there is no hope in regretting now [active/open]

[evertosoar]

Characters: Alfred, open (to people who can get down into the lower levels)
Location: some abandoned cell down in the lower levels of the school
Time: post-Conference
Content: Alfred pretending he isn't freaked out by the deaths by huddling in a cell by himself.
Format: action
Warnings: none

Comments

[knowyourfears]

[Someone feeling the way Alfred is is kind of a beacon for Terry and he finds himself heading down to the cells before he's given any thought to whether it was a good idea or not.

It's a little difficult, trying to find people this way. It's not as though his powers give him a little map and blips on the screen, unfortunately, but he manages to locate him soon enough and knocks lightly on the door of the cell]

[evertosoar]

[Alfred jolts at the noise. Someone's found him down here already? Well, maybe if he's quiet, they'll go away. He tucks himself in tighter to the corner.]

[knowyourfears]

[He pauses a moment and sighs, debates maybe on just leaving him alone for now, but Terry's no good at that kind of thing either, so he leans against the wall for now.]

... Somehow I don't get the feeling you're supposed to be down here.

[evertosoar]

So?

[Alfred can't manage any longer reply and trust his voice to remain even. He doesn't really know who this is--vaguely recalls seeing him in the counseling center. Maybe a counselor? That would be just his luck.]

[past_returns]

[Several hours after Alfred went to go hide in his hidden spot, Jeremie catches sight of Alfred's "echo" fleeing. Instinctively, he reaches out a hand.]

Hey!

[He glances about but, seeing no one, takes off after the memory echo. However, since not even a day has passed since Alfred headed off, the echo still looks solid enough to fool Jeremie into believing that it's actual Alfred.]

Slow down!

[The echo goes and unlatches the door and opens it. Of course, this is only a memory that Jeremie's run into, and the door isn't actually open. So as he reaches out his hand to hold the door open, he strikes his hand solidly against the door itself, cursing in French as he is forcibly jolted out of the memory.]

[evertosoar]

[Alfred looks up, recognizing the language as French, but not knowing who it is making the noise. He doesn't say anything, though, hoping they'll go away.]

[past_returns]

[Jeremie shakes out his hand, continuing to cuss under his breath. Then he looks up at the door, eyes narrowing.]

That couldn't have been much earlier than this morning. Too fresh.

[He reaches out his undamaged hand, pausing as nervousness hits. There's probably nobody there anyway, which means he'd been chasing a shadow of someone for no reason. Still, the guy had looked so freaked out, something familiar about the expression.]

...Guess it wouldn't hurt.

[He takes a deep breath and knocks on the door.]

Um...hello? Is someone there?

[evertosoar]

[Alfred frowns at the voice--not one he recognizes, and sounding younger than him. So how'd he get down here?]

You shouldn't be down here, you know.

[kidcap]

[Irritated by the lack of action and frustrated by the lack of communication from well, anyone, Bucky finally makes it down to the lower levels of the school. In the absence of direct orders from Cap, Fury, or anyone else with clout, he'd taken it upon himself to comb through the school for any Brotherhood stragglers.

It takes him less than a second to realize he's not alone down here. The .45 he'd been carrying near his hip swings up by reflex. It's a kid, Bucky can tell, but then a lot of them had decided to join up with the Brotherhood. He wasn't about to drop his guard that easy.]

You a friendly?

[evertosoar]

[Alfred realizes he's got a gun pointed at him, and that doesn't do much to keep him from shaking as his mind warps the electricity-induced explosion from before into a gunshot wound. He recognizes the voice, but doesn't have it in him to start any sort of argument like he did over the network.]

Only if you're with the Institute.

[His voice lacks its usual force and enthusiasm.]

[kidcap]

[Bucky lowers his gun. Violence, school break-ins, explosions, stands to reason all that would lead to traumatized kids.]

That makes two of us. Were you down here the whole time?

[evertosoar]

[Alfred shakes his head, and tried to restore his voice to normal.]

I was at the conference before.