day seven - liz

[heroizes]

[ Jack is working away diligently in the tech lab on day seven, since it's more or less where he's taken up residence. He's busily working during the non-trial days, and at this point, he's got something almost finished. When Elizabeth stops by, she'll see a mostly completed and surprisingly sophisticated pipe pistol, because of course that's what Jack's been working on. Whether she's just stopping by or actually looking for Jack, he'll look up from his work and give her a friendly wave. ]

Oh, hey, Liz. What up.

[ He twirls the pistol in his hand idly, since he's rather pleased with himself, but then sets it down as he stands. ]

Hope you don't mind but this became my, uh, priority a little bit over what I promised you. But! Today? Totally getting started. You got any requests I should start on first?

Comments

[tearable]

That's a mighty fine skill to have. Especially when self defense is crucial. Don't have to use your teeth like Bigby. Think you can fashion one for me too or am I just hogging your attention at this point?

[ There's almost a wickedness in how she says that, teasing the thought in a more perverse or crude way. She'd clank her teeth with a fake bite, but he does have a gun. She doesn't want to threaten him.

Elizabeth will definitely one up him as he leans on the desk. She, herself, scoots so her legs dangle off the edge and she sits with her legs slowly crossing. Not breaking eye contact. ]

The thing is... it doesn't matter if we get to the skylight, you know? If she's an AI, she will be integrated into the system - the building itself. I would surmise everything here is connected onto a network - one big nerve ending connected to the biggest bitch here. Much more than Franziska.

[ She tugs down at the end of her skirt, noting it hikes past her cut knees - gotta keep the illusion. ]

If we find our way out, she'll stop us, I think. Lock doors, poison the water, cut off food supplies - escape is ideal but.

[ She whispers, making him hang on her word: ]

What if you do me a favor? See if we can hack into Judy. She should be connected to the terminal, right? If not, I can reach out to Rhys. Offer him something nice to help me.

[ Someone's name sounds a bit more bitterly on her tongue. ]

[heroizes]

[ Jack is completely and utterly entranced by how Elizabeth moves and speaks to him, because he really is just weak to this kind of thing. Her attention is intense, and for someone who craves and loves to be lavished in attention, hers is intoxicating. He really does hang off every word, and it's clear with the smile on his face that he's loving this and certainly not questioning where it's coming from.

At least, up to a point.

It's actually when Elizabeth starts speaking of a way out that the spell is broken, and gradually, that dopey infatuation fades. By the time she whispers, his expression makes it clear that he's not quite as hypnotized, but when she gets to her point, Jack actually ducks his head with a laugh. ]

You— Man, Liz, you don't have to lay it on so thick, y'know?

[ He calls her out casually, but when he looks to her, it's with a smile that's a different kind of confidence. There's a hint here of what Rhys foretold for the future, because this smile is edged in a way that's just a little dangerous, though that's not Jack's intention. It's natural, because this was easy for him to deal with. This was the kind of (proverbial) dicksucking that you got used to seeing at Hyperion. Jack's not feeling openly wary just yet, but he's definitely more direct. ]

So, what's up? You want me to try and get into Judy's shit, which I'm not saying I'm opposed to here. But cut the crap and tell me what you really want and why you apparently want it so bad.

[tearable]

[ Here is the real kicker: she overestimates Rhys and underestimates Jack. She flinches a bit when he calls her out. In Rapture, men lived in a culture where a woman can haves hand anywhere as long as the other was on their cock. It was a sad fact that Elizabeth was immediately relying on that due to culture but hey - it worked.

She thinks she messed up, maybe showed a hand far too quickly. But she pushes her fear aside. ]

I want you to be the hero.

[ oh.... uh... :) Elizabeth says with a bit of hesitance, chewing on her bottom lip. ]

Time is ticking and we need to make a play. Something that's going to turn the tides and bring this in our favor. We lack knowledge, they lack numbers. I've truly been thinking about Judy and how she helped Luke - following a command like a puppy. But -

[ Elizabeth narrows her eyes. ]

I want you to choose what team you're on. I play very nicely, Jack - so tell me how to scratch your back... so you can scratch mine.

