Chapter Text
Chapter 5
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"Wanna order Pizza?" Hope asks as she walks down the steps, folding her sunglasses and sliding them into the inner pocket of her jacket.
"Absolutely I do. I am about to starve to death." He says, dramatically as they pass the threshold into the abandoned subway station he called home and stop cold.
The normally messy head quarters was thoroughly thrashed. Papers lay in disarray across the floor. The scattered innards of the overturned desk that lays on its back in the middle of the room. His thoughts begin to race as he looks around the room, only to stop just as suddenly when they rest on a blue scrap of paper lsying sy his feet. Dread rising inside him as he picks up the paper. Reading the friendly familiar font spelling out 'Nana Nana'. Hesitating a moment, searching for comfort in words that have no more to give before turning the sticker around. Gut twisting at the jagged individually cut letters.
"We have your..." and a picture of a smiling banana.
In the silence of the room the sound of his teeth clicking together all but echos. He looks up to meet Hope's solem expression with one of his own before snapping into action.
"Look for bullets." He orders, walking carefully around the papers and overturned desk. Studying every angle, every shape, "Peely put up a fight."
He kneels, pulling his knife out and using it to shift a few of the scattered pages. Examining the faint boot prints left on pale white paper. Whether those will come in handy or not is yet to be seen. His hand is shaking, and he takes a breath to quell it. Putting the knife in its holster and standing. A slow breath in, a slow breath out, "It wasn't enough."
"Jones." Hope says, rising from a crouch a few feet away, "Found a bullet."
"Just one?"
"One is all we need. Look."
Turning he watches Hope hold up a bullet, turning it so the diamond tip gently glimmers in the low lights strung along cold dusty walls.
"Montague." They say, voice overlaying eachother. One in cold anger and another in indifferent disgust.
He begins to move, striding through the subway station towards the armoury. A plan already half formed as he grabs his AR and scope attachment.
"You're not doing anything rash, are you?" Hope asks as if she isn't grabbing her own SMG.
He puts his sunglasses on and pulls out his phone, "Only what's necessary."
Dara picks up on the third ring, "What is it, Jones."
"I need your help." He begins, practically running up the steps towards the train tunnel proper, "How quickly can you get to Grand Glacier?"
"Jones I'm not-"
"Just recon." He interrupts, spilling out of the depths of earth and jumping onto the passing train in one fluid movement, "Maybe sniper support, nothing that will get you caught."
Dara is quiet for a few moments. Soft sound of her deep intake of breath then the following sigh. He moves to take shelter in one of the train cabs, sitting on the bench seat and staring at his boots.
"What's in it for me?"
"Anything. Everything. I don't care it's-" He swallow the lump of panic threatening to grip his words, "It has to do with Peely."
Another silence, shorter this time.
"Fine, but just this once." Dara replies, her voice ever so slightly softer.
"Thank you, Dara." He takes a breath and lowers his voice, "If you or anyone happens to see Peely out there could you ring me up?"
"In a heartbeat. See you soon, Jonesy."
She hangs up, and he shoves his phone into his pocket. Hope, sitting across from him with her SMG slung over her lap, seizes the opportunity.
"So what's your plan, Jones? Army of two against the fortress that is Grand Glacier? Gonna beat King Bitch with your dashing good looks?"
"Something like that, yeah." He leans back in his seat and meets Hope's incredulous expression, "He wanted us to find him, Hope. that bullet was a calling card."
"And you're just going to answer it?"
A smile tugs at his lips. Hope always had the best questions, and asked them nicer than Brite Bomber, "Have to. If he gives me a good enough explanation, and Peely isn't in bad shape, I might not kill him."
"You really have a lot of audacity to try and negotiate with that guy, Jones. A brick wall would be more receptive."
"I'm not trying to negotiate with him, Hope. If he wants to talk to me so bad, I'll let him. Get whatever I can out of it, get Peely, and go. I know his type, and how to keep 'em talking."
Hope considers this, considers him, considers her situation. Doubting every singular second of it all. He can see it in the shift of her head despite the hidden eyes. In the tightness of her shoulders. In the grip on her gun.
