scene xviii; backdated to friday

[decadenzas]

[Mayfield's just a goldmine of fun new experiences, isn't it?  really, there's nothing quite like dragging yourself home after being shot only to find the brained remains of your not!dad all over the living room.  it's a gruesome sight, and while he's witnessed far worse it still leaves him feeling unsettled and angry.  after sloppily taping gauze

Comments

phone;

[taegeuk]

Hong is...?

( so. blank. )

phone;

[decadenzas]

Dead. Blunt force trauma, presumably caused by the person who received his name in the target letter.

[he is much more compassionate than he sounds, really...]

[coolbowtie]

Charles...

[He'd comment on everything else, but he's too relieved.]

[decadenzas]

[there's a moment of silence on his end before he speaks again, tone clipped and business-like]

My apologies for being unable to contact you sooner. I wasn't able to locate Vietnam.

[coolbowtie]

Glad you're still with us, despite any damage.

[A pause]

Nor was I.

[decadenzas]

I'm quite hard to kill. [but there isn't the usual pride behind those words, and anything else he was going to say is overridden by the new problem that's been presented]

Have you checked her house already?

phone

[politerudeness]

[ there's a long silence before Japan speaks up. ]

When...?

phone

[decadenzas]

[he tries to speak as clinically as possible, but it's obvious he finds this whole thing pretty upsetting]

Fairly recent, it seems. I'd say no more than five hours as rigor mortis has only just started to set in.

phone

[politerudeness]

... I see. [ he's trying his best to control his voice, but it comes out sounding strained faint. ] I do not have enough experience and knowledge in that area, so I cannot help with the bullet wounds... but if it's to move his body, I would like to help with that.

phone

[decadenzas]

That's fine. [a beat] I just don't want to leave him the way he is now.

767 Bunker Street.

[lotuslife]

[just an inhale, wounded-sounding.]

How?

[decadenzas]

[relief is the first thing he feels upon hearing her voice, but first things first:] Blunt force trauma. [he contemplates what to say next, trying to strike a balance between being blunt and treating the matter delicately.]

Specifically a bat to the head. They were very thorough.

[lotuslife]

...I'll help you with the body, then.

[it would normally occur her to ask why Charles even needs help with it, but she's too stunned.]

[decadenzas]

Thank you. Please travel quickly.

[now that he knows she's still alive and even though she's more than capable of defending herself, the streets are dangerous and he can't stomach the idea of her getting injured on the way over.]

[hwamei]

... No... [ Not after she promised she'd prevent that. ]

[decadenzas]

[there's silence on his end for a moment. even he's able to tell that Hong Kong and Taiwan are close. he'd leave the silent offer to see the body open, but...]

I'm not certain he'd want you to see him like this.

[hwamei]

It's alright.

[ When the angels arrived, Hong Kong was right by her side. Even if life had already escaped her that time. ]

I think he'd do the same for me, too.

[decadenzas]

[he doesn't know how bad Taiwan's death had been but even without knowing that, he knows her words ring true. it's not his business to stop her after issuing an initial warning, at any rate.]

Very well.