angel with a shotgun

Analese Huang 35 years old Hunter Resurrected

[itshendersxn]

"i really don't see why i can't be plan a here. i'd really rock this, right? i'll assemble a team of people who are strong because i have the upper body strength of a twig, and we'll nail it. no i've not been down in training yet, have you?"

[gunpowderandana]

"well, i am finding it really difficult to argue with you here. i tell you what, you get enough big, strong, torsos on board and i'll approve it for you. did my rounds this morning, russo had to be reminded there's no biting so... there's that. i think they miss you down there, henderson. you should jump in and show 'em how it's done."

[yashagf-deactivated20220323]

[c-harlesemerson]

Charlie watched her with a brow so furrowed, a normal human would've had a pounding headache. He had been there for her since she came back, but that was secret, behind closed doors. They weren't made for anything other than dark corners, and surely Ana knew this. 'If you're her Chuck'. What was that even supposed to mean? Her words settled over him as he acknowledged that her personal experience probably gave her better insight into how Karen was feeling than he could ever figure out on his own. Had he not already promised he would be there by her side? What benefit could there be for him to be the one saying it?

Sighing heavily–almost dramatically–Charlie nodded his head. "I already promised I'd be there. Why not give a speech?" He still wasn't sure it was the right call, but he would do what he needed to... for her. With his hand on the door, fully intent on leaving, Charlie paused. Had he not just accepted that Ana had more insight into this situation than him? There was only so much he was able to do for Karen, but maybe... "Do you want to see her?" There was something akin to hope in his eyes as he turned back to her. Part of him still wasn't ready to share her with anyone, but if it would help her... "Before the meeting? Now?"

[gunpowderandana]

Ana waited expectantly for the dramatic sigh, her shoulders relaxing when it came. She could understand why Charlie was reluctant to be center stage, but this was about Karen. It was about what she needed now. Ana was already going over the optics in her head, the fallout, the questions that would follow. Karen needed time and patience, and minimum judgement. Involving Charlie - shining a spotlight on him - wasn't going to do anything to minimise press but that's the way it had to be. "Thank you," she nodded.

She raised her eyebrows at him when he asked, looking so... what? Hopeful? "Uh, yeah. Yes... I can do that," she replied. Was she ready to see Karen? Every second of that November night was still burned into her brain. The moment their comms went down still plagued her nightmares. Karen had been her partner, her co-head, her friend. She wouldn't be the same, Ana knew that and she tried to prepare herself. "Lead the way."

[itshendersxn]

"why? the insurance companies would pay out on the houses and then in comes the super team to rebuild"

[gunpowderandana]

"i'll keep that in mind for when we get back to the real world. there's still a chance the wicked witch upstairs'll wave their wand and sort it out. we'll keep you as plan b, though. have you been down to the training room today yet?"

[itshendersxn]

"guysguysguys...i think i can rebuild some of the buildings around here. it's like some bricks, cement and wishful thinking, right? i'm telling you, i could really rock this"

@havensdalestarters

[gunpowderandana]

"henderson... let's just say it's a good thing we don't have to pay insurance premiums anymore."

[gunpowderandana]

hihprompt 8 >>>> formative influences

emily prentiss (criminal minds)

nikita mears (nikita)

natasha romanoff aka black widow

jessica jones

[c-harlesemerson]

Charlie hesitated at the door, turning his head so fast that a human would've probably snapped their neck. She was being serious. For a moment, he thought he would have turned to find out that she was making a joke–she couldn't possibly want him to be responsible for something as important as this–but Ana had never looked more serious. "Me? Do you really think that's a good idea?" Even if people let him talk, and even if they listened to him, would any of them believe him when he said he had nothing to do with her resurrection? Would they hate him for keeping her a secret for so long? Why did that thought bother him? "Ana... I don't think any of them should know I was involved."

[gunpowderandana]

Ana held her ground as Charlie turned back around so fast, she almost felt a breeze. It was clear he didn't agree, but she was already putting the pieces together. Why had Karen stayed locked away with him? Why hadn't she come out sooner? Ana knew the answer, in her heart of hearts. There were so many reasons why they had agreed not to bring Karen back. Ana's own unsteady hands were one of them.

"I do," she answered at last, looking back up at him and squeezing her hands into fists. Real. Solid. Here. "Charlie... I don't think you're going to be able to hide it. If you're her Chuck-," she started, faltering on memories she'd tried to bury - pouring rain, dirt caked under her nails, a hammering heart and nothing to hold onto. Except him. "If you're the one that she needs to feel steady - to make sure she can stand up in front of everyone - then it should be you." She canted her head so slightly, raising a brow. "And don't worry about anything else, I'll deal with the politics, the backlash, the bullshit... You just have to be there. Can you do that?"

