cape_kore | Peter Rumancek } 001 } Day 122 } Video

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Peter Rumancek } 001 } Day 122 } Video

[The view is just of white and flickering glimpses of the same stainless steel furniture at first, as if someone just dropped the phone on the floor -- ohwait. There's a hand, and some fingers pushing at the screen and muted curses, and then a face wayyyy too close to the camera. When it pulls back, there's a boy that can't be older than his late teens frowning.

He taps the screen.]

Is this thing on? Well, fuck it. Whatever. If you can hear this, then-- Shit, I dunno. Say something cute, sing me a line from your favorite song, or whatever it is kids do for kicks here.

[There's a shrug of his shoulders, and people don't understand how grateful they should be that he found clothes first. He's dressed in whatever he pulled out of the dresser, instead of just his boxers. He's hurt and confused and the pain is still raw on his face, in his slightly red eyes, even as he tries to play it off.]

So, what the fuck is this place, anyway? Some new, extra-fucked-up wing of the Godfrey Institute? Or is this some new brand of horror because life just doesn't suck enough? By the way-- yeah, I got the stalker-date love message: I'm still just not that into you.

So, right, anyway. Does anyone out there- if there is anyone out there- want to explain just what the fuck this place is and why I'm here?

[There's a pause.]

I don't like how this place smells.

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[They're still new here, but Brigid has her senses back and that helps.]

I don't know the Godfrey Institute, but this is some sort of science center. You're not the only one trapped here.

I can... There's a lot to explain. What would you like to know first?

[Her voice is calming and gentle. She understands being distraught, but he's the first new person since the tunnels... where Isaac had been lost. And she doesn't want to lose anyone else.]

The Godfrey Institute was this.. Biotech Facility? Some Science Center with a hell of a lot of secrets they weren't telling anyone. They had something called, uh, Project Ouroboros. I don't fucking know.

[There's pain and anger as he talks about the institute. Where Letha had been having her child. Where they'd killed her. But it's similar enough to make him wonder; those bright lights and the white walls and long corridors. Of course, that's a bit more literal here and it smells different. Something he can't quite explain, but he can sense it. Hopefully the girl understands why he wonders.]

It looks the same. I don't even know. Where is this place and what am I doing here?

[He doesn't ask how to get home. He doesn't belong here, but there's nothing but darkness behind him. If he's here, he can pretend she's still alive, that Roman isn't dying inside to out. Pretend he hasn't lost a hope at pack and family he can hardly admit he wanted.]

How many people are here? Who brought us here?

there's a dozen or so. The group that brought us are scientists, we've only seen them once or twice, depending.

[She bites her lip.]

Can you tell where you are? I can come find you and possibly help?

I'm in a room that has my name on the door, and that connects to a hallway that seems literally endless.

[There's exasperation in his voice, then he shrugs his shoulders.]

Peter Rumancek. If you happen to find the right label... well, congratulations, you won the gypsy lottery.

[She sighs.]

They all look like that. Unfortunately. I'm using a cane, so if you can hear that? That's probably me.

[Brigid goes to look.]

[Peter listens, and eventually he hears the click of a cane on tile, and he's opening the door, slipping out in the hallway to go meet her. He might be a jerk, but girl with a cane does spark what little chivalry exists in him, even when his head is still spinning from the grief he doesn't even know how to process.

His hands are stuffed in his pockets and he flashes her a smile. There's a flicker in his blue eyes as he recognizes her, or rather, recognizes what she is, at least.]

Quite a convincing cage they've made here.

[She takes a step back, recognizing the scent of wolf about him. She should have brought Derek. She takes another step back, her eyes flashing blue, before fading once again to brown.

Brigid licks her lips, her heartbeat racing. Her hand plays with the crucifix around her neck.]

The... the other one was nicer. A lot more open, at least. M-my name is Brigid.

[If she screams, will Derek hear? Will St. Raphael?]

