[01: audio] white knuckles

[manhunthotline]

[With oddly apropos timing, given the recent appearance of the traveler, detective Benny Stango has arrived in the middle of a conversation with Mark Meltzer's answering machine--his last conversation with either it or the man himself, in fact. Without his noticing, the ground has changed under his feet from damp concrete to carpet, and the pay phone he's been clutching has been replaced by the Wonderland standard-issue communicator unit.

So the network gets treated to a low voice, sharp with panic and thickly-accented (the Bronx, if anyone was wondering). And he's shouting. Despite years of smoking, the man has a set of lungs on him.]

--Jesus, Meltzer, what is that thing?! I took a shot at it, it didn't even flinch! I ran the whole way back to the squad car--yeah, I gotta remember to clean the seat--jesus, Meltzer, I never believed you were right, I'm sorry! Just gimme a c--

[The voice stops, almost cut off. Stango's looked up, finally noticed the change.]

What the hell...?

[At least he's still blissfully ignorant of the whole hellhound issue.]

Comments

[manhunthotline]

[He sighs again, puffing his cheeks out.]

How do I know you're even really here, though? How do I know I didn't snap and you're a figment of my imagination? Christ, I've spend enough time on you for it.

[paper_knight]

You don't. And there's no real argument that anyone here can make for or against your sanity--although personally, I'd never have guessed you were unstable. Or even likely to worry about it.

[Before Wonderland, that is. He remembers hearing Benny mention the possibility more than once.]

[manhunthotline]

Well, a year ago I woulda agreed with you, but things change.

[paper_knight]

The Traveler, right?

[manhunthotline]

…Yeah. Yeah, that's it.

[paper_knight]

She's here too, you know. Showed up a few days ago.

[manhunthotline]

Seriously?!

seriously Dean

[paper_knight]

Seriously.

[Depending on the outcome of a certain thread, Mark might even have the bruises to prove it!]

Part of why I want you to stay close, for a bit. I don't know where she's holed up.

[manhunthotline]

[He rubs the bridge of his nose. He's gone a little pale.]

Jesus. It gets better and better.

[paper_knight]

You know, she's had her chances to kill, and she never has. No need to panic.

[Spoken for his own benefit as much as Benny's, if he's honest. This is still a very new development.]

[manhunthotline]

[His head snaps up, and he drops his hand.]

Meltzer, she snapped your leg like a friggin' matchstick, and she's bulletproof. I'd say that's plenty goddamn reason to panic!

[paper_knight]

[Suddenly very dry:]

Yes, I remember. But I can only worry about so much at a time, and she will just have to wait her turn.

[manhunthotline]

Oh, and what's more worryin' than that?

[paper_knight]

Well...

[As luck would have it, their conversation has taken them past a second floor window that just happens to be facing the forest today. As Mark searches for words, a bloodcurdling howl echoes across the sun-soaked landscape, rattling the glass.]

...Come sit. I'll try to explain.

[manhunthotline]

What the hell…?

[He looks at the window, then at Mark. Then he shakes his head and follows.]

Fine.

[paper_knight]

[Mark leads him down the hall to his door and--with a bit of effort, due to some new, still-unfamiliar locks--swings it open for Benny.]

Make yourself comfortable--this might take a while.

[Either that, or it will be no time at all. He hasn't discounted the possibility of driving Benny off by accident.]

[manhunthotline]

[He seats himself gingerly, patting his pockets as he does so.]

Mind if I smoke…?

[paper_knight]

Go ahead.

[He locks and bolts the door behind them, drizzles a new line of salt across the entrance.]

D'you want coffee?

[manhunthotline]

No, that's okay.

[He's watching Mark put salt along his doorway with an expression of ever-increasing incredulity.]

What the hell are you doin'?

[paper_knight]

[He sets the bag down beside the door and flips his desk chair around.]

All right. So this place--people call it Wonderland. Like the books. A lot of things here don't make sense in the normal way, and I certainly wouldn't blame you for thinking you've snapped--or that I have--but bear with me.

Right now I'm going to tell you about events--or crashes, I heard them called recently. They're temporary phenomena based on the stolen memories of the people being held here. That's something that this place can do--steal, wipe, alter memories, though I am not sure to what extent. With me so far?

[manhunthotline]

Do I gotta be? Meltzer, this is nuts.

[paper_knight]

So I've heard. Sorry.

So...events. They run the gamut from silly, to physically dangerous to...voices in your head kind of dangerous.

Normally, we get a warning when one of these things is coming. Sometimes they're like...little riddles. Cryptic. But this time, the person who warned us was very specific about what was going to happen, and how we could protect ourselves. She mentioned salt at the doors and windows. I'm not sure if this person is trustworthy or not yet, but...I figure it can't hurt. Especially if I'm ready in other ways, too.

[manhunthotline]

[He bites back the urge to ask Mark if he's sure he doesn't just have voices in his head anyway. For once, he's not in a position to cast aspersions on anyone else's sanity.]

Other ways like what? What are these things?

[paper_knight]

Well, I was working on barricading the door when you came. I'm going to wait until tonight to start on the window--I want to be able to see what's going on out there for as long as I can.

[He rummages briefly in the debris on his desk and comes up with a sheet of notebook paper, where he's transcribed the Red Queen's transmission.]

This is what we've got to work off. That and the howling you heard--it's been going on all day.

[manhunthotline]

Oh, that's just great. Can we bathe in saltwater or somethin'?