A Jitter Bean in Manhattan | Friday Morning

[defenderofdesmoines]

Annie had received a series of texts from her mother this morning, asking to meet since apparently Donna had come to New York, if Annie wouldn't come back to Iowa to talk to her. And this time, Annie had answered. Too much was going on to keep ignoring her, and with Stormfront....

It was just too big a risk to leave Donna on Read right now.

Annie had reluctantly left Diego at Grace Mallory's house outside of the city, where Hughie was convalescing on the couch and MM and Butcher were apparently taking a meeting with what looked like Victoria Neuman (and honestly, Annie had no idea how Congresswoman Neuman factored into any of this, but...like, sure?) She was fairly sure he'd be safest there, and once Kimiko and Serge (and Lamplighter, what the hell?) all woke up, maybe they could reconvene in the city and start digging their way out of this nightmare?

She sat at a table with her sunglasses on and waited, anxiously prodding at her burner phone like that might produce new information if she kept refreshing enough.

Donna	"Would you like a coffee?" Donna asked in greeting, spotting Annie immediately at her table and injecting her voice with false cheer.
Annie	"Um, no, thanks," Annie told her, pulling off her sunglasses and folding them to put into her pocket.
Donna	"How about a white chocolate unicorn frappe?" Donna continued. "They're really good."
Annie	"Oh, no -- " Annie protested again.
Donna	"I'll get one to share," Donna decided.
Annie	"Mom," Annie interjected, holding out a hand, "I don't want a fucking unicorn frappe." Like, please, could we focus on why we were here? She had left her boyfriend with a band of misfits she barely trusted and a known firebug that she did not trust at all.
Donna	"Okay. Sorry." Donna took a seat at the table, sighing. "I'm just -- nervous."
Annie	"When did you get to town?" Annie asked softly after a moment, trying to stick to business, here.
Donna	"A few days ago," Donna admitted after a moment. "I've been staying at a Day's Inn in Newark. I'm not leaving until we talk this out." She reached over to put her hand on the table in front of Annie, there to take if she...would. Or could. "I know what I've done to you. Believe me, I know."
Annie	"Mom," Annie started, her voice shakier than she would have liked. "It's not just you. It's...." She took a moment to compose herself, taking a breath. "Do you remember that...cross that you gave me for Confirmation? Before every save that I went on, back in Des Moines, I would...touch it. Like a football player, leaving the locker room." She'd fallen out of the habit in Fandom, but she'd still kept up her practice of praying when she responded to something on a police scanner. Even when she would go out with Diego, she'd take a moment to pray for both of them and for any victims they saved. "I thought that God was sending me on a mission. I feel so stupid. I gave my whole life to nothing."
Donna	"That's not true," Donna protested, her voice quiet.
Annie	"Mom." Annie just shook her head sadly, swallowing around a lump in her throat. This had all been building for awhile, and she didn't have the energy for all of this after yesterday. "The good guys don't win. The bad guys don't get punished." She sniffled, blinking away tears. "What we do means nothing. It's just all for money, and...." Her lower lip trembled as she looked down at the table. "And I'm in the middle of all of it. Alone."
Donna	"Honey, you're not alone," Donna said quickly, jumping right to reassurance. "You're not. Let's go away." She'd had this thought on the way over, and had already put the wheels in motion on it. "Let's get away from all of this, away from Vought. Let's escape for awhile."
Annie	Annie actually thought that sounded kind of nice -- like, impossible, but nice -- until her mom finished speaking.
Donna	"I cleared it already."
Annie	"You -- you cleared what?" Annie asked, confused at first even as alarms were ringing in her head.
Donna	"With Ashley, at Vought!" Donna explained.
Annie	"You called them?" Annie's voice was icy cold as panic started to flood her veins.
Donna	"Yeah, about an hour ago," Donna said, confused. "Why?"
Annie	"Mom, they could be looking -- " And that was when the windows exploded. A cannister, hissing gas, landed at Donna's feet, and Donna immediately passed out unconscious along with every other occupant of the coffee shop aside from Annie. Annie was on her feet, immediately holding her breath. "Mom!" Okay, can't waste oxygen --
Black Noir	A blinding pain struck her, and Annie screamed as she was knocked off her feet. She was struck again, and Annie barely had time to look up and see Black Noir bring the stanchion down on her head again before the world went dark.

[taken from The Boys 2.07, 'Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker,' and NFB/NFI/OOC welcome!]