Should Be Somewhere Else...

just waiting for video to come along and kill me

[tommie-dalton]

xxxtrafries​:

Cheeky and cute to boot, Mac’s favorite type. She had a particular soft spot for the nerdy ones, probably something to do with how fondly she remembered high school lockers. Though she hadn’t expected to hear that such a nerd (it didn’t matter how much of a babe she was, a dweeb was a dweeb) was little more than the local Perez Hilton. Not to mention the fact that it only took Mac a handful of seconds to realize that Farmer Selena Gomez had no idea who she was. (Not that she was offended or anything, she would never presume that every country bumpkin knew her name, but covering the sleazy lives of the rich and famous? That was Mac’s shit; how many more casinos did she have to trash before Podunk hotties started recognizing her?)

“Depends on your definition of good.” On one hand, this was a rare, romantic comedy opportunity to pretend that she wasn’t the manic pixie dream girl from hell. And on the other– well, where was the fun in that?

“A film crew can be pretty disruptive, and you know those LA types. Vapid, self-centered, inconsiderate,” Mac waved her hand in the universal gesture of I could go on. “But we’re also most likely going to be the only interesting thing to blow through this town since the Great Flood.” She beamed, dimples and all, and leaned forward as if the recorder were a microphone. “You can quote me on that.”

Tommie hadn’t minded so much when she was just covering local human interest pieces. Interviewing cannon about his burgeoning career as a local celeb, letting the senior citizens drone on about the towns history, taking a look at where some of her most promising classmates had ended up in life, all that shit. At least she’d had some creative control there, had tried to inject as much actually useful and interesting information as possible. Now? This Maize of Love shit? It was totally devoid of any creative lisence. 

She was willing to bet they’d picked her for the coverage because they thought it would be funny to watch her sink so low. God, if her parents didn’t still really need her help Tommie would’ve handed in her notice on the spot and been on the next flight back to New York, nevermind that she’d basically have to start her career from scratch, at least she’d be working towards her goals.

She was pretty. That big grin, Tommie liked people who weren’t afraid of letting their emotions play out on their face, even the sarcastic ones. Always easier to read them. The tongue in cheek response isn’t exactly what she’s looking for, but Tommie does have to stifle a laugh. “I might, actually.” She says after considering it a moment, pausing the recording. “Funny little quote thrown in between all the other stuff. Could be good to break it up a bit. And y’know, you’re not wrong.” The wording she’d used struck Tommie then, “we’re most likely...” She repeated, “so you are part of the crew. What do you do?”

[tommie-dalton]

losthxlo​:

Angel knew this was supposed to be his comfort zone, but this entire thing had already proven to be more than he’d bargained for. He’d somehow tricked himself into thinking that this would be an easy gig. Relaxing, even. Instead it had been a nightmare to navigate, but maybe that had something to do with his ex-wife running around as a fellow contestant.

He heard the whistle and turned to look, his brain switching gears in response to the other’s smile. “Sounds like a trap.” He stepped closer, telling himself that he had nothing to lose. “I’ll answer your questions if you’ll answer mine.” 

Oh, now that was a jawline.

She’d seen pictures of Angel- bad boy club promoter of LA, the kind of guy who thought a bad reputation was better than no reptuation, to be fair in his line of work he was right- but photos never quite managed to do people justice, she thought. There was always something off; the angle or the light or the distance from the photographer- all this to say he was hot. Which was a good thing for her, since she was going to spend the next months of her life immersed in the drama he’d be creating on the show. 

“Save your questions for the people you’ll be trying to woo for the cameras.” Tommie counters, eager to cut out any bullshit he might try to pull with her. She was a no nonsence chick and her life was none of his business. His life? Fair game. “And it’s not a trap, it’s an attempt to get interesting soundbites for the radio show I’ll be hosting.” She fishes her phone from her pocket and bring sup the voice recording. “So, whats your deal? Being on the show, is it about love or noteriety?” 

