7107/Is it the beginning

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Is it the beginning
Date of Scene: 27 July 2021
Location: Orchid Bay Boardwalk
Synopsis: Phil goes so far off book that he's missed the library by blocks in search of answers. Daisy is with him, though.
Cast of Characters: Phil Coulson, Daisy Johnson




Phil Coulson has posed:
Restless.

Restive.

The (un)usually mellow Phil hasn't been sleeping well for the past, well.. week or two. Not really, since Chief Carter's stay and subsequent release from the medical floor. There's been something at the back of his head, something that won't let him sleep.

That feeling that something is just out of reach, or sitting on the tip of his tongue and he just can't get there.

He hates that feeling. A lot.

The laying in bed, staring at the ceiling truly began with the words, 'It's classified. Level 10.'.

The old Phil would have said, 'It's fine, trust the system.'. It's been years, after all, right?

Early waking had Phil in the cafeteria with danish and coffee, and decisions were made over the final bites of the apple cinnamon pastry. Thus?

Out in the 'wild' streets of Starling. Here, he actually blends in easier than he would in the City. No one pays the be-suited man any attention. Of course, Phil has something of a 'special ability' to look the 'everyman', even while standing out in a crowd, and right now is no different as he stands beside a walk-up ice cream shop, 4 customers deep due to the heat of the day, waiting for someone...

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Join the club, Phil! Sleepless nights? Something just out of reach and knowing it's just a little out of reach. Because of levels? Classified? Yes, it had been Daisy's history right when she got into SHIELD, that search for answers. It had first gotten her into trouble, and then a new chapter had opened in her life. A new family.

Not that it had been easy. Nothing worthwhile ever is.

And now she had been called for a meet with Coulson. Through her personal number. It's not something Phil used often, mostly only during those rare leisure moments that were getting scarcer with time.

So when she approaches there's a look of curiosity to her, one that at least appears to be taking her mind away from the Inhuman hunt they were going through last few weeks. Maybe it was time for her to drive LOLA. Not great timing for it though.. But hey...

"AC.." She calls out right as she finishes crossing the street, dressed in casual jeans, a black t-shirt embossed with 'The Dark Side is strong with this one.' and a pair of sneakers. Casual Daisy! "... got your message." an affectionate smile up to the man and she gets in line to the ice cream shop.

Phil Coulson has posed:
Which is exactly //why// Phil can trust this one. Daisy knows, understands it on a visceral level like not many others can. That, well, and she's a perfect candidate for what he's got planned.

While Phil may not necessarily stand out in a crowd, Lola sure as hell does. He has the top down, and it's parked along the side of the road. As he stands in line, he's got a keen, protective eye out for his love as well as scanning the area for  Daisy, friendlies, and threats. He is, after all, still an Agent.

As Daisy approaches, Phil shifts to the side to give her some room in line, with a quick nod following. "I figured you couldn't resist some ice cream. If it was cold out, I would have stopped in that bakery over there," and a finger points across the way, down the block, "For fresh baked brownies." Something of a sweet tooth! "I've learned over the years that we're allowed to eat dessert first."

As the line moves, Phil shuffles forward, and gives her a quick, tight smile that holds more .. something than pleased humor. He's got something on his mind, certainly.

"Thanks for coming."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Daisy makes way to stand next to Phil, hands on the edges of her jeans pockets, comfortable. Her shoulder even almost bumps against the older Agent! That's how comfortable she is with Coulson after all these years. A substitute father for when she needed a path in life. And now no longer having to run.

There's a glance to the bakery. "It's cold somewhere in the world ..." she suggests in that way that says they *could* also take some brownies to go. A little bite on her lower lip as if to stay in control and then her eyes back on the ice cream stand. Focus, Daisy-san!

"Two balls, one vanilla, the other mocha. Sprinkle with chocolate." she states when it's time to choose ingredients. Mmmmhmm. She was certainly going to enjoy this.

That look from Phil though? She notes it. The tightness on the smile, "Was there ever a doubt I wouldn't be here?" she then says with a bit of a grin. "Been a while since we done something like this." sharp eyes are looking at Phil expectantly though, as if letting him know she noticed there's something not fully there. And that this isn't just a social call.

Phil Coulson has posed:
Out of everyone he knows and has worked with over the years, there are just those few that can get through, or more to the point, are allowed to get through the stand-offish demeanor. Phil's loyal, dedicated, but hasn't ever been accused of being warm, or nuturing, or any of those more squishy terms. If one his hugged by the man, it's remarkable.

