View source for 3646/The sacred right of all SHIELD agents: The Swordfish Bar

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2020/09/30
|Location=Swordfish Bar (SHIELD)
|Synopsis=Bobbi, Phil, Jess, and Angelo catchup at the swordfish
|Cast of Characters=568,503,495,736
|pretty=yes
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{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:568|Bobbi Morse (568)}} has posed:'''<br>Bobbi is nearing the end of her required medical leave and ready to get back to work. That work won't be field work until Jemma clears her for it, so until then she's been assigned to R&amp;D, much to Fitz's chagrin. Though Director Levine is really happy to have a level 7 under his command, even if it is for a short period. It means he doesn't have to go out on field trips to gather samples and set up equipment as much. Bobbi was quick to point out that she could have been doing that for him any way and that he only gets her temporarily.<br><br>So now she's at the sword fish killing some time and trying to relax. This is her second lot of leave in as many months. Maria and Fury really know how to push her buttons. There's nothing worse than being on leave and actually needing o take it seriously. Last time she fought thugs and ninjas.. this time she's been reconciling with an old flame.<br><br>Sitting at the bar and nursing a whisky, she is dressed in civilian clothes - a black cardigan and blue jeans. Her hair is down. The least she could do was to encourage the younger agents to learn the wonders of the Swordfish Bar.. which has a super secret door password of SWORDFISH.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:503|Angelo Tampambulos (503)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The idea of Bobbi in R&amp;D has Angelo imagining scenes involving things not working right, and Bobbi bashing them with a combat staff to make them work right. But that thought barely flashes through his brain when he spots Bobbi in the bar.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's -his- first foray into the bar, and he finds himself with hands in his jeans pockets, and a simple white teeshirt worn underneath a black buttondown dress shirt that is untucked and combines that expensive clothes look with a casual demeanor.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The look is further confused by his choise of footwear... Italian loafers are his footwear of choice tonight.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But he strides towards the bar and says, "Morse. Will you let me buy you a shot?" he asks as he gestures to the bartender.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:495|Jessica Drew (495)}} has posed:'''<br>If there ever was a niche bar, one of New York City's many specialties, the Swordfish would be one. Jess was amused when she learned of its existence and felt both self-conscious, and as though she needed to be looking over her shoulder the first time she used the password. <br><br>Those feelings have been exchanged for relief at having a safe place to hang and wondering when or if any of SHIELD's many adversaries will decide to hit them here. Hard. Or it can be viewed as 'Another Opportunity (tm)' to just be in the moment. Shrugging to herself, she taps the password in and enters the most prosaic of bars not two minutes behind Angelo.<br><br>"Hi Bobbi. Hi Angelo. Drinking? Or should I say, what are you all drinking?" The green-eyed woman nods with a faint smile for them both before climbing on to a bar stool with Bobbi next to her.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:736|Phil Coulson (736)}} has posed:'''<br>It's not long after the door closes that it opens again. This time, it is Coulson making his way through it, expression a bit thoughtful as he pockets his phone. More or less out of habit, he takes some steps towards the bar, without looking. When he looks, he spots the people at the bar, offering them all a nod and a smile. "Hello," he offers to them all.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:568|Bobbi Morse (568)}} has posed:'''<br>Bobbi looks to her right and smiles to Angelo, "Sounds great. Call me Bobbi, we're off duty. No need to be formal, especially not in here." She turns a little more and sees Jess too, "Hi Jess. Is this the first time here for you both? I guess you're officially full members of SHIELD in that case."<br><br>When she sees Phil her left foot pushes out a chair for him. She lifts up her whisky in greeting and also replies to Jess, "I'm drinking whisky, and apparently also a shot. Hi Phil, I was just about to tell our colleagues here about the long history of the Swordfish Bar."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:503|Angelo Tampambulos (503)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Oh, I love history." offers Angelo in his tongue-in-cheek way. "It is always so interesting. I always wonder how much of it is remembered correctly, and how much was made up by whomever had the power at the time."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That said, he tells the bartender, "A round on me. Whatever folks are drinking, their next refill is my treat." he says. "I mean unless we don't -pay- here?" he asks, looking around with as innocent an expression as he can muster.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:495|Jessica Drew (495)}} has posed:'''<br>Quipping to Angelo, "You can fact check us all, Angelo with what you know of history. Can't you just see it? All SHIELD agents having running tabs at the Swordfish taken out of their salaries?" <br><br>Jess turns slightly on her stool to nod to Coulson, "Agent Coulson. Erm. Phil? What are you having?"