[ 004 ]

[defies_reason]

[ VIDEO ]

[Two figures are grappling out on the street; the shorter one is fierce, clearly one of the City's recent pests, trying to get in close enough to bite. The taller one, using his stature to keep the other at a distance, seems at first to be losing ground, until he turns on a heel, steering the shorter man toward the wall behind him. The ghoul crashes forward, hitting the wall and stunning itself.

Taking a step back, Isaak pulls a gun and shoots it thrice, the shots close enough together that you can barely hear the difference. The dead man jerks and falls to the ground.

Isaak doesn't look the least bit displeased by this turn of events. He walks over slowly, gun still drawn, and kicks the corpse in the ribs. Back to the camera, it's hard to gauge his expression, but he's kicking far harder than necessary to ensure it's dead.

Suddenly, he wheels, hearing something the video doesn't pick up. Stepping back-- nearly stumbling on the corpse-- Isaak looks utterly stricken. He angles his next backstep to keep from being pinned against the wall, as another ghoul comes into view.

As the video ends, Isaak looks torn between fight and flight.]



[ooc; forewarning for sullen misery in comments ;_; anyone who would is welcome to recognize Dexter Morgan but who knows what he has to say about their prior interaction ahaha]

Comments

audio;

[candothat]

Isaak! Where are you?

audio;

[defies_reason]

[He sounds very, very weary.]

I'm all right, if that's what you're really asking.

audio;

[candothat]

Ah--yes. That's good to know as well.

[Except Chekov doesn't believe him because he's not all right and neither is anyone he knows who has had to destroy someone they know.]

But I would like to know where you are, if you aren't opposed strongly to company.

audio;

[defies_reason]

It doesn't seem as though I get to make a choice about company today.

[There's a faint clink of glassware behind his words. There's really only one appropriate place to go when you've had to shoot your dead lover, isn't there? Isaak's not drunk yet but he certainly plans to be.]

But. You can come down, if you like.

audio;

[candothat]

What do you mean?

[Well, at least the clinks give away a general location. Getting drunk--or at least numb--sounds like a fine idea, even if it is a way of coping that Starfleet doesn't necessarily approve of.]

audio; private

[defies_reason]

[At home he rarely allowed himself the luxury of getting really drunk-- after all, drunk people tend to talk-- but these surely count as special circumstances.]

I think it's called the White Horse. Or possibly House. I don't recall.

[He hadn't been picky, and hadn't wanted to go anywhere too familiar.]

audio; private

[candothat]

[That's not exactly an answer, but Chekov will take it.]

I can find that and, if I annoy you, you can tell me to leave. Or, if you would prefer, I can buy you a drink.

audio; private

[defies_reason]

You're welcome to buy one of the many I plan to have.

[Clink, again. Of all the people in this City, he thinks Chekov is the least likely to annoy him at the moment, and if he does, the least likely to be permanently offended if Isaak tells him to shut up.

Whenever he gets there, he'll find Isaak brooding in the corner of a corner booth, staring off into the middle distance and tapping arhythmically on the scarred wooden surface with the pads of two fingers.]

video;

[mortemscintilla]

[ Ghouls and gangsters. Very, very interesting. ]

Are you all right, Mister Isaak?

audio;

[defies_reason]

[No visual to his reply, he'd rather stay in relative hiding.]

I expect I'll manage.

audio;

[mortemscintilla]

[ The inclination for privacy is hardly something he'd fault. Especially after a display like that, plastered on the Network. ]

I hope you're at least someplace safe. The City's streets are getting crazier by the day, it seems.

audio;

[defies_reason]

[He'd much have preferred that fight to stay between him, his mortal enemy, and his dead lover; anyone's a better shot when he's underestimated, and Isaak prefers not to let on to his less savoury skills so publicly.]

So much for midnight to midnight. I wonder how much longer this will continue.

audio;

[mortemscintilla]

[ 'Li' understands the tactical pragmatism of secrecy too well. Tough noogies, Isaak. Maybe he'll buy you a drink. ]

Not too long, I hope. It's driving away business from the cafe. Not to mention it's giving me white hairs. [ Pout pouty pout. ]

audio;

[defies_reason]

If that's the worst you've had you might count yourself lucky.

[White hairs, huh? Just learn to rock it like a silver fox, kid.]

audio;

[mortemscintilla]

[ But he can't work it with the same panache as you, Isaak :| ]

I've had a few close encounters with the zombies too. On grocery runs. [ When he isn't actively seeking them out for target-practice anyway. ] Fortunately a gallon of milk doubles well as a hard club to the face.

audio;

[defies_reason]

[...fair enough, not many can.]

Resourceful.

Audio

[rianofski]

Are you all right?

Audio

[defies_reason]

I've been worse.

[He's also been better, but so it goes.]

Re: Audio

[rianofski]

Are the problems dealt with?

Audio

[defies_reason]

Absolutely.

Re: Audio

[rianofski]

And you weren't bitten?

Audio

[defies_reason]

I was not.

Re: Audio

[rianofski]

Good. Hopefully, that's the last you'll see of them.

audio;

[makingastatement]

Finally, someone with some backbone!

[ Quite efficient too. Al's just happy to see that these things can be taken down. ]

audio;

[defies_reason]

I'm sure I'm not the only one to act in my own defense.