RE419S | audio | Day 7

[aluminumandash]

[ Rust's voice comes over the walkie, urgent and forceful. ] Anyone in the area between the concrete structures where Martin and me were held—that's the foothills with, ah, a river to the south and the jungle ten hours to the west of the northeast coast, check in right the fuck now.

[ He thinks to type the rest out—some semblance of a record, something for people to refer back to for the while it's around—but five minutes punching little keys and he can't take it anymore. So his voice returns, matter-of-fact. ]

Officer de Guzman's dead. [ If anyone was hoping for a eulogy, it's not fucking happening. ] Took an arrow to the shoulder then was executed, from the sound of it, likely with his own firearm. He was in the region I just described, about a kilometer away from a wood cabin with no defenses or occupants he could discern. Guessing he walked into some kind of a trap. [ He concludes, irritation seeping into his voice. ]

Much as I hate to state the obvious, circumstances compel me to say: do not seek out the cabin. Hell, I'll say it twice: do not seek out the fucking cabin. You find yourself in an area suspiciously quiet and bereft of animal activity, turn around and go back the way you came.

The individual who killed him had a message for us. It follows.

[ After a short delay: ] The next animal I find here will die a much slower death. Tell your friends for me.


OOC: Replies subject to even more robust threadjacking than usual from Lalo!

Comments

un: jk002n

[metalicarus]

Sounds like a guy who knows more than most anything else we've got here.

On one hand, no probably shouldn't wander into that area. On the other, might want to plan a new attempt to get close.

BT612L; voice

[ichoosefight]

Absolutely not without a lot of planning and preparation, including at least two days of adequate food, water and sleep, and none of the planning can be done on the walkies.

[ Which is to say, this is a good plan, but if anyone is dumb enough to try it on their own she is going to explode. ]

[aluminumandash]

[ Dry: ] And nobody who recently twisted her ankle.

[ichoosefight]

Define 'recent'.

[aluminumandash]

This ain't a negotiation.

[ichoosefight]

"You're right Steph, this isn't a mission anyone is ready for any time soon. I'm sure glad you pointed that out. Gosh, it's great that your years of experience means you know how long it takes a twisted ankle to heal."

[ She needs to work on her Rust voice, it really shouldn't be higher than her normal voice. ]

[metalicarus]

Yeah, no shit and a lot more than that besides. Civilians ought to stay the hell out of it.
So...when we eventually meet up, you'll have to fill me in on your cred.

Anyway, any idiot who tries too soon and fucks up, runs the risk of not only getting themselves killed, but ruining things for the rest of us.
Just to get that out there while we're making PSAs.

[ichoosefight]

At least someone here gets me.

Though to be fair, I'm not sure if any of us really count as civilians anymore.

[metalicarus]

Well...guess you've got a point there. Still would feel better if it was planned by people with actual combat training.

[And infiltration training, but something something beggars.]

[ichoosefight]

Combat training's not gonna help much with scouting and surveillance, and that's the most important thing. But yeah, probably a similar group either way.

...We should talk to Senku about binoculars. Binoculars would be great. Not just for the cabin, for like, everything.

[metalicarus]

It'll help if or when things go south. Which...been on enough missions, you gotta plan for it, but yeah, recon's the most important step.

But binoculars. That'd be great. We're heading up this...mountain, I guess, and hopefully we can see something from up there, but binoculars would help.

[Even if he doesn't really want to talk to Senku...someone else can talk to the potentially crazy scientist.]

[ichoosefight]

I know Ravioli didn't see much, but I don't know how high up the mountain he was. I'm also not sure how feasible anything involving glass is. I guess we'll find out.

[aluminumandash]

[ A snort. ] Kind of a low fucking bar.

She's right about the walkies, but I'd suggest an attempt at communication before jumping straight to home invasion. He knows we're coming. Not gonna give anything away.

[metalicarus]

Which is why it matters at all.

Look, I'm not doing shit while I'm still a liability and have two people to look after, but some other way to communicate needs to be a priority. Of course he's gonna know we'll be knocking by again, but how and when needs to be the surprise. So, no, not interested in going in depth on ideas here and now.

[aluminumandash]

[ Flat: ] Communication with him.

[metalicarus]

[He gives an amused scoff.] Send him cookies, maybe he'll be nicer and want to talk.

[aluminumandash]

What's the downside? You wait an extra day before you get to flaunt how big your piece is?

[ichoosefight]

The part where he threatened to kill us as soon as he sees us?

[metalicarus]

...what in the hell are you talking about?

text | DI481O | morning 008

[salamanca]

If anyone is getting close to that thing, whenever they go, I'm going with them.

[ That motherfucker in that cabin disrespected him!! He-she-it has to pay! ]

[metalicarus]

Ben, you strike me as less of a team player than I am.

[salamanca]

[ This comes several hours later, after Lalo has had some time to cool down. ]

Yeah, you know what? I think you're right. Think I'll sit this one out.

[ He still wants to go, but... probably better not to admit that on the walkies, he realizes. Maybe if they're ever in person together later, they can discuss it then! ]

[metalicarus]

[He's not sure he believes that, but also Ben is a full grown man who can do what he wants in Jet's book. Just as long as it doesn't get anyone else killed for being stupid.]

Sounds like a good plan. At least for now. There's plenty else going on here to focus on for now.

[salamanca]

You shouldn't go either. Nobody should. Maybe stick to making maps. Might be better.

[ The guy in the cabin might be able to read all of this, after all. He doesn't know if Jet will understand what he's getting at, but Jet seems like a smart cookie. Hopefully, he'll pick up what Lalo is putting down: don't even talk about going to the cabin on the network.

Perhaps it's too subtle and he'll think Lalo is actually just talking about making maps. Hopefully not, though! ]

If we're ever in the same place, I'd be happy to help you! If we're not, just promise me you'll tell me anything you find out.

[ Lalo and Jet are on good terms, or so Lalo imagines anyway... and he thinks Jet can imagine how he must feel right now, in a way that some of the other people can't. He wants to believe Jet will understand why babying him, cutting him off from all information about the cabin, will make him feel worse, not better. Jet, he thinks, might also want to know more about the creature...person?...being?...that killed him.

He stares at the message, unsure. Whoever is in the cabin may very well be able to see this. ]

[metalicarus]

[This feels...weird. Pointed. Both parts. Something about being worried about them being watched or was it more to do with something else on Lalo's end? Either way, Jet shakes his head to himself and lets it go. Not his business...besides, he doesn't really need to know to answer the question honestly.]

If I come across anything and we meet up again, you'll know it. Glad you're not permanently dead. Look into keeping it that way.