ic inbox

[headjacked]

Heyyyyyyyy, kiddo, you've reached me. Me who is Rhys. Anyway, not sure why you're trying to get in contact with the king of the dweebs, but I'm sure you've got your reasons. Reasons you should probably re-examine. I'm just sayin'.

Last chance to back out.

No?

Don't say I didn't warn ya.

Comments

[brokethefirst]

[Brian's here, too, but Brian's microphone shy and busy doing fuck-all with a card key on the walls somewhere else in the building, so it's okay.]

Oh, it's not a problem. He picked up on it really well!

[Said partially off-camera as she scoots over to pick the tablet back up, pulling out the pendant around her neck - a birdcage of sorts, with a crank on the bottom.]

It's a tune someone taught me a long time ago. I know it might sound a little silly, but it reminds me to keep looking for happiness, even if it feels like it's impossible to find.

Considering how difficult things have been lately, I thought it would be good for you to hear it from someone you cared about.

[headjacked]

[ Rhys looks almost teary at her explanation. Almost. He's not a great big whinebaby, after all. ]

N-nah, not silly. Adorably optimistic. I... think I did need that.

[ Dumpy hovers behind Luna, eager to remain on camera now that he's heard Rhys' voice. His next scream is low pitched and vaguely happy. ]

Buddy. Take care of that lady, okay?

[brokethefirst]

He has been. He's been very brave and a true gentleman.

[Never mind that he's a little floating robot that screams. It's still true.]

...How are you feeling? Have you been able to speak with Dr. Watson yet? [She knows Watson just prescribed an anti-seizure to someone earlier in the day, but assuming that it was for Rhys is not a jump of logic she feels she should make as a doctor.]

[headjacked]

...back to business already? Jeez, that was quick.

[ He deflates, just a little, before sturdying his shoulders once more. ]

I talked to him, h... h-he got me some medicine. So. Here's hoping that makes a big difference.

[brokethefirst]

Only for a minute, I promise. [Her smile is gentle and empathetic. No grilling with questions from her - especially not when he has a doctor already seeing him.]

I'm glad that he's taking care of you, though. Just take it one day at a time, and be gentle with yourself. If there's anything I can do to help, with you or Angel similarly, just let me know. Okay?

The weather's still blocking the access out of downtown, but Dumpy and I should be leaving as soon as it settles down. I'll try and contact one of you then so we can find a rendezvous point somewhere. He... he really seems to miss you.

In the meantime, I'll try to set up something like this every couple of days, as I can. Would that be alright?

@hjack69; voice; day 116

[youarethebandits]

What, exactly, do you think you're doing?

[Jack doesn't sound angry. Well, he doesn't if you don't know him the way an AI copy of him might. If you do, you can probably tell that he is beyond furious.]

@dickcheese; voice

[headjacked]

Well, at this very moment, I am coming down off a frickin' epic high.

[ He knows, all right. He also knows how to annoy the everloving crap out of himself. ]

What are you up to, bud?

[youarethebandits]

[gj bluejack he is definitely annoyed]

Oh, you know, not much. Wondering how the hell they managed to make the AI version of me a complete frickin' moron, mostly.

[headjacked]

[ Well I mean his creator is a guy who was killed by stairs, so. Uh.

YEAH. ]

Don't be a hater, dear.

@jwatson; text; Day 117 (pre-dream happenings)

[jumpthegun]

How do you see this ending, Jack? You know we're not going to stop hunting you down. You know you're not going to be able to keep Angel. So how does it end for you?

@dickcheese; text

[headjacked]

I may not know how it ends, but I know what I'm getting out of it. Touch. Taste. Talk.

Y'know they use sensory deprivation to drive people bonkers, right?

[jumpthegun]

Yeah. Not really making a good case for yourself if that's supposed to make me sympathetic, mate. You're doing that to Rhys now. And that's not your body. Anyway, the way I hear it, you were mad before you got put in his head.

[headjacked]

Aaaaand your guilt trip BS isn't going to work on me, so why are YOU bothering?

[jumpthegun]

Guess I'd hoped you'd be open to negotiation. I'll be contacting the Administrator directly about this. Dunno what she'll do to you. Can't imagine it'll be good. Could put in a request for you to get transferred somewhere else, if possible.

@ADMIN; Night 121

[snowblindmods]

[This message is waiting for Rhys when he wakes up.]

You have demonstrated an inability to control your anomaly. We have taken steps to contain it ourselves.

[AI Jack's capabilities have been severely limited: he can still talk to Rhys and see/hear outside of Rhys's eyes and ears, but he is unable to take control of Rhys's body. He can still aid Rhys in hacking, but only when Rhys is directly hooked up to something. This is a permanent limitation.]

[youarethebandits]

Did you just- you did, didn't you.

[He's shaken out of his rage for a moment by sheer incredulity.]

You're memeing at me while you're holding my daughter prisoner. That's an actual thing that you're doing.

[headjacked]

Oooh, I'm so scared! Newsflash: I don't negotiate with dudes with short man syndrome.

But thanks for playing, doc.

[headjacked]

Your daughter? Huh, do NOT remember signing over sole custody... OR. Holding her in a basement, tied up and gagged, with her only communication device stolen from her.

Only TOTAL shitstains would do all of that, am I right?

[headjacked]

My cybernetics are gone. For the most part. Is that what you mean?

[jumpthegun]

[Not the first, not the last to make fun of his height, Jack. Please try again later with better material.]

Do you negotiate with doctors? What did you do to Angel. At least tell me that. I can tell you how to make sure she isn't hurt any worse by what you're doing to her.

[youarethebandits]

If I'm a total shitstain, what does that make you? You're not just repeating my mistake, you've taken her best friend from her. You think she'll ever forgive you for that?

@dissect; text; evening 122

[circumsutus]

Rhys, I would like to apologize for my earlier actions.

@dickcheese; text

[headjacked]

[ lmfao nah son

something pulls tight and snaps like a rubber band ]

FUCK
FUCK
FUCK
FUCK
FUCK
FUCK
FUCK
Y
O
U

[circumsutus]

[He's made his apology, there's nothing more he can do here. All he can do now is wait until this blows over.]

@quark; text; Morning 124

[averytinyparticle]

[This isn't first thing in the morning, but a couple of hours after his emotional outburst on the obituary he realizes that he has a reason to reach out to a couple of people.]

Mister Rhys? I just wanted to tell you that Dumpy is okay. I'm sorry if you were worried about him.