Mistakes are the portals of discovery.

[solvethepuzzle]

Who: Nathan and Luke
What: Nathan takes a look at a little midwestern town that just happens to be run by a familiar face. The conversation will be totally innocent. Of course. Really. Nobody here is on edge at all.
Where: Musville, USA
When: February 26


Catching the report had been by chance, really. Something Nathan had noticed out of the corner of his eye while he'd been conducting some business in Gateway. The familiar face of a person he'd never met -- at least in this life. But perhaps in another one.

He tries not to think of it as alarming, emphatically reminds himself that they are not their Others. It helps, but his anxious nature still sees fit to remind him that in all likelihood, he's just seen the reincarnation of Light Yagami. Also known in his memories as the second L and the prime suspect in the Kira investigation. A serial killer, maybe. Probably.

He should . . . at least check this out. Since they aren't their Others, this should be a perfectly safe thing. The town is nearby, and it's stable. And running a town is busy work; Nathan knows that himself from helping Lazarus with Shepherd's Haven, and Musville is bigger than that. Surely this Luke Oswald will be busy. This is fine. Right?

Nathan is a mostly inconspicuous figure -- small, quiet, backpack containing his toys slung over his shoulder as is his habit now -- on the streets of the town. He is deliberately not doing anything intrusive. The 'mostly' only applies because of his unusual natural coloring. He does not openly advertise that he is Numbered, but he gets the occasional assumption anyway based on that. Despite himself, he does stand out a little. Too easy to notice.

But there is absolutely nothing to worry about, he reminds himself constantly, behind a studiously blank expression. Nothing at all. He is not going to be seen by the one that matters. Really. This is fine.

Comments

[rescribare]

The town is small and quiet. The buildings are mostly from before the cataclysm; there's not much real new construction. However, they've clearly been repaired recently and are being maintained. The adults seem sober but not unhappy, and no one seems to be homeless or hungry.

It's around eleven, and that's why, when Luke sees Nathan, he approaches. He was on his way to take a look himself at a sinkhole in one of the roads leading out of town, but Nathan's light hair, small stature, and backpack caught his attention. School's in session right now, and a kid wandering around alone with a bookbag is unusual.

"Hey," Luke says, walking up to Nathan from behind, in a tone that's both calm and friendly -- not angry at all. "What're you doing wandering around here? Are you lost?" Skipping class, probably, Luke thinks, but he's not going to jump to conclusions.

[solvethepuzzle]

It's certainly a sight better than where Nathan had grown up; his mother had made efforts with their own house, but his neighbourhood had been in a poorer, more run-down area of Locke. Homelessness and hunger are things he is sadly familiar with, the latter more intimately than the former even though he's experienced both. A lack of them is nice to see.

What isn't nice to see is what greets him when he looks over his shoulder to the owner of the voice suddenly addressing him. That's . . . His brows go up marginally just before that hollow feeling sweeps through him, that sensation of a heartbeat in his head distracts him briefly.

Nathan is used to Echoes by now. His visible reaction to them is virtually nil. Unfortunately, the form many of them take is . . . inconvenient. Would that now could have been an exception, but it's not.

He feels something manifest over his face, and he turns back both to remove it and gain some of his composure. He turns the object over in his hand to find that it's a rather hideous-looking mask . . . that resembles Lazarus somewhat. Strangely, he almost feels like he should apologize for that later. It's pretty awful.

But that isn't the problem at the moment. He's just been seen by someone he very much did not want to encounter. Part of him insists that he just run, no matter how ridiculous that is. Just a way to look even more suspicious, and even then how far would he even get? He's hardly in any kind of good physical shape.

No, he has to face this. And so he flattens his expression, turns to face Luke. "Ah, no, I'm sorry."

Apologizing. Always apologizing. He doesn't even know what for this time.

[rescribare]

Luke is less prepared.

His eyes go wide, his mouth falls open, and suddenly, he remembers this kid. He remembers standing in a warehouse, across from a boy in white, wearing a mask like the one he just saw. He remembers the boy slowly pulling the mask off, remembers that he was waiting for something, something unimaginably important.

