[Video] [Shepherd's Haven]

[witnessme]

[The feed shows a young man who looks to be in his late teens or early twenties; it could honestly go either way. Suffice it to say he's around Tony's age, and he's super excited and shirtless despite the brisk weather in the southern hemisphere.]

S-so. How about these goo things, huh?

[A twitchy smile. Despite being Numbered now, for a long time he wasn't, and he's still paying some penance for a past crime. He feels like he hasn't quite earned Network privileges yet, in other words.]

I'm Luca D-Dantonio. Uh. Some of you might remember me from the thing with Al-Albero. But even before I got my Number, you guys were great to me. No boss ever treated me like that, so uh. I hope that there was never any doubt or anything but I want you guys and the newbies to know that I'm on your side, OK? I'm loyal. If anyone can say anything about me it's that. I'll even fix your stuff up for you, my Other was some kind of mechanic I think.

Oh...! Oh, also, one of my echoes says that m-my guy's name was Nux. I kind of like that. Simple. You can call me that. I'd actually kind of like it b-better if it's OK to ask for.

Comments

[video]

[jasminebloominginshadow]

[Jasmine grits her teeth. The whole Albero thing isn't a pleasant memory for her]

You used to work for that scumbag?

[video]

[witnessme]

[He looks startled. Even though this is probably the reaction he ultimately expected, he'd still hoped to be received more charitably.]

I... I've worked for you g-guys almost as long, you know. It's. It's in the past. I'm loyal.

[video]

[jasminebloominginshadow]

Okay, you're gonna need to explain something to me. Worked for us? What are you talking about.

[Jasmine... actually doesn't recognize this face]

[video]

[witnessme]

So... So Albero took me on when I was a kid, because of a debt my parents owed him. Dairy farmers outside of Locke, Italian, don't know the details. I got those chameleon mods, was one of the animal associates.

I'm. Um. I'm the guy that shot Tony. But he didn't die and you guys didn't kill me. I uh. Worked as a janitor for Lazarus. Did a good job, earned my keep.

[video]

[jasminebloominginshadow]

... I see.

I can appreciate being dealt a bad card in life. But... you understand it's not gonna be easy to trust you right off the bat, right?

Voice

[solvethepuzzle]

[Yes, just voice. Because Nathan is strange like this on the network.]

I would think it's perfectly alright to decide if you'd prefer to be called that. [And so he will make a note to do it.]

Voice

[witnessme]

[He happily acquiesces to that, without even a second thought. He's good and well-practiced by now at deferring to Numbered needs, even if that means he doesn't get to see a face over the Network.]

R-really? You don't think it's asking for too much? I really just want a f-fresh start if people are willing to forgive and f-forget.

Voice

[solvethepuzzle]

[Considering they see each other in person all the time, it isn't exactly a big deal.]

It isn't too much. If that is what you want to be called, it is what people should call you. [Nathan would rather not go by his Other's name -- alias -- personally. So he won't. He prefers to be Nathan rather than Near.]

Voice

[witnessme]

[Not a big deal, but the Network, having and being on it, is still incredibly new and exciting to Nux (as he has begun to think of himself.) It's like admission to a secret club or something.]

Yeah! Yeah. Right, good point. You're one of the really smart ones. I should trust your word. You'd know if anyone would know.

Voice

[solvethepuzzle]

[Nathan had been frankly terrified when he'd first gotten network access. Of course, that had been during the height of the Numbered's problems with the mafia, when the violence had escalated and that there was a leak was known, but not the identity of the leak.

[He'd kept himself hidden, hadn't spoken up at all for over two months. It had all been so frightening.]

It is simply what makes the most sense. It isn't that special. [Nathan, learn to accept praise.]

[Video]

[charcoalfeather]

You... worked for Albero? The mafia guy?

[Rakka looks... visibly uncomfortable. Luca won't be able to see it, but she's cradling her stomach at the moment, just on the area where she was suckerpunched.]

[Video]

[witnessme]

[So many people are just not taking this as well as poor Nux had hoped they would.]

It... it was a long time ago. Almost been with you guys longer now, that's gotta be worth something.

[Video]

[charcoalfeather]

I...

[She knows she shouldn't be mean, but... it was still so fresh to her.]

I-it is. I'm sorry, but... I just have some bad memories about the mafia. It has nothing to do with you.

[Video]

[witnessme]

I got bad memories too. I feel you. Sorry about that.

[Video]

[charcoalfeather]

W-wait! You don't have to apologize... to me.

[It's not like it was his fault. So, why worry? Was he really that sad about it...?

So... does that means that they should start over? Rakka will just shake her head, getting those bad memories out of there.]

Uhh... so...

video;

[brotimaeus]

Nux, huh.

[While he doesn't sound unfriendly, exactly, that tone isn't entirely friendly either. For damned good reason as far as he's concerned. He lifts his eyebrows slightly over his aviator shades.]

Sure, I can roll with that, but I'm gonna have my fuckin' eye on you.

video;

[witnessme]

[Oh, crap. It's this guy, Tony's adopted father. Nux doesn't think that he's likely quite as quick to forgive as Tony or even his one-time employer, Lazarus.]

Y-yeah, Nux. Please. Thank you.

Didn't you adopt... aren't you the guy that adopted Tony?

video;

[brotimaeus]

[Nux would be correct. He'll call the guy what he wants to be called because he's not a complete asshole, but there's no way in the devil's fiery hell that he's going to give him a clean slate just because he asks for one.]

Yeah, that'd be me. Name's Richard.

video;

[witnessme]

I know. I mean, I've been around for awhile, since that one time, and I've heard your name. I worked for the school and evacuated there and then c-came here.

Tony talks about me sometimes, yeah? We're kind of friends n-now.

video;

[brotimaeus]

Yeah, good for you. Listen. You shot my kid. Think about that for a fuckin' second. You shot my kid.

[Tony, honestly, probably knows better than to bring his name up at all. If he ever wants to talk about that time... which is rare, if it ever happens.]

You think about that.. and you give me one fuckin' reason to just forget about it an' believe I can trust you.

[Video]

[oncedevil]

You sure you should be announcing that?

[This might not be the best idea he's had.]

[Video]

[witnessme]

Shit Tony, I thought almost everyone knew already and the ones that didn't wouldn't care, like not this much anyway.

[Video]

[oncedevil]

Heh, I think you underestimate the number Albero did on us back in the day. Lot'a people still holding a grudge.

Hell, lot'a people dead.

[Video]

[witnessme]

Nah, no. No, I know what he did. And what I did. You don't have to tell me again.

[Video]

[oncedevil]

I'm just sayin', I dunno what you were expecting.