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[perfectsymmetry]

[ACTION: Are you new in town? Wandering around looking lost? Staring and gawking at the drones and identical houses with a growing look of dread across your face?

If so, a tall teenager will shyly approach you. He's carrying a newspaper bag, but instead of the daily news, there are pamphlets poking out. He has a quiet voice and a light Irish accent.]

Ah, um, excuse me. Couldn't help but notice that you, um, seem to be feeling your out of place. I can explain, if you's like.

--

[PHONE:]

Um.

N-No one's seriously considering the position of police chief, right? It's so suspicious... what if you get droned into the role, like Grad-- er, Evan Olney probably was?

Comments

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

Right. The Mayor was definitely afraid of him. W-With good reason.

Not that I'm aware of, in either case.

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

[Balin is silent for a few seconds; he's busy squeezing his lips together with a hand while in thought.]

So it's kinda like our captors ain't all on'a same team, then. Maybe.

... So what's there'a stop us from doin' somethin' now that Grady's dead? What about'a other guys in town in'at pamphlet Dist wrote? Like'a Postman an'a Milkman?

[Speaking of which ... Balin just connected the dots on something else.]

And ... I'm guessin' if'at "Samantha Achewood" lady was also Jane Smith, then that musta been Lucy Smith on'a news durin'a truth gas bullshit? Since she was talkin' about losin' her mom.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

The Postman showed up last summer. He seems to be on his own side as well...

Um, the Milkman is just a puppet for Lucy, I believe. I've watched him do his deliveries - when he's done, his car pulls up next to the dairy, and he actually disappears. Right into thin air.

Yes, that was her. She often will get on the TV or radio a-and do things like that...

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

[At first Balin's writing things down, until Calleo gets to the part about the Milkman being a puppet.]

—Say what? ...

Okay, so the Milkman's just, what, an avatar for Lucy? So "he" oughta have'a same powers as her ... Shit. There goes plan A. ... Does "he" even enter'a Dairy at all? Or does'a milk just "spawn" right in'a van?

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

I think so. Something like that. I, um, cased him for awhile, I guess you can say. He leaves the dairy at 5AM, then does all the deliveries. When he drives the truck back, he parks it, and doesn't get out. Just vanishes.

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

[More scribbly-scribbly over he phone.]

... 'Kay, so he does leave'a Dairy, physically, at 5 AM? Like, you see him walk out'a front door? Or does he just pop in outta nowhere an' take off?

With'a operators an' shit, I ain't sure how secure'is line is, so I dunno if I should tell you why I'm askin'.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

Yeah. He leaves it, locks it up, then gets in the van.

...I think I have an idea. Um. Let me know if you need any other help, yeah? My name's Crowe.

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

[Balin writes some more ... then it sounds like he's tapping the pen against the paper in thought toward the end.]

Ahright, an' you're—wait.

[He remembers back to when Riza showed him her notebook ... wasn't there someone named "Crowe" she talked to?]

You by any chance know a Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye?

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes. She's my, ah, "mother" here. I take it you know her?

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

Holy shit this is a small town.

Yeah; she's'a one that talked to me'a day I showed up. Showed me'a pamphlet Dist wrote an' everything. She ever mention me? I'm Sergeant First Class Balin Wilbur.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

She hasn't, but it's nice to meet you, sir. Um, I-I hope that information was helpful to you.

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

It has, yeah. Thanks for lettin' me know. [And then in a sympathetic tone,] I, uh ... Sorry if askin' opened some old wounds. I ain't gonna say I'm used to that kinda shit, but I've seen a lot of it back home.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

N-No, it's okay. Um, i-it's best if everyone is up to speed a-and knows what's going on, yeah?

[Oh, the things this town has done to this kid. There's a list a mile long.]

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

With half'a shit this town pulls? Definitely.

Speakin'a which ... How many times have you been attacked by'a other people in'is town? I'd found out about'a "spring culling" when I first arrived, see, an' recently I got pointed to'a "trophy room" at'a roller rink.

Fuckin' disgusting. But I still don't know who killed who an' what for, aside from gettin' tormented into doin' it.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

Um. A-A lot. Someone killed me during that event. I-I've died seven times in my time here. I-It happens more often than it should.

[There's a pause. He hates admitting that. It never gets easier, and it makes him feel weak.]

There was no reason during that particular incident to kill anyone. I-If everyone would have j-just ignored it a-and realized it was just another one of Mayfields tricks--

[Crowe died early on, and didn't know about people's fears being brought to life in order to make them participate. He cuts himself off there, though, with a short sigh.] Sorry.

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

... Holy shit. People really do lose their minds around here a lot, don't'ey?

[This kid lives with Riza and he doesn't seem like the type to be a murderer at all; and he never saw a "Crowe" at the trophy room, so that confirms what he'd just said about dying early on in the incident ...]

[Balin's only conclusion is that the town is full of sick fucks who see him as a nice, easy target.]

You're right, though. I haven't met many people so far who said'ey got a letter an' didn't act on it. Just two, uh ... Yuri Hyuga an' Hong Meiling. I figure they've got their heads screwed on tight if they ain't'a type to give in to what'a town wants, even with all'a hallucinations an' shit.

—Ahright, Crowe, listen. I'ma Demolitionist back home. I'm workin' on some plans for defendin' my own household, but I'll see if I can do'a same for you guys. You had'a deal with gettin' attacked at home a lot, right?

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[Crowe also has a habit of throwing himself into danger too much. Kid's got a lot to prove.]

A-A few times. The hazmats. Awhile ago I had tried to build a bunker, i-it was Mr. Saeba's idea, but it... it didn't help. But, um, it's worth a shot, yeah?

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it'll be worth it'a put some defenses up.

I wasn't really thinkin' about earthworks, though ... hm. I could probably get some kinda fortification built—no, I can, just a little rusty. Haven't done it since I was a Sapper—[Then he realizes Crowe said "it didn't help."]—wait. What happened to'a bunker?

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

W-Well, the hazmats, back during the time when they w-were looking for the Soviet escapee? They um. They came to my house twice. I-I was building the bunker at the time, and they... i-it didn't stop them. B-But I mean, it's not like I really knew what I was doing. A-And then Mr. Saeba got droned, so...

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

[Balin pauses to think back on Dist's letter. He thinks he remembers reading what Crowe talked about ... he recalls that the "hazmats" had been responsible for hunting down the townsfolk several times. Nevertheless, he sighs.]

Ahright ... Yeah, a fortification's not gonna be much help if you got no way of defendin' it when someone's gunnin' for you. Better option in'is case would be active defense. That's what I'm workin' on.

By'a way, was'is Mr. Saeba a military engineer of some type?

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

And when the hazmats are controlled by Lucy a-and can do pretty much whatever they want and need to...

Oh. No? He was, um... well he called himself a "city hunter" which I think is just a term for um, sort of an odd jobs, private detective sort of thing?

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

Ah, I getcha.

Well, maybe this'll work better. Personally I can't think of anything that says "get'a fuck off my lawn" better'an a storm'a shrapnel.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

I-I suppose it's worth trying. Anything is better than nothing, really.

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

Damn straight.

I'll let'a Lieutenant know when I've got a good batch of 'em ready.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

Thanks, sir. I appreciate it.