"I don't get you." She says, words cold and frustrated, "You act like you know everything about this island, about this messed up Society when youve been here, what? A fort night?."
Her shoulders slump ever so slightly and she sighs, "Yet I actually believe that you're going to storm Grand Glacier and walk out unscathed."
"Wow. Is that supposed to be a compliment or...?" He glances out the window and promptly stands, "This is our stop."
The train slows, and they exit the cabin. The sun had sunk deep into the sea now and they stuck to the shadows. Weaving through the quiet streets in search of an Underground getaway vehicle. Eventually finding a Trailsmasher unlocked with the keys in the sunblind. It smelled like a trash can left in the sun, which meant Rufus had gotten it for them. They both roll down their windows once seatbelts are on, and the cold night air fills his lungs with ice as he drives. Up the winding roads and through the pine trees. Until the beacon of golden glowing windows breaths warmth against the star studded curtain that is the night sky. He parks the SUV just outside of the main entrance, taking the keys out of the ignition and stuffing them in his coat pocket. Holding a hand up to stop Hope from attempting to enter as he scans the treeline. At his searching gaze she waves and arm, so well concealed it seems she appears from nowhere, and gives a thumbs up before ducking away. He nods, then pulls out his pistol.
"Jones." Hope hisses a warning as he screws on a silencer, "Quite messing around."
"I'm not messing around." He replies, taking aim at the tires of a black Whiplash parked nearby and shooting at a tire. The muffled sound of the shot is followed by a soft hiss as air begins to leak out of the punctured rubber skin.
With that he holsters his pistol, and they march down the extravagant entrance of Grand Glacier Hotel. A stretch of polished marble floors and bleached wood with gilded accents. The crimson and deep blue partnered carpet muffles their footsteps. Upon approaching the doors he takes the lead, striding forward and kicking the door open with a heavy boot.
Montague, the man of the eleventh hour, sits a few feet away in a shimmering chair of diamonds floating in defiance of gravity. He waves his hand to dismiss a handler before rising to his feet. The diamond throne dissolving in a downpour of shimmering dust. It swirls around the gleaming steel tips of his shoes and clings tight to the metal. Montague steps forward, shoulders squared, legs apart and tips of his fingers pressed together. The picture of superiority complex.
"You're The Society's thief, huh?" He all but growls, approaching so fast that the big handler, golden masks alive with menace, steps forward and catches his shoulder before Montague gets into punching distance, "Ever take a person before? A banana, maybe?"
The man tilts his head, eyes gliding past him to Hope, who had stopped three or so paces behind him, then returning.
"I am pleased you accepted my invitation." Montague begins, "Would you like to join me in the Vault for a chat? I can have little Hope set up in the Art gallery."
"I'd rather take this outside." He growls, taking a step back to shove the big guard off of him.
Montague raises a hand to put a stop to the hint of retaliation in the guards stance. Cold eyes considering him for a moment before speaking.
"That is acceptable. Lead the way."
He falls back to stand beside Hope, nodding his head towards the door, "Send your guards first."
With a nod of his head, the guards move to the grand entry. Hope's shaded eyes never leave them. It's a risky move, allowing the Society to kettle them in, but it would be worth the risk to give Dara a good shot.
Once the guards are outside, Hope begins walking first, she had left her gun in the car, taking only her grapple blade. With every step the chains click together like windchimes from hell. All the while he keeps his eyes on Montague as they walk back into the frozen night air. The guards take post at the two pillars, Hope stands with her back to the Grand, facing the two brutes.
Jones stops and turns to show the bigger threats the least amount of his body. Montague stops a few feet away, looking at him with a hunger in thise eyes that he doesn't like one bit.
"Where is Peely." He demands, practically grilling.
"I will tell you, Jones, but I want something from you."
"You don't deserve anything from me."
The man flashes what must constitute as a smile, "It has nothing to do with deserve."
Jones allows the hissing wind to reply. Montague still waits for effect before party.
