19404/The SHIELD Back Lot Tour

The SHIELD Back Lot Tour
Date of Scene:	29 October 2024
Location:	The Triskelion: Courtyard
Synopsis:	Aisling comes to the Triskelion to meet with Deputy Director Hill, but finds Felicity instead, who gives a visitor's tour to the potential new recruit.
Cast of Characters:	Felicity Smoak, Aisling Caroll

---

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Getting a tour of the SHIELD facility isn't a sure bet. When you call, they tell you that tours are offered in advance for large groups and educational field trips, but that personal tours are on a case-by-case basis depending on availability. You cannot schedule one, but if you go through security, park in the visitor's lot, and walk up to the information desk, the attendant there will see if there is anyone available to accommodate.

It's a big, secretive, government machine, and it is nothing of not bureaucratic. It's a little known fact that SHIELD has bested more than half of their enemies by burying them under mountains of red tape.

It's true. Look it up.

Unfortunately, however, when Aisling arrives at the front information and security desk attached to the visitor's lot... it's empty. Which is probably weird. I mean, for _sure_ there are cameras and metal detectors and bomb detectors and probably nanobots crawling up your pants leg at any given moment, because it's SHIELD. But one wouldn't expect the security desk to be empty.

Except it's not... empty-empty. As one gets closer, they can start to hear voices that seem to be coming from BEHIND the desk.

First, a woman... "No-no-no! Not like tha -- can you please just... stop moving so fast? What are you trying to do? Rub a hole in it? It's _way_ over-sensitive, now."

Then, a man. "You _said_ you were ready."

The woman again. "I _said_ I was ready for you to put it in. Have you never done this before?"

The man. "No, I haven't. I told you. I usually just watch."

The woman sighs. "It's fine. You just need to be more gentle. Give it to me. I'll show you...."

Aisling Caroll has posed:
    Cough. EhhhEHMMMM. COUGH.

    "You two, should probably get a room" says a very obviously Irish lilted feminine accent. Aisling, for her part, doesn't bother trying to look over the desk, yet. This is all very obviously not what it sounds like, she hopes.

    Though, one does not visit SHIELD HQ and not look the part, so, she's dressed like she jsut walked out of Men in Black. She cuts a nice figure at six one in heeled boots. Black suit, white shirt. Red hair tied back in a high pony tail. Sunglasses she keeps on as she clasps her hands infront of her body.

    She's also doing her level damn best to keep her powers in check. One does not simply walk in to SHIELD HQ and start doing the telepath thing without risking being smashed in to the ground.

Felicity Smoak has posed:
THUNK.

"Ow," comes the woman's voice again, much smaller than before.

The first to stand up is the man, dressed impeccably in his SHIELD jumpsuit, all dark colors, patches, and rank insignias. He's groomed well, mid-thirties, and he has a warm, professional smile on his lips.

"Sorry. The I.T. girl is here trying to fix the holo-projector. It's been on the fritz ever since..." His voice trails off, and he seems to think better of going into great detail about the angry man with all of the extra bionic arms that tried to break in. "..last Tuesday. What can I do for you?"

A moment later, the woman stands with a crazy looking screwdriver in her hand. She has dirty blonde hair smoothed back into a tight ponytail. On her noise, two-tone rectangle framed eyeglasses, and for anyone who 'knows,' she's dressed _far_ too nicely to be from SHIELD's I.T. department.

Both her blouse and the skirt are designer. And though it's not flashy, the whole outfit -- including the red-soled pumps (which are hard to see at the moment) -- is definitely worth more than a grand.

Felicity's glare, when she focuses it on the security guard, could rival Cyclops.

"First of all, NOT an I.T. girl. I'm a _consultant_ because I run my own company, and I'm doing you a favor."

But when she turns her gaze on Aisling, it's considerably softer, if a little more embarassed.

