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

[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?

[aluminumandash]

Who said he'd see us?

[ichoosefight]

The high probability that we're being tracked and the possibility that he knows his tech well enough to use that?

[aluminumandash]

[ Offhand: ] I'll argue with you about this in person.

[ichoosefight]

...Or we could just not. That's always an option.

[aluminumandash]

[ Slightly taken aback—that was his idea of a joke. ] Not gonna yell or nothing.

[ichoosefight]

It just doesn't seem like an argument so much as... talking about not planning something. Seems like a weird thing to argue about.

[aluminumandash]

Put it that way, makes you wonder why we're doing it.

[ichoosefight]

Yeah, that's kinda where I'm at too.

[metalicarus]

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

[aluminumandash]

Whatever big-ass gun you're itching blow someone away with.

[metalicarus]

I'm...not. Are you having two conversations or just not listening? I literally said don't go do shit right now, but we should plan on talking with each other to plan something so we can. Once again, I'm not some dumb kid for you to talk down to, so get off your horse.

[aluminumandash]

[ Voice a little clenched, but otherwise level: ] Then stop fucking acting like one.

Asked what the downside was in trying to talk to him, send a message. Don't give me bullshit about cookies because you're looking for a door to bust down.

[metalicarus]

What the actual fuck are you talking about? I said communication was priority for us, a private channel, notes in rocks, something for planning. I don't want to say shit to that guy and then you mentioned talking to him out of nowhere.

You don't know the first thing about me and aren't listening now, so sounds like we're gonna keep it that way. Good luck, champ.

[aluminumandash]

[ An incredulous noise. ] Yeah, god fucking speed.

cs: LO431Y; text (private)

[lonelynotforsaken]

Cohle, I understand emotions are running high for everyone, especially you.
But it seems like there was a pretty big miscommunication going on here.
Jet was joking about the cookies.
Trying to break the tension.
He knows that's a long way down the line.
And it's not something we should talk about openly on the walkie-talkies when the stranger might be listening in.
So, it's kind of a non-issue.
He's not itching for anything except getting out of the jungle we're trapped in right now.
Trust me.
The giant bears and dinosaurs and keeping me and Kokichi safe are what he's concerned about.
He's been responsible, sensible, and is the major reason Kokichi and I are still alive.
Please consider apologizing when you've cooled down.

private

[aluminumandash]

[ That is a lot of words. It's Martin, so Rust reads them, but even once he's through it feels like he's missing something. Shaw out there, in danger, de Guzman back from the dead and in need of questioning, fucking dinosaurs—why's anyone focused on a dead-end conversation? Who cares that much about Rust's opinion?

It's with a degree of genuine bemusement that he sends back: ] Who gives a shit?

[ Then, considering that subject closed: ] The girls with me by the way. Couldnt talk her out of coming.

perma private

[lonelynotforsaken]

[Martin takes a breath and pinches the bridge of his nose. It's like trying to deal with Jon before Prentiss. Before he'd become an actually reasonable person.]

I do.
I don't want to see you alienate potential allies because you've got the social graces of a fish.
I can deal with that.
Some people won't.
Jet's a much more useful ally than I am, in terms of survival.
Make at least a little effort, please?

I'm glad Steph's with you.
Is she okay?

[aluminumandash]

Hate to lose my turn with the binoculars.

[ If the first part's dismissive and impatient (and it is), what follows is agonizing. He's not glad she's with him, doesn't know how to say I'm afraid to tell her my first name because she's using Shaw's all over the place and might get the wrong idea. ] Ankles messed up. Trying to get her to rest. [ With, he suspects, limited success. ] Whered you see the dino?

[lonelynotforsaken]

[If Martin could mentally shake someone through a radio... But alas. That's well beyond his power, even if Rust would deserve it right now. He lets the matter drop. It's not going anywhere, and he's said his peace. Martin can hope the detective will play nicer next time if he won't make an effort to apologize in the moment.]

There's a river to the north of where I was being held.
We've been following it west for about a day, maybe a little less than that at a normal pace.
It was drinking from the river.
That's where the bear was, too.
Water attracts predators and prey.