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Standing tower the front of the bull pen Sofia Mendoza has just examined the case notes displayed on the chalk boards. She did so by pacing the perimeter of the room with careful steps and looking around. She never takes notes, only writing something down when someone else is going to have need of it. Her careful posture and even, methodical pace are simply par for the course. Finally the petite Filipino woman stops near the door and takes a deep breath, placing her hands on her hips.
At this time of day people are going to and fro, the soft hum of activity evident throughout the bull pen and surrounding areas. The bull pen itself is fairly free of permanent occupants as people prefer to pop in and out of the break rooms, steaming cups of coffee and piles of paperwork going back and forth down the hallways. One might be forgiven for thinking this is an ordinary office building on a typical heavily overcast New York February.
"Something seems like it's missing," Sofia notes, perhaps to herself. "But I'm not sure… Hm. In any case, I should probably go find those files on Deadpool…" If there's anything to be done about that maniac.
*
Bobbi rubbed her temples faintly as she stepped out of Director Carter's office, having just passed off the thick folders with her report on Pepper, and her run in with the Winter Soldier as well as reporting Roger's compliance.. well, she had a feeling that the hundred or so pages of her report would result in quite a few follow up questions.
Still she offered a smile toward Peggy as she propped open the door. "In repayment for that overly large report, ma'am, I vote getting out and actually eating something that isn't Chinese food. I could hit up that bakery in little Italy…"
*
As Bobbi just steps out, having put that report on her desk that is due a LOT Of questions, Peggy's British voice calls after, "Ah-ah… No you don't. You don't put a report down like this and just walk away!" Of course, Peggy is trying to follow her out, but she's not near so mobile as the svelte, trained agent. Not to say that Peggy is lazy, but she's pregnant enough that there is no way to avoid waddling and just how uncomfortable it is to get out of a chair.
Never the less, the very pregnant Director is in office and is working. So, report in hand, she waddles out after Bobbi, skepticism in her dark eyes and a deep smirk on red velvet lips. "…Get out, I suppose, but you are bringing it back here. We've enough work to do. I'll give me time to read this novel you neglected to tell me was in the work. And…" Then she's looking over to Sofa, having caught the end of that comment, "What is this about Deadpool? I swear, I'm still in office. If every agent's report isn't on my desk every morning because someone thinks I shouldn't be working, they are going to be on Latrine duty. And the upstairs latrine, in the noodle place. Not ours." Eeeew.
*
"No, ma'am. I was just submitting the report now. I think it was probably hidden under the monster Agent Morse placed there." Sofia's voice, with its California meets the Hispanic Pacific Islands flair, is smooth and soft. She looks over toward Peggy and offers the Director a bright smile, shaking her head. "It's- ah. Well, he attacked a building in the financial district. With grenades. I believe he said something about perpetuating a heist against Mafioso? The report is woefully incomplete, I'm afraid… I wasn't particularly certain it would be a good idea to apprehend him to learn more. At least without backup, which wasn't immediately forthcoming."
Frowning now Sofia takes a deep breath, putting a bit more energy into her tone as she turns her head to survey the room, brown eyes thoughtful as she scans her surroundings. "Aside from the obvious how is your day going?" the question is probably directed at both Bobbi and Peggy, to judge by Sofia's gaze.
*
Bobbi grinned, and there was a hint of sheepishness to her look as she twisted around and held the door open for the Director. "I'm giving you plenty of time to read it Director, and I'm reporting a full incident that required a delicate hand as soon as it was completed to a satisfactory degree." She shrugged, throwing her hands up as Peggy stepped out passed the door.
"And I didn't hold off on reporting because I think you shouldn't be at work. I just wanted to have a complete report to give you." A wink, "And besides, it's not as urgent as say, the various other disasters around here.." She gestured toward Sofia, with a grin.
*
The look in Peggy's dark eyes is completely skeptical, stepping out into the room and coming to perch against one of the desk. She levels gaze at Bobbi, "Cream puffs aren't getting you out of this. You encountered the Winter Soldier and didn't report in immediately. I'm trying to decide just how cranky I am with you and how much is hormones." Oh yeah, Bobbi is in for it. She's just lucky that Peggy has hormones to second guess the protective rant that she's tempted to quickly break into.
So, while she wars with her own brain, she takes in as deep a breath as babe and squished lungs will allow and looks over in Sofia's direction, "It is a day." THat's the most she gives to little pleasantries. Peggy is much more a work, hit the ground running sort of person. "And what did you see concerning the mafioso. Were there actual enemies he was attacking, or was he simply causing wanton destruction? What did your instincts tell you?" The woman clips out, the younger agent now fully under her scrutnity.
*
Sofia takes a deep breath. She closes her yees for a split second as she considers something. She is not the most talkative perwson, but when she stands still has such a solemn look on her face she is probably recalling something. It's not necessary but the memory aid is still there. She purses her lips and nods once.
"He clearly stated he was on a job to obtain a… Stone. I have no idea what stone this might have been as he didn't share the information with me. The people he attacked were very quick to retrieve firearms and shoot him. At least a dozen times. I wouldn't doubt that they're actually mafioso given their behaviour, though perhaps… Not the smartest ones given he didn't seem at all perturbed to be shot. Sofia bites her bottom lip as she lays things out.
