Cleaning out the basement is such a grueling task.

[moriarty_was_real]

This combination torture chamber, mad science laboratory, and machine shop was even more elaborately appointed than the one he had first woken up in. There was more room here, for one thing. For another, it seemed that he had built it first. The one he had already seen was more streamlined, efficient. This dungeon represented a wider range of interests, testing things out, prototypes created and torn down and rebuilt in more successful versions. The various customized torture devices that he had made and abandoned were significantly more primitive than the ones he had come across in the house. The old house, the old "safehouse," what sort of madman would he have to be to condemn himself to a lifetime of hiding from danger of his own creation?

It's quite possible that everything here could be repurposed, used for something constructive, given to schools short on power tools and glassware, but that was totally irrelevant in Jim's mind. These objects needed to be destroyed, not just because it was far safer and more efficient to do so but for the psychological impact it would have on him. The entire exercise was meant to affect his psychology, why sabotage the effort by trying to save that which should never have been there in the first place?

"Pandora, all of the glassware on this lab bench needs to be smashed. If you can aim it at the far wall and we all stay out of the yellow linoleum zone until you're done, it should be perfectly safe. We can clean it up when you're done." He had trouble sleeping, no surprise there, and spent a few hours disassembling things and setting up for his helpers.

"Jack, all the power tools on the table under the pegboard are perfectly normal power tools. Everything on the bare concrete floor is the machine shop. I've disabled all the traps and now everything just needs to be disassembled. Anything lighter than ten kilos is broken down far enough. If you could just heap it all together in a pile in the middle of the concrete that would be lovely." He'd already disposed of most of the chemicals and the rest were locked up, no real danger of someone tripping over them by accident.

"I'll be taking apart the wiring in Frankenstein's playhouse over here, if you need anything." Jim ran both hands through his hair, letting out a deep breath before picking up his tool box and heading into an area he had been avoiding up to now.

Comments

[littlepandora]

Pandora honestly didn't know what to make of this place. When Jim had first allowed her downstairs, she'd expected something like what had been at the warehouse. And honestly, she didn't really understand what it upset him.

She did like the sound of breaking glass, however. That probably was in the realm of 'weird' but it was oddly pleasant. Someone had once shown her a video of cats knocking over glasses, vases, and the like, all spliced together. It had made complete sense to her that a cat would tap a vase off the edge of a table just to hear it smash.

Of course, one didn't do that. Certainly not in someone else's house. This was permission to indulge in an inappropriate delight without being bad.

Clever Jim.

"Can you hear us over there?" she asks, lingering. "Going to be hard to ask you questions if you can't."

[tigerjack]

Disabled all of the traps? Jack had used some of this to repair his rifle. Had Jim disabled it then too? Held up a finger, mouth opening, then thought better of it. Except the question of 'why toss everything on the floor' then came to mind. After a moment, he decided to close his mouth and watch to see what would happen.

Between Jim, the swim, and answering the tiger's hunger, Jack hadn't budged until his phone vibrated this morning, a message indicating that Jim was ready to start taking apart the basement. Thankfully the staff had arrived and breakfast was waiting. Noted that Pandora was dressed in clothes that had been brought over from the warehouse and seemed chipper because she had her satchel - he knew about missing necessary things that ought to be at hand. His rifle was back at the warehouse, there was another here, but it wasn't the same, didn't feel the same, didn't quite react the same, no matter how often he practiced with both. They each had their personalities.

[moriarty_was_real]

"Yes, I can hear you." What questions could she have already?

The initial investigation phase of each area took the most time. Diagnostic tools had to be used on every surface, measuring the density and detecting any hint of electric charge that signalled a trap. There weren't many, but those that did exist could be anything from disconcerting to lethal if triggered. In this area it wasn't so much the traps themselves, but the multiple failsafes that were in place just in case a hapless Frankenstein managed to loosen its shackles.

[littlepandora]

The fact that her clothing was multiplying was something to be greeted with cheer and confusion. The items she'd chosen were worn things, some of the clothing she'd managed to keep from when she'd first taken flight. A few more tears or a stain wouldn't be too out of place. Her booted feet carried her over to the glass, but she paused, eyeing the selection.

She could start with why this was so important. Maybe afterwards, with tea. "You've made some choices that I don't understand. I'd like to inquire about them. If we're mostly breaking down things, it seemed like the time to ask."

[tigerjack]

Looking over the pneumatic augers, bending units and other large machines, Jack picked up an adjustable wrench, a swiss army contraption of Allen wrenches, and set to work. If she was practicing and asking then two jobs could be completed at one time. As for himself, the tiger was happy to use brute strength, when combined with Jack's suggestions of the proper use of levers. Planned on removing what could be taken off, panels and lids, blades, compression units, etc. In the meantime, he kept his ears open for an answer.