[tommie-dalton]

buckingallnight​:

Cannon’s grin softened but didn’t dim in the slightest when his gaze landed on Tommie. She was as smart as she was gorgeous, and it was fun being around someone who knew they were far out of anyone’s league. His only disappointment with her was the fact that they wouldn’t be trading barbs on the show.

“You make that sound like it’s a bad thing.” As much as he loved attention, he wasn’t a huge fan of being interviewed, but Tommie always made it interesting. Even if she thought local celebrity gossip was beneath her. “Tell you what, I promise you’ll be the first to get the inside scoop if you tell me about the other contestants.” Despite her reticence, she did her job amazingly well; he wondered what she could do with it a job she actually enjoyed. “Think there’s anyone I’ll be able to take home to Mama Banks?” Highly unlikely: there was no one who would be good enough for her little boy, and she made that devastatingly clear to anyone who would listen.

Tommie didn’t hate St Cloud, not by any means. The truth was she’d kinda missed it, the community at least. New York could be kinda lonely, and she’d been so rushed off her feet just trying to climb the ladder she hadn’t had time to try and forge a cirlce of friends for herself. But St Cloud couldn’t give her what she wanted in life, and maybe some people thought it was strange but she’d rather be lonely and successful. 

Plus, all her clothes were way too fancy for this place. Not that it stopped her from wearing them, it just made her look and feel even more out of place. Cannon? Now there was a guy who thrived in a place like this. Charming, handsome, fun. Happy to be a big fish in a small pond.

She raised a brow at his proposal, “I’ll be the first to get the inside scoop anyway, there’s no one else for you to give it to.” She pointed out, quiet for a moment while she actually considered the offer- it wouldn’t be a bad thing to have someone on the inside sharing secrets, “how about a little info on your out of town competition.” Tommie offered up, “Angel- he’s a club promoter from L.A. Bit of a troublemaker but also a very shrewd businessman, the way I look at it. Killer cheekbones.” She smiled, “that’s all you get.” She shook her head, “Doubtful. She called in after our interview y’know, told my producer she thought I was being too flirty. So good luck finding someone she’ll like through reality tv.”

[tommie-dalton]

xxxtrafries​:

Mac nearly kept on walking when she heard the whistle, immune to the catcalls and tacky come-ons that made up her day-to-day soundtrack in LA. But the voice that followed was unexpected enough to stop her in her tracks, glancing up to search for its owner until her gaze landed on a Camila Cabello knock-off in an outfit that Missourians probably thought was illegal. Hubba hubba.

“Sure, I’d be happy to help,” Mac said, sweet as saccharine as she approached. “Though I’m not sure if I believe that you won’t tell me I’m wrong just because you don’t have permission.” Step one: find out level of commitment to rule-following. 

Mac beamed and walked a little further to drop down onto a hay bale (a literal bale of hay, what the fuck), leaving just enough room to be an invitation. “You the local paper?” She tilted her head and gave the other a long (longer than necessary) once-over. “Let me guess, it’s a podcast about the dichotomy between feminism and a genre that diminishes women to tits, tears, and a ticking clock.” That was a mistake Mac was never going to make again; she’d never been more bored in a recording studio.

Tommie knew a hottie when she saw one, no denying that. Certainly not a local girl and she didn’t seem up her own ass quite enough to be a competitor- camera oporater? Jaded girlfriend of another crew member? The character who joined as part of a mid season plot twist? “Well I certainly won’t say it while I’m recording so you’ll never be able to prove it.” She pulled out her phone and swiped through to the voice recording app, but didn’t press any buttons just yet. Hey, she was a good judge of character and if this chick ended up being smart enough to see this show for the capitalist schmuck fest it really was Tommie wouldn’t mind voicing a few of her own unsvaory opinions about the whole thing, just to have someone to share them with.

