Realistic or Modern The Neighborhood - Main

[supertoastgirl]

IC Thread. Please use the coding below for each post. Slight edits are permitted.
Please don't post here until we are all ready and I make the first official post. Thanks!


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Location: The cul de sac || Tags: R Rizzy , PotatoTruffles , Shadow , DarkRumours , supertoastgirl

The crickets chirp happily as the yellow burning sun sets in the distance. The sky looks like a summer-time punch, streaked with bright orange and pink. The colorful light reflects off the spotless windows of the grey scale houses at the end of a cul de sac. This somehow makes everything look even more alike. Children play in the distance, getting stains on their best pants and creating a lull of laughter that can be heard from every porch. Men in khaki pants and loosened ties gather around a low fire pit with beers in their hands. Their husky voices add a rumbling texture to the neighborhood symphony. Women gossip about each other in small groups, creating well manicured pods of elegant fashion along the street. An adulterous romp happens quickly and quietly behind closed shudders. Plush green grass frames the 'little boxes' that scatter the rounded bulb at the end of the road. Stark white doors give the illusion of purity and perfection.

This is the all American dream.

Until you get to know your neighbor.

Behind those white doors lie some of the most notorious characters in the nation. Some houses hold innocent bystanders, brought here by the witness protection program. Others have specific missions and goals. Whether they be skilled, ordinary, meek, or wild, no one in this neighborhood is who they seem.

After years of preparation, several parts of the government have created 5 undercover households. The CIA Agents, the Mercenaries, the Dealers, the Retired Agents, and the Protected Witnesses. This neighborhood wasn't designed to be the hub of one of biggest federal missions, but it just so happens that everyone staying in these dull colored houses are intertwined in some colorful way. Each household has a mission, but not everyone is loyal to their party. With personal drama, and an unlucky amount of coincidence, we find ourselves in The Neighborhood.

code by Ri.a

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[supertoastgirl]

Hedda Hastings

Location: The Jacobson Home || Tags: R Rizzy

Hedda was awake. Her fierce blue eyes blinked in the darkness, staring at the red straight numbers that illuminated in front of her. They read 3:27AM. With another blink, 3:28AM. She sighed, letting out an audible breath of tension. Her eyes wandered for a moment, trying to make out the dark shadows of the room. Across from her was a large window with thick curtains that were drawn, making the room even heavier. A sliver of light shown through from the street lamp, creating a crooked line that stretched from the ceiling, across the bed, and just barely brushed the floorboards.

Emma. Hedda needed to become Emma in the morning. A gnawing pit flipped in her stomach as Hedda shifted in the bed. Her blue eyes now studied the face in front of her. He had dark curly hair, clear umber skin, and childish dimples when he smiled. He was handsome, in that suspenders and glasses kind of way, but it was enough for Hedda to make it believable. It was a bit odd for a cover couple to sleep in the same so quickly in a mission, and Hedda had argued for separate beds, but her handler quickly nipped that argument in the bud. Bonding was vital to the success of the mission.

Was it too much to ask for a solo mission? All she really wanted was to be successful by herself. Thinking about this she rolled her eyes. Yes, it probably was too hard for the CIA to let her be alone. "Play nice." was all her handler could say before sending Hedda to the cul de sac. Granted, it had only been five days, but Hedda could already tell that this was not going to be some walk in the park.

Hedda rolled over again, facing away from him and closed her eyes.

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It was a Saturday. Some civilian in the neighborhood was throwing a welcoming bash for the Jacobsons. Hedda had met her briefly upon moving boxes into their new home. The woman's name was Georgia. Georgia and Greg Gilbertson. How quaint. Hedda stood in the kitchen, staring at a recipe for 'belly stretcher salad,' which really wasn't a salad at all. Whipped cream. Marshmallows. A variety of fruits. Walnuts. Bananas cut up on top. Hedda shook her head. Cooking was not her strong suit. She let out a sigh of annoyance. She could kill a man twice her size in under 20 seconds but ask the girl to follow a recipe and you're screwed.

Hedda looked around for a moment, self-conscious that Andrew might see her struggling. "Okay," she said to herself. Hedda's clean hands reached for the apron with a trendy cacti print on it. She effortlessly tied the ends behind her as peered down. She frowned. After second thought Hedda shrugged her shoulders and tried not to smile. There was something a little fun about pretending to be a housewife. Perhaps it was all the television she watched as a child.

A knock at the door interrupted Hedda scooping out a tub of whipped cream. Instinctually she wiped her hands on the apron, though there wasn't a trace of misplaced food. Peering around the house as she went for the front door, Hedda shook her head when she found no Andrew. She opened the door to find Georgia. "Well, hello!" Hedda said in a chipper tone, much more indicative of her cover Emma. "Hon," Georgia started "I just wanted to tell you that I invited nearly everyone on the cul de sac. It's turned into a real neighborhood fling!" Georgia exclaimed with her frail hands thrown up in the air. She was a beautiful woman, with a subtle twang in her voice. She had fiery red hair and a complexion that Hedda wasn't sure was natural. Georgia was also just downright happy. Hedda didn't know her yet, but she supposed the reason that Georgia was such a peach was that she was living some kind of dream. The Gilbertsons were clearly the family that put everyone else on the cul de sac to shame.