[heroizes]

[ It's clear now that he's watching her and taking her much more seriously, but that may or may not be a good thing. He's amiable in a way where it's far from the first time someone has underestimated him, and as such, he has a fair guess that's what's happening here. Now he can tell that her words are meant to bait him, and normally, it'd work like a charm. Getting his dreams inflated by a beautiful woman was a dream in itself, but it's his impression that she doesn't actually believe in the sentiment. It wasn't anything in particular or even personal. No one ever believed that Jack would be a hero, because his aspiration sounds so boyish and unattainable.

Jack stands from the work table, though the gun is still in hand. He tucks it into the back of his pants for now (he'll have to make a holster later, he thinks), but sitting makes him anxious. There's energy starting to thrum through him, so standing and pacing helps him work it out. ]

Yeah, we do. Because- You know, that's why I think torturing or killing any staff member we get our hands on is a friggin' stupid idea, but. That's beside the point here.

[ He waves his hand vaguely, and though that might make Elizabeth sweat, it really is just an idle comment. He stops in his pacing and looks back at her. ]

'Cause you're still not telling me something. Why now? [ He laughs, then adds: ] Look, I know you just think I'm an idiot that thinks with my dick, which, kind of fair, but. Something's changed. You're making that real clear.

[tearable]

[ Elizabeth still remains seated. She's primed - a pinup that's one part emotional mess and one part business. It's a struggle to balance the two, but she pulls it off with a charm no one else can. Her ankle fidgets a bit, one of her hands remain clinging to the side of the desk. She leans forward a bit, looking to him with a soft expression. ]

They've made it clear it's us or them, though. That's the thing. See... Judy isn't telling us everything - well, telling the scientists everything.

[ She narrows her gaze a bit. ]

Judy's playing both sides, Jack. I don't expect you to trust me and I can't really trust you. Not when you're blind to what they're doing. The scientists, I mean.

[ She repeats. ]

I had a chat with Judy. Well, stumbled upon it, really. She seems keen on entrusting those six people but - shockingly? She's quite a conversationalist if you ask her the right questions.

[ Elizabeth sucks the air into her lungs as as she tries to angle this right. The sexuality isn't working, the transparency - who knows, so she keeps a respectful smile about her. ]

I never thought you were an idiot. Ambitious. I didn't think a hero should be killed so soon for opening his damn mouth at the wrong time during a trial. Jack, I need your help.

[ She looks down, looking at her brace and realizing how much of a disadvantage she has. Knowing this - knowing what she knows besides the scientist gig... she gulps. ]

I want you [ boing. ] - to look at me like it's the last time because at this rate? It might be.

[ And so she asks: ]

What would you do with the scientists, if not torture or kill?

[heroizes]

[ He listens, and though his expression doesn't change too much from a sort of intense half-suspcion, his posture relaxes. Jack sets his hands on his hips, listening and watching her. However, his eyebrows do raise at scientists, since that seems to be news to him. But otherwise, what he's thinking isn't very clear on his face.

Jack tilts his head lightly when she gets to the somewhat morbid ending, and he shifts his weight on his feet until he crosses his arms. There's a silence as he stares at her, but he shrugs. ]

So, what I'm hearing? You at least know who one of those six people are if you aren't one of 'em yourself, huh?

[ And either way, she knows something juicy. His mismatched eyes flicker towards the terminal thoughtfully, but the aggressive approach diminishes as he thinks about how to answer her request, though the last question gets his attention again. He looks back to her, and he shakes his head. ]

Keep them alive, obviously. They've got information, so they're more valuable than someone that doesn't know anything. They're a ticket to a way out, so far as I'm concerned. Or at least, one that's more reliable than a possibly murderous AI.

[tearable]

My lips are sealed unless I have reason to sing.