--and then the heartbeat happens again, and he remembers the thrum of helicopter propellers, the wail of sirens, and the feeling of hundreds and hundreds of confused images flooding back into his mind. It's too many, too much at once, too secondhand for Luke to process them all; his mouth falls open, and if the kid hadn't been facing the other way, he would have seen a look of overwhelmed terror cross Luke Oswald's face. Fortunately -- at least, Luke feels it's fortunate as soon as he regains his composure -- he is able to gather himself up enough before Nate turns back around that his face is just pained and worried.

"....ugh," he says to himself, rubbing at his forehead with his palm. There's no time to worry about the double-pulse now -- he has to think. Okay. This kid clearly has a Number, and there is no point trying to hide from him that Luke has one, either. Luke triggered the appearance of the mask, after all, and Luke remembers the warehouse. Clearly, the man with the watch knew the boy with the mask. This is bad news for Luke. He glances around, checking over his shoulder, but no -- no, the street's empty, not unusual for this time of day. On first glance, it doesn't look like anyone saw.

When Nate turns back around, Luke is struck by the resemblance to the person in his memory. When he speaks again, his tone is less friendly -- more cautious, but not outright hostile. "You're not from around here," he says slowly, carefully. Luke's mind is racing, but he thinks he's decided how to handle the situation. "Look -- you shouldn't be wandering around this part of town. A sinkhole opened up not far from here, and it might still be dangerous."

[solvethepuzzle]

Preparation will come in time, when it's known what to expect. When one becomes accustomed to the feeling and has some idea of what may trigger it. Even if it isn't wholly predictable even then.

He instinctively notes the worry crossing Luke's face, likely aftereffects of getting Echoes. But what had he gotten, is the question. Probably not anything good -- is there ever any good Echo that people from that life get? -- but the specifics are unknown. Unknowns are dangerous.

"No, I'm not." There isn't much of a tone in Nathan's voice. It's almost monotonous, save for a hint of guardedness. He briefly scans the the area himself, almost a mirror of Luke's own check. "... And where would you suggest?"

His own mind is working just as furiously, the strongest part of it telling him that he absolutely cannot go anywhere with Luke alone. Too dangerous with so little information, with what he might remember.

[rescribare]

Luke runs a hand over the back of his neck, a thoughtful tic and a nervous one. He lets out a sigh. He's reluctant, real reluctant, to let Nate go anywhere alone with his knowledge that Luke has a Number. But he also can't just drop everything to babysit a kid with a dangerous secret. What a mess -- an unexpected complication, a snag he doesn't need, a danger he knew was possible in theory but assumed the odds were low enough that he wouldn't have to worry about it. This is very, very not as planned.

"I'm actually here to check it out. I know I look young, but I am the mayor of this town. I'm going to meet someone a few blocks from here to talk about what needs to be done," Luke explains. "Walking around on your own isn't the best idea. If someone else sees you, they're not going to assume you're from out of town. They're going to think you're skipping school. It might be better for you to come with me. It shouldn't take long, and then we can talk."

[solvethepuzzle]

He takes it all in without expressly meaning to. So much of his life has been watching how somebody reacts so that he knows where he stands, whether he is safe. What he gets from his assessment this time that Luke is at least as on edge as he is. The problem is that Nathan has no idea whether that's a good or bad thing. He doesn't know where this leaves him.

He knows far, far too little right now. That needs to change.

... Skipping school? If this entire situation weren't such a disaster, Nathan might have sighed at that. It wouldn't be the first time his age has been so drastically mistaken -- and he has a feeling it's being mistaken at this very moment -- but it gets tiresome having to correct people.

A slow, deep breath to steady himself as he shrugs the packpack off his shoulder, and opens it so he can place the mask in there. He is not carrying that hideous thing around so blatantly.

"... Alright." There hardly seems to be much choice at this point. If he just keeps his wits about him, maybe he'll be okay.

[rescribare]

This kid....this kid is weird, in Luke's opinion. Nathan didn't seem surprised at all that Luke was the mayor, so either he already knew, or he just stone cold didn't care. The first possibility is both more concerning and more likely. Then, there is the question of how Nathan had gotten there. Had he traveled all that way alone? It wasn't impossible for a kid his age, especially in a world like this, but it was unusual enough to catch Luke's attention.

He starts off down the street, glancing back to make sure the boy is following him. "So....where are you from? Did you travel here by yourself?"

Luke is avoiding the big question, why are you here? until they have the time and privacy to discuss it.

