Mar 07 00:20:43 108 PA - Sometimes You Need to be Direct

From Chronicles

Mar 07 00:20:43 108 PA.

NIGHTINGALE

Erica is sitting at the bar, dressed in her usual red dress. She has a tall mixed drink in front of her. One high heel dangles from her foot as she sits high up on a bar stool. She nods her head in time to the music while taking the occasional sip of her cocktail.

Gabriel walks in much cleaned up from his earlier time out at the Landing Strip. Indeed, his casual clothing and everything. With a brief look around the club, he starts to make his way over to Erica. Despite the fact that she's his instructor, and completely equal as soldiers, it's quite possible that it will be a knee-jerk reaction for him to attempt to briefly lay his hand on the small of her back as he approaches. "Hey, you look good, Erica. Gonna catch the eyes of all the guys. As the saying goes."

Erica looks over at Gabriel as he approaches. Her lips curl into a little smile as she gives Gabriel a nod of greeting. She doesn't say anything at the hand against her back, but one eyebrow raises slightly. Picking up her drink she idly stirs it with a straw. "Oh I doubt that. Most guys don't like dating Mercs. Being away on like and death Operations a lot tends to stop a lot of dating. But such is the life of a mercenary."

There's a little chuckle as Gabriel settles onto the stool next to her. One foot on the floor, one foot on a rung, as he always sits. A gentle slap of the counter. "Donovan's Fizz, please." Only a few moments pass before the drink is delivered. He makes to pop the top off with another whack of the top - but takes Erica's advice (perhaps only to be kind) and asks for a proper bottle-opener instead. He winks then and says, "It's just not the same."

"What's not the same? I am pretty sure nothing is the same. That is the thing with time. Well as long as you remain away from rifts." Erica says with a little laugh in her voice while she shrugs her shoulders up and down. She stops stirring her drink long enough to take a little sip from it.

"Hey, just for you I used a bottle-opener. That's saying something," Gabriel says with a wink as he tips his bottle back. After settling himself more comfortably on his stool - but with the same stance - he speaks with a lowered voice, leaning toward his friend slightly. "You seen a guy around here, usually wears a gas mask for some reason? Calls himself Jason?"

"I am sure the club would not want you ruining their lovely bar." Erica says with a little chuckle. "Of course I have. You have been there quite a few times when you and I were around and talking to Jason. You must be getting old. You are very forgetful." She says with a slightly louder laugh and then sips on her drink.

Gabriel shrugs and smiles, "I've been very preoccupied with work, I'm afraid that my social life has been pushed to the back of my mind right now. Still. If I were to use the adjective, 'grating' on him, would you agree, or disagree?"

Erica nods her head while she leans back slightly against the back of her barstool. "I think he is pretty weird. He says he knows a lot, but I don't know a lot of people that talk like him." She shrugs her shoulders herself while she goes back to stirring her drink. "Not someone I would take out for a drink and a night on the town."

"Hehe, no, definitely not. Reading 'King Lear' in the original Elizabethan is less annoying than listening to him talk." Gabriel angles the bottle toward his friend. "Plus, you hit it on the head. I've been around him for, oh, probably five occasions of length to hear him talk. He goes on and on and on about his powers. But the best part?" He slaps a hand against his leg and leans forward - speaking quietly. "*Three times now* he has directly challenged me to show off his powers against my powers, obviously suggesting what hot shit he is. Of course, I have to beg off like a pussy because I really do not want to go out on some bullshit challenge." There's obviously more to say, but he interrupts himself with a pull from his soda.

"I guess showing how I can hit a target from two thousand feet away accurately doesn't count as a power. But being a trained sniper sure is handy." Erica giggles again before she finishes off her cocktail and gestures to the bartender for a refill. "Yah but there are quite a few annoying people about. Can't make a big deal about it. Unless they end up showing up wherever you are." She shrugs her shoulders again while leaning against the bar while waiting for her next drink.

