Elizabeth Maxwell
Title: Exercise and Perspective
Players: Ryan Rivers and Elizabeth Maxwell
Location: Maxwell Ranch
Synopsis: Ryan and Elizabeth hanging around the training room... seems that they exercise their mouths more than anything else. :)
LOG BEGINS
Elizabeth Maxwell is out on the mat today, trying to stretch herself some, and keep herself some semblance of fit.
Well, Ryan thinks that Elizabeth is rather fit (and fine), but then again, most of the people in the Resistance tend to be. Wearing sweats for a change, Ryan just prepares to make his way down. Why is he here? Well, his shift ended about an hour ago... And since it has a couple days off, he can afford to chill here for a day or so. "Hey, Liz.... How you doing?" he offers with a small smile.
Elizabeth Maxwell glances up and smiles. "Hi there. I'm fine... what you up to?"
Ryan Rivers shrugs a little as he makes his way down the rest of the stairs. "Nothing much... Just doing the morning workout. Good to keep fit... Keeps me out of trouble," he offers with a small smirk.
Elizabeth Maxwell smiles a little and nods. "Yeah, know what you mean. Good place to duck into to keep out of the way, when nothing's happening. That's part of why I'm down here. That and I've been lazy for more than a week about coming down and working out.
"I was referring to causing some trouble of my own," Ryan replies, giving a wink as if to explain himself more. He might be the 'Good Cop', but he is human. Moving to get some one-handed weight, he moves to the bench to do some weighted stretches. "Well, hey, you've been busy with other things... As long as you are running around, that's the important thing, right?"
Elizabeth Maxwell laughs a little and nods, raising her eyebrows. "Oh... what kind of trouble you think you might cause? And it's still no excuse, the only day I have a real excuse for is when I was in New York."
Ryan Rivers shrugs. "I figure with so many cute girls about and some of them..." He pauses as he thinks about Quinn's 'offer', "...A little energetic, just means I need to work a little harder to stay on my best behavior, that's all." Ryan is conveniently looking at his weights as he works out, perhaps to distract him from looking at Elizabeth's reaction.
Elizabeth Maxwell laughs a little bit and raises her eyebrows. "Ooooh. A little energetic, huh? Quinn still showing interest? I know it was mentioned that one night..."
"Well, um... Not sure I should be talking about stuff like that. Not exactly one to kiss or tell. That we kissed... Or anything else..." Ryan just sighs. "I dunno... Not sure she is the best for me... Considering her interest in me seems a little... One sided," Ryan continues, then lowering his head as he realized he blabbed anyway. Smoooooth.
Elizabeth Maxwell laughs a little and raises her eyebrows. "Sorry to hear that... I'm sure that could be a problem, definitely. If you have to bring her down, be gentle about it... she's cranky enough as it is."
Ryan Rivers blinks. "Bring her down? We are dating? I thought she was just saying the girlfriend stuff as Resistance cover and wanted to date just as a 'testing the waters' thing. Well, she is cute... And she seems nice under it all. I dunno, maybe it could work. Just really didn't think dating in the Resistance would be really that encouraged. I mean, I know it happens but...Yeah."
Elizabeth Maxwell laughs a little bit and raises her eyebrows. "Well... I meant if she was actually that serious. Far as I know there's nothing against dating here. This isn't exactly the military or anything. She's seemed to have a better attitude since that came up, for certain."
Ryan Rivers hrms and nods. "Well, she actually said I was 'too sweet' for her offer, so I think she got the idea... Feel kinda bad though. I mean, it's not like I want to... It's just yeah... You know." He finally stops his weights. While he didn't have much weight on them, the reps during all the talking made up for it. Just switching arms, he continues. "Really? I would have thought we would have been at least a little militarist considering who we have in the group."
Elizabeth Maxwell laughs a little bit and shakes her head. "The highest ranking military person that I know of in the group is Heather, actually. Outside of whatever unofficial position Tyler held. He's a spook though, so he doesn't count."
Ryan Rivers ahs and nods. "Well, I figured with two military and one military-minded... That it might affect how we do things. Doesn't seem to that much though, that's for sure."
Elizabeth Maxwell smiles and shrugs a little bit. "The people really in charge around here aren't military. This isn't a military operation after all. And well.. Mike and Julie as the ones really in charge... are also seeing each other on that level."
Ryan Rivers nods as he looks back to his weights once more. "So I've heard. Oh, I found my gym bag... Left it in the restroom in the barn," he replies quietly.
Elizabeth Maxwell laughs a little bit and nods. "Ah... oh well. Least you found it." she shakes her head a bit. "I'm surprised someone didn't find it and ask about who it belonged to."
