Doom Phone Call #1

[Enid Geraint] "Well, I know someone who might be able to help, so there." She only resists the urge to stick her tongue out at him because he's not looking, and now pulls an iphone out of the pocket of her jacket (she's shivering, but hasn't been still, so at least she's not cramping from the lack of cool down) and dials.

Ring, ring, goes Kage's phone, and Enid's free hand still fiddles with her ring. Threats of danger, it seems, don't do much to send her away - if anything, they make her more curious. She's a teenager, and newly Awakened, and a studious sort of girl to begin with - when presented with new situations, new things to learn, of course she sticks it out as long as she can.

[Hell] And somewhere not at all nearby, someone looks at the time, someone looks at their phone, and then someone picks up: "Hello?" to†Dylan Willis, Enid Geraint

[Jarod Nightingale] "Fine," he sighed, and his voice sounded a little strained. "Just make it quick."

And he waited for Enid to do whatever it was she seemed to think might actually help them.

[Enid Geraint] "Kage," she says, and her voice is easy, confident - pretty much the opposite of any other time Jarod's witnessed her. "There's a guy - all messed up, not in a . . . normal way, you know? 's name is Dylan, I think the creepy little woman said. He feels . . . off. Weird. Bad. You know what I'm talking about?"

[Hell] There's a pause when Enid is finished. Dead air. Maybe Kage is holding her breath. But the pause doesn't spin out indefinitely: "Yes," she says, and maybe her voice is a little strange; not quite as usual. "He's burning up," she says. "Isn't he? Wait," and here, sharpen: "You're with him right now? What creepy woman? Where is he? Where are you?"

to†Dylan Willis, Enid Geraint [Enid Geraint] "Grant Park. She was here, but she . . . drugged the guy, or something, and had to go. Jarod's here." It's through massive effort that she keeps dislike from her voice, from her face - he makes her uncomfortable, condescends to her, and she hates it. "He's - Dylan, not Jarod - sleeping. Dehydrated, and it was hot around him before he was. I'm backed up now."

[Hell] "Hmm. Soup Kitchen Jarod?" to†Dylan Willis, Enid Geraint

[Enid Geraint] "Yeah." That in a tone that clearly says 'jerk'. And then, ".....wait, how did you know about that? No, never mind. Anyway, Jarod wants to do something, and Ashley's not around, so I called you."

[Hell] "Ah. I see. Listen, Enid. Hand Jarod the phone please." Kage's voice is quiet, easy; cool, collected, calm. Maybe a little more quiet than usual.

[Enid Geraint] "Kay." And, because she likes Kage - Kage is nice, Kage doesn't make her stomach do flips and turn the world upside down, Kage makes sense - she does as asked. "She wants to talk to you," Enid explains as she steps forward to hand the phone to Jarod.

[Jarod Nightingale] Enid didn't particularly seem to understand the gravity of the situation they were currently in, nor did she acquiesce to the look of cold frustration that Jarod was fixing her with while she chattered on with unnecessary slowness to whomever it was she'd decided to call. He didn't particularly give a shit if Enid didn't like him, or if she wanted to go on at length about what a pretentious asshole he was to every single person she met. But not tonight. Not right now.

He was about to snap at her to give him the phone when the person on the other end of the line beat him to it (albeit much more politely). So he didn't say anything. He just held out his hand and took the cell when Enid offered it.

"Look," he said quietly... "If you know anything about this guy, I'd love to hear it, but if not... I really don't have time for this."

[Hell] "Then listen," she says. "This is what I know: He is walking in a world that noone else can see. He is caught in a labyrinth; everything is burning. But what he sees can affect others; when he changes the world with a word, any ill effects wash away from him, he's too bound up, too caught wherever he is. He isn't -- if you knew him, he isn't that man. His name is gone; he is gone. Unless you know how to reunite what's left with what's gone, then what you have there, sleeping, is very dangerous." A brief pause. "I'd like to hear that you know how to bring him back again. But if you don't..."

[Jarod Nightingale] "No," he said flatly. "I don't."

And then he disconnected the call and handed the phone back to Enid. Evidently, whatever it was he'd needed to hear... he'd heard it.