"Yup, there's that. But this is the thing that gets me. He's brand new to the city, and despite his bragging, I just get this feeling that he's still really new to whatever it is that he is, y'know?" Gabriel drinks again, then continues. "I just see this. He says something along the lines of, 'I challenge you.' I've been a trained soldier for twenty-years, and accurately shooting a bolt-action hunting rifle for ten years before that. So just... in my mind's eye... I see my hand pulling my pistol and firing it into his face at point-blank before he can even react. Or maybe a vibro-knife through the chin. Or other options." He winks. "It's just irritating. Of course, I already told you about Valeriya. I am just not making many friends these days."

"Well I guess try making more friends if it bothers you. I don't exactly have a lot of friends either. I don't get invited to all the psi or magic parties." Erica says with a laugh and a shrug of her shoulders. She picks up her next mixed drink and starts stirring it before taking a little sip. "People are very interested in just themselves a lot of times."

A long, steady nod follows Erica's statement. "Yeah. I don't know if I've lost my wits, my grasp of the English language, or what, but I seem to keep getting on people's bad sides without knowing it. Point in fact, Miss Sage was apparently really pissed-off at me for something I said, I didn't know I'd said *anything* until it came up as a sideways slam in another conversation." Gabriel shrugs. "I apologized for what I couldn't remember, she seemed to take it well. Sent some flowers. Haven't seen her since then. Maybe my natural charm got worn out when I popped through the time-travel thing." The older man grins widely.

Erica takes another little sip of her cocktail. She looks up at Gabriel and shakes her head slightly. "Well try being nicer. I guess it is the same way with me. Lots of times people are talking to me at a bar or club, and when someone more interesting comes along I am quickly forgotten. It gets to a girl's ego." She giggles and give Gabriel a quick wink. "But just have to try again to make friends."

Gabriel inclines his head, quirks his eyebrow, raises his bottle, and smiles. "Erica, I don't know how *anyone* could miss you. You're quite fetching when not in combat armor." With another nod, he sips at his soda, then leans back comfortably in his chair. "There are people coming into the city every day, and I know that some of them have histories similar to mine. Maybe I should start some kind of reverse travel agency."

Erica laughs loudly and shakes her head. "Well I am quieter then a lot of others maybe. Thank you though for the compliment. You are very sweet." She giggles softly while stirring her cocktail. "I would like to head over to Merctown. I hear they have some pretty cool toys over there. Heck I hear Naruni is selling weapons out there."

"I've heard about some of the Naruni stuff. Alien or something, right? Still strange. I picked up a nice little bit of gear that came outta there. Cost a pretty penny, but for the job I'm looking at, it's worth it. Hopefully other jobs, too." Gabriel narrows two fingers before his eyes. Not touching, but close. Quietly, "Just a *liiiiitle* bit of covert ops going on in the city that I happen to have some unusual talents for." But then, sitting back again. "So if you could just blow some money right now, throw it at whatever you wanted - one item - what would it be?"

"They bill themselves as inter-dimensional arms traders. Their stuff packs a punch. Or at least so I hear." Erica says with a slight grin. "I would like to pick up a rail gun, but that would be very heavy. I would need my armor for it. I would really be screwed if I ever lost it. I know how to build surveillance systems. I have a few skills. Like tracking and what not. Oh one item? Well they are all too expensive. I have only about 70k saved up."

Gabriel lists and nods, taking interest in one part of her message. "You know, I lost a lot of things when I came through. Things that I know that I should know, but just don't remember. Why I'm taking lessons on other, more mundane things that jet packs. Unfortunately, field tracking was one of them. I can follow a man in a city, but beyond survival training? Not much outdoors." He sips at his soda - a long sip, then sits the bottle carefully on the table, working his shoulders as if to relax sore muscles after that earlier lesson at the Landing Strip. "You remember Bennet, obviously. I don't trust him, and I'm pretty sure you don't either. Ever since we got back, I've been watching him. He's suddenly a gentleman, a proper businessman. But he's living outside the walls, so getting good information on him myself is impossible." He looks down... looks up... looks at Erica. "Do you think you could track him, find out where he lives? Even if you don't want to go on the mission. I need help." The last three word statement is a very necessary plea.