[solvethepuzzle]

It's an opinion shared by a good portion of people, to be fair. Nathan goes expressionless and monotone when he gets overstressed in an attempt to cope with it, which tends to give off an eerily robotic air to everything he says or does. While it's never his intention to make others uncomfortable . . . it's a thing that happens.

He's indeed following, for a lack of any better idea of what to do. His fingers are clutched uncomfortably tight on the strap of his backpack, a giveaway to his own tension that his face doesn't show. No, his face has that flat expression, that unblinking, hyper-focused stare. He can't help it. He needs to be on alert.

"New Jersey, originally." He doesn't bother mentioning Locke specifically; it can be inferred from what he has said, even if there are no longer Echo boundaries. "But not more recently."

They're both avoiding the big question. Nathan isn't even sure how he will answer it when the time comes. But while they are avoiding that subject, perhaps he'll take the time to clear something up.

"And I realize that I look young myself, but I'm not a child. I am twenty years old. I'm not in need of anyone to travel with me."

[rescribare]

The surprise on Luke's face is one-hundred-percent genuine. "Twenty?" As embarrassing as the exclamation is, Luke can't stop it before it comes out. A disbelieving laugh softens it, though, and so does a shake of his head. "I'm sorry. I'm sure you've heard this before, but you look a lot younger." It's possible Nathan's lying, but, well, Luke isn't selling him cigarettes or sex toys, so he supposes it only matters so much. "But I'll take your word for it."

They're making their way down the city street, Luke's strides calm and even, slow enough that Nathan won't have too much trouble keeping up. "What's your name?"

[solvethepuzzle]

"Yes, I hear it frequently." Approximately a third of the people he meets make the assumption. Nathan is a very patient person, but even he gets annoyed by it sometimes.

Of course Luke slows down. He wants to keep him in sight, obviously. Ensure he isn't going to try and escape at a free moment.

"Nathan." It had vaguely occurred to him to lie, but perhaps it's better to treat this situation with a dose of honesty. As he keeps reminding himself, they are not their Others. Even so, only offering his given name, and not his full one. That would be dangerous, right? Maybe? Maybe not.

Paranoia, caution . . . what's the difference?

[rescribare]

"Okay, Nathan. I'm Luke Oswald." Luke gives his full name without a second thought; Nathan would learn it soon enough anyway in this town, and Luke can't think of a single reason why he would want to keep it secret. Speaking of secrets, though, Luke's thought it over, and there's one he's decided to bring Nathan in on fully. "There shouldn't be any trouble if you're with me, but if you can, try to keep anything like that mask from happening again. This town is a good place, but this part of the country isn't too friendly toward people with Numbers, and I'm afraid Musville is no exception."

This is a significant thing to admit. Nathan, of course, would probably only be run out of town as a stranger with a Number; inconvenient and unpleasant but hardly life-ruining. Luke, on the other hand, stands to lose a great deal. He's decided to gamble on Nathan's good nature (and on the fact that he, Luke, has infinitely more social power in this town, and also on the fact that Nathan won't want to be outed, either) rather than risk Nathan saying something careless when they met with Mr. Peters.

[solvethepuzzle]

The gamble is a good one. Nathan does have a good nature, and what's more, he's at a disadvantage in this place. He isn't good at face to face interactions, doesn't have the distance that makes him feel so much safer than he does right now. On the network is only slightly different, really; Nathan is not the type to want to make waves regardless.

"I'm aware of the social climate on this matter." Gateway itself is largely okay thanks to Factor's influence, but he's not in Gateway anymore. "As for the rest, it's not really something within my control, but unlikely to happen like that again. When we talk, though, it may be different."

Even Nathan isn't sure whether or not he's angling to get out of the conversation with this. Not that he expects to. But the fact remains that they may trigger more Echoes for one another when they talk, and it's something that needs to be laid out clearly. Just so that they both understand the risks inherent with their interaction.

[rescribare]

Luke nods.

"I understand the risks. Once I'm done here, we can talk about where the safest place for us to talk would be. Until then, try to keep your head down."

They turn a corner, and the person Luke is here to see is already standing there. It's a middle-aged man in worn old overalls holding a spade, and the hole in the road is pretty sizable. Luke hails the man with calm good nature, and though the man inquires about what Nathan is doing there, Luke replies smoothly that Nathan's a traveler looking to stay in Musville for a day or two. This is good enough for Mr. Peters and his overalls, and he and Luke launch into a discussion about what's to be done about the road.

