EXSILIUM - contact.

[hostage]

UNIT№409



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

Comments

[vaccination]

They're--they're making you seem like some goddamn psychopath! That's not fine!

[She's so mad, but it's not entirely about this. This is just a conveniently timed outlet for her anger.]

[hostage]

They need somebody to take the fall. Distracting everybody from the mutiny, getting heat off the traitors. They're gonna let 'em go and then -

[Wait, he shouldn't be talking about this with her. God, she doesn't need to think about how they're going to kill him.]

[vaccination]

I know, I know. They're throwing you under the bus.

[She's trying real hard not to think about Jesse getting killed. Beaten up? Sure, let's go with that possibility.]

Are you okay? Did they hurt you?

[At home, if you get sent to jail... you're sort of never seen again.]

[hostage]

Yeah, no. I'm okay. I promise.

[vaccination]

Why did you do it?

[She wants to hear it from him.]

[hostage]

[It's not much of a secret anymore, is it.]

They were hurting people. I didn't wanna shoot 'em but I needed to make sure it didn't keep happening.

[vaccination]

They're making it sound like shooting them would have been better. [She's so sick of the dramatics.]

[hostage]

I don't get it. I seriously just...

[His voice gets tight and he pauses to swallow.]

I was trying to do the right thing.

[vaccination]

I think you did. For what it's worth.

[hostage]

[It's worth the world to him. It really is. But...]

Don't tell anybody, okay? Don't... I don't want anybody coming after you.

[vaccination]

I can see how that would go: someone beats the shit out of me and paints the little girl as the bad guy. Fuck that.

But don't worry about me. I'll be safe. I just wish there was more I could do. You're not the bad guy in this mess.

[Yelling at idiots is rather cathartic though.]

[hostage]

Ellie, please... Please just - like - fly under the radar here, okay? Everybody's being crazy with this.

[vaccination]

[Ellie knows he's right. Her barking might not be dangerous for herself (she's really counting on people being softies for little girls here), but she doesn't want to stress out Jesse by causing trouble. Not to mention Joel, who already has enough to deal with.]

I will.

Do you have a plan?

[hostage]

Yeah.

[...No.]

[vaccination]

[Sure.]

I'm guessing they're not letting just anyone come see you, huh?

[hostage]

A few people, but they kinda think I'm crazy, so...

[So kids probably aren't allowed.]

[vaccination]

[She gets it.] Yeah. I'd probably flip my shit on them, anyway, sooo... probably for the best. Under the radar I go.

There in spirit, though.

[They can't keep him locked up forever.]

[hostage]

[Yes, they can.]

Thanks, Ellie.

[vaccination]

Yeah. Take care. I'll see you when you're out.