InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I'm <^..^>ty for you"

Dexter Morgan (mydarkpassenger) wrote in colligo_threads,
@ 2010-10-29 00:38:00

Entry tags:

!open, #complete, dexter morgan, tessa

Who: Dexter Morgan and Tessa
What: Dexter, expecting Paris, finds himself in Colligo.
When: Around 10 pm, Thursday night.
Where: Out and about around the Library
Rating/Warnings: TBD. Perhaps some mild gory flashbacks.
Status: Complete

Dexter walked quickly away from the Library, head down, lips pressed tightly together. He had been prepared to be disconcerted when the plane touched down - a twelve hour flight over several time zones would do that to a person. Even a person like him. But the plan had been set in motion, everything had been perfect. He would have found Lila in Paris, sedated her with the spinal epidural he'd arranged to pick up there, watched her bleed out, and be back on a plane and home to Rita and the kids before he was needed back in the station on Monday. One. Two. Three. Easy as breathing. And the code and his passenger would be satisfied.

All his work... After all that, and he was here. What had gone wrong?

Rule number one: Don't get caught.

Dexter could appreciate the feelings he should be experiencing right now. Anger? Probably. Confusion? Definitely. Even, perhaps, a little fear. These feelings flashed over his face like a series of startlingly realistic masks, even though the actual emotions were lacking. A vague shadow of frustration was about as much as the man's damaged mind could summon. That and the irritated whisper of the dark passenger, who had been ready and waiting for a kill tonight. But he had learnt well from Harry, and he knew how to pretend. Carefully, calmly, Dexter sat down on a bench in an empty bus stop, and ran his hands down his face. A perfect picture of a man resigned to what could only be described as a very difficult state of affairs.

This, clearly, was not turning out very well.

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mydarkpassenger
2010-10-29 04:45 pm UTC (link)

Dexter looked up into the face of a young woman, his own crumpled carefully into an expression of subtle desperation. Perhaps if he poked himself in the eye next time he ran his hands over his face he could prompt tears? Or would that be an overreaction to his kidnap? Dexter had spent so long not feeling enough that it would be ironic for people to find him weird for being overly emotional. A nice change, perhaps.

“Uh... I suppose so.” He managed, intelligently. There was something... odd about her. But then he found most people odd, so he didn’t think much about it. No, there was something else. Dexter recognized her... He frowned, and then his mind alighted on one of the pictures he’d seen on the phone screen. In the darkness of this strange night, his eyes flashed with recognition.

“You’re the girl who messaged me!” Dexter’s lips curled into a faint but friendly smile, and he eased himself up off the cold seat. “Tessa, right?” He held out a hand to her politely. It was easy enough being charming. Dexter had leant that over time. You just had to say things which would otherwise make people cringe. No wonder his boss liked him.

[ooc: Yay! XD]

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oneofmynames
2010-10-29 05:01 pm UTC (link)

Oh, he was very convincing, all right. Or he might have been if Tessa had been your average, vanilla mortal. But still, it was impressive. He was almost as charming as she was. A couple of oddballs playing at normalcy.

She smiled--and it was a genuine smile at that--as clasped his hand, hoping that her own was not too cold. She wasn't used to having a physical body, and in the ethereal realm between life and death, she could make believe anything she wanted. Here...well, she wasn't quite sure how well she might pass inspection.

"That me," she affirmed, amused by their continued charade. "And...it's Dexter Morgan, if I recall? I'm sorry about Paris."

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mydarkpassenger
2010-10-29 05:15 pm UTC (link)

"Yes."

Ah. Yes. Paris. Dexter’s mind automatically turned to Lila. Lila, who until recently he had thought would be the only person who could really see him. Might well be. But had also locked Astor and Cody in a burning room and twisted herself to fit in with Harry’s code. That was a shame. The dark passenger growled its impatience, and Dexter smiled and shrugged as he released Tessa’s cold hand. “Can’t be helped. I suppose I’ll get there eventually. Hopefully.”

He would have to. It had to happen sooner or later. This couldn’t be anything else than a... a minor glitch in the proceedings.

Dexter flexed strong fingers at his side, feeling a lingering chill in his palm where he had touched her. It wasn’t that cold out, was it? Clearly, it wasn’t a thick, muggy Miami night, but he was comfortable enough in his sweatshirt. He frowned, and then decided not to ask. He knew that talk of the weather was dull, predictable. People complained about boring people, and he couldn’t afford to get under any strangers radar.

“So...” He nodded over the road, where the buildings towered up and over them. A few squares of electric light glinted in peoples windows. He could see the flicker of a television set. “This is Colligo?”

