runningred | OOM: Travelling with Jemma.

That's the magic word - tea. She untangles herself from the bedding and shuffles over, absent-mindedly picking hair pins out and twisting her hair into a very sloppy bun. Once she has a cup of the magical beverage, she makes the trek to join Jay on the balcony.

"I see you've found a friend."

Jay has his leather wrist band unwound for the kitten chase it. "I woke up with her playing with my hair. Figured I'd give her something safer to play with." She pounces on his hand, chomping on his fingers. "They really have no fear of people."

"Somewhere in the world there is a pop culture millionaire dying of jealousy of you." She grins - how many stories of exotics pets make the popular news?

Don't ask how many exotic critters escaped into New York City during Loki's attack. It was a tiny bit of a nightmare.

"So where to today?"

"I think places like this exist to safe pretty little sweeties like this one don't end up as neglected pets of millionaires." Jay answers absently, trying to get his fingers back from the kitten.

"Chill and his guys asked me to help release one of their gorillas back into the valley. Wanna come help?" He gets up to talk to her, laughing as the kitten chases him, trying to latch onto his jeans. "I talked to Dr Simeon last night. He's promised to stay away till we leave. There's others of his people here but none of them are telepaths. That's a royal family trait. I also convinced him I could tell you anything you wanted to know if you wanted to know it."

She squints at him, actually pausing to reconsider before responding.

This could go rather badly, actually.

"How do you know? That you're not him, doing what he says?"

"Because he never got into my head. He can't. There are probably telepaths strong enough but he's not even close." He sits down, eye to eye with her. "Part of my training was with a very, very powerful telepath named J'onn. He taught me how to shield myself and how to sense and counter telepathic attack."

Jay taps his temple. "What's in here is mine and just mine. But if you're worried, we can leave. Right now if you like."

The follow-up question of 'well then how do you know you're not being controlled by that other telepath' goes unasked - she managed to ask the question once, she's a little too worried about rocking the boat to ask again.

"Fitz really would hate me forever if I skipped seeing a monkey."

Ask, Jemma. Jay will tell you anything you want to know.

He smiles and offers her an hand. "Come on then. Lets grab some breakfast before they head out."

Breakfast is a massively informal affair with everyone fending for themselves in the big common room/kitchen. The science team nab her as soon as she walks through the door, nattering happily about the gorilla they're releasing and the treatments it needed for injuries. They're so excited to be able to release him back into the wild.

There are also a few new faces at breakfast - two orangutans and a young gorilla are chatting away with everyone, very much part of the staff of the centre.

...

Fitz owes her big time for this. Jay never told her he was from The Planet of the Apes. She manages to shoot him a look with implications, strong ones about how it is polite to tell people that there might be talking monkeys at breakfast.

There is, however, sweet sweet sciencetalk to distract her from wondering about the monkeys and just how true it is that only some of them are telepaths and... bother telepaths anyway.

Jay sheepishly smiles at her, promising to make it up to her later. The rangers are busy main-lining coffee and getting ready to prep the truck. The call out to Jay to get them a hand but the science team are determined to keep Jemma distracted

One of the orangutans joins in the conversation with the science team, clearly a very well educated botanist from her discussion. She holds a hand out to Jemma. "I'm Suzie, by the way. Dr Suzie Valentine. I heard what happened with Nzame. I'm really sorry. He's such a dick sometimes."

"So I've gathered." She replies, resisting the urge to add further commentary - AD Hill would be so proud.

Or something.

Mostly facepalming that the scientist has wandered off into a world full of telepaths, actually.

...

Probably that, yes.

"My lab partner would give up his arc welder to meet you. And he loves that arc welder." Monkey scientists. Fitz would never, ever leave.

Suzie chuckles warmly. "I'd give up my molecular spectroscopy for a night with your guy." She tilts her head looking over at Jay. "He's gorgeous!"

"Oh, no, he's not!" She assures quickly, the words stumbling out in surprise. "I mean, he's not my 'guy'. He is the other thing. Er. Gorgeous. Yes." What? She has eyes, and isn't clueless.

She's also a tiny bit baffled about interspecies attraction. She isn't entirely sure she wants to know, however.

"Really! I'd jump him given half a the chance. Just look at those muscles." Suzie sighs. "So, are you coming out to the park with us today?"

"I suppose I am. If my partner ever finds out about this, and discovers I didn't go, I'll never hear the end of it." Well. More likely she'll never hear the end about how she's gone off without him, but that's an entirely different problem.

"Come on then. I think pretty much everyone's going out so just jump in a truck." Susie knuckles her way towards the door as the others load up, swing down to the driveway with simian grace.

Chill smiles and offers Jemma a broad brimmed hat and some bug repellent. "Pretty wild out there. You stay close with us, yes?"

Jay's already out the door and helping some of the others transfer a large sleeping gorilla into the back of one of the trucks.

"Oh, I shan't be wandering off." She assures Chill with a smile of her own, settling the hat firmly - she's entirely too aware of her tendency to burn.

And her desire to not wander off is enforced by the idea that somewhere out there is a telepathic monkey with no manners.

Carefully she clambers up into one of the trucks, watching and mimicking the actions of those around her to not be too out of place and useless.

Several of the science team from yesterday climb in with her, chattering happily as the trucks make the winding journey down into the valley. They point out all the different species of birds and animals, the valley teaming with life.

Jemma can happily forget the telepath (mostly) while riding down, as she compares notes with the other scientists. Of course, her commentary is more geared towards the toxic snakes and insects. When they get to the release site, she stays in the truck... mostly so she can keep a hand on the emergency recall button for Milliways without drawing attention. They're out where the telepath tends to live, so it's good to take precautions.

The release is a complicated affair, lifting the ape down and setting him carefully amongst the undergrowth. Chill calls to the others to back the trucks up, taking them back to a clearing where they can oversee the site.

The talking apes on the team, including Suzie stay with the animal, stroking it and calling to the band of gorillas. Little by little, the others come down to check on the injured beast, tugging at him and sniffing him gently. Eventually the silver-back comes. He sniffs and examines before finally picking up the injured male and carrying him away.

The teams in the trucks cheer and Jay comes to sit next to Jemma. "So, what do you think? Time to keep moving?"

"Yes, I do think so." it's not that she didn't enjoy the release - she's only ever heard about these sorts of things and honestly they were all quite impressive. But that didn't stop her from looking around every few minutes, looking for a glimpse of white and hoping she wouldn't see it.

And then wondering if she didn't see it because she wasn't being allowed to.

Paranoia is helpful in her line of work, sometimes.

"Sorry, this place is absolutely gorgeous, it is."

"Tell you what, We'll head back with everyone and make our goodbyes and ride for Chefchaouen. How does that sound? We can go back to the bar from there if you like?" He can tell she's shaken and he feels very guilty for it.

She nods, ducking her head - she did ask to go on this adventure, and she feels she's giving a very poor showing.

"That will be fine."

"Hey?" He cups her face softly. "It's your call, and your trip. We can come back another time if you want. It's fine."

"I'm sorry, Jay - perhaps they're right, not approving field certification." She sighs, straightening her pack and her shoulders. She may not be a field agent, but she's a SHIELD agent, damnit, and she'll go out with some of her pride intact.

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