"Oh," Hedda said, thinking about her cover. "That is just the sweetest thing you could have done for me and Cristian." Hedda looked over her shoulder, with the idea of Andrew magically appearing at the right moment. "So," Hedda cleared her throat. "Who else is going to be here?" She asked sheepishly. Trying to hide her true intentions, Hedda leaned against the door frame with big curious eyes. "Anyone I should... watch out for? You know?" She asked in a hushed voice, bending down slightly to get closer to Georgia. The red-headed woman let out a chuckle. "Oh honey, no. All the folks in this neighborhood are just fantastic. Every one of them. Nothing to worry about my dear. My kids run around the neighborhood and I know they're safe... I can see how you might have your guard up though, with wanting a baby and all," It took all of Hedda's willpower not to flinch at the words. She had nearly forgotten that she and her cover husband had moved to this neighborhood to start a family. Georgia reached her hand out and grazed Hedda's taunt (and very empty) stomach. Hedda awkwardly jutted back before turning the reaction into a nervous laugh.

"You can't be too careful," she said. Looking behind Georgia again, then out at the lawn, Hedda was purposefully distracted. "I really must go, though. There are only a couple hours, and I was just making up something for the barbecue... and... well..." Color rose to Hedda's pale cheeks. Blushing was a skill she was particularly good at. Hedda whispered this time, "I'm ovulating." Georgia grinned at Hedda before turning around with a wink and a swing of the hips. "You go and give that boy some fun!"

All Hedda could do was mumble some agreement before slamming the door. She stood with her back to the door for a moment. "Andrew!" She called in a guttural tone. Hedda took off the apron in a rush. It was time to do some research.

code by Ri.a

 

[supertoastgirl]

Olivia Scott

Location: The Peters Yard | Tags: Shadow , ReverseTex , DarkRumours

Olivia walked barefoot through the yard. This neighborhood was graced with a bit of nature, each house sepearted by a handsome front yard, and a deep playful backyard that any city-slicker would be jealous of. Her toes mingled with blades of grass that should've been mowed yesterday, some drunken bumble bees, and the lingering moisture of the morning dew. She had been out in the tree house that was at the very foot of their propety line. There was nothing special about the old wooden structure hoisted on the strongest branch of an old maple, but she had taken a liking to the place. It smelled of moss and memories, and Olivia needed that solitude sometimes. Afterall, before her complicated days at Balto, then Helix, Olivia was a lone agent. Working alone meant you got all the profit, and nothing became complicated. That was one of the few things she learned from her mother.

Olivia had been on edge lately. Moving to the neighborhood four months ago and fulfilling this mission wasn't something that would normally shake Olivia's boots. But things were different here. Something was off. She could have sworn she saw Anya Harding through a window one day... Or maybe she was just being paranoid. Olivia had to constantly remind herself that no one knew she was here. Not Balto, and not the Feds. The only people who knew her exact location were Elias, and her Helix handler, David. Two men she legitimately trusted.

But still. A feeling lingered.

The Gilbertsons were the first to introduce themselves in the neighborhood. Which was a bit surprising at first, but eventually appreciated by Olivia. Georgia was an absolute gossip, with a wealth of knowledge. It was safe to say that Georgia was always useful in the way of intel and cookies. Liv had nearly met everyone in the cul de sac and was making good progress with Harvey and his wife, but she hadn't met the other neighbors yet. Since getting a glimpse of what could have been Anya, she steered clear from the situation and always made up an excuse to Elias. Today would be the end of excuses though. This barbeque, social gathering, neighborhood block party, whatever, was vital to maintaining thier cover. So, Olivia needed to be in the right headspace. There was no need to panic.

Maybe it was time to tell Elias? Or would that put the whole mission in jeopardy? It wouldn't. It would, but It didn't matter. It did matter, but Olivia was tired of running. Anya was someone Liv had trusted deeply, and probably loved truly. But Anya was also Someone who betrayed Olivia and ruined her life. Before Anya, Paige still existed. Olivia was terrified that if this was Anya, she'd have to rebuild her entire career and life again. No more Helix, no more Elias, no more David, no more Olivia. She'd have to vanish just like Paige did. It was exhausting just thinking about.

Olivia stopped at the sliding glass doors that led to a deck bursting with colorful pots of blooming flowers. For a moment she couldn't help but stare up at the second-story windows of the next door house. "Hey, Elle!" Olivia jumped. She spun around quickly to see Greg Gilberton leaning against the waist-high chain link fence between their yards. "Oh, uh, hi." was all she could muster before giving way to a nervous laugh. Greg was a handsome man with friendly features. He and his wife really matched each other well. Olivia only hoped that she Elias were that believable.

"I didn't mean to scare you," Greg said apologetically. "No, no, it's okay," Olivia responded. "My head was in the clouds," she finished. Greg nodded his head with a knowing smile. "Are you coming to the welcoming barbeque?" he asked curiously. "I know Georgia would love you see you there," he added. "Oh, of course," Olivia said. "I'm looking forward to it." Greg beamed at the comment, he was easily complimented. "Great. See you then!" Greg hollered as he turned around the return to his tool shed.

