savetheearth | [Closed] Between where I'm going and where I've been

Entry tags:

[Closed] Between where I'm going and where I've been

Who: D!Cesar, Nathan, Tony, potentially anyone else living at the school.

What: D!Cesar's going to kidnap Nathan for his plans to get at Tony!

When: Today or yesterday

Where: Locke!
Warnings: D!Cesar is yandere as all get out. There will probably be swearing, attempts at serious violence, and anything else that comes with a kidnapping.

The school outside the computer room is silent with the night's stillness, and computer fan whirring fills the small room. There aren't many lights, but the doppelganger realizes by now that this is normal. He's been here before. Everything is as he expects.

The door was already cracked open, and he pushes it all the way, letting computer-screen light spill into the hall. Whether or not the room's sole occupant turns at the shift in sound, Cesar removes the outermost paper from a pocket, shaking it out of its folds. It's loud and out of place in the silence. Permanent marker stares out from the dim lighting in bold.

DON'T TRY TO ALERT TONY. COME WITH ME.

I HAVE A GUN.

Heavy seconds tick pass. Cesar pulls back the edge of his jacket to show the brand new holster at his waist, dropping the cloth back down when the point has been made.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Shou remembered the network and numbers as soon as he hit the one echo barrier. Unfortunately, that was also when there was daylight out and he had started smoking with his skin peeling, which had a bunch of other people panic. Luckily he was in a place where he could duck into a windowless spot at the airport and make a post on the Network about said snaffoo, and then wait. When it was dark enough, he went to the nearest teleport spot and headed right for the school because it was like a second home.

Popping out of the transporter, he headed for the room, shedding bits of clothing that had gotten a little charred from being next to his skin, muttering at the destruction of a favorite shirt. He certainly wasn't paying any heed about the happenings around him as he walked, instead just pouting at the hole he just stuck his finger through.

Unfortunately while Shou was busy burning himself to a crisp (really, Shou, you need to leave yourself better directions) the little world of Willow Ridge Boarding Academy was falling apart. One missing, one about to go on a rampage, and two having panic attacks.

Despite his raising ire and fury Tony was holding it together rather well. Outwardly calm, if pacing around the computer room where the teleporter was located. His weapons on a table near the path he traced over and over again, like a predator at the bars of his cage.

He had to wait, he knew he had to wait until Lazarus arrived. Get what information he could, have L somewhere safe and then he could go. The downside was letting Cesar set up whatever trap he was undoubtedly laying. Despite what some may assume, he really wasn't stupid. Already scenarios played out in his mind, but he doubted Cesar would harm Nathan just yet. It wouldn't benefit him, he'd gain no ground in harming a harmless and innocent kid like Nathan. No, it was something else he was after.

Suddenly Shou appeared to break him out of his thoughts, shedding clothing and obviously charred. Tony narrowed his good eye, frozen in place.

"Shit, what the hell happened to you?"

Exactly what they need, more emergencies.

Lazarus' heart pounds in his thin chest as he sprints up the walkway to the school, moving faster than he appears capable. It's the only acceptable way to use all this adrenaline, which feels like it actually might stop his heart if he slows down even a tick.

He bursts through the door, breathless, gulping in air that doesn't manage to invigorate him. He makes a futile attempt to compose himself, smoothing his tangled hair back with trembling hands. Despite assigning him a bodyguard, keeping him safe, taking as many security precautions as possible, Nathan had been snatched right out from under him.

White as a sheet and still shaking, he makes his way down the stairs to the basement, that adrenaline still coursing through his veins and making him sick to his heart and his stomach. He's going to puke, he's going to black out, he has to fix this even if one or both of those things happen. He can't initially take in what's happening, barely registering the presence of the other people in the computer center and by the teleporter, pulling up a chair and settling at the main screen only to find that his hands are shaking too violently to type.

Misa feels distinctly like she has wandered into a hostage situation she has no part in, like she doesn't belong here. Tony she barely knows and Shou she doesn't know at all, but both are looking fairly terrifying right now. She tries to assure herself that it's only because they're worried about their friend, and Lazarus wouldn't keep around dangerous people... except that one of his friends was just abducted, so that isn't really true at all.

It's a relief when he arrives, both because Misa is not at all comfortable in this room with weapons and singed strangers, and also because she worried about him. He has made it here safe, that's good. But he also looks like he's about to pass out or have a panic attack.

Misa walks up behind him and puts a hand on his shoulder, nervously glancing at Shou and Tony one last time before turning her attention to Lazarus. "Hey, it's okay... Nathan is going to be fine."