"Uh why do you want to track him? I don't really trust him, that is why I want to stay away from him. Why do you want him followed?" Erica asks with a raised eyebrow before taking a long sip of her cocktail. "I have found that you can't get involved in every screwy, untrustworthy person. Lots of employers can be like that too. Have to be careful."

The older man shrugs. "Because whatever is going on up there - or wherever we were - the fact is that innocent people are dying. Maybe not the first village, but the second village. I just... ah... have a tough time sitting by and just letting it happen." Gabriel is quick to hold a hand out to Erica. "Please don't misunderstand, I know you don't have any weapons that would do anything, and even if you did, I don't normally judge other people. It's my own philosophy that I live with. In here." He pats his heart gently with an open hand. "So, thing is obviously this guy isn't totally trustworthy. If I'm going to run off somewhere to help people, I'll do it - but I'm not going to do it without as much information as I'm able. If Bennet has some rotten cause behind what we've been hired to do, I - we - need to know it before we're shot in the back, or left to rot somewhere." Gabriel shrugs. "So I need a tracker to find him. I'd go with you, if you could follow him."

"I'm not really good at figuring out what is going on with a target in a city. I usually am better off in the wilderness. I am not really streetwise." Erica shrugs she shoulders as she sets her drink on the table. "You should ask Vixen instead. She is really very good about finding out things about people. Or so it seems."

Gabriel shakes his head rapidly. "No, no. That's what I'm saying. Sorry, I must have said things turned around. I can track a man in a city, not the wilderness. When we were on that shit recon, I saw you track that uh... goblin thing through the wilderness. Bennet's living *in the wilderness* or as best I can determine. I need to know where, and then I can observe him." He smiles and says, "Please don't make me go groveling back to Miss Valeriya. I burned that bridge pretty well, so it'd cost me money and possibly a limb." There's a wide grin before he sips at his soda. He and Erica are seated comfortably at the bar counter itself, both in casual club clothing. Traffic in the club is fairly light at the moment, but will probably begin to pick up soon.

"I really don't think I understand what you are going to do. The only thing you can do about Iowa is go back to Iowa. If Bennet is causing problems out there then I doubt his home here will have lots of weird evidence." Erica pauses for a moment to sip on her drink. "I can try to find him, but I don't think I will be able to find him in the first place in order to track him." She taps her straw against her pursed lips. "If you do find something. You'll likely need Valeriya to help with the mystic knights anyhow."

"I understand where you're coming from, I really do," Gabriel says with a nod, his soda being pushed slowly and randomly around the counter. "Maybe... I just want to get some eyes on him. He might be a great guy. He might be Al Capone. He might be a three-headed dragon. I just want to see how he lives, who he has contacts with. For instance -" he points a soft finger at his friend "- maybe he's meeting with Coalition agents, and they're deliberately using the weapon. Or the CS wants to find it to use for themselves. Just... concerns. Cover our asses. But yeah, for combat, Miss Valeriya is going to be useful. I hope."

"Ok I get that you have some concerns, but you don't have anything to back up any of these allegations. He did seem to want to help those people in Iowa, and without any evidence that he is anything but an annoying slightly creepy guy I don't think I want to violate his privacy." Erica shrugs her shoulders as she stirs her mixed drink. "Listen I don't see that he is a threat. Besides having some magical powers. But that isn't a reason to suspect him."

Gabriel doesn't push the issue further. "Okay, I can understand. You're probably a nicer person than I am. Guess I'm just a little suspicious after all these years, and honestly? Suspicion and invasion of privacy is what I was trained to do." The man blushes and looks away, likely somewhat embarrassed as to how he actually fits into society. "We're all a product of our upbringing, our soul, and our life experience, after all. We are what we are. Doesn't mean that it can't be changed, of course. But it's a tough thing. Tougher the longer you're living that way." He sighs, then visibly brightens, changing the subject, at least for now. "You seen Galvin around?"

