video; @spot

[aeterminus]

[The video crackles on and there's a somewhat familiar face that appears, though it appears somewhat bored. The username suggests that this is not Jacob Kane and instead someone that looks identical to him. Well, if he stopped attempting to look like a lazy college student, that is. When he speaks, it with a flat monotone that's devoid of any emotion.]

If there is anyone here who knows of the man named Jacob Kane, I would like to know his whereabouts as I've found something of his that I would like to return.

[He looks down briefly and something starts making almost angry hissing sounds, but it's muffled by something.]

Stop that. I know you can behave better than this. [He looks back up at the camera.] Dear brother, if you're receiving this, I found your shadow.

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[aeterminus]

[Abel holsters his gun and starts his wait for Cain to bring himself back to life. It's almost funny, really, at how bored and normal Abel looks in such a situation where most people would be anything but.

He flips open his phone and starts going back to dealing with other people until Cain decides to grace him with his presence once more.]

[aeturnus]

[ It takes a couple of minutes for the healing to kick in, and several more for it to really finish. Usually Cain can wake up once his body is functional again even if there are lingering injuries, but this one is all or nothing.

He takes his first breath calmly, like he's waking, before the next comes in quicker and he sits up with a look up to Abel. Not really unexpected of him, all told. ]

Still angry, huh?

[aeterminus]

[Abel looks away from his phone when Cain sits up and stares at him like he's an idiot, flipping his phone shut once more and pocketing it.]

You would have to be an idiot to think otherwise. Come here and let me check your clock, brother.

[aeturnus]

[ Cain doesn't argue the point, just levers himself to his feet and comes closer once again. His neck tips back and he regards his brother while Abel does his thing. ]

Can't blame a guy for hoping.

[aeterminus]

[He doesn't respond to that, instead focusing on reading the golden numbers wrapped around his brother's neck. Abel knows the number by heart, knows what it should be and when it isn't the number he was expecting (too much time compared to what he had seen last), he pauses and looks at Cain's face.]

Your clock is off. If it is correct, then we would come from different points in time.

[aeturnus]

[ Cain experiences just a brief moment of apprehension at your clock is off. When Abel continues before he can think it through, he calms. Right. Okay. That... happens around here, he's pretty sure, so thankfully it isn't too far-fetched. Just strange.

He tilts his head back down when Abel is finished, frowning. ] How much is it off? How much are... we off?

[aeterminus]

[Abel opens his mouth to recite a specific number, but he knows that it might not be the best idea to give him a specific timeframe of when he runs off and blows himself up in a stupid stunt, so he'll generalize it for him.]

Around four months. It is April for me, brother.

[And he would reverse the time in his head to the closest point of that number.]

You are just recently returned from our excursion to Texas, yes?

[aeturnus]

[ It doesn't surprise him that Abel is capable of figuring it out so precisely. His estimation is correct so it settles him on the fact that their own times are disparate... at least it's consistently so. ]

Yeah, that's right. It'd only been a few weeks. So you're ahead of me by a bit.

[aeterminus]

And I killed you for something you're not aware of yet.

[Is that...something close to disappointment? Nah, it can't be.]

Quite a few things have occurred in the time between us. The Clockless are gone.

[aeturnus]

[ That gets him looking confused and fairly worried. He can tell there's something near to Abel's attempt at regret there (or attempt to ignore it, really) what else could have angered him like that. ]

Wait... So that wasn't about our fight, and—they're totally off the grid? We lost them?

[aeterminus]

[There are a lot of things that could anger Abel so, but not many that involve being shot. The guns only come out for the big things like surprise twin and oh, I don't know, blowing himself up.]

It was not about our fight. I would have stabbed you instead of shot you. [Note: Abel always has a gun and knife on hand in case of being angry at his brother. Or needing to murder something.] No, they're all dead, except for the doctor. He is currently in Enforcer custody.

[Wait until Cain sees what Abel has planned for the good doctor.]

[aeturnus]

[ Thus why he's confused. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but he'll allow it for now since there's clearly a much bigger thing to focus on. His brows furrow and he stands a little more defensively. ]

That doctor is still alive?

[ They went after everyone else, but left the biggest asshole to be jailed instead? It's a kneejerk reaction and he should know better, but also that dick did a lot of brutal things in a very recent time frame. It's raw. ]

[aeterminus]

He escaped what killed the others and we found him. Death is too much of a mercy for him, so I have started something to ensure that he will pay for his crimes in a suitable manner.

[He is not going to explain what exactly he did because he'd rather he found out for himself.]

[aeturnus]

[ Cain loses some of his tension at that, takes a breath, and finally nods. ]

Okay. So it's a live-with-your-crimes sort of thing. [ He can appreciate that, considering his own self-inflicted version. ] It probably makes more sense in context, huh?

[aeterminus]

[If only Cain knew how on the nose he was about this. Thankfully, Abel is usually like a steel trap, so he gives nothing away.]

It will make sense to you in time, yes.

[aeturnus]

[ Yeah, if Cain knew how extreme it really was, he'd be more upset about this. Whatever, he trusts Abel enough to be dealing with it, at least. ]

Then I guess I can wait to figure it out. We've got more to deal with now, anyway. Did they give you a place to stay? [ He pauses. ] Did you even get the orientation?

[aeterminus]

I was given living assignments and the orientation.

[As he says that, he pulls out a thin metallic collar-like item briefly before putting it away.]

When I arrived, I was wearing this device, so it was if I was a living person, brother.

[aeturnus]

[ Cain's about to make some sort of quip related to living assignments but then the collar comes out and his expression twists. ]

Abel, that's—that isn't even the same one. What happened?