[solvethepuzzle]

It's about what he'd figured. There isn't any getting out of this. He simply nods his agreement to the terms.

Keeping his head down is easy enough. He even does it literally after the conversation between the two other men starts. Still, even with his head lowered, he keeps his eyes firmly fixed on Luke, silently observing everything.

What, exactly, is he going to tell this man, anyway? Even the truth doesn't sound particularly good, given that he's here checking up on just what kind of person Luke is as compared to his past self. The past self that may very well have been a serial killer. He can't say that, can he? Besides just being terrible in general, that could trigger Echoes that just wind up sending Luke in that direction.

Not once during the conversation does Nathan ever shift his stance. If Luke ever glances back in the midst of it, the most he will see is that Nathan has reached up to start curling a finger into his hair. It's a nervous habit, a self-soothing gesture that he's had for as long as he can remember. He needs to do something to keep himself calm, and he knows better than to take his toys out in public.

[rescribare]

A decision is reached without too much trouble. They're going to raise the concrete with mud, a repair instead of repaving. As the conversation draws to a close, Mr. Peters looks at Nathan.

"That's all well and good, Mister Mayor, but what are you gonna do about that young'un? Has he got a place to stay? We don't get visitors but once every few months, and if he were looking for someplace to spend the night, me and my wife have got a spare room. You know that, since our little girl..." Here, Mr. Peters trails off, voice tight. It takes him a second to compose himself and go on. "Anyway, we'd be glad to put him up a night or two."

"That's very kind of you," Luke says before Nathan can respond, with what looks for all the world like genuine sympathy. "I know it's not been easy for you and Tanya, living all the way out on Briar Street alone. If that's what he needs, I'll let you know."

[solvethepuzzle]

Whether or not the sympathetic look on Luke's face is genuine, the one that crosses Nathan's is, and he shifts awkwardly. He feels more and more like he's intruding unnecessarily, like he's being nothing but a bother.

Perhaps somebody else would have been annoyed at being spoken over, but he honestly wouldn't know what to say and Luke is covering the situation well. Obviously, he is a far more socially adept creature than Nathan is -- not that this is a difficult thing, or surprising that a politician would know how to handle people.

"The offer is appreciated either way, thank you." He can at least follow along the line of the conversation, and he feels like he should at least acknowledge the man for his offer.

He also debates expressing condolences over his lost daughter, but there are too many unknowns in all that for him to even attempt to predict how that would be taken. It might just make things even more uncomfortable, which all of them could do without. So he leaves that part alone.

[rescribare]

Nods are exchanged, and Luke takes a step back. "If you'll excuse us, I'm going to make sure Nathan here gets a bite to eat. I'll make sure you have the materials you need by tomorrow. Thank you, Mr. Peters."

"Naw, it's nothing," the man replies. "I'm just doing my part to look out for us. We all are. You look after him, now," Mr. Peters goes on, indicating Nathan. "See you around, Mister Mayor."

A smile crosses Luke's face, a fond one. He's proud of his little town, he really is -- despite all their tragedy, everything they've gone through in the last year, there's a sense of community here that he finds deeply fulfilling. Everyone does their part, everyone helps everyone else, and they survive.

But he's got more immediate concerns. As he turns away and motions for Nathan to follow, he says in a low voice as soon as they're out of earshot, "We can talk in my office. That should be private enough that any mishaps like the one with the mask won't be seen."

[solvethepuzzle]

He already feels a bit stuck, so he doesn't bother to hesitate in following. Even so, he does tense a little when Luke mentions a place private enough to talk. And Nathan understands. He does. It's a sensitive matter that neither of them would like overheard and a precaution if more item Echoes become involved. Nathan does seem to get quite a few of those, and whether Luke is the same is something that he does not know.

But. Alone. With someone who'd very likely been a serial killer in his last life. Who Nathan had blatantly opposed in his own. Does Luke remember who either of them were? Unknown. So many unknowns.

... People would surely notice if they both went somewhere and only one of them came out, right? Luke has at least struck him as a very careful person, so he wouldn't want to do anything to raise suspicions. It's okay, maybe. If anything happens, it won't be here and now.