Olvia gave the other next door house a good look over before going inside. She had spent an unprecedented amount of time in the treehouse and she honestly had no idea where Elias was. But she figured it was time to come clean, just in case things went south at the neighborhood party. Olivia never remembered being such a coward, but very suddenly she decided it could wait. After all, it would probably be best if Elias didn't have too much time to think about the situation. Instead, she headed for the shower, stripped down, and entered the steaming glass box that was in the master suite.

code by Ri.a

 

[Rizzy]

Andrew Wellman

Location: The Jacobson Home || Tags: supertoastgirl

Andrew instantly awoke from his restful sleep by the guttural call from Hedda. He wasted no time in getting up from the cool and comfortable king-sized bed. Before he thought to answer her, he decided to go freshen up in their washroom which looked big in size and looked quite luxurious.

Given the timely moment to floss, brush his teeth, and wash his face, he would take the time to think about his newly assigned partner.

The first time he saw her, he swore he stopped breathing.

She was no less gorgeous than any other supermodel in a magazine, surprisingly not after all her years of training where you could easily lose all your teeth, which was impressive in Andrew's case. She has golden blonde hair, and a light but immaculate skin tone. She has a shy but sweet smile that no money can buy.

She looked phenomenally stunning, to say the least.

Not to forget to mention her eyes.

When Andrew first met her they were the first thing that he quickly noticed. It was so unusual and alluring; the way the blue transformed from pupil to the edge of her iris.

Her entire unbelievably beautiful face and her overlong golden blonde hair seemed to exist in order to be a frame for those magnificent eyes. Magnificent eyes that could be complemented in a million ways, and described with more than a million words.

Physically attracting she is, it didn't excuse her from her nature to be hard to work with, and her "loner" attitude; Andrew learned that from her many demands of solo missions.

Even though they have just been paired up, he could already feel that between the two of them they have many opposing views to one another and even opposite judgments. And Andrew can't fair up with that, no matter how pretty she looked. A team really doesn't have to care about what they thought about one another, but more so the true task at hand. But how can that task are completed if one isn't so much of a "team player."

“Whatever,” Andrew said to himself while wiping his face dry with a soft face cloth. Hedda may be complicated to work with, but Andrew would at least try his best to tolerate her "hard to work with" attitude. However, if he ends up having enough who knows what could happen to the outcome of the mission. After all, his unfavourable flaws can also add fuel to the explosive fire.

“I'm not planning on babysitting her if she holds the success of the mission back,” bickered Andrew under his breath as he exited the washroom. He continued to scope the room around; still adjusting to the new household. As by doing so he would find his drawer full of his clothing and change his clothes from the night before to an unwrinkled white tee, and plain grey sweatpants.

Not wasting any more time, Andrew would start to trail down the timber wooden stairs while securely holding on to the glass railing.

Andrew made it down the stairs. And there she was.

“Well good morning to you too,” Andrew said with an idyllic smile and a warming chortle. “What's the problem?”

code by Ri.a

 

[supertoastgirl]

Hedda Hastings

Location: The Jacobson Home || Tags: R Rizzy

Hedda was too impatient. She heard the distant noises of a man getting out bed, the pipes urging water to flow on the top level. Hedda rolled her eyes. She was the type of woman who needed instant responses and gradification. Hedda stood awkwardly in the foyer for a moment, debating if it was worth shouting up again. She stepped forward, about to holler. Then she stepped back and let out a huff. She spun around like a franic bird, unsure of where to go next. If the prince needed to get ready before coming down, then so be it.

Hedda quickly turned back to the kitchen and finished the bulk of her salad. Mixed together in a heavy glass bowl were whipped cream, marshmallows, walnuts, pineapple, and other fruits. The bananas that were to go on top would stay in their skin until the party, to avoid browning. In the time it took her to put together this god forsaken sweet surpise and plop it into the fridge, Andrew was coming down the banister. Hedda walked in with her arms crossed over her chest. "Morning, princess," she said without an ounce of humor. Now it was time to sputter off with "The only problem is that we have a barbecue to go to in..." Hedda looked down at her petite silver watch. "Mmm, about four hours and you've been asleep all morning." Hedda stopped for moment, knowing to deflect any comment Andrew might have made at her."And I made this stupid dessert for the barbecue but it isn't going to be any help if we don't know who we're looking for."

You'd think the CIA would have been a little more informed, but Hedda and Andrew were starting this mission on bare bones. They knew that the dealers were in the neighborhood, and that all the information they were ever going to need was within arms reach, but they didn't know which house held the key. Normally, being undercover meant that you knew all the ends and the outs of a situation before getting there. Some researcher on the other side of the country was usually baby feeding information to these agents' ear pieces so they could be prepared for anything. But this mission was different. The CIA had just enough leads to place undercover agents, but no information beyond that. It was totally up to Hedda and Andrew to find the Balto agents and finish the mission.

"So," Hedda said with a certain malice. "Any theories?" Without another word Hedda gestured him to follow. They didn't have an official castle set up in the house, but some government computers and put away weapons were up in the attic. The story would be that Emma and Cristian were thinking of remodeling for any neighbors that might see them through the small peep windows. Hedda passed him on the stairs before making her way to the crooked stairwell that led from what was serving as a library to the attic.

