Voicemail

[goddamngrenades]

You have reached the voice mail system of FOXTROT 12.

When you are finished recording, just hang up or press pound for more options.

To request a locksmith, press one.

To hear these options in Spanish, press dos.

To send a verbal confirmation of a written command, press three.

To send a written confirmation of a verbal command, press four.

For delivery options, press five.

To page this person, press six.

To locate your nearest operator, press seven.

To leave a call back number, press eight.

To repeat this message, press nine.

Press zero for other options.

To mark this message as urgent, press eleven.

Thank you for calling, have a nice day.

BEEP


Comments

[goddamngrenades]

We try talking to him again. And apologize to wrath. That was right after I talked to you, right? You were wound up, you were scared, you were angry, you weren't exactly in your right mind.

[ He rubs her shoulder, not quite rocking her just yet. ]

Start with Wrath- she's more forgiving. After that we'll see about settling things with Andrew.

Day 170 | Morning | Action

[goddamngrenades]

Fine, I'll take you on Fillis.

[ He has to duck around the side to get the bike and snag an extra helmet, but other than that he's ready with a chem cube and a gun in case the chems don't take. Not that he figures he'll need to. He pulls the bike out onto the road and offers the other helmet to himself, wincing at the smell. Jesus. ]

Forest is pretty unoccupied. I'll take you out there, get it done, and wait for you to dissolve.

[petitions]

[She winces and curls further into him. I'm Sorry is one of the things she's least good at doing ... along with making good life choices.]

Maybe it's better if I just didn't.

day 170 | late in the night | text

[ghostthatlingers]

safe house. do you have one you don't mind me staying in for a few days?

Day 170 | Morning | Action

[logicunlocked]

Nice ride. Named her after FILSS, huh?

[ Well, it's amusing. And not unlike something he would do himself. Imagine that. He takes the proffered helmet and perches it on his head, then straddles the back end of the bike as he'd just done the other day when Carolina took him out for a ride. He can't help a certain fatalistic humor from coloring everything that's happening, because god knew that otherwise he'd probably crack. So he looks out ahead of them on the street and speaks with a touch of drama. ]

Take me to my final destination.

[goddamngrenades]

It'll help you both in the long run.

Re: day 170 | late in the night | text

[goddamngrenades]

How comfy you wanna be?

Re: Day 170 | Morning | Action

[goddamngrenades]

I'm a little sentimental, what can I say?

[ If he had to pick under the dome where he'd wanna go, the last thing he'd see- where would it be? He nods to himself and reaches back to pat his own thigh before leaning forward and revving the engine. ]

Hang on tight.

[ Because this? Is gonna be five kinds of illegal. That's what happens when your bike tops out at two fifty flat out and you have no reason to not. They shoot down the street, taking the corners tight and bank down the dirt roads, barreling for the forest. He may as well give himself a wild ride. ]

day 170 | late in the night | text

[ghostthatlingers]

doesn't matter.

Day 170 | Morning | Action

[logicunlocked]

[ If anyone can outdo Carolina in the reckless driving department, it seems, he can. His grip goes tight around the other York's waist and he hoots senselessly as they tear around the first turn. Might as well keep yelling after that, he figures, and by the time they reach their destination his throat is just a bit hoarse. As the bike glides to a stop he laughs, throwing his head back a bit. ]

You know how to help a guy go out in style.

[petitions]

What does it even matter? It's not like I'm going to be around to enjoy it.

Re: day 170 | late in the night | text

[goddamngrenades]

I'll take you there. Hold tight.

Re: Day 170 | Morning | Action

[goddamngrenades]

I do aim to please.

[ He's pulled them up to a small grove of trees- there's a pond at the far end for water filtration, clean and pure and chilly in this weather. It's not home- it'll never be home but it's a slice that's a little less dome and a little more earth. It's why he loves D2 so much, finding places like these. ]

Figure you'd want a last meal too so- check the saddlebag.

[ Best beer under the dome in a 40oz, a big meaty burger and curly fries. There may or may not be pie for afterwards. ]

[goddamngrenades]

It'll help him. It'll prepare him for when you really get back and get to do this again. It'll make you feel less like shit. Take your pick.

Re: day 170 | late in the night | text

[ghostthatlingers]

[If eyerolling could be heard over text, it would be very loud right now.]

don't need a ride. just give me the coordinates.

Day 170 | Morning | Action

[logicunlocked]

[ The food's not perfectly fresh—he kind of wonders how far ahead this other York had planned—but that really doesn't matter. It's here, and it smells and looks great, even if it's not piping hot.

Though in a way, that makes it worse. Because that only means this other York was right about him, and was completely assured in the fact that he was right. ]

Been waiting for me to call you up, huh.

[ He dismounts the bike before he pulls the items out, lining them up as he curls an arm around them, so he can carry all of them at once over to the rocks at the edge of the pond. Once he's settled in sitting on one of them he quirks an eyebrow at the other York. ]

You know having a stomach full of food will just make the drugs take longer to kick in.

Re: day 170 | late in the night | text

[goddamngrenades]

I'm gonna drive you there and then I'll leave you alone, okay? It'll take like, two minutes. You can stand my company for two minutes, right?

Re: day 170 | late in the night | text

[ghostthatlingers]

give me the coordinates, york. i'm tired and not in the mood for games.

[A second text comes in a minute later, an afterthought and maybe carries some hope for peace:]

please.

Day 170 | Morning | Action

[goddamngrenades]

Not really. Figured it'd either be you or South.

[ Not that a full stomach makes a bullet to the face any easier, but it's a comfort she should be offered none the less. He'd been hoping to get no calls today but-

It is what it is. He hunkers down next to York, peels off his shoes and slides his feet into the chilly water. ]

It'll make it more like falling asleep.

day 170 | late in the night | text

[goddamngrenades]

...I'm gonna meet you there, you have to know that. It's fucked up, having to do what you did. It's never easy.


[ still he sends along the coordinates, heading that way on his own to meet her. ]

day 170 | late in the night | text

[ghostthatlingers]

doesn't matter. you hated him anyway and he's gone now.

[She's not looking forward to seeing him. Not one bit. Her eyes are still red and puffy from the damn crying she did earlier and it's not a way she wants anyone to see her.

She's tempted to wait an hour. Surely he can't stay there for long, right? But she's tired. She has a duffel bag slung over her shoulder from when she packed up earlier and on foot, but she's heading towards his coordinates.]

Day 170 | Morning | Action

[logicunlocked]

[ He nods a little bit as he works on the first bite of food, then takes a broad swig of the beer. ]

It's big of you, man. Doing this. You didn't have to. It can't be easy.

Re: day 170 | late in the night

[goddamngrenades]

You didn't. That's gonna have to be enough.

[ He opens the door for her when she gets there, cold wipes for the swelling in her eyes in one hand and a mug of whiskey laced hot cocoa in the other. It's not perfect, but it's something. ]

Re: Day 170 | Morning | Action

[goddamngrenades]

Not really. But- It's gotta be done and it should be done right, you know? We didn't know what was happening last time. I couldn't do anything but- it was quick but it wasn't clean. You guys deserve better.

Re: day 170 | late in the night

[ghostthatlingers]

[She only looks him in the eyes for a second before averting her gaze and brushing past him to get inside. Taking the wipes makes the tears all-too-real and she's not accepting the mug just yet.]

You don't need to be here.