savetheearth | Entry #A-15: "Accomplishments" [Video]

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Entry #A-15: "Accomplishments" [Video]

[Lazarus' number is written on a blackboard with a piece of chalk, opening a connection to the network. Dim light streams in through the high, dusty windows, falling on broken-down desks in a decrepit, once-grand lecture hall. A broom leans in the corner, along with several trash bags; Lazarus himself is wearing crummy clothes and more than a little breathless and sweaty. You would be too, if you'd been working on solo renovations for hours.]

If any of you are familiar with the building that was formerly the Willow Ridge Boarding Academy in Locke City... like back in the 1970's... it's ours now. It was briefly a linen processing facility but it wound up being foreclosed on when the company went bankrupt, so I went ahead and bought it from the bank. Under a different name, of course.

[He takes a second to shrug out of his sweater, draping it across one of the desks.]

The building's big, with a spacious basement. I want to move Project Jump as soon as possible to this new location, since both I and Espresso Yourself are too well-known at this point and I don't think it's safe for it to remain. I can rent a truck but the more discreet the move is, the better. It has to happen very soon. In the meantime... I'm going to continue to work on renovations. Security. Furnishing accommodations... on that note, if anyone has any computer monitors, servers or any other equipment they're willing to sell or donate, I'm more than interested.

[He returns to what he was doing before he opened the connection, which is, apparently, using an axe to break apart unsalvageable desks and bagging up the resulting debris to clear some space.]

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She was staying at my place and left me stuff when she headed out, so I can donate some to the cause.

Good. Just tell me when.

Staying at your place? Were you dating?

[Because he has to ask that. Even if it has nothing to do with anything, he has to ask.]

At your earliest convenience, Shou. It has to be moved ASAP.

No. She just was without a home for a while and I had more than enough space.

I've got nothing happening for a while.

I'll get a truck for tonight.

Have you echoed back particularly robust strength? I'm unsure if two typical men can successfully move the teleporter.

[And, let's be honest, L's strength is below typical. Even his recent efforts can't outstrip years of abuse and neglect immediately.]

Okay. Tonight's good.

I'm stronger than I look. [ top of human strength though he really hasn't tested his limits. ]

We can try. If we fail, there's always the option of requesting help, though it seems like the Locke City crowd has thinned out a lot lately.

I don't blame them. Either they'll be blamed for crimes or someone would kill them.

I guess those of us who have chosen to stay and fight despite the risk really need to stick together.

That we do. Some of us are lucky to be tough enough to fight too.

Sometimes, "willing enough" is plenty to make up for those of us who lack toughness. I've made the decision to continue doing everything I can for as long as I can.

So... the days have gotten pretty short. Do we want to say around 7:00 PM, we'll meet at the coffee shop and start figuring out a way to get the device out of the basement?

Yah, but luck and having a will might always succeed. We need to organize things a little bit better.

7's good. I can do seven. I'll be there.

[At 7:00 PM, the Sun is down and a moving van is parked outside. L had asked Mack to pick it up, and laughing, the dealer had obliged for a small fee and slipped L a plastic baggie.

Gratis, brother. Enjoy.

He'd held it in a clenched fist until Mack left in his own sleek black car, emptying and flushing it as soon as he had turned the corner. Then he went down to the basement to await the vampire's arrival.]

[shou showed up with a few minutes to spare, and headed downstairs as well. He wasn't sure exactly if he could be a big help considering he hadn't tried seeing just how much strength he had, but he didn't want to just not help. the numbered was growing thin in Locke, a situation that he didn't like one bit. it made things look like the mob was winning against them.

muttering to himself in Japanese about the stupid mob, he went into the basement.]

[L glances up from where he stands by the teleporter, one hand resting protectively against its hull. When he sees it's Shou, he seems to relax, turning to fully face him.]

What was that about the mob? Did you run into trouble on your way over?

You can understand me? [ because seriously you weren't speaking Japanese last time he checked. Shou then shrugged as he peered at the transporter. ]

Stupid mob making us flee this nice city because they think that we're muscling in on their territory. Like we have any intention of becoming a crime family and have someone put a ring on and demand to be the new Godfather.