Ryan Rivers moves toward the weights were his bag is half hidden in it, dropping off the weights as he does. Rifling through the contents of the bag, he pulls out the sword and draws it... Though looking at Elizabeth, he just swiftly puts it away and back in the bag. "Well, it's a gym bag... Sure there are lot of those around here that people just don't look for and stuff."
Elizabeth Maxwell smiles a little bit and raises her eyebrows at the sword, a little. "hmm... Suppose not. Especially if it was in the bathroom upstairs. Probably thought it belonged to someone either in the shower, or about to come back and get into it."
Ryan Rivers nods, zipping up his bag as he does. "Well, important thing is that I have is that I found the sword... And things are quiet... Both are good things in my mind," he replies with a small smile.
Elizabeth Maxwell laughs a little bit and nods. "Yeah... quiet is always a good thing. I'm glad you found it." She stands up and stretches, walking onto the main mat. "A day or two of semi-normality is good to have. Without worrying about people being captured, half-converted, in trouble, or anything else. Just a matter of planning the next action now."
Ryan Rivers hrms and nods. "I know we do... I guess I just rather not fight, but well, sure most of us feel that way. Save Jason though... But well, I know some Marines are crazy like that," he offers with a chuckle.
Elizabeth Maxwell smiles a little bit and nods. "Well, yeah. Most of us would rather not be fighting. I certainly would rather be having a quiet life right now. But..." She rolls her eyes then. "Yeah, Jason is a pretty bad case."
Ryan Rivers merely moves to the bench, to just lay on it without doing anything. He is feeling rather lazy today after all. "So... If the Visitors called off the invasion today... What do you think you'd do? Other than get trashed celebrating with the rest of the group tonight?"
Elizabeth Maxwell laughs a little and shakes her head. "I probably wouldn't go out and get trashed, actually. Someone would have to say sane when everyone else was doing it... I don't know what I'd do. Probably wait to hear from Robin that she'd talked to Polly and Katie and gotten them straightened out for one thing. Outside of that... I don't know. Would depend on a few things probably. Probably make sure it got around that there were anti-aircraft systems around the place, for one thing... might keep some idiot from trying what one news helicopter did not long before the second war started. Tried to land in our pasture, and had to shoo it off." She rolls her eyes then. "Probably would stay right here, really. That or get ready for what might be the next mission for our particular crew, afterwards. I shudder to think what might happen with that, though..."
Ryan Rivers blinks, for a short time, sitting up as Ms. Maxwell's words. "Why... You honestly think we'd go after them if the Visitors retreated? I figured the war would just be over after we beat them back... Or at least focus on defending the planet before attacking them."
Elizabeth Maxwell sighs a little bit and shakes her head. "Actually, that's not what I mean. Though its a whole other can of worms, really..." She stretches out again. "There's just as big a problem waiting for us at the end of this round as there was last time. You, uh, know what Bates is doing to keep them from attacking LA, right?"
Ryan Rivers sighs and shrugs. "I guess... I just figured it would be a bit easier than that... That's all. I suppose that's why I am just a gun and a spy rather than a guy that makes the calls on stuff like this."
Elizabeth Maxwell sighs a little bit and shrugs. "Bates has the entire world by the throat, not just them. The original dust isn't safe, he's using that as his threat. Another large release would kill everything and everyone. And he knows it. I'm afraid of him either simply trying to keep hold of LA, or worse, trying to make a grab for his own little empire beyond, using that as a continued threat.
Ryan Rivers folds his arms as he lays back down, his eyes looking toward the ceiling lights above. "If he is such a threat, why don't we just team up with the Visitors to take him out first. I mean, 'an enemy of an enemy is a friend' might explain why we should keep him around... But I really don't like having him be able to kill most of the life in this area... If not the world because we figured it was the best way to keep the aliens at bay. I am sure that the Visitors would agree to that. I know they aren't much better as Bates... But well... You get my point."
Elizabeth Maxwell sighs. "The trick is how. He's got a device attached to his wrist that will trigger the release, if either he dies or it's taken off." She shakes her head. "He's supposedly the enemy of the enemy. But is he? As much as he's keeping that threat up, he's turning right around and turning resistance members caught doing anything in LA over to the enemy."
Ryan Rivers shrugs faintly. "The Visitors are not the most powerful here on Earth. As long as we have the Dust Zones, we have the advantage still. They have places they can't get into. It also means they just focus more on the places they CAN, but as I said, they aren't as much the top dog as they used to be. That means Bates needs to play nice toward them. Bates wins when the playing field is level, so he can keeps the Resistance and the Visitors more at odds with one another than at him. Hell, if I was evil and in his spot, that's what I'd do."
