The Lost

The Meeting Commences

Annabeth pay close attention as the people filed into the room, making sure that she would be able to memorize faces and names if they were spoken, which was inevitable in the event that were about to follow, especially if they were going to be having a meeting of any kind of merit. Considering more than one Elder was present, she could safely assume that this would be the case.

She took the time to look herself over, straightening out her dress just a little and wiping off a bit of dust before waiting silently. She didn't have to wait too long until one of the guests started to speak. It was Elder Engrid. "Where is Elder Samuel?" She directed the question to Elder Rich.

He looked back at her before responding. "Elder Samuel has been delayed at a check station. Something in his vehicle. We are awaiting word."

It was at this point that the door opened, and in came another Elder. This one looked younger, his hair wasn't greying, his eyes were lined with worry, as well as a little bit of anger. "You won't have to wait for word. I'm here." He even sounded young, but you could tell by the way he held himself he was pushing fifty.

Elder Engrid looked up from her data tablet, and nodded in acknowledgement. "Welcome to the party, Elder Samuel." She said, and looked around the room. "Everyone knows why we are here, of course?"

Annabeth looked at The Curator, who returned her look, and held up his hand. "Yes, Elder Engrid. I can safely say that those who have been among the council, and who have worked with you for quite some time know why it is we are here as we all received your memo. However, Annabeth is a guest to this meeting by Elder Rich. We didn't exactly get around to stating to her what would be happening here. If you would care to tell her, so we can all be on the same page?"

Elder Engrid appeared annoyed. "I don't have time to be explaining these types of things to newcomers and....guests." She said in disgust before she looked directly at Annabeth, like she had brought a plague through the doors with her just for being asked to sit in with them.

She could tell that elder Engrid didn't like her in the least, and she would say that the feeling was mutual, but she was hoping this was just a way that the Elder acted towards those she didn't know or trust. Elder Samuel seemed to pick up on this fact, and didn't sit down at his designated seat. Instead he walked down to Annabeth's end of the table and stood by her seat. "Allow me to explain the meaning for this meeting." He stated.

He looked to the person who was sitting down in the chair closest to Annabeth. "May I?" He asked, and the man moved, taking the Elder's usual chair for the time being. He thanked the man, and took a seat, looking at Annabeth. "We were hesitant, to say the least to ever let you out of the compound. A small amount of this meeting will pertain to you. And exploits from your mission. We will be discussing the merits of potentially giving you another mission, and a team to go with you. There is a lot to consider with the kind of task we have in mind. You will hear us gives the pros and cons of sending you into the field again. The Curator states that you are healing rather well since your incident in the training grounds. That makes me glad. That is a point in your favor. The rest of the details you will hear about as the meeting takes place. Do you have any questions before we begin?"

Annabeth was frozen for a moment, and then she remembered what The Curator had said to her. If she was asked a direct question or spoken to directly, she didn't have to ask for permissions to respond. She swallowed her anxiety. "Why does Elder Engrid seem to hate me?" She asked in a nearly hushed tone.

Elder Samuel laughed. "She is a bit of an acquired taste. She comes from a past and a background that has proven to her that trusting someone can get you killed. She acts this way with just about everyone. Until she knows she has your loyalty. Then it's all smiles, unless she's talking business, and then she behaves much like you see her now. Don't take her roughness personally, Annabeth." He smiled and stood from the chair, walking back to the chair he usually took during meetings, which was right across from Elder Engrid.

Elder Rich looked down the table at her, and began to spoke. Everyone else went quiet as he spoke, "You have all been briefed, with the exception of Miss Annabeth, because she was the operative going through a trial, that the rescue of my great niece was a success. Yes, she did get injured, but all is well. She will make a full recovery, and Annabeth will actually be her personal assistant. At her insistence, I don't see an issue for this, but that is but one matter in which we will discuss." It was amazing. even in the midst of the twenty people the meeting was for, and the twelve total guards that were present, she heard every word crystal clear, as if he had been sitting next to her and speaking the entire time.

It was when Elder Engrid spoke that she noticed a little red flashing dot on the table blinking. It must have been an amplifier for whoever was speaking. She would have to confirm this through further observation.

She now gave her full attention to Elder Engrid, "-we have seen from the footage," the Elder tapped on her tablet. Four screens appears as holo-projections, one facing each direction of the room, it showed to everyone present the mission, and highlights of what she had to do, and how she had acted. She didn't want to necessarily remember some of those exploits, but it would seem that this meeting was going to center around those exploits, so she better just watch at any rate.

The Elder Engrid continued. "We see here, that Annabeth had successfully rescued Marina, and had her safely in her spatial storage, but for reasons unknown to us, She took Marina out of her storage before they were transported back to the station." She pressed a button on her tablet and then looked at Annabeth. "Care to explain exactly what you were thinking with that decision?"

Elder Rich stepped in and saved her from having to respond herself. "I believe I can effectively answer that for you. I asked her this same question on the drive over here, in an environment that was less...crowded. Where she would have felt less anxious, with fewer people. With the council's permission I shall now play the recording of the question and her responses." He looked from Elder Engrid to Elder Samuel, and they both nodded in turn as they were acknowledged to provide their responses.

Elder Rich pulled out his Data Tablet, and scrolled through a few things, and linked his Data Pads screen to the projections, and hit play on the recording. It gave them the accounting of her response to Elder Rich in the car on the way to this very meeting, and they were all silent while it played. When it was over, Elder Rich unpaired his device, and flipped the cover closed on it. "I hope this satisfies the council like it satisfies me." He looked at the two of them again, who both nodded and responded with "satisfied."

Annabeth breathed a little easier, and the meeting was interrupted a few minutes later when the servers arrived with food for everyone. Appetizers of breaded melted cheese, and sweet rolls. There was a brief pause in the proceedings as the servers were allowed to bring in the food and then leave, before Elder Engrid spoke again. "Let us eat, and then we shall continue while we wait for the next course."

This was met with approval, and everyone grabbed some food. The one closest to her leaned over to speak with her. "You must try sweet rolls. They are amazing, and possibly one of the best things you will find in this establishment." He had a young looking face and appearance, and he seemed so earnest in his assessment of the food. With Wheat blonder hair and blue eyes, he was the picture of what an Old Nazi Dictator deemed the perfect race. He seemed tall, fit, and time would tell if he was actually smart.

She nodded kindly at him and reached for a roll. It was still hot, so she transferred it to her plate quickly, and grabbed the other item that had been brought it. "What is this?" She asked, curiously.

The man smiled, and grabbed one himself, breaking it open for her as it would have been rude to demonstrate with the one in her hand. "They are called Mozzarella Sticks. Don't you have them where you come from." He asked, genuinely wanting to know.

She blinked in disbelief, not thinking cheese could have been utilized in this way. "I... I don't recall." She said honestly, and bit into it. "H-hot!" She huffed as it nearly burnt her tongue. she quickly tried to cool off the molten cheese by breathing in several times and chewing. 'That was hot!' she thought to herself. She looked over to the man, and could see he was laughing. He was making fun of her!

She frowned, and scrutinized him. "What is your name?" She asked him quite boldly.

He stopped laughing, but the smile didn't leave his face as he replied. "My name is Captain Thomas J. Nancy. Nice to make your acquaintance, Annabeth." He said and held his head out to her.

She took it, and they shook before going back to their food, and having small talk.