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]

Don't ignore a serious question to make a joke, or I'll think you switched brains with him.

[papalobo]

If I had an answer to--ow-- the serious question, I'd lead with that...

[jadedlynx]

Would you?

[ Ash isn't sure. But he does know that out of the two of them, he'll have an answer time walking. ]

What would Wu be represented by?

[papalobo]

I don't know the guy... But old guys are usually turtles or something, right? They're slow and wise or ..ow... Something.

[jadedlynx]

Let's hope not. The turtle wasn't on our side in Ling's phone.

[ At the bottom of the fire escape, Ash urges Shawn to sit down and begins to remove his own shoes. Shawn needs as many obstacles removed as possible, and Ash can walk around in socks. ]

I grabbed the guy's phone. I'm going to try and unencrypt it in the car. If those guys do still have them, I can't risk them disappearing.

[papalobo]

Get me in a cab and I can get out of here on my own. Or call the cougar wolf; he can drive at least, right?

[jadedlynx]

Behind bars, remember? I'm wanted.

My software won't crack the phone instantly. While it's working on it, we'll get you patched up. His history might give me what I needed.

[papalobo]

What if he falls for someone else in jail? They had this weird idea the cat--that's you--was some kinda whore who screws around a lot. I... nnhg... figure it's just... something pretty people.. gotta deal with a lot, but... If they get you... it'll probably be... worse'n it was on me. Ha...

[jadedlynx]

Max is comfortable in jail, but he's not that comfortable.

[ Shoes changed out, Ash begins to lead them toward the car. ]

Guys like that run their mouths about anything they think they can grab on. A lot of the assholes that tried to challenge me as boss claimed I just slept with everybody to get them to join me, as if sex makes anybody loyal.

I don't plan on getting caught.

[papalobo]

Neither'd I.

Didn't plan on getting saved either, so there's that...

[jadedlynx]

[ Ash sighs. ]

I thought they'd trade you and Wu for Ling. It's why I stayed behind. I knew I could take him if anything happened upstairs, and I assumed most of what was meant to happen was downstairs. I guess the plan was to drug me and you use me against you.

[papalobo]

[Vaguely, a limp, bloodied hand reaches to smack in his general direction.]

Stop sounding like you're trying to apologize. Even without the word sorry, I can hear it. You got any idea how cool it is getting rescued?

[jadedlynx]

Do I seem like the kind of guy who'd apologize?

[ He predicted Shawn would act like this to an apology so he'd hoped an explanation would suffice. ]

It's pretty predictable, isn't it? You knew you were bugged when they took you there.

[papalobo]

Doesn't mean I expect you to come in like a one man SWAT team. Didn't even need a gun. It's a mistake calling you a cat, you oughtta be... What is your favorite animal?

[jadedlynx]

You're expecting it to be something cooler than a cat. You'll be pretty disappointed if it's something softer.

The wall gets narrow here. We can't walk side by side so hold into my shoulder if you need the help.

[papalobo]

No princess carry?

[jadedlynx]

It'd be no anyway, but you're overestimating the width of the opening. If they'd fed you a good breakfast, you might not have fit.

[papalobo]

They were more into needle-feedling.

[jadedlynx]

Yeah, I didn't think they'd give you the four-star experience.

[ They come to the narrow wall. Without shoes, Ash is even more conscious about where he steps. ]

There's stuff in the car. It won't be delicious, but it'll be edible.

[ It came from the safe house that held Ling so it was good that kept for a while. ]

[papalobo]

I ended up running my mouth a lot. More'n I wanted to. 'bout how many people you got. I dunno a lot about your operations, money, weapons, none of that. Ow. But that drug, makes you run your damn mouth. Like, you have a thought, it comes to your tongue. You end up thinking of 'what do I definitely not wanna say' and so guess what comes out? I heard it was the Lee kid who knew drugs, and I never heard of the Lings, but they got some shit.

[jadedlynx]

You know more about the Unit kids than you do my gang. I knew that one was out there, I'm not in a habit of spilling too many details about my actual operation. They're not getting to my men without somebody knowing.

[ He'd upped his bribe money and added more cameras, that are now actively watched, to his arsenal. Being rich buys decent security, and he expected men to come after Ling. ]

[papalobo]

[He ends up walking more slowly, struggling more as time goes on, but he can get through the narrow alleyway. That's when Ash's phone rings again.]

[jadedlynx]

[ The arm goes back around him to help. He didn't park too far from the building. ]

Any chance this is to tell me you found Wu instead of asking me to turn myself in?

[papalobo]

Ash, it's Charlie. Max escaped.

[jadedlynx]

He can barely go upstairs. How did he escape?