[ voice ]

[hostage]

[No video. Getting to be a habit with him these days, but really... who wants to see him looking like he does right now? Thank him later. If he sounded bad before, he sounds much worse now. The way someone would sound when they've spent a week vomiting. That's why he keeps the message relatively short and sweet.]

I tested the, um... the verstatsi. The U.E.'s drug.

In case the obvious needed stating: don't try it.

Full report coming once I can get my ass outta bed, but I can tell you it's about half-opiate, half-synthetic. The comedown's a total bitch and I ain't just talking like regular use. I mean like one shot and you're gonna need another fix in a few hours unless you like spending the next few days worshiping the porcelain god. Seriously, I'm a professional and this stuff... is bad. I don't think we got a lotta samples around here but take my word for it and don't mess around with it. I done H. This is worse than H. Way worse.

So that's your little P.S.A. and don't roll your eyes 'cause this ain't some D.A.R.E. bullshit, yo. I'm serious.

Comments

[inthejunk]

What, seriously?

...Why didn't you observe someone who was sick with it already? I bet they'd be happy to help if it means saving their own skin too. I would be.

[hostage]

I did. I wanted more.

[inthejunk]

More...data? Or drugs? 'Cause either way it's going to suck if you die, right? You'll make all those cute girls cry. It's pretty unforgivable.

[hostage]

[Both. He wanted both.]

Data. And I ain't gonna die. I'm already a lot better than I was.

[inthejunk]

[That gets an eyebrow raise. Dude, if this is an improvement...]

Isn't it hard to record data while your head is in a toilet? I got sick from something outside one day, you know? And I definitely wasn't taking notes then.

[hostage]

Had a camera and somebody watching me, but I remember enough.

[inthejunk]

...Gross! It sounds like really bad reality TV.

[hostage]

Luckily, nobody else has to watch it.

[inthejunk]

You're definitely insane. You know that, right?

[hostage]

Nah, I'm just a scientist.

[inthejunk]

It might be the same thing.

[hostage]

I guess, maybe.

[inthejunk]

You know, I have a friend who likes to mess around with scientific stuff. But she's not going to kill herself over it. Maybe I should introduce you two. Except you shouldn't hit on her, just so you know. Tatsumi would definitely be able squash you.

[hostage]

[Gross, bro.]

I ain't into kids.

[inthejunk]

[Oh hey. Finall some good news.]

Right. Of course not... Anyway, what does D.A.R.E. stand for? I mean, I know that H is hydrogen, but I used to...forget my chemistry book at school a lot. By mistake.

[hostage]

Ah, it's a... thing. Don't worry about it.

[inthejunk]

C'mon, I probably just don't know the word. This thing...the translator gets things wrong sometimes, I swear. I think I misspoke about the book, you know? I'm not the kind of guy who needs summer school.

[hostage]

Nah, it ain't a chemistry thing. It's like this anti-drug program the police run at schools in America, trying to get kids to stay clean.

[inthejunk]

...Oh. Why didn't you just say? It makes more sense like that.

[hostage]

It's dumb. Whatever.

[inthejunk]

Trying to keep kids off drugs?

[hostage]

It don't work.

[inthejunk]

It does if you behead them...but that way isn't exactly a good solution either.

[hostage]

Jesus...

[inthejunk]

So what does H really mean? You seem pretty familiar with how opium works. If it's something like that...shouldn't these people have been dying from it anyway?