Chapter Text
"You're sending me away."
Sage has a hard time containing the hurt in her voice. In front of her, Brimstone looks guilty, but unflinching.
"I'm not, Sage. I'm just giving you leave for a week," he says, voice soft. She hates that it's working, that it makes her not want to argue. They both know he's doing this for good reasons, but she would at least like to pretend to fight it. For dignity's sake.
So, she huffs. "Do I have a choice?"
That seems to catch him off guard. His lips press into a thin line. "I would rather have you agree right away so we can spare ourselves the trouble," he says, and she knows what that means.
"Can I at least ask about why? With the Legion being this active, is it really a good idea to send me away?" You just came back from the dead, she almost wants to add, and you only have two radiant healers. So why me and not you?
"They're slowing down, I'm hoping it's because they're running out of steam," he confides. "In all of our reports, it's the same four names over and over. We think something happened on their side. The last two attacks were nine days apart, which is why I'm only giving you a week."
"Are you really gambling that on intuition?" She asks. She knows him too well to believe that's it. "What is the real plan, Brimstone. If you don't want me to fight it, at least give me the truth."
Brimstone pauses for a second, studying her face. She doesn't flinch, doesn't flee his gaze. He sighs and reaches under his desk, then puts a thick folder in front of her.
"I want to test Sova and Skye as leaders in real conditions, so they'll be taking on all of your responsibilities during the week without you as safety net. That's why I need you off the base," he says.
"You're training replacements." It hurts, but it makes sense. As much a she would like to keep ignoring it, her condition is worsening; she can't blame the pragmatic leader for taking a pragmatic decision. It's why she chose to follow him in the first place.
"Yes and no," Brimstone stops her. "It's true that this is a response to what has happened to both of us, but my main goal is to bring more agents to the top. We're getting big, Sage, we need more help if we don't want to keep running ourselves ragged. Sova and Skye are responsible and have both shown great leadership, but they haven't really managed teams without us three looking over their shoulders. I'm hoping to rearrange some of the responsibilities after your leave to make this protocol a five-seater."
It all makes sense, except one detail. She's alone, and he has given her two names. "I understand Skye will take on my role, but what about Sova?"
Brimstone's stone face cracks, and suddenly, he looks like a child caught in the act.
"Well..." He seems to struggle to find his words for a few seconds. "Sova will be replacing Viper. She's... leaving with you?"
Sage stares blankly at him. He places another plastic folder in front of her - thinner, this time, and the first paper on the stack is a beachside hotel pamphlet.
"I've arranged for you two to stay on a resort for the week," he continues, but the sweat on his brow tells her he's trying his best to move on. "It's a five hours flight from base, with KAY/O on call so if anything happens you'll be home within the day. You'll get prepaid cells and fake IDs once you're there, just in case, and-"
"Liam."
He stops in his tracks, looking guilty.
There are many questions she wants to ask, but the one she lands on is: "Has Viper agreed to this?"
"I'm, uhm... Meeting up with her after this," he admits. "I'm hoping she'll be easier to convince if I already have your approval. You know how she gets, haha." Before she can answer, he waves her down. "Listen, the last few weeks have taken a big toll on Sabine. With both of us down, she has had to pick up the slack, and I can tell she's not dealing with it as well as she'd like me to believe."
"So, three birds, one stone, is that it?" She asks. To be fair, it's kind of an airtight plan - if there is one way to get Viper to agree to take time off, it's by making it sound like training.
"Kind of," Brimstone agrees. "I know that if I send her home alone in Seattle, she'll find a way to also overwork herself, just with a different view. I'm hoping you can help me make sure she actually relaxes."
Sage chuckles. It's easy to forget that out of all of them, he is the one who has known Viper the longest.
"I can't believe you've managed to talk me into this," she shakes her head. "Are you going to give her the same speech?"
Brimstone laughs wholeheartedly. "Only if she starts arguing with me, I promise. You are nowhere near as bad as her when it comes to taking paperwork to the beach, so I trust you on that front." He gestures for her to take the smaller file with a smile. "I'll mark you down as unavailable from tomorrow on, then, KAY/O will be waiting for you at 6am on the landing pad. Pack lightly, it's warm over there. Oh, and please don't tell Skye, the surprise will be part of the test."
When she exits his office, Sage takes a minute to rub her temples. Skye is a good choice, she knows, and they've already gone over everything she needs to do in case Sage is incapacitated multiple time. It'll be good training. And if it takes some of her workload off later her on, it'll be even better - inventory and mission reports can get a little overwhelming when you've just learned you're dying.
Hopefully it'll be worth spending a week alone with someone who hates her as much as Viper does.
Sage stands there long enough for Viper to show up at Brimstone's door. The woman looks as unkempt as she's ever seen her; that is to say with bags under her eyes and slightly ajar eyeliner, but otherwise as flawless and sharp as usual. And yet it still feels like such a shocking change to Sage. Viper acknowledges her with a short nod before entering the office, and not even a minute later her voice resonates down the hall with unbridled fury.
"You're sending me away?!"