✥ video .005

[thevulnerability]

[ Chloe is sitting at her desk with the camera propped up in front of her, and she looks wholly uncomfortable, which is par for the course whenever she addresses the network. She takes a deep breath, speaking with an even tone, clearly having rehearsed what she's about to say quite a few times. ]

Hi, everyone. If you don't know me, my name is Chloe Decker. I've been in Wonderland for almost two years, and before I came here I was a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. For the last few months I've been running the Deux Lux bar and nightclub, so if you don't know me personally, maybe you've seen me there. That's, uh, not really the point of this, though.

[ She clears her throat and pushes her hair over her shoulder, trying to get back on track. ]

I'm not closing down Lux or anything, but I've come to terms pretty recently with the fact that I'm always going to be a cop. About a year or so ago someone put together a guard to help protect people who had died multiple times in Wonderland. That person has since gone home but I always thought it was a good idea, and even though our relationship with the Mirrorside has seemed to change a little since last year, I think the concept is still applicable. So what I'd like to do is talk about reforming something similar, a group of people who have experience that might be able to offer resources or even protection for those who need it, especially during the more chaotic events.

And even outside of them, when necessary. Some of you are probably aware of an incident that occurred last year involving one of our own being murdered, and I don't think I'm the only one who felt helpless to do anything during that situation. I don't plan on laying down any law here... For the most part, I've learned we take care of each other as best we can. But I do think there is a basic code that needs to be upheld and that is one of decency towards each other, and for me, that means letting the people I care about know that they have somewhere to turn when they need help. I think this idea could help with that, whether it be organizing rescues or safe areas during events, or developing some kind of due process when someone is doing active harm to our community.

[ The part of the script she's more or less memorized is over at that point, so she presses her lips together and nods at the camera. ]

I'm open to suggestions, and volunteers.

Comments

[thevulnerability]

I'd, uh, I'd love any help that you could offer. What kind of experience do you have?

[thevulnerability]

[ Her first instinct is to defend them - to point out that they only acted like monsters because he insisted that they were. There's nothing to defend, though; from Chloe's point of view, all sides were wrong in this situation, if to varying degrees. All except the innocent woman who got caught in the middle and was murdered for it. ]

I know Freya pretty well and I highly doubt whatever she's doing is all that much of a torment. If you want, I could talk to her about putting you in a jail cell instead.

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[thisismadfreaky]

[Cisco nods, in keys of agreement straight from the beginning. He can understand the reservations about making an actual-factual police force, Wonderland's not really the place for such a thing. The rules are too different, the people too varied, too many factors to consider in trying to police the place. But this idea had legs, and he was so here for it.] Count me in. I'm definitely down for this. I really dig the sense of community you're gunning for, here. Especially in a place like this, that does so much to try and tear us all apart, I think it's a really important thing to create and try to hold onto.

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[persevere]

I'm always willing to help out.

[She's pretty sure Chloe already know that, but it's worth saying so out loud, too.]

[thevulnerability]

Klaus...

[ She is ready to insist that he doesn't understand, but he must. Before Wonderland pulled them all apart, Chloe had to accept the fact that she was a human surrounded by supernatural beings. Beings that could be selfish and thoughtless, and often violent, but she loved them all regardless. While her own humanity hadn't changed, it had become more palpable after that time, as she became exceedingly aware of her own fragile mortality. It was important to her not just to be good, but to show them all the importance of their own humanity, especially during the times they struggled with it. She had with Lucifer, and Caroline, although with Klaus it had always been different, as he always seemed a little wiser, and a little more decisive, with his compassion and his viciousness.

But he also understood her. She doesn't doubt for a second, even with the unwavering weight of his response, that he doesn't grasp how her inaction put the very state of her being into complete turmoil.

She stares at him, her eyes wide with fear; fear that she can't take back what happened, that she can't fix it, that it has changed her into something she never wanted to be and now there's no going back. ]

It's not. Not for me.

[thevulnerability]

Thanks. I think so too. [ She seems relieved, glad that she managed to pitch the idea in a way that is appealing to people. ] Do you have any background in law enforcement, the military, anything like that?

[thevulnerability]

[ Chloe smiles brightly. ]

I would love that. It's so good to have you back.

[outstandingbalance]

Intelligence. [It's the stock answer. Not a lie—Natasha certainly has the bona fides between her KGB training and her time at SHIELD. It's also comfortably vague and doesn't touch on the Avengers or the fact she's currently a criminal. Technically.]

Natasha Romanoff. Nice to meet you.

[persevere]

I was worried Wonderland would kick me back out after Christmas but I'm really glad it didn't.

[A beat.]

And I can't believe I said that. And meant it.

[After all, it's Wonderland. And yet...]

[talesuntold]

I'm glad you're doing this. Though I'm more likely to need rescue than be able to provide it, so that may be self-serving of me.

[poppycock]

( he does understand. he understands, and he knows. he sees the terror of that change, of that irreversible decision in her eyes, and it burrows under his skin. it widens his own eyes with that compassion, with that viciousness, because he cannot tell her she was right. he cannot tell her she was wrong. he cannot alter the truth nor the honesty in her words nor take away the weight of their meaning.

it's not, no. it's not good for her. nor was it for him, the first time cruelty and vengeance took ahold of his blood, his bones, and made them theirs.

perhaps that's why he's so quick to speak, to convince her that this does not mean she is lesser, or evil. or lost. why the cut of emotion seeps into his words. ) My brother would have torn you apart without blinking. ( she was saving herself. he's glad that she did. ) Leopold has been spouting such falsehoods and prejudices that even the hardest of men would become ill with hatred. ( he certainly has. )

The world is not always good. The choices we are given are not always good. But your fault here was not egregious, it was human.