"I have created a very exclusive Society on this island." Montague begins, a soft placating tone to his words, "In light of the difficulties we have been facing before you... dropped in, we have had to step up and bring order to this place. This Underground movement that has scooped you up is not what they appeared to be, Jones. They only want chaos and destruction, while we want order."
The man pauses for questions, Which he had none, before continuing.
"You are a very capable man, Jones. I want to invite you to my Society. For the better of this Island."
Jones scoffs, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. What was he expecting? All people in power are the same, no matter what universe.
"There is no order here, Imagined or otherwise."
Montague's face falls into a slight pout, "What a shame. I was so looking forward to our partnership."
Montague moves to pull a pistol from his back, but Jones is quicker. Pulling his AR around to shoot a quick burst from the hip. Montague stumbles back, over shield cracking. To his left her can hear the sound of Hope's grapple blade meeting flesh, and the crack of a sniper rifle.
He lunges at Montague, but the man retreats. Turning tail and running towards the black Whiplash. Looks like Montague wanted a car chase. He sprints towards the Trailsmasher, ducking under the slimmer guard who had moved to flank him and throwing himself at the vehicle as the Whiplash roars to life.
He can see the big guard go down in a flash of blue, leaving a reboot card laying upon the stones. As he starts the Trailsmasher, the Whiplash peels out, back fishtailing from the lost tire but still gaining speed on the downhill slope. Just as he begins to yell for Hope to ignore the other guard he hears the grapple blade hiss and she swings into the car through the open window.
"Punch it." She demands, clipping her blade to her belt and taking up her SMG
Jones does what he is told, and the SUV leaps forward. Hope leans out the window as he bumps down the road in pursuit of the Whiplash, it's red tail lights a mocking leer as it retreats. Rapid burst of gunfire ring in his ears. Bullets ping off the other cars bumper until a few land true. Ripping the other back tire open. The car swerves, loosing speed and spinning out on the snow covered ground. Moments later a dark figure slips out of the vehicle and around the back to take cover.
He slams the breaks, Trailsmasher skidding and threatening to spin out as well before the tires find traction. By the time he puts it into park Hope is out of the car and grappling to the silent Whiplash. The snow let's out soft gasps as he flies across the frozen surface. Rounding the vehicle and coming to a halt in a spray of snow. AR pointing at Montague, kneeling in the snow with his hands up. Hope stood atop the spent Whiplash, SMG trained on his head.
"Drop it." He snaps, turning to glare at the tactical guard who had been attempting another subtle flank. The man hesitates, then slowly sets his gun on the snow. Standing with hands up and palms out.
"No sudden movements." He orders, moving to put both Society members in his sights, "You are outnumbered, and outclassed. If you two behave then...well you should behave."
Montague's expression is carefully poised and he looks to the remaining guard.
"Stand down. Follow my lead." He says in French.
He meets Hope's eye and nods slightly before raising a hand and signaling for Dara to await further action.
"You are going to show me where Peely is now. No more bullshit."
"Okay, okay." Montague replies, unbothered. Hands still raised palms out he rises with a slow grace and points to a building peeking out from the cosp of trees, "It is that way."
"Good, now walk."
His brows twitch downwards, but he turns and begins walking towards the dark building. Jones looks at the other guard and inclines his head after Montague, "You too."
The mans shoulders rise and fall, the cloud of misted breath that should have come from such a sigh is eaten by his mask, but in the end he moves. Without even a nod he and Hope walk a few paces behind the pair, guns pointed at their backs and fingers staying with discipline off the trigger. No one says a word. The winter night plunging them into the deep silence that only the cold can sustain.
They reach the parking lot of the building, and Jones lets out a sharp whistle for them to stop.
"Hope stay here with this guy." Jones says, clearing the distance separating him and their hostages to stand beside Montague, "Which room?"
The man looks at him with a sneer, then to the building, "Third door up the stairs."
"Show me."
Montague's lips press into a thin line before he strides forward. Breezing up the steps as he follows hot on their heels. Nearing the door Montague twisted into a inner pocket pulls out a jingling ring of keys. He watches him pick through them slowly before unlocking the door and pushing it open. The keys ring, still in the lock.