<br><br>Reorienting slightly, she leans on the bar, "No, second time for me here, Bobbi. Not enough times to say I don't find it kind of strange and wonderful that we have our own hangout."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:736|Phil Coulson (736)}} has posed:'''<br>"They say that history is written by the victors," Coulson remarks with a bit of a smile, as he moves to seat himself. The bartender raises an eyebrow in question, getting a nod in return. Seems like he's dropping by enough times for the bartender to know what his preferred drink is. He shrugs a bit at the question, "Beer, usually," he replies to Jessica, along with a brief shrug. Not getting into more of the particulars for now, it would seem. "I hope you are all well today?" Thereæs also a grin offered to Bobbi. "Feel free to continue the lecture," he offers lightly.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:568|Bobbi Morse (568)}} has posed:'''<br>The bald headed bartender brings out the drinks with a stoic look upon his face. Bobbi takes a sip of her whisky and says, "If you put it on your tab it comes out of your pay, your choice. Pay now, pay later. This is technically a privately owned bar now - but back in the day this used to be a speak easy. There's secret tunnels and rooms," she says with a conspiratorial smile.<br><br>"After prohibition, after SHIELD was founded, it became a SHIELD base of operations. You can check it in the archives, code named SWORDFISH. That apparently was the door password to get in to the speak easy. All the secret rooms and passages made it a great SHIELD base. Who knows what secrets lay around every corner."<br><br>"If you want to amuse yourselves, you can try and find the golden SHIELD badge, hidden somewhere on the premises. It's a right of passage to find it. No one is going to help you. Any way, time passed and it became disused and turned in to a safehouse.. more time passed and it was sold in the 80s and became a bar exclusively for SHIELD agents.. and here we are today." She may have skipped over a _lot_ of history there.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:503|Angelo Tampambulos (503)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"So, if I had a proper period SHIELD badge made out of gold, I couldn't like.. pretend I found it, huh?" asks Angelo as he lays his AMEX black on the counter. "I'd better pay now. Since my paycheck is entirely donated to the Red Cross and all." he offers with a shrug. "It didn't seem right to do anything else with it." he adds.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then he turns to regard Bobbi as he lifts a shot glass of amber liquid and says, "To prohibition!" in a toast before knocking it back.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:495|Jessica Drew (495)}} has posed:'''<br>Jessica shoots Angelo a glance at his comment about his paycheck and smiles to herself. "I'll take the next round if we get that far." <br><br>She holds up her shot glass, waiting for the others, "So, is it regularly found and then hidden, again, Bobbi? Or, is it an honor system? Once found, the secret must be kept?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:736|Phil Coulson (736)}} has posed:'''<br>Phil Coulson pauses for a few moments at the mention of the paycheck donation. "Red Cross is a good cause," he offers, before he takes his drink, waiting for the toast before drinking. "It's good to have a place like this. Everyone needs to relax from time to time."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:568|Bobbi Morse (568)}} has posed:'''<br>"Don't worry about it Angelo." She lifts up her whisky and takes a sip to the salute. "Most astute agents can find it. It's the honor system though. Once you've found it, you must zip it. Like any good spy - you keep the secret." She winks and says to Phil, "I've been assigned to R&amp;D, so I'll be around the Trisk a bit more often. It's good to see you, it's been too long since we just sat and chatted about life. Hunter's back. He's renting a place in Salem."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:495|Jessica Drew (495)}} has posed:'''<br>Jessica's head turns, a little smile for Bobbi at the news that Hunter is back. "That must be nice for you both?" she tenders, not sure of whether the observation is within boundaries.<br><br>"Here's to a little R&amp;R, then," she says, saluting Phil, Bobbi and Angelo.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:736|Phil Coulson (736)}} has posed:'''<br>Phil Coulson raises an eyebrow briefly at the mention of Bobbi's assignment to R&amp;D. "There's not going to be reports of you having driven the people there crazy, right?" It's said with a chuckle as he takes another sip from his beer. Nodding a bit as he hears the part about Hunter. "Hopefully it's a nice place he's found," he offers, along with a brief smile. Raising his beer again at Jessica's words. "To a little R&amp;R," he agrees.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:568|Bobbi Morse (568)}} has posed:'''<br>Bobbi raises her whisky to the next salute and grins, "I hate R&amp;R." She rolls her eyes and takes a sip of the whisky. "But this time I really did need it." Being taken by HYDRA is very draining, but when it mattered the SHIELD agents still had fuel in the tank to get the job done.<br><br>"It's not a nice place. I'm suggesting he might want to rent a proper apartment and stick around this time," she says with a sigh and then to Jess she says, "There's a lot of history there. We're working it out. He can be so infuriating sometimes, ya know? A real hell beast."<br><br>She smiles though and says, "It's not like I haven't worked in R&amp;D before. Levine actually wants me there this time for some reason.. I'll do my best not to step on too many toes. Fitz is already afraid I'll ruin his filing system. It'll be fun to wear my lab coat to work again though."