write a little. sometimes short stories or journaling. And it's unlikely allergies, I'm only allergic to two things and it's not likely either of those are even here." She sneezed again. "And I'm not nervous." She looked back down the hall behind Silas.

He very obviously didn't take her observation of his curiosity as an insult. In fact, he was rather proud of the fact he asked a lot of questions. This world was full of information, of knowledge... how were you supposed to access it if you never asked questions? Maybe some things you could learn in a book- like math, science, cooking, and programming- but when it came to people... well, the best way to learn was to ask questions!

"Yeah but... how are you gonna learn if you don't ask questions?" Silas pointed out. "I mean, they teach you in school to ask if you don't understand something, you know."

He turned to glance down the hall as well, trying to gauge what the group was doing now and if he had time to continue socializing. To be honest, as much as he liked chatting- and he liked it a lot, he was sort of excited to see what they were going to be doing for training. He wasn't sure he'd do great, not being the most graceful of people but... you never knew until you tried, right?

"And you never know... someone may have carried allergens in. Pollen on clothes, dog hair on personal effects, peanut dust on hands..." he listed. "Oh! Did you know? If someone is super-allergic to peanuts and you kiss them after eating a PB&J, you could totally kill them by accident? It's true!"

His mind continued to zig and zag across thought patterns in its typical slapdash manner. To him, the procession of thoughts made perfect sense... to anyone else though, the rapid topic changes probably seemed quite disorganized at times.