[moriarty_was_real]

"It's as good a time as any, I suppose, and better than most."

No, that was unclear. He paused before snipping the wire he had been focusing on.

"Yes, asking is fine. I'll answer as well as I can."

[littlepandora]

Pandora brightens. The first piece to be broken is picked up in her small hand and hefted at the designated wall. It smashes beautifully, tinkling like little bells. She aims a grin in Jack's direction, as if to say look what I get to do!

She whirls, the second piece in hand. Her head tilts, to consider. "In the warehouse," she starts carefully, and glances towards Jack. She clears her throat delicately and continues. "You said 'neither of you are expendable'..."

[tigerjack]

Didn't we talk about this?
Thought we did.
She wasn't listening.
Oh. Fine then. Carry on.
As if you are stopping her.

Jack also carried on taking the drill press apart.

[moriarty_was_real]

That wasn't a question. Jim kept working, pressing his lips together as he clipped through another wire. Why did he need to electrocute someone to death and flood them with horrible chemicals at the same time?

[littlepandora]

She weighs her next words, trying to figure out the right ones. Her mouth twitches from side to side contemplatively. "Erm." She rolls her eyes and tries again. "I understand that designation applying to Jack."

Jack is Important. "I don't understand why that designation applies outside of Jack. And, well, obviously, you."

[tigerjack]

That 'designation' didn't always apply to Jack. It only seemed to after Moriarty ended up with an interesting pet. Snipers, good snipers, hell, even an excellent sniper was replaceable. So was a tiger, but it was harder to replace both. Then it became more difficult because Jack did things that other henchthings wouldn't even think of. No, I know you're thinking about sleeping with the boss, but I meant picking up the laundry, making tea, feeding the man when others would just leave the tray outside the door. Didn't mean that Jack wasn't irreplaceable, only that it was difficult. He only became 'unexpendable' when Jim said so.

Frowned at the bolt he was trying to loosen. Only became 'unexpendable' because he knew the things Jim did not...didn't like where those thoughts were going.

[moriarty_was_real]

Jim stared at the snipped wire for a long while, contemplating the question.

"Both of you have risked your lives, and your sanity, for my sake. I'm more trouble than I'm worth and I'm sure that's always been true, yet here you both are."

[littlepandora]

There's the sound of glass breaking as another piece hits the wall. "Well, yeah," Pandora replies, as if the answer is really obvious. It's such a teenage response, and something she doesn't indulge in often. "Like I said, I can see why the designation applies to you."

[littlepandora]

True to her internal prediction, the tears had come when the basement door closed behind her. Getting yelled at by one of them was bad enough, but the combination of the responses was too much. Jim yelling, in particular, because she couldn’t quite fault Jack for his startling hug.

Violence and yelling and touching and go to your room. As if possessive pronouns actually applied in any way to her.

For all her bravado, the sharp thoughts about coming back, were useless. Too many doors that didn’t work for her anyway. If Jack really did intend to kill Jim, Jim had effectively prevented her from being able to do anything to stop him. Or to stop Jim from potentially hurting Jack. Her feet carried her to the bedroom she’d slept in almost without her noticing.

Some things still were conditioning, like the way she shuts the door as quietly as possible. It’s hard to separate Now from Then, and there’s a second flavor of panic filling her chest. There’s neither the scent or taste of lavender, but this room is as empty and catalogue perfect as the one in her mother’s house, made for someone else. The only thing that stands out is the soft pink throw from the warehouse, bright pink against all these neutral colors. She pulls it from the perfectly made bed. The throw itself is large enough to cover her from head to foot with a little to spare, so she spreads it out and wraps it around herself before sliding herself under the bed, using her bag as her pillow.

For a while, she toys with the idea of climbing out the window and just going. She’s clearly the component that doesn’t fit here, the incidental cause of conflict. Even if they don’t kill each other, her proximity seems to mean that they will eventually. And that’s not even counting the risk that the necromancers might locate her.

It isn’t as if she has any idea of where she is.

The text from Jim vibrates against her temple, and when she reads it, there’s the strange moment of relief mixed with emotions she can’t quite name. It’s not fair, this punishment. Tears start up again because she can’t comprehend the level of perfection they expect. Clearly, it’s something wrong with her, because she couldn’t manage to be what her mother expected, either. It’s hardly fair that she’s stuck in this room because she couldn’t switch gears and obey fast enough with something that’s still not entirely hers to control yet. She's trying to be Good, but no one gives a manual or even a checklist of how to do that. No partial credit, it seems. She shifts, turning carefully in the confined space and lays flat on her belly, tucking her arms under her bag. Her foot reaches out to push the bed skirt back into place, before she wiggles and finds a comfortable spot. It’s how she falls asleep, still sniffling, with only the corner of the vivid blanket sticking out to indicate her hiding place.

