The Nominal Temporary Wiggin Home Base, Friday

[gameinprogress.livejournal.com]

The clock was ticking, and Ender was aware of it. He sometimes wondered if Peter wasn't, or if Peter had already calculated in their defeat and planned on from there.

It was probably the smart thing to do. Ender just wasn't capable of it: he had to go for the win, had to make this work. Now, here, and as thoroughly as possible.

He'd pulled up a box in the 'common area' of the attic, near all the new supplies, some of the remaining chemicals set up at his feet in little glass bottles. They'd need more tranquilizer for this push - at least, if they were to keep the body count slightly lower than it could be. And he wanted to.

He had too much blood on his hands already.

So he mixed his chemicals and tried not to think - about whether this really would end, or he'd be stuck here forever, playing the part of the bloody bastard, having Peter order him to kill like it didn't mean anything. It wouldn't mean anything to Peter, of course. He was Peter.

He still didn't want to be anything like that.

[[ open for talking to Ender and/or each other. Hit me up in IM or email if you need him to nudge your character somewhere! ]]

Comments

[justadeserter.livejournal.com]

Atton limped in - stupid stitches - and sank down on another box without a word. He reached out and grabbed a bottle of water and sat back.

"I really need to invest in kolto from here on in."

[hungriesteyes.livejournal.com]

"Here, man. Let this take some of the edge off, huh?"

Sparkle was the go-to guy for random crap, yes. He was also the one who had broken into that house again last night, and who had made off with a backpack full of everything that had previously lived in the liquor cabinet. Which was why he was holding out a bottle of vodka with a grin.

"I have some ointment and gauze and crap, too, but this one's more fun. Take it before I unload the rest and everyone else snaps it up, huh?"

[justadeserter.livejournal.com]

Atton grabbed for the vodka with more than a little enthusiasm. "You have just become my favorite person this month," he said, screwing the cap off and taking a long drink. "I mean, I still can't get a decent juma around here, but this... is an improvement."

[milkedhiseel.livejournal.com]

Tyrion generally stayed out of the safehouse. Not for the sake of his cover of loyalty: That would scratch if anyone breathed on it, anyhow. But he tended to feel aged and out of place around so many students, and (more relevantly, though he didn't like admitting this) sneaking around the stone streets of this part of town was hell on his twisted legs.

But today was different, so he bore up and made his way to the home base. He smiled a bit when he saw what Ender was doing.

"So things are ready to go for tomorrow."

[gameinprogress.livejournal.com]

Ender looked up with a tiny little smile. "As ready as they're going to be," he said, "which is probably ready enough."

[milkedhiseel.livejournal.com]

"I'm not sure there's such a thing as ready enough," Tyrion quibbled, closing his eyes as he tried to juggle the moving pieces. "But if we're close, that's all I can ask."

He moved closer to the chemicals, wondering if he should offer to mix or if that was just a good way to lose a finger. "These last 24 hours are going to be the longest."

[doesntbetray.livejournal.com]

Like Tyrion, Alec tended to avoid headquarters. He knew that at least one loyalist had eyes on him almost all the time and it seemed like taking a pretty big risk to come by more than was necessary.

But with tomorrow coming up and so many people he knew how to help, he couldn't justify not stopping by here at least once. So, skin shining from a round of fresh Marks (mostly of the healing variety), he came inside.

"I'm going on a weapons run," he said loudly enough that everyone in the room could hear. "If anyone has any requests, I can see what I can do."

[gameinprogress.livejournal.com]

"Nothing specific from me," Ender called. "But 'as much as you can carry' is something to aim for."

Just because he'd rather not see too many casualties didn't mean he had any illusions.

[doesntbetray.livejournal.com]

"That's the idea," Alec agreed, mentally mapping out the route from here to the church. "...It might take a few trips."

Since stumbling halfway across the island loaded up with an armful of weapons might get a little messy.

