Falling All Around...(Eli)

[Elias Gilligan]

"Daddy put some files on my laptop. Maybe you can garner something from them... Here we are. My home away from home... Ignore the Rubix cube clock. Max thought he was funny giving me that last year... Water?"

Eli took a seat as he looked about him at the small office. Small, cozy, lived-in. A nice homey feel to it. Rafe always said you could learn a lot about people by what they decorated the rooms with...and by the books they read, and by the clothes they wore, and by the way they interacted with other people...etc. This room said, Mom-who-takes-her-job-seriously-and-loves-her-kids.

"I'm good." Eli leaned foreward, getting closer to the monitor's screen.

She was right, There was a lot he could garner form those files. If one was familiar with Enigma, they could trace the team's progress from conception to current status amid the hodge-podge mosaic that the files represented. There was also a variety of other information that at first made no sense to eli, but gradually, as he reminded himself the reason WHY he was HERE tonight....it became clearer--with info that he'd unwittingly gathered on his own (mostly from daddy) it became crystal clear.

Some times had passed before he looked up. "Can we take this along with us when we leave, or will I have to make a phone call?" he asked indicating the laptop. The simple solution for securing everything on that laptop from prying eyes was for her to say yes, they could take it. If not...Eli was fairly certain that Tameran could hack the building's network and shut it down for a few hours--long enough to whipe all traces of the files from the system. And if he couldn't get ahold of Tam...well, he had some experience in that area. Not that he advertised that.

[SA Daphne Woodreaux]

Daphne let Eli read through the information on her files. She didn't understand most of it-a lot was military jargon, and the rest was about a group for which she herself had no intel on, and likely wouldn't. Daphne was still a "junior" agent, and, thusly, only had top secret clearance. Daddy had had eyes only, though, so he had more intel than she. She wondered what it meant that she, too, chose to play the clandestine game, and follow in Daddy's steps, but whatever.

I'm good... She nodded, but stood, and poured herself a glass from the water cooler in the corner. She really needed some time to think. Did the Colonel's house actually just blow up?! Yeah, it had. Which meant that he was going to move in with her, because he flat refused to move to California with "Jason and his hippie friends", and since Dina and Allen were staying with Dina's parents while Allen was in Iraq...she was going to be the one to take him in. Unless she packed him off for Texas with Mama. THAT would go over well...Well, at least Max would be happy to have him 24/7. She? Of course, she loved her father, but he could be a tad overbearing, and she LIKED being on her own. Well...mostly.

She settled back down with her thoughts. She could arrange the garage for the Colonel, or else he could have the third room. He was going to have to share a bathroom with Max. The thought made her chuckle inwardly. THAT would be interesting, to say the least.

After several minutes, her with her water, and this strange person bent over her desk, he raised his head, and spoke to her. He startled her, at first. Her thoughts had traveled onward to work, and the case she couldn't leave behind.

Can we take this along with us when we leave, or will I have to make a phone call? She snapped back to reality.

Hmmm?! OH, yeah. We can take it. I will just to make sure that you have proper clearance. You DO, right? Dang. She was failing at this "national security" thing already. Oh, well, She knew that if the Colonel trusted Eli, she was smart to, as well. She unearthed her Company-issued laptop case from her bottom drawer, and closed the machine carefully.

Wait. Who WOULD you call, if I had said no? She stood up, retriving her tote and keys. She knew they'd be stopped at the door once more, and the reasons for her removing her laptop questioned. It was simply procedure, so she didn't mind. Sure enough, as the pair exited the building,the guard stopped them.

Miss Woodreaux. Sir. Can I check your bag? What is the purpose of your removal of the Agency issued laptop today? Daphne smiled.

Just some work I need to finish. I plan to do that tonight after my son goes to bed. The guard nodded, after making sure that she was squared away, and presumably had no bombs or whatever they looked for. His gaze traveled to Eli, but Daphne simply waited for Eli to do his magic blank-card trick again, and then led him back to the parking lot.

Back to the bunker? Or should I have the Colonel bring Max to my house? That sounded a bit forward, but this whole day was exceptionally awkward.

[Elias Gilligan]

"Hmmm?! OH, yeah. We can take it. I will just to make sure that you have proper clearance. You DO, right?"

Eli grinned lightly. "You saw me get in here, right? I think that would mean I have proper clearance."

She moved to pack up the laptop, but stopped mid-zip. "Wait. Who WOULD you call, if I had said no? "

Eli merely smiled sweetly at her, choosing not to reply. No need to incriminate himself, or Tam. At least she didn't press the issue.

They left the building--after being stopped by the guard again--and returned to Eli's truck, where Daphne turned to him with yet another question. "Back to the bunker? Or should I have the Colonel bring Max to my house? "

"Ehhhh. 'Home, James.' It's safer than your house, at the moment." Because if whoever'd left the bomb at Pops had seen them get away, he might well visit her house next. "However, if you need to pick something up from your house, do it now and let's make it snappy. A moving target is harder to hit...and so is one that you can't even see. And better yet, don't know where they're at." he added.

[SA Daphne Woodreaux]

Daphne stopped for a moment. Was he serious?! Bombs. On the other hand, she could kind of use the insurance payout, buy a bigger place.

No. I don't need to go home....I am fine with the bunker. Actually, I should go get a few things for Max... The mother side of her ran through a mental checklist. At least Pajamas, a change of clothes, and his toothbrush. His medication, for sure.

Actually, just a few things for Max... She bit her lip. Was she being silly?! SHe didn't care. She needed to be mindful of her son. They headed off, after she issued directions to Chevy Chase. She fell silent again, now just wondering what lie ahead.