Tuesday, September 23, 2008
There were a few things that frightened Masonry to no end, that would bring him on the edge of panic. Most of them had to do with his lover, but only one had to do with a place he had been.

The Zig.

Or, by extension, any jail. Like the one he was in right now.

After they put the handcuffs on him at Independence Port, they brought him to Talos Island to be secured in the jail there. He rode quietly in the police car, believing that if he had to, he could break the handcuffs (not knowing they were made of titanium). He rode quietly on the special train that also carried the Red Maiden and some of her Council cohorts. He was quiet as they brought him into the police station.

There began his panic. They fingerprinted him, but he kept looking at the door. He got his phone call and called Frost, leaving a message on his cellphone’s voice mail. Still, he watched the door, and kept his eye on it even as they brought him downstairs to the cells.

He almost lost it as they locked the door behind him, a solid steel door facing him. He stared at that door, believing, again, he could break through it if he had to (not knowing that it, too, was made of Rikti metal specially made against villains such as Red Maiden). He sat, staring at the door, willing Frost to come and get him.

But another man came instead. “Who’s there?” Masonry asked, his voice on the edge of panic, as he heard the locks being turned. The door opened, and in stepped Hisagi, sealing the door behind him. The two men stared at each other for half a minute before Masonry said, “C’mon man, get me out of here.”

Hisagi stated coldly, “You are alone in here. No reason to complain.”

“I'm in JAIL. There's plenty of reason to complain. What’m I in jail for? I was only trying to help.”

“You could have put people in danger.” He stood with his hands behind his back, as if about to give a lecture. “There's only much I can do to keep a villain at bay by knocking them back. I'd have a hard time once they decide to run other than in my own direction.”

“You kept frustrating her, and she probably would have taken off if she wasn't so determined to kick your ass.” Masonry looked around the cell, his panic starting to grow slightly, but he damped it down hard. “Has Frost come yet?”

“I don't know.”

“You wouldn't not let him bail me out, would you?”

Keen Stronghold made no reply. The panic reared its head for half a second as Masonry pleaded, “C'mon, man...”

Stronghold turned at Masonry’s tone, and he grew even colder as he stated, “I'll just ask you once... don't get in the way. It's not your place to discuss tactics. If you want to do so, join the Police.”

“I wasn't 'in the way' - I was trying to help.” He traced one of the stones on the floor with his foot. “And they probably won't take a convicted felon.”

“Probably not.”

“You pounded her in the last minute - why couldn't you do that before?”

“Certain actions need to be saved for the most appropriate moment. But you wouldn't understand that.”

Masonry rolled his eyes and said, “You're supposed to take them down as soon as you can. Not keep playing with them like you're a cat and they're a mouse.”

“Whatever. I'm not going into it. It's useless.”

“I bet you're sore that you couldn't get her down right off the bat.”

“Excuse me, but I don't follow you.” Stronhold almost growled, “You don't know how my equipment works. How I work with them. Your view of tactics is clearly a totally different thing. We both can tell, right?”

“So they give you stuff to subdue but not to really take them down?”

“It works. That's what matters.”

“I was trying to end the fight, not keep the villain engaged. And I'll get in the way if it's necessary. I was trying to help someone who I thought needed it. You're telling me you had everything under control?”

“Yes, I had. And if you do it again, I'll arrest you again.”

“Well, I'll make a point next time to be sure it won't be you...”

“Besides, of all people... I don't need *your* help.”

“You don't *want* my help. Call a spade a spade, Hisagi.”

“Whatever, Mason. It was unnecessary.”

“Okay, okay. Now will you get me out of here?”

“In proper time. I can't keep you here for long. I just wanted to ask you something. You probably... have an idea already.”

“…no idea.” But then it hit him, just as he muttered the words, what Hisagi probably wanted out of him.

Hisagi was at the door. He snapped, “Fine, then. If you don't know what it is, chances are that I'm not supposed to ask.”

“Your brother's doing fine.”

Hisagi stopped himself at the doorway, his back to Masonry.

“He misses you all, since he won't talk about you. And you're both so stubborn...”

“Really.” Masonry thought he could detect a smirk on the man’s face.

Hisagi pressed a button and the door slid open. “Go. You’re free.”

Masonry resisted the urge to bolt. “I am?”

“It was a small incident. No reason to keep you here. Just... don't do it again.”

“I won't do it...with you around.”

“Who's the stubborn one now.”

Masonry gave him a small smile, but knew better than to offer his hand. “Take care, Hisagi. I'll tell Frost you said hi - or at least I saw you.” Hisagi looked him in the eye, but his face was devoid of emotion, which disturbed Masonry more than being in jail did.

As Masonry almost ran to the elevator, passing the two PPD who stood guard at it, he heard Hisagi mutter, “...right.”

1 comments:

JD said...

A nice feel to the story and the dialog, I enjoyed reading it.