"Second, I am _so_ sorry. That is not at all what it sounded like." Beat. "I mean, unless it sounded like _one of us_ was trying to fix the holographic projector while the other fumbled around the in the dark like some kind of primitive ape who's never seen a screwdriver before. Then it was exactly what it sounded like."

Aisling Caroll has posed:
    "That is, very much" fingers move up to slowly take her black mirror shades off and slide them in to a pocket, "is not what it sounded like, no." The irish twang in her accent very much present. Though, with her glasses off, her most striking feature outside her red hair, freckles, height and obvious fitness level... Is on full display to both of them. One of her eyes, the right one, is very blue. The other, the let one, is very green.

    She steps forward and produces a card, Deputy Director Hill's card, and motions to hand it to Felicity. Why not the SHIELD guy? Well, I mean, because he looks like a random grunt, Felicity looks important.

    "Aisling Caroll to see the Deputy Director."

    Yes, she's ignoring the SHIELD grunt.

Felicity Smoak has posed:
...not what it sounded like, no.

"Right. Well, I'm just going to..." Go somewhere else where she can die of embarrassment in private? Not so fast, Felicity.

Before she can even take so much as a single step away, Aisling is stepping forward and handing her that card, asking to see the Deputy Director -- a woman Felicity herself has never even met.

"Oh! Right. That sounds pretty common," she says with a warm smile. "I love your eyes, by the way. You probably hear that all the time.."

The security grunt clears his throat. He's already working on his terminal, probably checking the Deputy Director's schedule and looking for an appointment.

"...I don't mean that in a creepy way. I'm not into women as a general rule..."

The guard glances up, gawking at her, but she's still rambling...

"...not that there's anything _at all_ wrong with it. I _fully_ support love is love. It's just that I _have_ someone I love and he's.. not.. a.. woman."

She seemed to trail off at the very end there like she was running out of steam or finally losing her train of thought, bouncing Hill's card on her hand a couple of times and flashing an even more awkward smile.

"So! How are we lookin' on the ole scheduling front?" Felicity asks, apparently trying to forget her whole rant before it 'turned into an incident.' It's one thing to have them at Queen Consolidated or in the Arrowcave. It's another to keep talking until someone gets offended at SHIELD.

"I don't see you on the list, Miss Caroll."

Aisling Caroll has posed:
    Everyone likes her eyes. It's the first thing they ever mention. Not so much the hair, or freckles, or her accent, always the eyes. Though, she's fine with it, as the smirk forming on her lips shows.

    Then, there's the whole socially awkward thing going on and well, Girl, Same. Aisling can't help but just keep smiling and lightly giggling cause she's just as awkward when she's not putting a mask on.

    "I was told by Deputy Director Hill to contact her if I wanted to discuss SHIELD. Call her and she'll confirm."

Felicity Smoak has posed:
"Deputy Director Hill is out of the office at the moment -- " starts the generic security grunt, but before he can finish, Felicity is making a 'shooing' gesture that gets him up out of his seat.

"Miss Smoak, you can't just -- " he starts once more, but even as Felicity's sliding into the chair like she owns it, she's holding up a finger.

"It's Felicity. Not I.T. Girl. Not Miss Smoak. Felicity," she says, eyes focused on the screen, but then her fingers are on the keys, and it's almost like she's some kind of cyborg, she's moving so fast. "_You_ might not be able to, but I _definitely_ can."

"You're not supposed to access classified documents on public-facing terminals," the man says.

"Which is why I'm really glad it's not my account that's logged in right now," Felicity muses, venturing a glance up over the screen to smile up at Aisling, winking through her glasses, and then going back to the terminal.

And even as that guard starts to move forward, to try to seize control, Felicity sticks one hand out behind her to brace against his chest, still looking at the screen.

"Okay. Aisling Caroll. Love the name. It looks like they already started preliminary background screenings through all of the major alphabet agencies aaaaaaaaand... you passed. Initial screening, anyway. They do that to a _lot_ of people, though. Pretty much anyone that might be a hiring candidate or anyone that wants a meeting inside the Trisk or anyone that showed up on a wire tap or walked by one of the monitored security cameras or..."

