myresponsibility | 008 | VOICE -> VIDEO

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008 | VOICE -> VIDEO

[Warden Filter]

So, uh, has anyone else noticed any weird, panels or something like- [And Peter is turning on the video feed, fumbling with the camera for a moment and pointing it at the wall. You can see Peter's hand stretch out and gently pull back a misaligned wall panel to reveal it pulling away slowly, leaving a gap between it and the innards of the wall, which is definitely big enough for someone to squeeze through if he moves it a couple more inches.] This?

I don't want anyone to like, freak out, [Considering they were doing that enough already.] because it doesn't look like something broke it or anything, but. It's still weird.

[And, you know, deeply concerning if the Barge was actually falling apart or something.]

Has anything like this happened before?

[Private to Bond]

Dude, where are you?

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No. That's a new one. Most people have cut through.

Might be a booby trap.

I guess there's one way to find out.

Zero.

[Curtest reply ever, but he's sticking to voice. Zero is. Not a nice place right now.]

[Um, NO IT IS NOT.]

What happened?

[There's a long pause, mostly because he is having some unpleasant semi-hallucinations about Le Chiffre and the big picture and differentiating is difficult.]

Long story.

I'm coming down there, okay? Do you need anything?

[A clear head, a way out, to never ever waste a second thinking of Le Chiffre again, those would be good starts.]

No.

[He wasn't really expecting him saying anything, but he's still basically racing down to Zero and immediately made his way over to Bond's cell, grabbing the bars and trying not to look like he was actually panicking, although he definitely does look really worried.]

Hey, it's me. Are- How long have you been down here?

[He's sitting on the bed, hunched forward with his elbows on his knees, hands flexing and unflexing between them. He isn't rocking, he isn't really moving except for the flexing, but it's an agitated movement, like he wants to wrap his hands around something and squeeze.

Mostly, Ivy's neck. And squeeze until she isn't breathing anymore.

His head jerks up when he hears Peter run in, and he doesn't answer at first - mostly because he's not entirely sure if it's Parker or White for a long, long moment.]

Maybe an hour. Open the door.

Right. Right. [He fumbles for his cellphone and goes to unlock the door, except-

The lock doesn't click. He tries again, and there's still nothing, so he tugs on the door, and tugs again, putting his full strength behind it after a moment, and really, that should have done it.]

It won't move. It's, it's stuck or something, or the lock's not working, but I don't know- [He cuts himself off and tugs at the door again.]

[James is up on his feet and heading for the door before Peter can even finish speaking, and he takes his turn to grab the bars and rattle his cage, but it doesn't give - not that he expects to - he's stuck, and trapped, and they want the password--]

The Admiral. [No, that's not right--] The stand-in. No one brought me down here, I just - appeared. Christ, I tried to kill Vesper--

[And he clenches his teeth hard, head dropping forward as he leans against the bars.]

[Peter just gapes at him, honestly in shock, worried and still trying to process what was wrong with the door, how long he'd be stuck in here until whatever it was got fixed, but that gets shoved aside quickly to ask the first of several important questions here.]

Is she okay?

[He just nods silently instead of explaining, gripping the bars so tight his knuckles are going bloodless and white. She was fine, but not because of him, not because he broke free of it, not because of anything he should have done.]

Hey- [He reaches through the bars and grabs his wrist, grip firm but gentle, trying to sound calm as he can.] Hey, it's not your fault. I don't know what happened, but there's no way you wanted to do this.

[Right? He knew things had to be, well. Awkward, between them sometimes, but he wouldn't have wanted to kill her. Which begged the question of what actually was going on.]

[The first instinct is to jerk away and he gives into it, pulling his hand free and straightening abruptly because he can't clear his fucking head and he can feel the weight of that rope against his shoulder and he is going to die here and Le Chiffre will still get his amnesty and--]

I need you to protect her, [he grinds out, voice tight, like he's afraid he'll give the code if he talks too loud, too fast.]