Whoever she was if she was trying to be subtle when she checked Tommie out, she wasn’t. No skin off her back though honestly, she was more than used to a set of eyes on her. So Tommie didn’t rush when she slid her blazer down and off so she could set it over a spot on the hay bale before taking a seat- the material of her dress wasn’t super thick, she didn’t want to get poked at while she was sitting down.  “I wish it was something interesting like that.” She sighed, “no, I host a segment on local radio and I’m going to be talking all about the show- latest updates, hot new gossip all that jazz. I just want a few cool sound bites for the first episode since there won’t be a whole lot to say just yet. So.” 

Tommie turns the recorder on, and her radio voice too- a little higher in pitch than she is naturally, perkier and more melodic. “What do you think about Maize of Love settling down somewhere as small as St Cloud, will it be good for the locals?”

[buckingallnight]

Cannon watched the moving trucks amble up the path to Sunnyside from afar, eager to see who would disembark. But his curiosity and impatience got the better of him, and he approached the stables at a quick trot before dismounting from his favorite horse. He stroked a hand through her mane and offered a handful of raisins, forcing himself to wait long enough so it didn’t seem like he’d be ambushing the new arrivals. 

“Y’think any of them will be as gorgeous as you?” Cannon mused aloud, breaking into a wide grin when she nipped at his pockets. “Yeah, I doubt it too. But a fella can hope, right?” He wasn’t so naive as to think he’d find a suitable partner on a reality show, but the exposure for the town (and sponsorships for him) was too good to pass up. 

Hearing the crunch of gravel behind him, Cannon turned with the same million-watt smile that had landed him the gig. “I hope you didn’t hear that.”  He made a show of covering the horse’s ears. “Sweet Pea’s got a jealous streak in her.”

[tommie-dalton]

This was it. First day of the rest of her life. There was a time the thought hadn’t seemed so daunting. But now, watching all those trucks pull into town, Tommie was really beggining to wonder what the fucking point of it all was. Like, really. She had worked so hard just to end up right back where she’d started. She’d thought it had been hard trying to feign interests in the locals and their crap, and now she had to feign interest in the love lives of attention seeking nobodies. Perfect.

Tommie had been heading in that direction- trying not to look like she hated every second- when a familiar voice said something far too familiar. She turned around to give him what for, but quickly realized his affections were directed elsewhere, thank goodness. “I heard, and I remember.” Tommie shook her head, thinking back to the interview a few months prior. She was occasionally glad to be working in radio, if only because no one would ever know that the stupid horse had tried to chew on her hair.  “Hate to break it to you but I’ll only start demanding more of your time now that you’re on the show.” She had after-all started doing research on contestants already, but Tommie had called that Cannon would be taking part way back when she first heard that the show was happening.

[tommie-dalton]

This was one of the mot humiliating days of her life. Granted since returning to St Cloud she’d thought that quite a few times, but this day was shooting up to the top of the list. She didn’t begrudge her parents for needing her help, but she did begrudge this damn town for the closest thing to reporting being a local radio show. The most accurate thing any of the hosts talked about was the weather. 

She’d have rather been the weather girl, honestly. At least that was dealing with facts; weather patterns and temperatures and what you could expect to see when you looked out the window. But no, her job was to ‘get the scoop’ on the hot new contestants flooding into town, as if anyone actually gave a single fuck.

Whatever, if she was going to do this she was going to do a damn good job. She’d been pacing up and down between Sunnyside meadows and the trailer park the production crew were staying in, hoping to catch a contestant or nosy local-- honestly Tommie didn’t care who. She just needed some decent sound bites. “Hey!” She whistled sharply at the first person she saw, fixing a big bright smile on her face. “You got a minute to answer a few questions about Maize of Love? They’re all opinion based so I’m not allowed to tell you you’re wrong.”

[mysharona1987]

[tommie-dalton]

xxxtrafries‌:

It always took some time to adjust to a new power, every ability behaving differently and responding to any number of cues. But as disparate and distinct as her repertoire was, each one of them felt the same— which was to say, she finally regained all of her senses. Despite the discomfort tossing around in her stomach, Mac still reveled in the sensation of a knot loosening deep within her chest. She’d been waiting for the day that she could breathe unencumbered, and there was nothing that could possibly top that experience.

