Economos, motherfucker!

The new ops center of Checkmate hums with faint, expensive silence—the kind you only get when a morally rebranded covert agency is funded by thirty-seven duffel bags of untraceable drug money and a half-baked LLC registered in Delaware. He scrolls through the surveillance feeds again—nothing. No Peacemaker. No Eagly. Just digital static and a blinking cursor. His cursor. Judging him.

Across the table, Vigilante is doing that thing he does when he’s not doing something worse: sitting very still and grinning like a fucking golden retriever that got into the espresso beans. They’ve been here for hours waiting on Harcourt’s signal. Or literally any lead to where Chris might be. Or a power outage. Anything, really, that might give Economos an excuse to leave and go microwave the last hot pocket without being told he’s ‘emotionally comfort-eating again.’ Economos has been quizzing Adrian on crow facts this time—for twenty-six straight minutes.

He can't.

So since work's a little slow, and since Peacemaker is still nowhere to be found, and since Adrian needs to find something to for reasons that have nothing to do with the chasm of grief that's opened up within him, he wants to play with Economos! He's bored, too, right? And who doesn't want to hear about how many awesome facts Adrian knows? Because he does. He knows so much.

So why is Economos acting like he doesn't?

“Mmhm,”  he says, tone flat enough to fry eggs on.  “Right.  Crows.  Feathery hitmen.  Real street justice types.”  He finally lifts his gaze.  His face shifts into a blend of dry amusement, visible skepticism, and that subtle please tell me you’re kidding tilt of his head he usually reserves for malfunctioning biometric scanners and Harcourt’s protein shake recipes.  He pushes his glasses up his nose and gives Adrian a once over like he’s scanning for evidence of recent crow attacks. 

John Economos hunches over the curved, sleek screen of the SHIELD tactical interface like a guy who absolutely doesn’t deserve this much power. The keyboard is glowing with adjustable RGB settings. The chair adjusts to lumbar support he didn’t know he needed. The coffee machine nearby does pour oat milk. Not that he asked. He just thought it—and it happened. He’s pretty sure the goddamn base is alive. This is day five of his new life—his post-A.R.G.U.S. redemption arc, as he’s calling it (privately, in his notes app, under the folder marked “Do Not Read This, Harcourt”).

A screen blips. A potential inhuman showing up in Oslo. He logs it—like he’s supposed to—and taps a few keys to triangulate the energy spike. This base has a better geolocation system than whatever the fuck Waller stuck them with. Pretty sure that old ARGUS map was just Google Earth with the serial number filed off. The tech in here is… ludicrous. He used to work on refurbished Dells that made a sound like dying raccoons when you booted them up. Here? He thinks the wall just silently updated his software because it felt like it.

And that’s when he hears footsteps—boots, light and confident, like the kind that belong to someone who can throw him through a wall without needing to explain it on the paperwork. It’s either Harcourt… or Daisy Johnson. Technically his boss. Possibly a little terrifying. Definitely has a cooler jacket than him. Trying to sound casual, he clears his throat.

“So, uh—when you guys told me I’d be working closely with ‘Fitz-Simmons’, I was imagining some dude in a beanie who smells like dryer sheets and Red Bull. Not The fucking Doctor and Donna Noble. Simmons is 100% the Doctor in this scenario, by the way. Fitz is the fiery redhead.” He glances toward Daisy, then away. Then back again, and immediately regrets it. He prays she gets the reference. He adjusts his glasses and reaches for his coffee mug to hide behind it.

It’s empty.

He drinks it anyway.

         and  a  coffee  machine  is  exactly  where  you're  heading  when  you  remember  the  new  additions  to  the  team ,  and  that  one  of  them  should  be  working  nearby .  you  should  be  friendlier  /  say  HI .  the  last  few  editions  to  the  team  have  been  a  bit  BUMPY    there  was  you ,  and  he  who  must  not  be  named ,  and  then  everyone  part  of  the  shield  squared  business  which  may  have  turned  out  okay  but  it  was  still  a  betrayal .  history  made  it  a  bit  difficult  to  take  time  out  of  the  very  busy  caterpillar  recruitment  schedule  and  be  a  welcome  wagon .

         it's  probably  the  techy  guy ,  and  not  the  woman .  coffee  now  or  later  ...  if  he's  really  as  good  as  coulson  says ,  he'll  have  set  up  shop  very  close  to  a  caffeine  source .  maybe  you  can  knock  out  two  birds  one  stone ,  then  catch  the  third  bird  later .  on  approach ,  you  barely  resist  cheering  the  fact  you  nailed  it  ;  a  coffee  machine  and  a  glasses  wearing  bird  in  sight .  NO ,  you  will  not  give  up  on  the  metaphor  for  at  least  the  next  day .

         everyone  is  always  surprised  by  the  reveal  fitzsimmons  are  two  people ,  you've  never  understood  it .  probably  helped  you  weren't  told  about  them  before  being  kidnapped  from  your  van  and  introduced .  you  let  him  talk ,  waiting ,  hoping  you  come  off  as  friendly  and  unintimidating .  then  he  raises  his  cup  and  you're  pretty  sure  that ,  despite  the  dedication  to  the  act ,  he  doesn't  drink  anything .