No doubt, Daisy has been hugged along the line.

Phil takes his wallet out to pay for the ice cream, though not before, "Vanilla soft serve, chocolate and caramel sauce please." Bills are pulled out and paid for before he looks to his newly arrived companion, "I like that." A play on 'it's twelve o'clock somewhere'. He waits for them to be served, puts his wallet back and takes those few steps away, and towards Lola. "No, no not really. But, I'm sure you realize that it's not just for ice cream." The meeting, that is.

Phil nods towards Lola, "Let's sit." Does he even have to tell her not to drip in his car? "I've got a favor to ask."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Brownies will have to be left for another day! But it's fine, they have Delaware delicacies to return to ..., aka cantina food. Ugh. Daisy can barely wait what's for dinner tonight. But well, at least she's got ice cream. So she starts indulging on it, stepping away from the line once they have both been served, walking alongside Phil towards Lola.

"I know." This about knowing about the meeting being about more than just ice cream. "Believe it or not, I am a spy now. Someone got me a really cool badge a few years back." yes, it had been Coulson.

And oh my, this will be an adventure to not mess the car up. Compromises are found when she lowers the window so she can have her arm sorta on the outside and occasionally take it to her lips. She takes LOLA rather seriously. Besides, dripping in the car would certainly take away from her credits. Credits she needs if she wants to eventually drive the machine in the future!

"Sure, whatever you need." She answers about the favor. Without even knowing what it is! Brave Daisy. Would it even matter? Short of Phil going Hydra there's pretty much nothing Daisy wouldn't do for the man.

Phil Coulson has posed:
Oh no.. brownies aren't off the table. They'll just make an appearance later, as it's so noted. Phil likes to keep the little things off to the side; he's built a career over morale building for his team, and while he doesn't have an //active// team directly under him at the moment, he certainly hasn't changed his methods. Carrots, or in this case, brownies are a wonderful thing.

Phil is spooning his soft serve even as they walk back, and once in the car, closes his door. Gently and lovingly. This is his car; the same one that he'd helped his father rebuild so many years ago. With the additions by Stark, well.. will there ever be a time when he'll let someone else drive her?

Heh..

Behind the wheel now, he reaches for the radio, and turns it on, the 80s music channel playing softly in the background. Absolutely Daisy would know that he's got a dampener in there so they can't be overheard. (Nothing like knowing genius techs!)

Phil looks beside him and offers a quick, tight smile before having another spoon of the frozen treat. "I wouldn't answer until after I tell you what it is." He's serious, right?

"I need you to change the addresses and signatures of the vaults. All of them." Phil has access to all the others, so he's not willing to name the one in particular that he's going after. Not unless he has to.

Plausible deniability for Daisy.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Caaaareful with the spoon. It's all a balance. Keeping her attention on Coulson. Making sure the ice cream doesn't hit the car. Dangerous! But she is managing, a look to the radio when the music starts going. The dampeners. So this was serious. It makes her both curious but also more committed. Serious perhaps, brows furrowing in that manner of hers that is considering the favor, what's being asked.

Secrets though? Plausible deniability? Daisy made her rep in breaking secrets, in being a rebel. Looking for the truth. So when Phil asks that? "The answer is still yes." what else would it be? "But you know better than anyone that it's better to tell me *why* you are doing this than having me start sniffing around, right?"

What's the worse they can do? Put a black bag on her head? Been there done that!

Phil Coulson has posed:
There's only one thing harder than eating ice cream without making a mess, and that's making //sure// that it's eaten without a mess. One bump, one jolt of surprise can have all the best intentions lying in a *plop* of dairy mess.

Props to Daisy for not spilling it on partial reveal!

Breaking secrets is exactly //why// Phil is asking this of her, though he hasn't truly been able to voice it. To speak the words out loud is to send it into the aether, thus causing it to become real. And the reality of it is that he's fighting his own conditioning, his years of faithful service to get even this far. Trust the system, he's said. Now he's bucking it, and the consequences for it, he's willing to bear. He's not willing for others to bear it with him, however.

"I shouldn't even be asking you to do this, much less tell you why, Daisy." It's still kind of strange to call her 'Daisy' rather than 'Skye', but it wasn't his call to make, obviously.

"I can't tell you why."

Wait, no 'it's classified'??

