009 ↔ video

[5055034455]

[There's something different about Saul today.

He's seated in front of the camera, as usual, and he's in a suit, also as usual, but —

Oh, maybe it's the fact that Stephanie's leaning against his shoulders as he speaks, which takes away all possibility of him being his usual, businesslike self.

It might be that.]

Hey, everyone. As some of you've noticed, Jesse Pinkman went home a couple of weeks ago. Since there was some concern over the cookie situation last month, we — [With a brief nod upward, toward Steph — ] Figured that we'd harness some of the holiday spirit that's been goin' around and make sure this month's newbies are fed and clothed. Feferi will be taking care of handing out jackets and whatnot on the first, and Steph and I will be manning the cookie table alongside anyone else who decides to join us.

[Without missing a beat, Steph adds:]

Might even see if I can get one of those big urns to put hot cocoa in, to help warm the newbies up, and us, if we're hanging around there for a while. Any chance you can help out with that, Ella?

[She gives the camera a bright smile, which is mostly for Ella's sake. Sorry about abusing your powers.]

What we're not gonna do is make a party of it. I know that kinda sucks, but we just don't have the space, so the plan is that everyone who wants to can bake a couple batches in their own ovens, then bring them to our place sometime on the thirty first. If you don't know the address already and you're planning to help out, I'll give it to you here. [But she's not - just giving it out on the network openly.] If you need ingredients, let me know; I went on a mission and made sure we had plenty of stuff so I can give you flour or sugar or choc chips. Same goes for the recipe. Annnnd if you need help getting cookies to us, speak up, and we'll work something out.

[For a second, it looks like she's about to wrap it up, but then something else occurs to her.]

Speaking of parties, I dunno if anyone's doing anything for New Year's Eve, but if they are, can everyone try to get the cookies to me before like - seven, so I can still go out. Thanks.

[At which point Saul looks up and over at her, feigning a pout.]

Sorry, so we can go out.

[And then he's all smiles.

Before the feed clicks off, he adds another "thanks," and away they go.]

[Then, a private text to Sonya from Steph, sent only moments later:] sonya, i know you're smart enough to put two and two together, but please don't say anything to anyone else. it's not something that needs to be spread around.

Comments

[text, private]

[legal_eagle]

[It's a long time before she responds.]

I want to see it stated. No twinkly "went home" bullshit. Say it.

[text, private]

[controlledvariable]

there's an investigation going on into the cause of his death, it needs to be kept private for now

[text, private]

[legal_eagle]

[And another long pause. She feels sick. Sick and sad.]

Sorry, don't have time to read, too busy planning a celebration

[text, private]

[controlledvariable]

[jesus christ, sonya]

what do you want me to say, sonya?

[text, private]

[legal_eagle]

[She doesn't answer that. Instead:]

Why was this the way you decided to let me know?

[text, private]

[controlledvariable]

no one but lisbeth was supposed to know yet

[so... she wasn't going to tell Sonya at all, but she knew she'd work it out.]

[text, private]

[legal_eagle]

Yeah, "supposed to." According to who, exactly? Who decided that this was going to be kept secret? You and Goodman?

[text, private]

[controlledvariable]

[She doesn't want to deal with this shit.]

saul's his laywer. the circumstances around his death are being investigated. it's in the best interest of that to make sure no one knows.

[text, private]

[legal_eagle]

Why
Because, you know, I've fucking well worked plenty of cases, and "secrecy" wasn't exactly the prime directive on how to solve them

[text, private]

[controlledvariable]

working in secrecy to solve cases is literally my job

[and she's not a detective on the level of Tim or Bruce, but she still trained with both of them.]

the two things we don't want are people sticking their nose in jesse's business, and if someone else was involved, we don't want them to know we're looking into it

[text, private]

[legal_eagle]

Was there ever any moment where you thought that maybe it might be a good idea to let the people he hurt know, so that, you know, they could stop looking over their shoulders

Oh, no, sorry, we had to keep his postmortem privacy, so that no one stuck their nose into his business. Oh, and so that the investigation could run smoothly, never mind that every investigation in human history has run just fine with people aware that the vic is dead.

You and Goodman both can go and sit on some spiny fucking pineapples.

