09-12-2018, 08:30 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-12-2018, 08:37 PM by Jay Carpenter.)
The video connected, warped white noise a moment, then solidified. The face of a man who’d seen better days filled the screen. The collar of a prison uniform outlined the lower half and a plain white background filled the rest. Jay spoke first: “I received your gift.”
Alistair laughed. ”Your gift? Assuredly and emphatically not, Jay Carpenter. You're an annoying footnote with a few too many grim secrets, wouldn't you say? Unfit company with only one saving grace. For that and that alone I will hear what you have to say. But first you will tell me where she is and why you have this phone.”
The bite of his own name upon the ear made him want to wince. There was no mistake that he knew exactly to whom he spoke with barely a glance in the camera. Alistair flicked his gaze aside every few moments as though distracted by something unseen. Jay, meanwhile, ignored the thunder that rumbled overhead.
When he made the decision to call, he half-hoped nobody would answer. For certainly it was a terrifying man that could pull so many strings from behind bars. These weren’t any bars, either. This was the gulag into which was dumped the traitors to the Custody, locks thrown away, escape attempts impossible, inmates gunned down for minor infarctions.
Within this storm existed a Custody traitor with access to a Wallet.
If ever someone existed that could protect Natalie from afar, it was Alistair Grey. The remainder of the insults weren’t exactly shocking. It was obvious what Alistair thought of him. Yet despite the man’s clearly tuned instinct for the American-defector to the CCD, he offered a thin olive branch. Alvis told him what happened in the tunnel. He knew about Pavlo. He knew about Jay’s involvement. It wouldn’t shock him to learn Alistair heard the drunken phone message as well. It’d be fitting, actually.
He took a breath. Despite what Natalie urged, she needed her dad. An enemy of the CCD could be the shield that buffered the threats of Amengual as he buddied up to the Ascendancy. She wouldn’t abandon Cayli to those threats. Jay needed her to solicit amnesty from the man on the screen. Thing was, she’d made it perfectly clear that she had zero interest in connecting with him again.
That meant there was only one way she’d accept her father’s help.
If she had no other choice.
Jay let the darkness out. It wasn’t hard. His normally deep voice lay lower, more gutteral. “I’ll do you the favor of telling you ahead of time what your gifts are likely about to report to you because that's what kind of guy I am. They didn't stick around, to put it nicely. A piece of advice: you should really reconsider what caliber of muscle you send next time. You know what I am. But I'll forgive the insult as ignorance. And since we're being honest with each other, I have this phone because I took it when I left your daughter unconscious on the floor.
“So who are you going to send next? FBI in your pocket? CIA next time? Pentagon? They might give me a little bit of a challenge at least. Surely not yourself, locked away. How do you even have a phone where you're at?”
A long silence followed. ”How do I have this phone? What a pertinent question. Let me ask another. Do you know what I did to get here? Pause to consider the lengths I will go to, should I feel you are a complication hat needs eradication. We both know you have quite enough in the way of enemies as it is.”
Jay shrugged. “That is a good point, Mr. Grey. Perhaps I should be a little more wary. So we're both traitors.” He smiled with all the shallow warmth of brotherly connection. “I get it. You're worried about your daughter for good reason. I'll offer a trade if you're willing to hear it out.”
Alistair nodded in the affirmative.
“I’ll give you back your daughter no resistance from me. Your future gifts will likely appreciate walking away unharmed this time. In exchange, I want you to go to some of those lengths you bragged about. I want information. I want to know who in the Pentagon ordered we take Andres Amengual alive and where he was meant to go afterward.” He didn’t know for sure that Alistair would recognize the name. It was a gamble, and the laughter that followed was more genuine. His heart pound.
”You assume she's yours to barter, but we both know she is not. I don't want her in Moscow. It was a mistake to ever ask her to come.” He paused. ”Information is my currency. You're sure that's all you want?”
Jay could hardly breathe. The thunder rumbled louder. At least the storm shadowed his face with appropriate atmospheric melodrama. “She's mine if I don't let her leave. I belong in jail, right? Must be a hardened criminal.” He stared unblinking. "I'll let you know if I think of something else. 8 hours. Send it to this device. I'll be hanging onto it.”