"Hey you come to me with something other then he is a suspicious bastard I will look into him." Erica offers with a slight smile before taking a long sip of her cocktail. She frowns at her glass as it becomes closer to empty. "I guess I am a little more trusting. I have been taken advantage of before, but better to be trusting then seeing conspiracies everywhere. Well maybe it is." She finishes off her drink and gestures to the bartender for another one. "Uh Galvin? I hear he is over at the Nut and Bolt most nights."

The older man can't help but chuckle to himself. "Not to get back to it, but I think that the delivery of suspicious material depends on the delivery of a person to observe such suspicious material... which puts us into what I believe is called a mobius strip, right?" Gabriel grins. "Yeah, Galvin, I usually catch the guy up there. Don't know how he stands the place, honestly. Never seen him anywhere else. But, I owe him money, and I have another job for him. You know that pistol of mine? The one that I'd bet good money that it's the only one in existence?"

"With all those dimensions? It might not be the only one. Who knows?" Erica chuckles a bit and then she smiles up at the bartender as she gets her next mixed drink. "I hear he does good work. I haven't needed much in the way of that kind of work lately. I asked a dwarf to integrate some thermal vision on my armor, but I never heard back from him." She turns back to Gabriel and starts stirring her newest drink.

"A dwarf? Really? Huh. I put thermal into my armor myself. Been hanging around enough techs and mechanics to pick up just enough to do simple things." Gabriel smiles and raises his bottle very slightly off the counter. "He does do good work. He delivered the goods. But... because he does his work so much better than me, in this case since it's a touchy thing, I'm giving it to him." He takes a pull on his drink, then furrows his brow and asks. "I'm not familiar with a tech dwarf running around. Where's he - she? - from?"

"Well trust me my armor's optic systems are pretty complicated. I know how to handle most equipment, but I wouldn't want to try my hand at modifying Triax tech. It is the best stuff on earth they say." Erica's lips curl into a wide grin as she chuckles She raises her glass to take a little sip from the straw. "I am sure he does. I might have to look him up some time. Oh his name was Thane, but I haven't seen him for at least a month or two. Too bad. Seemed like a nice guy."

Nod nod. "Galvin does a good job. Nice guy, too." Gabriel waves in a second bottle and politely hands his empty one across to be recycled - presumably. He very obviously and deliberately uses the proper cap-remover again, winking hard at the end. "You're quite a nice gal, Erica. Not to take away from your soldiering skills. But... clearly you're more trusting than I am. Leave people to their privacy unless warranted. Any other life philosophy in martial or semi-martial matters that you hold dear? I like talking philosophy sometimes."

"Well I will keep him in mind. I just usually get my work done at the Gunnery. But I'll seek him out maybe next time I need work done." Erica laughs as Gabriel removes the bottle cap of his bottle, not using the counter. "Why thank you Gabriel. You are a nice guy. Sure I have lots of rules. Heck I have what comes down to as a code. You might not know this, but I usually pay the bills bounty hunting. So I have to be very picky about what jobs I take. Haven't done a lot of that in a while. I hear in Merctown there are tons of bounties."

"I can understand that. I have my own code. Apparently though... while I have always thought of myself as a person doing what is best for humanity in general..." Gabriel pauses, his skin reddens slightly and he looks away. "I do often see the greater good at the expense of an individual. Still, extraction of foreign nationals - which other people call kidnapping - without hurting them, or at least, not badly, is certainly part of my repertoire." He sighs and asks slowly, "How does a good person know when to kill a man?"

"When killing a man will save others. That is when you know." Erica says turning suddenly solemn. "You have to draw lines. Otherwise you turn into some of the bastards we have running around. Like cybersnatchers and what not." She shakes her head slowly before taking a long drink from her cocktail. "I have captured people in my own time before. Ambushed them and forced them back to face trial. Why I own a large number of handcuffs."

