FOUR: text

[puppydogeyes]

[It's taken almost a day for Taylor to really think over everything and make a decision. She isn't the quickest on her own; it's easier to follow orders, but no one's giving them to her. Both Tommy and Dean are sick, probably more people that she hasn't even had a chance to check on, and she can't just sit around waiting to see if anyone that's followed the smile brings back anything that will help. She needs to move.]

Don't want to listen to that thing.
Don't want to wait until people are dead for it to be worth a shot.

[It's a heads up to all the people who know how loud she's been about not playing with the smile. She's giving over this time. She's got reason to.]

I'm going into the maze.
Could use some back up.
If anyone's capable + still around.

Comments

text;

[tumbleweeds]

dogs okay?

[ Especially that chihuahua. Jaye's still sick when she shifts, and she's had to stick to larger forms that aren't the best for moving around -- she feels even weaker when she turns into something small. ]

text;

[puppydogeyes]

They're fine.
Guess we got lucky.

[Or whatever's stopped her from getting ill her entire life works here, too.]

text;

[tumbleweeds]

good. give them scritches for me?

video;

[signatures]

Depends how good you are with mazes, doesn't it?

video;

[puppydogeyes]

[Taylor's really not expecting to see that face. Wouldn't be expecting it anyway, but the last time she saw Tommy he was out cold on a bed in the medbay, and this guy doesn't even sound like him. She switches to video, frowning.]

Who the fuck are you?

video;

[signatures]

[ A bit rude... but valid. ]

Eames. I'm willing to join you, so long as I'm not carrying around dead weight.

[rebelled]

[Possibly not the smartest idea he's had, but guess who's just turned up uninvited a short distance away from her. There's no hello. No niceties of any form. Instead, it's just-]

They need the antidote. [Not just Tommy and Dean.] I can't heal them.

[puppydogeyes]

[Taylor has something of a broader range of awareness around her compared to other people, three dogs with better hearing and sense of smell than she can manage on her own. His appearance startles them and sets them all barking even before she's turned, gun half drawn.]

Fuck. [She recognises him quickly, at least, hesitating a moment before she holsters her gun again.] How did-- [She cuts herself off, focussing on telling the dogs to stop barking before she tries again.] Is that some angel shit?

[rebelled]

[The dogs are only given a cursory look, his attention shifting back almost immediately. They may not be able to hurt him, but their intentions are clear enough. It's why he doesn't get any closer; makes it clear that he's only there to talk. Or at least until they head into the maze.]

Flight. Now are we going or not?

voice;

[besiege]

Don't know why anyone'd want to listen to that creepy fucker.

video;

[puppydogeyes]

Anything else, I'd be right there telling people to fucking ignore it, believe me.

voice;

[romanticism]

[ He's hardly going to tell Tyke that the maze is likely to be dangerous. She most likely knows, and at least she's asking for back-up. He also knows that he himself is likely to end up in that maze - no, not likely. He will certainly be there. All the same, it doesn't mean he wouldn't be concerned for anyone deciding to brave it. ]

This maze could go anywhere.

video;

[puppydogeyes]

[Anyone else, she might get defensive over the decision. But Oxford doesn't sound like he's trying to talk her out of it, or like he's saying she's stupid for it. He's been here from the beginning - kind of. He's seen just as much as her.]

Could go nowhere. Could go where it says it goes.

[She shrugs, a stiff little shift of her shoulders, like the whole thing isn't making her itchy, bothering her like a burr between her shoulder blades.]

Only got one way to find out.

video;

[lethalforce]

[you know you wanna hang out with the guy in the red biker helmet.]

I can be there in fifteen minutes.

video;

[puppydogeyes]

[Maybe. Going into an uncertain environment with a guy she's never talked to before who's wearing a red biker helmet for no apparent reason? Not so much.]

There something wrong with your face?

video;

[lethalforce]

[he taps the helmet.]

Nope. And by wearing this, there won't be by the end of all this bullshit, either.

[logicals]

Keep me updated on news.
SH

[puppydogeyes]

[Taylor's usual reaction to seeing those initials is enough to have her not noticing that the number's different from the Sherlock she's used to dealing with.]

Dogs are coming with me.

[logicals]

How lovely for them.
SH

text;

[adlered]

Taking the leadership role, are we?

[ the problem with this sickness is that it makes irene lose control in more ways than one. right now it's her voice, the ringing makes her think she's speaking softly when she's screaming and vice versa. so she opts for text.

(in the back of her head there's an impulse to ask if tyke if she's alright. a glance at the answers she's already given to the others tells her that she's fine but it doesn't stop that nagging impulse until she shoves it down as deep as she can.) ]

text;

[puppydogeyes]

No.
Not a leader.
Just not going to do nothing.
Watch people be sick.

[You can't fight a disease, not the way Tyke knows to fight, and she hates feeling helpless.]

text;

[adlered]

You're taking charge. At the moment the two concepts are rather closely linked.

Besides if you don't than I doubt any others will accomplish much. They may claim to be doing something, but we both know those dogs of yours will be much better at getting you through than whatever they come up with.

[ feeling helpless is the worst feeling in the world for irene, but at the moment, she has no other choice than to feel helpless. any other time she'd get back up and find a way to fix this but she can't. ]

Choosing the fight response then? Because this isn't a flight response. Not really, is it?

( T E X T )

[addictive]

DUDE WHAT???

( T E X T )

[puppydogeyes]

You forget how to read?
Not writing it again.
You in the medbay?

( T E X T )

[addictive]

HOW ABOUT: N???
(AKA NOT MAZEY FUNTIMES IN SPACE)
JUST WERE SICK.
REMEMBER Y/N?