EXSILIUM - contact.

[hostage]

UNIT№409



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

Comments

[hostage]

[He's shaking his head and the rest of him is shaking, too. He's been hiding it - no one's really seen at all except maybe Nill, in glimpses, in his head - but he's terrified. He's more scared of the Initiative than maybe every single person who's talked about rebellion.]

[payback]

[she stares at him. A hard stare.]

They want us to like them.

[hostage]

That don't mean anything.

[payback]

Yes it does.

[hostage]

People'll do all kinds of things to you even when they want you to like 'em. Sometimes especially 'cause.

[payback]

Yeah well, you have some people watching your back just in case they did decide to disappear you, and do you think they'd just say nothing if you suspiciously disappeared?

[hostage]

They'd think I went home.

[payback]

Not if somebody was always keeping an eye on you.

[hostage]

That'd be crazy.

[payback]

Well, for you, maybe.

[hostage]

Nobody's always gonna be around.

[payback]

Mm, well, find a couple.

[hostage]

To do what? Guard me?

[payback]

Sure.

[hostage]

No.

[payback]

Why not?

[hostage]

'cause anybody I'd want around me all the time is nobody I'd want getting caught up in... whatever might happen.

Besides, I'm handling it. My whole arrangement's working fine.

[payback]

Uh huh.

[hostage]

What?

[payback]

Nothing. If that's how you want it. [Shrug.]

[hostage]

Yeah, it is.

[payback]

I'm outta here, then.

[hostage]

Okay.

[There's the door, babe.]

[payback]

[She turns and leaves. The end.]