Learning the Peregrine

[lessandmorethanhuman]

Passengers: Alex Mercer and You.
Location: Around the Peregrine.
Date: Feb 7th
Summary: Alex is learning the layout still, with a few special stops. At least two places require a warden to help.
Warnings: Language? Possible body horror discussion depending on how things go.



Alex was limited in where he could go, and what he could do. He hated it, thanks. But he'd agreed to be here--if these beings really could return him from death, to his world... Then he could clean up the messes still; he didn't trust the military to do so. Not after they'd tried to nuke Manhattan to 'fix things'.

S.I.R.E
Alex hated that this required a warden. But he was curious, and maybe wanted to do some thinking out loud. Which meant he needed to find a warden who was willing to activate this thing, and then give him some privacy. (At least the illusion of privacy would help.) Was it so wrong that he wanted familiar surroundings?

Athletics Department
He'd at least learned, that while this area required a warden's supervision, to time his use of it to when one of them was using it. Seriously though, this was getting old. Not that he'd expected much freedom, but this absolutely sucked. He wasn't even planning on causing any trouble. Just using the free-standing punching bag. Getting used to being 'limited' to a human-based form and body again.

Resource Library
At least THIS place didn't require a warden's permission. Alex still would've preferred actual books, but the variety was impressive at least. Right now he was browsing to see whatever seemed interesting.

Comments

[dealwiththe]

He can accuse all he wants. He is, as Lucifer pointed out, an inmate. Lucifer has no reason to assume that any given inmate is going to be honest at any given time. He'll take Alex at his word, for now, but what's the point in being offended?

"Let's say... you get thirty minutes for your pacing and thinking," Lucifer says, as the door swishes open and he gestures for Alex to enter. "And then you'll tell me a bit about your sister, and her safe house."

[lessandmorethanhuman]

Another look, and it was clear Alex wasn't happy about that latter part. But..."Deal." He took a step inside the giant box, and wondered how it was activated. Looking around a bit before asking. "Think this is like that holodeck thing on that space show? Voice commands maybe?"

[dealwiththe]

"Star Wars?" Lucifer shrugs. "Try it. I don't see a keypad or anything. The worst that could happen is... nothing."

[lessandmorethanhuman]

"I think it's the other one. Less cool laser swords." Alex replied, before taking a breath and ignoring how dumb this was. "Dana Mercer's Safe House." Not volunteering any more information than necessary at first. This place had files on them, so maybe it was preprogrammed? He just...wouldn't think about how it got those files right then. (That would only frustrate him more.)

It worked though, as the 'box' changed, showing them part of a studio apartment in a building south west of Times Square in Manhattan. There wasn't much in the area chosen, although there was a giant map of Manhattan on the wall next to the desk. One box labeled confidential, a bunch of files, and a computer set up. The only places to sit were at the desk, or in an armchair. It was dimly lit, mostly from the computer screen.

Alex looked around, before sighing and shooting a look at Lucifer for a moment. Then sighing again, and voicing "Add Dana Mercer." Because he needed this illusion to be somewhat complete. Another person was added. She had short cropped brown hair, and the same piercing blue eyes Alex had. A striped top, with a zipped up hoodie, denim skirt over leggings and converse shoes. Standing, before moving to sit at the desk and hunch over the computer.

[dealwiththe]

Lucifer watches the environment form around them. He's interested, both in what this all means to Alex - how it's important to him, and why - and also in the S.I.R.E. itself, if it really works the way it's supposed to. He'll certainly have to do a bit of experimentation on his own time, especially when the computer or whatever it is actually conjures up a person.

But - he made a deal. Alex gets thirty minutes to himself. Lucifer nods at him and retreats to a corner, or however far away he can get, to give the inmate some semblance of privacy.

"Thirty minutes," he says, holding up his CommLink.

[lessandmorethanhuman]

Dana is static, quiet and seemingly in a loop of working on the laptop. Alex appreciates at least the semblance of privacy though it's still frustrating to lack true privacy. "Don't suppose you can actually talk, huh?" Directed to the figure of Dana. "Haven't found anything new yet." Is the response--and it's pulled from Alex's memories.

All of this was supposed to be recordings right? So no getting Dana to share his dilemmas with. Great. Ah well.

Unfortunately for Lucifer, it's going to be a pretty boring 30 minutes. Alex stares at the map occasionally in his pacing. Sometimes he's literally pacing the floor of the space. At one point he goes and leans against the wall by the desk, facing outward, and sinks to sit against it. Glancing over at Dana occasionally, and then sighing. He's....calmer a bit at least. Even if she's not there, he can have conversations in his head with her. She'd already helped him figure out a buncha shit--and then got kidnapped by Greene.

Damnit.

He had to get back. Finish cleaning up the mess. Make sure she and Dr. Ragland were safe, hopefully get her out of her coma.

