WHO: Ehren and Fitz WHEN: August 2nd WHERE: The shack WHAT: Not giving WARNINGS: talk of death STATUS:complete
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Distraught didn’t even begin to describe Ehren’s current emotional status. A wave of guilt had flooded over him after hearing about Hannah’s death and he’d spent the last couple of days replaying the scenario in his head. Ehren knew she was in trouble and he’d decided he was going to help her because that’s what the faction did. Only Logan was picked up on murder charges and Ehren had forgotten about the project.
So many thoughts crossed his mind. He thought working endlessly to release Logan was his main priority but while he was selfishly fighting for him, Hannah had become forgotten and then brutally murderer. He needed to see Fitz, needed to talk to somebody about it. He couldn’t tell Logan, or Dani either and the burden was growing bigger by the day.
He found his way to the shack after contacting Fitz and paced across the creaky floors while he waited for his feline counterpart.
—
Fitz had been pulled from the mission as well. Sure, he’d put feelers out and tried not to let his ‘job’ flounder, but with Kyrie starting to date someone and being concerned about her, his relationship with Ben getting more serious and being torn about keeping The Faction from him and Ezra coming back from the dead with amnesia. Not to mention everything with Daryn and the concern amongst The Faction about the guard murder. Now there was a second.
Fitz had heard about the trial, their leader had actually asked him if he’d done it- especially after the accused lawyer put out that it could have been a feline not a canine who had done the damage. Fitz had not.
When Ehren reached out, Fitz hadn’t hesitated on meeting. He had assumptions about what it was about and knew he’d failed his comrade. The cat known as Mew jumped from the branch of a tree to the small hole in the shack’s awning and padded along the beam that helped support the roof. He let out a small ‘mew’ to let the man know he was there before dropping to the table and then the floor. Once on the ground, the cat changed in what seemed like a blink into the man known as Fitz. His hair had recently been trimmed and his face shaved (and not yet grown stubble). He slid his backpack off and placed it on the floor next to one of the chairs as he removed his jacket as well- choosing to keep his fingerless gloves on as he recalled that Ehren didn’t react comfortably to his strange touch. Not that he was planning on touching the man, but even a handshake would reveal the overly soft touch like that of a shorthaired cat his skin had. He turned his blue eyes to the man and his brow furrowed. “I’m so sorry…”
--
Once Fitz had returned to his human form, Ehren watched him closely, to see if he felt the same kind of remorse Ehren had felt. “I fucked it up. I got distracted and then she died.” was all he could say. The tears hadn’t come today but it was still painful to think about. He paced more, crossing his arms tightly around his chest.
“On top of that, I’ve been getting messages from her, or whatever she is now. I think her consciousness is trapped inside this thing she called the cloud, or the box. I don’t know.” It had been a while since the two had spoken and so he only recalled what she told him that day they met on the beach.
“I think we still have time to save her.” He admitted, even though this was just his wild theory based on what had been happening. If she was trapped, then it was his duty to end her suffering.
—
“You- we had no way of knowing what would happen. We don’t know if she was targeted or if it was random. She could have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Fitz said, reaching out to place a comforting hand on Ehren’s shoulder.
The news that her consciousness was still around was a bit hard to wrap his mind around. “I- anything we can do- totally will help… I just am not quite sure how.” Fitz tried to think of the Faction members who were tech savvy. Some had been vanished during the small uprising- like the one who’d set up his network account for him. “I know electricity and security systems, but a consciousness trapped in the ether… maybe we can see if one of the telepaths can reach out? Or if anyone has some higher level programming skills who can help.” He put out there.
—
Ehren finally stopped pacing to look back at Fitz. He felt the hand come to his shoulder, now gloves so he didn’t feel the soft fur-like texture of it. At the mention of telepaths, a name came to his head. Caspian. He’d found out about the faction when he was removing Ehren’s anxiety and his family had been through a lot. Maybe he’d be willing to help, maybe he was the best man for the job.
“I know someone, he’s telepathic and does mind manipulation. He might be able to break through whatever kind of barriers they have set up. He seems interested in being involved in other ways too, which could be good for us.” It was always risky inviting someone in, Ehren himself had been tailed for weeks before anyone even spoken to him about it.
He didn’t want to mention the fact that Ehren had told him about the faction. He was in a vulnerable state and the words seemed to slip out all on their own.
—
Of course Fitz was aware of most peoples powers on the island, as much as one could be. The faction made it a point to know who would be valuable to them. Therefore Fitz had done his best to avoid any non Faction member who was telepathic, at least in isolated places. Crowds, his mind tended to blend into others, but when the telepath was the only one there with a cat and they picked up thoughts… it could be trouble.
“Do you think he’d be willing to take that risk? Infiltrating a government facility like that could be dangerous.” If Fitz ‘existed’ on the island, he wasn’t sure he’d have joined The Faction. He’d had reservations to begin with, not wanting to put Kyrie in trouble. But he quickly realized that 1) he could be an asset in ways others couldn’t and 2) what else was he going to do with his days?
--
Caspian did seem to really love and protect his family, but wasn’t that what the Faction was there for? To protect the people on this island. “I don’t know.” He admitted, finding a chair and sitting down in it to bury his hands into his hair. “I think if it means making this place we live in better for those of us who are trapped here then he’d be interested in helping.”
