savetheearth | ❧ 015 ❧ Video, laptop webcam

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❧ 015 ❧ Video, laptop webcam

[The video starts with a shot of an apartment kitchen, with its counters filled with several containers of sweet and savory baked goods. Someone had gone on another baking spree after recent events, but chose to remain out of the picture. A black tail is seen at the bottom of the frame, swishing slightly as it brushes up against a lower cupboard before a meow is heard and the cat walks away.]

If you were around the last time I made a post like this, then you know what I'm about to offer. For those who don't, I've made a bit too much and I'm willing to share this to the network. I already gave a large portion of what I made to the people working on rebuilding Las Vegas a few days ago. But, I'm unable to leave Locke for the time being since the 'teleporter' is presently inaccessible. Sorry.

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[It takes a little bit for Nick to reply to this, partly because he doesn't check the network as often as he used to, and partly because he's hesitant to see if Xander wants to be involved in this.

He could just call him, sure, but these days, Nick feels like the network is safer.]

Hey, Xan. You still have any left?

I do, but there's not a lot to pick from.

That's fine, I just-

[All right, Burkhardt, suck it up and do this.]

Was looking for an excuse to talk to you, I guess. Do you have some free time?

Of course. It must be important if you want me to come in person. [A moment of hesitation before he asks a question.] ...I take it you're still at the same apartment?

It is important. And yeah, I still am. Can you meet me there?

[Nick's not there much these days - it reminds him too much of Anthony - but this isn't the kind of conversation Nick wants to have in public.]

I'll be there in a few minutes. Do you want me to use the front door?

[He might as well ask for his ex's preference because he did step over the line the last time he visited by using the shadows.]

[He hesitates only a moment before replying.]

No. You can use the shadow thing.

[It might be better for Xander not to be seen at his front door. And even after everything... Nick does trust him that much.]

All right. I'll see you then.

[With that taken care of, he gathers up the last of his baked goods and heads off over to Nick's apartment through the shadows. Just like he said, it only takes him a few minutes thanks to the extended range of his teleportation.]

...Nick?

[Nick hasn't been here long himself, just enough to empty his bag off clothes into the hamper and start throwing some new ones in. He stops when he hears Xander's voice, though, and heads out of his bedroom towards it.

He doesn't look as bad as he had in the week after Anthony's death, but it's still obvious that he's not sleeping well, and is working himself way too hard.]

Hey. I, uh. I have a proposition for you.

[When the other man makes his appearance, Xander gives him a make-shift wave with the box in his hands. He wouldn't comment on his ex's physical state, knowing that he would probably be repeating something someone else had already said to him.

A part of him was expecting to see Anthony appear out of another room, shambling with his decaying body and fumbling with his words, but he knew better than to think that. The kid was gone and hopefully at peace despite the gruesome death.]

Yeah? What is it? [He moves a bit further in to the apartment before setting the box of baked goods next to a table.] ...Do you want me to fetch some plates for what I brought?

[Yeah, that's Nick's problem, too. Every time he's here, he sees Anthony, expects him to be behind the closed door of his room.

It's messing with his head.

He starts to answer Xander's first question, but then is thrown off a little, by the mention of plates. Right, the baked goods he'd asked Xander for in the first place. He'd forgotten about those.]

Oh, uh, sure. Yeah, that'd be great.

[When was the last time he actually ate? Probably whenever Lyall or Yuji shoved something at him, but he can't remember what it was.]

It's about the mafia.

[He gives a nod in response to fetching some plates, but just as he's about to go in to the kitchen, he pauses at the mention of the mafia.]

What about them? [Sure, he shared a brief portion of his encounter with them over the network but his warning didn't seem to help others.] I bet they're causing a lot of issues for the police or some of them are looking the other way due to influence or bribes.

[He makes his way in to the kitchen and starts searching the upper cupboards for a few plates and napkins, if Nick carried any of those.]

[He actually has to pause there, because suddenly he's not sure if he ever actually told Xander what he was doing.

But he guesses it doesn't really matter, now.]

I've been working undercover with them, getting them to think I'm corrupt so I can get information from them. Up until now, it's just been little stuff, but now... now I think we can hit them and make it hurt.