”If you think you could stop her. It might be amusing to have you try. She's a Grey, and she is my daughter. Those things stack considerable odds against you.” He paused thoughtfully. “In my experience, and we agree I have considerable experience, hardened criminals rarely go to the lengths you did to pull her from those tunnels. A blip of conscience, clearly.” His sarcasm was not lost on Jay. Damn, he kind of liked this guy.
He went on. “So let us level. The threats are tiresome. You can be useful, or you can be an irritant I sweep aside. Show me you are worth my time, and you will have your information. Keep chewing on my ear, and I will make the decision for you.”
He wasn’t getting it. Keeping Natalie at his side had nothing to do with physical bonds. Jay tilted his face, letting the camera accentuate all the best angles. Let Alistair think him shallow. Let him think Natalie leaned into infatuation like she leaned into alcohol. At this point, he didn’t care. If the man would just agree! “You think I meant physically - well I could probably do that, but you're right. Won't work. She's too damned stubborn. But you don't want her in Moscow. You realize that's where I am. Actually, I'll be in Africa first. You're probably thrilled with the idea that she follow me there?” He shrugged despite the fact that it made him sick to think of Natalie lost in the melee to come. She was too attached to pursue reckless abandonment while the war carried on. It was almost impossible for her to sit it out. ”You clearly have something in mind for this trade. What do you want?”
”She has nothing left in Africa. She's to remain outside the Custody, that's all. I can sort the rest.”
Jay fell silent. IF she somehow didn’t go to Africa, he knew where she’d go next. It wasn’t staying behind in Iowa, that was for sure.
“You know she won't stay out of the Custody unless she think she's been betrayed.”
”That's between you and your conscience.”
He swallowed, eyes drawn upward. Lightning flickered. He knew exactly how to do it. Knew exactly who to betray her with. Anything short would fall flat as empty promises. She had to really believe it.
Jay spoke through clenched teeth, decision made. “Get me what I asked for.”
The second the video ended, he wanted to throw the damn device into the green sea behind. Instead, he just stood there as the first raindrops pelted his face.
----------------
With Natalie.
Alistair laughed. ”Your gift? Assuredly and emphatically not, Jay Carpenter. You're an annoying footnote with a few too many grim secrets, wouldn't you say? Unfit company with only one saving grace. For that and that alone I will hear what you have to say. But first you will tell me where she is and why you have this phone.”
The bite of his own name upon the ear made him want to wince. There was no mistake that he knew exactly to whom he spoke with barely a glance in the camera. Alistair flicked his gaze aside every few moments as though distracted by something unseen. Jay, meanwhile, ignored the thunder that rumbled overhead.
When he made the decision to call, he half-hoped nobody would answer. For certainly it was a terrifying man that could pull so many strings from behind bars. These weren’t any bars, either. This was the gulag into which was dumped the traitors to the Custody, locks thrown away, escape attempts impossible, inmates gunned down for minor infarctions.
Within this storm existed a Custody traitor with access to a Wallet.
If ever someone existed that could protect Natalie from afar, it was Alistair Grey. The remainder of the insults weren’t exactly shocking. It was obvious what Alistair thought of him. Yet despite the man’s clearly tuned instinct for the American-defector to the CCD, he offered a thin olive branch. Alvis told him what happened in the tunnel. He knew about Pavlo. He knew about Jay’s involvement. It wouldn’t shock him to learn Alistair heard the drunken phone message as well. It’d be fitting, actually.
He took a breath. Despite what Natalie urged, she needed her dad. An enemy of the CCD could be the shield that buffered the threats of Amengual as he buddied up to the Ascendancy. She wouldn’t abandon Cayli to those threats. Jay needed her to solicit amnesty from the man on the screen. Thing was, she’d made it perfectly clear that she had zero interest in connecting with him again.
That meant there was only one way she’d accept her father’s help.
If she had no other choice.
