Day 261 - Monday, September 8th

[papalobo]

[Max isn't awake early enough to be shocked by how early in the morning Ash can pull it together to text, nor is he shocked by waking up first and alone. Although that he's going to be in a good coma with the pill and his exhaustion probably isn't a great cause for concern for Ash in not getting a response. It's around 11:00 AM that Ash gets a thumbs up emoji as an answer.

In actuality, things are not thumbs up. Max wakes up alone, and his mind combines the dream with reality to quickly determine Ash has left him to finally take that flight to Japan; unaware he's awake, even while aware that's not very realistic, he lies there looking at the empty space not even occupied by cats, for several minutes, before the need to use the bathroom finally gets him moving enough to come back to reality just a little more, to process that all of it were dreams, that he has no right to get depressed, to blame Ash for any dreams. Nor for any realities. He told him to take on Blanca. He's urged him to take up Eiji when he's ready.

Ash had to go without breakfast today. Probably. He'll check the kitchen for signs of cooking before realizing the texts he read about Ash leaving last night weren't part of the dream, but were real; so he's living that double life, away from him now. Things are dangerous, and Max... sits at home and worries about food. Things are hazy. Maybe the good parts of yesterday were a dream too; at best, they were a delusion that really physically happened, he realizes.


He could call Alex and ask for a full update on the situation. He could probably ask Ash directly and get one.


Instead, he tends to his own work e-mails. He'll be on a few major shows soon, after all. Time to get his data together, time to follow up with some of those politicians, time to get with Charlie about how the lawsuits and investigations into The Unit are going.


Time to reach out to Shawn, since he does have his number. In confidence.

Misplaced confidence. At 12:30 Ash is texted by Shawn.]

Your old man's a drug addict~~

[Also today, the girl who is not presently covered in twigs but still looks as if she's been rolling around on carpet for static, frizzy hair and clothes meant for painting a house more than actually going out, glares at him bitterly through class, even during a test that should have her more distracted by it. But Ash is surely too busy to deal with that.

All the more when at 2:00, Wu is calling him. He's more of a caller than a texter.]

Comments

[jadedlynx]

No.

[ Ash isn't going to show anything. ]

And I have more than one reason to want to help Sing, but even if I hated the kid, the obligation is still there.

[ With the implication that he doesn't. ]

Was my friendship with Shorter Wong that interesting to you?

[papalobo]

You did kill him. Assassination attempts were made on you because of it, though the Lee clan seems disinterested in the matter.

[jadedlynx]

I was there.

[ It's not news. ]

[papalobo]

Interesting friendships, in this business.

[jadedlynx]

A lot of things are interesting in this business. It has nothing to do with today.

[papalobo]

You're suspecting me of doing something to him. Or that's what you're implying. But it's very convenient there's nobody suspecting you. Lao had been concerned about what you meant for his safety, but it seems something happened to him.

[jadedlynx]

I didn't come here today with implications. I told you upfront: I know what me being around here does, and I'm not looking to stir up muddy waters. If you could point me to Sing, I'd be much less of a problem. You're the one who wouldn't answer if I asked if you were a threat to him.

I'm not.

[papalobo]

Still on good terms with his sister, it seems. Despite everything.

[jadedlynx]

[ Shawn? ]\

She really believes in customer loyalty.

[ Ash didn't discount it as a possibility. ]

[papalobo]

It is a successful business completely on legal grounds. If you have ties with that side of Chinatown too, I can see how you became acquainted with Mr. Wu.

[jadedlynx]

It continues to have nothing to do with this.

[ If not Shawn, and maybe Shawn, then maybe Shawn is being followed. If Ash were to search for Sing, he would be followed.

Yut Lung really was his only hope without trying to search the entirety of Chinatown while being too obviously not from Chinatown. ]

[papalobo]

Your relationship with Sing exists in a vacuum.

[jadedlynx]

It's best if it can.

[ It's likely he doesn't know where Sing is. That leaves the question of Yut Lung. ]

The fewer people pushing in at China town, the less all sides have to worry about.

[papalobo]

It isn't a worry, for me.

[jadedlynx]

Yeah? It's going that well for you?

[papalobo]

Tourism has increased and pressure from law enforcement has decreased. Of course it's going well.

[Another sip, seeming almost, in as much as he shows emotion at all, surprised that Ash would even have to ask; nothing's been better for Chinatown than that terrorist attack that they got the credit for pulling in the (false) perpetrators for.

It hasn't helped them internally with stability, but it's done wonders for the group as a whole.

Blanca never was really very concerned with anyone but Yut Lung; saving Sing had really strictly been a professional courtesy to the employer du jour, fond of the boy as he was. He didn't intend to get his hands messy with every single person he felt the slightest positive emotion towards.]

[jadedlynx]

Yeah, Chinatown itself is going great, but not because of anybody still in Chinatown.

[ Ash knows the truth, after all. ]

I'm talking about the stuff behind the scenes. A new piece shows up to fit into a puzzle that doesn't have the right opening. You don't have the support of the reigning Lee, but you have the support of somebody. That puts you at odds with Yut Lung and Sing. The gangs themselves are going to be split because you moved in while Sing was missing but now, he's back.

[papalobo]

So if he doesn't come back, it works out very well for me.

[jadedlynx]

Succession isn't that easy.

Do you have him?

[papalobo]

If it were easy, it'd happen troublingly often.

[jadedlynx]

My guess is that you don't. If you did, he'd probably be dead.

[ Unless he was how they would control the princess but even then, did Sing have that much sway over him? ]

[papalobo]

And if we killed him, I'd gain nothing by telling you.

[It's agreement, of sorts.]

[jadedlynx]

[ Things would be a lot less complicated for him if Sing was dead. ]

Wu, do you have Yut Lung's number?

[ Sing was hiding or captive. He could reply if he was only hiding... ]

[papalobo]

Rm, I'm afraid I don't.


I can pass on a message, if you need.

[jadedlynx]

You haven't really given me the feeling that you're up for giving me favors here. Unless you're willing to call him now.