SAMPLE: NETWORK.

[nockback]

Setup: Laura Costol (my character) is contacting Noelle Rosas (inpersonation) in the wake of her escaping custody and Leeds Ascii being rendered unconscious.

Comments

[nockback]

Please. I'm being serious here.

[inpersonation]

I'm being serious as well. [ if only tone could be read, the heat and certainty in her words would be clear as day. ]

There's no way I'm telling you who they are. Forget it, Costol.

[nockback]

Noelle— Please hear me out.

You're in danger. Your leader sold you out. He threw you off the truck. He tried to have you killed and make it look like you killed yourself.

We can help you. Let us help you.

[inpersonation]

[ there's an urge to just.

turn off her .comm and block costol. but something compels her to continue messaging her and noelle tries to tell herself it's because she needs to get some facts straight: ] I'm not some helpless damsel in distress. I can take care of myself. My friend and I can take care of ourselves.

[nockback]

( if only laura's words could be heard. her words would have an edge to them. a sharpness. a warning. )

That’s not the point.

OKAY I'M BACK.

[inpersonation]

[ noelle practically bites out a reply in return: ] It is. This isn't the first time we got fucked over and it won't be the last.

Like I said: We’ve got this covered.

[nockback]

( laura now tries to keep her temper in check after losing her cool earlier. she tells herself that noelle is scared and she has a right to be. this could not be easy for her to digest. )

Why did you run away? There's more power in numbers.

We can protect you from Lune-18. We back you up, Noelle.

[inpersonation]

[ don't you fucking dare make her feel guilty or bad as is- ]

Because I don't know you, sorry. Already learned the hard way if I fall behind someone (who isn't my friend) and expect them to not treat me like shit.

[nockback]

I know enough about you, Noelle. I know you're worried. I know you're feeling hurt and you are hurt from what happened days ago.

I know Raoul would do anything to protect you right now. That could be a danger to his own life if Lune-18 tracks the both of you down.

1/2

[inpersonation]

[ for a second, it feels like noelle's heart is going to burst out of her chest when she reads her friend's words.

it's only her frantically reaching for his hand nearby, holding onto it for dear life and feeling him squeeze back, does she find herself able to breathe again. ]

2/2

[inpersonation]

How the hell did you know about Raoul?

[nockback]

Like you said earlier: This wasn't the first time you got fucked over. It took us a while to track down anything of substance but we found it in the end.

I'm sorry you and Raoul have had such hard lives. I am. You don't have to be alone though. We can help you. I want to help you two out. I do.

[inpersonation]

[ there's a long silence from noelle's end as she doesn't immediately reply. words are at the tip of her fingertips, her tongue and yet.

noelle is too busy looking over at raoul now, who is fast asleep, unaware of the secret conversation she's having with someone who is hot on both their trails. she squeezes his hand again and he squeezes back and, for a second, everything doesn't feel so big and scary. ]

[nockback]

Noelle, please.

I'm begging you here. I am begging. Let us help you and Raoul.

[inpersonation]

We can do this by ourselves. Getting away from Lune-18.

 It won't be the first time we had to run away. Start all over again.

[ and it won't be the last, is what she doesn't say but both of them know hangs between them in the silence.

she could end it here. noelle knows she should end it here.

still: ] If you need info against him, I can give it to you.

Lune-18 trusted me with some information that could prove mighty useful if you want to nail his ass to the wall.

[nockback]

( laura curses when she sees what noelle had sent her.

damn it— this is information they need but this isn't information she wants. not personally.

 what to do, what to do... )

[inpersonation]

Answer me now, Costol.

It's not every day that someone will be so generous to you in one of your adventures.

[nockback]

Fine. I'll take the information.

Only after you and Raoul find somewhere safe to hide and confirm to me that you guys are in the clear.

[inpersonation]

[ what in the f u c k.

that throws her off, hardcore. ]

And what makes you think I'll do it after I'm out of both of your reach and Lune-18's? I'm doing this to be petty against him. Fucker has it coming for backstabbing me like that.

[nockback]

Maybe you won't. I acknowledge that and I'll accept it if it happens.

But I won't have you risking your life for this. The time you need to download and compress and send the information to me? That's time you and Raoul could use to gain distance from Lune-18.

AND BACK!! YOU'RE THE REAL ONE, EMMY!!

[inpersonation]

Why?

Why are you trying so hard to act as if you care? I would feel more comfortable if you outright admit you want to use me or Raoul.

That would be a lot more honest than this charity sthick you're pulling here, Costol.

[nockback]

( laura finds this an easy question to answer. ) Because I do care.

Believe it or not, there are people out there who want to help because they can.

[inpersonation]

Easy for you guys to do that.

Not everyone gets the luxury to be good all the time. Or has to not worry about what they're giving up or giving in when they show softness. [ is it needlessly antagonistic? it sure as hell is and maybe that's the point.

she was hoping it'll remove the weird twisting and churning happening in her gut after she reads the message. but it doesn't. ]

[nockback]

I saw it on the security cameras. The way you checked Leeds for injuries before you and Raoul booked it. How you went as far as to remove the pillow from the wheelchair. Place it under his head.

You didn't get anything out of that but you did it all the same. I know you're a good kid.

[inpersonation]

[ and some more silence in return.

it goes on long enough that one could think noelle has opted to cease communication with laura altogether. ]

[nockback]

( laura thinks that's exactly what happened. ) Noelle? Noelle?

Are you there?

[inpersonation]

[ finally, after what must have felt like an eternity for both parties, a message is sent to laura: ]

Tell Leeds I'm sorry that he got hurt.

Again.

He seems like a nice guy.

[ then another message comes in. as if sent at the last second: ]

You'll hear from me soon.

[ and, with that, noelle ends her correspondence. she first blocks laura from the burner .comm she's using and, no doubt, is planning to destroy it to cover her and raoul's tracks.

but that's for some other time. when she and he are back on the move.

she's got a lot to think about. ]