[closed] SIXTEEN BLOCKS FROM PLEASANTVILLE

[debtor]

Date & Time: September 1, 3013
Location: Someplace pleasant, Earth
Characters: Timcanpy and Arya "Cat" "No One" Stark and Nymeria. And Allen Walker.
Summary: Breaking and entering and intelligence-gathering and also attempting to mend friendships in the middle of a dystopian future-past residential quarter.
Warnings: everything


[Allen had been confident enough in his mission and objective: gather information in the past, to piece together a complete picture of their history, without altering the past.

That is, he was, until he found out who his mission partner was going to be.

BUT NO, IT'S OKAY, HE CAN DO THIS. They can do this. He has no idea what will meet them on the other side as they're sent through the Transporter, but he promised her he would be there for her, and he's will be - even if she hates him, he'll do anything to keep her safe here, wherever "here" is.

...And here is apparently the middle of a futuristic city block, flanked on either side by near-identical housing buildings. He's been to a number of cities throughout time, but this is just plain unsettling. Where are they meant to gather information?!

And it's not a minute before there's a roar of approaching engines in the street. Maybe it's time to move.]

Comments

[debtor]

[What is this. He squints at the streets.]

Someone new's arriving...

[What if he just stood here and watched, would that be okay-?]

[wolfchild]

[ arya doesn't insult him if only because it's good to keep an eye on what's happening. nymeria remains at the door too.

while allen stands watch, arya scours the apartment for information. she searches through loose papers and bound books, grabbing anything that might seem useful. in a corner, she notices a computer. she rushes to it. it takes her some doing, but arya manages to connect her tablet to it. it flares to life, windows with information appearing and disappearing quicker than her eye can follow.

curiosity gets the better of her and she takes her eyes off the screen to glance out as well. ]

Keep down. [ arya keeps her voice low. she doesn't think anyone remains to overhear, but she dares not risk it. ]

[debtor]

[Allen watches at the clerks exit their vehicles, each with their own guards, and begin the rather laborious task of taking a headcount, of every single person. For a little while, it all seems to be going smoothly, but Allen can't bring himself to relax. If it's just a census of some sort, why was everyone so frightened?

He gets an inkling when the clerks stop by one man, standing beside an empty space in line, and ask him a series of questions they're too far away to hear. And although the man appears to be trying to answer, they're soon pulling him from the sidewalk and into one of their cars. Allen's back straightens and he grips the frame of the door, as if to stop himself from actually going out there.]

There was a person missing, is that why-?

[wolfchild]

[ gods be good, she knows that look. ]

Allen, stay.

[debtor]

[ARE YOU GIVING HIM COMMANDS.]

I'm not a dog. [ these days. ]

And I wasn't going to go...

[But that doesn't mean he isn't thinking about it. Loudly.]

[wolfchild]

Then behave. We can't do anything.

[ she casts another glance at the computer screen. it's still downloading and taking its time too. ]

1/2

[debtor]

[He makes a rather discontented sound in the back of his throat.

And then turns to look at the screen, too.]

We need to hurry and collect information from as many homes as possible.

[debtor]

...Somehow.

[If they can make it into the other homes. Subtly. Oh dear.

Can they pick future locks...]

[wolfchild]

[ dryly: ] Do you want to go out and steal another key?

[ the wry tone drops. ]

Has anyone else been taken?

[debtor]

I haven't seen.

[It's not a lie, exactly. But he can see a few more gaps further down the line from here. He can guess what's going to happen when the clerks reach them. He doesn't know why they're being taken, or where to, but the possibilities makes his stomach turn.

-No. He's not touching the past. He has to focus on the mission at hand.]

Maybe there's another way in, without a key. This is what we came here for.

[wolfchild]

Can't you break locks?

[ could ice work? she flicks her thumbnail under her index. ]

[debtor]

[Glancing down at his hand...]

I could break it, I'm not certain it'd open it. I can try...

[He gestures back at her tablet.] Has it finished downloading?

[wolfchild]

Almost. [ she refuses to look outside. ] See if you can get one open. I'll meet you when it's finished.

[debtor]

[He doesn't turn to look back, either. Focus, focus on the mission, Allen Walker, you can't change the past, you'll only endanger Cat...


He goes to see if he can get one open. A couple seconds later, she may hear a rather loud crack.]

[wolfchild]

[ arya disconnects the tablet and jogs out of the apartment. she looks around for an open door. ]

Allen?

[ nymeria stands in front of the broken door. she whines quietly. ]

[debtor]

[Allen stands in front of it, holding the doorknob

which isn't attached to the door, anymore.]

...Well!

[GOT IT...?]

[wolfchild]

[ . . . ] How have you survived this long?

[debtor]

I didn't mean to...

But it worked, all right! [Fast and effective.

More so than he was anticipating. Prying the broken door open... ahaha, if the clerks didn't already ruin this person's day, he took care of that.

At least it's... replaceable...

He immediately sets about looking for a computer to plug his drive into.]

[wolfchild]

There's one. [ arya points one out. ] There's another one over here.

[ she wanders back to the door. at least in the other one, they could buy themselves some time. anyone comes in now, sees the door, they'll immediately come to investigate. ]

How much time do you think we have?

[ before everything is finished outside. ]

[debtor]

[He heads towards the first, and gets to downloading.]

I don't know. [Glancing towards the window, although he can't see anything from here.]

It's a long line, but we should probably figure they could finish at any moment. And be prepared to hide...