audio; accidental

[eversohandsome]

[There's the crackle of paper against a microphone that floods the feed first, scratchy and entirely unpleasant. It's the kind of sound that a discarded half-foil, half-paper wrapper of a piece of Wrigley's chewing gum might make if it brushed across the unguarded mic of a phone recording something. Sadly, there's no chewing gum to be had, the

Comments

[shifts]

It's absolutely not London, so perhaps that's some good news for you.

[eversohandsome]

Um, yeah. Yeah, I think-- [Wait. What?] I don't remember getting hammered last night so... how the fuck did I get wherever the fuck this is?

[shifts]

How should I know how you get places?

[ Though, really, it's not like Eames knows either. ]

[eversohandsome]

[Fair point. Bob'll hold his hands up and accept that much. But it begs the question:]

Who is this? ["And how've you got my number?" is left out for now. His brain catches up with him just in time, not quite ready yet to potentially offend one of the blokes he sometimes gives his number to.]

[drinkslikeanan]

[You are apparently being flooded with fellow Brits at the moment, although this one is distinctly northern-sounding.]

It's definitely not London. You just show up from there?

[eversohandsome]

[You can't see it but Bob's frowning at his device. Very hard.]

No? I dunno. [This next bit is quieter and sounds more like a barely audible mutter.] Fucking One Two and Mumbles... spiked my pint or something.

I don't remember.

[drinkslikeanan]

I can't speak for those two, but I don't think you've been drugged. Most people don't remember showing up here. I didn't.

[eversohandsome]

Battered, then? [Because 'casual amnesia' just doesn't fly with Bob. He might also be rubbing his fingertips over the back of his shaved head, like he's checking for a lump or bump or sore spot that will reveal a head injury. That might go some way towards an explanation.]

[oneminutemaze]

This isn't London, and that's probably not your actual phone.

[ Meanwhile, Ariadne is wondering just how many Brits she's going to end up meeting in this place. ]

[eversohandsome]

...then where am I and whose phone have a got?

[oneminutemaze]

It's called the City. People from all sorts of places turn up here, but I have no idea where it is. And... well, I guess it's your phone now, but it's more like a network device than an actual phone -- it does video, too. It's definitely not whatever phone you had back home, though.

[eversohandsome]

This ain't the City. [Sorry, love. Bob thinks you're still talking about that part of London named 'the City'. That's forgotten as he gets an explanation about his- the device he's got.]

It does video? How do I-- [There's the annoying sound of someone messing around with the phone as Bob attempts to find where he can switch to record video instead.]

[valentineluke]

What was the date in London?

[eversohandsome]

5th of January. [Pause.] I think. Dunno. I'm bad with dates unless they're birthdays.

[valentineluke]

The year?

[eversohandsome]

...same as here? [What kind of a question is that? But Bob tends to be good-natured in most situations, despite his less than good-natured choice of career.]

2012.

[iam_thebadwolf]

S'not London if that makes you feel better. S'called the City.

[eversohandsome]

[He's already picked up a few fun facts about this 'city' from a few other people who've answered his questions, but he does take some comfort out of a familiar accent.]

I was sort of hoping it was.

[iam_thebadwolf]

S'not so bad really. Just loads different from London.

[eversohandsome]

Yeah? Different how?