gabriel_tam | (no subject)

"River."

This time it's a bit clearer, and Gabriel steps forward, moving to his daughter's side and looking down at her with concern.

"The cracks," River whispers, the faintest ghost of her wobbly half-smile tugging at her mouth, "are spreading. You'll have to watch for the fins."

Beat.

Her head lifts, just a shade too sharply, and she blinks at her father. A moment's still-blank stare, and then she closes her eyes in sudden disorientation or vertigo.

Maybe this wasn't the best idea after all. He frowns, and brushes her hair back from her face before setting a hand on her shoulder.

"There's a park nearby." His voice might steady her, he hopes, as might the slight pressure of his hand.

"It has a botanic garden attached to it, and a lot of trees and open green space. Would you like to go there?"

"Daddy," she whispers, eyes still closed, hands half-lifted with her fingers slowly spreading against the air. "I'm remembering the floor."

Beat. And then her arms drop, and her head lifts a little, and she inhales and nods.

"Then we will. Give me just a moment."

Gabriel squeezes her shoulder and then lets go, turning away as he takes out his portable communications link and keys in a familiar call sequence.

The soft chime of an encrypted connection being established is clear in the quiet room.

"Mark. Something's come up here -- I'll need you to clear the rest of my afternoon and early evening, at least." A pause, as he listens. "No, it's fine." Another pause, and then he nods at the tiny screen. "Make my apologies to the executive-general, will you? And be sure to schedule him for something more high-profile as a result, that should settle things."

Another nod, and then Gabriel adds, "I'll be at the Troxell Botanic Garden and Park, just so you know." A beat. "No, not alone. My daughter River's with me." A second beat, and then very sharply, "No media, dŏng ma?. I don't care if it's great publicity. Right. Let the security team know-- they'll probably want to add to the detail, given the area. Of course. Xièxie."

He ends the call and puts the link away, looking back at River.

"There. Everything's taken care of. Ready to go?"

River's shoulders are tenser, and she's staring down at the subtly textured Mazgan carpet.

"Down the ramp," she says softly.

Another tiny nod. "Okay."

"Out the gate, too," he says dryly, and then opens the office door for her. Gabriel nods down the hallway toward the distant steps leading downstairs.

"It's this way."

The hallway floor is rich: dark hardwood floors softened by tasteful throw rugs, a few small tables of dark wood polished to a glow, soft butter-colored walls studded with mirrors and pictures.

River stares at it for a long moment before she begins to walk, placing each foot carefully in front of the other as though following choreography, or walking a tightrope.

It's only the second time she's been here, and on her birthday they'd never left the den where the party had been held.

Gabriel watches her drift down the hallway, moving with grace that at the same time seems awkward and out of place here, and has to swallow hard against the tightness in his chest.

He takes his time before following her, letting her make her own way to the top of the stairs, where he joins her.

"We'll go out the front," he tells her, gesturing down the stairs toward the door in question. "It's not far at all."

River trails a hand along the bannister, slowly, and lifts it to examine her fingers as though she might see some residue there. Or as if she is seeing something of the sort.

She glances down, and down further; it's a moment before she takes her first step.

His frown is slight, but clear, as he watches her with growing concern.

One step, and then another. She doesn't seem disoriented, or dizzy; she's only moving very, very deliberately. Her face is tired and blank as she glances at the floor, her hand on the bannister, her foot slowly touching down, the middle distance.

He hesitates only a moment longer before going to her and gently putting an arm around her shoulders.

"Come on, băobèi." It's quiet, and warm, and as supportive as his arm is. "Come with me."

River breathes out, and leans just slightly into the circle of his arm, and lets her father guide her.

Down the stairs, slow but steady, and along the short hallway. Gabriel unlocks the door one-handed, cradling River against his side, and pulls it open.

Four men in plain tailored clothes wait by the front gate in a practiced formation, and River freezes.

"Shhh." His embrace tightens slightly as he seeks to reassure her.

"They're only security. It's all right."

"I know."

Her eyes never move from the group of men, and nothing in her posture relaxes.

"Here to watch. Keep it tidy. Standard procedure."

"I know each one of them personally," he murmurs quietly to her. For the moment, Gabriel doesn't move, and he certainly doesn't try to lead her closer to them.

"They're good men, băobèi. They can be trusted."

River breathes in -- just a bit too deeply -- and out, and as her shoulders slump fractionally something in her face ages.

"Always are."

A couple of the men exchange glances, and one calls over,

"Senator?"

Gabriel raises his voice and calls back, "Just a moment, Li."

"Of course, sir."

As the guards go back to scanning the grounds and the street beyond, Gabriel lifts a hand to River's face. He gently brushes a lock of hair back behind her ear, and says as quietly as before,

"Do you still want to go? We don't have to do anything you don't want to do."

River's eyes close -- and immediately open, fixing sidelong on the men again even as she turns an unconscious fraction towards her father.

Whispered, "They're watching."

"They are-- wait here a moment, River."

Gabriel walks over to the four security guards, and enters into a discussion with them.

It quickly grows animated, as the leader of the team seems rather unhappy with what he's being told.

River stands in the doorway, arms wrapped loosely around her torso and hair hanging about her bowed head. It makes her look young and miserable, and somehow defeated.

After a few minutes of increasingly sharp argument between Gabriel and his security guards, River's head lifts. She turns her face to the sky, arms tightening around herself, and closes her eyes.

"Perimeter monitoring based on one point five standard surveillance distance should be adequate for local security. Barring extraordinary levels of background threat expectation, fifteen point three meters is sufficient for interpersonal communication of necessary detail. Distance weapons are unlikely and can be monitored using standard procedures." Her voice is flat -- leaden, and a little distant -- and pitched to carry.

Beat.

"I can see you through the trees."

The sudden silence is more than a little disconcerted.

It's Gabriel who reacts first, adapting smoothly to the situation.

"As you gentlemen are no doubt aware, my daughter has rather distinctive gifts." His tone is as dry as desert sand, and more than one of the guards finds something to look at.

Bajian Li, who is the head of this particular team, has both the grace and necessary presence to hold Gabriel's gaze with his own.

"Be that as it may, she's still not trained in the same way we are, sir, and it's our job to see you both safe and secure."

River's eyes cut to Bajian Li.

She doesn't move otherwise, and she says nothing.

"Do it at a distance. Given that this is an unplanned trip, the risk should be minimal. Call in extra monitoring and response units if you want, but it'll be remote," Gabriel says flatly.

"Gonna be okay," River mutters. To her father, or to the guards; it's hard to say which, with her head tilted down and hair tangling about her face, and her eyes flicking from one thing to the next.

"She'll be careful."

Li still looks as though he wants to argue, but it's clear he's dealt with such issues before.

"Very well, Senator. We'll establish a perimeter, and monitor from there."

He makes a quick hand-signal to the others, and all four move quickly and quietly through the gates.

Gabriel turns to River.

"Is that better, băobèi?"

"Don't tell them I'm listening," she whispers.

A few seconds pass, and then she manages a smile for her father; after a moment, it solidifies more.

"Got sky."

Beat.

Softer, and half as if convincing herself, "I'm okay."

"You're okay," he agrees quietly, and puts his arm around her shoulders, drawing her into a hug.

"Come on. Let's go. I think you'll like it there."

And she does.

She curls into her father's arm, and she casts quick darting glances at the guards hidden behind trees, and she never quite relaxes even in the sunlit grassy park.

But she does.