DEFEATISM

25

They distribute the flashlights. One per floor. East and West have to decide who gets which. Jerry makes sure Galilee gets them, since she would never fight for them. On the first floor, Ro lets Moonie have the flashlight. She can use her phone if necessary, and she has a backup charger for the phone in case she needs it. Marcellus and Callie make a game of it. Whoever runs up to their floor, down the hallway, and down the other side of stairs gets the flashlight. They leave it on the table down here, and leave, sprinting off.

Maverick is supposed to be the judge. They'll know based on integrity if someone makes it first because they will pass each other at some point. They are running in opposite directions after all, and so a shortcut will prove one of them cheated.

"Do you just want to take it?" Tempest asks Maverick. "I'll be fine."

"Moonie's got one," Maverick answers. "She'll walk me to my bedroom door like the little princess I am. Don't even worry about it."

Tempest smiles, taking hers.

No one fights with Darlington for his, since he's the only one on the third floor.

Benedict and Elodie aren't approaching the conversation yet. They both want the light desperately, but neither is in the mood to piss off the other after the day they've had.

Steps sound from down the hallway. Marcellus is bolting back, Callie just in tow. He gets there first, snatching the flashlight in front of Maverick.

Callie huffs and puffs, "remind me never to play racing games with you again."

"Gets you every time," Marcellus chuckles to himself.

He high-fives Callie, who is huffing in puffing. Yeah, her lungs are fine. She's definitely got this together.

Watching them, Elodie shrugs finally.

"It's all yours, Altwell," she answers.

She doesn't need the flashlight anyway. Probably.

No one complains much that evening. The exhaustion is getting to them. They've closed all the windows around the building, and figured out all the food that won't need the hotplate since the stove isn't gas and pancakes are out of the question. They are lower now. Two days, maybe, on everything. Things aren't looking good, but people don't complain too much.

People start to peel away soon enough.

~~~

Ro offers to walk Callie up to her bedroom since she seems more tired than the others. Callie nods. With Ro's phone's flashlight, they go and collect her art supplies from the study room together. Callie is so damn tired now.

"It'll be fine," Ro insists, more to herself than Callie.

"Maybe with the power out people will finally start to think about us," Callie laughs. "My parents have a helicopter flying in money."

"Do you think they could send me to Buenos Aires with that kinda cash?" Ro asks.

They laugh. This is how it used to be. Callie and Ro, joking around together, rolling their eyes at Darlington and making eye contact in meetings when things feel just too ridiculous.

"With the weather dip it's probably getting really icy out there," Callie offers.

Ro sighs, "too bad the super's not here to enjoy it."