At the Library {Open Log]

[lovedramamoron]

Date: Jan 13
Characters: Jimmy, Anyone

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It was the weekend, and Jimmy was out of reading material. That was more than enough reason for a trip to the library.

He takes his time browsing through the shelves, occasionally selecting something that sparked his interest.  Just when he was about to call it a day, he spots a small book at the end of the shelf with a name that seemed familiar. The Sign of Four. That was Sherlock Holmes, wasn't it?

On an impulse he adds it to the basket, and goes to find somewhere quiet to read.

Comments

[warped_replica]

In addition to spending some time on his homework for school, Benjiro is making use of the resources at the library to do some cursory research into the local terrain and properties. Efforts to search online regarding locations for sale and for rent had quickly snuffed his thoughts of making use of a place in any of the towns for the Numbered. When he spots Jimmy also walking in the stacks, he lifts a hand to wave in greeting with his other arm occupied by a couple of books while his backpack hangs off the same shoulder.

[lovedramamoron]

Jimmy waves as he spots a familiar face and changes his direction to walk over by Benjiro.

[warped_replica]

While he had not expected Jimmy to divert from his own activity, Benjiro isn’t going to pass up the opportunity to catch up with him properly. He has been watching the Network as he always does, and had recognized the new Numbered some time ago. Once Jimmy is close enough, he greets him with his voice hushed for the setting, “Hey Jimmy. How are things at the academy?”

But pleasantries should not be forgone either.

[lovedramamoron]

Jimmy shrugs at that question. "The way they run things is a lot different from how it was at home, but I think I'm starting to get used to everything."

[warped_replica]

“Acclimation takes time. It’ll feel normal before long,” at least in day to day routines. For all the differences, Benjiro has found the foundation of learning to be his primary anchor during his periods of adjustment across the school systems he has attended.

“What brings you here today?” he asks. Broaching a topic that requires tact and secrecy would not be ideal should Jimmy be swamped with a pressing matter.

[lovedramamoron]

In response Jimmy gestures at his basket of books.

"I ran out of things to read. Figured it would be a good day to stock up again,"

[warped_replica]

Potential excuses eliminated when Jimmy reveals his books to be for pleasure, Benjiro nods and smiles, “Any day is a good day for a new book.”

Benjiro pauses, looking down barely a second to prop on his mental script as his free hand lays over the books in his arm to avoid fidgetting, and broaches what he intended to say from the start, “This may sound a little odd coming from someone you barely know, but I think you’ve met some of my friends. If you have some time, I’d like to talk to you.” A beat, and he adds more quietly, “Ideally where we won’t be overheard.”

[lovedramamoron]

"That's kind of a suspicious way of putting it," Jimmy points out. But now he was curious. And he'd never done very well with ignoring his curiosity.

"Sure. You have anywhere in mind?"

[warped_replica]

His expression flattens at the remark, “Not sure if there is a good way to say that, but I’m open to suggestions.” He had thought of many other statements, some of which sounded quite delusional.

“We could step outside, or head back into the archive. The door seals and not many people go in regularly,” he offers as alternatives. If Jimmy is truly worried, outside would offer him some safety despite the hinderance of needing to check out their books first or leave them somewhere.

[lovedramamoron]

"The archive would be faster, right?" Jimmy grins. He was curious, now. And that meant that he would always take the quickest option.

[warped_replica]

“Without question,” he replies with a nod in confirmation. That Jimmy does not seem nervous is enough to soothe a few of Benjiro’s worries, but he still harbors anxiety that comes from preparing to open up to someone new.

Books brought along, Benjiro heads through the library to the archive and enters. Once Jimmy has followed inside, he’ll shut the door behind them and check the space carefully to look for other visitors. After confirming they are alone, he sets his books on a small table and turns to face Jimmy. Hands free, he makes small gestures as he speaks, “That number you started remembering after you moved here? I have one too. I noticed you were on the Network recently. I’ve been avoiding using the Network actively until we know more about it, but I wanted to tell you so you’re aware that I’m involved too.”

[lovedramamoron]

Jimmy blinks. "Really? You too?" He grins. "That's great! I wonder who else I've met here is in on it."

It was almost like having a secret club. And as a dedicated mystery nerd, Jimmy was all for that.

[warped_replica]

That Jimmy accepts his involvement so readily brings a mixture of relief and a novel concern. Benjiro shrugs his shoulders, “I haven’t met anyone else that has a Number and is staying silent on the Network like me. You probably already know everyone that is active on it... That said, you might want to be careful. We haven’t figured out how the Network exists, let alone who may know of it through other means. It may not be wise to trust anyone you haven’t seen on there without some form of proof.”

[lovedramamoron]

"I guess you have a point." Up until now Jimmy had only met a few people from the network in real life, and some of them he'd met before he knew about the network. "Has anyone had trouble like that before?"

[warped_replica]

A soft shake of his head given, Benjiro responds honestly, “Not so far. That said, we’ve noticed some changes in local law enforcement. The weekend preceding Bonfire Night, they closed down the Greens and were handling something.” In hazmat suits no less, but he would rather not cause alarm when everything has been relatively quiet since.

[lovedramamoron]

Jimmy was already interested.

"Did they say what they were handling?"

[warped_replica]

“Definitely not. People were kept at a distance and they covered it with a tent,” he says with another soft shake of his head. Aside from more mundane forces, he feels the need to warn him of a certain individual, “More concerning than that, some individuals with Numbers have had encounters with an odd individual. A bald man that we think went messing with a bomb and may have a way to cause Echoes.”

[lovedramamoron]

Jimmy makes a note of all of this. He'd heard about the bomb, but this was the first he'd heard about the rest of it. It was definitely something he wanted to look into.

"Does anyone have a picture of him?"

[warped_replica]

As much as he would like to state otherwise, he again shakes his head with a more sour tone in his voice, "Unfortunately no. Encounters with him have been brief. That said, one Numbered has a very strong sense of smell, and he knows the man's scent quite well. He picked it up when everyone found the coal-filled stockings for Christmas. He had something to do with them."

[lovedramamoron]

"Has he been involved with anything else?"

[warped_replica]

“Not that I’m aware of,” he answers. That is something to be thankful for given what happened thanks to the Echoes he triggered for the Numbered at the bomb site.

[lovedramamoron]

Jimmy frowns in thought.

"Have there been any suggestions that anyone else is involved?"

[warped_replica]

Benjiro will pause to consider this question more carefully before he shakes his head slowly once, "I don't believe so, but it's something I can ask about. The Numbered that could smell his scent didn't mention a second one. But that doesn't exclude the possibility."

One lone man with that much influence over their Echoes is frightening enough, let alone others.