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[COLOR=AF7AC5][indent][sub][B]Location:[/B] [COLOR=white][I]El Diablo Air Force Base, (Navapo, New Mexico)[/I][/COLOR][/sub][sup][right][b]Seeing [color=228B22]Green[/color] – 1.03[/b][/right][/sup][/indent][/color][sub][hr][/sub][INDENT][color=AF7AC5][sub][B]Interaction(s):[/B] [COLOR=white][I]None[/I][/COLOR][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][b]Previously:[/b] [COLOR=white][I][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4958486]1.02[/url][/I][/COLOR][/right][/SUP][/color][/INDENT]
[indent][color=F1948A]“So...what happened?”[/color]

Perking up at the voice, Bruce looked over from his bed to see Betty coming in. Right now it was mercifully quiet. The Base had a med-bay but it was now completely unoccupied, sans one bed. Betty winced as she approached. Her causal tone had likely been to alleviate any concerns Bruce might have had for her feelings, but either way, Bruce wasn’t in the best of states. His skin was burned red, especially the neck, back, and shoulders. The medical gown he wore under the light sheet covered much of it, but with as pasty as he normally was he knew full well the burn [i]showed[/i]. His hands were more or less alright, but both of his feet were suspended, not in casts, but heavily bandaged. The doctor insisted he shouldn’t be walking at all for a day or so, and not extensively for more than a week, to which Bruce could only promise that he wouldn’t be taking any more desert expeditions any time soon. 

While the military doctor hadn’t really pestered Bruce on the why, Betty wasn’t going to be so dismissive, and Bruce was about ready as he was going to be.  Fingers rubbing the bridge of his nose, Bruce cringed at the pain of his sunburn, letting out a groan, [color=AF7AC5]“Oh god I...I got mad again.”[/color] Shame was more than evident in his voice as he hid his face somewhat.  [color=AF7AC5]“Road rage. A couple guys in a van almost hit a kid on the road.”[/color] Leaning back against his stiff, flat pillow, his hand rubbed across his forehead, palm over one of his eyes. [color=AF7AC5]“I remember getting out of my car and yelling at them. I turned away and they jumped me.”[/color] Betty’s eyes went wide. Bruce’s innards tightened. Lying always made him anxious, but the truth was even more baffling and fearful.

He had no idea. He was there then he was gone, waking up in the middle of nowhere. He wasn’t hurt, just missing his glasses and phone. His story wasn’t [i]completely[/i] implausible, except for that he had held most of the anger during that whole encounter.

However, where he could no longer get mad at this whole situation, a dark look crossed Betty’s face, her hand gripping her purse tightly. [color=F1948A]“That...I can’t...ooo[b]ooh[/b]!”[/color] She hissed. Bruce winced, doing his best to keep his face neutral. [color=F1948A]“Sometimes I hate this city. What did they look like? Where did it happen?”[/color]

Letting his hand flop to the bed, Bruce murmured, [color=AF7AC5]“I don’t...really remember where it happened, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was driving. I think I know vaguely where it was... One of them was fat I think?”[/color] Bruce felt his insides pulse again. He was never one for lying, let alone to Betty. Biting the inside of his lip, he clenched the toes of his wounded feet, mentally grimacing at the pain. But even as it hurt, there was some satisfaction, a part of him knowing he deserved it.

Standing briskly, Betty said, [color=F1948A]“I’m going to head out for a bit.”[/color] Expression loosening she admitted, [color=F1948A]“You’re looking a little pale, should I get the doctor?”[/color] Letting out a breath, Bruce felt himself sinking into his bed as tension left his body. [color=AF7AC5]“He said he’d be back.”[/color] Betty gave a curt nod, before moving to the door. As soon as she reached it, it burst open, shoving her aside. Chest broad and decorated, gray mustache bristling alongside his anger, Bruce could feel his heart sinking lower with ever thundering step. He didn’t even need his glasses: even with his eyes closed he’d have known damn well who was coming. Towering over Bruce’s bed, General Ross shook his head. [color=BE1C1C]“[b]Look[/b] at you. I’ve never had someone under my watch be so utterly inept at the basic duty of being at work [b]on time[/b].”[/color] Bruce’s breath came slowly, but shortly. His mind seemed to lock up, hair standing on end, body stiff in anticipation. [color=BE1C1C]“You know full well of the expectations shouldered on me, both from my superiors, my peers, those under me, and above all [b]myself[/b]. Through some fuck up of fate, [b]you’re[/b] in charge of the Gamma Stream Project. And now it’s going to fall even further behind. And that reflects on me.”[/color] Ross put one hand on the frame of Bruce’s bed, leaning in. Bruce couldn’t have replied even if he wanted to. [color=BE1C1C]“You being injured from walking of all damn things doesn’t mean you can’t come up with a gameplan. I want timelines, and-”[/color]

A stern cough fro mthe other side of the room stole Ross’ bluster. Stuck still, he turned over his shoulder, spotting Betty, the woman staring daggers. Ross slowly turned back to Bruce, releasing his hand from the bed and taking a half a step back. Giving Bruce a nasty look, he turned back to Betty, [color=BE1C1C]“Betty! Didn’t see you there. I should have [i]known[/i].”[/color] A flat smile on his face, he said, [color=BE1C1C] “If I knew-”[/color]

[color=F1948A] “Fuck off dad.”[/color] Ross didn’t move his eyes from her, after a moment he held his hands out helplessly. The awkwardness was punched through as the door opened again, Betty stepping away as the military doctor stepped in, nodding at the General. Ross gave Betty a nod. [color=BE1C1C] “I suppose I’ll just [i]fuck off[/i] then.”[/color] Disaffected expression on his face, he kept his gaze forward as he took his leave.

Breath coming a little easier, if only slightly, he kept to himself as the doctor looked between him and Betty. “We can keep him overnight, but he’s technically not military personnel, so this is really a matter of his health insurance.” Betty gave a slow nod. [color=F1948A]“We’ll work that out tomorrow then.”[/color] The doctor saw an empty glass of water at Bruce’s bedside, taking the excuse, “I’ll be back with some water and I’ll make sure you get some rest.”

As he slipped out, Betty almost made to follow, but stopped. [color=F1948A]“Oh, I almost forgot.”[/color] She reached into her purse, pulling out a glasses case. Bruce let out a sigh of relief, stretching out his arm for her to hand it off. [color=F1948A]“I’ll be back tomorrow morning when you can leave.”[/color]

Bruce gave a thankful nod as she finally left, Bruce alone in the spacious room. Cracking open his case, he withdrew a silver rimmed pair of spectacles, much like his other ones. Putting them on his eyes, he felt relief as everything became clear. Well, mostly. His eyebrow furrowed as he noted a slight disparity, his vision not quite as clear as he remembered. Realizing Betty must have grabbed an older pair by accident, he left out a light sigh, glad he could see regardless, and even more glad she was there for him. He reflexively tried to roll over, feeling drained, but his legs didn’t take much comfort at the odd angle, and they were starting to ache from the intense walking, far more than he’d done in years. Lying back in his bed, he was out before he knew it.[/indent]