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oneofmynames
2010-10-29 05:38 pm UTC (link)

She nodded, crossing her arm and tucking her hands against her sides as if she were used to a slightly warmer climate. It wasn't that cold, but she was still getting used to dressing apropriately and conserving her body heat. Maybe is she looked small and vulnerable, he would chalk up their difference in temperature to his being a big, strapping man. Or maybe he was too busy keeping his own cards close to the vest to call her bluff.

"This is Colligo, for better or for worse," she said, a wry smile touching her lips as she thought of the previous week or so; the walking dead, the carnage, and all the souls that had slipped through her fingers. Part of her wondered why she'd even bothered reaping any of the zombies' victims at all. "This is actually one of the better days."

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mydarkpassenger
2010-10-29 05:46 pm UTC (link)

Dexter arranged his face into an expression of mild surprise, tinted with some amusement. “Oh, really?” He glanced around. Admittedly, the place looked like its law enforcement had taken an extended holiday. The bus stop they stood under was shattered at one side and several bins had been overturned, like the place was recovering from a riot. A part of Dexter wondered whether, if this place was as chaotic as the evidence suggested, there would be people here to interest him. But he pushed the notion away. He was not planning on staying long enough for that.

“What’s it like normally?” He asked, that pleasant smile still firmly lodged into place. For the first time, he let himself meet Tessa’s eyes. Properly. Harry had always said it was best to look people in the eye. Get them to trust you. Dexter had long got over his concern that they’d see how empty he was behind his own. But something about this girls gaze... knowing, slightly amused. Like she was playing. He recognized those emotions, even if he couldn’t relate. “Crowds of stolen people reaping havoc?”

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oneofmynames
2010-10-29 06:20 pm UTC (link)

His eyes were...dificult to desribe. So deep that they seemed almost hollow. She wondered how deep she would have to look before she reached the bottom. She blinked, and let her gaze slide elsewhere. Even among normal human beings, how often did they really look that deeply into one another's eyes? Mor often than not, Tessa had noticed, they tended to fixate on each other's mouths.

"More like crowds of native wreaking havoc, and most of us out of towners barricaded inside our apartments, but yeah. It was quite a mess last week." She shrugged. "I haven't really been her all that long myself, but it doesn't take long to realize there's just something odd about the place."

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mydarkpassenger
2010-10-29 07:50 pm UTC (link)

She broke his gaze, which was a good thing, and Dexter quirked an eyebrow.

"Isn't there some kind of... police to keep that kind of thing in check?" He asked, letting a frown crumple his tanned forehead. Someone had mentioned a police force on his strange new phone, but there hadn't been much detail. If things were as bad as the ransacked street suggested, they weren't doing a very thorough job. They needed a look at Miami's force. Although... they hadn't caught him yet..

"I work for Miami Metro Police Department," he offered, as some kind of explanation.

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	oneofmynames 2010-10-29 07:57 pm UTC (link)
	"Yeah..." Tessa hedged, rolling her eyes at the collateral damage, "They didn't last too long. You know how it is against zombies. If you can't beat 'em..." She shrugged, and offered him an innocent look, as if she would let him be the judge as to whether she were being in earnest, putting him on, or just plain crazy. "I feel so much safer knowing you're here." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

mydarkpassenger
2010-10-29 08:26 pm UTC (link)

Dexter's face twitched, unsure what expression he was supposed to pull with that announcement. Was she joking? Probably. Logic said she should be. But she wasn't laughing, didn't have any of the ticks that normally gave people away. Perhaps she was as damaged as he was. It was times like these that he wished he had a better grasp on human emotions.

"Zombies?" He finally settled on asking, giving her a questioning look. "As in... corpses?"

Her second sentence was easier. Dexter chuckled, dropping his gaze to his feet for a moment before hoisting it back to her face. "I'm blood splatter analysis. Forensics. Not really a cuff 'em and stuff 'em kind of guy." He glanced around, then lifted the new phone from his pocket. "Perhaps you can help me? I think I'm supposed to find an apartment... 401A?"

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	oneofmynames 2010-10-29 08:36 pm UTC (link)
	Tessa just smiled and nodded. Finally, real reaction from him, not some face he'd practiced in the mirror after hours of people-watching. She felt quite pleased with herself, having stumped him and trumped him, if only for a moment. "Sure," she said, "I can show you where that is." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

mydarkpassenger
2010-10-29 09:01 pm UTC (link)

"Thank you," Dexter smiled, slipping the phone back into his pocket to work out later and falling into step beside her. It was dark at this time of night, and he dwarfed the young woman he was walking beside. He found himself still trying to figure her out, glancing down on her with his naturally blank expression.

He needed to get out of here. But he should try and get an hours sleep first. Dexter didn't sleep much, compared to Rita, compared to the kids, but he recognized its importance. A part of him wondered if he'd even see it through the night. Perhaps someone had caught him and this was some kind hallucination from whatever drug had been injected into his neck. If it was, there wasn't much he could do about it now.