Unsurprisingly, she was proven wrong a hot second later (emphasis on hot). She was too startled not to display it on her face when Tommie flickered into sight, though it wasn’t the impressive display of control that slackened her jaw. Mac blinked owlishly up at the face inches from her own, and it only took her a second to detect the concern like a shark smelling blood in the water.

Mac’s expression melted away into something more familiar, her features stretching into a smug grin as the shock faded away. “And I thought you didn’t like me,” she said, echoing Tommie’s words from earlier. Never mind the impending doom and very real danger clawing at their heels— she’d been thirsty for this long before jailbreak had ever been an option, and she wasn’t about to let the moment slip. Surging up towards Tommie like a hooker with rent to pay, she planted a kiss right on that stupid face.

When it happened, she felt it before she saw her limbs dissolve in midair like a fog. “You know, I think I’ve got the hang of it,” Mac hummed, delighting in her newly-acquired skill as if it were a new pair of shoes.

Tommie shivered, and shifted her legs just to make sure they still had feeling in them- check. They aught to keep moving, really. That was how people always did it in movies, just keep moving and don’t stop no matter what. In fact, the few mutants she’d talked to who had managed to escape the facility before had stated that as their saving grace; never look back, just get out when you can.

Soon she was going to be one of those mutants, it was almost surreal. Tommie had kind of hoped her leaving this place might come around a bit more legally, there’d be enough negative press on the place that it’d be forced to close or something. Still escaping with a rogue guard was going to make for a hell of a story.

...She’d probably leave out the kiss, though. Even if she can imagine how she’d write about it. Hot lips slicing through cold air. The way her grip on Mac’s shoulders tightened, just for a second. It’s surprising enough that Tommie doesn’t even have the wherewithal to vanish at first, open mouthed and wide eyed and with what had to be a blush creeping onto her cheeks.  

Then Mac talks again and it kicks her into gear. Tommie vanishes from view, and tries to think of something to say. What did you say to that? What was that? It wasn’t serious, surely. A joke. She’d never had much mind for timing, and she’d always enjoyed riling Tommie up with that fact.

Go figure, six years since she’s seen any action and this is how it happens. A mockery in the snow with capture only a few feet behind.

Right. Capture. That should be the focus right now, not Mac’s impulses or the curve of her mouth. “Right.” She nodded, even though she was invisible. “Good. Then let’s-” Tommie pivoted, intending to head off in the direction of freedom, but curiosity got the best of her for a moment and she paused, “why did you-.” 

She pressed her lips together and shook her head, “never-mind. We have to get going.” With another shiver she adjusted one of the straps of her bag over her shoulder and got going again. “They won’t be far behind. Do you know anything about this boat?”

[liick-my-cliit-blog]

[tommie-dalton]

@xxxtrafries

[tommie-dalton]

xxxtrafries‌:

Despite knowing exactly where Tommie stood, Mac still jumped at the eerie experience of hearing the other’s voice unseen. She scoffed and flashed a self-satisfied grin, forgetting for a moment that it wouldn’t be visible. “There’re a lot of things I feel about you, but dislike isn’t one of them,” she purred, which would have been a lot sexier if she hadn’t been flickering in and out of sight. 

Mac dropped her gaze to examine herself, humming in agreement at Tommie’s observation as her lips tightened in a brief scowl. She’d always perceived her ability as a double-edged sword, as deadly in her hands as it was self-destructive. Then again, the self-sabotage was more likely a personality defect than a cosmic curse.

“You don’t have to play coy,” Mac murmured, voice low as they traversed through a wall of foliage. “Belmont isn’t the only one who wants me.” She opened her mouth to continue but swallowed her words instead, ducking down and tackling the space in front of her to avoid the shaft of light that waved over them. They tumbled into a bank of snow several feet below, and if that wasn’t disorienting enough, watching her own limbs disappear and materialize at frightening intervals was unexpectedly nauseating.

