starhuevalley | .1 caliber [Intro]

[ACTION]

[She steps down from the bus and tugs at the strap around her shoulder tighter - she travels light, but there's something rather long, carefully wrapped, strapped between her bag and back. Squinting lightly at the warm summer sun, she sighs. Mixed feelings, all in one breath. This lady travels light except for the baggage in her mind.

Still, as she treads through the beaten paths towards an x in a map (excellent orientation skills, for one), she looks around carefully with what seems like a half smile in her piercing gaze. Yet, when she finds the place in the map, she keeps walking around, checking the Community center, the city, - greeting a couple of kids playing outside with a smile - walking through the beach... ending up finally at the Saloon around the evening, asking for a cup of tea at the counter.

Where do you meet her? ]

[VIDEO]

[That's exactly where she is when the video feed opens up. She's looking down at the screen, kohl rimmed eyes scrutinizing the device with a somewhat disappointed expression to them. She tsks.]

So unintuitive. How old is this?

[Dexterous fingers reach the screen and blip! goes the feed

Ring ring?]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[McCree's introduction to Blackwatch came with the caveat of simmering bitterness, cynicism and frustration. He was doing well in Deadlock and he'd gotten used to how things worked in the gang. It took a while for him to find his place in it, no doubt with aggressiveness leading the way as the gang was probably comprised of mostly Omnic-Crisis displaced children, but once he did it was comfortable. Not the best thing in the world, but it was all he knew.

Then it was all swept right out from under his feet. Join Blackwatch or go to jail. What kind of choice was that, really? What kind of fool would choose otherwise? If afforded him the opportunity to reflect on his other life choices and realize he hadn't been making the best ones. That process of course involved working out the aforementioned bitterness, cynicism and frustration. He got his ass handed to him a lot.

Still did, though now it was because he transitioned fully out of his Deadlock roots and was just finding his place in Blackwatch. This was a place he wanted to be in, doing right by the world and fixing his own fuck-ups.

Now he's farming until they can figure out how to get back to their "prime" universe, but hey, at least he's not alone. He was happy to come across Jack and Gabriel, but Ana really balances out the sometimes overwhelming levels testosterone the three of them suffer with, and McCree knows that. Having a good maternal influence in his life was not something he ever got to understand or appreciate until meeting her.]

When'd you get here? You see Jack and Gabe yet?

[She already looks comfortable with her tea, has she been here long?]

[That comfortable look comes from the routine of someone who's used to being deployed to foreign places. Get a look of the ground, scout for a couple of vantage points, get settled and people watch - spot patterns in comings and goings to avoid civilian confrontation in a worst-case scenario.

Add a little something to it - small comforts. Order and try the tea.

Which isn't bad, but it could taste better.] Gabriel is on his way.

I just arrived. [A twitch of her lip] How long have you been here?

[Gabe's on his way? Oh good. Sort of. McCree suddenly can't decide if he's miffed he's not going to get to be the first person to meet her in person or relieved because Gabe would probably handle it a lot more professionally than he would. Then he gets mad at himself for thinking that because he knows he's plenty professional when he needs to be...!

Just... Ana's something special to see.

He reassures himself he'll see her anyway in short time.]

Ain't been long. Two weeks, give or take? [Because we're kind of flubbing the timing of Gabe's arrival so eeeehhhhhh RP time] We've been hard at work on Jack's farm. Place came like a mess.

[He shrugs, mostly a show of exaggerated exasperation.] Guess it's hard to complain too much when it came free.

I see. [She notices that restlessness in him, can almost feel it across the screen. It's endearing and nostalgic. When he's slightly older, Jesse seems a little less prone to wearing his heart on his sleeve.

Ana gives him a smile.] I'll join you to help out. I heard there's a lot to be done.

What do you think about this place? [ Brief her up.]

Great thing to hear, 'mam. [He squints a little like maybe he's trying to parse something out on her face--for a brief moment he thinks she looks a little different, maybe older, but like with Angela it's a really hard assessment for someone like him to make who fancies both dearly. He decides to not think about it too much further and chalks it up to the video quality on the jpad being unreliable.

As for her question... ah, it's briefing time, isn't it. He straightens up, subconsciously falling into a more formal speaking tone, as if he were coming to her with fresh recon.]

Strange place. Not bad, [Certainly being condemned to an idyllic farming town free of international strife and politics and Omnics was not the worst fate... McCree has always wondered what it'd be like to start with a completely clean slate, even if another part of him isn't entirely sure he'd get to keep it even if given every opportunity to.] but strange. Jack and Gabe are convinced there's some big conspiracy going on and I don't rightly blame 'em.

[McCree's also sure something weird is going on but he's not sure it's the result of some malicious hand at work. Tracer's problems were the closest comparison he had to something like this, and that was just an unfortunate accident.]

Wishing Winston was here to make sense of all this. I bet he'd know what to make of it. Maybe he'd even be able to build something like a stable gateway, or somethin' like how he did for Lena.

[He rubs his hand over some stubble on his chin.] Haven't seen hair nor hide of Marjorie lately, now that I think of it. Might be the weirdest thing worth a note.

[Resting her cheek on her knuckles while he gives her his makeshift report, Ana listens carefully with her eyes focused elsewhere. Looking at the people coming and going outside, her lip twitches when he mentions the possibility of a conspiracy. It's a good one, yes, but it's both their job to question everything, and Jack and Gabriel's demeanor that make them believe the world is always against them.

When McCree comments on Winston's presence making it an easier task for all of them, she nods - it's a good call; his grasp on anything physics related did go beyond what all of then comprehended. He would certainly assess the situation differently.

Someone comes in the Saloon, and she follows her with her eyes - blue haired girl, getting ready and slipping behind the counter. A part timer. She then smiles at the Jesse on the screen.] Thank you, Jesse. [Report or not, his superior or not, she always makes sure to thank him for it.]

What about the people here?

Have you met her, then?

[McCree watches her eyes scan outside of what the little jpad shows. He naturally grows quiet while Ana surveys, respectful of any concentration she's putting into the task, as natural as it is breathing air. All habits they picked up in being in covert for so long. He continues once it seems like Ana's comfortable enough with who's milling around her.]

Briefly. She was pretty helpful by all accords. Answered questions. Bit strange, in her manner of speaking.

[Like how she generously straddled the fourth wall, but I digress.]

[Helpful. Much like everyone seems to be in this place. The girl behind the counter seems to know all the patrons except her. Yet, she’s friendly, open book, wrists at show. Hm.

For all the belief that the worst villains are mean and openly egotistical, Ana knows from experience that it’s the ones that get under your skin that hurt you the most.

Straightening in her seat, part to shake the discomfort of that thought off, part to change the subject - Gabriel told her to be careful about this being an unsafe connection after all - she gives McCree a light grin behind her teacup.] How about you? Country life seems to treat you well.

.1 caliber [Intro]

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