expiationlogs | one way or another

[ Shaw had told her that the Machine was destroyed but lived on somehow, that she heard her (literally her) voice, but Root had more focused on the second part of that. Hearing her referred to as dead out loud makes the skin on the back of her neck prickle, her heartrate increase automatically, preparing for threats.

Root grapples her reaction under control, affect flattening. ]

You want to talk about what we've done indirectly? How about the time I asked you to save me and you got captured and psychologically tortured for ten months?

Is that the conversation you want to have, Shaw?

It's not the same thing, and you know it. You'd forgive me if I indirectly hurt you. But the Machine?

[She takes a step closer, putting them nearly nose to nose, but her voice doesn't get any quieter to compensate. If anything, she speaks louder.]

I killed Daniel Aquino. I killed Ayumi Kagawa. And I killed the Machine.

You don't know what you're talking about at all.

[ Root sounds scornful, even patronizing, like Shaw is so impossibly wrong it's humorous to hear it stated. She reaches out and grabs her upper arm, squeezes tight, expression grim and vicious and satisfied. ]

You didn't kill the Machine. [ She's utterly confident of that, not because her faith precludes the possibility of it happening but because her faith precludes the possibility that Shaw wouldn't have told her. That's one of her favorite things about her, that cold mercilessness toward reality; Root feels safe there. Shaw would've told her. This guilt-ridden confession in sweatpants is so unlike her, she finally decides on an action. ]

And you're wrong-- you're so wrong. I chose you over the Machine already. And so did she.

[ The Machine indulged Root eventually, and then gave herself up so that she and Harold weren't tortured. Ultimately, that was all for Sameen.

Root reaches back to grab her Taser as covertly as she can with her other hand, trying to immobilize Shaw in place. ]

[This Shaw has every bit of the real Shaw's skill and training - but Root has gotten the jump on her before, and this time is no different. The taser hits her skin, and she bucks in the air, then goes down hard.

It won't last forever - it probably won't last as long as it would if she were the genuine article. But it will buy Root some time.]

[ Sameen "I don't have feelings" Shaw distracted by an emotional conversation yet again, Root thinks to herself with satisfaction, thoughts racing whipcord-fast. She grabs Sameen before she can fall and lowers her gently to the ground, making sure she doesn't get a head injury.

She can be as ruthless as she needs to be... but she doesn't need to be ruthless here.

Root pushes her over onto her stomach and pulls out a zip tie, binding her hands at the wrist behind her. She puts a knee on Shaw's back for good measure with her full weight, because she respects and loves her. This is right in the middle of the street, but this is Aldrip, so who cares?

Then she pulls out her dark web communicator and taps it into a call. So, so annoying that the Machine isn't just reading her intent and connecting her automatically. ]

Hey sweet pea, [ she says in a sunny tone, ] you there? I might need your help.

[ Her heart is racing. Please -- please let Shaw answer. If this is really her, and she needs to deal with that... she will. But she's going to have to change her plans abruptly. ]

[She doesn't sound hurt, is the first thing that Shaw thinks when she gets the call - and by this point, she feels uniquely qualified to pick out the strain of injury in Root's voice, even when she's trying to hide it. She doesn't sound out of breath, either, so she's probably not running. There are no gunshots or pounding footsteps or angry voices in the background.

None of this means she doesn't respond right away. It only means that she takes the time to grab her jacket before heading for the door, rather than going out in just her t-shirt.]

Yeah. Where are you?

I'm so glad to hear your voice.

[ And she is; profoundly relieved, justified in her decision. Not that she thinks Shaw, if this was really Shaw, would blame her for tazing her. They do that for fun, much less safety in a simulation environment.

Root names the intersection, about equidistant from Claude's apothecary and Charles's apartment. She's always been like that, always found the elements of normal life that she could take on from someone else rather than making her own. ]

I think I have things under control, but... you'll see when you get here.

[Shaw hates getting lost, and has put some time into familiarizing herself with the streets of Aldrip. She doesn't have a fully-formed map of the place in her head or anything, but she recognizes the street names, and she's pretty sure she knows how to get to that intersection.]

Out the door and on my way. Don't do anything too crazy, got it?

[ It helps that Aldrip has nothing on the boroughs. It's practically a quaint little country town in comparison. Under the circumstances, situation contained for now, Root does not think it's a good idea to do "anything too crazy," so she can reassure her of that much. ]

No danger of that this time, [ she answers, and now there's exertion in her voice as she drags alternate-Shaw by the feet over toward the side of the road and into a more covert place to wait. It's probably going to give her horrendous asphalt scrapes, but oh well. Root is not feeling very inclined toward mercy. Preventing head injury is one thing -- this bitch deserves a few scrapes for trying to manipulate her into blaming Shaw for the Machine's death. ]

See you soon. [ And she clicks off the line.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, there is another version of Root stalking decisively through the streets. Electronics being down is highly annoying because it means she can't just pinpoint Shaw's location through her phone and instead has to search for her on foot. She also has to depend on the last instructions she received and carry them out under her own initiative. Which is fine, Root is great at being an independent operative, there's just something comforting about getting that direct line...

But she still finds Shaw. She marches up to her confidently. Root's hair is pulled back into a smooth bun, making it obvious her cochlear implant is missing; and more than that, she has on a trim professional suit. Almost like she's being Augusta King today, except... ]

Agent Shaw, you have a new assignment. [ Business-like, at least until her tone breaks with a smirk. ] And it's my lucky day -- you get to come with me.

[The apparent lack of immediate danger means that Shaw is fine with getting the full story when she gets there - she even appreciates the quick hang-up, because it means she can focus on where she's going without the distraction of a conversation.