Gabriel chuckles. "Yeah, a blow to the head makes it easy to 'cuff most people and transport them. It's an unfortunate fact though, that some people get in the way of other's lives." He raises an eyebrow. "You ever killed an unarmed man, or does your code - which I respect - keep you from doing that?"

"I guess you would have to define unarmed. There are many ways to be unarmed in this day and age." Erica chuckles softly as she sips on her drink. "I mean you can shoot a mage who doesn't have a gun when they start waving their hands about. But I never kill a truly unarmed foe. I always keep my word. Heck I like to think sometimes I am a lady." She giggles and gives Gabriel another quick wink.

The older man winks. "Oh, you're clearly a lady, both in form and demeanor, I'd never take that from you. But theoretical. You know that a guy is going to kill dozens. Hundreds. Maybe thousands. You also know that he's completely unarmed. No magic, no psi, no tech. He's standing there in front of you, naked. You're pinned underneath a car that fell over, so you can't get up and run him down. But your gun-hand is free, and aiming is easy." Gabriel nods a chin, genuinely interested. "You let him go, or do you take him down?"

"Hey the ends don't justify the means. I mean you kill one unarmed man to save someone, where does that end. You kill someone unarmed because they might or might not kill someone? I am not a vigilante. If I was I would be up north, killing Coalition officers." Erica sighs softly and then shrugs her shoulders. She takes a long sip of her cocktail and gestures to the bartender. "A lemon drop please."

"Yeah, I had you pegged for a white knight," Gabriel says with a smile. "I guess I'm just a little more Dirty Harry than Sir Lancelot. Hope you don't look badly on me for that. I joined in '38 because I wanted to do good, help the cause of peace and protect. Not to kill." He shrugs off. "You had your auction dinner yet? Put some good money down for the refugees, after all."

"Well you shoot some bloke who just surrendered to us right in front of me then I would have a problem with you." Erica says with a slight nod of her head. "I mean I understand having to go undercover, but I don't want to betray the values my family gave me. Can't let evil get into your heart after all. I mean there are gods and what not, but I don't follow any of them. There is good and evil though."

"Oh God, NO! I'd never shoot a man who'd surrendered. I'll take down a runner if I know he's going to lead to hundreds of deaths in the future, but I'd never kill a man who put his life in my hands deliberately. Goodness, do I really look like that much of a monster? Wait, it's the hair, isn't it? I need darker hair." Gabriel winks and grins. "I respect the Law. But my respect for the Law ends where Right and Wrong begin. Laws are written by politicians, which makes them inherently flawed."

"Well the law has fucked me over from time to time, but you still have to respect what people want in their cities. I won't go against the law unless the law is unjust." Erica grins at the bartender as she gets her shooter. She picks up the lemon drop and downs it. "Oooo like candy." She giggles softly and then turns back to Gabriel. "Hey man you don't know what people will do without rules of engagement sometimes."

Gabriel waves off the comment about rules. "Rules of engagement were also made by politicians, and all they do in reality is get good soldiers killed. You have to admit that, for example, there are some really obvious cases where 'do not fire until fired upon' is a pretty fucked up rule to expect people to follow." There's a shoulder shrug, and more quietly, "Truth is, the things that get done that do the most to end wars are those things that get done without ever being known, because the soldiers or agents, or whatever they are, are *not* being handcuffed by arbitrary rules of engagement."

"Hey trust me. Serving a small nation being threatened by the Coalition states you don't always fire when fired upon." Erica shakes her head slightly while idly stirring her drink. "Listen there may have been wars going on that were clear when you were around, but you never know what state or inter-dimensional horror you might antagonize for shooting first."