"... Alright." His hesitation is clear, but there is no nervous edge in his voice. There isn't anything in his voice right now. He needs to keep calm, keep his feelings on the level so that he can think his way through all this.

[rescribare]

Luke's got no reason to think Nathan would be nervous about meeting somewhere private. Talking out in public is a risk -- one of those pulses that create physical things might happen, and then they'd both lose their cover. Sure, most people aren't completely comfortable around strangers, but Nathan's got nothing to worry about from him. Right? Right.

They don't have a city hall, not exactly. The old city hall was too damaged to be worth repairing, and their needs aren't that big. It's a community center that Luke leads Nathan into, a low building with cinderblock walls and linoleum floors and fluorescent lights. The office itself is a modest room -- little more than a desk, a couple of chairs that face it, and a computer. There are a few photographs on the desk of people Nathan won't know: mostly family, by the looks of it, and a cheerful-looking man with unruly dark hair. There are a couple pieces of art on the wall that looks like it was done by someone around age six or seven, clumsily drawn figures of humans and houses and sunshine, but that's where the personal touches end. It's very neat, very tidy. There's a window that looks out on an empty playground. Luke pulls the blinds down when they come in, and he shuts the plain wooden door behind Nathan.

Then, he sits down behind the desk and folds his hands in front of him. "I'll cut to the chase," Luke says, and though his manner is businesslike, it's not threatening, just serious and attentive. "Why are you here?"

[solvethepuzzle]

Nothing to worry about. Not a thing. Sure, they'll go with that.

Or maybe they won't, because Nathan does not take a seat across from Luke. No, he stays standing by the door. He isn't opening it and trying to run, or even eyeing it as if he'd like to. But he is staying close to the exit nonetheless. His eyes instinctively sweep over the room, cataloguing every detail, before settling on . . . the floor, for the moment. Nathan has never been particularly good about eye contact.

"I'm honestly not trying to cause any trouble." It comes off as completely sincere, because it is. Even if he hadn't been caught like this, he wouldn't have tried anything. Just warned the others if he'd thought there was truly anything to worry about, so they could keep an eye on things. "I hadn't intended to come here initially. I'd just had some business in Gateway, caught a report on the town, and I . . . recognized your face from my Echoes."

That part actually isn't quite true. It's not his Echoes that he knows Luke's face from -- it's from the ghosts that had wandered Shepherd's Haven several months ago. But this cuts down on explanations and he'll probably wind up seeing his face in Echoes occasionally now anyway.

"I just . . . wanted to check things."

[rescribare]

Luke brings his hands up, resting his elbows on the desk, and leans forward to press his lips against his folded hands, thoughtful. There are too many pauses there to win Luke's confidence. Nathan's either lying or lying by omission -- there's no way he's telling Luke all he knows or all he guesses. Then, there's the fact that Nathan is hovering by the door, almost like he's ready to bolt at a moment's notice.

What's going on here?

"I'd like you to be honest with me, Nathan," Luke says, straightening again. He's too calm, too patient, to be threatening, but having Luke Oswald's full attention can be a little intense. "You're clearly worried about something, and it's obvious that it has to do with me. What did you come here to check? Was there something you thought you would find?"

[solvethepuzzle]

Nathan isn't sure at all that telling Luke everything he knows or guesses is a good idea. What kind of Echoes might that trigger? What if that just sends everything spiraling out of control?

The lack of overt threat is not enough to put Nathan at ease. And he still isn't looking at him, but he can feel the weight of his attention nonetheless. Nathan is always aware of when he's the subject of more attention than he likes. (Or his mind convinces him of it sometimes even when it isn't happening. But there is no mistake here.)

"When we met, we both Echoed. You know what I got. What did you get?"

This is supposed to be a conversation, not an interrogation, right? He can ask questions too if he wants. It won't change his own answer when he gets to it, probably. But he wants to know what Luke got from him. That's at least even ground as much as it can exist in this encounter.

Isn't it? Nathan honestly doesn't know what he's doing here.

[rescribare]

Having his question answered with another question is irritating. Nathan might not be a kid, but he looks enough like one and is enough years Luke's junior to make Luke feel like he's being disrespected. He purses his lips, and considers pressing harder --

-- but no. No, Nathan is suspicious of him, that much is clear. Maybe building trust is the better way to handle this. Luke lets out a long, slow breath.

