You Called, I Answered (Salvatore Shield)

0.09: Dissonance

"So what's our first mission, Captain? Catch some criminals? Fight some evil Nazi vampires? Stop some hellfire like Aunt Bonnie?"

Hope raises and amused eyebrow at the girl, before finally answering with all seriousness,

"Recruitment."

Lizzie actually freezes, her jaw slack in confusion, "I'm sorry, what?"

It's genuine confusion, too. Not even sarcastic.

It irritates her when Hope's eyes are still filled with amusement, repeating herself, "Recruitment." When she sees the cumulative confusion of the group, she decides to explain more seriously, "It's a full moon, and there's been a recently triggered werewolf curse in Mystic Falls. Wade brought it to my attention yesterday, and I thought it might provide the perfect opportunity to see how serious you all are about this program."

"How the hell is recruiting a newbie lunar puppy gonna help us save the supernatural community?"

"Elizabeth," Caroline shoots her daughter a look, "Try to keep an open mind."

Lizzie sighs as she sits back in her chair, nodding for Hope to continue.

"This will only work if you trust me," She looks directly to Lizzie before glancing between the entire group, "and if each of you do your part to get the job done."

Everyone around the table, Hope included, is confused when Lizzie chuckles under her breath, lacking any sort of humor, "You've got to be kidding me."

Hope furrows her eyebrows, "I'm sorry?"

She still dryly chuckles, almost scoffing at the Tribrid, "Trust you? The same person who lied to us about her identity for nearly a decade and skipped town the second we found out the truth?"

"Lizzie—" Josie tries to argue against her sister on Hope's behalf, but the Tribrid stops her by placing a hand on top of the brunette's.

"Don't," Josie turns to her, eyes filled with compassion and confusion at the girl's almost defeated tone, "She's right."

Josie shakes her head, "You had your reasons for doing those things Hope. And besides, you're here now...That's what truly matters."

"So you're just going to blindly follow her orders?"

Josie feels somewhat defeated too, but she finally musters up the courage to admit something to her sister, which she had denied for so many years, her voice a confident whisper,
"I trust her."

The room falls silent as Lizzie studies her sister's expression, something kin to shock written over her own face as she silently challenges her words.

But Josie doesn't falter.

The confidence she exhibits is newfound, and Lizzie definitely wasn't expecting it.
But it fuels Hope. Giving her even more motivation to prove herself to the group, and prove Josie right.

Jed suddenly sits up in his seat, turning to Hope, "Wait, if it's a full moon, I won't be able to go on the mission."

Hope is thankful for the averted attention. She nods to him, "You're right. You'll have to stay here in a transition cell. But the team will need your help with prepping for the mission. And you're the school alpha, so our wolf will need your guidance when it wakes up after the transition. Wade will handle the locator spell to track the wolf. Kaleb and MG will need to lure it out and remain on standby, just in case anyone needs to be compelled. Lizzie and Josie will siphon some of my power for casting spells to get the wolf back here."

"Wait, you're letting us do field work?"

Josie and Lizzie both look excitedly towards their parents.

"We're allowing it, just this one time."

Josie will take whatever she can get.

Lizzie turns back to Hope, "And what exactly will you be doing to help Captain?"

Her voice is laced with sarcasm, and Hope has to fight the urge to roll her eyes, "I'm your trainer, not your Captain. And I'm not a Shield agent. This isn't my mission."

"Oh great, that's very reassuring. Your commitment is outstanding."

Hope sighs, clearly she isn't making any sort of progress with the blonde twin, and their bickering isn't going to help the team with the mission at hand either.

"Vision will prep you all for the next several hours. You can also pick your offices up here and your rooms on the second floor. If you need anything, I'll be in the workshop. I'll see you all before the moon hits it's apex."

With that, Hope spares one last look at the group and then Josie, and leaves the conference room.

Josie wishes she would've stayed longer, but she understands that she wants to give them a chance to show her what they're capable of before they start training.

She just really wonders exactly what the auburn haired girl is thinking and planning.