[ voice/action ]

[slaying]

Willow's gone home.

[ the broadcast begins abruptly and buffy's voice is hard. not soft and vulnerable like when she had announced xander's disappearance. this is because she has had a full hour to herself in willow's now-empty room. she had gone in to set a batch of freshly laundered sheets on the witch's bed, all set out for when she came back

Comments

[ufo_fanboy]

[Oh, right, the kidnappings that had been mentioned. And while he's sure this Willow person is better off not being a test subject here, Mulder understands the sentiment. Losing people is never easy.]

A friend of yours? I'm... sorry to hear that.

[ufo_fanboy]

With trophies and medals for all of the winners, I imagine.

[slaying]

Exactly. And me? I've got a whole shelf full of them.

[ufo_fanboy]

I'm pretty sure if the FBI handed out anti-popularity medals, they'd have to give me their whole stock.

[slaying]

No way. I refuse to believe it.

[ufo_fanboy]

That's why they keep me down in the basement.

[slaying]

Nothing wrong with basements! They can be...okay, this is sounding a little sad and desperate on the cheer-o-meter, isn't it?

[ufo_fanboy]

Just a little bit... But actually, in a way it does keep away any unwanted attention, for the most part.

[slaying]

...Unwanted attention?

[ufo_fanboy]

It's easy to hide away down in the basement and pursue my work without interruption... though I guess I can't even say that, the number of times I've been spied on. You really can't ever be too paranoid.

[slaying]

That's the line, huh? Never too paranoid? Sounds a little extra-paranoid to me.

[ufo_fanboy]

Trust no one is the motto I live by. Well, one of them.

[slaying]

So that's a definite very much yes on the paranoia scale. But -- how do you even get by without trust?

[ufo_fanboy]

By trusting strongly in the only one I've found I can trust, my partner. And using less... 'official' ways to obtain information.

[slaying]

...Less official like how?

[ufo_fanboy]

If I told you, I would have to kill you...

Ok, mostly, I've always wanted to use that line. But really, it's a matter of knowing skillful people outside of official Bureau channels, people I can go to when I don't want word getting out what I'm having analyzed, for instance. Some of them are even more paranoid than I am. [Oh, Lone Gunmen, god bless you and your totally crazy security systems.]

I've also got a pretty good track record for gaining mysterious informants. [Winces a little.] And a good track record for losing them, too, unfortunately.