Starring:
and
as Rebel
Date: October 26th, 2009
Summary:
Rebel puts his trust in Tracy, who is trying to work all sides of the game.
"Risking Rebel"
New York City
The hotel Tracy has chosen to stay in during her time in New York is lavish, but not larger than need be for one person to stay in. Okay, not larger than need be for a person with money to spend on a room. Alright, so it's pretty spacious. Sunlight filters in through the windows that look out on the skyscrapers and rooftops through white curtains that have been pulled back.
Tracy has a few things on her agenda today, and she's prepared, ready for the day, but there's something she has to do first. Something that is, perhaps, overdue. She sits down on the neatly made bed beside her open laptop. It's the cell phone in her hand that's her focus, however. She finds the warning announcement from Rebel and, not knowing if it'll even work — she can't see any phone number — texts back.
'Rebel?'
SEND.
It takes a matter of minutes before there is that oh-so-familiar feel as the phone vibrates indicating that Tracy has a message. The text comes through as always, all caps, almost like it's yelling in response: TRACY? Yes, Rebel can tell who contacted him, even if his number doesn't appear anywhere.
Tracy put down the phone, checking a few things idly on her computer, drawing her knees up on the bed comfortably while she waited, but the vibration of the phone brings her focus back around. She whisks it up. There he is.
'You're sure about Peter P?' she texts. Not Peter Pan, but Rebel hopefully realizes who she refers to.
The response is ridiculously quick, inhumanly so: COMPLETELY CERTAIN. WATCHED IT WITH MY OWN EYES. Yes, Rebel was at the rescue. In a matter of speaking, anyways.
Tracy blinks. Fast indeed. Her response is slower; she taps a nail against the side of her phone in thought. There are a lot of things she could ask, here, but she thinks of one question that just might help her corroborate stories:
'Do you know the agent who took him?'
There's a moment's hesitation from Rebel. He knows, but he can trust Tracy, can't he? Finally the text comes through once again. AFTER REVIEWING THE ALPHA PROTOCOL'S FILES, I'VE COME TO LEARN IT WAS MAXWELL SWAN.
"Maxwell Swan," Tracy repeats out loud under her breath. The name rings zero bells, but she's not surprised. With any luck, and a good deal of determination, she'll find a face to put to that name.
She eyes the small screen for a long moment, considering. There's hesitation in her eyes, unseen by the mysterious Rebel, but it's gone and replaced with strategic concentration by the time her fingers move over the letters and numbers.
Tracy's message is simple.
'I want to help.'
Rebel's excitement can be felt through the text. It comes even faster than before: I KNEW YOU WOULD! :) Several moments pass before another text comes through: WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO? HELP PP? OR HELP RELEASE THE REST OF THE CAPTIVES? IN THE MEANTIME I SUGGEST YOU DISTANCE YOURSELF FROM WYNN AND THE ALPHA PROTOCOL. IT'S NOT SAFE.
Tracy is a little surprised at the excitement of the texts, smiley face and all, but she takes it in stride.
'The rest?' Sounds like she doesn't know about the rescue and escape.
'Wynn trusts me. I can't leave my job.' Then she adds: 'I can get inside AP.'
The reply comes through just as fast as the others. YES. WE RESCUED THE TRAIN PRISONERS. IN THE PROCESS PP WAS CAUGHT. :( BUT WE SUCCESSFULLY HELPED MANY PEOPLE WITH ABILITIES OFF THE TRAIN. INCLUDING THE CAR WITH CHILDREN. There's a moment before the Rebel responds to the second text: BEWARE. WYNN ISN'T THE ONLY ONE BEHIND THE PROTOCOL.
So much doesn't add up. Tracy studies the phone, brow furrowed. She doesn't like the sound of this, but she keeps on formulating answers.
'I'll be careful. You seem to see everything.' Maybe not everything… 'What should I do?'
There's a pause as Rebel thinks through everything. I SEE A LOT. MORE THAN MOST. There's another pause as Rebel contemplates: TRY TO GET MORE INFORMATION. I HAVEN'T FOUND WHERE THEY'RE HOLDING EVERYONE YET. ONCE YOU FIND THE LOCATION… I WILL FIND A WAY TO MEET YOU SO WE CAN GET PP FREE, AS WELL AS ANYONE ELSE BEING HELD. There's another pause. DON'T WORRY TRACY, THERE IS HOPE. WE WILL MAKE IT THROUGH AND OUR KIND WILL THRIVE ON.
Our kind. Again, an unsettled look crosses Tracy's features.
'OK, Rebel.'
There's a pause before she reveals that she's still there. 'I met someone else who received your msg. Her name is Cass.'
CASS IS HELPING ORGANIZE PP'S RESCUE. The text comes through almost immediately. BUT I WANT TO LAUNCH A SEPARATE RESCUE MISSION FIRST, LEAVING CASS'S MISSION AS A FALLBACK. THE LESS PEOPLE WE CAN GET INVOLVED THE BETTER. THAT WAY IF PEOPLE ARE CAPTURED…
'If he's alive.' Tracy texts back. Pessimistic, but the guy was purportedly hit by a helicopter. 'I tried to help Cass. I don't think she trusts me because of my position w/ the Senator.'
There's a moment before Rebel responds. HE WILL BE ALIVE. PP CAN REGENERATE. There's a pause in the text as he considers why Cass — a good friend of Niki's — wouldn't trust Tracy. Weren't the sisters like genetically the same? There's something strange about that, but Rebel pushes it aside. DON'T WORRY ABOUT CASS. LIKE I SAID I'M TREATING CASS'S MISSION AS SECONDARY AND NECESSARY ONLY UPON THE CAPTURE OF SEVERAL OTHERS. Including himself.
"…Huh," Tracy says to thin air, namely to the little revelation about Peter. Not surprising, all things considered. She has so many questions, but she decides not to push her luck today. She'll go along with Rebel's plans for her.
'I'll see what I can find out. Be in touch.'
TALK TO YOU SOON. The text responds. And then there's one last message that goes through: I'M GLAD YOU CHANGED YOUR MIND. :) And he is.
Right. Changed her mind. Tracy's jaw sets with a faint twitch of uneasy muscle before she banishes the text messages from her screen and slides off the bed, brushing her hair over her shoulders. She shuts the laptop down, tucks the phone away into a purse. There's only one more thing she truly has to do in NYC before she can leave. It looks like she has a lot to do back in Washington.