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"Gosh, you really are going with the 'it's classified', line?" Daisy lets out a sigh, for the split of a second tempted to JUST let a little drop of icecream fall on Lola. But no, she holds strong. No matter how much she hates when someone tells her it's above her 'little number' on her badge. There's a reason she partially responsible for the cybersecurity at SHIELD! To go around these ...

But honestly, she *is* surprised that Phil is asking this of her. It almost feels like a clandestine kind of mission. Something off the triplicate-forms bureaucracy that's Phil's bread and butter. Company man and all that. It only makes her more curious. But .., her respect for him is greater so she finds herself nodding. "Fine, you don't need to tell me." she knows he will open up about it when it's time.

Or else ...

"It's not an easy thing to do." She then finally says, "Specially as some of the permissions are Fury's eyes only. And that ..." she lets out a sigh. "Can't crack it with just a snap of my fingers."

Phil Coulson has posed:
Phil has faith in Daisy's abilities; all of them, from hacking to ferreting out secrets. If he tells her, she's complicit. If he doesn't, she's really good at playing the 'I didn't realize' game, and the liklihood is that she'd get off with a slapped wrist.

And if she doesn't? Phil will make sure he's totally mea culpa, because he is, and if need be, pull some strings that he may have left in order to assure her continued freedom. 'Freedom' in all senses of the word.

Phil gives a single-shouldered shrug, with a 'did you expect otherwise' sort of tightlipped smile before he goes back to his ice cream.

"No, no it's not. And short of asking Stark to do it, which I could by the way, I'd rather someone close." Phil has actually put some thought into this. Maybe Tony Stark will have a greater role to play?

Maybe.

"Director Fury, and apparently Commander Morse." So maybe not a Level 10, but Level 10 and 'need to know'.

Phil needs to know.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"Morse?" That makes Daisy's surprise show on her expression, the delicious ice cream forgotten for a few moments, "And I gather you have talked to her about it." yes, that much she can see from his expression. Great. Now they'd need to go over a friend for it too. But ironically ... "... it makes it easier though." lower level than just Fury. So she is already theorizing a way on how to do it. "You will have to give me at least the details on what you want me to do than just tell me to change the addresses on the vaults." which even if Phil didn't want to tell her what he wanted to do at least she'd need more of a basis to go on with.

"Look, I will spare us the 'Are you Hydra' question and all that. I can figure this is something personal for you..." a beat, she looking at Phil. "And in the same way you helped me when I needed it.." when she needed information about her family, her Father and Mother, "... I will do the same."

Doesn't mean she won't worry though, because long was the time in which she was the one always needing help. Right now she was here to be a support for the rest of the team too, for whatever they needed. "Are you -fully- sure about this though?"

The Stark comment makes her lift her chin though, affronted. "Stark's got nothing on me..." typical hacker bravado!

Phil Coulson has posed:
Phil nods in the face of the surprised question. Maybe that'll give her a little bit of an insight as to why he's asking without him coming out and telling her. Or, perhaps she'll key in on it later. She's a smart girl, if not now, eventually she'll figure it out. This doesn't seem to be a fit of pique either, no hint of pettiness in terms of push and pull of Level 8s.

This is most decidedly personal.

In true Phil form, however, he does sit quietly, his expression turning towards the inscrutable. (He's not that bad at poker, after all. And he's got decades of practice.)

"Yes, please spare me that, because regardless of whether or not I am, you know the answer is 'Of course I'm not'."

Getting back down to the particulars, even though the radio is on and thus the dampener/scrambler, his tones drop. "All I need you to do is to rekey the Vaults. I don't care how, or in what order." After all, he has access to all of them except.. B. And regardless of what key access B becomes, he's got access. Simple and effective. "If something happens, and you get caught, just.. tell them something like you wanted to be sure that the keycodes were still secure."

Phil has indeed thought a lot about this, and he'll give her the courtesy of an answer. She deserves that much, "I've been lying awake, staring at the ceiling about this. So, yeah.. I've given it a lot of thought."

He gives her a tight smile in the face of the bravado, but it's one that she's seen before. It's one that actually reaches his eyes. It's that touch of fatherly pride in a grown daughter. "I know."

There's a heartbeat of a pause before he looks at what's left of his ice cream, and tosses it with a left-handed throw towards a garbage can. Of course he makes it! In the ensuing seconds, he starts his beloved Lola, and with a rev to the engine, looks to the side, "Where can I drop you off?" He'll be taking a scenic route regardless. There's nothing better than a ride in a '62 cherry red convertable Corvette. With the music playing.