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

[sentimentalstoic]

I am also retired. Although my romantic life is costly, by Christmas, I plan to have a steady income again.

[jadedlynx]

You're getting a new job?

[sentimentalstoic]

Not quite, but.

[jadedlynx]

But?

[sentimentalstoic]

For now, let's leave it a bit of a secret. Something to look forward to for the holidays.

[jadedlynx]

Those don't end too well for me.

[ None.

Zero.

Halloween was okay, but there had been pumpkins. ]

I'm heading out. I'd say I'll leave the door unlocked, but that hasn't stopped you yet.

[sentimentalstoic]

Was I overstepping a boundary by coming in?

[jadedlynx]

By now I expect you to.

[ And trust him to know when he can't. ]

[sentimentalstoic]

Then I'll continue to be intrusive and take advantage of your excellent hospitality.

[jadedlynx]

Says the guy who gives me baths and makes me food.

Feed the cats.

[ With that kind greeting, Blanca, Kuro, and Asher are finally left alone to head into town for 'work'. At the warehouse, Ling is kept clean and fed. By now, they'll have started giving him both pain meds and antibiotics to ward off infections. They'll also inform him that they were all safe. Sing. Wu. Shawn. The Lings were kind enough to return Sing, even. Shawn's informed that Ash'll be by the bar if he wants to stop by.

He checks in with Sing.

He checks in with Eiji.

He hires his own lawyer at a cost that would bankrupt most to keep pushing for him to see Max.

It's a busy day. ]

[papalobo]

[Shawn will stop in to check with and chat with Ash, trying to feel out how he's holding up.

Ling has gone silent, refusing to say a word, or largely acknowledge anything done to him.

Sing finds himself sleeping a lot, answers in a bit of a daze, but insists he isn't drugged or such.

The lawyer is at least able to meet with Max. Under the conditions of not being able to leave the house--that includes stepping onto their massive beach property more than fifty yards from the house--the judge is willing to release him on half a million dollar bond, with an ankle monitor and a requirement to check in via video messaging with a bailiff every 12 hours.

It doesn't help that Max has a colorful description for where the judge can wear said ankle monitor himself, courtesy of Max's own foot, but the attorney wisely chooses not to pass those words on.]

[jadedlynx]

[ The money is being wired immediately. ]

Max is being released on bail.

[ The message to Blanca comes immediately after. ]

[papalobo]

[There's no response from Blanca at all.

As for Max, getting the ankle monitor, and the monitor put onto his phone, all takes time. But he is moved to a holding cell instead of the main area, if Ash would like to visit him in the mean time.

Otherwise, he'll be released around 4:30 PM.]

[jadedlynx]

[ Ash doesn't see a reason to wait. He'll visit as soon as he has news. ]

[papalobo]

[There's Max, in the nostalgic orange jumpsuit, the stubble he'd had when they first met, a little thicker for not having the dexterity to use a razor right some days, and looking to have lost some weight without unhealthy oral escapes to inhale to fill the void of Ashless days. A permanent scowl is etched on his face, sketchy and suspicious of every human sound. His situation likely doesn't match Ash's, but no human being interacting with him has been a good thing for him in the last two weeks. So even when he does see Ash, it takes a few seconds to pull a positive emotion out of the crusty, dusty, cobwebbed portion of his heart, and he rises with some strain, hurrying up to the bars.]

Ash! You look like shit!

[He greets, happily.]

[jadedlynx]

Then imagine how you look.

[ It's a sweet, kind, and heart-warming greeting but at least there's a real smile on his face. It's been a long time since he's seen Max and even longer since it's felt like he's seen him. It's probably good he'd had a day to pull himself together. Max isn't in a position to have another burden. ]

I offered an extra payment to have them make you look presentable, but they were all booked.

[ Max's face can hardly cure the ache that still throbs in Ash's chest at every hint of memory, but damn is it good to see him. ]

Hey.

[papalobo]

[Max has lost weight, but not enough to actually reach through the bars. He tries, but barely gets his wrist through. This holding cell isn't as roomy in the bars as Faulkner; he's considered a vey high flight risk and potentially violent.]

C'mere.

[It's time to both admire Ash and try to assess how he's being doing, if he's been eating, if he has any bruises, if he looks rested. Ash hides it all so damnably well, though.]

[jadedlynx]

[ If he's lost weight, it's not much but any weight less is telling since his caloric intake is already on the low side. The bruising is very light but thanks to a thin layer of makeup, they're invisible right now. Last night allowed him to rest well.

He's very good at now allowing his outside to betray his insides.

Ash lays his head on the bars. ]

Any closer, and I'll be considered arrested again.

[papalobo]

[He can at least reach out with his fingers to feel a few strands of his hair, as if confirming Ash is real.]

How the hell'd you get out before me, anyway? You're in the heat of all this. I'm just an accomplice.

[jadedlynx]

I looked really pretty and said please.

[ Max will hear about it, but it doesn't have to be when they're around law enforcement. ]

I only got out yesterday.

[papalobo]

I'll believe the first part, but not the second.

[Max's face leans against the bars too.

He does know Ash uses makeup. Now it's time to look for signs of it.]

[jadedlynx]

[ A hand pushes that face back toward the room. ]

You can't make out with me in front of an audience.

[papalobo]

Don't think my lips'd go that far, anyway.

[He gives an annoyed smack at Ash's hand, as Ash's hand and arm are thin enough to fit through the bars better.]

[jadedlynx]

I'm shy.

[ The makeup is too thin to be noticed anyway. The bruises were barley noticeable before, but 'barely' was too much. ]

[papalobo]

[And Max is tired, and just happy to see him. For the moment, in the less than ideal lighting, he can't immediately tell even when looking.]

Always had been. Miss me?