Allegences Questioned (Cheryl and Jiang)

[Micah]

Micah Kayani paced the control room nervously. He wasn’t sure how to say what he was going to say. How was Cheryl going to take his news? Probably very badly; if she ever forgave him it would be after many hits and bruises. It would be worth it to get Seeker out though, and to get out of the Brotherhood.

Micah stopped his pacing and pulled out his phone and found Cheryl’s number. He stared at it for a moment, trying to organize his thoughts into some coherent sounding explanation. Did he start with how he was in the Brotherhood, trying to get Seeker out? Did he mention that he was supposed to be making sure nothing happened to Seeker so that he couldn’t escape? The boy didn’t know where to begin. Unfortunately he needed to make the call then and there. His thumb hit the dial button and he waited for his girlfriend to pick up, hoping that she was still willing to be his girlfriend when all of this was over.

As soon as Micah heard the other line pick up he started in, not wanting to get distracted from what he needed to do;

”Hey, Cheryl, it’s me, Micah. Listen, I have something important to tell you.” He paused, still not sure how to continue the conversation. Maybe it would just be better to be blunt about it. He glanced about the control room nervously, hoping that there weren’t any microphones or cameras about to hear him. “This is going to sound really bad but it has to be said: I’m part of the Brotherhood, though I don’t want to be anymore. I was given the job to guard a prisoner who happens to be a Tank. I know him by Seeker. I’m working on getting him out but we’re going to need some help. In several hours we’re going to have a chance to get out. We’re in Brazil. I’ll leave my phone on a bit longer so you can trace it and get an exact location. There aren’t many of us here so it shouldn’t be a huge fight. I gotta go now…a surgery to attend and if I don’t show the suspicion will rise….I’ll hopefully see you later, Cheryl, and…I’m sorry.” With that Micah put his phone down on a counter and waited. He still had a little time before his surgery and maybe that would give them enough time to trace his call; at least he hoped so. He also had to set up the security system to go down in a few hours’ time. So much to do in so little time in which so much could go wrong. It was going to get interesting.

[Cheryl Harrison]

Cheryl lounged in SHIELD's secret media room, slowly working on catching up to My Little Pony. Much to her amazement, Collie had managed to get her hooked on it. She didn't watch much TV as it was; this was pretty much the last thing Cheryl had expected to like. And yet here she was, watching an episode or two in between doing actual work.

Cheryl's phone rang, and she picked it up curiously. There weren't many people who called her; most of her friends lived on the same boat that she did. Glancing at the screen, Cher smiled nervously as she saw who it was. Micah. Even if their last date hadn't ended the way she'd wanted, it had still been fun. She'd just have to keep trying. And keep herself away from SHIELD's rumor mill; apparently people were convinced that her last date had gone in a much more appealing direction. At least she was in a good area to take the call; there was no one else here and, unlike her bedroom, it didn't block her signal. If the conversation got...exciting...then there wasn't anyone else around to hear.

“Hey you,” she said into the phone as she picked it up, only for him to immediately say that he had something important to say. Huh, okay. Maybe he'd changed his mind, then? If so, she'd get her ass to New York right now, regardless of what she was doing. It could wait. His tone sounded kind of worried, though. Oh no, he wasn't breaking up with her, was he? She hadn't really given him a proper apology earlier, after all. Was it really that bad?

As Micah continued, though, all of Cher's doubts were suddenly reversed. He was what? And he hadn't told her? And Seeker? She stood in stunned silence, mouth open. as he continued. And he was betraying the Brotherhood? Well, she supposed that was one piece of good news, but when had he been planning on telling her? Hell, even if he'd given her a warning in advance, it would have been easier to deal with than this. SHIELD could have helped. Now, if they only had a few hours, it was going to turn into a logistical nightmare. Which would be fine, if it wasn't her boyfriend's life on the line.

“What? You didn't tell me?” she asked, voice rising. She wasn't sure whether she should be angry, or scared, or hurt. All three at once seemed appropriate. There was no immediate response. He was still on the line, but she couldn't hear anything. He'd said something about surgery. What were they doing to him? He had to be in danger. Even if he didn't realize it, betraying the Brotherhood was a deadly situation to be in. She needed to get him out of there. If only so she could kill him herself. “Micah!” she shouted into the phone, all but panicking. “Answer me, please. Are you okay?”

His words stuck, though. dShe needed to get the number traced. Cheryl wheeled, shoved the door open, and bolted into the hallway. There were people in the hallway staring at her as she sprinted by, but she paid them no more mind than what was necessary to dodge them. Cheryl needed to get to Surveillance before the line went dead, or she wouldn't be able to track him. If she couldn't track him, she'd lose him. Completely. Brazil was a big country to search, and this was time-sensitive. She wasn't about to be the person responsible for his death...and Seeker's.