arrays | [ open ] we'll keep dancing til we die

His eyes narrow, the only outward reaction he shows to that mental slap on the wrist.

I never said you didn't. And it's true; he hadn't said anything of the sort. But she's playing this up more to be more than what it sounds. As far as Gale can tell, they're just hiding, and gathering others to hide with them. Nothing is accomplished by giving away your headquarters, true enough, but just as well, nothing is accomplished by hiding in the shadows of fear.

How much further?

We're almost at the end of the line.

There's no way she can put it into words. He'll have to see for himself. This is a guerilla war at best for them, and the ones old enough to take the risk are trained, like she's been trained. But she still hasn't explained to him the one thing their kind couldn't do, the one thing that might make the difference in the fight.

She stands abruptly, turning and taking a step backward.

One more chance to back out. she holds out her hand.

I told you I'd go with you, didn't I? As long as she doesn't plan on trapping him there, and good luck with that when he's able to teleport wherever he wants. Skeptical or not, she won't be able to say Gale doesn't keep his word.

He takes her hand, willing her to lead him where she will.

"You deserved all the chances to back out." she says aloud, and steps close once more. She awaits some cue only she seems to sense, and then suddenly she's teleporting, and taking him with her.

When the world unwinds again, they are standing at the back end of a subterrenean hallway. There's a light ahead, and movement too, sound as well. Keeping hold of his hand, Lydia's smile blossoms suddenly, a familiar thing that one associates with the relief of coming home as a carefully held tension is released just under her skin. It's also evident in what loitering connection is held between their minds. Perhaps oddly, Lydia hasn't seemed to realize they're still connected on a level.

Stepping forward, the archway opens up into an enormous common area. Sure, there are kids lounging and playing pool, but off to the side there's more than a few that appear to be training; martial arts mixed with sudden flashes of teleportation.

He has nothing to say to that, and doesn't bother trying to come up with something. Instead, Gale focuses on their surroundings, waiting for inevitable change that would come any moment now, she'd just do it already -

- and there it is.

Gale isn't sure what he was expecting, but it certainly isn't what he sees before him. Sparing Lydia a glance, wondering why she hadn't let go just yet, he follows, taking in the sights. So this is their hideaway, he thinks to himself. This is where they take the "breakouts", to keep them safe from Ultra. It looks more like a teenaged hang out than any kind of sanctuary.

"And you all live here?" he asks skeptically, turning his eyes to the trainees. Well, that's something, but it's still not the sort of thing Gale can see himself doing - not with his family still above, still at risk and needing whatever help they can get.

It is a teenage hangout, because they're teenagers. Her hand abruptly drops from his, sensing his skepticism, and what feels to her like scorn. Maybe it's not for him, but she can tell that he doesn't seem to think they're doing anything truly purposeful.

"We do." Lydia assures. A few people call out greetings to her, some of them checking Gale out with suspicious skepticism of their own, but before anyone can approach and engage them, she decides, "I think you ought to meet TIM.

"What about your families?" That remains his primary concern, even over his own wellbeing. His mother, Rory, Vick, and Posy... They matter more to him than anything. They're the light of his life, and most importantly, they're all he's got.

He returns their gaze impassively, taking it all in. He's unimpressed, as he had expected. She'll need to do more than show him some underground hangout to convince Gale.

"Who's Tim?" he asks, still looking around the place. "Is he your leader or something?"

She's actually a little pissed that he doesn't see what's really going on here. The kids that are training aren't just horsing around. And the ones who are indulging in games of pool and chatting around the couches? Haven't had that luxury in a long time. But he'll either figure it out or he won't. She can only push him so far.

"Not exactly." she says, taking him down one of the side hallways and into a small room. Something akin to an overhead projecter is hanging from the center of the ceiling, lighting up as the pair walk in.

HELLO, LYDIA. I SEE YOU'VE BROUGHT GALE. CONGRATULATIONS ON SUCCESSFULLY EXTRACTING HIM. THERE WAS A MUCH HIGHER CONCENTRATION OF ULTRA AGENTS THERE THAN YOU MAY HAVE REALIZED.

"Hi, Tim." says Lydia with the faintest of smiles. "Don't be rude."

OH, OF COURSE. HELLO, GALE.

