Collection of Moments

Lyra choked when she was waiting at the café for her London fog latte. She normally gets matcha- but she was in the mood for black tea.

What caused her momentary lapse in façade was a beep in her tab causing her to check the messages. Normally she would assume it was Jeremy who was checking up on her- she would ignore those since she tries to tell Jeremy to lighten up about her safety.

Something prompted her to look though, so she discreetly moved her tab in her messenger bag to peek at the activated screen, her eyes widening and a small choking sound making its way out of her constricted throat again.

"Beta was lost and we've searched- resources was stretched thin. They caught us by surprise" there was an encrypted file that handed over all the data to her company. A fail safe protocol to prevent any hostile forces from hijacking Jeremy's company and holdings by transferring everything to a trusted format before their system wiped and within 48 hours it will crash.

It's been about 15 minutes, she's got 47 hours and 45 mins to prevent the system from crashing, and she will have to get rid of the hostile forces. Her lips were bleeding when she bit them, she finally just noticed the blood. It must have been a while because when she looked up, her latte was finished and she gave an uneasy smile.

The barista staring concerned at her as she grabbed the cup and left. Normally she would stay and enjoy the scenery and the observations she can get, but she needs a quiet place to work. A quiet place to sleuth through Jeremy's compounds to see which one of them have been over run and how many employees have been dispatched.

'Dispatched. Don't you mean killed?' Her mind whispered at her calloused thoughts and her hand shook, nearly causing her tea to spill over the rim and onto her hands. Unaware of her surroundings while she contemplated possible outcomes, she bumped into Jeremy and his hand went to her elbows. Steadying her "I get that you like your space, but you don't need to run from me Lyra" he murmured when she looked up at him.

'He can't know, he will try something reckless and expose us when I prevent his actions from getting him killed' she relaxed and gave a small cynical laugh "course I have to run from you Jeremy" she sipped her tea "it's the only way I can get away from you" she shrugged when Jeremy scowled down at her.

Humming she took a step forward and press herself against his side, seeing that he didn't let go of her elbow yet, humming she steered them back to the compound they are currently stationed at "looks like my times up though. So we might as well head back" Jeremy looked back at the café Lyra came from.

There were some workers lingering outside the doorway, watching Lyra with concern and giving Jeremy a look. No doubt thinking Lyra is either a kidnap victim due to her behaviour or abused. "What did you do Lyra?" He asked, Lyra hummed with a small annoyed click of her tongue.

"A slip of composure, they are assuming something that they shouldn't be" she let her hand trail around his back as she looked back with a small smile, a wave in the direction of the café as she changed her walk to take on a more confident stride.

Workers now relaxed and at ease about Lyra went back into the shop while Lyra jerked away from Jeremy "what kind of slip Lyra?" She winced and looked away "I was... talking to myself and I forgot there were people around" she said, sounding guilty making Jeremy bark out an amused laughter.

"Lyra. How many times have I told you not to do that? You mumble when you go through your projects paperwork, that stuffs concerning for the average human being. No adjusted or sane person would talk about furthering injections and obtaining samples to ensure the Results are sufficient." She puffed out her cheeks.

"I only did that once Jeremy!" He chuckled and looked down at her cup of tea, her eyes narrowed and she pulled it out of his reach when he tried to grab the cup. "Sorry Jeremy, this ones mine" he gave a mock sigh while Lyra engaged unlocking mechanisms for them to get into the compound without having to work on going through security.

Opening the doors as she sipped her tea, Jeremy behind her most likely watching her form as she hummed. Internally she was thinking about finding a way to breach the compounds system without Jeremy catching wind of it, once in the monitor room she set down her cup and looked back up at Jeremy with a small pout and soft glow to her eyes. Obviously projected.

His knees going weak he braced his hands onto the dash and leaned forward slightly "what do you need Lyra?" She made her bottom lip tremble slightly "since I... was suspicious I didn't want to get more then a cup of tea, can you go back and pick up more for me?" His eyes trailed down her face, her chest, her arm and to the cup she set down.

It was less than half empty, he chuckled and took a step back "I will." She perked up, blazing a happy smile at Jeremy and he scowled at the delight before turning around to walk out the door. She gave a small whoosh in an exhale "can't believe that worked" she hummed out, pleased but confused.

Sitting in the chair, she pulled out her tab and inserted it to the dash to begin breaching Jeremy's compound to find out specifics. She was working on finding hostiles among the faces registered into the system when she heard a slight shift in ambient sound. She tilted her head to strain for what that shift was, after a moment there was an echo of the same ambient sound.

She leaned back and ran a program to do her searches for her as she changed outlooks to data on the project she has been working on for the past week. She wanted to improve its composition and impact on a subject to ensure the results were more long term instead of burning out the subject within a wear-down of their health.

Squinting when Jeremy rounded the corner on silent feet, that ambient echo having faded the closer he got. "Figure it out yet?" He asked as he set down a tray on the dash, taking the empty cup and exchanging it for a full extra-large cup of the London fog latte.

She hummed "the results from the samples I collected earlier indicated that the burnout was caused by a systematic dissolvent of their tissues. Not major at first but with wear and tear the dissolving agent becomes more prominent as it begins to work on burning out first the airways and muscle that is needed for speech. If I can find a way to stop this systematic attack on immune system and tissues then I can prevent the burnout" she sipped her tea as Jeremy chuckled.

He walked towards his rooms, waving behind him "I'm gonna start training. I know you'll be busy with working on specimens for the next few hours, but make sure you meet me down for training once you achieve the results you want."