[dealwiththe]

Lucifer figures the thirty minutes is going to be mind-numbing. That's why he's got his CommLink out. At least he can check the network, make sure no one's making an escape attempt or trying to blow up the mess hall or anything.

He manages. This is for Alex, not him, and Lucifer has learned to put others' needs ahead of his own, from time to time.

But as soon as the thirty minutes is up, he's tucking his CommLink back into an inner pocket of his jacket, and glancing around a bit more closely at their setting.

"So. Tell me about this sister of yours. She looks like a detective of some sort," he begins unceremoniously. The time for thinking and pacing is up, Alex. Now it's sharing time.

[lessandmorethanhuman]

Alex was currently in his 'sitting on the floor position'. Legs bent with his knees up and hands resting on them. "Journalist." He corrected, looking up at Lucifer. Alex looked tired. "10 years younger. This is actually a friend of her's place. She was helping me investigate what happened to me."

[dealwiththe]

"The investigative sort," Lucifer says. "I know the type. So what did happen to you, that needed to be investigated?"

Seems a logical enough question to ask - after all, he doesn't have access to Alex's file. He figures he'll ask questions, see what he can learn, and maybe also see how far he can pry until Alex starts shutting him down. Even that can potentially be illuminating.

[lessandmorethanhuman]

"Three weeks before arriving here, I woke up on an autopsy table with scrambled memories and two guys in biohazard suits ready to dissect me. Must've been a rush job too because I was fully clothed and everything." It was an honest answer, and probably confusing all the same. But Alex had given it before when asked, and wasn't lying.

[dealwiththe]

"Was it this virus you told me about?" Lucifer asks, curious. It is an interesting story - dying before he died, so to speak, since Lucifer understands all the inmates here have been yeeted out of their worlds at the moment of their deaths. And Alex had mentioned some sort of apocalyptic virus wreaking havoc in his world.

[lessandmorethanhuman]

"Dr. Alex Mercer worked on an already virulent bio-weapon to make it more virulent and deadly, and then the project started getting covered up. He ran, but they found him in Penn Station. Alex Mercer dropped the vial as he was being shot at. Then I woke up on the autopsy table. Scrambled memories, and had to try and piece together everything that'd happened."

Alex looked down, staring at his hands seemingly. "Found the truth of it all. Didn't like it. Wish to hell I could forget it. But it's all a part of me."

[dealwiththe]

Well, that's not creepy at all. Not just the story itself, but the way he tells it - third person, like it's someone else's story.

"And is there a reason why you're talking about yourself in the third person?" Lucifer asks, curious.

[lessandmorethanhuman]

"I was a different man then." Alex replied. It was true, and he wasn't even speaking metaphorically. Yet he remained Alex Mercer all the same.

"Worked for Gentek, a biological and genetic research company founded in 1976. Because of the founder's expertise in Genetics, a group known as Blackwatch contracted unofficially to work on their viral biological weapons research. The Founder became the head of the company, in many ways, and soon enough we were working with samples and ignorant of its use in the field. Think of the company as 'need to know silos'--highly paranoid and secure. Dr. Alexander J. Mercer was the head of the Blacklight Virus project.

I discovered the real source of the virus--a woman named Elizabeth Greene. She was the source of 14 different strains of what was known as the Redlight virus, and the only survivor of a town called Hope, Idaho. She was held in a secure facility in Manhattan. Apparently my 'investigations' were seen as a threat, and soon the project was being covered up. Usually with a black bag, for those of us involved."

That was a lot of information Alex had just given Lucifer, and he knew it. He had a bit more, before he was done though. Lucifer had asked about his sister after all. "Alex moved out when Dana was 16. Up until he was 10, it had been foster care. But at 10, Dana was born, and Alex was placed back with his mother. He'd have been better off in foster care though--he was often more the parent than their mother was. Moving out when Dana was 16, they gradually lost most contact with each other over the next few years until he sent her a secured laptop out of the blue."

A pause, Alex turning to look at the figure of Dana. Illusions. Comforting lie.

"I cleared a 10 ft security fence in one jump, when I escaped from Gentek. Had no idea I could do that--or survive being shot again. Found Dana as she was being arrested by Blackwatch--she tried to headbutt them in protest. I punched through the soldier--literally, killed the other, and we headed for her safe house.

[dealwiththe]

That is quite the info dump - and this from someone who is often the king of over-sharing. But, that's the thing - Lucifer knows, to help anyone on this ship, he's going to have to learn all about them. Not just the bare facts of their lives - which is what this seems to be - but how they think and feel about those events.

He definitely notices that there are no feelings here. He's just recounting a history. It might not even be his own, the way he keeps switching back and forth between "I" and "Alex".

"And how did you feel about all this?" Lucifer asks bluntly. "Or, how did Alex feel, being a pawn in a larger game he didn't know the full picture of? How did he feel about his sister being dragged into it?"

[lessandmorethanhuman]

"There's the therapist huh?" Alex said with a half-smirk, and a hint of snark. "Good thing I don't believe in hell, because this would be the funniest manifestation of it ever. The Devil playing therapist."

