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...
The sun poured in through Grace's bedroom window, shining insistently on the woman's face, nudging her awake. She opened her eyes reluctantly, forcing herself out of the desk chair that she had spent the night in. She straightened up, stretching her aching back. Her bed was empty and Ivory and Tigger had left the room. Grace rubbed a palm across her face, grimacing as she noticed the dried blood that was still trapped beneath her short fingernails. She quickly changed out of yesterday's clothes, throwing on a T-shirt and jumper over the top of a pair of khaki cargo trousers. The woman pushed her door open and trailed down the corridor to the kitchen, yawning.
"I was just about to come get you," Ivory put a large plate of bacon and eggs down on the table then turned to the coffee maker. "That plate is yours."
"Thanks. Are you alright?" Grace sat down at the table.
"Yeah." Ivory put a huge mug of coffee beside the plate then sank down onto the bench, pulling her bandana from her pocket and knotting it around her head. "Oh what now?" She grumbled as her phone burst into life, an old Waylon Jennings' song filling the kitchen. She pulled the mobile from her pocket, her brow furrowing. Parker's name was flashing up on the screen. Reluctantly, the woman answered the call.
"Hill? I've been trying to get through to Augustine for the past ten minutes," Parker complained. I want her in the Operations Centre at twelve hundred, we're having a meeting."
"Grace is busy." Ivory said shortly.
"Then tell her to be a good girl and come anyway. This is more important than whatever stupid little plants she's sat looking at." Parker's voice was patronising.
"Parker?" Ivory pinched the bridge of her nose.
"What?"
"Go fuck yourself." Ivory ended the call, tossing her phone onto the tabletop. She sighed, raking a hand through her hair.
Grace caught sight of the butterfly stitches on the younger woman's hands and arms and realised that she must have replaced them. "What did Parker want?" She asked instead, staunchly refusing to bring up the events of the previous evening until Ivory decided that she wanted to mention them.
"Meeting at twelve hundred back at Hell's Gate." Ivory picked up her own cup of coffee. "In the Operations Centre." She added.
The redhead groaned, slamming her mug down. "I am so fucking tired of having to go back there every time Parker snaps his fingers."
"So don't go." Ivory shrugged.
"I have to. I can't give them an excuse to shut the Avatar program down." Grace shovelled some bacon into her mouth, checking the time on her wristwatch. "Have you already eaten?"
"I'm not feeling great." Ivory mumbled. She drained the last of her coffee and got up, rinsing her mug out in the sink.
"Do you want to come back to Hell's Gate with me? Trudy could probably do with someone to keep her company whilst she's waiting to fly back."
"I heard my name." Trudy put her head around the kitchen door, her dark eyes glinting with mischief.
"I need to be at Hell's Gate by twelve hundred."
"I can do that." Trudy walked over to Grace, snatching a rasher of bacon from her plate, cramming it into her mouth. "Wanna come with me?" She asked Ivory.
"Sure."
"I'll go get my flight suit. Meet you by Maya in ten minutes."
Grace quickly finished her breakfast then dumped her plate in the sink. "I'm going to go grab my notes."
"I'll get them, I need to get a jacket anyway." Ivory squeezed Grace's shoulder as she walked past.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Grace, Ivory and Trudy stood together at the door of the Operations Centre.
"Oh and one more thing, be nice. You'll be more likely to get your way." The dark haired woman said seriously.
"I am nice." Grace said indignantly, folding her arms.
Ivory raised an eyebrow.
"Point taken. I'll see you both later." The woman set her jaw and pushed into the meeting room.
"So what do you feel like doing?" Ivory asked, adjusting her rucksack so that it was firmly on her shoulders.
Trudy was quiet, considering. "You know how Quaritch keeps rations in his office?"
"Yeah?"
Trudy grinned mischievously.
"You're not sayin' that we should-"
"That's exactly what I'm saying. Are you in or not?"
"Oh I'm in." Ivory followed Trudy down the hallway.
"Have you got room in your bag?"
The older woman swung her rucksack off of her shoulders and unzipped it. "Shit."
"What?"
"Grace's notes are still in here." Ivory yanked them out and tossed her bag to Trudy then turned and ran down the corridor, the wad of paper clamped under one arm.
"What are you doing?" Lopez, one of Trudy's door gunners demanded, moving so that he was blocking the door of the Operations Centre.
"I need to get in there. Excuse me please."
"It's a private meeting."
"And? Grace needs her notes."
"That's not my problem."
"Move." Ivory commanded, moving closer to the man. She may have been taller than Lopez but he had the physical advantage.
"No."
"Oh for god's sake." Ivory elbowed the man out of the way and shoved the heavy door open.
"If one more goddamn person interrupts this meeting-" Grace began, not bothering to turn away from the clump of people that she was sat with.
Lyle gave a sharp intake of breath. Despite being one of the most distinguished members of security he was terrified of Grace's fiery temper.
"You forgot your notes, I thought you'd need them." Ivory crossed the floor and dropped them on the table in front of Grace.
"Thanks Ivy, I was looking for those."
"See you later." Ivory turned and left.
The members of the meeting exchanged startled looks, still waiting for Grace's short temper to fray.
"What are you all looking at? Let's just get this meeting over with, I want to go back to work before midnight."
