Colin's posts

Hal heard what she said, and sighed heavily.

"This is the world we live it now, unfortunately." he said.

"But we at the Unit will do what we can to help you." he assured her.

"Is there anything you need financially?" he asked.

"Do you think you'll be able to afford to be out on your own, on the run, for however long?"

"We know." Jake responded.

"We got a visit from someone VERY in the know about it." he said, a little unease to his tone, but she could tell he was doing his best to try and keep calm. And for the most part... he was doing a damn good job of it.

"Let's go, then." Hal said to Casey, as the two left security.

"So. What can we help you with?" he asked.

"I'm guessing you're looking for some things to help you survive, if you're headed to our R&D department?"

"All right, I'll get someone to escort her-" Jake started to say, before Hal stepped through the inner door.

"Perhaps I can be of some assistance?" he asked, leaning against the frame.

"...someone just showed up." Jake told Kiah, before the call was ended.

"Hey boss." he said to Hal.

"Hi Jake." Hal responded, before looking to Casey.

"I can only assume this isn't a social call?" he asked her, as Jake sat back, seeing as Casey was free to go inside now.

Jake sighed and pressed the intercom button.

"Dr. Remmington, please page security, you have a visitor." he said into it, before releasing the button.

"Have to wait for her to call back and confirm she wants a visitor right now." he told her.

And that was when she called back, and he put her on the speakerphone.

"A visitor?" Kiah asked.

"It's Casey." Jake said, motioning for Casey to speak up if she needed or wanted to.

Lindsay rose to his feet as well, and pulled her into another hug.

"I love you too." he said. "And don't apologise." he then said further. "This is something that just has to be done right now. But we'll get through this. We have to." he told her.

He then continued to hold her for another moment, before letting go, and helping her pack.

This would be their last night together in who-knew how long. He intended to spend as much time as possible with her.

---

The one behind the desk looked over towards her, and a serpentine tongue darted out of his mouth. He was then silent for a moment, sitting up a little more properly and looking her over.

"She is." he confirmed.

"...I'm guessing she isn't expecting you." he then assumed.

"I will page her and let her know you're here, looking for her."

"Well, all right then." Ash responded.

With that, Lindsay and Casey made their way up to their room, where they first sat on their bed for a moment.

"...I never thought something like this could happen." Lindsay muttered.

"But we need to keep in touch." he told her.

"If nothing else, we need to keep reminding each other we're alive, and here for each other." he went on.

"...I wish it didn't have to come to this, but I can't argue with the reasoning behind your decision." he then admitted, and she could hear how he hated that. He didn't want her to leave, to 'disappear', but it WAS for the best. For now, anyway.

"I'll help." Lindsay told her quietly.

"I would as well, but... pretty sure I need to not do anything stressful right now, physically speaking." he chuckled.

"You had better come back and give me a hug before you go, though!" he then warned Casey.

Lindsay just smiled as he heard Ash say that.

"We should tell Sammy what's going on we well." he then told her.

"Make sure she knows what you'll be doing, and that she should head to Jaden and Desiree's." he reasoned.

Before Ash had a chance to answer, Lindsay returned with the small safe in his hands. He brought it over to Ash, who placed his hand on the door, pulsed his mana into it, and it swung open.

The first thing he brought out looked to be a small rolled up scroll, which he handed to Casey.

"An enchanted map." he said. "When you unfurl it, it uses its mana to tell you where you are in the world, and you can zoom in and out as you please, using tablet-like controls." he told her. "But the special part about it is that it marks little cabins and hideaways I have scattered throughout the world." he then informed her. "So you'll always be able to find some remote place to hide if you need to." he went on.

The next thing he took out was a credit card, which glowed in his hand for a moment... before he then handed it to her. When she took it, it glowed with her own mana for a brief moment, and she saw the field for the signature on the back had HERS there.

"And this is a special pre-loaded credit card." he said. "It was registered to my mana, but I withdrew it, and it now recognises yours, hence the signature. If anyone but you tries to use it, it'll not work." he went on.

"There's $100,000 on it." he finished.

"Ash... why do you have these?" Lindsay asked.

"...in case there ever came a day when -I- needed to disappear." Ash told him. "I had that contingency plan in place a long time ago, but... well, changes in my life have made it that hiding in such a way would be impossible." he explained further. "But I kept them just in case they might be needed, even if not by myself." he finished.

"Lindsay, go into my room and grab the small black safe that's under my bed." Ash told his brother.

"Got it." Lindsay replied, quickly stepping out of the room.

"Casey, there is no reason you have to be homeless throughout all this." Ash told Casey. "As I said, I know for certain I can give you TWO things that will help you." he went on.

"Things that are a secret from... well, everyone else." he continued.

"Even Ashleigh."

"..." Lindsay was silent for a moment, before gently setting the orb down on a special disc on a nearby table. One of many they had to set things like mana orbs down on... temporarily... and made his way over.

He then wrapped his arms around her, and held her close.

"Casey..." he said quietly.

"I love you." he told her.

Ash was silent as well, before narrowing his eyes.

"I'm going to help you." he told her. "And I refuse to accept 'no' for an answer." he stressed. "Because I think I know JUST what to do to help make this a smidgen easier for you."

Lindsay nodded as he caught the orb.

"Wow, that's strong." he said.

"...odds are I won't be able to handle it right now." Ash muttered.

"But thank you." he told Casey.

"Now... I guess... it's time we disappeared." he sighed.

"Or tried to, anyway."

Ash laughed as well, clearly feeling a lot better.

"Her quarry must be giving her some trouble then." he said. "Perhaps it led her to those mountains, and she is NOT happy about it." he continued.

"Would explain the lack of an answer, too." Lindsay then commented. "She has exceptional cell service, but it has it's limits. And she may have her phone off entirely to prevent any errant noise from alerting her hunt." he went on.

"Extremely possible, plausible, and viable." Ash agreed.

"Thanks, Casey." he then said to the necromancer.

"I feel better now."

Ash paused when she said that, and thought for a moment.

"...that makes sense, I think." he said.

"You think?" Lindsay asked.

"I can't remember the species exactly, but I recall what she was after was in Spain." Ash replied.

"Didn't know it was at THAT point, but... hmmm." he mumbled, scratching his chin.

"But she's alive?" he asked Casey.

"Please." Ash said.

"I just want to know if she's dead or alive." he told her.

"If she's alive, that's enough for me." he muttered.

'...wow.' Lindsay thought.

'I've not seen Ash THIS concerned in... a very long time...' he thought further, before sighing quietly.

"...this is just a mess..." he massively understated.