IC Voicemail

[evowhisperer]

 *There's nothing but a long silence after the ringing stops. If the caller's been looking at their screen, there are plain black-and-white letters on display:*

Please leave a message after the beep.

*Beep.*

Comments

[Action]

[evowhisperer]

*Cesar's fingers grasp at air, and he looks at the edge of the bed that the button fell away over with clear frustration. 'How' turns to 'Get out', and 'go away', and the blanket falls back as he hunches warily.*

*'Persistent'. What, for his own good? Bullshit. 'Please cooperate', as though Cesar was being the difficult one. His mouth closes, pressing his lips to a thin line, and his glare only gets narrower. Who did this guy think he was, anyway?*

*The phone is back in his hands. Strangely enough, he has fewer filters now than he ever did when he could speak out loud.*

I know that your persistence was probably what got my brother killed. I don't remember the details.

*There's a fumble in his stride. He remembers more than he wants to let on, but the impact is in his next words.*

As for me, they thought I talked to much.

Now I'll never speak again.

*He turns the phone, holding it without giving it up.*

[Action]

[dead_black_eyes]

[The clear hostility in Cesar's expression doesn't cause L's to change at all; his pale features are placid and unresponsive, and he pulls up a chair, clearly intending to stay for awhile. When he sees what Cesar has typed out on his phone, he blinks, but otherwise doesn't react.]

Your chart says that your vocal cords were removed, so I suppose that's true. Did they tell you anything specific? Why they did this to you, after everything you and your family have already been through?

[The words are level and serious; though L's bedside manner isn't particularly sensitive or empathetic, he is far from making light of the situation.]

[Action]

[evowhisperer]

*Cesar brings his phone back. Types, punching the message in below the first.*

I just told you.

Don't sit down.

Leave now, before I have you thrown out.

[Action]

[dead_black_eyes]

[He sets his jaw. Persistent to the last, even if it's foolish, even if it's downright crazy.]

Why make this harder than it has to be? You lost your Numbers. I still care what happened then, and what happens from here. What do you remember about the people who did this to you?

[He pulls the call button off the bed entirely, kicking it under the metal frame.]

If you can tell me, give me anything at all to go on... I'll do my best to help you remember. I can't imagine you're wholly determined to remain ignorant of what was so important so recently.

Re: [Action]

[evowhisperer]

*L has made several mistakes in this conversation. One was to assume Cesar's threats were idle.*

*The next was to bring himself within arm's reach as he kicked the button under the bed's frame, and then to not back out of it again. Cesar doesn't even need muscle for this: just rage.*

*His hand snaps out, grabs L by the front of his collar, and yanks him to the bed's edge. Cesar shoves the cellphone an inch or two away from L's eyes, and it's a visible effort to stop himself there.*

*All his answers are still visible, from his memories to his threat.*

[Action]

[dead_black_eyes]

[L goes down easily; his recent efforts at taking better care of himself, becoming more substantial, more of a force to reckon with, are unpracticed and inconsistent and require much more than spurts of earnest effort to achieve lasting results. He's still willowy and frail, and for the first time since setting foot in the room, something lights up his dark, empty eyes. Wariness, fear, and certainly shock.

He wrenches his eyes away from the screen after he's seen the same stubborn answers. He speaks quickly and softly.]

My friend's funeral is tomorrow. His death was a direct result of Albero's actions. You've made your point, and I am truly sorry that this happened to you... but everything is escalating, and even if you're angry, and you resent the hell out of me, this has to end.

[He's aware of the barely-restrained rage that he can feel in Cesar's tensed muscles that are in direct control of his grip. He's aware that he should be making hurried promises to back off the second he's free.

No one has ever accused him of possessing profound wisdom.]

[Action]

[evowhisperer]

*A second ticks by. Two seconds.*

*The grip on L's collar eases. Cesar lowers the cellphone, exhausted in ways that have nothing to do with his recent exertion. The rage from before still lurks under the surface, but he's typing, now, not threatening.*

My condolences. Name?

[Action]

[dead_black_eyes]

[L's previous mistake, the one where he got close enough for Cesar to seize, is hastily remedied; when he's free, he makes it a point to get out of arm's reach while still remaining close enough to read what Cesar types into his phone.]

Anthony Janvier. Albero's people sawed open an old woman's head. Removed her brains. The media latched onto the imagery of a zombie doing that to her, and I'm sure you can imagine how the frightened public responded. I tried to tell him to run; he wouldn't leave me to face them alone.

[L shakes his head restlessly. The ever-present rings under his eyes say that he hasn't slept since this happened.]

It should have been me. Someday it will be, and this cosmic joke will end, and I hope you can take as much comfort from that as I do. Until then... what's happening is evil, and I am asking you to help me fight it. I can't do it by myself.

[Action]

[evowhisperer]

*Silent lips trace words that can't be identified, and his complexion is greyer than before. Cesar's hand goes to the bridge of his nose.*

*Seconds pass.*

*Now, typing.*

They kidnapped me. Brought me to a warehouse. Said it was punishment.

Left me there when they were done.

*Cesar's eyes stay on the phone, this time.*

[Action]

[dead_black_eyes]

[L doesn't know what he'd expected; more fury, a total breakdown, even the worst possible reaction, derision and cruelty tearing down efforts that would be worthless at best and destructive at worst.

He reads what's been typed, and it's a painful kind of comprehension because it's so familiar.]

Yes, that sounds about right. I am... truly sorry.

[Two months ago, he and Tony went through a similar ordeal. L survived, and came away from it in one piece, another part of that cosmic joke that inexplicably continues to spare someone who should, by every natural law, die easily and quickly.]

How... how long were you there. After they left, and... who came for you?

[Action]

[evowhisperer]

*Cesar shakes his head.*

I don't know how long. No one came. They say I called an ambulance.

*He starts to show the message, and then pulls back to add,* Somehow.

*His lips twitch mirthlessly, and the expression dies before it gets far.*

[Action]

[dead_black_eyes]

[L nods gravely; it's a far cry from the kinds of answers he supposes he'd hoped for, details and names and time frames, but he was in no shape for questioning after he came back. Hell. He'd barely known his own name.]

I know it's hard. Thank you for what you've told me; I believe that it will help us. In return, I want to help you; I'll leave, of course, like you wanted, but in addition, do not worry about hospital expenses not covered by your insurance, as they'll be taken care of.

[He nods briskly, turning towards the door.]

[Action]

[evowhisperer]

*Cesar waves a dismissive hand ('No, don't bother',) but doesn't insist. He'll deal with cost once L is gone, and when he's in better health.*

*As things are now, he lifts his gaze to watch L leave.*