"We already have files on Georgia and Greg, and they're civilians. The Davis couple are retired NSA. Found that out this morning from my handler." Hedda stopped for a moment to think about how odd that was. CIA undercover in the same neighborhood as a recently retired NSA couple. Small world, apparently. "My best guess is the Ross couple or the Peters. Mostly because I can't find many files on Elodie Peters. When I pieced together some of her data it was like she appeared out of the thin air. Either that or she has a perfect record, no credit, no college education, and was home schooled all her life." Hedda looked at Andrew for a moment before shrugging her shoulders. "Stranger things have happened. She could be one of those women who just waits to get married... Just seems a little off to me though. I haven't met her yet, but she's definitely someone to keep an eye out for."

Hedda turned back to the computer she had opened while speaking. "I honestly just don't know though," she said before typing in her password, "The Peters have a timeline that makes more sense, but maybe Balto planted their agents in an unlikely time period to confuse any feds that might be following the trail. Which would make the Rosses a much better fit. And whose to say that the Daniels aren't Balto? They have a couple of files here, but I don't have clearance to read them. See?" Hedda leaned the computer toward Andrew before slouching back in her chair and brainstorming.

This 'bouncing ideas' characteristic was not ordinary for Hedda. In fact, it was very out of character for her to share any insecurities about mission details. However, this seemed the safest place for her to take a moment a think about the task at hand, instead of always running at a hundred miles an hour. Hedda looked up at Andrew for a moment, afraid to ask.

"So, uh," she started timidly, "what do you think?"

code by Ri.a

 

[PotatoTruffles]

Trevor 'TJ' Johnson

Location: The Ross Residence || Tags: DarkRumours

The melodic sounds of chirping birds penetrated the walls of his bedroom, the sound waves transmitted to the ears of the sleeping man. The blasting noise was deafening to him during this time of the day, where little to no sounds were present before this. Grudgingly, TJ turned his body away from the window on the left side of the room, trying to cover the disturbance that had dragged him out of his dreams. Alas, the birds were more persistent, and TJ released a huge sigh as a sign of defeat. He opened his eyes to see the brunette, his 'wife', his 'better half', sleeping soundly next to him despite the noise from the outside.

Anya is a beautiful woman, or should he say, Amelia Ross is. She was a nurse, loving and caring of others. She was the perfect wife, sweet, friendly, and the love of Liam Ross' life. Liam fell in love with the beautiful nurse when he was hospitalised after being involved in a car accident. Amelia's tender loving care of him during his time in the hospital had led to Liam's proposal shortly after he was discharged from hospitalisation. Liam was head over heels for her, even until now. That was the role that TJ had to play, along with the role of an accountant who was good at his job. It was all everything that TJ never was, except maybe being good at his job. And while their relationship was mostly strictly professional, TJ did have a soft spot for the woman he would go to bed with every night. Well, most nights at least. Some nights TJ would be sleeping on the floor after chugging bottles of alcohol.

Thrusting himself out of bed, TJ pushed the covers of the bed away and stood up, stretching himself slightly as his eyes fell upon one of the birds that had woken him up. He had an urge to shoot the bird, but that was TJ, Liam could never possibly do that. After his little business in the toilet, he left the bedroom, without putting much effort to create as little noise as possible for the sleeping beauty.

TJ opened one of the cabinets in the kitchen to reveal an array of liquor, and proceeded to draw out a bottle of clear Vodka, and pouring himself a small shot of the alcohol. Like most people with their coffee, TJ relied on alcohol, and he lived and thrived on it. He downed the shot of Vodka quickly, and immediately went to pour himself a second glass, before the corner of his eyes caught the circle doodled on the calendar on the bartop. That's right, the welcoming barbeque was today. And as Liam and Amelia Ross, they would have to attend as a sign of good faith in the neighborhood.

Just as he was about to gulp the second shot, he paused in mid-air, and contemplated if that was the best idea right now. While on most days it would be, perhaps today wasn't most days. He lowered his shot glass, and placed it on the kitchen table, scratching the back of his head as he turned his back on alcohol for the next few hours. Time for him to do his job, and for Anya to do the same.

TJ returned to the room, and pulled the sheets off of Anya. "Wake up, sleeping beauty. Gotta go give the best welcoming party to our new neighbors," he said as he tossed the sheets on his side of the bed. Without waiting for her response, TJ proceeded to gather his change of clothes, one that would paint the perfect picture of Liam Ross in the face of the newcomers. Oh that's right, it's probably a good idea to start shaving away his favorite beard too. Unlike TJ, Liam Ross is a tidy man.

code by Ri.a

 

[DarkRumours]

Anya Harding

Location: The Ross Residence || Tags: PotatoTruffles , supertoastgirl

Those damn birds, Anya started to stir the moment TJ’s feet hit the ground. She guessed that was part of the job, being alert to not only his presence next to her but also the absence. She still hadn’t settled the nerves of their new assignment despite it being a while. Not that it appeared to be much of an assignment, more like a torturous waiting game in which she was forced to play house. As she heard TJ’s rattling downstairs the pillow started to crawl over her head a groan escaping her lips, head throbbing from the night before.

