jumpthegun | IC Inbox (v1.0)

[He's been manic, burning himself out for nearly a month now. But that's not what's wrong with him, not really. Mania has never been what's really wrong with him.]

I'm not coherent enough. Hallucinating. Can't focus. You need a test subject.

I need someone I can work with, not on. If you want to use whatever Eve is offering once we have all of the information, then we can try it out. I'm not going to cut you out of the information and make decisions for you. This isn't an experiment. It's your life and your mind, Dr. Stein. You're not like the Joker. The fact that you've contacted me like this is proof of that.

I'm officially giving you control over medical decisions on my behalf. I dont know how much time I have before I am like the Joker.

[There are too many things happening. He doesn't have the mental energy to deal with this on top of everything else. John wants to hits something, to kick and scream. He's one man. He's a cripple and people think he's an idiot and he wants to kill the Joker and Fiona is dead and Bucky's still a mess and everything is too much.

But there's a person in need. Someone who is asking for him to help. Who desperately needs help. Stein needs this more than John needs... whatever else.]

Where are you, doctor? Are you with anyone? Kid?

[He needs it, but he's not asking for it. He's not requesting help, he's just offering.]

I don't think so.

Is that an 'I'm not going to answer your questions' or an 'I don't know' sort of 'I don't think so'?

I don't know. I keep hearing things. Seeing things. I don't think they're real.

Can you turn on the video for your tablet and pan it around so I can see where you are, then? A lot of us were hallucinating the past few days, Dr. Stein. That wasn't just you with the eyes and the static. I think I've been catching glimpses of those eyes, still.

[He obliges, flicking on the video and panning the room. It doesn't settle on his face, not really. But there are enough glimpses that it's obvious Stein isn't doing well, at all. He's unwashed, unshaven, exhausted and starving and wrapped in layers of dingy, torn fabric. Even in the few seconds where he's visible in the pan, his eyes don't really focus on anything, skittering off to the side.]

It's not just eyes and static. If I had access to my lab, I could try and remove this damn implant [The screen is facing away from him, it doesn't show how he taps a finger against the fabric covering the bolt.] but.... I don't know if it's the problem. It's too cold, and I have a rod of metal stuck through my skull, so that's most likely what's wrong. [His tone is rapid, but exhausted.]

[A rod of metal that the Admin didn't bother to remove and heal the last time Stein died. Brilliant. John isn't sure what he can even do for that. Frostbite inside someone's skull? He must be in a massive amount of pain. Constantly. The sight of the other man only stabs at his heart ever more.

By rights, he should hate Stein for the things that he's done. But here he is reaching out. And he's stayed away from Rhys, as far as John's aware. He broke Charlie's trumpet, but in the grand scheme of things, that's very minor.]

There's nothing that I can see around you except the building. It's only you in the immediate area. If you see anything else, it's not real. I'm in the ice tunnels heading north. Where is the last place you remember being?

[He doesn't switch back to text, there's too much effort involved in trying to see and type letters on a screen. He's been using the text reader for months now, and Watson might be able to hear that in the video.]

I revived in the chapel during a break in the static, and I've been traveling since then. I went to the gas station... today. This morning. I need to get to the school, I need to find Kid. He has no idea how to take care of himself, he's not human and he's never had to eat or sleep before. He's suffering from MN poisoning in the form of physical illness.

Okay. Keep heading west toward the school. Try to get to the clinic. Those two houses right west of it. We're coming north and should be able to meet up with you there. You'll have food and there'll be a little hot water for a shower. Should be able to warm up your head. Do you have any pain medication?

[That's a lot right now, steps and plans and things to do and consider. One thing at a time, just the last thing he heard.]

No. No pain meds.

I'm going to prescribe you some, then. Do you have any allergies to medication?

No. [He says, struggling for clarity, for clarification. It's difficult right now, but when has doing things that came easily ever benefited him?] I don't want them.

Why? You must be in a massive amount of pain.

No, I- I can't. I can't be compromised more than I am already. It's not safe. I'm not safe.

[John would pinch the bridge of his nose, except that would be excruciating.]

You're compromised if you can't think because you're in too much pain. Not narcotics. Would you accept a mid-grade painkiller? Prescription strength ibuprofen rather than standard. That won't compromise your judgment, but it will offer some relief.

Edited 2016-10-06 14:56 (UTC)

[A mid-grade painkiller, non-narcotic and anti-inflammatory. He should have thought of it before. He prescribed them to his students all the time after missions. He should have thought of it. He doesn't know why he didn't.

The pause goes on too long, but he does respond.]

All right. But I don't... I don't know how much the pain is really impacting me.

[He needs someone else to think for him right now.]

Pain is always going to impact you when it's at the level you're at. Let's plan out your travel route. Do you know where Kid is?

Edited 2016-10-14 01:37 (UTC)

The shed. That's where he was. He can't take care of himself, he's never been human before.

But I don't. I don't know where I am.

Tomorrow, after lockdown lifts, I want you to contact me and show me the area you're in with a video on your tablet. We can try to figure out where you are from that and other videos you take throughout the day.

[He stays silent, only vaguely aware that no, he won't be reporting in tomorrow. He knows he won't remember this. He knows it's already slipping away.]

Good night, Dr. Stein. I'll talk to you tomorrow and we can discuss what the Admin's response is, too.

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