Ivory Hill had spent the majority of her adult life running. Throughout her twenties and the first part of her thirties it was from bombs and bullets. Now, at thirty six years old Ivory was running from something that she could never truly escape fr...
Grace dropped a large file down on the table top, almost hitting Ivory's sketchbook in the process. "Can I talk to you?"
"Sure." Ivory quickly moved her sketch pad out of the way.
"I almost went to art college." Grace said, sweeping her curly red hair behind her ears.
"Why didn't you go?" Ivory asked. She had seen the detailed drawings of Pandoran botany that Grace often added to her notes and was convinced that the quality of her art wasn't the problem.
Grace shrugged. "It just... wasn't enough. I wanted to do something that challenged me, I chose science instead."
"Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?"
"No." Grace bit her nail, her sleeve slipping upwards to expose the small tattoo that she had on her wrist. "I sometimes wish I'd taken art though. I still do it but I can't help but think about where I'd be now if I'd done that and not something else." She stopped talking for a second, an unreadable expression in her serious brown eyes. "What I wanted to say was how would you feel about me moving this entire Avatar program up to the Hallelujah mountains? I wouldn't be allowed to go without you, especially not up there. You're my team's medic and that base is completely on its own with no access to Hell's Gate unless we fly."
Ivory rarely said no. Growing up her parents had always told her to be less of a pushover and to think about what she wanted to do first but the lesson had never stuck. "Yeah I'll move. But why do you want us to move there?"
"Because-" Grace broke off, chewing her lip. Ivory had proven that she could be trusted but she was still uncertain, especially after what had happened to make her want to move the operation. "Max overheard Jake and Quaritch having a meeting about the Na'vi. Jake is working with Quaritch and giving him information about Hometree. The entire thing, it's been bullshit. He's only tried so hard with his Avatar to gain the Na'vi's trust and get them away from Hometree so Quaritch and his idiots can get the unobtanium from beneath it." Grace finished, a hard look in her eyes.
"So what do we do?"
"Pretend we don't know. He's fallen for Neytiri, she's the daughter of the leaders of the Omaticaya clan, I don't think he'd be stupid enough to do something that would put her in danger, he cares about her too much."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Ivory asked doubtfully.
"Jake is all we've got to get the Na'vi out of there before Quaritch brings the hammer down and rips Hometree up to mine, sending everything tits up for good. I can't get rid of Jake, he's all we've got to reason with the Omaticaya and keep them alive." Grace pinched the bridge of her nose. "Come on, let's go talk to Parker."
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Grace was looming over Parker's desk, paperwork clutched in her hand. Ivory was sat in the corner of the office waiting for them to finish.
"Sign this." Grace commanded.
Parker looked up from the budget report that he had been typing up. He reached out and took the sheet of paper from Grace, scanning its contents. "You want to move your drivers up to site twenty six? Isn't that all the way up in the Hallelujah Mountains?"
"Yes. My team doesn't need any distractions and it's near what I'm researching at the moment which means it'll enhance the project. So sign it."
Parker rubbed a hand on the back of his neck. "And will there be a medic?" He directed the question to Grace, not Ivory.
"I can speak for myself you know." Ivory piped up, looking up from where she was playing with her cat. "Yes there will be."
Grace smirked.
"Fine. But why- does this have something to do with Quaritch?" Parker asked.
"No, it's just going to be beneficial to our studies. It'll help Jake's studies with Neytiri and his integration with the culture of the Na'vi." The redhead said insistently.
"But-"
"Stop being selfish and sign the goddamn documents Park."
"You never said I was selfish in bed, now did ya?"
"Parker just sign the fucking thing before I make you do it, this has nothing to do with you for once."
Parker's face reddened and he signed the paper, passing it back to Grace. "If it helps the program then go ahead. I heard Sully is doing a brilliant job."
"Yeah I know you've heard. Don't get your hopes up, I know where his loyalty lies and it isn't going to be with you for much longer."
Parker blanched. "Who?," he asked hoarsely.
"I'm not stupid Parker. I don't appreciate you trying to get intel out of my team without my permission. If you want to know about something come to me, got it?" Grace snapped.
"Yeah, got it."
Grace swept out of the lab, gesturing for Ivory to follow her.
Parker sighed, raking a hand through his brown hair, his eyes followed Grace until she disappeared from view. He had ruined everything.