[He can smell her fear and he frowns, an expression that deepens as she stutters. Well, shit. He can only guess that he can pick out what he is as surely as he can tell it about her.

His hands come out of his pockets, held up, open-palmed.]

Look, it's fine. Leave if I make you uncomfortable. You didn't know.

[He shrugs his shoulders, turning to head back to his room. His life these days is just fucked.]

[She bites her lips, sorry for her immediate reaction.]

W-wait.

[She squeaks out the word, her fingers still playing with her crucifix.]

Wait, I... I'm Omega. It's... I -

[She's not sure how to explain it.]

A-are you an Alpha?

[He pauses and turns to look at her, although the way she talks makes him feel like the worst sort of person for scaring her like this. His blue eyes cast down at the ground; anything he can do to make her maybe not think that he's some sort of monster. He's had enough of monsters.

But then his eyes lift and he shakes his head.]

I've never met an Alpha. I, uh, I think one of my other uncles was? But I never met them.

[He's an Omega too.]

[Her eyes widen. Her hand squeezes the head of the cane. She can't imagine never meeting an alpha.]

But you grew up in a pack, didn't you? Someone had to be in charge?

[She licks her lips.]

There's... there's an Alpha here. His name is Derek. He took me in. He might... I don't know. Do the same for you?

No. I, uh... Shit.

[It's not a story he wants to tell, especially not to someone he just met, but he has to explain. He sighs and he lifts up the side of his shirt to reveal a tattoo on his ribs that looks like a stylized letter g.]

It stands for gadje, outsider. My uncle committed the worst sin of our people and my mother went with her brother when he was exiled, so... My uncle's really the only other wolf I've ever met. I briefly met one of the others, he uh, came to verify my uncle's death, but that's it.

[He shrugs, tries to look as if it's no big deal. But, no, it sucks. He's always been on his own, just him and his mother, and his uncle died not long after his change.]

[She cocks her head to the side. There's nothing...]

Did he attack the Alpha?

[Brigid waves at her leg and cane.]

I... got this for attacking mine. Well, former Alpha, now.

Worse. He killed family. They weren't even a wolf.

[He'd almost debated not telling her. But, she's a wolf too, and there's a part of him that just doesn't care anymore. He's so full of hurt and secrets and none of it matters anyway. Nicolae's sins aren't as painful as his own.]

It wasn't intentional, but laws are laws. Lynda says he was shifted and eating and uh, someone tried to literally take it from him... turns out that getting drunk and playing with the wolf on the full moon isn't the brightest idea.

[He shakes his head, reaching up and raking fingers through his hair as he leans against the wall.]

It was over before anyone could do anything.

[Her eyes widen.]

They... they taunted someone who didn't have control? And he was exiled for it? That's... No alpha would do that. Kill them, yes, but not exile, that's condemning others to death outside of the pack!

[Which brings in hunters and no Alpha worth anything would allow hunters in without reason. Not even Mark had done that, and she's beginning to see that he wasn't the Alpha she'd thought him.]

That's... The pack hangs out together. Would you like to join us?

It wasn't about control.

[Now it's Peter's turn to look confused.]

I mean, it's just... on the full moon there are some things where the wolf reacts first. Isn't it the same with you?

[But then he shrugs his shoulders.]

Yeah, I guess. It could be nice to you know, just to meet others.

Of course it's about control.

[She's just as confused.]

On the full moon, it's no different than any other time. Some things are heightened, of course, but no wolf in control would lash out at pack if they had control.

I dunno. Nicolae said it's different when you're actually a wolf, you know? I've never hurt anyone, but there are moments where it feels like it's just faster than I am.

[He shrugs his shoulders.]

I've never really had a pack so I wouldn't know.

[Ignore that sad look. That one, right there.]

[Brigid bites her lip. Her hand braces on the cane, letting her take some weight off her bad leg.]

That's not the way it works with us. But your world might be different. Most of the people here aren't from the same world. But Derek is fair. He doesn't turn away anyone, from what I've seen.