He took his hands out of his hair and looked up at Fitz again. “She also mentioned something I didn’t quite understand. She said We’re all trapped. You have to act fast while the window is still open. It won’t be open for long. Do you think she means escape?” He asked, because Ehren still couldn’t make heads or tails of this situation.
“If anything, he could at least try to find some clarity in that statement. Maybe there’s something the faction can do, for everyone.” Maybe there was a real way to escape, for everyone.
—
Fitz moved to the opposite side of the shack as he though. “Maybe, or maybe the window to help herself is limited?” He nodded. “But I agree, action is needed. Reach out to him. I can let you do it as ‘Henry’ if you want to stay anonymous.” He offered, a few people had been approached by his fake, secure account.
“I’ll put out feelers for anyone tech savvy as well, once we confirm it’s her, Caspian might need help getting her out.” He had no idea how, but that wasn’t his part of the job. He’d help find the people who could do the job.
What if she was talking about a way off the island. Kyrie, Ben, Ezra… they could all be free. And he could finally fulfill his promise to Key to take her home.
—
He didn’t mention the call, he wasn’t entirely sure what he was supposed to do but maybe it was time to talk about it. “I also received a call, it sounded like an automated system. She said that communication to the outside is open but not for long.” That’s what frightened him, missing the chance to do something. If communication with the outside was open, they could blow open the can of worms so to speak.
“I need to talk to the higher ups. I don’t know how much time we have, whatever is going to happen, it needs to happen NOW.” He almost yelled at Fitz, the call had abruptly ended with her voice telling him to be careful and the thought was beginning to make him feel crazy.
—
“Shit,” Fitz nodded, placing an arm on Ehren’s to show he was understanding. “You definitely need to tell them. How long ago was the call? Did she say how we can communicate? Are the devices given able to or… do we have to find an actual phone?” He wasn’t sure he’d been given all the info, but it was good to ask. Less questions if they had. “But you’re right. We need to let the outside world know what’s happening here.”
--
“Yesterday. I’m going to set up a meeting with Diane and show her everything. I typed up the transcripts from the call too.” He said, they were buried in a drawer so as not to be found by anyone in the government.
“Meanwhile, I’ll draft a letter to a news source, I need to find the direct mailing address to a journalist otherwise they’ll sniff it out.” He knew Fitz was the eyes and ears of the island but maybe he knew someone with that information. “Do you know anyone who could do that?” He asked. He was sure the Faction had plenty of resources at their disposal.
—
“I’ve heard rumors.” He nodded. He’d heard of a few people talking in private about sending or getting letters from home. There weren’t many at all, but all it took was one. “There’s a guard I think. I’ll send you some names of a couple people who’ve commented about sending a letter home. Haven’t figured out who’s doing it, but I think it’s a guard.” At least that made the most sense.
--
Almost as if he had no control over it Ehren pulled Fitz into a hug. It felt so good to actually talk to someone about it, to come up with a plan instead of just sitting around being afraid of what’s next. He knew the two of them didn’t necessarily have this kind of friendship but in his state he could use as much comfort as he could get.
“Thank you so much.” He said when he pulled back. “You’ve been the only one whose helped me and I appreciate that.” He nodded toward Fitz who was always good at coming up with the plans they needed to help people.
—
A little surprised, Fitz didn’t mind. Human contact in human form was a rarity for him, so he embraced every chance he got. And when someone needed a hug? Wasn’t it selfish to how give it? “You’re welcome. Really. That’s what I’m here for.” It was nice to hear someone appreciate what he could do, when he could. “This is big, and we’re in this together. We know what we’re going to do, right?” He verified, slowly breaking the hug. “You contact Capsian and the boss, get his help and let her know about the outside line. I’ll see if I can find information on someone who might be able to help us find a person on the mainland to contact. I’ll also see about securing… I don’t know, a computer? A phone? Something she can communicate through? Maybe all of the above and bringing them here- where no one can catch us. We’ll both work on trying to find someone who’s tech savvy who might be able to help if needed.” Fitz summarized. “Am I missing anything?”
--
As he leaned away from the hug he shook his head, trying to compose himself a little. It had just happened and things weren’t in motion yet so he was still a little vulnerable but he felt better about it all now. “I think that’s it. I’ll contact you again once everything is done on my part.” He replied, making sure he had everything with him.
He couldn’t show Fitz the cell phone because he never brought it to these meetings. Maybe he was paranoid but there was never being too careful. It was probably what kept him alive this long.
—
“We’ll keep in touch. If you get any more news I should know, message Henry.” He said, grabbing up his backpack. It was nice having an online alias that was secure and in traceable.
Slipped the pack over his shoulders Fitz smiled at Ehren. “See you around.” Since he knew he’d see Ehren before they’d be able to talk again, as he ran across many people in his cat forms. The man was there, then the grey Manx. Mew padded over to the door and sat patiently for his friend to open the door to leave.
—
Ehren carefully opened the door for his feline counterpart and stared as more animals then he’d ever seen were sitting outside the door of the shack. With a raised brow he passed by them and made his way home. He’d try to get a meeting with Diane in a few days and then hopefully this whole mess might get passed on to someone else. Who knew?