Two Parter-Visual, on a reflective surface, 19:04

[thewalkingdork]

[The 'video' of Paul is a little blurry, being broadcast from slightly dirty white tiles. Fortunately just enough dirt to write his number in, as he has been stripped of everything except his clothes. No phone, most certainly. The room he's in is uniformly composed of white tile on all the walls and a similar floor. It looks like it's meant to be a sterile environment, but has been neglected.

Guys, you gotta help- I... I couldn't take it any more, those weird animals and all this, I thought they would help, the cops, and they said they had to take me somewhere and put me in this van and ohgod-

[The young man has to stop to try and relieve his panic, clasping his hands to his head and breathing frantically. When he starts again, it's apparent he hasn't succeeded.]

I'm gonna die!

[Roughly five minutes later.]
[ Interrupted in his network pleas for help, Paul spins around to the door as it opens. A large bald man enters, and before Paul can speak a word the man has thrown something into his hands. A gag. Paul opens his mouth to protest when he's cut off-]

Kid. Put it on.

[The authority of the man is unquestionable and Paul complies. The pair are joined by another man, this one sweating and nervous. The two might be known to those watching already. The first is General Terrence Miller, the commanding officer of Fort Turner. The second is the Chief of Police for Locke City, Simon Edward.

The General places a hand on Edward's shoulder, solemn.]

He wants to see commitment, Simon. The rest of us are giving our all and you what do you do? Jeopardise this location by bringing the kid here. Your orders were to deal with witnesses, not hand them our secrets.

[Paul meanwhile has backed up against the wall, muffled whimpers escaping him. He doesn't have the presence of mind to think of removing his gag. It's Edward that speaks now.]

I can't just kill him, he's a kid damnit!

[At the word kill, Paul finally snaps and tries to run between the two men. The general simply catches him by the throat and lifts the boy with obviously inhuman strength, not even looking away from Edward as he tosses Paul back against the wall with a crack that has him dazed.]

It's good you can think like that. This invasion will be the bloodiest conflict in human history. He-

It's an IT, not a he. You have to be alive to be a he.

Lets not debate, Simon. The point is, we need men who don't want to kill, don't want mankind to go extinct. If you're replaced, it'll be by some sicko who would get off on this. Kill the boy and remember the reasons. Albero will make it look like an accident, and you'll make sure it's not discovered otherwise.

I'm the Chief of Police, not a beat cop. I don't carry a gun-

[With a quiet noise, Edward is handed Miller's gun. The name Albero is almost definitely a reference to Vincent Albero.]

We both know you don't need it any more.

[Still dazed, Paul barely manages to stand, just as Edward apologises under his breath and shoots the teen three times in the chest. As Paul dies, his number ceases to work and it all goes black.

And indeed, as General Miller surmised, Albero did cover up the crime. By staging a fire at Paul Ben's house. The next day the news will tell that the entire Ben family, mother, father, son and five daughters died in the fire. The incident is not being treated as suspicious.]


((Alas, poor NPC. We hardly knew ye. Yes, Paul Ben is dead and gone but he has left some vital clues that will surely get the ball rolling.

Please make it clear if your character is replying in the five or so minutes before Paul's death, or in reaction to his death.))

Comments

[Voice] | In the five minutes before his death

[professorwolf]

[Lyall has been working late, drifting between research on these little monsters drifting about and doing actual work for his classes. Biology professor, going out on a Friday night? Heaven forbid.

So he's got his laptop open and network active, if not broadcasting, while he's hovering over his miscroscope in the dimly lit classroom, when the video goes up. He looks up sharply at the sound of his student's voice-- looks around briefly before he realizes he's not actually there-- and hurries to his laptop. As his laptop has no camera, he can't reply in kind, but he does speak hurriedly:]

Paul? Slow down, slow down... breath a second. Where are you?

[thewalkingdork]

I don't know! They said they were taking me somewhere for protection but the van had blacked out windows and they wouldn't answer my questions-

[The advice to breath kicks in there, breaking up his panic.]

[professorwolf]

There you go. Slow down and breathe.

[Lyall gives him a couple breaths before he continues.]

How long was the drive, can you guess? Or tell me from a clock in the van, maybe? Did anyone say anything, and did you see anything when you got out, before they put you in that room?