Now we’ve got a big, big mess on our hands tonight [W6, Thursday, Pre-Curfew]

[hydrokinetics]

[Another day, another meeting. This one's more tense than usual especially with the lack of a small bat-child. Percy's right hand is sloppily bandaged up and his jaw is tight as his eyes burn with anger.]

Dr. Lecter knows we know. He's known since Saturday. Hal confirmed with me he's the Deputy, just like Hal confirmed to Dr. Lecter that we were onto him.

[A shaky sigh.] What the fuck do we do now?

Comments

[hydrokinetics]

...I already talked to Dr. Lecter about working with us. As an alternate route. I didn't know that could be a win condition.

But Milla's right about the strike system. I think...the only ones who haven't really been outside are me, Natalie and Noctis. Right?

[elemancy]

[noct nods in turn.]

We'd be the safest bets. [he'd be willing to do it as well, even if they have to worry about ash and his suspicions.]

[hydrokinetics]

[With that, though:]

What about Ash though? Do we know he's clear this week?

[elemancy]

No idea. Haven't exactly been going out of my way to talk to him the last few days.

[which is, you know... probably a problem of its own.]

[hydrokinetics]

That could be a whole other problem, too. Look there's enough of us that we can split up and make sure we let nothing go unnoticed.

[elemancy]

[he nods.]

Ash is definitely a threat if we're not careful. And he'll probably start suspecting something's up with me if I don't come back to the room like normal.

[but.] I'd do it if we needed to, though. Going out there alone isn't safe either.

[hydrokinetics]

That's what I'm worried about. My roommates are two of the people in this room. It'll be safer for me to go out there. I know how to fight.

[elemancy]

I know.

[but noct worries—leaving percy out there to handle it on his own sits so poorly with him in a lot of ways that it's hard to back down completely, even if the logic is sound.]

[thatsthespirit]

[surprise, and then a small hint of relief]

So he's willing to work with us. . .? What did he say, exactly?

[that would make this so much easier]

[hydrokinetics]

I didn't say that. I said I talked to him about it. [His face is pretty grim.] He said he'd consider it, but he's not sure how open the rest of us would be to it, considering he's the Deputy.

[thatsthespirit]

[ah. . .]

Regardless of his actions, we know Damian won't kill him. At this point, we may not have a choice.

[hydrokinetics]

[A deep breath.]

He told me that he doesn't particularly value his life, but he also doesn't really want to just die. So...whoever goes after him will probably die. He'll put up a fight. He doesn't know who the rest of you guys are.

[So that's fun.]

[thatsthespirit]

[. . .]

[she doesn't know how wise this is, considering the Deputy's actions-- Dr. Lecter's actions-- throughout the course of the game. but with Damian in the stocks, and with the population of the town slowly dwindling. . .]

. . . at some point, it may be worth it to send him a sort of peace offering. Something that proves we don't particularly wish him dead.

Perhaps that would help him cooperate.

[robitussin]

Don't you think that's a little bit optimistic?

[She chews on her lip.]

[thatsthespirit]

It is.

[at least she admits it]

I don't have any particular faith that it'll work.

[robitussin]

Then maybe we should be focusing on our other options that aren't as peaceful.

[A frown. She doesn't like it, but...]

[thatsthespirit]

[Milla doesn't, either. but she doesn't particularly wish to die, either]

Perhaps.

And since we can end the game with the Deputy dead, then perhaps it's time we didn't hold back.

[impulsiveness]

No.
He's done nothing but make people more VULNERABLE over the weeks. What makes you think he'll be up for holding hands and singing kumbaya now?

[thatsthespirit]

I'm not particularly optimistic about it, actually.

[she says, one hand on her hip]

But we're swiftly running out of other options.

[impulsiveness]

What about just killing him?

[Hah.

Haha.

He feels gross suggesting that but Damian and Bruce aren't here now so what they don't know can't disappoint them]

[hydrokinetics]

I don't know if that'll work. The only reason he took the knife out of his jacket is because I went to him unarmed.

[He won't detail the conversation, but one thing is clear. Whatever happened left him pretty angry and also pretty spooked.]

I've been trying to negotiate with him though because he's been playing the game for a reason. Like. A big reason. Like a big, blood-god reason. That's why he's been putting people in the stocks instead of in jail.

[thatsthespirit]

[she unfortunately didn't have much faith that it'd work, but. . . well. it was worth a try]

Because putting people in the stocks earns him more merit than putting them in jail, correct?

[just a guess. a frustrated noise escapes her lips]

But if peaceful resolutions are out of the question, then we may have no choice but to strike back at him either at the trial, or next week.

[hydrokinetics]

Yeah, something like that. It's more entertaining for Hal's employers from what I'm getting and we definitely want to keep those guys happy.

...I'd say the trial, but how are we supposed to do that?

[impulsiveness]

[...?]

Blood god?

[hydrokinetics]

[!!!]

Yeah. That's who Hal's working for. Ancient gods that thrive off of pain and our blood, and if they don't get it, they'll wipe out multiple universes. Ours, and all of the universes various versions of us exist in.

[Can they talk about that while Damian's not here? Sure.]