Both of these are positions that she'll soon come to regret.]

Roleplaying? Really?

[She says dryly, crossing her arms over her chest and fixing Root with an unimpressed look. Had Root come to check up on her, not believing that she'd be able to find her way to the intersection without getting lost? Or is the unexpected waylay part of whatever game this clearly is?

Whatever. This might turn out to be interesting, so sure, she'll play along.]

Okay, Agent Shaw reporting for duty. Who're you supposed to be?

That sounds like an invitation, but your tone says otherwise.

[ Root can't resist throwing in another flirtatious line like that, but she remains focused on the mission. She reaches back to grab her two standard handguns from the small of her back in preparation. Shaw might notice they're different models than usual. ]

There's a copy of me about 1.3 miles that way, and we're going to take her out.

[ Somehow she knows precisely where the other Root is; that isn't an issue. But she respects her own capabilities enough to want to do this the smart way. That is, with a very convenient Shaw-shaped distraction. ]

A copy of you?

[Yeah, this is definitely a new style of game, and she's not completely sure she likes it. And that intersection Root that Root had wanted her to meet her at - that's a little over a mile away, isn't it?]

Wait.

[She puts out a hand - to stop Root from heading off if she hasn't started walking yet, or to hold her back if she has.]

Nix the sexy surprise for a sec. This would be a dumb question anywhere else, but this simulation doesn't actually make copies, does it?

You think I'm a sexy surprise?

[ Root's momentarily diverted; her tone is delighted. Wait, no, stay focused. She has to accomplish the mission, and if she can flirt with Shaw along the way, that's great, but not the real objective. ]

Apparently it does, because now there's two of me, which you're about to see if you'll just come along for the ride.

[ There's something pushy and insistent behind her words by the end. ]

[Shaw's expression shifts, betraying a sliver of uncertainty. Her hand goes to the gun at her hip, more on autopilot than anything else.]

How do I know you're the real one?

[How does she know either of them are?]

[ This is a question that jeopardizes the mission, so Root packs away the flirting and gives Shaw a tight, cold smile. ]

I just gave you an assignment, Agent Shaw. Are you with me or not?

[ She has a pistol in each hand; her grip tightens. There's nothing of the allowance in her that Shaw might remember -- the subtle patience, the tolerance, for uncertainty and humanity. The Machine's influence. ]

[The shift makes Shaw's blood run cold, and she steadies her grip on the butt of her gun. Samaritan hasn't even been mentioned yet, but it still reminds her all too well of the Decima agents in the simulations; of Greer treating her as if she was already one of his.]

Change of plans.

[She grunts, making to grab Root's arm.]

You come with me.

[ Shaw grabs her arm, but the other hand comes up to shove the muzzle of her gun directly into her gut.

Her eyes turn flinty. ] There's no changing plans after we get an assignment. You know that.

The intel is never wrong.

[ Shaw might not know where the intel comes from... but Root does. And she won't tolerate doubt or dissent. ]

No.

[Her breath hitches, a subtle but still uncharacteristic hint of panic.]

Gotta say, they did a good job switching things up this time. But this isn't you.

Edited 2024-11-18 13:46 (UTC)

Don't tell me you're falling for it. That whole humans deserve free will thing?

[ Root sounds scornful, sure of herself, but also frustrated. She doesn't want to shoot Shaw. Case in point about why humans shouldn't be allowed to make decisions for themselves; Root is drawn by her own all-too-fallible feelings to go easy on her.

She eases back with the pistol just a little. ]

You can't side with her.

[The penny, which had started rolling precariously close to the precipice, fully drops. Now, she knows exactly what's going on.

(No, she doesn't. But she thinks she does, and the logic makes a scary amount of sense. Convincing and manipulating her with Greer, Lambert, and Samaritan itself hadn't worked. The new thing they're trying doesn't just involve changing the setting, it involves changing Root, and it sickens her to the core to see it.)

In one swift movement, Shaw pulls out the gun and points it at her own head, finger playing over the trigger.]

So - what number are we gonna be on when I end this thing? I've lost count.

[ Root is actually astonished to see her threaten suicide. It's so completely foreign compared to the Shaw she knows. She falters back a step, lowering her weapon, eyes wide. ]

What's that supposed to accomplish? What's going on with you? We have a mission. You never turn down a mission.

I could shoot you, too. You're not even pretending to be like her; it'd be easy.

[She's not lying. She could do it. Physically and emotionally, she's capable of pulling the trigger on this offensively obvious trick, no matter how real it looks.

But she'd held off on killing thousands of fake Roots, in thousands of scenarios that she was sure were simulations. She can't break that streak now - because doing so would also break something small but irreparable in her.]

Why would I--

[ She gets cut off by the crackling of static on Shaw's dark net communicator, a voice coming through with tense urgency. ]

Shaw, I may have been a little hasty in saying I had it under control-- [ The real Root's words break off into a cry of pain. ]

Root?

[This causes a bit of a scramble; she can handle a weapon with her non-dominant hand with more ease than she can work controls with it, so she swaps gun hands, then yanks out her communicator.]

Root, what the hell is going on?

[ There's sounds of movement and scraping, heavy breathing, before Root answers. ]

There's another one of you, and she's really hard to keep down. I take it back -- you're way more than mildly terrifying.

[ In the distraction of the conversation, Shaw may or may not notice that Samaritan Root is gone. That was all the confirmation she needed, and she could tell Shaw wasn't going to help her on this mission. The mission was what mattered. ]

one way or another

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cw: suicide threat

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