[hypoxic]

So she can visit me in a closet of a different shape and continue setting me in danger? There's no reasoning with beasts.

[He takes a beat and glances over his shoulder, huddling closer to his device then.]

But are you serious about wanting to help?

[video forever]

[shrimpheavennow]

I definitely can't help defend anyone, but this all got me curious. Do we even know for sure what people need protecting?

[screwedontight]

Honestly? I thought it was a done deal since that whole thing that was going on before. The guard or whatever it was. They knew about it. Least Evelyn said they did.

Honestly, I figured no one could ever know the truth. We can't mistrust everyone and we can't go around assuming everyone is safe. I mean, I'm a criminal, but I don't deserve to be locked up here. How could we know what's real, what's not?

We only have one another's word.

I can't argue that. Most just accept they're going to die, and it's no big deal. Though... It felt like that has slowed down to you?

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[selfworthbitches]

Why are you allergic to fun, Decker?

[huisclos]

[While he's not planning to jump into the volunteer police officer profession, Michael does find himself once again impressed with humans' capacity for trying to help each other.]

So you're not laying down any laws but you are trying to develop rules for this neighborhood?

[This could have been sarcastic, but it sounds like a genuine question. He's curious how she's going to approach this, and he's curious how it's going to go.]

° private video

[beautifullies]

I've been terrified, not....quite so much about myself, but because my daughter arrived. My husband.

[ She switches to private to discuss this, next. ]

What do we do for those we know are dangerous from home, but bide their time, here?

[thisismadfreaky]

Yeah! I mean-- sort of. Not really directly or anything, but I help out with a team of vigilantes back home, and I've worked in tandem with the Central City PD as a sort of....scientific advisor, to help them have defenses against the criminally inclined metahumans in the city. [There's a brief pause as he tilts his head.] Do you know what a metahuman is? I guess that...might require some explanation, if you don't.

Video

[choosetruth]

[Georgia takes a while to think before responding. She has a lot of knee jerk reaction, but she trusts and respects Chloe too much to go there immediately.

She, as a rule, distrusts police, or any government organization authorized to use force. She didn’t always feel that way, but after taking down a government conspiracy or two you start to feel like you’ve earned your paranoia.

But this isn’t just any cop. This is Chloe. So she waits, and she thinks, and she fully forms an opinion before saying anything.]

This will be difficult to do well and to sustain. Are you prepared for that?

[licksthirium]

[Look. When you're a police officer designed to be a detective basically, this peeks your interest.]

Hello, Chloe. My name is Connor. I worked for the Detroit Police Department before coming here myself. That seems like a good kind of organization to have around here during times of strife. [Events really..] I wouldn't mind helping out if you need more people.

[video]

[waitin]

( When Clementine met Chloe, she was eight years old in the previous Event so she doesn't know how much she'll be believed. If her offer will even be accepted given she's still technically sixteen despite everything she has been through, despite the position she's been in at home, being a leader, being responsible for a lot of people, trying to lead an assault against a bunch of raiders. Her arms fold loosely across her chest.

When she was thirteen, she volunteered for a 'war' in Wonderland, because she thought she could help protect the only place that had felt like home to her since she was eight. It wound up with her becoming a chess piece in a game with no control and no power to fight, and then drowning, out of some stupid form of protest to not be- to not lose her willpower. Her ability to choose, to fight, to be herself still.

She still wants to protect this place, but not on the side of any Queen. She still wants to use her skills for something... good. The concept of police is hard to wrap her head around anymore, but she knows there were laws and rights and wrongs. Maybe she wants an outlet for all her violence that's... good. for once. Not that she regrets fighting raiders, it's just all dirty and messy. )

I want to help.

[thevulnerability]

Well, you haven't murdered anyone since you got here, so I wouldn't really count you as a threat to the population.

[ She rolls her eyes dramatically. ]

I don't know if it has, but that's kind of the point of this. I'd like as few people to die as possible.

[thevulnerability]

[ Chloe has enough experience to know that 'intelligence' is a code for very secret things, and a skill set that might prove to be useful. She doesn't see much of a point in being secretive in Wonderland, but she's not going to push it, either. ]

Nice to meet you, too. Intelligence could be more useful than you think. [ Mainly, when they are dealing with people who don't want to be caught. ]

[thevulnerability]

[ Chloe sighs. Seth brought up the same thing, and she knows what he's done at home (or rather, she doesn't know the extent of it, which makes it clear that it's a lot worse than he's let on). ]

We can keep an eye on them, but we can't punish people for crimes they potentially might commit. That's going into territory I can't support. [ It's taking a risk, but Chloe isn't about to organize the equivalent of thought police. ] For some people, Wonderland has become a second chance. We just have to hope that's enough.

[thevulnerability]

[ Oh, Christ. This is about to turn into something questionable, she just knows it. ]

Yes, I'm serious.