video | un: detdecker

[couldkillthedevil]

Besides all this mumbo-jumbo about portals and the fact I've obviously lost my mind and am lying strapped to a hospital bed somewhere, I've got a few things I'd like to clear up—

[The blonde woman frowns deeply at the screen, brows drawn tightly together in displeasure.]

—namely, it's been told to me that we can't leave this place until they've scrounged up enough 'resources' to send us back, which seems oddly convenient. Does anyone know if there's been success with that yet? Has anyone been sent back home, or is that some nebulous 'someday' thing they're telling us? Second of all...

[Her hand comes up to gently cup a small gold locket hanging around her neck; a gift from the city to her, it seemed. Her mouth works for a moment, trying to find the words.]

Trixie, baby, if you can hear me, mommy's here and going to find you. I promise. Just sit tight, monkey.

Comments

[followhim]

Yeah. She hadn't actually been here that long when it happened, either ... a couple weeks, maybe.

[couldkillthedevil]

And you're absolutely sure she got sent home? Did you go to the cops?

[followhim]

Why would it be in the records if she didn't? And no, I didn't, since it resolved itself that way pretty quickly.

[her harping about it makes him feel suspicious again ... the solution seemed simple at the time. he believed it because he wanted to believe that rey was safe. (maybe, considering what she'd be going back to.) but could someone have tampered with the records? oh no ... ]

[couldkillthedevil]

I'm not very familiar with their records, so I don't know how those are handled. It just seems a little odd that she'd suddenly leave when you'd agreed to stick together without any notice. I'm new here, though, so my understanding of things and how they work could be skewed.

[She's certainly not trying to upset him, but she can't help but be skeptical about the whole thing. She's a cop; it's her job and in her nature to look for information and things that don't line up.]

[followhim]

I'm not sure, either. Part of me wonders if — if we go back to the exact moment when we were pulled out of our worlds, and I was about to die in mine, maybe I can't go back?

[couldkillthedevil]

That's a possibility, I suppose.

[A beat, before she continues quietly:]

Kind of sounds like you getting sent here was a stroke of luck, when you put it that way.

[followhim]

[it feels like a lot to drop on a stranger, but the conversation veered naturally towards it, so ... might as well keep going.]

I think so, too. I just can't think too much about what it might mean if I can't go back. Try to make the best of it here, I guess? That's what I've been doing.

[couldkillthedevil]

Sounds like you're already doing everything you can. I am sorry to hear about your friend, though. Leaving so suddenly, that is. Did anyone else come here with you?

[followhim]

That's ... complicated. [when one of the other people from your world is an enemy who definitely wants you dead but they haven't made a move yet so ??????? he'll just ... not talk about him.] There's someone else, but he's from thirty years in the past. I didn't even realize the portal could work that way until now.

[couldkillthedevil]

Thirty years from the past... [She grows quiet for a moment, mulling over the implications of that.]

I wonder if there is a specific way or rule to how it works. If someone from the past could show up, even if they're gone in someone else's future— uh, timeline.

[followhim]

The other person, he's sort of a war hero, so I know that he died. But he's here. And I thought I was going to die, and I ended up here. If the portal can pull people from right before they die, then ... maybe someone from your past who's gone could end up here. If that's what you're asking.

[couldkillthedevil]

[What would she do if her father showed up all of a sudden, she wondered? Probably be torn between crying tears of joy and trying not to get her hopes up that he'd be able to stay.]

Maybe. Something like that— it's kind of a lot to process. That something like that would even be possible. Even now, I'm still not sure entirely sure I'm convinced this isn't a dream.

[followhim]

If that's what this is, it's one heck of a dream. [he half-chuckles.] Anyway, I'm Poe Dameron. If you need help with anything, just let me know, okay? I'm pretty new, too, so I might not have the answers. But we can figure it out together.

[couldkillthedevil]

If for no other reason than we kind of have to, huh? It's good to meet you, Poe. I'm Chloe. Chloe Decker. Any tips or good things to know about this place for the uninitiated, besides the obvious? I already saw the little festival they've been holding, with all the gift-giving. That typical here?

[followhim]

Not really sure ... they had a festival when I first showed up last month, too, but it was different. A week for mourning lost loved ones. It was somber ... but kind of nice, too.

[couldkillthedevil]

Mm, I'd imagine. Sounds like the people here enjoy paying tribute, whether it's a loss or celebrating a friendship. Kind of weird with the whole fountain thing, though.

[followhim]

There was not a fountain thing last month, I'll tell you that. How did the boxes know to only open for one person? That's what I wanna know.

[couldkillthedevil]

Not only open. How did they know what kind of gift to put inside? What they gave me— it was too personal to be a lucky guess.

[followhim]

Me too. It was just a small thing, for me, but still ... not anything I've seen around here so far. Something from home. It makes you wonder how much they really know about us. Do they get the information from the portal? Were they watching us before?

[couldkillthedevil]

All questions I intend to find out, one way or another. Besides the public record offices, do you know of anyone else we can speak to? A representative, perhaps?

[followhim]

About the portal? Not anyone I know personally. I could try asking around the Perimeter Guard. Most of the locals seems pretty friendly, at least. Not liable to withhold information.

[couldkillthedevil]

I'll have to do some more asking around, then. If you do happen to find anything else out, though, I'd appreciate the info.

[followhim]

I'll be sure to let you know.