She sipped her tea again, watching Jeremy walk away to change his attire. Her eyes softened "I might not join you for training today" his head snapped back to glare at her, only to notice the softened gaze "like hell-" he stopped himself and studied her, nodding "understood."

She sighed and once he was gone, she changed the system outlook again to see what the programs found with the faces registered. Eyes trailing over written text. It was the quad, and they want Jeremy to concede and join into their faction or the compounds captured will be dispatched.

Biting her lips, Jeremy can't concede and the quad needs to be exterminated. Compound cleaned up and those working in with the quad eliminated to keep the rest of the workers at ease and loyal. "Jeremy shouldn't have to do this." He can't execute his own people.

Biting her lips again she gripped the cup between her hands, the warmth seeping into her cold palms as she thought this over. It would take her a few hours to get to the first infected compound, a few more to dispatch what doesn't belong and she can take an aircraft to the next compound.

It will have to be done quickly and discreetly, surprise will be on her side. Skill will ensure that word doesn't get through to the rest. She's worked well enough in killing off compounds, select people shouldn't be a problem.

Plan made up, she began working on trying to find a way to get Jeremy out of commission for a few days while she works. Thinking of powerful sedatives she began working on going over what compounds and mixtures she has, her hand absently going to her cup and drinking as she thinks over which ones she's immune to that Jeremy isn't.

Jeremy is immune to the ones she's found so far, but she will find one he isn't immune to eventually. Until then, she's so absorbed in finding what it is she's searching for that she didn't notice Jeremy coming back from his room to lean at the doorway. Watching her, something was off when he picked her up. Having asked some questions at the café, he found that what she said wasn't true.

Something shocked her, she spaced out for a bit in thought.

Lyra having found what she was looking for, she put her empty cup off to the side and quickly began to connect the gas to the vent system in the compound to flood the air with it. She wants to knock Jeremy out quickly, rerouting airways and connecting ducts caused electrical pulses to course and clanks to be heard occasionally, she was close to engaging the new mixture when Jeremy leaned over her form.

Giving a loud surprised squeak, she tried to slam her elbows back to get rid of this weight draped over her, her hands were locked together with one larger scarred one, she stared kind of mournfully at that hand while another one trailed up her neck to her jawline.

Her face was grasped and jerked to stare up at Jeremy, her dark eyes distant with mournful regret "what the fuck are you doing Lyra?" She shook her head, Jeremy took a step back and lifted Lyra by her clasped hands "I'll ask again. What were you doing" he was looking at what she was doing on the screen.

Wordlessly shaking her head again Jeremy tightened his grip, causing her wrists to grind together and bone to crunch slightly. She tightened her fist as a result, a wordless gesture of pain. Her face didn't give her away "trying to sedate me Lyra? Don't want me around for something? Are you going back on your promise already?" He snarled out, shaking her roughly by her hands.

She dangled uselessly and looked down at his chest, he forced her to look at his eyes and she shook her head "SPEAK LYRA!" He growled out making her sigh "yes. I was trying to sedate you, I don't want you around for something I have to do." She gave a small moan when his hand tightened around her own, a twinge indicating that her wrists are close to breaking, the bones grinding together harder.

He loosened his hold "what do you have to do?" He whispered sparingly against her ear, having leaned close to her and his breath tickling her, hair displacing and flowing over her face.

She tightened her fist again when he tightened his hold, another moan "you're going to break it" she breathed out and he growled "if you don't tell me, I will." She sighed "your compound was captured by the quad. I didn't want you to know, they are holding hostages and will begin executions if you don't concede. I was going to prevent that from happening and execute your employees that were in on the takeover."

Jeremy clenched his teeth hard enough for her to hear the grinding, he pulled her away at arm's length and tightened his hold, her wrists breaking and he began shaking her roughly.

Her toes curled as she had a small look of pain on her face, biting her lips and breathing deeply as she dangled from her broken wrists, being shook hard enough to jar her injury and cause further damage and pain, he growled out "what were you thinking Lyra!!" She gave a small whimper and pressed her legs together.

Jeremys too focused on his anger to notice her discomfort as she squirmed at her captured arms, trying to wiggle out his grasp and her hand clenching and unclenching "I didn't want you to go Jeremy, I didn't want you to know. You would have done something reckless" she breathed out when Jeremy hasn't stopped.

He dropped her and she crumpled on the floor at his feet, breathing erratic as she stretched out her hand, wrists getting circulation back "like you were just about to do? Huh?" He whispered, Crouching down and brushing her hair out of her face to show her flushed cheeks.

"I'm sorry I hurt you" he whispered quietly, thumb caressing along sweat streaked cheeks "you would have done something to expose us. I didn't want you getting hurt" she whispered, eyes closed and trembling.

He leaned down and picked her up, cradling her trembling form against his chest and she buried her face against his muscular chest "how bad did I hurt you?" He whispered, walking towards her room to lay her to rest.

"It's broken" she mumbled, he stopped and froze in his tracks "well do this your way Lyra. Once you recover." He said, walking again as she brought her hand up to bite the side of her thumb, the jarring motion shook her and she couldn't stop trembling.

A small whimper escaped her, she turned her head and breathed out against his shoulder- a small moan when the pain in her wrists increased. The swelling was causing pain to throb along her fingertips, being laid down on her bed she looked up.

Concerned green eyes trailed down to her arms "I'm fine. We have about 47 hours, get ice and I can rest for a bit- would need some enhancements then we can get moving." He nodded, a hand going up to caress the side of her cheeks. An apologetic motion that made her lean her face against his scarred hands.