video;

[whatyoumust]

[The person on the screen strikes a surprisingly mundane figure. He's in his late 30's-- or his 40's, perhaps, as the beard hides some of the wrinkles.) Dark eyes and hair, the latter of which is beginning to recede; brown skin; simple clothing; kind eyes set amongst the lines and creases of approaching middle age.

This is Alberto Reyes. He is an average Texan, an ordinary father... and he wants to get the hell home already.]

I was under the impression that we weren't using the draft anymore. I don't remember signing up to participate in any [other] wars in outer space, either. [And yet he still sounds more or less collected. 'Berto cracks a tiny, slightly exasperated, smile.]

I have a wife; children at home. I can't simply leave them like this. As much as I sympathize, I won't be fighting here, and that is that.

[He hesitates. There's not really a reason for him to have been picked up for something this odd, is there? Ex-military reputation notwithstanding, there's nothing particularly stand-out about him. At least not anything that'd warrant being taken here. Unless...]

[Alberto sets down what he was holding-- a cane-- and starts rifling through his wallet. Finally, he pulls out what looks like a recent school photo and holds it up to the camera.] On the off chance that my son is here [because what else could it have been but his superhero son] please let him know that his father is looking for him. My name is Alberto, and my son is Jaime.

[He shouldn't ask for Bianca or Milagro, should he? That's impossible. At least, he hopes it is.]

Thank you.

[Berto reaches over to cut the feed.]

Comments

video;

[hellosailor]

[Sully, matched 40's and mustached, looks pretty sympathetic on the other end of the feed. It might be slightly hard to take seriously though- he's found a suit somewhere, and while it might have been nice the tie is slightly askew and there's a smudge of lipstick on the collar.]

Hey pal, I feel you. I did my time, and sure as hell didn't sign up for any extra. Good thing is they can't really make you fight. Although it doesn't stop them from dragging you around.

[He pauses a moment, eyes darting up to follow something in the distance. He can't quite keep the grin off his face, but then he remembers what he's doing and quickly wipes it off his face.]

As for your kid, name sounds familiar, but I can't be sure. I hope I'm wrong, for both of your sake.

video;

[whatyoumust]

[Alberto is currently sitting in the lobby of the Nuclear; he's got a pretty good idea of what's going on there. He watches Sully's display without commentary.

Vegas, honestly.]

So I've essentially been kidnapped. [Wonderful. His forehead wrinkles. At least he's not being forced into battle, but... it's still not a particularly ideal situation.]

[It's a little funny, that: Jaime's probably more equipped to deal with this place than Alberto is.] I know how I raised him-- Jaime's a good boy. If he is here, he's taking care of himself, I'm sure.

[hellosailor]

That's the gist of it. They say they can't send us back, either.

[He still didn't really buy it, but what could he do about it? Anyway, this wasn't actually a bad gig. But you wouldn't catch him telling anyone else that.]

I don't doubt it. This just isn't a place I'd wish on anyone. Kind of a weird time to come in, huh?

Voice;

[changeitroundsome]

[It's the question about the son that perks Facilier's interest. A person looking for a loved one might as well have a big target marked on their weak spot, and Facilier's only too happy to take advantage of that. Not just yet, mind. Can't run headlong into these kinds of things.]

Lucky for us, they ain't gonna execute us for not playin' their little war game. Ya'll can sit back and let the folk willing to run headlong into danger do all the fighin' for us.

You got a description that goes with that boy of yours?

voice -> video;

[whatyoumust]

How dangerous has it been?

[Because as much as he'd rather not get conscripted into a battle that isn't his to fight, he wants to know what he-- and Jaime too, perhaps-- has gotten himself into.

At Facilier's question, though, he clicks the video back on again and holds Jaime's picture up to the screen.] Black hair, brown skin: we're Mexican. He's a little on the short side for a boy his age, around five foot six.

[sorry, jaime, but you ARE short.]

[changeitroundsome]

I've only been here a couple of months, but when I first arrived everyone was livin' on the moon, on account of the city bein' blown to pieces. I figure that's pretty high on the dangerous scale. 'Course, now it's a barren snowdrift with yetis and polar bears and the like stalkin' about, so it all depends on what your perspective of dangerous is.

[He makes a thoughtful noise, committing that face to memory.]

Can't say I've seen him around, but I'll keep my peepers open regardless.

[phaseshifted]

...Jaime Reyes?