[ Figurative. She made Rhys vomit with a metaphor, but with Jack? She doesn't think so. If anything, it just keeps hinting at what she knows. She can deny all she wants, but if he wants information, he needs to play nice too. ]

You seem to have an investment in this, Jack. [ She'll call him out right now among the sinking of her heart. She was wondering if he knew, if he was being lead on but the way he dodges killing them... ] A personal one.

[ Elizabeth slides off the table, nearly stumbling with her buckled knees but she catches herself in her haste. ]

Scientists are blinded by their own attempts to play God - or be closer to that kind of sainthood. They don't see us as anything other than numbers and data. I know that better than anyone.

[ :) Maybe Angel would know! ]

When I killed Luke, he told me he was doing good - such as some greater good. If that was the case... they would have stayed the hell out of my head and let me be.

[ Elizabeth looks to Jack, her eyes on the verge of tears when she thinks of being trapped here another day longer. It's cruel to clip a bird's wings and take away their chance to sing, she feels. She's helpless here and look, she's doing her best. ]

They won't stop until they get their data... until they get out, I think...

[ She remembered the ankle bracelets, the mention of needing them to unlock some door. It was too close, she feels, even if it was a lie. Oh, also yes, Rhys the fuckboy said this shit. ]

Do you think any of us are getting out of here...?

[heroizes]

[ Idly, he wonders if he should kill her. They're both dancing around the subject here, but read between the lines, and it's clear enough. She thinks that Rhys is one of the staff members, and she's not wrong. In truth, Jack figured it was pretty damn obvious, which is how he'd come to know at all. If that was the case, then Rhys was probably next with his head on the chopping block. It'd be easy to take the gun and put a bullet right in her head, but if he did that...

Well, it wouldn't be that simple. Rhys was probably dead either way.

He shrugs, but it comes with a shake of his head. ]

Yeah, I do. Not many of us, though. Five, to be exact.

[ Jack gives that number with confidence, and the number itself might sound familiar. It certainly had to Jack, though he doesn't elaborate on it further. ]

So, no, it's not personal. Not how you're guessing. It's business.

[ He answers that first concern firmly, and just like everything else he says, it seems genuine. For all his quirks, he seems to be a pretty terrible liar, so if nothing else, it does give the impression that he believes this is the case. It's not personal for him, even though that might not be a sentiment other people would agree with. He'd found his options, weighed them, and took his chances with a path that had concrete answers over hers. He'd considered it, and it had taken him a while (relatively speaking) to decide, and it wasn't a decision he made lightly.

Jack turns his back to her slightly, and he starts to head to the terminal. He doesn't comment on the science, on the playing god, because to him, it's irrelevant. They can get all the data they want for whatever purpose, because he understood it, honestly. It wasn't like Hyperion wouldn't do the same. It wasn't like he wouldn't do the same, but he didn't know that, not yet. ]

You still wanna take a crack at this? Or are you seeing why I hadn't bothered?

[tearable]

[ It's not as if she came unarmed. She can't outrace a bullet, though. Elizabeth... this is why she was working in the shadows so much. She can't outfight someone. She can't overpower someone.

She feels so much like a girl wearing her mother's heels that were two sizes too big, honestly. Faking. Masking herself in mystique and seduction.

He rolls a number off and she has to double take. She stands a bit straighter. ]

F-Five...? ...The scientists.

[ Elizabeth looks to the terminal as he turns from her, her breath halting. Five. Five. Five. There were rules - Judy's made that much clear. An order to the controlled chaos. ]

...You're going to take Luke's spot. [ Elizabeth narrowed her eyes a bit. She feels sick. Like a solid punch to her gut. ] It doesn't have to be this way. There's - if there's a system, there's a way to overwrite it, right?

[ He speaks so dismissively now, allowing all teasing of the idea to drop. They shatter at her feet and she feels as if she made a grave mistake. ]

You know. If it's business... let me offer you something else to chew. [ Elizabeth says, reaching for his good hand. It's careful as she comes to his side. Her hand against his wrist, firm in it but the way her eyes are - they're still hopeful. They tremble only slightly, truthfully. ] We only need one scientist, Jack. That frees your odds up a bit more into your favor, don't it?