It was never not going to be funny to freak people out by speaking when they couldn’t see her. Used to do it to her sisters all the time just to mess with them. Though unsurprisingly her favorite use for the gift was listening in on conversation she had no right to be a part of.

Though some people were honest about what was on their mind regardless of their audience. Mac being a prime example of that kind of attitude, obviously. It made Tommie a little uncomfortable at times- primarily because she was so used to having to second guess people. Also sometimes because usually around Tommie the honesty she’d voiced tended to be rather, well, flirtatious. It wasn’t that she was adverse to female attention, it was just-- she hadn’t really had attention of that kind from anyone, in a long time. She was out of practice.

Instead of responding she got back to walking, a far better use of their time. Of course, Mac was more than capable of walking and flirting at the same time, and her next line was even more overt. She opened her mouth for a retort in return- something about never wanting the oppression of guards or a snappy, unscheduled woman. She was saved from potential embarrassment by potential danger, though. She hit the snow with a huff, grateful that the bank was at least soft enough to break her fall even if she was officially fucking freezing. Tommie freed herself from the flurry and for a moment waited with bated breath- they’d fallen far enough that even if Mac had been spotted they shouldn’t know where she’d ended up. 

Speaking of Mac, the girl was flickering like a goddamn disco ball. Tommie materialized and put her hands on her shoulders, focused on taking deep breaths. The snow melting down her back was good too, kept her sharp and distracted from the dizziness pounding her skull- that would fade, it was just a big tumble. “Deep breaths.” She instructed, voice low. “Try--” It was hard, she’d never had to give anyone instructions on how to do this. “I always envision it like a switch, at the base of my neck. If it’s off people see me, if it’s on they don’t. Don’t think too much about your surroundings, you change with them without conscious effort. Focus inward instead. Breathing.” She squeezed her shoulders gently, “feeling.” 

Mac had to be okay. They’d started this together and if she turned back now she probably wouldn’t be welcomed with open arms. “You good?”

[tommie-dalton]

xxxtrafries‌:

Every reckless decision Mac had ever made in her life seemed to lead her to this moment, as if she were a marble dropped into an obstacle course, speeding towards a line of dominoes in an impact she couldn’t foresee until every tile had fallen. Adrenaline roared through her veins as the crunch of snow underfoot grew louder, filling her to the brim with restless anticipation like packing gun powder into a barrel. Mac wasn’t subtle; she was a blunt instrument where Tommie was a scalpel, but in a game where luck was paramount, the last thing she would have expected was for Tommie to bring a knife to a gunfight.

“What the fuck?” Mac hissed when she suddenly found herself alone, surrounded by trees and blue snow. “Tommie?” She fought to keep her voice composed, but even she couldn’t stem the panic that bled through the edges. “I swear god, if you—“ She never finished her thought, jolted into action at the sight of footprints dotting the ground before her. “Better at self-preservation my ass.” Mac was careful to step into the same imprints the shimmer in front of her left behind, eventually lashing an arm out to sink into what seemed like empty air. 

And it was just like what she imagined coming home would feel like, if she ever had one. The sensation was familiar and sorely missed, rippling through her in a full-body shiver. “Hell yeah,” Mac hummed, watching her hands flicker out of sight. 

With the prison behind them and and an expanse of trees and snow beyond, running from people she never should’ve been near... This felt like her old life. If she closed her eyes and pretended this was some story she’d been working for a few months and not the hell she’d been trapped in the last five years, it almost felt good. 

She manages to curb the laughter that wants to escape when Mac starts to kick up a fuss-- she’s good at being silent when her skin is shifting to blend into the world around it because it’s essential. Sound and footprints, that’s all that’ll give her away. One of them does, though to be fair footprints in the snow would give away anyone, invisible or not, so Mac doesn’t get investigator points for that.

“And I thought you didn’t like me.” She teases, flinching a little at the strange feeling under her skin when Mac grazes her arm. It only lasts a second, a strange little tugging and then it’s gone.