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:495|Jessica Drew (495)}} has posed:'''<br>"We were all relieved you got out, Bobbi. Anytime with HYDRA is too much time with them." this said with the conviction of someone who had spent years under their tutelage. After a squint-eyed smile at the taste and burn of the whiskey, Jessica bobs her head listening to Bobbi talking about Hunter's situation and their relationship.<br><br>"It sounds trite but I don't know of any relationship that isn't trying in one way or another. But you two sound made for each other in a lot of ways." She finishes the whiskey on those words.<br><br>"I'm happy enough out in the field, myself. I grew up in a lab. My parents' house was connected directly to it. It was quite literally out the front door," these last words said neutrally, looking down at her drink abstractedly.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:736|Phil Coulson (736)}} has posed:'''<br>"Someone once told me that sometimes you have to do the things you hate," Coulson replies a bit quietly. "Some even say that is what makes you stronger." He takes another sip of his drink, nodding once more. "He should stick around," he offers, before he adds, "It would be good for him." Nodding as he listens to the rest of what's said, he offers a brief grin to Bobbi. "Keeps you on your toes," he offers to the part about Hunter being infuriating. "And I'm just sorry we didn't mnage to get you guys out of there erlier," he adds, before he raises an eyebrow again. "Please make sure you don't ruin that filing system. I mean, everyone would get the complaints from Fitz if you do," it's offered with a chuckle, before he nods again as he hears Jessica's words about growing up in a lab. "That sounds like a good idea to be out and about," he offers.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:568|Bobbi Morse (568)}} has posed:'''<br>Bobbi hmms softly and says, "I've been under cover in HYDRA operations before. This was a little different though. Being their prisoner suuucks." She shrugs her shoulders as if that weren't the most obvious statement in the world. "It was also the biggest HYDRA operation I've ever seen... so I'm really glad we could shut it down."<br><br>"Ehhh Lance. He's lucky he's so pretty." She cocks an eyebrow and finishes off the whisky in her glass, a small smirks at the edges of her lips. "I'm sure I'll do something worthy of FitzSimmons complaint sooner or later. They have a system that only the two of them understand."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:495|Jessica Drew (495)}} has posed:'''<br>"Mad scientists," Jessica mutters with a smile at Bobbi, shooting a glance of appreciation at Phil for his comments. Another drink is put in front of her which she lifts warily before taking a small sip, "Here's to the filing systems of geniuses, I really think those two are, by the way. And! To what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger." She raises her glass to them all.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:736|Phil Coulson (736)}} has posed:'''<br>"Stopping the big HYDRA operations is quite good," Coulson remarks, nodding again, before he is unable to hold back a chuckle at the part about FitzSimmons having a system only they understand. "True," he offers, before he nods again at Jessica's words. "They are. Geniuses, that is." He raises his glass to that last part again. "I'll drink to that," he offers, before he looks back to Bobbi again. "Why do I suspect he says the same about you?" That to the part about Hunter.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:568|Bobbi Morse (568)}} has posed:'''<br>Bobbi lifts her new glass of whisky and smiles, "Geniuses they are." She chuckles and says, "You'll have to ask him Phil." She says, "How is being head of operations working out for you?," she quizzes Phil and to Jess she asks, "And how did you handle going up against HYDRA in Vermont? I read the report. Big operation. I'm glad it turned out so well."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:495|Jessica Drew (495)}} has posed:'''<br>"Big with a lot of moving parts that could have gone south on us." The inward look of abstraction returns to her face as if reliving parts of the mission, she limits herself to saying. "We pulled it off. That...well, that says a lot about our agents." Reluctantly, she adds, "It wasn't a cake walk."<br><br>At that, she knocks back her drink, "Lovely drinking with you both. Glad you're back, Bobbi. Phil," she nods. "I've got a little sleep to catch up with. Most likely we'll cross paths at the Trisk." Edging off of the stool, she makes her way to the door.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:736|Phil Coulson (736)}} has posed:'''<br>"Take care," Coulson offers to Jessica as she departs, before he shrugs a bit at Bobbi's question. "Most days, it's quite good," he replies, before he lets out a bit of a sigh. "But sometimes, it's a challenge not to be out and about in the thick of things, you know..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:568|Bobbi Morse (568)}} has posed:'''<br>Bobbi waves to Jess, "Bye Jess." She looks back to Phil and nods her head, "Do you miss the Bus? Director of Ops is pretty much the top job though. I think that in a decade or so, one day may be, I wouldn't mind running SPOT."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:736|Phil Coulson (736)}} has posed:'''<br>Phil Coulson looks a bit thoughtful. "Yes, and no. I mean, it's a quite good job, but it still takes some getting used to. Old habits, and all that." As he hears the last part, he offers her a grin. "I'm sure you'll be quite good at it, if the time comes."<br> <br>
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