Voice || Paranoia, paranoia, everybody's coming to get me...

[recognize_an_opportunity]

[When he turns on his communicator, he eschews video and only posts voice, his tone sounding more than a little on edge.]

Given the recent... developments... the hours of operation at my casino, Lucky's, are going to change quite a bit. For better or for worse, we'll be following curfew. We'll open earlier in the day to compensate for it, although I don't know too many people who like to gamble in the mid-afternoon.

[A pause.]

That should have been obvious, but seeing what's been happening to people around the City, I thought I'd make it crystal clear, yes? I can't shake this feeling that everything we say, everything we do, there's somebody listening. It's...

[A longer pause, where it sounds like he's practically holding his breath.]

Did anyone hear that? I think someone's watching me.

[[OOC: Paranoia was never a large leap for this one to make, anyway. He's only slightly paranoid now, but will grow more so over the day. Have... fun?]]

Comments

[deadmanbusiness]

Why not?

[recognize_an_opportunity]

Because I have no interest in doing that with you.

[deadmanbusiness]

If it makes you feel better, I have no interest in doing it with you either.

Though I imagine it wouldn't do much good since they'd be able to see that we weren't enjoying it anyway.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

If you have no interest in doing it with me, why's it the first thing that popped into your head?

[Paranoid much? Yep.]

[deadmanbusiness]

[Oh. Theo's running on full tilt paranoia. He just expresses it differently.]

Because it'll confuse everyone who's listening in on us. I mean you've expressed absolutely no interest in sex whatsoever since I've known you despite some very pretty girls throwing themselves at you. And I've been constantly talking about how much I miss my fiancee and can't wait to get back to her.

Either that or they'd just get really disgusted at the sex talk and stop listening.

[Pauses]

Or they'd just like listening in.

Never mind. Bad idea.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

I don't seem to recall any girls throwing themselves at me.

[That's... mostly true. Or he has a very selective memory.]

In any case, I think it's inadvisable at best.

[deadmanbusiness]

There was that one girl? With the black hair and wine?

[Selective memory.]

You're right. If you have your reasons for celibacy, then we shouldn't disturb them.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

I don't have some kind of...

[Okay, he's not discussing his sex life. Why does everyone always want to talk about his sex life?]

In any case, that's hardly the issue.

[deadmanbusiness]

[Because they're all perverts.]

You're right. It's more the fact that everything we've been saying has been listened in upon and recorded, scrupulously combed over for anything that can be used against us and getting us thrown into jail.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

Hence why I think it's reasonable not to say anything that could potentially be used against us, especially not in a public venue.

[deadmanbusiness]

Pffft.

Public. Private. There's no difference. If they want to, they can listen to you anywhere and any time.

You might as well just hide under the table with a tinfoil hat on.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

I know. Doesn't mean we can't be careful, though.

[deadmanbusiness]

How do you suppose we be careful?

[recognize_an_opportunity]

Following curfew's a good start.

[deadmanbusiness]

Can I sleep at the casino then?

[recognize_an_opportunity]

[A pause.]

I suppose so. I often do.

[deadmanbusiness]

If we're closing for curfew, I don't know if I'd have enough time to get back to my place, after all.

Somehow I'm not surprised you do. Every workaholic I know tends to sleep at the office.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

It's not exactly the most comfortable place to sleep, I'll warn you in advance.

[deadmanbusiness]

Do you know what's a really uncomfortable place to sleep? On a dragon's horde.

Everything else is gravy.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

Why would you sleep on a...

[A pause.]

Obviously we come from very different worlds.

[deadmanbusiness]

I was kidnapped and held for ransom by a dragon when I was twelve.

Fortunately, I suppose, my father had a tracking device in my shoes and so was able to find me. And my watch. And my cell phone... walkman...

[recognize_an_opportunity]

Your father kept that close of an eye on you?

[That's... vaguely creepy.]

[deadmanbusiness]

[Oh. Hell yeah it is. And this is why Theo is paranoid normally. They really are watching him and they really are out to get him.]

Yep. Well, after the second time I was kidnapped by the age of six, he decided that would be the best way to keep track of me.

I don't know why people keep on trying to kidnap me, it never ends well for them.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

Kidnapping you to here seemed to have worked out so far.

[Cynical? Definitely.]

[deadmanbusiness]

It's the first time I've been kidnapped across dimensions like this. No one back home has that ability yet.

[He's not too worried. Eventually they'll find him. Eventually they'll get him back home.]