No more government secrets, Felicity.

"The point is, it's largely superficial, but it's all you need for a visitor's badge," the blonde finishes, adjusting her ponytail.

"I'm here by myself. We have no one available to escort her," the guard points out.

At which point Felicity smiles brightly at the guard, then turns back and looks at Aisling with a warm smile. "Sure you do."

Finally, she's standing from the chair, offering it back to the guard with a magnanimous flourish of her hand.

"You know I'm writing a report about this," the man says when he takes his seat again.

"Yeah, I figured, Jimmy." She pauses when he looks blankly at her. "Jimmy the Weasel?" Still that blank look. "Aladena Fratianno? The mob boss turned informant? Do you not watch the History channel? Whatever."

From under the counter, Felicity grabs a visitor's badge and her own, both of which bear the SHIELD emblem, though hers says 'Felicity Smoak, Consultant.'

"Miss Caroll, if you'll follow me," Felicity finally offers, holding out that visitor's badge.

Aisling Caroll has posed:
    Blink. Blink. Blink. Confused Puppy Dog Head Tilt. Holy crap that's a whole, thing, that just happened.

    "I uh, well, I mean, good to know..." she adds. Which, it is good to know she's not wanted by any of the major alphabet agencies, yet. Though, that might change giving her predelaction to pal around with the Queen of Genosha. Which, might also be in those records. That side, all they show is, Immigrant, Orphan, Foster Care, Homeless, now with Xaviers. Why all of that? Well, it's SHIELD, that's why.

    She takes the visitors badge and nods, giving a passing glance to mister Jimmy the guard man that screams, /HAHAHAHAHA I WIN./

    Once she has that badge around her neck, she's in tow right behind Felicity. "Thank you, Felicity" she adds, softly, turning both corners of her upper lip upwards in a really bright smile. So bright it could be a new star in the night sky. Also, she learns quick, straight to /just felicity/.

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Jimmy the Guard Man almost scowls back, though it remains borderline professional. Aaaand, they're walking. Felicity's starting towards the sliding glass security doors behind the security desk.

"You learn fast," Felicity points out, sharing her own grin. "I like that."

Beat.

"Not that I have anything at all to do with the hiring process. I don't. They don't even realize I have as much access to the personnel database as I do. You would not _believe_ some of the things people here have in their files."

She doesn't have to wave her badge or anything. They part at her approach with a pleasant, "Good Afternoon, Felicity," and then she's leading the way inside.

"So, I saw that they ran the background because you're a potential hire. You're thinking about moving from Xavier's or working double-duty? Because you know we have people from all over. Several of the agents are also Avengers. I'm not an agent, but I technically live on the West Coast. Starling City. We have a place in New York, too, though, so we're.. back and forth. Anyway, my point is, you wouldn't necessarily have to decide. I don't know much about it, but I've heard that Xavier's is a really nice place."

She rambles. A lot. But at least they're inside.

Aisling Caroll has posed:
    /Shove off grunt/ she would say, if she had the courage to give him more guff. To her credit though, she's not stupid enough to make a scene here of all places.

    Snapping back to reality, Aisling nods, "I try to" she taps her temple, "mostly street smarts and survival instinct though."

    Pause, Blink, "Oh, trust me, I could wager some guesses...." and she really realy could.

    Following shortly behind, but mostly in lock step, the two women cut quite a picture. "I uh, yeah. Wrong Place Wrong time I suppose? Building fell on me, the Deputy Director was there, offered me a chance to talk. So, here I am" pause, beat, wait a tick, "Though, wait, I don't have to pick?"

Felicity Smoak has posed:
"A building... fell on you?"

Totally not the strangest sentence she's heard this week. This _is_ SHIELD, after all, and this isn't even her weirdest gig. But, it's still odd to hear out of the mouth of someone who casually walked in to try to get an appointment.

