NOR - Jill & Charlie's thread

[imme]

"Hello?"

[SuAside]

"Someone called me and told me things about the DSTL that an outsider shouldn't or couldn't know..." Charlie asks as he walks after Jill "And when my wife and others woke up, someone from the DSTL tried to convince them to go with him, without my consent. I'm starting to put some serious questionmarks behind what's going on there..."

[imme]

"Louie? Yes, it's me, Jill. I'm home with my husband. Are you still at the hospital? Are you okay?"

[SuAside]

"Well, where is 'here'? The DSTL or HQ?" Charlie asks.

[SuAside]

"Is that supposed to be a threat? I've not shown one ounce of disobedience in my entire career, but you feel it necessary to threathen me?" Charlie asks baffled.

[imme]

"You're ... ?" Jill takes a deep breath. "You've got to be back in a coma, right? You're asleep again? Because that world's not real, right?" Jill sounds like she's trying to convince herself.

At odds with her previous stance, she adds, "Wait, you went to the library? Does that mean it's safe to go outside now?"

[SuAside]

"I'll see what I can do." Charlie sighs.

[imme]

"Nothing makes sense!" Jill sounds frustrated; she's well beyond the end of her rope, but has to keep going anyway. "Strange things have been happening here, but I don't want your world to be real ... it's too horrible. And regardless of which of us is in reality, how are we even communicating? What's going on?" The question is as much to herself as to Louie.

"I think my husband might have some, uh, some contacts that maybe could help us figure this out. I think we're going to leave here soon. Could I give you his mobile number?"

[imme]

"Um, okay." Jill looks like she's just been put on hold.

[SuAside]

Charlie raises an eyebrow and nods at Jill, as to ask for an explanation.

[imme]

To Charlie, Jill says, "He went to get a pen to write down your number. He also wants the address of wherever we're going so he can go there in his reality ... where are we going?"

[SuAside]

"Well, the company wants me to take you to the DSTL, but I really don't think that's a good idea. Maybe we should press on and do what your other friend told us to do?" Charlie asks.

[imme]

"Oh, Charlie, I really don't know what to do. None of this makes any sense and I can't even decide if it's real. Maybe I'll wake up again and this will have also been a horrible dream." In a desperate voice, Jill says, "Please just tell me where we should go."

[SuAside]

"I'd like to check the hospital first." Charlie nods.

[imme]

Jill's eyes go wide, obviously the hospital carries frightening memories, but she nods back and speaks into the phone.

"Okay, here's Charlie's number," she recites the digits, "and we've decided to go back to the hospital. I guess you can call us when you get back there and we can meet in the lobby or something." It seems so unreal, casually arranging to meet up with someone in another reality.

[imme]

Jill never finishes reciting the phone number. She clutches the phone to her ear. To Charlie, she whispers "He said something's trying to sneak up on him."

[SuAside]

Charlie nods, and waits patiently. It almost seems a casual reason to wait for. Like someone on the phone going away briefly to get the steaks off the fire...

[imme]

Jill gasps. "I heard a gunshot!" She continues to listen intently for anything else.

[imme]

Jill puts down the receiver, a frown on her face. "I think the call's over. I guess it's off to the hospital." Assuming that's what Charlie wants to do, she'll follow him back out to the car.

[SuAside]

Charlie nods & leads Jill back towards the car.