Tommie processes this and observes as her escape buddy shimmers from sight, her own eyes narrowed in consideration. “You’re a mimic.” She concludes, sighing. “Well no wonder they wanted you. That means they could have whatever advantage they wanted.” 

[thecheeziersnack-blog]

[tommie-dalton]

xxxtrafries‌:

Mac wasn’t surprised to hear Tommie’s answer, having already assumed as much. Neither of them were particularly prone to flights of fancy, but Tommie’s brand of altruistic idealism had always struck Mac as naive– which was a far cry from the woman herself. She found it maddening trying to reconcile Tommie’s frou frou optimism with her steely demeanor.

Mac shot a sidelong glance at Tommie at the unexpected show of empathy, astonishment flitting across her face and disappearing just as quickly. “Are you sympathizing with me?” she asked, incredulous and teasing at once. She turned away with a roll of her eyes, though her tone was distinctly less biting as she continued, “I’m not trying to be a hero. Working within the system keeps me alive. Thinking you can save anyone takes a certain brand of narcissism—“ Mac abruptly cut herself off, reaching out to grab Tommie by the scruff and dragging her behind a tree. Two beams of light shone through the branches, making the heavy snowfall glisten.

“Fuck. Hope you’re a runner,” she hissed as she violently dragged her companion through the brush.

It all boiled down to facts, in the end. People had a right to the truth, to understand the reality they lived in. It blew Tommie’s mind that corporations and systems and people had not just the desire but the power to cover up that reality. It was bullshit, it was a giant fucking con! She’d seen how shitty the world could get, and she just wanted to do what she could to try and nudge things in a fairer direction.

It wasn’t so much about having hope as it was about pushing through when things looked bleak, much as it did out here in the snow. “Don’t be absurd.” Tommie shoots her a scathing glance, but her lips twitch up into a tiny smile. “I’m simply reviewing the facts.” She stumbles a few steps when Mac pulls her along to hide the pair, and maybe it’s silly but she crosses her fingers as the light sweeps over the ground. 

The old instinct kicks in, and the wash of that feeling over her skin is instantly refreshing. It feels like stepping back into her favorite pair of shoes; she knows she has to be silent and light on her feet and fast. The camouflage will do the rest.

This is the most desperate moment of her life. Running away from prison through the wilds of fucking Alaska with a rogue guard. It’s the biggest thrill she’s had in years. Cold air burns at her face and for a while she can hear guards arguing back and fourth about where to look, what to do. But as the trees get denser the light of their torches fades and their voices vanish- she doesn’t think they’ve given up entirely, but perhaps taken a step back to re-evaluate. Tommie slows to a halt as Mac does, leaning up against a tree trunk as she catches her breath. 

[tommie-dalton]

xxxtrafries‌:

Mac searched the ground for hard-packed soil, keen to avoid leaving footsteps in the snow wherever possible. The flurries swirling around them didn’t make the effort any easier, and she anticipated having to wade through several inches within a few hours’ time– time that they didn’t have. Depending on how diligent the guards were feeling that night, she guessed that they didn’t have much longer before they were pursued. 

If she were anyone else, Mac might’ve bristled at the blunt line of questioning, but instead leveled Tommie with a searching stare. “How else do you think? Someone reports you to Belmont, they send an officer to nab you, and leave you to die in Bumfuck, Alaska,” Mac said. “The only difference is that I have a power that they want.” She shouldn’t have cared if Tommie judged her for it– Mac’s whole thing was not caring about other people– but that same niggling seed of guilt she’d been trying to ignore for decades reared its ugly head. “Wouldn’t you take the alternative if you could?”

It was strange being out in the elements.

The breeze, the crunch of snow under her feet, the smells, the fucking sky. She’d missed the sky. Her office had been at the top of the block, just high rises and clouds out the window- she loved it. She missed it. Probably being rented by some stupid fucking lawyer now who yelled down the phone all day and never appreciated the view.

