[video]

[maddest]

[A few hours after this, Break's PCD is jostled on.

It's a video feed, yes, but all that's visible is the inside of Break's pocket. From the sounds of things, he's still in the streets, propped against a building, wheezing for breath. A few coughs, and he spits blood onto his white coat sleeve, sinks to the ground with a groan.

Not a good day.]

Comments

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[al_truism]

... what happened?

[CLEARLY THEY HAVE MISSED A COUPLE OF CHECK-INS.]

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

Our dear little time bomb exploded.

[Break has the memory of a sieve. And is arrogant and thinks he couldn't possibly be doing anything stupid. Obviously.]

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[al_truism]

All over you, it looks like.

[Oh, Break. Al is perhaps fonder of you than he should be, but he's pretty concerned right now.]

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

Have you ever seen him... fade out?

[He looks right into the feed, for once.]

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[al_truism]

I've seen a lot of things from him... can you be more specific?

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

His mind wanders. He slips off to somewhere far away from here.

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[al_truism]

[A slow breath, and Al lifts his right hand, slowly cupping it over his shoulder.]

... yeah. I've seen him do that.

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

A sharp smack upside the back of his head snaps him out of it.

Usually.

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[al_truism]

... or a hug.

[Lol Break. But he'll keep that one in mind.]

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

I think he was somewhere violent? The contact sent him deeper. He lashed out at whoever he was remembering.

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[al_truism]

... so it really was a misunderstanding, then.

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

Of course. If either of us had actually wanted to kill the other, it never would have made it onto the feed.

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[al_truism]

... that's good, at the very least. That it wasn't that.

[And now, no one is with Yuca. Al feels that tug again, to go to him, so he won't be alone, and fights it back.]

There's blood on your lips. Did he rupture something inside?

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

Ah, no- an old achilles heel.

[Brushing his mouth, hurriedly.]

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[al_truism]

...

My teacher had that.

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

Unpleasant, but ultimately nothing can be done. I'd just like to get some rest.

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[al_truism]

If there's any tearing, it could be repaired. And there are teas and things that can soothe the pain.

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

I'll try to get to the clinic.

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[al_truism]

I can give you a ride.

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

A ride?

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[al_truism]

Uh-huh.

And it would be easy on you, not bumpy at all.

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

A ride on what?

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[al_truism]

If you've ever seen a motorcycle, it's something like that.

But it flies.

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[mister-hatter.livejournal.com]

I've never seen a motorcycle.

[Video//Private//Unhackable]

[al_truism]

Well... it's like a bicycle, but bigger and heavier and with a motor.