Elizabeth Maxwell nods a little bit. "Yes, but in the longer term, it just depends on what all happens. It will almost certainly be said that he could have used what he did to protect more of an area than he did. Also, he's turning resistance members in when they have the full support of the US Government as well. When the Visitors leave and the government resumes full control, well, that will get looked at a lot harder. He's gonna keep the threat up as long as he feels threatened himself. And when he's essentially running LA as his personal dictatorship, I'm figuring on him being wanted for some of his actions. So will still feel threatened from that. And that he might try to protect himself with that continued threat." She shakes her head a little. "It's just another sick wrinkle to the whole situation. What we thought was saving the planet from them, suddenly now has the potential to wipe everyone out. And is already in the hands of someone not entirely sane. "
Ryan Rivers hrms and nods, lifting his head just enough to get Elizabeth in sight. "Well, maybe we just need get someone to focus solo on him. I'd offer, but well, not like the Police have any have chance to get close to Bates under normal situations."
Elizabeth Maxwell shakes her head. "No one does. Except Julie. And she's already under continual suspicion from Bates and his cronies, and almost certainly is being closely watched by both sides. We're lucky that she can even be around here at all."
Ryan Rivers noddles. "Well, it seems a lot of you guys are recognized... As was shown in the last couple of missions. First with Ham getting recognized by that Visitor... Then Julie and Heather taken away... They might have gotten you, but well, thankfully people were around to prevent that." He doesn't mention that he was the one that got to her first or helped her out... After all, the best deeds are the ones that don't get talked about. Or his mother said something like that.
Elizabeth Maxwell sighs a little bit and nods. "They recognize all of us, yes. That's a continual problem, it's why I wore the hat and glasses when I came to get Heather. Not only because they always wear the glasses when it's bright out, but to keep from getting recognized on the tape, or by any partner you may have had along."
Ryan Rivers nods. "Well, I try and work with Halin as much as I can... The officer that brought me aboard, but well, doesn't always happen. Thankfully we often don't have enough for two in a squad car. Stinks when I am on call and there is an emergency, good when bailing you guys out." He shrugs. "I am willing to do some sensitive things... Though if I go out on missions, I plan to make SURE my identity stays secret." That said, he reaches into his gym bag.... To pull out... A blue facemask. Yeah... He seems serious about wearing it.
Elizabeth Maxwell nods a little bit and smiles. "I suppose so.... Yeah, you need to keep your identity secret when we're on missions. It's easy on the really covert ones, but some of the other ones..." she rolls her eyes a little. "It could get interesting."
Ryan Rivers shrugs faintly. "Well, if we go on a raid... I don't see why I can't wear this... Not like I am putting on tights and a cape. Unless you girls think it suits me," he offers with a smirk, clearly sure that won't be the case considering the lack of girls that would actually be interested.
Elizabeth Maxwell laughs and shakes her head. "Uh.... no. That's quite all right. Also depends on when it's done. During the day, well, a dodgers hat and a pair of cheap sunglasses will hide who you are easily enough. Or a ski mask. At night, easy enough for a stocking cap and the face paint most of us use."
"Yeah, but I don't want to wear a ski mask.... When I think about those... I think about the people I arrest. I know it's dumb, but I don't want to dress like a criminal..." Ryan rubs the back of his head as he rises up again. "I guess it's lame, but everyone has their own odd things they do, right?"
Elizabeth Maxwell laughs a little bit and nods. "Pretty much, yes. I never wear a ski mask myself... Once a while back I used hair coloring and a home perm kit as something of a disguise, when I had to go into a really dangerous place with someone, where my head wouldn't be covered."
Ryan Rivers nods as he finally stands up. "That makes sense... Though I think I will just have to stick with the mask... Have too little hair to really do anything with it," he says pointing his crew cut toward Elizabeth's head. "Well, I think I am gunna go up and get some lunch... You want to come up, or you actually want to get to your workout plan?" he says with a gentle smile.
Elizabeth Maxwell smiles a little bit and shrugs. "Okay. See you later then... I should probably get to my workout plan."
Ryan Rivers nods as he makes his way up the stairs, but not before he gets his bag. "Right.... I'll see you around then. Good luck on the weight plan. If you need someone to spot for you and no one else is around, just let me know," he says before he heads out.
Elizabeth Maxwell smiles and waves. "thanks. I still want that sparring match later, though."
LOG ENDS