Tommie curled her hands into fists and stuffed them into her pockets, gritting her teeth against the cold. She could get through it. She had too. There would be no giving up now- ok technically they hadn’t come that far, but it was far enough that she was determined to make it all the way.

She hadn’t been sure if she’d get an answer-- but Mac never does exactly what she expects. A power they want. Tommie wasn’t surprised, everything boiled down to greed in the end. She wanted to ask exactly what that power was, but she was silenced by Mac’s own line of questioning. She considers it for a while. If her own mutation were more profitable, more useful, would she have gone a different route? 

This gift had been with her as long as she could remember, and she’d always used it to do what had ended up becoming the thing to land her in Belmount. Finding the truth, telling as many people as she could. If Belmount had offered her the chance to work for them instead of being imprisoned by them? At first glance it might seem better, the security around her would certainly have been more lax... But she’d seen too many people fall pray to the systems they were trying to dismantle from the inside. As a prisoner, Tommie was a rebel, not an instrument. “No.” She finally said, watching the cloud her breath formed instead of looking to see how Mac might react.

“The whole reason I’m here is because I was trying to take the place apart. And sure I haven’t succeeded yet, but I don’t see how making myself part of the problem would yield better results.” She is not a warm woman, but perhaps it is the fact that the temperature around them is already so frigid which makes Tommie want to soften the blow a little. “In terms of self preservation your method is probably better, though.”

[tommie-dalton]

xxxtrafries‌:

Mac didn’t begrudge Tommie for being suspicious; Mac was a traitor to her own kind, and she’d be lying if she didn’t admit that she’d purposely kept her involvement in the escape from Belmont in case she needed an out. But it was the only way she knew how to operate, with one foot out the door and her hand on a failsafe. 

Mac exhaled impatiently when she realized Tommie refused to move, her breath forming great white clouds before dissipating. “Because I’d be you otherwise,” she retorted and waved a hand in the direction from which they came. “I fucked up, and if I weren’t working for Belmont, I’d be sharing the same shitty showers you use. That’s the SparkNotes version.” When she had her freedom, it was easier to ignore that the life she had was conditional; but ever since being demoted, the fact that she’d lost the use of her powers had eroded her tolerance faster than any seed of doubt could. 

“Now can we get a fucking move on? I’m not gonna lie, if we’re caught, I’m throwing you under the bus, so you should be a little more concerned with speed.” Mac waved her arms in the universal sign of ‘HURRY UP’ as she stomped her way over a fallen log. “Look, if it makes you feel any better, we can have our heart-to-heart while on the move.” 

Mac might be fun but she wasn’t exactly reliable. Seriously, every other guard was right on schedule but this chick couldn’t be bothered to drag her ass to the library- and what, now she was Tommie’s best chance at getting away alive?

Fuck.

She was shivering, but Mac’s admission made Tommie’s whole body tense up for a moment. “You mean you’re a-” She was right, first and foremost. They had to move. Tommie shifted the backpack over her shoulder and started walking, quietly trying to process everything that had already been said.

Mac was a mutant. It was a testament to how doggedly determined she was to return to life as normal that one of the first thoughts to occur to Tommie was that it would make for one hell of a sidebar in the story she wrote about this place. She’d escaped with a guard who’d been just like them all along; trapped. Stuck swirling around in a system that didn’t really want to give her a job, just wanted to keep her near. And she’d been keeping it a secret this whole time, it must have sucked. “...How the hell did you end up working for the institution that wants to see people like you and me wiped off the face of the fucking planet?”

[tommie-dalton]

xxxtrafries‌:

Initially, Mac didn’t plan on saving anyone but herself, but even the Grinch had a heart capable of growing. So she raided her coworkers’ lockers and pilfered what she could around campus, careful to leave the most obvious items untouched. She left her own room and office exactly the way they were, racing to bury two backpacks and some food in the woods before manhandling Tommie straight into the cold. They didn’t have a lot of time before guards came looking for them, and it was imperative that they get as far away from Belmont as possible before that happened. 