[itsannabethlin]

"are you trying to get a dead heart beating again?" she laughed, finishing up the bandaging. "alright, henderson, you're good to go" she confirmed to henderson with a smile and looked back up at ana. annabeth started packing up the medical kit "okay, thanks. i have plenty in my kit so i can bring them down and leave spares if needed. can you pass me those scissors please? i'll need them for cutting lengths"

[gunpowderandana]

"always," ana winked, watching as henderson made his leave and wondering not for the first time how that kid had managed to survive so long. "that's always my ulterior motive, you know. i wanna see if i can make the prettiest vampire in town blush. of course, anything you need-," she grinned, passing the scissors. "i'll come with you, too. the sooner we're patched up, the better down here." with a sigh, she added, "i hate full moons."

[c-harlesemerson]

Charlie's brows knit together for the hundredth time that evening as Ana thanked him for looking after Karen. It hadn't even been something that was a choice for him–he wasn't looking for a 'thank you' and he wasn't quite sure what to do with it. His head nodded almost imperceptibly before he shifted uncomfortably beneath her gaze. That was his job done, at least. Obviously, he would be at Karen's side when she revealed herself to the team, but after that, he could revert back to his regularly scheduled programming of being the local annoyance.

"Whatever you think is best." He started making his way over to the door. "I'll let her know that you'll let everyone know, and we can figure out the logistics of getting her to the meeting room."

[gunpowderandana]

Analese remembered when they brought Charlie in. Well, when he surrendered himself to the Resistance. They had debated unchaining him for weeks on end. Ultimately, the decision had been left with Karen. They had a history, that much Analese knew. Hunters and vampires, they could never escape each other. They were intrinsically linked from the very beginning. Everything had changed after last November, and whether he liked it or not, Charlie had become a part of the team. He was responsible. She watched as he started towards the door, and she contemplated letting him go. Before he could leave, though, she said, "Wait... You should tell them. I'll call it, and once you've said your piece, I can take over, but I think you should be the one."

[c-harlesemerson]

Charlie's mouth was uncharacteristically closed at her question. He had known that he shouldn't have waited so long to tell someone, but he had kept it to himself at Karen's request–and okay, he also didn't want anyone else to know. "Since the school imploded." Honestly, the incident at the school had barely registered with him, but he had been mildly grateful for the distraction that night.

"She's been hiding out in my room, and she's–..." What was he supposed to say? She's fine? She's getting there? Ana would know better than anyone how bullshit that was. "Adjusting." Charlie sighed heavily, feeling some kind of weight lift from him. "She didn't want anyone to know until she was ready. I–... I don't think it was one of us. I've been watching everyone, and no one seems to be concerned that they haven't seen her–no one's expecting her to walk through the door."

[gunpowderandana]

Since the school. Ana's mind was racing as she put the pieces together, thinking several steps ahead on how to handle this. How should they tell everyone? Karen's family. There would be questions - too many questions - and Analese would have to field those. She barely had time to react to the idea that Charlie had been hiding Karen McReid in his room all this time. The implications were far too complicated to untangle right now. "Adjusting," she repeated, pressing her fingertips together. She closed her eyes for a moment, remembering a time when she was running through the woods, dirt under her fingernails. Wild eyed, terrified. Alive, again. Not right, not here. She shook her head, forcing herself back into the present moment. "That's something, at least. Thank you," she said suddenly, looking up at him, "For looking after her."

Ana let out a breath then, adding, "We'll have to call a meeting. Better to let them all know at once and deal with the fallout."

[c-harlesemerson]

Charlie's eyes lifted and there was something in them akin to pain–and rage. Back when Karen had been killed, they had been in agreement to never bring her back, no matter how much they wanted to. What was dead, should stay dead, and she wouldn't have wanted it. She didn't want this. "It wasn't me." His head shook as he willed her to believe him. Charlie wasn't an honest man and he was very rarely serious, but Ana had to know that he never would have done this. "I don't know who–... but she's back."

[gunpowderandana]

Ana felt her balance shift, catching herself before she could stumble too far, as Charlie's words sunk in. 'She's back'. 'It wasn't me'. Her head was swimming, her heart suddenly hammering. Ana had clawed her way back from the dead, too. She wouldn't have wished it on her worst enemy. There was a reason so many bloodline hunters went down swinging. A reason so many bloodline hunters would rather drive a stake through their own hearts than... "When?" she heard herself ask, but her thoughts were racing. Why? Who? She saw the truth of Charlie's words - god, even Charlie - in his eyes. And the anger. It couldn't have been one of them, could it? They. Had. Agreed. Even Danny. "Where-... How is she?"