Damn bottle of Rose. Much like TJ had his routine vodka she’d crashed out the night before in a drunken haze as she poured endlessly over a new blueprint she’d been working on. “Wake up, sleeping beauty. Gotta go give the best welcoming party to our new neighbors,"

Her face became painted with a dainty little grimace as she slowly rolled out of bed stretching a pair of lengthy arms over her head and arching her back a little in the morning glow. Their life from the outside seemed perfect.

No, not their life. Amelia and Liam’s lives intertwined for eternity by a fateful car accident where she’d help patch the dashing youth up in the heat of the moment. She’d fallen hard for him there and even now their story wasn’t over. In all honesty it didn’t differ too much from the truth she guessed, she constantly saw her partner in less than desirable states but instead of being doting she just let him get on with it, passing her own time, in her own ways.

“Mmm, I hope you aren’t hoping for breakfast anytime soon sweetie” her voice was softly coated in thick sugar so fake it would make anyone cringe; she stood up and lightly trod over to give a sweeping peck on the cheek before casually opening up a draw and pulling out a tea dress that he’d laughed at when she’d bought it home to try on at it’s sheer pompousness. “because last time I made toast we had to throw the toaster away.” She’d made a slight alteration to make it work a bit better and the next thing she knew the toast was alight.

As she did every morning, she slid her hands through her hair and took in her appearance and like every morning she stole a glimpse at TJ through the mirror in front of her, it wasn’t that he wasn’t attractive because he was. She felt safe in his hands where others would feel uneasy. He'd picked her. In a sense she'd picked him too. As she thought even further along she let out a wistful sigh and cast her thoughts to Grace. She’d seen her a few times, clearly avoiding her but maybe she’d get to talk to her at the welcome party. If she topped up on a bit of liquid courage.

No. She left, she wanted nothing to do with you and she broke you. Even TJ had seen a shift in her after that assignment. Not longing. Not hurt, but a darkness clouded by a depression she couldn’t shake sometimes, bordering on judgement clouding. You can’t blow your cover, because it’s not just yours anymore. It’s his. And with that thought she got up, her toes curling into the plush carpet her breath hitching in her chest as she padded down the stairs her back of her dress still unzipped as she started to move things back into place as she went. Lighting a cigarette she hauled herself to sit on the kitchen counter next to the blueprints she’d left out and lost herself in them again. Waiting for their next move.

A normal day really for normal people.

code by Ri.a

 

[Shadow]

Elias Reed

Location: The Peters-Kinley Home || Tags: supertoastgirl

When Elias woke up, Olivia was gone. Honestly, it wasn’t that big of a deal since she was free to go wherever she liked, but he always jumped a little when he reached across the bed and she was missing. Luckily, in the months that they had been here, nothing bad had really happened. No emergencies, no blown covers. Maybe that’s what had him on edge. The fact that this hardly felt like a mission: it was more like a vacation. Or perhaps he was just going soft if four months with no action had him this worried. Either way, it wasn’t good to dwell on it. Especially not this early in the morning.
He kicked off the covers, groaning softly when he saw Olivia’s socks crammed down at the foot of the bed. Honestly, if her socks fell off that easily, then she needed new socks.
He picked them up gingerly and dropped them in the clothes hamper on his way to the shower. He was in and out before the water had a chance to warm up, which worked well enough for him since it helped him to wake up. Once his hair was dried and he had dressed, he headed downstairs for morning tea.
After he got the kettle started on the stove-top, he wandered around, poking his head into the ground floor rooms to see if Olivia was working or maybe napping somewhere.
He paused a moment in the dining room, leaning against the doorway as his eyes trailed around the room. He had done his share of crazy undercover work over the years, but he had never played an average, normal person. It was strange to realize that this is probably what his life would actually be like if he hadn’t joined the Navy all those years ago. And it was even stranger to realize that he actually wanted a life like this. Maybe not yet, but someday.... The kettle’s whistling drew him from his thoughts and he went back to the kitchen to pour his tea.
Figuring he should do something useful, he brought his tea down to the basement where a few computers were set up. It was only a few hours until the barbecue and he could only imagine the dozens of ways it could go badly. Did they have their cover story totally memorized without any plot holes? Did they know enough about everyone who would be in attendance? Was there some way he could plan better, be more prepared?
He huffed out a sharp sigh and sat down in front of one of the computers. He was already typing before he was entirely sure what he was searching for. The search came through, showing the on-record files of everyone in their neighborhood. Sure, both he and Olivia knew all the available details on their neighbors, but going over any important information over and over again helped him to focus.
The Gilbertsons where the most obviously normal family, with only the usual amount of parking tickets. Of course he knew about the Daniels: aka the targets. He hadn’t met them yet, but he had a decent view of their house from the attic window, which unfortunately hadn’t proved very useful yet. Their next-door neighbors, the Ross’, seemed normal enough, but there wasn’t much information on them. The lack of information seemed to be a neighborhood wide thing, with only hints and rumors about the rest of the families in the cul de sac as well.
With another heavy sigh, he sat back, rubbing his hands over his face and through his hair. The sound of water running through the pipes stirred him from his thoughts and he stretched with a soft groan before shutting off the computer and going upstairs. He rinsed his empty mug out and put it in the dishwasher before he went up to the top floor where Olivia was showering. As tempted as he was to sneak into the bathroom to scare her, that idea seemed a little too close to crossing the line he had set for himself. After all, it was pretty unusual that they had such a good relationship even after breaking up and he didn’t want to endanger that; especially not while they were on an active mission.
So, instead, he sat on the bed and waited for her to get out of the shower so they could discuss any last-minute things they might need to sort out before the barbecue. Not that he was worried or anything.