“We’re getting out of here. There’s a boat waiting for us at the docks.” Mac’s tone was clipped and devoid of her usual humor as she stole glances between her watch and over their shoulders. She paused to brush a pile of branches from the forest floor, retrieving one of the backpacks and tossing it at Tommie. “I couldn’t grab much, but there’s a jacket and bottle of water in there for you. Oh, and–” Mac tossed the shitty little flip phone she’d confiscated days earlier. “I took the liberty of using your camera. You might want to look through those photos alone, though.” She could be serious when the situation called for it, but that didn’t mean she was going to pass up a chance to flirt with Tommie. 

A boat.

A boat?!

Nearly six years in the shit hole and now she was going to get out! She could go back to work- oh sure they’d have replaced her years ago but there was NO WAY they would turn her away when she rocked up fresh off the back of an escape from Belmount with documented evidence of the mistreatment and abuse at the hands of the staff. She could publish her article! Get her life back!

The cold air of the outside world hit her for the first time in years, and at the same time so did the realization of who she was outside with.

Why would Mac help her escape? Why would Mac willing wander through the freezing fucking cold when she had a paycheck and her own room and a steady job? Was there anyone better on the payroll to send along on this little journey, to round up detainees and force them all back into their cells?

No, there wasn’t. It could all be an elaborate sting. Tommie caught the backpack with fingers already going numb, and hurried to unzip it to get at the jacket inside. It staved off the cold enough but she still wouldn’t survive out here for long if she was alone. She caught the phone, too, watching Mac through narrowed eyes.

“Tell me why you want out so bad, and can’t just go the conventional route of quitting your job.” Tommie demanded, feet planted firmly in the hopes that it might stop Mac from just dragging her along again. Of course, she could lie, but Tommie was pretty good at spotting liars. “Tell me why the fuck I should trust a member of fucking staff during an escape attempt.”

[tommie-dalton]

xxxtrafries‌:

@tommie-dalton​

Mac could fashion a noose out of the list of sins she’d committed, starting with the time she pushed Maggie Maruschack off the swings in pre-k. Her most recent would be this: knocking out security (with more force than necessary, of course), stealing a shitload of inventory, and trashing the admin building as a cherry on top. She was eager to sever the lead that choked her for eleven years, biting the hand that didn’t so much as feed as it withheld and punished.

Tommie was easy to find. Mac figured that tonight of all nights, most detainees would be found where they were supposed to be. 

“Shut the fuck up and follow my lead,” Mac hissed, barely audible over the ever-present whir of the generators. Her fist remained buried within the front of Tommie’s shirt, hauling the woman up from her bunk with a violent jerk. Luckily, she wasn’t stupid enough to protest, which made the march out of the compound exceedingly easy. “I have a date with this one. Give me an hour,” Mac said cheerily to the sentries posted outside the dorm as she passed.

There were rumors about escape attempts circling around this place at least every other month. It never happened, but Tommie always prepared anyway. Updated the save files on her memory sticks so they’d be as accurate as possible at go time, kept her ear to the ground, sleeping in shifts. Right now she was awake, but she had heard some stomping about in the hallways so was still lying in her bunk, waiting for the noise to die down before she went out to investigate. 

The noise came crashing through the door instead though and Tommie stiffened, waiting for whatever late night raid bullshit they were going to be pulling tonight. There were USB sticks stuffed under her mattress that she quickly grabbed and stashed in her pockets She peeked open one eye enough to realize it was Mac who’d come by, just in time to be hauled out of her bed. She stumbled a few steps, finding her footing as she was dragged down the hallway.

“What the fuck is going on?” Tommie hissed when they were out of earshot. Mac-- she wasn’t one of the good guys exactly, but she’d never heard any stories about the guard exploiting her position to beat people up in the middle of the night. Plus they had an understanding, she thought, or at least they’d gotten hammered together in that tiny excuse of an office which kind of made you as close to being friends as Tommie was willing to be with a guard.