tushanshu | seven : a scary conversation [AUDIO]

[Hayley sighs a little, then sounds mostly disappointed. Those paying close attention can probably tell it masks a level of anger.]

Seriously? Is no one talking about the whole people getting murdered thing?

[ooc: Action for Superman is in first thread]

[100% Trek encrypted to: Clark]
[There's the longest pause before she speaks, extremely quiet and definitely scared.]

So I, uh.. was dead.

[100% Trek encrypted to: Lois]
[Her voice is mostly level when she messages Lois, but clearly hiding something less neutral.]

I know you and Clark tell each other everything, so whatever. I need some time off from the radio.

[100% Trek encrypted to: Bruce Banner]
You need to see something. Can you come over later?

[100% Trek encrypted to: Dick Grayson (comics)]
You know, you never actually told me who your family members are.

[100% Trek encrypted to: Jason Todd]
Tell me you're not too busy for a drink.

[100% Trek encrypted to: Maxwell Lord]
[There's a pause, then Hayley sounds more pleasant.]
Hey.

[100% Trek encrypted to: Chekov]
Will you help teach me how to encrypt things? I want to learn.

[100% Trek encrypted to: Loki]
What makes a soul any different from just like, memories and neurons and whatever?

[100% Trek encrypted to: Jor-El] - (added a short while later)
You have all the same powers Superman does, right?

[100% Trek encrypted to: Bruce Wayne] - (added a short while later)
I'm sorry, about work. I just need a few more days off and then I'll come back. Please?

[Assume she hasn't shown up the last week or so.]

[100% Trek encrypted to: Sabriel] - (added a short while later)
I want to learn magic.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He snorts. Typical answer. And she seems anything but. He can run with that though, if that's what she wants. If it'll give her the time she needs to come to a solution.]

Wait and see - you're joking, right?

[He sighs and shows his disbelief.]

Fine. Forget figuring out who it was. What will you do when you find him? It's a small turtle we're on, red.

[She shrugs, shifting in her seat as if uncomfortable with the idea. Then Hayley looks directly at Jason and replies with a perfect balance of testing and dismissal.]

Well, it's not like I can just kill him.

[The look remains after the words have been spoken, waiting. It's the perfect way to gauge his response, to see what path he might support or encourage. She wouldn't really kill him anyway, especially not with the whole clone thing, but it's a simplified version of deeper thoughts.]

[He holds her eyes steadily when he says:]

Why not?

[His question is an invitation in to his psyche and his methods. He doesn't care if Hayley tells anyone else or warns the supes. All he cares is if Hayley will fit the right pieces together.

An eye for an eye.

Then he shrugs, leans back and takes a sip of his drink, switch back to a more casual stance.]

It's not like we die here. You're the proof of that.

[Of course she knows he might be goading her, leading her on to test her and direct her straight into a trap. But Hayley's still fourteen. At the end of the day, she's a little reckless and more interested in getting things done than worrying about her reputation. Even if he tells everyone, it's not like she actually did anything and she can play it off.

She straightens, immediately dismissing the facade of uncertainty from a moment before. Her tone matches his own, nonchalant in her admission.]

Then death isn't really enough.

[Who's he got to tell. Besides, she can ruin her own reputation. He's just helping along the way. Whatever gratification he gest from this, the validation he feels when/if she follows through with what she's saying right now comes first.

Dropping his own mask, he stops smiling. His expression turns cold and detached.]

Then what is enough? What are you going to do to make sure it never happens again?

[Hayley shrugs. Where Jason is cold, her default method of apathy is sarcasm and flippancy.]

Everyone's different. [This isn't her first rodeo.] Until I remember what happened and figure out who it is, I'm stuck waiting.

[She's upset about that fact, which bleeds into her words. After a beat, she adds:] Unless you happen to have a piece of green rock lying around you're not using. That could help.

[So, this is it. Gloves off.

Faintly, he wonders if this was what he was like after. After coming back.]

I don't know anything about pieces of green rock. [Because he can't start associating himself with them. Even if it's to a 14 year old that doesn't have much of a reputation. He stares, assessing. He decides on one thing; no, he was much angrier.]

How is that going to help you find out who killed you, short stop?

[With that, Hayley reclaims his drink and takes another long sip, pauses, and then finishes it off. She sets the empty glass between them again and gives a facial shrug.]

No reason to tell you if you don't know. [It's meant to be just as juvenile and petty as it sounds.] And hey, as much as I love your insulting little nicknames? I got my drink and I can't see how you'd help, so.. pretty sure we're done here.

I guess we are.

[He looks down at the glass and signals the bartender for another. He has no intention of leaving, not just yet.]

Funny, I don't know why you thought I would help you in the first place. Unless you know something about me that could help.

[It's about the reaction she was expecting, him remaining where he is and asking for another drink. But his comment provokes a response and Hayley is actually surprised to find that she has no burning desire to get away from him, in spite of his obnoxious pet names.]

I told you.. I was in it for the drink. [She shifts in her chair, but makes no motion to leave.] But you said you wanted to know what path I'd take. Why do you care? Or is it that you only cared if I chose the one you wanted me to, so now you're over it?

Were you.

[Not even a question. She could've gotten drinks anywhere, and he's not an easy person to convince to have a casual drink about. He has every reason to assume that she wanted something from him that's not a drink.]

Why shouldn't I care? Someone got murdered. You think I'm that uncaring?

[No smiles, no smirks. No masks.]

[He's completely right about her, but she rolls her eyes at his questions before leaning forward onto the table.]

Kind of, yeah. I mean, not totally uncaring, or you wouldn't have come, but.. If you were just worried about the murder, you would offer to help. You wouldn't care what I was going to do because you'd be busy doing what you thought I wanted for me.

[He snorts.]

It's your business. Your life that it's affecting. Doing what I thought I wanted for you would be taking that decision from you. I know I wouldn't want that to be taken from me.

[A beat, adding almost as an afterthought] If that were to happen to me.

'If.' [She lifts an eyebrow as she looks at him.

He's awfully enlightened about the idea for someone who hasn't experienced it themselves, but Hayley wonders if he would have admitted to his death by now, given everything else already out in the open between them. Whatever he says about it- if he says anything about it, she'll accept it as the truth for now. Then she's shaking her head and reaching for the new drink after the bartender has set it down and walked away.]

But then we're back to why you should care.

If. [He says again, just to re-affirm that it's a hypothetical situation. And technically, it is, isn't it? He's never died here, not yet. A small miracle considering the way he lives his life but hey, that's the pay off of being trained by a top-notch mentor.

He reaches out and takes the drink away from her. Getting him to fess up about his own murder, not a chance, junior.]

You're thinking about this too much. There is no deeper meaning. I just want to know what you'd do, if I have to keep an eye on you. [And not for the reason that you would expect.]

[She accepts the affirmation and, as such, dismisses the topic. When he tries to simplify things, to threaten supervision after the short-lived moment of raw honesty between them, she scoffs.]

Whatever. I don't know what I'll do, I have plenty of people watching me, and if you want to play all 'what you see is what you get,' then have a good night.

[And this time, she actually does get up. Hayley can deal with a lot more insults and taunts than she'll pretend to accept, but when there's no game, the boredom is genuine and that's the fastest way to lose her interest. For better or for worst.]

seven : a scary conversation [AUDIO]

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