001 ♦ Jesse Finch ♦ Audio

[rigging]

So I've got three guesses as to what this is right now. [ The voice that comes through the communicator is quiet and calm. The undertone to this voice, however, is not at all -- there's a hint of panic and a whole lot of anger underneath. ] One, I traveled back in time to land in some Twilight Zone-Silent Hill bullshit. Two, I've finally cracked and I've gone insane, which, y'know, could be worse, my brain coulda put me in somewhere much more terrifying than a room with a camera -- or three, I'm dreaming. [ Which is what he's afraid of. There's a beat, and then the sound of a lighter being flicked on, a cigarette being lit. ]

Watch, m'just talking to myself. I don't even know if anybody's out there. [ It's been an hour and he hasn't seen anybody yet, after all, though to be fair he hasn't gone very far. He's waiting. Come get him, nightmare. He's not scared of you. ]

Comments

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I got some experience in nightmares, so. I'll keep an eye out. [ Jesse says, bemused. He listens to all of that, and then sighs, flopping back to just. Smoke for a bit. It calms him down somewhat. ]

Okay, so. What I've got so far is creepy science is going on, all of us are test subjects, and it's probably not actually a dream. [ He rubs at his face. ] How long you been here? Does anybody get t'go home?

[greenisnteasy]

[Here he hesitates a second, just a brief one, before he plunges ahead.] Almost a month. Some people have disappeared, but it's hard to say if they've gone home. We... have some proof that when people go missing, they might have been abducted by the scientists.

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[ Wow, that's not very reassuring, Bruce. ] They get what?

... Please tell me y'got weapons somewhere.

[greenisnteasy]

[But it's true, and really, tomorrow anyone could be abducted again, including Jesse. That one he won't mention.]

We do, actually. I don't, but some people I've seen have guns, and one very enthusiastic goth type girl has a crossbow. [Plus there's Mina, who's magical and a vampire, and Loki -- two of them -- and Castiel and Anna who probably aren't exactly human...]

There's a surprising amount of people here who are skilled in combat. [Is not the same thing as what he was thinking, but close.]

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[ Well, Jesse's going to have to steal a gun, then, clearly. ] Yeah? Maybe that's the point. Maybe they're bringing in a buncha skilled combat people to run tests on 'em. Have there been any actual tests, or are we all gonna be sitting on our asses waiting for people t'poke needles in us?

[greenisnteasy]

Ah... [Sam's gone, so Bruce can excuse not mentioning when he came back from being taken, and he was covered in blood and babbling semi-insane crazy-like-a-fox nonsense about their captors.]

How much bad news do you want in a day, Jesse? Maybe you should let your stomach settle before we move onto level 2.

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[ Good point. Jesse breathes out slow. ] ... Yeah. Yeah, guess that's true. [ There's a thunk. That's Jesse's forehead hitting the wall. ] Thanks for what y'told me so far, though. Bruce, right? [ Sigh. ]

[greenisnteasy]

That's right. I'm the doctor on call around here, by the way. I'm training up two nurses, but one's on a kind of personal leave. Lydia Martin is the other one.

Look, this really sucks, but the community of people here is pretty good. You're not going to be alone for this.

[rigging]

[ Ah, a doctor. Good. Bruce might be seeing a lot of Jesse in the next however long he's here. ] Nah, m'getting that. Already got a buncha people stepping up t'help, and that's already better than if y'ended up in New York outta nowhere.

Lemme know if y'need anything. Maybe I'm new, but I got something t'offer, m'sure.

[greenisnteasy]

Oh, definitely. Hey, we can do that now, if you want. What do you do? Any skills in particular?

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[ He snorts a bit. ] M'good at smoking and drinking? [ But more seriously: ] I know self defense. Real good with tech and lighting, uh. [ A beat. ] Picking locks. So if y'need someone to break into a place. [ and a couple of other things that he's not so sure he's okay with telling Bruce quite yet. ]

[greenisnteasy]

[Don't worry, Jesse. Bruce has done his fair share of breaking and entering, combined with corporate espionage. There's no suspicion or judgment or even much of a blink; just a thoughtful nod.]

Sharon Carter or Phil Coulson would be good people to talk to with those skills.

And I know some people here are interested in learning self defense -- Blaine Anderson, and his boyfriend Kurt Hummel maybe, though Blaine's... [Currently blind.] He's a little sick right now, but when he's better, if you're looking for something to do, you might have a student there.

For tech and lightning, that's Tony Stark.

For drinking, just hang around the bar. [He smirks.]

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[ Oh god, so many things! Jesse's excited at the prospect of being able to help. He hates sitting around and waiting, watching everybody else busy. Bruce, Jesse decides, is currently his favorite. ]

Aw, fuck yes, I definitely wanna talk t'all of them. Man, you got the connections, don't you? [ Aw, you can't see it, Bruce, but he's grinning. It comes out in his tone, though. ] Yeah -- yeah, if I don't find those two y'mentioned, the Blaine guy and his boyfriend, let 'em know I'd be all over that.

[ A beat. ] Uh -- I ain't a doctor but I got some first aid skills, so. If this place has a blow-up, which m'starting to think it might, I'll be round and helping the best I can. If -- that's good with you, don't wanna fuck up a system y'got going.

[greenisnteasy]

Goes with the territory of the doctoring business; I talk to a lot of people. Speaking of, I'll want to get your info on record, when you get a chance. Just your name, age, blood type, medical history, that kind of thing.

[He can hear that smile, and he's glad for it, especially so because now the conversation's doing a 180.]

Oh, really? No, that's great! Thanks for the offer. It's always good to have another pair of willing hands. You can bet I'll call you, and I'll mention you to Blaine and Kurt if you don't see them first.

[rigging]

[ Haaahaha, that'll be fun. In response to the medical history: ] Uh, sure. Ain't too pretty, that. [ MOVING ON ]

Fuckin' fantastic, though. Thanks. And hey, you even need a break from the doctor biz, I'll probly be 'round the bar, so. [ He laughs. ]

[greenisnteasy]

Don't worry. I've seen some doozies in my time. [And he's not just saying that, either.]

Oh, good. How are you at drunken medicine? [He's teasing, though.]

Nice to have met you, Jesse, sort of. [Teasing again -- this isn't the best place to meet new people because it means someone new is stuck here.]

[rigging]

Actually, pretty fuckin' fantastic. [ Jesse laughs. ] I got a phD in bandaging drunken bar fight wounds.

Nice t'have met you too. Don't be a stranger.