"I was approaching rom the street as I happened to be passing by when this assault occurred. While surveying the scene two of the men Deadpool was fighting opened fire on me and I was forced to discharge my firearm. The proper paperwork is appended to my report. I can't confirm a kill on my part. I attempted to- get a telepathic reading of Deadpool's current mental state…"
Briefly Sofia pauses to grimace, shaking her head. She swallows hard before continuing slowly with, "The contents of which will not be in my report as it was, um. Rather vile and unrelated. That poor chicken. In any case, the most unusual thing I saw other than a man in crimson pyjamas lobbing grenades at a building in broad daylight was a young woman with red hair. She approached the scene like she was curious as to what was going on and seemed unconcerned about being shot… Unfortunately, she left during the firefight. I didn't learn more, but she appeared unrelated to the situation at hand."
*
Bobbi rubbed the side of her neck as she avoided the Director's gaze. "Yes, well you put me on the case in regards to him. I have yet to catch him, and Rogers wanted to see where things would go. I was interested to see if he might appear again.." She trailed off as Sofia spoke of her own reports.
"Like I said, mine was not that active by comparison. Lot of lab work and a little of working on an asset." She nodded back toward the desk.
"All in the report.."
*
Since Sofia has answered first, and is putting herself into some sort of trance to remember whatever is going on, Peggy gives the younger agent her full attention for a few heartbeats. Her head also tilts, curious skepticism in her eyes that only grows deeper as she mentions 'that poor chicken'. Peggy clears her throat slightly, "Yes, well… all reports of this Deadpool is that he is… certifiably insane. If you did not think you could safely bring him in, I wish we had more back up on the scene, but I respect that decision. Now… if you wish to take him on as a specific assignment, I can give you more agents to handle the problem?" Peggy is simply taking no risks these days. She's most certainly gotten stricter since returning from being kidnapped. Or, perhaps, being as pregnant as she is. Who knows.
Then it's back to Bobbi, who is not getting any level of understanding in her eyes. "And, if you told me you had contact with him without ANY back up so you did not take him in, do you think I would have lectured you or told you to do exactly what you did?" Peggy's expression says she thinks Bobbi should know the answer, and that she does not think that Bobbi gave the right one. "If this man visited you in your home, I would have preferred to know."
*
"I'm willing to accept that assignment, ma'am. Given his reputation for talking he might actually be willing to explain himself peacefully," Sofia observes quietly. Then she takes a deep breath, folding her hands behind her back. The younger agent is turning her gaze toward Bobbi then. She operates best when quietly obsrvant and listens carefully with a certain measure of concern on her otherwise professional and solemn features. The words 'visited you in your home' get a reaction. Sofia purses her lips slightly but doesn't speak.
*
Bobbi lifted up her hands in supplicance to the Direction's gaze. "I took care of it, Ma'am. The apartment was easy enough to break the lease and find another secure location." A pause and she let her hands fall back to her sides.
"I'll admit, the report was slow in coming, but I had my reasons to attempt to see it to the end before I had a chance to sit down and get to typing all of that up. Rogers seemed hesitant to want to bring in Barnes, and I was curious to see if he would attempt anything further."
*
A curt nod is given to Sofia, Peggy's lips still in an unhappy line. While she might look strict, anyone who knows her well (so, probably Bobbi) would recognize the mixed pain and exhaustion crinkled around the edge of her eyes. She's simply a woman incredibly uncomfortable in her own body right now, who probably hasn't sleep for more than 2-3 hours straight in a week. It serves to make her rather terse, even as a boss. And yet, here she is, working. "Not alone. Find a team, one or two people at least, work on it together. Never try to bring him in alone. That is how good people get killed. Understood?" Peggy asks flatly. She waits until she gets an affirmative from Sofia before looking back to Bobbi.
"Agent Morse. If you had put such recommendations in your report, I cannot promise that we would have give you that extra time, but I suspect so. I am tired of people tip toeing around this agency like we don't bloody well TRUST each other. No, we can't trust the people out there. That sure as hell means we should be able to trust them in here. I don't expect to ever see a report like this so delayed in the future, do you understand?" THere is a part of her genuinely around about this, but it's a protective anger.
*
Skye has arrived.
*
"Yes, ma'am. Only engage Deadpool with a team on hand and a plan." Sofia nods once firmly to acknowledge this and then goes back to being quiet. At the moment Sofia, Bobbi, and Peggy are standing in the bull pen discussing mission reports. Sofia is closes to the door, her back toward it, hands clasped behind her. There's nothing for the young woman to say and so she stays silent, head tilted slightly to the left while she considers the two women in front of her.
*
Bobbi inclined her head slowly, "I understand, Director." Her smile was gone as she spoke but she didn't look completely closed off at least.
"However, given that there were recent events that made such trust difficult to carry through sometimes. I shall endeavor to be more circumspect in the future." Was it a low blow to suggest that Bobbi had lost her trust and faith in Shield due to the situations with the Skrulls..? Probably but it had left a mark on the Senior Agent and she wasn't about to soften that particular issue she faced.
*
While Peggy might be cranky, she can still read a room. Uncomfortably read. The dark haired woman looks over both her agents who she may or may not have been brow beating in her own way and she sighs, pushing herself back up into half standing instead of slouching on the edge of a desk. "…Yes, well. I have reports to read, you both have orders. We… all understand each other now. THat's what matters. Dismissed, both of you." And then Peggy is quietly waddling back into her office to read for goodness knows how long and hopefully push away this mood.
*