[open]

[devored]

Who| Neal and you!
What| snooping, intel gathering
Where| 11th floor+roof
When| today
Warnings/Notes| The appearance depicted in this log is fictitious. Any similarity to Neal's actual mental state is merely coincidental :)

[ His head is still reeling, trying to come to grips with what just an hour ago would have been impossible outside of the sci-fi genre. It definitely has no business being in reality, and especially not his reality. Did he snap? Is that what snapping feels like? No, he dismisses the thought as quickly as it comes. He's not drugged, he's been drugged and that's not how it felt - his head is on straight. He's not insane. If he would have gone insane he would have done it months ago, after the plane, after Kate. The light is off on his tracking anklet, and no consequences came from cutting it. That means there's no GPS reception here, at least not the kind his tracker can connect to. It's too elaborate, his tracker is tamper-proof, he knows, he tried everything to tamper with it. that leaves one option -- this is real. And if it's real, it means two things: number one -- there's a way back. number two -- there are flaws for him to exploit.

He needs a plan. A real one, a good one. And for that, he needs intel. What can he know in his suite? Firstly, how secure it is. Something tells him procuring new accommodations is not going to be as easy as charming someone into letting him into their home here. If he's staying, he needs to know where the traps are. What he wouldn't give for Mozzie's bug sweepers right about now, and his extermination services. But the thought is unhelpful, he'll have to do this the old fashion way. The downside to the old fashioned - for every bug you catch there are countless you don't.

He sweeps the floor for cameras, not attempting discretion about it because he knows it's impossible to catch them all in time to avoid them all, so he smiles or winks at each one he finds.

So far so predictable. He has two obvious next places to look in -- the floors the elevator he took up here skips -- and the roof. The former requires planning and additional intel. The latter he goes up to check. ]

Comments

[devored]

[ Unfortunately for her, Neal is a difficult man to hide from. Having spent his life in stealth and paranoia, he's gotten pretty sensitive to sound, and turns when he hears someone enter.

Did his lovely hosts send someone to stop his search? He's apprehensive, but he never did learn his lesson about curiosity. So he puts on a confident smile, and raises his brows in an amused expression. His hand however goes in his pocket, to close around the kitchen knife he slipped in there as he was conducting his search. ]

I don't bite.

[ he does kick, punch, stab, throw knives, scratch, and everything else he could think of to get away, but he at least doesn't intend to get to the point where he has to put any part of an assailant's body in his mouth. If, however, despite his best intentions he'll have to do it, well, all is fair in love and war. ]

[arrhenphobia]

[Mariko still doesn't move from her hiding spot, even though it's quite clear now that she's been caught. Instead she keeps crouching on the floor. Maybe he didn't notice her after all? Maybe he'll go away if she stays silent?]

[devored]

[ He can't really see a reason for someone more powerful than him to hide, so a second options seems more likely -- maybe it's someone else sharing his predicament. Fear is a very logical response to what they've been told they're meant to do, and to the fact that they've been abducted through dimensions. Really, it's all a lot to take. It sounds like an overly elaborate conspiracy theory, and he vows to never again doubt Mozzie when he spatters one of those, when he makes it back home to his friend's side.

When. Not if. Never if. So his voice softens a little, trying to sound a little more alluring. ]

I'm not gonna hurt you -- coming around to you now, ok?

[ Again, that promise is only true if whoever's out there won't try to hurt him. ]

[arrhenphobia]

[Okay, so that plan didn't work out. Now she was left with two options: 1. Stay on the ground and wait to be found and be embarrassed by the man. 2. Reveal herself and stay in control of the situation.

And Mariko chooses the less humiliating option.

So, before Neal can take a step towards her 'hiding' place, she stands up despite feeling extremely uncomfortable.]

No. You stay right there.

[devored]

[ A girl. His instinctive reaction is to offer her a calming smile. She seems terrified, so he lets go of the knife in his pocket and raises his hands slightly to show her that he is unarmed.

Well, it's close enough to being true. ]

Hi, it's ok. Not gonna hurt you. I'm Neal, what's your name?

[arrhenphobia]

Mariko. [She answers to his softer smile with a cold stare-- not wanting to look like as weak and scared little girl.]

What are you doing here?

[devored]

Very good question, [ He maintains his smile ] but considering the little I've already learned of this place, I doubt it has a good answer.

[arrhenphobia]

Who are you? Why are you going through our suites? Are you a peacekeeper?!