[heroizes]

[ Jack immediately laughs and waves his hand dismissively to the idea when she expresses it ]

What? No, not literally. ...Okay, maybe a little, but I'm not some kinda scientist or staff or whatever. I've got no idea what they're even doing. Didn't ask, don't have plans to.

[ He's curious, but not curious enough to learn. It's easier for him to swallow when he doesn't know, because it was difficult for him to essentially pick the path where he's knowingly condemning thirty innocent people to die. When he looks back at her, he's reminded of that. He frowns more, and his brow knits together, because guilt twists in his stomach quickly when he knows that statistically speaking, she'll probably be one of them. Hell, she's likely to be if she keeps being so aggressive, he thinks.

When she walks closer, Jack doesn't stop her, but the hip that his gun is resting on automatically shifts to be angled away from her. He's given her bad news in general, but she might be thinking he's a traitor on top of that. Truth be told, he wouldn't exactly blame her for lashing out, but self-preservation is still his goal here. His expression is still twisted up and difficult when he meets her eyes, but slowly, his hand shifts down to clasp her hand in his. ]

I'm not with the staff, scientists-- whatever, Liz. Just- Just know that. I've got an alliance, and I'm feelin' you already know exactly who it is.

[ He gives her hand a squeeze that's tight, but not threateningly so. It's tight in a way like he's trying to express his own frustration and the difficulty of this choice. ]

There's a moon full of people that are gonna die if I don't stop Zarpedon from blowing it to bits. So- Look. If there's another way outta here? I'm all for it. But for now, I have to think of those people, and this? This is the concrete chance I'm seeing. [ He gives her hand another squeeze, then lets go ] If only we had more time-- Maybe this would be different. But with how things are going now? It's gonna be a bloodbath sooner rather than later. So you were talking numbers? You're right, Liz. Problem is, the number's five.

[tearable]

No, you're taking his literal spot. I don't think - I never thought you were one of them, but if only five people leave... you're taking a slot up. Smart, I don't blame you, but you can do better business. Have a better chance.

[ Elizabeth isn't expecting him to get her and honestly, she wishes she could see the doors now. See if she walks out of here alive. See if she made the right choice approaching him. As he holds onto her hands, she remembers only holding one other hand her entire life. Booker's. It's a short life, she thinks, one that she can't remember the resolution too and now that she realizes she has no powers, no doors - she has to work with what she has. ]

You're going to lose your alliance, Jack... [ She has to warn him, right? Tell him that. ] The more staff members we can find and vote, we can - there's a way to leave.

[ She listens to him. Talking about his people and she doesn't blame him. He lets go of her hand and she sighs, reminding that... she doesn't have anyone, does she? There's no goal for her. She can't even remember why she came back - why she gave everything up to return to Rapture. ]

If five is the magic number, remove three of the staff members. You snuggly fit into those slots instead of getting by the skin of your teeth.

[ Elizabeth lifts her palm up to wipe away the tears that come from the corners - frustration, just the same that he was feeling. ]

I don't care what happens to me but I can't - ... I can't die for nothing again. [ ? ] These people have kept us caged and depraved us of our freedom and I'll be fucking damned if I'm going to die caged without some kind of collateral damage.

You can have your slot, but the road to hell is paved with good intention. I don't care if I'm one of the five leaving here - there's much more at stake now.

[ Elizabeth sighs heavily, breathing deeply to regain her composure before looking away. Almost as if she's ashamed. ]

I just wanted to see the sun once more, but... if that's not in cards, so be it. I'd rather they know every ounce of what I've felt being locked away, mister. Having every ounce of hope rot away.

[heroizes]

[ Much more than her seductive attempts earlier, this is what moves Jack. He may be a pussyhound, but her honesty is much more valuable and persuasive to him. It's easy to see on his face, because his expression shifts to sympathy, and especially in the face of those frustrated tears. His resolve isn't quite crumbling, but he's weighing his options. ]

I know. [ The first part is soft, but his words are firmer as he continues: ] The guy's an idiot, since how do you think I figured it out? But- Look, I take my alliances seriously. I trusted him, and he trusted me. So I'm trusting you now too. He gets caught because he keeps being suspicious? Whatever. That's his own damn fault. But I'm asking you. Don't go after Rhys.

