Loose Croc

Mick opens his mouth to tell Dan not to keep apologizing, but his intention is replaced with a wry grin instead, and he lets it slide. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary from the night before, but... there was still something bothering him about Jade's behavior. Apparently she and Dan had teamed up last night. Not surprising, but... was there a connection? He wondered.

Still working, he quirks an eyebrow at Dan's mention of Bolt. "Mm... he's usually smart enough to stay out of trouble. Come on while the others finish up chores - let's go take a look at him."

Leading the way, Mick heads to Bolt's stall. The gelding met him at the door, confused as to why he'd been taken out, then back in again.

Mick slips into the stall, patting the horse on the neck. "Hey fella.. what's the matter, hmm?" Checking him over, Mick finds the swollen foreleg. Running his hand down Bolt's leg, he feels for any injuries, careful when Bolt shifts uneasily. "Steady... Dan, hold his head, will you?"

He prods around the knee, feeling the heat and swelling. But there were no cuts or scrapes to show what had happened. "Well, looks like he might've turned it or pulled it somehow. I'd let it go today and see if the swelling goes down on its own. If not, we'll wrap it tonight."

Mick straightens and gives Bolt another pat, pausing before taking the horse out. He cocks his head at Dan. "So... you and Jade seem to have hit it off..." He fishes for more information, trying to get to the bottom of Jade's odd mood.


Ryder leans back against the wall, eating a bowl of cold cereal for lunch as the tv drones on the other side of the room. He hadn't gone in to work today. There had been nothing for him to do.

Crunching on the cereal, he stops, squinting at the tv as the reporter catches his attention. The screen showed the local zoo and several zoo keepers who were trying to herd an escaped crocodile back into its pen. Somehow it had gotten out and now they were quite clumsily trying to handle the situation.

"Aw, you stupid..." Ryder shakes his spoon at the tv, tossing droplets of milk in every direction. "Dang yanks are gonna get their hand bit off... no... no, don't use that...aw..." He groans in disgust as the crocodile slips down another path. "See, ya went and scared him. That croc's got more sense than you zoo keepers do."

Taking another bite, he stops again as one of he handlers almost gets his leg bitten. "Can you believe this?" He didn't even know if Thirteen was listening.


Gunner finishes cleaning up, then resumes his seat on the bed, now alone. He appreciated Hope... it wasn't easy for him to show, or admit, but he did know she was just trying to help, and that she meant it. It was odd... now when he was in such a place like this, he realized just how few real friends he had. Oh, he had friends, sure, but no one close... no one to confide in, or lean on. He'd always just relied on himself. But now, when it was a battle against himself, he had no one to turn to. So who was there? Hope... and Bree.

Sitting slouched, he won't move until the nurse finally comes to give him his next dose of medication. But even after that, he sits quietly, alone, opting not to go to the rec room, or read books. He needed time to just be.


Gage sets down his bag, standing in the middle of the empty room. There was one small room here... a small kitchenette off to the side, and then a small bathroom with a shower. It was the corner apartment on the second floor... it did have a window that overlooked a nice wooded patch, so that was nice. It was very... empty. And very... intimidating, despite its small size.

Gage wanders a few more feet in, trying to get used to the fact that this is where he would live now. For the last few weeks, the downstairs at TJY had been converted slightly, to house him and Alec until better arrangements could be made. Reese had been working hard, but the system was simply slow. So the Elite had been very good at providing what they could. Alec was still there, still threatening to get out of dodge, so Reese wasn't willing to let him go until there was some place where he could either work off his energy or do time behind bars. For Gage, he needed to spend his days alongside a police officer, doing community service until he had enough hours built up. Then he would truly be on his own. For now... he got to live in this apartment, with a little bit of money to just get by with food and clothing. Any extra was left up to him to decide what to do with... right now, the first thing he could think of was getting a bed.

The apartment was more like a private halfway house than anything... but apparently the Elite was taking it easy on him because he really wanted to have a better life and be on the right side.

Sighing, Gage tries to swallow the strange feelings. He had done so much with the Agency... yet he had never really lived at all, and he knew so little. Could he really survive? What would he eat? Where would he shop? Would he have any free time? Even if he did, what would he do? It was a strange mixture of imprisonment and freedom.

Turning around, he gives a look to Sapphire like that of a lost puppy. "Well... I guess... you won't have to bring me breakfast anymore."