The Range [Sunday afternoon]

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Triela had slept terribly again. She kept waking up to imagine sounds, and whenever she closed her eyes there where odd images waiting for her. It was very disconcerting, and it was taking its toll on her, too.

Someone didn't know what it was to dream.

So she was at the range. It always helped her relax. Except that now that she was there, and had her weapon laid out and ready, she found that she was feeling a bit dizzy. She knew you should never handle a gun if you weren't in full control of yourself, but she'd never been anything but, so she wasn't exactly sure what to do.

She was standing there, frowning at the shotgun as if it was somehow responsible for the tiny little termors that were running through her body.

[Open!]

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[showmetheproof.livejournal.com]

Scully usually visited her mother on Sundays, but this weekend her Mom was in San Diego, visiting Bill's family. Which left her in a lousy mood. Taking it out on paper targets seemed smartest.

She nodded to Triela when she walked in. "Triela. Hello. It's been a while."

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

It took Triela a moment to respond. "Oh, hey, Scully." She managed a small smile. "It has, hasn't it? How are you?"

[showmetheproof.livejournal.com]

Scully grimaced before she could think about it, and said, "Oh. You know." Then tilted her head at Triela's hesitation, and started to load her own gun. "Sometimes I wish I had somewhere better to be..." She set her feet, and took careful aim, firing six times, and did feel her mood lighten as she hit the major target points, then looked over to watch Triela.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Another pause. "Yeah, I know how you feel." Triela shook her head. It was partially rueful and partially to clear that dizzy sensation.

[showmetheproof.livejournal.com]

Scully let loose another four shots, then studied Triela, still not picking up her gun. "Are you all right?" Which was as much about the emotional as anything physical, if the other girl wasn't shooting.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"I'm fine," Triela waved easily. "Just distracted."

Which was rather unusual in and of itself.

[showmetheproof.livejournal.com]

Set at ease, Scully nodded, then considered the shotgun in front of Triela as she re-loaded. "New gun, or old one?"

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Old," Triela answered fondly.

Then she scowled. "Hilshire keeps telling me I should get something more modern."

[showmetheproof.livejournal.com]

"Hilshire?" Scully tilted her head, waiting on another round while the conversation continued for the moment. "And why not? Or is this one your favorite?"

So odd, to be talking about favorite guns with a teenager. But Triela didn't exactly qualify as typical.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"My handler," Triela clarified. "And I like the M1897." Hilshire had given it to her years ago. "It was designed without a trigger-disconnecter, which makes it a lot better for rapid fire than a lot of modern guns."

But, mostly, she was just fond of it. And a creature of habit.

[showmetheproof.livejournal.com]

Scully shivered, getting a sense of what they were talking about, Triela's experience with guns, and studied the shotgun again. Rapid fire. She hook her head. "So why does he think you should upgrade?"

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Triela shrugged. "Modern weapons are easier to maintain and replace. And most of the new combat shotguns use box magazines." More ammunition was pretty much always useful, after all.

[showmetheproof.livejournal.com]

Scully took a moment to think over that as she emptied another half-clip at another target. Turning back, she asked, "Do you think your handler knows his guns?" Do you trust him, in implication.

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

Leda was feeling a bit on edge this morning so she went down to the range to try to blow off some steam.

"Triela, hi." She noticed that her friend seemed a little on edge herself. "You okay?"

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Fine," Triela waved. As if she'd say anything else.

"How's it going, Leda?"

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"All right I suppose. Met the man that had my parents killed." She said it like it was a trivial thing.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Did you take care of him?" Triela figured that was the appropriate response.

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

Leda sighed, and retrieved a pistol from the weapons locker. After competently, if not expertly checking it over, she set it down, barrel facing down range.

"No. He's too powerful. If I tried to take him on he'd destroy me. And I don't have enough proof to go through official channels."

The man still terrified her. She knew he wanted her dead as well.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"That's what sniper rifles are for," Triela pointed out with a cold grin. They never knew what hit them.

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"That's occurred to me." Leda nodded. "I need to either get him out into the world where I can guarantee a gun would work, or figure out a way to make a gun that works by magic so it would function in Faery."

Actually if she could get him out into the world his magic likely wouldn't work at all and then she'd have a much better chance of taking him out.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Well, if I can do anything to help, let me know."

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"Absolutely." Leda said readily. "So, what have you been up to?"

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Still not having a mission," Triela complained with a scowl.

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"Getting bored?"

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Yes," Triela growled. "I don't know why they've still got me here, either. I mean, I've learned everything they want me to."