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

[jadedlynx]

[ Why?

His speed increases. Surely they wouldn't attack Nadia. It's political suicide in the bang world . ]

[papalobo]

[It's not even open yet. Though they live upstairs from it--rather, Nadia does now, alone, without a brother who could protect her.

Of course, they'll be able to get there faster, even with it moving as slowly as it seems to be, by foot.]

[jadedlynx]

[ Her phone is ringing as soon as he realizes the destination. ]

[papalobo]

Ash?

[She answers sleepily but quickly.]

[jadedlynx]

There are some bad people heading your way. Sorry. I put you in danger when looking for Sing. You can be pissed about it, but I need you to get out.

[papalobo]

[Nadia has a good head on her shoulders at least, he can hear her moving quickly.]

I don't tell the police I have security cameras, but there are. If they come in, I can capture their faces for you. The dashboard for it is in the bedroom closet, above one of the ceiling panels.

[She can quickly determine Ash may not want her to return to fetch it for him later. Not that she wants him in danger either, but this isn't the time to argue about that. She does know how gang life works.]

[jadedlynx]

Got it. Thanks. Be careful where you go. Chinatown is divided right now.

Don't stop moving, but has Sunny been acting weird lately?

[papalobo]

I haven't heard from Sonny since June, but that's not unusual. He did move to California, and he's been out of the gangs now since the incident with you out there... He says he's working at a hardware store and isn't involved in anything anymore.

[Of course she knows he could lie. But that is what she knows. She does keep up with people no longer involved in the gang life, she does try to help them if they have to be out, if they want to be out. It's why it's career suicide to go after her. You might go after someone she tries to protect, but not her.]

[jadedlynx]

[ Then, he can't be involved and using his living arrangements to get access to Nadia. ]

I might get arrested for a little while. I'll try to let you know if it's safe before then, but if I don't, don't try to go back in alone.

[papalobo]

You should look out for yourself too, Ash. Don't die.

[jadedlynx]

I don't plan on it. Take care of yourself and let me know when you're safe.

[papalobo]

[For now, she hangs up. Slowly, Shawn's bug moves in closer and closer.]

[jadedlynx]

[ As does Ash. The thing is, he doubts Shawn is with them. He knows Sing isn't. ]

[papalobo]

[And when he arrives, the restaurant is closed, with no people standing anywhere obvious on the outside. If he approaches, however, Shawn's phone is there, leaning against the locked and closed doorway.]

[jadedlynx]

[ Damn it.

He has to look at the security tapes. Promising himself to back her back for the door, he busts the window open to get inside before heading upstairs. He wants to go to the shopping center, but it will be useless if he doesn't know who he's looking for.]

[papalobo]

[He's familiar with the layout, he's been here enough times. The ceiling panel pushes up, and eventually he can find the panel which houses the harddrive. The interface itself requires a password, but if he uses the right wires he could likely view it on his phone.

He probably knows, in this household, where the box of USB and various computer wires and chargers are. Shorter and the family went through enough burner phones and transferred enough data to have a good collection of them.

Shorter's room is still Shorter's room. His personal good haven't been moved out or packed up, but nor have they collected dust. The bed has likely been used as a guest bed a few times.]

[jadedlynx]

[ But Shorter is gone. The most he can do for him how is make sure Sing is saved. Shawn is his own mission. His movements are quick and efficient. He needs to see who visited the home so he can track them down. ]

[papalobo]

[On camera, it's a little old lady who walks up and sets down the phone, going on about her day.]

[jadedlynx]

[ He's lost the trial. Ash starts to head toward the shopping center after leaving money downstairs and sending a message to Nadia, but he doesn't know what he's looking for. ]

[papalobo]

[It's getting to be the hours of the morning when people are beginning to move around, but still entirely too early for tourists. Ash stands out. Especially going into an area really only used by locals.

Eventually, someone who's tall for a Chinese, but still a little shorter than Ash comes up to him.]

What are you doing walking in here unannounced? You're Ash, aren't you?

[jadedlynx]

Looking for somebody.

[ That it's doubtful he'll find.

He needs to find Shawn before going to jail. ]

[papalobo]

You probably know by now Sing's missing.

[jadedlynx]

If I could find him by walking around, everybody else is doing a pretty bad job.

Somebody else from Chinatown is missing. Older guy. Mr. Wu.

[papalobo]

Wu-xian sheng is missing?!

[jadedlynx]

What's your name?