[it's easy to get from the signature on the network since it wasn't encrypted-everything is expedited and filed in her head, especially when she's already been slipping into what terminals and devices she can in this world, and she scans through to see--yes she had seen what she thought she had a while back.]

I think you should ask yourself if he would like to see you before trying to go out and find him.

[whatyoumust]

[The ice tipping her words doesn't escape his notice, but at the moment, he's more preoccupied with the possibility that Jaime is actually here to comment on it.]

Yes-- that's him. [His expression quickly shifts into one of concern.] Is he here?

rapid fire thread replication

[phaseshifted]

Would he want to see you? Please be honest.

[she is quietly firm in her words--she will not give him the information unless she is convinced that Jaime would want to see him, know he was here. just in case the two of them share something.]

video

[khajidont]

[Hey, dad! It's harder to see it on the screen, but Jaime is nearly a year older from the time they've last seen each other. A year might not mean nearly as much at home, but with this kind of life? It's a visible change.

And not only because he's terrible at giving himself haircuts and gave up on that after giving himself the world's stupidest hair a few months back.

Of course, it's also harder to see the change when he's gawking at the screen the way he is.]

Dad?

[He should probably say something else, like where he is, or that he's okay, or even ask his dad where he's staying, but none of that's coming out right now.]

video

[whatyoumust]

[How Jaime's aged doesn't quite strike him, nor does it matter-- it's only been a few hours since they were last together from his perspective, after all-- the only thing he cares about is that Jaime's safe and in one piece. The relief comes quickly, and it's obvious on his face.]

Jaime! Are you okay? Where are you right now?

video

[khajidont]

Yeah.

[He's still gawking at the screen like he can't quite believe this is happening, shock overriding the surge of conflicting emotions that are sure to come later.]

Yeah, I'm fine, I'm just in one of the hotels. Where are you?

[voice]

[oldsoldiersneverdie]

Always a draft somewhere. Or somewhen.

I hope the rest of your family is safe at home, though. I see you've already found Jaime.

[voice]

[whatyoumust]

War will always be war, hm?

More like he's found me, but yes. Do you know him?

Re: [voice]

[oldsoldiersneverdie]

Yeah. But there's always hope, too.

I do - been keeping an eye on him, here. He's a good kid.

Video;

[enoughtokill]

[The first thing Christopher did was find out a way to make the network the tablet was connected to anon. So even if he's using video his location and ID is still untraceable- yes, he's that paranoid.]

Of course your family is involved in this. You attract aliens and weird stuff like you get paid for it.

video;

[whatyoumust]

Mr. Black. [He blinks, puzzled; not like this was the first place he was expecting to see a familiar face.]

It makes sense for you to be here, and for Jaime. But me? [wait--] Were you and I brought here at the same time?

video;

[getoffmyearth]

I know, drafting is such a drag, isn't it? [Nobody better comment on the irony of him saying that.</small.] You don't even get any fun involuntary signing bonuses here either. But, on the plus side, I've yet to see any hint of a court-martial if you decide you don't want to play along. Just no way back, either.

video;

[whatyoumust]

[LONG SUFFERING SIGH.]

There's always a catch, isn't there.

private; video

[controlledvariable]

[So she's already fielded Jaime's freak out about his family being here, which means by the time she looks over the network, she's not surprised to see a post from his dad.

Still, she'll reply, giving a little wave when the feed comes on.]

Hi, Mr. Reyes, I'm Stephanie, I'm a friend of Jaime's. And I'm from your world. [Barring very similar alternate universes, but she's just going to assume it's the same world.] Did you and Jaime find each other okay?

private; video

[whatyoumust]

[first traci, and now this? when did jaime meet all these cute girls

He waves back in polite, smiling acknowledgement. Maybe the superhero world is just this weird-- he's going to start rolling with it all a little more.]

It's nice to meet you, Stephanie. Are you one of his friends from California? [Hint, hint. There's only one reason that Jaime ever goes over there, and it's a big, T-shaped, located-in-the-San-Francisco-Bay reason.] And yes, he's with me right now. We're fine.

video;

[aceordisgraced]

... Aah, you're Jaime's Mr. Papa, then?

video;

[whatyoumust]

[Mr. Papa...?]

That would be me. And you are?

I somehow never noticed this why

[urbanmagic]

[Stop the press. Stop the press!!]

Whoa, Mr. Reyes? You're here too?

i was v sneakylike

[whatyoumust]

[Ahhhh it's the nice girlfriend!]

I guess I am. Are you all right, Traci? [he's positive she is, but doesn't hurt to ask.] And... you haven't seen him around?