Shake It - Open

[Jackson Martin]

It had been a longish day and with it being a Friday Jackson had ventured out into the world. His usual pub was packed with some random singer making an appearance so he had shuffled himself off to the next best place. He hadn’t ever thought about a best place but then as he wondered into the Violet Hour, it had a bar and after settling himself alight at work for experimental purposes he decided that a drink was in order to calm down. It was an attempt to anyway and the buzzing atmosphere of a singer and a crowd gone wild wasnt as relaxing as he had hoped it might be.

He took a seat at the mildly busy bar, placing his order for the coldest beer they had as he turned slightly to watch the seventies tribute act sing and dance on the stage. He had no idea who they were supposed to be but he imagined after a few beers it would be anyone’s guess as to the decade and the tribute. It wasnt exactly great but he could live with the noise as it beat his empty apartment and the health and safety questions he was desperately trying to avoid. Along with his father who doubtless would have found out about his mishap. He was simply happy enough to have some time to himself to work out the day’s events.

When the barman left his drink JJ took a quick sip as he glanced around the bar for any familiar faces. There were the usual faces, the after work goers who he had seen maybe twice in his time there. The regulars who knew the table they liked, the drinks they wanted and so on where as he had simply wondered in off the street simply looking to relax after a long eventful day.

[Victoria Kirkwood]

You lied, I cried.

Victoria had one of her days off. She'd just had to work bumping heads with Maxwell as usual. How on earth WhitTech kept the security detail agent she would never know. Victoria and Martin were decent friends having worked in close proximity for the last year or so. She had seen JJ once or twice, but she had never actually met him more than just briefly. There were also the brief visits when passing in the WhitTech halls when Evan would come get Vanessa for lunch. She could tell something was on his mind.

"You look like something is on your mind." She offered taking a seat beside him. Not that she really expected to open up. But what kind of person was she if she didn't at least check up on him. She ordered herself a glass of Chardonnay. She'd just arrived and hadn't had alcohol on the night. Drinking to get drunk wasn't her thing, but a glass of wine never hurt anything.

Victoria held no ill feeling towards WhitTech employees, though she'd been a long term employee of Cross Consolidated for nearly a decade. "You looked like you were looking for some company." Her voice was soft. Ironically, she cared what happened of the families of those she worked with and Jackson looked like there was a fair bit bugging him.

Jackson Martin

L

[Jackson Martin]

JJ looked up when he heard a familiar voice. Victoria, well he was glad to see a friendly face there as he grinned and nodded. “Oh just the usual.” He said, “Experiments gone wrong and well... all the usual nightmares that go with it.” Well he wasnt exactly above explaining what had gone wrong after all Victoria knew his dad and they worked for different firms. But he knew better than to go into the details though telling his dads friend that he had lit himself on fire today, yeah maybe not the best thing to say.

Jackson laughed as he nodded, “How did you know that just from how I look?” He asked her pulling a face, “ I thought I had this happy sitting at a bar face going for me?” So sure he knew it wasnt the truth at all but then again it was different when someone actually called you on it. JJ might not have usually drank himself stupid, well maybe sure he had done that a few times or more than a few but he was out of the military and supposed to be more responsible now... mostly.

It mostly came day by day but today yes it had been one he wasnt wanting to repeat. So forgetting it was the next best thing and now he had a drinking buddy of sorts. At least a familiar face he knew. “So how about your day at the enemy camp? Anything big going on you can tell me about? Or anything happening over there?” Jackson asked knowing that it was doubtful but it wasnt about to stop him from asking. After all if you didnt ask you didnt get it was as simple as that.

Tag: Victoria Kirkwood

[Victoria Kirkwood]

You lied, I cried.

Victoria couldn’t contain her amusement when he seemed caught off guard with her calling him out. “I read people.” She looked at the drinks he had lined up. She knew better, people hid things in their alcohol. She’d tried that once after Roger had passed away. It didn’t numb anything. She worried for JJ that if he was going to be headed down this road. Not that she knew if he was a heavy drinker but by the looks of it, he’d had a few.

There was a light chuckle. “You know very well that I can’t tell you anything about where Dr. Cross did or didn’t go.” Not that Evan went much of anywhere right now with the children so young. Victoria sipped on her wine, this would be her only glass. Victoria wasn’t really at liberty to say where the Cross family was being held after Sam had been shot. It was too much of a risk to tell anyone. The only ones who knew were on a security detail.

However, she had a feeling the assassination attempt on Vanessa might be hitting the news soon. So, it meant a few rough patches lie ahead but all she could do was think about how much she wanted to have things go back to normal. Stress levels were far too high for her liking.

Jackson Martin

L

[Jackson Martin]

JJ rolled his eyes when Victoria spoke about reading people, yeah she was good at that. Jackson wasnt so great that one or he wouldnt have married a crazy person. No he didnt read people he read machines, he was good at it and could make things but people. No that was a different animal and people he didnt understand in the slightest. His sister for one was an absolute enigma to him and not the sort that could be solved if he spent every minute with her. Nope.