[text, private]

[controlledvariable]

every investigation in human history, right.

we're letting people know now. how is saying he's gone different, in terms of looking over your shoulder, than knowing he's dead? considering that neither of those really mean jack shit here. another jesse could turn up. the aristeas could kick in and bring him back. the same jesse could come because of some transporter bullshit.

[text, private]

[legal_eagle]

First, the difference is that you have been CONCEALING THIS FOR TWO WEEKS. Let me know if my math is off there, but I think that sounds about right. Also, here are a few more reasons why you might want to say dead instead of disappeared.
One is that I fucking well staked my reputation on nothing happening to him, and I am deeply fucking uncomfortable about his death being FUCKING COVERED UP NOW. I know full well that the two of you didn't do it for me - ha ha, the thought - but I've figured it out and so now by default I am complicit in hiding information in the service of my reputation. Next, if he was killed, then SOMEONE IS OUT THERE WHO KILLS PEOPLE AND PROBABLY PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT. Oh, also, PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT HIM FUCKING HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW. Because it is the fucking truth, and you and Goodman and everyone fucking else does not have the fucking right to lie to people because you think it's for their good. Because that is the most presumptuous fucking shit I have ever heard, you both fucking playing nanny to the community at large, and fuck you so hard. It is WRONG to conceal this sort of thing. It is MORALLY WRONG.

1/2

[controlledvariable]

just over a week. we wanted to do it sooner but shit came up.

and since when did you give a shit about the people who care about jesse?

and at what point did i say it was for people's own good? it's for the investigation into the circumstances of his death. i've also said "yet" and "for now" implying, if you'd been reading instead of planning celebrations, that this isn't a permanent decision, it's just until we're a little more certain of what happened. it's not a rare occurence for police to withold details of a case DURING THE INVESTIGATION, that doesn't make it a cover up.

[controlledvariable]

[and a few seconds later, a second text comes:]

saul wants to talk in person

[legal_eagle]

[There's a pause, then:]

Is he prepared to get punched in the fucking face? If so, then fine.

[controlledvariable]

you know my answer to that

[Sonya should know the only options are "you won't ever get that chance" and "I'll break your fucking arm if you try"]

are you coming or not

[legal_eagle]

Oh, how silly of me. I forgot all about your codependency tango.

Where.

[controlledvariable]

if you think that sorta thing doesn't apply to everyone i care about, you don't know me at all

[but there's an address attached regardless.]

[legal_eagle]

When

[controlledvariable]

whenever you're ready

[legal_eagle]

What, will you both still be there two days from now?

[But she shows up within the hour. Her expression is pinched. She doesn't even bother looking friendly or happy or sweet. She doesn't even bother with any illusion of happiness. She just strides in and says, sourly - ]

Oh, where are your cookie-baking smiles? I'd expected to show up to giggling, and parties, and chocolate chips.

[5055034455]

I think Steph was pretty explicit about there not being a cookie-baking party.

[Saul's the one who greets her, except it's less of a greeting than it is a general acknowledgment. He doesn't look pissed, but he doesn't look happy, either.

Still, that doesn't mean he's going to forget his manners.]

You want anything to drink?

[legal_eagle]

I'd ask for a scotch on the rocks, but I'm sort of on the wagon right now.

[She says that sardonically, like it's a joke, with no more explanation; it's true, though, after a fashion, since a certain degree of guilt is drawing her closer to the tenets of her faith. But she doesn't think that either of them even know she's got a religion, so that's why she says it so sarcastically.

And, at once, she launches in with no more taunts, no more small talk:]

Tell me Small fucking well knows about this bullshit. And if you say no to me, then your fucking bodyguard might as well break my kneecaps right now, because otherwise I am going to launch myself over and claw your fucking eyes out.

[5055034455]

She knows.

[It took Saul a week to convince himself that it wasn't suicide, so it took him a week to get Roslyn involved, but — she knows.]

Here's my problem, Sonya. You remember what happened during the mutiny? When all those unqualified people decided to get involved by calling for punishments and executions and generally stopped thinking rationally? I've got a newsflash for you: People loved Jesse. If they hear that he's dead and that we suspect murder before anything's been determined for sure, we're gonna have one hell of a situation on our hands. Do you wanna deal with that again?