[ So much for dancing around that. He doesn't even know if she has a role, and he doesn't care, but there's something about the finality of how she talks about him losing his alliance that makes him feel he needs to say it. ]

I don't care about the rest of 'em, and, uh, honestly, don't even know who they are. I'm not going to shed any tears if they get caught, and it's the same for that moron. But he- He's useful. You've gotta see that, right? The guy- The guy friggin' told me when I asked if he was staff. The rest of them, we might not be so lucky that they feel inclined to be that chatty. Down the line, if we need to— [ Jack pauses and looks down to the floor, then sighs ] Well, that'll be that. But that alliance is the most honest source of information we've got.

[ Jack sighs too, then runs a hand through his hair quickly and briefly. He takes a half step closer to her so that he can put his hands on her shoulders. It's careful and light, so she can pull away easily, but he's just a physical person, and gestures like this are how it's easiest for him to express sincerity. ]

You can see the sun again, Liz. Yeah, these odds are shit, but they're not zero. Hell, it's- It's not even set in stone that we might not be able to find some way to flip Judy the bird and all walk out of here. Maybe, well, I might've given up on that possibility too quick because I found one way that I felt was certain.

[ He steps back, considering something, then reaches to his hip. He grabs the pistol, which might alarm Elizabeth, but he hands it to her with the barrel pointing his way. ]

You wanted a gun? It's yours. So if that idiot or any of the others comes after you, shoot 'em in the gut. Consider it a token to the fact that I don't have any love for any of them.

[tearable]

[ In Rapture, she could use lies. Twist them and be who she needed to be to accomplish a goal - whatever it was. People in Rapture got it. They knew not to ask questions and watch their own back. But, here? Elizabeth was smack dab in the middle of mixed opinions and putting her trust in hands she didn't want to.

She wonders why she chose Rapture - why she didn't choose some other place where the sun beamed so hotly onto her flesh it warmed her core. Maybe she was never meant for it. Maybe it was all out of her hands in ever universe, but she has to try.

Jack goes on and she can't feel any pity for Rhys and any of the ones who were keen on keeping them here. They should have chosen another girl. They should have chosen another person other than her. That would be their undoing. ]

I can't make that vow.

[ The wheels were already turning and she looks away. ]

You can - I don't know... That's a lot of you to ask of me but, I get it. It's business. Preserving your Plan A and Plan B. If it goes that way during trial, I won't contribute. [ She looks down. ] I think people... listen to me. People are looking to me for answers that I don't have.

[ Is it enough? She's not sure. But, she needs to make something explicitly clear: ]

Did you see when I disrobed at the trial, Jack? [ Oh... ] The wound on my back, it's not healed but - someone like Rhys focused on business over humanity. Saw a guinea pig instead of a girl. This isn't business to me, but personal.

[ She insists with a chilling hiss of her voice. ]

I know precious little of what will happen next, but I'll accept that fate.

[ Whether or not he still offers the gun to her, Elizabeth does show a bit of hesitance. She doesn't yet accept it, instead, hovering her hand over it. ]

You can't - what if... I have a crossbow and ... and - you believe in my cause?

[heroizes]

Look, I know. I'm not gonna blame you if the guy gets killed, but I'm just hoping you'd go after other people first. If you can.

[ She hesitates in taking the gun, so he pushes it into her hand and clasps her hand with both of his to fold her fingers around it. ]

Because, yeah, people listen to you. You may not have the answers, but you've got confidence, and speaking from experience here, that's 90% of getting people to listen to you and take you seriously. So, yeah, I can, and I am. You take this, because you're the one putting the target on your back, not me. For better or worse, I'm, uh, pretty sure I'm safe because Rhys wouldn't let any of his guys kill me.