It was the alcohol that solved world issues that night and sure he wasnt a heavy drinking but then going out. It was slowly becoming the thing he did and sure he knew that having too much was a a bad idea but then it wasnt like he had an easy year so far. “So he did go somewhere because you said did first.” JJ teased as he grinned at her watching her sip on her one glass of wine. The woman had a lot of catching up to do. JJ had heard about the attempt and what happened to Sam, it was all work related and now drinking seemed to be the thing to do.

“I know you probably know this already but you need to watch out for yourself too. Make sure you’re safe.” JJ said not wanting his dads friend to get hurt, so he was paranoid about that kind of stuff. “But tonight you need to have another drink, you’re a little behind with the rest of us. Then that way you can tell me all about the new Cross projects and what I need to be working on next.” He joked knowing even if he did try to pry it out of her it wouldnt work. “And then you can tell me all that is going on with you?” He offered deciding that he could at least catch up with her as he took a sip of his beer.

Tag: Victoria Kirkwood

[Victoria Kirkwood]

[attr="class","Victorianer"]

[attr="class","Victorianer1"]

[attr="class","Victoriaback"]

[attr="class","Victorianert"]
Given the death of Teresa and Maxwell, and the shooting of Sam; Victoria didn’t really understand how any of them was even functioning. She knew that Martin had taken some time off work to be with JJ; but right now JJ appeared to be in the bar and it got to the mothering side of Victoria a little bit. She knew what it was like to lose someone. She’d been there before; but they lost so many someone’s. No one should have to lose that many people close to them in so short amount of time. Victoria was there if they needed her; but she wasn’t going to crowd them.

Though Victoria just nailed him with a look when he asked her about the new Cross projects. Yeah, there weren’t enough drinks available for her to give up that information. “Don’t bark up that tree Jackson.” She knew well that he wouldn’t have his job long if he kept trying to pry things from Cross. It was one thing that she knew the CEO of WhitTech took very seriously. Oh if he only knew. Sighing she pushed her glass aside.

Victoria never really looked out for herself. It was just her and her daughter. Victoria’s whole outlook revolved on making sure everyone else was fine. She didn’t take too well to protectiveness. Victoria was too old and strong willed to change her ways. No, her responsibilities were elsewhere.

∵ Jackson Martin ∵

[attr="class","Victorianer2"]

[attr="class","Victorianerlyric"]I've jumped all the fences
Abandoned all the rules

[attr="class","cred"]MADE BY VEL OF WW + ADOX 2.0

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[Jackson Martin]

[googlefont="Oswald"][googlefont="Allura"][googlefont="Abel"]

DIVE INTO THE SEA

and make waves

JJ missed his family, there was no denying it at all but showing it. He’d never been that great in that department. If he ever showed he was upset or angry then it was bad but Jackson was trying to keep things together for his dad. The dad he had, the one he knew and the one he wanted to fix everything for. He couldnt fix his mother, she had died, he couldnt help Teresa she was gone. Jess was in his mind being held captive by a man thirty times her age. A little exaggeration but then Martin was seeing Sofia who was half his age or ten years younger.

So yeah the families dating experience was well, it was what it was. After all he had one crazy ex wife so what was the point in even trying after his latest girlfriend up and vanished on him to work in another state. So he was at a bar after a bad day, where was the harm in that until he caught that look from Victoria. There wasnt harm in being in a place but harm in asking about the Cross projects. “I’m simply nudging the tree to see what I can find out.” Jackson replied grinning at Victoria for a moment. “You know shake a tree and see what falls out but looks like I have to make my own ideas now.”

Jackson sighed trying to keep the grin from his face but he couldnt do that as he took a sip of his beer. “So what’s going on with you and dont do this fine stuff with me.” Jackson asked her after seeing her push her glass aside and sigh. “It’s me or my dad and trust me, you know what he gets like when he’s put on a trail. So spill it, what’s wrong?” He asked knowing there were a lot of things wrong at the moment, too much death and loss and family was now slimming down. He didnt want to lose Martin or Jess which in his head were his only family left in Chicago, even if one had been kidnapped which he was now more sure of than ever.

Tag: Victoria Kirkwood

SWANSKI

[Victoria Kirkwood]

[attr="class","Victorianer"]

[attr="class","Victorianer1"]

[attr="class","Victoriaback"]

[attr="class","Victorianert"]Yeah well the tree wasn’t going to bear any fruit. It was Victoria’s job to see to Dr. Cross’ safety and nothing else. In fact, half the time she didn’t even ask him about the projects because it was none of her business. That didn’t mean he didn’t sometimes mention things to others he was doing projects for but that was also nothing that Victoria would repeat. Sometimes she had to wonder about those in the WhitTech company. They rubbed her the wrong way from time to time.

Victoria raised a brow. “I can’t talk about it.” No, she couldn’t talk about things related to work. She could discuss them with Martin and get it off her chest, but she’d not had a spare second to talk to Martin where it didn’t involve doing her job to keep everyone safe. Something that she didn’t think that JJ thought all the way through. People she saw as kids had a lot to learn about certain things and JJ was certainly no exception.