[hungriesteyes.livejournal.com]

"Pointy things?" Sparkle's attention had been totally piqued, there. "Have anything small enough for a guy like me to carry around while hauling a backpack and whatever random crap I can drag into the castle with me when I sneak in tomorrow?"

[doesntbetray.livejournal.com]

Alec sized Sparkle up. "Ranged or melee?" he asked. "I mean, something more along the lines of a bow, or a dagger?"

[survivorjello.livejournal.com]

"I lost my knife a couple of days ago," Kate said. "So if you happen to see one, about seven inches long or therabouts, I'd be really grateful."

Also she'd apologize for her face if that somehow became necessary.

[doesntbetray.livejournal.com]

Oh god.

Alec took a startled step backward before quickly regaining his bearings. "You-- have a look-alike."

[spoilthatforyou.livejournal.com]

Stephanie had a ragged makeshift bandage around her ribs when she came in, and her clothes were filthy -- which was about what you'd expect from someone who'd escaped an explosion and been sneaking slowly from rooftop to rooftop, then as surreptiously as possible back to headquarters. It'd been a maddeningly long process that involved long periods of hiding . . . and stopping to change back into civilian clothes along the way. She had no idea how well her attempts to dissociate herself from the Spoiler were holding up, but damned if she wouldn't keep trying.

"Before anyone asks, I had a blast last night," she quipped dryly, slumping down against a wall in the corner.

[gameinprogress.livejournal.com]

Ender got up - gloves off - and was at her side a few moments later. "Do you need medical attention?" he said. "I can probably find something."

[spoilthatforyou.livejournal.com]

Stephanie pulled the cloth away with a slight wince -- stupid sticky drying blood -- and peeked underneath. "It's not too bad. I got grazed by some shrapnel. I think I got it all, but I could use something to clean up this mess."

[survivorjello.livejournal.com]

Kate had been extra extra careful coming here today, her slightly torn hood pulled all the way up and everything. It wouldn't do to get caught when they were so close to doing something.

And she also wanted to stay in the loop, so. Here she was.

"What's new?" she asked, from no one in particular.

[gameinprogress.livejournal.com]

"We've got all the explosives we need," Ender said.

Was that a definite enough statement?

[survivorjello.livejournal.com]

"And without Ace blowing up our current mansion or anything." Yeah, Kate was actually all caught up on that development, thanks. "Good."

[regretiz4u.livejournal.com]

"I have a magic... thing!" Kenzi said as soon as she was inside. "Amulet. Protective thing. Whatever. So someone can take on the Security Chief without immediately getting succubi'd."

[gameinprogress.livejournal.com]

Ender sat up. "What kind of magic thing?" he said. "And where did you get it?"

[willbevengeance.livejournal.com]

It had been a long time since Bruce had set foot in any resistance bases. Being in deep cover, it wasn't something he wanted to risk. Also, he was at least partially a creepy loner who rarely chose to work with other people. That played a part, too.

But Bruce needed more people. Ender would be a big help.

"Ender," Bruce greeted as he approached. He tried to stay mostly out of view of anyone else in the base while he made his way over. Because, really, he hadn't set foot in any resistance bases in a long time.

[gameinprogress.livejournal.com]

To say it was a shock to hear that voice again was an understatement. Ender was briefly relieved that Peter wasn't here right now - he might have caused a scene.

Ender stayed put where he was. "Good morning," he said very lightly, stripping off his gloves. As he put them down, he quietly slipped a pressure syringe into his hand. "Long time no see."

[poison-pretty.livejournal.com]

Karla was not about to show her face in the safehouse right now. She knew the word of her Imperio'ing had likely gotten around by now, and she didn't want to start a panic. Also, there were likely to be people there that she'd prefer not to run into, yet.

Or possibly forever.

So a text it was. I have the information. It's not great though. We should talk. All better now, but check with Ghani just in case.

[gameinprogress.livejournal.com]

I'll check in with her first, Ender wrote back. After that - where do you want to meet?

He was hoping this would be worth it.