[It takes him a few moments to finally locate them and closes the cupboard before returning to the living room. He freezes the moment Nick mentions that he's been undercover and working with the mafia.]

...Sounds like you've had an easy time with the little stuff. [His tone is emotionless as he sets the plates down on the coffee table.] So why are you telling me this and not the rest of the force?

[He makes a sound that could almost be a chuckle, if it wasn't so bitter.

None of this has been anything like an easy time.

Still, he slides over that comment, to answer Xander's question.]

Because I'm not doing this as a cop, I was doing it as a network member. And arresting Albero isn't going to do shit.

[Part of him can't believe he's saying this. Before the network, before all of these pulses, he knows he'd be apalled at what he's doing right now. But before the network, he doesn't think he was capable of loving someone as much as he loved Anthony.

And he needs to cut off that line of thought right there, because he still can't even think about Anthony without wanting to break down a little.]

He needs to be stopped, by whatever means necessary.

[He catches that sound but doesn't comment on it as he busies himself with pulling out a container of baked goods from the box.]

I understand. So, you want me to track him down and kill him? [Or make him suffer for a bit before killing him. It gave his morbid mind several ideas about how to go about it.] I'm assuming that's why you called me here, unless you have another plan.

Not exactly.

[He pauses, but only briefly.]

There's talk that they're going to be having a meeting soon, Albero and his highest ranking members. I think I can get details on it. When I do - I'd never ask you to do something I wasn't willing to do myself, Xan. I want you to help me kill him.

[As Nick continues to talk, he sets the container down and opens it as quietly as he can. When he's done, he takes a seat on the couch and thinks about what was just said.

After a few moments of silence, he finally speaks.]

...All right. I guess we should anticipate that they've been modified like the others? It's not going to be an easy fight, but I have feeling you already know that.

[There's a very brief, not at all humorous smile.]

No. It won't be. The ones I've met haven't been modified, as far as I can tell, but we should expect some of them have. But we have pulses on our side. Your shadows, among other things, and -

[He swallows, looking away briefly.]

If I die, I'll just come back.

[He silently nods while listening to his ex explain a few details. When Nick mentions that he can't die, Xander's body tenses and looks at the other man.]

How do you know that? Have you tested it already? Do you know what you can and can't survive from?

[There's a hitch in his next breath in that sounds suspiciously like a repressed sob, because there's absolutely no way to talk about that without remembering when it'd happened.

The promise he'd made to Anthony, and failed.]

Yeah. It was an accident, but I - I got cursed, and I died. I just came back, like everything was reset.

Cursed? By who?

[His expression turns serious and there was a flash of concern in his eyes. But, he did note that sound from the homicide detective, assuming that it was a traumatic memory. Maybe he shouldn't press.]

...Sorry. You don't have to answer that. [He sighs and rubs at his face for a moment.] Did anything feel different when you 'revived'?

[Those brown eyes watch him for a moment before he looks down at his own hands. It had him thinking about his own immortality and the 'second skin' that would cover his injuries. Except, the injuries never healed on their own and would stay visible unless he covered them up.]

Edited 2014-12-01 01:43 (UTC)

[His eyes flick to Anthony's room - what used to be Anthony's room - on their own accord, but he doesn't say anything, and he looks a little relieved when Xander says he doesn't have to answer that.]

Yeah. My heart doesn't beat as fast anymore, and I don't need to breathe as much. When you put it together with my other pulses, the endurance and healing and strength, I'm pretty hard to take out, now.

[It'd freaked him out before, and still does, a little, but he's more focused on its advantage at the moment.]

That must be unnerving that your body functions a little bit slower than normal. [His attention shifts back to Nick. He looks a little hesitant about asking a question, but ends up going through with it.] ...If you're injured, does it take a while for you to recover?

[If only they had more healers on the network. Sure, he technically qualifies as one even if his healing can fix minor injuries and broken bones.]

A little, yeah, but so far, it hasn't been enough to really throw me.

[The weirdest thing had been his heartbeat, because of his enhanced hearing, but he'd adjusted to it.]

About half the time that it used to. But I don't get injured that easily, any more.

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