I studied Japanese in college, but... since June I've spoken it fluently. An echo, like the ones I got for German, Russian, and Italian.

[He rubs at one of his deeply-shadowed eyes. He looks extremely exhausted, but nothing is standing in the way of him doing his work. Maybe he and Albero are ironically similar that way.]

Our intentions don't matter. It's more like a pissing contest now... he believes he's been disrespected, and for a person who relies on intimidation to have a following, it's a big deal.

Huh. All I got was the weird accent and an itch to wanna talk about who's disrespecting who with Alberto.

[ he's comfortable enough with L to slip into the accent, the harsher rolling R and the slight hissing S. There was another, odder cadence to his words, almost like he was going to break out in Chinese as well. ]

You get any sleep lately?

[He quirks a non-existent brow, but gives no other indication that he considers the accent odd. He knows how it is, he understands the way echoes change things.]

A lot's been going on lately, you know. A little. Enough.

[It's the most complete and informative answer Shou is likely to get out of the detective.]

There's a rolling dolly here. I don't know if it'll be enough, but it's a start, anyway.

Well, let's move this and then you get your head down for a couple hours. Don't wanna see you fall over from exhaustion on top of nutty people trying to kill you.

[ he just eyes the machine for a moment, looking for a place to actually grip without breaking something important. after a few seconds of that, shou just nods. ]

A dolly would help. Can you get it so this thing can just be pushed onto it?

I'll try, but I can't make any promises. One of the downsides of being the target of a hit is that I can't really sleep with both eyes closed.

[He wheels the dolly around, trying to position it in a way that would ultimately be conducive to their goal.

I think so. It's ultimately going to be a matter of being able to hold the thing up on an incline, isn't it?

[He's apprehensive, not knowing if his spindly back and limbs are up for it. But he's grimly determined, too; there are a lot of bodily limitations he's surpassed in the last months, with no echoes helping him along.]

Just wedge a piece of wood or something behind the wheels long enough for me to get it on there, and then I'll wheel it out and you can give me directions on where to go.

[ because Shou wasn't going to let L become a pancake for doing something he can't, not with his build that is. ]

That sound okay?

[Ugh, it would sound just like a boot coming down on a cockroach. That brittle crunch.

He's on it, though, grabbing a few thick boards leftover from construction and wedging them behind the wheels, standing by to steady and spot it. That much, at least, he can do.]

Sounds fine. It needs to get out the door and onto the moving van, which... I'm sorry to impose, but I don't know how, so... if you could drive the truck that would be a tremendous help.

[ and not a sound Shou want to hear, ever. not even if it was a cockroach getting smushed. there's reasons why he stays away from too many bugs. ]

If it's got wheels, I can drive it. Just don't ask me if I have a valid license for it.

[ okay, so it's set and he gives it a shot. and frankly it is a little heavier than he thought but he also was a lot stronger than he thought. still, it will leave marks on the floor as he shoves it as best he can and then gets it on the dolly. ]

That's actually something I can help with.

[He only looks a little bit sheepish as he reaches into his wallet, withdrawing a convincingly forged license. One of his first echoes gave him that skill set and it would be a shame not to put it to good use.]

I didn't want to assume, but I thought it would be better to be prepared, just in case.

[He winces, shoulders stiffening as Shou actually gets the thing onto the dolly.]

...You're doing fine. Um. Watch the steps, I'll warn you when you're getting close.

[He hovers, ready to jump in if Shou falters, though it's anyone's guess how much actual good that can do.]

Seriously? [ he just laughs at the idea of getting all the licenses he would ever need, but right now he had to concentrate more on getting this thing on to the truck and out of here before someone tries to blow them up. ] A present just for me? Aw, and we haven't even gone on our first date.

[ sorry, Shou was just feeling a little like joking. it's not a good joke, but having the sudden need to see people as walking lunch bags does that to a guy. he unwedge the dolly and gets it moving, the teleporter an awkward bit of machinery but far easier to move this way than trying to drag it across the basement. ]

Okay.

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