What they're trying to do here is clear as day. The problem, however, is that Gale doesn't see any of it as applying to him. He won't leave his family, especially if there's a chance that they'll be in danger. He'd rather that risk be on him, protecting them.

He's still taking in everything when the computer speaks, and Gale is startled enough to whip around for the source. How do they know his name? He doesn't recall giving it to them.

"Hi... Tim," he says warily, eyeing the project with uncertainty. This is unnerving.

Tim's an artificial intelligence system." Lydia provides, amused at his reaction. "He was liberated from ULTRA a long time ago."

YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, GALE? PART OF MY FUNCTION IS TO PROVIDE ANSWERS.

"Liberated," Gale muttered, snorting in disbelief. They 'liberated' a computer. Sure.

"Okay," he says, deciding to give this a try. "How do you know who I am?"

I can hear you, y'know. Her own expression is pointed, brows lifting to her hairline. She's hoping she's gotten ahold of her irritation and is now casually leaning against a file cabinet. He's not going to help us. Apparently who's hearing who goes both ways. Is she talking to someone else, or just thinking it? That may be hard to tell.

THROUGH A COMBINATION OF TRACKABLE BIO-INDICATORS AND DATA SUPPLIED BY THOSE AMONGST YOUR KIND WHO ARE PARTICULARLY TALENTED AT DETECTING BREAK-OUTS. COMBINED WITH GPS POSITIONING TO DETERMINE MOVEMENT, UTILIZING LOCALIZED TRACKING TECHNOLOGY, AND TRACKING SOFTWARE, I AM ABLE TO ACCESS VARIOUS RESOURCES FOR INFORMATION. THE DATA AVAILABLE FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, GALE HAWTHORNE, IS ADMITTEDLY LIMITED. YOU'VE BEEN LIVING OFF THE GRID FOR SOMETIME. VERY WISE OF YOU.

And I can hear you, Gale snaps back, giving her an annoyed glance.

"We send off some kind of homing beacon, is that it? So what, is it some kind of race to see who gets to the new kid first?" It... actually makes a touch of sense, when applied to a group of people capable of telepathy. He can't find fault with it, though he wishes he could. Glancing back at Lydia, he tells Tim, "She's trying to convince me to stay here with the rest of you. Tell me - why should I?"

She gives him a mildly affronted look. "You don't have to stay." she says.

BUT IT WOULD BE EASIER. WE ARE ABLE TO KEEP ULTRA'S EYES OFF OF US, AND A CENTRAL LOCATION FOR TACTICAL PLANNING AND SAFETY ARE ESSENTIAL.

BUT LYDIA IS CORRECT. YOU DO NOT NEED TO STAY WITH US TO HELP US. YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL CONCERNS BESIDE YOURSELF.

"You're right, because that would mean abandoning my family, wouldn't it?" Gale points out, deliberately keeping his eyes away from Lydia. He can't leave them behind, vulnerable and without support - especially not when one of his siblings could develop the same kinds of powers. "I can't do that. How much do you know about them, anyway?"

Edited 2015-03-24 18:12 (UTC)

Lydia opens her mouth to answer, but it's Tim who replies.

THAT IS NOT ENTIRELY THE CASE. YOU ARE NOT ENTIRELY UNIQUE, GALE, IN BEING ONE OF YOUR KIND WHO HAS SIBLINGS, BUT ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THOSE WHO DO HAVE SIBLINGS WHO ARE SIMILARLY GIFTED.

A display comes up that lists the names of Gale's brothers and sister, and ranks them in accordance of their probability of breakout.

Posy's name is at the top of the list.

Lydia stares at it, genuinely shocked. "I'm sorry, Gale," she says, staring. "I had no idea."

GIVEN YOUR SITUATION, IT WOULD BE RECOMMENDED THAT YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY RELOCATE TO OUR UNDERGROUND.

It's reassuring, at first, until the names appear on the screen. His first question was going to be how, exactly, they know about his siblings. But then Gale sees what it says, and words are lost, eyes widening in shock. Wordlessly, his lips form one word:

Posy.

"How can you tell?" he demands, whirling back to TIM. "How do you know that's accurate?"

He can't believe it. He won't. Posy can't be in danger.

[ open ] we'll keep dancing til we die

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