Day 264 - Thursday, September 11th
[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.]
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.]
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[ The knife turns so that the blade is pushing against his groin. It's enough to already feel sharp. ]
This is the one chance you get with this. It's not really an area we can linger on without making it weird.
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This is the guy who thought maybe he wasn't a monster a few days ago. ]
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There's nothing sexual about this. It's like cutting off an arm.
[ It'll start to pierce soon. ]
You're going to answer eventually.
[ Push. ]
You should save yourself from the pain. I really will sell you to him to get Shawn, and he has medicine that will make you tell the truth. You're going to have the choice taken from you.
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Until I have no other choice, I'm making the calls that keep you alive.
[ Push. ]
He'll kill you no matter the outcome.
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[ The pain is only going to increase as he pushes further in.
He won't be able to push in too much further. Ling doesn't know that. ]
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[ It's Ash's final push, but it's not the final cut he'll make if there are no answers. ]
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If I find out that he is, I'll finish cutting it off.
[ He has to move on Shawn and quickly. Ash looks down. He could, and should, trade him to Yut Lung. ]
I'll be back after I get him. We'll finish then.
Come back in!
[ The guy from before returns. ]
Undo one of his hands, give him a towel. Make sure he puts pressure on it.
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He turns on the bug as he heads back toward Chinatown. He'll also check the news to see if there are any updates on Wu. ]
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The bug's location that had previously been in the shopping arcade begins to move. There's no longer any audio leaking from it.]
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Ash drives. It's a different car. He still has the hood up. He doesn't think. He can't think until they're safe. Then he can hate himself. ]
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I'm here.
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Where's 'here'?
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Who's this?
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I know who I am. Who are you?
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