"Enjoy your stay." Montague says, a venom edge in his voice.
He ignore this. Relief had already beg to unwind the tension in his shoulders and jaw. Despite this he still shoves Montague to enter the room. Ripping the keys out of the lock as he passes and shoving them in his pocket for later.
"Peely you really had me-" His sentence is strangled by a sudden tightening of his throat.
The room was empty, barren even. Only a metal folding chair hunched meekly in the corner, lengths of knotted ropes scattered at its legs. The slight smell of banana in the air the only proof of Peely's passage here. How long were they here? Not long. Couldn't be. Hours at most. Kept here for a time then brought away just as quickly. Why? Where?
The door creaks, and he moves. Charging back and throwing his weight against Montague. The door blows open, banging against the wall as he lays his hands on Montague. One gripping the collar of his coat and the other wrapping around the gem hung from his throat. Bastard had been trying to shut him in the same room he kept Peely.
Putting every ounce of strength into the action he spins and all but throws Montague against the stone wall of the building. Enjoying the brutal thud of head against brick, and the soft grunt of pain that issues forth. He leans close, crushing Montague with his bodyweight. Enjoying the strangled wheeze that emits from the petty thief.
"Where is my banana." The words come from between clenched teeth. Montague struggles against him, squirming and fighting for slight gasps of air. The hand clutching the gem grows colder. Like he was dipping his arm into a frozen lake.
"They are no longer here." Montague wheezes, legs kicking uselessly against his shin guard.
"No shit." He growls, punctuation each word with a violent shake. Twisting the necklace in his hand, implying the threat he was more than happy to go through with, "Where did you take them?"
"If you want your precious banana back, find them yourself." Montague sneers, giving one final twist of his body before ceasing his struggle to lay limp against the wall.
He releases the mans coat and pulls the diamond tipped bullet out of his pocket. Holding it up so it reflects in Montague's mis-matched eyes. Evaluating this man for everything he is. Finding nothing of worth.
"Everything you've built is gonna shatter." He murmurs. Dropping the bullet and pulling out his pistol.
He shoots Montague in the head before the bullet hits the floor.
Body dissolves in a small glitch of the universe. Leaving a reboot card where a man had once been. Breathing heavily from anger and gut wrenching loss. But he has to keep moving. Turning to vault the railing and land lightly on his feet.
"You know how a reboot card works?" He asks, practically spitting venom at the gusrd.
"No, Sir." The guard replies, muffled voice exceedingly calm and steady.
"Pick up those cards, and take them to one of the blue vans. I'd wait till I'm long gone though, because if I hear that noise, I'm coming back."
"Yes, Sir."
With their getaway secured he strides past the guard and towards the crouching Trailsmasher. Mind racing to overcome this new nightmare.
"I can't believe you did that." Hope says as soon as they SUV's doors slams shut. He does not respond. Starting the car and pulling onto the road. In the passenger seat Hope shifts and sighs. The light click of her sunglasses being folded is almost deafaning in silence between them. She clears her throat and begins again, "Find any clues in there? I know you only got a few seconds..."
"Nothing concrete." He admits, the act of speaking forcing him to slow down and think, "Peely was not there for long, maybe only three, four hours at most. Montague definitely banana-napped them, but he has no motive. Probably hired to do it."
"Why though? What would anyone- no offense, want your banana friend?"
"That's what I'm saying!" He says in a frustrated huff, "I'll get to the bottom of it."
"We will get to the bottom of it." Hope corrects He glances at her, and she offers the immeasurable kindness of a small smile, "As the leader of the Underground, I'm not letting the Society walk over anyone."
Despite everything, he finds the strength to return that smile before turning back to the road. By now they've reached Reckless Railways. He slows the car to an idle in the street near the train station and faces Hope.
