23

[perfectsymmetry]

[Filtered to: Vince & England. You boys are popular lately.]

Ah. I-I know neither of you know really know me, but I've heard about certain, ah, plans lately, and if you want, I can be of great help. If you'd like to discuss it not over the phone lines, please meet me at the park tonight at 8 o'clock. I'll be there practicing soccer myself, I should be easy to spot. Thanks.


[Crowe will be waiting at the park as promised, even quite a few minutes before the given time, if either care to meet up.]

Comments

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

[Vince shows up fashionably late, of course. England had told him that the phones were most likely unsafe, so this was probably the best way to spread the word.

AND OH YAY ANOTHER KID England's gonna fucking beat him to death.]

Crowe?

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[A kid, sure, but a fairly tall, strong-looking kid.]

Ah, Vince, right? Thanks for coming. Calleo Crowe. I think we may have spoke once or twice before, yeah? Um. Like I said, I thought I may be able to help you out with city hall. [Crowe looks around to make sure no one else is within earshot.]

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

[He sighs dramatically.]

I'm just gonna be honest here for a bit: Unless you're one of those kids that can shoot lasers from their eyes or jump rope with trains, you're gonna have a hard time convincin' England to let y'come along. He's got somethin' against kids puttin' themselves in mortal danger.

So... What can y'do?

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[Crowe bites his lip, and stares at his feet a moment. Of course, unless you have some sort of crazy super power, in this town, you were nothing but dead weight. But he wasn't about to give up yet. He took a deep breath, steadying himself.]

To put it bluntly, I'm a thief. Born and raised, trained for years. Trained by the best. And, well, my specialty is breaking and entering. Mayfield... is easy. Stupid bloody easy. I-I mean, I come from 2010, and the standard of security in the 1950s feel practically ancient. I bet I could easily find a way in and out undetected. I don't know if city hall will be any different from the rest of the buildings around here, but if it is, I'll be ready.

I... I really want to be of help. I know I can be.

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

I really don't see why kids like y'can't come along. I haven't got any right to say no-- I'm a shopkeeper from Dalston, not a super-thief or a ninja or anythin'. If I can practically lead this thing, y'can definitely come along.

[He waves his hand noncommittally.]

So, if y'ask me, y'can come. But, when y'talk to England-- and you're gonna need to talk to him, sorry 'bout that-- don't mention that y'talked to me first. He already thinks I'm leadin' everybody to their deaths like some mad Pied Piper.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[Crowe chuckled.] I'd hardly call myself a super-thief. Family business, is all. I've... kept it pretty quiet since I got here, I didn't want people getting the wrong idea about me... plus since I got here I've been considering a career change, if I ever make it home... b-but that's beside the point. But honestly... droning or death... I'm not scared. If We can't let those get in our way, or we'll never progress. [Sigh] But I suppose I don't need to convince you of this, I should save it for when I speak with Mr. England...

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

And like I've said to everybody else, good luck with that. Like talkin' to a brick wall that doesn't do anythin' for your sake, that one.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

Lovely. I'll keep that in mind. I hope I can prove to him that I can be of help here. But, at any rate, thanks for at least hearing me out, Vince.

[is-an-island.livejournal.com]

[sitting on the bench looking grumpy]

That's football.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[Crowe stopped and turned around. He chuckled slightly.]

Indeed. Since being here I've gotten too used to calling it "soccer". That proves I've been here too long. Mr. England, I presume?

[is-an-island.livejournal.com]

Hmm.

Yes, I am him. What were you looking to discuss?

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

Um. Well, I've been overhearing certain plans going on around town regarding city hall. [He looks around to make sure they're still alone.] I've also heard that you're not exactly wanting kids to go along, but I know I can be of use here. Back home… back home I was in training to be a thief. I have several years experience and I've been taught by the best. My specialty is breaking and entering, too. Plus, I know someone with a map of city hall. I'm confident that of you need someone to get inside, I'm the man for the job.

[He takes a deep breath. It takes a lot for him to admit his future career path to people.]

[is-an-island.livejournal.com]

... "Overhearing"?

Overhearing from who?

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

O-oh, well, people have been making calls, you know, filtered from the drones and the Mayor and Grady and all, discussing plans, a-and I was referred to you...

[He obviously doesn't want to get anyone in trouble here]

[is-an-island.livejournal.com]

Yeah, well, not filtered enough.

Give me a name or I'll chew Vince out until he gives me some names.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[Aaah he looks so crushed.] I-it was Ed, sir.


...so I guess this means I'm out, then.

[is-an-island.livejournal.com]

Bloody hell, everybody around here has problems with listening. If you're out, it won't be because you know something you shouldn't.

What's all this about a map, then?

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[Frowns. Vince was right, this guy is a grump.]


My friend, Kay... she has a device that lets her map things electronically. And while in Westport she used it on city hall there, which is exactly the same as the one here in Mayfield. She probably won't give us the device, but I'm sure I can make a copy of what it has. I haven't spoken with her yet, but I'm sure she'd help out too.

[is-an-island.livejournal.com]

I see.

That would be useful, yes.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

..alright. I'll get in contact with her, and get back to you then? When would you like to meet up?

[is-an-island.livejournal.com]

You should talk to Vince about that. It sounds like it would be useful.

Just give him the map and that will be a good end to it.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

Alright. But... "end"... so you don't want my help getting in after all.

[is-an-island.livejournal.com]

You said it yourself, didn't you? You're a child.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

But I know I can help! Look, I know I'm not one of the people here with superpowers or magic or anything like that. B-but that doesn't mean I'm not useful. Just because I'm only 16 doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing...

[is-an-island.livejournal.com]

You're a child and you don't grasp the risks that we're taking. It could be your head on the line, and I mean that quite literally. This plan will likely go all wrong, and horrible consequences aren't a maybe, they're a certainty.

That's all there is to it.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

Of course I understand that! I've been here long enough to know what happens. And you don't think I don't know what it's like taking risks? I told you what my career was. The risks in that are just as great, and I've faced those down before.

[is-an-island.livejournal.com]

So you were here for when heads were in present boxes. Brilliant.

But there are different sorts of risks here, and you're too young to put yourself to the mercy of them, especially when the end result of this plan might be zero.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[He pales a bit, but stays steady.]

But it might NOT be either. I can't stand to sit around and wait for things to change. I want to be a part of it. This place is driving me and everyone else crazy and I want to do whatever I can to bring it down.

[is-an-island.livejournal.com]

You're too young for this to be your responsibility to "bring it down."

It's much safer for you to stay at your house. Don't have a hero complex about this, you've already helped vastly with the map.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[He sighs, looking defeated.] It's not a matter of age... there's a lot of young people in this town capable of amazing things. I understand I could die or be droned, both have happened to me here already. It's not like I WANT to but I understand the risk.

[He shakes his head.] If I get a copy of the map, I'll let you or Vince know.

[is-an-island.livejournal.com]

I know that. But if I let you in, a little ten-year-old boy will want to know why he can't come, too.

So in a way, yes. It's a matter of age. You may be more useful than loads of people, but you're simply too young.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[He starts to say something, arguing back, but he stops, looking angry. Mostly because he knows England is right.

He picks up his ball in order to leave.]


...Fine. I understand. I'll be in touch then. ...thanks for your time.

[is-an-island.livejournal.com]

... Sorry. You can talk to Vince, more, if you'd like. Help out in less dangerous ways.

But there's no hurry in growing up. It's good that we had this talk.

[and he stuffs his hands into his pockets and continues to just sit around on the bench, looking sulky and

for some reason

sad.]