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	oneofmynames 2010-10-31 12:59 am UTC (link)
	"It's nothing," Tessa assured him as they made their way toward the apartments. She knew he was watching her, but she pretended not to notice. She did, however, fall eerily silent as they walked, rather than trying to fill the void with inane chatter as most people would. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

mydarkpassenger
2010-10-31 04:45 pm UTC (link)

Dexter didn't mind the silence. In fact, he prefered it. Trying to keep up some uninterrupted loop of small talk was... maddening. But he was good at it. All part of the disguise. This girl knew that, he was sure now that she was at adept as he was at masking herself. Perhaps it took one to know one. If only he could tell what she was hiding. He was sure he'd find it... interesting. But he had his own problems to deal with. Priorities.

The apartments managed to loom over them after ten or so minutes of silence, before Dexter finally broke the hush. Long after most people would have found it too awkward, but better late than never.

"So what kind of people are here?" he asked. From what he'd deduced, there was a collection of locals, then people like him. People who had been brought here. He wondered why they had been chosen. If they were all like him and Tessa. All hiding something.

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oneofmynames
2010-10-31 05:37 pm UTC (link)

She let him wonder, because, after all, a girl had to have a little mystery. That and she rather enjoy the thought of a little intrigue as much as he probably enjoyed the thrill of the pursuit. There were plenty of people more dangerous than Dexter around to make sure nothing got too far out of hand. Crowley had suggested that she take up a hobby, and she thought perhaps she'd found it.

"Oh, there's all sorts of people," she answered, when he finally broke their companionable silence, "It's very...culturally diverse, you might say. Families. Children. Singles. People from the UK. America. A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away." The last was true as well, of course, but she was mostly looking for his reaction.

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mydarkpassenger
2010-11-01 10:56 am UTC (link)

Dexter felt a twinge at that last part. Him. Feeling. A twinge. How novel. He placed his hands carefully in his jean pockets, twisting his head to look down on her from the corner of his eye. There was a long pause as he tried his best to work out what she was thinking, struggling with her carefully blank expression in the way he supposed other people would struggle to read his, before finally coming up with a reply.

"You're not joking." It wasn't a question. More of a statement. He frowned a little, feeling it tighten his features as he turned the fact over in a purely logical mind. Because if, in this mad hallucination or whatever this happened to be, there were people from there around, there must also be villains. And Dexter did have a need that must be fulfilled.

"What are the people like?" He asked, aware that they were rapidly approaching the building he assumed he would be living in.

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oneofmynames
2010-11-01 12:44 pm UTC (link)

Oh, there were villains, all right. And maybe Tessa was treading a fine line setting Dexter up to take on some of the villains from her own reality, when she was meant to be a strictly neutral party, but she wasn't really trying to manipulate him. She was just trying to help him adjust to his surroundings, much as she might have done with a newly homeless soul, reluctant to cross over.

"They're like people," she said, "There are good ones, and not so good ones. Plenty of mediocre ones. Most of them are just trying to make the best of being stuck here, and some have their moments of altruism, but others are just downright opportunistic." She shrugged. "The same as any city, I suppose."

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mydarkpassenger
2010-11-01 07:36 pm UTC (link)

Same as any city. Dexter liked the idea of that. If this was a hallucination, then perhaps he could use it as an outlet for his little... pastime. Assuming he found someone to fit the code, of course. Just because you had made up your own reality didn't mean you had to abandon your principles. Him. A serial killer with principles. Talk about your conflicting interests.

He nodded, realizing he hadn't replied to Tessa yet. "Same as any city," he repeated, a thoughtful tone to his voice, his face carefully closed off. Then the moment was gone and he smiled down at Tessa as they reached the door to the building. "This is it?" Dexter craned his neck up at the building towering above them. "I think I can take it from here..."

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	oneofmynames 2010-11-01 08:27 pm UTC (link)
	She watched his defenses fall methodically into place, but gave no indication that she'd noticed anything off, smiling back at him as they reached the apartment. "This is it," she said nodding, "Good luck getting settled." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

mydarkpassenger
2010-11-01 08:36 pm UTC (link)

Dexter nodded, perfectly charming mask firmly settled over his face as he reached out to shake her hand again. He wasn't really hoping to wake up to another morning here - whatever was causing this, he doubted it would last too long. But then, if he did... Well, perhaps it wouldn't be all bad. Tessa had said some people here were opportunistic. Perhaps he should join them. It was the 'same as any city' after all.

"Thank you for your help, Tessa," he smiled, releasing her cold hand and giving her one last stare, before nodding and wrapping his strong fingers around the doorhandle. Dexter didn't look back, even as he ducking inside the warm building and out of sight.

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