♖ 2

[vengefulagent]

[this time, Wash arrives on the Plane unarmed, all weapons left safely behind on the Mother of Invention. not that he needed to be armed right then, not during a mission briefing. in fact he would still be there if it weren't for one single reason: someone who should be there isn't. and this fact alone bothers him...]

Where the hell is she?! Damnit, of all the times to come here...

[...probably more than it would have prior to their first gaining access to the Plane. he grumbles a bit under his breath before he regains his composure. he'll just have to search for her and bring her back.]

[while he's here, though, he can take care of another matter. he removes a small datapad from a compartment in his armor, the device's screen glowing softly once he turns it on. it isn't the first time--nor will it be the last--that he's had to do something in secret and keep it from his friends. at least he doesn't have to worry about the insurrectionists and what they might be doing to get into the program, but here...it's another matter entirely. and from the people he's spoken to and what he's seen so far, he's definitely convinced something must be done, especially since he still doesn't know what happened to cause all that noise recently.]

[but he can't do it on his own. so, while he's searching for a certain colleague of his, he can at least speak to people about helping him with a side project. hopefully he can meet people who are interested in protecting others on the Plane...]

Comments

[darkercalling]

[Interested in protecting others on the plane, hmm? Well, here's one. You'll find Riku brooding minding his own business, just outside of the bar. Looks like he's come here to think for a bit.]

[traitortwin]

[It is not at all like Washington to not show up for briefing. South isn't exactly worried - especially not for him - but she can't deny that she's curious as to what could possibly make him miss out. Maybe something on the Plane...? So that's why she's here, to look for him.

And when she spots him, she's honestly surprised.]

Hey! What are you doing here?

[vengefulagent]

[thankfully, the bar is one of the closest places he happens to be near when he first starts looking for her--but he initially walks past Riku, takes a look inside the bar, then comes right back out.]

[under his breath] Damnit...

[turns to Riku] Hey, have you seen another person dressed like me--but only in a lightish purple ad green--come through here very recently?

[vengefulagent]

[whirls around when he hears her voice] Me? I should be the one asking you that! [marches towards her] We're supposed to be having a briefing and you're not there!

[darkercalling]

[He looks up when Washington walks by, blinks when he immediately steps back out of the bar. His eyes might be covered by those aviator sunglasses the Doctor gave him, but they don't hide the single raised eyebrow.]

No. Sorry. [Slight headtilt] Want help looking?

[traitortwin]

What? I'm not there? [Slight, incredulous laugh.] I've been there. We've all been there, except for you! What's holding you up?

[vengefulagent]

[he finds it vaguely curious that he's wearing sunglasses when there is no actual sunlight around, but then again, he can't talk. not when his own visor is polarized and all.]

No, thanks, but...maybe you can help me with something else. Were you around to hear that really loud crashing noise that took place about a week ago?

[vengefulagent]

You. You're holding me up because the Director won't proceed without everyone there! [annoyingly enough] What are you doing here anyway?

[darkercalling]

[And Riku's pretty wary of the Plane, but full armor? That's pushing it a little. Oh well...]

Yeah, the "technical difficulties". [And he has a few theories, but... best not to share those, probably. For now.] Why?

[traitortwin]

[Wow, talk about frustrating...]

Were you even listening to me? I came here to find you. Because you're late, and no one has seen you.

[vengefulagent]

[he nods] Because I don't trust things to continue to stay the way they are. I think we're on a path towards something very dangerous for us all. And I don't know about you, but I'd like to be ready when everything goes to hell.

[vengefulagent]

[adjusts his stance, annoyance slipping into his tone] Yeah. I heard you--but you're not making any sense! I've never been late for a briefing. Ever. If you don't believe me, ask your brother. He didn't have any idea where you were.

[darkercalling]

[Riku... actually smirks, just faintly.] You’re new, aren’t you?

[But then he gets serious.] It won’t be the first time everything goes to hell. We’re already in danger, just because we’re here. [He’s not bitter at all. :| … but his expression does soften a bit before he continues.] You’re right, though. It’s better to be ready. And it’s good to see someone else thinks so.

[Riku has never understood how people could treat the shadier happenings on the Plane as just minor inconvenience.]

[traitortwin]

I know you haven’t. That’s what doesn’t make sense. [She frowns.] He... what? No, I was just with him! Wash, what is going on?

[vengefulagent]

[he bristles very slightly from that observation, but thankfully, his helmet hides his expression--and the bristling lasts only a few seconds. he hasn't been "new" anywhere in a long time.] Guess you could say that.

[hearing that only continues to confirm his thoughts about the Plane. he holds his hand out to Riku] I agree. [holds his hand out] I'm Agent Washington. What's your name?

[vengefulagent]

[he doesn't want to admit this, but...] I don't know. It very well could be the Plane messing with us, making it seem like the other isn't there when they are.

[darkercalling]

[He takes the offered hand. He even manages a small, friendly smile.] Riku.

So, do you have something in mind?

[traitortwin]

So the Plane can just make everyone in our world think that one of us is just gone? ...How? [She practically growls, frustrated.] That doesn't make any sense either! But... I guess that's the best explanation so far, huh?

[vengefulagent]

[gives the hand a firm, brief shake before he quickly types Riku's name into his datapad. he'll fill out other details later.]

Yes. I figure if we have a unified security force, people here to patrol the Plane and intercept trouble to protect others from harm. We'll...have to figure out a way to communicate with each other between the worlds so we can call for back-up, but if there are enough people involved, we should be able to make things a little more safer around here.

[vengefulagent]

[he shakes his head, not knowing the answer to how it's being done either.] So far, yes.

I say we return to the briefing and then come back here once it's done. See if that fixes things for now.

[darkercalling]

Yeah. It would help. [Still, he looks concerned.] It won't help with everything, though. A lot of what the Plane does to us can't be fought directly. A patrol couldn't stop it, but it could help lessen the impact. And it could definitely mean getting everyone to safety a lot faster, at least.

And communication between worlds... [Amused] Do they make telegraph wires that long?

[traitortwin]

You think finding each other here is enough to fix it?

[She’s incredibly skeptical of this. If it were that easy, how come it happened at all even though they investigated the coliseum together?]

[vengefulagent]

[he nods, having already thought about that] No, I don't entertain any thoughts of stopping the experiments, but yes, at least we can be there to keep others safe--and to keep an affected person from hurting oneself.

Telegraph wires? [lets out a little dismissive laugh] I doubt it. That's ancient tech! No one uses it anymore.

[vengefulagent]

[sighs softly] I don't know. For the time being, it will since we can go back together and everything will be okay. I'll be with you, and you'll be with me.

[darkercalling]

Yeah. [He nods... and then shrugs a shoulder.] Count me in. I can ask other people if they're willing to help, too.

[Okay, now he's even more amused.] Really? Lucky for you.