Entry 4

[41810]

Locked to Alex; very difficult to hack, but doable.

Alex, if you hear the sound of my voice, you've got to get out of the mansion. I think my dad's figured it out. He's coming for you, man, and he's going through your mom, too.

I'm so sorry. I've fucked up. I just...

...Just meet me in the clearing, okay?

Comments

[video//locked]

[40410]

[About halfway through the message, Alex starts swearing.]

Shit. Shit. ...J, what d'you mean he's coming for me?

[The picture is shaking around; the communicator's in his hand as he moves around, grabbing his jacket, his shoes, his rucksack. He may be confused, but he's on his way.]

[video//locked]

[41810]

I mean he's coming for you. He's insane, a total psychopath, and-

[A choked little noise.] I really fucked this up. I'm so, so sorry.

[video//locked]

[40410]

Oh.

[He pales.]

Shit.

[There's more haste to his movements now. He dumps the communicator on the bed for a moment; have a nice shot of the ceiling while he ties his laces at lightning speed.]

...it's not your fault, man. Someone was gonna find out.

[He grabs the comm', and he's out the door.]

[video//locked]

[41810]

[It's dark outside, so you can only barely see him. The communicator is looking up at him, and he's sitting on a stump with his hands on his face.] He was going to just have lunch. Why didn't I just agree to lunch?!

[video//hacked]

[fraterminor]

[He's still inside the mansion. A hallway somewhere, it looks like.]

I wondered the very same thing.

[video//hacked]

[41810]

... D-Dad...? [Oh, the fear on his face.]

[video//hacked]

[fraterminor]

Marvelous attempt, Jourdain, truly admirable.

[He's smirking, and the camera's moving like he's walking.]

[video//hacked]

[40410]

[Ohjesuschrist. Alex really, really fucking hopes that corridor isn't anywhere near the one he's jogging down. He slows to a swift walk so he can talk, his voice tense.]

Hi, uh, Mr Pendergast? I guess you're angry with us, but I mean, we can talk stuff out, right?

[...Yeah, Alex has only barely ever met Diogenes Pendergast.]

[action]/[video//hacked]

[fraterminor]

[Oh, it just so happens to be the corridor around the corner. FANCY THAT.]

Oh, yes, Alex, I'm certain we can talk stuff out.

[video//hacked] OH JESUS OH GOD OH JESUS GOD

[41810]

DAD! [His voice breaks a little.] Dad, please, no, don't ...

[GUESS WHO HATES BEING ALL THE WAY IN THE FOREST]

[action]/[video//hacked] oh god oh man oh god oh man OH GOD OH MAN OH GOD

[40410]

[Family-Alex may not have encountered the slender man, but his father is a diving suit war machine and his mother is Sofia fucking Lamb, and Diogenes walking up the corridor towards him is still one of the more menacing things he's seen in his life.]

Uh--

[He stops dead, a handful of feet away from Diogenes. He's not paying attention to the way he holds the comm', so J is just now getting a lovely angled view of the carpeted floor and his father's approaching feet.]

[action]/[video//hacked] ALL OF THIS COULD HAVE BEEN SETTLED OVER TEA AND TINY SANDWICHES.

[fraterminor]

[He's making sure to keep Alex in frame now as he gets closer. He's got one hand in his pocket and he's advancing veeeery slowly. His footsteps are DAMN NEAR SILENT and he glides like a ghost, as he do.]

Such a pleasure to see you again.

[He really looks like he's just delighted and wants to dress you up in fancy clothes and make you dinner.]

I've been thinking it's about time we got to know each other properly, don't you? You seem so terribly important to Jourdain.

[action]/[video//hacked] Your icon is not filling me with confidence as to your benevolence.

[40410]

Uh--

[Wow, Alex, you're totally coherent today. Well done.]

Uh, maybe, I - I guess...

[Diogenes' expression is nice and all, but it doesn't really countermand the creepiness of his hunting Alex down, or the fact that J is freaking out over there. Alex is just going to err on the side of caution and... back away slowly.]

[video//hacked]

[41810]

Alex, RUN!

[Yeah, that's right, he just yelled run at Alex. SO FUCKING DO IT!]

[action]/[video//hacked]

[40410]

[...or he could do that. Alex moves as though J's shout is electricity jolting him, scrambling back a couple of steps so that when he turns away from Diogenes he's already running.]

[action]/[video//hacked]

[fraterminor]

[With speed born of training to outrun a certain FBI agent, he's right behind Alex, syringe coming out of his pocket and the arm holding the comm going around his neck at the same time. He uncaps the syringe with his teeth.]

Say goodnight to your lover, Jourdain.