solvethepuzzle | IC Voicemail

"This is Nathan Brooks. My apologies for being currently unavailable, but please leave a message and I will return the call as soon as I am able."

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From:

solvethepuzzle

[Tony, you're not dumb. Lazarus and Nathan are just weird. And are both people who will forget to eat unless you put food in front of them and tell them to.]

I'm feeling much better, honestly. I would not be able to speak so much about it otherwise.

Edited Date: 2015-10-02 03:29 am (UTC)

From:

oncedevil

[He feels dumb. They're so astoundingly intelligent with such useful brain skills and he has... Some muscle? Though he has managed to stand up and shine a few times, he still gets it into his head that compared to them he's worthless.]

Good point.

From:

solvethepuzzle

[Intelligent people that forget a basic life function unless they're told, Tony. Come on.]

[He feels kind of awkward bringing this up, but . . . they need to know.] Hey. Since we are already talking, could I ask you a couple of things?

From:

oncedevil

[Still. Their skill set is considerably more useful than his.]

Eh? Yeah, I guess so.

From:

solvethepuzzle

[And yet if nobody told them to eat, they would starve.]

Something unusual happened on the network on the twenty-fifth. It wasn't viewable to everyone. Did you see it? If you weren't watching the network that day, please check back.

[Nathan, you are dreadful at not sounding ominous.]

From:

oncedevil

["Is sanity the price you pay for power?" Maybe that means common sense is the price you pay for really ridiculous intelligence, too?]

Can't say I did. What, something go down I missed out on? Looks like the usual fair to me. And nothing on the 25th, network was quiet. Why, what's up?

From:

solvethepuzzle

[That's a no on the informant, then.]

Did anyone from Thundercorp personally approach you recently?

[Again, Nathan. YOU ARE FAILING AT NOT SOUNDING OMINOUS.]

From:

oncedevil

You gonna tell me what's going on or are you going to keep with this mysterious act? 'Cause I gotta say right now I'm not in the mood for playing 20 questions.

From:

solvethepuzzle

[He actually flinches a little at that, reading some harshness in the tone.]

I'm sorry. I'm just worried.

On the 25th, someone in Thundercorp, not a Numbered, gained access to the Network, warned us that the company's real leadership hasn't changed and neither have their real intentions. And they have a way to track us one by one. That the unusual recent events are a result of their tampering with something. This person was discovered while speaking to us and was . . . killed.

I realize there are many factors here to consider, but someone in there is up to something.

From:

oncedevil

[He doesn't mean to be that way, there are bits of his other leaking into his personality that he hasn't been able to stop any more than anyone else has. His just happens to be a little more on the surly and impatient side, especially when he feels like he's being jerked around.

More reasons behind his temper and attitude in SH leading up to his departure.

Still he feels better when he's actually being let in on details.]

Wait wait, someone without Numbers got on the network? How does that happen? So the slimes, the ghosts? That's them?

[Okay well since Nathan was up front with him...]

In that case yeah, I was approached by someone from Thunder Corp. Was trying to figure out how he found me, but he wasn't real forward with any answers. Offered a job. Why would they go through all that trouble to offer us jobs?

From:

solvethepuzzle

[In that sense, it's actually good that Nathan flinched, because that means the personality of his Other isn't leaking through. No relentless, callous questioning, uncaring of how it makes the other party feel or whether he gets any hostility as a result.]

Their scientists must have been working on it; this informant said it was something they'd personally developed, but the connection only went one way. The way they'd phrased things caused me to wonder if people had been personally approached outside of the press conference, and if anyone was both approached and saw the network message. I'm trying to figure out how much of what's been told is accurate.

[Hence why he'd asked.]

It was implied that their research triggered something. Their words were: "We've broken something."

To keep an eye on us? To get as many of us in vulnerable positions as they can? Anyone who didn't accept . . . the informant said they would be hunted down.

[He's kind of holding off the other question he wants to ask, painfully aware of how it may sound.]

Edited Date: 2015-10-03 02:16 am (UTC)

From:

oncedevil

[It's getting increasingly difficult keeping the past separated from the present. Once upon a time Tony was so sure it wouldn't be a problem, but that was a year ago and he hadn't grown in fangs yet.

Now, well now it's hard to say where the line is.]

Yeah, I asked him about that. Said they needed to work on their PR department. Usual political bullshit double speak, you know how it is. So, how do we know the guy who accessed and was 'killed' wasn't trying to mislead us? What if it was a show put on to confuse us even more? Or an enemy of TC doing the same thing they were doing to us, a smear campaign. Not that I trust those guys any further than I can throw them, don't get me wrong, but there's a lot of questions here and not a lot of answers. Hunted down? Bring it on. It's about time I've had something fun to do for a change.

[Shit there's that other personality leaking through again. Ugh.]

Sorry. I know I haven't been myself well. Probably since I took a bullet to the face, let's be honest.

From:

solvethepuzzle

These are things under consideration. As I said, I am trying to figure out what is accurate about the report and what isn't. We do still need answers, but at this point, I can only work with what has been said. This needs to be looked into.