Gabriel drains the remaining portion of his second bottle - then requests a third. "Oh, I'd never just walk up to someone and plug 'em for no reason. I'd never walk up and plug anyone *with* reason unless I knew what I was dealing with." A hand is held out. "Unless of course, it was a situation in which there was no time to gather that kind of thing. But that's different. Unfortunate targets of opportunity." He then smiles. "You know, there's still time to drop some of that seventy grand you have in your account and pick up one of those NTI slug-throwers. Become 'Erica, Iowa's Heroine.' That sound good?" He has a wide smile as he faces his friend. Perhaps truly trying to invite her as assistance, perhaps simply toying with her.

Erica laughs loudly and shakes her head. "I can't use a slug thrower. I am not trained to use a weapon like that. I mean I can man and use a rail gun sure, but that is a different type of kinetic weapon. Also much heavier then the bullshit one hundred pound limit I was given last Op." She picks up her drink and takes a sip of it. "Sorry I am mostly trained for energy weapons. No kick."

The older man smiles. "Well, I guess I've used all my tricks to try to bring you along. Wouldn't even bite on the duct tape, huh?" Gabriel winks and drinks, then becomes very serious. He sets his bottle down and leans toward Erica, removing a small envelope from his pocket. "Ah, I don't want to put a whole bunch of responsibility on you or anything, but after some recent experiences, I'm just a little worried that, if I go on this thing up pin Iowa, I might not come back, y'know."

"Look if there was something that I could do to help then I would be more then happy to come along. But I can't do anything against these mystic knights. I can just throw grenades. I mean that doesn't help since those two are melee fighters." Erica shrugs her shoulders as she picks up her drink and takes a quick sip from it. " Look I can help out, but I need to know how I can help out. Not how you need someone to help you out."

A shrug. "Okay, honestly? Quick military conversion. I'm standing on top of one of those ATVs, my eyes are what, fifteen feet in the air? Means I can see about a quarter mile short of five in perfect conditions. I have no idea how fast these bastards will be moving, and I don't know where they'll be going, which means that preparing an ambush would be just about impossible - without aerial recon." Gabriel points across to his friend. "*That* is where you and your expertise with a jet pack would come in of the most use, considering the lack of weaponry. Intelligence is half of war. You don't have it, you probably lose. You have it, better chance of winning." If the opportunity presents itself, he'd lean far enough across to lay a gentle-but-firm hand on his friend's shoulder. "Help me out here. Don't make me go in even blinder than I already am."

"Listen I could be out there in the air, but you are asking me to do high altitude recon without anything to defend myself with. I will do it if you want me to, but just understand what you are asking me to do. They cast some spell on me that destroys my jet pack. I will die." Erica says with a sober and solemn look at Gabriel. "I can't drop grenades from that high up. I can't fire a laser that won't do crap. Very dangerous, but if you want I will go."

Gabriel looks to the floor and withdraws his hand. "I know you can't do anything to hurt 'em. But I've been talking to Leonard about magic, asking important questions - like the maximum range of common magic. Sounds like anything beyond about sixteen-hundred feet - so about the range of a standard energy weapon - magic dies. You and your optics? You could be up, what? Ten-thousand feet and still count the ticks on their back?" He shrugs. "I can't promise anything. But I asked around for my own sake, too. Grabbed a weapon that I'll be able to hit 'em with while they're still out of range to hit me back. Just doing a little intelligence about what I'm up against, like a good soldier, right?" The man sighs and suggests, "How about this. When everyone gets together again - whenever the fuck that's going to be - you come in, we all talk things over. Miss Valeriya and that Bernard guy'll be there. Maybe they have good info on magic, too. I'm not just trying to throw you to the wolves. I'm an officer, and I look after those in my care."

"Well the optics ain't that good, but I can get a good shot from that range fairly easy. See I don't know the range of that kind of stuff." Erica shrugs her shoulders. "So much variation you see. You have to be careful. But you didn't ask me to come. If you want me to come say so. Don't do this let's make a deal bullshit. Say come or don't."

"Erica, late of the Lazlo Defense Force, as a fellow soldier, I want you to come to Iowa. I need you and your skills, and the mission needs you and your skills." Gabriel is very clear, and very official, but with a friendly tone still held in his voice. Quite respectful, all-in-all.