[c-harlesemerson]

Charlie followed closely behind Ana as she moved towards her office. There were more than a few eyes turned in their direction, but most people turned back to bigger priorities when he caught their eye. The door closed behind him and, despite not needing to, he felt like he couldn't breathe. "Right. Okay." How was one supposed to confess that they had been hiding one of the previously deceased leaders of the resistance in their bedroom? "So, you remember Karen."

[gunpowderandana]

Ana almost laughed at how nervous he was being all of a sudden, but it quickly died on the tip of her tongue. Her previously raised brows furrowed, and slowly - so slowly - she felt her blood run cold. Ana had thought about Karen every day since last November, she felt her absence everywhere. They had agreed, though. Goddamn it, they had agreed. She realised she was shaking her head then, the idea growing in the back of her mind while she was stood frozen. She was too scared to say it, to ask the question. "Charlie..."

[c-harlesemerson]

"Right..." He agreed, drifting off a little as he stared at the screens. Ana's words were sinking in, being slowly processed, but they were secondary to the real reason he had come over here. Charlie was about to change the subject, but then she asked him... for his opinion? His eyebrow couldn't be stopped from shooting up as he turned back to her. "I think that everything that happens, happens because those Three will it. If the dome's coming down, either Engel doesn't have enough power to hold it, or he wants it down too." The former was unlikely. "I wouldn't be surprised if they all had their own agendas." Letting that thought hang there for a moment, he lowered his voice and added, "Can I speak to you...? In private?"

[gunpowderandana]

Ana listened intently to his answer, nodding at his assessment. She agreed, doubting that Engel would let the dome go without a fight. The unchecked power he - and all supernaturals - had under it, was too good to let slide. Nature finds a way, right? The scales have to balance. "Yeah, I think you're right there. Makes 'em a real trio of bastards," she sighed. It might be their downfall, too. Three agendas, three goals. Three weaknesses. She was about to say as much when he lowered his voice. She quirked a brow, but it seemed serious, which was wildly out of character for Charlie Emerson. Ana glanced at the cameras in the main room, nodding at him. "Of course," she said, leading them through the door off-side from the main boardroom and her desk. Ana gently closed the door behind Charlie with no idea what he was going to say next. "What's going on?"

[c-harlesemerson]

Charlie pouted dramatically, "Not your favourite mug." As if that was their biggest problem. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips, but it didn't have time to grow as he turned his attention to the monitors. It wasn't looking good. "It's never done anything like this before, right? Why is it suddenly doing something now?"

[gunpowderandana]

"It's truly devastating, I know," she sighed deeply. A moment of silence for her best cups of coffee to date... Ana looked back up at him when he spoke, nodding in response. She was no stranger to working with vampires, and in these stranger times, having Charlie so close to the inner circle wasn't even surprising anymore. "That's right. Honestly? I'm not sure. I mean, it's either getting stronger or it's coming down. I'm leaning towards the latter - nothing lasts forever, right? And Amara thinks that Engel has an agenda, which makes me think any magical shit going on, can be traced back to the top." Ana canted her head then, asking, "What do you think?"

[itsannabethlin]

finishing up working on some bandages, annabeth smiled, greeting ana "sure thing, i'm just finishing up here and we can head out. are any supplies needed down there?"

[gunpowderandana]

"i've got nothing but time for you, sugar," ana grinned. poor henderson couldn't help blushing while annabeth finished bandaging him up. "a few more bandages will do the trick. i've got word of scrapes and bruises, but nothin' serious."

[gunpowderandana]

"hey sweetie," ana greeted, appearing suddenly in the doorway amidst all the chaos. "i could sure use your big, strong, arms down in sector b. what d'ya say?" @itsannabethlin

[julian-cordoba]

Julian was supposed to meet up with Jake, and they were going to help out some of the recently turned wolves. They were going to be going through their first full moon, and he needed to be there for them. He walked into Ana's office, dust in his hair and on his face. "Not great, what are you seeing?"

[gunpowderandana]

"Oh, sweetie." Ana looked Julian over, dust covering his normally luscious locks and his face. She knew that Julian should have been topside already, standing at Jake's side while they kept the wolves safe. No doubt there were a few turning for the first time tonight. "I've got two exits blocked by rubble, I've sent teams down. Any big, strong, arms are appreciated - fyi. We'll get you outta here in no time."