[ He draws his hands away, since that's more factual and as he'd listened to her, he felt more certain that giving the pistol away was the right thing to do here. He can address most of what she's said with confidence, but that one part... It's more unfamiliar. There's an irony in that Jack doesn't yet know, but he places his hands on his hips as he looks down and to the side. ]

I didn't. Look, I like to chase skirts, but I'm not gonna oggle when there's a room full of people to kick my ass for it. [ maybe privately though ssh

Jack exhales a sigh, then looks back to her. His expression is difficult, like he's unsure of what he should say here, so again, he tries to express what he wants to say as a more physical gesture. He reaches out to her face, just cupping her cheek carefully in his hand. It's a gesture of concern rather than anything inappropriate, and his expression carries the same feeling. ]

Can't say I know anything about whoever saw you as a guinea pig, but- Look, just be careful, kiddo. Problem about acting like you've got all the confidence in the world is just how big it makes that target on your back. [ He cracks a small smile ] It's not exactly your boss trying to assassinate you, but you don't have a body double to fall back on here. If that Fran chick is any indication, our staff is a bunch of grudge-y assholes, so anyone that takes one of 'em down is in trouble. At least, that's how I see it.

[tearable]

[ It's a familiar weight, she thinks. It was around the same as the revolver she tucked away in Rapture after - ... after she died, right? The timeline... it use to be clear but now chopped and messy. Elizabeth feels his warmth on her hand and she swallows hard. It's a gesture that she can't quite remember if ... anyone had shown her. ]

...I would if I had someone else. It was happenstance, believe me. [ She still doesn't confirm where she got the knowledge from, but it's good intel. That's all she wants to focus on. ] I didn't want this - you know. This type of obligation or responsibility.

[ She forces herself to look to him, and the way he phrases it - how he's helping her... she feels like there's even more pressure. ]

Then, don't worry. I won't compromise you. If I need to make a move, the crosshairs will be on me. Don't want them to be... but, doesn't feel right pinning it on someone else.

[ He sees her look over the pistol, noting the craftsmanship where it was evident. Elizabeth listens, smiling just a tiny bit at his mention of getting beat for looking at her. It's not until his hand scoops against her face that she looks back up to him.

Eyes trembling, lips parting into a soft agape state, she's sure he can feel the red flush onto her face. How it could sting him if he wasn't careful. It wasn't inappropriate but it was far more intimate than she was use to. ]

Jack...

[ His name falls past her lips in a dull hush, unable to express how she feels about it. The fear, the worry - there's a lot at risk. Not only herself but for the others. Jack wasn't understanding the weight of her responsibility - she had no one except for Booker back home. She feels... she feels like this was a chance for her to do good past her own selfish want. Her own selfish need to see the sun again. ]

I don't plan on leaving a sexy corpse, you know. But, whatever happens, I've always depended on the kindness of strangers. Thank you, ...stranger.

[heroizes]

[ Even if she doesn't explicitly say it, Jack can definitely take a guess that Elizabeth is the one with the role. With talk of weight and responsibility, it's not a far leap to make. However, though he had confronted Rhys about his leap of logic that led Rhys to confirm that he was one of the staff, he doesn't push with Elizabeth. He figures she's probably safer if he doesn't know for sure, and he won't betray that guess.

His thumb strokes her cheek lightly when she looks at him, because he worries briefly that he's upset her with how she looks at him, but-- He feels the warmth of her cheek in his hand, and that concern instead turns to a more confident smile. He breathes out a laugh at her wry comment, and he ducks his head lightly. ]

Well, good. Don't leave one at all.

[ He draws his hand away slowly, like he's hesitating to break that contact. Jack is a physical person, so in truth, it just feels nice to touch her. But he doesn't want to make it weird, especially when she's been coming onto him so strongly, so pulling away it is. ]

Hey, but, are we really strangers? I mean— [ He motions towards his face with a more wry grin ] You patched me up. That's gotta make us friends, c'mon. Or at least acquaintances? Give me some credit here.