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]

He owes them a punch or two. That'll be hard if he's not with me.

[papalobo]

What'd they do to him?

[jadedlynx]

They grabbed him the night I met with Ling at the Wu's. I have him back, but assholes are assholes.

[papalobo]

Assholes, huh...

[jadedlynx]

[ 'I did worse to Ling' ]

So, I'll give him the first hit.

[papalobo]

[He's probably there next to him. He won't ask if it means rape. The thing that always seems to come up in Ash's life. Another thing he'll feel guilty for happening to someone he knows.]

Mm.

[jadedlynx]

[ 'I'm glad you're okay'. ]

I'll send you directions. Find a phone there and text me. Don't go no contact.

[papalobo]

Figured calling you first right now'd be more dangerous for you than anything. --...Who were you trying to call if not me, anyway?

[jadedlynx]

Charlie. He's the last one to call me using your phone. I know he's not going to help me, but this thing will be a little easier to handle if I'm not just hiding.

[papalobo]

Yeah...

[Charlie would be more helpful than Max, at this juncture.]

[jadedlynx]

I have him convinced you're kidnapped, too. I thought it was true at the time.

[papalobo]

Probably shouldn't clear that up yet, though.

[jadedlynx]

Clear what up? This call never happened.

[papalobo]

Not like I don't feel a little bad for him, but.

[jadedlynx]

He didn't even consider a kidnapping at first so it's probability about even. When it's over, I'll take it Wu and turn myself in to him. It should get him a few brownie points.

[papalobo]

He was right, I wasn't kidnapped... And, vetoed.

[jadedlynx]

It'll be to clear my name. I'm not playing the matry, but I can't always be on the run.

[papalobo]

I know what happens when you end up in jail, you fall in love.

[jadedlynx]

That definitely didn't happen in jail. You were one tragedy away from getting stabbed with a fork.

[papalobo]

You made out with another guy while in there that time too, 'n look where that lead.

[jadedlynx]

To the tragedy. The note should've waited until I made it out.

[papalobo]

It happened in spite of the note, not because of it.

[jadedlynx]

We'll have to stop to rest.

[ More because Shawn needed it. It's also a way to dodge the reply. ]

I'll find a hotel, get a nap, and some food. If I miss the call, I might be sleeping.

[papalobo]

...Got it.

[jadedlynx]

Call anyway.

[ Ash imagined the torture Max was enduring. The pain he was feeling. It made it harder to breathe, and the need to be stupid in his rush was real. ]