IC contact

[boughtabookstore]

 You've reached Chief Inspector Roslyn Small at [number here]. Leave your name, contact details, and intent. I will return your message soon.

Comments

[totallytrustworthy]

[It takes less coaxing that Chloe initially expected, not that she's about to complain: truth be told Chloe isn't in this to hurt Roslyn, Christ if it was possible the pair of them would see eye to eye on this. And they don't, of course, but it doesn't stop her from trying as she moves in to gauge Roslyn's distance from the doorway itself. ]

Are you still coddling him.

[boughtabookstore]

[ She blinks, surprised and confused because that question doesn't make almost any sense. She's not coddling anyone. ]

Who have I been coddling? Do you have anything actual to say?

[totallytrustworthy]

Jesse. [There's nothing pleasant about the way she says his name, or how she repeats her question:] Are you still coddling that self-righteous son of a bitch.

[boughtabookstore]

[ Of course that's what this is about. Because Jesse Pinkman hasn't made things bad enough for her yet, hasn't left enough of a bitter taste in her mouth around his name. ]

He is being treated exactly the same as any mutineer, Chloe, we will find a way to get him to give Tempest's powers back.

[totallytrustworthy]

[And that's it-- that's what Chloe fixates on in conversation the way she's been fixed on this plan for days-- jabbing an accusatory finger Ros's way.]

He doesn't deserve it! Or do you think we earned ourselves the same punishment that you're oh so happy to hand out for him? No, wait, sorry: we've earned worse haven't we, considering he's shacked up in the honeymoon suite!

[boughtabookstore]

Every prisoner is treated the same!

[ She takes that step forwards towards Chloe's finger, spreading her hands a little in frustration. ]

Nobody gets special treatment, he is in solitary because all of you pose a danger to him and he poses a danger to you, and I won't risk that.

[totallytrustworthy]

Incredible how easily that could be remedied if you'd stop playing nice with a madman. [Chloe's stalling: the hard edge in her voice stays when Roslyn closes in, but there is-- beneath everything else-- some small, still beating part of her that wants her former friend to just give in and realize which allegiance ought to matter more.]

[boughtabookstore]

My job is to treat everyone the same. I can't force march justice because I find something morally reprehensible, that is the path that leads to torture and abuse.

[ Oh, Chloe. Roslyn's first allegiance is always to the law. There will never be any question about that. Duty and the law. ]

[totallytrustworthy]

[That's the rub isn't it.]

Your job is to protect innocent lives and last I checked you didn't really pull that one off now, did you?

[boughtabookstore]

Yeah, I failed!

[ She failed, and it stings, and that shows for a moment for the first time because she's pulled to the bone already, her stone wall is not going well. ]

And I will not fail again.

[totallytrustworthy]

No, you won't. [Divided as her attention is, she nearly misses the flicker of genuine emotion on Roslyn's face-- nearly discards it completely with mental calculations and the near impossible decision of just how far she's willing to go to pursue this. Five seconds tops to get through and lock the door. Five seconds where Roslyn could easily mangle that plan entirely.

Silver eyes darting towards the door and back, it's suddenly-- briefly-- glaringly obvious what Chloe means to do just before she moves to grab Roslyn firmly round the wrists aiming to slam her back into the wall no more than a foot off.]

[boughtabookstore]

[ She's exhausted, hasn't slept enough in almost two weeks now, and later she'll be furious with herself for this, that she didn't impose the same strictness on herself that she had on her staff, hadn't made herself rest.

But later won't change now, and the fact that she doesn't see it coming (was warned and still didn't see it coming), just stumbles backwards, one leg lashing out at Chloe as she struggles to get her hands free again. ]

Christ, Chloe, no--

[totallytrustworthy]

[Shit-- that quick sweep connects, forcing Chloe to either stay latched on and risk toppling them both or abandon the hold she has for the sake of keeping herself upright. She goes with the latter, using the momentum of Roslyn's kick to spin around on her still-grounded heel, the elbow of her opposite arm coming back with it towards the dead center of Roslyn's rib cage.] Sorry, darling.

[boughtabookstore]

[ She can't stop it, doubles over as much as she can, gasping for air. It's the only reason she's not screaming at Chloe, the fact that breathing is too difficult to warrant wasting any air at all, that her entire world has narrowed to blurry vision as she tries to make her diaphragm work again.

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. That's approximately her entire train of thought at the moment, and a little of it might be visible in her eyes and face. ]

[totallytrustworthy]

[It is, and it isn't without effect as Chloe briefly pauses once her scramble for the door leaves her with her hands set firmly at its edge. The hit was a solid one, she'd stuck her weight behind it, after all; Roslyn's chest won't likely stop aching for quite some time. Which means those few seconds spent staring back over her shoulder can be spared without any significant risk.]

No hard feelings, yeah? [And then it's shut-- automatic lock snapping into place to leave her trapped as Chloe darts off down the corridor.]

[boughtabookstore]

[ She's still staggering moments later, tugging her tablet free even as she clutches her other hand over her throat, gets the AI's attention and her passcodes to the door. It takes her time, precious minutes until she can get out of the cell and the door closed behind her again, looking for Chloe. She can guess where she's gone - the question becomes can she stop her without getting in another guard. Without news of this spreading any further and inciting flames. ]

[totallytrustworthy]

[In theory it was perfect. In theory it ought to have worked. Instead, Chloe spends the better part of five minutes attempting to claw, pick and (using that knife of hers for leverage) pry her way in past the tightly sealed, user-sensitive lock. The longer time runs on, the more frantic her efforts get become until she's spitting out a litany of growling curses, interrupted only by the sound of approaching footsteps.

Fuck.

Fuck, it wasn't supposed to turn out like this.]

Stay back! [Clearly aware of Roslyn's approah, Chloe doesn't bother abandoning her efforts on the off chance she might still succeed.]

[boughtabookstore]

[ In theory. Roslyn has never been more thankful for the instincts that made her go to AI and ensure that only certain people were able to go in and out of the cells. She's moving stiffly still, mobility limited as she holds up her tablet. ]

You can't get in. I'm not going to tell you the code, and if you make a single move towards me again I'm hitting this button and all of my guards will be alerted and this becomes so much more ugly than it has to be. [ That was about all the air she had, and she subsides, breathes in deeply a few times. ]

[totallytrustworthy]

[There's a significant pause that follows (evidence of the internal debate Chloe's currently wrestling with) before she relaxes her hold on the knife-- and the door itself. Before she's still and quiet, staring right at Roslyn, expression nothing short of unreadable.]

[boughtabookstore]

[ Roslyn watches her for a long moment, and then she gestures down the hall towards the next empty cell. ]

Put the knife down on the floor and step inside that room, please.

[totallytrustworthy]

[Chloe doesn't budge, but her voice shifts-- goes sharp at the edges as it shifts to something more like pleading. A touch more desperate. ]

I'll take the fall, Roslyn - just let me do what you can't.

[boughtabookstore]

You know I can't do that.

[ her tone is as neutral as she can make it. ]

I've taken too many oaths.

[totallytrustworthy]

Right. [The knife is dropped, she lifts her fingers, expression-- and voice-- dull. Disappointed.] To causes instead of friends.

[boughtabookstore]

Don't even start. [ her voice sharp now, because that's frustrating as shit. ] My friends don't threaten to torture people.

[totallytrustworthy]

They certainly don't threaten. [It's punctuated with a quick flick of her eyes from Roslyn to Jesse's cell and back again. At least before Chloe starts to back away towards the designated open room; calling it a reluctant pace would be putting it lightly.]