∵ Jackson Martin ∵

[attr="class","Victorianer2"]

[attr="class","Victorianerlyric"]I've jumped all the fences
Abandoned all the rules

[attr="class","cred"]MADE BY VEL OF WW + ADOX 2.0

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[Jackson Martin]

[googlefont="Oswald"][googlefont="Allura"][googlefont="Abel"]

DIVE INTO THE SEA

and make waves

JJ watched Victoria as he nodded, no there wasnt much she could talk about he thought as he tried to find a topic of conversation that they could actually talk about. “Well I’ll point me dad at you and he can pry the information out of you.” JJ said with a grin, he knew they could talk but then what they talked about was anyone’s guess. JJ hadn’t really spoken with his dad much, there was just too much to talk about with his mum, Jess and then Teresa. Where did he even start though he did his usual.

Smile and say all was well with the world until it wasnt. “So I have questions for you. The theory kind of ones.” JJ began deciding that if he couldnt find out anything on projects, he could at least find out where he was going wrong in life with Jess or everyone else for that matter. “How do you keep people safe? I mean really safe when they don’t seem to want to be?” He asked not entirely sure how not to sound nuts saying it. Jess wasnt really safe in his mind, he had lost one sister and a parent and he wasnt about to lose anymore.

“Even dad you know, how would you keep him safe without him knowing about it?” JJ asked knowing that the key to all of it was them not knowing. Hell if they did then he was likely to make things worse but then, why not ask a security person that question. Yes he was a trained marine and he could keep his family safe but he could build things and it didnt help his mother or sister. Jess had run off and married some ninety year old man who JJ was sure couldnt protect her unless he was fighting someone off with a walking stick.

So sure, disappearing into the endless oblivion of a bottle was seeming like the best idea he had all week. He had managed to injure himself at work due to distractions and even work wasnt giving him the escape he wanted. It was still great but his mind was elsewhere and even the beer wasnt really doing much to stop the thinking he was trying to do.

Tag: Victoria Kirkwood

SWANSKI

[Victoria Kirkwood]

[attr="class","Victorianer"]

[attr="class","Victorianer1"]

[attr="class","Victoriaback"]

[attr="class","Victorianert"]Victoria ignored JJ’s first comment about prying things out of her, but then he started in on random theory questions. Which is what Martin had told her was any good, these weren’t exactly theory questions. Though at least he was talking to someone about it. Martin had seemed to have a hard time getting the kid to open up.

There was a shrug. “Sometimes the best thing we can do is let people make mistakes before they figure things out on their own. We just have to pick them up and be there when they realize things went wrong half a dozen ways.” She adjusted herself in her chair. “Sometimes the harder you push… the harder they push back. It gets no one anywhere.” She played with the rim of her glass. “Sometimes we can protect people from a distance. They don’t realize it.” She replied with a confident tone.

∵ Jackson Martin ∵

[attr="class","Victorianer2"]

[attr="class","Victorianerlyric"]I've jumped all the fences
Abandoned all the rules

[attr="class","cred"]MADE BY VEL OF WW + ADOX 2.0

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[Jackson Martin]

[googlefont="Oswald"][googlefont="Allura"][googlefont="Abel"]

DIVE INTO THE SEA

and make waves

Talking and Jackson, they weren’t really the sort to get along well. Jackson did the military thing, he stayed quiet did his job and that was it, everything else was just that. Everything else. He didnt talk, he didnt have heart to hearts with people and when he did get upset he pushed people away and yelled at them. The exact thing he had done to Jess, tried to make sure she was safe without saying it to her and then she goes and runs off to marry a pensioner who likely would need a hip replacement in a year.

“Yeah but what I you know that it’s a mistake and they just dont listen to you?” Jackson asked, he hadn’t exactly been a fan of Eyal and now Jess was on a visitation schedule of ‘if he didnt upset her’. How was he supposed to even talk to her when all he seemed to do was upset her, that and Jess was his one remaining sister. He was protective of her, very protective of her and yes it didnt always go down well but he had two family members left that he knew about. Three if you counted his dad but that was just too complicated to even start with.

JJ laughed as he nodded, “See when people speak my language I get it... finally someone who makes sense.” JJ stated wen she said about the harder he pushed the more people would push back. “Newton’s law. So it’s like physics I get it now.” He said as he nodded taking another sip of his beer hearing her confident tone. Well Victoria knew what she was talking about, no wonder his dad talked to her he thought. She was a smart woman and made perfect sense.

“So, how do I do that? You know protect from a distance because I can set up gadgets all day long to protect them but from a distance. I dont know.” JJ admitted having never been good with doing much from distance not when he was involved with the people he was trying to look after. “Anyway, how are you doing Victoria? And not for Cross or anything else, just you.” He asked as he felt that he had practically unloaded onto her. It was funny a slight crack in his the world is okay felt like the world was splitting open inside him.

He knew he wasnt great with getting what he wanted to say out or being understood because he kept everything pretty much to himself. Then again it was a time and a place, he didnt talk about things until they ate at him to protect those around him. It was just easier to make sense of it all that way.

Tag: Victoria Kirkwood

SWANSKI