"I'm going to stay out and case the area, if anyone saw anything they'll be here." He begins, causing Hope to perk up and put on her game face, "You need to get back to HQ and get organized. I want a list of everyone who is one hundred percent dedicated you and your cause. People who are not afraid to say that they are in your corner. Get that list and get those people to HQ by noon tomorrow. While you're at it I want an inventory of everything we got. Weapons, medicine, Intel, specialist, anything that will help us take down those yuppies. If you can do that for me, then I'll make you into the woman who takes down this backwards Society you've found yourself in."
Hope's eyes never leave his as he speaks. Giving him the privilege of watching the fire inside of them burn brighter and hotter than any wishing star. Despite this light, like a disease that would never truly be shaken, a thought that she would have made an incredible recruit for the Loop twists through his mind and then slips away.
"You got it, Jones."
A stream of cool air rushes in from the door as Hope steps out. The door slams and she melts into the shadows. He points the headlights south towards Hazy Hillside and drives. Holding himself together. Watching the road fall away under him until his vision grows blurry and he pulls off to the side of the road. Killing the engine, and the headlights. Leaving himself in the quiet and the dark.
All alone.
He grips the wheel. Breaths coming is soft shuddering gasps.
Peely was gone, and it was not going to be easy to get them back. Now he had to reckon with that. Accept that. Live with it.
There is no hint of pain when he punches the dashboard. There is no hint of relief when he does it either.
He can't remember the last time he didn't know of Peely was safe. Didn't know where they were, or where to find them.
His hands knock his sunglasses away as he presses palms against eyes. Nails scraping across his scalp as he grips short hair between shaking fingers. Tears soaking into the fabric of his gloves. He was collapsing in on himself. Bending forward as much as he can around the steering wheel. Trying to keep himself from completely falling out.
Just as he can feel the gently thrum of the Zero Point, he knows that there will be no peace for him until Peely is safe in his arms.
And there will be no peace for the bastards that took them. He will make sure of that.
A deep breath, a sniffle, and then he sits up. Retrieving the sunglasses from his lap and putting them on.
The night is a deep velvet curtain woven with stars. As different from the day he met Peely as it could ever be.
-- -- -- --
Chapter 0
A yelp of panic escapes him as his sweaty palms loose their grip on the rod of his umbrella and he slips a few precious centimeters down.
"Oh shit." He breaths, glancing down at the ground that was rapidly coming to meet him and looking away just as quickly. In his usual fashion he closes his eyes and hopes that when his boots hit the ground nothing tries to take a shot at him. Would telling them he was afraid of heights get him a better glider? Maybe one with seatbelts?
Before long he lands and the umbrella collapses to a palm sized rod that he slips into his pocket. First he should move into cover and find a weapon...
He frowns, staring at his shadow as it grows larger around him. Almost as an afterthought he looks up and for the barest moment thinks "yellow?" before whatever it is lands on him.
Now he stares up into large brown... eyes? They blink and he blinks back, trying to comprehend what exactly he was looking at. It was obviously a very large banana with a friendly cartoon face, but that... that's not...
Is it really not possible? After everything he's seem in the past few years how is a banana-man where he draws the line.
"Hey uh, bro...nana?" He says, flashing a smile at the fruit.
The banana smiles back and raises their hand to wave at him. Definitely not a looper, as they would have already started to try and beat him to death.
"Are we working together here or is this your first time?"
The banana blinks at him and shrugs before they starts to look around. Eyes widening as they take on the world around them. Reminding him that they were currently sitting ducks, or bananas?
"So this looks like your first time, and I don't want to alarm you but we have to move."
The banana-man rises, moving with a distinct uncertainty that has him worrying immensely. Still, he jumps to his own feet and grabs the banana-man's impressive bicep and begins to lead him to the tree line. Glancing at his minimap to see if they were going to be safe from the storm. Cutting it close, but since he was so far behind on survival it would be better to keep close to the storm where Loopers are likely to avoid. Once in the treeline he spots a few guns and ammunition and he heads towards it.
"Can you talk bronana?" He asks, scooping up the AR and pistol before glancing at his new friend.