It'd be nice to meet him.

[Peter admits, a tilt of his head and a shrug of his shoulders as he looks at her. He's never met an Alpha and she makes him sound nice. Peter craves a pack, a family down to his heart, though it's something he's never talked about. It's such a huge part of why losing Letha hurts so much.

He lost her child too. And it wasn't his, wasn't blood, but it could have been his in all the ways that mattered. In truth, he loved that possibility more than he loved her.]

Stiles is the other one with us. He's human, but he doesn't mind wolves. He's loud and fidgety, but his heart is in the right place.

[She turns for where the pack has taken up residence together. They've all kinda conglomerated together, loosely. She wants to move in with Derek, she thinks. If he allows it.]

We had another... Isaac. Somehow, he got lost in the tunnels.

[He follows after her, his hands stuffed in his pockets, letting her lead, although there's still a certain degree of watching which way she leads. He doesn't like this place, the white walls, how its hard to get a sense of distance, how even scent seems a little strange.]

That sucks. Maybe he'll still turn up. It sounded like everyone's still settling in.

[She shakes her head and swallows.]

He never came out of the tunnels. We can't find his scent.

[She'd looked, at least. She's pretty sure Derek did as well.]

Maybe he got lost in the tunnels, didn't make it here. Someone said there was a town on the other side?

[He's trying to be optimistic here, mostly for her sake. At least a little bit because he just doesn't want to have to think about any more death, anymore loss.]

There is.

[Brigid's a little bitter about that.]

But the tunnels collapsed, and we couldn't get back to the town. If he's over there... he's alone. And no wolf should ever be alone.

I'm sure you'll be thrilled to here this, but you know almost as much about this place as we do. Everyone here has been recently relocated.

[It's not at all the escape she'd envisioned when they were told about the tunnels opening up, but going through had been the only option. It was either that or stay behind in the ruin of the town, stranded, or get caught in the cave-in. She could admit that this was probably the lesser evil.

But not that much lesser.]

This lab, or whatever you want to call it, is a part of Cape Kore. If you think this place is crappy and rundown, you should have seen the town.

[The corner of her mouth twitches.]

I don't like how it smells, either.

Lovely. And here I was hoping for some voice-of-experience like you get in comic books. Guess I'm not that lucky.

[His voice is edged hard with snark, but his lips are thin, his blue eyes flat.]

There's a town here, too?

[He still hasn't processed, is still figuring out where he is, and he rakes a hand through his hair.]

I'm Peter, by the way.

If you'd gotten here a week earlier, I could have told you everything there was to know about the crap town we'd been corralled into. Sorry, Charlie.

The town itself has been cut off, the tunnels that opened up during the earthquake a few days back have caved in and cut us off. There's not much worth seeing there anymore.

[She smiles grimly. Sorry, bad news all around.]

Anita Blake.

It's fine. I guess tour guides is a bit much to hope for, anyway.

[There's a curve of his lips, but it's a little bit flat, insincere.]

Hunh. Well, that certainly seems like a party.

[He's joking here, but he shakes his head. Seriously, what kind of place is this?]

So was the town as creepy as this place? Or is the whole labrat vibe new?

Just as creepy, but a different flavor of creepy. Though there was enough evidence to suggest that the science angle has always been there - we just didn't see much of it.

[Hey, you asked. Sorry she doesn't have better news, kid.]

Cameras everywhere, ones that got mysteriously repaired while you were asleep if you broke them... sometimes people would vanish for a few days at a time and come back like they were in some medicated haze. Some had vague memories of being stuck with needles or something, but nothing concrete. This is the first time any of us have seen the lab while fully aware of ourselves.

I think you owe a lot of money to the swear-jar, buddy. Let's get that squared away, and then I'll sing you a song. [Courtney's still slightly banged-up from the journey through the tunnels, but she looks amused. Chances are she's not serious about the swearing.]

I'll steal some money then put it in a jar, does that count?