[Peter lets him go, still watching him with wide eyes, not sure what to do. He's tempted to just nod and agree, promise to look after her, but she's not stupid, she'll stay out of the way and find someone to help her if something goes badly.

But.]

I'm not leaving you down here by yourself.

[His head jerks up, then, and his arm snakes out, grabbing for Peter's shirt with every intention of pulling him hard against the bars so he can snap in his face.]

I need you to protect her, [he snarls slowly, and one hand is still clenched tight around a bar.] Do you understand me? Even from me, if you have to!

[Peter lets him grab and pull, although he braces himself for the impact on the bars and glares at him, although he still really just looks confused and desperately looking for a solution.]

So, what, you're just gonna sit down here for who knows how long, by yourself, hallucinating and sweating to death because someone broke the air conditioning? This isn't some training exercise, Bond, I need to figure out how to get you out of this! [And wait, actually.] Why did you even attack her in the first place? What happened?

I'll be fine. [He doesn't know if he will, and he doesn't care, actually. He has to swallow a shudder and bite his tongue as another flash of pain hits him.]

The door is fucking locked, what good is lurking here going to do? [Sorry, did you ask a question because he didn't hear it.]

[Fine, he'll ask again. >(]

What happened?

[Damn it Parker B( He grits his teeth and lets go, pushing Peter back a little and turning to pace. His skin is too tight. Everything hurts. His head is swimming, and he has to focus.]

Ivy brainwashed me. [Again.]

Does Dr. Banner know? [Actually, wait. He casts about quickly, still holding on to the bars before looking back at him and drops his voice.]

I guess she's in here, too. [And he goes back to looking at the lock and pulling at the door.] Seriously, there's gotta be a way to fix this, or break it down or something- maybe we could- [He trails off again, looking back at Bond.] I'm gonna get you some supplies. Alex and I helped get stuff ready in case something like this happened.

I don't know, [he snaps, only it sounds like he's saying 'I don't give a damn.']

Parker-- [He turns around again, glowering.]

I don't need supplies, I need you to keep an eye on her. [And you know what, he remembers Valentine's Day.] You owe me.

[That takes the wind out of whatever other protest he was going to voice, and he stops, staring for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh and nodding.

He still runs off for a moment and comes back with blankets and two bottles of water, passing both through the bars.]

I'll go keep an eye on her, just- [He doesn't really know how to explain it, doesn't really want to get into what happened with his uncle or Captain Stacy, that he's really damn tired of finding out there's effectively nothing he can do to help people.] Tell me if I can do something, okay? Please.

[He doesn't know if he should be relieved or not when Peter goes, but he's pacing again when the teen comes back, and his glare is immedate and telling - you shouldn't be here, you should be with her - but he takes the blankets, and the bottles. And he jerks his head up once in a sharp nod.]

All I want, [he managed to grind out, because what he wanted was to yell and scream,] is her looked after.

[He leans into the bars, keeping his voice low through some miracle, because he knows that Ivy is freezing her ass off a cell away.] Please.

[Peter nods quickly, his throat suddenly feeling tight, and he presses his lips together, nodding again. He's not going to cry, or anything embarrassing like that, but he's sick of this, of being helpless to do anything substantial, of being able to get people out of dangerous situations.]

Okay. Okay.

[And he turns to hurry away, looking back once, before forcing himself to keep running out of Zero and up the stairs to Vesper's room.]

[And ironically, it's the last thing on James' mind. He knows danger, he knows bad situations, and he's lived through them, for the most part. He's not afraid to be down here. He is afraid to leave Vesper alone, and Slade checking in on her isn't enough for him.

As Peter leaves, his hands are tight on the bars, back bowed and teeth clenched. He doesn't notice when Parker looks back, because he's rocking a little; the hallucinations are getting worse, but it's all right. There's actually relief etched into the lines of his body. She'll be safe.

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008 | VOICE -> VIDEO

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