"Well, given that you're _here_ and walking and talking, I'm guessing it wasn't as wrong as it could have been for some of us. I mean.. phew. The last time a building fell on me, it ruined my whole week, you know?"

Asked in the exact same tone and with the exact same smile as someone who has never, in fact, had a building fall on them before.

...Now, _around_ her, maybe...

"Well, I can't promise you we'll find the Deputy Director while you're here. There's a better than even chance that she's on a Helicarrier over some place that starts with B. Budapest, Bahrain.. it's kind of a running joke. Anyway, as far as picking, I mean.. it kind of depends what you want to do. Obviously, if you go full agent, they'll want more of your time. There's training and missions, but there's good assignments to be had. If you wanted something more casual, there's always working part time as a consultant, like I do. They tend to want some kind of specialized skill set for that. Like.. I have my own tech company, and I'm..."

How to put it?

"...good with computers."

Understatement of the year.

They finally come up on a bank of elevators, and Felicity pushes the down button. They're on the 'ground' level, so they're going... underground?

Aisling Caroll has posed:
    <"And I am good with things like this">

    Yup, might as well rip the bandaid off and just do the thing. "That and also healing, myself and others. I can lift a ton, run forty miles an hour and I'm an empath. Should be enough special skills yes?" At least that's what the Deputy Director said.

    "Though, now that I think about it" pause, beat, "I should not have done what I just did, apologies..." she adds as she starts to fidget.

    "Wait, we're going down?" yeah, she saw that button press. "I uh, ummm..." welp, crap. "Like, under ground?" Never mind the whole tech company thing and pretty much everything else that was said. Being in an elvator going underground is not something she seems all that keen on.

    "I mean" cough, "Yeah, good with computers and tech company. Very cool! I'm uh, I graduated highschool..." yes, someone feels stupid in comparrison. To say the least.

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Felicity freezes. She'd pushed the button already. She was in the process of pulling her hand back. But she stops like she was hit with some kind of freeze ray...

One second. Two. Finally her eyes move, and she draws her hand back sloowwwly, turning to face Aisling in the process.

"Were you just inside me?" Crap. "Not inside... I mean my head. Were you just inside my head?"

Holy superhuman, Batman. Given all of her connections to the Justice League and people who can literally fly past the speed of light, it really shouldn't surprise her. But... yikes.

"That's... a coincidence. I can lift forty pounds and run a mile. So we're.. you know.. almost the same. Just with the numbers reversed."

She smiles awkwardly.

"And.. yeah. I mean, up is all just meeting spaces and party planners. All the cool stuff is underground. It's fine, though. This place is _super_ solid and shielded. Trust me. If we were in the middle of a full scale global disaster, there are _way_ worse places to be."

Pause.

"Thankfully, that's not the case, today."

Pause. Awkward smile.

"...Yet."

Aisling Caroll has posed:
    Blink. Blink. Blink.

    Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Felicity...

    "In" pause, beat, "your head..." cough, "I uh, I mean, yeah... Yes... Yes I was." Oh this is gonna be just amazing.

    There's more blinking, because of course there is. Tho they do share being awkward and Aisling is very much known for being awkward in social situations. So, yay, awkward meet awkward.

    "Proud of you?" she's not realy sure what else to say there, but ya know, she holds up two thumbs and fakes a smile before just sighing.

    Then, there's whole hating enclosed spaces thing... but also not, she's a giant walking contradiction. "Oh..." gulp, "underground..." pause, "yay." She inhales and exhales deeply and walks in to the now open and waiting elevator. "Never add the Yet. Ever."

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Proud of you?

"You really shouldn't be," Felicity admits with a sympathetic smile. "I am, for the record, the queen of awful jokes. It's my attempt at easing the tension, even though it usually just adds more tension." She honestly doesn't even seem remotely as apologetic for it as she was the initial word-slip, which she also seems to do... a lot. Stupid brain.