[He curls in on himself a little when the tone starts getting vicious, even though it isn't directed at him. Well, that isn't the only reason he's curling in. He has ask this question, much as he hates to do so.]

Tony. Please understand that what I am going to ask is out of concern for your safety. It is not an accusation, I know you would never mean us harm. What did you tell them when the offered you the job?

From:

oncedevil

So, how do we get in?

[Because they aren't going to get answers just theorizing about it. And their lack of care in the past lead to the death to two of the Earth's guardians.]

[There it is, he knew the question was coming. How will Nathan react, knowing it wasn't an outright refusal? Will he assume Tony's switched sides, that he can't be trusted? Does he already feel that way?]

Well. I didn't say no. But it wasn't a solid yeah, either. I refused to sign anything.

From:

solvethepuzzle

[The fact that Tony has been personally approached by Thundercorp lends credence to the idea that they are indeed the ones in possession of the technology to find them. What would lend more is if it happens that new Numbered were found. None of them are public about it so far as Nathan is aware.]

[He does go a little cold when he reads that. It isn't something he likes. But.]

I want you to know that if I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have shared what I have. As much as I dislike the danger you may be in, you may have just answered your own question. Just. Please, please be careful if you are set on doing this.

From:

oncedevil

[It was kind of weird how easily he'd been found. Not many people knew he was out like that, after all, and he hadn't exactly been loud about it beyond shouting at Lazarus. But after that he'd not told anyone where he was going or when.

So how did Thunder Corp hone in on him so easily?]

Exactly. We're not going to find out anything just trusting that some good samaritan from within the company's gonna come calling and spill the beans. Or if those are even beans at all. Don't worry, I'm pretty hard to kill anymore.

From:

solvethepuzzle

Do keep in mind that the fact that you were found so readily lends credence to the statement that it is indeed Thundercorp in possession of the technology to find us.

But not impossible. I am not going to lie and say that I am at all comfortable with you doing this. I just do not know what else to say.

[Or whether he should be telling Lazarus or not. He hasn't made that decision either way.]

From:

oncedevil

That's true, it's pretty weird how easy they found me. I wonder if my body double messes with that? Huh, he might actually end up useful after all. We're not gonna figure anything out sitting on the sidelines and wondering. Someone's gotta go in headfirst, right? Besides, maybe they actually do want to help and they're just shady as hell about it?

[Look at the optimism.]

From:

solvethepuzzle

[He would really prefer not to think about some of the doubles on this matter. But he knows at least one extremely troublesome one saw that message.]

I was not suggesting sitting on the sidelines. There are likely multiple ways to investigate this. Even as useful as it might be, I do not like the idea of you placing yourself in what must be the most dangerous one. But if you are set on it, I'm not sure there is anything I can do about it.

[Except tell Lazarus. Because he hasn't said that he won't. He still might do it. But he's also just as unsure as to whether it would make any difference.]

It would be nice. But I'm not quite prepared to share that optimism, I'm afraid. Please keep in regular contact. I want to know you're okay.

From:

oncedevil

I've spent a lot of time sitting back and letting everyone else take the lead, Nathan. For once I have a chance to do something useful, other than die for a cause or wait until someone else is in trouble and bust a head. Dangerous is what I'm built for. There's a purpose behind the souls we've been given, right? Let me put mine to some good use for a change.

[It may, it may not. Tony isn't sure right now. He's not sure he wants Lazarus to know, but then if he does end up in too deep there might not be anyone else who can arrange for a lifeline, either. He won't tell Nathan not to though, he won't pit them against each other.]

Sure. I'll try to do that.

From:

solvethepuzzle

You're family. I worry. I cannot help worrying. Regardless of anything else, I do appreciate the risk you're taking for the sake of investigating this.

[That lifeline still potentially exists, though. It just goes through Nathan first now. As long as he knows when something goes wrong, Lazarus would be Nathan's first call.]

From:

oncedevil

Ah...

[Did you have to say the F word Nathan now he's touched and starting to second guess this idea. He feels bad, doesn't want to leave them behind ~~even though he's already done it once~~ but... this feels important.]

It'll be alright. I've still got you guys, right? So far they haven't said anything other than wanting to keep in touch. But if things start getting hair, I'll let you know.

From:

solvethepuzzle

[There's a noticeable pause here as he feels that familiar hollowed-out feeling.

[... Hm. First things first:] Sorry. Echo. And yes, you do.

Thank you.

[And another pause before:]

Have you told Richard about this?

From:

oncedevil

An echo? What kind?

[Oh. Yes. Hm.]

I haven't told anyone other than you.

[That would be a no.]

From:

solvethepuzzle

Memory. One of my Other's agents took on a dangerous undercover mission and he expressed gratitude for her putting the investigation over her safety.

[Whether his Other was sincere about it is hard to tell, though. Even Nathan can't really read him.]

Are you going to? He checks how I'm doing sometimes, and I need to know if this is okay to talk about.

[Implying to you that yes, at least for now, he's going to keep this quiet.]