Twenty-First Message [Text | Sheet of Paper - Forward-Timed to a More Reasonable Hour]

[scramasax]

[The first line is in fact written in after the second one.]

This is Anthony. Who else knows John Mitchell's number?

[He does know a few; the question is who's available to respond.]

Comments

text

[youngestone]

I do

let me guess

text

[scramasax]

[A couple of risingly-flustered moments before:] Guess what? What is it?

text

[youngestone]

he's not on the Network anymore

text

[scramasax]

[That's what he's asking in roundabout himself.] Does his number work for you?

text

[youngestone]

just tell me, please. I'm really not in the mood

text

[scramasax]

My mind plays tricks on me. I'm not sure if I'm right. [Which is still stupidly indirect - ] I wrote his number. Nothing happened.

text

[youngestone]

figured

[Text]

[shiromadoushi]

Someone else go offline?

[Text]

[scramasax]

[That's what he's attempting to figure out!] His number isn't working when I write it. I don't know if it isn't only me.

[Text]

[shiromadoushi]

It's not like checking to see if your phone is connected...

[Text]

[scramasax]

I know that... I just don't know if I'm not seeing it. [And nothing so far is claritive one way or the other.]

[Text]

[shiromadoushi]

It's gotten that bad...?

What's the number, I'll try it.

[Text]

[scramasax]

[He's not sure how it works, himself, and fact of the matter is that he wasn't that stressed out until the issue came up - best not take any chances.

Speaking of taking chances he's hesitating to dole out the number but o lordy this is urgent.

Writes down the number. It isn't going to work.]

[action]

[detectivetroll]

[When Nick sees this, he doesn't bother trying John's number. He just sets down his coffee, and immediately heads next door.

If Anthony's there, they can talk face to face, instead of over the nextwork. If John's there... then Nick can see for himself. He knocks sharply on the door.]

Anyone home? It's Nick.

[action]

[scramasax]

[Too sharp! Anthony just about jumps on the knock.

Thought simmering down and cohering to a thank goodness - he hobbles over to the door, works toward fumbling it open a crack.] Uhh -- only - ...er - I -- I am -- [Coughing sound.] Uhm -- sorry -

[action]

[detectivetroll]

I'm sorry, too.

[If John's no longer on the network, that is, because that... complicated feelings about it aside, it's a huge blow. His eyes are dark, but he gives Anthony an attempt at a smile.]

But I was looking for you, too. Can I come in, or... would you rather come over, in case he comes back?

[action]

[scramasax]

[Not in much of a mood for smiling back - his eyes sort of chase up and down and then around Nick, and the short version of the answer to that's in place immediately; there's the obvious and if John's gone from connected to not just like that, and if he doesn't remember enough, he has no business being in this apartment.]

Is. [Coughs - voice still sticks thick.] - The hall --

[And then cut looser, carried on a somewhat heady exhale.] ...clear - ?

[action]

[detectivetroll]

[That's definitely the safer of the two options, even if it only serves to hammer the point home - that John isn't safe any more.]

Yeah, we're clear. Come on.

[He moves aside from the doorway to give Anthony room to come out, and waits for him before moving back to his own apartment to open the door for them both.]

[action]

[scramasax]

[He nods, hunches, and slips through the door - endeavors to push himself along at a quick stagger, and - stands, doesn't quite lean, off to the side of the door to Nick's apartment once they're there, but that's daft, it is obviously more sensible for Nick to be the one to close the door to his own apartment.

Now he strains a smile - with emphasis upon strains, as there's nothing detectably happy about it as opposed to grateful - and loosens it and edges inside. Partly turning as he does so to keep his eye on Nick - to check that he's not managing to make a misstep as he does so, somehow.]

[text]

[amberhearted]

[ upon seeing this entry, the first thing alex does is try to message john. it doesn't work. he sits on his bed and looks at his phone, resigned more than anything else. he's not surprised. reincarnates losing their echoes within the boundary with neither rhyme or reason.

he's not happy, but he's not upset.

in fact, this might not be that terrible a thing. setting aside his own visceral fear of losing himself by losing the memories of experiencing everything network related -- not the echoes, but the resulting experiences surrounding the echoes -- john has lost the burden of his bloodlust.

alex doesn't feel sorry about that. ]

Does he remember that he's got a roommate?

[text]

[scramasax]

[Anthony doesn't understand what it's like to be a vampire. 8(]

I don't know. [And he has no idea what to speculate he might remember, or how to not need to speculate, among other things - swallows that now, though - ] It isn't working for you either. Is it?

[Not that he needs further verification at this point, but somehow he's simply trying to keep things moving.]

[text]

[amberhearted]

No. Is he home

[text]

[scramasax]

No. He isn't. [Mixed good luck that he found out when and how he did - safe luck, if that's a way to put it.]

[text]

[amberhearted]

Do you want help getting out

[ he won't be surprised if anthony rebuffs him. ]

[text]

[scramasax]

You don't have to. [Acknowledging that clarification may be best for now.] I'm with Mr. Burkhardt for now. But thank you.