The banana-man thinks for a bit before shaking their head. Then they gasps and raise their hands. Hesitating a moment, the shapes that constitute as eyebrows furrowing before signing, "Can you understand this?"
"Oh, yeah!" He raises his hands to reply then stops, "Wait do I need to sign back or can you hear me?"
"I can hear you." Peely signs, an absurdly happy expression on his face, "What is your name?"
"Jonesy! And you?"
The banana-man hesitates then makes, hilariously, a banana peeling motion.
"Peeling?" He asks.
The banana-man shakes their head and signs the letter Y.
"Peely?"
A few moments of silence pass before the purest expression of joy appears on Peely's face. He smiles back, unable to do anything but feel happy at the sight of such glee.
"Can you shoot a gun?"
Peely nods, and he holds out the AR. They take it and immediately check over. Moving as if they had been drilled gun safety a million times.
"So like, where'd you come from?" He asks, ejecting a bullet from the pistol and racking the slide to ensure a live round is in the chamber, "Let's walk and talk. Keep your eyes peeled for anyone that isn't me."
Peely nods, lowing the weapon to a neutral position and signing with one hand as they walk through the woods, "I don't know yet. Things are starting to come back to me, but they don't make a lot of sense."
He scans the area, looking for the movement of Loopers amidst the trees, "Well if you have any questions you could as me! Or I could ask you things and see if that jogs your memory."
Peely gives him a thumbs up. While thinking of questions he slows and checks his map. It would be best to get out of this woods, great cover but not nearly enough supplies. Tomato Town was close but it would be better to make towards Retail Row and gathering what they can in-between.
"So, when's your birthday?" He asks, it was his best ice breaker.
Peely's wide eyes blink, he was sure that movement they did was a blink, and they halting sign, "Today."
"Oh! Right... you... yeah." He clears his through and attempts to cover his faux pas,
"Well you'll be happy to know that your birthday is on..." He pauses as he tries to recall the date, "Febuary 28th! Happy birthday!"
Peely pumps their first and gives him that beautiful infectious smile again. The moment is interrupted by distant gun fire forcing them to play it safe for a bit. Normally he would be running towards the commotion, but he had no idea how good his new friend would be in a fight. Being a banana and all. They clear the woods and enter one of the neighborhoods south of Tomato Town in watchful silence. Once they get into a building he breaks the silence with another question.
"What's your favorite color? Is it yellow?"
"Red."
"No way! That's my favorite color too!" He taps his bandana as he digs through a chest for ammunition, "Makes for terrible camo."
Peely nods sagely and points towards the roof before leaving the room and going to sweep upstairs. Jonesy occupies himself by checking the windows for Loopers. If they managed to not die, which wouldn't be too hard since Loopers are a bit... loopy, what would happen to Peely? The IO does not scout talent from the Loop. They always pull from outside realities or the repopulated islands that previously held the Zero Point. Would the IO just... toss them back into the Loop if he brought them out?
A hand in his shoulder causes him to gasps and whirl around, raising his pistol to point at
- oh, it was Peely. He lowers his gun and tries to play that off as casual as possible.
"Sorry about that. Usually I'm alone and... well nevermind! Hey, are you good at anything?"
"Good?"
"Like y'know do you... can you uh," He hesitates for a moment, searching for a better turn of phrase, and coming up short says, "Do anything useful?"
Peely looks perplexed at his question. Brows furrowing as they consider themselves. Then they nod. Hesitating in the movement, but assured of themselves nevertheless. He waits a moment to see if their new friend is going to elaborate, but the silence stretches on.
If Peely knew what he could do, then he could tell the IO it when they got there. They couldn't waste more time waiting out the Loopers. As if reading his thoughts Peely's expression grows playfully serious and they nod at eachother. It was time to lock in.
-
After a very eventful two hours, in which he earns another victory royal but who's counting, he and Peely stand before a crowd of anyone who was anyone in the Loop Observation Division . All with the most put upon expression on their face as they look between himself and Peely. He clears his throat and begins the speech he had been rehearsing.
