[Video]

[godotblend]

[The video feed is live, but the visibility is terrible. The tablet's owner sits in the near-dark, three stripes of red light where his face should be. Diego's spent much of his initial week in as much solitude as the circumstances allowed, an ear tuned to the chatter streaming over the network.

Best to test the temperature lest you burn your tongue on the first sip. That's what he always says.

But there's a matter that needs to be addressed, and urgently.

When he speaks, his voice is gruff, drawling:]

This world seems determined to serve up one cup of bitterness after another: monsters, mayhem, missions to the past.

[The red light flashes when it's briefly obscured by his knuckles and the handle of a mug as Diego puts it to his lips. The contents are choked down with a scowl that's barely readable in the low light. ]

I was happy to swallow every drop until I tasted this sewer water. They call it "coffee", I call it an abomination.

If there's a single tolerable bean in this city, I want it. Name your price.

Comments

[burnthewitch]

Can't argue with you there. A little passion can be a good thing. It's a hell of a lot better than total indifference.

[godotblend]

Glad two of us here speak the same language. Do you have a name, sweetheart?

[burnthewitch]

Yeah. My name's Maya. You can save "sweetheart" for somebody else.

[godotblend]

Deal. I like "Maya" better, myself.

[Small pause, where he has to remember he's dropped the alias.]

You can call me Diego.

[burnthewitch]

Thanks, I do too. I'm sure it'll be a pleasure working with you, Diego. Assuming there's anything pleasing that could come of running around doing the Initiative's dirty work for them. At the very least, maybe you'll find a decent cup of coffee.

[godotblend]

Ha...! At the very least.

Depends on what "working" entails. If their aim is to win a war, these people need to adjust their recruitment profile. [A crippled ex-lawyer isn't going to be the first in a schoolyard pick.]

[burnthewitch]

I can't really disagree with you there. But apparently they know what they want and I'm not getting paid to give them my opinion. [Pause.] ...Right? I don't think I'm getting paid for that. [Would be nice though.]

Who knows? Maybe there's a bigger picture I'm just not seeing yet.

[godotblend]

I suppose only time will tell, as usual.

In the meantime, we keep on living and wondering.