        " thats  doctor  who ,  right ?  fitzsimmons  are  big  fans ,  i  think    fitz  spends  most  of  the  time  COMPLAINING  about  it  and  then  threatening  to  make  me  watch  the  classic  era .  they've  never  told  me  about  a  redhead ,  but  if  you're  saying  simmons  is  the  super  genius  one ?  absolutely ,  you'll  fit  in  nicely . "  taking  possibly  too  much  of  a  liberty ,  you  get  closer .  enough  that  you  can  peer  over  at  the  screen  for  anything  interesting .  " need  a  refill ?  i'm  grabbing  coffee  anyway . "   the  machine  is  over  on  the  far  side  of  the  room ,  and  you  don't  mind  having  to  raise  your  voice  to  talk  or  come  back  for  his  cup .  head  over  to  search  the  back  of  the  cupboards  for  the  mug  you  stashed  there  days  ago .  someone  keeps  taking  your  favourite  and  if  it's  happened  again  then  the  next  step  is  WAR .

         poke  your  head  up  over  the  cupboard  door ,  pointing  at  him  " hey !  i  used  to  have  a  whole  conspiracy  theory  that  aliens  ran  radioshack ,  so  i'd  argue  it's  definitely  run  by  cryptids . "  yes ,  you  had  a  lot  of  conspiracy  theories  back  in  the  peaceful  old  days  of  just  five  years  ago .  the  FUN  part  of  shield  is  keeping  of  tally  of  how  many  you  were  on  the  right  track  for .  not  to  boast  but  you're  a  pattern  recognition  genius  and  conspiracy  fortune  teller .  " it  used  to  be  a  lot  worse  here .  fitzsimmons  had  to  rebuild  most  of  our  tech  from  the  ground  up .  i  was  using  a  really  crappy  laptop  for  the  first  month  we  moved  in .  but ,  uh ,  what  is  ARGUS'  deal  anyway ?  i've  been  tempted  to  creep  through  their  servers  a  few  times ,  it  looks  really  easy ,  but  duty  always  calls . "

“Damn, Fitz is a classical era Whovian? Respectfully disappointing. Like finding out your favorite drummer is into Christian rock.” He squints slightly, then adds, “David Tennant’s the peak Doctor. Everyone who’s cool knows that.” When she comments on her old conspiracy theory, he lets out a dry little laugh through his nose, “Sounds like a theory someone forms after watching too much Men in Black.”

She brings up ARGUS. He scratches at the edge of his beard, eyes fixed on the screen as if it’s going to save him from the memory of multiple morally gray employers and an increasingly long list of redacted clearance violations. “Oh, believe me—it’s stupid fucking easy,” he replies, a half-smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Like ‘hacking the CIA’ easy. Kindergarten shit. They left more backdoors than an open-world beta build.” Then, the smile drops. “ARGUS is the same as every other government agency that pretends to have morals and then weaponizes desperation.”

“Waller—she used to run it—would give convicts a choice: go on a black-ops mission to contract kill for the government, or, ya know, die. Literal bombs in your head. That’s not a metaphor. And then we’d sit behind comms and decide which of them got to live based on their kill-to-liability ratio. Like fantasy football but with war crimes.”

There’s a beat. Maybe three.

is that why you're here? to ask questions you already know the answers to?

you know what makes a hero? a man who values protecting others above protecting himself.

i'm so sorry this happened.

that's it? no "welcome back?"

wars are fought one battle at a time.

you belong behind bars.

this city was built because of men like me.

so you did some good. so what? doesn't mean you're above the law. nobody is.

you look gorgeous. no surprise.

you need to leave, right now.

[name], where the hell are you?

why does it feel like we keep saying goodbye?

it was such a pleasant surprise when i discovered that the two of you were together. you know, after the gag reflex.

did you just fake cough?

you don't have any whiskey, do you?

it seems you left dinner just in time.

we'll keep an eye on him.

once a criminal, always a criminal.

i don't know what i would do if something happened to you.

like an idiot, i would wake up thinking, hoping that the next day, you would show up at my door.

after everything that's happened, you really have nothing to say to me?

i bet you were close growing up.

you want to explain yourself?

have you changed your mind?

you wanted to talk.

what do you have to offer?

surprised to see me?

wow. so this is where you live.

i feel like i walked into something.

i do not want to get in trouble. odd as it might seem, i do enjoy working here.

you don't control me anymore.

what the hell are you doing here?

why didn't you kill me?

if i didn't know better, i'd accuse you of being a sentimentalist.

sounds like you're busy. maybe i should go.

what happens when there aren't anymore?

i don't think this place is running out of monsters anytime soon.

i get to go home when i want, get drunk when i want.

hello? we're closed.

this is harder than i thought.

