[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noticing, the ground has changed under his feet from damp concrete to carpet, and the pay phone he's been clutching has been replaced by the Wonderland standard-issue communicator unit.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

[paper_knight]

By my count, it's been almost four years since then.

[One and change on Earth, almost three in Wonderland. He looks aside for a moment, not out of any dishonesty, but because Cindy would be ten years old, and he can never talk about how long he's been in Wonderland without taking that tally--and the weight of guilt that comes with it.]

[manhunthotline]

Hah! Bullshit.

[Short and to the point.]

Don't try to sell me on some sci-fi crap, Meltzer. Maybe you were right about that friggin' demon outta the river, but 'I'm from the future' is just a little bit too rich.

[paper_knight]

All right. I won't try and sell you, Benny.

[He knows where that goes.]

[manhunthotline]

[He heaves a heavy sigh.]

Hey, for all I know, I'm sellin' myself, right? I mean, I was in a phone booth, I know I was. The only way to end up here would be…to not be here.

[And then a sardonic smile.]

That, or that thing caught up with me and now I'm in hell.

[paper_knight]

You can decide what to think for yourself--explore the place, ask questions--read the pamphlet, for what it's worth--

[His tone implies that even having agreed to copyedit, he's still not pleased with the presence of a pamphlet, however helpful it might be.]

But for now I'm going to ask you to take my word on a couple of things. Just for the next day or so. Think you can handle that?

[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?