Day 2, 1st Hour // Video

[out_of_time]

[Jack appears in a shaky screen, wearing dirty clothing. He looks shocked, haggard, completely spent, and more than a little disoriented. He touches his face for a moment as though feeling for a wound, but there's nothing there.]

I'm back. I never thought- I never knew-

[Jack trails off and squeezes his eyes shut. Two years of memories and physical age are slamming back into him on top of the very bad day he just came from. He takes a deep breath, processes.]

I need an update. I need to know the status...

[He breaks off again, uncertain, confused. Then there's a shout and a wooping siren. Jack looks over his shoulder. When he turns back to the camera, there's the sound of feet running, his and two other pairs. His face is hard and grim.]

Fuck it.

[The post ends. Responses will be delayed ICly since Jack has been spotted by his former colleagues near the Porter Building, and needs to leg it.]

Comments

permavid, encrypted.

[out_of_time]

[Smile's gone now.]

I feel awful.

[Shakes head.]

I never realized... how confusing getting Ported back would be. The memories, the changes... Twenty minutes ago I had half-treated wounds, now the scars from Lust are back on my arm.

permavid, encrypted.

[symmachy]

[hers fades as well]

I know. It's difficult.

--What can I do?

permavid, encrypted.

[out_of_time]

[Jack looks away from her eyes for a moment.]

I haven't figured out what I'm gonna do next yet. But I know I'm going to do something. And it's probably going to be something that goes pretty far.

[Looking back to her now]

Scathach, you should know that when I was Ported back, I was being hunted by two governments for... a lot of things. Things that weren't all for the greater good. And now I'm back to being chased here. It's probably going to get worse before it gets better.

So I guess the question is, what are you willing to do?

permavid, encrypted.

[symmachy]

[she just grins, showing her teeth]

Probably just about anything.

permavid, encrypted.

[out_of_time]

[Jack's somber expression breaks down for a moment and he chuckles. Of course she's eager for this stuff. Well, he's given her fair warning.]

Then that's what we're going to do.

I tried, Scathach. I tried to do things by the book, tried to make the system work. I tried to help people without getting my hands dirty. And you know how that turned out.

So that's over now. I'm going to do what I should have done a long time ago.

permavid, encrypted.

[symmachy]

Sometimes we need a new system.

I'm here to help, Jack. Maybe you should get cleaned up first, though.

permavid, encrypted.

[out_of_time]

[Jack touches his face again, almost feeling the fatigue.]

Yeah, you're right.

I'll be in touch.

permavid, encrypted.

[symmachy]

Good.