i'm happy for you.

it's not a compliment.

if you leave now, i won't call the cops.

any chance you want to come quietly?

you taking care of yourself?

you okay, [name]? world getting you down?

just trying to be nice.

it's a puzzle. the trick is opening it.

it was a lovely thought.

hear that? you should be lauded.

you have a family here.

i imagine you're here about your offer.

i only want what's best for you.

good luck finding anyone to take that job.

someone should do a story on you.

i got nothing to say.

i was going to say it's hard to find a quiet bar in the city.

i like coming here.

why are you being so kind?

i know the feeling.

details can be distracting. sometimes, a simple solution is best.

drop the gun.

i'm sorry i was gone for so long.

what the hell are you doing?

we had a deal.

you're a son of a bitch.

i knocked.

was a new alarm system really necessary?

i imagine you have some ideas.

you tried to kill me.

is that why you're angry?

for someone who has everything, you have no idea what you actually want.

there are about thirty witnesses.

why would he leave?

no one's ever looked at me like that.

i've never had a friend. i've never had anyone.

you have no idea what it's like to spend your whole life alone.

dialogue prompts from season two of murder in a small town.

i'm not sure i want to know what ____ did this time.

this is the hand we've been dealt, so we play it.

you're crazy busy, i'm crazy busy, but we have to eat sometime.

do i look like i hang around bikers to you?

realistically, we may have to compromise.

you ought to know your family history.

i'd offer to make breakfast, but it's a little too domestic.

keep your eyes wide open, same as your mind.

i couldn't just leave ____ there.

you feel like coffee and dessert?

sometimes i overshare.

i'm not going to be weeping bitter tears for ____.

i might just be good at this.

you look at my place like it's a riddle to be solved.

you scare so easy.

maybe i'm just high on life.

love's like anger. it can make you do unreasonable things.

you ever done anything young and dumb?

you're starting to think like a cop.

we've all done things we're not proud of.

don't you dare make the same mistake that i did.

you're a meme!

i don't talk to cops.

we all failed. different ways.

you're smart as hell. i knew that within ten minutes of meeting you.

i can be impulsive sometimes. you might have noticed.

what i meant to say is i'm damn glad you're okay. that nobody got hurt.

i need you to see me.

i don't know how else to show you i care.

thank you for your open and forthright communication.

i'm a chance. you took it. i won't let you down.

not to criticize, but is this possibly an overreaction?

i just need to know that you're okay.

i am done being nice.

get laid. it does wonders.

you're cancelling girls night? that's a bit tradwives of you.

be wild and have a danish.

i'm mainly here to see how you're doing.

i was a seriously lame kid. not like you.

where are you going in the middle of the day?

we all process things in different ways.

you think we'll ever be normal?

do we want to be normal?

i'm afraid. i need your help.

i hate feeling so damn helpless.

no small jobs.

i could be like, your wingman.

i can hear you breathing.

i know you. you're the fun police.

was it a thrill? to pretend you were my friend?

i wish this had a happy ending. i really do.

how the hell did you become a cop?

i paint to see, not to be seen.

if i wasn't a _____ i'm not sure i would exist.

stay safe. carry bear spray.

i don't think i'm ready for how you see me.

we need to make a habit of this. the two of us getting away, rain or shine.

if you had to pick a word to define us, what would it be?

i didn't see you coming. i wouldn't have known to look for you.

pain's good, sometimes. helps remind you you're still alive.

you do have trust issues.

i don't suppose i've ever trusted you, either.

i do believe we may have just turned a corner.

wow. we might actually become friends.

it's never been personal. ever.

what can i do to help?

there was some unpleasantness.

try again. the truth.

i was there for the mushrooms. nothing else.

i was the steady one. i was supposed to be there for ____.

you've been carrying this for ___ years?

whatever you're imagining, it never happened.

delicate means it has to be tended. it can't be taken for granted.

describe today. one word.

it was never personal. not between you and me.

it's hard helping people who don't want to help themselves.

go with the black. it's classic.

i'm good with numbers, just bad with people.

i find most people are overrated.

you lied to me. to my face.

i have lived here my whole life, and i've never been inside this place.

i wouldn't join a club if they had me as a member.

i did what i thought was right.

you did exactly what i would have done.

you have more heart and dedication than anybody i know.

i'm pissed, but i understand where you're coming from.

i hate _____, but i love you.

would you stop telling me what i need to do?

i guess we all make our choices.

to be frank, you look better than i'd hoped.

you look like saint michael awaiting the dragon. shielding humanity from darkness.

you have trouble with trust, don't you?

significance arises from interpretation.

i wouldn't trade my chains for yours.

you're tough as old boots, but you bleed the same as anybody else.

i admire a woman who kicks butt, even when it's my own butt.

you make me feel more alive than i ever thought possible.

you are freaking me out right now.

we all have stupid thoughts, okay?

i'm awake. i wanted to see you.

god, am i ever glad you're here.

we never walk away angry, agreed?