[tigerjack]

With a feline's nose, Jack tracked her down. His steps were silent as always, a tiger sneaking up on its prey, or in this case part of its family. Wall at his back, he sat on the floor just inside the bedroom and pulling his phone out of his pocket, began to read his book. Hours later when her breath changed, indicating that she was close to waking, he cleared his throat and quietly read aloud.

"India is a country in South Asia whose name comes from the Indus River. The name `Bharata’ is used as a designation for the country in their constitution referencing the ancient mythological emperor, Bharata, whose story is told, in part, in the Indian epic Mahabharata. According to the writings known as the Puranas (religious/historical texts written down in the 5th century CE) Bharata conquered the whole sub-continent of India and ruled the land in peace and harmony. The land was, therefore, known as Bharatavarsha (`the sub-continent of Bharata’). Homonid activity in the Indian sub-continent stretches back over 250,000 years and it is, therefore, one of the oldest inhabited regions on the planet."

[littlepandora]

In Pandora's opinion, Jack might have been wrong about which of Barrie's characters she resembled. To her, it felt like she never really had room for more than one emotions at a time. She woke feeling empty, which was probably an improvement. The sound of Jack's voice didn't match up with expectation, so she listened for a few minutes, not convinced that she was still dreaming.

Rubbing at her tear-swollen face, she considered her options. Cautiously, she lifted the edge of the bed skirt on the side that faced Jack, peering out, just to confirm what she was hearing.

[tigerjack]

Ignored the movement, ignored the peeking and kept reading as if he had been doing it the entire night.

"Archaeological excavations have discovered artifacts used by early humans, including stone tools, which suggest an extremely early date for human habitation and technology in the area. While the civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt have long been recognized for their celebrated contributions to civilization, India has often been overlooked, especially in the West, though her history and culture is just as rich."

[littlepandora]

She sniffed, and dropped the bed skirt in order to tuck the phone into her bag. It hadn't been a case of hiding, per se. She'd needed a smaller place, to confine herself in way that erased the rest of the bedroom. The closet was just too big for that.

Pandora lifted the bed sheet again. Could come out, she reasoned. She certainly wouldn't mind cuddling up against Jack, like the night she'd sneaked into his liquor stash. Except that he certainly had seemed upset down stairs. And about the whole 'possible-mind-reader' thing. Even though she'd said she knew things she wasn't supposed to.

She wasn't up for more angry Jack, and she certainly didn't know what she'd do if he pushed her away or refused contact. So she stayed put, peering out. "What are you doing?" she finally asks, just loud enough to be heard.

[tigerjack]

"Reading," glancing from the glowing screen to her, a faint yellow glimmer in his eyes. "What are you doing?"

[littlepandora]

"What I was told." It's a flat statement, absent of emotion one way or the other. "You're reading out loud," she points out. "Was this the wrong room? Possessive pronouns aren't exactly applicable."

[tigerjack]

"Not the wrong room for you. I wished to check on you. To say that I regret growling at you. That I am not always the reasonable man you seem to believe me to be." Not all of the time, no matter how much he tried to be. Sometimes even his leash slipped out of his hands. "I apologize."

[littlepandora]

There's a curious thing, she thinks, turning over his statements in her head. Pandora eases out of her hiding place, curling up with a knee to her chest and her back against the bed. "I just didn't want you to hurt Jim," she finally says. "But you don't have to. Apologize, I mean. I'm not - I'm not someone who gets apologized to."

She's fumbling, trying to be clear and sure she's failing again.

[tigerjack]

"We hurt each other, love, even with the best of intentions. I'll never truly hurt him, though the man he was would happily cut me apart on that table of his." The screen going dark, he could still see her in the low light from the window. "I must apologize to you because I was in the wrong. Talking and tea is not what I needed just then."

[littlepandora]

She doesn't get up to turn on the light herself, either. Dark is good. Dark makes it less of a bedroom. Cuts off the go to your room echo. Pandora still fidgets, thinking that he's applying the wrong set of logic.

It's logic that applies to other people, not to her.

She's not sure what to say about his analysis of Jim. Not any more? Volunteering that will only bring up that she might know something she's not supposed to. "I didn't want him to hurt you, either," she finally said, just barely loud enough to be heard. Jack hadn't been the only one hitting a wall.

[tigerjack]

"I know, but this ol'heart of mine has been in his hands for some time. I cannot take it back,"
not without wanting to bleed out.
"Besides," his cheek quirking, "Sometimes a little hurt makes what's good, better, if you get my meaning."