Day 264 - Thursday, September 11th

[papalobo]

[Max sleeps; has as he'd thought, he achieves nothing, and he's not even a small-talk source of comfort or somebody to soothe Ash's nerves before his two AM meeting with yet another Chinese teenager. Something about Chinese teenagers seems to always spell trouble for Ash, and now he's in a mess involving no less than four of them.

But Max doesn't move. If Ash comes to see him, setting that pill counter and the note about the smoothie, he may notice he hasn't so much as shifted a finger. Ash has had to turn to painting, but there's no need to lock that room before, or even for a long while after. The only one in this house besides him is a breathing corpse.

But Shawn's ready and waiting for him at one, prepared to be decked out a wires that Ling's likely to hang him with if he finds out about them.]

Comments

[papalobo]

[Down he goes with an outcry; he does try to make a move for Ash as soon as he sees the gun coming for him, but again, Ash is too fast, too accurate. Ling, too, tries to push back into him, as if he might be able to push Ash back into the veranda table. reaching with his still good hand directly for the boy's eyes, though none of it is faster than Ash's trigger finger.]

[jadedlynx]

[ Instead of shooting him, the gun hand grabs for Ling's fingers as he Ash takes a step away from the man withering on the floor. He immediately bends them backward. ]

Call. them. Bring Shawn back.

[papalobo]

[That earns another outcry; the man on the ground is reaching into his suit; it could just as easily be for a gun as for a phone to comply.]

[jadedlynx]

If that's not a phone, trust me when I say I can shoot your hand faster than you can aim it.

[papalobo]

[Panting, he seems to be considering something; what does ultimately come out, whether it was the original intent or not, is a phone.

Ling continues to writhe and gasp in pain.]

[jadedlynx]

[ Ash lightens up on the fingers in his hold, at least. ]

Where's Wu?

[ He'll let the man make the phone call. ]

[papalobo]

[Ling answers in Chinese, or maybe he's giving an order to his subordinate making the phone call; it's hard to say if it's intentional, or if his mind is so racked by pain he can't think to answer straight.]

[jadedlynx]

If you're answering me, English works better. If you're not, answer me. Where's Wu?

[papalobo]

Once... you have answers, we're... potentially dead.

[There's no incentive to answer; even the threat of torture just means he has enough value alive. His information was wrong. Ash is dangerous. There's no use trusting he isn't just as apt to murder them as soon as they're dead weight.

Police sirens are heard in the background. To be expected, with gunshots and screaming at 2:45 AM in a nice neighborhood.]

[jadedlynx]

You're not. I've kept my word. There's supposed to be a kind of honor among people who lead the territories if you want to get far. You're the one who double-crossed me.

Give me Shawn. Give me Wu. I'll consider the bullet holes in your body a reminder not to mess with me. If you keep holding out, I'll keep shooting. I know the places that won't let you bleed out. I know the places that will take out motor skills. Your little friend, that knee is gone. Your arm? I missed everything important.

I won't keep missing. My patience is gone.

[papalobo]

I think you... missed, missing... I can't feel... a thing there.

[The other man makes a phone call, talking in Chinese.]

[jadedlynx]

I don't miss. If you really can't feel anything, it's shock and adrenaline. You're not dying. Your arm will heal and go back to normal.

Let's start with Wu. If he's here, he'll need to be the one to greet the cops.

[papalobo]

Rahng tah-men dye tah hway lye...

Sheeanshung, neen de sheeohngdee geh-eh-leh tah-men chee-tah deh meeng-ling.

It sounds like you'll have to be the one to greet them.

[jadedlynx]

Where is he?

[ That's not a very promising answer. ]

[papalobo]

They're not.. giving me an answer ei--..ther.

[He sucks in a pained breath through his teeth, unable to hide a dry, bitter laugh at the absurdity of this situation, of where his confidence in his information on Ash had got him.

But his good arm reaches out.]

Ba dianhua na goulai.

[The servant looks to Ash as he hands the phone over, making sure he's not making any moves that may set Ash off again.]

Ni yao ji zhu, ni shi wei wo gongzuo de, er bushi wo de xiongdi...

[He trails off, looking at first dumbfounded, then scowling, maybe as much from the pain cutting through his confusion.]

Ni haisile wo...

[jadedlynx]

[ Ash is reasonable enough. He isn't going to stop them from working together to meet his demands. ]

Have you lost control of your own men? Talk to me in English.

[ Damn it, Ash hopes he's wrong. ]

[papalobo]

[The sirens are coming closer. Ling closes his eyes and tilts his head back, a grim smile in place.]

Shouldn't you worry about the police more, right now?

[jadedlynx]

You don't want me to worry about the police right now. If I have to leave here without Shawn and Wu, I'm leaving here with you, and I really don't want to leave here with you. That's why you have about 30 seconds to tell me what's going on before we're going on a trip.

[papalobo]

[His eyes open, watery and bloodshot, pained but still amused; does Ash think the answer he gives is going to change that he's now a hostage?]

Asking you not to kill him is probably too luxurious of me, isn't it? Even though you can't escape bringing us both along...

[jadedlynx]

If I wanted to kill him, he'd be dead. I have my own reasons for not shooting down every enemy I meet, and you mixed that up with being soft. Now, you see I can and will kill, and you're mixing it up again. He could be a witness against me, but I'll beat the case, and I'll make sure you pay for it.

Last chance. Once we're out of here, I'll have my knife instead of my gun, and it's going to be a lot more painful for you if I have a knife instead of a gun. Don't be stupid. I really don't want to take your ass hostage anymore than you want to be taken hostage.

[papalobo]

I don't imagine I can say much that... won't end with me as a hostage.

[He can't help but find the situation darkly amusing.]

[jadedlynx]

[ His gun goes to the man on the floor. ]

Give me your gun. I'll leave a number. I want Wu and Shawn. When you're ready for the trade, call me.

[papalobo]

[The sirens are in the neighborhood. The man hesitates, looking to Ling who only lets out another dry, pained laugh, as if to ask him why he's bothering to get his permission at all; what can he possibly do to him for disobedience worse than what Ash will?

The man reaches for his gun, slowly, seeming to be considering whether he might be able to get one off on Ash, another look at Ling, as if the two are trying to plan something wordlessly.]

[jadedlynx]

[ Another shot. This one lands so close to the man's groin that it might be possible to feel the heat. ]

You can't. Stop wasting my time. I can shoot through both of your hands and make sure you can't pull the trigger. Are you two looking to lose important bodily functions?

[papalobo]

[The larger man clicks his tongue.]

Yidan ni bei dai dao yige anquan de digang, ni jiu jiben chuyu shiqu dui jushi de zhangkong zhungtai...

[But his gun is placed on the ground and pushed towards Ash obligingly.]

That's right. Ni keneg zisha hui geng hao.