don't wait for a knight in shinin' armor, your savior's reflected in the mirror

[perpend]

[That sure was a fucking thing. That execution was a fucking thing. Those secrets are a fucking thing.

Cabanela retreats to his room, but not for all that long. Everyone will get a note eventually, written in very neat handwriting

I do not plan on bowing down to threats and intimidation. If you did not act, it means you were, like me, aware of the risk, but decided against it. Your reasons are entirely your own.

Join me in the dining room if you agree enough is enough, and that you won't acquiesce to threats. I don't plan to let this stop me, and neither should you.

-C

In the dining room itself, Cabanela has set up coffee and tea for those who want it-- there's no food, because to be honest, he doesn't know how to cook. Two more candles have been lit-- he wasn't really sure what to do about the whole... parasite thing... so Fern's candle will have to make due.]

Comments

[sadisticwarfare]

[Yeah, most of us are going to be putting up a false front tonight, aren't we?]

Normally I wouldn't turn down an offer for tea, but given the most recent murder I'm a bit wary of taking anything from anyone. You understand, of course.

[Not that he expects Cabanela to poison him, but given the secrets... well, he's going to be very careful from now on.]

[perpend]

That's why I didn't bring you any.

[And true to his word, he's empty-handed.

This is clearly some sort of "come with me" or a really poor attempt at being asked inside.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[...Okay, that's fair. Archer looks momentarily conflicted before he finally tips his head a bit in acknowledgement.]

I suppose I can spare a few minutes to make tea.

[It's not like he was doing anything other than "being mad", probably.]

[perpend]

Come on, then!

[Because he's fairly sure Archer will trust him when he starts to boil water with a teakettle that has been up in the cabinet. Hopefully.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[He'll follow, though he's fairly quiet more subdued today. Once we're in the kitchen he'll start going through the teas until he finds something he likes.]

...Any particular reason why you sought me out?

[You could have asked just about anyone to join you for tea.]

[perpend]

You're a military man. We don't think entirely differently.

[Left unstated is the fact that despite Archer doing a terrible thing, he isn't going to let it change his mind, not now. Cabanela wouldn't have sent that note if it was going to contain an "except you" PS to everyone who did something horrible.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[...]

I take it you've read everyone else's secrets?

[He can see what Cabanela is getting at, but he wants to rule out the possibility of "Cabanela just felt the need to ignore all the other secrets" first.]

[perpend]

Of course I have. They're hard to ignore.

[sadisticwarfare]

I see.

[He won't thank Cabanela for it, but he doesn't really look at the man either.]

...Who was Yomiel?

[He doesn't want to talk about his own secret, but sure he'll talk about everyone else's!]

[perpend]

A man whose job gave him access to national secrets, and who was suspected after they leaked. He was found innocent, but only after his death.

He escaped the room he was in, because I'd forgotten my gun, and took a young girl hostage. He was struck dead in a freak accident before he could be gunned down.

[sadisticwarfare]

...I see. I imagine that weighs heavily on you.

[actually he's kind of baffled that you'd think that's your fault?? but uh. he's trying.]

[perpend]

[WHY DO PEOPLE KEEP SAYING IT'S NOT HIS FAULT, OH MY GOD]

.....It does.

[.........................................]

His spirit isn't at rest; I'm sure he's behind everything that I've been investigating for the past decade. He would have the motivation.

[sadisticwarfare]

...You think he's a ghost?

[He's. He's trying very hard not to sound incredulous but. Ghosts...]

[perpend]

Three people I trust all told me that they have spoken to a ghost who can manipulate objects. It stands to reason if one ghost can manipulate objects, another can manipulate people's physical bodies.

The Minister of Justice himself claimed it happened to him; you'll understand why I'm taking it seriously.

[sadisticwarfare]

[BUT GHOSTS......

then again we did have sentient bacteria today, so why is he stuck on ghosts.]

I see. It certainly sounds difficult to deal with.

[perpend]

[Archer, people had an actual conversation with a sentient staph infection.

Ghosts are real, you need to deal.]

...It's entirely possible I've already dealt with it. I can't be sure.

[sadisticwarfare]

[at least with fern it was so weird he can just go back to pretending that never happened!!!! ghosts are within the realm of possibility, maybe!!!]

Ah, you're talking about those strange dreams?

[perpend]

They're not dreams.

[He seems pretty certain about that.]

...I was talking about my injuries, actually. They're pretty serious. I've been under the impression for a while I must have broken several ribs, and survived a bad burn.

[sadisticwarfare]

And you didn't have any of those injuries when you awoke here?

[perpend]

No, but I had the scarring.

My forte isn't in medial knowledge, but once you've seen enough crime scenes you pick up on things here and there.

[sadisticwarfare]

Interesting. That does make it seem like those dreams we're having are memories...

[He's accepted it by now, but it's still a bit difficult to acknowledge.]

[perpend]

It does.

And I doubt many of us are remembering pleasant things.

[That's not a shot at Archer, it's clearly more about himself.]

[sadisticwarfare]

Indeed. I suppose we'll have another odd dream soon, too.

[perpend]

[A nod of agreement.]

If the pattern holds.