http://arc-wrench.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] arc-wrench.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] damned_institute2009-08-13 10:50 am

Day 43: Sun Room, Second Shift

When the shift changed, HK stayed put. Even after a long night of zombie killing, he had no interest in meatbag fuel, especially after all the discussion of chocolate with that rather strange meatbag. It was just making him crave the stuff even more than he had previously, if that was possible.

Oh, right. He was supposed to be looking for someone who was "VERY LARGE, WITH DARK HAIR." And also seemed to not know what lower-case letters were on the bulletin. As if that would help. He'd seen a likely candidate last shift, but talk of chocolate had distracted him.

[identity profile] themotherreborn.livejournal.com 2009-08-14 07:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Good. Eileen breathed a sigh of relief and sat down, tucking her legs up under her. She knew that maybe the other person on the board had been right, that she couldn't trust people here, but....

What choice did she have?

"Thank you for meeting with me," she began. "My name is Eileen Galvin. And...I have a little bit of a problem."

That was the understatement of the year! But she wasn't good at talking about Walter and the Nightmare, and what it was that Walter wanted to do to her.

[identity profile] ruthless-hunter.livejournal.com 2009-08-14 07:57 pm (UTC)(link)
"Name's Lockdown," The bounty hunter replied.

He noticed that she seemed to be excessively nervous. However, he had a feeling that he wasn't really the source of her nervousness. Perhaps she'd gotten a few threats or something.

"Alright, what's you're problem?"

[identity profile] themotherreborn.livejournal.com 2009-08-14 08:05 pm (UTC)(link)
She took a deep breath. She knew that she had to explain, but the worlds were hard to find.

"Before I came here," she said, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt, "I was in an awful place. Because this man...I mean, he's mostly a man... I don't know. He has powers. He created this world himself, and I was dragged into it. He tried to kill me. It's some sort of sacrifice ritual. Only he wasn't able to, and I thought he was dead and gone but yesterday when I got on the bus to go into town..."

She was shaking, just remembering. The way he'd trapped her against the side of the bus, the way he'd reached for her. How he'd talked to her so softly, so intimately.

"He's here. And he's going to try and finish what he started and I can't protect myself against him. I tried and he..." Her hand went to her back, where she could feel the raised ridges of the numbers he'd carved into her under the fabric of her shirt.

[identity profile] ruthless-hunter.livejournal.com 2009-08-14 08:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, so he was right. "I see. So, you want me to make sure this guy keeps his hands of you?" Lockdown didn't really like 'escort work'. He'd done it a few times, when he'd been strapped for credits, and usually such jobs were more trouble than they were worth. On the other hand...

Lockdown put on his best smile, "You know, I could make sure that he leaves you alone... permanently. Just give me a name and I'll make him dissapear."

[identity profile] themotherreborn.livejournal.com 2009-08-14 08:16 pm (UTC)(link)
The idea appealed to Eileen. She couldn't help it. Yes, there was a part of her that felt badly for Walter. For the child, at least. The little boy who had saved her life and seemed so full of pain. And she knew that killing Walter would kill the little boy too, but....

Henry was going to do it. And had she protested? No, because if it came down to her own life and Henry's against that of a little boy who might not even exist....

"I can't...I can't just have someone...killed like that," she finally said. As frightened as she was, that seemed wrong. But could Lockdown be intimidating enough to scare Walter off? Eileen didn't think so, but she knew there were people here more dangerous and more powerful than Walter. Maybe she'd found one.

"His name is Walter Sullivan. He's a serial killer." She wasn't actually asking anything, just...giving this nice man some more information. That was all. "He's...tall, with sort of long scraggly blond hair. And a very tired face."

[identity profile] ruthless-hunter.livejournal.com 2009-08-14 08:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, so much for that proposition. Lockdown was a bit dissapointed that she refused to let him kill the one threatening her, but maybe she'd come around. Or he'd just have to wait until someone else payed him to kill someone. "Well, let me know if you change your mind."

The bounty hunter took out his notebook and wrote down the name and vague description. 'Walter Sullivan'. Didn't sound familiar, but he could always ask Bob to point him out.

Closing up his notebook, Lockdown looked back at Eileen and asked, "When exactly are you gonna need me? Because my roommate and I have plans which might last an hour or two, all things depending."

[identity profile] themotherreborn.livejournal.com 2009-08-14 08:33 pm (UTC)(link)
"That's fine." Eileen shook her head. "I...well, I don't go out alone anyway. I can handle myself against the monsters, but..." She shrugged. Not alone, and there was nothing worse than being alone in the dark.

"You really don't have to do this, if you have other commitments," she went on, wanting to stress that. She didn't want anyone having to change around their own priorities just for her. "I know everybody's trying to find a way out of here, and running around making sure some dumb girl doesn't get herself killed isn't exactly helpful to that."

[identity profile] ruthless-hunter.livejournal.com 2009-08-14 08:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Lockdown put a hand to his tattooed chin, thinking it over. In the end, his current plans won out. "Well, since I already have plans for tonight, I think I'm gonna go ahead and get those out of the way. However, don't hesitate to give me a shout out if you need me. While you're at it, tell your friends about me." As long as she and any others had the goods. He didn't word for free after all.

"Tell you what, if I see this Walter guy, you want me to threaten him a little. I won't charge anything for it," Scaring people was its own reward.

[identity profile] themotherreborn.livejournal.com 2009-08-14 08:59 pm (UTC)(link)
"Please." The word was out before Eileen realized she was speaking. "I don't know what good it would do, but..." She looked down at her hands.

"I'm terrified. Even during the day I can't calm down, I can't sit still. I don't trust that he wouldn't just try and rip my neck out with his bare hands in front of a dozen nurses. And if he caught me at night..."

And if her curse was stirring, would he have power over her again? Well, hopefully the nice inspector would be willing to go with her tonight. And maybe if she could find Yohji...she didn't want to bother him but he'd always been so nice to her. And he had protected her.

[identity profile] ruthless-hunter.livejournal.com 2009-08-14 09:10 pm (UTC)(link)
"Alright, just relax. I'll take care of 'im if I ever run into him," Lockdown said. "I've dealth with crazies like him before, and if nothing else, I have a friend who's an assassin. I'm sure he'd love to help me rough someone up." He then snickered, "After all, he did this to some zombies last night," As he spoke, he opened his notebook and displayed HK's drawing (http://community.livejournal.com/damned_bulletin/504259.html?thread=14582467#t14582467), which included the bonus drawing of himself tearing off a zombie's head.

"Well then, is that all you wanted to discuss with me?"

[identity profile] themotherreborn.livejournal.com 2009-08-15 06:35 pm (UTC)(link)
"I'm sorry." Eileen couldn't relax, even knowing at least someone was looking out for her. She looked at the drawing and shuddered, averting her eyes from the rather gory sight. She'd seen enough pictures like that in the Nightmare.

But at least it didn't have the same feel to it. And the idea of someone who would do and draw that on Walter's heels was a pleasant one.

"Um. That's...very impressive," she managed. "And that's all. Thank you again. And...I will repay you." It was only fair.

[identity profile] ruthless-hunter.livejournal.com 2009-08-15 06:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Lockdown couldn't help but grin slightly at her reaction to the drawing before closing the notebook up again once more. If nothing else, now she knew what he, and HK, were capable of, and perhaps if she changed her mind about having Walter killed, that would convince her that the bounty hunter was fit for the job.

"Well, we both enjoy what we do very much," Lockdown replied casually. "Alright then." Well, at least he was getting a knife out of this whole deal. Speaking of knives, hopefully Blitzwing would reappear and give Lockdown his payment soon.