♠ | 004 | Voice

[lastrat]

[Sup Barge. Here's a funny thing you might have noticed, if you've been in port and paying attention to the news: there was a break in and, so news anchors say, attempted burglary at an affluent townhouse. A blurry camera image has been making the rounds, and a police sketch, and you know what?

Both of those pictures look a lot like James Bond.

Yeah, the second he recognized London, he headed for MI6 and couldn't even get past the lobby. So, he went for M's apartment. Which, in this world, was definitely not M's apartment.

It all kind of went downhill from there.

The past almost forty-eight hours have largely been spent awake and avoiding cameras and cops. Which is really not an easy thing, do you have any idea how many CCTVs there are in a city? All in all, nowhere near his worst two days, but definitely, definitely not his best. There's nothing quite like hope dangling in your face only to see it ripped away.

He doesn't bother with a video this time, just clicks on the audio function; he sounds short, maybe even tired, and there's an edge that really just says he's not in the mood for anything.]

I need money.

[He knows you wardens have cards. He is fully planning to take one, he just needs to pick a target. And no, he's not going to mention is foray as a wanted man because it's really not that new to him.]

Comments

[secretasshole]

Have you contacted a warden?

[lastrat]

[DRYLY:] It's an open appeal.

[secretasshole]

They would probably be your best bet.

[lastrat]

Would they?

[secretasshole]

I was under the impression they tend to be better provided for in scenarios like this.

[timesbureaucrat]

[Narvin has noticed the news broadcasts. He pays lots of attention to things like that.]

What in heaven's name were you trying to do?

[lastrat]

Rob an old woman and her grandchildren, apparently. [Just dry dry dry.]

[timesbureaucrat]

Of course you did. [Equally dry.]

[Private]

I take it you know a fair amount about the methods available for tracking individuals in this place and era, to successfully evade them.

[Private]

[lastrat]

A fair amount. [He didn't get where he was by being a braggart, even if his arrogance kind of takes care of that for him.]

And why do you ask that?

[Private]

[timesbureaucrat]

I have a problem, the solution to which requires such knowledge. You need money. [He gives a tilt of his head as a subtle shrug to say, "I'm sure you see what I'm getting at."]

[Private]

[bitteraftertaste]

[Yeah, she's seen the news. And it takes her a while to decide whether or not she wants to contact him, because you made it pretty damn clear you weren't interested in having anything to do with her, and you're apparently officially a wanted criminal now, but. She also doesn't want you getting stuck in prison somewhere.]

And a decent night's sleep, it sounds like. [She hesitates, more or less expecting to just be brushed off entirely. Or not replied to at all.] What on Earth were you trying to do?

[Private]

[lastrat]

[He's definitely thinking about just shutting the devvice off, ignoring her, pretend she never contacted him. (She shouldn't be able to, she's dead, she's dead, damn it, she liked to him--)

But that's him being emotional. And that's what made him a wanted man in Bolivia, too. So he locks his jaw for a moment and reminds himself that it would be very, very easy to slip her card out of her possession. So he answers.]

Looking for my employer. [A beat] I couldn't get into MI6. They didn't know me.

[Private]

[bitteraftertaste]

[She's tempted to say "what did you expect?", and really, would it even have mattered if they did know him? They wouldn't be able to keep him here, he'd still be pulled back to the Barge when the Admiral decided it was time to leave. And wouldn't that be worse?

But she bites her tongue, wrestling with what to say next, here.]

Are you alright?

[Private]

[lastrat]

[He could have at least armed himself, he thinks, or found out what happened in Bolivia, or warned Tanner to get the girl out and arrest Greene. There was a lot he could accomplish in two days. If he wasn't a relic from a book.]

Don't I sound it? [Dry dry dry, but he doesn't care. At least he isn't being completely bitch to her, right? :c]

[Private]

[bitteraftertaste]

[It's an improvement, and it makes it harder to pull away and pretend she isn't worried. Because she is.]

If there's anything I can do- [She trails off, not really sure what she's offering or what she's potentially getting herself into. She's not overly interested in dying again, or spending the rest of the port in prison, but she knows she'll probably do whatever he asks. And she kind of hates herself for it.]

[Spam]

[lost_humanity]

[Sandoval did have a good smirk at the news, but it was short lived. He's much more concerned with his Companion Protector ID and former A.N.A. certification being completely useless here. Ireland is still as it was, though, and that means Beckett could be there as a part of the anti-terrorism task force.

He's been wondering what he would do if he were to see her. He honestly doesn't know, or what he would say. But he wants to see. He just wants to ask if she's there. See some evidence of her and her cocky, confident swagger.

The train station is a bust and he's running out of time, he knows it. He doesn't know if his warden has noticed his absence yet, but he doesn't precisely care. He comes out of the station and checks his fob watch, grimacing against the chill and irritation.]

Re: [Spam]

[lastrat]

[It wasn't easy to track him down, may have been more luck than actual detective work. It's almost embarrassing, but at least he knows the city. Stepping out of the shadow the station cast, trudging through the snow, James kept his hands in his pockets, the collar of his jacket turned up. It's fucking cold out.]

Don't think the trains are running on time, [he called wryly.]

[Spam]

[lost_humanity]

So it seems. [He sounds disappointed by this.] I need to get to Ireland. [He pulls his own collar close. He's always hated how cold it gets up north- but sometimes the mothership could be just as cold.]

I saw you made an impression quickly. What happened?

[Spam]

[lastrat]

Mm. [He glances at the snow on the tracks, and just shakes his head.] You won't get there. Not until this clears. City shuts down when it gets half of this.

[And that's both embarrassing and just...bitter. Very bitter.] I thought this was my London. It caused some...misunderstandings.

Your warden's looking for you.

[Spam]

[lost_humanity]

[He rolls his eyes at Narvin looking for him, but doesn't seem too surprised.] I hope he wasn't too much trouble? [But that it's that different from Bond's London is concerning. He's been banking on the properties of paralell universes as he knows them.]

Do you think the people might still exist here, but in different capacities? Occupations?

...There is someone. I need to see if she's still alive.

video; private

[honeyimhome]

[...Huh. She can recognize that voice. And unfortunately for James, Pepper is a bit of a News-A-Holic. Something seems fishy.]

...Do you need bailed? [Matter o' fact.]

video; private

[lastrat]

[The theme of the day is being wry!]

This wouldn't be my one phone call.

video; private

[honeyimhome]

Then why the need for money?

[Oh she knows he's not a warden. So he's probably flat-ass broke. And if not for bail, then what?]

video; private

[lastrat]

I wouldn't mind sleeping in a bed tonight.

[And a little smirk, then.] I don't suppose you're offering?

video; private

[honeyimhome]

[Ohey, double entendre. She's so proud.]

I certainly don't condone making anyone sleep on the streets. I could foot for a hotel for a few nights if you need it. [Squint.]