Library, Wednesday

[3girls_1core]

Anyone expecting a quiet redhead behind the circulation was in for a rude surprise--emphasis on the rude. There was a lanky brunette behind the counter today, watchful and on edge. There was a knife strapped to her hip and a gun within easy reach under the desk

Comments

Re: Talk to Zee

[genesishero]

It wasn't until after being grabbed for his call to Pandora that Evan realized that something was a little amiss in the library itself. It was with a worried look on his face that he made his way over to Zeela.

"Hey... Um... What's up?"

Translation: 'You look angrier than usual. What happened to Sholeh?'

Re: Talk to Zee

[3girls_1core]

"Evan."

Zeela gave him a short nod.

"Can I help you with something? Sholeh's not here right now. She's...resting."

Re: Talk to Zee

[genesishero]

Resting? See the worried look on Evan's face deepen at that.

"Zee... what happened?"

All kinds of worried. With a bit of a 'who do I have to destroy' undercurrent running along with it. Which was still a little unsettling coming from someone who had just puppyfaced a total stranger into agreeing to help save the island.

Re: Talk to Zee

[3girls_1core]

"She died again."

They died again. Again.

"Enough information for you?"

Trying to downplay the trauma from shocking others? That was a coping mechanism?

Re: Talk to Zee

[genesishero]

Evan flinched at how bluntly Zeela put that, but not even his wince could hide the faint crackle of raw power at the corner of his eyes. He took a deep breath and willed it back.

"What can I do?"

Because he wanted very much to find whoever did this, and make them regret doing it. A lot.

Re: Talk to Zee

[3girls_1core]

"Unless you can get rid of every single tire-wearing asshole on the island, not a whole lot," Zeela snapped. Where had he and his anger and his power been this morning? When they'd been needed? "Sholeh's not coming out unless it's safe."

Re: Talk to Zee

[genesishero]

Not even Evan and his power could be everywhere at once. Why hadn't Zeela been more careful about where Sholeh was wandering alone when there had been hostiles on the island for days?

"Then I do what I can to make the island safe," Evan replied, squaring his jaw, not letting Zeela's attitude get his hackles up. If Sholeh had died, so had Zee and Zhari. She was allowed a little attitude today. "I already spoke to someone who says she can help. This... whatever this is... it won't last forever."

Re: Talk to Zee

[3girls_1core]

Yeah, but until today, the hostiles had been content to hang around and dig while making smarmy radio broadcasts! That didn't suggest that other random people were going to show up and start shooting and stabbing!

"You spoke to someone?" Zee asked. "Who is this someone? Why are we waiting for her to show up and help? You have powers! So do half the people on the island! I have weapons! Why are we waiting for some outsider to come and save us? Sholeh died?! I died!"

Re: Talk to Zee

[genesishero]

"There's a doctor... she's an expert in whatever Hyperion is digging for," Evan murmured. "So, while I could run out there and blow half the island to kingdom come, there's no guarantee that whatever's been uncovered out in the preserve won't cause trouble in the long run. This is Fandom. It does that."

Maintaining calm in the face of Zeela's hysterics was a bigger challenge than convincing Lilith that they needed help here. It figured. He pulled in another slow breath, and then swallowed.

"I didn't know they were killing people until just now, Zee. I'm willing to bet the same goes for half the people here. I'm pretty sure there would be more people out there kicking ass if we were aware that people were dying now."

Re: Talk to Zee

[3girls_1core]

"Well, great. Let me just stand up here..."

Zeela climbed up on the circulation desk and shouted at the assembled researchers. "HEY! GUESS WHAT? PEOPLE ARE GETTING MURDERED OUT THERE. ONE OF YOUR CLASSMATES GOT CARVED LIKE A TURKEY ON HER WAY BACK FROM TOWN!"

"There," she snapped, jumping back down and whirling to face Evan. Her eyes were suspiciously bright, but she blinked furiously to clear them. "You think that'll help?"

Re: Talk to Zee

[genesishero]

Evan had a lump in his throat. He wasn't quite certain where it had come from, except that it was a stubborn one, and it took him swallowing a few times before he could manage words again.

"... Probably. Would... you like an escort back to the dorms, Zee? The library's open now, people have what they need. We can fly, no need to even get close to anything that might get the wrong idea..."

Re: Talk to Zee

[3girls_1core]

"Oh, noooo," Zeela snarled. "I'm armed now. I'm just waiting for one of those freaks to try something. I hope one of them does. I'll show him what it feels like to be taken by surprise. And if I'll be waiting by the closest regeneration station in case he comes back so I can do it again!"

Re: Talk to Zee

[genesishero]

Evan didn't want to say it. Evan didn't want to say it...

"You'd risk Sholeh and Zhahar going through that again, for revenge?"

Evan said it.

Re: Talk to Zee

[3girls_1core]

Zeela's fingers twitched and a muscle jumped in her cheek.

"Do you want to hear more about it?" she asked quietly. "How they slashed at Sholeh and laughed when she tried to run? How they tripped her and didn't go for the fast kill?"

How Zeela wasn't fast enough to protect her? How she'd been dozing and it had been Sholeh's terror that had roused her, groggy and stupid, to try to help?

"Maybe they need this as much as I do."

Re: Talk to Zee

[genesishero]

Evan didn't think he could bear to hear it. Least of all from Zeela. He closed his eyes and inhaled again, wrestling back another wave of anger before it could manifest itself like fire over hands that were balling themselves into ever tighter fists.

"It's a terrible idea," he murmured, "just going out and looking for trouble. Especially right now, upset as you are. It's your anger doing the thinking. They're killers, Zeela. Are you?"

Re: Talk to Zee

[3girls_1core]

"Show me the crazy in the tire tutu that sliced her open and laughed about it and we'll have the answer to that pretty quickly, won't we?"