code by Ri.a

 

[supertoastgirl]

Olivia Scott

Location: The Peters-Kinley Home | Tags: Shadow

Olivia softly hummed a nonsensical tune as she opened the glass shower door. Steam billowed from around her and into the rest of the restroom. A shiver came over Liv as she reached for a fluffy grey towel. She wrapped the cloth around her wet body before squeezing the excess water from her hair. Little droplets of water scattered the floor of the bathroom as Olivia exited.

Finding Elias sitting on the edge of the bed startled Olivia. Initially she jumped, but then let out a light-hearted giggle. "Here for the show, are you?" She asked in humorously languid tone. Olivia ruffled Elias' hair as she passed him to go to her dresser, which was conveniently behind the man. Olivia slipped on a pair of panties before dropping the towel to the ground. Anything visible to Elias from this point of view would have been her bare back, a little side boob if he was lucky. Unlike the other underwear, along with the several outfits for Elodie that Helix had provided, these were a simple black underpants. Everything that Elodie would wear was frilly, lacy, and quite frankly too sexy for Olivia.

Listening to whatever Elias might have to say was difficult for Olivia. Her head was filled with thoughts about Anya, about being believable at the picnic, what she was going to say if she actually met Anya, how she was going to interact with Harvey without creating rumors and drama in the neighborhood. What would she do? What was the best thing to do? Leave the mission? Approach the problem? As her mind buzzed with worry, Olivia put on one of Elodie's bras. It was a dark green-blue color of floral lace. The least annoying negligee of the ridiculous collection Helix had given her. As if Elodie was some kind of retired porn star. Olivia paused. With a sudden decision and sudden motion Olivia changed her basic black underwear into the matching pair of panties. Catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror, Olivia rolled her eyes.

Olivia slipped on a simple yellow sundress with tiny scattered black flowers. "Look," she said, interrupting Elias or the silence that was between them, "I have to tell you something." She said earnestly. Olivia sat down next to him, curling her legs up onto he bed and leaning forward. "I don't want you to freak out, because I swear to God that this person," Olivia pointed to herself, "my personality, is real." Olivia frowned at herself. This was not the best way to open.

"But..." Olivia's mind trailed off. She wasn't sure how to continue. Elias knew that Olivia had many aliases in her line of work, but he didn't know about working at Balto, and having her stage her own death to become Olivia Scott. A long uncomfortable silence lingered between them. Olivia was clearly nervous. "My name is Paige Lawson... My name was Paige Lawson." Olivia stopped to look at his face, trying to read what he was thinking. "I faked my own death." She said in a matter-of-fact voice. "I was being tracked by the FBI, and black-listed by Balto. Black-listed by a woman named Anya Harding, who-" Olivia cleared her throat, a nervousness sticking to her vocal cords. "I haven't actually seen her, but I think she's here on some kind of mission. I'm honestly not sure if she still stands as a threat, but I just needed you to know."

Olivia let out a suspended sigh, searching Elias' eyes for some kind of reaction. Unable to grasp what he might be thinking or about to say, she stayed silent, hoping for the best.

code by Ri.a

 

[PotatoTruffles]

Trevor 'TJ' Johnson

Location: The Ross Residence || Tags: DarkRumours

The little peck on his cheek felt warm, but that was it. There was little romantic love between TJ and Anya. Sure, TJ would openly admit harbouring a soft spot for Anya, but only one of trust as a work partner, and perhaps the occasional sex. He had met her during a mission many years back, a couple years after TJ began his involvement with Balto. Anya was efficient, excellent at what she does, and her skills paired very well with his. Of course, she also never pried into his past, or anything beyond his name. Not many others appreciated TJ’s sense of privacy.

“God, no. Spare me from another possible fire. I can’t afford a new house with the money I’m being paid.”

As she took out the tea dress, the memory of when Anya bought that back the first time brought a smile to his face. You could tell, that as much as TJ was unfamiliar with the lifestyles of a typical happy family, Anya was too. And in some sense, this mission was their opportunity to explore the life they could never have. In the end, even though TJ couldn’t stop laughing when Anya revealed the dress, he would have to admit it was really good on her. And TJ could only imagine how different her life would be if Anya was a normal wife of a loving husband. But not TJ. He could never lead a normal life. In fact, there was a lingering fear whenever he tried imagining himself with a family, with kids.

Just as Anya was changing, TJ did the same, and put on a button up sky blue shirt, along with a pair of navy jeans. He was about to join Anya downstairs before he recalled his bed hair. Normally he wouldn’t care. But perhaps for the sake of the mission he should. Rolling his eyes and sighing, he retreated into the toilet to complete the tedious task of styling his blonde hair with wax, to prepare himself as Liam Ross the accountant.

