[9]

[savethedarkness]

[Filtered to: Queen Anne Boleyn, His Highness Robb Stark, Arya Stark, Pixy Foulke, Conan Edogawa, Brock Samson, Molotov Cocktease, Frodo Baggins, Freelancer New York, Agent Kelly-087, Gary Sitterson, Phoebe Halliwell, Kate Beckett, Mitsuru Kirijo, Lara Croft, Ashura, Blues, August Booth, and Katniss Everdeen]

Everyone, this is Emma. I need to inform you all that a very dangerous man has arrived in Paradisa. His name is Raoul Silva, though he has also been known as Tiego Rodriguez. He is an ex-soldier and notorious terrorist from my world, and is responsible for the deaths of .... [she stopped counting before he even left her employ] many, many men. By this point I am rather certain the count of innocents is higher than the count of those he killed in service of his country.

I am writing to you this morning not only to warn you of his presence, but to ask a favor of you: to not inform him of my own. It is inevitable that he will find it out on his own, of course, but I am playing for time. Shortly before I arrived in Paradisa, several months ago, I was running for my life, and I am quite certain he will still want to take it from me. Any time that you can aid me in buying would be most appreciated, and I will be in your debt.

[a pause, and then:]

He also has a very annoying habit of calling me his mother. I assure you, that is not the case.

[Bond]

We're going to need more than some dynamite and shotgun shells.

Comments

[savethedarkness]

I won't put anyone else in that sort of danger to save my own skin. I'd sooner just let the bastard shoot me himself this time.

[in the words of Rubeus Hagrid? shouldn'a toldja tha'.]

[kungfuwitch]

This time?

[Rut ro. Yeah you definitely shouldn't have told her that.]

[savethedarkness]

[damn. .... well, nothing for it.]

Yes.

[kungfuwitch]

What happened?

[savethedarkness]

It's time I told you exactly what business I'm in, I suppose. [she sighs quietly].

In my world, my own time.... I'm the head of MI6, British Secret Intelligence. Silva was my best agent in my earliest days.... and then he went outside my jurisdiction and hacked the Chinese government. They were crying for blood, so... I gave him to them. I thought they'd killed him, until a few months before I arrived here in Paradisa. He concocted a plan to expose all our undercover agents, blew a level of our headquarters to cinders, and... Well. He came after me, personally. It wasn't his bullet that Dr. Beckett took out of my side when I arrived, but he hired the hand that pulled the trigger.

[kungfuwitch]

Oh my god!

[Holy crap. On one hand she's astounded that the man had tried to kill her and everything he'd done... but on the other hand...]

You gave him to them? Wasn't there any other way?

[savethedarkness]

... In hindsight, there may have been. But I was younger, and there was pressure on a lot of sides to do what I did. Not that I'd make excuses. If given the choice, now? Damn if I'd keep him and beat the sense into him myself instead. But I can't afford to regret. What's done was done. And in the end... In the end, it was justified.

That's why I want you to all keep away. He's my mistake to tend to. My own bloody consequence.

[kungfuwitch]

[Now that? That is something she can understand. Lord knows there are plenty of things from her own past she can look back and see a million better options.]

In the heat of the moment things look a lot different than they do looking back. I'm sorry you had to go through that.

[She pauses]

You do realize that you've probably been saying that to a whole bunch of people who are going to do what they can to help you anyway, right?

[savethedarkness]

So am I, but what's past is past. [she says it simply enough, as fact]

And yes, I do. ... And I realize how lucky I am, here. [the thanks aren't spoken, but they're very implicit]

[kungfuwitch]

It is... no matter how many things we wish we could change in it.

[That brings a small smile to her face]

A lot of us are. I may not have my sisters here but knowing there are people here I can count on makes all the difference in the world. [She catches those thanks and throws back a "and you can count on me" right back]

[savethedarkness]

[sisters. now all she can think of is three women standing around a cauldron. fantastic. she pushes the cliche to the back of her mind and shakes her head, glad Phoebe can't see her faint smirk]

Strength in numbers, but of course. Well, let's hope it's strength enough, this time. ... Do let me know if you manage to think of anything else, won't you?