[Peter's mother couldn't get him to stop swearing, it's just part of how he talks, teenager that he is (of course, cursing at him to stop swearing might not have been the best approach).]

So, who are you?

Absolutely. Whoever you steal from will probably swear as soon as they find their money missing, anyway.

[Courtney's parents never seemed to care much about her speech habits. Her uncle, on the other hand, figured out how to bully her into her best behavior.]

I'm Courtney, who are you?

[She gets a laugh with her estimation of that turn of events.]

Peter Rumancek. Creepy Gypsy.

[He says it with good humor, but there's also an edge of someone that's used to being hated on principle, too.]

Yeah? You don't look so scary. [She smiles, curiosity piqued. Of course, she's kind of a fan of creepy to begin with, as should be obvious from the bat-shaped clip in her hair.]

Where are you from? Lately, I mean.

As in prior to getting kidnapped to a creepy fucking science center?

[He arches an eyebrow, and despite the tone, there's a hint of a smirk as he looks at her. And hey, he thinks the clip is cute, to be honest.]

This shitty place called Hemlock Grove in Pennsylvania. Most notable for being home to a creepy fucking science center.

[Apprehensive about this place doesn't even begin to cover it, okay.]

Yeah, yeah. We've all been kidnapped. [She sounds dismissive, but a moment later she gives a sympathetic head-shake.] Okay, that definitely sucks. Frying pan to fire. Sorry about that.

You'd probably have liked it better when it was a seaside ghost town. I did. I'm gonna go stir-crazy not being able to get far outside.

Language. There's ladies present, y'know.

[meanwhile he seems completely serious about this

also the video is upside-down. he's struggling with these new-fangled contraptions, alright. he's trying his best.]

Dude, you're joking, right?

[Incredulous look goes here, because seriously? Is this guy for real?]

No. Why would I be joking? This is a pretty serious thing. Just because you're scared, being in a new place and all, doesn't mean you have to act like that.

[100% completely not kidding]

[ The angle is odd, like he's still working out how to make it work. ]

What's the Godfrey Institute?

[ But his head is canted slightly to the left. ]

What do you dislike about the smell?

[Peter isn't going to fault anyone for issues with technology. Being distinctly a have-not, he's never had the same sort of shiny playtoys that Roman always did.]

This fucked up biotech institute run by monsters.

[He's half joking about the monsters bit. Half.]
It just doesn't smell right. Like there's something... I can't quite place it.

[He shrugs his shoulders, reaching up to drag a hand through his hair.]

I dunno. So, who are you?

Literal monsters or humans that are...questionable at best?

[ Cause literal monsters are a thing. ]

This place is eerie.

My name is Raphael.

You ask that like you believe in literal monsters.

[It's said almost like a joke, but there's a definite edge of a question. Peter is a monster by most measures. He's quietly trying to gauge reaction here.]

Peter Rumancek.

[There's a flutter of one hand that's half a wave as he watches the screen.]

I watched them take their first steps, watched their first kills. Belief has little to do with it.

[ It's not said with hatred or malice - simply a stated fact, if a little smug and proud. Creation was fascinating ]

Raphael.

[It's the repetition of his name that makes Peter pause, and think for a moment.]

Wait. You mean like-- Raphael, Raphael?

[Watch the wheels spinning behind his clear blue eyes. He's staring, gawking. It doesn't seem to be a strange thought for him to process, as if this isn't the first time he's thought about angels. It's not. But what he is doing is thinking that when Destiny talked to him about angels, it came off almost like a warning.

It came off like do not meddle in the affairs of angels, for you are a very small and insignificant werewolf and taste good with holy fire. Not that he actually thought angels ate people, but, you know. Paraphrasing That One Saying about dragons.]

[ There's a flicker of light in his eyes, a slight pull of a smile that almost isn't there. ]

Do I need to break out the 'Be not afraid' speech?

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Peter Rumancek } 001 } Day 122 } Video

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