[SEMI-OPEN] And the world gets smaller

[manufactured]

WHO: Albert Wesker, whomever decides to join him (presumably you!)
WHERE: A coffee shop in Tisse; one of the squares in town
WHEN: 12/11 – 12/15
WHAT: Meetings with people, both planned and not. One open prompt, one semi-open.
WARNINGS: Discussion of various things that may not be ethical? Nothing graphic, it's just talk.


[I. PLANNED.]

[Those who were in contact with Wesker on the network post that he put out a while back and expressed actual interest in what he's doing will find that he's contacted you at some point during the week; the texts are all requesting a time at some point during the evening, after normal work hours, and they specify a location that's perhaps surprisingly public, given how cagey he tended to be on the post itself. But the coffee shop he's specified is quiet and low-traffic, the sort of place that lends itself well to privacy, and that's where he'll be waiting.

He's well-dressed, as he always is, the black suit is impeccable – though he's still wearing those dark glasses indoors, because apparently he's just like that; he's recognizable from his profile on Retrospec, at the very least. He'll glance over when you enter, but he'll allow you to come to him; as he'd said to a few people, these discussions are going to be one-on-one, there's no one else with him at the moment, and he isn't going to force the matter if anyone decides to simply not show or backs out of the discussion at any point.

After all, they're just there to talk, at least for the time being. Let's see where this goes.]


[II. UNPLANNED.]

[Of course, he's still around even when he's not meeting with people; Christmas shopping is...a thing, given that he still has no idea what he's supposed to get people given that he hasn't celebrated this holiday with anyone in a very long time, but even when he's not busy with that, he can be found in one of the squares throughout town, and he's got a...box with him? For some reason.

...It seems to be a somewhat noisy box that kind of makes little thudding noises like something is bumping against the interior once in a while. Once in a while, there is mild distressed screeching. ...Very melodic mild distressed screeching.

Dear god.

Either way, if the bats are giving you problems, he's going to notice; he'll watch for a while before speaking up, because that's just sort of his way, but eventually he will say something.]

If they're troubling you, I can take them off your hands.

[You know. As one does.]


[III. OTHERWISE.]

[Have something else you want to do? Feel free to PM me or grab me on plurk at InstantEternity, and I'll see what we can do! Either that or just sling a prompt at me and I'll roll with it, I'm flexible. o/ ]

Comments

[long_live_the_queen]

I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be.

[Lucy wasn't very tall to begin with, and she didn't take a seat yet. She kept staring levelly at those sunglasses.]

That's my name.

[manufactured]

[He...will gesture eventually to the seat opposite him; she can take it if she wants, if not...well, then she won't, he supposes.]

I'm not going to coerce you into anything, including this meeting. You seemed to have some concerns that were frankly reasonable during the initial discussion...if anything, I'm surprised that more didn't voice such things themselves.

[long_live_the_queen]

[Lucy glanced at the seat, and then at him again.]

Not my problem if people are stupid.

[She pulled the chair out and sat down, with a quiet resonance buzzing around her shoulders.]

What did you want to talk about?

[manufactured]

The prospect of controlled medical trials.

[Might as well be blunt about it; there's no sense in doing otherwise, seeing as she was apprehensive about this sort of thing already.]

Nothing resembling the torture you described, and certainly nothing involving amputations. A pair of injections, nothing more. No risk of dying unless your immune system is already compromised, in which case I'd sincerely hope you would tell me in advance so I could disqualify you from participating immediately.

[long_live_the_queen]

[One of Lucy's eyebrows twitched, and she crossed her arms.]

There's nothing wrong with my immune system. [Probably. She hasn't remembered whether she's possibly a mutant subspecies yet.]

What's in the needles?

[manufactured]

Something designed to stimulate the immune system, and something to verify that the reaction being experienced is the one that's desired.

[long_live_the_queen]

[Lucy spun her hand around—the left, specifically—in a 'yes, hurry up??' motion.]

...which would be?

[manufactured]

The second injection is a simple virus intended to test the immune system's response to it. Any reaction you do have would be incredibly mild, if any reaction is had in the first place; ideally, you would remain asymptomatic altogether.

[long_live_the_queen]

[Her hand stopped, and she fixed Wesker with a level stare.]

You know that sounds like the start to a horror movie, right?

[manufactured]

Believe me, I know what it would look like if it were. My memories have told me that much already.

[long_live_the_queen]

[Lucy looked at him, staring at those impassive sunglasses. They revealed nothing, of course. But he had to know this sounded like bullshit.

And yet, he was talking about this casually in a coffeeshop, not a sketchy parking lot or vacant building. The baristas were still here, trying very hard to look like they weren't listening.]

What are the symptoms? If I start sneezing on someone's packages will they get sick too?

[manufactured]

[He does, in fact, seem very straightforward about this whole thing; it's...a very casual discussion, albeit laced with a fair amount of "you know, as one does."]

Mild flulike symptoms that persist for a few days. Normal precautions should be taken in that case, but no more than that.

[long_live_the_queen]

[So far so...nonthreatening? He was either relying on boldness to cover something up or there...really wasn't much else underneath this.

Weird.]

Why are you doing this?

[manufactured]

[...Ah, that's. A good question, really.]

...Again, I've seen things in my memories that were less than pleasant. I can't know for sure whether Retrospec will see fit to inflict such things on the people here; I also can't know whether they'll do it accidentally, given their high level of incompetence.

I'm working toward preventing such things from happening here. If I have a way to do that, it would be negligent not to at least attempt to have failsafes in place.

[long_live_the_queen]

[Hm. Lucy's head tilted just so slightly, for the first time this whole conversation more interested than suspicious. A little.]

Noble of you.

[manufactured]

[That...he sort of hesitates at that, for once.]

If it can be called that. I appreciate it, either way.

[long_live_the_queen]

Mn.

[Lucy shrugged, and her expression returned to its usual slightly hostile neutral.]

I suppose I'll help.

[manufactured]

All right.

[And that's...good, really, as far as he's concerned, whatever she's doing with her face aside; it's not like he's exactly master of the facial expression himself.]

As I've said, you'll be compensated for it. A few hundred, if that's suitable for you.

[long_live_the_queen]

[Lucy blinked. That was more than she expected, and was a price tag that was just on the edge of teetering back into suspicion again.

Her voice was flat.]

It is.

[She was...reasonably confident she could find this man again if this didn't turn out. With a baseball bat this time. But that would mean calling out of work, making excuses to the roommates, an altogether inconvenient business.]