apocalypsehowcomm | Event

Dogged

The message goes out to everyone on ADI's network. It seems to be something captured live. It's Pam Ruan, head of HR who holds a prosthetic finger up to her lips before whispering, "Everyone's pushing for transparency right now, right? Figuring out where threats are coming from and sharing. I think that should come at all levels. Let's see what Nia's talking about with Mr. Zyrian Steel, hmm?"

The camera flips around as Pam clearly creeps closer to an office door. There are muffled voices, and Pam sets the phone face up before using one hand to shove the thing under the door. The video shows a sliding picture of the office's bland ceiling for a moment before coming to a stop. The voices become much clearer.

"-down in Wolf Trap," a masculine voice is saying. Presumably, Zyrian Steel. "There's just no need for that."

"Zyrian, this ain't a negotiation." Nia Lehrer's voice is familiar to most people working at ADI at this point. They've likely heard her speak in some pre-recorded training videos at the bare minimum. Nia's tone is no nonsense and clearly on the edge of snapping in frustration. "You're not hiring us. I'm sending my people down to Wolf Trap next month. We've got evidence of those signalhead things being on the march, one down that way, your kick off for New Horizons in the park, and evidence out of there about the Lullaby Girl from some of my people."

There is silence.

"You remember her? Ava? Or Amber, it seems like. She's the one you gave us those Lucidio masks to help train our people against. Frankly, I'd be surprised if you don't remember her, Mr. S." Another drawn out pause. "You ain't been straight with me for a long time. You ain't been straight with ADI since Tawnya was Warden. You tell me you need us in Buffalo, payback for helping in Wolf Pen and Cortana and the mobile med units, and not only do half the staff come back with crab claws and whiskers, but I find out you're using us for business politics." There's venom in her tone. "Or were you just going to stay quiet about Etcher's enterprises competing with your own software companies? ADI is not your personal attack dog. You are our client. And I thought my friend. But I'm about 30 seconds away from firing you from both."

Further silence, then a heavy sigh. "And I was going to offer to send you and your staff on such a nice retreat." There's the sound of a chair being pushed back. "Warden, I think you misunderstand the nature of our relationship. You are the dogs. I am the master. I hold your leash. Or have you forgotten just how much technology I've donated to ADI over the years, how many of your systems run on things I built? We've had a mutually beneficial relationship up until now- Well… you and I have. Tawnya got to be a problem before the end, too. But I made sure that was taken care of."

"You self-aggrandizing son of a-"

"You're a much more practical woman than she ever was, even with those shiny ideals you hold so dear. You'll compromise for the greater good, to protect what's yours. Such a good Warden, looking out for her charges."

"What are you talking about? And get your hands the hell off my desk."

"Haven't you ever wondered about the title? Warden. Odd name for a leader of any organization, even one like yours. But maybe not so odd when you consider your more eldritch masters." A scoff. "The Hunt always does pick out the most oblivious avatars, doesn't it? What does a Warden do?" A beat. "She controls the monsters, Nia. Sniffs them out and contains them. And she goes after the poachers coming after her prey. Tell me, have you ever noticed how you're always picking up on threats far afield with uncanny precision. It's been getting stronger, hasn't it? Tawnya was the same way. As was her predecessor, I imagine."

"That's not- I wouldn't ever…"

"Wouldn't you, though? Every time you sent your own dogs after a threat, reveled in it, you were being such a good Warden, instilling terror in the hearts of your enemies, ADI's enemies. So many cults know who and what you are and they fear it. Fear the Warden of ADI, famed avatar of the Hunt. Even now, I know you've compromised yourself. Have you considered what that's done to you? You let that Visionary kid stay alive. I rather think that might have been the start of your slide, hmm? Making exceptions, just this once.

"Now," he continues, voice growing louder and footsteps starting toward the phone, "I realize this is a lot to take in, to think about. Why don't you do that self-reflection while I attend to other matters? You are doing good work, puppy. I need a dependable pet to take care of all those nasty pests who keep trying rituals. But no need to worry about the New Horizons launch, really. I'll just-" Zyrian pauses and everyone will have a view of a middle-aged caucasian man with dark, slightly graying hair and a beard. He's wearing khakis and a Hawaiian shirt, and he's looking down at Pam's phone.

"Well… fuck." He stomps a heeled shoe on it and the transmission ends abruptly.

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Elias nods. There's a moment before he gives Nia a smirk of a smile.

"In that case, it seems we only have one option, Warden: win."

There's some part of her that clearly wants to jump to agreement, but Nia wrestles that down. "We win by prioritizing our people and doing this as a team. That's how it's worked since this organization was founded. The sisters who brought ADI to life weren't related by blood, but they tied themselves and all the people who helped them together with a common goal: stopping the monsters that went after folk like them.

"So, no running off. No 'pursuing' anything by myself. I go with everyone or I don't go."

"Of course you're going," Elias says, like it's the most obvious thing in the world. "You're a Hunter. You're only coming into your own right now, but those aligned with the Hunt can prove to be wonderful in a fight."

And obviously, they're going to end up in a fight. These sort of things always do.

She curls her lip. "Those not aligned with it are good, too. Though, I expect you're just planning to sit back and watch?"

And Elias just gives Nia the sort of smile that gets people punched.

"That would be expected of me, wouldn't it? No, I plan on helping ADI live up to the 'disruption' portion of it's name. After all, an apocalypse started by the Vast of all powers certainly isn't up to my taste."

"No apocalypse should be up to your tastes." It's said with a hard edge. "As soon as Zyrian's taken care of and we can boot all of you back to your own worlds or at least stop you coming here, I'm ending myself, if someone else doesn't do it first. I won't let myself live like this long enough to become something that wants anything like that."

She really is new to this, isn't she. When Elias starts speaking, there's a steel tone to his voice: he means this 100%.

"Assuming that you can stop, of course. There will always be another Zyrian Steel, another apocalypse lurking in the wings, ready for someone like you to stop it. But let's assume everything goes according to your plans. Then what happens? You kill yourself, another person is promoted to Warden, the Hunt gains another Hunter, one who might not be as altruistic as you. As long as ADI exists, it will have it's Warden. The only way to end this cycle is to burn the whole system to the ground—and we both know that such desolation isn't to your taste."

Once more, Nia moves like lightning to try to pin Elias back up against the wall. Her knife comes out again, and this time, she holds it flat against his cheek, tip teasing just under his eyelid, if she can pin him. "I told you to keep your eyes to yourself. You wanna get cute? Last warning, Elias. I will take one of your eyes. I don't care how useful you think you are."

Edited 2023-05-23 03:43 (UTC)

And once more he's pressed against the wall, knife at his eye, as he gives Nia a smile reminiscent of a cat that has something in his mouth that he shouldn't: smug, preening, completely irritating.

"I've said all I want to say, Warden. Do try not to do anything foolish like kill yourself."

She sneers at him, then nicks his eyelid before letting him go. "Get out of my sight until I need you," she orders. "And don't bother anyone else trying to work here."

Elias winces a little as he feels the nick of the knife against his eyelid. But that's all that Nia gets as he takes a step away from her and that knife.

"I look forward to working with you in Wolf Trap." And with that, he turns to leave.

Event - Dogged

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cw: suicidal ideations

cw: talk of actual suicide

cw: threat of severe eye trauma

cw: talk of actual suicide again

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