"You will not believe what I found in-"
Peely's hand is gentle and cool on his bicep, and he stops talking to look at the other. They nod towards the gathered group and he seems understand, without further word or action, that Peely wanted to speak for themselves. He steps to the side and makes a small sweeping motion with his arms towards Peely. The banana waves, bright smile as endearing to the crowd as it was to him. When they raise their hands to sign he begins to translate.
"Hello, my name is Peely and I'm very happy to see you again!"
Jonesy glances at the crowd, who look a little less surprised than he did at what Peely said.
"I'm sure you are wondering what I am and where I came from, don't get me wrong I was suuuuper confused too! But I think I have figured out what happened to me!" Peely looks at him with an flash of apprehension before continuing to sign, "When Jonesy stepped into the Zero Point with the banana it caused his snapshot to combine with that banana, creating me!" He says, smiling awkwardly at the crowd that was now murmuring among themselves, "I seem to have all of Jonesy and the bananas memories up until entry into the Zero Point, but I am my own person."
Peely presses their hand against their chest and let's out a deep sigh. He leans close, dropping his voice to whisper.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was figuring it out." Peely signs, hands moving quickly. He begins to recognize his southern accent peeking through Peely's movements, "The more you spoke to me the more I remembered- well not remembered but the more I noticed the things you knew I knew. And that my- your-" Their hands stop, hesitating.
"Our?"
Their eyes meet, Peely's large and dark with a sheen of brown that hides his reflection. Peely's hands clench into fists and they lower their hands. Turning to face the crowd as the door behind them opens and someone really important walks in. It does not escape his notice that he and Peely straighten to attention in the same way.
"That's him?"
"They." He corrects, then adds with a charming smile, "I mean how do you sex a banana, am I right?"
Sloan's gaze is as cold as the deepest depths of the Storm, and his smile wavers ever so slightly. She looks back at Peely, not bothering to respond to him. Which was a little annoying as he was trying to buy Peely some time to parse the memories that are no doubt striking fear into their soft little heart. Wait, do bananas have hearts? Artichokes have hearts, but those are vegetables and fruits might be different.
"You have all of his memories?" She asks, curt and all business. As is her want.
Peely nods firmly, serious expression upon their face.
"Can you speak?"
"Is this adequate?" They sign, causing Sloan to raise her eyebrows.
"How many languages are you fluent in?"
Peely hesitates, then signs, "337."
He is forced under Sloan's gaze again, "You are fluent in 336. What's the discrepancy."
"Seeing as they are half banana, they must... speak banana." He says, failing to keep his sarcasm to a minimum, "Give us a week and I'll speak it too."
Sloan looks between the both of them, face giving away nothing of her thoughts. Then she turns to her personal assistant, Maven or something, and snaps "Get them a badge and clearance. Give them field agent Jones' old job in communications. His replacement wasn't good enough anyway."
Then she walks out, taking every bad vibe with her. He holds his breath until the door closes. Simultaneously he and Peely cheer, meeting eachothers high-five with pinpoint accuracy.
"Yes!" He cheers, grabbing Peely by the shoulders and pulling them into a hug, "Now this is epic!"
Peely winds their arms around him and squeezes back. The slight curve of their head resting against his shoulders. Their hands grip the thick material of his jacket. For some reason he feels his heart begin to race as he lays an open palm on the smooth shiny peel that constituted their back. For a few brief moments he forgets about everything. It is just him and Peely, arm in arm, chest to chest. They were different then in every way that does not matter. He trembles under the weight of this truth, and he can feel Peely doing the same everywhere they touch.
He pulls away first. Smiling to cover whatever expression may have befallen his face. Peely smiles back, after a moments hesitation.
"I got... oh about an hour before my next drop, wanna come back to my place?"
Peely nods, no doubt as eager to get out of this place as much as he is. All things considering.
They walk side by side out, and he slings an arm around the bananas shoulder.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Peely asks, smile turning sly in seconds.
"That we are going to be the best bros?"
Peely's shoulders shake in the phantom of a laugh. He joins in, heart racing faster than it does in a gun fight.