Chapter Text
Sasha Marshal loved her work but would rather have different coworkers. Her job was to keep Essie alive. Wallace, if left alone, would just let them do whatever. There would be no structure, no routine! God forbid they would be eating candy for dinner! Before she got here Wallace already let them keep a rat! In their room! With no cage!
But Wallace isn't the coworker that has earned her anger at this moment, for once. It was Hart, that bi-ee went behind her back and sent Essie on a mission without Sashas' permission. Essie could've not been ready, they could've gotten seriously hurt.
"Hart! What were you thinking! Going behind my back like that! Your lucky nothing happened!" Hart was just looking at the data from Essie. "Hart! Answer me!" Wallace shifts uncomfortably more into the corner of the room. Sasha slaps her hands flat onto the table and glares at Hart. Until Hart looks up and says "The target captured is Jeffery Woods called by the media the 'Goodnight Killer' and called by his internet fans 'Jeff the Killer'. I have already sent scientists to run tests on him. But from E.S.13s data, it seems that he has some superhuman speed." Wallace interrupts "I don't think that's what Sasha wants to hear Hart." Sashas hands have clenched to white knuckles. Hart turns to Sasha. Sasha says through gritted teeth "Wallace leave." Wallace does so with hesitance looking back several times until he shuts the door.
"Hart for God's sake. You know we can't take risks like this with Ess-E.S.13. They are the only human test subject to survive this far. You can't do this Hart." Sasha has sat down at one of the chairs closer to Hart. She leans in "I know you want results. I know you need this to work. But for this to work you need to trust that I know how to do my job. You can't go and throw them into danger without telling me." She reaches out and sets her hand on Hart's arm "What would you have told me if they had failed? If they got hurt? Or killed?"
Hart is looking into Sashas eyes. Hart says "I am you're superior." Hart brushes Sashas' hand off. "You do not have the authority to deny any mission I give to E.S.13." Hart turns back to the data "Call Wallace back in. We need to finish debriefing." Sasha scoffs but gets up and drags Wallace back in.
Hart starts speaking "Jeffrey Woods is a serial killer that leaves his victims with similar facial mutilation to his own. He has confirmed killed 18 people. Many have reported encounters that they survived by being awake at the time of his entry, escaping their house, and keeping distance from him" Sasha and Wallace have sat down on either side of the table. "Those reports combined with the footage from E.S.13s helmet indicate that Jeffery Woods has ocular damage. The extent of which will be found." Hart pauses and types into something into the computer. "E.S.13s helmet footage has been sent to your work laptops. Review it and finish your reports by tomorrow night. Wallace, cover the mission details." Hart stands up and leaves swiftly. Wallace straightens in his seat and whips around to Sasha with his eyebrows raised and mouth slightly open.
Sasha looks at him and tilts her head at him slightly. He coughs and shifts "Well, uh, this morning at eight I left with E.S.13 for a small town in Michigan that, um, Jeffrey Woods had been reported to be like at. The town had been evacuated the day prior. We were lucky everyone left aha." He laughs weakly, Sasha folds her hands in front of her on the table "Erm, right well I dropped Essi-E.S.13 off at the edge of town and waited. At around six pm E.S.13 captured Jeffrey Woods and called me to pick them up. And then we came back." He flails his hands a bit. Sasha stands up "Thank you, Wallace. It's time to get Essie some dinner." She gets up and starts to leave, Wallace looks like he'd just been released from jail and jumps up and follows her.
Wallace jogs after Sasha. They enter the cafeteria. Shepard Security labs provide free meals to its employees. Probably to cover for the subpar health insurance. It's late at night the only ones in are the cooks milling about in the back and some night guards on break. Sasha beelines to the counter and a cook, Wallace thinks his name is Eric, notices her immediately, and jumps into action making up three trays. Eric always preps the trio's dinner at least when he's scheduled. Sasha directs Eric like a theater production picking and choosing the trio's dinner for the most optimal nutrition to taste ratio. Wallace privately thinks that Eric could do this by himself but he doubts that Sasha would let it go. They get towards the end of the line and Wallace sees that there are pudding cups available. He glances between Sasha, the cups, and Eric.
Sasha is too busy trying to decide between vegetables. The cups are half-hidden by some decorative leafage. Eric though catches his eyes and nods subtly.
The heist is on.
Sasha is edging closer to the end of the line. Eric comments on the merits of the potatoes over the carrots. Wallace skirts around Sasha as the two start going into the specific nutritional content of the two tubers. Gently he picks up the pudding cup. Sasha and Eric are finishing up their conversation about the tubers and are moving on to the benefits of beef. Sasha pushes the trays along the counter instead of picking them up, keeping turned to Eric. Wallace puts some nearby napkins on top of the pudding cup then puts it on the tray right next to the tall bowl of roasted potatoes. Sasha side-eyes the napkins suspiciously but then Eric makes a comment about condiments and she gets back into the conversation.
All of them are at the end of the line now and Sasha ties up her conversation with Eric while picking up her tray. She goes to pick up Essie's but Wallace picks it up first with his tray in his other hand. Sasha lifts her eyebrow at him, he smiles and shrugs. She rolls her eyes and lets him carry the trays. Wallace shoots a wide smile at Eric who shoots Wallace a smirk and a wink.