[ video ]

[hostage]

[Here's a guy who looks like shit. Not like he's been beaten up or injured or anything like that. The kind of "looks like shit" that comes with recovering from a meth bender curled up on the floor of some catacombs while there's a war raging outside. His body needs sleep desperately but the chaos has kind of prevented that, so he looks pale and sick with dark circles around his eyes and he's subtly shaking - which means the camera is shaking as he holds it.]

Hey, so... Hey. I know we're busy cleaning up and all, but I need, um... I'm just wondering if anybody could bring me some cigarettes. Or, like, anything else to smoke.

[Vague because he's not sure what's legal here.]

I'll pay you back or, you know, whatever. I'll owe you.

And, um, Nananea? You're probably busy with all them hurt people, but - that thing we talked about? I'm ready when you are.

[Despite looking like he should spend the next two weeks in bed.]

Anyway, yeah. Thanks in advance.

Comments

[hostage]

Then they're evil.

[payback]

Some of the people here are weird too, you know?

[hostage]

Like how? I mean, I noticed, but...

[payback]

Not from normal worlds. They have weird powers and stuff. If it's evil for these kids to fight some of them had evil done to them at home... I don't know. So it wasn't random. It's not right, but not all of them are random.

[hostage]

Is there a pattern? I mean, like, in general.

[payback]

Well, I haven't really been able to tell. I've been through a few changes like this and there's never really been one so far as I can see...

[hostage]

I don't get why anybody would think it's a good idea, picking me up to be in their army. And, like, why not just get all the superheroes and leave the little kids alone? The whole thing's retarded.

- Wait, what do you mean? A few?

[payback]

Yeah. Kind of a lot by now, it's ridiculous. And kids always showed up in the most unsuitable places.

[hostage]

You mean you've done stuff like this before? Before here?

[payback]

Like fight in a war? Well, no, not really. But get jerked around from world to world? Yes.

[hostage]

How'd it go the other times?

[payback]

Um... the first time everyone was in a laboratory. The second time, it was just this disgusting city where you couldn't really do anything to change anything. Then the next time it was being stuck in some kind of game as test subjects, I guess, except it was horrible.

Of all of them I'd say I prefer here.

[hostage]

Jesus...

[payback]

We get weapons, money, and a chance to actually change stuff, maybe. It's nice to have all of that.

[hostage]

Is it really gonna change anything, though?

[payback]

I don't know. I really hope so, because if not this is just another dead-end world.

[hostage]

It's all dead ends with me. I don't think where I am's ever gonna change that.

But you seem pretty smart. I bet you could do a lot more than just fight in a stupid war.

[payback]

You shouldn't talk like that. Maybe you can help fight through this and get somewhere else. How old are you anyway? There's plenty of time for you to figure out something...

[hostage]

Twenty-six and I'm pretty sure I lived too long already.

[payback]

Why would you say that?

[hostage]

You want people to miss you instead of wishing you were gone.

[payback]

Well... maybe this world should be a place where you can change things. I mean - is anyone from your home even here?

[hostage]

No. I don't think so.

[Thank god.]

[payback]

Well then maybe that's a good thing. You could fight out this war, maybe, and go wherever you wanted.

[hostage]

There's nowhere I wanna go.