Erica nods her head once and then turns her attention back to her drink. "Alright then I will come along. See that is all you needed to say. Don't have to be all coy like." She takes a long sip of her drink and then sets it back on the bar.

"I'll remember that. I just didn't want to feel like I was edging toward giving orders to an equal," Gabriel says with a smile. Another soda is waved over, and with a gentle shove, he slides it down the counter toward Erica. "Cheers. To success, and to health." He takes a long drag on his bottle. Then, "So what is that, a lemon drop, you said? Ever tried tequila? It was brand new when I was way back when."

"Asking is one thing. Orders are another. You and I both know which is which." Erica says with a slight curve of her lips. She picks up her glass and clinks it against Gabriel's soda bottle. "To life, love, and making a difference. Oh a lemon drop is half ounce of vodka, a half ounce of lemon juice and then a bit of sugar. Very tasty stuff."

Gabriel tips his head, clinks drinks, and says, "Huh. Interesting. I had to get used to a lot of vodka and cheap beer from behind the Iron Curtain. Back home though? Brandy, oh, I love brandy. Brandy and bourbon, actually. Genuine Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, also good. Of course, I also lived through Prohibition, so I suppose that put a little bend on my outlook on spirits." He grins, wide upturned mouth. "How could anyone be so fucking stupid as to put in a morality law?"

"Hey I don't even know what you are talking about. Sure drinking can cause problems, but you don't live too long. I'll be mighty lucky to live as long as you." Erica giggles and nudges Gabriel in the ribs before picking her drink back up and taking a sip of it. "I like whiskey and brandy sure, but I guess I enjoy my sweet drinks too."

"You really want something sweet? Go down to Rasputin's shop. Yakov's Deli. I never expected to have genuine Russian food like I'd gotten used to, but hell, he does it. Order the 'Medovukha.' Simplified, it's like beer with a whole bunch of honey poured in. *That* is a sweet drink." Natasha and I celebrated with it every anniversary. He pats his chest where he keeps his few mementos in a pocket. "Of course, the girls liked the soda fountains. Milkshakes and everything. Hmm..." Gabriel goes off in thought for a second, then comes back with an amused look. "Maybe I could open up a nice soda fountain here in the city?"

"Oh sure I have been over there. I like his place. He is a nice dwarf. Always fixes me just what I want." Erica says with a smile and a quick nod of her head. She stirs her drink around with the straw while talking. "I haven't had that. I will have to give it a try. But I can't have milkshakes. I have to watch my figure after all." She giggles and then shrugs. "Maybe. I am sure people would come by for shakes."

Gabriel chuckles. "Yes, yes, have to watch your figure. You know, the perfect image of beauty has changed for me. The image of perfect beauty is much taller and much thinner than what I knew. But you know what?" He wiggles his eyebrows. "You'd drool if I had a picture of Natasha in her swimsuit out on the Black Sea where we were married." His face changes somewhat morbidly amused as he adds, "Of course, that was for only a few hours before the shooting started." Shrug of... amusement?

"Well hell I am not even close to thin, but I have to keep in military shape. That is not easy sometimes. I run every day. I keep up with my gymnastics. Heck I work every day if I have an Op or not." Erica laughs a bit as she looks at Gabriel. "Oh well have to let me see her some time. I am sure she was a sight to see." She looks up through her eyelashes to see if Gabriel is concerned about his last statement.

The older man just dips his head politely, and with smiling eyes confirms, "She was definitely a sight to see. Turned all the boys' heads. And hey, who says you're not thin? You're fit! You're thinner than most of the pinup girls that the guys liked. Nose art, calendars... it was a 'healthier' time, if you follow me." Gabriel winks, then asks, "You ever seen the 'Venus de Milo?' She'd probably be considered downright fat by today's standards." This time, he's definitely amused.

The dinner continues with good friends and good cheer, long into the night until both need to depart. Life may slow down, but only occasionally.