EXSILIUM - contact.

[hostage]

UNIT№409



_“ Hey, it's me. Wait for the thing. _”

Comments

[payback]

Well, okay. [The stare is direct, blatant and casual as if it shouldn't even seem remarkable.] Okay. If you want to learn how to do something else, there must be people who could teach you here.

[hostage]

I have to stay in the lab.

[payback]

Because of the Initiative.

[hostage]

[He nods.]

[payback]

[Stymied, she settles down into a frown. If not for long.]

What. How long? Like chained to a desk?

[hostage]

[He'd sort of thought Rin, of all people here, had a sense of how the world really works. So the look he gives her in response to that question is one of confusion.]

[payback]

[Okay, stupid question and she knew it. It was at least half hyperbole. She repeats herself, exasperated:]

What's the schedule like?

[hostage]

I work as much as I can. It changes.

[payback]

What did they say? When you started this.

[hostage]

Nothing. The same thing they say to everybody.

[payback]

Did they threaten you or anything?

[hostage]

[Rin, you sweet summer child.]

What're you picturing? Like guns? No.

[payback]

I want to know what they said! I want to know where you're getting this from! Make something up! Ask to mix another chemical! Figure out a way out!

[hostage]

Look, here's how it works: you got one thing you can do, you get brought to a place by people who need you to do it, you do that thing as good as you can for as long as you can so they don't waste you and replace you. They don't gotta say anything. That's the way it is.

[payback]

So don't cut them off, ask if you can train in something else too.

[hostage]

Ain't nothing else I can do. Nothing I'll ever do half as good.

[...except kill people.]

[payback]

Oh, okay. So the answer is to give up and keep doing the thing you feel horrible over without even trying something else?

[hostage]

You think I haven't tried?! Nothing takes, okay. I'm too stupid.

[payback]

Oh, my God - you have serious problems.

[hostage]

[Thanks for the revelation, Rin.]

[payback]

Don't just CONSIGN yourself to... doing something you HATE because you think you're too STUPID for something ELSE!

[hostage]

You think this is Disney or something? Like if I just try hard enough, I can do anything? Honest to god, I tried. I got out - I was staying outta this business up until the second I took my last breath. But that's what happened, right? I stopped being useful, I tried going straight, and what'd that get me?

[payback]

There's telepaths here or something. We could try getting one of them to drill a skill right into your brain. [Meanly sarcastic.]

[hostage]

Oh, ha ha.

[payback]

Why not? I bet that'd stick.