There will be ample apologies later, and proper introductions once Nathan is returned and safe. For now Tony's too tense, Shou's in bad shape, and everything is horrible all at once.

It doesn't help that Tony is mentally preparing himself to walk into what very well may be his own demise, and he knows that. But saving Nathan is paramount, even if he has to die to do it.

Finally L arrives and he breathes a sigh of relief, quickly dissolving into concern once more. He moves closer instinctively, but steps away when Misa takes over. She's probably a more calming presence than he would be right now. He'll deal with Shou, you two talk.

L is aware of Tony beginning to approach, but then he hears the footsteps ebbing and fading away. As he goes to deal with Shou, a soft, small hand rests on his bone-thin shoulder, and a now-familiar voice offers him reassurance.

How could you possibly know? Where do you get off saying that when you have no way of knowing?

She means well. She's trying. Lazarus is ashamed the moment he realizes it.

"Thank you," he mumbles, reaching up to brush her hand with his own knuckles. "I can tell you think so, and it helps."

He nods, clearing his throat. If only his mind would follow suit.

"I take it Cesar's doppel is behind this. Is that why Tony wanted a raincoat?"

Misa is surprised, and a little relieved, when Tony makes way for her. But she's also daunted by having Lazarus apparently left to her to deal with. Tony and Lazarus have certainly known each other longer, perhaps it would be better for him to take over? But already he is preoccupied with speaking to the peeling newcomer, so it seems she has her job assignment.

She gives Lazarus's shoulder a gentle squeeze before coming around to lean against the desk beside him. Misa wishes she had more to offer him than condolences and soft touches, but it's what she has to work with.

"I have no idea... They think it's Cesar's doppel, but I don't know what the raincoat is for. I don't really... know what any of this is about," she admits lamely. Cesar's name had been thrown around, but what the doppelganger wants and why he is doing this at all— she has no clue. "But it doesn't look like there was any sort of struggle here, and Nathan is a smart kid. I'm sure we'll figure this out."

In all fairness, it's daunting. Lazarus ordinarily tends to be placid and reserved, but the old adage about still waters running deep carries some truth. When he does feel strongly, his wiry body is practically a lightning rod drawing and weathering every single strike and shock. The electrons around him feel white-hot and charged and dangerous when he's like this.

"I'll review the security footage..." he says, reaching for a nearby laptop and prying it open, setting it beside his keyboard. "That'll confirm it... and the fact that you're here means that you can help," he says firmly. "You came here despite not having a strong personal stake in this, and that means a tremendous amount."

His scrolls down on the laptop, scanning through the security footage. "It's him," he says, not surprised but even tenser. "It looks like he took him at gunpoint and he went quietly, at..." he reaches for a notepad and pencil, trying to jot down the time stamp, but his hand is shaking too badly.

"Misa, will you...?" he passes them to her.

The introduction of the gun into the equation makes Misa pale; this abduction suddenly seems a lot more real, seeing Cesar leading Nathan away with a gun on him. Poor Nathan... What's the point? What does the doppel want?

"Oh, of course," Misa answers, taking the pen and paper from him and writing down the time. It's helpful to have concrete orders, but his hand really is shaking badly... Misa rests the notepad against her lap so that she can reach out to hold Lazarus's hand with her left, very conscious of being gentle because of hurting him in the past.

"This might be a dumb question, but shouldn't we call the police?"

Lazarus looks grey as he takes in the footage, aware of Misa gently holding his hand. It helps slow his pounding heart and makes it feel less like there's a hand at his throat squeezing... but that doesn't change the fact that Nathan's been missing for hours now.

He shakes his head at her question, but not dismissively.

"Your question isn't dumb... but the police aren't really..." he looks for a delicate way to put it, deciding that he's too frayed and exhausted to put too much effort into the endeavor. "For all the good that they do, we can handle this much faster and more effectively. We're equipped for that now."

"Okay."

Though she feels fairly strongly that going to the police would be a better option than going this alone, Misa defers to Lazarus on the matter. It's his friend that's been taken and she only barely knows what's going on, after all. Her place here is less 'brains of the operation' and more 'moral support'.

"Do you have any idea why he would take Nathan?" she asks, stroking her thumb up and down his hand in what she hopes is a soothing gesture. Cesar has been kind enough to her, but she knows nothing about his doppelganger.

He nods stiffly, glad that he doesn't have to argue. There's a lot of red tape the police have to go through, and he's worried for another reason; if Cesar's doppelganger is implicated, it could have ill effects for the real one who shares his face.