"Superstitious, huh? I get that. Working around here, the whole end of the world thing just starts to feel like another Tuesday..."

They're in the elevator, then, and the doors close.

"Welcome, Ms. Smoak. Please select a floor," a pleasant disembodied voice says.

So, she reaches out and pushes a button. The elevator starts to descend.

"So... is your telepathy like... two-way communications? Can you read people's thoughts? Or.. only if they're trying to send you something? How does that work?"

Somebody has a guilty (or at least nervous) conscience.

Aisling Caroll has posed:
    "Uh, huh" Aisling raises another half assed thumb and forms a slight, but fleeting smile.

    Superstitious?

    "No" the reply is about as curt and short as it can possibly be. To the sharp witted, the fact she's standing in the corner of the lift with her back to the walls is a dead give away. There's also the trembling hands, the more than slightly increased breathing rate, and the slight glisten on her forhead.

    Aisling locks her mistmatched eyes with Felicity and gives her the answer to her question, without her moth moving.

    <"Yes, I can.">

Felicity Smoak has posed:
< "She's terrified. Say something." >
< "What am I supposed to say? It's an elevator ride? It'll be over sooner than you think isn't exactly super comforting." >
< "Crap." >
< "Don't say crap. She can hear you." >
< "Oh, crap. She can hear me." >
< "Don't think of Oliver." >
< "How am I not supposed to think of Oliver? Especially now that I've told myself not to think of Oliver?" >
< "Now the only thing I can think of is Oliver." >
< "It's fine. Don't panic. Salmon ladder." >
< "Salmon ladder." >
< "Salmon ladder." >
< "Salmon ladder." >

...It's kind of a mess in Felicity's brain.

And very loud. Especially now that she's picturing a very sweaty, shirtless man going up and down a set of bars as repetitious exercise.

"Sorry. Let's maybe focus on the tour. So, I can't take you into the secured areas. Especially since you're a telepath... for security reasons. But I can show you the food court and the general area some of the labs and offices are in. You'll at least know more about the place while we wait to see if Deputy Director Hill gets back."

It really isn't that long of a ride. Soon, the elevator is slowing and the doors are opening. Felicity gestures for Aisling to step off first.

Aisling Caroll has posed:
    /You need help./ No, Ais, no, bad girl. Naughty. Don't say that out loud. She's not the only person that needs help, you more than most.

    Sigh.

    "Yes, lets" she adds rather plainly, "your mind is going to give me a panic attack anyway." Yup, maybe work on that filter eh girl?

    "I uh, I mean, Food court, labs and offices, great..." pause, beat, "let's do that..." and off the elevator she shuffles rather rapidly.

Felicity Smoak has posed:
"Yeah. My brain's probably a bunch of fun-house mirrors, angry clowns, tangled fiber-optic cables, baked goods, and filing cabinets. I honestly hadn't really thought of it as an unintentional psychic defense until just now." And.. yes.. half-naked pictures of Oliver Queen, though she doesn't say that part out loud. "You get used to it after a while."

That awkward, cheerful smile still lingers on her lips as she steps off the elevator behind the other woman and gestures down one of the hallways.

"So! Xavier's School. SHIELD. That's a lot to consider taking on. More than most people would do. You must really be interested in making a difference?"

Maybe it's just small talk on their way to the food court, but something about the bottle-blonde's gaze shows genuine interest behind those rectangle-framed glasses.

Aisling Caroll has posed:
    "I imagine it is, and that is how one builds a defense against psychic intrusion." She says it plainly, because it is something she just knows and assumes others should just know.

    Then comes the big question, that itself deserves a big response. A real response.

    "No one was ever my hero, so I want to be one for others." The look in her eyes says she means it. It also speaks to someone who wished that they had a hero to rescue them.

    "Outside that, if you have the power to do something and you choose to do nothing at all... what kind of person are you?" Conviction, she has it in spades.