"I remember a warehouse," Luke says. "You were in it. So was I, and several others -- seven, I think. You were all in white, and you were taking off a mask exactly like that. We were waiting for something....something important, though I can't remember what it is." He hesitates for a moment, thinking, and then goes on. "Actually....I had two, one right after the other. The second one doesn't make much sense, though. I was in a helicopter, and there were police sirens, and I -- I think I might have been dreaming," Luke says, face pulling into a frown. "It felt like a dream. I don't know. I don't have enough context to make sense of it."

[solvethepuzzle]

He lifts his eyes in time to notice that pursing of Luke's lips, a clear indication that he's unsatisfied with how this is going. The sigh only reinforces that. Not good. Not good at all.

Nathan has to expect that kind of thing from a push back, though, right? It's a risk of pushing back. He knows that. Which is why he usually doesn't do it. But it's important here.

He feels the sensation of an Echo going through him at the first description -- Yellow Box, crouched on the floor, waiting thirty minutes before taking off the mask, a sense of satisfaction when it's off, like something has been confirmed, but whatever that is, the Echo isn't sharing -- but his visible reaction is negligible. He's used to these; he can go on without distraction. And it's a good thing that he can, because that lets him notice Luke's hesitation between descriptions.

He had two. I hadn't noticed that, and he knew it. And he considered not telling me.

Nathan isn't entirely sure what to make of that. It speaks well for Luke's honesty, but the hesitation still nags at him. Why hesitate? He'll need to think about this later. He doesn't have time right now.

He offers a solemn nod. "They're often like that. The lack of context."

His mind goes back to processing the actual content of the first part of the answer. The way it was related . . . it doesn't seem like Luke knows details. 'Several others', not 'investigative teams'. Nathan may not know exactly what that meeting was about, but he thinks he can guess. That much, though, he will keep to himself.

Still, Luke has answered him, so Nathan feels he should return the favour, even if certain details won't be aired. He lets out a quiet sigh. "Our Others were at odds. I needed to know if there was anything to worry about, whether you were anything like yours."

Honest, but omitting things still. There really isn't any polite way to tell someone that you might be a little worried they could be a serial killer. Nathan would prefer not to imply accusations of that.

[rescribare]

Luke hesitated because the dream -- or whatever it was -- had been horrifying. It's too confused for him to make out anything besides vague impressions, but it had left him with lingering, unsettling fear he can't place. He'd rather not revisit it himself, much less reveal it to someone else, but he offered it anyway. He'd rather not lie here if he can help it. Lies are tricky things at the best of times; the more of them you have, the harder they are to keep straight. On top of that, Luke doesn't know what Nathan knows, so even if he wanted to lie, there would be the danger of saying something that contradicts facts as Nathan knows them.

No.

He'll be honest. It's safer, and in turn, it gives him grounds to ask for honesty from Nathan. It's clear what sort of person Nathan thinks Luke's Other is. Nathan was worried Luke would be like him, whoever he was, whatever he did. Trust might be a lost cause, but the last thing Luke should do, he understands, is give Nathan a reason to mistrust him.

"I can't tell you if I am or I'm not," he admits. "Besides what I've just told you, I don't remember anything about my other, and to be honest, I don't want to. I've got a life here. This town is full of good people who are doing their best and living in peace, and being a part of that is important to me.

"As I'm sure you've gathered, no one here knows I have a Number, and I'd like to keep it that way. I don't know how they'd react if they found out now, but I don't want to find out. What I do want is for you -- and anyone else you know who might trigger Echoes -- to stay away from Musville." Luke leans back in the chair, crossing one leg over the other in a posture that's less interrogating, more at ease. "I think that's the best way to handle this. It drastically lowers the chances of me becoming like my Other, which you want, and lets me stay here in peace, which I want." Luke's not convinced his past self was as bad as Nathan seems to think, but what matters is that Nathan believes it enough to make this an effective argument.

"Of course, you're welcome to stay here tonight, or even a few days, if you need to. But how about it, Nathan? Can we agree to leave each other alone?"

[solvethepuzzle]

And yet Luke could have kept the second one quiet and Nathan would have never known it. The pause may well have cost him more than the omission would have; it makes him look like he has something to hide. That he may actually know more than he's letting on.

Which could be very, very dangerous.