"It's complicated," he murmurs. "Cesar's doppelganger and I have a... sort of a history. Back when this all started, I was attacked. My doppelganger paid Tony's to take me out of the picture, and he bashed me over the head and left me in a closet for two days. I tried to contact Cesar, but his doppelganger got to me first. He's the reason my involvement with all of this was delayed... he kept me in the dark about everything while I recovered from a concussion. His motive seemed to genuinely be protecting me, but that extended to hurting the real Tony, and when I found out about that... obviously, I was gone. He's unhappy with this."

Misa listens to the sordid doppelganger saga with wide eyes. No wonder Lazarus hates his doppelganger so much. She wishes she could have done something to help, and the thought that she might have been suffering through the doppelganger's presence in Germany while Lazarus was tied up somewhere is sickening.

"So... he wants to be your friend, like the real Cesar is, and this is his way of getting back at you for leaving?" she asks. It all seems so extreme, she can't make sense of the doppel's motivations for doing something like this. But judging by Lazarus's doppel, maybe they're all predisposed toward taking things way too far.

It is a rather little sordid saga. It's actually probably more sordid than Misa knows or guesses, and that's confirmed when she uses the word "friend". It's almost humorous how grave the misunderstanding appears to be, but maybe she's attempting to be discreet. After all of this ugliness and what feels like his private life being flayed open for all to gawk at, he absolutely appreciates that discretion, intentional or not.

"I think so. He definitely found a way to hit me where it hurts," murmurs L unhappily. "Do you know about Nathan? What his Other was to mine?"

It is absolutely not intentional discretion on Misa's part that has her using the word 'friend' to describe Cesar's relationship with Lazarus. She would never guess that he escaped the lonely virgin demographic, let alone is in a relationship, let alone is in a relationship with a man. There's all sorts of things that Misa doesn't know, and she might be less liberal with her touching if she knew that Lazarus was spoken for. But maybe not.

"I don't," Misa says, shaking her head. "But if the doppelganger wants to win you back, Nathan is probably safer than he looks."

There's a lot about Lazarus that Misa doesn't know, such as the fact that he in fact lost his virginity around a year ago to his former therapist who was in fact female. If her touching carries intent further than gentle comfort, he seems unaware of it, wholly focused on his computers.

"I'm tracking his phone," he explains. "With any luck, it's where he is and even if it's not, it might still help..."

His eyes widen and he's turning quickly in his chair, almost tipping it over with the force of the movement. "Tony, I have an address!"

At the same time, Tony received a private network message. Frowning down at his phone, he picks up his eye to meet Lazarus' gaze, expression unusually grim.

"So do I. Guess that's my cue."

Without further prompting he moves to collect his weapons, idly spinning the specialized handguns before holstering them, and placing Rebellion at his back.

"Say, you got that raincoat I asked you about?"

Evidently he planned on taking this on his own.

"Yes, I have it," Lazarus says, frowning slightly. What does Tony mean, "my" cue?

"It's in the bottom drawer of the bureau by the front drawer... it's a poncho," he says. "But... you know I'm going with you, right? You make it sound like you're going alone."

Misa watches all this warily, withdrawing her hand when Lazarus suddenly turns away. She does not like the way Tony is twirling those guns.

"This seems too dangerous for one person to go alone... not that we should come," she is quick to add, wanting to make it clear she is not siding with Lazarus there. "But you should have some backup."

"What's he gonna need backup for?"

Shou just has that way about him where he can show up and lean against something to look like he had been there all the time. He hadn't - a shower was needed to get rid of some of the dead and flaky skin - but still, he was there and he was putting in his two cents. Arms crossed, a few healing patches of skin were easy to spot and there was a kind of hollow look to his face, but otherwise, he looked fine.

Nodding at Tony, he bent down and picked up a large bag which he tossed at him. "Got ya a present. Wear it in good health."

Tony means he's going in alone, L. He's already made up his mind on this. "Thanks," Already he's heading that way, as if ignoring everything L and Misa have to say on the matter. Truthfully he is.

"Sorry L, this is a private party. It's me he wants, got a private invitation and everything." He does pause when Shou mysteriously appears, guy has perfected that dramatic entrance. Tony catches the bag deftly, expression mildly confused as he digs through. Well, now that's quite the gift. He approves, and just to express how much he's quick to ditch the customary hoodie in favor of this new stylish armored coat.

"You're gonna spoil me at this rate."

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