Day 265 - Friday, September 12th

[papalobo]

[A Chinese man who is definitely a mature adult and not a teenager checks in to the Hyatt, one of their more exclusive rooms, along with his half-white half brother who is also certainly not a teenager and most definitely not the notorious gang leader wanted on suspicion of a September 11th New York City bombing in retaliation for an angry rogue sect of anti-American zealots.

The entire suite floor has been rented out, and it requires a special key card in the elevator and on the stairs to enter that floor. But they can rent one of the still very luxe rooms directly beneath.

A familiar white limo is in the car garage, though the opportunity to gawk or investigate is slim, between the security cameras and live guards.

There's still no contact from Max, but the Department of Homeland Security has become involved, and has begun to enter Ash's territory with intent to arrest any known figures within his gang to bring in for questioning.]

Day 284, Wednesday, Oct 1st

Comments

[jadedlynx]

[ He nods. ]

Assholes were sure nothing was going to happen so they said anything they wanted. The first guy wanted to hear me scream. They sent him first to let me know screaming won't matter. They're practiced at this.

[papalobo]

It's not even just a moment of passion, spur of the moment, "he's so hot the idea struck me" thing...

[jadedlynx]

[ They hadn't told him the story? ]

Before it happened, I had some offers for favors if I slept with them. Food, better treatment, medication for you. I didn't take it.

[ Before Max assumes any medicine be got was bought with sex. ]

So maybe that was, but the first rape happened about a week in and kept going for a few weeks. They can't claim a crime of passion. A lot of them didn't even ask questions anymore.

[papalobo]

And nobody stepped in until you had to go to the hospital. Had to-had to, not "really should," even.

[jadedlynx]

I got a fever about four days before Peter got a lawyer inside. They didn't let me go because I had to then, either. I was already hallucinating by then. When I went to see him, I passed out. That's why I finally got medical attention.

Other people might've died.

[ In the past. Ash isn't bragging on his ability to survive it. ]

[papalobo]

I'm going to work. Thanks for the food.

[Back to the office.]

[jadedlynx]

I'll bring the transcript by in a few hours.

[ Ash isn't a smell of the meat. He should probably start the dishwasher first...

That's probably less annoying than detailing his rapes.

But as he does, he calls Jessica. If he's going to worry about Michael, he can just ask. ]

[papalobo]

[If he asked, he could probably get Max to leave his work to do the dishes. But this trait, running headlong into whatever has his emotions captured, is part of why Jessica divorced him. Maybe the fact that he's leaving Ash alone with his thoughts because it never quite crossed his mind that Ash wanted him here as company makes it better than his retreating supposing Ash needs someone better, and his presence only locks him down.

As for Jessica, she answers immediately.]

Ash! You're out now?

[jadedlynx]

Yeah, as of yesterday.

[ She's working on the story so that must mean they're being tight lipped. ]

Max got out today.

[banananpc]

Pay someone to take care of him.

[She says as if Ash called to complain that Max got out, rather than to simply report it.]

[jadedlynx]

I figured I had another 10 years before I had to look into assisted living homes for him.

[banananpc]

I'm sure he's making things about him right now. How are you doing?

[jadedlynx]

[ He had, but. ]

I heard you were on the story.

[ So, there isn't much to hide. ]

How far did the drag Michael into it?

[banananpc]

[Her hand slams on a table.]

Can you believe they almost arrested me for doing my job as a journalist and investigating this stuff?! Poor Michael was scared half to death! And you know I'm not as wreckless as Max--when he gets arrested, he really is asking for it!

[jadedlynx]

[ Jessica has a temper, but she's right in that it's well-controlled. She's only as angry as she allows. ]

Yeah? They seemed so polite.

[ He can buy it. ]

How is he holding up now?

[banananpc]

[He can hear a slow, thoughtful exhale through her nose. Ultimately, she decides to be honest with him. He doesn't need to be toyed with right now, even if a lie might be easier for both of them.]

He's... shaken. By what he can understand about what happened to you.

[jadedlynx]

[ Damn it. Damn it, damn it, damn it. Michael is losing his childhood over this. He'll trust cops less over this. ]

Does he know it was sexual?

[banananpc]

He did ask that.

[Because of what happened to Ash when he was taken hostage. And she may have tried to dodge, but she knew it best not to outright lie.]

[jadedlynx]

He's a smart kid. He'd have figured it out when the news reported the story.

Think it would help if i talked to him?

[ Ultimately, Jessica does know Michael best. ]

[banananpc]

I'm not sure if it would help him, but he probably would like it... Are you really ready to be talking to somebody else about it and comforting them about it, though?

[jadedlynx]

Yeah, it'll be fine. I like talking to him, too.

[banananpc]

Ash...

[But she relents. Within a few minutes is another voice.]

Ash! You're okay? You can talk now?

[jadedlynx]

[ He uses that time to finish loading the dishwasher. Now, once the call ends, nothing stands between him and the testimony. ]

Hey.

[ Sorry. ]

I can talk. We're both home now. How are you?

[banananpc]

I'm okay... Momma almost got arrested. She was mad and yelling a lot, so... I heard what happened to you.

[jadedlynx]

Some things are worth getting mad over.

[ He isn't going to say the same things to Michael as he would Max or Jessica. The way the world works, and the innocence Michael should have sometimes conflict. Ash'll make the call base on the situation on which one is more important. ]

I had a run-in with some pretty bad people, but I'm away from them now.