jumpthegun | IC Inbox (v1.0)

Are you going after the Joker?

Yes. I am. Are you going to stop Sherlock going into the morgue?

[John's voice is quiet, clipped. You are not on his favorite people list right now, Sylar.]

Honestly? I have no idea how I'd do that. I'm sure you know how he is when he's proving a theory.

[ Sylar sighs. He sounds moderately unhappy himself. ]

Don't go after the Joker. Your reactions are fueling him. He might not be in a position to do anything about it now, but he'll remember. Did you tell him you're going after him?

Tell me where you are, and I'll come knock some sense into him.

And I really don't need your advice on dealing with the Joker. Thank you. [Also known as, yes, he has totally told the Joker he's coming after him.]

Really? You don't need advice on how to handle a serial killer looking for attention wherever he can get it? From someone who has a good idea how his mind is operating? [ Yeah, someone doesn't believe you. ] Sure, okay.

[ His tone drops into something more serious to discuss Sherlock again. ]

We're two houses directly to the west of the chapel area. I can see the pond and the chapel from here. I'll see if I can slow him down, but I kinda doubt it.

You're not the first or even the worst serial killer I've dealt with, Sylar. [There's more than a touch of condesencion in John's tone.] Anyway, the Joker's a comic character where I'm from. I probably know more about him than you do.

[Knowing where they are helps, though. Even though it's on the wrong side of the chapel for where he wants to go.]

See if you can get him to hold off heading to the chapel or very far for a day. I can meet you at the chapel on 191 and just stop him directly there.

[ If only John could hear eyerolling over the audio, because Sylar is giving him the most epic eyeroll ever right now. ] He's a character where I'm from, too. He'll go after Sherlock eventually, you realize that. At least he's too sick to get far, right now.

Okay. I'll do what I can. If I can't get him to wait, I'll do what I can to make sure he stays safe.

[He does realize. And John wants to prevent that. Still, John's going to play it off.]

A murderous psycho with an obsessive bent after my best mate? It's like I never left home.

[John clears his throat.]

I'm aiming to get the Joker to the east side of the chapel, try to keep him out of your path. I'll give you and Sherlock a ring if I get him down.

...Moriarty?

[There's a momentary pause as John tries not to bristle. He knows Sylar didn't get that from him or Sherlock. Well, probably not from Sherlock.]

Yes.

[ Sylar sounds quieter, more focused. ]

John, did Sherlock die when you came from? Did you go to Switzerland, or someplace called Reichenbach Falls?

[ This might color the current experiment. Sylar was going to make a rather pathetic attempt to stop Sherlock, but now he's wondering if he should actually try to hold him off. ]

[Switzerland?]

I don't see it's much of your business, Mr. Gray.

[From his tone, it's probably easy enough for Sylar to deduce that the answer to at least the first question is 'yes.']

Oh, it's not. But I think you'll want to hear this. Because I don't think he actually died.

[ He lets that settle for a moment before continuing. ]

The stories I've read are clearly adaptations of your lives. They're written from your perspective, and the one in which Sherlock dies is called "The Final Problem." Except he didn't die. He returns a year or two later in disguise, chasing after one of Moriarty's surviving men.

He's not dead, John.

[There is complete silence on John's end for a long moment. When John speaks again, there's anger, very real anger.]

Don't. Don't you ever... Don't even. I watched him jump off a roof and onto the bloody pavement. I was there, talking to him, when he committed suicide. Do not ever talk to me about this again.

[He hangs up. And then throws his tablet at the wall.]

Sorry.

[There's no response for several hours, then:]

Leave it. Goodnight.

IC Inbox (v1.0)

@godsend, audio, Day 189;

audio

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

cw: mention of suicide

text, two minutes later

no subject