[ Frank's sigh is heavy, as if the weight of yesterday's trials still hangs in his body, still facing the repercussions, physically and mentally. With Bill's question, he turns away, a shrug on his shoulder as if he hadn't stormed out half-bleeding into the streets on his friend the night before. ]
I had to find her. [ Which is his answer to his location, because he won't say it so blatantly. ] Look, I ... it took some time, but apparently they were being questioned or some shit. Got taken in while they were trying to get away. Murdock was there, got them all cleared. She's fine. [ Which is less a reassurance for Bill, and more one for himself, still not quite in one piece after his previous panic.
Another shrug, lips pressed together as he runs a hand over his face, rubbing his eyes. ] I had to make sure she got out okay. She's β she's important, Bill.
well, that's... troubling, to say the least. frank should know not to get attached to anyone here. it's all well and good to have fun, form some alliances, maybe even some friendships, but anything more than that?
not good.
he doesn't want to have to point it out to him, but billy gets the feeling he needs to hear the words. can't say he didn't warn him, right? )
She shouldn't be. ( harsh, he knows. ) I don't know about you, Frankie, but I don't plan to make a life here. This isn't our city. This might not even be our world. If you start getting attached to the people here, you know that'll complicate things when it's time for us to leave.
( he got a reality check not too long ago. roan vanishing from duplicity without a trace. didn't think he would be bringing it up with frank, but he should at least be aware enough to factor that into his relationships here. might make him be at least more conscientious of the impermanence.
running his fingers through his hair, billy lets out a small breath as he continues: ) I had someone disappear on me recently. Just gone without a word. Not even on the network anymore. When I'd asked where he went, all I got was some bullshit about a glitch in the program. What are you gonna do if that happens to her, Frank? You gonna turn this city inside out trying to look for her? To what end?
The people here aren't our priority. Our priority is figuring out what the hell they want with us and how we can get back home.
( he looks away from the screen for a moment, trying to decide on what he should say next. he is pretty sure what's at the tip of his tongue is not something frank will want to listen to. might even close the feed on him. so, he'll just hold back for now. )
I think we should contract up, Frankie. This way, we'll be able to watch each other's backs better and we'll be able to keep one another in check.
[ Nothing he says is wrong, but it fuels an annoyance in him all the same, running a hand over his face as if that just might wake him up a little further to dive into the conversation they seem to be steering into with his friend's response. ]
It ain't like that. I ain't marrying the girl. This ain't β she's a goddamn good person who's helped me out. Who helps anybody even if they're not worth her time. Because she has that kind of heart, alright? So what, you want me to just leave her to be fed to these shitty assholes?
[ He nips hard at his lip, deep breaths that leave him facing away from the camera as she tries to steer himself within control of his frustrations. ]
Now I've lost someone already too, Bill. Someone from home, okay? She was my priority and I've spent weeks trying to track her, trying to find out more about these bastards running this goddamn game and nothing. You think I don't know how important this shit is? You think I'm sitting here playing house like I don't know what the hell is really going on here? If it were up to me, I'd kill all these bastards without a second thought, and you know it. You know it.
[ He needs to breathe, the blood boiling and prickling beneath his skin, his eyes crazed as he thinks of what he could really be doing, what he should be doing, if he had the right intel and weaponry. How he wouldn't hold anything back.
With the mention of a contract, he merely huffs a false laugh, shaking his head. ]
Ain't that just part of it, Bill? What they want us to do? Since when the hell did we ever need a contract? Jesus Christ, you're my brother. We don't need β but it's bigger than you and me, Bill. It's more than just us now.
No. No, that's not what I'm saying. ( don't go twisting up his words, frankie. don't make him out to be the bad guy here. ) Look, man, I know there are good people here. You're not the only one making connections here, but... but you need to be level-headed about this. I'm not turning a blind eye to the fucked up shit going around here. I'm not telling you to either. But as good as these people are, they can't become important. Not enough to make you pull that reckless shit you did on me last night.
( god, he needs to keep his cool here. ) I told you to wait, Frankie. I told you to wait it out and we would handle it together, but you justβ ( there is an incredulous edge to his smile as he tries to conceal his frustration. ) you just ran out on me, man. You completely flipped your shit and ran out. ( he grows silent for a moment before he continues more quietly. ) You know I'll go to hell and back for you, but I need you to be able to trust me. Not just on the battlefield, but outside of it. You don't gotta listen to me. I'm not trying to control you. I'm only saying all of this because you're my family, Frank, and I'm looking out for your best interest. I can't have you disappearing on me too.
( when it comes down to the bottom of it, billy can handle karen, roan and any number of other people he knows in this shit hole of a city disappearing, but if they get to frankβ if they get to frank, he will be the one snapping. he is already coming close to it. ) I'm... I'm not doing great, man. ( not the time, bill. breathe. )
Point is, I need to know you won't freak out on me like that again. I know you care about her. You're a good guy, Frank. Better than I'll ever be. But I'm not gonna stand by and watch you compromise your safety because you've lost control of your emotions.
( a slight grin: ) At least not without me. ( humor to ease the tension. whatever it's worth at this point. )
Wait. ( someone from home? ) Hold up. ( she? ) I didn't know you were looking for someone back home too. ( it couldn't be karen, could it? ) I got an acquaintance from New York who'd went missing a while back. Been searching for her as well. ( she's back now. obviously. ) She'd disappeared first. ( well, at least this is gonna drive his suggestion home. ) I ain't a fan of the contract either, Frankie, but I've had two people I know vanish without a trace. It's not an ideal situation, but we can use it to our advantage and keep an eye on each other at the same time. Play the system while we figure a way out of it.