Taking the steps downstairs, TJ could smell the lovely scent of tobacco, and the edge of his eyes caught Anya, with her dress still loose and slightly revealing, doing what she always does. He took a quick glance at the clock on the wall again. Four more hours to go. He approached the young woman, casually took the cigarette from between her lips and put them into his own, before reaching to the back of her dress and zipping it up for her.

Balancing the cigarette between his index and middle finger, TJ sucked the smoke into his oral cavity, drew the cigarette out, and inhaled the smoke into his lungs. Despite what the anti-smoking campaigns always preach, smoking felt invigorating. Rather than killing him slowly, TJ could feel the smoke breathing life into his body as they travelled down his oesophageal passage into his lungs. As he savoured the work of the cigarette in his internal organs, TJ’s eyes trailed over to Anya’s blueprints on the counter. Months back, these would be no different from Egyptian carvings to TJ. But after observing Anya absorbed into her work for a while, he slowly began to pick up traces of what her blueprints had meant. Although in the end, he still had little idea of how to design one himself. He preferred to use them, rather than create.

A loud growl from the pits of his abdomen echoed, destroying his fragile concentration. A sigh escaped from the edge of his lips while the cigarette was still in tact, as he recalled with longingness the toaster they had just lost recently. As much as he wanted to avoid another fire in the house, he needed some calorie intake, and toasts sounded like the perfect idea right now. With a swift motion, he nudged Anya and passed the cigarette back to her, before leaving and stopping in front of the refrigerator. He vaguely recalled there was some salami left in there.

No such luck. But at the corner of his eyes he caught sight of a few of those Kraft Singles cheese slices. As much as real cheese tasted better, these slices cost less, and TJ was not much of a cheese connoisseur. “Any cheese slices for my wifey?” TJ asked, continuing to scan through the contents of the fridge. “Who are these people anyways? I don't recall having received a welcoming reception when we moved in."

code by Ri.a

 

[PotatoTruffles]

Jaslene Hudson

Location: The Davis House || Tags: DarkRumours

”Mamma,” she whispered softly and slowly, as if to enunciate each syllable so clearly so that little Noah could imitate her voice and repeat after her. Smiling as Jaslene did a soft head bump with Noah’s smooth forehead, Noah returned her a grin and a soft giggle. He was doing really good the last week. He didn’t cry as much, and sleep schedules seemed to be getting more and more fixed and predictable. Jaslene had given herself multiple pats on her back for that, convincing herself that perhaps she could be a decent mother after all.

Jaslene tucked her arms under Noah in his crib, and carried him up with a swoop, so that Noah could experience the feeling of flying in the sky like a bird, just for that split second. The little baby giggled while locked in an eye contact with his mother. Jaslene could now slowly feel Noah’s weight increasing, and that had made her feel all the more relieved. This little boy had given her bad days, so bad that she wanted to just quit it all, but then there would be days like this, when she would reach levels of bliss she never thought she could.

It has been close to two years since they had moved to the neighborhood. Life had sometimes been a little dull, but it hasn’t happened as much since Noah was brought to the world. Jaslene found herself moving at a quicker pace since the past eight months, something she was perhaps more used to, compared to the life before where all she had to worry about was cooking up something edible for her husband when he returned home. Of course, nothing could ever compare to her life way before that, during her time in the NSA, and even before when she was still completing her studies. Jaslene continued to harbor mixed feelings about her more distant past: while appreciating the thrill and the sense of achievements, she also hated the self-doubt that always lingered at the back of her mind. Now, perhaps the life that she had right now was what she was meant for. Perhaps. Perhaps settling down was the right thing, she thought to herself more often than not.

But now that Noah was here, she reminisced less about her past life, and dedicated more time to him and her husband. Noah was definitely godsend, a miracle in her life, other than when she first met James. They would now both be the most important people in her life, and she could not imagine life without either one of them.

The cuckoo clock on the wall of the living room stroke the hour with the singing of a cuckoo bird, and that was something that Noah often enjoyed listening to. It had announced that the time was nine in the morning, and that perhaps it was time for Jaslene to wake up the sleeping prince. With a soft smile, she turned her attention back to Noah in her arms and said, “Does Noah want to wake papa up? Papa sleeps too much, doesn’t he? Little Noah thinks so too, doesn’t he?” She snuggled with his nose, to which Noah welcomed with open arms and another giggle.