"I meant it when I said I don't want to cause trouble. I have no intention of outing you to your people. We do not do things like that." It's something that has been longstanding about the Numbered; that it's their own choice who they tell, if they tell anyone.

They also try not to judge each other on the actions of their Others, which Nathan probably hasn't done the best job of, here. But if he were actually convinced that Luke is a killer, he would not have chanced showing his face here. He would have quietly raised the alarm to Lazarus without the risk of making himself known.

... But he still feels like he should tell Lazarus about this encounter. Which might run counter to promising to leave Luke alone, and he doesn't want to lie. But he would also like to get out of here. And really, his stated and honest intention not to cause trouble sort of covers the agreement in a way. What Luke is suggesting is completely rational; Nathan can see that.

And yet if Luke really does know more than he's letting on, it could just be a ploy to make sure they all go away and he's left unimpeded.

"I don't need to stay here; I'm expected back soon and have the means to get there." As if he would be comfortable with the idea of staying in this town when he's been standing by the nearest exit all this time.

[rescribare]

Luke's eyes narrow for a moment. That's not an agreement. Nathan doesn't plan to out him, and he will leave, but Nathan hasn't said anything about not coming back.

He's going to tell others, Luke realizes. They might be back, and there's nothing I can do to prevent it.

He sighs and closes his eyes. "All right," Luke says, and he sounds resigned. "That's good enough for me. If you want to go, Nathan, I'm not going to keep you." I'm expected back soon -- that's as good as saying people will notice if I go missing. What does this guy think Luke is going to do, anyway? Pull an axe out from behind the desk and attack him?

[solvethepuzzle]

No, it's not really an agreement. He's in too tricky a position to outright lie, and he's hit-or-miss on telling believable ones to begin with. Omission is the best he can do here, leaving things between the lines to either be seen or not. And the narrowing of Luke's eyes and the resignation in his voice make it clear.

He knows I'm going to tell someone.

But he's still being given the opportunity to leave, and he's going to take it. He needs to get out, needs to decompress. This day has been much, much more stressful than he'd planned for it to be. There's probably going to be a new Lego fortress in his house before the night is out.

Nathan's mouth tightens a little, and there's a clear understanding in eyes that are somehow still expressionless. An indication that he realizes that Luke knows. But he doesn't say anything, just offers a silent nod. Whether that's rude or disrespectful he doesn't know, and he doesn't care at the moment so long as it means he gets out of here.

There isn't anything hurried about how he turns the knob and slips out the door, softly closing it behind him. It comes off with a calmness that he doesn't feel at all.

[rescribare]

Luke watches him go. The nod tells him all he needs to know. It's confirmed: someone else will be interested in knowing of Luke's existence as the reincarnation of whoever was in the warehouse and the helicopter. Most likely, they'll try to make contact.

He's going to be investigated.

"Agh--" Luke's face drops into his hand as another pulse tears through him. This time, he remembers being in a room with brick walls, a large window, and at least a dozen computer monitors, all of which displayed a gothic letter N.

Hello, L. I don't mean to keep bothering you, but with regards to our meeting, I wanted to confirm that we are still set for the 28th at 1:00 PM. Right?

It's Nathan's voice. Even transmitted over -- over a phone line, or Skype, or whatever this is, that much is clear. Luke is leaning over a desk, speaking into a microphone. Yes, he says, and thinks, It's just as I predicted. He's sticking with the original time. There's no doubt about it.

Very well, Nathan says. The 28th -- the day after tomorrow.

Right, Luke -- L? -- replies, and cuts the connection. The memory ends there, and Luke is left staring at his desk through his fingers, left with more questions than answers. I...was L? And Nathan was N? What do the letters mean? The 28th...is that when we met in the warehouse? What was I planning? What was N planning?

He slumps in his chair and lets his head fall back. What Luke wants more than anything is to forget this ever happened, forget everything he knows about his other self, and deal with the tasks already in front of him. The here and now have enough problems without dragging up a whole other lifetime's worth. He doesn't want Nathan to come back. He doesn't want any more memories. He wants no part in this.

But Luke knows, deep in his gut, that this isn't over. His instincts are seldom wrong. If not Nathan, someone would be back, most likely in person, before long. He lets out a long sigh and, bracing a hand against the desk, climbs to his feet. If they're going to come, he'll be ready for them.