DC 126: Private Audio Recording to Buffy, Allison, and the rest of his VSF Team at 09:20

[a_man_out_of_time]

[ Steve's message does not come through the specials encryption, because this message isn't just for Allison and Buffy. It's for his whole team in VSF, which includes eight other Alphas who aren't specials. Given everyone's training, it should be clear that if they decide to respond to this audio message using the same privacy level, whatever they decide to say could be read as part of the ongoing investigation. It should also be clear that Steve knows this, just as well as any of them.

This message comes hours before Buffy's arrest by IntSec. ]

SEAL VSF Team 5,

You all should have heard by now that I've been put under internal investigation by the Armed Forces. Do not come to my office. I will not be there.

Many of you will be questioned about my decisions and actions in the last two weeks. Answer truthfully.

All of you however, still have jobs to do. Jobs that keep Alpha safe. In my current capacity as a private citizen, I will be the first to thank you for your service. Continue to do yourselves and the citizens of Alpha proud.

[ It's clear he means what he says, but for those who have been with Steve from the beginning, or anyone who has gotten to know him better in a short time, there's also a second, implied message: Do not try to help him. Tell the truth when questioned, but do not push back. Do not attempt to get him reinstated. Do not sacrifice your careers — especially those of you who have come from years of INFRARED. Do your jobs. ]

Comments

Private Audio to Steve Rogers

[alphanpcs]

So that's it? You're just going to let them drag you through the mud?

Private Audio

[a_man_out_of_time]

Browne—

[ Steve already knew that out of everyone on his team, Nina would have the hardest time swallowing this pill. ]

My actions will speak for themselves. In the meantime, you've got work to do.

[ He doesn't want to engage, because if she says too much here, it's going to get her scrutinized along with him. He won't be able to protect her then. ]

Private Audio

[alphanpcs]

Yes, sir.

[ It'd be impossible to miss that sarcasm. A throw back to the bitter and change resistant soldier that he'd met when he'd taken over the VSF unit. Before Rogers VSF had worked for the highest bidder, or the highest clearance level.

In Nina's case, it had often times been both. But somewhere along the way she'd actually started to believe in Rogers' talk about protecting those who couldn't help themselves.

Now he was one of them. ]

encrypted; allison/steve

[fateless]

[ Hearing the news about Steve's suspension hadn't been easy. Allison doesn't know him as well as Lydia or the rest of the team does, but in the short time they have known each other, he has already become an important person in her life. He had given her a shot, after all, and he wasn't putting her on running drills to be an ass. He actually cares about her performance, which she appreciates even if sometimes it annoys her that she can't go on missions officially just yet.

Still, she knows to not let her emotions take over. Not only because she already knows that Steve won't like it, but because she's the newbie. The last thing she wants to do is do something to tarnish that and, worst of all, to give Steve a bad name considering he had put in for her transfer himself. How would it look if the girl that he recruited did something stupid?

Thankfully she knows how to compartmentalize well enough, and she keeps herself from visibly reacting.

Still, when she gets his message, the urge to do something comes back, but...yeah. She gets his message, loud and clear.

Since she's not out and about and is working in the Armed Forces sector, and she doesn't know how their supervisors will take it if they catch her talking with Steve via video, she sends him an encrypted message instead. ]

Understood.

Take care of yourself, alright? [ Don't do anything stupid, she almost warns too, just how he's warning them to not do something wreckless. She hopes that's implied, though. ]

If there's anything you need, though, let me know. You're a private citizen, after all. Helping is part of the job.

encrypted, going forward

[a_man_out_of_time]

[ It's quite thoughtful of Allison to consider that something she does wrong will come back to hurt him. It certainly is what would happen, but not everyone thinks that far ahead.

It's not a bright moment for Steve right now, not because he feels crestfallen about the suspension, but because being targeted at this moment only confirms to Steve what he's been suspecting ever since his assassin was killed. He's dealing with an inside job. Most likely someone with significantly higher clearance.

But despite all that, when he gets Allison's messages, it manages to make the side of his lips curl. He isn't smiling, but he certainly isn't frowning anymore. It good to know that she doesn't need him to say things explicitly. That she can read between the lines. That skill will be important in the coming days. ]

Don't worry. I'll still be eating three square meals a day.

[ And he's willing to be a little more forthright, given the encryption available here. ]

Keep on eye on things. If anyone else on the team gets suspended, I'd like to know.

But otherwise, no slacking on the runs. When I get back, I expect you to be mission-ready.

[fateless]

Well that's good, you'll need to stay in good shape for when you come back.

[ Because he is coming back. Allison refuses to believe anything other than that, despite the gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach. ]

Yeah, I'll let you know. And don't worry, I won't slack off. I want to be on active duty when you return, too, so I'll be ready.

[a_man_out_of_time]

[ Even if Steve isn't so sure that he's coming, for Allison and the rest of the team, he'll certainly keep talking like he will be.

One way or another, he will be coming back. Even if it isn't in an official capacity. There's someone dangerous in Armed Forces, and Steve has every intention on figuring out who was the king of this particular hill. ]

That's what I like to hear. Stay alert.