[dealwiththe]

"This is exactly how it manifests," Lucifer says with no snark whatsoever. "If you were in Hell, your Hell loop would be a series of your own memories. Your worst memories, probably. And the only way to escape it, is to understand why. Why these memories? Why did you condemn yourself? And what would you have needed to do, to do better? To forgive yourself?"

He just looks at Alex steadily.

"You don't need to have those answers now. In fact, I'd be very surprised if you did. But you'll need to figure them out, if you want to make progress here as you've claimed."

[lessandmorethanhuman]

"Oh these aren't necessarily my worst memories. Things got a whole lot worse before they got at all better." Alex said gazing steadily back at Lucifer. Quiet for several moments while he stared and studied the other. It's kind of unnerving, Alex's icy blue-eyes looking like they're trying to visually dissect the other--he didn't even blink.

Until he finally did, still meeting the other's gaze but with his head shifting slightly to the side as he talked. "What does forgiveness even mean? Or to do better. I was already trying to do better, by breaking the back of the infection, clean up the mess I made. I am here because I was flying a nuke out over the water so that the military didn't use it to blow up Manhattan to stop the damn infection."

[dealwiththe]

Alex’s gaze doesn’t unnerve Lucifer in the slightest. Creeping him out is just very difficult, generally. He’s spent thousands of years in Hell, after all, dealing with dead human souls and an army of demons under his rule. He’s almost always the scariest thing in the room.

“That’ll be on you to figure out,” he says simply. “What it means for you will be different from what it meant for me, what it will mean for the other inmates.”

This is just an initial consult. If they get paired up, Lucifer will start really working on pushing him, digging into these issues. Right now, it’s enough to get a glimpse, and point out that these issues even exist.

He’s had this conversation a number of times, with people in Hell.

[lessandmorethanhuman]

Alex took a deep breath in, held it, then let it out. Then got up from his crouch, put his hands in his pockets, and slouched against the wall. "Your turn, Mr. Headshrinker. Tit for Tat, remember?"

tfw you cant just find an empty set pic

[dealwiththe]

"Of course."

Lucifer never goes back on a deal - he's meticulous like that. Of course, it takes a moment to figure out how to reset the S.I.R.E. Computer, end program is the obvious answer, so of course that's it. He almost rolls his eyes at the blatant reference.

But once that's settled, he speaks - LAPD, precinct ##, forensics lab, circa 2018. He knows exactly what memory he wants to conjure, and sure enough, the environment that comes into being is highly detailed. Lucifer's visual memory is incredibly good, and this is clearly a place that he is very familiar with.

The room is empty for the moment, until Lucifer says Miss Ella Lopez, and then she arrives - small, smiling, her ponytail jaunty, cross necklace glinting at her neck and a t-shirt with a cartoon vampire on it that says Mornings suck!. She approaches Lucifer, her face lighting up, reaching out for something that he must've been holding, and sure enough, she comes away with a coffee mug, a big pile of whipped cream and sprinkles on top of it.

"Aw, you shouldn't have! Thanks!" and then she's off, sipping at her coffee, chattering enthusiastically about blood spatter patterns on concrete versus glass. Her words quickly devolve into nonsense syllables, with occasional science gak!, as it's clear Lucifer doesn't remember most of what she actually said on this occasion, but that's clearly not the important part of this memory.

Lucifer, standing next to Alex the entire time, almost seems to be holding his breath for a moment. He swallows, hard, as he watches the scene unfold. It's one thing to see someone else's memory - and something else entirely to watch one of his own.

There's a reason why he chose Miss Lopez, and not some other people from his life.

[lessandmorethanhuman]

Alex looks around curiously, then turns to study the person that goes with the memory. Listening, clearly understanding what she's saying up until it starts becoming gibberish because Lucifer hadn't paid attention. Alex noticed Lucifer swallow--was he actually nervous? That could be interesting and useful.

"So, private lab or?"

[dealwiththe]

"LAPD," he repeats, and if Alex looks closely he will see the official logo of the LAPD on many items around the room - laptops, tablets, etc. Even the coffee mug in Ella's hand has it stamped on the side. Lucifer isn't paying any attention to Alex, though. He's watching the woman, the expression on his face one of infinite fondness, tinged with sadness.

No, he's not nervous. Just dealing with a wave of emotion that, even if somewhat expected, is still there. Still threatens to overwhelm him.

[lessandmorethanhuman]

Alex took more of a look around, quiet--even taking some extra time as he moved in the small space. His way of letting Lucifer have that moment and some privacy. Now why was this important to the devil, of all people?

[dealwiththe]

Well, that's considerate of Alex, at least. After a few moments, Lucifer lets out a breath. He's got enough control of himself, at least, to speak without sounding like he's about to cry.

"Go on. You can ask all your burning questions," he says finally. Tit for tat, right?