Colin's posts

Zach was silent for a moment as they walked, before clearing his throat slightly.

"...so..." he mumbled.

"A... zombie?" he asked.

"What... does he mean by that?" he asked her.

"Like... a stereotypical zombie? Or... something else?" he asked further.

"I don't want to make assumptions and potentially offend." he reasoned.

Zach nodded in response.

"I am." he replied, finishing the tea and setting the mug down on a coaster that was on the desk.

"Oh, and Aedan? Be sure to tell Zach where he is allowed to go, and what he is allowed to access." Sharp then told her.

"For now, good work on the pendant." he said further.

"You'll get a bonus for this little beauty." he added with a smirk and a wink.

"Now, scram. I have appointments to make." he finished... but Aedan knew that meant he had plans to make... for someone very special.

Sharp looked at the pendant and smiled.

"Ahhh, perfect!" he said.

"You are a lifesaver, Aedan!" he told her, putting it away.

"Anyway, this is Zachary." he then introduced Zach, giving a small explanation as to why he was there.

"He'll be staying with us until we can help him and his soul-partner." he continued.

"Would you be so kind as to escort him to one of the guest dorms?" he asked, taking a key out of another drawer and handing it towards Zach, who accepted it.

"Ah, Aedan!" Sharp called to the one that had poked their head in.

"Yes, someone DID mention you!" he called further.

"Come back here!" he finished, before looking at Zach.

"Speak of the devil." he said, as Zach sipped the tea.

"This is really nice." he told him.

"A special calming blend. Made by a friend of mine." Sharp responded.

"Bye!" Zach managed to call out to Rylie, before looking at Sharp.

"Zachary, I want you to know that I believe you." Sharp said to him. "I've heard of these things before, and the resources I have at my disposal are much more varied and vast that Dani's are, even as head of Candentus Lux." he assured him further.

"And you have my word that I will use any and all resources I have to find your soul-partner." he then said. "I promise you, we WILL find her, and help her." he finished.

Zach was silent for a moment... and his expression changed to that of relief. Relief, because he knew he could trust Sharp, somehow, and he felt confident that things would work out. This expression lasted for close to 4 seconds, before it was replaced with one of sheer panic and confusion.

His pupils shrank, and he suddenly grasped at the sides of his hair, breathing heavily.

"Ah! All this...! ...ghosts...! ...lizards...! ...strange people...!" he went on, muttering and rambling to himself, as Sharp just sighed quietly.

'Aaaaaand here's the mental breakdown.' he thought. 'Seems now that his concern for his soul-partner has been somewhat placated, the panic he's been shoving back down has been allowed to take over.' he reasoned.

"Zachary, please try to calm yourself." he then said.

"I wish I could!" Zach exclaimed in response. This caused Sharp to smile, and he just snapped his fingers... to which Zach promptly stopped freaking out, and seemed to just freeze where he was for another moment, before looking back at Sharp.

Sharp just smirked, and put some hot water in a mug, dropping a tea bag in it, before handing it over.

"Drink this. It'll help keep you a little more level." he said. "Feeling better?" he then asked.

"Yes... yes, I am." Zachary responded, sounding more surprised than anything else, as he accepted the mug.

"Good, good." Sharp replied.

"I'll have our resident zombie show you to where you can stay here." he told him with a small smirk.

"....no, no, hold on, there." Ryker said.

"That's a good point." he told him.

"Phones WOULD be a good idea if we were to be separated." he admitted.

"Hadn't thought of it that way..." he then mumbled, thinking about it now.

"Maybe a very basic plan on a pair of phones would benefit us..." he admitted further.

The man just laughed out loud when he heard that.

"Fair enough." he said.

"Well, Zachary, we have some things to discuss." he told Zach.

"Yeah..." Zach agreed quietly.

"Rylie, you're good to go if you like." the man then said to Rylie.

"If you want to stick around and fill in any blanks or make some addition informational comments, feel free." he went on.

"Otherwise, you're good to go do whatever you wish."

Ryker scratched his head a little.

"Never saw the point to always carrying phones." he said.

"People seem to have their faces buried in them all the time. That can't be any way to live." he reasoned.

"Although a planner book or something might be needed." he went on.

"Also, I don't see a calendar around." he told Eke further.

"We can ask the next doctor or nurse that comes in, though."

The man opened the box slightly, and shook his had.

"ASAP." he said.

"This is something that needs to be under HEAVY lock and key." he commented.

"Thank you, Agent Rylie." he then said further, before sighing.

"So. What have you told Zachary of us?" he asked her, changing the subject.

"What sort of image have you caused him to form?" he clarified with a smirk.

"Oh, I see." Zach replied.

"All right." he said, as they made their way to a secretary's office.

He looked around for a moment, before the secretary beckoned them in.

Once they went inside, Zach saw what looked to be an average man sitting behind the desk.

"Agent Rylie." he greeted the woman.

"Was the mission successful?" he asked her.

Zach paused for a moment.

"Reptilian?" he asked.

"....as in... he's like a reptile?" he asked her.

"Or... he's one of those creatures that conspiracy theorists always blame for everything that happens in the world?" he then asked further.

"I don't even know what's real anymore... I don't know WHAT to believe..." he admitted.

"....I... I see." he said.

"I... I... hm." he then mumbled, shaking his head a little.

"I'll... remember that." he told her.

"I can see why he's security, though." he then said.

"He seems good at his job."

"See ya!" Jake called back, as Zach hurriedly followed Rylie.

He was silent as he did so, looking around somewhat nervously.

"...miss Rylie?" he then addressed her.

"Was... was he serious?" he asked.

"I mean... about... the predator and prey thing?" he asked further.

"He seemed ready to do something... nasty..."

Zach nervously stepped forward and shakily handed Jake his ID.

Jake's hand took it, checked it behind the newspaper, and then returned it, along with a badge on a lanyard.

"All right, in you both go." he said, pressing a button and causing the door to unlock.

"Oh, and kid?" he then addressed Zach.

"Loosen up a bit." he said, lowering his paper and revealing his reptile eyes.