Video (intended to be Voice)

[ysobritish]

[The video screen flickers on, focusing on white bandages before tilting. It shows the sky, trees, then finally the NV drops to the ground. Liquid apparently doesn't even realise it's on video. Otherwise he wouldn't be sitting in the position he's in; bandaged arms wrapped loosely around his knees and head tilted carelessly downward. He looks

Comments

[video/private]

[deathlessness]

[Dead.

It's a while before Urick responds, mulling this over. Shinji had backed Urick into a corner and forced him into a meeting, but beyond that, he hadn't tried anything tricky... Not really. In some odd way, Urick felt like he had betrayed the man's trust, in spite of what Shinji had done. He was already swamped with guilt after Re-l was tortured for the sake of Yaha- made worse by the fact he still felt responsible for how Yaha was to begin with. Everything added up to layer upon layer of self-blame.

He takes a moment more to school his voice to his usual light-hearted tone, before finally replying.]

You may. What is it you need?

[video/private]

[ysobritish]

Shinji told me he was going to meet you.

[Liquid watches him almost expressionlessly. He can't picture Urick being the type of person to do something like that, and Re-L said she'd arrested him. But he has to know.]

Urick. Did he ever arrive?

[video/private]

[deathlessness]

[With the skull helmet obscuring his face, it's impossible to read Urick's expression, and his cheery façade was well-practised. He's not giving anything away.]

He did. We met yesterday, though it sounds like you're aware of that.

[video/private]

[ysobritish]

Then, I wonder... do you think he was caught on the way back from there?

[Liquid's voice holds only the barest of emotion. Could it or couldn't it? Urick didn't seem the type, but Liquid trusted nobody.]

[video/private]

[deathlessness]

I'd say that sounds like the most likely explanation, wouldn't you? He certainly wasn't caught on the way there, after all, if we did indeed meet.

[video/private]

[ysobritish]

You don't seem concerned at all that you essentially got him killed. After all, he would never have come out of hiding were it not to meet you. If he got caught on the way home... Don't you think that's your fault?

[video/private]

[deathlessness]

[A pause.]

No... I don't think it's my fault. I know it is.

[video/private]

[ysobritish]

...

Excuse me?

[That note in Liquid's voice is a little dark.]

[video/private]

[deathlessness]

He decided he wanted to meet me, and I had no choice but to comply. Yes, he came out of hiding to meet me, and yes, he was caught because of it. I'm not denying any responsibility.

[video/private]

[ysobritish]

Where are you?

[Liquid doesn't even bother to hide his anger. It's written on his face.]

[video/private]

[deathlessness]

...The point where the boundaries of Sectors eight, nine and ten intersect. I'll be there.

[It crosses his mind briefly: Should he let Re-l know about this meeting, too? But no, he's done enough damage already. He'll deal with this one himself.]

[video/private]

[ysobritish]

I'm not as weak as Shinji was. If they spot me, I'll fight to the end.

[Over the rooftops, then. And he should be as stealthy as he could. Which admittedly wasn't much.]

Wait for me. And stop sounding so goddamned cheerful! Two people are dead, and possibly more.

[video/private]

[deathlessness]

Ah... [He clears his throat, wry humour settling into something a little more sombre.] My apologies. It's... force of habit.

[video/private] -> Action?

[ysobritish]

...I'll head right there. [He disconnects, heading off in the right direction and ignoring the pain in his thigh from the worst of the monster attacks. If he gets in trouble, he'll test his healing ability again. If not... well. He'll deal with the pain.]

[action]

[deathlessness]

[Urick is already waiting by the time Liquid gets there. To the very perceptive, there's the slightest tension in his movements and the way he carries himself. To most, he simply appears unruffled, even laid-back. The helmet makes him easy to spot, and he's not trying to hide. He occasionally shifts to look around, not entirely sure which direction Liquid will be coming from.]

[action]

[ysobritish]

[And instead of being reasonable, Liquid casually jumps down behind him from the nearest roof, landing in a crouch on the ground. He's not quite perceptive enough to notice the tension, but he was smart enough to look around to make sure nobody was lying in wait first.]

Oh good. You waited.