Cradling Noah in her arms, she approached the bedroom and opened the door. Bringing Noah next to his father, she nudged Noah to touch his daddy’s nose. “Go, Noah, go wake the sleepy head."

code by Ri.a

 

[Shadow]

James Hudson

Location: The Davis Home || Tags: PotatoTruffles

James was vaguely aware of Jaslene getting up, but he wasn’t quite ready to let the warmth and peace of sleep go just yet. So instead he made a soft sleepy sound and rolled over, deeper into the bed covers. Of course, the knowledge that she was up and probably taking care of Noah’s morning routine alone left him feeling too guilty to sleep. That didn’t mean he was going to get up though. Usually he would have, but it was the weekend and if he had to go to a picnic later, it was better to get rest now. Although one of the biggest benefits of being a parent was the unfailing excuse, ‘Noah is tired, we should go.’ But these were their neighbors and if they were actually going to stay here for any length of time, they might as well embrace the full experience.
Having been here for a couple years already, they knew some of the families rather well, but it seemed like there had been a rush of new people in the cul-de-sac in the last few months, so this would give them an opportunity to be part of the welcoming committee. That thought made him groan softly and roll over, migrating into the warm spot Jaslene had left that smelled faintly of her shampoo.
He had just begun to drift into a half-sleep when the door swung open and a tiny finger jabbed his nose. His hands went to cover his face reflexively and his eyes opened to see Jas holding Noah over him. “Hey...Good morning.” He said with a light smile, voice husky. He cleared his throat and pushed himself up to rest on his elbows. “How are we doing this morning?” He asked, reaching up with one hand to brush Noah’s dark hair. Noah reached for his finger and wrapped his tiny hand around James’ index finger. A wave of anxiety brushed over James and he carefully disengaged his finger from his son’s grip. He loved Noah, he really did, and he usually had no trouble sliding into the role of father, but other times it scared him how fragile one of the most precious things in the world to him was. And he knew full well about all the bad things out there that could hurt his family. He forced the thoughts away for the moment, reminding himself to enjoy an uninterrupted day with his family.
A mischievous grin slowly crept over his face and he suddenly jumped up, wrapped his arms around Jaslene’s waist and pulled her down to the bed with Noah safely tucked between them. He chuckled warmly and rested his head in the crook of Jaslene's shoulder, hooking a leg over her hips to keep her down on the bed with him. “Are you sure we have to go to the picnic?” He asked, voice muffled by her shirt. “We could just stay in bed all day. Noah approves.” He said, smiling lightly at his son before pulling a goofy face that made Noah giggle. The brief anxiety from just a few moments earlier was now fully replaced with a soothing warmth that being around his family seemed to induce in him. He wiggled closer to Jas and let his eyes flutter shut, content to fall back asleep and miss the picnic.

code by Ri.a

 

[DarkRumours]

ANYA HARDING

Location: The Ross Residence || Tags: PotatoTruffles

Anya barely flattered an eyelid as TJ came down the stairs and slid the cigarette from her lips to his. She barely flattered an eyelid at all. Just keeping her eyes fixated on her blueprints the lines swirling in her mind which was clearly on something else. Every second without the nicotine crutch in her mouth she bit her lip tentatively her face stiller than the marble counter.

What am I meant to tell him? Her and TJ rarely ever pried into each others lives but this was different. This could endanger them.

It’s her. It’s 100% her. She didn’t even acknowledge the feel of his hands zipping up her dress. In fact when he handed the cigarette back to her her fingers barely wrapped round it. All of a sudden she was frozen in some form of fear, uncertainty but also excitement. The half a roll up dropping to the floor and continuing to burn on the tiles as she looked up, eyes snapping back into focus slowly as she sometimes found herself doing when lost in thought.

“Any cheese slices for my wifey?” Anya feigned a carefree smile and opened her mouth up awaiting sustenance. Since they moved to the suburbs they’d been living off random foods such as cheese slices and Cheetos, easy junk food. It was a wonder she hadn’t put wait on. It amused her that they were two criminals sat in the suburbs and yet neither of them had any clue or desire to cook. Her fingers trailed along the smooth and cold kitchen counter as TJ moved around and she rolled the potential conversation over and over and over in her head.

So, you know that cyber security case a few years back, yeah, the one you said turned me into an insufferable cow for ages… Well I didn’t mention that I managed to find myself a lesbian lover. Yeah, funnily enough she knows I work for Balto and well she just disappeared during the case, my heart was broken, she vanished and well viola she now lives on this street!

Sure! I bought this to your attention as soon as humanly possible I’ve only known for what? A few months? Since they moved in.

That’d go down so well.

She felt a lump grow in her throat and she climbed off the counter picked the cigarette up and threw it in the sink before turning to him and shrugging.

“Who are these people anyways? I don't recall having received a welcoming reception when we moved in."

“I don’t recall you actually enjoying socialising past the first bottle of vodka, people may of caught onto the fact they were harbouring criminals in their backyards if they did so be thankful.” Her mood had darkened, any thoughts of Grace caused that in her and left a bitter taste in her mouth about being abandoned, but thoughts of Grace had been far and few between in the last year or so. Her lip began to tremble slightly, and she turned away, but not without sliding the blueprints in the bin loudly for show, to cover her worries, her sudden change in mood more than anything as she steadied her hands. The blueprints were perfectly functional, actually exceptional and she knew she’d fish them out again later to recreate them but for now. For now TJ couldn’t know just how shaken up she was by this welcoming party and Grace. Why now Grace?

“This thing’s useless anyway, we have any news when we can get out of here?” She avoided eye contact and started the coffee machine whirring keeping herself busy. If they were leaving soon maybe she wouldn’t have to tell him. But if he notices she’s lying to him then she didn’t want to be anywhere near him.

code by Ri.a