[ A sigh and a long pause before it just comes rushing out of him. ]
It smells, okay? It's uncomfortably packed in here; it's boring; I'm restless; I'm lonely; I'm underfed, but that's fine, because I'm still being fed, it's just not as high a caloric intake as I'm used to; my ass hurts from sitting; my head hurts from the smell; my body hurts from not eating enough; I'm tired because I can't sleep well; and I've got a headache and I'm a little dizzy. I miss you, Hermann. I am not fine. I haven't been this far away from you for this long in forever and it's--
Even without the Drift, even without being in love with you, you're such a huge part of my life. I keep trying to talk to you and you're not here and I'm such a dumb freak because we've been here how long now? And I still keep trying to talk to you.
It's a difficult adjustment for us both, Newton. I- I keep thinking you're across the lab. I've almost yelled at Joaquin a time or two, and I expect that's only a matter of time.
I confess that I almost wish they'd taken us both at points.
I told someone that. Miles, I think. I said I'd wished you were here. You'd hate it, Hermann. It's awful, but, hell, at least we'd be in this shithole together. We're so much better together.
But you're more effective there, you really are. And if you were here, they wouldn't have let you have your cane or paper for math, and it's bad enough they have kids here and Miles with his-- Hilariously, I think if they wanted weapons, they picked the wrong batch. You're even more of a weapon. I think we have one superhero and one big guy who calls himself a Bull and that's like...the extent of our weaponry. Maybe someone here's a crouching moron, hidden badass, but...yeah.
Yes, it would be terrible. We'd both be without our medications and miserable, but there would be some familiarity at least. And the drift wouldn't be..
[Ahem]
At any rate, that's more holes in the theory that they had any real control over whom their porter abducted. Fortunate in a way, I suppose. If I had time I might look into a potential pattern, but that's hardly priority at the moment.
Don't bother. Cosima and I aren't mathematicians, we're biologists, but between the two of us, we couldn't find a distinguishable pattern. We were down to nutty nanite theories. I think the Russians are as clueless as the Americans tell us they (the Americans) are regarding the Porter. Maybe the Russians built it, but I'm pretty damn sure they don't know how to use it. I'm not even 100% certain they know what they're doing with Lackey, but that's a baseless theory.
Likely, but nothing we can prove. I doubt I would have enough data even if I did pursue that angle.
Locating all of you is priority of course. The soldier and hero-types are getting restless. If they don't have direction soon, imPorts may be responsible for escalating the war.
I'd rather not imagine what the Russians might decide to do then.
I hate to say it, Hermann, but we're already causing escalation because we're not going to be good little captives. Whether we escape or you rescue us or the Americans rescue us, it's still not under the terms the Russians want and things will have consequences.
Even if it's just a 'our playthings went home and we're going to throw a fit.'
Can I just say this: I missed talking to you. Letters and text will always have a special place in my heart with you, okay, and it was great listening to you and texting back, but --you're talking to me, in my head. It's like you're here. If I close my eyes, it doesn't even feel like a phone-call. [Yes, he sounds choked up.]
Perhaps, but aggression is certainly going to cause more strife than if we simply managed to remotely port everyone back to America.
[And oh, that sounds tempting. Hermann doesn't know how to use the comms through the mind link and he should probably learn. Would it feel like the drift? Could he handle it if it did?]
Newton, an escape plan sounds very dangerous- particularly if you're underwater. Your powers are all nullified and you don't exactly have many imPorts accustomed to combat. If you fail..
Hermann, you can't expect us to sit here and do nothing. We're sitting here and doing nothing NOW and it's driving us nuts. Didn't you ever watch the Great Escape? They didn't fight their way out...they were brilliant and got out. I won't say anything. I won't, but I think we do have to get out and maybe get you the coordinates because you can do jackshit without those.
And if we're on a sub and can commandeer it, power to us.
[It's true, and he hates that it makes sense, but he really can't do anything without their location. If they can get out of their cell, the odds are good. If just one of them gets away and looks at a map or gets outside and tells them anything, they'd likely be able to find them before the Rusians could move them very far.
The fact remains he wants to argue but finds himself unable to]
Just be careful, Newton. I want you returned alive.
[ Newt is very grateful that Hermann doesn't seem to know or remember (or chooses to not bring up) the story of that film: Seventy-six men escaped. Seventy-three were recaptured and fifty of those were shot by the Gestapo. Newt realizes there's risks.
But there's more than just him in here and, even if it's not ideal and Hermann would hate him, he's still banking on the Porter in America bringing them back if something goes really, really wrong. Someone needs to escape and it's not going to be a one-person effort.]
(no subject)
It smells, okay? It's uncomfortably packed in here; it's boring; I'm restless; I'm lonely; I'm underfed, but that's fine, because I'm still being fed, it's just not as high a caloric intake as I'm used to; my ass hurts from sitting; my head hurts from the smell; my body hurts from not eating enough; I'm tired because I can't sleep well; and I've got a headache and I'm a little dizzy. I miss you, Hermann. I am not fine. I haven't been this far away from you for this long in forever and it's--
Even without the Drift, even without being in love with you, you're such a huge part of my life. I keep trying to talk to you and you're not here and I'm such a dumb freak because we've been here how long now? And I still keep trying to talk to you.
(no subject)
I confess that I almost wish they'd taken us both at points.
(no subject)
But you're more effective there, you really are. And if you were here, they wouldn't have let you have your cane or paper for math, and it's bad enough they have kids here and Miles with his-- Hilariously, I think if they wanted weapons, they picked the wrong batch. You're even more of a weapon. I think we have one superhero and one big guy who calls himself a Bull and that's like...the extent of our weaponry. Maybe someone here's a crouching moron, hidden badass, but...yeah.
(no subject)
[Ahem]
At any rate, that's more holes in the theory that they had any real control over whom their porter abducted. Fortunate in a way, I suppose. If I had time I might look into a potential pattern, but that's hardly priority at the moment.
(no subject)
(no subject)
Locating all of you is priority of course. The soldier and hero-types are getting restless. If they don't have direction soon, imPorts may be responsible for escalating the war.
I'd rather not imagine what the Russians might decide to do then.
(no subject)
Even if it's just a 'our playthings went home and we're going to throw a fit.'
Can I just say this: I missed talking to you. Letters and text will always have a special place in my heart with you, okay, and it was great listening to you and texting back, but --you're talking to me, in my head. It's like you're here. If I close my eyes, it doesn't even feel like a phone-call. [Yes, he sounds choked up.]
(no subject)
[And oh, that sounds tempting. Hermann doesn't know how to use the comms through the mind link and he should probably learn. Would it feel like the drift? Could he handle it if it did?]
Newton, an escape plan sounds very dangerous- particularly if you're underwater. Your powers are all nullified and you don't exactly have many imPorts accustomed to combat. If you fail..
(no subject)
Hermann, you can't expect us to sit here and do nothing. We're sitting here and doing nothing NOW and it's driving us nuts. Didn't you ever watch the Great Escape? They didn't fight their way out...they were brilliant and got out. I won't say anything. I won't, but I think we do have to get out and maybe get you the coordinates because you can do jackshit without those.
And if we're on a sub and can commandeer it, power to us.
(no subject)
The fact remains he wants to argue but finds himself unable to]
Just be careful, Newton. I want you returned alive.
(no subject)
But there's more than just him in here and, even if it's not ideal and Hermann would hate him, he's still banking on the Porter in America bringing them back if something goes really, really wrong. Someone needs to escape and it's not going to be a one-person effort.]
I know.