Jay let the darkness out. It wasn’t hard. His normally deep voice lay lower, more gutteral. “I’ll do you the favor of telling you ahead of time what your gifts are likely about to report to you because that's what kind of guy I am. They didn't stick around, to put it nicely. A piece of advice: you should really reconsider what caliber of muscle you send next time. You know what I am. But I'll forgive the insult as ignorance. And since we're being honest with each other, I have this phone because I took it when I left your daughter unconscious on the floor.
“So who are you going to send next? FBI in your pocket? CIA next time? Pentagon? They might give me a little bit of a challenge at least. Surely not yourself, locked away. How do you even have a phone where you're at?”
A long silence followed. ”How do I have this phone? What a pertinent question. Let me ask another. Do you know what I did to get here? Pause to consider the lengths I will go to, should I feel you are a complication hat needs eradication. We both know you have quite enough in the way of enemies as it is.”
Jay shrugged. “That is a good point, Mr. Grey. Perhaps I should be a little more wary. So we're both traitors.” He smiled with all the shallow warmth of brotherly connection. “I get it. You're worried about your daughter for good reason. I'll offer a trade if you're willing to hear it out.”
Alistair nodded in the affirmative.
“I’ll give you back your daughter no resistance from me. Your future gifts will likely appreciate walking away unharmed this time. In exchange, I want you to go to some of those lengths you bragged about. I want information. I want to know who in the Pentagon ordered we take Andres Amengual alive and where he was meant to go afterward.” He didn’t know for sure that Alistair would recognize the name. It was a gamble, and the laughter that followed was more genuine. His heart pound.
”You assume she's yours to barter, but we both know she is not. I don't want her in Moscow. It was a mistake to ever ask her to come.” He paused. ”Information is my currency. You're sure that's all you want?”
Jay could hardly breathe. The thunder rumbled louder. At least the storm shadowed his face with appropriate atmospheric melodrama. “She's mine if I don't let her leave. I belong in jail, right? Must be a hardened criminal.” He stared unblinking. "I'll let you know if I think of something else. 8 hours. Send it to this device. I'll be hanging onto it.”
”If you think you could stop her. It might be amusing to have you try. She's a Grey, and she is my daughter. Those things stack considerable odds against you.” He paused thoughtfully. “In my experience, and we agree I have considerable experience, hardened criminals rarely go to the lengths you did to pull her from those tunnels. A blip of conscience, clearly.” His sarcasm was not lost on Jay. Damn, he kind of liked this guy.
He went on. “So let us level. The threats are tiresome. You can be useful, or you can be an irritant I sweep aside. Show me you are worth my time, and you will have your information. Keep chewing on my ear, and I will make the decision for you.”
He wasn’t getting it. Keeping Natalie at his side had nothing to do with physical bonds. Jay tilted his face, letting the camera accentuate all the best angles. Let Alistair think him shallow. Let him think Natalie leaned into infatuation like she leaned into alcohol. At this point, he didn’t care. If the man would just agree! “You think I meant physically - well I could probably do that, but you're right. Won't work. She's too damned stubborn. But you don't want her in Moscow. You realize that's where I am. Actually, I'll be in Africa first. You're probably thrilled with the idea that she follow me there?” He shrugged despite the fact that it made him sick to think of Natalie lost in the melee to come. She was too attached to pursue reckless abandonment while the war carried on. It was almost impossible for her to sit it out. ”You clearly have something in mind for this trade. What do you want?”
”She has nothing left in Africa. She's to remain outside the Custody, that's all. I can sort the rest.”
Jay fell silent. IF she somehow didn’t go to Africa, he knew where she’d go next. It wasn’t staying behind in Iowa, that was for sure.
“You know she won't stay out of the Custody unless she think she's been betrayed.”
”That's between you and your conscience.”
He swallowed, eyes drawn upward. Lightning flickered. He knew exactly how to do it. Knew exactly who to betray her with. Anything short would fall flat as empty promises. She had to really believe it.
Jay spoke through clenched teeth, decision made. “Get me what I asked for.”
The second the video ended, he wanted to throw the damn device into the green sea behind. Instead, he just stood there as the first raindrops pelted his face.
----------------
With Natalie.
Only darkness shows you the light.