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I had to find her. [ Which is his answer to his location, because he won't say it so blatantly. ] Look, I ... it took some time, but apparently they were being questioned or some shit. Got taken in while they were trying to get away. Murdock was there, got them all cleared. She's fine. [ Which is less a reassurance for Bill, and more one for himself, still not quite in one piece after his previous panic.
Another shrug, lips pressed together as he runs a hand over his face, rubbing his eyes. ] I had to make sure she got out okay. She's β she's important, Bill.
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well, that's... troubling, to say the least. frank should know not to get attached to anyone here. it's all well and good to have fun, form some alliances, maybe even some friendships, but anything more than that?
not good.
he doesn't want to have to point it out to him, but billy gets the feeling he needs to hear the words. can't say he didn't warn him, right? )
She shouldn't be. ( harsh, he knows. ) I don't know about you, Frankie, but I don't plan to make a life here. This isn't our city. This might not even be our world. If you start getting attached to the people here, you know that'll complicate things when it's time for us to leave.
( he got a reality check not too long ago. roan vanishing from duplicity without a trace. didn't think he would be bringing it up with frank, but he should at least be aware enough to factor that into his relationships here. might make him be at least more conscientious of the impermanence.
running his fingers through his hair, billy lets out a small breath as he continues: ) I had someone disappear on me recently. Just gone without a word. Not even on the network anymore. When I'd asked where he went, all I got was some bullshit about a glitch in the program. What are you gonna do if that happens to her, Frank? You gonna turn this city inside out trying to look for her? To what end?
The people here aren't our priority. Our priority is figuring out what the hell they want with us and how we can get back home.
( he looks away from the screen for a moment, trying to decide on what he should say next. he is pretty sure what's at the tip of his tongue is not something frank will want to listen to. might even close the feed on him. so, he'll just hold back for now. )
I think we should contract up, Frankie. This way, we'll be able to watch each other's backs better and we'll be able to keep one another in check.
no subject
[ Nothing he says is wrong, but it fuels an annoyance in him all the same, running a hand over his face as if that just might wake him up a little further to dive into the conversation they seem to be steering into with his friend's response. ]
It ain't like that. I ain't marrying the girl. This ain't β she's a goddamn good person who's helped me out. Who helps anybody even if they're not worth her time. Because she has that kind of heart, alright? So what, you want me to just leave her to be fed to these shitty assholes?
[ He nips hard at his lip, deep breaths that leave him facing away from the camera as she tries to steer himself within control of his frustrations. ]
Now I've lost someone already too, Bill. Someone from home, okay? She was my priority and I've spent weeks trying to track her, trying to find out more about these bastards running this goddamn game and nothing. You think I don't know how important this shit is? You think I'm sitting here playing house like I don't know what the hell is really going on here? If it were up to me, I'd kill all these bastards without a second thought, and you know it. You know it.
[ He needs to breathe, the blood boiling and prickling beneath his skin, his eyes crazed as he thinks of what he could really be doing, what he should be doing, if he had the right intel and weaponry. How he wouldn't hold anything back.
With the mention of a contract, he merely huffs a false laugh, shaking his head. ]
Ain't that just part of it, Bill? What they want us to do? Since when the hell did we ever need a contract? Jesus Christ, you're my brother. We don't need β but it's bigger than you and me, Bill. It's more than just us now.
no subject
( god, he needs to keep his cool here. ) I told you to wait, Frankie. I told you to wait it out and we would handle it together, but you justβ ( there is an incredulous edge to his smile as he tries to conceal his frustration. ) you just ran out on me, man. You completely flipped your shit and ran out. ( he grows silent for a moment before he continues more quietly. ) You know I'll go to hell and back for you, but I need you to be able to trust me. Not just on the battlefield, but outside of it. You don't gotta listen to me. I'm not trying to control you. I'm only saying all of this because you're my family, Frank, and I'm looking out for your best interest. I can't have you disappearing on me too.
( when it comes down to the bottom of it, billy can handle karen, roan and any number of other people he knows in this shit hole of a city disappearing, but if they get to frankβ if they get to frank, he will be the one snapping. he is already coming close to it. ) I'm... I'm not doing great, man. ( not the time, bill. breathe. )
Point is, I need to know you won't freak out on me like that again. I know you care about her. You're a good guy, Frank. Better than I'll ever be. But I'm not gonna stand by and watch you compromise your safety because you've lost control of your emotions.
( a slight grin: ) At least not without me. ( humor to ease the tension. whatever it's worth at this point. )
Wait. ( someone from home? ) Hold up. ( she? ) I didn't know you were looking for someone back home too. ( it couldn't be karen, could it? ) I got an acquaintance from New York who'd went missing a while back. Been searching for her as well. ( she's back now. obviously. ) She'd disappeared first. ( well, at least this is gonna drive his suggestion home. ) I ain't a fan of the contract either, Frankie, but I've had two people I know vanish without a trace. It's not an ideal situation, but we can use it to our advantage and keep an eye on each other at the same time. Play the system while we figure a way out of it.