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[So the connection he's making between Adam and this is obvious, but he really doesn't want to think about it.

He's silent for a bit, too, though the scratch of a pen against paper is audible.]

Okay. Don't jump to conclusions, and don't go running off after them. Not alone.

I'm not!

[It's snapped, angry, because don't jump to conclusions feels like an accusation, and she already knows that she's not doing this properly.

He doesn't to remind her,.

But barely a second passes before she's dragging in a painful breath, telling herself it's not his fault.]

Sorry. Shit, sorry.

[It's easier in a straight up fight, she can just put all her fear and worry and emotions into a little box in her head to deal with later, but there's no instant danger right now, nothing to distract her. It's harder to compartmentalize.]

I've got-- I won't go alone. Here.

[There's a program file sent to his tablet, so that he can access the tracking device she's stuck into her arm.]

[Saul's glad this isn't video, because he flinches when she snaps, and then — for a moment — he just looks sad. It's an exhausted kind of sadness, born from this whole situation. They never get a break, do they? Any of them.

He doesn't say anything again until he's almost sure of what he's looking at.]

Is this you?

Yeah.

[It's her.

She trusts him with this, because this isn't a temporary measure.]

It's inserted near the artery in my wrist, so even if something happens, I can't take it out.

[Not by herself, not without surgery.

So even if she's mind controlled like the others, they can't take her without the tracker. Not alive, at least.]

[Again, he's glad this isn't video, so she can't see the way he touches the screen where the little marker indicating Steph's location is.

After another pause:] I'll help you find her. Did you talk to anyone else about this yet?

Oracle, and she'll probably tell the Birds.

[It sounds so dumb]

And the other Ellie, 'cause I couldn't let her think Joel had just left her. [She knows what that feels like, that sort of betrayal. It's how she felt when she found out about Saul helping poison a kid.

There a pause, and the sound of her roughly pushing her hands through her hair.]

This'd be over by now if Kara hadn't left.

[It would have been so easy, even if she hates herself a little bit for wanting to rely on powers.]

Edited 2013-09-12 15:46 (UTC)

I don't know if it'd be that easy, Steph. This could be anything. Just —

[What he's about to say is so stupid, and he knows she's not going to listen, but he has to say it.]

Be careful, okay? I'll do some poking around to see if I can find anything out.

She can track people by their heartbeat.

[It's not really an argument, she just says it tiredly, because it doesn't matter, anyway.

She can't even muster the energy for her usual, flippant I'm always careful.]

You too. This whole thing's been played to keep us from being suspicious, I don't wanna know what'll happen if they realize it's failed.

[It's why she's picked who she talked to. It's why this message is encrypted even more than usual, because she wants to keep it secret.]

[That's a good point. Saul can't just take this to the network, can he?

He sighs, then peers down at his screen again, watching the map.]

Did it hurt? Putting that tracking device in, I mean.

[It takes her a moment to answer, because she's all tangled up in panic and has to change gears.]

Kind of, yeah. Mostly 'cause I put it in an awkward spot and didn't wanna use an anaesthetic.

[She could have, but that would've lost her the use of her arm for too long.]

Of course you didn't.

[He only sounds mildly reproachful.]

Is it safe?

[She didn't have time to waste.]

Yeah, I mean-- I'd rather an actual doctor do it, but I've been trained.

If —

[There's another pause.]

If something does happen, who should I go to?

Dinah Lance, she's been on the network a bit.

[She's less hush-hush about the whole secret identity thing, even if she... also mentioned Babs and Helena.

Maybe they should talk to her about that.]

[Saul recognizes the name, but he hasn't spoken to her yet.]

Will she trust me?

I'll tell her she can.

[At least it isn't Helena.]

And I'll talk to Oracle, I can get her to contact you if something happens, she'll trust you.

[Babs likes Saul, and she's more filled in than most people on... everything.]

Okay. And if I start to act weird, or if I try to leave — don't let me go.

[Might as well plan for all possibilities.]

[Silence.

Then:]

Am I allowed to sedate you if it gets bad?

[Because she doesn't know what might happen if someone's stopped from leaving, and she doesn't want him to hurt himself or someone else.]

Yeah. Do whatever you need to do.

[People tried to stop Adam. Tried to sedate him.

Saul needs to stop thinking about that.]

It's gonna be okay, Saul.

[Nevermind that she's barely maaged to drag herself out of constant panic, she needs to reassure him.]

[Surprisingly — or maybe not so surprisingly, considering who he's talking to — that helps.]

I should be the one saying that to you.

You didn't have to.

[Because he helped her calm down and helped her focus and now she thinks they can actually do this, instead of getting so worked up in a panic that she could barely do anything.]

[He doesn't know what to say to that, but he doesn't want the conversation to slip into silence again, so what he manages to say is a somewhat hasty:] I'll call you later, okay?

[She wonders if she did something wrong, there, but even though she's calmer, she's still too wrung out to really give it thought.]

Okay. Stay safe.

[That's what matters most, right now.]

You too.

[He almost cuts the feed, but — ]

I've got my eye on you, Brown.

[Literally.

And there goes the feed, clicking off.]

(no subject)

controlledvariable - 2013-09-13 16:25 (UTC) - Expand