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Felicity listens, and for a moment, her usual cheerful expression softens. That conviction seems to hit her in a way she didn't expect, and the warmth in her gaze shifts to something gentler, more understanding. She's quiet for a beat, letting Aisling's words settle in the space between them.

"You know... I get that," Felicity finally replies, her tone softer than usual, a hint of admiration in her voice. "It's a lot to carry -- wanting to be the person you didn't have. Takes a kind of strength not everyone has." She offers a small, encouraging smile, her hands loosely clasped in front of her as they continue walking.

"And, yeah, you're right. It's not enough to just have power; you have to actually do something with it. I know... a lot of people that feel that way, at this point." She shakes her head, her lips quirking up in a wry smile. "I guess that's why I'm here, too -- trying to make up for all the people who thought it was easier to look the other way. It's sort of been a habit of mine since college, though, with varying degrees of success... and legality."

There's a flash of something deeper behind her glasses -- something vulnerable and earnest. "But hey, if you decide to join and need a sidekick, or... maybe just someone who gets it? You can always call me."

The doors to the food court slide open at their approach, and Felicity raises her hands slightly in front of herself.

"Behold, the best food you'll find fifteen stories underground. Actually, it's not bad. It's no Big Belly Burger, though."

Aisling Caroll has posed:
    "It takes a kind of strength I don't even think I have" Aisling replies letting out a dejected sigh. "I try though, and I suppose that's what matters" she adds shrugging her shoulders and forming a slight smirk on her lips.

    "Something good, to many with power do something bad with theirs" she adds slowly looking away for a moment before looking back and locking her gaze on Felicity. She nods her head in a slight motion that signals affirmation, "Just So Miss Smoak, Just so" and out comes a hand that gets gently placed on Felicity's shoulder, "I find those without powers, that still choose to stand and do something, far more heroic than those with." Her smile is warm and as bright as a summers day. There is a feeling that infilitrates the room after she says this, it too is warm. Perhaps another ability?

    "Hmm, well, suppose it's better than nothing!" she adds giggling taking her hand back and stepping out. With her back to Felicity as she looks around, she adds, "Also, I imagine the sidekick would be me. The real power would be you."

Felicity Smoak has posed:
Felicity's eyes soften as Aisling speaks, the genuine warmth that seems to fill the air between them. And when that hand lands gently on her shoulder, it's as if that warmth settles right into her.

"Oh, I don't know about that," she says with a light laugh, her voice softer but still carrying that familiar spark. "I think just trying, like you said -- that's kind of everything. And if you ask me, it's a lot braver to try when you don't feel all that strong."

As Aisling pulls her hand away and looks around, Felicity's smile turns a little wry. "And hey, I don't know what kind of scale you're using, but trust me, there are some pretty incredible people out there who make what I do look like... fixing a paper jam." She chuckles, pushing her glasses up, and then glances toward the food counter as if gathering her thoughts.

She winks, playfully nudging her with her elbow as they step further inside.

"But, yeah," she continues, flashing Aisling a quick grin. "If _I'm_ the real power here, we may have to adjust expectations. I'll keep up the tech end, no problem, and if you ever get stuck with me in your ear, I think we'll make a pretty good team."

There's warmth there, too. A sincere offer of friendship rather than self-deprecation. She sounds like a woman that's comfortable in her role. So many people here, even in this food court, would go and strap on a vest and a tactical harness in an instant. Felicity, on the other hand, would be running for an operation's center to try to keep as many of them alive as she could.

"If you're hungry, I can give you the lowdown on what to avoid on today's menu. After all, just because we're underground doesn't mean we have to eat like we are. Or if you want, I can show you the wing with the offices. One of the training rooms is on the way."

Aisling Caroll has posed:
    "Just so" Aisling adds in soft reply to everything Felicity says. With that, she forms a smile and reaches out to grab Felicity by the hand, "Food it is." She's being quite forward this one, but, if allowed, she's off with Felicity in tow to head to the food court.